RUSSIA
Vagner fires CSKA clear
Brazilian striker Vagner Love scored his first goals since returning to league leaders CSKA Moscow for a second spell as they hammered bottom side Alania Vladikavkaz 4-0 on Monday. The 28-year-old only returned to Moscow in January after a year back in Brazil with Flamengo, but showed he had lost none of his goalscoring instinct after firing a second-half brace. The victory saw CSKA extend their lead in the title race to eight points over defending champions Zenit St Petersburg. Russia international Alan Dzagoev gave CSKA the lead in the 25th minute, firing home from the edge of the six-yard box after being set up by Vagner. Vagner increased the visitors lead in the 52nd minute when he scored from the rebound after Alania goalkeeper Dmitry Khomich repelled Ahmed Musa’s close-range shot. Two minutes later, Alania’s hopes of a comeback were totally dashed when their Brazilian fullback Welinton Souza Silva was shown a straight red card for a professional foul on Vagner. In the 70th minute, Vagner made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after he was brought down in the area. CSKA’s Ivory Coast striker Seydou Doumbia rounded off the scoring in stoppage-time.
ARGENTINA
San Lorenzo skipper arrested
San Lorenzo captain and goalkeeper Pablo Migliore has been arrested on charges of perverting the course of justice in a homicide investigation, the Argentine club said. Migliore was arrested on Sunday after his team lost 1-0 to Newell’s Old Boys in a police operation at the Nuevo Gasometro in the capital. Migliore is suspected of aiding Maximiliano Mazzaro, an alleged high-ranking member of Boca Juniors’ hardcore barrabrava fans, often associated with hooliganism. Mazzaro is wanted by police for his alleged role in the death of Ernesto Cirino, who died from injuries sustained in a 2011 beating. Police claim they have evidence that 31-year-old Migliore has been in contact with Mazzaro.
BRAZIL
Dictatorship probed Pele
Soccer legend Pele was investigated by Brazil’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship, records released on Monday showed. The records are among nearly 300,000 digital files posted on the “Political Memory and Resistance” portal made public by Sao Paulo state. “It’s all public,” Sao Paulo Governor Geraldo Alckmin said, noting that people can access the records from their homes. “It is very important in terms of transparency and freedom of information for the families of victims during the dictatorship period.” The portal includes 274,105 files. The Cold War-era military regime often probed leftists, as well as people suspected of being leftists. The file belonging to Pele includes details on money transfers, newspaper article cutouts related to assaults on his home in 1973 and police reports. Pele is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, having won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970, as well as scoring 1,281 goals during his career.
ENGLAND
Warnock quits Leeds United
Neil Warnock quit as manager of ailing English giants Leeds United on Monday just over a year after he took up the post. Warnock, 64, who replaced Simon Grayson when he was sacked in February last year, leaves with the club just five points above the relegation zone in the second-tier Championship. Having been hired to restore the club to the Premier League, Warnock is walking away early from a contract which expires at the end of the season. Warnock had already said that he would leave if it became impossible for Leeds to get promotion.
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
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care