■ GERMANY
Mag says Brazil match fixed
The German weekly magazine Der Spiegel reports in today’s edition that the 2006 World Cup knock-out stage match between Brazil and Ghana was influenced by an Asian betting syndicate. The magazine reports large sums of money had been bet on Brazil winning by at least two goals and a former Ghana international acted as an intermediary. Ghana lost the match 3-0 in Dortmund on June 27, 2006, which put Brazil into the quarter-finals where they lost to France. The information in Der Spiegel comes from Canadian investigative journalist Declan Hill, whose book about betting on sport around the world is published in German tomorrow.
■ENGLAND
Spurs sign Pavlyuchenko
Tottenham Hotspur have reached an agreement to sign Russia striker Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak Moscow. Pavlyuchenko arrived in England on Friday for a medical and negotiations over personal terms and the deal was sealed on Saturday. “We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with Spartak Moscow for the transfer of Roman Pavlyuchenko to the club,” a statement on Tottenham’s Web site confirmed. The fee paid by Tottenham has not been disclosed, but it is understood to be around £14 million (US$25.5 million) and the move could pave the way for Dimitar Berbatov to leave Spurs for Manchester United.
■SPAIN
Robinho stays put: Calderon
Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon insisted on Saturday that Brazilian winger Robinho would be staying with the Spanish side, despite the player saying he is still in talks with English club Chelsea. “He’s going to stay here, I’m saying that,” Calderon told the daily ABC, adding that the Brazilian was “a good boy, badly advised” by his entourage. Robinho said in an interview with Brazilian television Globoesporte on Friday that he wanted to leave, adding that “negotiations were ongoing” for his eventual transfer to the English club. He was not called up as expected by German coach Bernd Schuster for Real’s first match of the season at Deportivo La Coruna yesterday. Schuster said that it would be better to wait until the situation regarding the player had been clarified. “I made the decision. He’s under pressure from his entourage and not fit to play,” Schuster said.
■SPAIN
Smolarek loaned to Trotters
Racing Santander have agreed to loan Polish international striker Euzebiusz “Ebi” Smolarek to Bolton Wanderers for the season, the first division Spanish side said on Saturday. Bolton will have the option to buy the 27-year-old at the end of the loan period, the club added in a statement posted on its Web site. Ebi joined Racing Santander last year from German club Dortmund, having previously spent time at Feyenoord. He scored four times in 34 appearances for Racing last season in La Liga. Ebi has 34 caps for Poland, having scored 13 times.
■GERMANY
Hamburg snap up Neves
Bundesliga side Hamburg confirmed yesterday the arrival of attacking midfielder Thiago Neves from Brazilian club Fluminense. The 23-year-old is set to sign a five-year contract in Hamburg, providing he passes a medical, for an undisclosed fee. Neves will step into the midfield role vacated by Dutchman Rafael van der Vaart who quit Hamburg in the summer to play for Real Madrid. “It is a dream for me to play in Europe, I want to really boost my career here,” the Brazilian said.
BUMRAH WATCH: Captain Jasprit Bumrah left the SCG for scans for back spasms and although he returned to the ground, there was no word on if he would play Rishabh Pant’s blistering counterattack yesterday capped a chaotic second day of the fifth and final Test between Australia and India, with 15 wickets falling and the star bowler of the series leaving the Sydney Cricket Ground with an ambulance escort. Yet the Border-Gavaskar trophy still remains very much in the balance as India reached 141-6, holding a 145-run lead over Australia with three days remaining. “Low-scoring games like this, it just heightens the pressure within it, so long way still to go,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said. “There’s gonna be plenty of cricket, so we’ll see what happens.” Australia were bowled out for
Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan yesterday dumped defending champions Germany out of the United Cup with world No. 2 Alexander Zverev sidelined by an arm injury barely a week away from the Australian Open. The upset in Perth sent the Kazakhs into the semi-finals of the 18-nation tournament. In Sydney, women’s world No. 2 Iga Swiatek led Poland into the last eight by winning a rematch of her 2023 French Open final against Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic. Britain also progressed to the quarter-finals with Katie Boulter’s dominant 6-2, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Olivia Gadecki enough to guarantee they won their group. The US and
HAT-TRICK PREP: World No. 1 Sabalenka clinched her first win of the season, as she aims to become the first woman in 20 years to win three Australian Opens in succession Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini and Taylor Fritz yesterday all clocked impressive wins as tennis powerhouses Italy and the US surged into the quarter-finals of the mixed-team United Cup. World No. 3 Gauff swept past Croatia’s Donna Vekic 6-4, 6-2 to avenge a loss at the Paris Olympics, while Fritz took care of Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 in searing Perth heat. That was enough to put the Americans — last year’s winners — into a last-eight clash with China today, while Elena Rybakina’s Kazakhstan today are to meet defending champions Germany, led by Alexander Zverev, in the other Perth quarter-final. In Sydney, the in-form
Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek yesterday beat Elena Rybakina in straight sets to take Poland into the final of the mixed-teams United Cup with victory over Kazakhstan. Last year’s runners-up face the US today for the title in Sydney after they beat the Czech Republic in the other semi-final. “This win makes me really proud,” Swiatek said after seeing off Rybakina 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to give Poland an unassailable 2-0 lead in the tie. It was a statement of intent from the world number two with the first major of the year to start on Jan. 12. “It is perfect preparation for the
RSS