Sport

Today's sports news: What you need to know

13:50 pm on 22 February 2021

Latest - The Manchester City winning machine has ploughed on relentlessly with a 1-0 Premier League defeat of Arsenal courtesy of Raheem Sterling's goal after 75 seconds.

Raheem Sterling Photo: Photosport

Sterling's close-range header from Riyad Mahrez's cross caught Arsenal cold and was enough for City to claim an 18th successive win in all competitions and preserve their 10-point lead.

Pep Guardiola's side's 13th successive league victory lifted them to 59 points from 25 games with Manchester United and Leicester City level second on 49 points.

United beat Newcastle United 3-1 at Old Trafford after Leicester won 2-1 at Aston Villa.

West Ham United's risen to fourth after beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1.

It is Tottenham's fifth defeat in their last six games and leaves them ninth on the table, just two points above North London rivals Arsenal.

- Reuters/RNZ

Steven Adams misses record Pelicans comeback

The New Orleans Pelicans have recorded their biggest ever come-from-behind victory in the NBA without Steven Adams.

Brandon Ingram Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Pelicans have overturned a 24 point third quarter deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 120-115 in overtime in New Orleans.

An extra five minutes was required to separate the two sides after they finished level at 108 a piece after four quarters.

Adams missed his second straight game with a sprained right ankle.

In his absence Willy Hernangomez scored six points and pulled down a team-high 13 rebounds.

Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans with 33 points, while Zion Williamson scored 28.

It is New Orleans' 13th win of the season and lifts them to 11th in the western conference.

French experience further positive tests

Centre Arthur Vincent and hooker Julien Marchand have tested positive for COVID-19, the French rugby federation (FFR) said, bringing the number of players infected to five as France gear up for next week's Six Nations clash against Scotland.

Arthur Vincent (right) celebrates scoring a try in France's Six Nations match against Italy. Photo: AFP

Scrumhalf Antoine Dupont, prop Mohamed Haouas and winger Gabin Villiere also tested positive earlier this week and all five players have been ruled out of the Stade de France game as coach Fabien Galthie, who also got infected, named his squad on Sunday.

France lead the standings with two wins out of two games, ahead of Wales on points difference.

All players and staff are expected to be tested again on Tuesday as the FFR looks to rule out any member of the squad who could be infected by the novel coronavirus.

None of the five positive players featured in Sunday's 31-man squad.

In addition to Galthie, three other staff members have returned positive tests this week.

- Reuters

Defending champions back in contention in men's one-day competition

The Auckland Aces have kept themselves in the running for back-to-back titles in the men's national provincial one-day cricket competition.

Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021

The Aces have beaten the Central Stags by 93 runs in the second match of their double-header at Eden Park Outer Oval to rise to third with two rounds remaining.

Auckland are one win behind Canterbury and Northern Districts, who lead the competition, despite defeats to the Otago Volts and Wellington Firebirds respectively in round eight.

Otago and Wellington are also in contention for the top three playoffs.

Meanwhile, just a point separates the Canterbury Magicians, Auckland Hearts and Central Hinds at the top of the table with two rounds remaining in the women's Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.

The top two sides will meet in the final.

Messi's record appearance ends in a stalemate

Lionel Messi marked his record 506th appearance for Barcelona in La Liga by scoring a penalty but the Catalans could only draw 1-1 with Cadiz after conceding a spot-kick late on.

Lionel Messi. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The Argentine overtook former team mate Xavi Hernandez in the all-time list of Barca appearances in the league and opened the scoring in the 32nd minute by calmly passing the ball into the bottom corner from the spot after Pedri had been tripped by Cadiz's Iza.

Fielding the same starting 11 that had been out-classed 4-1 by Paris St Germain in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday, a rusty looking Barca failed to build on their lead despite having 81% possession and taking 21 shots at goal.

They paid the price when Clement Lenglet gave away a penalty for striking Cadiz forward Ruben Sobrino as he tried to clear the ball.

Cadiz midfielder and former Real Madrid trainee Alex Fernandez made no mistake from the spot in the 89th minute to equalise for the visitors with their first shot on target.

The draw disrupted Barca's run of seven straight league wins as the Catalans failed to take advantage of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid's surprise 2-0 defeat by Levante a day earlier.

Barca are third in the standings on 47 points, trailing leaders Atletico by eight points and second-placed Real Madrid by five points.

- Reuters

Waitakere climb into top four

Waitakere United have moved into the fourth and final playoff position with a round to play in the men's national football premiership.

Waitakere subsitute Leon van den Hoven celebrates scoring against Hawke's Bay United. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2021

The west Aucklanders have beaten Hawke's Bay United 2-0 at Seddon Fields to jump above Eastern Suburbs and Canterbury United.

Suburbs are a point back in fifth after being held to a 1-1 home draw by Hamilton Wanderers.

Canterbury are a point further off the pace in sixth after losing 2-0 to Team Wellington on Saturday.

The mainlanders will host the Wellington Phoenix reserves in the final round, while Eastern Suburbs will visit Hawke's Bay United and Waitakere United will meet cross-town rivals Auckland City.

Officials' blunder costs long jumper gold

A long jumper was reduced to tears when officials mistakenly erased her mark after a leap that could have brought her a gold medal at the Spanish athletics championships.

Maria Vicente, 19, appeared to have recorded a distance above 6.50 metres with her first leap but the mark was rubbed out by two officials in the pit, who believed she had fouled.

Replays showed the Catalan athlete, who won gold in the pentathlon, had not over-stepped the mark and she was given another attempt after officials recognised their mistake.

Visibly shaken by the error, Vicente fouled on her next jump but later recorded 6.24m, her best leap of the day, followed by a dismal 4.83.

She eventually finished third to collect the bronze medal, with Fatima Diame winning gold with 6.51m and Tessy Ebosele taking silver with 6.31.

- Reuters