Contador blames positive drugs test on a contaminated meal September 30, 2010 TOUR de France winner Alberto Contador last night blamed contaminated meat for the failed drug test that threatens to destroy his reputation. It emerged yesterday that three-time Tour winner Contador tested positive for the steroid clenbuterol during this year’s race, with a ‘B’ sample confirming the results. But the amount of the banned substance was [...]
Johnson earns City point September 30, 2010 MANCHESTER CITY (1) vs JUVENTUS (1) ENGLAND winger Adam Johnson scored the equaliser as Manchester City came from behind to earn a draw in the Europa League. Juventus took the lead after just 10 minutes when striker Vincenzo Iaquinta cut in from the wing and unleashed a 35-yard shot that clipped Kolo Toure on its [...]
Reds fail to end winless run in Dutch stalemate September 30, 2010 LIVERPOOL failed to win for a fourth successive match last night when they scraped a 0-0 draw at Utrecht. The result in Holland keeps Roy Hodgson’s men top of Europa League Group K, but does little for the team’s fragile confidence. Captain Steven Gerrard may have been rested but it was an otherwise strong side [...]
Van der Vaart relief after 10-man Spurs win thriller September 29, 2010 TOTTENHAM (4) vs FC TWENTE (1) TOTTENHAM tasted Champions League victory at White Hart Lane for the first time, but only after a helter-skelter night of extreme drama typified by Rafael van der Vaart missing a penalty, scoring a goal and then being sent off. Forward Roman Pavlyuchenko was more successful from the spot, twice [...]
Butt retracts England fixing claims, but doesn’t say sorry September 29, 2010 PAKISTAN Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt last night officially retracted his allegation that England players accepted “enormous amounts of money” to throw a match. Butt spent yesterday in talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board, which had threatened to launch legal action against him unless he made a “full and unreserved apology”. That apology [...]
Easy peasy: Hernandez is a Fergie fave September 29, 2010 VALENCIA (0) vs MANCHESTER UTD (1) MANCHESTER UNITED boss Sir Alex Ferguson bizarrely claimed Javier Hernandez finished “as if he was shelling a pea – it was so natural” after the Mexican hit a late winner. Hernandez, whose nickname Chicharito means ‘Little Pea’, fired his first competitive goal for the club with five minutes to [...]
Ballesteros pep talk fires up Montgomerie’s rookies September 29, 2010 EUROPE captain Colin Montgomerie last night revealed the secret weapon in his bid to wrest the Ryder Cup back from the United States: Seve Ballesteros. The Spanish great, who is still not well enough to travel to Wales after his recovery from a brain tumour, was invited by Montgomerie to rally his troops in a [...]
Pavin cool on McIlroy-Tiger grudge match September 29, 2010 UNITED STATES captain Corey Pavin says he will not collude with Europe’s Colin Montgomerie to set up a Ryder Cup grudge match between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. McIlroy has boasted he would fancy his chances against the world No1 who, he said, had lost his aura, while Woods responded by saying he would welcome [...]
Fabianksi: I’m ready for crunch Chelsea trip September 29, 2010 ARSENAL goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski insists he is ready to face Premier League leaders Chelsea after his confidence-boosting display at Partizan Belgrade. Fabianski could be called on to face the free-scoring Blues, who have netted 21 goals in six league games, if Manuel Almunia fails to recover from an elbow injury by Sunday. That prospect will [...]
Rangers break European spell as Barca held at Rubin September 29, 2010 RANGERS striker Steven Naismith played the hero as Walter Smith’s men beat Bursaspor 1-0 at Ibrox to record their first Champions League victory in 14 attempts. Naismith reacted first to poke home a clever volley in the 18th minute after Kirk Broadfoot had headed a Steven Whittaker cross back across the penalty box. The win, [...]