■FOOTBALL
Texans to play in Reliant
The Houston Texans confirmed on Friday they will host Indianapolis in their National Football League home opener at Reliant Stadium, where hurricane damage had put the fixture in doubt. An inspection of the stadium conducted by insurance adjusters and architects determined that the facility is ready to host a crowd in excess of 70,000 for a Texans home game. It is expected that all eight of the Texans remaining home games will be played with the moveable roof open. Five panels of the roof were damaged during devastating Hurricane Ike earlier this month. The Texans were originally scheduled to play their home opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 14. Damage to the stadium forced the NFL reschedule the game for Nov. 9, with the Texans and Ravens both using the second week of the season as their bye week.
■BASEBALL
Imposter faces charges
A man faces criminal charges for allegedly stealing a uniform from Dodger Stadium and posing as one of the Los Angeles team’s players. Ronald Higgins pleaded not guilty to several charges on Friday, including burglary and trespassing. The 47-year-old Higgins was arrested on Wednesday morning after a security guard found him walking on the field in a Dodgers uniform and holding a glove with two balls. Higgins allegedly identified himself as a Dodgers player, but the guard recognized him from an earlier incident and called police. Prosecutors say Higgins’ clothes were later found in the bat boys’ locker room. It was not immediately clear where he got the uniform. If convicted, Higgins could spend nearly four years in state prison.
■CYCLING
Duarte breaks to beat Ponzi
Colombia’s Fabio Andres Duarte won the under-23 world road race title with a last-gasp break to beat Italy’s Simone Ponzi at the line on Friday. Germany’s John Degenkolb took bronze. Duarte was already part of an early breakaway and stayed close to the lead throughout the 173km race. Duarte remained strong when two Italians and two Germans sought to break away over the last lap, closing gaps when needed. With a sprint finish between eight leaders expected, Duarte then broke away just ahead of the final bend in the course, around half a kilometer from the line. He built a lead of about 20m and held off Ponzi for the surprise win. Ponzi and the other chasers got so close that the top seven riders were all timed at 4 hours, 17 minutes and 2 seconds.
■MOTOGP
Lorenzo takes pole position
Spanish MotoGP rookie Jorge Lorenzo shattered the course record to take pole position yesterday for the Japanese Grand Prix, with championship leader Valentino Rossi fourth. The 21-year-old Lorenzo clocked the best lap time of 1 minute, 45.543 seconds in a sun-drenched qualifying session for today’s race on a Michelin-shod Yamaha for his fourth pole position of the season. He clipped the old course record of 1:45.724 set by Italian Loris Capirossi in qualifying for the 2006 Grand Prix when the premier class used up-to-990cc machines, before the MotoGP limit was lowered to the current 800cc. The time also bettered by 0.321 seconds the best 800cc Japanese GP qualifying time recorded by countryman Dani Pedrosa on a Honda last year. Defending world champion and Ducati ace Casey Stoner of Australia posted the second best time of 1:45.831 on the 4.8km stop-and-go Motegi track, ahead of American Honda rider Nicky Hayden at 1:45.971. Italian ace Rossi was fourth fastest at 1:46.060
■SOCCER
Ronaldo talks to judge
Brazil star Ronaldo testified before a state judge on Friday on the case involving his encounter with three cross-dressing prostitutes this year. Ronaldo, who has filed fraud charges against one of the prostitutes, testified for nearly five hours in a deposition session presided by Judge Marta Oliveira Cianni Marins, court spokesman Leandro Neto said. He said the session was held behind closed doors and that Ronaldo’s deposition would not be made public. Ronaldo has acknowledged that he met the three prostitutes in April but did not realize they were cross-dressers until getting to a motel, where allegedly one of them tried to extort money from him to hide the story from the media. Outside the courtroom, the prostitute reiterated, in comments to the O Globo newspaper, that Ronaldo was drunk and high on drugs when they met.
■SOCCER
Short buys Sunderland stake
US businessman Ellis Short bought a significant stake in Sunderland, the English Premier League said on Friday. Short, co-founder of Dallas-based private equity group Lone Star Funds, last month acquired more than 30 percent of the Drumaville consortium that owns the club in northeast England. “We were notified of Ellis Short’s involvement in August,” Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson said. “He has been subjected to the fit and persons test because he has bought a stake above 30 percent.” That process is still ongoing and if Short is deemed not to be a suitable owner, he will have to take his investment below 30 percent. Exact details were not immediately available, but Britain’s Daily Telegraph said Short was now the biggest shareholder. “Sunderland AFC is unable to comment on any matters relating to the Drumaville Consortium or investment in the club except to thank them for their continued support,” the club said. The eight-person Drumaville company, chaired by former Sunderland striker Niall Quinn, bought Sunderland in July 2006 for £10 million (US$18.4 million). Members of the mainly Irish consortium contacted by reporters refused to comment, as did people connected with Short in the US. Short, who has had no previous involvement with the sports industry, is renowned for keeping a low public profile. Prosecutors in South Korea last year issued arrest warrants for Short on allegations of stock manipulation and tax evasion over the sale of Korea Exchange Bank to Lone Star Funds, of which he was vice chairman. No charges were brought. Premier League clubs Manchester United, Liverpool, Aston Villa are also owned by Americans.
■RUGBY LEAGUE
Smith inspires Leeds win
Lee Smith’s two-try extravaganza inspired Leeds to a narrow 18-14 victory over former Rugby League giants Wigan in London on Friday and a place in the Grand Final against St Helens at Old Trafford on Oct. 4 for a repeat of last year’s final. Wigan had looked to be the form side coming into the match after a conclusive 50-26 walloping of French outfit Catalan Giants in the Elimination semi-final but Leeds proved to be far stiffer opposition. It was a repeat of Leeds’ victory over Wigan in last year’s eliminator. Smith struck first five minutes from the end of the first-half having been set up by Rob Burrow and then again three minutes from time. However, a late try by Wigan star Iafeta Paleaasina put Leeds nerves on a raw edge, but a schoolboy error by Wigan veteran Stuart Fielden from the ensuing kick-off ended Wigan’s hopes of a place in the final as it allowed Leeds to run down the clock.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported ￡400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported ￡400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported ￡900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically
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