ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2021 SPORTS 14 UEFA wants single proposal from the continent UK government offers $4m for 2030 World Cup bid with Ireland LONDON, March 2, (AP): The Brit- William lobbying executive commit- “If a decision is made to bid for the or banned. David Cameron, who was ish government will provide 2.8 mil- tee members on the eve of the decision. event, we look forward to presenting British Prime Minister at the time of lion pounds ($4 million) to pursue a England, which hosted and won the our hosting proposals to FIFA and the the 2010 vote, said “the corrupt under- fi ve-nation bid for a World Cup with 1966 World Cup, is exploring bidding wider global football community.” tones were all there.” Ireland. with Scotland, Wales, Northern Ire- FIFA is planning for its congress of During the World Cup bidding, The English Football Association land and Ireland. 211 football nations to pick the 2030 FIFA was led by Sepp Blatter who was disclosed the fi nancial assistance for a London, Glasgow and Dublin are host in 2024. later banned from football for six years potential British Isles bid on Monday being used this year among the 12 A rival bid in Europe is being pur- by the FIFA ethics committee after be- as it received fresh backing from Brit- cities across the continent staging the sued by Spain and Portugal and UEFA ing forced from offi ce in 2015. ish Prime Minister Boris Johnson. 2020 European Championship that wants a single proposal from the conti- Cameron said the corruption at FIFA “We are very, very keen to bring was rescheduled due to the coronavi- nent. There is also a coalition of South refl ected an issue “that proved to be football home in 2030. I do think it’s rus pandemic. American countries pushing ahead more prevalent than I had expected.” the right place,” Johnson said in an with a bid from Argentina, Uruguay, “Those same forces that had de- interview with “The Sun” newspaper. SOCCER Paraguay and Chile. nied Britain the World Cup,” Cam- “It’s the home of football, it’s the right China could also bid if FIFA changes eron wrote in his 2019 autobiography, time. It will be an absolutely wonder- its rules on rotation of World Cup hosts “bribery, lack of transparency, col- ful thing for the country.” “We will continue to undertake fea- with the Asian Confederation also stag- lusion, fraud were depriving people Johnson calling England the “home” sibility work to assess the viability of ing the 2022 edition in Qatar. The con- around the world of safer, healthier, of football is the language the coun- a bid before FIFA formally open the tinent’s turn on hosting is not due to wealthier lives.” try’s bid for the 2018 World Cup process in 2022,” read a joint state- come again until 2034. The 2026 World FIFA has been led since 2016 by sought to avoid so the FA didn’t give ment on Monday from the fi ve British Cup will be jointly hosted by the United Gianni Infantino. A special prosecutor the impression of seeming entitled to Isles football associations. “Staging a States, Canada and Mexico. in Switzerland last year recommend- Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson meets Sixth Ftorm students during a host the FIFA men’s showpiece. The FIFA World Cup would provide an in- The 2018 bidding process was ed opening a criminal investigation visit to Accrington Academy in Accrington, England, on Feb 25. (AP) 2018 bid fl opped, with only two of 22 credible opportunity to deliver tangible mired in controversy with many of the against Infantino, who denies wrong- FIFA votes received, despite Prince benefi ts for our nations. voters later embroiled in investigations doing. Soccer Roundup Everton hold off Southampton Liverpool great Ian St John dies ‘Injured’ Zlatan could miss to be on verge of EPL top four return to Man U with Milan MILAN, Mar 2, (AP): AC Milan to the under-20 level and coached forward Zlatan Ibrahimović is out Austrian champion Salzburg’s again with injury and could miss youth team. his side’s Europa League match Bielefeld, which was promoted against Manchester United. last year, is in third-to-last place in Ibrahimović had to come off the 18-team league. Hertha Berlin on Sunday in the second half of a is just ahead on goal difference, 2-1 win at Roma after injuring a and improving Mainz is only one muscle in his left thigh. The Swed- point behind in a direct relegation ish forward will be re-evaluated place. Bielefeld still has a game in 10 days - the date of the trip to in hand, however. Its next game is Old Trafford for the first leg of the against Union Berlin on Sunday. Europa League round of 16 against Bielefeld earned only one point his former club. from its last five games – a 3-3 The 39-year-old Ibrahimović draw at Bayern Munich – and the will definitely be out for the Serie 3-0 loss at Borussia Dortmund on A matches against Udinese and Saturday was the fifth in a row in Hellas Verona before then. He which the team conceded at least could also miss the league match three goals. against Napoli on March 14 and ❑ ❑ ❑ the return match against Manches- ter United four days later. Ben Gumpert said Monday he It is a fourth spell on the side- will resign as president and chief lines for Ibrahimović this season operating officer of the United after testing positive for the coro- Soccer League’s Republic, a move navirus and two other injuries to announced three days after Major his left leg. League Soccer said Ron Burkle ❑ ❑ ❑ had backed out of plans for an ex- pansion team in Sacramento. Ian St John, the former Liver- Republic chairman Kevin Nagle pool forward who scored the win- said general manager Todd Duni- ning goal to seal the club’s first FA vant will become team president of Cup title and was a key player in the second-tier club and will con- its rebuild under Bill Shankly in the tinue to oversee soccer operations. 1960s, has died. He was 82. Gumpert will assist with the St John died on Monday fol- transition and be an adviser to lowing illness, Liverpool said on Nagle. Tuesday. “I’m grateful that he will con- A Scotland international who tinue to advise me as we continue later fronted the popular British TV into this season and in our pursuit show “Saint and Greavsie” along- to MLS,” Nagle said in a statement. side another former player, Jimmy ❑ ❑ ❑ Greaves, St John played 425 games for Liverpool from 1961-71 and The US men’s soccer team will scored 118 goals. play 47th-ranked Jamaica on No goal was bigger than the one March 25 at Wiener Neustadt, he scored in extra time to clinch a Austria, the fi rst of two exhibitions Everton’s Richarlison, (left), and Southampton’s Stuart Armstrong challenge for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Everton with the full player pool in Europe and Southampton at Goodison Park in Liverpool, England, on March 1. (AP) 2-1 win for Liverpool over Leeds in the 1965 FA Cup final. on FIFA international fi xture dates. St. John joined for a club-record The Americans had previous- fee from Scottish team Motherwell ly scheduled a March 28 match Richarlison stars Zidane’s switching formations backfired while Liverpool was in the second against Northern Ireland in Bel- division and, alongside Ron Yeats, fast. The Jamaica game was an- LIVERPOOL, England, was part of the spine of a team which nounced Monday by the US Soccer earned promotion then won the Eng- Federation. March 2, (AP): Ever- Real Madrid held by Sociedad lish league title in 1964 and ‘66. The matches will be just the third ton ended its worst home ❑ ❑ ❑ and fourth in 16 months with the full player pool, a schedule caused run since 1958 by beating MADRID, March 2, (AP): It was its city rival, which has a game in Portu opened the scoring for the Relegation-threatened Arminia by the coronavirus pandemic. The Southampton 1-0 in the a tactical change that didn’t last hand. Madrid has the same points visitors with a header into the top Bielefeld hired Frank Kramer as 22nd-ranked US tied 0-0 at Wales English Premier League more than 15 minutes, but it was total as second-placed Barcelona corner in the 55th minute, taking coach on Tuesday, a day after fir- on Nov 12, followed four days later just long enough to cost Real Ma- but trails on goal difference. advantage of some soft defend- ing Uwe Neuhaus. by a 6-2 win over Panama at Wie- and keeping its Champions drid a chance to fight for the Span- A win would have moved Madrid ing by Madrid left back Ferland Kramer has only limited expe- ner Neustadt. League dream on track. ish league lead in the derby against within three points of Atlético en- Mendy. rience in the Bundesliga after a The US is preparing for a June 3 Richarlison scored for the third Atlético Madrid next weekend. tering the derby. “There was some disconnection two-game spell as interim coach at match against Honduras in a semi- Coach Zinedine Zidane’s attempt “We had our chances but couldn’t after the change to three defend- Hoffenheim in 2012 and relegation fi nal of the CONCACAF Nations consecutive match inside the first with Greuther Fürth a year later.