Sevilla drew 0-0 with Real Betis in an uneventful Copa del Rey quarter-final first leg on Thursday. The result at Sevilla's Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium handed Betis a slight advantage when it hosts the second leg on Feb. 28. Although Sevilla are 14 places above Betis in the Spanish league, there was little to choose between the teams in a dull first half. Sevilla made greater progress after the interval but failed to threaten the Betis goal until the 78th minute when striker Frederic Kanoute deflected a free kick just over the bar. Marti caught Betis goalkeeper Pedro Contreras out of his goal with a long-range volley which bounced narrowly wide two minutes later in the game's final chance.
■ Rugby Union
Fan fracas costs Thomas
Gareth Thomas will miss Wales' Six Nations opener against Ireland tomorrow after receiving a four-week ban for misconduct. A European Rugby Cup disciplinary panel suspended Thomas on Thursday and also fined him 7,500 euros (US$9,800) for his confrontation with Ulster supporters while playing for Toulouse in a European Cup game on Jan. 21. The winger, who was found guilty of misconduct but cleared of aggressive behavior, also misses games against Scotland and France unless he lodges and wins an appeal.
■ Soccer
Banned for being too good
Cambodia has banned foreign players from taking part in its cup competition for being "too good," the country's soccer chief said yesterday. "They're taller, stronger and more experienced, so it's unfair if we let them play," said Sao Sokha, chairman of the Cambodian Football Federation. "They're too good compared with Cambodian players. We are not discriminating against foreigners, but the prime minister wants to give our Khmer players a chance to win and to gain some national pride," Sao Sokha said.
■ Soccer
Rangers owner eyes Reds
Tom Hicks, owner of the Texas Rangers baseball club and the Dallas Stars ice hockey team, is close to adding Liverpool FC to his list of sports holdings. Hicks has agreed to join George Gillett Jr, owner of the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey club, in a bid to purchase the five-time European champion, a person familiar with the negotiations said on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity. The decision by Hicks to join Gillette's bid was first reported by the Dallas Morning News on its Web site on Thursday. Hicks would have a 50 percent stake in the group.
■ Boxing
Champ stripped of belt
The World Boxing Council (WBC) declared the light flyweight champion vacant on Thursday, stripping Mexico's Omar Nino of the title for testing positive for methamphetamine following a bout on Nov. 18. Brian Viloria of the US, currently ranked first in the weight class, will fight second-ranked Edgar Sosa of Mexico for the title, the WBC said. The WBC said the winner will have to defend his title against Nino. "In light of the fact that the WBC believes that Nino did not voluntarily commit this infraction, and considering that his clean record has won him the trust of this organization ... we are declaring that Nino will be the challenger for whoever is the new champion," a WBC statement said.
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