■SOCCER
Denilson to play in Vietnam
Former Brazilian international Denilson, once the world’s most expensive player, has agreed to play for a mid-table Vietnamese side, newspapers reported yesterday. A member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup winning team, Denilson, 31, will join Hai Phong Cement for the second half of the professional V-League season that begins this month, Thanh Nien newspaper said. It said Denilson had his first practice session with the team on Monday. Denilson was capped 68 times and became the world’s most expensive player when he moved to Spanish side Real Betis from Sao Paulo in 1998 for US$35 million. “I don’t know anything about Vietnamese football,” Denilson told Thanh Nien, adding that the game is the same everywhere. He said a Brazilian friend introduced him to the country. “I come to Vietnamese football with my passion,” he said, expressing a hope to play in the communist country for a long time. Earlier this year he was on trial with English Premier League side Bolton Wanderers, after being without a club since his release from Brazilian team Palmeiras. Denilson’s European club career never really flourished despite spending seven seasons in Spain, followed by a spell at French side Bordeaux, Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nasr and US team FC Dallas.
■BADMINTON
Taiwan to host tournament
Taiwan will hold the World Junior Championships in 2011, the Chinese Taipei Badminton Association said yesterday. Association vice president Wu Jun-yan (吳俊彥) said that the championships are one of the sport’s most important tournaments. Wu said the association originally applied to host the World Badminton Championships and Sudirman Cup. However, Wu said Badminton World Federation president Kang Young-joong suggested that Taiwan gain experience by hosting the Junior Championships first. Wu also said Taiwan should work on raising the competitiveness of its players. “If none of our players succeed at the championships, we will be ridiculed by the public,” he said.
■SOCCER
Daum returning to Turkey
German coach Christoph Daum has left FC Cologne after being given an opportunity to return to Turkish side Fenerbahce, the Bundesliga club said yesterday. “We are sad that Christoph Daum is leaving,” Cologne chairman Wolfgang Overath said in a statement. “Christoph thanked us for the collaboration and said he could not refuse the offer because of its very good sports and financial framework. We wish him all the best in his new job.” Daum will join a side who sacked former Spain coach Luis Aragones on Monday after a fourth-place finish. As well as his previous three-year stint at Fenerbahce from 2003, Daum also had two spells at Besiktas, winning a total of three championships and one cup before signing a four-year contract with Cologne in 2006.
■SOCCER
Skipper in dancing spat
India captain Bhaichung Bhutia remains focused on continuing his soccer career despite leaving his club amid controversy over his appearance in a televised celebrity dance competition. “Football remains my first love and I don’t have any plans to even try dancing after this,” Bhutia told the Hindustan Times yesterday. The striker sought immediate release from Mohun Bagan last month after he accused the club of humiliating him after they claimed he appeared keener to participate in the dance show than play in the I-League.
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
LONG TIME COMING: With the addition of Marcus Smart, the Washington Wizards finally held a team to under 100 points, the last team this season to do so The Detroit Pistons on Monday won their seventh straight game in the NBA with in-form Cade Cunningham making 32 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a 106-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pistons, who are in the playoff position, moved to 32-26, their best record at this stage of a season for 17 years. It was an all-round effort from Detroit with Tobias Harris adding 20 points and Jalen Duren making 19 rebounds along with his 12 points. It was a tight contest until Detroit pulled away late in the third quarter to tie their longest winning streak since the 2014-2015
Soccer fans in England and Wales might be allowed to spend more time in pubs if their teams go far at the UEFA European Women’s Championship being held in Switzerland in July. The British government is launching a four-week consultation to discuss whether pubs can extend their opening hours from 11pm to 1am should England or Wales reach the semi-finals or final of Euro 2025. The British secretary of state for the home department has the power to extend licensing hours for occasions of “exceptional international, national or local significance,” the government said on Monday. England’s women’s team — whose players are nicknamed
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