Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Thursday, May 1
Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Thursday: - - - - SOCCER Europa league semi-final, second legs Juventus v Benfica (1905) Valencia v Sevilla (1905) Juventus bid to reach home Europa League final Juventus will have to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Benfica to reach the final at their home stadium and Valencia must recover from a 2-0 first-leg loss to compatriots Sevilla. We will have individual reports on both matches. (SOCCER-EUROPA/HOMETEAM (PIX), expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, by Brian Homewood and Iain Rogers, 600 words) - - Premier League City face toughest test in title run-in LONDON - Having had their Premier League title charge reignited by Liverpool's defeat by Chelsea on Sunday, Manchester City are wary of letting the opportunity slip when they meet Everton in arguably their toughest remaining challenge of the season. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PREVIEW), moved, 600 words) - - Title race comes down to the wire LONDON - We will bring you all the news ahead of the English Premier League title run-in with interest at both ends of the table as three teams challenge for the title while up to six are fighting it out to avoid the drop into the second tier. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/, expect throughout) - - - - La Liga Atletico can seal title if Barca, Real slip up MADRID - Atletico Madrid can crown a superb week and wrap up what would be a remarkable La Liga title triumph if they win at Levante and Barcelona and Real Madrid lose at home to Getafe and Valencia. (SOCCER-SPAIN/ (PREVIEW), moved, by Iain Rogers, 500 words) - - Copa America Centennial Copa America in 2016 to be officially announced South America's CONMEBOL and its northern counterpart CONCACAF are expected to officially announce at a joint Miami news conference a 2016 tournament marking the 100th anniversary of the Copa America, the southern region's national teams' championship, to be played in the United States. (SOCCER-COPA/, expect by 1700 GMT/1 PM ET, by Rex Gowar, 400 words) - - - - SPORT Sport still navigating murky undercurrent of racism An aging billionaire owner of a National Basketball Association team and a young supporter of a Spanish soccer club have reminded the sporting world that racism knows no borders, both handed lifetime bans for their bigotry. (SPORT-RACISM/, moved, by Steve Keating, 800 words) - - - - HORSE RACING Countdown to "Run for the Roses" is on California Chrome, who has romped to victory in each of his three races this year, is the overwhelming favourite for Saturday's 140th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. (HORSERACING-KENTUCKY/ (PREVIEW), expect by 2300 GMT/7 PM ET, 600 words) Preview package will also brief profiles of all the runners, latest betting odds and a factbox on the annual "Run for the Roses." - - - - BOXING Mayweather puts unbeaten record on the line against Maidana Five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. of the United States puts his unbeaten record on the line when he takes on Argentina's Marcos Maidana in a WBC/WBA welterweight title unification bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. We preview the fight. (BOXING/MAYWEATHER (PREVIEW), expect by 2200 GMT/6 PM ET, 400 words) - - - - GOLF PGA Tour: Wells Fargo Championship (to 4) Quality field set to descend on Quail Hollow Reigning U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, 2010 winner Rory McIlroy and five-times major winner Phil Mickelson are among the top players in a high-quality field descending on the Quail Hollow Club for the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina. (GOLF-PGA/, expect by 2030 GMT/4:30 PM ET, 550 words) - - European Tour: The Championship (to 4) Fruity feel as Tahi coconut picks championship lead SINGAPORE - Thailand's Panuphol 'coconut' Pittayarat took advantage of a soft and short Laguna National course to fire a nine-under-par 63 to lead The Championship by one shot after first round. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, moved, by Patrick Johnston, 350 words) - - - - NBA Hawks, Grizzlies and Clippers try to advance The East's top-seeded Indiana Pacers and West powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder will try to stave off playoff elimination versus the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies, respectively, while the Los Angeles Clippers can advance with a win over the Golden State Warriors. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 550 words) - - - - NHL Bruins host Canadiens is second round action The top-seeded Boston Bruins host the rival Montreal Canadiens in the opening game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final to kick off the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - - - BASEBALL Yanks' Kuroda looks to bounce back from rough outing Japanese right-hander Hiroki Kuroda looks to erase memories of one of his worst outings since joining the New York Yankees when he takes the mound versus the visiting Seattle Mariners in one of 11 games on the Major League Baseball schedule. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 975 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0001 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - TENNIS ATP/WTA: Oeiras Open, Portugal (to 4) ATP: Munich Open (to 4) Copy on merit (London Duty editor: Justin Palmer)
