Sports Briefs

■ Soccer
Clashes leave 42 injured
A state politician demanded a crackdown on Sunday after 42 people were injured when police and security officers clashed with 800 hooligans following a soccer match in the German state of Saxony. The fans of FC Lokomotive Leipzig attacked 300 police officers after FC Erzgebirge Aue II beat their team 3-0 on Saturday in a state cup match. Police said 36 officers and six fans were injured, while 21 police vehicles were vandalized. Germany has seen a surge in stadium violence this season.

■ Soccer
Romario scores 990th goal
Former Brazil striker Romario came off the bench to score a 10-minute hat-trick as Vasco da Gama routed Volta Redonda 6-1 in the Carioca championship on Sunday. Romario, 41, took his career total to 990 goals according to the tally he has kept himself but which includes goals scored at junior level and in friendly matches. Romario came on in the 65th minute with Vasco already 3-0 ahead and needed four minutes to make his mark as he nonchalantly headed home a cross from the right. In the 75th minute, he scored again from close range after a one-two and four minutes later rose unmarked to head in another cross from the right.

■ Rugby Union
Fiji win Sevens tournament
Fiji defeated Samoa 38-24 in the final of the International Rugby Board USA Sevens in San Diego, California, on Sunday, avenging their defeat by their opponents in New Zealand last weekend. Fiji became the fourth winner in four events of the IRB Sevens World Series so far this season, joining South Africa, New Zealand and Samoa as Cup winners. The victory also boosted Fiji into a share of the lead in the series alongside New Zealand with 60 points, four ahead of South Africa (56).

■ Horse Racing
Jockey in the dock
Australian jockey Chris Munce's jeans pockets were stuffed with cash when he was arrested for allegedly offering a local businessman racing tips in exchange for advantages, a prosecutor told a Hong Kong court yesterday. Former Melbourne Cup winner Munce went on trial yesterday for allegedly offering the racing tips to businessman Andy Lau through a middleman so that Lau would place bets on Hong Kong races for him and relay the winnings. The prosecutor said anti-corruption officials arrested Lau and Munce last year after they met at a hotel and found HK$250,000 (US$31,994) in cash in Munce's pockets. Munce said the cash was a ``going away'' present from Lau.

■ Cricket
Out-of-form duo selected
Indian selectors placed faith in Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan yesterday by including them in their 15-member squad for the World Cup. Aggressive batsman Sehwag and all-rounder Pathan have missed several limited-overs international matches since they were dropped from the team due to their dismal performances on a recent tour of South Africa. The selectors decided to bank on experience instead of trying untested cricketers, even though both Sehwag and Pathan have not performed well in the run-up to the World Cup. India squad: Rahul Dravid (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthick, Mahendra Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Shantakumaran Sreesanth and Munaf Patel.