■SPAIN
Athletic Bilbao advance
Athletic Bilbao beat Osasuna 2-0 and 3-1 on aggregate to advance to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Thursday. Athletic, 23-time winners of the Spanish cup competition, will next play Sporting Gijon. In other first legs next Wednesday, Spanish league leaders Barcelona play at crosstown rival Espanyol, defending champions Valencia welcome 2007 winners Sevilla, and Mallorca host Real Betis. The return legs will be played on Jan. 28. Real Betis beat Real Union and Espanyol defeated Polideportivo El Ejido on Wednesday to ensure that only topflight clubs reached the last eight. Union and El Ejido both play in the third division.
■WORLD CUP
FIFA opens bidding
FIFA on Thursday formally opened the bidding process to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. FIFA has set a Feb. 2 deadline for potential hosts to register their interest at the start of a two-year process combining the bidding for both tournaments. The two hosts will be chosen by FIFA’s 24-man executive committee in December next year. Candidates must provide around 12 stadiums holding at least 40,000 fans for group matches, with one stadium of at least 80,000 capacity to stage the opening match and final.
■ENGLAND
Newcastle give up on Neill
Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear was thwarted in his bid to sign Australian international Lucas Neill on Thursday after West Ham insisted they were determined to keep the full-back at Upton Park. The Hammers said they were furious with reports of struggling Newcastle’s interest. “West Ham would like to make it clear that Lucas Neill is a contracted West Ham United player and that we have received no approach from any club for his services, including Newcastle United,” said a statement on the club Web site. “We are astonished by reports that a Premier League manager has claimed contact with one of our players.” Newcastle said they had ended their interest in pursuing the 30-year-old Australian. “With regards to Lucas Neill, West Ham United have made it clear he is a player they value as a highly important member of their squad and who they have no desire to sell,” a spokesman said. “Newcastle United respect West Ham’s position and will therefore not be pursing this matter.”
■VIETNAM
Thais become Vietnamese
Authorities in Vietnam have granted citizenship to two Thai players, opening up the roster for additional foreign players for the club owned by Vietnam’s richest man, a club official said yesterday. The Ministry of Justice has given the green light for defender Nirut Surasiang, 29, and midfielder Sakda Jermdee, 26, to obtain Vietnamese nationality, said Huynh Mau, managing director of Hoang Anh Gia Lai club. Both former Thai national team players joined the topflight V-League club in 2003. The move will open up more playing opportunities for other foreign players, only three of whom are allowed on the field at a time. The club, which finished seventh in the 14-club V-League last season, is owned by Doan Nguyen Duc, reputed to be Vietnam’s wealthiest man, with a fortune of US$350 million. The club now has four other foreign players, including Thai national team player Datsakorn Thonglao and three Brazilians. Vietnam has allowed foreign players to play for local teams since 2000. Currently, there are more than 100 foreign players, most from Africa and Eastern Europe, playing in the V-League and first division.
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
Before Tuesday’s 7-2 win at the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.” A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans. After all, it is difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend their lead in the National League Central, but also boasts the best record in the majors. “What we’re doing in here right now is special,” right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta said after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings, while setting a career high with
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