SOCCER
Seedorf bizarrely sent off
Dutchman Clarence Seedorf was bizarrely sent off in Botafogo’s 2-1 win over Madureira on Sunday for arguing with the referee over where he should leave the pitch after being substituted. His stoppage-time dismissal capped an afternoon in which Botafogo were also awarded a penalty, only for the referee to change his mind as Seedorf was about to take the kick. The first-half spot-kick was awarded with the game still goalless. Former AC Milan, Ajax, UC Sampdoria and Real Madrid midfielder Seedorf had began his run-up when the referee stopped the game, consulted his linesman and changed his mind. Botafogo protested angrily, claiming the referee had received information from sources off the pitch. On being substituted at the end, Seedorf, who scored the winning goal in the 68th minute, walked toward the Botafogo bench, but was ordered by the referee to go off on the other side of the pitch to save time. Seedorf protested, was booked, turned his back on the referee and was given another yellow card.
RUGBY UNION
Two Wallabies sent home
Wallabies backs Kurtley Beale and Cooper Vuna have been sent home from South Africa by Super Rugby side the Melbourne Rebels and face further sanctions from the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) after an incident on the team bus at the weekend. The incident came in the wake of a record 64-7 drubbing for the Rebels in their match against South Africa’s Sharks in Durban on Saturday and both players were stood down after an club investigation on Sunday. “The club will not tolerate this type of behavior and I am embarrassed for everyone associated with building this club,” Rebels coach Damian Hill said in a statement. Rebels chief executive Steven Boland said the ARU had been consulted as both Beale and Vuna are also centrally contracted by the Wallabies. Both players are almost certain to miss the match against the Cheetahs next weekend.
RUGBY UNION
All Blacks’ Read injured out
All Blacks No. 8 Kieran Read has been ruled out of Super Rugby for a minimum of four weeks after partially tearing ligaments in his big toe, his Canterbury Crusaders team said yesterday. Read suffered the injury in the Crusaders’ 55-20 victory over South Africa’s Southern Kings in Christchurch on Saturday. “It is hugely disappointing that Kieran cannot join the team to South Africa,” Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder said in a statement. Read had not traveled with the Crusaders to South Africa, where they face the Stormers on Saturday and the Sharks on April 5, before playing the Western Force in Perth on April 13 on their way back to New Zealand. Jordan Taufua was named to replace Read in the Crusaders’ 26-man touring squad.
ICE HOCKEY
Penguins trade for Morrow
The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Brenden Morrow in a trade with the Dallas Stars on Sunday, boosting their championship hopes with the addition of the veteran forward. The Eastern Conference-leading Penguins (25-8-0) sent prospect defenseman Joe Morrow and a fifth-round pick in next year’s Draft in exchange for a third-round pick this year and the 34-year-old Morrow. Brenden Morrow had to waive his no-trade clause in order to clear the way for the deal. Drafted in 1997, Morrow has played his entire NHL career with the Stars. “The way he plays the game is something we wanted to try to add,” Penguins general manager Ray Shero told reporters on Sunday.
SEESAW CONTEST: The Pistons remain top of the Eastern Conference after battling to a win over the Hawks in a game that saw the lead change 27 times The Phoenix Suns on Monday shrugged off an injury to Devin Booker to end the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 125-108 victory on the road. Booker exited in the first quarter, but the loss of the star point guard did little to halt the flow of Phoenix points over the remainder of the game. Dillon Brooks led the Phoenix scoring with 33 points, while Collin Gillespie added 28 — including eight three-pointers — as the Suns romped to victory. The Lakers were left ruing a colossal 22 turnovers — at a cost of 32 Suns points — on a
New Zealand yesterday reached 231-9 at stumps on a first day of the first Test against the West Indies shortened by rain after Justin Greaves triggered a middle-order collapse with the wicket of Kane Williamson. New Zealand tumbled from 94-1 to 148-6 on a bowler-friendly wicket after Williamson was dismissed for 52, his 38th Test half-century. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith arrested the slide with a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Smith eventually fell for 23 and Bracewell for 47. After Matt Henry went for 8, Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy were both on 4 when bad light stopped play after 70
Robin Smith, the batter who shone for England in a period when it was beaten regularly in Test cricket, has died. He was 62. Smith’s family said in a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that he died unexpectedly at his home in Perth, Australia, on Monday. No cause was given. He played 62 Tests for England from 1988 to 1996, scoring 4,236 runs at an average of 43.67 with nine centuries. His signature shot was the square cut. Smith also played in 71 one-day internationals and was part of England’s squad who reached the 1992 ICC World Cup final. His unbeaten
SSC Napoli on Sunday joined AC Milan at the top of Serie A after winning 1-0 at title rivals AS Roma, as Inter kept pace with the leading pair by beating Pisa SC 2-0. David Neres stroked home the only goal of a feisty game in the 36th minute at the Stadio Olimpico, ending a blistering counterattack with a calm finish which put Napoli on 28 points. Napoli are behind Milan on goal-difference, and just one point ahead of both Roma and Inter in a tight scudetto battle in which Antonio Conte’s team are to host Juventus at the weekend. “To come to
RSS