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Portugal qualified for the World Cup knock-out stages for the first time in 40 years on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Iran. Iran offered robust resistance for more than an hour before Brazilian-born Deco’s unstoppable opener. Cristiano Ronaldo settled the matter with a penalty 10 minutes from the end.
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Angola’s coach called for African nations to cooperate to improve their football after a winless opening week for the continent at the World Cup. Four of the five African teams lost their first games with only Tunisia registering a draw against lowly Saudi Arabia.
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Defender Radhi Jaidi headed an injury time equaliser on Wednesday as Tunisia scrambled a 2-2 draw with Saudi Arabia, which left both teams waiting for an elusive World Cup win. After a defensive mix-up, forward Zied Jaziri put a high ball into the six-yard box which Jaidi nodded home.
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Mexico scored twice in three second-half minutes to beat Iran 3-1 on Sunday and give a massive boost to their bid to go past the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. The world number four and Group D seeds were held at 1-1 for 40 minutes by a battling Iran before Omar Bravo broke the deadlock with his second of the match.
The World Short-Course Swimming Championships suffered the loss of yet another top athlete as Australia and the United States dominated the opening heats on Wednesday. Double world champion Roland Schoeman, the top draw here in the absence of swimming greats Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett, was a late withdrawal citing a lack of fitness, organisers said.
Indian star Sania Mirza has hit out at the obsession with her religion, saying more attention should be paid to her tennis than her Muslim faith. The 19-year-old is regarded as a trailblazer for Indian and Muslim women, but she said people should stop confusing her profession and beliefs.
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/ 7 December 2005
Asia has become a happy hunting ground for many golf stars who are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars — and in one case, millions — just to turn up. While officials refuse to discuss figures, Colin Montgomerie reportedly pocketed 000 in fees at last week’s UBS Hong Kong Open — more than his 000 dollars for winning the event.
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/ 18 November 2005
Five days ago, David Nalbandian was packing his things for a fishing trip in his native Argentina. Now he’s one match away from a place in the Masters Cup final. Nalbandian has found some great form since his late call-up to replace the injured Andy Roddick, taking Roger Federer to three sets before whitewashing Guillermo Coria and Ivan Ljubicic.
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/ 16 November 2005
World number one Roger Federer has given his support to Andre Agassi after the United States veteran was criticised for his early withdrawal from the Masters Cup tennis tournament. Federer, the only top-five player left in the season finale after Agassi and Rafael Nadal added their names to the injury list, said the eight-time Grand Slam champion deserved credit for turning up.
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/ 1 September 2005
World number five Retief Goosen blazed a first-round 64 to stamp his authority on the Volkswagen Masters-China golf tournament in Beijing on Thursday. Two eagles and five birdies against one bogey put the South African on top of the leader board at eight under par, two shots ahead of Canada’s Darren Griff.