SPORTS

Tokyo, Japan | AFP |  On a continent where “imitation” Galacticos are a dime a dozen, Japan’s Takefusa Kubo could just be the real deal. Snapped up by Real Madrid on Friday from under the noses of some of the world’s other top clubs, the teenage sensation is about to demonstrate …

Pebble Beach, United States | AFP | Gary Woodland drained a 50-foot birdie put at his final hole on Friday to cap a six-under par 65 and take a two-stroke US Open lead over former champion Justin Rose at Pebble Beach. Woodland’s tee shot at his final hole, the par-four ninth, …

Sao Paulo, Brazil | AFP |  A brace from Philippe Coutinho handed hosts Brazil a winning start to the Copa America on Friday in a 3-0 victory over Bolivia as the absence of superstar Neymar was quickly forgotten. Barcelona’s Coutinho scored from the penalty spot early in the second half and …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Maurizio Sarri is set to return to Italy to take the vacant managerial role at Juventus and bring the curtain down on a fretful one-year stay at Chelsea. Sarri met his targets by returning Chelsea to the Champions League via a third-placed finish in the …

Lausanne, Switzerland | AFP | Portugal climbed two places to fifth in the latest FIFA rankings on Friday after adding the inaugural Nations League title to their European Championship crown. Fernando Santos’ side leapfrogged Croatia and Uruguay. Portugal beat the Netherlands 1-0 in the final in Porto thanks to a second-half …

Madrid, Spain | AFP | Eden Hazard said on Thursday he wants to become a ‘Galactico’ at Real Madrid and believes he is joining the club at the perfect moment in his career. Hazard was unveiled in front of around 50,000 fans at the Santiago Bernabeu after the Belgian’s long-awaited move …

Oakland, United States | AFP |  From the ashes of an epic playoff failure last year, the Toronto Raptors made a pair of risky moves and wound up winning the first NBA title in their 24-season history. The Raptors defeated defending champion Golden State 114-110 Thursday to capture the best-of-seven …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The President of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), Moses Hassim Magogo has said if the Cranes don’t make it out of the group stages at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), it will be termed a failure. Speaking to URN in …

Pebble Beach, United States | AFP |  Justin Rose roared home with three straight birdies to match Tiger Woods’ record for the lowest US Open round ever shot at Pebble Beach, a six-under par 65 that gave him a one-shot lead after the first round on Thursday. England’s Rose, who won …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Hosts Egypt are favoured not only to win Group A at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations this June, but to go on and lift the trophy a record-extending eighth time. They possess in serial Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah an African superstar and can expect …