ITALY
Prandelli hints at departure
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli hinted on Friday he may not look to stay at the helm after today’s Euro 2012 final against holders Spain, saying he had found the job grueling against a backdrop of match-fixing allegations in his homeland. “These past two months have been difficult — aside from my excellent rapport with the team and the Federation. [But] these two months have weighed heavily on me and there is not the serenity which I was looking for,” Prandelli told a news conference as he contemplated life beyond the final. “Shall I be on my way? I have already told you about the quality of life [and its importance to me] and I shall be reflecting on things more calmly. I do not want to say anything more for the moment — we shall return to this subject in three days [after the final],” said Prandelli, who took the post after the 2010 World Cup finals.
INTER
Lucio departs ‘amicably’
Brazilian defender Lucio has left Inter by mutual consent with two years left on his contract, the Serie A club said on Friday. Inter said in a statement that the split with the 34-year-old had been “amicable and mutually agreed.” The Brazilian had been under contract until June 30, 2014, and played in 136 games, scoring five goals during his three years in northern Italy. During his time with Inter he won a Serie A title, two Italian Cup titles, the Italian SuperCup, the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
BRAZIL
Marta leads Olympic bid
Five-time world player of the year Marta will spearhead Brazil’s bid for their first women’s soccer title at the London Olympics this summer.The 26-year-old was among the 18-woman team named on Friday by Brazil coach Jorge Barcellos. “Team training is going well and the way this team have gelled you could say we have the medal in our hands. It depends on us,” Barcellos said. The group will spend a week training in Brazil before traveling to Switzerland where they will compete in the Swiss Cup from July 14 to July 17 and play a friendly against Ireland as part of preparations for the London Games. Brazil have been drawn in Group E for the Olympics and open their campaign against Cameroon on July 25 in Cardiff. Their group also includes Britain and New Zealand. Brazil have lost the last two Olympic finals against the US.
BRAZIL
Ceara to return from PSG
Brazilian full-back Marcos Ceara, who was a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week, is to return home to sign for Cruzeiro, the Belo Horizonte-based club announced on Friday. Ceara, 32, had been at the Parc des Princes since the summer of 2007, when he was signed from Internacional in his homeland. He went on to play 140 league games, but rarely featured last season after Carlo Ancelotti took over as coach of PSG, who finished second in Ligue 1 behind Montpellier.
WEST BROM
Club glad to secure Foster
West Bromwich Albion boss Steve Clarke was delighted after getting goalkeeper Ben Foster to make his loan move from Midlands rivals Birmingham into a permanent switch. Former Manchester United keeper Foster, 29, has signed an initial three-year deal with a further two-year option. “I think the supporters will be delighted we’ve been able to keep him on board and make him our player,” said Clarke, who succeeded England manager Roy Hodgson at the Hawthorns.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two