١٩ ذو القعدة ١٤٣٢ هـ

Liverpool's Suarez "hurt" by accusations of racism


Liverpool striker Luis Suarez said on Sunday he is upset by accusations he racially abused Manchester United full back Patrice Evra during their Premier League match on Saturday.

Evra told French television station Canal+ that Suarez had racially abused him "at least 10 times" during the 1-1 draw at Anfield and the English Football Association is to investigate the claims.

A Liverpool spokesman said Suarez denied the charge and the Uruguayan released a statement via Twitter and Facebook on Sunday.

"I'm upset by the accusations of racism," he said.

"I can only say that I have always respected and respect everybody. We are all the same. I go to the field with the maximum illusion of a little child who enjoys what he does, not to create conflicts."

Suarez and Evra were involved in a series of tussles throughout the 1-1 draw and Evra later told Canal+: "There are cameras, you can see him. He says a certain word to me at least 10 times.

"I was very upset. In 2011 you can't say things like this. He knows what he said, the ref knows it, it will come out. I won't repeat what he said, but it was a racist word, and he said it more than 10 times.

"He tried to wind me up. I won't make a huge deal out of it, but it's very upsetting and disappointing."

Talking to UK newspaper The Observer, a spokesman for Liverpool said that the first the club knew about it was when Kenny Dalglish, the manager, was summoned to the referee's office 20 minutes after the match.

"The first thing we did, as you would expect, is ask the player and he has categorically denied using any language of that nature," the spokesman said.

In their statement, the FA said: "Referee Andre Marriner was made aware of an allegation at the end of the fixture and reported this to the FA. The FA will now begin making inquiries into the matter."

McGladrey Classic final-round scores


U.S. golfer Ben Crane
Scores from the U.S. PGA Tour McGladrey Classic at the par-70 course in Sea Island, Georgia on Sunday. Ben Crane wins playoff at the second extra hole 265 Ben Crane (U.S.) 65 70 67 63 265 Webb Simpson (U.S.) 63 67 69 66 266 Michael Thompson (U.S.) 65 65 67 69 267 Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 65 67 69 66 268 Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 66 71 62 69 270 Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 65 70 68 67

Scott McCarron (U.S.) 64 70 68 68

Kevin Streelman (U.S.) 66 70 66 68

Nick O'Hern (Australia) 65 67 69 69

Jeff Overton (U.S.) 66 69 66 69 271 Jim Furyk (U.S.) 67 68 69 67

D.J. Trahan (U.S.) 65 71 68 67

Bryce Molder (U.S.) 67 68 68 68

Kris Blanks (U.S.) 67 68 66 70 272 Heath Slocum (U.S.) 70 66 70 66

Bud Cauley (U.S.) 68 68 70 66

Lucas Glover (U.S.) 68 68 68 68

David Mathis (U.S.) 69 69 66 68

Sean O'Hair (U.S.) 71 66 66 69 273 Jerry Kelly (U.S.) 68 67 71 67

Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 69 70 68 66

Billy Mayfair (U.S.) 67 72 67 67

Matt Kuchar (U.S.) 70 68 67 68

Michael Bradley (U.S.) 68 69 67 69

Billy Horschel (U.S.) 64 64 70 75 274 Alexandre Rocha (Brazil) 67 72 70 65

Colt Knost (U.S.) 66 71 70 67

Michael Letzig (U.S.) 67 72 67 68

Matt McQuillan (Canada) 69 68 68 69

Cameron Tringale (U.S.) 65 73 67 69

Kevin Kisner (U.S.) 70 67 67 70 275 Spencer Levin (U.S.) 67 71 70 67

Blake Adams (U.S.) 69 69 69 68

Roland Thatcher (U.S.) 69 69 69 68

Richard Johnson (Sweden) 65 70 71 69

Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 66 70 70 69

Stephen Ames (Canada) 66 70 70 69

Robert Allenby (Australia) 70 68 68 69

Paul Stankowski (U.S.) 66 72 68 69

Brandt Snedeker (U.S.) 71 68 67 69

Jonathan Byrd (U.S.) 69 70 66 70

Charles Howell III (U.S.) 69 70 66 70

Josh Teater (U.S.) 69 69 66 71 276 Jason Bohn (U.S.) 69 69 68 70

Boo Weekley (U.S.) 67 68 69 72

David Hearn (Canada) 65 71 68 72

Johnson Wagner (U.S.) 67 67 69 73 277 Jeff Quinney (U.S.) 68 70 71 68

William McGirt (U.S.) 69 69 71 68

Shane Bertsch (U.S.) 67 72 69 69

Shaun Micheel (U.S.) 68 71 69 69

Kim Bi-O (South Korea) 67 71 68 71

Ben Curtis (U.S.) 66 70 66 75 278 Tag Ridings (U.S.) 69 70 72 67

Vaughn Taylor (U.S.) 72 67 71 68

D.A. Points (U.S.) 70 67 72 69

Chris Couch (U.S.) 69 69 71 69

Zack Miller (U.S.) 63 74 70 71

Kyle Stanley (U.S.) 69 69 69 71 279 Brendon De Jonge (Zimbabwe) 69 70 72 68

Andres Gonzales (U.S.) 66 72 71 70

Tim Herron (U.S.) 71 67 69 72

Jim Herman (U.S.) 67 69 68 75 280 Richard Scott (Canada) 68 71 72 69

Fabian Gomez (Argentina) 68 70 71 71

Chris Riley (U.S.) 68 69 70 73 282 Troy Merritt (U.S.) 68 69 72 73 283 Ben Martin (U.S.) 67 70 68 78 284 Robert Garrigus (U.S.) 67 72 71 74 287 Adam Hadwin (Canada) 68 71 72 76

Crane seals victory in playoff for McGladrey Classic


Ben Crane from the USA
Ben Crane clinched his fourth PGA Tour title by beating fellow American Webb Simpson in a playoff for the McGladrey Classic at St Simons Island in Georgia on Sunday.

Crane narrowly missed a 22-foot birdie putt at the second extra hole but moments later he sealed victory when Simpson lipped out with his par putt from inside four feet.

However, Simpson's runner-up finish was good enough for him to overtake British world number one Luke Donald at the top of the 2011 PGA Tour money list with just one event remaining.

The duo had finished the 72 regulation holes at 15-under-par 265, Simpson closing with a four-under 66 and Crane firing a sizzling eight-birdie 63.

Overnight leader Michael Thompson, who had led by three shots with nine holes to play, bogeyed the last for a 69 and had to settle for third place at 14 under.

Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon dies after fiery crash



Dan Wheldon
Briton Dan Wheldon, who won the Indianapolis 500 on its 100th anniversary in May, has died after a horrific 15-car crash at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday which left the motor sports world in shock.

The 33-year-old IndyCar driver was involved in a multi-car accident 13 laps into the Las Vegas Indy 300 which sent his vehicle flying and left wreckage and debris across the track.

Wheldon's car flew over another and caught part of the catch fence just past the apex of turn two.

The incident left Townsend Bell's car upside down and smoldering cars strewn along the track.

Wheldon, who lived in St. Petersburg, Florida, was flown by helicopter to University Medical Center in Las Vegas for treatment before his death was announced two hours later.

"IndyCar is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries," IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard said in a statement.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today," Bernard added.

The race was cancelled and drivers returned later for a moving and tearful five-lap tribute.

A popular figure, Wheldon was the 2005 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion and he won the Indy500 race that year and also in 2011.

When the drivers returned to the track, Wheldon's fellow British driver, Scotsman Dario Franchitti, was sobbing uncontrollably as he was strapped back into his car.

CRAZY STUFF

"I could see within five laps people were starting to do crazy stuff," said Franchitti, who avoided the incident and with the cancellation of the race won his third straight series title.

"I love hard racing but that to me is not really what it's about. One small mistake from somebody ..."

"Right now I'm numb and speechless," he said. "One minute you're joking around in driver intros and the next he's gone.

"He was six years old when I first met him. He was this little kid and the next thing you know he was my team mate," said Franchitti, who raced together with Wheldon at Andretti Green Racing.

"We put so much pressure on ourselves to win races and championships and today it doesn't matter."

Crews lined up along the pit lane and fans in the stands stood silently as the drivers paid tribute to the popular Wheldon.

The cancelling of the race meant that Franchitti won his third straight series title.

After winning eight British national titles in karting and then finishing third in the 1998 Formula Ford championship in Britain, Wheldon moved to the U.S. in pursuit of better opportunities.

He clinched the F2000 Championship Series in 1999 with six victories and then moved into IndyCar where he won rookie of the year honours in 2003.

Wheldon claimed the 2005 series thanks to six wins for Andretti Green Racing.

The Englishman later raced for Panther Racing and his final team Bryan Herta Autosport.

Wheldon leaves his wife Susie and their two young sons.

Dan Wheldon, British racing driver, 1978-2011


Dan Wheldon
Dan Wheldon, who was killed in a fiery crash in Las Vegas on Sunday, was one of Britain's most successful race car drivers and one of the rare few foreign drivers who made it big in the United States.

Wheldon, who died aged 33, was just one of two British drivers to win America's most famous race, the Indy 500, on more than one occasion. He won it in 2005 and again this year, which was the 100th anniversary of the race.

He was also runner-up in 2009 and 2010 and won the IndyCar Series title in 2005 with a series record six wins.

Wheldon began racing karts when he was four years old and progressed through the junior ranks in his homeland before deciding to move to the U.S. in 1999.

In 2002, he was called up to IndyCar as a test driver, racing in two events, and got a full-time drive with the Andretti team the next season.

In 2003, he was named rookie of the year. The following season, he won three races and finished second in the championship.

The Englishman won the title in 2005 and his first Indy 500 that same season, and almost won a second title in 2006 despite switching teams. He finished level on points with Sam Hornish but lost the title to the American on a countback.

Wheldon flirted with the idea of moving to Formula One and was offered a drive with the BMW Sauber team but turned it down when he was not guaranteed a permanent seat.

He changed teams to Panther Racing in 2009 and did not win a race in either the 2009 or 2010 seasons, although he finished runner-up at Indianapolis both times.

Wheldon was replaced at Panther this season by JR Hildebrand, a young rising star, and did not have a regular drive though he signed a deal to drive with the Bryan Herta Autsport team for the Indy 500.

Hildebrand looked set to win the race but crashed on the last bend, allowing Wheldon to slip past him and triumph for the second time. He was only the 18th man to win the race more than once and the second Briton, after Dario Franchitti.

Wheldon lived in Florida and was survived by his wife and their two young sons.

Double done, Red Bull aim for triple


Among all the celebrations for Red Bull's second Formula One constructors' championship in South Korea on Sunday, one familiar team face was notably absent.

Adrian Newey, the technical boffin who has created title-winning cars for three teams and been a driving force behind Red Bull's double-double -- successive drivers' and team titles -- was hard at work on the other side of the planet designing the next world beater.

"Focus has to start moving towards next year and we've got less than four months to design and build a completely new car," said team principal Christian Horner after German double champion Sebastian Vettel took his 10th win in 16 races this season.

"That's why Adrian elected not to attend this race. He's busy back in the UK focused on our RB8 (car)."

As Horner pointed out with a smile, rivals might tolerate one world championship but two in a row will have proved seriously upsetting.

Making it three in a row -- a feat only ever achieved by Ferrari, McLaren and Williams -- will be his men's stiffest challenge yet.

"It never gets easier, that's for sure," said Horner.

"It would be foolish to underestimate the likes of Ferrari. They are a phenomenal team with tremendous pedigree, or the likes of McLaren and Mercedes Benz.

"We are not foolish or arrogant enough to think that this kind of performance is normal. It's abnormal and it takes a superhuman effort to try and achieve. Our competitors are going to be pushing hard over the winter."

Red Bull at least have the luxury of being able to treat the last three races as a test bed for 2012, even if they are also chasing a couple of records to put the icing on the cake, before the winter clampdown on testing.

Vettel can still equal compatriot Michael Schumacher's 2004 record of 13 wins in a single season and, with 12 poles so far, also beat Nigel Mansell's 1992 feat of 14 in a campaign.

"The remaining races are the only track time that we've got, other than a young driver test, between now and when the new car is effectively born," said Horner.

"So we'll look to learn everything we can out of the track time that we have available. And that means pushing right up to the chequered flag in Brazil."

Red Bull also want to wrap up a triumphant year by securing second place overall for Vettel's Australian team mate Mark Webber, who has yet to win a race this year after challenging for the title in 2010.

"I think the priority now is to get Mark into second in the championship," declared Horner.

"Effectively its like three FA Cup finals so I think they will be really exciting races ... both McLaren and Ferrari have been competitive here and I think it will be tight in India, Abu Dhabi and Brazil."

All Blacks relax before serious business begins


New Zealand All Blacks coach Graham Henry
A New Zealand side forged in adversity and mindful of a history they are not allowed to forget relaxed on Monday before getting into the serious business of preparing for their first rugby World Cup final for 16 years.

The All Blacks, who have fallen in the knockout stages at the past three World Cups despite entering the tournament as favourites on each occasion, stepped up to the mark on Sunday by defeating trans-Tasman rivals Australia 20-6.

They will meet France at Eden Park on Sunday in a repeat of the inaugural World Cup final in 1987, which the All Blacks won 29-9.

"Today we are fairly relaxed, soaking it in," lock Brad Thorn, who was at the heart of a fiercely disciplined tight five, told reporters. "Tomorrow it's back to business. No one is going to care who won the semi-finals in 2011."

New Zealand were beaten at the semi-final stages in their only two previous World Cup matches against Australia. They lost to South Africa in the 1995 final and have been beaten by France in a semi-final and quarter-final.

The 2007 quarter-final loss to France was a particular blow to a nation who believed that this time they had a side who would finally go all the way and the reappointment of the management team attracted some virulent criticism.

Head coach Graham Henry was the focus of much of the anger and on Monday he first paid tribute to a heroic performance by his team and then reflected on the lessons learned by repeated failure.

"We have looked at the history over a period of time," Henry said. "We went in 2007 with one game at a time. This time we have dissected the rugby World Cup and looked at why the All Blacks haven't won for 24 years.

"We have tried to find out the reasons for that and had a very good look at 2007 in particular and have used that, hopefully, to gain more information, more knowledge how to win this tournament."

INJURY TOLL

Henry, with a final against France looming at the weekend, understandably did not go into details about the conclusions the All Blacks management had reached but did say there would be adjustments to their game plan against a side who have dumped them unceremoniously out of two World Cups.

This year New Zealand, who had romped through the group stages of the previous three World Cups before going up against the hard realities of knockout rugby, had a demanding opening game against Tonga.

France played well in the opening stages of their pool match and Argentina in the quarter-finals displayed with the resilience and commitment they demonstrated four years ago when they finished third to give New Zealand another tough workout.

On the way, the All Blacks suffered a savage body blow when Daniel Carter, the best flyhalf in their celebrated history, was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with a groin injury.

Fullback Mils Muliaina left in the quarter-finals with a shoulder injury and openside flanker and captain Richie McCaw, a player as distinguished as Carter, is nursing a chronic injury to his right foot and has barely trained for the past fortnight.

On Sunday Piri Weepu, who stepped up as goalkicker in Carter's absence against Argentina to kick each of his seven penalties, was suffering fron a flu virus and was off-form with his place kicking.

Despite these setbacks, the All Blacks played some of the best rugby they have shown at a World Cup on Sunday and flyhalf Aaron Cruden confirmed he is the natural successor to Carter.

"This team has been together for a long time," Henry said. "This is the most experienced All Black team to play the game.

"We try to get better at the things we do as a group, off the field and on the field. They are certainly trying to make sure that people who come into contact with the All Blacks enjoy themselves and get something out of that contact.

"And because of the experience they are getting better on the field."

Brewers Fielder chokes up with future in doubt


Milwaukee Brewers batter Prince Fielder
Milwaukee's slugging first baseman Prince Fielder had to fight back the emotions after what may have been his last game as a Brewer on Sunday.

When the impending free agent stepped to the plate in the eighth for his last at-bat of the NLCS, Cardinlas first baseman Albert Pujols told his pitcher to hold the ball a little longer and allow the Milwaukee crowd to salute Fielder.

"It was awesome," Fielder said, clearing his throat as he spoke to reporters about the standing ovation he received at Miller Park in the series-ending Game Six.

The 27-year-old Fielder, a three-times All Star who this year was second in Major League Baseball with 38 home runs, and whose 120 runs batted in were second most in the National League, has said he doubted the Brewers will pay him the sort of long-term deal he should command.

Fielder said he appreciated his years in Milwaukee.

"It was awesome playing here, I'm just glad I was able to have the fun that I had," he said. "It was cool. It was cool."

The burly, bearded slugger said it was disappointing to come up short in their bid to reach the World Series but that the wild card Cardinals were deserving winners.

"They just played better. They played great baseball, give them the credit. They were hitting, they made the pitches when they had to. They just beat us."

Fielder said he had no regrets about the season the NL Central champion Brewers had.

"We had a great year as a team. Unfortunately, we didn't get where we wanted to, but great memories.

"As long as I play as hard as I can, I can sleep at night," he said. "That's it, time to play with the kids."

First, the big home run hitter had farewells to say.

"Got to say goodbye to my team mates because it's the off-season now. I'm not going to be seeing them every day.

"I had a couple of 'clear-the-throat moments,'" he admitted. "I love these guys. I've been playing with most of them since I was 18."

Brazilian swimmer Cesar Cielo Brazil snatched the limelight from the United States in the Pan-American Games pool on Sunday with gold medals for Ces


St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Edwin Jackson

The St. Louis Cardinals advanced to the World Series on Sunday after a 12-6 victory over Milwaukee in Game Six sealed the National League Championship Series.

The Cardinals will play American League champions Texas, who travel to St. Louis for Wednesday's opener of the best-of-seven Major League Baseball championship.

St. Louis scored four runs in the first, one in the second and another four in the third inning to seize a 9-4 lead and were never headed as they clinched the series 4-2 and booked their first return to the Fall Classic since winning it in 2006.

Cardinals starting pitcher Edwin Jackson went only two innings, but as they did all series long, their relievers shut the Brewers down to secure the win.

Third baseman David Freese, who belted a three-run blast in the first inning, was named NLCS Most Valuable Player after notching three home runs, nine RBIs and hitting .545.

Freese's homer followed an RBI single by Lance Berkman to put the Cardinals ahead 4-0.

The outburst continued a St. Louis trend as the Cardinals scored first in every game, putting runs on the board four times in the first inning during the series and scoring in the second inning of the other two games.

"They were unbelievable in the first inning," said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. "We couldn't get away with anything. We just never had a chance to get into our comfort zone, get into our rhythm. They just didn't let up on us."



EARLY ACTION

The early action felt like a home run derby as six were hit in the first three innings and nine of the first 10 runs came from round-trippers.

Corey Hart homered in the first for Milwaukee, Rafael Furcal matched his solo homer in the second, while in the Brewers' half of the second, Rickie Weeks and Jonathan Lucroy cleared the fences to bring the home team within one at 5-4.

Albert Pujols's blast leading off the third made it 6-4 and the Cardinals added three more runs on a sacrifice fly by Nick Punto and a two-run single by pinch-hitter Allen Craig.

After a sloppy showing in Friday's Game Five in St. Louis, in which Milwaukee committed four errors in a 7-1 loss, the Brewers were once again loose in the field with three miscues.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa used five relievers to secure the victory.

In all, St. Louis relievers pitched a remarkable 28 and 2/3 innings against just 24 and 1/3 innings by the team's starters.

"They pitched with a lot of heart," La Russa said.

"You don't get in the postseason unless you have great starting pitching. But it was a unique and weird situation, the starters couldn't make a mistake and get away with it."

Freese, who went 3-for-4 to pace the Cards' 14-hit attack, saluted the team's relief corps.

"I wish we could do eight or nine of these and give them to the bullpen," he said while clutching the MVP trophy. "What they did, they really deserve this award."

Left-handed reliever Marc Rzepczynski registered the win, while Milwaukee starter Shaun Marcum, who was tagged for four runs in his lone inning of work, took the loss.

Jason Motte closed it out in the ninth, setting off a group hug and chant of "Happy Flight, Happy Flight," in the middle of the diamond, repeating a theme that brought the Cardinals wins in their last 17 games on travel days.

The Cardinals now travel home for the World Series opener after winning their 18th National League pennant.

St. Louis, who trailed Atlanta for the wild card by 10 and 1/2 games with one month to play, clinched the playoff berth on the last day of the regular season.

"They never quit," said La Russa. "Once they got going, the guys played every game as if it were the last game of their lives."

Brazil steals limlight from U.S. in Pan-Am pool


Brazilian swimmer Cesar Cielo

Brazil snatched the limelight from the United States in the Pan-American Games pool on Sunday with gold medals for Cesar Cielo, Felipe Franca and their 4x100 metres relay quartet.

World record holder Cielo won the 100 freestyle, breaking his Games record with a time of 47.84 seconds, well down on his world record set in Rome in 2009 of 46.91.

"What I've done at altitude shows I'm in good shape," the Olympic and world 50m champion said after his win in Guadalajara, 1,500m above sea level.

U.S. swimmers failed to make the podium with Cuba's Hanser Garcia second and Shaune Fraser of Cayman Islands third.

Franca came in ahead of compatriot Felipe Lima in a Brazilian one-two in the 100m backstroke leaving American Marcus James Titus to pick up the bronze.

The Brazilians then beat the United States into second place in the relay with Venezuela third.

The Americans, who won four gold medals in the pool on Saturday, took their tally to six including Catherine Breed's victory in the 200m freestyle.

Rachel Bootsma won the women's 100 backstroke in a Games record of one minute, 00.37 seconds.



COLOMBIAN CONTROL

In the cycling, Colombia continued to dominate with victories in the men's and women's time trials.

After Hector Paez's victory in the mountain bike cross country race on Saturday, Maria Luisa Calle and Marlon Perez took the gold medals on offer on a street circuit in the city.

Argentina's Matias Medici, silver winner, said: "It was a very tight race, most of the time we were side-by-side, but at the end, he put in a bit more than I did, so he won the gold."

American Daryl Lee Szarenski picked up his third Pan-Am gold medal in shooting when he won the 10m air pistol competition with a Games record 681.7 points.

He had previously won the 10m event in Winnipeg in 1999 and the 50 in Santo Domingo in 2003.

Canada's Dorothy Ludwig snatched victory at the last gasp in the women's 10m from Venezuelan Maribel Pineda, who had led qualifying and was in front until the final round. Ludwig scored 476.8 points to Pineda's 476.7.

Sao Paulo sack coach Batista after six games without win


Sao Paulo's coach Adilson Batista
Sao Paulo sacked coach Adilson Batista in the changing room right after Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Atletico Goianiense, their sixth match without a win.

It was the 31st coaching change of the year among Brazil's 20 first division clubs.

"We talked during the week that this match with Atletico was of utmost importance for the (coach's) permanence, or not, and continuing the job," Sao Paulo's director of football Adalberto Batista said.

"Sadly, today we had another adverse result, added to the others, the pressure ... the work ends today," he told reporters at the Serra stadium.

"In football the result is what matters and in our last six matches we got four points."

Sao Paulo have dropped from second to sixth in the Brazilian championship standings, six points adrift of arch-rivals and leaders Corinthians with eight matches to go.

Adilson took charge at Sao Paulo in July and presided over 22 matches in all competitions with seven wins and six defeats.

Assistant Milton Cruz will takes charge as caretaker for the remainder of the championship and the Copa Sudamericana, the club said on their website (www.saopaulofc.net).

Corinthians, Coritiba, Flamengo and Palmeiras are the only first division clubs to have avoided changing coaches this year. At the other end, struggling Atletico Paranaense are on to their fifth coach.

The defeat at mid-table Goianiense was even worse for Sao Paulo on a weekend when the five other leading teams all won and are separated by a mere four points in the closest title race since the present league format was introduced in 2003.

Corinthians beat relegation-threatened Cruzeiro 1-0 away at the Alligators' Arena after the home team's Argentine midfielder Walter Montillo hit a second-half penalty over the bar missing the chance to equalise.

Cruzeiro's arch-rivals Atletico Mineiro, also fighting to avoid the drop, conceded two goals in 18 minutes to go down 2-0 at Vasco da Gama, while Botafogo beat Atletico Paranaense at home by the same score.

After 30 matches, Corinthians and Vasco are level on 54 points with Botafogo on 53 and a game in hand, Flamengo 51 and title holders Fluminense 50.

On Saturday, Fluminense beat Palmeiras 2-1 away with two goals from Brazil striker Fred, while Flamengo beat Ceara 1-0 despite having captain Ronaldinho sent off in the second half for dissent.

Wallabies will learn from World Cup humbling, says Deans


Australia Wallabies coach Robbie Deans

Australia coach Robbie Deans believes his players will learn from their unsuccessful rugby World Cup campaign and is looking forward to the day when the core of his squad returns to win the trophy.

The Wallabies never really got into their stride at what was a first World Cup for many of the players and were overwhelmed by an experienced New Zealand side in the semi-final on Sunday.

New Zealander Deans said he had thoroughly enjoyed working with them despite not reaching their goal of winning a third World Cup for Australia.

"There's no doubt that this whole playing group will be better for the experience they have had," he told a news conference at the team hotel.

"I love what they do, I've really enjoyed this group of men, they are an impressive group of men, they've been fantastic in the way they've taken to their work.

"They've been fantastic in the way they've committed to each other and the way they're coming to understand the responsibility and the privilege that they have.

"Obviously, we didn't finish up where we'd have liked to but not many do in their first outing."

Deans led the Wallabies to a first Tri-Nations title in a decade earlier in the season and before the World Cup signed a contract extension until the end of 2013.

"I'd love to see this group one day -- and there's no doubt there will be a significant number of them who will get another opportunity -- win a World Cup," he said.

"And, either way, whether I was there or not, I'd take pride in any part I'd played in it."

One of the players who is likely to have at least another World Cup in him, if he chooses to remain playing rugby union, is 23-year-old flyhalf Quade Cooper.

Deans said Cooper, who had a very poor game against the All Blacks on Sunday, had taken a lot of unwarranted criticism during the tournament but he did not think it had affected the New Zealand-born flyhalf's performances.

Impressed with the way Cooper had dealt with it, Deans said the prodigiously gifted playmaker had two choices about how to deal with the criticism.

"You can absorb it, accept it for what it is but maintain your focus on the things that are important and keep going," Deans said. "Or you can let it get the better of you and turn your toes up. I'd like to think he won't be doing the latter."

New Zealand's brilliant performance in beating the Wallabies at Eden Park was in part born of the previous two World Cup failures many of their players had experienced, Deans said.

That gave them an edge over his young side and would make it very difficult for France to stop them from winning a second World Cup 24 years after their first on Sunday.

"What the All Blacks side have is a group that have suffered on many occasions," he said.

"The core of their group, the nucleus of their group, this is their third attempt and they've got that burning desire, that fire in the belly for that reason. And they've also got that mental resilience.

"We don't have that, as yet, to the same extent. That was the point of difference.

"I can't see anyone stopping the All Blacks now."

Australia name teenager Cummins in test squad for S.Africa


Patrick Cummins of Australia
Australia have named 18-year-old paceman Patrick Cummins in their 15-man test squad for their two-match series in South Africa, while retaining Mitchell Johnson despite the mercurial paceman's struggles in Sri Lanka.

Cummins, the youngest player to receive a central contract in Australia, replaces James Pattinson in the only change to the squad that helped Australia to a 1-0 series victory over the Sri Lankans last month.

"Patrick is a very exciting prospect and at just 18 years of age is already showing the ability to have a significant impact at international level," outgoing selectors chairman Andrew Hilditch said on Cricket Australia's website (www.cricket.com.au).

"Patrick would have most likely been on the tour of Sri Lanka if not for injury at the end of last season.

"Now he's back fit and bowling well, we saw this as the right time to bring him into the Test squad for this important series."

Cummins has played only three first class matches, taking a total nine wickets.

Johnson was dropped from Australia's Twenty20 side for the South Africa tour but took a second-inning, five-wicket haul to help Western Australia win their Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania last week.

Johnson notched 16 wickets at an average of 25 in the Australians' 2-1 victory over hosts South Africa in the 2009 test series, and interim coach Troy Cooley has said getting the erratic paceman back to form was a top priority.

The two-test series starts in Cape Town on Nov. 9 before moving to Johannesburg on Nov. 17.

Squad: Michael Clarke (capt), Shane Watson, Michael Beer, Trent Copeland, Patrick Cummins, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Phil Hughes, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Peter Siddle

Clough signs long-term deal at Derby


Nigel Clough
Nigel Clough has signed a new contract to remain as Derby manager until the summer of 2015, the high-flying English Championship club announced on Monday.

Clough, whose father Brian led Derby to the English league title in 1972, has piloted them into fourth place in the table as they seek a return to the Premier League after being relegated in 2008.

"We are all delighted that our futures have been sorted out and that we have the opportunity to continue the work of the last two-and-a-half years of trying to improve this club," Clough told the club's website (www.dcfc.co.uk).

"From day one we knew this was going to be a long-term project and it is still very much a work in progress."

Clough took over at Derby in January 2009 after joining from Burton Albion, and has overseen a change in Derby's fortunes this season after finishing 14th and 19th in the last two seasons.

Federer drops out of ATP top three after eight years


Roger Federer
Roger Federer dropped out the top three of the men's tennis rankings after more than eight years on Monday as in-form Andy Murray moved ahead of him. Murray title hat-trick in the Asian swing which culminated Sunday with the Shanghai Masters crown, gave the Scot enough points to leapfrog the former number one from Switzerland. Murray has 7,825 to Federer's 7,780. Federer was in the top three without interruption since July 2003. Novak Djokovic of Serbia remained first with 13,860 points from Rafael Nadal of Spain, who has 10,375 points. ATP top 10 as of October 17 (previous ranking in parenthesis): <#> 1. (1) Novak Djokovic, Serbia, 13,860 points 2. (2) Rafael Nadal, Spain, 10,375 3. (4) Andy Murray, Britain, 7,825 4. (3) Roger Federer, Switzerland, 7,780 5. (5) David Ferrer, Spain, 4,710 6. (6) Robin Soderling, Sweden, 3,500 7. (7) Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic, 3,230 8. (9) Mardy Fish, United States, 2,965 9. (8) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France, 2,880 10. (10) Gael Monfils, France, 2,525

Lorenzo surgery a success but will miss Malaysia


Jorge Lorenzo's
Former world champion Jorge Lorenzo's surgery on a severe finger injury he sustained in a crash in the warm-up for the Australian Grand Prix was successful but the Spaniard will miss this weekend's race in Sepang, his Yamaha team said.

Lorenzo was ruled out of Sunday's race at Phillip Island and rushed to a hospital in Melbourne for plastic surgery on the finger, effectively ending the Spaniard's slim hopes of defending his MotoGP title.

In his absence, Honda-rider Casey Stoner sealed the championship with his fifth consecutive victory on home soil.

"The surgeon was able to save the nerves and tendons of the injured fourth finger, as a result no functionality will be lost in either the finger or the hand," Yamaha said.

"Unfortunately an extended recovery time will be required so Jorge will not race in Sepang for the Malaysian Grand Prix. A decision on the Valencia Grand Prix will be made dependent on Jorge's condition after his return to Barcelona."

An official medical bulletin would be released later on Monday, the statement added.

Lorenzo remains second in the MotoGP standings on 260 points, 65 points behind newly crowned champion Stoner.

Third-placed Honda-rider Andrea Dovizioso is a further 48 points adrift of Lorenzo.