World Cup: Ronaldo finally gets off mark but Portugal and chaotic Ghana exit June 26, 2014 PORTUGAL 2 GHANA 1 GHANA coach Kwesi Appiah refused to blame in-fighting after his team missed out on a place in the last 16 and ended their World Cup campaign with another defeat. Appiah sent home star men Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari just hours before last night’s clash, from which both sides could have [...]
India batsman in injury scare June 26, 2014 INDIA suffered an injury scare to batsman Shikhar Dhawan ahead of next month’s Test series with England after he was struck by a delivery during the first day’s play of their tour. Opener Dhawan left the crease immediately after being hit on the elbow by a ball from seamer Atif Sheikh, having scored 60 as [...]
United clinch £29m Herrera deal after late buyout clause wrangle June 26, 2014 MANCHESTER United assistant Ryan Giggs has hailed Ander Herrera as one of Spain’s brightest prospects after the club overcame a last-minute hitch to sign the £29m midfielder from Athletic Bilbao. The deal only came about after Herrera, 24, agreed to pay his own buy-out clause of €36m, with United reimbursing him immediately, after Athletic had [...]
British racing outlines a zero-tolerance rules for steroid use June 26, 2014 BRITISH horse racing chiefs have announced tougher measures to prevent a repeat of the doping scandals that embroiled high-profile trainers Mahmood Al Zarooni and Gerard Butler last year. The changes mean it is prohibited to administer anabolic steroids, and that any horse that tests positive for the banned drugs faces a racing ban of 14 [...]
Suarez victim of English and Italian plot, say Uruguay June 25, 2014 URUGUAYAN football chiefs claim that Luis Suarez did not bite Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini and that allegations against the Liverpool striker are the result of an English, Italian and Brazilian conspiracy. World governing body Fifa was last night considering whether to ban Suarez for the rest of the World Cup and possibly beyond after Chiellini accused [...]
World Cup: Messi stars as planets align to aid Nigeria June 25, 2014 NIGERIA 2 ARGENTINA 3 BOSNIA 3 IRAN 1 NIGERIA coach Stephen Keshi hailed Lionel Messi as being “from Jupiter” after the world’s most gifted player scored two goals in a victory that confirmed Argentina as Group F winners last night. Messi lashed a fourth-minute opener and curled in a delicate free-kick just before half-time, though [...]
World Cup: Luis Suarez facing two-year ban over bite row June 24, 2014 Liverpool and Uruguay striker Luis Suarez could be banned from football for up to two years after he was accused of biting an opponent during last night’s World Cup win over Italy. Defender Giorgio Chiellini called Suarez “a sneak” and urged governing body Fifa to use video evidence against the 27-year-old, who dismissed the notion [...]
World Cup: Hodgson proud despite England finishing bottom June 24, 2014 COSTA RICA 0 ENGLAND 0 ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson believes yesterday’s performance against Costa Rica will send the travelling fans home happy from Brazil, despite the team finishing bottom of Group D. Striker Daniel Sturridge, one of only two players retained from successive defeats, wasted golden opportunities to win the game, but Hodgson was content [...]
One year on, United to sign £29m Herrera June 24, 2014 MANCHESTER United are today expected to confirm £29m Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander Herrera as the first signing of the Louis van Gaal era. United are believed to have agreed to meet his buyout fee of €36m before it was due to increase to €40m (£32m) at the end of the month. Herrera’s signing comes almost [...]
World Cup: Holland execute Van Gaal plan to secure top spot June 23, 2014 HOLLAND 2 CHILE 0 AUSTRALIA 0 SPAIN 3 HOLLAND coach Louis van Gaal savoured a well-executed gameplan after his side struck twice against Chile in the last quarter of an hour to qualify as group winners and set up a tie with Mexico. Both goals came from substitutes – Norwich midfielder Leroy Fer and PSV [...]