DENMARK
Bendtner fights UEFA ruling
Denmark forward Nicklas Bendtner has challenged his World Cup suspension for wearing sponsored underpants at the European Championship. European soccer’s governing body UEFA says its appeal panel will judge the case on Aug. 27. Bendtner hopes to overturn UEFA’s one-match ban before Sept. 8, when Denmark begin their 2014 World Cup qualifying program against the Czech Republic. UEFA found Bendtner guilty of “improper conduct” for breaking ambush marketing rules at this year’s Euro Cup. Bendtner scored his second headed goal in a 3-2 group-stage loss against Portugal, then raised his shirt and lowered the top of his shorts slightly to reveal the name of a betting firm which was not a tournament sponsor. UEFA says Bendtner has not challenged the 100,000 euro (then US$126,000) fine he was ordered to pay.
GERMANY
German Cup progresses
Bundesliga side Augsburg progressed to the second round of the German Cup with a 2-0 win over SV Wilhelmshaven on Friday. Offseason signings Aristide Bance and Knowledge Musona scored for the visitors. Burkina Faso striker Bance put away the game’s first chance in the 28th minute and Musona — a loan signing from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim — made it safe in the 78th. Second-division sides Eintracht Braunschweig and FSV Frankfurt also beat fourth-tier opposition to progress, the league leader overcoming Luebeck 3-0 and Frankfurt coming from behind to win 2-1 at Sonnenhof Grossaspach. Cup holder Borussia Dortmund opened their defense against fourth-tier Oberneuland yesterday, while beaten finalist Bayern Munich visit Jahn Regensburg tomorrow.
ENGLAND
Swansea sign Kyle Bartley
Premier League club Swansea City have bolstered their squad on the eve of the new season by signing young Arsenal defender Kyle Bartley for an undisclosed fee on Friday. Bartley agreed a three-year contract with the Swans after finally accepting he would have to leave the Emirates Stadium on a permanent basis to secure regular first-team action. The 21-year-old made only one appearance for the Gunners in five years at the club and spent last season on loan at Scottish club Rangers.
ENGLAND
United sign Chilean striker
Young Chilean striker Angelo Henriquez is to join Manchester United, his club, Universidad de Chile, announced in a statement on Friday. “Angelo Henriquez will join Manchester United this month,” said the Chilean club, last year’s winners of the Copa Sudamericana, South America’s equivalent of the Europa League. The talented 18-year-old will join United for a fee of US$5.5 million after undergoing a medical in England this week and will become the first Chilean ever to play for the Old Trafford club. Henriquez made his Chilean league debut this year, scoring 10 goals in 15 games and four in the Libertadores Cup.
ENGLAND
QPR close to Bosingwa deal
Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Hughes has revealed his club are close to signing former Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa. Bosingwa was released by the Blues at the end of last season after helping the club win the Champions League and FA Cup, but the Portugal right-back could be in line for a quick return to west London with Hughes’ side. Hughes has confirmed advanced discussions have taken place as he looks to snap up Bosingwa, who is available on a free transfer.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
RSS