■ Soccer
Player on rape charge
Arsenal player Graham Stack has been charged with the rape of a 21-year-old girl at his home, police said on Wednesday. The 23-year-old goalkeeper, who is on loan this season at Millwall, was charged following the alleged rape in Beckenham, south east London on Sept. 1. A Republic of Ireland Under-21 international, Stack was bailed to appear at Bromley Magistrates Court on Nov. 23. Another 22-year-old man was also charged with sexual assault.
■ Football
Players fined for fight
Pittsburgh linebacker Joey Porter and Cleveland running back William Green were fined US$10,000 apiece by the National Football League on Tuesday for a fight before a game on Sunday. The Browns' Terrelle Smith was slapped with the same fine for getting involved in the altercation. Prior to the Steelers' 24-10 victory, Porter and Green exchanged a flurry of punches in a wild scene. A host of players came in the break up the skirmish but not before Porter caught Green with a punch, bloodying his lip. Both players were ejected while Smith stayed in the game.
■ Soccer
Daei breaks 100-goal mark
Iran's Ali Daei became the first ever player to score 100 international goals when he hit four in a 7-0 rout of Laos in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday. The talismanic striker now has 102 goals in 133 appearances for Iran, who clinched a place in next year's final round of the 2006 Asian World Cup qualifiers with victory in Tehran. The 35-year-old Daei, who has had spells at German clubs Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin, passed Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas' previous record haul of 84 goals a year ago. Pele is third in the all-time list with 77 goals for Brazil.
■ Hockey
Aquilini buys Canucks
Vancouver businessman Francesco Aquilini bought half of the Vancouver Canucks from American John McCaw. The purchase price was not immediately disclosed. The surprise sale came during the NHL lockout, which has wiped out the season so far. "We got a fair deal. We're very happy," Aquilini said on Wednesday. "Local ownership adds value, it puts deeper roots in the community. I think it's a good thing. People have been wanting that for a long time." McCaw has said for years that he would like to sell all or part of the team to local owners. After many years of losses since the US billionaire bought the club in 1995, the Canucks turned healthy profits the past two seasons.
■ Wrestling
Swedish Olympic great dies
Swedish Olympic wrestling champion, Mikael Ljungberg, has died aged 34, the Swedish Wrestling Federation said yesterday. Ljungberg's greatest career achievement was winning the heavyweight class (Greco-Roman style) at the 2000 Sydney Games. It was Sweden's first Olympic wrestling gold in 48 years. He won the bronze medal in the same division at the 1996 Atlanta Games, and was also a two-time World Champion and twice won the European championships. Ljungberg died at a hospital in his home city Gothenburg on Wednesday. The cause of death was not disclosed. Ljungberg's death was "a great loss for wrestling," said Tony Stigsson, president of the Swedish Wrestling Federation.
ADVANTAGE ATLETICO: Well off the pace in La Liga, the Copa del Rey represents Atletico Madrid’s best chance of silverware this season Atletico Madrid on Thursday hammered Copa del Rey holders Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their semi-final. After an Eric Garcia own-goal sent Diego Simeone’s side ahead early on, Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez struck to give Atletico a landslide lead by halftime. Barca defender Garcia was sent off in the final stages, with Atletico maintaining their significant advantage on the record 32-time winners, which they take into the second leg at the Camp Nou on March 3. Both sides missed good chances in the second half, with Barca’s Pau Cubarsi having a goal disallowed before Garcia was sent off
Dasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the cohosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the World Cup yesterday in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, for their second win in Group B. The 2014 champions piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9. The 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem waged a lone battle for Oman, compiling an unbeaten 53 to become the oldest player to score a 50 in T20 World Cups. Having promoted himself up the order and under pressure to deliver, Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka smashed a 19-ball half-century. It has been
Kawhi Leonard on Sunday scored 41 points, grabbed eight rebounds and made four steals to lead the Los Angeles Clippers in a lopsided 115-96 victory at Minnesota. The 34-year-old forward, a two-time NBA champion, matched the second-best road scoring effort of his career as the Clippers improved to 25-27. “Just being aggressive. My teammates trust me,” Leonard said. “Every moment when I touch the ball — assist, shooting the basketball or getting a rebound — I’m just trying to help the team win.” Leonard made three steals in a row at the start of the contest. “Just wanted to come out early in the
FLOP TO CONQUEROR: It was sweet vindication for Sam Darnold, who played for four NFL teams before his debut season in Seattle ended in the ultimate win The Seattle Seahawks on Sunday coasted to Super Bowl glory, routing the New England Patriots 29-13 as Sam Darnold sealed his journey from flop quarterback to conqueror of the NFL’s biggest prize. Brushing off a reputation for wilting in big games, journeyman quarterback Darnold threw for a touchdown and 200 yards on the grandest stage of all to give the Seahawks their second-ever Lombardi Trophy. “It’s unbelievable. Everything that has happened in my career, but to do it with this team, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Darnold said. The victory was buoyed by a dominant defensive display and kicker Jason Myers’
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