SPAIN
Own-goal gifts Cordoba win
An own-goal by Rayo Vallecano de Madrid defender Abdoulaye Ba gifted Cordoba a 1-0 win in La Liga on Monday. Cordoba raced up the field on a counterattack and Senegalese central defender Ba’s mishit his attempted clearance and the ball landed in the back of goalkeeper Antonio Rodriguez’s net. Cordoba rose above the relegation zone to 15th place on 17 points, while Rayo are 11th on 20 points after 18 matches. Real Madrid lead the standings on 42 points after 17 matches, with a game in hand because of their participation in the FIFA Club World Cup last month. The postponed fixture against Sevilla is due to take place on Feb. 4 at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, the league announced on Monday. Barcelona are second on 41 points, three more than third-placed Atletico Madrid.
ENGLAND
United are biggest payers
Manchester United have the highest wage bill in the Premier League, according to figures released on Monday. United paid out a total of ￡214.8 million (US$324 million) on salaries in the 2013-2014 season, while English champions Manchester City’s wage costs dropped last season to ￡205 million. Chelsea, currently top of the Premier League, paid ￡190.5 million, up eight percent from ￡176 million, according to the club’s annual accounts which were lodged at Companies House this week. Arsenal are next in the pay league with a total wage bill of ￡166.4 million, while the scale of Southampton’s recent success is illustrated by the fact that their wage bill was a fraction of their top-four rivals. The latest figures available for 2012-2013 show the Saints, currently third in the Premier League after beating Manchester United on Sunday, paid out just ￡47.1 million in salaries. Chelsea’s accounts confirm the club’s announcement in November last year that they made a ￡18.4 million profit last season. Sales of several players allowed the club to overturn a ￡49.4 million loss the previous season.
ENGLAND
Reds’ Assaidi joins Al Ahli
Moroccan winger Oussama Assaidi has left Liverpool to join Dubai-based Al Ahli on a permanent deal, the Premier League side announced on Monday. The 26-year-old joined Liverpool from SC Heerenveen in 2012, but struggled to cement a consistent run in the team, making just 12 appearances for the Anfield side. He joined Stoke City on loan in September 2013, scoring five goals in 25 appearances in all competitions before returning to the Britannia Stadium for a second loan spell at the beginning of this campaign. “Liverpool Football Club can confirm Oussama Assaidi has left on a permanent transfer to join Al Ahli Club. The Moroccan winger ended a loan spell with Stoke City early in order to complete the switch to Dubai,” Liverpool said in a statement on their Web site.
ENGLAND
Foxes set to sign Kramaric
Leicester City are set to sign Croatia striker Andrej Kramaric after the Football Association (FA) on Monday gave their support to his work permit application. City have agreed a reported fee of ￡9.5 million to sign Kramaric from HNK Rijeka, but his three-and-a-half-year contract can only be signed once the permit has been granted. The 23-year-old’s lack of international experience, with only four caps to his name, meant a permit was not automatically granted, but having played for Croatia from under-14 through to under-21 level and recently having broken into the senior squad and scored goals, victory on appeal is likely — especially with the FA’s backing.
MARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
Tobias Harris on Monday scored 25 points as the Detroit Pistons held off the Boston Celtics to score a 104-103 victory in their top-of-the-table Eastern Conference showdown. Harris was one of four Detroit players to finish in double figures, with Jalen Duren adding 18 points and point guard Cade Cunningham scoring 16 points with 14 assists. The win sees Detroit extend their lead at the top of the Eastern Conference to 31-10, 5.5 games ahead of second-placed Boston, who fell to 26-16 with the defeat. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics scoring with 32 points and almost snatched victory in the
Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah on Saturday secured his sixth Dakar Rally car title in Saudi Arabia with Luciano Benavides scraping home by two seconds to claim the motorbike title. “We’ve worked very hard since last year. I might not be showing much emotion yet, but it’s there, deep down. We are so happy to win,” al-Attiyah said at the finish. Al-Attiyah, at the wheel of a Dacia, only had to avoid a final day slip-up to top the podium after bringing his career tally of stage wins to 50 on Friday. The 55-year-old, who took clay pigeon shooting bronze at the
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