■ENGLAND
Brown hits out over brawl
Hull boss Phil Brown hit out at the Football Association after his club were charged with misconduct following last weekend’s brawl at Arsenal. Hull and Arsenal were hit with the FA Charge of failing to control their players after a mass confrontation involving 21 of the 22 players on the field at the Emirates Stadium. The row started after Arsenal’s Samir Nasri appeared to tread on the ankle of Hull’s Richard Garcia. But Brown, whose side lost 3-0, has defended the reaction of his players and made it clear the club will contest the charge. “There was an incident for some reason, and I can’t answer the accusations against Nasri. He decided to light the touchpaper,” Brown said. “It was there for everybody to see. It needed to be dealt with more severely and hasn’t been. Why we are up for a charge I don’t know. I defend the players to the hilt ... For us to come under criticism yet again is absolutely scandalous, and we’ll be defending it.”
■ENGLAND
Hodgson hails Zamora
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson believes Bobby Zamora’s dazzling form has been instrumental in the Cottagers’ push into the top half of the English Premier League as well as into Europe. The striker scored his 10th goal of the season in Saturday’s win over Man United, justifying his decision to turn down a move to Hull in the summer. His form has also left Hodgson unconcerned about his failed bid to buy striker Peter Crouch from Portsmouth before the season got underway. “Crouch had the chance to join Fulham or Tottenham and he chose them. That meant we were able to keep Bobby. With Bobby playing well it’s not something we’ve missed,” Hodgson said. “When Bobby was on his way to Hull, as was being mooted at the time, it would have been much more problematic for us. Peter made his decision and we’re pleased he’s doing well but we’ve survived with the players we have.”
■AUSTRALIA
Banned ’keeper recalled
Danny Vukovic has promised to seize his chance after being recalled to the Socceroos squad. The Central Coast ’keeper, slapped with a worldwide ban for striking a referee in last year’s A-League grand final, has been called up for the Jan. 7 Asian Cup qualifier in Kuwait. He was tipped to make coach Pim Verbeek’s starting lineup for the first time after an excellent run of form for his club, Australian media reported. “It’s just good to be in a Socceroos squad vying for the No. 1 spot. I did what I did in the grand final and took a few steps backwards. But I’m starting to get back up there and things look a lot better now,” Vukovic said. “This game realistically is my best chance ever at playing for the Socceroos.” Adelaide United ’keeper Eugene Galekovic and Perth Glory’s Tando Velaphi are in direct competition for a place in Verbeek’s starting eleven. Mark Schwarzer is Australia’s first choice goalkeeper but will miss the match because of club commitments.
■SPAIN
Almeria replace Sanchez
Almeria have hired Juan Manuel Lillo to replace Hugo Sanchez as coach. Lillo will take over the Primera Liga team for the remainder of the season with the aim of keeping the club in the topflight. The 44-year-old previously coached at Zaragoza, Real Sociedad and Tenerife among other clubs. He will lead his first training session on Monday to prepare for his first match in charge on Jan. 3 against Xerez. Almeria fired Sanchez following a 2-0 defeat to Espanyol on Sunday. Almeria are 17th with 13 points, one above the drop zone.
The next generation of running talent takes center stage at today’s Berlin Marathon, in the absence of stars including Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian world record holder Tigist Assefa. With most of the major marathon stars skipping the event in the wake of the Paris Olympics just more than a month ago, the field is wide open in the men’s and women’s races. Since 2015, Kipchoge has won five times in Berlin, Kenenisa Bekele has won twice and Guye Adola once — with all three missing today. Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie and Ethiopian Tadese Takele are among the favourites for the men, while
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
Taiwan’s Tony Wu yesterday beat Mackenzie McDonald of the US to win the Nonthaburi Challenger IV in Thailand, his first challenger victory since 2022. The 26-year-old world No. 315, who won both his qualifiers to advance to the main draw, has been on a hot streak this month, winning his past nine matches, including two that ensured Taiwan’s victory in their Davis Cup World Group I tie. Wu took just more than two hours to top world No. 172 McDonald 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win his second challenger tournament since the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in 2022. Wu’s Tallahassee win followed two years of
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