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.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
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