Koen and Josh earn Czech doubles title
Singapore paddlers Koen Pang and Josh Chua clinched the junior boys' doubles title at the 2019 ITTF Czech Junior & Cadet Open yesterday after beating Maciej Kolodziejczyk of Austria and Vladislav Ursu of Moldova 11-7, 13-11, 11-9.
In the semi-finals, Koen and Josh, both 17, cruised to a 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 victory over Czech pair Frantisek Onderka and Radek Skala.
Singapore will compete in the team events (junior boys and girls, cadet boys and girls) that started yesterday.
Arsenal lose in Europa League
LONDON • Arsenal suffered a shock 1-0 Europa League last-32, first-leg defeat at Bate Borisov on Thursday.
Bate's Stanislav Dragun scored the winner when he nodded a free kick past the English Premier League club's goalkeeper Petr Cech seconds before half-time.
REUTERS
Another season for Barca coach Valverde
BARCELONA • Barcelona have extended coach Ernesto Valverde's contract by another year until the end of the 2019-20 season with an option for one more season, the Spanish LaLiga club said yesterday.
The 55-year-old guided Barcelona to the league and Cup double last season and has so far won 65 of his 96 games in charge in all competitions.
REUTERS
Chile joins S. America 2030 World Cup bid
BUENOS AIRES • Chile joined three neighbouring South American countries in a bid to host the 2030 football World Cup, according to a joint statement from their governments on Thursday.
The bid, which previously included only Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, is up against bids from England, and another bid from Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The tournament will mark the centennial of football's most important championship first held in Uruguay in 1930.
REUTERS
Spieth, Kang lead rain-affected event
LOS ANGELES • Three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth and South Korean Kang Sung topped the leaderboard on Thursday when darkness halted play in the weather-hit Genesis Open, where tournament host Tiger Woods never even got to tee off.
Spieth was on five under after 12 holes of the first round and Kang was also on five under after the 14th hole at Riviera Country Club, where heavy rain saw the first round get under way in earnest seven hours late.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
On-court tirade costs Kerr $34,000
LOS ANGELES • Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr was fined US$25,000 (S$34,000) by the National Basketball Association on Thursday, following his rant at officials during his team's defeat by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Kerr needed to be escorted from the court at Portland's Moda Centre on Wednesday, after angrily objecting to a flagrant foul called against Draymond Green. He was assessed two technical fouls and ejected after slamming his clipboard to the ground and unleashing a verbal volley against official Kenny Mauer.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
