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.
Tallon Griekspoor on Friday stunned top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4) in the second round at Indian Wells, avenging a devastating loss to the German at Roland Garros last year. Zverev, the world No. 2 who is heading the field of the prestigious ATP Masters event with No. 1 Jannik Sinner serving a three-month drugs ban, is the first Indian Wells men’s top seed to lose his opening match since Andy Murray in 2017. It was a cherished win for Griekspoor, who had lost five straight matches — including four last year — to the German. That included a five-setter
Donovan Mitchell on Wednesday scored 26 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers punched their ticket to the NBA playoffs with a hard-fought 112-107 victory over the Miami Heat. A seesaw battle in Cleveland saw the Heat threaten to end the Cavs’ 11-game unbeaten streak after opening up a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Cavs clawed back the deficit in the closing minutes to seal their 12th straight victory and a place in the post-season. The Cavaliers improved to 52-10, maintaining their stranglehold on the Eastern Conference with 20 games of the regular season remaining. Mitchell was one of six Cleveland
VALUABLE POINT: Relegation-threatened Valencia snatched a thrilling 3-3 draw at CA Osasuna thanks to a remarkable backheel volley by Umar Sadiq Barcelona on Sunday secured a comfortable 4-0 win over Real Sociedad to move back top of La Liga. Aritz Elustondo’s early red card gave Hansi Flick’s side a comfortable afternoon, with Gerard Martin, Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo and Robert Lewandowski on the score sheet. Atletico Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao on Saturday to temporarily knock the Catalans from their perch, while Real Madrid, third, lost at Real Betis Balompie. Flick was able to rotate his side a little ahead of the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 visit to face SL Benfica tomorrow and still move one point above Atletico. “There were a lot of things that
Steve Smith yesterday announced his retirement from one-day international (ODI) cricket after captaining Australia to a semi-final exit at the ICC Champions Trophy, bringing down the curtain on a career in the format that included two ICC World Cup wins. The 35-year-old batsman, who was his team’s top scorer with 73 as Australia lost to India by four wickets in Dubai on Tuesday, said he would still be available for selection for T20 internationals and Test matches. “It has been a great ride and I have loved every minute of it,” Smith said in a Cricket Australia statement. “There have been so
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