TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015 SPORTS DR Congo, Morocco advance in World Cup qualification

CAPE TOWN: Morocco and the Thursday. This keeps them on course for a ’s newly-refurbished Martyrs 77th minute penalty put the Congolese Zambia’s 2-0 win over Sudan in Ndola to Democratic Republic of Congo both fifth World Cup finals appearance but Stadium. Two late goals gave the back ahead but ensured an anx- advance 3-0 over the two legs. advanced towards another World Cup their first since France in 1998. They are Congolese a 3-2 away win in Thursday’s ious finish when they equalised near the Guinea, forced to host their tie against finals appearance on Sunday but without joined in the final group phase by Guinea, first leg and they were expecting an easy end with a spot kick of their own, con- in Morocco because of the Ebola much conviction as they booked places in Uganda, Zambia and the Congolese, who, return match, scoring first through verted by Fiston Abdul Razak. ban, were 2-0 victors in Casablanca to the final phase of African qualification for as Zaire, played at the 1974 finals in West French-born Jordan Nkololo. But striker Seventeen-year-old Farouk Miya net- also advance in convincing fashion. the 2018 tournament in Russia. Germany. Dieumerci Mbokani, back to help defend ted two of Uganda’s three first-half goals Gabon qualified on Saturday with the Morocco lost 1-0 away to Equatorial DR Congo qualified despite being held a corner, skewed the ball into his own net in a 3-0 win in Kampala, ensuring a 4-0 remaining 14 places to be decided on Guinea in Bata but qualified 2-1 on aggre- 2-2 at home by tiny neighbours Burundi for an equaliser that suddenly offered aggregate triumph, while Winston Tuesday at the conclusion of the second gate after winning the first leg on in a disappointing result on their return to Burundi some hope. Yannick Bolaise’s Kalengo’s 81st minute goal sealed round of knockout matches. — Reuters Celtics get Smart to silence Thunder in Oklahoma City OKLAHOMA CITY: Marcus Smart scored rebounds) and Batum (33 points) to seize a career-high 26 points to lead the a lead in the second quarter they would Boston Celtics to a 100-85 victory over not relinquish. The Hornets had built a the Oklahoma City Thunder. Smart, who 71-45 advantage by halftime and led by also had to guard Oklahoma’s Russell as many as 29 points, before Portland Westbrook, was still able to shoot 9-of-14 used a 16-0 run in the fourth quarter to from the field and haul in eight close the gap. rebounds. Guard Isaiah Thomas scored 20 points and handed out eight assists. Jazz 97, Hawks 96 Westbrook had a game-high 27 points. Forward Derrick Favors scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds to Knicks 95, Pelicans 87 lead the Utah Jazz to a 97-96 win over The New York Knicks, aided by strong the Atlanta Hawks. Favors, who grew up play from their bench, won for just the in Atlanta and played one season at second time at home this season, with a Georgia Tech before turning professional, 95-87 victory over the New Orleans gave the Jazz a five-point lead at 93-88, a Pelicans. The Knicks are now 2-4 at margin from which the Hawks could not Madison Square Garden. New York were recover. He scored 17 points in the sec- led by forward Carmelo Anthony’s 29 ond half. points and 13 rebounds, but it was their reserves who made the difference. Kings 107, Raptors 101 Backup point guard Langston Galloway DeMarcus Cousins scored a game- scored 15 points and power forward high 36 points, and guard Ben Kevin Seraphin added 12 points. Forward McLemore’s acrobatic layup with under a Anthony Davis showed no ill effects from minute left lifted the Sacramento Kings a hip contusion that kept him out for two to a 107-101 victory over the Toronto games as he scored 36 points, pulled in Raptors. Cousins produced his third con- 11 rebounds and blocked four shots. secutive game of at least 30 points, while Sacramento held Toronto to 12 points Grizzlies 114, Timberwolves 106 over the final 10:23 to win for the third Forward Jeff Green led the Memphis successive game. Kings forward Rudy Grizzlies with 21 points in a 114-106 win Gay added 27 points and forward Omri over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mike Casspi contributed 14. Conley added 20 for Memphis, who had six players in double figures. Guard Zach Lakers 97, Pistons 85 LaVine scored 25 points while Andrew Forward Kobe Bryant compiled 17 Wiggins finished with 21 but the points, nine assists and eight rebounds, Timberwolves could not match the and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a Memphis shooters, falling to 0-5 at home four-game skid with a 97-85 victory over with their fourth consecutive loss. the Detroit Pistons at Staples Center. Guard Jordan Clarkson also had 17 Hornets 106, Trail Blazers 94 points for Los Angeles (2-8). Bryant made Guard Nicolas Batum and center Al just 6-of-19 shots from the floor but was Jefferson combined for 62 points as the effective in involving his team mates. Charlotte Hornets built a big lead and Guard Nick Young came off the bench to held on for a 106-94 victory over the score 13 points for the Lakers, whose Portland Trail Blazers. only other victory was over the Brooklyn Charlotte used a dominating perform- Nets. Center Roy Hibbert chipped in 12 ance from Jefferson (29 points, five points and seven rebounds. — Reuters

NBA Results/Standings

NY Knicks 95, New Orleans 87; Memphis 114, Minnesota 106; Charlotte 106, 94; Utah 97, Atlanta 96; Boston 100, Oklahoma City 85; Sacramento 107, Toronto 101; LA Lakers 97, Detroit 85. NEW YORK: A moment of silence is observed for the victims of the French terrorist attacks, before an NHL hockey game between the New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sunday, in New York. — AP Eastern Conference Western Conference Atlantic Division Northwest Division W L PCT GB Oklahoma City 6 4 .600 - Toronto 7 4 .636 - Utah 5 5 .500 1 Struggling Blackhawks Boston 5 4 .556 1 Denver 5 5 .500 1 NY Knicks 5 6 .455 2 Minnesota 4 6 .400 2 Brooklyn 1 9 .100 5.5 Portland 4 7 .364 2.5 Philadelphia 0 10 0 6.5 Pacific Division douse Calgary Flames Central Division Golden State 11 0 1.000 - Cleveland 8 2 .800 - LA Clippers 6 4 .600 4.5 Chicago 6 3 .667 1.5 Phoenix 5 4 .556 5 CHICAGO: Patrick Kane continued his torrid Derek Stepan and Derick Brassard also scored Joffrey Lupul and defenseman Dion Phaneuf Indiana 6 4 .600 2 Sacramento 4 7 .364 7 point-scoring streak with a goal and an assist for New York, who have won nine successive scored for Toronto, who had a three game Detroit 5 5 .500 3 LA Lakers 2 8 .200 8.5 as the Chicago Blackhawks used a second- games. Goaltender Antti Raanta stopped 23 winning streak end. Goaltender Jonathan Milwaukee 5 5 .500 3 period offensive barrage to beat the Calgary of 26 shots. Center Peter Holland, left winger Bernier made 26 saves. — Reuters Southeast Division Southwest Division San Antonio 7 2 .778 - Flames. Chicago goaltender Scott Darling Atlanta 8 4 .667 - made 25 saves. Miami 6 3 .667 0.5 Dallas 6 4 .600 1.5 Calgary grabbed a 1-0 lead less than four NHL Results/Standings Charlotte 5 5 .500 2 Memphis 5 6 .455 3 Washington 4 4 .500 2 Houston 4 6 .400 3.5 minutes into the second period when right Orlando 5 6 .455 2.5 New Orleans 1 9 .100 6.5 winger David Jones pushed a shot under NY Rangers 4, Toronto 3; Chicago 4, Calgary 1. Darling, who made the start after Corey Crawford made 29 saves in the Blackhawks’ 4- Western Conference Ottawa 8 5 4 51 53 20 2 win over St. Louis on Saturday. The Central Division Tampa Bay 8 8 3 46 48 19 Blackhawks responded by scoring three times WL OTLGFGAPTS Boston 8 7 1 52 49 17 in a span of just under two minutes to take a Dallas 14 4 0 65 47 28 Detroit 8 8 1 37 42 17 Minnesota 10 3 3 48 43 23 3-1 lead, with Kane scoring a goal for the sev- Buffalo 8 8 1 40 46 17 Nashville 10 3 3 50 38 23 Florida 7 7 3 48 45 17 enth successive game and extending his St. Louis 11 5 1 47 41 23 points streak to 13 games. Toronto 5 9 4 41 54 14 Chicago 10 7 1 49 44 21 Metropolitan Division Right winger Marian Hossa followed up Winnipeg 8 8 2 48 59 18 NY Rangers 14 2 2 57 32 30 about a minute later before Artemi Panarin Colorado 7 9 1 49 45 15 Washington 11 4 1 50 37 23 finished off the scoring flurry with a goal at Pacific Division the 8:32 mark of the period. Blackhawks Los Angeles 11 6 0 43 36 22 New Jersey 10 6 1 44 40 21 center Jonathan Toews capped the scoring Arizona 9 7 1 48 49 19 NY Islanders 9 6 3 49 42 21 with an empty-net goal with 38 seconds Vancouver 7 6 5 52 46 19 Pittsburgh 10 7 0 36 37 20 remaining. San Jose 9 8 0 45 43 18 Philadelphia 6 8 3 33 50 15 Anaheim 5 8 4 29 45 14 Carolina 6 9 2 34 49 14 Rangers 4, Maple Leafs 3 Calgary 6 12 1 45 72 13 Columbus 6 12 0 45 62 12 Right winger Mats Zuccarello capped a Edmonton 6 12 0 47 58 12 three-point performance with a goal with less Eastern Conference Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one than a minute left in regulation as the New Atlantic Division point in the standings and are not included in York Rangers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs. Montreal 13 3 2 63 39 28 the loss column (L) Defenseman Ryan McDonagh and centers leave for Cape Verde after pay dispute deal

NAIROBI: Kenya finally left Nairobi yesterday and refund expenses for the overseas-based two changes to the team which beat Cape for their 2018 World Cup qualifier in Cape players. Verde 1-0 in the first leg in the Kenyan capital Verde after settling a pay dispute with the A special flight carrying the team left the last Friday. national football federation. Kenyan capital Monday afternoon for the He has brought in Zambia-based striker The Harambee Stars were scheduled to eight-hour trip to the capital of Cape Verde, David Keli and defender Brian Mandela of the leave on Saturday and will now arrive only 24 Praia. “It is good that we shall arrive late in South African premier league side Maritzburg hours before Tuesday’s second round return Cape Verde. The players will not affected by United to replace Allan Wanga, who is unavail- leg tie. The players had boycotted training fol- the weather changes before the match,” team able and suspended Teddy Okumu. Kenya OKLAHOMA CITY: Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (front) passes in front of lowing the Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) manager Willis Waliaula told AFP. need a draw in Praia to reach the World Cup Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook in the second quarter of an NBA failure to pay their outstanding allowances Kenya coach Bobby Williamson has made group qualifying phase. — AFP basketball game ON Sunday. Boston won 100-85. — AP