BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund held on after Pascal Groß’ sending off to beat Wolfsburg 3-1 for its first Bundesliga away win of the season on Sunday.
Donyell Malen got the visitors off the mark with a volley to a corner in the 25th, three minutes before Julian Brandt played in Maximilian Beier to score Dortmund’s second goal. Beier, who scored with the outside of his boot in off the left post, celebrated with a throwing-dart gesture.
Beier returned the favor for Brandt to score Dortmund’s third two minutes after that.
Despite the commanding lead, the visitors were second-best for long periods thereafter as Wolfsburg improved dramatically.
Coach Ralph Hasenhüttl made two changes at the break, including sending on Lukas Nmecha to face his brother Felix Nmecha, who was playing for Dortmund.
Denis Vavro pulled one back in the 58th, four minutes before Groß was sent off for a foul on Lukas Nmecha when the Wolfsburg forward was through on goal.
The home team pushed hard but Dortmund managed to hold on to ease the pressure on coach Nuri Sahin.
“A 3-0 lead should mean you can get through the game with confidence,” said Brandt, who complained about his team’s drop in performance. “We’re to blame for that. It’s not good, we need to play more confidently, we need to grow up.”
Dortmund climbed to sixth ahead of the league’s winter break, but it’s not where the club aspires to be after a shaky start to the league.
“We’ll try a reset and to play better in the new year,” Beier said. “It can’t be our goal to be sixth.”
Bochum celebrates
Bottom club Bochum defeated relegation rival Heidenheim 2-0 for its first win of the season.
“When we play like we did today it means there are lots of possibilities for the next 19 games,” said Bochum coach Dieter Hecking. “From that point of view I’m also glad we won because I couldn’t have handled many more games without a win.”
It was the visitors’ seventh straight Bundesliga defeat, the culmination of a busy schedule after clinching European qualification from its league debut last season and the offseason loss of star players like Jan-Niklas Beste, Tim Kleindienst and Eren Dinkci.
“We’re at the end of another ‘English week’ (with midweek games) again,” Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt said. “Everyone did their best, but we have to be honest – it wasn’t enough.”
Dortmund holds on with 10 men for 1st away win in Bundesliga
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Dortmund holds on with 10 men for 1st away win in Bundesliga

- Dortmund climbed to sixth ahead of the league’s winter break, but it’s not where the club aspires to be after a shaky start to the league
South Africa’s Breetzke hits 150 in record-breaking ODI debut in Lahore

- The 26-year-old’s brilliant 148-ball knock anchored the South African innings after they were sent in to bat at Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium
- Breetzke, who smacked 11 fours and five sixes, trumps the 148 made by Desmond Haynes for West Indies on debut against Australia in 1978
LAHORE: Opener Matthew Breetzke scored 150 on Monday — the highest by anyone on ODI debut — as South Africa made 304-6 against New Zealand in the tri-nation series in Pakistan.
The 26-year-old’s brilliant 148-ball knock anchored the South African innings after they were sent in to bat at Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium.
Breetzke, who smacked 11 fours and five sixes, trumps the 148 made by Desmond Haynes for West Indies on debut against Australia in Antigua in 1978.
Breetzke put on 37 for the opening stand with skipper Temba Bavuma (20) and another 93 for the second wicket with Jason Smith (41) to give South Africa an ideal platform.
Breetzke hit New Zealand pacer Will O’Rourke for a boundary to reach three figures off 128 balls, becoming the fourth player from his country to hit a century on ODI debut.
Reeza Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi and Colin Ingram are the others.
Breetzke cracked a six off fast bowler Ben Sears to post his 150 before being caught at mid-off by Michael Bracewell off Matt Henry in the 46th over.
Wiaan Mulder scored a 60-ball 64 with five fours and a six to ensure South Africa posted a 300-plus total.
Henry 2-59 and O’Rourke 2-72 were the pick of the New Zealand bowlers.
South Africa were forced to give four debuts in this match as their top players were either active in a Twenty20 league back home or recovering from injuries.
New Zealand brought in opener Devon Conway for Rachin Ravindra, who was injured during their 78-run win over Pakistan, also in Lahore, on Saturday.
Pakistan are the third team in the tri-series, a warm-up event before it hosts the Champions Trophy starting February 19.
Injured Pakistan pacer Rauf to ‘fully recover’ ahead of Champions Trophy— PCB

- Haris Rauf sustained muscular sprain in lower chest wall during Saturday’s match against New Zealand
- PCB says injured pacer will not be available for selection as precaution against South Africa for Feb. 12 clash
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s injured right-arm fast bowler Haris Rauf is expected to be “fully recovered” ahead of this month’s ICC Champions Trophy tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said recently, brushing aside concerns he would be ruled out of the tournament.
Rauf sustained a muscular sprain in the lower chest wall region during Pakistan’s match against New Zealand on Saturday, triggering fears the bowler would be ruled out of the tournament. Along with pacers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Rauf is an essential part of the South Asian country’s pace attack.
“The injury is not serious and he is expected to be fully recovered for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which commences in Karachi on 19 February,” the PCB said on Sunday. “However, as a precautionary measure and part of his ongoing rehabilitation, he will not be available for selection against South Africa on 12 February.”
Pakistan are already reeling from in-form left-handed batter Saim Ayub’s absence, who was ruled out of the tournament after suffering an ankle injury while fielding against South Africa last month. Ayub’s injury has made room for left-arm batter Fakhar Zaman, who scored an impressive 84 runs from 69 balls against New Zealand on Saturday.
Pakistan are currently playing a tri-nation series against South Africa and New Zealand in Karachi and Lahore cities respectively. The series, seen as a warm-up ahead of the 50-over Champions Trophy tournament, will conclude on Feb. 14.
Pakistan lost the opening match of the tournament against New Zealand in Lahore by 78 runs. The tourists amassed 330/6 at the end of their 50 overs, which was too much for Pakistan who were bundled out for 252 runs in 47.5 overs.
New Zealand wins toss, elects to field against South Africa in tri-series

- New Zealand beat Pakistan last week in tri-nation series clash between both sides
- South Africa have entered series without seven of their Champions Trophy players
LAHORE, Pakistan: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won his second successive toss and elected to field against an understrength South Africa lineup Monday in the cricket tri-nation series.
New Zealand had to make one forced change with opening batter Rachin Ravindra replaced by Devon Conway.
Ravindra sustained a blow on the forehead while fielding during New Zealand’s thumping 78-run win in the first match on Saturday against Pakistan and was rested for the second game.
Ravindra was struck on the head when he lost sight of the ball in what seemingly should have been a routine catch of Khushdil Shah at deep mid-wicket.
South Africa has entered the tournament without seven of its Champions Trophy players, who will arrive at Karachi over the weekend.
Matthew Breetzke, Mihlali Mpongwana, Senuran Muthusamy and Eathan Bosch were awarded ODI debuts on a wicket which Santner says “looks like another 300” pitch.
Glenn Phillips smashed his maiden ODI century as New Zealand rattled 330-6 in the first match.
___
Lineups:
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Ben Sears, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Matthew Breetzke, Jason Smith, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Mihlali Mpongwana, Senuran Muthusamy, Eathan Bosch, Junior Dala, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi.
England’s Bethell ruled out of Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy— captain

- Left-handed Jacob Bethell sat out second ODI against India with hamstring injury
- England call up Somerset batsman Tom Banton on Sunday as cover for injured Bethell
NEW DELHI: Jacob Bethell is set to miss next week’s Champions Trophy after the left-handed batsman sat out the second one-day international against India with a hamstring injury.
The 21-year-old Bethell made 51 in the opening defeat last week, but was missing on Sunday as India took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Cuttack.
The 50-over Champions Trophy begins on Feb. 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.
“I’m pretty sure (Bethell) has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy, to be honest,” captain Jos Buttler admitted after England’s four-wicket defeat.
“That’s really disappointing for him. Obviously, he played nicely the other day and has been one of the really exciting players,” he added.
“It’s a shame that injury is going to rule him out.”
England have not made an official statement on Bethell’s status, but they called up Somerset batsman Tom Banton on Sunday as cover.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Banton, 26, was due to arrive in India on Monday and join the England squad for the final match of the series in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
Banton has played in six ODIs, with a top score of 58 and averages 26.80 with the bat.
England’s first match in the Champions Trophy is against World Cup winners Australia on Feb. 22.
Final squads must be submitted by Feb. 12.
Eagles deny Chiefs historic three-peat in thumping Super Bowl win

- Thumping NFL victory delivers a second Super Bowl win for the Eagles franchise whose other title win was in 2018
- It was a commanding performance throughout by the Eagles who totally dominated the championship match
NEW ORLEANS: The Philadelphia Eagles obliterated the Kansas City Chiefs’ bid to become the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls with a blowout 40-22 win in New Orleans on Sunday.
The Eagles defense was simply immense, smothering the Chief’s creative maestro Patrick Mahomes, and on offense their own quarterback Jalen Hurts led the way, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another as Philadelphia brutally avenged their 2023 loss to the Chiefs at Super Bowl 57.
Eagles dazzling running back Saquon Barkley grabbed 31 first-half rushing yards to break the all-time NFL record for most rushing yards in a regular season plus playoffs, to add icing to the Eagles’ championship cake.
Sunday’s thumping victory delivered a second Super Bowl win for the Eagles franchise whose other title win was in 2018.
It was a commanding performance throughout by the Eagles who totally dominated the championship match in front of a crowd that included US President Donald Trump and pop superstar Taylor Swift.
It marked the first time a sitting president had attended a Super Bowl and Trump watched the first half before leaving.
The Eagles set the tone for the contest by opening the scoring in the first quarter with their signature play – a goal line move they call the “brotherly shove” – with Hurts plowing into the end zone behind his powerful offensive line as his teammates forced him forward.
Eagles’ rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean picked off a poor pass from Mahomes in the second quarter to score Philadelphia’s second touchdown and Hurts then found A.J. Brown with a 12-yard pass to go into halftime 24-0 ahead.
Mahomes struggled mightily in the first half, throwing two interceptions while being sacked three times and completing just 6-of-14 passing attempts.
Things went from bad to worse in the second half for the Chiefs when Hurts found DeVonta Smith with a 46-yard pass for a fourth touchdown and take a 34-0 lead.
The Chiefs finally got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter through Xavier Worthy, but the game was sliding away at breakneck pace.
A DeAndre Hopkins touchdown, and a second for Worthy added some respectability to the score, but it was cosmetic, and would have come as little consolation to the battered Chiefs whose tilt at history was devastatingly denied.
Nobody had predicted the one-sided nature of the game – not Trump, not Swift, not Argentine World Cup winner Lionel Messi, hip-hop mogul Jay-Z or Beatle Paul McCartney who were all in the crowd – but the Eagles defense was awesome throughout, never giving the Chiefs a chance.
It was nothing short of a blowout to end a week when football took on a Mardi Gras flavor with New Orleans hosting the game for a record-tying 11th time.