There was a lot for the US Olympic team to like on Monday. And a lot not to like.
Anthony Davis scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Tyrese Haliburton came up with a pair of late 3-pointers that helped stop a freefall by the Americans, and the US beat Australia 98-92 on Monday to improve to 2-0 in its five-game slate of exhibitions leading into the Paris Olympics.
Devin Booker scored 16 for the US, Anthony Edwards scored 14 and three players — LeBron James, Bam Adebayo and Joel Embiid — finished with 10 for the Americans, who are playing host to a pair of exhibitions at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, this week. They’ll play Serbia there on Wednesday.
Jock Landale scored 20 for Australia, which got 17 from Josh Giddey and 14 from Dyson Daniels.
The US led by 24 midway through the third quarter, yet saw that lead cut to six with 5:05 left after Australia went on a 39-21 run. But Haliburton had the next six points on his 3s, pushing the lead back to 92-80.
Australia cut it to four on two separate occasions, but Booker went 4-for-4 from the line in the final 8 seconds to ensure the US would escape.
“Third quarter, we started turning the ball over,” US coach Steve Kerr said. “We gave up a ton of points at the basket. Back cuts, offensive boards and so, the game shifted. It’s a good lesson for us. Better to learn that lesson now than later. And this will be a good tape for us to watch. But I give Australia a ton of credit. They were great. They fought. They were really physical. Took it to us in the last quarter and a half and really made it a game.”
Second unit, again
Just like in the Canada game, the so-called second unit — Haliburton, Jrue Holiday, Adebayo, Davis and Booker — changed the game.
That was the group on the floor when the Americans took a game that was tied at 19-19 with 3:15 left in the first and turned it into a 39-23 lead — a 20-4 run in a span of just over 5 minutes.
Kerr used that group as his starting five to open the second half. But it’s become a clear trend already: when the US goes to its bench and can replace All-Stars with other All-Stars, it’s just going to be a massive problem for opponents who don’t have anywhere near that same level of depth.
“The strength of our team is our depth and we have to utilize our depth,” Kerr said.
It’s been something the Americans have used to their advantage in the past. Dwyane Wade led the gold-medalist 2008 US Olympic team in points, even though he was sixth in minutes on that team and came off the bench in all eight games.
Turnovers
Here’s the big trouble sign right now for the US: turnovers.
FIBA games are shorter than NBA games, 40 minutes instead of 48 minutes. That means there are fewer possessions and makes it even more imperative to not give the ball away.
Which the Americans did. A lot.
After committing 15 turnovers in last week’s exhibition win over Canada, the US had 18 giveaways on Monday and Australia used them to fuel the comeback effort — getting 25 points off turnovers in the second half alone.
“Our turnovers, it’s all about focus and execution,” Davis said.
Injury watch
Kevin Durant missed his second consecutive game because of a calf strain, and with only one practice between games it wouldn’t seem likely that he plays Wednesday against Serbia either.
Derrick White, who arrived in Abu Dhabi over the weekend and got into his first practice with the team on Sunday, also didn’t play. White replaced Kawhi Leonard — who deals with knee issues — on the US roster after the Americans determined last week that it wasn’t in Leonard’s best interest to play this summer.
US holds off Australia for 98-92 win in Olympics tuneup in Abu Dhabi
https://arab.news/ywbb7
US holds off Australia for 98-92 win in Olympics tuneup in Abu Dhabi
- The US led by 24 midway through the third quarter, yet saw that lead cut to six with 5:05 left after Australia went on a 39-21 run
PSG survive Aston Villa scare to reach Champions League semis
- A PSG side that looked imperious in the first 45 minutes were suddenly all at sea as Villa missed a series of chances to take the game to extra time
BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom: Paris Saint-Germain survived a second half onslaught to beat Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate and reach the Champions League semifinals despite a 3-2 defeat on Tuesday.
The French champions were cruising toward the last four when full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes struck in the first 27 minutes to add to their 3-1 first leg lead.
Youri Tielemans pulled a goal back for the English side before half-time and two goals in two minutes from John McGinn and Ezri Konsa transformed the tie early in the second period.
PSG were thankful to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for keeping Unai Emery’s men at bay and preventing another famous collapse in the Champions League knockout stages.
Villa boss Emery was in charge of PSG when Luis Enrique’s Barcelona overturned a 4-0 first leg deficit with a dramatic 6-1 win in 2017.
Luis Enrique again emerged victorious over his compatriot but was the one this time given a scare of blowing a seemingly unassailable lead.
Villa had not experienced a European night like this since 1983 and there was an embarrassing moment for the hosts before a ball was kicked as the Europa League anthem was played instead of the famous pre-match hymn of the Champions League.
Desire Doue’s stunning strike to begin PSG’s fightback from 1-0 down in last week’s first leg was not enough for him to retain his place in the side.
But Luis Enrique’s decision to start Bradley Barcola was justified when he sprinted down the left and Emiliano Martinez spilled his cross into the path of Hakimi, who fired home the opener on 11 minutes.
Another blistering break from the visitors cut Villa open as Ousmane Dembele squared for left-back Mendes to stroke in his fourth Champions League goal of the season and second of the tie.
Villa’s refusal to give up the fight was rewarded when Tielemans’ deflected effort pulled a goal back before half-time.
Villa fanatic Prince William and his son George were among the home support that were in raptures as what seemed an impossible fightback came closer to reality.
McGinn’s deflected effort flew into the top corner to restore parity on the night at 2-2.
Emery’s decision to start with Marcus Rashford up front ahead of top scorer Ollie Watkins was a controversial one before kick-off.
Rashford has been reborn since a January loan move from Manchester United.
The England international was denied a goal by a stunning save from Donnarumma.
But from the resulting corner, Rashford nutmegged Fabian Ruiz, skipped past Vitinha and cut the ball back for Konsa to slot in at the near post.
A PSG side that looked imperious in the first 45 minutes were suddenly all at sea as Villa missed a series of chances to take the game to extra time.
Donnarumma produced another brilliant save to prevent Tielemans’ header finding the top corner.
Marco Asensio then had the chance to net against his parent club only for Donnarumma to fly out from his goal to block.
Konsa should have headed in another enticing Rashford delivery.
But Rashford’s removal for Watkins proved a turning point as PSG restored control and should have added to their lead in the closing stages as Martinez saved from Hakimi and Doue.
Willian Pacho blocked Ian Maatsen’s goalbound effort in stoppage time to deny Villa at the death.
But they have surpassed expectations in their first experience of the elite level of European football for over four decades.
For PSG, their quest to win the competition for the first time goes on and they have rarely had a better opportunity to end that wait.
Arsenal are their likely semifinal opponents as the Gunners take a 3-0 quarter-final, first leg advantage away to holders Real Madrid on Wednesday.
On the other half of the draw Barcelona will face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in a heavyweight clash.
But PSG are arguably the continent’s form side and with the Ligue 1 title long since sewn up, can focus entirely on conquering Europe in Munich on May 31.
Barca through to Champions League semis despite Guirassy hat-trick
- Guirassy reignited Dortmund’s belief with a third on the 76th-minute mark
DORTMUND, Germany: Barcelona are through to the Champions League semifinals with a 5-3 aggregate win, despite losing 3-1 at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday with Serhou Guirassy hitting a hat-trick.
Holding a 4-0 lead after a dominant performance in Catalonia, the visitors were made to sweat as Dortmund and Guirassy nearly pulled off a stunning turnaround.
Guirassy put Dortmund in front with a Panenka from the spot with 11 minutes gone and headed them two goals clear early in the second half.
Dortmund sensed a sensation but Barcelona hit back, Fermin Lopez forcing Ramy Bensebaini into an own goal with just over half an hour remaining.
Guirassy reignited Dortmund’s belief with a third on the 76th-minute mark and the final stages may have been different had Julian Brandt not been offside before scoring with 11 minutes remaining.
Despite losing their first competitive game in 2025, Barcelona are through to the semis, keeping their dream of a remarkable treble alive, 10 years after last completing the feat by winning the Champions League in Berlin.
Barcelona, considered title favorites, will face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the final four.
Clearly outclassed in the first leg, Dortmund will take inspiration from Tuesday’s performance, not least the goalscoring form of Guirassy.
The 29-year-old Guinean, who has spent most of his career bouncing between the first and second divisions in Germany and France, now has 13 Champions League goals this season, more than any other player.
Despite a big first-leg lead, Hansi Flick made good on his pre-match pledge to continue attacking, opting against resting any of his attacking trident of Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal or Raphinha.
With coach Niko Kovac admitting Dortmund needed a “miracle” to reach the semis after the debacle in Catalonia, the hosts’ task got a little harder when captain and center-back Emre Can was ruled out with injury just before the match.
But Dortmund raced out of the blocks, Guirassy and strike partner Maximilian Beier going close inside the opening 10 minutes before Pascal Gross was the victim of a clumsy foul in the box by Wojciech Szczesny.
Guirassy stepped up to the spot and was nerveless, calmly unleashing a Panenka to get the hosts underway.
Dortmund sliced Barcelona open repeatedly without reward until half-time but made it count four minutes into the second-half, Guirassy heading in a Ramy Bensebaini assist from a corner.
With Dortmund’s 81,355-strong Westfalenstadion smelling blood, Barcelona’s familiar response was to send their attack down the right and the move paid off almost immediately.
After Yamal’s cross was half-cleared, Fermin Lopez found himself in the teenager’s channel, whipping a pass toward Lewandowski which Bensebaini hit into his own net.
With Barcelona content to control possession as the clock wound down, Guirassy relit the hosts’ hopes when he scored his third in the final quarter of an hour, blasting in from close range after some delightful dribbling from teenage winger Julian Duranville.
The home fans erupted when Brandt scored three minutes later, but the midfielder was offside, allowing Barcelona a breather.
Barcelona managed to hold on despite waves of energetic Dortmund attacks in the final stages to remain on track for the treble.
Europa League anthem played by mistake before Villa-PSG in Champions League
- A minute or so later, the more famous Champions League anthem was finally played
- This is Villa’s first season in the Champions League
BIRMINGHAM, England: Call it being inexperienced in the Champions League.
There was confusion before kickoff in the second leg of the quarterfinal between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday when the anthem for the second-tier Europa League competition appeared to be played by mistake as players from both teams lined up.
A minute or so later, the more famous Champions League anthem was finally played at Villa Park — by which the players were almost ready for the kickoff. In the crowd was Prince William, the heir to the throne and a die-hard Villa fan.
This is Villa’s first season in the Champions League. The team previously played in Europe’s top competition in the 1982-83, as reigning champion when it was called the European Cup.
The pre-match error was followed by mistakes on the field as the hosts fell 2-0 behind to PSG by the 27th minute thanks to goals by full backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes. PSG had a 3-1 advantage from the first leg.
Sharjah stun Al-Taawoun in late semifinal turnaround
- 2 goals in added time put UAE side through to AFC Champions League Two final
- Saudi team led from first leg, missed early chances to put tie beyond reach
SHARJAH: Sharjah scored twice in injury time on Tuesday to beat Al-Taawoun 2-1 on aggregate and move into the final of the AFC Champions League Two.
Trailing from the first leg of the semifinal in Saudi Arabia, the team from the UAE were facing defeat until goals in the 94th and 99th minutes turned the tie on its head and broke Al-Taawoun hearts.
The Saudi Pro League team have only themselves to blame as they could have been out of sight after 15 minutes.
Seconds after the start, Sultan Mandash raced free of the defense only to pull his shot just wide. Then, in the third minute, a defensive slip from Cho Yu-min gave Musa Barrow a golden chance just outside the area, but with just Adel Al-Hosani to beat, the Gambian pulled his first-time shot just wide.
Undeterred, the men from Buraidah continued to pour forward in a threatening fashion and were then given a penalty. In the 10th minute, Roger Martinez went down under a challenge in the area from Abdulrahman Shahin and while the referee gave nothing, VAR thought otherwise and the penalty was awarded.
Up stepped Dutch midfielder Aschraf El-Mahdioui, but the midfielder’s low shot was too close to the goalkeeper and too tame and Al-Hosani made the save.
It gave the home team and their fans a real lift. Al-Taawoun almost paid for their wastefulness midway through the first half. Free just inside the box, Ousmane Camara should have scored but his low shot was well saved by Abdulquddus Atiah.
It was then Al-Hosani’s turn to turn away a fierce drive from Faycal Fajr as the first half ended goalless.
The game remained in the balance. Midway through the second half, Luanzinho saw his free kick bounce off the top of the net. Soon after, Atiah had to get down well to make a save from a cross that had bounced through the area.
As Al-Taawoun defended more deeply, Sharjah continued to push forward in search of an equalizer.
It came, four minutes into injury time as Camara bundled home at the far post after Al-Taawoun had failed to deal with a free kick.
Five minutes later, the dramatic turnaround was complete. Caio Lucas slipped the ball into the left side of the area for Firas Ben Larbi to smash a first-time shot home. The home fans went crazy while the visitors sank to the floor in the knowledge that a glorious chance for Asian silverware had been snatched away.
The Emirati club will play either Lion City Sailors of Singapore or Australia’s Sydney FC in the final on May 18.
Chahal stars as Punjab defend IPL’s lowest total of 111 in ‘best win’
- Kolkata looked to be cruising at 62-2 before Chahal cut through the chase with his leg-spin, and the side collapsed to 95 all out in 15.1 overs
- Punjab were earlier bowled out for 111 in 15.3 overs but Chahal and company turned the match on its head
CHANDIGARH: Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal returned figures of 4-28 as Punjab Kings defended IPL’s lowest ever total of 111 to down holders Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs in a thriller on Tuesday.
Kolkata looked to be cruising at 62-2 before Chahal cut through the chase with his leg-spin, and the side collapsed to 95 all out in 15.1 overs at Mullanpur, near Chandigarh.
Punjab were earlier bowled out for 111 in 15.3 overs but Chahal and company turned the match on its head to better Chennai Super Kings’ record — they defended 116 against them (formerly Kings XI Punjab) in 2009.
Kolkata’s Andre Russell attempted to pull off the chase from 79-8 when he hit two sixes and a four off Chahal but Punjab held their nerve.
Arshdeep Singh sent back Vaibhav Arora and then fellow left-arm quick Marco Jansen bowled Russell to trigger wild celebrations in Punjab’s home ground.
“I have coached a lot of games in the IPL and that might just be about the best win I ever had,” head coach Ricky Ponting said after the close contest.
Kolkata skipper Ajinkya Rahane and impact substitute Angkrish Raghuvanshi put on 55 runs for the third wicket when Chahal broke through to get the captain back in the pavilion lbw.
Ball tracker suggested the ball was outside the off stump, but Rahane did not take the review.
“Pretty disappointed with the effort,” said Rahane. “I’ll take the blame, played the wrong shot, although it was missing.”
Chahal, with his tail now up, got Raghuvanshi caught out in the next over for 37 and the Punjab were in the game when Glenn Maxwell had Venkatesh Iyer lbw for seven.
Chahal then got two in two — Rinku Singh stumped and Ramandeep Singh out for a golden duck — before Harshit Rana avoided the hat-trick ball.
But the day belonged Chahal and Punjab who moved into the top four of the 10-team table with their fourth win in six matches.
Ponting said Chahal, who was named player of the match, had a fitness test before the game for a shoulder injury he picked in his previous outing.
Earlier, Rana rattled the Punjab top-order after a brisk start by the openers and returned figures of 3-25 from his three overs.
New batting sensation Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh made the hosts race to 39 in 3.1 overs, before Rana struck to send back the left-handed Arya caught at fine leg for 22.
Rana got one more wicket two balls later when Ramandeep pulled off a stunning catch in the deep to dismiss skipper Shreyas Iyer, for a duck.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy joined forces in the next over to have Punjab’s England import Josh Inglis bowled for two.
Prabhsimran, who made 30, attempted to hit back with two sixes off Rana but the bowler had the last laugh with Ramandeep once again taking a catch at point.
Chakravarthy and fellow spinner Sunil Narine kept striking regular blows as Punjab’s batting faltered only for their bowlers to ultimately save the day.
