“It has been a meaningful year for the Asian Tour in 2018. As we celebrate another season of success, we are happy to see that many stakeholders within the Asian Tour family made an effort to give back to society through our partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

Through this partnership, our objective is to help Habitat for Humanity expand their brand awareness by garnering support from the golfing community to provide more families with access to affordable housing.

Over the past 12 months, players and staff have also volunteered their time on-site in India, Thailand and now Indonesia, which are some of the places that we host tournaments in. We are proud to be able to pledge our support to Habitat for Humanity,” said Cho Minn Thant, Chief Operating Officer of the Asian Tour.

George Gandranata, Berry Henson, Elki Kow, Wolmer Murillo, Fajar Win Nuryanto and Mitchell Slorach comprise the Asian Tour golfers who are leading the build. Asian Tour management and staff also worked together with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia ambassadors, and families in building three homes.

Rick Hathaway, Asia-Pacific vice president of Habitat for Humanity International said: “We are grateful for the strong partnership with Asian Tour through 2018. The build with Habitat families in Sentul marks Asian Tour’s continuous support. Thanks to the passion and commitment of golfers and staff, we can move closer to our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”

During the build, Asian Tour volunteers were able to meet and work with future homeowners Enoh, Bai and Aben. Their families have been living in run-down bamboo houses that have leaky roofs and poor lighting. With the support of Habitat Indonesia and Asian Tour, the three families will be able to create a better future through secure and stable homes.

In Sentul, where communities are among the millions of Indonesians living in poverty, low-income housing are built by the families themselves often using makeshift and low-quality materials. Sustainable housing solutions that build families’ and communities’ resilience are critical in disaster-prone Indonesia where vulnerable families are at risk of losing scarce assets and falling deeper into poverty.

Supporting Habitat for Humanity initiatives help overcome Indonesia’s housing gaps. Last week, Olympic golf champion and world number two Justin Rose donated US$50,000 to support Habitat Indonesia’s disaster response in tsunami and earthquake-hit areas in Sulawesi and Lombok.

Generous contributions from Asian Tour golfers also help make a difference. Habitat ambassadors Danny Masrin and Berry Henson raised funds together with their peers and supporters through the #BirdiesforHabitat challenge at the Indonesian Masters.

Meanwhile, India’s Shubhankar Sharma topped this year’s Habitat for Humanity Standings. The adoption of the name Habitat for Humanity Standings for this year’s Asian Tour season-long Order of Merit rankings is a meaningful reminder that housing is a top priority that can empower people to build better lives and families.

As Asian Tour’s sustainable development partner, Habitat for Humanity was able to bring the need for decent housing closer to the hearts of the golfing community in the region and the rest of the world. The partnership is instrumental in raising resources, awareness and in mobilizing volunteers for the cause of decent, secure housing in India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Marking its 35th anniversary in the Asia-Pacific region in 2018, Habitat for Humanity continues to draw on the strength of partnerships such as with Asian Tour to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.

Reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan of China will defend her title against ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee of Singapore. ONE Middleweight World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang of Myanmar will defend his title against Ken Hasegawa of Japan. ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang will defend his title against Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki of Japan.

Tickets for ONE: A NEW ERA go on sale 20 December at 6PM JST and is available on LINE Ticket athttps://ticket.line.me/sp/ONEChampionship, Kyodo Tokyo, Ticket Pia, Lawson Ticket, and E-plus from 27 January 2019.

Also seeing action on the card are new ONE Championship athletes Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez. In addition, ONE Championship will officially kick off the ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix with a series of compelling bouts.

Reigning ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan and ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee have been on a collision course ever since the Chinese hero entered the organization in December 2017.

The two martial artists sit at the top of their weight classes, and each has dominated their respective divisions. However, with Lee moving up in weight to challenge Xiong for the strawweight crown, the Singaporean has the chance to become the first two-division women’s World Champion in ONE Championship history. It certainly will not be easy, as “The Panda” represents the toughest challenge in Lee’s career.

Reigning ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang is the most iconic sports superstar to hail from Myanmar.

His first encounter with Japan’s Ken Hasegawa in June 2018 was a five-round thriller of epic proportions, one which Aung La N Sang won in the final moments of the heated battle. The match is considered the “Greatest Bout In ONE Championship History” and was also awarded “Bout Of The Year” honors at the 2018 Global Martial Arts Awards for its nonstop action and dramatic finish. Aung La N Sang and Hasegawa will meet once again at ONE: A NEW ERA in a highly-anticipated rematch that is sure to produce fireworks.

Reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang of the Philippines is set to face Japanese martial arts legend and former World Champion Shinya “Tobikan Judan” Aoki in a long-awaited rematch.

In November 2016, Folayang captured the title from Aoki via third-round TKO, but surrendered the belt to Martin Nguyen a year later. This past November, the Filipino reclaimed the crown with a dominant five-round unanimous decision over Singaporean knockout artist Amir Khan. Meanwhile, Aoki is riding a three-bout win streak, having finished Rasul Yakhyaev and Ev Ting by submission, and stopping Shannon Wiratchai by TKO. These three wins have elevated the Japanese icon to another shot at the ONE Lightweight World Title, as well as a chance to defeat his former conqueror.

In addition to the three aforementioned bouts, multiple-time World Champions Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez are scheduled to make their first appearances inside the ONE Championship cage.

Alvarez joined ONE Championship in October, taking his stellar career back to Asia where he first made a name for himself. A multiple-time lightweight World Champion, Alvarez seeks to become a ONE World Champion but will have to go through a bevy of top lightweight contenders in order to achieve his goal. In his first outing for the promotion, Alvarez will face top lightweight contender Timofey Nastyukhin of Russia.

Johnson, meanwhile, is widely considered the pound-for-pound best mixed martial artist in the history of the sport. He joined ONE Championship in late October and, alongside Alvarez, appeared in Singapore the following week for the Global Martial Arts Summit, Global Martial Arts Awards, and ONE: HEART OF THE LION. Johnson’s opponent for his first ONE Championship bout will be Japan’s Yuya “Little Piranha” Wakamatsu.

The ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix will commence at ONE: A NEW ERA. Initial bouts for the tournament will also be announced at a later date.

Also on the card is a ONE Super Series showdown between Muay Thai legend Yodsanklai IWE Fairtexand Dutch World Champion kickboxer Andy Souwer.

Yodsanklai is coming off a stunning performance in Kuala Lumpur at ONE: DESTINY OF CHAMPIONS. The martial arts veteran finished opponent Luis Regis with three rapid-fire uppercuts that drew a chorus of cheers from the crowd. Souwer, on the other hand, is one of the most internationally-renowned striking superstars ever to emerge from the Netherlands and is a two-time K1 World MAX World Champion and It’s Showtime 70MAX World Champion.

The mixed-team event sees Thailand taking on Japan, each with six men and women, and will feature an array of the country’s leading players: including LPGA world No1 Ariya Jutanugarn, her sister Moriya, Thai No 3 Pornanong Phatlum and on the men’s side, the first Thai full member on the PGA Tour, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, as well as legends Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng.

The competition will start with the foursomes (of four mixed pairs from each team against each another) in the morning and fourballs (same pattern with foursomes) in the afternoon on Friday and Saturday with the remaining 12 singles matches to be played on Sunday.

The first team to win 14.5 points out of 28 will win the tournament at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chon Buri.

“We will keep mixing our players together in the mornings and afternoons so that they get used to each other,” said Virada, who is work with the Thai men’s captain Boonchu Rungkit against their visiting counterparts Joe Ozaki and Miho Koga.

“At first it was a bit strange for them as they had never practised like that. But at the end of the day, they adjusted to the format and get along with each other well,” added Virada.

World No50 Pornanong said she was excited to be competing in a mixed-team event for the first time.

“I’ve never played foursomes and fourballs alongside the men. I hope to see a lot of fans show up for support this weekend,” said Pornanong, who finished runner-up in the British Women’s Open this year.

Rising star Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras said: “The fairways are wide, which suits my game. I have practised here a few times and got used to the course well.”

The Japanese team is led by one-time PGA winner Satoshi Kodaira, two-time LPGA Winner Nasa Hataoka, three-time Japan Tour winner Ryuko Tokimatsu plus rising stars Fumika Kawagishi and  Yori Yoshida.

It’s a double celebration for the 25-year-old Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo player, who on Tuesday was also picked for the Best 11 award during the J League Awards in Yokohama.

“It’s an amazing year for me and my club. The award in Japan is definitely the highlight of my career because I won it on behalf of the Thai people,” said Chanathip after the award presentation in Bangkok.

Chanathip has been the Kingdom’s outstanding player in 2018 and is the first Thai to enjoy huge success in J-League, where he scored eight goals in the past season and helped his side to a record fourth placed finish in the League. He is also the first from Asean to feature in the Best 11.

His next mission is to help Thailand in the Asian Cup which will take place at the United Arab Emirates next month.

“We have to work hard and fix on our weaknesses for the Cup. I’m proud to be in the national team again,” he said.

Selected Winners of the 2018 FA Thailand Award

Best Men’s Player of the Year: Chanathip Songkrasin

Best Women’s Player of the Year: Pitsamai Sornsai

Best Goal (national) of the Year: Supachai Jaided (AFF Cup game with Singapore)

Best Goal (league) of the Year: Herberty Fernandes (Brazil,Muangthong United ) (Thai League game with Pattaya)

Best Fairplay (league) Club of the Year: Buriram United

Top Scorer (league) of the Year: Diogo Luis Santos (Brazil, Buriram United) 34 goals

Best Foreign PLayer of the Year: Diogo Luis Santos (Brazil, Buriram United)

Best Coach (league) of the Year: Bozidar Bandovic (Montenegro) of Buriram United

Most Improved Club: Buriram United

Honourary Award for Valuable Personnel of Thai Football: Vichai Srivaddhanaprapha

Honourary Award from Thai FA President: Nualphan Lamsam

The Thai No1 is the only home player with guaranteed entry into the WTA event, which represents the Kingdom’s first since the 2015 Pattaya Open.

The 25-year-old Luksika, who ended her season in style by claiming two WTA 125K series titles in Mumbai and Taipei City last month, is hoping to make a big bang in the country’s biggest tennis tournament, which will be played from January 28 to February 3 at the True Arena.

Seven top 50 players, including the 18th-ranked Muguruza, the 2016 French Open and 2017 Wimbledon champion, have signed up to compete at the beach resort town.

“The entry list is quite tough, which is normal for a tournament this level,” said Luksika, whose only concern is world No20 Wang Qiang of China, who has beaten her on each of the last seven occasions they have met.

“But I really want to play at home for the first time in two years and I hope to turn all the expectations from fans into motivation.

“I hope to have a good draw and not have to play Wang too early but if I have to play her again, I will try to return her the favour in front of the home fans,” added Luksika who has trained during the off-season with former top 100 ATP player Danai Udomchoke.

“I have worked a lot on my footwork and movement. I am also focusing on fitness training so I am physically tough for the new season,” added Luksika, who will kick off the year with a tournament in Shenzhen, ahead of the year’s first major, the Australian Open before heading to Hua Hin.

Meawnhile Suwat Liptapanlop, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Advisory Chairman of the Thailand Open, said True Arena had been specially refurbished to mark the return of the WTA tour to Thailand.

“They have installed additional grandstand seating on Centre Court (from 1,000 to 2,500) to accommodate more people and provide a better atmosphere for both the players and spectators,” Suwat said.

Former world No9 Paradorn Srichaphan, co-Tournament Director of Thailand Open, said the event would be shown on  True4U, True Tennis and True Sport, with an international broadcast (including China) also available through Fox Sport, Astro Supersport, Digisport, MobiTV and the WTA’s own channel.

Solskjaer will take charge of the first team with immediate effect and will remain in place while the club looks for a new full-time manager.

“Manchester United is in my heart and it’s brilliant to be coming back in this role. I’m really looking forward to working with the very talented squad we have, the staff and everyone at the club,” said the Norwegian.

The 25-year-old Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo’s player became the first from Asean nations to win a J-League Best 11

“It was a superb season. Thank you,” the national player said in Japanese during the award presentation.

Chanathip scored eight goals in the past season and helped his side to a record fourth placed finish in the League.

Mourinho, 55, became increasingly spiky in his last few months at Old Trafford, lashing out at the board’s transfer policy and turning his fire on his squad, especially record signing Paul Pogba.

His constant complaints about the players’ lack of desire had an impact on the pitch, culminating in the 3-1 defeat by Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday which left United 19 points behind their opponents.

Mourinho’s sacking comes just two-and-a-half years into his tenure and three years and a day since Chelsea dismissed him just months after he had guided them to the title.

Former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, currently in charge of Norwegian club Molde, is reportedly being considered for the role of caretaker manager until the end of the season.

Mourinho’s dismissal saw shares in the US-owned club rise on Wall Street by more than five percent to $18.18.

Former players such as Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra expressed hope a change in management would bring a marked change in atmosphere.

“The club needs an injection of positivity and hopefully this decision will allow that to happen,” Ferdinand posted on Instagram.

Mourinho’s old sparring partner Pep Guardiola insisted he took no satisfaction from seeing his rival dismissed.

Guardiola and Mourinho were often at loggerheads during their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, but had a more cordial relationship in Manchester.

“When it happens I’m sad for the managers, all the time,” Guardiola said after City‘s League Cup quarter-final win over Leicester.

“We are alone. For the manager, when the situation is not good, we are alone.

“You know what happens when you are sacked, because the results maybe are not good.

“Of course he doesn’t need luck because he’s so strong and I wish him all the best and soon he is going to come back.”

United’s worst start in the league since 1990 means even Mourinho’s ambition of finishing in the top four and a Champions League qualification spot is in danger.

The club has reached the Champions League knockout stages, where they face an intimidating last-16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain, but a combination of poor results, dressing-room discord and criticism of the board proved potent factors in the decision to dismiss the Portuguese manager.

A United source told AFP that Mourinho had been supported in his efforts to sign players and described reports of player power at the club as being key to the sacking as wide of the mark.

– ‘Outstanding candidate’ –

In the longer term former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has been linked to the club as has his fellow 1998 World Cup-winning team-mate Laurent Blanc, who played for United. Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is also strongly tipped.

One bookmaker makes Pochettino the early favourite although the 46-year-old Argentinian refused to be drawn on the speculation.

“We know a lot of rumours happen. But it’s not my business what happens in another club now,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Mourinho’s reign had started well enough with the League Cup and the Europa League trophies but for a club that has been champions of England 20 times, neighbours Manchester City‘s dominance over them in the league has hurt.

Despite his protestations to the contrary, the United board gave Mourinho plenty of money to compete.

– Deteriorating relationship –

Top-quality players such as Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku — who he persuaded to snub Chelsea and come to United for £75 million in 2017 — and Pogba for a then world record fee of £89 million in 2016 have floundered under his authoritarian stewardship.

Indeed it was Mourinho’s deteriorating relationship with World Cup-winning midfielder Pogba — one of many to feel the lash of his tongue in public — that symbolised the decline at the club under him.

Mourinho questioned his attitude while the player hit back with open criticism of the tactics, culminating in him kicking his heels on the bench during the Liverpool debacle on Sunday.

The manager’s overall Premier League points haul of 176 since his appointment by United lagged behind City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea during the same period.

There was sympathy too for Mourinho, including from Jurgen Klopp, whose Liverpool side had sealed his fate and whose positive football exposed painfully the negative tactics of the United manager.

“Nobody can take away all the things he has won. I hope he has that on his mind as he leaves. He is an outstanding manager.”

Pep Guardiola’s side took the lead when Kevin De Bruyne marked his return from injury with a fine finish in the first half at the King Power Stadium.

Marc Albrighton cancelled out De Bruyne’s first goal since April with a late equaliser to set up the 3-1 shoot-out win.

Muric, making his second City appearance in place of the rested Ederson, stole the spotlight as the 20-year-old Kosovo international made two penalty saves to clinch his team’s last four berth.

Just hours after Guardiola’s old rival Jose Mourinho was sacked by Manchester United after their worst start for 28 years, City could afford to make eight changes and still went through as they chase the third trophy of the Guardiola era.

No wonder City fans cheekily chanted “bring back Mourinho”.

“A tough game, it is always difficult at Leicester. We played with a guy (Eric Garcia) who is 17 years old and some injured players, but it was a good game,” Guardiola said.

De Bruyne added: “I feel stiff but I am happy to contribute. To be out for so long and to play 70 minutes is a good sign for me.

“We want to win titles so there’s two games more and we can battle for another trophy.”

City had 87 percent of the possession in the early stages and their pressure was rewarded in the 14th minute.

De Bruyne took control on the left edge of the Leicester area, cleverly shifted the ball onto his right foot before unleashing a low drive that zipped through the legs of Hamza Choudhury and past goalkeeper Danny Ward.

It was a cathartic moment for De Bruyne in only his seventh appearance of a frustrating season ravaged by two knee injuries.

The Belgium midfielder was making his first start since being injured in City’s League Cup win over Fulham on November 1.

Riyad Mahrez was making his first return to Leicester following his move to City in the close-season.

The Algeria winger almost doubled City’s lead when he pounced on Brahim Diaz’s shot and smashed a volley just over.

Muric kept his side’s lead intact when he sprawled to the left to repel a long-range drive from Demarai Gray that appeared destined for the bottom corner.

– Muric shines –

Sergio Aguero, back from an injury that sidelined him for three weeks, should have put City two up moments after half-time.

However, the Argentine forward shot too close to Ward after running onto Mahrez’s pass.

Leicester drew level in the 73rd minute when Wilfred Ndidi lofted a pass that picked out Albrighton’s run behind Oleksandr Zinchenko and the substitute slammed a fierce strike into the far corner.

Guardiola’s men had beaten Leicester on penalties at the same stage of the League Cup last season.

Leicester had more recent spot-kick success after beating Wolves and Southampton on penalties in the previous two rounds, but it was City who prevailed again.

Leicester’s Christian Fuchs and City’s Raheem Sterling both shot over.

Muric seized the moment with saves to deny James Maddison and Caglar Soyuncu before Zinchenko drilled in the winner.

Third tier Burton are into the semi-final for the first time in their history after a shock 1-0 win at Championship promotion chasers Middlesbrough.

Sixth in the second tier, Middlesbrough made a host of changes and were punished by their lowly opponents.

Burton, 15th in League One, are the first team from the third tier or lower to reach the semi-finals since Sheffield United in 2014-15.

Jake Hesketh put Nigel Clough’s side into the lead in the 48th minute, the on-loan Southampton midfielder firing home from the edge of the area.

Clough won the League Cup twice as a player with Nottingham Forest in 1989 and 1990

The new outfits produced by Warrix under the Combatec7 technology, also used by many world’s leading teams, have been designed under the concept called Now Or Never which is to show continuous support for the national football team after recent downfall in the ASean Cup.

“We have come up with three designs – the Player Jersey, Replica Jersey and Cheer Jersey – which are available already. The national jerseys will be worn for the first time during the Asian Cup game with India on January 6,” said Wisarn Wanasaksrisakul, managing director of Warrix Sport.

National stars including team captain Chalermpong Kerdkaew, midfielders Thitipan Puangchan, Tanaboon Kesarat and Thanasit Siriphala, and striker Sriroch Chatthong were among those sporting the 2019 jerseys for Tuesday’s media conference at Stadium One Project, Bangkok.

Meanwhile football chief Somyot Poompanmoung said former national defender Choketawee and Julio Cesar Moreno Yanez of Chile, Serbia’s assistant coach at the World Cup in Russia, had been called up to help head coach Milovan Rajevac for the Asian Cup, which will be played from January 5 – February 1 in the United Arab Emirates.

“Choketawee is quite familiar with more than 10 players in the team. Having him will help with the communication aspects between Rajevac and the players,” said Somyot.

“Julio is an expert on game and player analysis. I’m just trying to strengthen the national team in every aspect so we can live up to the expectations of the fans.”

Choketawee, who managed Thailand to the SEA Games gold medal in 2015, thanked the Football Association of Thailand for the opportunity. “I hope to use my experience to help the young players regain their confidence for the tournament,” said the 44-year-old, who was part of the SEA Games gold medal team in 1995, 1997 and 1999.

Tanaboon, who played in the AFF Suzuki Cup home game that ended with a humiliating defeat to Malaysia on the away-goals rule, hoped to redeem the nation’s pride in the Asian Cup.

“Of course there is a load of pressure out there as fans want us to do better in the Asian Cup,” he said. “We players learned our lesson and will have to play at our best to achieve our goals.”

Somyot Poompanmoung