Lecce beat bottom club Spal in relegation ‘fight’
Monaco climb to 5th place
MILAN, Feb 15, (AP): Lecce beat Spal 2-1 in Serie A on Saturday to boost their chances of avoiding relegation.
Bottom club Spal’s troubles deepened as they slipped eight points from safety.
It was Lecce’s third straight win and moved the team six points above the drop zone.
In Lecce, the home side took the lead at the end of the first half when it was awarded a penalty for Kevin Bonifazi’s trip on Žan Majer. Marco Mancosu successfully struck the ball into the top left corner.
Andrea Petagna headed in a corner two minutes after the break to equalize but Majer scored his first Serie A goal to restore Lecce’s lead for good in the 66th minute.
Islam Slimani scored the winner for the second straight game as Monaco beat Montpellier 1-0 to leapfrog its rival into fifth place in the French league .
The Algeria striker almost left the club during last month’s winter transfer window but is back in favor under coach Robert Moreno.
Slimani headed in Russia midfielder Aleksandr Golovin’s corner in the 52nd minute, in a match where Monaco mostly dominated only to almost concede an injury-time equalizer.
Moreno dropped former Spain midfielder Cesc Fàbregas and opted for a 4-3-3 with Stevan Jovetić supporting league top scorer Wissam Ben Yedder and Slimani.
Jovetić, twice, Ben Yedder and Golovin went close in a one-sided first half as Monaco snatched at chances on the way to securing a third straight win.
Montpellier, strong at home but weak away, dropped to sixth spot.
Los Angeles FC has signed veteran Major League Soccer striker Bradley Wright-Phillips.
LAFC announced the move Friday. The defending Supporters’ Shield winners begin CONCACAF Champions League play next week.
Wright-Phillips spent the past seven seasons with the New York Red Bulls, becoming the eighth-leading goal-scorer overall and the top European goal-scorer in league history with 108 goals in 195 MLS appearances. He won the Golden Boot as MLS’ top goal-scorer in 2014 and 2016.
The south London native made his pro debut with Manchester City in 2004. He will turn 35 years old next month.
The Red Bulls parted ways with Wright-Phillips after he scored only two goals in 29 appearances last year.
LAFC invited Wright-Phillips for a trial last month, and the club’s need for a backup striker increased when Adama Diomande was sidelined into the regular season with a foot injury.
LAFC general manager John Thorrington said Wright-Phillips “can be a difference-maker for us. He brings invaluable experience to the group as a proven winner in our league.”
MLS Most Valuable Player Carlos Vela is back as LAFC’s starting forward. Wright-Phillips set the MLS record by scoring 27 goals in the 2014 season, but the mark has since been broken by three players including Vela, who scored 34 last year.
LAFC visits Mexico’s Club León on Tuesday and hosts the second leg on Feb 27, three days before its MLS regular season opener against Inter Miami.
Team USA forward Eric Paschall (left), of the Golden State Warriors, drives against Team World center Moritz Wagner, of the Washington Wizards, during
the second half of the NBA Rising Stars basketball game in Chicago on Feb 14. (AP)
CHICAGO, Feb 15, (AP): Miles Bridges soared like his boss in Chicago. Zion Williamson delivered his share of punishing dunks, even damaging the rim.
It all added up to a high-flying start to the All-Star weekend.
Bridges scored 20 points and took MVP honors, Eric Paschall added 23 more and the US beat the World 151-131 in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday night.
Bridges has been a bright spot for Charlotte in a difficult season. The Hornets are 11th in the Eastern Conference at 18-36. But the second-year pro put on a show in owner Michael Jordan’s old home and was presented the MVP trophy by Hall of Famer and Chicago product Isiah Thomas.
“We wanted to come out and play hard in the Rising Stars and show what Charlotte is about – me, Devonte’ (Graham) and P.J. (Washington),” Bridges said. “And that’s what we did. I didn’t have any extra motivation, really, I wouldn’t say that. But M.J. putting Chicago on the map, it definitely plays a big part, though.” Cleveland’s Collin Sexton had 21 points, Atlanta All-Star Trae Young added 18 and Chicago product Kendrick Young of Miami chipped in with 16. Williamson scored 14 and had the baskets inside the United Center shaking whether he made or missed.
R.J. Barrett of New York led the World with 27 points, and Memphis’ Brandon Clarke scored 22.
The annual showcase of the top rookies and second-year players helped kick off the first All-Star weekend in the Windy City since 1988, when Jordan dazzled the home crowd at the old Chicago Stadium. Back then, His Airness edged Dominique Wilkins in a slam dunk contest that arguably remains the standard and scored 40 points to lead the East over the West in the game.
Williamson continued to dazzle after his highly anticipated debut for New Orleans got pushed back three months because of right knee surgery. Averaging 22.1 points in 10 games for the Pelicans, the No. 1 pick was unaware he bent the rim. It happened late in the first half, on an alley-oop off a between-the-legs feed from Ja Morant.
“Went into halftime and my teammates started telling me about it,” he said. I don’t know which dunk it was on, but I don’t think it was me.” As impressive
Team USA forward Zion Williamson, of the New Orleans Pelicans, goes up for a dunk against Team World during the second half of the NBA Rising
Stars basketball game in Chicago on Feb 14. (AP)
were two misses near the end of the game.
Williamson attempted a 360, only to have it go flying off the rim. Given a do-over as players on both teams stood and watched, he went between his legs and off the glass only to miss again.
On Friday, Kobe Bryant’s presence loomed large.
Players wore patches featuring the numbers 2 and 24 surrounded by nine stars in honor of the Lakers great and his daughter, Gianna, who were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash on Jan 26. Pau Gasol along with WNBA great Sue Bird addressed the crowd at midcourt as part of a pregame