Sluggish England failed to capitalise on a turning track August 20, 2009 WINNING the toss at The Oval yesterday morning was just the boost England needed for this decisive Ashes Test, but captain Andrew Strauss will be well aware that his side have wasted a fantastic opportunity here. As we’ve already seen, the pitch at The Oval is starting to turn, which has completely foxed everybody with [...]
England make a stuttering start to Ashes deciding Test August 20, 2009 BATTING hero Ian Bell insists the decisive fifth Ashes Test with Australia is still delicately poised despite England failing to capitalise on favourable conditions at The Oval. Captain Andrew Strauss won the toss on a batting wicket but saw his side struggle to 307-8 at the close despite a battling 72 from Bell, who was [...]
Gender-test Semenya is a girl, insist her parents August 20, 2009 THE MOTHER of Caster Semanya, the women’s 800m world champion who has been asked to take a gender test, insists her teenage daughter definitely is female. Semanya, 18, stormed to victory in the final in Berlin on Wednesday just hours after athletics chiefs announced they had asked her to undergo a test. The South African [...]
Ferguson not panicked by Burnley slip August 20, 2009 MANCHESTER UNITED manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists he is not worried by his side suffering an early setback to their Premier League title defence at top-flight newcomers Burnley. The Clarets, who only came up via the play-offs, stunned Ferguson by downing United 1-0 at Turf Moor on Wednesday night – Burnley’s first win in the [...]
Threat of axe spurs on Defoe August 20, 2009 HAT-TRICK hero Jermain Defoe says the threat of losing his place in the Tottenham line-up has spurred on his storming start to the season. Defoe followed up his brace for England against Holland last week with an impressive hat-trick in Spurs’ 5-1 Premier League victory at Hull on Wednesday night. Strike partner Robbie Keane was [...]
Kyrgiakos tempted by Reds challenge August 20, 2009 GREEK international Sotiris Kyrgiakos says joining Liverpool is the biggest challenge of his career. The Reds yesterday agreed a £1.5m deal for the defender, who only last week committed himself to a four-year contract extension at AEK Athens. The 30-year-old former Rangers player will undergo a medical at Anfield today with a view to completing [...]
Toothless Villa undone by goal inside a minute August 20, 2009 ASTON VILLA conceded a goal in Vienna after just 40 seconds, and it proved decisive as Rapid went on to win the first leg of their Europa League play-off. Bosnian Nikica Jelavic headed the opener and the hosts went on to dominate a Villa side featuring four changes from the weekend. Rapid’s Christopher Drazan was [...]
Rodwell brace ushers Toffees towards groups August 20, 2009 TEENAGER Jack Rodwell and Louis Saha scored two apiece as Everton put one foot in the Europa League group stage with an emphatic first-leg play-off win. A Saha volley opened proceedings before England Under-21 midfielder Rodwell scored his first from 20 yards. The youngster completed his brace with a fine drive before Saha’s low angled [...]
Johnson to be sidelined for eight weeks August 20, 2009 STRIKER Andy Johnson set Fulham on their way to a comfortable win before having his evening ended by a dislocated shoulder. Johnson struck after just three minutes against the Russians but was taken off after being floored by a blatant body-check in the second half. He faces eight weeks out. Further goals from American midfielder [...]
SPORT IN BRIEF August 20, 2009 Zhirkov plays down surgery fearCHELSEA winger Yuri Zhirkov has denied reports he needs an operation to cure the knee problem that has prevented him making his Premier League bow. Zhirkov is not expected to return before the Blues face Burnley on Saturday week, but the Russian summer signing said suggestions of surgery “don’t correspond to [...]