SPORT | IN BRIEF February 22, 2010 Murray wins on Dubai return TENNIS: Britain’s Andy Murray made a winning return to action in his first match since finishing runner-up at last month’s Australian Open. Murray beat Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-2, 6-3 to reach the second round of the Dubai Championship. Novak Djokovic, who assumed top seed status after Roger Federer withdrew, also [...]
Poulter beats Casey to win Match Play February 21, 2010 IAN POULTER clinched the biggest triumph of his career last night when he beat Paul Casey 4&2 in all-English final of the WGC Match Play in Arizona. Poulter, who becomes the first Englishman to have won any of the four individual World Golf Championship titles since their inception in 1999, scooped a cheque for $1.4m [...]
City and Liverpool both lose ground in battle for fourth February 21, 2010 MANCHESTER CITY (0) v/s LIVERPOOL (0) MANCHESTER City boss Roberto Mancini admitted his side were struggling in the absence of star striker Carlos Tevez after their top-four ambitions were stifled by Champions League rivals Liverpool. Both sides came into the match desperate for the win that would fire their hopes of qualifying for Europe’s biggest [...]
Battling Wasps sink Sarries February 21, 2010 WASPS head coach Shaun Edwards insists Danny Cipriani’s impending departure will not derail their play-off charge after the fly-half kicked them to a 9-0 victory over Saracens. England outcast Cipriani scored three penalties as Wasps completely shut out the Premiership’s early pacesetters and climbed into fourth place. The talented No10 confirmed last week that he [...]
Roman puts Spurs back in driving seat February 21, 2010 WIGAN ATHLETIC (0) v/s TOTTENHAM (3) FORGOTTEN man Roman Pavlyuchenko reminded manager Harry Redknapp and suitors alike of his talent with a two-goal cameo that thrust Tottenham back in front in the scramble for fourth place. Jermain Defoe put the visitors ahead in controversial fashion but it was Pavlyuchenko, without a league start all season, [...]
Electric Villa run riot as Clarets have a shocker February 21, 2010 ASTON VILLA (5) v/s BURNLEY (2) MARTIN O’Neill hailed an “electric” 13-minute spell in which his Aston Villa side tore Burnley to shreds and reignited their top-four charge. Villa fell behind early on to a Steven Fletcher goal but equalised through Ashley Young before running in four goals in less than a quarter of an [...]
Curling hopes hit by defeat February 21, 2010 BRITISH curling skip Eve Muirhead’s hopes of progressing to the play-offs are hanging by a thread after suffering a third straight defeat last night. Muirhead looked downcast and dejected after the 10-6 loss to two-time Olympic silver medallist Mirjam Ott, of Switzerland. Muirhead’s rink have now played seven and lost four, meaning they must win [...]
Zamora enjoys triumphant audition for England as striker seals comeback win February 21, 2010 FULHAM (2) v/s BIRMINGHAM (1) FULHAM striker Bobby Zamora boosted his chances of gatecrashing England’s World Cup squad with a match-winning performance against Birmingham. Uncapped Zamora was tipped for a call-up by both managers after crowning a classic centre-forward’s display with a superb 90th minute free-kick – his 15th strike of the season. A Chris [...]
Champions League play-off plan is ‘hare-brained’, says Ferguson February 21, 2010 MANCHESTER United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has rubbished proposals to introduce a play-off for the final Champions League place. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, Liverpool’s Rafael Benitez and Everton’s David Moyes have all criticised the plans, which would see teams finishing fourth to seventh in the Premier League battle it out for the spot. Aston Villa [...]
United won’t snatch Jack like Rooney, insists Moyes February 21, 2010 EVERTON manager David Moyes is confident he can keep his latest teenage prodigy, Jack Rodwell, out of the clutches of Manchester United. Rodwell, 18, boosted his burgeoning reputation by climbing off the bench to score a superb solo goal that capped a shock 3-1 win over the Premier League champions on Saturday. That will only [...]