■FRANCE
Curtain-raiser goes Canadian
The Trophee des Champions between the winners of Ligue 1 and the French Cup will be played in Montreal, Canada, on July 26, the French League said on Tuesday. It will be the first time the curtain-raiser to the season is to be played outside France. “Time has come for French soccer to capture new markets,” League chairman Frederic Thiriez said in a statement. “Montreal is the best gate to enter the North American market.” Ligue 2 side En Avant Guingamp won the French Cup on Saturday. Olympique Marseille and Girondins Bordeaux are level on points at the top of Ligue 1 with four games to play.
■ENGLAND
Coppell resigns after defeat
Steve Coppell has resigned as manager of Reading after the club he has coached for the last five-and-a-half years failed to secure a chance of returning to the Premier League. Reading were beaten 2-0 defeat at home by Burnley in the second leg of a Championship play-off semi-final on Tuesday, losing the tie 3-0 on aggregate. The Royals had been on track to clinch automatic promotion to the top flight following relegation last season but they wilted in the last three months of the campaign, largely because of wretched home form. “Following our exit from the play-offs, I feel it’s the best thing, for both the club and myself, for me to leave,” Coppell said in a statement released by the club yesterday. The former Manchester United and England winger took charge of Reading in 2003 and guided them to promotion to the Premier League three years later.
■SPAIN
Stars left with egg on faces
Real Betis on Tuesday criticized fans who threw eggs and shouted abuse at their own players as they left the club’s training ground in their cars on Monday. “There are many ways to show your unhappiness with the sporting situation we are experiencing,” Betis said on their Web site. “But violence is prohibited and unacceptable, and we should concentrate on standing together.” Betis have slipped to 16th in the Primera Liga after four consecutive defeats, and are three points above the relegation zone with three matches left to play.
■ENGLAND
Gerrard scoops award
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was named England’s Footballer of the Year yesterday by the Football Writers’ Association (FWA). The 28-year-old England midfielder won the FWA poll ahead of Manchester United pair Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney. Giggs was named the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year last month. The FWA award, the oldest of its type in Europe, has been running since 1948 and Gerrard is the first Liverpool player to win it since John Barnes in 1990, the last time the Anfield club won the top-flight title. Gerrard has scored 23 goals in all competitions for Liverpool this season, the best tally of his career with two Premier League matches remaining. FWA chairman Steve Bates said: “Steven’s performances this season have been of the highest quality. His drive and desire have underpinned Liverpool’s Premier League title challenge and ensured a tight finish to the season. Steven is clearly in his prime and quite rightly rated one of the finest midfield players of his generation and the FWA are delighted to honour his contribution to club and country.” He will receive his award at the FWA’s gala dinner in London on May 29, the day before his 29th birthday.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about £2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported £400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported £400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported £900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically