THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2014 SPORTS India plans anti-graft unit after match-fix bid

NEW DELHI: India’s football chiefs will set up an mystery Malaysian wanted to fix matches, the club planned. “It could be a hoax, or an one-off ciated with India’s most popular sport, cricket. anti-corruption unit after reports emerged that an I- broke off contact but did not report the matter to approach, but we have to be careful now,” Dhar told A cricket-fixing scandal in 2000 saw three Test League club may have been targeted by illegal bet- the All India Football Federation. AFP. “It is better to take precautions. Among the captains, Hansie Cronje of South Africa, Mohammad ting syndicates, a top league official said yesterday. The Indian Express newspaper quoted Bagdamia measures being taken is the setting up of an anti- Azharuddin of India and Salim Malik of Pakistan, Mumbai FC club official Atul Bagdamia told a as saying: “When they mentioned match-fixing, I corruption unit.” Last month five players and three being banned for life by their respective boards. joint workshop organised by FIFA and Interpol in immediately broke contact with them.” team officials from a Malaysian club were handed The cash-rich Indian Premier League’s Twenty20 New Delhi last week that he had been approached I-League chief executive Sunando Dhar said that life bans and fined 20,000 ringgit ($6,000) each after tournament was embroiled in a spot-fixing contro- by a businessman last year who offered to sponsor although no damage was done, clubs had been being found guilty of match-fixing. versy last year that led to life bans on three crick- a visit by his team to Malaysia to play a series of told to report all such approaches in future even as The I-League had not been known to be a target eters, including former Test bowler Shantakumaran friendlies. When subsequent calls indicated that the the setting up of an anti-corruption unit was being of illegal bookmakers, who have usually been asso- Sreesanth. —AFP Benzema gives Real victory at Espanyol

BARCELONA: A first-half goal from guided Real Madrid to a 1-0 win at Espanyol in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarterfinal on Tuesday. Nine days after Madrid eked out a 1-0 victory at Espanyol’s Cornella-El Prat Stadium in the Spanish league, the visitors were again limited to the narrowest of winning margins - despite dominating the first half, when Cristiano Ronaldo hit the post before Benzema headed home in the 25th minute. The second half was more evenly matched and Espanyol’s Sergio Garcia came close to an equalizer before Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas denied Jhon Cordoba in a one-on-one in the 83rd minute. “Espanyol played better in the sec- ond half and made us suffer, but that is normal,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “The tie isn’t decided.” Casillas had a quiet first half, with ITALY: Juventus’ Arturo Vidal (right) gets the ball past AS Roma’s Kevin Strootman Espanyol only mustering one clear scoring during an Italian Cup, round of eight, soccer match. — AP chance in the 18th when Luis “Pizzi” Afonso wasted Garcia’s pass by sailing his close-range Roma defeat Juventus shot over the crossbar. Early on, Ronaldo appeared eager as ever to add to his season tally of 31 goals in all competitions. in Italian Cup quarters He had four shots before halftime and hit the post with one of them in the 21st minute, but ROME: Gervinho scored a late winner as furiously for a red card for Mehdi Benatia the new Ballon d’Or winner faded in the second Roma beat league leader Juventus 1-0 in when he dragged down Sebastian half. Benzema broke the deadlock when the the Italian Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday. Giovinco as the forward was attempting to France international headed a cross from Alvaro The Ivory Coast forward acrobatically race onto Andrea Pirlo’s long ball. However, Arbeloa that was flicked on by Gareth Bale. SPAIN: Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema (third right) duels for the ball against Espanyol’s Sidnei finished Kevin Strootman’s cross after a Benatia escaped with a booking. Goalkeeper Kiko Casilla got a hand on the ball Rechel (second right) and Raul Rodriguez (right) during a Copa del Rey soccer match. — AP well-worked move with substitute Miralem The home side went close to taking the but couldn’t keep it out. Espanyol pressed for- Pjanic to line up a two-legged semifinal lead 10 minutes from halftime when ward after halftime and Garcia twice shot wide, corner kicks. a starter as Diego Lopez.” In other first legs this with either Napoli or Lazio. Maicon rolled a tantalizing ball across goal while Casilla stopped Arbeloa twice before Ancelotti praised Casillas, who only starts in week, Barcelona visits Levante on Wednesday, It was a match between the top two and past Juventus goalkeeper Marco denying Benzema on the break. The closing the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, when third-tier Racing Santander plays at Real sides in Serie A. Roma lost 3-0 in the league Storari - but there was no Roma player on stages swung back in Espanyol’s favor and while Diego Lopez plays in the Spanish league. Sociedad. Defending champion Atletico Madrid to Juventus earlier this month to slip eight hand to tap it in. Casillas was forced to rush out to stop substitute “I want to congratulate Casillas because he is hosts Athletic Bilbao today. The second legs will points behind the two-time reigning Juventus had the ball in the back of the Cordoba before weathering a final barrage of playing well,” Ancelotti said. “Iker is just as much be played next week. — AP league champion. net in the opening minute of the second “It was a win we wanted at all costs,” half but Federico Peluso’s header was ruled Roma captain Francesco Totti said. “Today out as Mauricio Isla’s cross had already we showed that we are at the same level as gone out of play. Spanish judge to hear a great Juve side. “Maybe we were a bit too timid in the “For me, there’s not all this distance first half but I don’t remember us suffering between us and them. But it’s normal that particularly,” Juventus coach Antonio Conte everyone looks at the current table. We’re said. “They scored when they had a good case over Neymar deal doing really well, but they’re going beyond chance, while when it happened to us they the limits.” It was also a matchup between ruled out the goal.” the two clubs which have won competition Conte clearly felt the refereeing deci- MADRID: A Spanish judge yesterday agreed to because members did not know the “real desti- total cost of the transfer could be well in excess the most times, with both boasting nine sions had not gone Juve’s way, starting hear a case lodged against Barcelona president nation” of 40 million euros supposedly paid to of the figure claimed by the club. Italian Cup victories. with Isla’s cross. Sandro Rosell over the signing of Brazilian striker Neymar family business N&N. Ruz also ordered the club to hand over the Roma, which lost last year’s final to bit- “The ball seemed in to me,” he said. “Also Neymar. Ruz subsequently demanded Barca hand documentation on a 7.9 million euro deal ter rival Lazio, started well and had two Benatia’s foul on Giovinco was that of the Judge Pablo Ruz of the National Court in over the contracts involved in the deal, as well as agreed for the Catalans to have first-option to good opportunities inside the opening 11 last man but we accept the referee’s deci- Madrid issued a ruling accepting the case but the club’s financial accounts for the past three buy three Santos youth team players and an minutes but first new signing Radja sion. It’s disappointing to be knocked out adding that there was no “urgency or necessity” years. And he said the contents of the complaint agreement for the two clubs to play two friend- Nainggolan and then Alessandro Florenzi of a competition, but I don’t have anything to hear Rosell’s testimony at this stage. and documents received from Barcelona provid- lies for which Barca would pay the Brazilians fired wide. Juventus players and staff called to reproach the lads for.” — AP Barcelona have maintained since the signing ed “sufficient elements” for the case to proceed. nine million euros. was made last May that the whole operation He ordered a commission of inquiry to travel At a press conference on Monday, Rosell reit- cost the club 57.1 million euros ($77 million), but to Brazil to obtain a copy of the 21-year-old erated that the total cost of the transfer was 57.1 that they couldn’t divulge how much each of the Neymar’s contract with former club Santos and million euros and said he would welcome the parties involved in the deal had received on con- for the contracts lodged with football’s govern- opportunity to be called to give evidence to clar- fidentiality grounds. ing body FIFA to be released. The judge also ify matters. However, the judge said there was That led to a member of the fan-owned club, instructed Neymar to submit a contract he had no “urgency or necessity” to hear Rosell’s testi- Jordi Cases, lodging a complaint last month signed with N&N ceding future financial rights. mony until the preliminary inquiry was more against Rosell alleging misappropriation Reports in Spain have estimated that the advanced. — AFP City through to League Cup final

LONDON: Manchester City showed no mercy on the goalkeeper. European silverware, having left Spanish football beleaguered West Ham by romping to a 3-0 vic- Negredo then moved onto 23 goals for the empty-handed after spells with Villarreal, Real tory in the second leg of their League Cup semi- season - one more than the entire West Ham Madrid and Malaga across nine years. final on Tuesday, completing a 9-0 aggregate team has managed in 22 games in the league - City is also in the running for three other tro- thrashing. by muscling his way through the home defense phies - it is second in the Premier League, Alvaro Negredo scored twice and Sergio and applying a deft finish on the slide. through to the last 16 of the Champions League Aguero added the other goal to ensure City will “We didn’t want to lose,” City defender Joleon and in the fourth round of the FA Cup. contest its first League Cup final since 1976, Lescott said. “We wanted to keep our winning To make matters worse for West Ham, mid- against either Sunderland or fierce rival streak going.” The 60-year-old Pellegrini is now fielders Joe Cole and Mohamed Diame went off Manchester United at Wembley Stadium on the brink of winning his first piece of major injured in the second half. — AP March 2. Having grabbed a hat trick in City’s 6-0 win in the first leg two weeks ago, Negredo NANTES: In this Dec. 24, 2013 file photo, Monaco’s forward Falcao falls as he tries to ensured there would be no miracle turnaround reach the ball during a challenge with Nantes’ defender Isaa Cissokho and goalkeep- by heading in the opening goal at Upton Park er Remy Riou during their French League One soccer match. — AP after less than three minutes. Aguero clipped home a deft finish in the 24th for his third goal in as many matches since returning from a calf Falcao injured in injury and Negredo powered through some weak defending to wrap up the scoring in the 59th. It took City’s goal tally for the season in all Monaco Cup win competitions to 106 in 35 games. Most neutrals will likely be hoping for an all- Manchester final, but Sunderland leads the oth- PARIS: An injury to star striker Radamel strugglers Chasselay and their star player, er semifinal 2-1 after the first leg. The return Falcao overshadowed Monaco’s win against veteran former Monaco captain Ludovic match is at Old Trafford late yesterday. minnows Chasselay in the round of 32 of Giuly. “It is not possible for the referee to British bookmakers were offering odds of the French Cup yesterday. forget to show a yellow card, it’s not possi- 500-1 that West Ham would complete an incon- The Colombian crumbled to the ground ble,” complained Monaco coach Claudio ceivable turnaround. Many in the media dubbed following a challenge inside the Chasselay Ranieri about the challenge on Falcao in a it “Mission Impossible.” area-for which no penalty was given-just post-match interview with Eurosport televi- And even though City fielded a weakened before the interval and needed lengthy sion. “I hope that Falcao has nothing seri- lineup, the visitors maintained a professional, treatment before being carried away on a ous.” Later on, Monaco released a state- positive attitude to the second leg and had far stretcher underneath a blanket. ment in which they said: “The player too much class for West Ham, which has He had given the principality club the Radamel Falcao was hit in the left knee. endured a miserable season and is marooned in lead just before the half-hour mark, tap- Must await further tests in the coming days the Premier League’s relegation zone. ping into an empty net after Valere to clarify the exact nature of the injury.” It’s the biggest aggregate margin of victory in Germain had headed down a cross, his Later yesterday, leaders Paris Saint- a League Cup semifinal. “It was important the 11th goal in French football setting Germain entertain Montpellier at the Parc way we reached the final, winning all our Monaco on their way to clinching a place in des Princes, while holders Bordeaux are games,” Pellegrini said. the last 16. one of several top-flight sides in action Pellegrini started with his first-choice strike- Emmanuel Riviere replaced the former away to lower-league opposition. force and Negredo opened the scoring after just Atletico Madrid striker after half-time and There was considerable drama on three minutes, emphatically heading in a cross went on to score two more goals in a game Tuesday as Marseille lost 5-4 at home to from 18-year-old Portuguese winger Marcos that was played at ’s . south-coast rivals Nice at the Stade Lopes. The injury to Falcao and the fall-out Velodrome while three other Ligue 1 sides Aguero, who was making his first start since from it somewhat marred what should AC Ajaccio, Sochaux and SC Bastia-all lost returning from injury, ran onto a pass from the LONDON: West Ham’s Alou Diarra (right) heads the ball with Manchester City’s Marcos Lopes have been a special occasion for fourth-tier to second-tier opponents. — AFP impressive Lopes, beat his marker and chipped during the second leg of the English League Cup semifinal soccer match. — AP