Manchester United is set to step up their bid to prise Wayne Rooney away from Everton after booking their place in the Champions League proper. A 3-0 win over Dynamo Bucharest in Manchester on Wednesday put Alex Ferguson’s side into the money-spinning group stage of the tournament, guaranteeing a £15-million windfall.
About 4 000 taxi operators will march to the Gauteng premier’s office on Thursday morning to highlight grievances — especially over violence and intimidation — that they want transport authorities to address. The Gauteng Taxi Council drivers will park their vehicles in Johannesburg’s Newtown, then march up to Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa’s offices in Simmonds street and hand over a memorandum outlining their concerns, said Gataco spokesperson ThuThu Molefe.
Life after President Robert Mugabe is a thought that has been avoided for more than two decades, but the old man will not be seeking re-election in 2008. Meanwhile, three camps have emerged within Zanu-PF in the run-up to the party’s congress in December where Mugabe’s successor will be decided.
The world sighed with relief when the Greeks kept their promise to deliver some of the world’s finest sport venues in time for the Athens Olympics. But with the Games nearing their end, it is not clear what the future holds in store. ”Large sums have been spent on the venues’ construction, but no economic viability studies were drawn up for them,” said Greece’s Deputy Culture Minister Fanny Palli-Petralia.
Thierry Henry ensured Arsenal’s place in history when they broke Nottingham Forest’s 26-year-old record of 42 English league matches unbeaten by defeating Blackburn Rovers 3-0 at Highbury on Wednesday. Henry poked in Dennis Bergkamp’s 50th-minute cross and took the corner which Cesc Fabregas tucked in eight minutes later.
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi and Hezekiel Sepeng were whip-cracking sharp in their opening 800m rounds of the Athens Olympics at the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday night. Not so happy were pole-vaulter Okkert Brits, 110m hurdler Shaun Bownes and javelin-thrower Sunette Viljoen, who all failed to go through to their following rounds.
Special Report: Olympics 2004
Tiny Stephanie Sandler is the baby in the South African Olympic team. On Thursday she performed her heart out in rhythmic gymnastics to finish 23rd in the hoops and ball disciplines and ended with a flurry of confidence that bodes well for when she competes in the baton and ribbon events on Friday.
Special Report: Olympics 2004
South African canoeist Alan van Coller bowed out of the Athens Olympics 500m K1 in a titanic semifinal in which he finished fourth. The 36-year-old from Bryanston, who is a hero and role model to thousands of paddlers, drove himself to his physical limits in the effort to secure a top-three finish and a place in the final.
Special Report: Olympics 2004
Alwyn Myburgh — the pick of the South African 400m hurdles crop after a nail-biting semifinal on Tuesday night — failed to win any medals in the final on Thursday night. Felix Sanchez redeemed himself on Thursday to win the event — giving the Dominican Republic their first-ever athletics Olympic gold medal.
Special Report: Olympics 2004
Sundowns were fortunate to gain maximum points when they beat Santos 2-0 in a Castle Premier League game played at the Athlone Stadium on Wednesday night. Two glaring mistakes by rookie Santos goalkeeper Ryan Wuest cost Santos dearly. The first goal came in the 42nd minute.