Digest

SOCCER

Nigerian Onuegbu joins second-tier Chang'an

Nigerian striker Kingsley Onuegbu has joined China League One side Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic, the club revealed on Sunday.

Onuegbu was born in Nigeria and grew up in Germany, where he was the top scorer in the third tier for Duisburg in the 2013-14 and 2016-17 seasons.

The 34-year-old has played over 350 league matches in Germany and Cyprus, scoring 128 goals and contributing 31 assists.

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced last week that the postponed 2020 China League One season will kick off on Sept 12.

The second-tier league will be contested behind closed doors, with an initial round-robin format seeing teams divided into three groups.

Chang'an Athletic is in Group B with Meizhou Kejia, Guizhou Hengfeng, Zhejiang Greentown, Liaoning Shenyang and Jiangxi Liansheng. All Group B matches will be played in Meizhou, Guangdong province.

SIPG thumps Tianjin to extend unbeaten streak

Shanghai SIPG extended its unbeaten streak to eight games with a 4-1 victory over Tianjin Teda in the Chinese Super League (CSL) in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, on Monday.

Shanghai broke the deadlock in the 29th minute when Tianjin failed to clear a corner and Uzbek midfielder Odil Akhmedov lashed home from outside the area.

Brazilian forward Hulk doubled Shanghai's lead in first-half stoppage time. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but was allowed to stand following a VAR ruling.

A 71st-minute header from Austrian attacker Marko Arnautovic and a low drive from Brazilian midfielder Oscar in the 81st sealed the points for SIPG, although Zhao Honglue netted a late consolation for Teda.

The result extended Shanghai's Group B lead to 20 points.

PSG duo suspected of contracting COVID-19

Two unnamed Paris Saint-Germain players have shown symptoms of COVID-19, the French giant said on Monday.

"Two Paris Saint-Germain players are suspected to have COVID-19.Their condition is perfectly reassuring," a statement from the Champions League runner-up said.

French sports newspaper L'Equipe reported that the two players could be Argentinian duo Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes, who holidayed together in Ibiza following the Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich on Aug 23.The island is one of the regions in Spain that has been hit hardest by the pandemic in recent weeks.

PSG is now awaiting the final results of tests. If confirmed positive, the duo will miss the club's Ligue 1 opener at Lens on Sept 10.

BASKETBALL

Ingram named NBA's Most improved Player

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram was named the NBA's Most Improved Player on Monday.

Ingram outdistanced Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo in a ballot of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Ingram received 42 first-place votes and 326 points. Adebayo (295 points) had 38 first-place votes.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (101 points, 12 first-place votes) was third.

Statistics toward consideration for the award were used through March 11, the night the NBA season was suspended after Utah's Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 prior to a game at Oklahoma City.

Ingram averaged 24.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists and knocked down 137 3-pointers in 56 games prior to the halt in play. He also was named to his first All-Star Game.

Xinhua - Agencies