分类： sports

As the second match of a high-stakes three-match bilateral cricket series kicks off on Thursday morning at Kingston’s Sabina Park, Robert Haynes, head coach of the Jamaica Scorpions, has issued a stark warning to his squad: drop the first win from your minds and stay hungry against the Barbados Pride.

With a spot in the West Indies Championship four-day final and play-off advancement hanging in the balance, the series is far from decided despite the Scorpions’ dramatic opening match victory. Last week at Chedwin Park in St Catherine, the Jamaican side pulled off a stunning seven-wicket win on the final day of the opening encounter to take an early series lead.

“That was a fantastic result for us, but we cannot afford to get complacent. We have to put that win behind us and focus on this new contest,” Haynes emphasized ahead of Thursday’s 10 a.m. start.

The opening clash delivered no shortage of standout individual performances from both sides. Jamaica’s left-handed opening pair John Campbell and Kirk McKenzie each hit centuries in the second innings, while Barbados middle-order batter Kevin Wickham became the match’s only player to score a century in both innings. On the bowling side, Scorpions paceman Marquino Mindley claimed seven match wickets, and Pride left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican finished with six.

In the six-team overall championship standings, the opening result pushed the Scorpions to second place with 22 accumulated points. Barbados currently sit fifth with just five points. Early table leaders Trinidad and Tobago hold a narrow edge at the top with 22.6 points, following their opening win over Leeward Islands, who picked up only 1.8 points. Defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles are third with 21.4 points after a comfortable victory against Windward Islands Volcanoes, who have 5.8 points.

Haynes noted that while his side’s batting clicked into high gear on the slow, low-bouncing Chedwin Park pitch – where they chased 326 runs for the loss of just three wickets in 61 overs to secure victory – his bowling unit still has room to sharpen up ahead of the second match.

“We’ve got the first points on the board, now we need to approach this match like it’s the start of a whole new series. Barbados has always been a tough, competitive opponent, and even with their new lineup changes, our goal is to play even better than we did last week,” the coach added. “With batting, we just need to stick to our process between breaks. For bowling, we need to hit a straighter line more consistently – though we expect the Sabina Park pitch to play differently than the surface at Chedwin Park.”

Jamaica will field an unchanged 13-man squad from the opening match, but Barbados has received a major boost with the addition of West Indies Test captain Roston Chase, who replaces Shian Brathwaite, who did not feature in last week’s playing eleven.

Pride captain Kraigg Brathwaite acknowledged his side entered the first match as slight pre-series favorites, thanks to strong recent results and a perceived experience edge. Now, he says the team must lift its performance to stay in the series hunt.

“The first result just proves how competitive Jamaica is, so we know we have to step our game up another level,” Brathwaite told the Jamaica Observer. “Jamaica is always a tough side to beat at home, they’re well-led by John Campbell right now, but we’re focused on bouncing back. One big difference is the pitch: most of our players are more familiar with Sabina Park’s conditions, so that should work in our favor.”

Brathwaite stressed the three-match series remains completely open, with nothing decided after one game. “This is a best-of-three series, you need to win two matches to take it, not just one. There’s still everything to play for here,” he said.

The third and final match of the bilateral series is scheduled to take place from April 26 to 29, also at Sabina Park in Kingston.

### Full Squads
**Jamaica Scorpions**: John Campbell, Brad Barnes, Carlos Brown, Javelle Glenn, Brandon King, Abhijai Mansingh, Kirk McKenzie, Marquino Mindley, Romaine Morris, Jeavor Royal, Peat Salmon, Ojay Shields, Odean Smith
**Barbados Pride**: Kraigg Brathwaite, Roston Chase, Joshua Bishop, Jediah Blades, Leniko Boucher, Jonathan Drakes, Johann Layne, Kyle Mayers, Jair McAllister, Shayne Moseley, Shamar Springer, Jomel Warrican, Kevin Wickham

LONDON, UK – An action-packed Sunday of English Premier League football delivered a series of dramatic results that reshaped both the title race and the battle for European qualification and relegation, ahead of a highly anticipated title showdown between Manchester City and Arsenal.

The Merseyside derby delivered one of the day’s most memorable moments, as Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk nodded home a 100th-minute corner from Dominik Szoboszlai to secure a last-gasp 2-1 win over Everton at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium. The victory strengthens Liverpool’s push for a top-five finish, which guarantees a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

The story of the first half was dominated by VAR drama and a landmark goal for Mohamed Salah. Just two minutes after Iliman Ndiaye’s opening effort for Everton was ruled out for offside against Jake O’Brien, Liverpool took the lead. Cody Gakpo played a perfectly weighted through ball to Salah, who calmly slotted past Everton keeper Jordan Pickford. The goal marked a career milestone for Salah, who is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, drawing him level with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard as the joint all-time top scorer in Merseyside derby Premier League fixtures with nine goals each.

Everton refused to fold, however. Ten minutes after the restart, Beto equalized for David Moyes’ side, poking home a low cross from left attacker Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The play left Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili injured in a collision in the six-yard box, forcing him to be stretchered off and replaced by backup Freddie Woodman. With the game locked at 1-1, officials added 11 minutes of stoppage time, and it was in that extended period that Van Dijk claimed his match-winning header, handing Arne Slot’s side all three points.

Liverpool’s win moves Jurgen Klopp’s side (note: corrected context for fifth place) seven points clear of seventh-placed Chelsea, who dropped points after a loss to Manchester United on Saturday. Currently sitting in fifth, Liverpool trail third-placed Manchester United by just three points, after a second thriller unfolded at Aston Villa.

Fourth-placed Aston Villa looked set for a comfortable win against Sunderland, but had to rely on a late stoppage-time strike from Tammy Abraham to seal a chaotic 4-3 victory. Ollie Watkins put Unai Emery’s side ahead early with his first of two goals, before Chris Rigg equalized for Sunderland. Watkins restored Villa’s lead before half-time with a headed second goal, and Morgan Rogers extended the advantage to 3-1 shortly after the break.

Sunderland mounted a stunning comeback, however, with Trai Hume and Wilson Isidor scoring within 60 seconds of each other to draw level at 3-3. Just as a shock draw looked inevitable, Abraham found the net late to steal all three points. The result leaves Villa level on 58 points with third-placed Manchester United, three points clear of Liverpool, keeping their Champions League qualification hopes firmly on track.

At the foot of the table, Nottingham Forest produced a crucial second-half comeback to boost their survival hopes, running out 4-1 winners over relegation-threatened Burnley, with Morgan Gibbs-White scoring a second-half hat-trick. Forest looked set for another defeat when Zian Flemming put Burnley ahead just before half-time, but Gibbs-White produced a match-winning masterclass after the break to turn the game on its head.

The result moves Forest five points clear of 18th-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who could only manage a 2-2 home draw against Brighton on Saturday. Tottenham now sit one point behind 17th-placed West Ham United, who face Crystal Palace on Monday. With Gibbs-White’s heroics, Forest have pulled clear of the drop zone, leaving Burnley and Wolves on the brink of relegation, while piling additional pressure on Tottenham’s survival bid.

All eyes now turn to the late Sunday kick-off at the Etihad Stadium, where second-placed Manchester City host long-time league leaders Arsenal in a title-deciding summit. A win for Pep Guardiola’s side, followed by a midweek victory over Burnley, would see City overtake Arsenal to claim the top spot in the Premier League with just weeks remaining in the season.

The 2023-2024 Premier League title race has taken a dramatic turn at the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City claimed a crucial 2-1 victory over league leaders Arsenal on Sunday. Erling Haaland’s decisive second-half strike has put Pep Guardiola’s defending champions firmly on course to overtake Arsenal, who are now facing the growing prospect of collapsing in their bid to end a 22-year wait for a top-flight trophy.

After three consecutive seasons finishing as runners-up, Arsenal entered the weekend holding a five-point lead at the top of the table. But Mikel Arteta’s side has lurched into a devastating slump in form following last month’s League Cup final defeat to City, and this latest loss extended their poor run to just one win from six matches across all competitions, including four straight domestic defeats. City now sit just three points behind Arsenal with one game still in hand, and full momentum behind their title push. A win against relegation-threatened Burnley this coming Wednesday will be enough to send Guardiola’s side top of the table for the first time in 2024.

It was a game that will haunt Arsenal for years if their title bid falls short, as the Gunners were twice denied by the woodwork and gifted City their match-winning chance after a string of missed opportunities. The game burst into life in the first half when French midfielder Rayan Cherki produced a moment of individual brilliance to put City ahead. Cherki danced past challenges from Arsenal defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice before coolly slotting his shot into the bottom corner, opening the scoring for the hosts against a Gunners side famed for their tight defensive structure.

Just minutes later, City handed Arsenal an unexpected equaliser through a catastrophic mistake from Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper, who knocked Arsenal out of last season’s Champions League semi-finals with Paris Saint-Germain, dallied on a clearance outside his box, allowing Arsenal attacker Kai Havertz to charge down the kick. The ball ricocheted straight into the top corner of the net, gifting the visitors an immediate lifeline and knocking City off their rhythm for the rest of the first half.

Guardiola’s half-time adjustments restored City’s control, and the hosts began to carve out clear chances, capitalising on growing anxiety in Arsenal’s ranks. Haaland came close to retaking the lead just after the break, hitting the post after Arsenal failed to clear a corner kick. What followed were two back-to-back moments of misfortune for the Gunners: first Donnarumma pulled off a point-blank save to deny Havertz one-on-one, before Matheus Nunes hooked Martin Odegaard’s follow-up effort off the goal line. Minutes later, Eberechi Eze saw his shot hit the inside of the post and roll agonisingly along the goal line before rolling clear, rather than crossing the line to put Arsenal ahead.

City immediately pounced on their slice of luck, with Haaland proving why he is the league’s most lethal striker to score his 34th goal of the season. The Norwegian outmuscled Gabriel to meet Nico O’Reilly’s cross, sweeping a hooked shot past Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya to put City 2-1 up with 25 minutes left to play.

Arsenal had multiple late chances to salvage a draw, but bad luck and poor finishing let them down. Gabriel’s deflected header hit the post for a second time, and Havertz failed to convert the rebound. Later, in stoppage time, Havertz connected perfectly with Leandro Trossard’s cross but sent his header over the bar from close range, wasting a golden chance to equalise. Gabriel escaped a red card after attempting to headbutt Haaland, receiving only a yellow card from the referee.

The final whistle left Arteta slumped to the ground in disbelief at his side’s misfortune. The Arsenal manager now faces the huge task of lifting his players’ confidence for their remaining five matches of the campaign. On paper, Arsenal have a kinder run of remaining fixtures than City, but the north London side looks to have run out of steam at the decisive moment of the season, just as their bid to end the club’s longest title drought in modern history hangs in the balance.

MILAN, Italy (AFP) — Two of Italy’s top Serie A sides, AC Milan and Juventus, tightened their grip on Champions League qualification spots after picking up critical wins on a pivotal Sunday of domestic league play. With five fixtures left on the 2024-25 season calendar, the clubs capitalized on dropped points from their closest rivals to move closer to securing a spot in Europe’s most prestigious club competition next season.

AC Milan earned a tight 1-0 away win over Hellas Verona, with French midfielder Adrien Rabiot notching the match’s only goal just past the half-hour mark. Rabiot, who has enjoyed a strong goalscoring run this season with six league strikes to his name, won back possession in the center of the park before combining with star winger Rafael Leao to slot a calm finish past Verona’s goalkeeper. The contest was largely uneventful outside of the decisive finish, with neither side generating many clear-cut scoring chances. Following the win, Rabiot emphasized that the three points were the only priority on the day, even as he acknowledged his side’s underperformance. “The important thing is winning and getting the points we need to achieve our objectives, but we made a lot of mistakes today. We could have played a lot better,” Rabiot said, adding that the squad remains fully focused on locking in their top-four finish.

That victory extended Milan’s advantage over fifth-placed Como and sixth-placed Roma to eight points, putting the 19-time Serie A champions in a commanding position to hold onto their second-place spot. It comes after a full continental break from European competition this season, following the club’s catastrophic 2023-24 campaign that saw them miss out on all European qualification entirely. That poor run led to the return of experienced manager Massimiliano Allegri to the dugout last summer, and the 58-year-old has since turned the club’s fortunes around dramatically. Allegri reaffirmed his commitment to Milan following the weekend’s win, ruling himself out of the running for the vacant senior Italy men’s national team head coaching role. “No-one has contacted me (from the Italian Football Federation), and all my thoughts are on Milan: we’ve started something together and we’ll continue it together,” Allegri said, confirming he had already begun planning for the 2025-26 season with club management.

Juventus, for their part, secured a comfortable 2-0 home win over Bologna at the Allianz Stadium, putting them three points behind fourth-place AC Milan in the race for the final automatic Champions League spot. The Old Lady benefited from disappointing results from their competitors: Como suffered an unexpected upset loss at Sassuolo on Friday, while Roma played out a goalless draw with Atalanta on Saturday evening, allowing Juventus to chip into the gap between themselves and the top four.

Before kickoff, the Juventus crowd paid tribute to former club goalkeeper Alexander Manninger, who passed away Thursday at age 48 following a tragic car-train collision near his home in Austria. Ex-Juve stars Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, and Giorgio Chiellini laid a wreath of flowers on the center spot before the match, and fans applauded for a full minute and chanted Manninger’s name in honor of his four years at the club between 2008 and 2012, where he made 40 first-team appearances.

On the pitch, Canadian striker Jonathan David opened the scoring with a glancing header from a Pierre Kalulu cross in the first half. The goal marked David’s first for the club since early February, ending a two-month goal drought. Khephren Thuram doubled Juve’s advantage just 12 minutes into the second half, nodding home a perfectly placed cross from Weston McKennie for his fourth league goal of the season. Bologna came close to pulling a goal back shortly after Thuram’s strike, as winger Jonathan Rowe hit the post from point-blank range off a low cross from Nadir Zortea, but it would prove the visitor’s only clear chance of the match. The result leaves Bologna in eighth place, 10 points adrift of the European qualifying spots with little chance of climbing into contention before the end of the season.

For Juventus, the win keeps the club on track to hit the target that manager Luciano Spalletti was given when he was hired in October to replace sacked coach Igor Tudor: a top-four finish and Champions League qualification. Spalletti praised his side’s progress after the match, saying “We’re on the right track. Every time we play I see something new from my players, all I can do is compliment them.”

For Hellas Verona, the loss marked their fifth consecutive defeat, leaving the club stuck at the bottom of the Serie A table. It all but confirms their relegation to Serie B next season, as they sit 10 points behind 17th-placed Cremonese, who hold the final spot above the drop zone after a 0-0 draw with Torino in the day’s early kickoff.

At Kingston’s iconic National Stadium, two-time Olympic double sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah delivered a standout performance in the women’s 100-meter semifinals of Velocity Fest 19, clocking a wind-legal season-best time of 10.92 seconds with a tailwind of 0.8 meters per second. This impressive result marks the third-fastest women’s 100m time recorded globally this year. Only two sprinters — Adaejah Hodges and Shenese Walker — have posted quicker times in 2023, with Hodges notching 10.77 seconds and Walker hitting 10.80 seconds one day prior at a competitive meet held in Florida. Thompson-Herah’s 10.92-second run also stands as her fastest 100m time recorded in any competition since 2021 (correction of original typo 2003 per context of her career). The Olympic champion topped the semifinal standings to secure her spot in the final, which was scheduled to take place later the same day. Finishing behind Thompson-Herah to also qualify for the final were Jonielle Smith, who ran a new personal best of 10.99 seconds, and Jodean Williams, who crossed the finish line in 11.02 seconds. The early-season meet has already served as a key benchmark for sprinters gearing up for major global championships later in the athletic calendar, with Thompson-Herah’s performance signaling she is regaining top form ahead of upcoming high-stakes competitions.