THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 SPORTS UEFA’s Ceferin backs EPL Ireland’s O’Neill upbeat New Zealand’s sevens transfer window plans on WCup despite defeat legend Forbes retires LONDON: UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin says he supports Premier League DUBLIN: Ireland manager Martin O’Neill is confident his side can still WELLINGTON: New Zealand rugby sevens legend DJ Forbes announced plans to close the transfer window before action gets under way on the qualify for the 2018 World Cup despite a damaging defeat at home his retirement yesterday after a record-breaking 11-year career in the pitch next season. Clubs in England’s top flight spent a record £1.4 billion to Serbia. The 1-0 loss, courtesy of Aleksandar Kolarov’s second-half shortest form of the game. “The last 11 years with the All Blacks Sevens ($1.8 billion, 1.5 billion euros) in the transfer window, capped by a final day strike, pushed Ireland down to third place in Group D, with Wales’s 2- has been an awesome ride that I’ve loved every minute of,” Forbes, 34, splurge of £210 million, cementing its position as Europe’s richest league. 0 win in Moldova lifting them up to second. Ireland face Moldova in told the New Zealand Rugby website. Derek Jamie “DJ” Forbes made his This year the window shut on August 31 after three rounds of Dublin next month before concluding their campaign against Wales debut for the All Blacks Sevens in 2006, appearing in a record Premier League fixtures. Club bosses are set to vote this week in Cardiff and even two wins would not guarantee them a place in 89 world sevens series tournaments and playing a record 512 on a proposal to close the window early, a move that would the play-offs. But O’Neill, who guided Ireland through the play-offs matches, scoring 153 tries and winning six World Series leave it out of line with the standard FIFA dates. In an email to the Euro 2016 finals, was in confident mood despite the first home titles. He also captained New Zealand to gold at the 2010 to the Times, Ceferin said he supported the move to wrap up defeat of his Ireland tenure. “Absolutely not,” he said, when asked if Commonwealth Games and the 2013 Sevens World Cup. transfer business before the start of the next domestic cam- the defeat spelled the end of Ireland’s chances. “We can win our last “Sevens means you’re on the road a lot,” said Forbes. “I want paign. “I am aware there are serious discussions around two games, we can still make it. No doubt, I’m very confident we can to thank my wife and kids and family and friends for their Europe regarding the shortening of the summer transfer win- win both games. “I said that to the players in the dressing room. enormous support, and I am looking forward to being dow and we are following them closely,” UEFA president Obviously, we’ve a lot of disappointed players after that perform- around a lot more. “Today starts my new life after footy,” Ceferin told the Times. —AFP ance but it’s not big words from me, it’s how I feel. —AFP he added.—AFP FLORIDA: Tampa Bay Rays’ Kevin Kiermaier dives back to first base ahead of the pickoff throw from Minnesota Twins pitcher Bartolo Colon to Joe Mauer during the first inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, Sept 5, 2017 in St Petersburg, Fla. —AP Indians punch White Sox, go 13th straight CHICAGO: Jose Ramirez hit two more homers Drury grounded to Turner just inside the third longest skid over the last five years. Cam NATIONALS 2, MARLINS 1 Giants at Coors Field. The Rockies held off a late and Austin Jackson also connected as the base line, and he fired home to catcher Yasmani Bedrosian (5-4) pitched a scoreless ninth. Stephen Strasburg pitched six solid innings rally by San Francisco to increase their lead to 2 Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 9- Grandal. The throw appeared to ricochet off Eduardo Paredes retired Jed Lowrie on a flyball to help Washington edge Miami. Daniel 1/2 games over Milwaukee for the second NL 4 on Tuesday night for their 13th straight victory, pinch-runner Chris Hermann and then Grandal’s to escape a bases-loaded jam for his first career Murphy hit his 22nd homer and Pedro wild card. Nolan Arenado doubled in a four-run the longest run by a major league team this sea- shoulder before bouncing away. Hermann and save. Blake Treinen (1-4) retired the first two Severino also drove in a run for the Nationals, sixth for his 112th RBI, tying Miami slugger son. Danny Salazar got just two outs in his AJ Pollock scored, Drury was safe at second and batters in the 10th. He then hit a batter, CJ Cron who have won seven straight against the Giancarlo Stanton for most in the majors. After return from right elbow inflammation, but Grandal was charged with an error. Arizona singled and Revere followed with his hit. Cron Marlins. Sean Doolittle worked the ninth for spot starter Tyler Chatwood lasted three innings, Cleveland’s deep bullpen took over from there. matched the club record for consecutive wins hit a two-run homer in the sixth and an RBI his 18th save in 19 chances. Doolittle allowed a Colorado used eight relievers. Chris Rusin (4-0) Seven relievers combined for 8 1/3 scoreless set in June 2003. The victory earned the triple in the eighth. Albert Pujols hit a run-scor- bloop single to Marcell Ozuna, who scored on earned the win and Greg Holland pitched a per- innings as the Indians moved within one of their Diamondbacks their first season series win over ing single and sacrifice fly, giving him 14 RBIs in a sacrifice fly by Derek Dietrich, but got Brian fect ninth for his 37th save. Denver native Ty franchise-record 14-game win streak last year. Los Angeles since 2013. The Dodgers lost their his last six games for the Angels. Khris Davis hit Anderson to line out to end the game. Blach (8-12) allowed five runs over 5 1/3 innings Jackson and Ramirez hit back-to-back homers fifth in a row and 10th in 11 games, although his 38th home run and Matt Olson connected Strasburg (12-4) gave up a single in each of his for the Giants on the anniversary of his big during a three-run first against David Holmberg they remain baseball’s top team at 92-46. David for the third time in two games for Oakland. six innings, but was able to keep the Marlins league debut at Coors Field. Joe Panik had four (2-4). Ramirez added another solo shot in the Hernandez (3-0) got the victory in relief. Angels starter Garrett Richards retired his first from getting into scoring position. He struck hits for San Francisco. Pablo Sandoval went 0 for second, and the AL Central leaders went ahead Fernando Rodney got his 35th save. Arizona seven batters while pitching for just the second out eight and did not walk a batter, lowering 4 and is hitless in his last 37 at-bats. to stay on Greg Allen’s tiebreaking, two-run dou- starter Zack Greinke gave up one run and four time this season. He allowed one run and four his ERA to 2.78. Miami slugger Giancarlo ble in the third. Yan Gomes tacked on a three- hits in seven innings against his former team. hits in 3 1/3 innings. The game came five Stanton went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and TIGERS 13, ROYALS 2 run shot in the ninth. Ramirez has five homers in months to the day after he strained his right did not add to his home run total of 53, but did JaCoby Jones and John Hicks each hit two of his last three games. He is batting .500 (17 for ASTROS 3, MARINERS 1 biceps at Oakland in his season debut. take a home run away from Murphy when he Detroit’s six homers in a rout of Kansas City. 34) with seven homers and nine RBIs on Justin Verlander pitched six strong innings leaped above the right-center field wall to Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez threw only five Cleveland’s 11-game road trip. Matt Davidson and won his Astros debut after Cameron Maybin CARDINALS, 8, PADRES 4 make a catch in the third. Odrisamer pitches and was knocked out of the game in the hit a three-run drive for last-place Chicago, hit a two-run homer with one out in the seventh Jose Martinez hit two home runs, rookie Despaigne (0-3) permitted one run and five first inning after getting hit in the right leg by which has dropped six of eight. Top prospect for Houston’s first hit against Seattle. With all the Harrison Bader had three RBIs and Michael hits in seven innings. The Marlins have lost Whit Merrifield’s single. Sanchez exited with a Yoan Moncada went 1 for 5 in his return from a attention on Verlander’s first game for a team Wacha overcame a shaky start to last six innings eight of nine. bruised calf. Myles Jaye (1-0) replaced Sanchez bruised right shin. When the White Sox led 4-3 other than the Detroit Tigers, it was another as St. Louis defeated San Diego. Martinez added and pitched 2 1/3 innings for the win.