Diaz delivers as Liverpool reach League Cup
LUIS Diaz scored an early goal to put Liverpool back in familiar territory after booking their berth in the club’s 14th League Cup final with a 1-1 draw with Fulham in the second leg of their semi-final tie at Craven Cottage on Wednesday.
The record nine-times League Cup winners beat Fulham 3-2 on aggregate and will meet Chelsea at Wembley on Feb. 25 in a repeat of the 2022 final that Liverpool won on penalties.
“It is fantastic,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp told Sky Sports. “We had the experience before, we know what to expect. Again Chelsea, wow what a story that is. I told the boys, never ever take for granted if you are part of a team who can qualify for trophies.
“What the boys did tonight was exceptional,” he added. “This was the full cup experience. Open game, second half they started a bit wilder. We don’t score. They got the equaliser. But the boys did really well and I am really happy.
“The only thing that counts in the end is that we are through.
Diaz scored in the 11th minute when he chested down a high ball in the box before cutting inside and launching a shot that took a deflection before sneaking in the near corner.
“We wanted to make sure we did the right things, Fulham played at home with a good atmosphere,” Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk told Sky. “We had to be ready to fight, we started the game very well and scored a good goal. We found a way to go to Wembley.”
Issa Diop injected some life into the Fulham fans when he equalised in the 76th minute, kneeing home a pinpoint pass from former Liverpool player Harry Wilson.
Fulham kept pressing until the final whistle in some nerve-jangling minutes for Premier League leaders Liverpool, who are also still in the FA Cup and Europa League competitions.
“This was not the night to shine, this was the night to qualify for a final,” Klopp said.
They are expected to be without talisman and joint league top scorer Mohamed Salah for three to four weeks after he suffered a hamstring injury with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
After a methodical first half, the pace picked up with both sides squandering chances including a frantic few seconds of action that saw Fulham’s Andreas Pereira smashing a shot off the post, and then Harvey Elliott on the break firing straight at keeper Bernd Leno for Liverpool.
Darwin Nunez had a terrific chance when he spun around a Fulham defender but launched the ball just wide of the post, holding up his hands in disbelief.
Both sides will now turn their attention to their fourth-round FA Cup games, with Liverpool playing Norwich City on Sunday, while Fulham host Newcastle United on Saturday. — Reuters
Jonathan Kuminga tied a franchise record by making all 11 of his shots in a 25-point performance and the Golden State Warriors honored the memory of Dejan Milojevic with a 134-112 romp over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night in San Francisco.
The evening began with an on-court tribute to Milojevic, the former Hawks summer-league coach and three-year Warriors assistant who died on January 17 after having a heart attack at a Golden State team dinner the previous night in Salt Lake City.
Stephen Curry chipped in with 25 points for Golden State, and Klay Thompson added 24 for the Warriors, who were playing their first game in nine days after two postponements. Kuminga’s 11-for-11 shooting night matched that of Chris Mullin at Miami on December 1, 1990.
Dejounte Murray had 23 points and Jalen Johnson 21 for the Hawks, who dropped both games on a three-day Northern California swing without Trae Young, sidelined due to a concussion. Bucks 126, Cavaliers 116
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 35 points to lead Milwaukee Bucks over visiting Cleveland in the Bucks’ first game after dismissing head coach Adrian Griffin.
Antetokounmpo finished with his seventh triple-double of the season, racking up 18 rebounds and 10 assists. Damian Lillard added 28 points while Khris Middleton scored 24.
Cleveland, which had won eight in a row, was led by Donovan Mitchell, who scored 23 points but shot 10 of 24. Jarrett Allen added 21 and 12 rebounds.
Grizzlies 105, Heat 96
Vince Williams Jr. scored a career-high 25 points, Scotty Pippen Jr. played the best game of his career in just his second appearance of the season and Memphis handed host Miami its fourth straight loss. Terry Rozier, playing in his first game with Miami since being traded from Charlotte, scored nine points off the bench on just 3-of-11 shooting and committed three of the Heat’s 17 total turnovers.
Suns 132, Mavericks 109
Devin Booker scored 30 of his 46 points in the second half as visiting Phoenix rallied for its seventh straight win, beating Dallas.
Bradley Beal had 20 points, Grayson Allen scored 15 and Kevin Durant had 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for Phoenix, which trailed by as many as 16 in the second quarter before outscoring the Mavericks 43-20 in the third.
Luka Doncic led Dallas with 34 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 17 points and Jaden Hardy added 11.
Thunder 140, Spurs 114
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted 32 points and 10 assists in three quarters of play as visiting Oklahoma City poured it on in the second half to post a win over San Antonio.
The Thunder, playing the second game of a home-road back-to-back, pulled away in a dominating third quarter to win their fourth straight game and forge a tie for the best record in the Western Conference. Aaron Wiggins poured in 22 points off the bench for the Thunder, with Chet Holmgren adding 17.
Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Devin Vassell added 21, Blake Wesley scored 12, Malaki Branham had 11 and Zach Collins hit for 10 points in the loss, the second straight setback for San Antonio.
Timberwolves 118, Wizards 107
Pistons 113, Hornets 106
Bojan Bogdanovic poured in 34 points and host Detroit downed Charlotte.
Alec Burks had 15 points and Jalen Duren supplied 14 with eight rebounds in Detroit’s fifth win this season. Isaiah Stewart added 11 points and eight rebounds.
Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 23 points and seven rebounds, Nick Richards had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Miles Bridges contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds. LaMelo Ball added 17 points and seven assists before fouling out — Reuters.
KHAMA Billiat has been itching for a return to action in the South African Premiership after spending the first half season without a club.
But, after his appearance at the SuperSport United training pitch triggered expectations of the forward’s return, and a possible reunion with the likes of Onismor Bhasera, reports coming from South Africa do not give hope for any optimism.
The South African Premiership mid-season transfer window is set to be closed on midnight today although Billiat could still sign for a club of his choice outside the window.
As a free agent, Billiat is not guided by the window rules which apply to those players who are under contract.
The challenge with his situation is that club chiefs are usually reluctant to keep their slots open, when the transfer window shuts, because they can’t gamble on getting free agents.
Some reports have suggested that SuperSport decided against signing Billiat although there has been no confirmation from the club.
However, what is clear is that Billiat has fallen down the perking order that even the team at KickOff.com didn’t include his name on the list of the five big deals which are likely to be concluded by the end of today
Instead, they backed another Sundowns star, Junior Mendieta, to move.
“Sundowns took their time before announcing Argentine Matias Esquivel on Thursday, as they are understood to be having a foreign quota dilemma.
“The Brazilians’ foreign quota is currently exhausted with Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Abdelmounaim Boutouil, Marcelo Allende, Abubaker Nasir and Junior Mendieta.”
The team at KickOff.com also believe the Orlando Pirates duo of Bongan Sam and Monnapule Saleng, Riaan Hanamub (Amazulu) and Siyathemba Sithebe (Kaizer Chiefs) are likely to move.
Seleng’s case is a curious one as he was the league’s Players’ Player of the Season in the last campaign but has now lost his place in the Pirates starting XI.
SEVERAL social football clubs are on the verge of coming back into action after taking a sabbatical during the festive season.
A number of corporates have embraced social football and use it as a platform for the wellness and well-being of their workers.
They also use it as a vehicle to keep the youths occupied and far away from the dangers of drugs and substance abuse.
A number of social clubs have started a number of activities to enhance their brands and visibility through kit branding and intense social media campaigns.
Some of the clubs that have rocked the limelight include Jameson Boys, Pan Jap, Timely Toolbox, Old Hararians, Star FM, Americans, Diaspora and Falcon.
Hustlers 11 have also been making their mark
The club appointed a new executive committee that is led by Tinashe Gukushu as the chairman.
“We came up with a new structure and we hope that everyone nominated will play his part and put the Hustlers 11 name where it should be,” said Gukushu.
“On top of that we are working together for the common good of the club with those who led the club before.
“We are creating a system where one is bigger than the club and no one is indispensable.
“We are starting our games on the first weekend of February at our home ground, Raylton Sports Club, with a team to be named in due course.
“This year we will be looking out at keeping our usual activities such as attending the October Festival, which is organised by Zim Events in Kariba, we have become regulars there.”
AMID the gloom enveloping Zimbabwe Cricket right now, the game has given us a reason to smile by announcing that we are the winners of the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award for 2023.
The award is for the Chevrons’ sporting conduct following the thrilling victory over West Indies in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier match in Harare in June.
As Zimbabwe took the catch to end the game and keep their hopes of qualification alive, West Indies endured a damaging loss, and Zimbabwe were quick to console their counterparts after a dramatic contest.
“With Alzarri Joseph’s wicket inflicting a heart-breaking defeat on the West Indies, Zim- babwe players consoled him after the Antiguan was on his knees,” reported the Free Press Jour- nal.
“The dismissal occurred in the 45th over of the innings as the Caribbeans were in pursuit of 269.
“With the Men in Maroon at 233-9, Joseph played a flick off Tendai Chatara’s bowling, but he couldn’t keep the ball down as Sikandar Raza caught the ball to deliver a 35-run win.
“Amid their celebrations, Zimbabwe players went to console Joseph.”
One of the players that offered consolation to the dejected Joseph was Sean Williams.
Reacting to the team’s Spirit of Cricket Award win, Williams said:
“We are humbled to receive this truly wonderful award in recognition of what we are about as a team and as a nation.
“After all, cricket is not just about winning and setting records – it is a game that has respect, friendship and fair play at its very core and these are values that we as cricketers should espouse.”
Yesterday, the ICC concluded its announcements of ICC Awards 2023 winners by revealing that Australia captain Pat Cummins has won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt has won her second successive Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year. — Sports Reporter/ICC/Free Press Journal