BASKETBALL

Beijing Royal Fighters kings of the capital

The Beijing Royal Fighters continued to outperform crosstown rivals the Ducks in the CBA on Wednesday.

The Royal Fighters, coached by Ducks legend Stephon Marbury, edged to a 102-100 victory over the Shenzhen Aviators in the capital after Yang Linyi narrowly failed to grab the visitor victory by missing a last-gasp 3-point attempt.

The triumph keeps the fifth-place Royal Fighters (18-9) ahead of the Ducks (17-10), who lost 115-92 at the Qingdao Eagles.

Kyle Fogg scored a game-high 24 points for the Royal Fighters. Sun Yue added 19 points while Wang Shaojie had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

For Shenzhen, Allerik Freeman grabbed a team-high 22 points, Gu Quan contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Yang added 13 points.

RALLYING

Sainz rules in desert to stretch Dakar lead

Spanish veteran Carlos Sainz stretched his lead atop the overall Dakar Rally standings by winning the 10th stage through the dunes of Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter on Wednesday.

The 57-year-old Mini driver clocked 2 hours 3 minutes and 43 seconds on a stage shortened by high winds to a 233-kilometer special between Haradh and Shubaytah, finishing ahead of Poland's Jakub Przygonski (Mini) and South African Giniel de Villier (Toyota).

Sainz took full advantage of navigational problems by closest rivals Nasser Al-Attiyah, the defending champion, and France's 'Mr. Dakar', Stephane Peterhansel.

Peterhansel, who has won the Dakar 13 times (seven times in a car and six times on a bike), finished 11:48 off the pace, while Qatar's Al-Attiyah was further back, at 17:46. The result means Sainz, with two stages to go, now sits 18:10 ahead of Al-Attiyah and 18:26 in front of Peterhansel.

SOCCER

Barcelona closing on Brazilian teen Couto

Barcelona is poised to sign Coritiba and Brazil Under-17 right-back Yan Couto in a deal that would see the teenager arrive at Camp Nou next summer.

Coritiba will receive at least 6 million euros (around $6.7 million) for the transfer, which is expected to be confirmed within days, according to media reports in Brazil.

Couto turns 18 in June meaning he will be free to join his new teammates for preseason training in July, under UEFA rules that prevent the transfer of minors.

"We are working on two fronts. The first is to renew his contract and the second is the international transfer," said Couto's agent, Marcelo Robalinho.

Barcelona is understood to have beaten off interest in Couto's signature from Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen.

Mbappe returns to haunt former club

Kylian Mbappe scored twice to take his season tally to 20 as the French World Cup winner shone in a 4-1 rout of his former club Monaco on Wednesday.

The victory kept PSG eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1.

Monaco came away from PSG with a point in a thrilling 3-3 draw in the French capital last weekend but failed to pose a similar threat just three days later.

Mbappe was on target in the 24th and 90th minutes, with Neymar tucking away a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Pablo Sarabia added another in the 73rd minute, just seconds after coming on as a substitute.

"In every area, we were better than Sunday," said PSG coach Thomas Tuchel.

"It's a deserved victory, we had lots of possession."

Tuchel fielded his 'Fab Four' attack of Mbappe, Neymar, Mauro Icardi and Angel Di Maria.

Xinhua - Agencies