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22 Monday, June 19, 2017 SPORTS SPORTS Monday, June 19, 2017 23

Porsche win Le Mans, Kazan efficient enough in the final ristiano Ronaldo brushed third of the pitch. Coff speculation about his “The next match will be torment for Toyota Real future, although very tough because New Portugal Portugal conceded a late Zealand will give it their all.” equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Ronaldo, 32, is reportedly Mexico at the Confederations furious over a tax probe into Cup yesterday. the off-shore accounts dealing Ronaldo teed up Ricardo with his image rights, and Quaresma to fire Portugal has reportedly vowed to leave held by ahead in the first half in Kazan, Spain. but the was cancelled out According to Spanish before the break by Mexico paper on Sunday, Real striker Javier Hernandez’s Madrid’s Zinedine bullet header. Zidane even broke off his Spilak wraps Cedric Soares restored holiday to call Ronaldo to try Portugal’s lead on 86 minutes, to persuade his star not to quit Mexico but Hector Moreno’s the club. stoppage-time header salvaged a point for Mexico in Video assistance their Group A opener. But Portugal’s talisman was up Tour of “We could have killed at his best in an action-packed off the match but it didn’t first half in his team’s opening happen. The draw is a fair match, with hosts and result without doubt,” said New Zealand still to come in Porsche 919 Hybrid N°2 team, Germany’s driver Timo Bernhard (R), New Zealand’s Portugal coach Fernando the group. driver Earl Bamber (C) and New Zealand’s driver Brendon Hartley celebrate Santos, whose side wore black Ronaldo’s superb volley Switzerland title Le Mans That twin disaster left Toyota with armbands in honour of the looked to have helped Lausanne orsche floored Hong Kong actor and one car still out on the track, driven victims of a deadly forest fire Portugal take the lead, but lovenian Simon Spilak claimed stuntman Jackie Chan’s audacious by Sebastien Buemi, Anthony Davidson back home. the video assistant referee his second overall Tour of Pbid for Le Mans glory as Toyota suffered and Kazuki Nakajima. “I would like to say came to Mexico’s rescue SSwitzerland victory yesterday, as fresh torment in a gripping 85th edition Last year Nakajima’s Toyota had the something on behalf of my after Nani had put the ball Rohan Dennis won the closing of the 24-hour endurance race yesterday. race at his mercy only for his car to give players. People are very sad in the net. time trial in Schaffhausen. Timo Bernhard overtook Ho-Pin up the ghost on the final lap, handing in Portugal and the players When Ronaldo’s volley Katusha rider Spilak took Tung in Chan’s LMP2 class Oreca- victory on a plate to Porsche. are thinking of all those who thumped the crossbar, Nani a 52-second advantage over Gibson with less than an hour to go He and his co-drivers had to settle for are suffering from what’s pounced on the rebound, but Damiano Caruso into the to claim a 19th Le Mans title for the ninth this time around. happened.” the video ref spotted that final day, and he finished four German constructor. Mexico coach Juan Carlos four players were offside. seconds behind the Italian in While Bernhard, who won with Audi Massive lead Osorio said his team deserved However, Portugal, and fifth on the day to secure the in 2010, and his New Zealand co-drivers The impish Le Mans gods that wreaked their point but admitted there Ronaldo, were not to be yellow jersey. and childhood chums Earl Bamber havoc on Toyota also poked fun at was work to be done going denied. The 30-year-old also won the and Brendon Hartley were celebrating, Porsche, the constructor’s No.1 car with forward. The Euro 2016 winners title in 2015, and he will go into Toyota’s agonising wait for a maiden Andre Lotterer driving breaking down “Hector Moreno’s goal took the lead on 34 minutes July’s Tour de France hoping to title continued. with a massive 13-lap lead and only three handed Mexican football a when Ronaldo sprinted into huge result,” he said. the box and his beautifully- become the first man to complete Rohan Dennis (file pic) As night fell on Saturday Toyota, who hours to run. the Tour of Switzerland-Grand made their Le Mans debut in 1986, were As Lotterer climbed out of his stricken Mexico’s defender Hector Moreno “We still need to work timed pass found Quaresma Boucle double since Belgian sitting pretty with the car of Kamui machine and broke down in tears, Chan on our finishing, we’re not unmarked in the area. (AFP) Tour of Switzerland results after the ninth and final stage, a vies with Portugal’s forward Ricardo great Eddy Merckx in 1974. Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Stephane was dreaming of a historic first ever Le Quaresma Australian Dennis, 27, went 28.6km time trial around Schaffhausen: Sarrazin holding a comfortable lead. Mans success for a privately entered into the ninth stage as the Stage Overall But with Kobayashi - who had set a team. But the remaining Porsche 919 favourite, and he completed 1. Rohan Dennis (AUS/BMC) 28.6km in 1. Simon Spilak (SLO/Katusha) 28hr 37min record lap for pole - behind the wheel his Hybrid, stone last on Saturday evening, the 28.6km course 29 seconds 36min 30sec 11sec hybrid car limped out of contention with reeled in the film star’s surprise leader, quicker than his teammate 2. Stefan Keung (SWI/BMC) at 0:29 2. Damiano Caruso (ITA/BMC) at 0:48 clutch problems. pouncing to seize control on the fastest 3. Damiano Caruso (ITA/BMC) 0:47 3. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/LNL) 1:08 Late strikes see past Cameroon Stefan Keung as Caruso 4. Jon Izagirre (ESP/BAH) 0:51 4. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 2:37 A little later, the Toyota of Japanese section of the fabled Sarthe circuit on completed a BMC clean sweep 5. Simon Spilak (SLO/KAT) 0:51 5. Rui Costa (POR/EAU) 3:09 rookie Yuji Kunimoto, Nicolas Lapierre lap 348. was in the Chile goal ahead of Cameroon were much- of the top three. 6. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/LNL) 0:54 6. Jon Izagirre (ESP/BAH) 3:51 and Jose Maria Lopez was also kyboshed As a bleary-eyed and sun-baked rturo Vidal’s late header usual captain . improved in the second half The win was Dennis’ third in 7. Marc Soler (ESP/MOV) 0:58 7. Mathias Frank (SWI/ALM) 4:00 after a shunt in the Dunlop Chicane. 250,000 crowd watched on, Bernhard helped Chile to a 2-0 Ondoa was the busier of as they gained a measure 8. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 1:00 8. Marc Soler (ESP/MOV) 4:14 A time trials this season, while he 9. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) 1:02 9. Mikel Nieve (ESP/SKY) 4:47 “Le Mans is a truly ruthless race,” said crossed the line with a lap to spare over win over Cameroon in their the two keepers in the first of control, but Benjamin also won the 6km prologue in 10. Patrick Bevin (NZL/CAN) 1:04 10. Peio Bilbao (ESP/AST) 5:30 Pierre Fillon, president of race organiser Dutch-born Tung with Nelson Piquet Confederations Cup Group B half though and he had to Moukandjo could only curl a Switzerland last week. (AFP) Automobile Club de l’Ouest. Junior in another Oreca in third. (AFP) opener in Moscow yesterday, be alert to keep out Edson free-kick wide. as the video assistant referee Puch’s long-range strike. The Vargas continued to see played a prominent role. best chance of the opening 45 chances come and go, with Chile dominated an minutes fell to Vargas after he his latest effort being deflected entertaining, but goalless, first was played through by Vidal’s behind for a corner. Ward stuns Kovalev to retain three titles half as saw pass, but he blazed over. That set-piece almost saw Las Vegas you have to raise your game to Ward had been given a gift his strike ruled out by the Controversy reigned on the deadlock broken, but merican champion the next level. decision by the three judges. video assistant. the stroke of half-time at the flicked a header boxer Andre Ward kept “I hurt him with a head shot “I have never been the most The Copa America Otkrytiye Arena as Vargas past the far post with the goal Ahis IBF, WBA and WBO and I just had to get the right talented, I have never been the champions had to wait until saw his stoppage-time goal gaping. titles by stopping Russian shot in to finish him.” biggest, I just keep knocking the 81st minute though to ruled out. Sanchez made a difference brawler Sergey Kovalev in Referee Tony Weeks down giants one by one,” said find a breakthrough, which The 27-year-old clipped the as Chile finally forged ahead the eighth round of their stopped the fight with 31 Ward. was provided by a flying ball home, but over a minute with nine minutes to play. light heavyweight rematch on seconds left in the eighth with Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 header from Bayern Munich after the ball had hit the net, The Arsenal forward’s Saturday. Kovalev kneeling down from knockouts) sent Ward to the Vidal. the video assistant adjudged dinked cross was met by The unbeaten Ward hurt what he said was a low blow. canvas in the first fight, and Vargas, who missed a host the Tigres forward to have Vidal, whose powerful header Kovalev with a right hand that Ward improved to 32-0 with while he landed several big of earlier chances, added a been marginally offside. gave him a 23rd goal for his buckled his knees and then 16 knockouts as he held onto shots in the rematch, once second in added time after Alexis Sanchez, who had country. Sanchez should have finished him off on the ropes three of the four major boxing again he failed to close the deal another video review. been struggling with an ankle broken the record, but saw his 30 seconds later with a series belts that he snatched from and appeared to tire after the The victory gave Chile Chile’s midfielder (R) challenges Cameroon’s forward Benjamin Moukandjo injury before the game, was shot blocked after rounding of body shots around the mid- Kovalev by winning the first sixth round. a perfect start to their winners Germany and took the lead inside the first Ondoa just seconds later. introduced by coach Juan Ondoa, only for Vargas to section at the Mandalay Bay fight in November by a slim “I cannot explain,” Kovalev maiden Confederations Cup Australia make up Group B, minute, but striker Vargas’ The Africa Cup of Nations Antonio Pizzi 12 minutes poke in the rebound. hotel and casino. unanimous decision. said. Kovalev added he wants campaign, after they qualified and they go head-to-head on shot crashed back off the holders did look a threat on the after the interval as he looked After the game’s second “He’s a great fighter, not a The 33-year-old Ward an “immediate” rematch by successfully defending their Monday. post, before Jose Fuenzalida counter-attack and Vincent for the 38th international goal review, the goal and three lot of people are going to beat needed this victory to validate because he felt he got hit with Copa America title last year. The South Americans made saw his low effort well saved Aboubakar was denied by the that would make him Chile’s points for Chile were him,” Ward said. “But when his first win as many felt the a series of low blows in the Reigning World Cup- a blistering start and almost by Cameroon keeper Fabrice legs of Johnny Herrera, who outright record scorer. confirmed. (AFP) Sergey Kovalev (L) and Andre Ward battle it out Andre Ward you are facing a great fighter Russian won that fight and that eighth. (AFP)