24 Dec 2020

Today's sports news: What you need to know

11:31 am on 24 December 2020

Latest - Two late goals have helped Manchester United claim a scrappy 2-nil win over Everton to seal a place in English football's League Cup semi-finals.

United wasted numerous opportunities in the opening stages and at times the play was dire from both sides at a bitterly cold Goodison Park.

United join second tier Brentford, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-final draw.

Tottenham beat 3-1 in today's other quarter final.

-Reuters

Boost for Boks ahead of Lions tour

South Africa's preparations for the British & Irish Lions tour next year have been given a significant boost after it was confirmed their four major franchises will compete in the Rainbow Cup against PRO14 clubs.

The Springboks celebrate their 2019 Rugby Championship win.

The Springboks celebrate their 2019 Rugby Championship win. Photo: Photosport

The competition will get under way on April 17 next year and see the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers, who all previously competed in Super Rugby, face teams from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy that will all tour South Africa at some stage in the campaign.

The Lions are set to tour South Africa for eight matches, the final three of which are tests against the world champion Springboks, from July 3-Aug. 7.

The 16 teams in the Rainbow Cup will be divided into two pools of eight, made up of two Irish, two South African, two Welsh, one Italian and one Scottish club.

Each team will play one game against each pool opponent and the sides that finish top of their pools will face off in a final on June 19.

-Reuters

Shaheen Afridi attains career best 16th position, Hafeez and Rizwan also make major gains in latest update after New Zealand-Pakistan series

Seifert and Southee reach career high ICC rankings

New Zealand opener Tim Seifert and fast bowler Tim Southee have attained career-best positions after playing important roles in a 2-1 T20 series win over Pakistan.

Seifert has advanced 24 slots to a career-best ninth position after a fine run in the home series saw him top the aggregate with 176 runs while Southee's six wickets in the series have lifted him from 13th to seventh position.

Seifert, who was named player of the series with the high point being a career-best 84 not out off 63 balls in the second match in Hamilton, had a previous highest ranking of 32nd in August this year.

Southee's six wickets, which included a haul of four for 21 in the second match, enabled him to better his previous best of 10th position accomplished in

November last year.

Southee has thus reached the top 10 in all three formats during his career, having career-bests of fourth in Tests and ninth in ODIs.

Atletico's Trippier banned for 10 weeks over betting rules breach

Atletico Madrid and England right back Kieran Trippier has been suspended for 10 weeks and fined $133,000 following a breach of betting rules, the Football Association said.

Trippier denied seven alleged breaches of FA Rule E8(1)(b), but four were found proven during a personal hearing.

Rule E8(1)(b) states that a participant must not provide to any person, any information relating to football which the participant has obtained by virtue of his or her position within the game and which is not publicly available at that time.

The FA did not clarify what the breach entailed but said it had occurred in July 2019, around the time Trippier joined Atletico Madrid from Tottenham.

Trippier has been one of the standout performers for Diego Simeone's Atletico side, playing every minute of their La Liga and Champions League games this season.

The 30-year-old will now miss at least 13 games for the La Liga leaders in all competitions, including their Champions League last-16 first leg tie at home to Chelsea on Feb. 23.

-Reuters

After Lakers' ring ceremony, champs fall to Clippers

Paul George scored 26 of his 33 points in the second half, and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers 116-109 in the season opener for both teams.

Before the game, the Lakers handed out rings celebrating their 2019-20 NBA championship.

George converted 13 of 18 shots from the floor, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range. Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points, Serge Ibaka added 15, Ivica Zubac and Lou Williams contributed 11 each and Patrick Beverley chipped in with 10.

LeBron James had 22 points, five assists and five rebounds while Anthony Davis added 18 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers. Former Clipper Montrezl Harrell had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Kyle Kuzma scored 15 points. Dennis Schroder amassed 14 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and eight assists.

-Reuters