■ Germany
Team contract lotto fever
Lottery fever gripping the nation has even spread to the national team with all 21 players of Joachim Loew's squad buying tickets for yesterday's rollover 35 million euro (US$44 million) jackpot, the German Football Federation said on Friday. Germany captain Michael Ballack and company have chosen their respective numbers and if they come up the winnings will go to charity. The squad were in Rostock ahead of yesterday's friendly with Georgia as they prepare for the Euro 2008 qualifier against Slovakia four days later.
■ Portugal
Big Phil wishes Silva well
National coach Luiz Felipe Scolari on Friday wished a rapid recovery for Uruguay striker Dario Silva, who had his right leg amputated following a car accident. "We want to send a message of concern and solidarity to Dario. He's an athlete who has had a misfortune and we hope that he recovers as soon as possible," the Brazilian World Cup-winning manager told reporters in Lisbon. Silva, 33, left a hospital in Montevideo on Thursday, 10 days after doctors amputated his leg below the knee.
■ Trinidad
Ince banned for going AWOL
Goalkeeper Clayton Ince was suspended by FIFA from playing for his English club Walsall for 10 days from yesterday for rejecting an international call up from Trinidad and Tobago. Ince was the first-choice goalkeeper of new Trinidad coach Wim Reisenbergen for friendlies against St. Vincent and the Grenadines yesterday and Panama on Wednesday. But he turned down the request, citing a groin strain he said he needed to rest. However, he then went and played a full game for Walsall last weekend in England's League Two. On Trinidad and Tobago's request, FIFA instructed Walsall it couldn't play Ince during the period of the Soca Warriors' two friendlies, and added a five-day suspension from next Thursday.
■ England
Chelsea accused over sand
Premiership champions Chelsea on Friday denied suggestions they had deliberately damaged their pitch ahead of a Champions League clash with Barcelona. Reports in the English press had drawn attention to pitch repairs carried out at Stamford Bridge this week that involved pouring tonnes of sand on the field. It was claimed the sand may have been put down to hinder Barcelona's fluid passing football when the European champions play Chelsea on Oct. 18. But Chelsea insist the sand was part of routine pitch work and a club spokesperson said: "Whilst the Chelsea players are away representing their national teams, an 18-day break between home fixtures has allowed our ground staff to carry out routine maintenance work on the Stamford Bridge pitch."
Soccer officials yesterday offered “full support and assistance” to the Iranian team in Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after the US and Israel launched massive attacks on their homeland. Iran’s 26-strong squad arrived on the Gold Coast days before the strikes on Saturday killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Washington and Tel Aviv seek to topple the Islamic republic. They are due to open their tournament today against South Korea. The AFC in a statement said it “continues to closely monitor the recent developments in the Middle East during this challenging period.” “The AFC’s foremost priority remains the welfare, safety and
ROAD RASH: Marc Marquez retired after a crash, marking the first time after 88 consecutive races stretching back to 2021 that a Ducati bike failed to make the podium Marco Bezzecchi yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole position as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel. Aprilia’s Bezzecchi led from start to finish to top the podium in Buriram, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez third. Ducati’s Marquez is chasing a record-equaling eighth world title this season, but he exited the race in dramatic fashion while in fourth place with five laps to go. The Spaniard, who started from second on the grid, took a corner wide, with the jolt to his bike dislodging the rear tire, badly damaging his
EVERY DAY A VICTORY: Players on the women’s team faced pressure from society just getting out onto the field as they prepare for their first Women’s Asian Cup game today Bangladesh’s national soccer team face daunting odds at their first-ever Women’s Asian Cup, but have already scored a major victory by qualifying. In the South Asian nation of 170 million, social stigma, family expectations, poverty and religious hardliners have long relegated women and girls to sports sidelines. The first women’s soccer league matches took place in 2011 and the squad, known to fans as the Red and Green, have kept pressing forward despite deeply embedded prejudices. “Many more girls would have joined us if the community had been even slightly supportive,” captain Afeida Khandaker told AFP ahead of her side’s March 3
Liverpool on Tuesday suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the English Premier League’s bottom club. Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux. Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November last year. However, Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017. Liverpool
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