■SOCCER
Podolski to miss qualifier
Germany striker Lukas Podolski has been ruled out of tomorrow’s 2010 World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan after picking up a minor injury in training this week, the German soccer federation said on Sunday. Podolski had also missed Cologne’s season opener, a 1-0 defeat by Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, after feeling some pain in his leg muscle during training throughout the week. “It would have been too risky to play him in Baku because he could then be out for much longer,” Germany coach Joachim Loew said on the federation’s Web site. Germany are top of European qualifying Group Four, a point ahead of Russia.
■SOCCER
Real blank DC United
Real Madrid beat DC United 3-0 on Sunday in an exhibition game before 72,368 fans at FedEx Field. The Spanish powerhouse — which spent some US$375 million on new players in the offseason — also beat Toronto FC 5-1 on Friday during its preseason tour. United goalkeeper Josh Wicks kept Real at bay in a scoreless first half, but Gonzalo Higuain scored twice in a two-minute span in the second half as the visitors took control. Arjen Robben added another goal for Real. Real stunned the soccer world with its lavish offseason spending in hopes of regaining supremacy in Spain and Europe from Barcelona. Its newly purchased players included Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, FIFA’s world players of the year in 2007 and last year. Ronaldo played only the first half on Sunday, and Kaka was replaced in the 67th minute.
■ICE HOCKEY
Kane in 20 cent dispute
Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane, last year’s NHL Rookie of the Year, was arrested early on Sunday after an altercation in Buffalo with a cab driver. TV station WIVB reported that Kane pleaded not guilty to charges of felony robbery and misdemeanors of theft of services and criminal mischief that both he and a cousin face following the incident. Kane, 20, caught a cab from the city’s nightclub district and a police report says the driver claimed he was punched and hit by two men because he did not have US$0.20 in change for them, leaving cuts to his face and damaging his glasses.
■BASKETBALL
Rambis to coach T-Wolves
Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor says team executives have a verbal agreement for Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis to become the next coach of the T-Wolves. Taylor told the St Paul Pioneer Press about the deal, saying Rambis was expected to sign a contract yesterday. Rambis replaces Kevin McHale, who was fired in June after the Timberwolves completed a miserable 24-58 campaign. Rambis, 51, played nine seasons for the Lakers during the 1980s “Showtime” era featuring Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
■RUGBY UNION
Carter recalled to All Blacks
Star fly-half Dan Carter was on Monday recalled to the All Blacks squad for the rest of their Tri-Nations campaign six months after suffering a torn Achilles tendon. Carter has played in domestic games recently and declared himself fit to return to international duty. “He is a key member of the All Blacks, has recovered well from his injury and has made a great return to rugby so now is the right time to bring him back into the squad,” coach Graham Henry said. Carter was injured playing for the French side Perpignan against Stade Francais in February while on a New Zealand Rugby Union-sanctioned break from Super 14 duties.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
The Minnesota Timberwolves, with so many promising performances spoiled by late mistakes fresh in their memory bank, sure timed this strong finish well. Jaden McDaniels scored a career playoff-high 30 points and spearheaded Minnesota’s stifling defense on an ailing Luka Doncic, and the Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-104 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday night. “Jaden never looks tired. He looks like he could play 48 minutes,” said teammate Anthony Edwards, who had 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Julius Randle added 22 points for the Wolves, who outscored
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
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