ENGLAND
Capello calls up Welbeck
Striker Danny Welbeck was called into the England squad for the first time since March for Wednesday’s friendly against the Netherlands, while Micah Richards returned following an injury to first-choice rightback Glen Johnson. There are 11 players from Manchester United and Manchester City, who contested the Community Shield yesterday, in Fabio Capello’s 25-man squad, with United reserve Welbeck, 20, included as the fourth striker, with Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent missing out. Three players from the second-tier Championship have also been called up for the match, with West Ham United midfielder Scott Parker and goalkeeper Robert Green having so far failed to secure top-flight moves following the club’s relegation. Goalkeeper David Stockdale is also playing in the Championship on loan at Ipswich Town from Premier League Fulham. There was no place for Tottenham Hotspur winger Aaron Lennon, but Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere was included, despite picking up a knock in a friendly.
ENGLAND
Blues set to sign Lukaku
Chelsea were set to sign Belgian wonderkid Romelu Lukaku from RSC Anderlecht after agreeing a fee for the striker on Saturday. Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas had spoken of his admiration for Lukaku following Chelsea’s friendly win over Rangers and just hours later the Premier League club moved closer to sealing a deal for the 18-year-old. Lukaku, who has been capped 10 times by Belgium, has been on Chelsea’s wanted list for several months after he scored 16 league goals in 37 appearances for Anderlecht last season. Chelsea also confirmed on Saturday that Russia midfielder Yuri Zhirkov will return home in a move to Anzhi Makhachkala after two seasons at Stamford Bridge.
ENGLAND
Wimbledon lose on debut
AFC Wimbledon’s Football League debut ended in defeat as Bristol Rovers snatched a 3-2 victory at Kingsmeadow on Saturday. AFC were formed in 2002 by supporters of Wimbledon angry at the southwest London club’s decision to relocate 90km north to Milton Keynes in a bid to attract bigger crowds. Wimbledon were eventually renamed Milton Keynes Dons, while AFC began a remarkable bid to recapture the spirit of their club’s self-styled “Crazy Gang,” who famously shocked Liverpool to win the 1988 FA Cup final with a team including the likes of Dennis Wise, Vinnie Jones and John Fashanu. AFC had to start in the lower reaches of non-league soccer, but they finally reached the Football League when a Conference playoff final victory over Luton Town last season clinched a fifth promotion in nine years. Their party went slightly flat on Saturday, though, as Rovers snatched a late winner.
RUSSIA
Sochi pull out of league
Zhemchuzhina Sochi have become the latest Russian professional soccer club to drop out of the championship because of financial difficulties, the second division side said on Saturday. “Today, club president Dmitry Yakushev told the players that Zhemchuzhina will no longer be able to play in the national league,” Sochi said on their Web site. The pullout is a huge blow to the sporting image of the Black Sea resort, which will host the Winter Olympics in 2014, as well as matches in the 2018 World Cup. Several other top Russian clubs have also been liquidated in the last 18 months. Saturn Ramenskoye filed for bankruptcy at the end of last year, while fellow strugglers FK Moscow were disbanded in February last year.
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
Aaliyah Edwards on Monday pulled off the stunner of the opening round of the Unrivaled one-on-one tournament, beating top-seeded Breanna Stewart 12-0. The tournament to be played over three days featured 23 of the WNBA’s 36 players. A few had other commitments and a couple others were out with injuries. Stewart got the ball first against Edwards and missed a contested layup. Edwards then hit a three-pointer from the corner and a jumper from the elbow to go up 5-0. The player who scores keeps the basketball. Edwards hit two layups and a three-pointer to seal the win. Stewart, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player,
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38
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