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Feb
22

Second wins for Union and Cruz Azul

Cruz Azul and Union Espanola each recorded their second win in the Copa Libertadores group stage when they saw off Venezuelan opposition on Tuesday.

Mexican side Cruz Azul hammered Deportivo Tachira 4-0 while Chilean side Union enjoyed a 3-1 success against Bolivar in Venezuela.

Adrian Cortes' 18th-minute penalty set Cruz Azul on their way to victory in Group Six. Edixon Perea made the game safe (54) before Javier Orozco Penuelas and Emanuel Villa gave the scoreline a more emphatic look.

In Group Three, Bolivar took a first-minute lead against Union through Edemir Rodriguez but were pegged back by two goals in five minutes from Mauro Diaz (62) and Emanuel Herrera (66). Substitute Jean Paul Pineda scored a late third for the visitors.

Arsenal Sarandi bounced back from their opening Group Four loss to Fluminense by beating Zamora, ensuring a hat-trick of Venezuelan defeats on Tuesday.

The result was barely in doubt once Jorge Ortiz and Carlos Carbonero had scored in the opening quarter-hour, and Luciano Leguizamon rounded off the scoring before half-time.

Colombian giants Nacional claimed a tremendous 4-0 win in their trip to Uruguay's Penarol in Group 8.

Two goals from Jherson Cordoba and a brace more from Dorlan Pabon helped Nacional win in surprisingly comfortable fashion.

Cordoba opened the scoring in the eighth minute after being set up by Macnelly Torres and doubled the gap four minutes after the interval after Pabon headed down Luis Mosquera's cross.

Pabon struck twice on the counter-attack to consolidate the win.

Article source: http://www.espnstar.com/football/news/detail/item757498

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Feb
22

Jones and Warburton in for Wales

Lock Alun Wyn Jones and captain Sam Warburton return for Wales' Triple Crown bid against England on Saturday.

Unbeaten Wales have made three changes to the pack that started their

27-13 win over Scotland

.

Hooker Ken Owens will make his first Wales start because Matthew Rees and Huw Bennett have calf injuries.

Osprey Jones will play his first Wales game since the World Cup, ousting team-mate Ryan Jones, who hands back the captaincy to openside Warburton.

Warburton was forced to miss the victory over the Scots because of a dead leg.

Alun Wyn Jones, who win his 60th cap, is back

after recovering from a dislocated toe he suffered in training in November.

Owens won the second of his two caps as a replacement in the Scotland victory after making his debut from the bench against Namibia in the pool stages of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The Wales backline remains unchanged from that which started both victories so far in the Championship, against Ireland in Dublin and Scotland in Cardiff.

The only injury concern in the backline had been George North's twisted ankle but the 19-year-old wing has recovered.

"A fit again Alun Wyn Jones is selected based on his Rugby World Cup form and his experience as an international lock," said Wales head coach Warren Gatland.

2012 SIX NATIONS TABLE

"He gave us a selection dilemma but it has been a great problem to have and, whilst Ryan Jones is particularly unlucky to miss out on this occasion, this is just that kind of competition for places we have been striving for.

"Ken Owens has been waiting patiently for his chance and whilst injuries elsewhere have meant he gets his opportunity this weekend we are expecting him to take it."

On the bench Osprey Richard Hibbard provides the hooker cover with Rees and Bennett both injured.

Ryan Jones replaces Sale Sharks back row Andy Powell, with Justin Tipuric completing the forward replacements.

That means there is no place in the 22 for Aaron Shingler, who made an impressive Wales debut against Scotland.

Blues scrum-half Lloyd Williams, Perpignan pivot James Hook and Scarlets centre Scott Williams are all retained to provide cover for the backs.

Meanwhile, Gatland has said Wales are not intimidated by the task facing them against England at Twickenham next weekend.

Wales have won only once at Twickenham during the last 25 years - a

26-19 victory during the Grand Slam season of 2008

and have never completed any of their previous 19 Triple Crowns at the ground.

"There is definitely not that fear factor now," Gatland told BBC Wales' Sport Wales.

"If we go there with our heads right and get some quality ball, we have got a good chance. We are not afraid of going to Twickenham now, we are excited about it.

"I expect England might have the attitude that if they can get four penalties, a try and conversion and get 19 points, and they can squeeze us, that might be enough.


Jamie Roberts

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Roberts ignores Triple Crown talk

"It is a great challenge for us going to Twickenham as favourites. This young team has got to learn to accept that and deal with those expectations, because in Wales there is nothing in between - it is all or nothing.

"There is only one consequence of being built up and that is you get quickly knocked down. We have got to make sure we keep our feet on the ground.

"A lot of people are talking us up which is going to add to England's motivation, and we have got to handle that.

"I have generally got fond memories of Twickenham [where he launched his tenure as Wales coach with victory in 2008], but talking to some Wales players who played over the past 20 years, it was a bit different when they were fully loaded with [Martin] Johnson, [Lawrence] Dallaglio, Back and all the others."

WALES:

Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Ken Owens, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (capt), Toby Faletau.

Replacements:

Richard Hibbard, Paul James, Ryan Jones, Justin Tipuric, Lloyd Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams.

WALES SQUAD

Backs:

Mike Phillips (Bayonne), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), James Hook (Perpignan), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Gavin Henson (Cardiff Blues), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), George North (Scarlets), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Harry Robinson (Cardiff Blues), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Lee Byrne (Clermont Auvergne)

Forwards:

Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Paul James (Ospreys), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Lou Reed (Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), Sam Warburton (capt, Cardiff Blues), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Toby Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), Andy Powell (Sale Sharks), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets).

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17112425

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Feb
22

Donald to face Els at Match Play

World number one Luke Donald has been drawn to meet three-time major winner Ernie Els in the WGC Match Play Championship this week.

Donald, the defending champion, will be hoping to reproduce his incredible 2011 form when he won all six of his matches before the 18th hole.

Tiger Woods will play Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano in Wednesday's opening round at Dove Mountain.

Rory McIlroy begins his campaign against South African George Coetzee.

Lee Westwood faces Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts at the Arizona course, while Sergio Garcia takes on fellow Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Bill Haas, winner of Sunday's Northern Trust Open, tees off against Japan's Ryo Ishikawa while Dustin Johnson meets his US Ryder Cup team-mate Jim Furyk.

Donald, whose success came a year after his fellow Briton Ian Poulter won the tournament, needs to forget his disappointing showing in the Northern Trust Open last week.

The Buckinghamshire-based golfer slumped to a 56th place finish, carding 78 in his final round.

"I certainly have good feelings going back to Dove Mountain," he said.

"I have a pretty good matchplay record but you just never know with that format.

"I just try to be pretty good at not giving too many shots away, too many holes away, keeping the pressure on my opponents and taking it one match at a time.

"I have always had that inner belief that I could certainly play as well as I did last year and it's nice to see the hard work paying off but I feel like there is a lot more for me to achieve.

"There is a slight added burden of expectation but I feel I've dealt with that pretty well so far."

The tournament takes place from 22-26 February.

FULL FIRST ROUND DRAW

Luke Donald (Eng) v Ernie Els (SA)

Jason Dufner (US) v Peter Hanson (Swe)

KJ Choi (Kor) v Kyle Stanley (US)

Brandt Snedeker (US) v Retief Goosen (SA)

Adam Scott (Aus) v Robert Rock (Eng)

Bo Van Pelt (US) v Mark Wilson (US)

Dustin Johnson (US) v Jim Furyk (US)

Thomas Bjorn (Den) v Francesco Molinari (Ita)

Rory McIlroy (NI) v George Coetzee (SA)

Kim Kyung-tae (Kor) v Anders Hansen (Den)

Sergio Garcia (Spa) v Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa)

Keegan Bradley (US) v Geoff Ogilvy (Aus)

Jason Day (Aus) v Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa)

Simon Dyson (Eng) v John Senden (Aus)

Charl Schwartzel (SA) v Gary Woodland (US)

Ian Poulter (Eng) v Bae Sang-moon (Kor)

Martin Kaymer (Ger) v Greg Chalmers (Aus)

David Toms (US) v Rickie Fowler (US)

Matt Kuchar (US) v Jonathan Byrd (US)

Bubba Watson (US) v Ben Crane (US)

Steve Stricker (US) v Kevin Na (US)

Louis Oosthuizen (SA) v Aaron Baddeley (Aus)

Graeme McDowell (NI) v Yang Yong-eun (Kor)

Hunter Mahan (US) v Zach Johnson (US)

Lee Westwood (Eng) v Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)

Robert Karlsson (Swe) v Fredrik Jacobson (Swe)

Nick Watney (US) v Darren Clarke (NI)

Tiger Woods (US) v Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa)

Webb Simpson (US) v Matteo Manassero (Ita)

Alvaro Quiros (Spa) v Martin Laird (Sco)

Bill Haas (US) v Ryo Ishikawa (Jap)

Justin Rose (Eng) v Paul Lawrie (Sco)

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/17106203

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Feb
21

Deschamp open to Del Piero move

Marseille coach Didier Deschamp admitted that he would be more than happy to link up once again with ex-teammate Alessandro Del Piero once more.

Del Piero is currently set to leave Juventus at the end of the season after 19 years with the Turin side after the board announced that his contract will not be renewed.

The 37-year-old has since been linked with moves to PSG, Parma, New York Red Bulls, LA Galaxy amongst others. 

Deschamp threw Marseille's name into the hat, praising Del Piero's abilities and personality which he has seen up front when he spent five years playing alongside the Italian at Juventus.

"I have respect for what Alessandro has done in his career," Deschamps told Rai Sport.

"He's a champion whom I've had the good fortune to have as a team-mate and then a player.

"If he chose to come to Marseille, I would welcome him with open arms."

Despite being on the way out, Del Piero still managed 16 games for the Bianconeri this season and scored once, a trademark "Gol alla Del Piero" finish after cutting in from the flanks.

Article source: http://www.espnstar.com/football/news/detail/item756881

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Feb
21

GB pair make early Memphis exit

Elena Baltacha and Heather Watson both lost in straight sets as British interest ended swiftly at the Memphis International on Monday.

Baltacha, the British number one, went down 6-2 6-1 to Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands, ranked 22 places lower at 82 in the world.

And Watson followed soon after with a 6-2 6-3 defeat by Sofia Arvidsson.

The Swede will face Great Britain in the Fed Cup in April,

although is unlikely to face Watson in singles.

World number 72 Arvidsson is the Swedish number two, while Watson is the British number four with a ranking of 123.

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/17105924

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