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Canada's Einarson has 2-2 record after opening weekend of curling worlds – TSN

Published

3 years ago

March 21, 2022

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Another day, another split for Canada’s Kerri Einarson at the women’s world curling championship as the host country emerged from opening weekend with a 2-2 record.

Einarson and teammates were on their game in an 8-4 doubling of Turkey, but less precise in a subsequent 11-3 loss to defending champion Switzerland on Sunday.

After giving up a steal of four in the sixth end, the Canadians shook hands with Silvana Tirinzoni’s Swiss foursome that’s chasing a third straight world title.

Canada’s second day of the preliminary round day resembled Saturday when the Manitoba rink dominated Italy in its first game and then lost to Norway.

“It’s not what we wanted to start off with, but it is what it is,” Einarson said. “We’re getting there and we aren’t panicking.”

Canada’s lone game Monday is against Denmark’s Madeleine Dupont (2-1).

While Einarson relishes playing in front of Canadian fans in Prince George, B.C., in the first “normal” world curling championship since the COVID-19 pandemic began two years ago, the virus remains a sport disrupter.

Scotland withdrew from the 13-country field Sunday because two more players tested positive for the virus in addition to skip Rebecca Morrison and alternate Fay Henderson, who were infected before the tournament started.

“That’s a team’s worst nightmare,” Einarson said. “I just hope that they’re not too sick. All of us feel really bad for them because we would never want anyone to get sick.”

Gina Aitken skipped a three-woman Scottish team in losses to the Swiss and the Czech Republic.

Substitute player Beth Farmer arrived Sunday from Scotland intending to play in the evening against Denmark, but two more players on the roster with the virus meant the Scots would not continue.

“It has been agreed with the organizers that Team Scotland will not take part in any further matches in order to protect the safety of our athletes, our staff, all other competitors and those involved in the event, as well as to maintain the integrity of the 2022 World Championships,” Scottish Curling said on its website Sunday.

“Arrangements are currently underway to organize the team’s return to Scotland as soon as it is safe and possible for them to do so.”

Scotland’s remaining opposition — Canada was scheduled to play them Wednesday afternoon — win those games by forfeit. Teams will do their pre-game, button draw because it is a tiebreaker factor, before a 30-minute practice in the time slots vacated by Scotland.

Switzerland, South Korea and Japan (3-0) topped the standings Sunday ahead of Sweden, the United States, Norway and the Danes at 2-1. Canada was alone at 2-2 followed by the Czech Republic (1-2) and the winless Germans, Italians and Turks.

Einarson’s shooting percentage was 100 per cent against Turkey. The host country was quicker to adjust to the ice conditions than they were in a 6-4 loss to the Norwegians the previous evening.

But missed hits in the first and third ends against the Swiss gave Alina Paetz, who throws fourth stones for Tirinzoni, open draws for three points for a 6-2 lead.

Einarson’s Gimli Curling Club team was 1-3 after the first two days of last year’s world championship in Calgary.

“I think we had hoped to maybe have a three and one record, but I think there’s lots of event left,” second Shannon Birchard said. “We learned that last year, and we’re in a better spot than we were last year.”

Tirinzoni won her second world crown in Calgary’s bubble and her first three years ago in Silkeborg, Denmark. The 2020 championship in Prince George was cancelled because of the pandemic.

The Swiss are coming off a disappointing Olympic Games. After topping the standings in the preliminary round, Tirinzoni lost both the semifinal and the bronze-medal game in Beijing.

“It’s almost like we need to come back out after the Olympics just to kind of get on the winning road again,” the Swiss skip said

There were 1,527 fans at the CN Centre – a nearly 6,000-seat arena – to watch Sunday’s late draw that included Canada versus Switzerland.

“We haven’t played in front of a crowd for almost two years now,” said Tirinzoni. “This was . . . fantastic. They were cheering for them, but they were fair. They were also like, applauding for us. It was really special actually, just to hear the people making some noise.”

The top six teams at the conclusion of the round robin Friday advance to the playoff round. The top two earn byes to Saturday’s semifinals with third through six playing off to join them. The medal games are Sunday.

Malfunctioning handles in the curling stones in Prince George meant hog-line violations went to the honour system Sunday.

The same problem occurred in Beijing, although the World Curling Federation stones used at the CN Centre are a different set.

Sensors in each stone’s handle determine whether the rock is released before touching the hog-line. A green light indicates a legal delivery, while a red light indicates a violation and the stone gets pulled.

For the rest of the women’s championship, it will be up to players to call any violations as was the case midway through men’s and women’s team curling in Beijing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2022.

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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