AS Monaco’s home struggles continued on Friday night as they squandered a string of chances in a 1-1 draw with Nimes Olympique to stretch their winless run to six.
Monaco have not won at the Stade Louis II all season. In their previous home Ligue 1 match they lost to Olympique de Marseille and were on Tuesday beaten by visiting Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.
Promoted Nimes took the lead after 19 minutes. Captain Anthony Briancon leaped unchallenged to meet a curling free-kick from Antonin Bobichon and bulleted a header between goalkeeper Diego Benaglio’s outstretched arms. It was the central defender’s first goal in Ligue 1.
Monaco captain Radamel Falcao leveled eight minutes later, running at a back-pedaling Nimes defense and hitting a low shot that deflected off defender Gaetan Paquiez and into the corner of the goal.
Monaco dominated the game, but were frustrated by a succession of saves by Nimes goalkeeper Paul Bernadoni and by their own wastefulness.
The worst misses, both from close range, were from Falcao, who volleyed against the bar, and Moussa Sylla, who scooped a chance high a minute after coming on as a substitute.
Monaco almost paid the price when Briancon hit the bar in added time.
BUNDESLIGA
AP, STUTTGART, Germany
VfB Stuttgart on Friday again failed to score in a 0-0 draw against promoted Fortuna Duesseldorf in the Bundesliga.
Former Germany goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler was on form for Stuttgart, producing a fine reflex reaction to deny a deflected effort from American midfielder Alfredo Morales late on, having already done well to stop the visitors from taking the lead.
Stuttgart’s main problems have been at the other end of the pitch. It was the fourth match in five competitive games that they failed to score.
The result increases the pressure on coach Tayfun Korkut after claiming just two points from the opening four league games.
Stuttgart’s first-round loss in the DFB Pokal has added to the sense of unease.
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AP
US Sassuolo on Friday moved into second place in Serie A with a 3-1 comeback win over Empoli.
After Empoli’s Francesco Caputo scored just 18 seconds in, Sassuolo responded with goals from Kevin-Prince Boateng — his third in five matches — Gianmarco Ferrari and Federico di Francesco.
Sassuolo are two points behind Juventus, who will look to extend their perfect record at Frosinone today, and one point ahead of SPAL and SSC Napoli.
SPAL were yesterday to visit ACF Fiorentina, while Napoli are
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
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Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB