分类： sports

DUBLIN (AP) — Ireland’s head coach Andy Farrell has delivered a resounding endorsement of scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park ahead of his 50th test cap against Wales in the Six Nations championship. While acknowledging French superstar Antoine Dupont as a “generational player” who might be considered the greatest ever, Farrell emphasized that Gibson-Park’s unique qualities make him the perfect fit for Ireland’s system.

The coach’s comments come as Gibson-Park mirrors Ireland’s tournament progression through varied performances. After a difficult opening match in Paris where Ireland fell 36-14 to France, Gibson-Park was moved to the bench against Italy. His second-half introduction at 10-10 proved transformative, providing the assurance and energy needed for Ireland to secure a 20-13 victory.

Gibson-Park’s career highlight moment arrived at Twickenham just days after his 34th birthday, where his heads-up try and dominant performance earned him Player of the Match honors in Ireland’s record 42-14 demolition of England. Demonstrating true sportsmanship, his first post-match comments were to congratulate Maro Itoje on his 100th England test.

Farrell highlighted Gibson-Park’s competitive mentality, describing him as “hard as nails” and the ideal protector in any crisis situation. “He’d probably bite their ankles off first and then do whatever he wanted,” Farrell remarked. “He’s that type of competitor. He’s the full box of tricks.”

The New Zealand-born player came through the Kiwi system before moving to Ireland in 2016. After becoming Ireland-qualified in 2019 and a dual citizen in 2023, Gibson-Park supplanted Conor Murray as first-choice scrumhalf. He has been instrumental in Ireland’s greatest recent triumphs, including the series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand, the 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam, the 2024 title, a drawn series in South Africa, and 17 consecutive victories. His form earned him the British and Irish Lions starting scrumhalf position in Australia last year.

Farrell attributes Gibson-Park’s success to exceptional fitness that allows mental clarity under pressure. “He plays quick because he’s unbelievably fit, but because of that speed and that fitness he’s able to play nice and calm within his head and see things that others don’t,” Farrell explained. The coach believes Gibson-Park is now demonstrating he belongs among the world’s elite players.

Cricket’s most anticipated showdown materialized at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium as England and India faced off in a gripping Twenty20 World Cup semifinal clash on Thursday. The match presented a dramatic narrative of recent tournament history between these cricketing powerhouses.

England’s stand-in captain Harry Brook won the crucial coin toss, making the strategic decision to field first against the host nation. This choice appeared tactically astute given the evening dew conditions expected to favor the chasing team later in the match.

Team India maintained an unchanged lineup from their convincing victory against the West Indies last Sunday, displaying confidence in their current combination. England, meanwhile, made one significant alteration to their playing XI, recalling pace bowler Jamie Overton in place of spinner Rehan Ahmed to adapt to the pitch conditions.

The iconic Wankhede surface promised an entertaining spectacle for spectators, with conditions ideally suited for high-scoring batting performances. The victor of this intense contest would advance to face New Zealand in Sunday’s championship final at Ahmedabad.

This encounter marked the third consecutive T20 World Cup semifinal meeting between these cricketing rivals, adding another chapter to their growing postseason rivalry. England dominated their 2022 semifinal clash in Sydney with a comprehensive 10-wicket victory that propelled them to their second title. India exacted revenge in the most recent 2024 Georgetown semifinal, delivering a commanding 68-run triumph that paved their path to a second championship.

The defending champion Indian squad entered the match with just one blemish on their tournament record—a solitary defeat against South Africa. England’s campaign similarly featured only one setback, an early-round loss to the West Indies at this same Mumbai venue.

Lineups:
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.
England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler, Harry Brook (captain), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.

GOLD COAST, Australia — In a striking reversal from their previous match, the Iranian women’s national football team collectively sang and saluted during their national anthem prior to their Women’s Asian Cup encounter against Australia on Thursday. This display stood in stark contrast to their silent protest during the anthem before Monday’s opening fixture against South Korea.

The emotional weight surrounding the team became evident when star striker Sara Didar, visibly distressed and fighting back tears, expressed the squad’s profound anxiety for their families’ safety amid escalating Middle Eastern conflicts during a pre-match press conference. The 21-year-old athlete, who began Thursday’s match on the bench, symbolized the personal struggles faced by players competing under extraordinary circumstances.

Despite the shifted approach to anthem protocol, the competitive outcome remained unchanged as tournament favorite Australia delivered a commanding 4-0 victory over Iran. The match was played under heavy rain on the Gold Coast, where Iran is hosting all its Group A fixtures.

Team management, including head coach Marziyeh Jafari, has maintained strict focus on athletic objectives, refusing to comment on recent military developments or the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Jafari emphasized the priority of qualifying for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

The team’s anthem demonstration echoes the symbolic gestures of Iran’s men’s squad during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where players initially remained silent before later matches. That tournament occurred during widespread domestic protests following Mahsa Amini’s death in morality police custody.

Amid the sporting action, clusters of protesters gathered outside Gold Coast Stadium advocating against Iran’s regime. Iranian-Australian supporter Nasrin Vaziri voiced admiration for the players, telling broadcasters: “They are brilliant despite limited opportunities. They compete under immense pressure, and as a woman, I’m profoundly proud of them.”

With two decisive losses, Iran now requires an overwhelming victory against the Philippines in their final group match to keep quarterfinal hopes and World Cup qualification possibilities alive.

In a pitching-dominated opening match of the World Baseball Classic, Australia claimed a decisive 3-0 victory against Taiwan at Tokyo Dome on Thursday. The game’s outcome was determined by two crucial home runs that broke through the defensive stalemate.

Robbie Perkins ignited Australia’s offense with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, providing the initial breakthrough. Travis Bazzana, the top selection in the 2024 MLB amateur draft and Cleveland Guardians prospect, sealed the victory with a solo shot in the seventh inning. Bazzana described the experience as particularly meaningful, noting: ‘Growing up, two of my biggest dreams were playing in the WBC and competing at Tokyo Dome. This moment feels truly special.’

Australian pitchers delivered an exceptional collective performance. Starter Alex Wells established dominance with three hitless innings, followed by Jack O’Loughlin’s three-inning effort allowing just two hits. Jon Kennedy closed the game with a save, while Taiwan’s Po-Yu Chen absorbed the loss.

Despite opportunities in the sixth and ninth innings, Taiwan struggled offensively, managing only three hits total. The team suffered an additional setback when Chieh-hsien Chen exited after being hit by a pitch on his right hand.

The victory continues Australia’s positive trend in the tournament, having also won their opening match in 2023 before eventually reaching the quarterfinals. The top two teams from Group C will advance to the quarterfinals in the United States.

GOLD COAST, Australia — The South Korean women’s national football team delivered a commanding performance on Thursday, securing a decisive 3-0 victory against the Philippines in their Group A matchup of the Women’s Asian Cup. The 2022 tournament runners-up demonstrated offensive prowess with rapid-fire scoring early in the match.

Jeon Yu-gyeong initiated the scoring barrage in the 12th minute, followed swiftly by Park Soo-jeong’s goal just three minutes later. The Philippines’ goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel attempted to stem the tide with an impressive fingertip save against Son Hwa-yeon’s curling shot in the 56th minute, but Mun Eun-Ju capitalized on the resulting corner kick with a clinical close-range volley to seal the outcome.

The victory marks South Korea’s second consecutive Group A win, having previously defeated Iran 3-0 on Monday. With six goals scored and none conceded, the team solidifies its position at the group’s summit. Meanwhile, the Philippines faces quarterfinal uncertainty after suffering back-to-back losses, having fallen 1-0 to Australia in their opening match.

In parallel tournament developments, Australia prepared to face Iran later Thursday. The pre-match news conference revealed emotional turmoil within the Iranian squad as striker Sara Didar fought back tears while expressing concerns about family members affected by conflict at home during the team’s continental championship campaign.

Group B action saw North Korea’s Myong Yu Jong achieve a first-half hat trick in their 3-0 victory over Uzbekistan, while defending champions China secured a 2-0 win against Bangladesh. In Group C, Japan defeated Taiwan 2-0 and Vietnam claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory over India with a stoppage-time goal in Perth.