WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017 SPORTS Paulinho ‘keen’ for China African soccer boss open to Lampard lauds Terry as stay amid transfer rumors Somalia hosting games again ‘greatest EPL defender’ HONG KONG: Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho has denied speculation MOGADISHU: Somalia could host international games again for LONDON: Former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has hailed John Terry as linking him to a move away from the Chinese Super League after his recent impressive the first time in nearly 30 years after the new head of African the Premier League’s greatest ever defender after the club announced their cap- performances for Brazil and Guangzhou Evergrande. The 28-year-old, who soccer said on Tuesday he’s open to the idea. Confederation of tain will leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. The 36-year-old former joined Evergrande from the English Premier League side in June 2015, African Football president Ahmad invited Somalia to start by England international, who made his Chelsea debut in 1998, played more than signed an extension to his initial contract in January. But after scoring organizing friendly games against neighbor Djibouti in the 700 games for the club and has been their most successful captain. He won the a hat-trick in Brazil’s 4-1 win over Uruguay in World Cup qualifying Somali capital Mogadishu. Mogadishu last hosted a senior inter- 2012 Champions League, four Premier League titles, five FA Cups, last month, he has found himself back in the spotlight. “These trans- national in 1988. Somalia has been wracked by violence and three League Cups and the Europa League with Chelsea. Lampard, fer rumors are normal in the football industry,” he told Chinese chaos since the early 1990s, first because of a civil war and now who was capped 106 times for England, is Chelsea’s all-time top media. “My agent must have received inquiries from some deadly attacks by homegrown Islamist extremist group Al- goalscorer with 211 goals in over 400 appearances in all competi- European clubs. “But I like where I am and I have been having Shabab. But the situation has improved. Somalia President tions. “The last man standing of an incredible era for @chelseafc,” good time with my team mates and coaches. I’d like to stay here to Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed used Ahmad’s visit to request his Lampard wrote on his instagram account. “What a pleasure to play win more titles with Evergrande.” Paulinho joined the club on a 14 country be allowed to host international soccer again. Ahmad, with the greatest defender in the @premierleague history. “He led the club both on and off the pitch from the moment he million euro ($14.9 million) transfer fee after a disappointing spell who beat longtime African soccer boss Issa Hayatou in an elec- made his debut. “He set standards for everyone, whether it in London and has impressed since moving to China. He helped tion last month, made a two-day visit to Somalia on Monday and was demanding excellence in training, fighting for every Evergrande win the Asian Champions League title at the end of his Tuesday, his first official trip as CAF president. “Holding friendly win or respecting how fortunate we were to play for such a first season while also picking up two Chinese Super League win- matches in Mogadishu will help a lot to encourage sports and great club.” — Reuters MINNEAPOLIS: Cleveland Indians’ Carlos Santana dives for a sharp grounder by Minnesota Twins’ Jason Castro on a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning of a baseball game on Monday, April 17, 2017, in Minneapolis. — AP Yankees romp to eighth consecutive win Suzuki returns to Seattle as member of 3,000-hit club NEW YORK: Jordan Montgomery took a Chicago starter John Lackey (1-2) last season. won its third straight. Craig Kimbrel struck out pitchers retired the last 14 batters. Jesse Chavez MARINERS 6, MARLINS 1 shutout into the seventh inning for his first Brewers starter Chase Anderson (2-0) pitched the side in the ninth for a save for the third (1-2) allowed two runs and seven hits over a sea- Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz hit con- major league win while Matt Holliday home- five innings of three-run, seven-hit ball to pick straight day, his sixth this season. Blake Snell son-high seven innings. secutive first-inning homers and Ariel red in his return to the lineup as the New York up the victory. (0-2) gave up four runs - one earned - and sev- Miranda pitched seven scoreless innings as Yankees romped to their eighth consecutive en hits in five innings. The Rays completed a 1- CARDINALS 2, PIRATES 1 the Mariners beat the Marlins in Ichiro victory by beating the Chicago White Sox 7-4 BRAVES 5, PADRES 4 6 trip that followed a franchise-best 5-2 start. Lance Lynn pitched seven shutout innings Suzuki’s first visit to Safeco Field as a member on Monday night. Holliday put the Yankees Dansby Swanson hit an RBI single with two and Kolten Wong homered as St Louis of the 3,000-hit club. Miranda (1-1) allowed ahead with a titanic three-run shot in a five- outs in the ninth inning as Atlanta, boosted by INDIANS 3, TWINS 1 stopped a three-game losing streak. The four singles and only one runner to reach sec- run third inning and Aaron Judge added a Freddie Freeman’s two home runs, beat San Danny Salazar finished six innings strong Cardinals, who had lost six of seven, are 4-9 ond base while striking out five. Nick Vincent two-run homer that chased Derek Holland (1- Diego for a four-game sweep in its first series after a shaky start and Michael Brantley home- and still have the worst record in the NL. Lynn pitched a perfect eighth before Evan Scribner 2) with the score 7-0 in the fifth. New York has at SunTrust Park. Swanson’s bases-loaded hit red and drove in two runs as Cleveland beat (1-1) allowed three hits and struck out five allowed Christian Yelich’s third home run in rebounded from a 1-4 start with its longest fell just in front of diving left fielder Allen Minnesota. Salazar (1-1) struck out seven and while walking one. Seung-Hwan Oh worked the ninth. The Mariners won their fourth winning streak since a 10-game run in June Cordoba. The Braves have followed a five- retired 15 of his last 18 batters after allowing around an RBI double by pinch hitter Gregory straight after a 2-8 start. Cano crushed a 2-1 2012. Making his second career start, game losing streak with five straight wins. Jim five hits and one walk over a seven-batter Polanco in the ninth to record the Cardinals’ pitch from Tom Koehler (0-1) 441 feet to right- Montgomery (1-0) immediately found himself Johnson (2-0) pitched the ninth. Kurt Suzuki stretch spanning the first two innings. first save of the season. Ivan Nova (1-2) gave center for his second home run, a two-run in a first-inning jam. hit a one-out single in the Braves ninth off Brantley took Kyle Gibson (0-2) deep in the up five hits and no walks in eight innings while shot that scored Jarrod Dyson. Cruz followed But the 24-year-old lefty calmly pitched his closer Brandon Maurer (0-1). With two outs, fifth inning, raising his career average in 13 at- striking out three. with his second homer, lining a 1-1 pitch to way out of it by retiring cleanup hitter Jose pinch runner Chase d’Arnaud advanced to bats against the Twins right-hander to .385 center to make it 3-0. Abreu and streaking Avisail Garcia with run- third on Emilio Bonifacio’s bloop single in front with four RBIs. Cody Allen loaded the bases in RANGERS 7, ATHLETICS 0 ners at second and third. Aroldis Chapman of Cordoba’s dive. An intentional walk to Ender the ninth, but he completed his third save by AJ Griffin pitched six scoreless innings in DIAMONDBACKS 4, DODGERS 2 closed out for his fourth save. Inciarte loaded the bases for Swanson, whose getting Joe Mauer to fly out to center field. his return to the Oakland Coliseum while Jake Lamb hit a solo home run in the first career game ending hit again fell beyond Nomar Mazara had two hits and three RBIS as eighth inning and David Peralta added a run- BREWERS 6, CUBS 3 the reach of a charging Cordoba. ASTROS 3, ANGELS 0 the Rangers beat the Athletics. Carlos Gomez scoring triple in the ninth to lead the Eric Thames homered in his club record- Charlie Morton and three relievers combined and Mike Napoli added two RBIs apiece to Diamondbacks to a victory over the Dodgers. tying fifth straight game as Milwaukee beat RED SOX 4, RAYS 3 for a five-hitter while Jose Altuve drove in two help Texas end a three-game losing streak. JJ Hoover (1-0) threw two scoreless innings in Chicago. Milwaukee never trailed after Thames Andrew Benintendi hit a go-ahead, two-run runs as Houston beat Los Angeles for its fifth Griffin (2-0) spent his first two seasons in the relief of Robbie Ray to earn the victory and hit an opposite-field homer to snap a 3-3 tie in single as Boston scored three unearned runs straight win. Morton (1-1) worked in and out of majors with the A’s before being released near Fernando Rodney blanked the Dodgers in the the third inning.