FA, UEFA lift Cardiff City's Euro hopes

LONDON: Cardiff City's hopes of playing in next season's UEFA Cup were lifted on Monday when the FA said it would re-examine its case and UEFA said it would consider giving the Welsh club a wildcard entry.

Materazzi wins apology over racist claim

LONDON: Italian World Cup-winning defender Marco Materazzi won a formal public apology from the Daily Star in the High Court on Monday over its claim that he had racially abused France's Zinedine Zidane in 2006.

Olajuwon, Ewing, Riley elected to Hall of Fame

SAN ANTONIO, Texas: Two of basketball's most dominant former centers, 7-footers Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing, were among the seven new Hall of Fame inductees named on Monday.

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Facial surgery for Cech

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Jones demands justice for Cardiff

LONDON: Cardiff manager Dave Jones has pleaded with football's governing bodies not to ruin his side's FA Cup fairy tale after the Welsh club beat Barnsley 1-0 to book a place in the final.

Barcelona frustrated as Real stumbles toward title

MADRID: Barcelona once again failed to capitalize on the latest Real Madrid slip with a 0-0 draw against Getafe on Sunday keeping it seven points behind the league leader.

Ferdinand injury adds to United's woes

MIDDLESBROUGH, England: Manchester United faced a defensive injury crisis after Rio Ferdinand became the latest addition to its growing casualty list.

Inter back on track with win at Atalanta

ROME: Inter Milan, which had seen its once seemingly invincible 11-point Serie A lead whittled down to just one, stopped the rot on Sunday with a 2-0 win at Atalanta to go four points clear with six games left.

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Nadal outguns Blake in 3 sets in quarterfinal

MIAMI: World No 2 Rafael Nadal powered to a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory over James Blake on Wednesday to reach the semifinals of the Sony Ericsson Open.

Carmakers put pressure on disgraced Mosley

MANAMA, Bahrain: Leading Formula One car manufacturers put pressure on Max Mosley to resign as president of the sport's governing body yesterday after a sex scandal involving the Briton.