World Champion Marquez Crashes Out as Aldeguer Wins Indonesia MotoGP

MotoGP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta (L) of Spain and Gresini Racing MotoGP rider Alex Marquez (R) of Spain in action during the race at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Indonesia at Mandalika Circuit in Mandalika, Indonesia, 05 October 2025. EPA/ADI WEDA
MotoGP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta (L) of Spain and Gresini Racing MotoGP rider Alex Marquez (R) of Spain in action during the race at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Indonesia at Mandalika Circuit in Mandalika, Indonesia, 05 October 2025. EPA/ADI WEDA
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World Champion Marquez Crashes Out as Aldeguer Wins Indonesia MotoGP

MotoGP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta (L) of Spain and Gresini Racing MotoGP rider Alex Marquez (R) of Spain in action during the race at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Indonesia at Mandalika Circuit in Mandalika, Indonesia, 05 October 2025. EPA/ADI WEDA
MotoGP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pedro Acosta (L) of Spain and Gresini Racing MotoGP rider Alex Marquez (R) of Spain in action during the race at the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Indonesia at Mandalika Circuit in Mandalika, Indonesia, 05 October 2025. EPA/ADI WEDA

Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez and polesitter Marco Bezzecchi crashed out at high speed after colliding in the opening lap as Spanish rookie Fermin Aldeguer won a chaotic Indonesia MotoGP on Sunday.

Spanish great Marquez "suffered an injury to his right collarbone" and will fly to Madrid for medical tests, his Ducati team tweeted, with fears he may have a fracture.

Ducati-Gresini rider Aldeguer pulled away and cruised to a maiden victory after Bezzecchi ran into the back of Marquez, sending both flying off their bikes, AFP reported.

Aldeguer finished more than six seconds ahead of KTM's Pedro Acosta in second and nearly eight seconds in front of teammate Alex Marquez in third.

"I don't believe it. I am super happy. To be a rookie, we are doing incredible work. We have to continue like this," said Aldeguer, 20, who secured his first MotoGP win.

Bezzecchi dominated in qualifying on Saturday with a lap record at the Mandalika track, but the Italian had a disastrous start on Sunday in humid conditions on Lombok island.

After slipping from pole to seventh behind Marquez, he tried to overtake the seven-time world champion but slammed into the back of him.

It sent the pair sliding into the gravel. Both walked away from the collision with Marquez -- who has a history of bad injuries -- clutching his right shoulder.

Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi said there was evidence of a fracture on Marquez's right shoulder.

Marquez was crowned MotoGP champion last week at Japan's Motegi and had already set a single-season points record for a MotoGP rider of 545 before Sunday's race.

His points total was boosted by a sixth-place finish in the sprint because Luca Marini was hit with a post-race tyre pressure penalty.

Despite Aldeguer storming to victory there was a dramatic battle for the podium places between half a dozen riders.

Alex Rins' Yamaha began to falter and he fell out of podium contention as Alex Marquez rose to take third and increase his grip on second place in the overall standings behind his brother.

"I was a little bit better every lap. Congrats to my teammate, he had an amazing weekend. For us it is really important to be here on the podium," said Alex Marquez.

Brad Binder finished fourth, followed by Marini, Raul Fernandez and Fabio Quartararo.

Second-placed Acosta said he still wanted to improve but was content with a podium place after the frenetic battle with his rivals.

"We have to be happy all the time we are on the podium. We have many races where we have a good rhythm and a good potential, maybe not for the win but to be on the podium," he said.

Marc Marquez's Ducati team-mate Francesco Bagnaia, who started a lowly 16th on the grid, crashed out when he was last on the track in what was a dismal weekend for the two-time world champion.

Joan Mir and Enea Bastianini also crashed out.

Only 19 riders made it to the race's start line on Sunday, with Maverick Vinales withdrawing with an ongoing shoulder injury.



Kobe's Sasaki Scores Late Penalty to Claim Draw in Asian Champions League

Soccer Football - Friendly - Vissel Kobe v FC Barcelona - Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - June 6, 2023 Vissel Kobe players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
Soccer Football - Friendly - Vissel Kobe v FC Barcelona - Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - June 6, 2023 Vissel Kobe players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
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Kobe's Sasaki Scores Late Penalty to Claim Draw in Asian Champions League

Soccer Football - Friendly - Vissel Kobe v FC Barcelona - Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - June 6, 2023 Vissel Kobe players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
Soccer Football - Friendly - Vissel Kobe v FC Barcelona - Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - June 6, 2023 Vissel Kobe players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

Hosts Vissel Kobe salvaged a 2-2 draw with Chinese Super League outfit Chengdu Rongcheng through Daiju Sasaki's 90th-minute penalty in the Asian Champions League Elite on Tuesday to bring down the curtain on coach Takayuki Yoshida's time in charge.

Yoshida announced last week that he was standing down after three-and-a-half years in charge having led the club to the J-League title in 2023 and 2024, but Kobe were unable to give the 48-year-old a winning send-off.

Yoshinori Muto put Kobe in front in the 18th minute when he scored on the turn from eight yards out but Chengdu forward Felipe lashed in the equaliser from distance in first half stoppage time, Reuters reported.

The Brazilian was on target again from the penalty spot with 13 minutes remaining, although Sasaki was also successful with his spot kick in the final minute to earn Kobe a point.

The draw means Kobe are two points clear in the eastern league phase standings of second-placed Machida Zelvia, who cruised to a 3-1 win over Ulsan HD from South Korea.

Asahi Masuyama gave the home side the lead when he deflected Hokuto Shimoda's volley past Jo Hyeon-woo in the sixth minute and Takuma Nishimura doubled the advantage 15 minutes later.

Oh Se-hun's header two minutes into the second half extended Machida's lead before Um Won-sang slid in to score a consolation for Ulsan in the 55th minute.

GOALKEEPER CHEN DENIES JOHOR DARUL TA'ZIM

Johor Darul Ta'zim moved up to sixth with a 0-0 draw against Shanghai Port with the Malaysian side thwarted by a stellar performance from Chinese goalkeeper Chen Wei while Bergson and Nacho Mendez hit the woodwork for the hosts.

Buriram United, meanwhile, were frustrated by a late penalty decision that earned Gangwon FC a 2-2 draw in Thailand after Mark Jackson's side had come from behind to lead.

Mo Jae-hyeon put the visitors in front in the 33rd minute but Ko Myeong-seok's header levelled the scores 13 minutes into the second half.

Suphanat Mueanta's calm finish from an angle put Buriram in front in the 65th minute before Guilherme Bissoli was judged to have fouled Park Ho-yeong in the area. Kim Dae-won converted the 74th-minute spot kick to earn his side a point.

The first eight finishers in the 12-team league phase will advance to March's last 16 in both east and west Asia with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final to be played in a centralized venue in Saudi Arabia in April.


Salah-less Liverpool Plays Inter in Champions League. Barcelona, Bayern, Chelsea All in Action

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah passes manager Arne Slot, left, as he takes part in a training session in Liverpool, England, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah passes manager Arne Slot, left, as he takes part in a training session in Liverpool, England, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
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Salah-less Liverpool Plays Inter in Champions League. Barcelona, Bayern, Chelsea All in Action

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah passes manager Arne Slot, left, as he takes part in a training session in Liverpool, England, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah passes manager Arne Slot, left, as he takes part in a training session in Liverpool, England, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

After leaving Mohamed Salah at home, Liverpool needs to show it can win without the Egyptian forward as Arne Slot's team takes on Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.

On a night when Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Tottenham are all in action, the focus is on Liverpool after Salah said Saturday it “seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.” Liverpool's response was to leave him out of the squad for its trip to Italy, The Associated Press said.

Liverpool's poor recent form boosts Inter's chances of picking up a fifth win in six games. A win for 13th-place Liverpool would put Slot's team back into the hunt for the top eight seedings for the knockout stages.

After losing its last Champions League game 3-0 to Chelsea, Barcelona aims to recover at home to struggling Eintracht Frankfurt. It will have to do without defender Ronald Araujo, who is suspended after his red card against Chelsea and has also been unavailable for personal reasons.

Seventh-place Chelsea is unbeaten in four Champions League games and visits Atalanta aiming to strengthen its hold on a top-eight spot offering direct entry to the round of 16. Bayern can earn its fifth win of the league stage by beating Sporting Lisbon in an early kickoff.

Tottenham, which lost 5-3 to Paris Saint-Germain last time out, has an easier task against Czech team Slavia Prague. Atletico Madrid visits PSV Eindhoven, Monaco hosts Galatasaray and Union Saint-Gilloise plays Marseille.

One game starts in an unusually early window at 1530 GMT (10:30 a.m. ET) as Kazakhstan's Kairat Almaty hosts Greece's Olympiacos.


SEA Games to Open in Thailand with Tightened Security

Security was heightened at the Southeast Asian Games after Thailand-Cambodia border clashes reignited. Chanakarn Laosarakham / AFP
Security was heightened at the Southeast Asian Games after Thailand-Cambodia border clashes reignited. Chanakarn Laosarakham / AFP
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SEA Games to Open in Thailand with Tightened Security

Security was heightened at the Southeast Asian Games after Thailand-Cambodia border clashes reignited. Chanakarn Laosarakham / AFP
Security was heightened at the Southeast Asian Games after Thailand-Cambodia border clashes reignited. Chanakarn Laosarakham / AFP

The Southeast Asian Games officially open in Bangkok on Tuesday with security for athletes tightened due to fresh border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia.

The SEA Games run until December 20 in Bangkok and the nearby coastal province of Chonburi, with thousands of athletes from 11 southeast Asian countries competing in events ranging from football and fencing to skateboarding, sailing and combat sports, reported AFP.

They include world-class performers such as Olympic weightlifting gold medallists Hidilyn Diaz of the Philippines and Rizki Juniansyah of Indonesia, and Thailand's badminton silver medallist Kunlavut Vitidsarn.

The Thai King and Queen are scheduled to open the Games ceremony at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok Tuesday evening, with a performance South Korea–trained Thai artist BamBam.

Far from the competition, renewed combat this week over a long-standing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia has killed six Cambodian civilians and three Thai soldiers, and wounded more than 20 others.

Citing safety concerns, Cambodia last month withdrew about half of its athletes, pulling out of eight events including football, wrestling, judo and karate.

Thailand's deputy Prime Minister Thammanat Prompao said Tuesday that Thailand will "ensure the highest level of security" for Cambodian at athletes during the ongoing border tensions.

Security personnel will be deployed to guarantee their safety, he said, though specific operational details were not disclosed.

Thailand is hosting the SEA Games, which take place every two years, for the first time since 2007. They were first held in Bangkok in 1959.

The SEA Games are known for inclusion of non-Olympic sports from the region such sepak takraw, foot volleyball played with a rattan ball and pencak silat, a martial art popular in Indonesia.