ENGLAND
FA charge Sunderland
Sunderland were charged by the Football Association on Wednesday with failing to control their players during a recent Premier League draw with title contenders Manchester City. The charge related to an incident in the 43rd minute of the 3-3 draw at Eastlands on Saturday, when Sunderland players reacted angrily after referee Phil Dowd awarded a penalty following Craig Gardner’s challenge on Edin Dzeko. Mario Balotelli scored from the spot to bring the hosts level and later scored again as City recovered from 3-1 down to rescue a point. Sunderland have until 4pm on Wednesday next week to respond to the charge.
SPAIN
Real great dies aged 81
Former Real Madrid player Jose Maria Zarraga, who won five European Cups with the club between 1956 and 1960, died on Tuesday at the age of 81. The Basque midfielder played for Madrid from 1949 to 1962 and also won six La Liga titles, one Spanish Cup and one Intercontinental Cup. Zarraga played alongside such greats as Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas, and won eight international caps for Spain. Madrid’s players wore a black armband as a mark of respect in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against APOEL Nicosia at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
CONCACAF
Monterrey, Santos advance
Defending champions Monterrey booked a return trip to the final of the CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw against fellow Mexican club Pumas. Angel Reyna scored in the 35th minute for Monterrey, who advanced with a 4-1 aggregate victory after a 3-0 first-leg win. Antonio Garcia scored in the 71st minute for Pumas. Monterrey is scheduled to host Mexican Clausura leaders Santos in the first leg of the final on April 17, with the return leg slated for April 24. Santos thrashed Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC 6-2 in Torreon to advance 7-3 on aggregate.
AUSTRALIA
Gold Coast exit A-League
Gold Coast United were axed from the A-League yesterday, but the national competition will remain at 10 teams following this week’s announcement of a new Western Sydney franchise. Football Federation Australia (FFA) said their level of public and corporate support fell below the minimum requirements for a professional club. The future of Gold Coast United was thrown into doubt after the FFA stripped billionaire miner Clive Palmer of his ownership license in February for contravening competition regulations.
SOUTH AFRICA
Ranties on target for Pirates
Orlando Pirates joined Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the Premiership league table on Wednesday after Tokelo Ranties scored the only goal in their win over AmaZulu. Ranties put Pirates ahead after just five minutes and they held their advantage at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban as AmaZulu missed a string of chances, which keeps them hanging midtable. Sundowns were held to a goalless draw by Golden Arrows, but despite their fifth game without a win still cling to the top spot ahead of Pirates on goal difference. Meanwhile, Free State Stars renewed their title hopes by climbing to fourth after a 2-1 victory over Bloemfontein Celtic. David Mathebula netted his ninth goal of the season in the third minute for Moroka Swallows, who whipped Bidvest Wits 3-0.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was