Latest - Harry Kane struck twice as Tottenham Hotspur kept their Premier League top four hopes very much alive with a 3-0 demolition of Arsenal in the north London derby.
Harry Kane Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Victory for Arsenal at the home of their arch-rivals would have secured their first top-four finish since 2016 and a Champions League place, but they collapsed under pressure.
Kane opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 22nd before Arsenal had Rob Holding sent off for a second yellow card 10 minutes later, both for clumsy fouls on Son Heung-min.
Kane made it 2-0 in the 37th minute and Son made it three just after half time with his 21st league goal.
Tottenham could even have won by more yet despite the celebrations from the home fans they remain fifth and Arsenal are still in the driving seat in the battle for fourth place.
But the gap between them is now only one point with both sides having two games remaining and Tottenham also boast a far superior goal difference.
Arsenal face Newcastle United away and Everton at home while Tottenham host Burnley and finish at relegated Norwich City.
-Reuters
Black Sticks beaten in game two
The Black Sticks women have been 2-1 by Australia in the second match of their four test series in Auckland.
Olivia Shannon Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Brooke Peris, captaining Australia in her 184th international, scored in the first and last quarters for the visitors, while Olivia Shannon scored for New Zealand in the third.
After coming back from two goals down in the first game, the Australians started well and dominated the first half until star player Rosie Malone was struck on the wrist and forced from the field.
The Black Sticks then had a period on top with Shannon showing a piece of individual brilliance inside the attacking circle to score in the 39th minute.
While the Kiwis had plenty of momentum going forward they were unable to make the Australians pay in the circle. With only three minutes remaining in the match the visitors took possession of the ball deep in their own half to start a counter-attack which ended up with Peris thumping in her second of the match for the late lead.
Game three is on Saturday afternoon.
Mixed start for Fox
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox is in a tie for 14th, three shots from the leaders after the opening round of the latest World Tour event in Belgium.
Fox fired a three under par 68 which included eight birdies, three bogies and a double bogey.
Englishmen Sam Horsfield, Dale Whitnell and Callum Shinkwin sare a one shot lead.
Fellow New Zealander Josh Gear is one under par in a tie for 45th.
Fox will play the US PGA Championship in Oklahoma next week.
Demare wins again
Frenchman Arnaud Demare came through on the line to make it back-to-back victories at the Giro d'Italia after taking stage six, a 192-kilometre ride from Palmi to Scalea.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Demare, of Groupama-FDJ, was expected to go head-to-head with British sprint specialist Mark Cavendish and Australian Caleb Ewan in yesterday's stage five in Sicily, but Demare came through a packed field to win with ease.
Fans did not miss out on the sprint experts facing off this time around as Demare, Cavendish and Ewan all went for the line in Scalea, with Demare just pipping Ewan by millimetres, as a frustrated Cavendish came home in third.
Spaniard Juan Pedro Lopez retained the pink jersey and overall lead in the general classification.
Stage seven of the Giro is a tough, mountainous 198-kilometre ride from Diamante to Potenza.
-Reuters
Swiatek rolls on
World number one Iga Swiatek stretched her winning streak to 25 matches by beating Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-1 in the last 16 of the Italian Open in Rome.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Poland's Swiatek, who has put together the longest winning run since Serena Williams racked up 27 victories in 2015, will face 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu in the quarter-finals of the claycourt event on Friday.
Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion, is seeking her fifth title this season, having won in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami and Stuttgart.
Andreescu reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final in 14 months by defeating qualifier Petra Martic 6-4 6-4.
Third seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jessica Pegula 6-1 6-4 to reach the Rome last eight for the first time.
-Reuters
Swiatek to leave MotoGP
Former world champions Suzuki want to leave MotoGP at the end of this year and are in talks with promoters Dorna about the possibility of doing so.
Joan Mir Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Suzuki said in a statement ahead of the French Grand Prix that the move was for financial reasons and it was also considering ending other racing activities.
Dorna said last week it had contacted Suzuki to remind the manufacturer that it could not take a unilateral decision under the terms of the contract with MotoGP.
Suzuki Motor Corporation only last year renewed its involvement in the MotoGP championship in a deal running until the 2026 season.
The manufacturer has quit MotoGP before, leaving the premier class after the 2011 season due to economic recession and a stronger Japanese yen. It made a full return in 2015.
The factory team won both championships in 2020 when Spaniard Joan Mir won his maiden title in a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Suzuki also won multiple championships in the top category over the decades since the 1970s with Britain's Barry Sheene, Italians Marco Lucchinelli and Franco Uncini and Americans Kevin Schwantz and Kenny Roberts Jr.
-Reuters
