介绍:
2015 Asian cup draw announced
The draw for the 2015 Asian Cup has just been announced.
China is in a tough group B with Uzbekistan, three time champions Saudi Arabia and North Korea.
One of the four top seeds, Uzbekistan, faces three-time champion Saudi Arabia, China and North Korea in Group B.
Iran will play the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain in Group C.
While title holders Japan are drawn in Group D with Jordan; Iraq; and the champions of this year's Asian Challenge Cup, which will be decided in May.
Hosts Australia were drawn with South Korea, Kuwait and Oman.
Australia will open the tournament against Kuwait in Melbourne on January 9 with the final taking place at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on January 31.
Arsenal draw against Swansea continues Wenger's week of misery
In English football ,
Arsen Wenger's week of misery continues.
Still reeling from a devastating 6-0 loss to Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal took on Swansea City last night in what should have been quite a straight forward game for the top flight team.
But the gunners, playing at home, got off to a terrible start conceding a goal after 11 minutes and taking that deficit into the second half.
Arsenal managed to restore the balance however, scoring twice in just over a minute in the second half and looked set to carry that to the end of the game for a much needed three points but then DISASTER.
A calamitous piece of defending led to a 90th minute own goal by Mathieu Flamini. And it could have been much worse, as the referee blew the whistle as it was looking like Swansea were bearing down for another goal.. Perhaps he was felt it would have been just too much for the French manager..
………………………………..
Elsewhere,
Everton kept their slim hopes of a UEFA Champions League place alive with a 3-0 win against Newcastle United at St. James' Park.
Roberto Martinez' side took the lead in the 22nd minute thanks to a wonderful solo run and goal by Ross Barkley.
Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute and Leon Osman added a third in the 87th minute.
Everton Manager, Roberto Martinez:
"I think today the big difference was that we were very powerful in both boxes. I thought we defended well when we had to and to keep a clean sheet against an opposition like Newcastle, it shows you the focus, the concentration, the intensity that we had but then everytime that we went forward, I felt that we had a real threat."
Nadal through to next round of Sony Open amid bomb scare
In Tennis at the Sony Open there was a bomb scare late on Tuesday which briefly put the tournament on lock-down.
A suspicious package had reportedly been left near the main entrance of the sprawling tennis facility preventing thousands of people from entering or leaving while bomb diposal experts dealt with the situation.
Once the all clear was given by Miami Police, Rafael Nadal took to the Crandon Park centre court to dismiss Fabio Fognini of Italy 6-2 6-2.
After the match the World Number One was taking everything in his stride:
"Well the conditions were very tough tonight with a tough wind and it's strange the way that my opponent played tonight so it was not easy to find the rhythm but I think I played really well. We talk about how the conditions and how the way the match was going, I think I have to be very happy with the way I managed it."
The 27-year-old Spaniard will be joining Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and defending champion Andy Murray into the last eight.
Nadal's next opponent will be Milos Raonic of Canada.
Pacquio gearing up for Bradley rematch
In Boxing,
Manny Pacquio is gearing up for his rematch against American Timothy Bradley for the World Welterweight Championship on April 12.
The last time the pair met in the ring – in June 2012 – Bradley was handed a highly controversial points decision after 12 rounds, costing the iconic Filipino fighter his title.
Now with the fight just a couple of weeks away Pacquiao says he hopes and expects to win this time round, though there are no extra emotions involved:
"I don't think vengence or revenge, but I think it's just sports, you know. I have to prove that I can still fight and that I am the winner….. I believe that I have a lot of advantage with him especially compared with speed and power, that is a gift from God."
Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, says it would be good to win the fight decisively but acknowledges it will be a tough task:
"We'd love a knockout but we can't go in there looking for one because we know what the answer to that is. If it happens it happens, that'd be a bonus. We're just getting ready to win, to win the fight one round at a time."
Since the early 2000s, Pacquiao has become one of the most successful boxers of all time, with many boxing outlets rating him as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.
LA Lakers defeat NY Knicks in NBA
In Basketball… Over in the US…
The Los Angeles Lakers scored a franchise record 51 points in the third quarter to cruise to victory against the New York Knicks last night.
The Lakers set the record without Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Steve Nash who are all out with injuries.
It was therefore left to Xavier Henry and Nick Young to take up the slack. Henry scored 22 points while his team-mate hit five 3-pointers on his way to scoring 20 points for the Lakers.
The highest scorer of the game was actually on the losing side as Carmelo Anthony made 29 points for the Knicks but despite the effort LA still won by a decent margin 127 – 96.
This results marks the first consecutive victory in three weeks for the Lakers who languish limply at the very bottom of the Pacific division.
