05/12/2025

SPORTS FRIDAY | DEC 5, 2025

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Mbappe runs riot Frenchman double powers Real to win at Bilbao K YLIAN MBAPPE scored twice and set up another as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to cut Barcelona’s La Liga lead back Junior) was very good, and the team came out to play from the first minute, to win the game,” added Alonso.

SHORTS Kane, Bayern keep Union at bay BUNDESLIGA

LEADERS Bayern Munich benefitted from two own goals by hosts Union Berlin and survived intense second half pressure before earning a 3-2 victory yesterday to reach the German Cup quarterfinals. With all five goals coming from set pieces, the Bavarians exacted revenge for their 2-2 draw at Union in the Bundesliga in November that ended their 16-game winning start to the season across all competitions. “I was satisfied with our first half and we did a lot of things right. But the second half was a fight,” said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. “I hope we can keep going and one day reach Berlin (for the final). Now we want to play the last game until Christmas with a lot of energy to be in a good position.” The Bavarians top the Bundesliga and are also on track to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage. Napoli squeeze into Cup quarters SERIE A champions Napoli edged into the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup yesterday, eventually seeing off Cagliari on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Antonio Conte’s charges squeezed through 9-8 in the shootout after Sebastiano Esposito’s second half strike for the visitors had cancelled out Lorenzo Lucca’s opener on 28 minutes. “It was an interminable run of penalties,” Napoli coach Conte said. “At the end of the day, the team that deserved it the most went through.” In the last eight, Napoli will face the winners of the tie between Como and Fiorentina, scheduled for the end of January. Elsewhere, Atalanta ran out 4-0 victors at home to Genoa. Inter Milan were equally handsome winners as they downed second-division Venezia 5-1 at the San Siro. Amorim ‘protects’ himself from abuse MANCHESTER UNITED manager Ruben Amorim has revealed he ignores social media to protect himself from abuse, even if it means losing out on lucrative sponsorship contracts. The Portuguese coach has endured a rollercoaster first year in charge at Old Trafford. United finished 15th in the Premier League last season – their worst top flight campaign since being relegated in 1973/74 – and failed to qualify for European competition. The 40-year-old said online abuse was now expected for top-level managers and he avoids the platforms to shield himself and his family. “I don’t read it. I protect myself,” he said. “I don’t watch TV when they talk about Manchester United. Not because I don’t agree, most of the time I do. But it is a way of me being healthy. “It’s enough when we lose, when we draw or when I know we’ve played bad, my feeling as a coach is enough. I don’t need other feelings around the club. “The only way is to protect myself. Of course I lose money in sponsorships. On Instagram I could win a lot of money. “But the quality of my life and protection of my family, the way I can live a normal life is not worth it. Some more dollars or pounds is not worth it.”

Mbappe almost sent Real Madrid ahead in the fourth minute but Unai Simon made a smart save at his near post, and then parried a Vinicius effort. Madrid came out of the blocks strongly against eighth-place Athletic and took the lead in the seventh minute, through a bril liant Mbappe goal. At the other end, Athletic’s best chance came when Nico Williams and Alex Berenguer combined but Courtois pro duced a superb stop to deny the latter. It woke Madrid back

down to one point yesterday. Xabi Alonso’s side curtailed a run of three consecutive league draws away from home with one of their best displays of the season at Athletic’s San Mames. Mbappe opened the scoring early on as Trent Alexander-Arnold provided his first La Liga assist, with Eduardo Camavinga nodding in the second before the break. French superstar Mbappe slammed home another in the second half for his 16th league goal of the season to seal Madrid’s victory. “I think the team played a complete game today, concentrating for the whole 90 minutes . “It was probably the best match we’ve had, at a difficult place to go, at a big moment, and we took it on calmly and now we must continue,” Alonso told reporters. “After (last weekend’s) draw at Girona we knew it was a big moment, and after getting it out of our system we’ll start think ing about Sunday’s match against Celta (Vigo). “The calendar is very demanding. “And you can’t think for too long about things, in the good moments and the bad ones.” One negative for Los Blancos were apparent injuries for Alexander-Arnold and Camavinga in the second half, with both players replaced. Mbappe missed a penalty in the same fixture last winter while still finding his feet at Madrid, later saying that was his “rock bottom”, but on his return Athletic found themselves up against arguably the best player in the world. “Kylian’s in great form, he scored two great goals today, with the movement he had, the connection with Vini (Vinicius ENGLAND’S Joe Root conquered his final frontier with a first Ashes century in Australia as the tourists pushed past 300 on day one of the second Test in Brisbane yesterday despite a six wicket haul from pace spearhead Mitchell Starc. Root marched off unbeaten on 135 off 202 balls after a late flogging of the pink ball under the Gabba floodlights, with England 325 for nine after captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first. “He has fought so hard for this,” BBC Test Match Special commentator Jonathan Agnew said.“That will quieten a few critics.” Root’s former teammate Sir Alastair Cook, added: “He’s been superb under pressure as always. “He is England’s best batsman ever. He just

up and they took con trol once again. Madrid grabbed their second before the interval at the

end of a fine team move, with Mbappe nodding Alexander-Arnold’s cross back across goal for Camavinga to head home from point-blank range. The first of two sour notes came for

Madrid when Alexander-Arnold pulled up with an apparent muscular injury and had to be replaced by Raul Asencio. Mbappe put the game beyond doubt with another long-range effort which flew in at the near post for his 25th goal across all com petitions.

Camavinga was taken off hurt later on in another potential injury blow for former Real Sociedad player Alonso, on an other wise dream outing in the Basque Country against his former rivals. “They were stronger than us,” admitted Athletic defender Inigo Lekue. “We tried to play our game and couldn’t, no matter what we did out there today.” – AFP

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe in action against Bilbao in yesterday’s Laliga match. – REUTERSPIC

Root hits first Ashes century in Australia

gets better and better.” Number 11 batter Jofra Archer chipped in a handy 32 not out in an unbroken 61-run partnership for the final wicket, while Zak Crawley shrugged off a pair of ducks from Perth to score a valuable 76. Crawley combined with Root in a 117-run partnership to rally England after Starc reduced them to five for two in a disastrous start, with opener Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope falling for ducks in the space of four balls. With Root and Crawley in command, England went to tea at 98 for two during a hot and sunny afternoon, and made the same again in the twilight session to be 196 for four at dinner. But their hopes of piling up a huge total were thwarted by the brilliant Starc, who surpassed

Wasim Akram as most prolific left-arm seamer in Tests with 415 dismissals when he captured his third wicket, having Harry Brook caught in the slips for 31. Starc later rattled through the lower order to finish with 6-71 for the day. Australia sprung a surprise by dropping Nathan Lyon for the first home Test since 2012 and picking Michael Neser in a four-prong seam attack. With Usman Khawaja out injured, Australia captain Steve Smith confirmed Travis Head will open for the hosts after his match-winning 123 in Perth. Australia lead the five-Test series 1-0 and have not lost to England at the Gabba since 1986. – AFP

Big hundreds by Ravindra, Latham flatten Windies RACHIN RAVINDRA smashed 176, while skipper Tom Latham ended his three-year wait for a Test hundred as the New Zealanders combined for a 279-run stand to effectively bat West Indies out of the opening Test at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval yesterday. early, but I think the way he played was fantastic,” Latham said of Ravindra’s knock. “Driving on the up, driving down the ground, pull shots – (he played) every shot in the book, and he certainly deserves the 100 that he got today.” Roach dismissed Kane Williamson, caught behind for nine, with the final delivery before the lunch break. The touring side could not maintain the pressure, though, and their sloppy catching did not help their cause either.

Latham, having completed his 14th Test hundred, was happy to let Ravindra dominate their partnership with fluent shot making on all sides of the wicket. Roach returned to dismiss Latham caught behind for 145, which included 12 fours. West Indies struck with the second new ball again when Shields castled Ravindra with a searing yorker. Ravindra, who hit 27 fours and a six, had done enough damage by then and Shields did not even bother to celebrate the dismissal. – Reuters

Ravindra was dropped twice – on eight and 13 – off the bowling of Justin Greaves, which proved costly. Roach made a valiant effort at midwicket but the ball popped out of his hand, while substitute fielder Kavem Hodge floored a regulation catch at slip to let Ravindra off the hook.

The hosts have been on the ascent since claiming a handy first innings lead of 64 and they decided to tighten the screws when play resumed. West Indies prised out two wickets in the morning session after debutant Ojay Shields removed Devon Conway for 37 and Kemar

Thanks to their batting exploits, the home side finished day three on a commanding 417-4 for an overall lead of 481 and looked on course for a comprehensive victory. Will Young was batting on 21 at stumps with Michael Bracewell on six at the other end. “Obviously a little bit of luck