TOKYO: Just a week after the din of celebratory vuvuzela horns died down in South Africa, fresh World Cup fever is gripping nine candidates battling to host the showpiece in 2018 or 2022.The sport`s world governing body FIFA on Monday kicks off a two-month inspection tour of Japan, South

BRISBANE: New Zealand striker Shane Smeltz has walked out on Chinese club Shandong Luneng after only one week and is on his way back to the A League, an Australian newspaper reported on Saturday.The Gold Coast Bulletin reported that Smeltz had decided that it would be too difficult for

PARIS: The French Football Federation (FFF) has launched an investigation into the France players` training boycott at the World Cup, outgoing president Jean-Pierre Escalettes announced on Friday."I`ve taken the initiative to form a commission of inquiry charged with establishing the

MADRID: Spanish champions Barcelona on Friday agreed a 9.5million-euro deal with Sevilla to sign Brazilian utility player Adriano, the club said Friday.The 25-year-old, who can play at full-back or as a wide midfielder, will cost an initial fee of 9.5 million euros and a conditional four

PARIS: Some of Europe`s biggest clubs learnt their immediate fates in continental competition on Friday when the third-round qualifying draws for the Champions League and Europa League were made.Liverpool and Juventus have 45 league titles and seven European Cups between them, but enter

LONDON: International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat has hinted England could play host to an inaugural Test championship in 2013.The ICC, cricket`s governing body, have been weighing up the possibility of introducing a Test championship as they seek to revive

LONDON: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said Friday he would retire from Test cricket following the second Test against Australia at Headingley starting next Wednesday.Afridi made his announcement after leading Pakistan to a 150-run defeat by Australia in the first Test at Lord`s here on

BELFAST: Tamim Iqbal played the star role as Bangladesh avenged their defeat to Ireland 24 hours earlier with a six-wicket win in the second one-day international in Belfast on Friday.Bangladesh had been easily beaten by the Irish on Thursday but Tamim`s innings of 74 from 91 balls

LONDON: The International Cricket Council (ICC) have appointed Mike Brearley and Greg Chappell as ambassadors to help support the beleaguered Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, announced the roles during the `neutral` Test match between Pakistan and

LONDON: Part-time spinner Marcus North stunned record-chasing Pakistan with a maiden six-wicket haul as Australia won the first Test by 150 runs at Lord`s on Friday.North took six wickets for 55 runs in 18.1 overs as Australia, in the first neutral Test played in England since 1912, won

LYON: Police in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand arrested more than 5,000 people in a coordinated swoop against illegal football betting during the World Cup, Interpol said Friday.The international police agency, which helped coordinate the month-long operation, said officers had

BUENOS AIRES: Diego Maradona is set to stay as Argentina coach despite their loss to Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals, amid reports Friday the Argentine Federation would offer him the chance to stay on for the next tournament in neighbouring Brazil in 2014.Maradona was a surprise

MADRID: Spanish champions Barcelona, who secured a bank loan of 155 million euros this week to solve cash-flow problems, have set aside 50 million euros to spend on new players, the club said on Thursday. "The club has approximately 50 million euros net to spend on new players each

TOKYO: Gutsy Brazilian-born defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka, who helped Japan reach the World Cup last-16 round, says he has come back from the brink of retirement thanks to advice from his ailing father.The 29-year-old rejoined his J-League club Nagoya Grampus on Thursday after spending

BEIJING: China`s football chief has said now is the "best time" for the country -- still trying to bounce back from a graft scandal that rocked the sport -- to launch a bid for the World Cup in 2026."It really moved us to see all the social benefits South Africa got from hosting the World

MOSCOW: A junior Russian biathlete aged just 15 died Friday in hospital after being shot by his teammate at a training camp, local media reported.Reports said the incident happened at Izhevsk sports base in the central Russian region of Udmurtia, where the students of former star

NEW DELHI: India`s cricket board on Friday revised the schedule of Australia`s Test and one-day tour of the country in September-October.The two Tests have been advanced by a day but the dates continued to clash with the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi from October 3-14,

JOHANNESBURG: Nearly 1,000 crimes, mainly thefts and muggings, took place in and around stadiums on match days during the World Cup, South Africa`s police minister said on Thursday.A total of 290 incidents were reported to police inside the 10 venues of the month-long tournament while a

GALLE: India are determined not to join the party as Sri Lanka celebrate world record wicket taker Muttiah Muralitharan`s final Test appearance in Galle from Sunday.The off-spinner, 38, will retire after the opening contest of the three-match series at the Galle International Stadium, in

MADRID: The Mourinho Years began for Real Madrid on Thursday as Jose Mourinho met his players for the first time, with one new player arriving amid rumours of possible exits.The Spanish giants announced the signing of winger Pedro Leon on a six-year deal from Getafe.The player, who turns