■ FIFA
Blatter gives Peru ultimatum
FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Friday gave Peru an ultimatum to solve a dispute between the government and the Peruvian Football Federation or face suspension from all international competition. Blatter said FIFA must receive by tomorrow a document in which both sides “agree to settle the problem in a 10-day period.” The original deadline was Friday but was extended to tomorrow because Friday was a holiday in Peru. “Unless we receive that document by Monday, the Peruvian federation will be immediately suspended,” Blatter told a news conference. The suspension would include the ongoing South American qualifying series for the 2010 World Cup and regional club competitions the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana. Even Peruvian referees would be prohibited from officiating in international competitions, Blatter said.
■ ENGLAND
Kinnear invites Shearer
Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear has invited St James’ Park legend Alan Shearer to learn the coaching ropes alongside him at the struggling Premier League club. Interim boss Kinnear told the BBC: “I have the utmost respect for Shearer. The door is always open and if he is listening to this interview, he is more than welcome to learn his trade here. I would be delighted if he wanted to come here two days a week and see for himself what football is all about. From Alan’s point of view, he will be looking more for the future than right now because right now is a difficult time to come in also in terms of injuries. Maybe he is biding his time.” Kinnear has made no secret of the fact he would like the job on a permanent basis, and still does not know how long he will remain at the club on his current month-by-month deal. However, he knows exactly where Shearer and Keegan stand in the affection’s of the club’s supporters. He said: “I have just got on with things. They are two idols that everybody loves up here, so I’m never going to be as popular as those two, and I’m not trying to be. I am aware of the situation and can handle it.”
■ ENGLAND
Donovan to join Bayern
Landon Donovan will join Bayern Munich in a loan deal similar to the one David Beckham has agreed with AC Milan, according to Bayern’s manager Uli Hoeness, but no other players will come or go from the club during the winter transfer period. “He [Donovan] will in any case now play for us until March 15,” Hoeness said in an interview posted on Friday on the Web site of the Sueddeutsche newspaper. The LA Galaxy forward has just concluded a 10-day practice stint with Bayern, ostensibly to keep fit.
■ SPAIN
Tevez to join Real: report
Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez will be a Real Madrid player next season, the Marca sports daily reported on Friday. “Tevez said ‘yes’ to Madrid ... for next season,” claimed the newspaper which added that a deal between Real and the Argentine international has already been signed. Real are desperate for reinforcements having seen striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy ruled out for at least six months with a right knee injury.
■ GERMANY
Dortmund down Karlsruhe
Borussia Dortmund beat Karlsruhe 1-0 to move into provisional fourth place in the Bundesliga on Friday. Mohamed Zidan scored in the 20th minute from a cross from Tamas Hajnal, a former Karlsruhe player, to seal Dortmund’s victory. Karlsruhe lost for the seventh time in eight games.
Although Shohei Ohtani’s first trip to the Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series is a global sports event, it is particularly big in Japan. Fans from Ohtani’s home nation bought more World Series tickets for the first two games than from anywhere outside North America, ticket broker StubHub said. Dodger Stadium was packed to the rafters on Friday night for the start of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ showdown with the New York Yankees. “Ohtani’s first season with the Dodgers drew big international appeal, especially from his home country of Japan,” StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli said. “At the beginning of the season, buyers from
The Major League Baseball World Series trophy is headed to Los Angeles, but the party is extending all the way to Japan. People milled around local train stations yesterday morning in Tokyo as newspaper extras were ready to roll off the presses, proclaiming Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto as world champions along with their Dodgers teammates after a stirring Game 5 victory over the New York Yankees. The 30-year-old is a national hero in Japan whose face adorns billboards and TV adverts all over the country. Ohtani this year became the first player in history to hit 50 home runs and
STAR IN DOUBT: After partially dislocating his shoulder in a feetfirst slide into second base, the status of Japanese slugger Ohtani is uncertain for Game 3 as he undergoes tests Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Saturday walked back to his dugout and made the slightest tip of his cap to cheering fans. He left Japan for moments like this, an opportunity to put the Los Angeles Dodgers in control of the World Series. Yamamoto allowed one hit over 6-1/3 innings and Freddie Freeman homered for the second straight night as Los Angeles beat the New York Yankees 4-2 for a 2-0 Series lead. However, the Dodgers head to New York uncertain whether Shohei Ohtani can play after their biggest star partially dislocated his left shoulder on a slide at second base. “We’re going to get
Three-time reigning world champion Kaori Sakamoto on Saturday led a Japanese podium sweep at Skate Canada, locking up a second straight Canadian women’s title despite two falls in her free skate. Sakamoto, who led 19-year-old American Alysa Liu after the short program, looked a little tight during her jazzy free skate, falling on a Salchow jump and again on a triple flip while fighting to hang on to a few other moves. Her second-best free skate score of 126.24 was enough for gold in the second Grand Prix event of the season in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She finished with 201.21 points, well ahead
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