26/05/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | MAY 26, 2025

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Stuttgart survive late Bielefeld scare

BRIEFS Schumacher’s Ferrari sets auction record

STUTTGART withstood a late fightback from underdogs Arminia Bielefeld to claim the German Cup in Berlin yesterday, holding on for a 4-2 victory despite conceding twice in the final 10 minutes. Goals from Nick Woltemade, Enzo Millot and Deniz Undav had Stuttgart three up inside 28 minutes and cruising against Bielefeld, just the fourth third division side to make the final in the competition’s 82-year history. Millot added a second with 66 minutes and Stuttgart looked to have the job done, but a Julian Kania strike and a Josha Vagnoman own goal with the clock ticking down made Stuttgart sweat. They however held on to claim their fourth German Cup and their first since 1997, when the then Joachim Loew-coached side again triumphed against third-flight opponents Energie Cottbus. “I’m completely exhausted. The emotions are running high. I can’t even put it into words,”

coach Sebastian Hoeness, who took over with the club sitting dead last in April 2023 before guiding them to second place and a return to the Champions League last season. Hoeness said his team were set for a taste of Berlin’s notorious nightlife after yesterday’s win. He told reporters he was “up for anything” to celebrate winning the first major trophy of his coaching career, including infamous fetish club Berghain. The legendary nightclub, known for techno music, leather parties and a complete ban on cameras, is a fixture in Berlin’s nightlife landscape, but also has a famously exclusive door policy. “Who knows? But let’s see if we can get in. Will take the trophy with us, but it probably won’t make a difference for the bouncers.” Hoeness was showered with beer and champagne by his charges at the end of the post match press conference, as has become a cup final tradition. – AFP

Stuttgart defender Maximilian Mittelstaedt, who was born and raised in Berlin, told TV network ZDF . “I think this is the most wonderful feeling you can have. I’m overwhelmed.” Undav echoed the sentiments, saying “the feeling is undescribable. We threw everything into it”. The win means Stuttgart, who finished ninth in the regular season, will join Freiburg in next season’s Europa League. Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller shone in the middle of the park, setting up goals for his Germany teammates Woltemade and Undav, showing the passing prowess that has him earmarked as Toni Kroos’ replacement. Bielefeld coach Michel Kniat said: “When I look in the faces of the lads, I see some tears. Of course we’re disappointed, but we can be proud, very proud, of our season.” The trophy is also just rewards for Stuttgart

GERMANY’S Matti Schmid and American Ben Griffin each fired a 2 under 68 to share the lead after the third round of the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Challenge. Schmid, chasing his first PGA title, and Griffin, who captured his first victory in a pairs event last month, both stood on 13-under 197 after 54 holes at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. “I’m a PGA Tour winner now, so that helps. Going into tomorrow very confident,” Griffin said. “I feel like I’m in a really good spot. It seems like me ARSENAL forward Stina Blackstenius struck a late winner as the London team shocked holders Barcelona 1-0 yesterday to claim their second Women’s Champions League title and first in 18 years to the delight of their 5,000 travelling fans. Arsenal withstood a flurry of Barca chances before Blackstenius broke the deadlock in the 75th minute. The Sweden international latched onto fellow substitute Beth Mead’s reverse pass in a crowded area and fired a low diagonal shot past goalkeeper Catalina Coll at the Estadio Jose Alvalade. Renee Slegers’ Gunners, making their second appearance in the final having won Europe’s top club competition in 2007, held on to win against a Barca side going for a third straight Champions League title. “Amazing,” Arsenal forward Alessia Russo told TNT Sports through tears. “We had to suffer a lot. They’re a top side. We knew coming into this game that we’d have to suffer and there would be moments when we wouldn’t have the ball and we would have to be content and happy with not having the ball.” MICHAEL SCHUMACHER’S Ferrari Formula One car that won the 2001 Monaco and Hungarian grand prix races was sold for US$18.17 million (RM82m), according to Sotheby’s. Selling ahead of qualifying in Monaco, the F2001 car that the legendary German driver used en route to that year’s world title became the most expensive F1 vehicle driven by Schumacher to be sold at auction. The price tag topped the US$13.2m (RM56m) a bidder paid for Schumacher’s 2003 Ferrari F2003 in 2022. It also became the fourth-most expensive F1 car ever sold. The world record sits at US$52.52m (RM222m), which occurred earlier this year for a Mercedes W196 streamliner that was driven by Formula One legends Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss in the 1950s. Schumacher, now 56, drove the F2001 Ferrari in his fifth and final Monaco Grand Prix win, which he followed up with a victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The latter win clinched Schumacher’s fourth F1 world title. Celta Vigo reach Europa League, Leganes down CELTA VIGO great Iago Aspas netted the winner as his team qualified for the Europa League for the first time since 2017 with a 2-1 win at Getafe yesterday in their final match to finish seventh. Rayo Vallecano, eighth, also qualified for the Conference League with a 0 0 draw against Mallorca to return to continental competition for the first time since 2001. Osasuna, ninth missed out on Europe with a worse head-to-head than Rayo as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Alaves – who knocked Rayo out of the 2001-2001 Uefa Cup. Elsewhere Leganes were relegated from La Liga despite a 3-0 win over Valladolid, as Espanyol beat Las Palmas 2-0 to survive, in their final league matches. Leganes were promoted last season after relegation from the top tier in 2020, but now return to the second division. Arsenal stun Barca to win Champions League

PSG serves notice to Milan French Cup win perfect preparation for Champions League, says Enrique P ARIS ST GERMAIN players may have had their minds on a bigger prize, but they easily retained their French Cup yesterday in a display, and now wants to do the same with the French club who are aiming to win all before them this season.

first 10 holes and eagled the par-five 11th but fell back with bogeys at 11 and 12 and followed birdies at 16 and 17 with a closing bogey. “I made some sloppy bogeys on the back nine, but overall I did some good things,” Scheffler said. Scheffler is set to defend his title at this week’s Memorial tournament, which second-ranked Masters champion Rory McIlroy will skip as he did this week’s event. McIlroy is expected to play the following three weeks, including next month’s US Open at Oakmont. – AFP “We have three of the four titles that we can win, and we’re on the last step. I hope we can make PSG history,” the manager told reporters. “The team showed a lot of commitment and all that is preparing us for the match we are expecting, which will be decisive and which can allow us to make history.” One minor issue to come out of the evening was the late withdrawal from the team of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian winger was replaced in the starting line-up by Desire Doue and returned home early. “There is no problem. After the warm up he wasn’t feeling great and we decided not to take any risks. He will be fine to train on Tuesday,” insisted Enrique. Despite their disappointment, Reims players and staff have quickly turned their attention to an equally critical match on Thursday, when they host Metz in a crucial relegation playoff at Stade Auguste Delaune. The atmosphere promises to be electric as the home crowd rallies behind their team in what is destined to be a nail-biting showdown for survival. Reims head coach Samba Diawara admitted that difference in class between the two sides was clear. “There was a class difference between Paris and us,” he confessed candidly. “The game was decided too quickly with those early goals. “When PSG plays like that, it’s hard to keep up. We gave them too much space at the back, which allowed them to create chances too easily. “Maybe we should have played deeper. We watched them too much and lacked aggression.” – AFP/Agencies

which manager Luis Enrique said, was the ideal way to prepare for the Champions League final. A week before they face Inter Milan in a bid to win the club’s first and long sought after European Cup, PSG made light work of Stade de Reims in a 3-0 win at the Stade de France. “It was a very good match. We prepared for the final on the 31st in the best way,” Enrique told BeIN Sports . “This (Champions League) final is important. We want to make history. We’re ready. We are a real team and we want to get trophies.” PSG had the job done in a first half where they scored three goals against a Reims side which offered little resistance and Enrique now has the job of readying his side for the biggest game of their season. “The Champions League final will be a special moment for everyone. There is no special preparation,” he said. “We will have to deal with a lot of pressure, but we have to prepare for it in the best way. It’s not easy to manage everything around the team.” Enrique has now clinched the domestic treble in his first two seasons at the club, a period in which PSG has moved away from the star-studded sides of the past, a tactic which may well lead them to their ultimate goal. “We are a young team but with experience, with the desire to know what we want to do on the pitch,” Enrique said. “We hope to celebrate the Champions League.” Enrique has already won a coveted continental treble as manager of Barcelona,

PSG’s Marquinhos (centre) lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the French Cup. – REUTERSPIC

Schmid, Griffin share lead as Scheffler lurks

said. “I’ve had a few close calls also on the European Tour. “I also played some nice final rounds this year too, so hopefully I can just put one more up there tomorrow, and hopefully that’s enough.” Scheffler, chasing a third straight tour win after the PGA Championship and CJ Cup Byron Nelson, fired a 64. He reeled off five birdies in the

pack sharing seventh on 203. “I think I’ll have an outside chance,” Scheffler said. “I’ll see if I can get out a little earlier than the leaders and post a number.” Schmid’s best career PGA Tour finish is third, which he has managed three times, most recently last October in Las Vegas. “A lot of things could happen, so I was just focused on my game trying to execute as good as I can,” Schmid

and Matti are going to duel it out a little bit tomorrow, at least try to take advantage of our leads. “So the pedal is going to be down. I’m excited to get back out there. Excited to go at it and see what I can do.” American Rickie Fowler was third on 201 after a 67 with Scotsman Robert MacIntyre and Americans Nick Hardy and Akshay Bhatia on 202 and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a