SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2016 SPORTS Carlos Moya joins Rafal Dortmund boss slams ref Rydzek leads German Nadal’s coaching team after draw at Hoffenheim sweep in Nordic WCup BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has RAMSAU: Johannes Rydzek led a German sweep MADRID: Fourteen-times grand slam champion Rafa Nadal has turned to fel- slammed the referee who sent off their Germany international of the top four spots in a Nordic combined low Mallorcan Carlos Moya in an attempt to revitalise his career, the 30-year- winger Marco Reus in the 2-2 draw at Hoffenheim. World Cup event yesterday. Rydzek overtook old Spaniard said yesterday. Moya, like Nadal a former world number one, will Hoffenheim remain the only unbeaten team in Germany’s top Fabian Riessle on the finish stretch and beat join his team for the coming season and work alongside flight this season after Friday night’s stalemate. Pierre-Emerick his teammate by 1.5 seconds as he finished his uncle Toni Nadal and Francis Roig. “To have some- Aubameyang earned a point for the visitors just after the in 22 minutes, 23.6 seconds. It was Rydzek’s one like Carlos who is not only a friend but also a very break with his 16th league goal of the season. But Dortmund third win of the season and ninth overall as important person in my career is something special,” played the entire second half with 10 men after Reus’s dis- the world champion extended his lead in the Nadal said in a statement. “He will be next to me on missal and Watzke was furious with the performance of refer- season standings. Olympic champion Eric my practice and competition.” Nadal, without a ee Benjamin Brand. The official missed Sandro Wagner’s push Frenzel trailed by 8.7 in third, and Vinzenz grand slam title since winning the French Open for on Sven Bender to make it 2-1 to the hosts on 20 minutes at a Geiger was 15.0 back in fourth. Norway’s Espen a ninth time in 2014, has been plagued by injuries sold-out Rhein Neckar Arena, before Aubameyang struck the Andersen was the best non-German finisher in and loss of form in the past two years. He has always leveller. And Brand missed a pull by Nadiem Amiri on Reus, fifth. Frenzel opened the 10-kilometer cross-coun- been fiercely loyal to uncle Toni who has been his coach who then earned a second yellow-and subsequent red-on 41 try race after winning the jumping ahead of since before he burst into the limelight by winning the minutes having already been booked early on. “I’m happy Mario Seidl of Austria. Seidl dropped to French Open as a teenager in 2005. However, with (with the result), but still annoyed by these unbelievable seventh after posting the 37th time in his powers apparently on the wane Nadal has incorrect decisions in the first half, that is clear,” Watzke told the cross-country portion. Another moved to shake up his entourage, turning to Sky. “Everyone saw the push (from Wagner) and the referee Nordic combined event is scheduled close friend Moya.— Reuters was five metres away. — AFP for today. — AP Ilka Stuhec continues great form with WCup downhill win VAL D’ISERE: Ilka Stuhec continued her shine. Only .07 ahead on the fourth split, outstanding form by winning a World Cup Stuhec then accelerated away on the bot- downhill race yesterday for her fourth vic- tom section to beat Huetter, who now has tory so far in a remarkable season. 10 career podiums. The 26-year-old Slovenian finished .28 Stuhec knew she was quick, but even seconds ahead of Austrian Cornelia the result surprised her as she put her Huetter and .32 clear of Italian Soffia hands over her face, then sank onto her Goggia - who is also enjoying a break- back, shaking her head in disbelief. through season. “It was a surprise for me. Coming down Stuhec had never finished higher than and seeing the No. 1 (on the screen) I just fourth in a race prior to this year, but this didn’t get it at first,” Stuhec said. “I thought was her third success in downhill and her I’d made too many mistakes.” second straight win after clinching Friday’s Her two other wins in downhill were Alpine combined. both in Lake Louise earlier this month. It “It was really bumpy. I told myself, ‘just has been a remarkable turnaround. Prior to push, push, push,’” Stuhec said. “I tried to this year, Stuhec had finished only twice in keep the (racing) line but I was really tired. the top five, with fourth in super-G three I did enough.” years ago. Goggia also had a career best of fourth Meanwhile, defending World Cup over- before this season began, and now has six all champion Lara Gut of Switzerland failed podiums in eight races during this cam- to finish for the second straight race, skiing paign. She was also third in Friday’s race off course after losing balance on the top and strengthened her grip on second in section. She was .03 seconds faster than the overall standings behind American Huetter at the first split but then lost time slalom specialist Mikaela Shiffrin. to drift .35 behind on the next. “Everyone asks me about the overall, Then, just like during the slalom run in but actually it’s not my goal,” the 24-year- Friday’s Alpine combined race, Gut went old Goggia said. “Maybe when I was a child out. “There are days when you feel well and I was dreaming about having this crys- and you ski well, and there are some when tal globe in my hands.” you just cannot bring it all together,” said Still, Goggia is confident that she can Gut, who explained that a bump on the turn her podium finishes into wins. course led to her mishap. “That’s how it “I still haven’t found my limit yet on the goes.” Gut came here with a great chance downhill, I think I have something more to of overtaking Shiffrin. But she remains 105 give,” she said. “I’m happy with the final points behind and needs to pick up some VAL GARDENA: From left, second placed Aksel Lund Svindal, of Norway, first placed Max Franz of Austria and third placed Steven ymanN of result but not so satisfied with my skiing. I points in Sunday’s super-G. “I shouldn’t the United States celebrate on the podium of an alpine ski, men’s World Cup downhill, in Val Gardena, Italy, yesterday. — AP was pretty slow on the upper part.” start to have doubts,” said Gut, who was Three Italians, including two sisters, won a giant slalom and a super-G race this completed the top six: Nadia Fanchini was season. “Tomorrow is another day and I’m fourth ahead of Johanna Schnarf and going to go for it.” Franz beats Svindal to Elena Fanchini. But the day belonged to But she faces a strong challenge. When Stuhec. She was ahead of Huetter on all Gut won the super-G in Lake Louise earlier the time splits as she powered down the this month, Goggia was third and Stuhec Oreiller-Killy course in bright morning sun- was fifth. — AP maiden World Cup win VAL GARDENA: Max Franz stunned the field to problems. “Of course it’s an individual sport but prompting him to brake to clear the next gate. win a World Cup downhill yesterday, ending this is going to help the entire team,” Franz said “You don’t win races with mistakes,” Svindal Austria’s 13-race drought in skiing’s signature in German through a translator. said. “The other guys are too fast. ... I knew it event with his first career victory. The 27-year-old Franz’s previous best results wasn’t really perfect.” Starting with the No. 26 bib after all of the were two runner-ups and one third-place. Nyman also struggled, sitting down on his favorites had already come down the Saslong Svindal was already being interviewed as the skis while landing the bigger camel jump. Still, course, Franz finished a slim 0.04 seconds ahead presumed winner when Franz came down and the American was able to regain his speed. “I of Norwegian standout Aksel Lund Svindal and made up a deficit in the final interval. was just telling myself, ‘You got to keep push- 0.41 in front of Val Gardena specialist Steven Upon seeing his result, Franz whipped his ing. The first thing in my mind was that the Nyman. The previous Austrian man to win a poles around wildly while Svindal took his hat knees didn’t pop so things are OK. Let’s keep downhill was Hannes Reichelt in Kvitfjell, off and Nyman applauded. going, keep charging. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,’” Norway, in March last year. Austria, once known Svindal swept both the super-G and downhill Nyman said as the sport’s “Wunderteam” for producing in Val Gardena last season and was looking for All three of Nyman’s wins have come in Val downhillers like Franz Klammer, Stephan his first victory since missing much of last sea- Gardena. Eberharter, Hermann Maier and Michael son following a crash and knee injury in “I can’t not be happy about a podium,” Walchhofer, didn’t win a single downhill all of Kitzbuehel. Nyman, meanwhile, needed one Nyman said. “I’m really happy to perform the last season.