Daily News Channel
Brazilian-born Liedson kept alive Portugal’s slender World Cup qualifying hopes with a late equalizer against Group 1 leaders Denmark in Copenhagen. Defeat would have all but spelt the end for Portugal, who made the semifinals in the 2006 World Cup and boast the world’s most expensive footballer in Cristiano Ronaldo.
English Premier League side Chelsea have said they will mount the “strongest appeal possible” following the transfer ban placed on the club by world football’s governing body FIFA. The punishment, which would prevent any new member joining the squad until 2011, was dished out after the club were found to have “induced” Gael Kukuta to breach his contract in a transfer from French league side Lens in 2007
European champions Barcelona began the defense of the Spanish Primera Liga title with a 3-0 demolition of Sporting Gijon in the Camp Nou on Monday night. Barca were missing Lionel Messi, who is on international duty with Argentina, and injured key midfielder Andres Iniesta, but it made little difference against the visitors, who narrowly avoided relegation last season.
England regained the Ashes with a 197-run victory over Australia on the fourth day of the fifth and deciding Test to spark scenes of joyous celebration at The Oval on Sunday. Michael Hussey scored a defiant 121 to hold up the home side, who had been strong favorites after setting Australia a near-impossible 546 for victory
English Premier League Arsenal have got one foot in the draw for the Champions League group stage after a comfortable 2-0 victory at Celtic in the first leg of the ‘battle of Britain’ qualifier.
Arsenal will face Celtic in a mouthwatering all-British tie later this month to decide who reaches the Champions League group stage. Scottish side Celtic went into the final qualifying round with a superb 2-0 away win over Dinamo Moscow earlier this week, overturning a 1-0 deficit from the first leg. Arsenal, who reached the semifinals of the Champions League last season where they lost to Manchester United, will be favorites to go through, but according to their former striker Charlie Nicholas, who also played for the Celtic, they will not be relishing the task
European champions Barcelona hope to tie Argentina star Lionel Messi to a lucrative new contract. The 22-year-old forward is tipped to win the European and World Player of the Year awards after scoring 38 goals to help the Spanish club to an unprecedented hat-trick of titles last season. “Barca will always do whatever is necessary to keep Messi happy at the club and we know that Messi has a complete commitment to Barca,” president Joan Laporta told the team’s official Web site
Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has moved a step closer to joining Inter Milan after agreeing personal terms with the Italian champions, his agent has revealed. The Cameroon international will reportedly sign a five-year contract worth almost $15 million per season
Cristiano Ronaldo will be unveiled as a Real Madrid player on July 6, having finally agreed terms over his world-record $130 million transfer from Manchester United. Spanish giants Real had been in talks with the 24-year-old World Player of the Year’s representatives for the past two weeks after agreeing the fee with English champions United. The Portugal winger will be tied to the Bernabeu until 2015, with Spanish media reporting that he will be paid €13 million ($18 million) each season
AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed he will be leaving the Serie A giants after their 2-0 win over Fiorentina in the final match of the Italian season. Ancelotti, widely reported to be heading to Chelsea as a replacement for Guus Hiddink, will be replaced at the San Siro by former Brazilian international Leonardo. Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani confirmed his appointment after seeing the Rossoneri clinch an automatic qualifying spot for next season’s Champions League.