TAMPA, Florida: Tampa Bay’s defense finished its redemption tour with a Super Bowl championship.
Overwhelmed by Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill during a loss to Kansas City in Week 12 of the regular season, a young Buccaneers secondary flipped the script in Sunday night’s NFL championship game by shutting down the Chiefs’ electric duo in a 31-9 victory.
Rookie safety Antoine Winfield Jr., and second-year linebacker Devin White had the team’s sixth and seventh interceptions of a postseason run that also included wins over future Hall of Famers Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, and the Bucs limited Kansas City’s high-scoring offense to 350 yards and no touchdowns, quite the turnaround from a poor performance in what wound up being Tampa Bay’s final loss of the season.
Coach Bruce Arians credited defensive coordinator Todd Bowles’ game plan, which mixed and tried to disguise coverages and force Mahomes to hold the ball long enough for Tampa Bay’s pass rushers to make the Chiefs’ quarterback uncomfortable.
“I think he got a little tired hearing how unstoppable they were,” Arians said.
“He had a great plan to keep them in front of us and give the guys up front time to hunt,” Arians added. “They chased him around pretty good.”
Hill had 13 receptions for 269 yards and three touchdowns in the regular-season matchup, including seven catches for 203 yards and two TDs in the first quarter alone, when the speedy receiver took advantage of single coverage to help Kansas City build a 17-point lead.
Mahomes went 26 of 49 for 270 yards and was sacked three times Sunday night after throwing for 462 yards without an interception in the first meeting.
“There was nothing that was gonna stop us from winning this game. I knew we was going to keep the pressure up,” linebacker Shaquil Barrett said.
“I did not think we was going to keep them from scoring a touchdown but we stepped up, we showed up, we held them to three every time they was down there,” Barrett added, “and Coach Bowles had a great game plan. We had the guys up there to make it work and we made it work, baby.”
Travis Kelce finished with 10 catches for 133 yards for the Chiefs, but Hill was held to 73 yards on seven receptions while bracketed by double coverage much of the night.
“We took away some of the underneath throws, and it takes time for guys get deep. That allowed guys up front to get after him,” Bowles said. “The biggest thing we were trying to do was take away his first read, make him hold the ball to look at (the defense) long enough to get after him.”
The 27-24 setback on Nov. 29 finished a stretch in which the Bucs dropped three of four games – all at home – to enter their bye week searching for answers to their inconsistency on both offense and defense.
The team didn’t lose again, finishing on an eight-game winning streak that included playoff road wins over Washington, New Orleans and Green Bay to become the first team to play a Super Bowl in their home stadium.
The steady improvement of the defense down the stretch was one of the biggest reason the Bucs were confident Sunday’s result would be different.
“It was very personal,” cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting said. “As a secondary, we had some rough patches, just like every other team. It just seemed like we took a little more heat, people saying we weren’t good enough.”
White said he and the rest of the defense couldn’t understand how Tampa Bay was considered underdogs Sunday night after taking down Brees and then Rodgers.
He also took exception with Tampa Bay having only one Pro Bowl selection on its roster, linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul.
“That doesn’t even sound right,” White said. “One Pro Bowl player and the team goes on to win the Super Bowl? That’s OK. That trophy, the Lombardi, that’s what we play for.”
Buccaneers defense rises to occasion again in Super Bowl win
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Buccaneers defense rises to occasion again in Super Bowl win
- Steady improvement of the defense down the stretch was one of the biggest reason the Bucs were confident
Sheffield United become first team relegated from EPL after heavy loss at Newcastle
Alexander Isak scored two of Newcastle’s goals, taking his season tally to 23 in all competitions
NEWCASTLE, England: Sheffield United became the first team to be relegated from the English Premier League after losing at Newcastle 5-1 on Saturday.
The Blades were 10 points from safety with three games remaining, ensuring an immediate return to the Championship.
They took the lead in the fifth minute at St. James’ Park through Anel Ahmedhodzic, only to be overwhelmed by a home team on the charge for European qualification.
Alexander Isak scored two of Newcastle’s goals, taking his season tally to 23 in all competitions — 19 in the league. That’s one behind joint leaders Cole Palmer of Chelsea and Erling Haaland of Manchester City.
Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson also netted for Newcastle, while Ben Osborn scored an own-goal. That meant Sheffield United conceded 13 goals to Newcastle this season, following September’s 8-0 loss at Bramall Lane.
The visitors took the lead when they worked a short corner move for Ahmedhodzic to head Gustavo Hamer’s cross past Martin Dubravka.
Isak’s first goal came in the 26th after Jacob Murphy played the perfect ball into the Sweden striker, Isak, who ran in behind Auston Trusty and finished with aplomb.
Mason Holgate headed against the crossbar and Andre Brooks blazed wide from the resulting corner as Sheffield United threatened.
The second half was all Newcastle, which netted four goals in 18 minutes — starting in the 54th when Anthony Gordon curled a free kick to the far post where the unmarked Guimaraes dived to head home.
Isak coolly converted a 61st-minute penalty after Holgate bundled Gordon to the ground, and it was 4-1 within four minutes when Osborn back-heeled the ball into his own net as he tried to clear.
Foderingham denied Wilson within five minutes of his arrival but could not prevent him from making it 5-1 with a powerful finish after fellow substitute Harvey Barnes played him in.
Newcastle were in seventh place, one point Manchester United in sixth.
New Zealand win toss, opt to bowl in 5th and final T20 against Pakistan
- Pakistan, looking to build-up for June’s T20 World Cup, are trailing 2-1 in the series
- Pakistan have brought in their ace fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in place of Zaman Khan
LAHORE: New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell won the toss and elected to field in the fifth and final Twenty20 against Pakistan on Saturday.
Pakistan, looking to build-up for June’s T20 World Cup, are trailing 2-1 in the series as they tested their bench strength against the understrength Black Caps.
Pakistan made just one change from the team that lost the fourth match by four runs, bringing in their ace fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in place of Zaman Khan.
New Zealand, touring Pakistan without their nine frontline T20 players who are in the Indian Premier League, made three changes.
Tim Seifert recovered from sore back and returns in place of Tim Robinson, who scored a half-century in the last game but was ruled out with a groin injury.
Cole McConchie and Zak Foulkes also made it to the playing XI replacing Dean Foxcroft and Jacob Duffy. Foxcroft was ruled out with a back injury.
The first game was abandoned because of rain before Pakistan bowled out New Zealand for 90 runs in the second game to win by seven wickets.
New Zealand made a comeback, winning the third match by seven wickets before edging out the home team in the last game at Qaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
Klopp and Salah involved in touchline spat during Liverpool’s draw at West Ham
- Klopp went over to speak to the Egypt winger
- Salah answered back with his arms outstretched then started to point at Klopp, who was nodding while looking out onto the field
LONDON: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and star forward Mohamed Salah were involved in a touchline confrontation during the team’s 2-2 draw with West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Salah was a substitute for the game and was preparing to come on shortly after Michail Antonio’s 77th-minute equalizer when Klopp went over to speak to the Egypt winger.
Salah answered back with his arms outstretched then started to point at Klopp, who was nodding while looking out onto the field. Darwin Nunez, who was also about to enter as a sub, got in between Salah and Klopp and pushed away his teammate.
Klopp refused to divulge the reason behind the spat.
“No, we already spoke in the dressing room,” Klopp said. “For me, that’s done.”
When Salah was asked for a comment after the game, video footage on social media showed him saying: “There’s going to be fire today if I speak.”
The 31-year-old Salah has scored in just one of his last six games and has started on the bench for two of Liverpool’s last three matches.
Klopp is leaving at the end of the season after nearly nine years in charge.
Saudi table tennis stars get ready to compete in Saudi Smash 2024 championship
Saudi table tennis stars are getting ready to compete in the Saudi Smash 2024 championship, one of the most important table tennis tournaments in the world, taking place in Jeddah from May 1-11.
The championship will feature elite players from around the world competing in singles (men and women), doubles (men and women), and mixed doubles, organized by the Saudi Table Tennis Federation, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports and in collaboration with the World Table Tennis organization.
Among the Saudi players on the list is captain Ali Al-Khadrawi, one of the Kingdom’s top table tennis players. He started playing the game in 2007 and has a successful track record in both local and international competitions, including his distinguished participation in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Al-Khadrawi played 382 professional matches, with 14 appearances in the WTT matches, and maintained a win percentage of 54.5 percent throughout his career.
Ali-Al Khadrawi said: “I am delighted to participate in the Saudi Smash, a premier event hosted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is an opportunity to compete with my Saudi teammates against elite table tennis players from around the world. We look forward to the challenges of this championship, which will play a good role in promoting table tennis popularity in the Kingdom and inspiring the next generation of Saudi athletes.”
Another prominent player in the tournament is Abdulaziz Boushlybi, who began his career in 2007 and has achieved various individual and team titles, including a silver medal in the men’s singles at the 2022 Gulf Games in Kuwait.
He also won a gold medal in the team event at the same games with Al-Khadrawi and others. Boushlybi has played 277 professional matches, with 13 appearances in WTT matches, maintaining a win percentage of 63.2 percent.
Another Saudi player is Khalid Al-Shari, who started his table tennis journey in 2012 and has a record of individual and team victories, including a bronze medal in men’s singles at the 2021 World Championship qualifiers in Qatar.
Al-Sharif played 257 professional matches, with 12 appearances in WTT matches, achieving a win percentage of 51.4 percent throughout his career.
Other players participating in the championship are Hadi Abu Al-Raha, Turki Al-Mutairi, Salem Al-Suwailm, and Mohammed Al-Qasab.
Their participation in the Saudi Smash 2024 championship is a unique opportunity to showcase their abilities and talents and compete with some of the best international names in table tennis.
The Saudi Smash championship is one of the three Grand Smash tournaments for 2024, alongside the Singapore Smash and China Smash.
Haliburton hits winner as Pacers hold off Bucks, Timberwolves push Suns to brink
- Tyrese Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists
LOS ANGELES: Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning basket lifted the Indiana Pacers to a 121-118 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday as Minnesota put Phoenix on the verge of elimination in the NBA playoffs.
The Pacers let a 19-point lead get away, but finally thwarted the short-handed Bucks’ rally to gain a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first round series.
The Dallas Mavericks also won at home, cruising to a 101-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference set.
But a return to Phoenix provided no respite for Kevin Durant and the Suns, who were one defeat away from elimination after falling 126-109 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Indianapolis, Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists to help the Pacers withstand a 42-point performance from Milwaukee forward Khris Middleton, who drilled a three-pointer to tie it with 2.3 seconds left in regulation and made another trey to knot it at 118-118 with eight seconds left in overtime.
With 1.6 seconds remaining in overtime, Haliburton took an inbound pass and split the Bucks’ defense as he drove for a one-handed floater.
Fouled on the play, he made the free throw to cap the scoring. Middleton, playing through a sprained right ankle, was unable to work another three-point miracle as time expired.
“I just knew I was shooting it no matter what,” Haliburton said.
The Pacers escaped with the win in a game they led by 19 points in the first quarter and by 17 in the third.
With two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo still sidelined by a calf injury, the Bucks couldn’t match Indiana’s early pace.
An early injury scare saw Damian Lillard limp off with a sore knee briefly in the first quarter. He returned to score 19 of his 28 points in the second half before aggravating an Achilles tendon injury in late in regulation.
The Bucks took the lead for the first time on Lillard’s three-pointer early in the fourth quarter, the lead changing hands six times in the fourth as they battled to overtime.
“Every possession is so valuable,” Haliburton said. “You’ve got to dig in. The game’s never over.”
Myles Turner scored 29 points for the Pacers, who will try to stretch their lead when they host game four on Sunday.
In Phoenix, Anthony Edwards scored 36 points to lead a comprehensive Timberwolves team effort that included 19 points and 14 rebounds from Rudy Gobert and 18 points and 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Six players scored in double figures for the Timberwolves, who led by as many as early in the fourth quarter.
Bradley Beal led the Suns with 28 points. Durant scored 25 and Devin Booker added 23, but had no answer when the Timberwolves broke open a six-point game with a third-quarter scoring surge.
The Timberwolves have a 3-0 series lead for the first time in franchise history.
They’ll try on Sunday to close out the Suns, and even though both teams are well-aware that no NBA team has rallied from 0-3 down to win a series Edwards said the Timberwolves would take nothing for granted.
“We can’t look past the next game,” he said.
In Dallas, NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic limped out early but returned to sink 22 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Mavericks in a testy clash with the Clippers.
Los Angeles’ Russell Westbrook and P.J. Washington of Dallas were both ejected after a shoving match that started with Westbrook’s hard foul on Doncic midway through the fourth quarter — when the Mavs were up by 16 points.
The Clippers had sliced an 18-point deficit to six late in the third quarter, but Kyrie Irving, who had just two points until the final two minutes of the third period, scored 19 the rest of the way to help Dallas rebuild their lead.
James Harden and Norman Powell both scored 21 for the Clippers, but Harden had just seven points in the second half and the Mavs held Clippers star Paul George to seven points and Kawhi Leonard, who was clearly hindered by his continuing knee inflammation, to nine.
