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A16 SPORTS
Friday 4 November 2022
A giant Maradona emerges in Argentina, days before World Cup

By DÉBORA REY ceived the original jersey
Associated Press that Maradona wore in the
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina 1986 World Cup.
(AP) — In the middle of the It was a gift from Germa-
concrete jungle that is Ar- ny great Lothar Matthäus,
gentina's bustling capital, who exchanged jerseys
a huge mural has emerged with Maradona after the fi-
of Diego Maradona wear- nal that Argentina won 3-2
ing a national team jersey, at the Azteca Stadium in
his right hand in a fist and Mexico City.
a defiant expression on his Matthäus' donation was
face. a sort of reparation for Ar-
The massive artwork, 148 gentina after it failed to
feet high and 131 feet wide win an auction for the jer-
(45 meters by 40 meters) sey Maradona wore in the
and painted on the side match against England
of a 14-story building in in the quarterfinals of that
Buenos Aires, is one of sev- World Cup tournament. An
eral tributes that Argentines unknown bidder from out-
have dedicated to their side the country bought the
soccer "God" shortly before iconic item at auction for a
the start of this year's World record $9 million in May.
Cup in Qatar, the first since In 1994, Maradona played
Maradona's death on Nov. Women play with balls during the inauguration of a mural of Diego Maradona by artist Martin Ron his last World Cup match
25, 2020. Maradona's feats in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. Sunday marks the birth date of Maradona who against Nigeria in the group
died on Nov. 25, 2020 at the age of 60
and defeats as a player on stage. He was suspended
the national team are be- Martín Ron was behind country's third star," Ron told ence to his nickname "cos- for 15 months following the
ing remembered, from the the world's largest mural, The Associated Press during mic kite," which is what one 2-1 victory after a positive
famous and infamous goals inspired by a photograph a break from the work he well-known radio commen- doping test.
against England before the of the then-Argentina cap- began a month ago. tator called the soccer star One of the most disturbing
county won the 1986 World tain that captures his ex- Argentina also won the following his second goal images came eight years
Cup to the failed final pression shortly before he World Cup in 1978, but against England in 1986. later at the 2018 World Cup
against West Germany four sang the national anthem Maradona didn't make the Ron's mural was officially in Russia when an over-
years later, and the doping at the 1990 World Cup fi- team for that tournament. unveiled on Sunday to weight and somewhat dis-
test that got him expelled nal against West Germany, To one side of Maradona's coincide with the soccer oriented Maradona col-
from the following World which Argentina lost 1-0. face, Ron painted a con- great's birthday. lapsed at the stadium in St.
Cup in 1994. "It's a photo of Diego when stellation of stars in the Days earlier, the Argen- Petersburg following a 2-1
Well-known street artist he was close to winning the shape of a kite, a refer- tine soccer association re- victory over Nigeria.q

Packers and Lions meet with combined 9-game losing streak

By LARRY LAGE a trade before this week's his right thumb on the final TOURE'S TIME 27-17 loss at Buffalo for his
AP Sports Writer deadline to potentially bol- play of a 27-22 loss to the The Packers need a play- second career catch and
DETROIT (AP) — The Green ster its chances of making New York Giants in London. maker to emerge from their first touchdown. The play
Bay Packers and Detroit Li- the playoffs for the fourth The reigning MVP was a injury-riddled receiving showed Toure is starting to
ons are struggling. time in coach Matt LaF- limited practice participant corps and that could lead shed the label he received
One team is used to it. leur's four seasons. Wednesday, an encourag- to more opportunities for from Rodgers last summer.
The three-time defend- Detroit, meanwhile, traded ing sign because he missed rookie Samori Toure. The Packers have been
ing NFC North champion arguably its best player to the previous three Wednes- Toure, a seventh-round pick dealing with injuries at re-
Packers (3-5) have lost four the NFC North-leading Min- day practices to rest his from Nebraska, had a 37- ceiver all season.q
straight and are aiming to nesota Vikings on Tuesday thumb. yard score in the Packers'
avoid their first five-game to improve positioning in FORMER TEAMMATES FACE
skid in 14 years. the next two drafts. OFF
The Lions (1-6) look like Lions general manager Green Bay selected Wil-
they're headed for a fifth Brad Holmes said the deal- liams out of BYU in the fourth
straight last-place finish in ing 25-year-old tight end round of the 2017 draft and
the division, losing five in T.J. Hockenson made sense drafted Aaron Jones out of
a row before November for the franchise's "build UTEP one round later.
for the second time in two phase," and insisted he Jones and Williams were
years under coach Dan would have dealt Hock- teammates in Green Bay
Campbell. enson even if his one-win for four years. Williams left
On Sunday at Ford Field, team had a 6-1 record. for Detroit in free agency
longtime rivals that have While the trade might've after the Packers didn't
combined for nine straight made sense in the long make much of an effort to
setbacks will meet and term, it does not seem to keep him.
one will earn a desperately help this season. Willliams has eight touch-
needed victory unless they RODGERS' THUMB down runs to rank second Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws a
finish with a fitting tie. Rodgers has been playing in the NFL. Jones has run touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game
TRADE WINDS through an injury the past for 575 yards, ranking fifth in against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, in Orchard Park.
Green Bay did not make few weeks after hurting the league.