Star-studded friendlies make for taxing Euro 2016 build-up November 19, 2014 ENGLAND football bosses have taken steps to ensure the Three Lions face top quality opposition ahead of the 2016 European Championships by announcing high-profile friendlies against world champions Germany and France. The Football Association (FA) is also in talks with Holland and European title-holders Spain in a bid to design a programme which tests England [...]
Fans get partial refunds for O2 Federer no show November 19, 2014 LONDON tennis fans left disappointed by the cancellation of the final of the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 on Sunday are set to receive a 60 per cent refund on their tickets. World No2 Roger Federer stunned spectators just minutes before his showdown with defending champion Novak Djokovic by announcing he was forfeiting [...]
Poulter uses Norman tips to avenge Stenson November 19, 2014 THERE may not be a personal wager riding on it this time, but England’s Ian Poulter is still desperate to beat Henrik Stenson to the DP World Championship – the finale of golf’s European Tour – starting today. Poulter finished second to Sweden’s Stenson 12 months ago and, as a result of their bet, had [...]
Top sportswoman accolade for leading dressage star Dujardin November 19, 2014 DOUBLE Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin was last night crowned Sportswoman of the Year after dominating the world of dressage over the last 12 months on board Dutch gelding Valegro. The 29-year-old won two individual gold medals and a team silver at the World Equestrian Games in Caen during the summer, while also claiming victory at [...]
Gurney targets World Cup spot November 19, 2014 ENGLAND seamer Harry Gurney believes variation could prove key to him menacing Sri Lanka and ultimately booking his place at next year’s World Cup. Peter Moores’ side, deprived of the injured James Anderson and Stuart Broad, face the first of two warm-up games against Sri Lanka A tomorrow ahead of a seven-match series. And Gurney [...]
International Friendly: Two-goal Rooney tames Scotland and closes on goal record November 18, 2014 Three Lions subdue Celtic Park to finish turbulent year in galvanising fashion SCOTLAND 1 ENGLAND 3 ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson congratulated Wayne Rooney on a landmark few days after his captain followed up winning a 100th cap with two goals to settle international football’s oldest rivalry. Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain silenced a fervent crowd by putting [...]
England player ratings November 18, 2014 Fraser Forster 6 Largely redundant on return to old stomping ground until Robertson put paid to shut-out James Milner 6 Unassuming yet ubiquitous. Found a cute pass to link with Lallana for England’s third Nathaniel Clyne 7 Composed all evening and looks to be laying claim to making right-back slot his to lose Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 8 [...]
Lancaster axes Care and Vunipola in bid to arrest five-match slump November 18, 2014 ENGLAND head coach Stuart Lancaster has made three changes to his 23-man matchday squad as the Red Rose bid to salvage their autumn programme against Samoa at Twickenham on Saturday. Saracens scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth, Wasps skipper James Haskell and Gloucester centre Billy Twelvetrees all make the cut for the first time this series. There has [...]
Fifa faces FBI call after triggering criminal probe November 18, 2014 FOOTBALL’S world governing body Fifa was last night urged to pass its files to the Serious Fraud Office and the FBI after lodging a criminal complaint with Swiss authorities over World Cup bidding. Fifa president Sepp Blatter yesterday asked the Swiss attorney general to investigate “possible misconduct” in relation to the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, [...]
Qatar to stage athletics worlds November 18, 2014 QATARI capital Doha yesterday won the race to stage the 2019 World Athletics Championships after fending off rival bids from Barcelona and the American city of Eugene in Oregon. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), meanwhile, could be set to break with the tradition of awarding the summer Olympic Games to a single host city, opening [...]