■EGYPT
Brazil, Costa Rica advance
Late substitute Maicon scored twice as Brazil beat Germany 2-1 in extra-time on Saturday to reach the semi-finals of the under-20 World Cup. Brazil, the only remaining team with a previous tournament win, now face Costa Rica, who beat the United Arab Emirates in the day’s second match. Ghana play Hungary in tomorrow’s other semi-final, ahead of the third-place match and the final on Friday. Brazil, who easily overcame other opponents, struggled against the defensive Germans, who took a late lead when Lewis Holtby scored in the 73rd minute. Maicon came on in the 77th minute to turn the game — scoring with just two minutes remaining. He exploited a gap in the German defense to beat Manchester United reserve goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler. Maicon got his second in the first minute of extra-time, again getting the better of Zieler with an expert lob, as German defenders were caught in a mix up. Supporters returned to the Cairo International Stadium to watch the Brazilians and cheer on the Emirates, following a lull in attendances after hosts Egypt were knocked out by Costa Rica in the round of 16. Costa Rica again disappointed the local fans, however, when Marcos Urena scored a last-gasp goal in extra-time to beat the UAE. Ahmed Ali had put the UAE ahead in the 32nd minute, driving in a cross from Ahmed Khalil, but a header from Josue Martinez leveled it five minutes later.
■ITALY
Cannavaro to be cleared
Fabio Cannavaro did not commit a doping offense and should be cleared because he took cortisone only to treat a wasp sting, the Italian Olympic Committee’s anti-doping prosecutor said on Saturday. Prosecutor Ettore Torri will now recommend to an anti-doping tribunal, due to meet in the coming days, that the Italy captain should not receive any sanction. The tribunal will make the final decision. “The prosecutor asks for the Cannavaro case to be dropped,” a statement from the prosecutor’s office said. “We can exclude [the possibility] that Cannavaro is responsible. This office reserves the right to make further judgments in the future over other parties ... which were responsible.” It was not clear from the statement who those other parties might be. Cannavaro received emergency cortisone treatment after being stung by a wasp at training on Aug. 28 and then failed a dope test after a Serie A match two days later. The 36-year-old had requested an exemption after being treated for the sting, but did not receive the documentation before he was tested.
■NORWAY
Norway defeat South Africa
Kjetil Waehler scored in the 48th minute on Saturday to give Norway a 1-0 victory over South Africa in an international friendly. John Arne Riise set up the goal with a long throw-in to John Carew, who passed the ball for the unmarked Waehler to beat goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs. It was Waehler’s first goal for Norway. The win gave Norway an unbeaten home record this year in seven games, including five World Cup qualifiers. Norway dominated throughout and could have won by a bigger margin, wasting numerous chances, while their goalkeeper Jon Knudsen only made his first save off a tame shot in the 81st minute. Norway finished second in their World Cup qualifying group and are not likely to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Roger Federer on Wednesday said that staying involved with tennis in retirement helped him avoid feeling “like an alien” ahead of this week’s Laver Cup in Berlin. Federer, who helped create the tournament, retired at the Laver Cup in London two years ago and has since stayed involved with the competition as an ambassador. “I’m happy I went back right away to some tournaments,” the 43-year-old told reporters. “I feel I ripped the Band-Aid off quite quickly and when I walk around the tennis sites I still feel I belong there,” he said. “I don’t feel like an alien, which is a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or