SENT HOME: The Socceroos, reduced to 10 men with 15 minutes to play after Vinve Grella was sent off, hung on bravely in extra-time but missed their first two spot kicks
Japan won a tense penalty shootout yesterday to beat a desperately unlucky Australia after a high-octane game in grueling conditions to make the Asian Cup semi-finals.

[ FULL STORY ]

Toronto police on Friday denied heavy-handed tactics were to blame for ugly clashes between officers and members of Chile's Under-20 soccer team.

[ FULL STORY ]

Flyhalf Daniel Carter kicked seven penalties around a solitary try to prop Tony Woodcock as New Zealand beat Australia 26-12 yesterday to win the Tri-Nations rugby series.

[ FULL STORY ]

England struck back after a late innings collapse to have India at 145 for four wickets at stumps on the second day of the first Test on Friday, after taking the prize wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

[ FULL STORY ]

COLD RECEPTION: The San Francisco slugger was booed lustily each time he stepped into the batters' box. The closest he came to a homer was a deep fly
NATIONAL LEAGUE [ FULL STORY ]

Second-seeded James Blake advanced to the semi-finals of the ATP Countrywide Classic on Friday with a 7-6 (2), 6-4 victory over Vincent Spadea.

[ FULL STORY ]

Brazilian swimmer Thiago Pereira continued to dominate at the Pan American Games on Friday, winning his fourth and fifth gold medals and tying US great Mark Spitz for most swimming golds at a single Pan Am meet.

[ FULL STORY ]

NO ACTION: The president of the Tour said until there is proof that Michael Rasmussen is guilty it will give him the benefit of the doubt and not take action
Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen spent another day in the yellow jersey on Friday, but the way things are going the Danish climber will be happy to relinquish that position.

[ FULL STORY ]

World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa and Swedish superstar Annika Sorenstam both crashed out of the second round of the Women's World Match Play Championship on Friday.

[ FULL STORY ]

Sergio Garcia took a confident step on Friday toward winning an elusive first major by holding off the chasing pack to keep his lead at the halfway stage of the British Open.

[ FULL STORY ]

Francesco Totti's yearlong sabbatical from Italy's national team has turned into permanent retirement.

[ FULL STORY ]

■ Baseball
[ FULL STORY ]