BULGARIA
Club skips match for players
Third-division club Shumen have refused to play top-flight PSFC Chernomorets Burgas in the Bulgarian Cup round of 32 to protect their young players from mental anguish. Shumen were drawn against the Burgas-based side on Tuesday, but club president Georgi Georgiev decided there was no need for his team to play against such strong opposition. “In order not to burden mentally our young boys, the team refuse to participate in the Bulgarian Cup,” Georgiev told local media. The first leg of the tie was due to be played on Sept. 18. The Bulgarian Football Union is expected to give Chernomorets a walkover.
VENEZUELA
Stomach bug downs squad
The national team has been struck by a stomach bug before their visit to Chile for a potentially decisive 2014 World Cup qualifier. Manager Cesar Farias told a news conference that 20 of his players, nearly the entire squad, had been affected. “They didn’t have a good night and they weren’t able to train well,” he told reporters, without giving further details. Venezuela, the only South American team never to have played at the World Cup, are sixth in the nine-team South American group, with 16 points from 13 games, behind Uruguay on goal-difference. Chile are fourth with 21. The top four teams qualify directly and the fifth-placed team play two legs against the team who finishes fifth in Asian qualifying.
GERMANY
Ozil left to be appreciated
New Arsenal signing Mesut Ozil admits he had no intention of leaving Real Madrid until he realized he risked being left on the sidelines. Ozil saw Gareth Bale complete his transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to the Santiago Bernabeu on Monday before agreeing to move to the Emirates Stadium. The Germany playmaker said in an interview with the German Football Association’s Web site that he agreed to the move after it became clear that he no longer figured in the plans of Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti. “At that moment, I was certain that I would stay at Real Madrid, but afterward I realized that the coach and the board no longer had confidence in me,” he said. “I am a player who needs that confidence and the possibility came up to go to Arsenal, which is why I chose to go there.”
SPAIN
Osasuna dismiss coach
CA Osasuna fired coach Jose Luis Mendilibar on Tuesday after a disappointing start to the season left them bottom of La Liga, the club said. “We have analyzed the play and results of the first three matches of this season along with nine games of last season and we have come to this decision,” club president Miguel Archanco said in a statement. It was the first sacking of a manager in Spain’s top flight this season. The club’s board took the decision “unanimously,” the statement said. Archanco added that assistant coach Alfredo Sanchez will take charge for now. Mendilibar’s sacking followed a 3-0 home defeat to Villareal on Saturday and earlier losses to Athletic Bilbao (2-0) and Granada (2-1).
NETHERLANDS
Van der Vaart out of playoffs
Rafael van der Vaart has withdrawn from the Dutch squad for their two upcoming World Cup qualifiers in Estonia and Andorra because of a hamstring injury. He has been replaced by Adam Maher of PSV Eindhoven, the Dutch Football Federation said yesterday. The 20-year-old Maher has won four caps. The Dutch lead Group D and can qualify for the World Cup if they win in Tallinn today and Andorra four days later.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday sparked defending champions Oklahoma City to victory, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota’s last-minute fightback to beat San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points while adding eight assists and five rebounds in the Thunder’s 124-112 home victory over Miami, improving the NBA’s best record to 33-7 after outscoring the Heat 70-53 in the second half. “We locked in defensively. We were finally able to get some stops,” Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins said. “We were able to get out in transition a little bit, get going offensively and find the flow.” Jalen Williams scored 18 points, while
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