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■ICE HOCKEY

NHL reaches Coyotes deal

The National Hockey League and the owner of the league’s Phoenix franchise have struck an agreement that will allow the league to buy the Coyotes. Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes has been listening to offers from prospective buyers for the bankrupt franchise for several months. Nothing is official and the deal can’t go through without the approval of a US bankruptcy court that announced the pending sale on Monday. One of those purchase offers came from Canadian business tycoon Jim Balsillie who wanted to move the team to Hamilton, Ontario. Balsillie’s bid was rejected by the court. Bill Daly, deputy commissioner of the league, said they hope to wrap up the sale by Nov. 2. He said the NHL wants to eventually find a buyer who will keep the team in Arizona. “Obviously, the pieces fell into place,” Daly said. “The focus now has to shift to getting the club out of bankruptcy and finding a new owner. I’m pleased with the outcome today.” Phoenix has made the playoffs just five times since 1976 and have never made go out of the first round.



■SOCCER

Rangers’ plight intensifies

Concern surrounding Rangers’ financial plight intensified after the British government held talks with the club’s bankers in a bid to allay fears of the Scottish champions entering administration. Last week Rangers manager Walter Smith said Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), part of the Lloyds group, were in charge at Ibrox since chairman David Murray stepped down at the beginning of the season. Rangers have debts of around £30 million (US$49 million) and the club announced in January that every player on their books was up for sale. Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy held talks with Lloyds, which is 43 percent owned by the UK taxpayer, on Monday as the bank moved to make clear it was not planning to pull the plug on Rangers. A Scotland Office spokesman confirmed Murphy had spoken to Lloyds by saying: “The Secretary of State for Scotland spoke to Lloyds Bank about the importance of the bank’s support for Rangers Football Club.” Meanwhile, the bank said: “We do not run or manage the companies that we bank — that is, quite properly, the responsibility of the management. Given the recent press coverage, we would therefore like to be clear that Rangers FC is neither operated or run by Lloyds Banking Group.”



■SOCCER

Leicester shut out Reading

Martin Waghorn added to the pressure on Reading manager Brendan Rodgers by scoring the only goal of Monday’s Championship game as Leicester won 1-0 at the Madejski Stadium in Reading, England. Defeat meant Reading’s nine-month wait for a home league win continued and left them in the relegation zone. Leicester, last season’s champions of the third tier League One, moved into a play-off position after on-loan striker Waghorn headed home Matt Oakley’s cross on the stroke of half-time.



■SOCCER

Totti goes under knife again

Roma captain Francesco Totti on Monday had surgery on his right knee for the second time in 18 months, his club said in a statement. The 33-year-old forward previously suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee a year and a half ago but following training on Monday he went to see the club doctor, when it was decided that he would need surgery. No details were given about how long he will be on the sidelines.
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