ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021 16 France’s Kylian Mbappe, (right), and Germany’s Mats Hummels battle for the ball during the Euro 2020 soccer championship Group F match between France and Germany at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Wales keep Turkey winless Own-goal gives France win over Germany, Russia bounce back MUNICH, June 16, (AP): Mats Hummels’ return to the national team went better for France than it did for Saudi Arabia, UAE through to WC qualifying 3rd round Germany. The experienced defender was recalled by Germany coach Joachim Kuwait advance to Asia Cup qualifiers final round Löw for the European Championship for his leadership qualities, but he KUWAIT CITY, June 16, (Agencies): Kuwait advanced to was in 2002, when Japan and South Korea co-hosted soccer’s ended up scoring an own-goal to give the final round of the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers after beat- marquee tournament in Asia for the first time. France a 1-0 victory. ing China Taipei 2-1 at Jaber Al-Ahmad International The third round of qualifying starts in September. “It was a struggle between titans,” Stadium. Australia and Japan had already secured their places but France coach Didier Deschamps said. Kuwait’s Yousef Nasser double sealed the victory after were the only two teams to do so by winning all eight games Hummels was attempting to stop China Taipei scored in the 51st minutes of the game . Lucas Hernández’s cross from reach- Speaking at a news conference after the game, Thamer ing France forward Kylian Mbappé Enad, coach of Kuwait’s team, said the victory would boost SOCCER when he diverted the ball into his own the players’ morale ahead of the 2021 Arab Cup qualifiers. net with his shin in the 20th minute. Kuwait will meet Bahrain in a decisive game on June 25. “I can’t fault him,” Löw said. “It’s In a high-stakes, must-win game to have any chance of in the second round. just bad luck. The ball in was fast. getting to Qatar in 2022, China beat group-leading Syria 3-1 Iran beat Iraq 1-0 on Sardar Azmoun’s first-half goal to Maybe we should have attacked the to advance to the third round in Asian qualifying for the seal top spot in Group C, though both teams advanced. throw in quicker. But it was hard for World Cup. The United Arab Emirates topped Group G by defeating Mats to clear the ball.” Syria had already confirmed their place among the final Vietnam 3-2. Both teams progressed to the next round. There were chances at both ends, 12 as one of the eight group winners and China’s win Saudi Arabia finished first in Group D with the 3-0 win but France looked more likely to score secured progression as one of the four best-performing run- over Uzbekistan, which were eliminated. Salman Al-Faraj while Germany squandered opportuni- ners-up. scored twice and Ali Al-Hassan had one in the match played Russia’s Artem Dzyuba (left), and Finland’s Joona Toivio challenge for the ties. Zhang Xizhe scored two minutes before the break and sec- in Riyadh. ball during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group B match between ond-half goals from Wu Lei and Zhang Yuning sealed China’s Oman and Lebanon confirmed their spots in the next Russia and Finland at Gazprom arena stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia. İlkay Gündoğan should have scored (AP) in the first half but couldn’t direct his fourth consecutive win. China’s only World Cup appearance round to join South Korea, which qualified Sunday. shot on target. France had two goals called back for offside in the second half. Mbappé sent a curling shot inside the far post midway through the half and then set up Karim Benzema for another late in the match. Kevin historic performance Benzema was playing in his first competitive game for France since a World Cup quarterfinal loss to Germany in 2014. Mbappé also had a penalty appeal waved off in between the offside goals - Hummels had timed his tackle per- fectly when the 22-year-old Frenchman would have been through on goal. ‘sends’ Brooklyn to 3-2 lead Germany had never previously lost an opening game in the group stage at the European Championship. SOCCER Löw started with the same lineup from the 7-1 rout of Latvia in Germany’s final warm-up game, but his team had no answer to Paul Pogba, who disrupted the team’s buildup play. “It was important to start with a win. We were playing Germany, they really riled us. But we wanted this win above all,” said Pogba, who also provided incisive passes for France’s fearsome forward trio of Mbappé, Benzema and Antoine Griezmann. Löw, who is stepping down after the tournament, sent on forwards Leroy Sané and Timo Werner late in the match, and then Kevin Volland as a last resort, but none could make a dif- ference. “We threw everything into it and fought to the end,” Löw said. “We were just missing the ability to break through in the final third.” Germany’s next coach, Hansi Flick, was among the 14,000 or so spectators in attendance amid strict measures against the coronavirus. Before the match started, a Greenpeace protestor parachuted into the stadium. UEFA said there were some injuries. Germany next face Portugal, which defeated Hungary 3-0 with two record- setting goals from Cristiano Ronaldo. France will play the Hungarians in Budapest. “We have to look forward,” Germany midfielder Toni Kroos said. “When you lose the first game and you have three group games, there’s a lot of pressure. We don’t need to talk about it.” Wales 2, Turkey 0 In Baku, Aaron Ramsey scored the Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton (24) reacts after he was fouled by Brooklyn Nets forward Blake Griffin while going up for a layup during the first half of Game 5 of a second-round first goal to give Wales a 2-0 victory NBA basketball playoff series in New York. (AP) over Turkey at the European Championship. first major soccer tournament. Their Gareth Bale played a lobbed pass first victory was 1-0 over Denmark in Harden returns but delivers little offense over the opposing defense and Ramsey a match marked by Christian Eriksen’s chested it down before knocking it collapse. past onrushing Turkey goalkeeper NEW YORK, June 16, delivering little offense and Kyrie seconds left and the Nets protecting a It came as no surprise that Artem one-point lead. Ugurcan Çakir in the 42nd minute. Dzyuba was involved in Miranchuk’s (AP): Kevin Durant has Irving out, Durant played all 48 min- Bale had a chance to make it 2-0 in utes and shot 16 for 23 from the field. No argument from the Bucks. superbly taken goal, which wasn’t in always been one of the “He’s the best player in the world Baku but he missed from the penalty keeping with the overall standard of a The four-time scoring champion had spot in the 61st minute. Connor game. NBA’s most unstoppable 20 points in the fourth quarter, perhaps right now and we’ve got to beat him as Roberts added the second in the final The big center forward was the the biggest shot a 3-pointer with 50 a team,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. scorers. “We’ve got to guard him as a team. moments of the game. focal point of all Russia’s attacks, The Brooklyn Nets needed much Wales has four points in Group A though this one involved him using We’ve got to make him make tough more than points Tuesday night, so shots like tonight. We’ve just got to from its first two games while Turkey good footwork instead of his renowned Durant gave them one of the most have zero after losing both of their aerial prowess. spectacular performances in post- matches. Miranchuk collected the ball on the BASKETBALL Turkey had strong support from edge of the area and slipped a short season history. traveling fans and many locals in close ball forward to Dzyuba, who laid it off Durant had 49 points, 17 rebounds ally Azerbaijan. The presidents of both deftly back to the playmaker. and 10 assists, sending the Nets back Turkey and Azerbaijan were in atten- Miranchuk took one touch to cut inside into the lead in the Eastern Conference keep doing our job and hopefully he’s dance. Finland defender Daniel semifinals with a 114-108 victory over going to miss.” Harden played for the Russia 1, Finland 0 O’Shaughnessy and, with barely any the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5. first time since leaving 43 seconds into “I know the perception of me is that the series opener with right hamstring In St. Petersburg, with a slick one- Soccer fans Gabriel, (left), and back-lift, floated his shot beyond goal- two and a beautiful curling shot, keeper Lukas Hradecky and into the I can score the basketball well, but any tightness. He shot just 1 for 10 and Mehdi from Paris, France, cele- missed all eight 3-pointers, but had Aleksei Miranchuk finally gave Russia brate the victory of the French team top corner. team that I’ve played on, I’ve been something to smile about at the after the Euro 2020 soccer champi- Finland coach Markku Kanerva had asked to do pretty much everything eight assists and six rebounds while European Championship.