MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015 SPORTS Deadline day looms for FIFA candidates ZURICH: FIFA will today stop accepting Confederation, is believed to be consid- ball legend’s candidacy will only be Committee president Thomas Bach this Despite his win over Prince Ali in that candidates to replace Sepp Blatter as the ering a run. At least one other senior examined when the ban ends in early month called on FIFA to consider a “cred- election, Blatter announced four days scandal-tainted body’s leader, with five football official could also stand. January. Sexwale, 62, — once jailed ible external candidate”. later he would stand down. The Swiss contenders declared and more expected Candidates have until midnight alongside Nelson Mandela in an FIFPRO, the international players criminal inquiry has left him battling to before the door shuts. Monday to register papers at FIFA head- apartheid prison and an ex-government union, has also called for the “most strin- save his reputation. Tokyo Sexwale, a South African dia- quarters. The world body’s electoral minister-has appeared as a strong late gent tests of integrity” to be carried out The US inquiry-with 14 football offi- mond mining tycoon and politician, committee will then carry out integrity candidate. But the welter of revelations on all candidates. It called the world cials and business executives accused became the latest to join the race for the checks on all of the runners before con- of new corruption cases and the number body a “toxic pit” of corruption. over more than $150 million of bribes- February 26 election, despite the mount- firming them for the vote to be held at a of contenders now involved has made World football’s leadership has never threatens more embarrassing revela- ing corruption scandals that have hit special FIFA congress in Zurich. the race uncertain. been far from scandal. But allegations tions. Germany has become the latest football’s world body. Platini had been the frontrunner in “You never know what will happen have mounted since the 2010 votes country to be tainted by scandal. He will challenge Michel Platini, the the race after Blatter announced in June next with FIFA, you never know what will which awarded the 2018 World Cup to German prosecutors said last week they UEFA leader now suspended by FIFA, for- that he would stand down. But a Swiss happen to the candidates,” a top advisor Russia and the 2022 tournament to have started a preliminary inquiry into mer FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al criminal investigation into Blatter and a to one of the runners told AFP. Qatar. allegations that bribes were paid to Hussein, David Nakhid, a former Trinidad two million dollar payment made by “FIFA elections were certainties for FIFA’s foundations were shaken in secure the 2006 World Cup. Der Speigel and Tobago captain, and Jerome FIFA to Platini in 2011 has thrown the decades and suddenly this one is totally May when seven football officials were magazine has said Germany had a 6.7 Champagne, a former FIFA official. race wide open again. unpredictable,” the official added. detained on US warrants in a luxury million euro slush fund to buy votes. Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa, Blatter and Platini have been sus- Pressure over the scandals has mounted Zurich hotel two days before Blatter, 79, Germany’s football leadership has president of the Asian Football pended for 90 days and the French foot- so much that International Olympic was re-elected to a fifth term. strongly denied the allegations.—AFP German League results/standings Borussia Dortmund 5 (Aubameyang 18, 85, Reus 21, 33, 90+1) Augsburg 1 (Bobadilla 49) Played Saturday Bayern Munich 4 (Robben 35, Vidal 40, Lewandowski 62, Mueller 77-pen) Cologne 0; Bayer Leverkusen 4 (Bellarabi 57, Boenisch 70, Hernandez 71, Mehmedi 89); VfB Stuttgart 3 (Harnik 50, Didavi 54, Rupp 60); Hanover 96 1 (Klaus 51) Eintracht Frankfurt 2 (Stendera 57, 65); Mainz 05 1 (Muto 90) Werder Bremen 3 (Ujah 39, 44, Bartels 45+3); Darmstadt 0, VfL Wolfsburg 1 (Caligiuri 78); Ingolstadt 0, Hertha Berlin 1 (Weiser 11). Played Friday Hoffenheim 0, Hamburg 1 (Lasogga 88) BERLIN: German Bundesliga table after yesterday’s early match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Bayern Munich 10 10 0 0 33 4 30 Darmstadt 10 3 4 3 12 13 13 Dortmund 10 7 2 1 29 12 23 M’gladbach 9 4 0 5 16 16 12 Schalke 04 9 6 1 2 12 9 19 Frankfurt 10 3 3 4 16 17 12 VfL Wolfsburg 10 5 3 2 15 12 18 Mainz 05 10 4 0 6 13 16 12 Hertha Berlin 10 5 2 3 13 10 17 Werder Bremen10 3 1 6 10 15 10 Leverkusen 10 5 2 3 12 12 17 Hanover 96 10 2 2 6 9 18 8 Ingolstadt 04 10 4 2 4 6 8 14 VfB Stuttgart 10 2 1 7 15 23 7 Cologne 10 4 2 4 13 17 14 Hoffenheim 10 1 3 6 12 196 Hamburg 10 4 2 4 9 13 14 Augsburg 10 1 2 7 9 20 5 Dortmund down Augsburg BERLIN: Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick straight win this season and 1000th victory in Aubameyang netted a hat-trick yesterday as the Bundesliga. Borussia Dortmund ran riot in a 5-1 home win Netherlands captain Robben scored in his over Augsburg to stay second in the first match since August after a groin strain Bundesliga. Dortmund trimmed the gap at the while Arturo Vidal, Lewandowski and Thomas top to seven points behind run-away leaders Mueller also got on the scoresheet. Wolfsburg Bayern Munich as Aubameyang took his tally to stayed fourth with a 1-0 win at Darmstadt as 13 goals in 10 league games to become the Daniel Caligiuri hit their 78th minute winner. league’s joint top-scorer alongside Bayern’s Fresh from their 4-4 draw at home to Roma Robert Lewandowski. This was an emphatic vic- in the Champions League on Tuesday, Bayer tory for Dortmund, who tore the Augsburg Leverkusen had to come from 2-0 down before defence to pieces as Japan midfielder Shinji beating Stuttgart 4-3 in another thriller. Kagawa set up three of the goals. Stuttgart took a 2-0 lead through Martin Aubameyang claimed the third hat-trick in Harnik and Daniel Didavi before Germany ITALY: Juventus’ Paulo Dybala celebrates after scoring during a Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Atalanta. —AP his two years at Dortmund. “I have no secret, winger Karim Bellarabi made it 2-1 on 57 min- but I bet with my brother yesterday that I would utes. Midfielder Lukas Rupp netted for the visi- score three goals, no joke, I have already had a tors’ to make it 3-1 with an hour played when few messages about it,” revealed Aubameyang two goals in two minutes levelled the scores when asked what is the secret of his goal-scor- before Swiss striker Admir Mehmedi netted the Juve record rare win ing success.”The hat-trick is for my little son. 89th-minute winner. “I try to enjoy myself on the field. Sometimes The victory lifted Leverkusen to sixth while you have good times when you can try every- Stuttgart remain in the bottom three. Nigeria MILAN: Argentinian Paulo Dybala staked his with his legs after the Argentinian met Patrice Adriano’s header four minutes from time. thing and it comes off.” He opened his account striker Anthony Ujah scored twice as Werder claim for a regular starting spot at Juventus Evra’s cutback from the left byline with a smart Carlos Bacca broke the deadlock on the half- by finishing off a superb move for the opener Bremen broke their five-match losing streak after a superb individual display as the stutter- first-timer. hour from the penalty spot after he had been on 18 minutes, started by right-back Matthias with a 3-1 win at Mainz where Japan striker ing champions beat 10-man Atalanta 2-0 to Four minutes after the restart Dybala beat upended by goalkeeper Andrea Consigli, who Ginter on the flank, as a series of quick passes Yoshinori Muto scored the hosts’ consolation claim just their third win of the season. Dybala, his marker deep on the left to deliver a low ball saw red and was replaced by Gianluca Pegolo saw Ilkay Gundogan provide the striker with a goal in the 90th minute. The result lifted signed in a 32 million-euro ($35.2m) deal in the in for Mandzukic to tap home from close range. after Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di Francesco sac- simple tap in. Reus doubled the lead on 21 min- summer, had recently been advised by the Atalanta were reduced to 10 men with 20 rificed Antonio Floro Flores. Bremen out of the relegation zone and up to utes when he fired home a superbly worked president of his former club Palermo, Maurizio minutes remaining after Rafael Toloi saw red for Sassuolo were back on level terms eight 14th while Mainz dropped to 13th. Midfielder cross from Kagawa and the fleet-footed winger Zamparini, to move on after failing to nail a second bookable offence. Dybala won a minutes after the restart when Domenico Marc Stendera was Eintracht Frankfurt’s star claimed his second with Kagawa again provid- down a regular starting place in Turin. penalty for the hosts on 80 minutes after he Berardi curled a free-kick over the defensive with both of their second-half goals in a 2-1 ing the final pass.