■ENGLAND
Fabianski ruled out
Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was ruled out for three weeks on Thursday after sustaining a thigh injury in his first match of the season following knee surgery. The Poland international had made a solid comeback in the 2-1 victory over Liverpool as Arsenal advanced to the quarter-finals of the League Cup. “He will be out for three weeks,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. “Of course it is [a] big disappointment because he has just come back from injury.” Wenger said he would decide after yesterday’s training sessions whether to start with Vito Mannone or Manuel Almunia in goal in today’s derby against Tottenham Hotspur.
■SPAIN
Betis players hit by swine flu
Thirteen players from Spanish outfit Real Betis have contracted the A(H1N1) flu virus, prompting the second division side’s medical staff to request on Thursday the postponement of tomorrow’s meeting with Villarreal B. “Almost the whole team is affected,” official Tomas Calero said. Calero said the medical staff were requesting that training be suspended for at least three days. Betis are the first Spanish side known to be afflicted by the swine flu virus, but concerns have increasingly been raised about its possible latent presence in other leagues in recent days. English Premiership side Blackburn Rovers have been affected by a bout of swine flu, with three players, as well as staff members, diagnosed. Nearby rivals Bolton Wanderers also revealed several of their players have contracted the illness.
■CHINA
Police out in force for game
Up to 6,000 police will be on duty for Beijing Guoan’s Chinese Super League (CSL) match today, where they could seal their first title, after fans rioted on Thursday after failing to get tickets for the game. Police detained 12 fans after dozens blocked roads, surrounded police cars and threw objects outside the Beijing Workers’ Stadium when they failed to get tickets to the match, the Beijing Youth Daily reported yesterday. Beijing Guoan, who top the table on goal difference ahead of Henan Construction, need only a win today over second-bottom Hangzhou Greentown to win the title.
■POLAND
Loo patrols ahead of Euros
Patrols of two, wearing white overalls, are boldly entering toilets across Poland to check whether the country is loo-ready for the 2012 Euro soccer championships. Lots of toilets pass the test, they say, but others — particularly those that date back to the pre-1989 Communist days — are less enticing. The Toaleta2012.pl project, organized by a company manufacturing toilet equipment, aims to encourage ordinary Poles to join the patrols. The project is looking ahead to 2012 when thousands of fans will travel to Poland and Ukraine for the European Soccer Championships.
■ENGLAND
United appeal da Silva card
Manchester United have asked the Football Association to overturn the yellow card shown to Fabio da Silva against Barnsley because his twin brother should have been booked instead. Referee Chris Foy cautioned da Silva for a challenge on Barnsley’s Jamal Campbell-Ryce during the course of United’s 2-0 League Cup win at Oakwell on Tuesday when the offender was the Brazilian’s twin brother Rafael. United’s submission, delivered on Thursday, is due to be heard by a regulatory commission on Tuesday.
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
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with
Alex Michelsen on Thursday rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 upset victory over third-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in the men’s singles, converting his seventh match point to reach the fourth round of the Canadian Open. Michelsen reached the last 16 of a Masters 1000 for the first time with his second win over a top-10 player in eight attempts. The 20-year-old American survived nearly 50 unforced errors and converted just two of nine break chances, but it was enough to vanquish Italy’s Musetti, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist ranked 10th in the world. “It feels really good,” the 26th-ranked Michelsen said. “I’ve put
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