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Spain stays No.1 in world
European champions Spain held their No. 1 status on Wednesday in the latest FIFA world rankings. European nations dominate the rankings, with world champions Italy up one place to second as Euro 2008 runners-up Germany dropped to third. The Netherlands and Croatia remained at four and five in front of the top South Americans: Brazil and Argentina at six and seven. Turkey climbed three places to make the top 10, replacing fellow Euro 2008 semi-finalists Russia — down two to No. 12. Cameroon are the leading African nation, climbing one place to No. 14 in a swap with England. Mexico made the biggest move among the leading nations, rising eight places to No. 24 to take over from the US, which is up three at No. 28. Japan continued to lead the Asian Confederation at No. 35, while New Caledonia — up 21 places to No. 95 — replaced No. 111 New Zealand as the best of the Oceania nations. Other major movers include Gabon, up 12 to No. 62; Algeria rising 14 to No. 76; and Trinidad & Tobago up 12 to No. 80.
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Mafia linked to violence
The hooliganism that marred Napoli’s Serie A opener at AS Roma last weekend may have been orchestrated by the Naples Mafia, the Camorra, Italy’s police chief Antonio Manganelli said on Wednesday. “We have reason to believe that there was the influence of organized crime behind the incidents provoked by the Neapolitan fans,” Manganelli was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency. “It’s no coincidence that this investigation has been entrusted to the DDA [District Anti-Mafia Department].” The ticketless fans fought with police and railway workers before effectively occupying a train in Naples. After they refused to get off, police advised regular passengers to disembark and take other trains. There were also scuffles outside Rome’s Olympic stadium between police and Napoli fans and more incidents on the supporters’ return journey after the match.
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Robinho arrives in chopper
Robinho turned up for training with Brazil in a helicopter on Wednesday following his transfer deadline-beating move to Manchester City. Brazil, away to Chile in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday, began training on Tuesday but Robinho was given permission to join up a day late after sealing a move to the English Premier League club just before the close of the transfer window. “I didn’t want to arrive by helicopter because people will say that I’m getting carried away with success, but there was no other way,” he told reporters at Brazil’s mountain retreat in Teresopolis, some 100km from Rio de Janeiro. “Otherwise, I would have been late for training.”
■CRICKET
Rain ruins Cardiff ODI
England were denied the chance to climb to second in the one-day international rankings when the fifth and final match of the series against South Africa was abandoned after only three overs on Wednesday. Kevin Pietersen’s men were already four up in the series and a 5-0 whitewash would have lifted them from third to second in the world behind Australia. After England won the toss and elected to bowl, South Africa reached 6 for 1 with Herschelle Gibbs falling for 3 to a diving catch by wicketkeeper Matt Prior off Stuart Broad. Intermittent downpours then ruled out any further play.
HEATED RIVALRY: The pair had met 14 times previously, with Sabalenka winning eight of the encounters and entering the final as the favorite to take the title Elena Rybakina took revenge over world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to win a nail-biting Australian Open final yesterday and clinch her second Grand Slam title. The big-serving Kazakh fifth seed held her nerve to pull through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne in 2 hours, 18 minutes. It was payback after the Belarusian Sabalenka won the 2023 final between two of the hardest hitters in women’s tennis. The ice-cool Rybakina, 26, who was born in Moscow, adds her Melbourne triumph to her Wimbledon win in 2022. It was more disappointment in a major final for Sabalenka, who won the US Open
GUNNING FOR A WIN: The victory sending Arsenal to the final for the first time in six years was cathartic for a team who had lost their previous four semi-finals Arsenal on Tuesday reached the League Cup final for the first time in eight years as Kai Havertz sealed a 1-0 win against Chelsea in the semi-final second leg. Mikel Arteta’s side had put themselves in pole position in the first leg and Havertz came off the bench to finish the 4-2 aggregate victory in the closing moments at the Emirates Stadium. It was a cathartic triumph for the Gunners, who had lost their previous four semi-finals in last year’s UEFA Champions League and League Cup, the 2022 League Cup and the 2021 UEFA Europa League. In their first final for six years,
Denver superstar Nikola Jokic returned from a 16-game injury absence to post a 31-point, 12-rebound double-double on Friday and propel the Nuggets to a 122-109 NBA victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic had not played since suffering a bone bruise in the left knee he hyperextended in a game against Miami on Dec. 29 last year. The Serbian big man did not miss a beat. He led all scorers, connecting on eight of 11 shots from the field, and also handed out five assists with three steals while playing just 24 minutes, 32 seconds as the
DEADLINE DAY: Rennes’ Jacquet had been linked with a transfer to Chelsea earlier this month, but was reportedly put off the move due to the Blues’ bloated squad Liverpool on Monday won the race to sign Stade Rennais defender Jeremy Jacquet on the quiet final day of the English Premier League transfer window, while Crystal Palace swooped for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jorgen Strand Larsen despite the collapse of Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move to AC Milan. The Reds agreed a reported fee of up to ￡60 million (US$82 million) for the highly rated Jacquet. However, the 20-year-old will not join the Premier League champions until the summer despite Liverpool’s need for defensive reinforcements. Jacquet had been linked with a transfer to Chelsea earlier this month, but was reportedly put off
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