IN BRIEF (Page 24)
SOCCER
Riquelme agrees to sign for Atletico - report
MADRID: Villarreal's Argentina midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme has agreed to sign a two-year deal with Atletico Madrid, Spanish radio station Cadena Ser reported yesterday.
There was no official comment from either club, but Cadena Ser said sources close to the player had confirmed the deal.
The 29-year-old playmaker fell out with Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini midway through last season and was loaned out to his former club Boca Juniors.
He went on to inspire the Argentine side to their sixth Libertadores Cup crown.
Sunderland fails to heed Keane's warning
LUTON, England: Roy Keane insisted he had warned his Sunderland players not to underestimate Luton before the League One club knocked the Black Cats out of the League Cup.
Keane feared complacency might be a problem because Sunderland had thrashed Luton 5-0 at the end of last season to clinch the Championship title.
The former Manchester United star was proved correct as Luton exacted revenge with a superb 3-0 second round win against the Premier League newboy on Tuesday.
Keane made only four changes to the team beaten by Liverpool on Saturday, but, although his side looked strong on paper, it was no match for Luton on the pitch.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL
Cornerback Samuel joins Patriots for practice
FOXBORO, Massachusetts: Cornerback Asante Samuel at last joined his New England Patriots teammates on the practice field Tuesday, after passing a physical and signing his $7.79 million deal the day before.
Samuel, who last season tied Denver's Champ Bailey for the National Football League lead in interceptions with 10, ended his holdout by agreeing to the terms of the franchise tag designated by the team in February.
"I'm not going to get into that but it is what it is," said Samuel on Tuesday, while standing in front of his locker and using the familiar phrase of coach Bill Belichick.
Cricket
Woolmer inquest set for October
KINGSTON: The long-awaited coroner's inquest into the death of former Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer will begin on October 16, a Jamaican radio station reported on Tuesday.
Radio Jamaica, citing Ken Pantry, the director of public prosecutions, said more than 50 witnesses would be called at the inquest, to be held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston.
Woolmer was found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room on March 18, a day after Pakistan crashed out of the Cricket World Cup following a shock defeat by Ireland.
Jamaican police, acting on autopsy findings, initially said Woolmer was strangled and launched a murder investigation.
BASEBALL
Slumping Yankees beat Red Sox 5-3
NEW YORK: The slumping New York Yankees scored a key victory against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, as Johnny Damon's two-run homer earned the team a 5-3 win at the expense of the American League's East leaders.
The Yankees had suffered a 16-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Monday and won only two of seven games on their recent road trip, falling eight games behind the Red Sox prior to Tuesday's game.
But a strong performance from pitcher Andy Pettitte and former Red Sox favourite Damon's home run cut Boston's lead to seven games in the division.
(China Daily 08/30/2007 page24)
