SOCCER
Defour back at Anderlecht
Belgium international midfielder Steven Defour has moved back home to champions Anderlecht in a club-record 6 million euro (US$8.02 million) move from FC Porto. The 26-year-old, sent off in his only appearance at the World Cup in Brazil in June, signed a five-year contract on Wednesday. Defour, who has won 44 caps for Belgium, was previously the object of much scorn from Anderlecht fans for provocative performances during his time at rivals Standard Liege. “I know that I did play on the edge in matches against Anderlecht and it was not an easy decision [to sign for them], but I always had respect for the club,” he told reporters. Defour is likely to make his debut on Sunday when Anderlecht visit Westerlo.
SOCCER
Everton sign Atsu
Everton have completed the signing of winger Christian Atsu on loan from Chelsea, the Premier League club said on Wednesday. The 22-year-old Ghana international could make his debut in the opening league game of the season against Leicester City tomorrow.
GOLF
Aussies star in Fiji
Australians performed strongly as the first round of the inaugural Fiji International at Natadola Bay ended with a seven-way split for the lead yesterday. Of the seven players who shot a four-under-par 68, six were Australian, with Wang Ming-hao of China the only non-Antipodean with a share of top spot. A further 11 players were one shot back on 69. Jake Higginbottom, in a share of the lead, said conditions at the US$1 million tournament, the largest sporting event ever staged in the Pacific island nation, were perfect for him and his Australian compatriots. “We got a little bit lucky with the weather, which allowed us to get scores like that,” he said. Local hero Vijay Singh, a three-time major champion who designed the course, ended the day well off the pace with a one-over 73, leaving him 52nd in the tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and OneAsia. “It was a very interesting round I would say,” he said. “I made three doubles, I don’t know the last time I did that in a round of golf, but for some reason my driver wasn’t working. I’m very disappointed in my round, but what the hell, that’s the way it goes and there’s three days to go.”
RUGBY LEAGUE
Sonny Bill cannot sit still
New Zealand superstar Sonny Bill Williams has reportedly hinted he may return to Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) in what would be a third stint in the sport. Williams is to leave the league champions Sydney Roosters at the end of this season and return to New Zealand rugby union for the next two years. “It is my last year at the Roosters… for now,” Williams told the Sydney Morning Herald. “Last year when I came back to the game I didn’t think I would be staying for two years or winning a competition. So anything is possible. It just comes down to hard work and that self-belief. Of course there is always a chance [I will return] but I am 29 now.” Williams began his career in rugby league, winning the 2004 NRL title with the Canterbury Bulldogs in his debut season, before controversially walking out on the team mid-contract to play rugby union in France. He was equally successful in the 15-man code, contributing to the 2011 World Cup win by the All Blacks and snaring the 2012 Super 15 title with the Waikato Chiefs, before returning to the NRL to play with the Roosters last year.
ADVANTAGE ATLETICO: Well off the pace in La Liga, the Copa del Rey represents Atletico Madrid’s best chance of silverware this season Atletico Madrid on Thursday hammered Copa del Rey holders Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their semi-final. After an Eric Garcia own-goal sent Diego Simeone’s side ahead early on, Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez struck to give Atletico a landslide lead by halftime. Barca defender Garcia was sent off in the final stages, with Atletico maintaining their significant advantage on the record 32-time winners, which they take into the second leg at the Camp Nou on March 3. Both sides missed good chances in the second half, with Barca’s Pau Cubarsi having a goal disallowed before Garcia was sent off
‘EVERYONE SAW’: The visitors were left fuming after Jules Kounde was fouled by Claudio Echeverri in the buildup to the winning goal and it went unpunished Spanish champions Barcelona on Monday fell to a damaging 2-1 defeat at Girona to leave them trailing Real Madrid by two points at the top of La Liga. Los Blancos beat Real Sociedad on Saturday to overtake the Catalans and Hansi Flick’s side could not defeat Girona in an gripping derby clash to reclaim the lead. Teenage star Lamine Yamal missed a penalty for Barcelona, who took the lead through defender Pau Cubarsi just before the hour mark. However, goals from Thomas Lemar and Fran Beltran helped Girona, 12th, mount an impressive comeback. “In the end Girona deserved it, they had a lot of
Stade Rennais, four days after firing coach Habib Beye, stunned Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 on Friday, snapping the defending champions’ seven-match winning run in French Ligue 1. Second-placed RC Lens could leapfrog the champions and retake top spot last night after press time if they beat Paris FC in the capital. PSG started brightly, with Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue carving openings to no avail. Rennes fired Beye on Monday and promoted his assistant Sebastien Tambouret, and the same players who had lost four games on the bounce seemed transformed. Jordanian forward Mousa al-Tamari bagged the opener, unleashing a fierce strike
Dasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the cohosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the World Cup yesterday in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, for their second win in Group B. The 2014 champions piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9. The 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem waged a lone battle for Oman, compiling an unbeaten 53 to become the oldest player to score a 50 in T20 World Cups. Having promoted himself up the order and under pressure to deliver, Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka smashed a 19-ball half-century. It has been
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