World Sports News in Brief

Rusty Barcelona held to goalless draw at Sevilla

Barcelona were held to a 0-0 draw at Sevilla in an empty stadium on Friday (Jun 19) as they dropped points for the first time since the season re-started after the hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Sevilla v FC Barcelona - Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Sevilla, Spain - June 19, 2020 Sevilla's Lucas Ocampos in action with Barcelona's Arthur, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Sevilla v FC Barcelona - Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Sevilla, Spain - June 19, 2020 Sevilla's Lucas Ocampos in action with Barcelona's Arthur, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease. (Reuters)

The Catalans are top of the standings on 65 points from 30 games but second-placed Real Madrid, with 62, can go above their rivals if they beat Real Sociedad away on Sunday due to their superior head-to-head record.

* La Liga basement side Leganes snatched a 1-1 draw at fellow strugglers Real Mallorca thanks to a sensational late free kick from Oscar Rodriguez as they earned their first point since the season returned after the hiatus forced by the new coronavirus.

* Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes fired home a late penalty to rescue a point for the visitors in a lively 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Friday (Jun 19).

* Southampton hammered bottom side Norwich City 3-0 after scoring twice in five minutes soon after the break and adding another late on in their Premier League game at Carrow Road on Friday (Jun 19).

* Paris St Germain and Brazil forward Neymar has been ordered to pay his former club Barcelona €6.7 million (US$7.51 million) after losing a lawsuit over an unpaid bonus, the Spanish champions said in a statement on Friday.

* Two times German Touring Car (DTM) champion Rene Rast will replace Daniel Abt at Audi's Formula E team for the remainder of the season, the manufacturer said on Friday.

* Japan's professional baseball season began behind closed doors on Friday (Jun 19), three months after the originally scheduled start as the country gradually rolls back its anti-coronavirus measures.

* Webb Simpson delivered a putting master class to grab the lead and Nick Watney withdrew after testing positive for COVID-19 at the second round of the RBC Heritage in South Carolina on Friday.

* Former Formula One driver and twice Champ Car champion Alex Zanardi was undergoing surgery for severe head injuries on Friday after being involved in a road accident while racing his handbike in Italy.

* A group of more than 70 Major League Soccer (MLS) players have formed a new coalition that was unveiled on Friday with the aim of addressing racial inequalities in the US-based league and standing with those who fight racism in the sport.

* Six times world champion Lewis Hamilton can expect a quicker car when the Formula One season finally starts in Austria next month, with Mercedes promising plenty of updates. The W11 car unveiled in February has yet to race, with the season delayed since March by the COVID-19 pandemic, and team technical director James Allison said months' worth of improvements were in the pipeline.

* London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher said on Friday (Jun 19) that organisers are working to ensure the rescheduled race is held on Oct 4 despite the cancellation of September's Great North Run due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reuters, CNA