ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2021 16

France’s Julien Alaphilippe celebrates as he crosses the fi nish line of the fi rst stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 197.8 kilometers (122.9 miles) with start in Brest and fi nish in Landerneau, France. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Bucks ‘tie’ East finals Young struggles in Game 2

MILWAUKEE, June 26, 3:48 remaining in the third quarter. He shot 6 of 16 overall, 1 of 8 on 3-point (AP): The Milwaukee Bucks attempts and 2 of 3 on free throws. knew the key to tying the “I take complete responsibility for Eastern Conference finals what happened tonight,” Young said. “Taking care of the ball is something was making sure Trae Young I’ve got to be better at. I will be bet- didn’t take over again. ter at it. It’s really they just upped their They did all that and more Fri- physicality tonight. We’ve got to do day night. the same.” Giannis Ante- The Bucks never trailed, scored tokounmpo scored 20 straight points late in the sec- 25 points, Jrue ond quarter and led by at least 30 Holiday added throughout the second half. Both 22 and the Bucks teams rested their starters for the en- blew out the At- tire fourth quarter. lanta Hawks 125- 91 in Game 2. BASKETBALL Young strug- gled for much of the night after This marks the third straight series finishing with 48 Young in which the Hawks lost Game 2 after points and 11 assists in the Hawks’ 116- winning Game 1 on the road. Those 113 Game 1 victory. Game 2 losses have been decided by a “Last game he was living in the total of 59 points. paint, had a lot of floaters (and) those The series shifts to Atlanta for Game are pretty much layups for him,” Holi- 3 on Sunday. day said. “We didn’t really want that to “We have to play harder,” Hawks get him started early. And I don’t think coach Nate McMillan said. he went to the free throw line much to- “That intensity that they came out night, which is also pretty big for us.” with wasn’t a surprise to us. But they Young scored 15 points but matched showed that there’s another level that a career worst with nine turnovers be- we have to get to. They totally just Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo shoots over Atlanta Hawks’ Clint Capela during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference fore leaving the game for good with dominated the entire game.” basketball finals game in Milwaukee. (AP) No anti-Ronaldo plan for Belgium against Portugal Denmark rout Wales to reach quarterfinals at Euro 2020 AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, June tions League,” Martinez said. “It’s 26, (AP): Kasper Dolberg scored two because they’ve got an incredible goals to give Denmark a 4-0 victory mentality and they know how to play Last year’s runner-up Primoz takes third over Wales and a spot in the European big games.” Championship quarterfi nals. Ronaldo is the tournament’s lead- Denmark have ridden a wave of ing scorer with fi ve goals after three Alaphilippe wins crash-marred Tour 1st stage emotion through the tournament since matches. He is one goal from breaking playmaker Christian Eriksen suffered the overall men’s scoring record in in- LANDERNEAU, France, June 26, cardiac arrest in the team’s opening ternational soccer. The 36-year-old Ju- (AP): World champion Julian Ala- group match and had to be resuscitated ventus striker is level with former Iran philippe won the crash-marred open- with a defi brillator. striker Ali Daei at 109 goals. ing stage of the Tour de France to Dolberg is former Ajax striker and “We all know he’s one of the best snatch the race leader’s yellow jersey the match was played at the club’s footballers in the world,” Martinez on Saturday. home stadium in Amsterdam. said. “Every player adapts when you The Frenchman surged ahead of get a little bit older, you become a little the main pack in the final steep climb SOCCER more clinical with what you do. I think leading to the finish in Landerneau, Cristiano Ronaldo knows how to use crossing the line with an eight-sec- the space, he penetrates from differ- ond lead over Michael Matthews. Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand ent areas, he’s got an incredible aerial Last year’s runner-up Primoz took gave Dolberg his fi rst start of the tour- threat.” third. nament and he scored a goal in each Denmark’s Kasper Dolberg cel- But Belgium also have their threats, The Tour got underway from the half. Joakim Maele scored the third ebrates after scoring his side’s from Kevin De Bruyne to Eden Haz- western port city of Brest, returning to goal in the 88th minute and Martin second goal during the Euro 2020 ard to Romelu Lukaku, who has three its traditional slot in the calendar after Braithwaite added the fourth in injury soccer championship round of 16 goals entering the knockout stages. last year’s edition was pushed back to time. match between Wales and Den- De Bruyne and Hazard, along with September because of the coronavirus The Danes will play either the Neth- mark at Johan Cruyff Arena in Am- Axel Witsel, are back after gradually pandemic. erlands or the Czech Republic in the sterdam, Netherlands. (AP) returning to the team during the group Two big crashes marred the stage quarterfi nals in Baku on Saturday. course, Cristiano Ronaldo seems to be matches. They had not been complete- in the western Brittany region. The Cristiano Ronaldo certainly attracts ly available during Belgium’s prepara- the player that gets the right moment, first one was caused by a fan who most of the attention, just not all of the tions because of injuries. brandished a cardboard sign and attention. that right pass and the right chance and Portugal coach Fernando Santos you have to be always aware, but you leaned into the path of veteran rider Ronaldo is on the verge of becoming said he also isn’t preparing a plan to Tony Martin, who fell off his bike the all-time leading scoring in interna- have to defend the 10 players of Portu- contain specifi c Belgium players. gal in the same measure.” and took many others down in his tional soccer. He can set that record on “We can’t give their team space. slipstream. Martinez said Portugal has “an in- Sunday when Portugal face Belgium We can’t let them think without being The Tour cautioned fans to “respect in the round at 16 of the European credible accumulation” of good play- disrupted by us,” Santos said Saturday. the safety of the riders” and “Don’t Championship. ers in its squad to support Ronaldo, “They have been playing together for risk everything for a photo or to get on Belgium coach Roberto Martinez from Bernardo Silva to Diogo Jota to a long time.” television!” wants to make sure his players won’t Bruno Fernandes to Renato Sanches to The Red Devils, ranked No. 1 in the The second pileup involved dozens only be looking at Ronaldo, though. João Moutinho. world, have won 13 straight games, of competitors - including four-time “When you put a plan against a “You know why this team has including their three group games at Tour champion Chris Froome - riding player specifi cally, you could be hurt been successful, you know why this Euro 2020 and all 10 qualifi ers for the at full speed near the fi nish. by other players,” Martinez said. “Of team has won the Euros and the Na- tournament. The battle for the stage win started KUNA photo just afterward in the Fosse aux Loups, captain Bader Al-Mutawa vies for the ball with player during a three-kilometer ascent that includes a FIFA Arab Cup qualification match between Kuwait and Bahrain in . a 14% gradient. On a ground perfectly suited to his punchy style, Alaphilippe was untouchable. Kuwait fail to qualify for Arab Cup He made his move with 2 kilome- ters left to leave Roglic and defending champion Tadej Pogacar behind. “I can already say that my Tour is a Bader Al-Mutawa becomes success,” Alaphilippe said. He became the third French world world’s most-capped player champion to take the yellow jersey on the opening day of the race after KUWAIT CITY, June 26, as a striker, earning his fi rst in- Georges Speicher in 1934 and Bernard (KUNA): Kuwait captain Bader ternational cap in 2013. Hinault in 1981. Al-Mutawa overtook Egyptian He was nominated for Best legend Ahmed Hassan to be- Asian Player in 2006 and 2010. CYCLING come the most-capped player in Meanwhile, Kuwait failed to international men’s football after qualify for the FIFA Arab Cup playing a record 185th match on after a 2-0 defeat to Bahrain at Alaphillipe wore the yellow jersey Friday against Bahrain. Khalifa International Stadium in for 14 days two years ago and had it for “The Chairman of the Board Doha. three more stages last year. He recently of Directors of the Kuwait became a father and put his thumb in Football Association, Sheikh his mouth in celebration as he crossed SOCCER the fi nish line. Ahmed Al-Yousef Al-Sabah, The fi rst stage from the port city of and the members of the Board Brest to Landerneau was a 198-kilo- of Directors congratulate the Al-Riffa forward Ali Haram meter (123-mile) trek. captain of the national team, scored both goals for his side in A minor crash involving two rid- Bader Al-Mutawa, after he be- the 74th minute and the fourth ers marred the start of the stage before came the dean of international minute of added time. six riders formed the fi rst breakaway. players,” read a Kuwait FA Bahrain will join the 16-side With 100 kilometers remaining, the statement. -hosted tournament, which Denmark’s Christian Norgaard, (right), tackles Wales’ Kieffer Moore during the Euro 2020 soccer championship sextet led the peloton by about two The midfi elder began playing kicks off on November 30. round of 16 match between Wales and Denmark at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (AP) minutes.

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