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(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-26 08:02

China

We should rebuild game's image, chief says

The vice-minister of the State General Administration of Sport, Cai Zhenhua, revealed that top officials in the central government are not satisfied with the state of soccer and urged people in the sport to work harder to rebuild its image.

"My career started from sport and once you choose it, you must step forward despite the huge burdens on your shoulders," Cai said during a Chinese Football Association (CFA) meeting on Monday.

It was his first public appearance since he was chosen to take over soccer as vice-minister and show China's determination to crack down on match-fixing and bribery in the sport. "We had a lot of problems in developing the sport and the domestic league," he said. "Soccer lags far behind compared to other Olympic sports. Soccer is a key factor if we want to become a sports powerhouse in the world."

In a nationwide crackdown, China has arrested a number of chief CFA officials and retired players who were implicated in the scandal.

Scottish Premier League

Lennon blames referee for Old Firm defeat

Angry Celtic manager Neil Lennon says he will be looking for answers from referee Willie Collum, who he claims got two big decisions wrong as Rangers came from behind to win 3-1 at Parkhead.

The win sent Rangers three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League as Celtic lost for the first time in 17 league games since the former club captain Lennon took charge of the side in March.

It was the first time 31-year-old Collum had taken charge of the fixture and before the game Lennon, who pointed to decisions that had gone against his side in the derby last season, had called on the referee to stay strong and get the big decisions right.

"I thought he (Collum) got a couple of big decisions wrong. He has a lot of questions to answer and I want to know why (Lee) McCulloch was still on the pitch when it was a blatant obstruction when we were on the break. It was his second yellow and really Rangers should have been down to 10 men in the second half," Lennon said.

La Liga

Mourinho invokes Soprano to focus players

Jose Mourinho has invoked an expression common to fictional New Jersey Mafia boss Tony Soprano to remind his players of the importance of Tuesday's King's Cup last 32 first leg against lowly Real Murcia.

Under Mourinho's predecessor, Manuel Pellegrini, Real was humiliated 4-0 by Alcorcon, another third-tier side, in the same fixture last season and failed to turn the tie around at the Bernabeu to slump to an astonishing 4-1 aggregate loss.

Mourinho said after Real's 6-1 La Liga thrashing of Racing Santander on Saturday he would give Mesut Ozil, Xabi Alonso and Ricardo Carvalho a few days off but planned to field the in-form Cristiano Ronaldo, who has netted eight goals in his last three league outings, and out-of-favor France striker Karim Benzema.

"If last year's situation (at Alcorcon) repeats itself, I will cross those who play off my list because they will be dead to me," the flamboyant Mourinho said. "Benzema will start and so will Ronaldo. It is a very important game to me."

Serie A

Lazio surges clear as Inter held at home

Lazio went four points clear at the top of Serie A with a 2-1 home win against Cagliari as champion Inter Milan was held 1-1 at home to Sampdoria on Sunday.

AC Milan can close the gap to two points if it wins away to Napoli on Monday night. Inter came close to losing its first home league match in three years as Stefano Guberti gave the visitor the lead, but Samuel Eto'o's 15th goal in 13 games in all competitions earned a share of the spoils.

Brazilian center-half Lucio had the first clear sight of the goal on 10 minutes, but Gianluca Curci made a point blank save from his close range volley.

Agence France-Presse - China Daily

(China Daily 10/26/2010 page24)