BAKU-- Sergio Perez beat team mate and championship leader Max Verstappen to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday and continue Red Bull's Formula One domination with a double successin Baku. Helped by a safety car period that fell in his favour after Verstappen had pitted, the Mexican made the most of his good fortune to takea sixth career victory andbecome the first driver to win the grand prix for a second time. Perez is now six points behind Verstappen with two wins each after four rounds and another challenge in Miami only a week away. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who started on pole position for the third year in a row in Baku, finished a distant third for his team's first podium appearance of the year with George Russell claiming the fastest lap for Mercedes. "Well done guys, we dominated this weekend," said Perez who also won the Saturday sprint. "I think it was very close between us, we pushed to the maximum today, we both clipped the wall a few times," added the Mexican. "The way Max pushed me today was really hard but we managed to keep in control." Predictions of chaos and carnage, with the race the first sprint weekend of the year, failed to materialise on an afternoon short of thrills, spills or many overtakes. "For me it was the loneliest race ever," said Leclerc, who made a clean start to lead into the first corner and held off Verstappen until the drag reduction system (DRS) was activated on lap three. The champion then scythed past at the start of the next lap and pulled away, with Perez slotting into second two laps later with equal ease. Everything changed on lap 11 when Nyck de Vries clipped the wall and broke his AlphaTauri's front left suspension, leaving the car stranded at turn 16. The safety car was deployed but Verstappen had already pitted while Perez stayed out, the Mexican then effectively gaining a free stop when he came in with the field slowed. "Checo (Perez) got a little lucky with the safety car there but it’s a long season and very good points today. Great team result," Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told Verstappen at the finish. "It is what it is. We wouldn’t know the safety car could come out there. Good team result," replied the Dutch driver. Ferrari and Aston Martin also benefited from the timing of the safety car, and Leclerc was back in second when racing resumed at the start of lap 14. Verstappen passed the Monegasque again with ease while Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso overtook Ferrari's Carlos Sainz at turn six to go fourth -- a position he stayed in to the finish. The Red Bulls then showed their true pace, turning the race into a two-car contest with Verstappen, in second, already more than 10 seconds clear of Leclerc by the half distance. "They are in another league once it comes to the race," said Leclerc. Perez kept out of Verstappen's DRS range, however, stretching out a lead of 2.5 seconds by lap 30 and finishing with a 2.1 second advantage. Sainz finished fifth with seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton sixth for Mercedes and Aston Martin's Lance Stroll seventh. Russell was eighth ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris and AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda collecting the final point. There were worrying scenes on the final lap with Alpine's Esteban Ocon pitting for his sole stop and sending mechanics and photographers preparing for the finish scattering out of his way.
LONDON-- Tottenham Hotspur rallied from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Manchester United in a thrilling Premier League clash on Thursday that left the visitors cementing fourth spot. The point left United six points clear of fifth-placed Spurs with two games in hand and all but puts paid to the London side's hopes of Champions League football next season.
Jadon Sancho put United ahead after seven minutes when he cut in from the left and struck a low right-foot shot into the far corner past three defenders and goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Rashford made it 2-0 just before halftime when he ran onto a long ball from Bruno Fernandes, outpaced Eric Dier and fired past Forster after Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg lost possession.
Tottenham fullback Pedro Porro got the hosts back in the game when he hooked a shot past keeper David De Gea in the 56th minute after a Harry Kane effort was blocked. The goal lifted Spurs and they created several more chances before Son Heung-min swept home a Kane cross in the 79th minute to rescue a point under interim head coach Ryan Mason.
CLEVELAND --Jurickson Profar homered and drove in three runs as the visiting Colorado Rockies snapped a three-game losing skid with a 6-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Monday. Mike Moustakas had three hits and Ezequiel Tovar had two RBIs for Colorado, which had lost 11 of its previous 12 games.
Austin Gomber (1-4) allowed three hits over five shutout innings for his first win since July 12, 2022. Cleveland was limited to four hits and lost for the sixth time in their last eight games. Steven Kwan had three of the hits and Myles Straw added a leadoff single in the eighth. Profar gave the Rockies a quick lead with a one-out homer in the first against Cal Quantrill (1-2). The 347-foot shot to right field was Profar's third of the season.
Colorado knocked Quantrill out of the game with four runs in the fourth inning. Tovar's one-out single drove in two runs before Charlie Blackmon walked to load the bases again. After Profar followed with a single to left field that scored two runs, Nick Sandlin relieved Quantrill and struck out the next two batters to end the inning. Quantrill allowed five runs on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two. Colorado tacked on another run in the fifth against Tim Herrin when Moustakas delivered a one-out double and scored on Alan Trejo's single to left field.
The Rockies received a solid outing from Gomber, who issued three walks and struck out three while throwing 83 pitches. Jake Bird, Pierce Johnson and Justin Lawrence combined for four scoreless innings of relief. The Guardians' best scoring threat came with two runners on and one out in the fifth inning. Gomber induced a double-play grounder by Amed Rosario to escape the jam. Colorado center fielder Brenton Doyle made his major league debut and went 0-for-3 with a walk while batting eighth. Rockies right fielder Kris Bryant returned after missing one game due to lower-body pain and had two singles and a walk.
LEEDS, England-- Leicester City's veteran striker Jamie Vardy came off the bench to break his long scoring drought and earn his side a 1-1 draw with a late equaliser in a crunch relegation battle away to Leeds United in the Premier League on Tuesday. Leeds were closing in on a much-needed three points in their quest for safety thanks to Luis Sinisterra's 20th-minute header after Leicester's Youri Tielemans had a goal ruled out. The 36-year-old Vardy, who came on in the 70th minute, had other ideas though and fired past Leeds keeper Illan Meslier from James Maddison's pass to rescue his side. It was his first league goal since October and the former England striker thought he had given Leicester the lead shortly afterwards but his effort was ruled out for offside.
A frantic finale saw Leicester keeper Daniel Iversen make an outstanding save to keep out Marc Roca's close-range header before Leeds striker Patrick Bamford scuffed a glorious opportunity wide. The result did little to ease either side's relegation fears with Leicester remaining in 17th place with 29 points, one point ahead of third-from-bottom Everton who would move above them if they avoid defeat by Newcastle United on Thursday. Leeds have 30 points. Second-from-bottom Nottingham Forest could also leapfrog Leicester if they win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday. Vardy Razor Sharp Vardy, whose goals powered Leicester to a fairytale title in 2016, has cut a frustrated figure this season and had not scored in any competition since a League Cup game in December. But he looked razor sharp after interim manager Dean Smith sent him on and he drilled a low shot into the corner after a sweeping Leicester move ended with Maddison playing him in.
"It could be massive. We have five cup finals left. We'll enjoy the point tonight, then get back in and recover," Vardy said. "I can't say what I want to say on TV because I'll get done but it's been a weird season for me. Hopefully the goals keep coming." Defeat would have been harsh on Leicester who were denied an early lead when Tielemans seized on a loose ball and sent an unstoppable shot into the top corner. Sadly for the Belgian, a VAR check deemed Boubacary Soumare had been slightly offside in the build-up. There was a nervous energy around Elland Road after three successive defeats but there was an explosion of relief when a superb move down the right saw Jack Harrison deliver a superb curling cross that Sinisterra headed down and into the net.
Javi Gracia's Leeds seemed content to try to hang on to their slender advantage in the second half and, with Maddison pulling the strings, Leicester took charge. Meslier twice denied Kelechi Iheanacho, who went off injured, before Vardy's crucial contribution. It was arguably a better point for Leicester who should have a smoother run-in than Leeds who still have to play Manchester City and Newcastle United in their last five games. "We try to put the past behind us, learn from our mistakes and continue on in a positive way," Harrison said. "We're looking for every point we can get in this moment in time. It's not what we wanted but we will take it."
Brighton & Hove Albion's Robert Sanchez in action as Manchester United's Marcel Sabitzer scores a penalty in the shootout during their FA Cup Semi Final match at Wembley Stadium in London.
LONDON, England-- Manchester United beat Brighton & Hove Albion in a thrilling penalty shootout after their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Sunday finished 0-0 after extra time to set up the first all-Manchester clash in the final. Solly March, Brighton's seventh player to step up to the spot in the shootout, launched the ball over the bar, before Victor Lindelof found the net to secure a 7-6 shootout victory for United. "It felt great," Lindelof told the BBC. "It was a great relief and we're glad to be in the final. "I have confidence in myself and I knew which penalty I wanted to take and that's what I did." The nail-biting finale was a fitting ending after 120 goalless minutes of wild swings in a game that careened from end to end all night. The quality of the penalties in a torrential downpour was superb with United finding the net with all seven of their spotkicks. Brighton's first six efforts were equally impressive until March fired wildly off target. "They were great penalties," United keeper David De Gea said. "I was prepared as always. I tried to put pressure on the takers. "There's still a long way to the final but it will be a big game against one of the best teams in Europe and the world." Erik ten Hag's United, 12-times FA Cup winners, are chasing a cup double after winning the League Cup in February. Treble-chasing Manchester City await in the final after they beat Sheffield United 3-0 in their semi on Saturday. "We showed at home we can beat them (Manchester City) so let's hope," De Gea said. United beat City 2-1 in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Jan. 14. "We are on the right track. One trophy, another final and fighting for the top four. It's not enough but it's a big step from last season." Sunday's semi was a rematch of the 1983 final, when Brighton lost to United in the south coast side's only appearance in the showcase game. It had fans on the edge of their seats at Wembley with numerous chances for both sides to break the deadlock, including several in extra time. Marcus Rashford's deflected shot in the extra period was pushed wide by Brighton's diving keeper Robert Sanchez, and then he fired a long shot that sailed just wide. Kaoru Mitoma nearly won it for Brighton late in extra time, but collided with De Gea in the box. "It was a very tight game we played a very good team," De Gea said. "Brighton play really good football. We are now in the final but we have another big game on Thursday (against Tottenham in the Premier League) so we need to go home and recover." The loss ended Brighton's superb run and ended The Seagulls' hopes of clinching a first-ever major trophy. The FA Cup final is on June 3 at Wembley.
