NEW YORK, July 31- Liverpool rallied twice against Manchester City and triumphed 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out Wednesday after their pre-season friendly at baseball’s Yankee Stadium ended 2-2 after regular time.

Stevan Jovetic scored twice for Manchester City, but Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling answered for Liverpool in the clash between last season’s top two teams in the English Premier League.

Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool dominated in the shootout, with two saves from Simon Mignolet.

Montenegro’s Jovetic opened the scoring in the 53rd minute after a defensive miscue from Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard.

Jesus Navas had fired a cross from the right and Gerrard was unable to block it. The ball trickled through his legs and Jovetic pounced to fire it home.

Henderson equalized six minutes later with a fine finish after solid work from Sterling and Daniel Sturridge.

But Jovetic restored the Premier League champions’ lead in the 67th.

It was the second match in a row that Jovetic scored two for the Premier League champions. He netted a brace in Sunday’s 5-1 friendly triumph over Italy’s AC Milan in Pittsburgh.

England international Sterling knotted the score at 2-2 in the 85th with a well-taken strike — and had a goal disallowed in injury time for offside.

After a lively performance throughout, Manchester City were lackluster in the shoot-out, with Aleksandar Kolarov, Yaya Toure and Navas all failing to convert from the spot.

The match drew a crowd of 49,653 to Yankee Stadium.

Manchester City are the majority owners, along with storied Major League Baseball franchise the Yankees, of Major League Soccer expansion club New York City Football Club, which is slated to begin play in 2015 at the baseball ground in the Bronx.

On the night, however, Liverpool fans outnumbered City supporters at the match which was part of the International Champions Cup — a friendly tournament featuring eight European clubs all preparing for the start of their domestic campaigns.

Manchester City had the better of possession in the scoreless first half, but Liverpool had arguably the best chance to score when Rickie Lambert’s header from point-blank range was denied by City keeper Willy Caballero.

LONDON, July 31-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has taken a swipe at newly departed striker Romelu Lukaku, claiming the forward was not motivated to work for his place in west London.

The Belgium international was snapped up by the Blues from Anderlecht in 2011, but has spent the past two season out on loan, first with West Brom and then at Everton.

The 21-year-old had been impressive during both stints, most notably with the Toffees last term as his 15 Premier League goals helped the side to a fifth-placed finish and a spot in the Europa League.

The Merseysiders have since secured the forward’s services on a permanent basis in a club record £28 million deal this week, and when asked why he would allow such a talented footballer to depart Stamford Bridge, Mourinho claimed it was down to his attitude towards his perceived entitlement in the squad.

“The thinking behind the move was the fact that Romelu was always very clear with us, in his mentality, in his approach, he was not highly motivated to come to a competitive situation at Chelsea,” said Mourinho.

“He wanted to play for Chelsea but he wanted to be clearly the first choice striker, which in a club of our dimension, it is very difficult to promise to a player.

“That reduced immediately his desire to come to us. Everton came in with an important offer. It is the reality of our club that we want to do things really well and to always be inside the rules (of the Financial Fair Play regulations).

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 31 – The Eugene World Juniors Kenyan squad did not their target of 10 gold medals to beat rivals USA on the overall title, but for the four top medal winners, the biennial IAAF showpiece marked a new chapter as the aim to reciprocate the performances as senior runners.

The team of 26 returned home to a warm reception at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as family members livened the busy facility with chants before heading to Riadha House where Athletics Kenya hosted them to a sumptuous breakfast.

Fresh from adding the World Juniors title to the Worlds Youth crown in men’s 800m, Alfred Kipketer is keen to follow in the footsteps of record holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha as he targets to compete at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China.

“It’s time to be kind enough and give other upcoming athletes a chance to grow. I’m now heading to the seniors and my first aim is to make it to next year’s World Championships which will be a dream come true,” Kipketer who anchored the 4x800m team to gold at the Bahamas World Relays told Capital Sport.

He explained how the came up with a winning strategy with team mate and silver winner, Joshua Tiampati Masikonde to ensure Kenya reclaims the two-lap title lost to Botswana’s Nijel Amos, the Olympics silver winner.

“Competition was not stiff because we had planed for it, I was confident of making it to the finals having run 1:48 in the Heats. We strategised with Masikonde on how to approach the race since the only threat was from an American.

“We agreed on increasing the pace until 200m to the finish line where I realized my team-mate had slowed so I decided to go for the win in my lifetime best of 1:43.95.”

Margaret Wambui, the winner of the corresponding women’s crown, told of the realisation of a dream on her debut where she completed a stunning 2:00.49 victory.

Despite being eligible to compete as a junior, the little known Wambui from Endarasha in Nyeri County who announced her emphatic entry to the limelight is confident she can mix it with the seniors.

“This is my first time to compete in 800m since I was used to 400m, being my first I’m very happy. I had prepared well for race because I knew competition would be stiff since in a world champion everyone is good.

“I want to be a champion and even break a women’s 800m world record like Rudisha did in the men’s and I believe I can because I have good times,” Wambui stated.

Another promising champion Barnabas Kipyego, who sustained Kenya’s 3000m steeple chase chokehold by claiming gold in 8:25.57, is the latest in a long line of junior champions hoping to dominate the sport like two-time Oympics and three-time Worlds titleholder Ezekiel Kemboi dominate.

Kipyego who retained the title won by Consensus Kipruto in Barcelona two years ago, will debut his senior race at next month’s Stockholm Diamond League.

“The competition went according to our plan and I had to do my best to win the title since this is our event it and also to encourage other athletes to do their best.

“I want to run like Kemboi and hopefully one day I achieve my target of 8:00. I’m looking forward to compete in my first Diamond League which will be a good exposure,” Kipyego announced.

Jonathan Kiplimo also graduated in style by winning men’s 1500m gold in his season’s best of 3:40.02 and for him the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro is his dream.

“We gave our best in Oregon and I won gold though I wanted us to finish 1-2 but Abdi Mouhyadin from Djibouti spoiled the party for Hillary Cheruiyot to win bronze.

“If I’m in a good shape I know I can compete well against champions like Asbel Kiprop,” Kiplimo added.

Kenya won 16 medals, four golds, five silver and seven bronze to finish second behind USA, but for head coach Andrew Maritim, it was a good performance displayed by his charges since they improved from Barcelona medal tally by three.

“We prepared well hoping for the best but it was very competitive because there are some events that we were expecting to have gold but we landed on silver and bronze.

“Our aim was to beat USA at the top but his time round it was technical because they were at home and entered a big team of 61 compared to ours 26 with a lot of their medals coming from field events compared to us where we had no athlete.

“I’m optimistic we will beat them one day since we have done it before,” Maritim said.

LONDON, July 31- Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has revealed he told former team-mate Luis Suarez he was “too good” to join Arsenal when the north London club came calling for him last year.

Arsenal tabled a £40,000,001 ($67.5 million, 50.4 million euros) bid for Suarez a year ago in the mistaken belief it would trigger a release clause in his contract.

The Uruguayan went on to score 31 goals as Liverpool narrowly missed out on the Premier League title and although he has since joined Barcelona, Gerrard was relieved not to see him move to Arsenal.

“Last summer, when Luis was out in the cold, I told him, ‘Don’t go to Arsenal,’” Gerrard told the Thursday editions of several British newspapers. “With all due respect to them, I told him he was too good for Arsenal.”

Barcelona paid £75 million to secure Suarez’s services, despite the fact he is currently serving a four-month ban after biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup in Brazil.

While Gerrard was loath to see the back of a player who he has described as the most talented he has ever played with, he understood the 27-year-old’s reasons for heading to Catalonia.

“Luis’s dream, from the first day he came to us, was to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona,” said the 34-year-old.

“I said, ‘If you score 30 goals for us and win the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) Player of the Year and FWA (Football Writers’ Association) Footballer of the Year (awards), they will come back for you.’

“I thought for his own sake, and to get our fans’ respect, he had to give us at least one more year.”

Gerrard added: “You can’t begrudge him his dream, leaving for Barca. But I’d have been disappointed if he had left for Arsenal.”

NAIROBI, Kenya Jul 31 – Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has beaten a hasty retreat after announcing earlier that there will be no alcohol consumption at this weekend’s Kabeberi 7s event.

In a statement sent to newsrooms last night, Kidero said he will allow ‘controlled alcohol consumption’ having only hours earlier declared there would be no partaking of the intoxicant at the opening Safaricom Sevens Series event at Nairobi’s Railways Club.

“The Nairobi City County Government has specifically directed that any alcohol consumption will be undertaken in the specific and controlled areas and as provided for in the Liquor Licensing Act and provision and there shall be no sale of alcohol to minors, family areas and after 6 pm,” Kidero said.

The letter also clarified that the Governor’s directive was to protect the young lovers of Rugby and called for stakeholders to separate sports and alcohol.

The Nairobi Governor assured rugby enthusiasts that his Government has deployed reinforcement officers to ensure anyone acting in contrary of the directive will be dealt with in accordance to the law.

“We are ubiquitous to the fact that excess consumption of alcohol results in significant morbidity and mortality, increases violence, crime and road traffic crashes, has major consequences for individuals, families and communities and impacts negatively on the economy, read the statement from the Office of the Nairobi County Governor

Kidero had an hour earlier addressed a news conference where he stressed there would be no repeat of the debauchery that took place at the Masaku 7s event on the weekend of June 29 to 31 where shocking photos and videos of amorous behaviour by intoxicated fans/revellers surfaced online and went viral although some were later proven to have ripped from the internet.

“What happened in Machakos…we don’t want a repeat of that in Nairobi and that is why we are making sure by 6pm the pitch is empty,” he said.

“People will be checked, no alcohol will be allowed in the park…we will have Alcoblow in and around the pitch and indecent behaviour will not be allowed.”

The raunchy incidents and the brazen display of moral decadency fuelled by abuse of alcohol and other intoxicants ignited furious debate with the use of sporting events as an excuse to engage in depravity came to the fore.

Without mincing words, the tough-talking Governor added at the briefing: “No one will be allowed to drink alcohol in their cars. We know consumption of alcohol make people lose their senses.”

“The gates will be opened at 6am and be closed by 6pm…there will be no late evening activities. Sports being a family event, we will ensure that family values are not violated, sense of decency, decorum is maintained by the people who will be on the match on that day.”

Immediately after his proclamation, the Governor was trending on social media with most admonishing him for the directive with Twitter users venting their spleen with the #ThingsKideroHasDoneForNairobi hash tag.

Some of the hilarious posts said the Governor had ‘banned Twitter in Nairobi’ ‘banned slapping of Manzi wa Nairobi (Nairobi’s girl) in reference to his tiff with Nairobi Women’s Representative, Ms Rachel Shebesh and “beautifying round abouts and junctions with neon counting lights to help class one algebra.”

Over 10,000 spectators are expected to grace the latest leg in the domestic rugby 7s series that has surged in popularity.

KRU boss Mwangi Muthee had welcomed the directive saying it will help maintain the required standards if the country will ever host an international events with the country targeting to host a leg of the annual HSBC World Series.

“We would like all the supporters to also be responsible so that we can maintain high standards,” he appealed.

“We cannot just allow a few individuals to destroy what it has taken so many people, so long and many resources be derailed by a couple of individuals stealing the show with their ambush operations.”

To enforce order, Kidero has deployed tight security with the County Inspectorate and organisers ordered not to allow any alcoholic beverages inside the grounds.

Mwamba ready to rock

Meanwhile, newly appointed Mwamba RFC head coach John Mbai will be seeking to restore the club’s pride when he takes charge in his first competitive assignment at Kabeberi 7s.

Mwamba, the host club have been drawn in a tricky Pool C against Strathmore, Nondescript and Eldoret as they bid to reclaim the title they last won in 2009.

Defending champions Homeboyz headline Pool D alongside Impala, Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad and Kabras while series holders KCB take on Western Bulls, Kisumu and Catholic University in a relatively easy Pool A.

Kenya Harlequins are also drawn in tricky pool B, where they will battle it out with Kenya Cup champions Nakuru RFC, Daystar University and Nairobi University’s Mean Machine.

Kabeberi 7s is the opener of Safaricom 7s series before the circuit heads to Kisumu for Dala sevens, Mombasa’s Driftwood, Nakuru’s Prinsloo, Nairobi’s Christie and finally culminating with Safaricom international sevens September 26-28 in Nairobi.

The tournament named in memory of former player George Mwangi Kabeberi who died in 1986 will also see the club remember their fallen heroes including Leeroy Okana, Absalom Mutere, Jimmy Owino and former Lioness captain Aberdeen Shikoyi who died in 2012.

-By Joseph Muraya and Alex Isaboke

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 31- A reversal of the London 2012 Olympics final at the Commonwealth Games saw David Rudisha beaten to silver by Botswana’s Nijel Amos in the men 800m final at a packed Hamden Park in Glasgow on Thursday night.

Rudisha who is still finding his feet after a debilitating knee injury that almost saw him quit the sport and kept him out for more than a year; had no answer to the searing finishing pace of Olympics silver medallist Amos, who took the honours in 1:45.18 against 1:45.48.

“The race was good but the last 100m was difficult. I didn’t have good preparations. Amos is a tough competitor. We were racing together in a tactical race but he was better tonight,” Rudisha admitted after the race.

“This gentleman will always be the hero of the 800m,” said the champion in tribute to his Kenyan archrival.

South African Andre Oliver took bronze in 1:46.03 ahead of Bahamas World Relays champion, Ferguson Rotich, who came just outside the medals in 1:46.09 while the third Kenyan, Evans Rotich, who made the final as the fastest loser, propped the field in 1:47.34, long after the horses had bolted.

In an enthralling re-match of the historic London Olympics final that ended with Rudisha setting the jaw-dropping 1:40.91 record, the Kenyan brought an imposing reputation whilst Amos, his bridesmaid on that occasion in 1:41.73 (third fastest of all time) was simply the in-form athlete on the planet this season.

Their second and most recent encounter of the campaign before the Glasgow final at the Herculis meet in Monaco yielded a 1:42.45 world lead for the Botswana star on July 18 and it was he who sealed his ticket for the medal race with the fastest mark of the Wednesday semis of 1:45.65.

With this in mind, Rudisha who ran a year best of 1:42.98 for fifth at the Monaco showdown elected to go out in front from the start and led at the bell but in a pace that was nowhere near the 49.50 he ran at 400m when he led seven of the eight London Olympics finalists, including Amos, to lifetime bests.

The 2011 World champion crossed 400m in almost 51 seconds with compatriot, Rotich on his shoulder a step behind Amos who was in second as the absorbing tactical affair unfolded.

With 300m to go, Oliver and Rotich obstructed Amos’s view as Rudisha, with calculated strides as opposed to the jet-heeled turn of speed which is his hallmark, started accelerating for the finish. As they came for the final bend, the Botswana ace was still boxed in but Oliver did the professional thing and allowed him through at the home-straight.

Confident of his pace and the fact Rudisha was not firing on all cylinders, Amos deployed the afterburners with 50m to go, caught up with the Olympics champion before firing past and sealing a historic triumph over his hero in a great advertisement for the Glasgow Games.

The respect between the pair was all there to see as they embraced after the titanic contest but as Amos went to Oliver to salute the tiny pocket of his compatriots at Hamden Park, Rudisha, the Maasai Moran not accustomed to losing, stared to the distance for a while absorbing the outcome before embarking on a muted lap of honour.

The dark hue on his face was reminiscent of the shade that he wore after his crushing semi final defeat at the 2009 Berlin World Championships when he was boxed out of medal race.

What followed was a period of total dominance that started with the then 1:42.01 African record in Rieti before he broke the world record for the first time the next season at the Olympiastadion where his dreams had been crushed a season earlier when he ran 1:41.09.

On August 29, 2010 in Rieti, he lowered his world record further before collecting the Worlds crown the next summer in Daegu. That set the platform for his successful assault at his own standard and a maiden Olympics gold in 2012.

As for Amos, it was a memorable triumph over the almost immovable object in 800m running as he became the first runner to beat Rudisha thrice in the same season since Rieti 2009 having also won his comeback race in Eugene, Oregon on May 31.

In the men 400m Hurdles final that came right after the two-lap decider, Kenya’s thin hopes for a rare medal dissipated when Boniface Mucheru came home sixth in 49.99 as South Africa’s Cornel Fredrick’s took the top medal in 48.50.

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 31- World Champion Eunice Sum sailed through to the 800m women’s final as tutor Janeth Jepkosgei crashed out in the semis at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games on Thursday.

Sum, who is favourite to win gold in Friday’s finals, completed a gun to tape victory in the first semi in 2:01:38 to inch closer to realising her dream to add the Club Games crown to her World title.

Canadian Melissa Bishop and Australia’s Angie Smit followed the Kenyan after she dropped them with 50m to go.

The second semi saw veteran Jepkosgei’s ambitions of reclaiming the honours she won in Melbourne 2006 end after finishing seventh in 2:04.60.

Earlier, she had posed on her FaceBook page, “God, take this flu away because I want to run in the final,” indication she was indisposed as she came for the race.

Calvin Nkanata’s hope of making his first finals in Kenyan colours in the men’s 200m went up in smoke after missing the automatic qualification by a whisker whilst finishing third in the semis in 20.65.

In cycling men’s individual time trial, veteran David Kinja and John Muya who were in the top five leading pack in the early exchanges found the going tough with Muya fading to 25th in 56:47.69, a place above Kinja who clocked 57:10.11.

LONDON, August 3- Robin van Persie will miss the start of the league season, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed.

The striker captained Van Gaal’s Netherlands team to a third-place finish in the World Cup but the 62-year-old said Van Persie, who will begin training on Monday, will not be ready to begin the game against Swansea on Aug. 16.

He will also sit out United’s preseason friendly against Valencia on Aug. 12, which will be Van Gaal’s first match in charge at Old Trafford.

“Robin will begin training on Monday but he won’t play against Valencia, definitely not,” said Van Gaal in his news conference after United’s 3-1 win over Real Madrid. “He won’t play in the Premier League either.

“When a player has been on holiday for three weeks they have to train. I’m sorry but players have to train and Robin needs a full training regime behind him before he can play again.

Robin van Persie keeps watch on the skies.Robin van Persie will not feature in Man Utd’s Premier League curtain raiser against Swansea.

“People can criticise me for my decision but I know what to do with players who have had three weeks’ holiday.”

Van Persie’s absence could open the way for Danny Welbeck to start the season in the United team.

The England international has been Wayne Rooney’s regular partner in attack during the International Champions Cup games in the United States, while Van Gaal has used Wilfried Zaha and Javier Hernandez as substitutes.

And one of them will get the opportunity in the Premier League with the United manager adding: “Hopefully, Robin will get his fitness back very fast but, for now, he won’t play. Robin wants to play every game, I know that, but so do the other 30 players in the squad.”

Van Persie, who has scored 48 goals in two seasons since joining from Arsenal, is a contender for the United captaincy under Van Gaal.

-By ESPN FC

GLASGOW, August 3- England triumphed in the Commonwealth Games medals table for the first time in 28 years on Sunday, but there were final day consolations for former top dog Australia with wins in the men’s hockey and in the netball.

England started the day already assured of top spot in the medals table for the first time since 1986, dethroning Australia.

They had 165 total medals, with 56 of them being gold, while Australia had 132, 45 of gold, and just 11 events to be decided on a rain-hit final day, not all of which had Australians competing.

Lizzie Armitstead then struck further gold for England in the women’s cycling road race going one better than four years ago in New Dehli.

Fellow English rider Emma Pooley finished 25 seconds behind to finish second and add to the silver she won in the time trial.

“I can call myself a champion finally. It’s special and something I’ve always dreamed about,” Armitstead said.

“I just feel like I deserve this. I’ve trained so hard and I’m always on the podium but I don’t win too many races.

Australia then won gold in the men’s hockey with a 4-0 thumping of India for a fifth consecutive Commonwealth title, and in the netball with a 58-40 revenge win over New Zealand, who beat them at the same stage four years ago.

There was disappointment early on for Scotland, hoping for a 20th gold medal, when Kirsty Gilmour lost 21-14, 21-7 to Canada’s Michelle Li in the badminton women’s singles final.

Games officials, meanwhile, turned out to sing the praises of the Glasgow games with Mike Hooper, CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation calling them “the stand-out Games in the history of the movement.”

“The spirit of these Games has continued to endure,” he added.

In men’s road cycling David Millar of Scotland was looking to sign off his career with gold in the streets of central Glasgow where his career began.

But there was stern competition in prospect from the likes of Peter Kennaugh of the Isle of Man, who won silver in the men’s 40km points race on the track, and Welsh rider Geraint Thomas, who took bronze in the individual time trial.

Millar, who won road race bronze at Delhi, finished eighth in the individual time trial on Thursday.

In squash, Australia’s David Palmer and Cameron Pilley take on defending champions Nick Matthew and Adrian Grant of England in the final of the men’s doubles.

Palmer is also in the mixed doubles final alongside Rachael Grinham where the Australian pair face England’s Peter Barker and Alison Waters.

Following Li’s gold medal win in the women’s singles, there were badminton golds for second-seeded Kashyap Parupalli of India who edged Derek Wong of Singapore in three sets in the men’s singles and for the husband and wife team of Chris and Gabby Adcock defeating compatriots Chris Langridge and Heather Olver 21-9, 21-2 in the mixed doubles.

The women’s doubles title went to Malaysia’s Hoo Vivian Kah Mun and Woon Khe Wei who defeated Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa of India with the final gold still to be decided in the men’s doubles where

Tan Wee Kiong and Goh Wei Shem of Malaysia were facing Danny Chrisnanta and Chayut Triyachart of Singapore.

The closing ceremony takes place at Hampden Park from 2000GMT with the Commonwealth Games Federation flag to be entrusted to officials from Australia’s Gold Coast, the hosts of the 2018 Games.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 3 – Harambee Stars dreams to end a decade long wait and make the African Cup of Nations finals went up in smoke after crashing out in the second round of qualification 1-0 on aggregate to Lesotho at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.

Stars were bundled out after failing to overturn a 1-0 defeat they suffered in the first leg as visiting Lesotho held them to a goalless draw as the land locked nation joined 2013 Afcon beaten finalists Burkina Faso, Gabon and Angola in group C.

“Today was a bad day for us; we have let our fans and Kenyans at large down. We played a good game but luck was not on our side because we created many chances,” disappointed skipper, Victor Wanyama stated.

“We have let Kenyans down we are sorry, we now have to go back to the drawing board and hope to qualify in the next competition but it’s sad we have to wait for two years,” AC Ajaccio forward Dennis Oliech, his predecessor added.

Stars made five changes from the squad that lost in the first leg, with record scorer Dennis Oliech, Macdonald Mariga, Edwin Lavatsa, Peter Opiyo and Lawrence Olum starting and it was the recalled record goal scorer who spurned the first opportunity in the fourth minute when he blasted wide.

Eight minutes later Lavatsa won a free kick from the left that was well brought in by Francis Kahata but Wanyama saw his header flash inches wide over the cross bar.

The visitors responded on the other end in the 17th with Aboud Omar almost gifting Lesotho a goal after a poor clearance in the box, only for Tsepo Lekhanya who scored the only goal in Maseru to waste the open chance by blasting wide.

Lesotho were determined to seek an away goal with Lekhanya giving Omar a hard time on the left, setting up Tsepo with a through pass that his teammate failed to connect with as the as the ball rolled out for a throw in that was dealt with by Stars defence as they went to half time deadlocked.

Stars introduced South African based winger Paul Were for Lavatsa in the second half with the former AFC Leopards player changing the pace of the game.

Kenya got sniffs at goal through Oliech and defender David Ochieng but Lesotho keeper Mohali did well to deny them before Were hit the side netting.

Mariga was rested for Elmereihk foward Allan Wanga as Stars continued to pile pressure that forced Moitheri Ntobo to clear David Owino’s header off the line in the 64th.

Midfielder Peter Opiyo could have changed the dynamics of the game when he unleashed a thunderbolt eight minutes to the final whistle but Mohali punched out for a fruitless corner.

Oliech and Wanga had open chances in the dying minutes but their efforts could not change the difference as the match ended leaving Stars to fight for another day.

The group qualifiers begin on the weekend of September 6 with top two teams booking a ticket to the continental showpiece in Morocco next year.

LONDON, August 3- Radamel Falcao scored his first goal since a six-month injury lay-off to earn Monaco a 1-0 win over Arsenal in the Emirates Cup friendly tournament in London on Sunday.

The Colombia striker netted with a powerful first-half header to give Monaco victory in their final pre-season friendly before they open their Ligue 1 campaign at home to Lorient next Sunday.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger handed a full debut to £30 million ($50.4 million, 37.6 million euros) new signing Alexis Sanchez, but the Chilean was eclipsed by Falcao, who missed the World Cup after damaging knee ligaments in January.

Monaco’s win handed victory in the four-team tournament to Valencia, who beat Benfica 3-1 earlier in the day at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal tackle Manchester City in the Community Shield at Wembley next weekend, before kicking off the Premier League season at home to Crystal Palace on August 16.

Sanchez lined up in front of debutant Mathieu Debuchy on Arsenal’s right flank, with fellow new signing Calum Chambers again deployed at centre-back, while Falcao made his first start since his injury.

Buzzing around in bright orange boots, Sanchez almost freed Olivier Giroud with a sweeping pass from wide on the right, but while Arsenal looked bright and eager in possession, Monaco carried the greater threat.

Right-back Nabil Dirar almost embarrassed Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny with a mishit right-wing cross and then teed up Falcao to head wide.

Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco twice threatened from range, drilling narrowly over from 25 yards with his right foot and then working Szczesny with his left, while Joao Moutinho also shot wide.

- Falcao unmarked -

All that Arsenal could offer by way of reply was a Chambers effort from a Santi Cazorla corner that sailed well clear of the crossbar.

Monaco made the breakthrough in the 37th minute when Falcao stole in unmarked to meet a free-kick from Moutinho with an emphatic close-range header.

It was the former Atletico Madrid striker’s first goal since the day he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a French Cup tie against amateur side Chasselay on January 22.

A half-time reshuffle saw Sanchez move up front for the second half and he played a role in a move that culminated in Monaco goalkeeper Danijel Subasic swatting away a thumping shot from Jack Wilshere.

Falcao made way for Anthony Martial with around half an hour to play, while Sanchez was also withdrawn before the end.

Teenage striker Chuba Akpom took Sanchez’s place and he should have been awarded a penalty after being tripped by Subasic, but referee Martin Atkinson instead gave a free-kick on the edge of the box that Arsenal could not exploit.

In the penultimate game of the tournament earlier on Sunday, Valencia came from behind to beat Portuguese champions Benfica 3-1.

New signing Derley gave Benfica an early lead, but Jose Luis Gaya equalised just before half-time and Valencia completed their comeback with goals from Pablo Piatti and Andres Guardado in the second half.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 3 – Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has disbanded the entire Harambee Stars squad and technical bench with immediate effect after they failed to qualify for 2015 African Cup of Nations final group stage qualifiers on Sunday.

Stars were bundled out in the pre-qualifiers by Lesotho who won 1-0 on aggregate after settling for a goalless stalemate in the second round return leg in Nairobi.

FKF president Sam Nyamweya said the technical bench failed to deliver despite being given ‘all the necessary support’ and another national team would be formed soon.

“We have given the technical bench everything they requested for including bringing foreign based players which is a very expensive exercise since we spent over Sh6.5m in tickets.

“They have let Kenyans down and the consequence is that we have fired the entire technical bench and disbanded the national team. As a federation we will put emphasis on youth and ensure we play many friendlies,” Nyamweya told Capital Sport moments after Stars were eliminated.

He added, “Preparations were good because we paid all their allowances and facilitated whenever they wanted to be in camp, so it’s unfortunate we lost but I blame the technical bench for the loss.”

Commenting on the appeal they launched against sacked head coach Adel Amrouche, who was slapped with a one-year ban by CAF for allegedly spitting on a match official in Comoros, Nyamweya said it’s upon the Belgian to follow it up.

“It’s not our appeal, the appeal is for the coach, it’s upon him to proceed with it if he want which I’m sure is following up on it. It’s not the federation that is penalized it’s an individual.

“Our duty was to facilitate by giving him part of his salary because it’s an expensive excise. We have been in solidarity with him in this difficult time,” Nyamweya explained.

The president assured football fans they will appoint the new technical bench as soon as possible, “We will sit down with Executive Committee Members to start the excise of searching for a new coach as soon as possible because we are not going to leave the vacuum for long.”

Those affected by the axe are Amrouche who was hired early last year, his two assistant coaches, James Nandwa and Ken Odhiambo, goal keeper trainer Iddi Salim as well as technical director Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee.

The team had a poor outing in the 2015AFCON pre-qualifiers after narrowly sailing through in the opener 2-1 on aggregate against Comoros before bowing out on Sunday.

Kenya who in the continental showpiece a decade ago, will have to sit in the cold for the next two years.

LONDON, August 4- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted that his side were still short of fitness after they lost 1-0 to Monaco in the Emirates Cup friendly tournament.

Having routed Benfica 5-1 on Saturday, Arsenal fell to a solitary Radamel Falcao goal the following day, leaving Wenger to brand their performance “static, lethargic, and not convincing at all”.

Wenger explained that he had removed Olivier Giroud at half-time because the French striker was “not ready at all”, and the former Montpellier man was not the only player who appeared fatigued.

In addition, Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski are all guaranteed to miss the start of the season after their World Cup-winning exploits with Germany, but Wenger says his side still have time to get in shape.

“I’m not especially concerned. It’s part of pre-season,” he told a post-game press conference at the Emirates Stadium.

“It’s a good warning for us that we’re not completely ready physically. The positive is that we had to dig deep for some players to play today (Sunday) and we got no injuries.”

Arsenal face Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday before opening their Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace the following weekend.

Asked if Arsenal will be ready for the showdown against City at Wembley, Wenger replied: “We will be. And Man City may be as well.”

Giroud’s exit, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coming on, saw £30 million ($50.4 million, 37.6 million euros) new signing Alexis Sanchez moved from the right flank to centre-forward.

Wenger was encouraged by Sanchez’s second-half display, but when asked if the former Barcelona forward can expect to play in the centre on a regular basis, he replied: “I don’t know yet, honestly.

“Giroud is not ready at all. I thought I’d take him out because he didn’t look ready and it was an opportunity as well for me to see Sanchez at centre-forward.

“We looked better in the second half than in the first. But as well because Chamberlain gave us something that we needed — some penetration, some power.”

- ‘Anything is possible’ -

Wenger also praised Calum Chambers, the new signing from Southampton, who produced another assured performance despite playing out of position at centre-back.

“He’s one of the players over the two games who played very well,” said the Arsenal manager.

“He’s 19 years old, he came here without talking, and he plays two good games. He’s not phased by the quality of the games, by the opponent, for his first time at the Emirates at 19 years of age.

“He’s one of the satisfactions of the weekend.”

Falcao’s goal was his first since he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a French Cup game in January, which forced him to miss the World Cup.

The 28-year-old Colombia star has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid, and while Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim described him as “indispensable”, he also conceded that “anything is possible, especially in the transfer window”.

Falcao reacted with glee after heading in the game’s only goal in the 37th minute and Jardim said that the striker’s celebration reflected his relief after more than six months on the sidelines.

“We know that Falcao, as well as being an international player of great quality, is a player who takes a lot of pleasure in what he does,” said the Portuguese.

“With this long time away from the pitch, yesterday was a unique experience of returning to the pitch and today was a unique experience of scoring his first goal.

“Obviously his experience of it and his behaviour is unique to him. Hopefully this will be the start of great things to come.”

BREMEN, August 4- Chelsea slumped to their first pre-season defeat on Sunday as they were beaten 3-0 by Werder Bremen in Germany to spoil the return of Didier Drogba and the debut of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Ivory Coast legend Drogba made his first appearance for Chelsea since scoring the penalty that won the 2012 Champions League in Munich when he came on as a second-half substitute for summer signing Diego Costa.

However, Jose Mourinho’s side were already 2-0 down at that point and Drogba’s return ended in a tame defeat at the Weserstadion.

“They are the best team we’ve faced in this period,” said Mourinho. “We knew they were in a more advanced stage of pre-season so we were expecting a competitive, intense game.”

Blues captain John Terry conceded a soft penalty after 20 minutes when he needlessly blocked the ball with his arm and Dutch winger Eljero Elia stepped up to plant his spot-kick past Belgian ‘keeper Courtois, who has joined up with Chelsea after a long-term loan at Atletico Madrid.

It got worse for the visitors 17 minutes later when Terry was again implicated as Polish winger Ludovic Obraniak darted past the static centre-half to glance a header past Courtois.

“We came here and the referee thought it was a circus for Bremen fans to have fun and he killed the match,” Mourinho told the Chelsea website.

“I like their team, they are fast, defend with a lot of players, they are physical. It was the perfect opponent but we didn’t play.”

Mourinho made several changes at the break, including the introductions of Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic, while Eden Hazard entered the fray in the second half.

Bremen won a second penalty in the last minute when Dutch defender Nathan Ake was punished for what appeared to be a fair challenge but it didn’t matter to Felix Kroos, who stroked the ball past substitute ‘keeper Petr Cech from 12 yards.

“Every duel and free-kick went against us, the penalties, especially the last one, were nonsense. Being aggressive with Ake, an 18-year-old, was disappointing. We wanted to train but the referee didn’t let us have a good session,” added the coach.

The Portuguese also said many of his players including Courtois are well short of match fitness and preparation following the World Cup.

“Courtois is the same as the others, two days training and playing today for 45 minutes, he needs to play, we don’t have lots of time. It’s only two weeks until the start of the season so we gave him and Petr (Cech) 45 minutes each.

“He made a fantastic save from Di Santo, with the other goal he had no chance, but that save was fantastic.”

Chelsea, who had previously registered four wins and a draw in pre-season, continue their preparations with a game against Hungarian side Ferencvaros next Sunday.

Their opening Premier League game will be away to promoted Burnley on Monday, August 18.

GLASGOW, August 4- Australian pop sensation Kylie Minogue helped bring the curtain down on the 2014 Commonwealth Games on Sunday in a colourful, upbeat ceremony which saw the 11-day showpiece hailed as “the best ever”.

A crowd of 45,000 at Hampden Park roared their approval as Commonwealth Games Federation president Prince Tunku Imran reached for the superlatives as Minogue and Scottish acts Lulu, Deacon Blue and Prides hit the high notes.

Prince Imran took to the stage to thank all involved in the smooth running of the Games, in particular the thousands of volunteers, known as the “Clydesiders”.

“Glasgow you really have delivered in every aspect the best Games ever,” he said.

Chairman of the organising committee, Lord Smith of Kelvin, said “these have truly been the people’s Games.”

“We have welcomed the world to our dear green place and it has been an experience we will never forget.”

The Commonwealth flag was then formally presented to Australian representatives from the Gold Coast, where the Games will be held in four years’ time.

“Glasgow you have set the bar very high with your exhibition of sport and culture,” said Jann Stuckey, Queensland Minister for the Commonwealth Games.

And the Glasgow Games were then officially closed by the Earl of Wessex.

“Every four years these Games bring the spirit of our Commonwealth alive. They express friendship between nations, and wealth, for the good of humanity and peace of the world,” he said.

“So, I call sports men and women from all the nations and territories of the Commonwealth to come together in four years’ for the Commonwealth Games.”

And the ceremony closed with renditions of famous Scottish folk songs ‘Caledonia’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne’, accompanied by a piper installed precariously on the roof of the famous old stadium.

Earlier on Sunday, Scottish Frist Minister Alex Salmond ruled the Games a job well done and claimed they had exceeded all expectations.

“The overwhelming impression of Glasgow and Scotland’s Games is of a job extremely well done.

“They have been seven years and more in the planning. We hope we have taken the baton on for the Commonwealth and can present it to the Gold Coast in fine order.”

Prime Minister David Cameron, meanwhile, said Glasgow had proved itself the ideal “friendly city for the friendly Games”.

“It has been dazzling, it has been wonderful, it has been a joy to behold and you have made the whole country proud. Thank you very much indeed.”

On a rare rain soaked day of action earlier in the day, England had consolidated their place on top of the medals table for the first time since 1986 ahead of Australia.

And hosts Scotland rounded off their most successful ever Games by finishing on 53 medals.

LONDON, August 4- Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri is preparing to announce his retirement from international football after being overlooked for France’s 2014 World Cup campaign.

The winger was forced to watch the Brazil showpiece from his couch after failing to earn a place in Didier Deschamps’ 23-man squad, despite having been highly impressive for the Citizens during their Premier League-winning campaign last term.

And, the 27-year-old is now expected to bring the curtain down on his Les Bleus career, having also missed out on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Nasri, who has 41 caps and five goals for his country, said: “I’ve made the decision. I made it a while ago but I will announce it when the time is right.

“It’s not something you can just announce on Twitter. I have to sit down and do a full interview and just say it. I will do it when the time is right.”

He continued: “Even before the summer, during Euro 2012 I had a lot going on. Personally, it doesn’t affect me but it affects my family. They live in France, they read the press stuff.

“I live in England so I’m fine with everything they say [in France] and I’m used to it. But for my parents it’s really hard. I want to make them happy and the national team doesn’t make me happy.”

LONDON, August 4- Louis van Gaal says Manchester United’s players will learn their fate when they return from their pre-season tour of the United States this week.

The Dutchman is set to wield the axe at Old Trafford as he looks to build a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League title, having inherited a side who finished in seventh under David Moyes last season.

The likes of Javier Hernandez, Shinji Kagawa, Wilfried Zaha, Marouane Fellaini and Anderson are among those expected to be dropped by Van Gaal, although any decision will only be made upon the team’s return to Manchester.

Speaking ahead of Monday’s International Champions Cup final against Liverpool, Van Gaal said: “I shall make judgements after the tour. I have let all the players play so I know now more than I did before.

“But in football, you have to judge. Always, you have to give a chance to a player to make a transfer when you see that his perspective is not so high to play.

“You have to say it in advance. When you say it on August 31st, it’s too late. I shall say to the players what I think after the tour.”

LONDON, August 4- Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says the club will not miss defender David Luiz following his big-money move to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Brazil international completed a move to Paris shortly before the start of the World Cup, which took place in his home nation, for a fee of £50 million.

And Mourinho admits that Luiz wasn’t really good enough for Chelsea and only played when others couldn’t. And as a result he believes the squad is much stronger without him.

“Last season he was not regular first choice for us. As a central defender not at all, it was John Terry and Gary Cahill the whole season,” the Portuguese told reporters after Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Werder Bremen.

“In midfield, he was a physical guy and gave us important things, especially in the Champions League when [the cup-tied Nemanja] Matic couldn’t play. But this season Matic can play in the Champions League so we don’t lose that physicality.

“The fact we have Cesc Fabregas moves us in a different direction. It’s something that our football needs, and we want to go in that direction.

“David did important things here, was always a good professional and we will miss him as a good guy. But from a football point of view, we believe our squad is stronger this season than it was.”

LONDON, August 3- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger on Sunday queried the arrangement that has allowed former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard to join Manchester City on loan from their sister club New York City.

As well as Lampard’s move to the Etihad Stadium, New York have also loaned Spanish striker David Villa to Melbourne City. All three clubs are owned by the City Football Group, a holding company of City’s owners, the Abu Dhabi United Group.

Wenger, whose side face City in next weekend’s Community Shield, suggested that the partnerships could give the Premier League champions an unfair advantage.

Asked for his reaction to Lampard’s move, he replied: “It’s a surprise. But it looks like all these ‘City’ clubs will feed the main club, Man City. I heard that they want to buy five clubs all over the world.

“I don’t know the rules well enough. They bought a franchise (New York City) for $100 million (74 million euros) in the States to play next season.

“At the moment the players they sign cannot play until next year, so they register in the clubs where they put them and they can get out on loan.

“Is it a way to get around (European governing body UEFA’s Financial) Fair Play? I don’t know.”

Asked if Arsenal would like to set up their own network of clubs, he responded: “We’re happy to dedicate the money we make just to run our club. There’s not a lot of surplus to buy other clubs.”

Wenger was speaking at a press conference after his side’s 1-0 loss to Monaco in the Emirates Cup friendly tournament at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.

GLASGOW, August 4 – Although only racing in the programme-ending 4x100m relay, the larger-than-life presence of Usain Bolt dominated track and field at the Commonwealth Games, hit by the absence of several other big names.

The Games had got off to the worst possible start when English double world and Olympic 5,000 and 10,000m champion Mo Farah pulled out on the opening morning.

Allied with the absence of Bolt’s teammate Yohan Blake and British medal hopes Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katarina Johnson-Thompson, there was a concern athletics might prove to be somewhat of a letdown, with doubts over Bolt’s participation raised even after he had touched down in Scotland.

Those fears were quickly dispelled, however, by a thrilling week of track and field in front of packed, raucous crowds at Hampden Park, normally home to the Scotland football team but transformed into a magnificent athletics arena.

“The fans made the Games what they were. They really came out and supported from day one,” Bolt said after anchoring the Jamaicans to gold in the relay.

“To see the fans come out and support the Games was just wonderful. The crowd was great, I thought I was in the London Olympics.

“It’s been a good championship, the crowd made it wonderful, they came out and supported and that’s always good for the athletes to come out and see a full stadium because that helps you to spur you on to really want to do good.”

East African giants Kenya topped the medals table with 23 in total, including 10 golds, 10 silvers and three bronzes.

Jamaica were second with 19 (10-3-6), followed by Australia (12; 8-1-3), England (27; 5-13-9) and Canada (17; 5-2-10).

There was no doubt that the outstanding overall performance on the track came not from Jamaica but the Kenyan women’s team, who won 13 of all 18 medals on offer between 800m and marathon, including all six golds.

But there was only one athlete able to catch the eye of the public, be they young or old, and that was Bolt, making his Commonwealth debut.

The Jamaican’s press conference after arriving in Glasgow saw him fielding questions about Gaza, kilts, Scottish independence and baying demands for “selfies” with shameless attending journalists.

Staying in the athletes’ village, Bolt then found himself at the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons when The Times newspaper quoted him as saying the Games were a “bit shit”.

Bolt came out firing, branding the story a “lie”, even though the newspaper stuck to its guns over its veracity.

That was quickly forgotten, however, when the relaxed Bolt got to the business end of the Games, playing up to the cameras to the delight of the crowds to further consolidate his position as arguably the world’s biggest sports star.

Of the other star names to compete at Hampden, Olympic champion Kirani James of Grenada won the men’s 400m but there was no such luck for 800m world record holder David Rudisha, who only managed a silver behind Botswana’s Nijel Amos.

There was a memorable double sprint title for Nigerian Blessing Okagbare, deprived however of a gold in the 4x100m relay by a Jamaican team numbering Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kerron Stewart and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the double Olympic 100m champion, like Bolt, also making her Commonwealth debut.

A number of other London 2012 Olympic champions also added Glasgow gold to their trophy collections.

New Zealand’s Valerie Adams won her third consecutive Commonwealth shot put gold in her 56th consecutive competition, while England’s Greg Rutherford claimed the men’s long jump title and Australian Sally Pearson defended her 100m hurdles crown.

Organisers will have been thrilled by the “London legacy”, the knock-on effect from the Olympic Games held in the British capital in 2012, with warm support afforded the athletes and guaranteeing electric atmospheres.

“Personally for me it’s always relevant,” Bolt said of the Commonwealth Games in general, open to 71 nations, most former British colonies, competing in 17 sports.

“It was always on my to-do list to come here and run because I see it as a championship, like everyone else.”