■ Soccer
Nigeria to play Ireland
Nigeria will play Ireland and Jamaica as part of its build-up for 2006 World Cup qualifiers, a spokesman for the country's soccer association said on Thursday. "Our team will take on both countries in the Unity Cup tournament fixed for May 27 and June 2 in London," Samuel Kaalu told Reuters by phone from the capital Abuja. Kaalu said Nigeria's leading players were expected to play in the matches, despite the country's first World Cup qualifier against Rwanda being played in Lagos on June 5. "The tournament date had been fixed before we realized the problem, so something will be worked out," he said. Algeria, Angola, Gabon and Zimbabwe are also in African qualifying Group Four, from which the top team will qualify for the World Cup finals in Germany.
■ Formula One
Renault just behind Ferrari
Spain's Fernando Alonso overcame a troubled start to set a blistering pace with his new Renault engine at the Circuit de Catalunya, finishing second in Formula One testing to Michael Schumacher on Thursday. Schumacher's Ferrari teammate Rubens Barichello was third, then Jenson Button, a surprise success this season in the BAR-Honda. Alonso and Jarno Trulli tested the Renault engine for the first time on Wednesday with less than encouraging results. Trulli broke his on the 28th lap, and Alonso also experienced problems. Both drivers replaced engines and were able to test their cars successfully on Thursday. Trulli was seventh. Schumacher, winner of the season's first three Formula One grand prix, set the best lap time at 1 minute, 23.764 seconds. Yesterday would be the fourth and last test session at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona before the San Marino Grand Prix on April 25. The Spanish GP follows on May 9.
■ Formula One
Cars might become slower
Formula One could be forced to slow down this season after the sport's governing body expressed concern about rising speeds on Thursday. International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley said that the governing body was prepared to flex its muscles. "We are looking very carefully at possibly using powers that we have under the Concorde Agreement to reduce the performance of the cars," he said, referring to the confidential accord governing the sport. "If we conclude that the cars are too fast, then we can give notice to the teams under the Concorde Agreement which requires the technical working group to come up with proposals for slowing the cars," he said.
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
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