April is in the books. With captivating football from title races to European excellence, the Indian Cricket Premier League, Mercedes soaring in F1 and the NBA Playoffs, April has brought another big bulk of incredible sporting action.
In this article, take a comprehensive look back from the best and biggest sports stories of the month, including football around the World, the ins-and-outs from UFC’s Octagon, a perspective within the boundaries of cricket, the fast and furious Formula 1 and plenty more. Let’s get things rolling, then… Football: Bayern’s Bundesliga Success, Title Races, Champions League Knockouts Taking center stage was the Champions League, as Europe’s elite jockeyed for position in search to solidify footballing supremacy. Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City kept up the tough race in the Premier League, while Atletico neared the La Liga title. Opening the month was the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals. Demba Ba triumphed at Stamford Bridge to sink PSG while at Old Trafford, Manchester United were able to test Bayern, though unable to get past them. Real Madrid held off Marco Reus’ incredible performance in the second leg to progress to the next round. Atletico Madrid made significant progress in the hot race for the coveted La Liga title, and exclaimed their dominance as they knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League. It was a dwindling month for the Catalans, who suffered knockouts from two competitions within one week that made them plummet from prosperity to dismay. In the Copa Del Rey Final, Gareth Bale blitzed past Barcelona to score an emphatic winner and overshadow the Spaniards with dismay. Problems would be looking even worse with Barca’s transfer ban, though it has been lifted for the upcoming Summer so they’ll have to get spending on key players, especially with centrepieces set to depart. READ: Crumbling Catalans: End of an Era for Barcelona? » Tito Vilanova died in April of lung cancer at the age of 45. The former Barca coach resigned last year when his illness got worse. One-minute silences were observed in the Champions League game. Hillsborough weekend was a special one for Liverpool. 25 years on from the tragic events that saw the deaths of 96 supporters, Liverpool stood strong in an inspired performance to thwart Manchester City at Anfield. Two weeks later, Liverpool lost to Chelsea at Anfield in a game that blew the title race wide open again. MORE: Premier League on TheSportMatrix » Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid set up for a Lisbon showdown after sending shockwaves through the footballing World. Cristiano Ronaldo blazed past Bayern Munich as Real Madrid put four goals past the Bundesliga Champions. Atletico halted Chelsea’s tactics to win 3 – 1, meaning their final in Lisbon will be the first time that two teams from the same city have faced off in a European final. MORE: Champions League on TheSportMatrix »
Bayern Munich’s form definitely dipped over the month – clinching the Bundesliga in impressive fashion made many think otherwise. They really failed up against a prolific Real Madrid and their bubble of invincibility deteriorated over the space of a fortnight. FEATURE: Bayern Suffering From Seemingly Harmless Complacency? » Manchester United parted ways with manager David Moyes over Easter, after his return to Goodison Park was spoiled as United were outclassed by Everton. Ryan Giggs took over management and his first result was positive, beating Norwich 4 – 0. MORE: Five Premier League Managers Who Didn’t Deserve the Sack » There was also the FA Cup semi-finals. Arsenal shone through in penalties to stop Wigan at Wembley, while Hull City fired past Sheffield United. The two FA Cup finalists, Arsenal and Hull, faced off on Easter Sunday, and the Gunners decimated Hull at the KC Stadium.
Formula 1: Hamilton Gets Back-to-Back Wins as Mercedes Soar Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg topped the rankings in an extraordinary month for Mercedes on the track. In Bahrain, Hamilton held off his teammate in a thrilling race for first, while in China, Hamilton eased past. Both broke onto the power rankings for a great month in Formula 1.
Cricket: Sri Lanka Thwart India, IPL Kicks Off The Twenty20 Cricket World Cup began in Bangladesh with a tournament that was well-served in its job of delivering plenty of pulsating drama across the pitch, and it continued that way in the early days of April. Sri Lanka prevailed in the Twenty20 World Cup Final after a subdued performance by the Indians. After looking dominant, Virat Kohli and others seemed to lapse, while Sangakaara bowed out with a superb knock. The Indian Premier League also began this month. Jacques Kallis got it going for Kolkota, while Mumbai suffered.
UFC: Jones Keeps Throne, Nelson Rocks Abu Dhabi, Werdum Withers Browne Four fight nights in April – Light Heavyweight Championship bout, battle for #1 Heavyweight contender-ship, a bitter feud between Bisping and Kennedy, and Roy Nelson putting Nogeuira to sleep. It started in Abu Dhabi, where Roy Nelson leveled Nogeuira in the main event. After stunning the Brazilian, it took a rattling overhand right to floor, and knock out, Nogueira. Five days later Tim Kennedy frustrated Michael Bisping to progress further up the rankings, while the Brit’s disappointing outing questions his ranking heights. MORE: Bisping Frustrates Kennedy in TUF Finale » A packed UFC on FOX card was headlined by a gigantic matchup between Fabricio Werdum and Travis Browne. The Hawaiian Browne was shut down on all fronts by Werdum in a classy performance that sets him up for a title with Cain Velasquez, when UFC takes to Mexican soil for the first time in history. MORE: Werdum Withers Browne to Seal Championship Match »
Then came Baltimore. A night of finishes ended with a star-studded performance by Jon Jones, dispatching tough Brazilian Glover Teixeira to keep his Light Heavyweight Championship record intact. FULL REPORT: UFC 172 »
Basketball: NBA Playoffs Intense, Huskies Win National Title
The NCAA title was secured by the Conneticut Huskies, coming through a bolstering March Madness schedule and coming out on top. The NBA Playoffs took centre stage and they got off to an incredible start. Donald Sterling’s racial comments resulted in him getting a lifetime ban from the NBA and $2.5 million fine. The Clippers owner sparked outrage across the league when his racial comments were exposed. Heat and Wizards made quick work of the Bobcats and Bulls respectively, while Grizzlies and Thunder were heated in a series that saw them go to overtime four times in a row. LaMarcus Aldridge exploded Portland ahead, and the Clippers triumphed in a celebratory night at the Staples Center. NBA Playoffs: COMPLETE Coverage Full recap, analysis, stats, info and more from every game from Round 1 of the 2014 NBA Playoffs in April: – Game 1 » – Game 2 » – Game 3 » – Game 4 » – Game 5 » Happy NBA playoffs! WWE: The Streak is OVER, WWE Honors Legend No one saw it coming. At WrestleMania 30, The Undertaker’s undefeated streak came to an end. Thousands were left shocked in New Orleans as The Undertaker, who had won 21 consecutive times at WrestleMania, lost at the hands of “The Beast” Brock Lesnar. MORE: Full WrestleMania 30 Coverage » John Cena, meanwhile, got caught up in the clutches of the Wyatt Family – prompting a lot of change from the CeNation Leader. FEATURE: Why John Cena’ Wont Turn Heel »
The Shield’s dominance brought about the reunion of Evolution, the formidable tandem of Randy Orton, Triple H and Batista, while Kane’s fury ran wild as he decimated new Champion, Daniel Bryan. In the month the WWE Universe were also hit with some tragic news. The Ultimate Warrior passed away instantly, 24 hours after appearing on RAW, and three days after being inducted into the Hall of Fame after rebuilding ties with the WWE.
We lost some sports stars. Sports memories were made. April closed out. As 2014 rolls on, proportions are poised to be epic. And TheSportMatrix will have it ALL covered. Onwards, upwards. Sports for the fans, by the fans. #JoinTheNewWay
Lewis Hamilton bids for a hat-trick of wins as Ferrari pick up the pieces as their Team Principle Stefano Domenicali stands down – the next installment of the F1 season takes place in China next weekend.
Poor results will not be tolerated. Luca di Montezemolo is not a boss you would like to disappoint! However I am really not sure that replacing him with Marco Mattiacci former CEO of Ferrari North America is the answer! How much race team experience does he have? None! The team have two former world champion drivers, they have won multiple world championships so getting rid of an experienced Team Principle and replacing him with someone totally inexperienced is their answer? Personally, I don`t think so!
Outgoing Team Principle Stefano Domenicali, poor team results have cost him his position just 3 races into the new season.
Ferrari is a proud team with a proud heritage, I would hate to think they have made a scapegoat out of Domenicali but from where I`m sat that`s what it looks like. So to China then and the return of this new brave F1 season. For anyone moaning about this season`s regs and engine noise ruining their F1 experience, the last race at Bahrain was one of the sports best ever in recent years! Can it be repeated here in China this weekend? Yes of course. That race in Bahrain featured many inter team battles and overtakes all down the field for the entire length of the race and I can`t see a reason why that will not happen again this weekend. Bring it on. At the sharp end of things, Lewis and Nico will lock horns again with the German driver desperate to grab back team bragging rights from his British counterpart in what looks likely to be a season long duel between the two talented Mercedes drivers.
Punch and counter punch between the 2 Mercedes team mates this year for the title?
Down the order, many interesting battles are developing between team mates, most notably Bottas, Massa at Williams and Hulkenberg, Perez at the impressive Force India team. The Shanghai circuit is another classic Hermann Tilke designed track 3.3 miles in length. It features one of the most challenging corner combinations on the F1 calender in turns 1 to 4! This year it will feature 2 DRS zones along the start finish line and the back straight between corners 13 and 14. Last year`s pole sitter was Lewis Hamilton with a time of 1:34.484. Hamilton and Fernando Alonso share the most wins here with 2 race wins each since the Circuit`s debut on the F1 calender in 2004.
Really looking forward to this weekends Grand Prix, If it is half as entertaining as last time out we are in for a treat again!
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In one of the most dramatic races in recent history Lewis Hamilton holds off his team mate Nico Rosberg to win in Bahrain.
I have been watching Grand Prix since the 70`s. Have seen many great races, this was up there with them all! Bahrain 2014 will go down as a classic, why? Read on! In qualifying Lewis made two rare mistakes during Q3 to give up pole position to his team mate Nico. This was instantly overcome at the start as Hamilton got the better getaway and pushed his Silver Arrow into P1 by turn 1. The early laps saw much jostling for position down the race order and the Force India drivers make an immediate impact by getting into the top 7 by lap 6. Meanwhile at Ferrari Fernando Alonso complains of low power as Nico Hulkenberg breezes past! Alonso and Raikkonen then find themselves together in 8th and 9th respectively. At the front Nico Rosberg keeps up with Lewis just 1 second behind. By lap 18, Rosberg closes the gap to Lewis to half a second and pushes hard. Nico tries a move on Lewis down the pit straight which Lewis reads and defends well. Hearts in the mouths for the Mercedes team on the pit wall! Lap 19 and Nico forces his way past Lewis and makes the move stick.Wait.. Lewis is a fighter and comes back at Nico re passing him and retakes the lead!! Lewis then pits for a fresh set of primes and the gauntlet is thrown down to Nico. During the mid part of the race Lewis manages to build a lead of nearly 7 seconds on his team mate. The Red Bulls battle the Ferrari`s for 9th and 10th and we are treated to many overtakes and inter team battles all down the field. I cant think of another GP with so much action! Lap 41 sees a major incident as Pastor Maldonado comes out of the pits and broadsides Esteban Gutierrez sending the Mexican airborne and barrel rolling. Luckily he is unhurt but surely Maldonado should get a race ban for that! Maybe pay drivers should be excluded from F1?! Cue the safety car much to lewis`s annoyance as he sees his near 10 second lead wiped out as both Mercedes drivers pit for fresh rubber. Nico has the advantage now as he is fitted with the faster option tyres and Lewis has another set of primes to finish with.
At the restart Nico pushes Lewis hard into the final 8 laps.Lewis sets a fastest lap in an effort to put Nico far enough behind in order for Nico to not be able to use DRS. Lewis radio`s that he has “no power” but then improves his lap time to Nico by 2 tenths! Its getting tense now. During the closing laps we are treated to some of the best racing between two team mates ever! Time and time again Nico attacks Lewis and Lewis defends brilliantly! Meanwhile Daniel Ricciardo makes a stunning move to overtake Sebastian Vettel for 6th and makes a big statement! Last lap and Lewis Hamilton manages to stave off his faster team mate to take the chequered flag! Amazing win for Lewis in a race he had to win to take the championship to Nico. Great battles and overtakes between rivals all the way down the order. Great racing, great race!
Fantastic race today! Looks like a great battle between team mates and rivals since their Karting days for this years F1 championship!
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Complete, comprehensive review of the sporting action from March 2014. From the Manchester Derby to Twenty20 World Cup, Six Nations and start of the F1 season, look back at it all here. Month In Review: March 2014
BY NISAR KHAN
As another month goes by, its another opportunity to digest some outstanding sport that has went by. Including the Six Nations, start of the F1 season, El Clasico and more, relive the best and biggest from Magnificent March.
In this article, take a comprehensive look back from the best and biggest sports stories of the month, including football around the World, the ins-and-outs from UFC’s Octagon, a perspective within the boundaries of cricket, the fast and furious Formula 1 and plenty more. Some big headlines from Magnificent March included the thrilling El Clasico matchup – part of a wonderful month of football where title races took shape, and on the contrary some titles were decided as Bayern Munich and Celtic put an exclamation mark on their dominance. There was also the Six Nations, as Ireland triumphed in the bowing-out of a legend, and the fastest sport in the World returned. Fights were plentiful, be it the wrestling ring, Octagon or boxing – and there was no shortage in basketball, either. With plenty of content from videos, photos, recaps and more, this is the ideal way to wrap up this month’s sports. For videos (embedded via YouTube), click the “Video” link on each video if you are unable to view it through the player, and you’ll be directed externally to YouTube.com. Let’s get things rolling, then… Football: Bayern’s Bundesliga Success, Title Races, Champions League Knockouts While title races took centre stage in Spain and England, with the inevitability of thrillers for glory becoming imminent, three dominating teams would emerge from their respective leagues – Olympiacos, Bayern Munich and Celtic, all three of whom embraced their league glory with plenty of games to spare.
El Clasico and Manchester United vs. Liverpool featured TURNER
Stoke City stunned the Gunners in what would be a month of downspirals for the North London occupants, although defeating Tottenham with an excellent Thomas Rosicky strike. Liverpool avenged their home loss to Southampton last year by thumping them 3 – 0 at St Mary’s, as the Reds made their title surge in a month of rampant victories for Brendan Rogers’ side. Another team that would find their stride were Chelsea – who thrashed Spurs and the Gunners to keep atop the table throughout March. However, they would suffer a setback a week after their Spurs’ win, as Fabian Delph’s lone goal stunned the league leaders at Villa Park. On that same weekend, Liverpool made a statement of mass magnitude, defeating Manchester United 3 – 0 in an Old Trafford domination.
Video: Manchester United 0 – 3 Liverpool highlights YOUTUBE
While Manchester United seemingly looked to bounce back, with wins over Olympiakos to keep their Champions League Quarter-Final hopes intact, and Wayne Rooney scoring one of the best goals in the month in the 2 – 0 win at West Ham, it would quickly unwind when they suffered another home embarrassment – Manchester City dominated them throughout the game, beating them 3 – 0.
In the weekend before the Manchester derby, it was a sensational Saturday for the top three, most significantly from Chelsea, who thrashed Arsenal 6 – 0 in a Stamford Bridge statement of supremacy. Liverpool addressed their defensive errors over Cardiff with an affirmative 6 – 3 win, and Yaya Toure struck home a hat-trick as Fulham fell to Manchester City.
Video: Cardiff City 6 – 3 Liverpool highlights YOUTUBE
On that same weekend was a thrilling El Clasico matchup between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Nou Camp. It was a match that epitomized the phrase ‘Seven Goal Thriller’ with Lionel Messi’s hat-trick, including an 84th minute penalty, deciding the game as Barcelona won 4 – 3. The game further exemplified the fact that it was going to be a very razor-close title race, with Real Madrid losing to Sevilla in the week too. As the month drew to a close, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona had played the same amount of games, and just three points split them up at the top.
Video: Highlights, goals from El Clasico as Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 4 – 3 YOUTUBE
Bayern Munich clinched the Bundesliga title with seven games to spare as they defeated Hertha Berlin 3 – 1 to show their dominance in German football. Their undefeated streak though would be threatened against Hoffenheim in the weekend as they were put to a 3 – 3 draw, keeping their year-plus undefeated streak intact. A win over Partick Thistle would see the same glory for Celtic, as they clinched their third title in a row. Olympiacos won their 41st title in history in the same week. Dominance in one part, but then there were incredibly close title races on the other. The Champions League knockout phase concluded in the month also, with the Quarter-Final draws following shortly after. Although scoring, Man City were really no match for Barcelona at the Nou Camp, Atletico thumped Milan to get to the next stage, setting up for an enticing Quarter-Final between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, two of the challengers for the La Liga title. Meanwhile, PSG – who cruised past Leverkusen – and Chelsea, who saw off Galatasaray easily, where set to meet in the next phase. After easing past Arsenal, Bayern went on to face Manchester United who overturned a deficit as Robin van Persie’s hat-trick sent them through. The final tie pitted Dortmund and Real Madrid against one another.
Champions League Quarter-Final fixtures for April BBC SPORT
As for the Europa League, Tottenham being the only English side fell to Benfica, despite a 2 – 2 draw in the second leg. AZ Alkamaar vs. Benfica, Lyon vs. Juventus, Basel vs. Valencia and Porto vs. Sevilla were set for the quarter finals, with the Spanish clubs well in all the European competitions. Arsenal held on to grab a point on the final Saturday of March, drawing 1 – 1 with Manchester City. David Silva’s first-half goal was cancelled out by Flamini’s strike to blow the title race wide open again. Manchester United would respond to critics and show their support for manager David Moyes as they defeated Aston Villa 4 – 1 at Old Trafford. The “Moyes Out” plane that was flew over Old Trafford was booed by the fans. To further add to the growing conundrum of title opportunities, Crystal Palace stunned Chelsea with a 1 – 0 win at Selhurst Park. Liverpool finished the month at the top of the Premier League following a 4 – 0 thumping against Tottenham.
Rosicky equalized for the Gunners ARSENAL.COM
There was a key change to International football confirmed from 2018 as UEFA approved the ‘League of Nations’ tournament that would see most dates for International football friendlies replaced by a four different leagues of different teams based on their rankings. The years they would take place are on the odd years, when neither a World Cup or European Championship takes place. Learn more about the League of Nations with this guide »
Formula 1: Season Zooms To Dramatic Start, Mercedes Bathe In Glory The Formula 1 season began in March with two grand prix from Australia and Malaysia. A dramatic start would mark the return of the fastest sport on the planet.
Successful Start: Rosberg and Hamilton won a grand prix to start the season MIRROR
Video: Highlights from the Australian Grand Prix YOUTUBE
For Red Bull, a torrid month that seemed a fall from dominance would be capped off in preferable fashion as Sebastian Vettel finished third in the Malaysian Grand Prix. His teammate, Daniel Ricciardo was stripped of his second-place finish in Australia for over-consumption of fuel and retired in Malaysia after a problematic race where he was delayed by 10 seconds and his front wing slightly detached. New rules, new regulations, equals more drama – lesson learned. Mercedes’ zoomed to the top of the constructor’s Championship as they finished a 1-2 in Malaysia. Nico Rosberg was second while Lewis Hamilton lead from the front to win big in a Malaysian Masterclass. Formula 1 on Magnificent March – Australian Grand Prix 2014» – Malaysian Grand Prix 2014»
Cricket: Twenty20 World Cup Takes Shape The Twenty20 Cricket World Cup began in Bangladesh with a tournament that was well-served in its job of delivering plenty of pulsating drama across the pitch.
India went on a tear in the tournament AP
In the group stages, Bangladesh and Netherlands progressed to the elite ‘Super 10’ stage. The hosts cruised by their opposition, with their home fans roaring load and raucous on many occasions. Hong Kong and Nepal, two newcomers to cricket, would post one of the lowest Twenty20 scores in history with 69. However, that record would be broken when Netherlands posted a minuscule score of 39 against Sri Lanka – the lowest in Twenty20 history. India were first to qualify to the semi-finals with a win over the hosts. For England, their 2014 turmoil would continue as they lost to New Zealand, in spite of a spirited performance. Pakistan defeated Bangladesh too, in what would be a tale of triumph in the group stages to an unfortunate tale of punching above their weight and resulting in decimation. Cricket on Magnificent March – Full Coverage of Twenty20 World Cup» Rugby: Irish Six Nation Triumph Ireland were the victors as the Six Nations concluded emphatically. Brian O’Driscoll hung up his boots for Ireland and bowed out in victory.
Ireland lift the Six Nations
England were devastated late when after a big win over France, Ireland’s win in Rome secured a big Six Nations triumph.
Video: Six Nations highlight montage YOUTUBE / BBC
UFC: Hendricks Captures Vacated Welterweight Belt, Hendo Wins Shogun Rematch, Octagon Heads to London Four fight nights in four different continents – a vacated title on the line in Dallas in the States, a legendary rematch in Brazil, young Welterweight showdown in China and a wild night in London with TheSportMatrix’s correspondents in attendance.
Johnny Hendricks, Alexander Gustafsson and Dan Henderson were all victorious CBS / ESPN
Dong Hyun Kim made an early contender for Knockout of the Year as he put away John Hathaway with a fourth-round spinning elbow as part of an entertaining card in Macau, China. The Brit Hathaway, who put on a gutsy performance, was defeated in his return. While earlier on, Matt Mitrione was the victor from a Heavyweight scrap with Shawn Jordan. The Octagon then took center stage in London’s O2 Arena. Alexander Gustafsson scored a second-round knockout of hometown-fighter Jimi Manuwa to secure #1 contender-ship for the Light Heavyweight strap. Melvin Guillard, who was released by the organisation in the following weeks, lost to Michael Johnson in a co-main event that failed to live up to expectation. A raucous crowd in London, and expansion to primetime television was a key mark to the UFC’s progressively-global growth.
Video: Alexander Gustafsson’s post-fight interview YOUTUBE
Then came UFC 171. The AmericanAirlines Center in Dallas, TX, was packed to the rafters to witness a battle between two of the Welterweight Division’s hardest-hitters for the vacated Welterweight Championship. After a phenomenal five-round main event, Johnny Hendricks defeated Robbie Lawler by decision, in an early Fight of the Year contender. Earlier, Tyron Woodley continued his rise up the ranks as he stopped Carlos Condit in an interesting battle.
Video: Slow-motion highlights from UFC 171 YOUTUBE
An extraordinary fight card in Natal, Brazil played host to a historic main event from 2011’s Fight of the Year. Dan Henderson collated a marvelous comeback, having been knocked down twice in the rounds prior, and landed a huge right hand to ground Shogun, before the referee stopped the pounding. Aged 43, Henderson knocked out his respected rival Shogun Rua to culminate a terrific card of fights. It was truly a stacked month inside the Octagon, spanning across four continents. Plenty of great fights again headlined by Johnny Hendricks leading the way for a new era inside the Octagon. Hendo and Shogun were part of another superb fight. Although still making great progress in his workouts after a horrendous injury at UFC 168, Anderson Silva announced that he would not be fighting this year. Meanwhile, another legend currently on a hiatus, Georges St-Pierre, announced another torn ACL injury, the same injury that kept him out of action before returning at UFC 154. UFC 173 was given another main event between Renan Barao and TJ Dillishaw, after Chris Weidman’s injury delayed his title defense with Lyoto Machida. UFC On Magnificent March – Feature: UFC’s Vast Global Expansion » – News: Dan Henderson Challenges Lyoto Machida» Basketball: More Teams Seal NBA Playoff Fates, March Madness Its the one month in particular where College Basketball seems to overtake NBA in terms of popularity and mainstream intake. Although less in the spotlight, it was a month in the NBA where teams edged closer towards the playoffs, sealing their fate, while colleges busted brackets across the globe.
Madness Epitomised: ‘March Madness’ was thrilling for all NATIONAL POST
Kevin Durant kept up his race for MVP, while LeBron did the same, including a thrilling game-winner to seal the HEAT’s game with Trail Blazers in their favour. One of the biggest headlines of the month came not in the form of an exuberant run of wins, but an opposite, of losses. The Philadelphia 76ers were humiliated week in, week out, and would end up tying the record for most consecutive losses in the NBA (26). They would defeat the Detroit Pistons 123 – 98 to snap the loss streak and avoid making a new one. In the manner that they won, if you didn’t know better then you’d expect them to be another class. After an (unsurprisingly) bracket-busting March Madness, the Final Four would be set for the next month. Florida Gators, Conneticut Huskies, Wisconsin Badgers and Kentucky Wildcats made it past the tremendous series where College Hoops delivered plenty of drama, going down to the wire.
Video: March Madness 2014 highlight video YOUTUBE / NCAA
Basketball in March was a manic tee-up to a big April as the NCAA Championship concludes, and the NBA Playoffs begin. Basketball on Magnificent March – Are Houston Rockets really a Championship team?» Boxing: Big Matches Made, Kell Brook & Danny Garcia Victorious With big matchmaking in the States and in Britain, the rest of the year’s boxing was anticipated with some interesting matchmaking. Meanwhile, Danny Garcia and Kell Brook were victorious in their respective bouts.
Kell Brook dispatched Alvaro Robles in Liverpool GETTY IMAGES
Kell Brook, who has been linked to an Amir Khan fight, won yet again, stopping Alvaro Robles in the eighth round to secure a title shot. On the same night, Danny Garcia defeated Mauricio Herrera in a debatable split decision.
Video: Kell Brook vs. Alvaro Robles full fight YOUTUBE / SKY SPORTS
Earlier on in the month, a showcase of fine British boxing saw Ricky Burns fall in defeat to Terence Crawford. Carl Froch vs. George Groves’ highly anticipated rematch was confirmed to take place at Wembley Stadium. 60,000 tickets sold out within an hour for the blockbuster fight dubbed as the biggest in British boxing history. Also, Floyd Mayweather snubbed Amir Khan and decided to face Marcos Maidana in May, despite Amir Khan winning a Twitter poll from the fans to decide Floyd’s next opponent. WWE: Final Steps Before WrestleMania There was some subdued anticipation, albeit entertaining, as the final wind-down to WrestleMania 30 ensued. Undertaker confronting Lesnar out of a coffin, Daniel Bryan holding an arena protest and The Shield’s turn for good justice were some of the highlights. There’s bits here and there, so we’ll just let WWE’s YouTube series “WWE in 5” – weekly recaps – take it away.
Playlist: Four “WWE in 5” recaps for March 2014 YOUTUBE/WWE
Another month goes, and another month well recapped by TheSportMatrix. As we look to grow more and more, April will have more coverage with sports from around the globe captivating millions. And that’s a wrap – for this month!
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Lewis Hamilton finished ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg in Malaysia to win the Malaysian Grand Prix in Kuala Lumpur.
Embrace: Rosberg, Hamilton jubilant
TheSportMatrix Coverage Of Malaysian Grand Prix 2014 » It was the esteemed 1-2 positioning for Mercedes, as Nico Rosberg – who won the Australian Grand Prix in the race prior – finished behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton, as the Brit won from his pole position in the qualifying. Lewis Hamilton lead for the entirety of the race. Sebastian Vettel had much better success in comparison to his early retirement in Australia, finishing on the podium. It would, though, be a much more varied sense of fortune from his teammate Daniel Ricciardo, after he retired in the 49th lap. The Aussie suffered another torrid outing with his 43rd lap seeing the front wing of his car detach slightly. Later on, the new regulations would come to his misfortune as he was given a 10-second penalty for unsafe release from the pit. A drastic descent from podium challenge to a multitude of problems in the space of two pit stops saw him plummet to as low as 16th. A rarity occurred in the race as both Sauber racers, Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez, were retired from the race. They were part of seven retired racers in total that also included Lotus’ Maldonado and Force India’s Perez. It was the first double-retirement for the team in 2 years. It was an utterly dominant display by Lewis Hamilton as he finished comfortably in first, helped by a great set of backroom staff whom he thanked after winning, calling them “amazing”. The podium was definitely much less subdued and awkward than last time out, which saw Sebastian Vettel overtake his teammate Mark Webber in one of the most infamous events of the season. Red Bull suffered some turmoil on Daniel Ricciardo’s part, with no points on the standings yet, although signs of encouragement from Vettel’s podium finish could get the team going again. Lewis Hamilton’s dominance would begin from the very first lap as he broke off from the rest of the pack and created a big lead early on. In the fourth turn, Bianchi and Maldonado made contact with a collision early on. Kimi Raikonnen finished 12th in the race after suffering a right rear tyre puncture in the second lap and fell to the back. He would eventually make ground in the race to finish ahead of Chilton, Ericsson and Koboyashi.
Shambolic: Ricciardo releases too early and has to be pushed back to his pit ESPN F1
Final Standings ESPN.COM
ESPN
Driver-by-Driver Position Changes ESPN.COM
ESPN
Lewis Hamilton dominates in a Mercedes’ Malaysian Masterclass as the F1 season gets into full swing. While it still may take some time for drivers to grow accustom, the events in Malaysia are setting up for a close Championship race.
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Lewis Hamilton prevailed from the Malaysian Grand Prix Qualifying to grab pole position in the race.
Lewis Hamilton secured pole position for the second time in the season AP
Formula 1 is all about fine margins, and fine it was as Lewis Hamilton just shaded Sebastian Vettel to grab his 33rd career pole position equalling Jim Clark`s record. SEE ALSO: Full Preview For 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix The rain in Malaysia falls mainly… at the Sepang Circuit! With 50 mins until Qualy start the heavens opened and Qualy was delayed by 50 minutes. At the start of Q1 the two Mercedes AMG drivers come out first to set a lap time in uncertain conditions. As Q1 progresses Nico Rosberg sets a fastest time of 1:57.183 before Marcus Ericsson crashes and the session is red flagged. Q2 starts with most drivers opting to go out early with intermediate tyres. Ferrari have a disaster when Alonso clashes with Kvyat at turn 9 and a red flag is shown! A result of poor visibility and poor judgement by both drivers, no penalty applied. Alonso suffers a broken upper wishbone suspension failure which is soon fixed by the Ferrari mechanics in time for Q3.
Drivers through to Q3 were Ham,Vet,Ros,Ric,Hul,Alo,Rai,But,Mag and Ver! Q3 starts with most of the drivers coming out on track in wet conditions still. Full wets or Inters the only major decision to make now! Lewis Hamilto sets the pace early on with a time of 1:59,431 which Vettel and Alonso chase in 2nd and 3rd. The rain then increased and the initial lap times proved to be the best. Lewis Hamilton took pole in a car that clearly had more time in it. Vettel takes second on the grid while Nico Rosberg starts in 3rd place. So the rain threw a curveball into todays qualifying and the Mercedes team still came up trumps! Still going to back Lewis for the win!
The new season moves on to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, one man desperate to bounce back is Lewis Hamilton. Who will win? What should we expect? All that and more in this extensive preview for the race.
Last year`s race start, Webber and Vettel on course to clash into controversy.
Red Bull – the team seemingly unstoppable in recent years. This year the team seemingly struggling with the new regulations. In Australia an early bath for 4 time World Champion Sebastian Vettel and an exclusion for 2nd place local hero Daniel Ricciardo. Where did it all go wrong? Well maybe here in Malaysia! 12 months ago Formula One witnessed one of the most bitter inter=team battles ever when Sebastian Vettel ignored the infamous ‘Multi 21’ team order and overtook his team mate Mark Webber to take the win. Thus sparking a bitter feud in the Red Bull camp and condemnation of Sebastian Vettel.
A quiet 2013 Podium as Vettel wins in very controversial circumstances
One year on, the team are playing catch up in terms of car development and have suffered a shocking race in Australia where their one reliable car was excluded from race classification due to an illegal fuel flow sensor. This year I confidently predict they will not have the luxury of issuing team orders to settle 1st and 2nd place in this years Malaysian Grand Prix! So to the circuit itself, situated in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia, aproximatley 60km south of the capital city Kuala Lumpur. The circuit was designed by Hermann Tilke and the first F1 Grand Prix was held on 17th October 1999. A very modern circuit with a mix of tricky corner complexes and long straights.
A lap aboard Lewis Hamilton`s Mercedes AMG last year.
So who will do well this year? I fully expect Lewis Hamilton to bounce back from his Australian GP setback and boss this race if his car remains reliable. I expect McLaren’s Jenson Button to have a better race in the impressive McLaren MP4-29 and grab a podium. Williams are back in the reckoning this year and my driver of the race in Australia Valterri Bottas should get a top 5 finish. Ferrari? Not a good start and sadly the legendary Maranello team have not produced a race winning car to start the season, so expect a top 10 finish for both drivers.
My ‘loose cannons’ for the race will be Kevin Magnussen, Nico Rosberg and Kimi Raikkonen, these guys are potential race winners so keep an eye out for them during the race!! My predicted podium? 1 Lewis Hamilton 2 Jenson Button 3 Sebastian Vettel. This race will give us all a real indication of this years F1 championship! Bring on the 2014 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix!
As the flag waved to begin the new F1 season, Liverpool dominated Manchester United at Old Trafford along with Ireland’s Paris triumph as they clinched the Six Nations. Along with that, there was an epic UFC title fight and the start of the T20 World Cup – all in the space of one fantastic weekend of sporting action.
Football: Amazing Weekend Of Premier League Action, Messi Breaks Record It was a terrific weekend in the Premier League that may have defined the title race. Manchester City saw off Hull City to get back to winning ways, while Aston Villa stunned the League leaders Chelsea at Villa Park. There was a domination at Old Trafford as Liverpool controlled Manchester United (FULL REPORT & ANALYSIS HERE) and Arsenal were the victors in the North London Derby. With Chelsea falling to Aston Villa, the others in the title race seized the opportunity to bag three points, and they were done in emphatic fashion. Thomas Rosicky’s stunned in the second minute of the North London Derby would be the lone and decisive goal in the game, while Steven Gerrard knocked two penalties past Manchester United at Old Trafford on a ‘Super Sunday’ in the Premier League. In Barcelona’s rout of Osasuna in the La Liga, Lionel Messi became Barcelona’s all-time leading goalscorer with a whopping 370 goals on his tally.
Steven Gerrard bagged a double at Old Trafford. IMAGE COURTESY: PREMIERLEAGUE.COM
F1: Nico Rosberg Wins Grand Prix Down Under in Dramatic Season Opener Nico Rosberg dominated in the first race of the 2014 season, as the fastest sport in the World headed down under to Melbourne. Red Bull had a very problematic outing to start the season, with Sebastian Vettel having to withdraw from the race in the fifth lap due to engine problems, before Daniel Ricciardo was stripped of his second place for breaching fuel consumption rules. While Nico Rosberg was on top in the race, Lewis Hamilton failed to finish, even though he qualified in pole position for the race. A loss of power after two laps for the Brit meant he was out of the race. As a result of Australian Daniel Ricciardo’s disqualification, McLaren secuered second and third place in the race with Kevin Magnussen doing better than Jenson Button. The race really exemplified what the changes mean to the F1 season and the impact that they will have going forward. The drama is already pouring from just the first race. Read the full race review and report here »
Nico Rosberg dominated the race. IMAGE COURTESY: GETTY IMAGES
Rugby: Six Nations Triumph for Ireland Brian O’Driscoll ended his storied career on a high as he became a two-time Six Nations Champion after Ireland beat France in a thrilling culmination to the tournament. England agonisingly fell short of the Championship, despite thumping Italy in Rome. They had to fight till the very last minute to clinch the title, and Ireland’s legend Brian O’Driscoll ended his career on a high. Yet again, rugby’s popularity was supplied with a new-found surge from a dramatic Six Nations tournament.
Ireland embrace victory after winning the Six Nations 2014. IMAGE COURTESY: SPORTINGLIFE
Boxing: Kell Brook, Danny Garcia Victorious Kell Brook edged closer to a title shot as he saw off a tough Mexican by the name of Alvaro Robles in Liverpool, while Danny Garcia’s win was much less affirmative with a controversial majority decision win. In front of a watchful Liverpool crowd, Kell Brook finished Alvaro Robles in the eighth of a scheduled ten-round bout. Kell Brook’s win may move him towards bigger opponents now with a significant win. Kell Brook had Robles in trouble going into the eighth, and eventually with more punishment, the opposition’s corner threw in the towel to spare punishment aware of the inevitable loss. Danny Garcia retained his Junior Welterweight World Champion strap defeating Marcio Herrera. Garcia was far from his best while Herrera brought a big case to the table in a great performance. The win was debatable to say the least.
Kell Brook defeated Alvaro Robles in the eighth round. IMAGE COURTESY: GETTY IMAGES
UFC: Johny Hendricks Captures Vacant Welterweight Championship Johny Hendricks prevailed in an epic main-event at the American Airlines Center in Dallas by defeating Robbie Lawler by way of unanimous decision. Both Hendricks and Lawler threw hard shots at one another in compelling exchanges throughout the fight, and both would be in some sort of trouble then and again. In the other fights, Tyron Woodley defeated Carlos Condit via injury, Saint-Preux impressed with a rare submission and Myles Jury was able to shut down Diego Sanchez. Read the complete UFC 171 report with analysis and more here »
Cricket: Twenty20 World Cup Begins The ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup kicked off in Bangladesh with two games from the group stages, and they were quite the landslide in manner of victories with Bangladesh winning by nine wickets while Nepal defeated Hong Kong with 80 runs to spare. In the first game, World Cup hosts Bangladesh restricted Afghanistan to a mere total of 72 runs, bowling them out with around two overs remaining. It was a comfortable chase for Bangladesh as they took their time and only lost one wicket in their 12-over stint getting the 73 runs to win the match. Bangladesh fans were loud throughout as they piled in stadiums to watch their nation in action. Nepal scored 149 runs and conceded 8 wickets in the opening innings of their encounter with cricketing newbies Hong Kong. The Chinese regional team were bowled out for 69 in 17 overs, as Nepal cruised to an 80-run victory.
Bangladesh won by 9 wickets. IMAGE COURTESY: DECCAN CHRONICLE
What did you enjoy most from the weekend’s action? Send us a Tweet, comment on our Facebook page or post your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of this article. We value your opinions as the fans, so showcase them.
Another fantastic showcase of sports enjoyed over the weekend, the ones sports fans love to embrace.
In a dramatic season dominated by Tyre management and team orders, one man raced to a place amongst the all time F1 greats.
Sebastian Vettel and Adrian Newey were an unstoppable combination this year. Image Courtesy: F1Fanatic
McLaren finished the 2012 season on a high. They were in good form but had to contend with the fact that their driver that they had nurtured and delivered them a World championship was leaving them. Many pundits wrote off Lewis’ hopes in 2013 instead commenting that his departure meant a great opportunity for Jenson Button to become this years World Champion. Well, how wrong were they – of course building exceptional road cars does sap a lot of the teams resources but few could have foreseen the toll this was to have on their 2013 F1 aspirations.
The first race saw a very welcome win for Kimi Raikkonen winning in Australia for the Lotus team. The second race saw a very dramatic battle between two team mates in two different teams but eventually was won by Sebastian Vettel in very controversial circumstances, more about that later on.
Courtesy: Sky Sport
China saw a great win for the popular Fernando Alonso in the even more popular scarlet Ferrari. McLaren take note, Lewis Hamilton’s second podium of the season and only three races into the Championship! When Fernando Alonso took up his fifth position on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix not many thought he could go on and win. A fantastic start saw him save some KERS energy at the start and use it on turn three propelling past Raikkonen and Hamilton on the outside to take third place. One of the overtakes of the season from a personal standpoint. A brilliant move that pushed him on to eventually win his home race much to the delight of the Spanish fans.
Then in the season the whole controversial issue of tyre degradation and tyre management was to rear its very ugly head. Monaco saw a great win for Nico Rosberg exactly 30 years after his father Keke had won there. It was a hard fought battle – not with his competitors but with his tyres – Nico frequently had to back off and save tyre wear, not what us F1 fans wanted to see…
Courtesy: Adelaide Now
In Canada for race seven of the season and this proved to be a big win for Sebastian Vettel. The event however was overshadowed by the death of a marshal Mark Robinson who was tragically killed after being run over by a truck recovering a car from the track.
Then the F1 circus arrived at Silverstone, I also arrived at Silverstone and enjoyed a very enthralling weekend! Friday practice was a wet one! Cold too, you would have been forgiven for thinking it was January! We sat at Beckets and stood along Hangar straight and watched as these great drivers tip toed round. Saturday was different, sunny warm weather and a British driver took pole! Lewis Hamilton looked in great form to take a last lap pole much to the delight of myself, son and 80,000 others! Sunday was even hotter and a great start to the race be Lewis holding 1st place on the first lap until.. disaster! His left rear tyre punctured, delaminated and saw him having to pit. The same happened to Felipe Massa, Jean Eric Vergne and Sergio Perez also. Something had gone seriously wrong with Pirelli’s tyre compounds. Vettel had to retire with mechanical problems and the race was won by Nico Rosberg with Lewis battling back from last to finish in fourth place.
For the German Grand Prix Pirelli reverted to 2012 Tyre compounds and we had a more settled race won by Sebastian Vettel. Race ten was Hungary and almost a Karting circuit that Lewis Hamilton always went well at. The Mercedes team were on a high after Silverstone and Lewis delivered a magnificent win. Where were those pundits now writing his chances off then?! I guess my colleague’s prediction for the remainder of the season prior to the Summer Break was just slightly off, but you might as well read it anyway here >>
After the summer break the season reconvened in Belgium at the legendary Spa Francorchamps . It soon became clear who had been working the hardest during the break. Sebastian Vettel won at a canter, a result that we would all have to get used to as the season progressed…
GIF: Sebastian Vettel’s post-race donuts became a ritual after numerous wins.
Italy (read the race report here), Singapore (read the race report here), Japan (read the race report here) came and went, all with the same outcome, no one could stop Sebastian, he was man and machine in total harmony. Eventually in India, Sebastian took his 10th win of the season and with it a historic 4th World Drivers Championship, equaled only by Juan Manuel Fangio, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher!
Race 17 Abu Dhabi saw the last of Kimi Raikkonen in a Lotus and indeed competing in this years F1 championship. Reports of him not being paid all season and other contract issues saw him retire on the first lap rather lamely and disappear from the circuit for a very early bath and onto his team for 2014, Ferrari. Vettel went on to win that one, too.
The US Grand Prix in Austin saw a very big surprise. Sergio Perez had lost his seat at McLaren for 2014. A decision that on reflection maybe wasn’t so surprising. Disobeying team orders, colliding with his team mate and a string of poor performances altogether in a poor season. The race was won by… well you guessed it, Sebastian Vettel.
Race 19 Brazil, the final race of the season and it was emotional, very emotional. Mark Webber had previously announced he was to leave F1 for the up and coming World Endurance Championship. This was to be his last appearance in a Formula One car and race. In some ways I bet he couldn’t wait to get away from Vettel and a Team so obviously geared up to his younger team mate. In other ways a very sad day for the very likeable Aussie, he will be greatly missed next year.
“Its not easy getting in the car the last time” his radio message to the team as he sat on the grid for the final time. The race was one of his best all season as he came through to finish second behind Vettel. On the slow down lap Mark removed his helmet to wave at the crowds and revealed a visibly emotional driver.
That was it – a historic fourth World title for Sebastian Vettel breaking all kinds of records along the way. His conduct in Malaysia however proves he still has a lot to learn.
Courtesy: Getty / Red Bull
Race Of The Year: Malaysian Grand Prix
The race started in wet conditions and Fernando Alonso charged off the line to challenge for the lead. In doing so he damages his front wing but stays out on second lap. This was to prove a bad decision as moments later charging down the start finish straight the front wing comes off completely and tucks itself under the car – it was race over for Alonso.
A little later on and the first pit stops begin. Lewis Hamilton comes in but instead of stopping in the Mercedes pit he turns into his old team McLaren`s instead who wave him through! Brilliant! Team orders then played a big part as Nico Rosberg was told to hold station behind Lewis whilst at Red Bull Sebastian Vettel was given the now infamous “Multi 21” order which also meant he had to stay behind his team mate Webber. Seb being seb however ignored that instruction and we witnessed an amazing Red Bull v Red Bull battle for the lead which Seb won. Controversial stuff and Seb showed that he was still an inexperienced racer looking out for himself. His fans argued that he was only being a proper racer, something that I have some sympathy with.
A season of two halves! The first promised an exciting championship however the second was dominated by just one man! See you next year, for more from the fastest sport on the planet.
AUSTIN, TX – After a dramatic qualifying session at The Circuit of The Americas, Sebastian Vettel grabbed a last gasp pole with an amazing last lap.
After yesterday’s practice sessions dominated by missing helicopters and fog, todays qualifying was dominated by changing track conditions, driver attitudes and… oh yes, Red Bull.
Hot, cold, sunny, cloudy, dusty, windy, a lot for a delicate Formula One car to have to deal with. Yet those were the conditions given to the drivers during todays qualifying session. Those conditions played a big part throughout the three qualy sessions.
Q1 Q1 started with most teams opting for the grippier option tyre in warm sunny conditions. Jenson Button started this session knowing he has a 3 place grid penalty after passing under yellow flags during yesterdays practice sessions. He needed a good qualy session. Lewis Hamilton also needed a good session after recent chassis problems had hampered his last two qualification days. 4 minutes in and Sebastian Vettel looks very relaxed as he stands by his car listening to music. Not a good sign to the other teams and drivers. 7 mins in and Lewis radios his team “The track is slow”. A reference to the dust and gathering wind sweeping across the track playing havoc with the amount of grip he was receiving. With 8 mins left in Q1, Vettel eventually comes out on the harder Prime tyres to set some lap times. 2 mins left sees Lewis put a great lap in also on primes to go P1. Meanwhile Pastor Maldonado, soon to be vacating his Williams seat, records a slow time that will see him going out and qualifying in 18th. More about him to follow. The six drivers to go out of qualifying at the end of Q1 were: 17th Sutil, 18th Maldonado, 19th Van Der Garde, 20th Bianchi, 21st Pic, 22nd Chilton. Suprisingly Valtteri Bottas tops the timesheet at the end in P1.
Q2 Q2 starts under clouds and slightly cooler temperatures. Ferrari drivers struggle with the conditions and Williams bound Felipe Massa goes out. Another shock exit from qualy was Nico Rosberg who also went out and qualified in 14th position. Bottas put in another great performance and finished 4th overall. Red Bull dominated though and Vettel finished P1 and Mark Webber P2.
Q3 With so many Mexican fans here supporting Esteban and Sergio Perez, Perez beats his team mate Jenson Button into the top ten shoot out and makes a point to his McLaren team that has terminated his contract for next season. As the session progresses, Mark Webber sets the fastest time with a great lap of 1min 36.699. Lewis Hamilton could only manage 5th. With an amazing last sector time on his last lap this years world champion Sebastian Vettel grabs pole in the dying seconds of the qualifying session.
So, the top ten grid is as follows; 1st Vettel, 2nd Webber, 3rd Grosjean, 4th Hulkenberg, 5th Hamilton, 6th Alonso, 7th Perez, 8th Kovalainen, 9th Bottas, 10th Gutierrez.
Great drives by Bottas and the returning Heikki Kovalainen but Rosberg, Maldonado and Button have a lot to do in tomorrow`s race. After he went out, Pastor Maldonado hinted that someone may have interfered with his car`s set up. To even suggest that a top F1 team would allow that to happen while scrapping for all important world championship points is an absolute disgrace. He may bring a lot of money with him but he doesn`t bring a lot of class.
Vettel put in an amazing last gasp qualifying lap to grab pole. Can anyone stop him winning the last two races this year? Enjoy the race!
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