ROUND-UP: All the latest football scores; Boucher’s appointment; Australia’s dominance; and a Clippers record
International Round-up: Chelsea fall to late goal as Bournemouth win; Barcelona and Real Sociedad play to entertaining draw; Borussia Dortmund hammer Mainz 4-0; Mark Boucher is South Africa new head coach; Australia in commanding position against New Zealand; and Clippers pair combine to score record 88 points.
FOOTBALL: Chelsea fall to late goal as Bournemouth win
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said his side went through “a lot of soul searching” before their late 1-0 win at Chelsea.
Dan Gosling’s goal, which was awarded by the video assistant referee (VAR), gave the injury-hit Cherries their first victory since early November in a scrappy encounter at Stamford Bridge.
The result ended their five-match losing streak and handed them their third away win of the season. Their last Premier League points had come on November 2, when they beat Manchester United at home.
“It’s been a really difficult run, a lot of soul searching has gone on,” Howe told BBC Match of the Day. “We’ve lost a lot of players to injuries and we had to step up to a really tough test.
“We had to come up with something slightly different because if you do the same things you get the same result.”
FOOTBALL: Barcelona and Real Sociedad play to entertaining draw
La Liga leaders Barcelona played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with fourth-placed Real Sociedad.
Mikel Oyarzabal gave the hosts the lead with a penalty after Sergio Busquets fouled Diego Llorente, but Antoine Griezmann equalised with a clipped finish against his former club.
Luis Suarez then put Barca ahead from Lionel Messi’s unselfish pass. But Alexander Isak equalised as he fired home after Marc-Andre ter Stegen parried Nacho Monreal’s cross-shot.
Real Sociedad were probably the better team with 53% possession and 19 shots to Barca’s nine. Martin Odegaard, on loan from Real Madrid, was a key influence on the game although none of his five shots were on target.
FOOTBALL: Borussia Dortmund hammer Mainz 4-0
England’s Jadon Sancho scored for a sixth consecutive game as Borussia Dortmund hammered Mainz 4-0. He is the first player in Europe’s top five leagues to score and assist 10 goals in all competitions this season.
The 19-year-old scored from Dan-Axel Zagadou’s cross to make it 2-0 after 66 minutes, as well as hitting the post and setting up Nico Schulz’s goal.
Marco Reus had given the visitors the lead, with Thorgan Hazard also scoring as Dortmund remain third in the table.
Sancho, who last failed to score in a club game on November 9, has now scored 21 Bundesliga goals in his career. Only two players – Horst Koppel and Kai Havertz with 24 each – have ever scored more as teenagers.
CRICKET: Mark Boucher is South Africa new head coach
Former Test wicketkeeper Mark Boucher has been named as South Africa’s new head coach on a four-year deal.
The 43-year-old replaces Enoch Nkwe, who was interim team director after head coach Ottis Gibson was released in August and is now the assistant coach. The appointment comes three days after former Test captain Graeme Smith was named acting director of cricket.
“I feel Mark will bring the toughness to turn an inexperienced squad into a battle-ready outfit,” Smith said.
Boucher’s tenure begins with a four-match Test series against England, which starts on December 26 in Centurion. Faf du Plessis was also confirmed as the Proteas’ Test captain.
CRICKET: Australia in commanding position against New Zealand
Australia are in a commanding position after day three of the first Test with New Zealand in Perth. The tourists resumed on 109-5 and fast bowler Mitchell Starc (5-52) claimed his fifth wicket of the innings as New Zealand were bowled out for 166.
Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne replied with half-centuries as Australia reached 167-6 at stumps, with Tim Southee claiming 4-63. The hosts now lead the day-night match at Perth Stadium by 417 runs.
New Zealand’s Ross Taylor was 66 not out overnight and reached 80 before being caught by Steve Smith off Nathan Lyon, while Starc, 29, secured the 13th fifth-wicket haul of his Test career.
Australia were then 131-1 before, bowling with the pink ball under the lights, Southee and Neil Wagner produced a spell of destructive short bowling.
The Kiwis stalled the hosts’ progress by claiming 5-29, with Wagner finishing the day with 2-40.
NBA: Clippers pair combine to score record 88 points
Los Angeles Clippers duo Paul George and Kawhi Leonard made franchise history as they both scored more than 40 points in a 124-117 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
George top-scored with 46, while fellow summer signing Leonard added 42. The Clippers are second in the Western Conference after a fourth straight win.
James Harden scored 50 or more points for a second game – his 54 contained 10 three pointers as the Houston Rockets beat the Orlando Magic 130-107.
The Milwaukee Bucks recorded their 17th win in a row with a 127-114 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, while the LA Lakers beat the Miami Heat 113-110.
Both teams are now tied with for the best record in the NBA this season with 23 wins and three losses.
