UNITED STATES
Tim Cahill joining Red Bulls
Australia international Tim Cahill is poised to join the New York Red Bulls after Everton and the Major League Soccer team agreed a fee for the midfielder. “Everton have agreed with Major League Soccer that Tim Cahill can be transferred to the New York Red Bulls,” a statement on the club’s official Web site said on Monday. “Tim, 32, will move to the Red Bulls for a nominal fee, subject to agreeing personal terms and passing a medical. He will travel to the US in the next few days.” Cahill, who had two years left on his contract, joined the Toffees from Millwall in 2004, scoring 68 goals in 278 appearances.
ENGLAND
Barton trains with new boys
Controversial Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton is to train with Football League newcomers Fleetwood Town after being handed a 12-match suspension. Barton elbowed Carlos Tevez and kicked Sergio Aguero, before attempting to headbutt Vincent Kompany in the club’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester City on the final day of the Premier League season, but as his QPR teammates continue their pre-season preparations ahead of the new campaign, Barton will work on his fitness with the Lancashire club. The 29-year-old said, via Twitter, on Monday: “Looking forward to training with Fleetwood Town for the week. Will get a much needed sweat on ... Still have 3 years left at QPR. Exciting times for the club, which I intended to be a part of. Need to get some fitness in the meantime.”
ITALY
Milan to offer fans refunds
AC Milan said it would give refunds to disgruntled fans with season tickets following the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva. The club made the offer in a statement on Monday after fans were left fuming at the star duo being sold, some even staging a mock funeral outside the club’s headquarters. A lawsuit has been filed arguing that some fans bought season tickets on the presumption the two players would be at the club. The club said the offer was made because of “the need for style, and love of the club toward its supporters and independent of any legal analysis.” Milan icons Alessandro Nesta, Clarence Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso and Filippo Inzaghi also left the club after last season.
ITALY
Cuadrado loaned to ‘Viola’
Colombia international midfielder Juan Guillermo Cuadrado has been loaned by Udinese to Serie A rivals Fiorentina with an option to buy, the ANSA news agency reported on Monday. The 24-year-old, capped eight times for Colombia, passed a medical and was set to join his new team yesterday. He arrived in Udinese in 2009 from Independiente Medellin. Udinese loaned him last season to Lecce and he played 33 Serie A games, scoring three goals.
BELGIUM
Fulham sell Gecov to Gent
Fulham have sold Czech midfielder Marcel Gecov to Belgian club KAA Gent for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League side confirmed on Monday. “FFC would like to thank Marcel for his efforts during his time in SW6 and wishes him all the best for the future,” Fulham said in a statement.The 24-year-old joined the Cottagers from Czech side Slovan Liberec on a two-year deal last summer, but failed to make an impact in the first team.
OLYMPICS
Selsouli tests positive
Moroccan runner Mariem Alaoui Selsouli is reported to have tested positive for doping on the day she clocked a world season-leading time in the 1,500m, jeopardizing her place at the London Olympics. French sports daily L’Equipe said on Monday that the World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory in Paris found a banned diuretic in her urine sample taken on July 6. That day, Selsouli timed 3 minutes, 56.15 seconds at the Paris Diamond League meeting and became a medal favorite for the Olympic event. Athletics’ governing body, the IAAF, said on Monday that it “cannot confirm anything at this time” about the doping allegation. Selsouli finished serving a two-year ban in August last year for using EPO before the 2009 world championships. The 28-year-old runner could be banned for life if a second doping offense is proven. Selsouli’s sample contained traces of furosemide, L’Equipe reported. The substance is included on the WADA prohibited list, and can be used as a masking agent to disguise the presence of other performance-enhancing drugs.
RUGBY UNION
Kurtley Beale granted bail
Wallabies fullback Kurtley Beale was granted bail to attend mediation after appearing in court yesterday charged with common assault. The Melbourne Rebels star was allegedly involved in an altercation with a security guard after he and Wallabies teammate Quade Cooper were refused entry to a pub ahead of Australia’s first Test with Wales last month. During a brief mention of the matter in the Brisbane Magistrates Court, Beale’s lawyer Angelo Venardos told the judge his client and the alleged victim were attempting to resolve the matter out of court.
RUGBY UNION
Read out of semi-final
All Blacks backrower Keiran Read will miss the Canterbury Crusaders’ Super 15 rugby semi-final against the Waikato Chiefs in Wellington on Saturday because of a cracked rib. Read was hurt during the Crusaders’ match against the Chiefs in the second-to-last round of the regular season. An initial scan showed no sign of a fracture, but subsequent tests revealed the injury, which forced Read to miss last weekend’s playoffs match against the Bulls. Read says he hopes to recover to be available if the Crusaders make the final.
In his absence, All Blacks captain Richie McCaw will remain at No. 8.
ICE HOCKEY
Oilers sign Nail Yakupov
The Edmonton Oilers signed the top pick in this year’s NHL draft, Russian forward Nail Yakupov, on a three-year entry-level contract, the team said on Monday. The 18-year-old Yakupov had 31 goals and 38 assists in 42 games last season for the Ontario Hockey League’s Sarnia Sting and won a silver medal at this year’s world junior championship. Yakupov joins an Oilers that has not made the playoffs since losing in the Stanley Cup final in 2006 and finished last season with the second-worst record in the NHL.
TENNIS
Krunic upsets Hlavackova
Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia upset fourth-seeded Andrea Hlavackova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 6-7 (11), 6-4 in the first round of the Baku Cup on Monday. Third-seeded Mandy Minella advanced by beating Wang Qiang of China 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in the hard-court event at Baku Tennis Academy. Tamarine Tanasurgarn of Thailand rallied to beat Varvara Flink of Russia 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
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