Messi shines
LIONEL Messi ensured Barcelona reached the Spanish Football League’s winter break atop the standings, playing a part in both goals in a 2-0 win at home over Celta Vigo. Messi scored Barcelona’s second goal to take his league-leading tally to 15 in 17 rounds, including six goals in his last three matches, as Barcelona stayed three points ahead of Atletico Madrid. At Camp Nou, Messi helped to set up Ousmane Dembele’s opener and made it 2-0 in the 45th when Jordi Alba found him arriving in the Celta penalty box unmarked to fire in a left-footed shot.
Simmons so close
BEN Simmons was two assists shy of another triple-double but contributed a season-high 26 points in the Philadelphia 76ers’ big NBA win over the undermanned Toronto Raptors. Simmons added 12 rebounds in a double-double performance while Joel Embiid had 27 points and 11 rebounds and JJ Redick contributed 22 points in a 126-101 home win for Philadelphia. The Sixers improved to 22-12 on the season while Toronto (25-10) still lead the eastern conference with the best record in the NBA.
Mbappe’s winner
TWO days after his 20th birthday, Kylian Mbappe has grabbed Paris Saint-Germain’s winner against Nantes in a scrappy 1-0 home result. With PSG heading toward a third straight French league draw, Mbappe arrived at the back post to stab home Angel Di Maria’s corner in the 68th minute. It took France’s World Cup star to the top of the league scoring charts with 13, and ensured PSG heads into the winter break unbeaten in domestic competitions with a 13point lead over Lille.
Warrington again
ENGLAND’S Josh Warrington upset the odds to retain his IBF featherweight title by getting the better of Carl Frampton in a bruising 12-round battle in Manchester. Warrington won a unanimous decision by two scores of 116-112 and one of 116113 in the first defence of his world title as he extended his unbeaten professional record to 27-0. Former two-weight world champion Frampton, meanwhile, slipped to 26-2, the Northern Irishman simply overwhelmed by Warrington’s speed and sheer volume of punches throughout. Frampton hinted that he could retire after the second defeat of his career.