■ FRANCE
Monaco held to 0-0 draw
Monaco are the only club in France’s top division yet to score this season after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Montpellier in a delayed match on Tuesday. Visitors Montpellier, who beat Girondins de Bordeaux 1-0 in their opening game of the season, began positively, but Monaco threatened first when Thomas Mangani’s well-struck free-kick prompted a smart stop by Geoffrey Jourdren. Guy Lacombe’s side went even closer in the 27th minute, with striker Park Chu-young getting ahead of his marker to glance a header against the outside of the post with Jourdren beaten. Park had a penalty appeal turned down 13 minutes into the second half after appearing to be impeded by Benjamin Stambouli and Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud almost put his side in front moments later, only for Stephane Ruffier to brilliantly repel his bicycle-kick. The match had been scheduled to take place on Saturday, but fell victim to fierce thunderstorms.
■FRANCE
Lemoine faces long layoff
Stade Rennais midfielder Fabien Lemoine is facing six months on the sidelines following a heavy blow to the side at the weekend that split one of his kidneys. The injury, sustained in a collision with an opposing player during Renne’s 3-0 win at Nancy on Saturday, saw Lemoine’s kidney split into three parts and there were initial fears for his long-term health. “This kind of injury in football is very rare and is more common in car crashes,” Rennes club doctor Karl Chaory said. He added that there were two possibilities for the treatment of the injury. “The first is that we can hope that the kidney heals by itself, but that would take time — at least six months, almost certainly longer. The second would involve an operation to remove the kidney. That would take less time, but of course we would give priority to the player’s overall health, rather than to sporting considerations.” A final decision on how to proceed will be taken in the next 10 days, with Lemoine expected to be released from hospital at the end of this week.
■ CHINA
Jiao fined, sent to reserves
Shandong Luneng sent former captain Jiao Zhe to the reserve team, suspended his salary and fined him 30,000 yuan (US$4,400) for beating up a teammate after a Chinese Super League game last weekend. The 29-year-old former China international was punished for swearing at and then hitting substitute defender Zhang Chi in the locker room after a 2-1 victory in Chongqing, local media reported yesterday. “It is not as simple as kicking him out now and calling him back later. We must give him a warning, a lesson to learn,” manager Han Gongzheng told the Beijing Youth Daily newspaper. The rightback swore at Zhang for his poor performance during the match, Chinese news portal Sohu.com said, and he considered Zhang’s silence a sign of disrespect. Jiao was stripped of the captaincy last year for insulting fans and at the beginning of this season he was dropped for questioning the coach and injuring other players in training, Sohu.com said.
■ CAMEROON
Clemente to manage Lions
Former Spain coach Javier Clemente was named as the new manager of the Cameroon national team on Tuesday following a disastrous World Cup for the Indomitable Lions under Paul Le Guen. The Cameroon Football Federation announced that Clemente had agreed a two-year contract to replace Le Guen — who resigned in June. A statement said Clemente would sign his contract no later than Sept. 28.
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
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
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