SPORTS

Rooney targets silverware as captain

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney believes finishing in the Premier League’s top four last season was essential for the record 20-times English champions. United came fourth in Louis van Gaal’s first campaign in charge, improving on their seventh-place finish under David Moyes 12 months ago. “Top four was a must, really,” Rooney told the United website on Friday. “We had ...

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Watling century gives NZ control

England face a huge task to win the second Test after an unbeaten BJ Watling hundred left New Zealand in a strong position at Headingley. Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum also made half-centuries as the Black Caps closed day three on 338-6, a lead of 338. That represented a fightback from 23-2, aided by England dropping three catches. England were ...

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Platini must unite Europe – Dyke

Uefa president Michel Platini must show strong leadership to unite Europe behind a collective boycott of the 2018 World Cup, says Greg Dyke. A boycott in protest at the re-election of Sepp Blatter as Fifa president will be considered by Uefa, European football’s governing body, when it meets this week in Berlin. Football Association chairman Dyke believes it would need ...

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Prince William issues appeal to Fifa

The Duke of Cambridge has urged world football governing body Fifa to “show that it can represent the interests of fair play and put the sport first”. Prince William, the president of the FA, made his comments during a speech before the cup final at Wembley. He urged sponsors and other backers to use their influence with Fifa to support ...

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Rio Ferdinand retires from football

Former England captain Rio Ferdinand has retired from football, days after being released by Queens Park Rangers. The 36-year-old said it was “the right time” to retire from “the game I love”, in a statement read out on BT Sport.  London-born Ferdinand, who had 12 years at Manchester United after spells with West Ham and Leeds, last played for QPR ...

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Kvitova eases into Paris last 16

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova reached the last 16 of the French Open with a 6-3 6-2 win over Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania. Fourth seed Kvitova, 25, will now face either Madison Keys of the United States or Swiss Timea Bacsinszky for a place in the quarter-finals. The Czech has never gone past a semi-final at Roland Garros. Men’s number one ...

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Federer and Sharapova into last 16

Second seed Roger Federer reached the French Open fourth round for the 11th year in a row with a 6-4 6-3 6-2 win over Damir Dzumhur in Paris. The Swiss, who won the French Open in 2009, will play either Gael Monfils of France or Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay for a place in the quarter-finals. Defending women’s champion Maria Sharapova ...

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Zambia face Flames in fifth-place battle

Zambia wrap-up their interest at the 2015 Cosafa Cup on Friday when they meet Malawi in the Plate final at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg. Chipolopolo and Malawi qualified for the 5th and 6th place-playoff final after a 3-0 win over Ghana and 5-4 post-match penalties victory over Bafana Bafana respectively in the Plate semifinals on Wednesday night at ...

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Blatter refuses to quit as Fifa president

Sepp Blatter has refused to resign as Fifa president following a request from Uefa chief Michel Platini. The 79-year-old Swiss held an emergency meeting with key Fifa officials on Thursday after world football’s governing body was subjected to yet more damaging corruption claims. Platini then made a personal appeal for Blatter to quit. He said he addressed Blatter “like a ...

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