BRUSSELS, September 7- In his past five wins on the IAAF Diamond League circuit, Jairus Birech has looked almost unbeatable.

In Brussels, he was pushed all the way by European record-holder Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, but the Kenyan pulled out his first sub-eight-minute performance to secure the Diamond Race title.

Led through the first 1000m in 2:38.41, Mekhissi-Benabbad was keeping close to the pacemaker before Birech took up the running and went through 2000m in 5:21.31, with the tempo slipping just outside eight-minute pace.

Determined to become the 11th member of the sub-eight-minute club, Birech pushed the pace in the closing kilometre, opening up a gap on Mekhissi-Benabbad before the final lap.

The 21-year-old Kenyan continued to pull away from his French rival and stopped the clock at 7:58.41, taking him to 10th on the world all-time list.

Mekhissi-Benabbad had to be content with a season’s best and European lead of 8:03.23. In third, USA’s Evan Jager set a North American record of 8:04.71.

“I felt strong before the race,” said Birech. “My aim was to run under eight minutes and I did it. I have reached all my goals this year: to win the Diamond Race, become African champion and run under eight minutes.”

Fellow Kenyan Mercy Cherono did what was required – beating world indoor champion Genzebe Dibaba – to win the Diamond Race in the women’s 3000m.

A large group was huddled together for much of the race and it was only on the last lap when the real racing began.

European 1500m champion Sifan Hassan led at the bell with 2011 world 1500m champion Jenny Simpson on her shoulder and Cherono down in seventh. With 200 metres to go, Cherono began to make her move and she kicked hard as she entered the home straight.

The world 5000m silver medallist did just enough to overtake Hassan, taking the win in 8:28.95. Hassan found some consolation in the fact she set a Dutch record of 8:29.38, becoming just the second woman in history after Maryam Yusuf Jamal to have personal bests below 2:00 for 800m, 4:00 for 1500m, 8:30 for 3000m and 15:00 for 5000m.

Dibaba finished third in 8:29.41. In fourth, Simpson set a personal best of 8:29.58, just 0.35 ahead of US compatriot Shannon Rowbury, who also dipped below 8:30.

Kiplagat defeated but does enough

The men’s 1500m was one of the tighter Diamond Race competitions coming into Brussels and it did not disappoint.

World champion Asbel Kiprop, world leader Silas Kiplagat and world indoor champion Ayanleh Souleiman were all in contention for the Diamond Race victory. Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi was also in the race and was always in a good position.

Paced through 800m in 1:52.99, Ethiopia’s Aman Wote was in the lead with 300 metres to go. Makhloufi then moved to the front with half a lap remaining, only for Kiplagat to kick hard.

The Kenyan came close to catching the Algerian, but Makhloufi held on for the win in 3:31.78, just 0.02 ahead of Kiplagat.

The fast-finishing Souleiman was just a further 0.02 behind. Nevertheless, by beating his top two rivals, Kiplagat maintained his lead in the Diamond Race.

World champion Eunice Sum had her lowest finish in an 800m race this year, but it mattered little to a woman who had already done enough earlier in the season to win the Diamond Race.

USA’s world bronze medallist Brenda Martinez was the surprise winner, bursting into the lead with 200m to go and holding off a strong challenge from Lynsey Sharp and Sum to win in 1:58.84.

Sharp clocked 1:58.94 in second place with Sum in third but given the same time.

On the 15th anniversary of Noah Ngeny’s world 1000m record, the Kenyan’s mark went unchallenged in the non-IAAF Diamond League event.

After being paced through 800m in 1:48.8, the Polish pair of Adam Kszczot and Marcin Lewandowski led coming into the home straight.

World 800m champion Mohammed Aman then made his move and although it was enough to catch Lewandowski, he could not quite reach European 800m champion Kszczot before the line.

Kszczot won in a national record of 2:15.72, just 0.03 ahead of the Ethiopian record set by Aman, with Lewandowski was just a further 0.04 behind in third.

MIAMI, September 7- Neymar scored on a second half free kick as Brazil beat Colombia 1-0 Friday in their first game since their humiliating exit from their home World Cup in July.

A record 73,429 spectators turned out for the friendly at SunLife Stadium. It was the largest crowd ever to see a soccer match at the south Florida venue.

Brazil were thrashed by Germany 7-1 in the semi-finals the 2014 World Cup. The drubbing came one round after Brazil had beaten Colombia 2-1 in the quarter-finals.

Neymar scored in the 83rd minute for the five-time World Cup champion Brazil.

Midfielder Juan Cuadrado was sent off in the 49th minute for a foul on Neymar, forcing Colombia to play most of the second half a man down.

Neymar, 22, was playing his first game since being named captain by new coach Dunga, who picked just 10 of the 23 man World Cup team.

The move to make Neymar captain appeared to pay off as he has now fully recovered from the back injury he sustained in the victory over Colombia when he was kneed in the back by Juan Camilo Zuniga.

Neymar will also captain Brazil when they face Ecuador in their second friendly on Tuesday.

BUENOS AIRES, September 7- British football’s record signing Angel di Maria says he tore up a letter sent on the morning of the World Cup final by his then club Real Madrid telling him not to play for Argentina against Germany.

The 26-year-old — whose £59.7 million ($98 million, 75 million euros) transfer to English Premier League giants Manchester United last month set a new British transfer record — did not play in the 1-0 defeat by Germany on July 13 in any case as he failed to recover from a groin injury he suffered in the quarter-final win over Belgium.

“A letter from Madrid arrived at 11 in the morning on the day of the final saying that I should not play,” Di Maria told Argentine radio station America.

“I tore it up, I didn’t give it a second thought.

“I spoke to Alejandro Sabella (the then Argentinian coach) and he didn’t want me to suffer from the fallout, but I said to him I would do everything in my power to be fit.”

Di Maria, who produced a stunning display for Argentina in a friendly with Germany in midweek scoring one and creating their other three goals in a 4-2 victory, said the letter had really upset him.

“I suffered a lot on the morning of the final,” Di Maria said.

“It was the worst possible thing which could happen in my life, however these are the sort of things sent to test you.”

Di Maria, who scored the only goal in the last 16 victory over Switzerland as penalties loomed, said that nothing was more important to him than playing for his country.

“What I like the best is to join up with the national squad, no matter the importance of the match, I want to be part of it,” said Di Maria, whose nickname is ‘the noodle’ owing to his wiry frame.

Di Maria, who produced an outstanding display in Real Madrid’s come from behind Champions League final over city rivals Atletico Madrid last season, said that Real Madrid’s claim he left because of money was absolute rubbish.

“They (Real) can say what they want about me, but the millions they got for me were very welcome for the Real finances,” said Di Maria.

“I never said that I wanted to leave, I didn’t want to. The players and the fans supported me but the club’s only desire was to sell me.”

lbaniaPARIS, September 8 – Albania pulled off a major shock by downing Portugal as world champions Germany denied battling Scotland and minnows Gibraltar were demolished by Poland in the opening salvos of Euro 2016 qualifying on Sunday.

Portugal, first round casualties at the World Cup, were sorely missing their skipper Cristiano Ronaldo but despite the Real Madrid star’s absence the 1-0 loss to a team ranked 71st in the world was a major embarrassment for Paulo Bento’s side.

Albania, who have failed to qualify for a European Championships in half a century, humbled the mighty Portuguese in their own back yard.

Slavia Prague forward Bekim Balaj struck the killer blow shortly after the restart, with the home side walking off the pitch in Aveiro at the final whistle to boos from their supporters.

“It’s a really bad result,” conceded Portugal striker Nani.

“We’ve started qualifyng badly, now we have to pick ourselves up. We have to improve.”

Down on Portugal’s Algarve coast, minnows Gibraltar were given a lesson on their introduction to competitive internationals as a UEFA member by Poland as Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski scored four times in a 7-0 romp.

In Dortmund, Germany, beaten last week in a friendly by Argentina, got their qualifying campaign up and running with a 2-1 defeat of a spirited Scotland.

A goal in each half from Bayern Munich attacker Thomas Mueller ensured they won their first competitive fixture since the World Cup.

Scotland were rewarded for a positive second-half approach when winger Ikechi Anya raced clear to equalise on 66 minutes.

But the visitors failed to clear a corner four minutes later and Mueller capitalised to thump home his 24th international goal.

- Miserable note -

Mueller’s winner denied Gordon Strachan’s side what would have been a precious point in a group that also includes the Republic of Ireland, Poland, Georgia and Gibraltar.

Scotland were unable to fashion a second equaliser and the night ended on a miserable note when Mulgrew was sent off for dissent in stoppage time.

The result means Germany have now gone 33 World Cup and European Championship qualifying games without defeat.

German manager Joachim Loew, who revealed Marco Reus had picked up another ankle injury, was relieved his side had survived an uncomfortable second half.

“I’m really happy that we got the three points,” Loew said.

“Clearly I knew it would be tough. In the first half we had complete control of the game. We didn’t give them any chances and we created a lot ourselves.

“We lost control of the game a little bit in the second half. Scotland scored but we reacted well.”

Everton winger Aiden McGeady got the Republic of Ireland’s Euro bid off to a flying start with a 2-1 win over Georgia in Tbilisi.

Manager Martin O’Neill and his assistant Roy Keane’s first competitive game in charge appeared to be heading for a draw, after Tornike Okriashvili cancelled out McGeady’s 24th minute opener.

But McGeady bagged a crucial three points away from home with a magical 90th minute winner, curling home a precious winner.

Captain Robbie Keane lauded McGeady’s skill.

“If you score a goal like that, you deserve to win the game. If anyone else did that, the top players in the world, you would be talking about it for a long time.

“The turn, the touch, the finish – only he could do that. No-one else on that field would have been able to do that.”

O’Neill suggested there was better to come from his men.

“I think there’s improvement in the team – we’ve won away from home, which is terrific – but there’s definitely improvement in the team.”

Next month O’Neill’s men face Gibraltar and Germany.

Northern Ireland also came out of the blocks brightly – Kyle Lafferty and Niall McGinn providing the late goals for a 2-1 win over Hungary in Budapest.

Michael O’Neill’s side’s hopes of registering a first away success in four years looked unlikely when former Watford striker Tamas Priskin headed home a 74th-minute corner.

But with 10 minutes remaining, McGinn’s tap-in after a great run from Lafferty put the visitors back in the game.

Then on 87 minutes McGinn turned provider who managed to scramble the ball over the line.

LONDON, September 8-Manchester United newcomer Radamel Falcao has conceded he still has some nerves regarding how his injured knee will cope when he makes his debut for the club.

The Colombian returned to international duty on Friday for the first time since January, playing for 13 minutes against Brazil, another step up in his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered earlier in the year.

Falcao is likely to make his first appearance for the Red Devils this coming weekend against Queens Park Rangers, and the 28-year-old striker admits he is slightly anxious, but more than anything he is excited about the prospect of turning out for the Old Trafford outfit.

“Because of the injury I felt so nervous,” Falcao said of his brief showing against Brazil this week. “Almost like it was my first time with the national team.

“And I expect it will be the same before I play my first game for Manchester United. I’m so happy to be back, and I am also happy about being able to join United.

“Physically I feel spectacular. I have been able to play without any kind of trouble.

“I am very excited about playing for Manchester United, and I hope to score a lot of goals for them. That is something I have done everywhere I have played.

“It is a dream come true to play for such a great and famous club. To bring the good times back is what we all want, and I will work extra hard to do that. I made the right choice to join Manchester United.

“United was always in my best interests. I have been trying for months to get it all sorted out and I was so happy that United came to an agreement with Monaco.

“United are one of the three best clubs in the world. They have made me feel very important in this project.”

New Chelsea signing Loic Remy says he could not turn down the chance to join the Blues despite being happy to stay at QPR.

The 27-year-old joined the west London outfit in the final days of the recent transfer window, having previously been linked with a move to Liverpool and Arsenal.

Having seen a proposed switch to the Reds fall through due to problems with his medical, it appeared that Remy would remain at Loftus Road for the foreseeable future, an idea that he was not completely against.

However, with Fernando Torres joining AC Milan on a two-year loan, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was on the lookout for another striker, and made a move for Remy – one the former Marseilles man couldn’t say no to.

“Being at Chelsea is the perfect response to my critics,” Remy is quoted as saying by The People.

“Many thought I’d fall into obscurity by joining QPR, but look at me now.

“I always try to make the best decisions for my career. I’ve come a long way from all my problems and that is not down to luck but hard work.

“My strength is that I know where I want to go and make the effort to get there.

“When the chance comes up to join a club like Chelsea you can’t say no. The deal was done late in the evening. I was prepared to stay at QPR but I didn’t hesitate for a second when Chelsea came along.

“I know I won’t start out as first-choice striker at Chelsea, but nothing is set in stone. I have my aims.

“I didn’t sign for them in order to sit on the bench. I will try to improve as much as I can alongside their great players, and the rest will happen naturally.”

The France international will now look to see off competition from Diego Costa and Didier Drgoba for a spot in Mourinho’s line-up.

– UEFA president Michel Platini has threatened compatriot and now-retired former France playmaker Franck Ribery with a suspension, according to Sunday’s version of Bild newspaper.

Bayern Munich winger Ribery announced his retirement from France duty after the World Cup in Brazil, which he missed due to a back injury.

But Platini now claims the 31-year-old will have no choice but to continue playing for his country if selected.

“Franck cannot decide himself whether he plays for France,” said the former France star and coach.

“If (coach) Didier Deschamps picks him, he must come. That’s the FIFA rule. If he doesn’t come, he will be suspended for three Bayern Munich games.”

There is a FIFA rule in place which forces players to accept national team call-ups to prevent them — or rather their clubs — from picking and choosing which internationals they play.

But national teams usually respect a player’s decision to retire from international duty.

That wasn’t the case, however, back in 2006 when then France coach Raymond Domenech forced Claude Makelele, then 33, to turn up to represent the national team despite having announced his international retirement after the World Cup.

That led to Makelele’s then Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho accusing Domenech of treating his player “like a slave”.

LONDON, September 8- Manchester United have dismissed speculation over Radamel Falcao’s age after a newspaper revived rumours that he is two years older than he has claimed.

Falcao’s stated age is 28, but The Sun said it had uncovered documents that showed the Colombia international’s birth date to be Feb. 10, 1984 — which would make him 30.

The striker, who has moved to United on an initial one-year loan from Monaco, dismissed similar claims as “ridiculous” last summer, and the Daily Mail reported that the Old Trafford club were satisfied there was no issue when assessing his documentation before the transfer.

A United spokesperson told the paper: “We were aware of the rumours, but it was never an issue for us.”

The Mail added that United’s primary concern in completing the deal was ensuring that the player had fully recovered after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in January.

Falcao, who featured for Colombia as a substitute in their 1-0 friendly defeat to Brazil on Friday, said afterwards he felt he was now in “spectacular” condition, adding: “I have been able to play without any kind of trouble whatever.”

-ESPN FC

LONDON, September 8-Rio Ferdinand believes former Manchester United team-mate Danny Welbeck can go on to shine for Premier League rivals Arsenal.

United youth product Welbeck joined the Gunners on transfer deadline day following the loan arrival of Monaco striker Radamel Falcao at Old Trafford.

Ferdinand himself ended a lengthy 12-year association with the Red Devils in the off-season when he was released, and subsequently signed for top-flight newcomers QPR.

The veteran defender is of the opinion that Welbeck wasn’t able to flourish at United as he was behind Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney in the pecking order.

However, the 35-year-old is backing the new Gunners signing to realise his full potential, while suggesting that his former employers may come to regret selling “one of their own”.

“I cannot believe United let Danny go, especially to Arsenal. That seems mad to me,” said Ferdinand.

“He’s a real threat to defenders and, if Arsenal use him right, he will be very dangerous for them.

“Danny has everything to be a top player. English football has yet to see what he can really do because he hasn’t been getting a run of games.

“I think he felt frustrated at United because, even if he did well, Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney would be ahead of him. At Arsenal, he will be the main man and I have no doubt he will flourish.

“Imagine the pace Arsenal will have when everyone is fit. There will be Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with three fliers in front of him in Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and Danny. I’m telling you they would give Usain Bolt’s Jamaican 4x100m team a run for their money.”

Commenting on the Red Devils’ recent transfer dealings, he added: “It is a change of direction for United letting one of their own go.

“Traditionally, this was not their way, adding so many players in a short period of time and having such a radical overhaul. Normally, as with me when I joined in 2002, it was about adding one piece to the jigsaw.

“Some fans still romanticise about their success and the way they brought through so many home-grown players. Unfortunately, you can’t always have that fairytale.

“Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria are world-class players and they have added quality in Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw and Daley Blind, but I do wonder if they will live to regret not keeping Danny.”

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 8 – Former Kenya 7s skipper, Innocent Simiyu, has set his sights at regaining his place in the squad after returning from a three-year injury lay-off.

‘Namcos’ as he is fondly known by family and fans, showed intent he was returning to his best after full recovery from a lengthy knee injury picked in 2011 whilst playing for Cheetahs in the Bamburi Rugby Super Series at last weekend’s Christie 7s.

Featuring for his old side Impala RFC at the final leg of the 2014 Safaricom Sevens circuit, Simiyu was part of the losing finalists who fell 27-17 to Mwamba.

“The series has been tough for us but the biggest thing is that finally, the result came.

“We have been playing very well but lacked that mental edge on closing out on the games so this last campaign was a good kick-off for our Kenya Cup and other tournaments to come,” the 31 year-old who captained the national 15s side to victory in the 2010 Victoria Cup said.

Simiyu comes from a rugby family that also includes former national team captain Victor Sudi and younger brother Nato Simiyu whom he partnered with to inspire the Ngong Road side to their first Sevens Series final this season.

“I’m happy to be playing again. My hope is just to keep on playing. I train hard to see where it takes me and if it takes me to the highest level, well and good if it takes me to club level at Impala, well and good.

“The biggest thing is to improve on my form and hope one day it will open the door at the national team, I’m focusing on getting my body back on shape because I’m operating at 40 percent, also I need to lose 10kg and increase my pace,” the Benefits Manager at Resolution Health (EA) Limited told Capital Sport.

Simiyu who has 32 caps in the shorter version of the game, tipped Kenya will qualify for 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil but only if players are given time to show case their talent rather than being restricted to a certain style of play.

“Our chances are 100 percent, the job now lies on us and what we do on the pitch as well as how we prepare for those games will determine but the biggest thing is that each individual must bring something to the table.

“The diversity we have in different players will carry the day for us and that’s something the technical bench should note because people are different and as much as they put structures, they should try and let out players showcase their talent.”

Commenting on the current national team performance, the captain of the 2006 – 2008 side said, “The biggest problem I’ve seen in the national team, players have been confined to specific way of play and that sometimes can’t work because 7s is a short game.

“A lot of individual brilliance is not shown in the game which can unlock the game, even with structures, we still need individual brilliance and that’s the modern thing that we have been trying to do at Impala. That’s what we used to do when I joined the national team.”

After the injury, Simiyu was appointed Impala head coach in 2012, succeeding Bill Githinji until early this year when Nick Odera took over.
“I did a little bit of coaching at Impala and I also focused on my professional career to close the gap because rugby takes a lot of time to perfume at the highest level.”

MANCHESTER, September 8- FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Monday that he will be a candidate for a fifth term in charge of world football in an election next year.

“Yes I will be ready. I will be a candidate,” Blatter said in a video speech to a football conference in Manchester.

Blatter has been FIFA’s leader since 1998, but has faced growing criticism from European football chiefs in recent months.

The World Cup, a multi-billion dollar earner for FIFA, is also embroiled in controversy over the way the 2018 and 2022 tournaments were decided.

His path to a virtually automatic reelection was opened up after UEFA leader Michel Platini announced in August that he would not challenge Blatter.

The 78-year-old Swiss official said he would officially tell FIFA’s executive committee at a meeting on September 23-24.

“I will inform the executive committee. It’s a question of respect also to say then to the football family: ‘Yes I will be ready. I will be a candidate,” Blatter told the Soccerex conference by video from Zurich.

Blatter said after winning his fourth term in 2011 that it would be his last but made it clear in recent months that he has changed his mind.

The football boss said a majority of national associations had given him support at the FIFA Congress in Sao Paulo in June. Despite tensions with UEFA leaders, he gets widespread backing from Africa and other key regions.

“You see a mission is never finished. And my mission is not finished,” Blatter said.

“Then I got through the last Congress in Sao Paulo not only the impression but the support of the majority, a huge majority of national associations asking ‘Please go on, be our president also in future’.”

The election will be held at next FIFA congress in Zurich in May, 2015. So far the only other candidate is Jerome Champagne a former FIFA deputy secretary general from France.

Champagne has said FIFA needs reform after widespread accusations of corruption, but has acknowledged he has little chance of beating Blatter.

Blatter blamed meetings in Zurich on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for his withdrawal from attending the Manchester conference.

He told the conference the tournament could not be held in the blistering heat of the Qatar summer but added that no decision had yet been taken on when it will be held.

A corruption investigation has called for action against “individuals” over bids for the 2018 in Russia and the 2022 World Cup.

The ethics panel led by former US federal prosecutor Michael Garcia, which handed in its report on Friday, notably had been looking into the way Qatar won the 2022 World Cup.

The Gulf state has faced corruption accusations but strongly denied any wrongdoing.

“The report sets forth detailed factual findings; reaches conclusions concerning further action with respect to certain individuals; identifies issues to be referred to other FIFA committees; and makes recommendations for future bidding processes,” FIFA said of the document.

FIFA did not give any indication as to the recommendations made or the individuals named.

Blatter told the conference any action over the report and whether it would be published would be decided by FIFA committees and not him.

Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper has alleged that former Qatari football boss Mohamed Bin Hammam paid more than $5 million (3.7m euros) to gain support for the emirate ahead of the vote.

Qatar has strongly denied the allegations.

LONDON, September 8-Arsenal striker Yaya Sanogo is confident that he’ll soon start finding the back of the net, despite going 17 games for the Gunners without a goal.

The 21-year-old joined the north London outfit from Auxerre in July 2013, but is yet to find the back of the net for the club, a point which has caused great consternation among Arsenal fans.

Having bagged four goals in a pre-season friendly against Benfica, there was renewed optimism that Sanogo would make the step up in the Premier League, but this has thus far not proven to be the case.

However, manager Arsene Wenger has consistently backed the Frenchman, and Sanogo believes he will soon repay his compatriot’s faith.

“Football is the football, but it takes time to adapt,” he told L’Equipe.

“When you come out of Ligue 2 and you end up in a duel with [Vincent] Kompany, it is not an easy task.

“On all aspects I’ve evolved. When you train with great players every day, you progress. When you play big teams, it helps gain experience.

“The fans expect me to score more, but once the first one goes in they’ll come.

“At 21, it’s not easy to play striker at Arsenal. You have to fight every day to prove your worth. But Wenger just pushes me to continue my work will eventually pay off.”

With Olivier Giroud sidelined for four months due to a leg injury, Sanogo is likely to have a chance to prove himself, with new signing Danny Welbeck also vying for a spot upfront.

MONZA, September 8- Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff has rejected all post-race conspiracy talk surrounding Formula One’s leading team in the aftermath of Lewis Hamilton’s victory in Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.

Wolff said suggestions that Mercedes had wanted to see championship leader Nico Rosberg miss his braking point at the first chicane and so hand the race leadership, and victory, to the Briton were entirely groundless.

British media had made much of speculation that the German had been following possible team orders to ensure that Hamilton profited from his first pole position in eight races.

The latest conjecture came just two weeks after the pair had collided on the second lap of the Belgian Grand Prix in an accident that resulted in Rosberg enlarging his lead in the title race to 29 points after Hamilton retired.

Hamilton’s win on Sunday trimmed the lead to 22 points as Rosberg came home second in a Mercedes one-two.

Wolff said it was virtually impossible for a team to have executed what happened in the race deliberately.

He said: “Only a paranoid mind could come up with such an idea… If it had been our idea, it would have been bloody well done!

“There was lots of pressure on Nico because Lewis was so quick in qualifying and you could see that in the race.”

Wolff added that there was no technical reason to explain why Rosberg went down the escape road twice in the race, but he explained that the brake balance on his car had been changed twice.

“We tried to protect the rear brakes so we went forward with the brake balance. He hit the brake hard and missed the braking point — it was bizarre, but there isn’t any mechanical reason behind it.”

Rosberg also dismissed the speculation and said there were no reasons for Mercedes to have asked him to sacrifice a win for Hamilton.

He said: “I’ve heard about that [the conspiracy theory], but what would be the reason for me to do something like that deliberately?” he said. “There is no possible reason.

“If you’re ordered by the team to do it then you would do it, but there is no reason why the team would ask me to change position, or something like that.”

Hamilton lost out at the start, fell to fourth and then recovered to win.

Wolff said an electronic issue on Hamilton’s car had been the reason for his bad start.

“We had an electronic problem which we had on the warm up lap and also at the start,” he said. “We need to find out what it was exactly, but we got it wrong. We will see.”

After the furore following the Belgian race the Mercedes men were glad to be celebrating a one-two again.

“That was a perfect result, it was very exciting, there was no touching but still some great racing,” he added.

“Did we tell Rosberg to miss his brakes and miss the chicane and allow Lewis to pass him? No not at all!

“This is for the drivers world championship, Nico was under massive pressure from Lewis and Lewis deserved the win today. His pace was awesome and that’s why he won it.”

PARIS, September 8 – A double by Danny Welbeck and Sergio Busquets’ first goal in 70 appearances helped England and Spain begin their respective Euro 2016 qualifying campaigns on a winning note and start putting behind them a forgettable World Cup finals.

The brace by Welbeck — who was considered surplus to requirements by Louis van Gaal at Manchester United and offloaded to Arsenal last week — saw England to a 2-0 win over Switzerland in Zurich while Busquets’ effort came in a 5-1 humbling of Macedonia.

There was however, not to be a memorable evening for Swedish superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic as he failed to mark his 100th appearance for his country with a goal in the 1-1 draw with Austria — his only notable contribution a booking.

David Alaba opening the scoring for the hosts from the penalty spot — his seventh goal for his country at the age of just 22 — only for Turkish-born forward Erkan Zengin to level.

Russia were another side like Spain and England to fail to fire at the World Cup — just four years before they host them — but they too secured three points with a 4-0 home win over minnows Liechtenstein.

However, Fabio Capello’s side hardly convinced as two of their goals were own-goals and another came from the penalty spot.

Capello’s former charges England, though, were far more impressive against a side that succeeded in reaching the second round at the World Cup and only lost 1-0 to Argentina thanks to an Angel di Maria goal late in extra-time.

It was Welbeck, who departed United the same day di Maria arrived for a British record fee of £59million ($99million), who executed the chances set up for him as England manager Roy Hodgson celebrated victory over a team he coached and took to the 1994 World Cup finals.

It was Switzerland’s first competitive home defeat since a 3-1 loss to England in October 2010 and meant that new coach Vladimir Petkovic began his tenure in losing fashion.

“I thought the way we approached the game from the first minute was exactly what we wanted, and we got our reward,” Hodgson told ITV.

“We pressurised the ball well, but you need that first goal to get people to come out and attack you.

“From then I thought we looked dangerous and we had several chances to aggravate the scoreline before Danny Welbeck’s second.”

Petkovic, who has the unenviable task of trying to fill the void left by the German coaching great Ottmar Hitzfeld after he retired from the game following the World Cup, said his players would be stronger for the defeat.

“It’s a good lesson and we’ll try to make up for it in the next game,” said the 51-year-old handler, Bosnian-born but who emigrated to Switzerland aged 24.

Spain had begun life after the World Cup debacle with a friendly defeat to France last week.

However, they made short work of the Macedonians with aside from Busquets another notable scorer on the night being Paco Alcacer on his competitive international debut.

It left their lugubrious coach Vicente del Bosque — who survived the World Cup reverse — licking his lips at the thought of a new beginning.

“We have started the competition with three points and the performance was very good. That is the most important thing,” said the 63-year-old, who coached the Spanish to the World Cup title in 2010 and the Euro 2012 trophy.

“We have taken a step forward. We are starting a new era and hopefully there is much more to come.”

Capello — who faced calls from Russian supporters to step down after they failed to progress through the group stage losing out to Belgium and Algeria — was not as upbeat and called for more time with the players if he is to sharpen them up.

“We’ve created a lot of chances but unfortunately we’ve also missed too many of them,” said the Italian.

“Many of our players looked really good but I think we need more days together to progress as a team.”

NEW YORK, September 9- Marin Cilic clinched his first Grand Slam title Monday, shattering Kei Nishikori’s bid to become the first Asian man to win a major with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory in the US Open final.

Cilic, the 14th-seeded 25-year-old, becomes the first Croatian man to win a major since Goran Ivanisevic, now his coach, at Wimbledon in 2001.

It also comes 12 months after he was forced to skip the tournament to serve out a controversial doping ban.

Cilic, playing in his 28th Grand Slam event, is the lowest-ranked champion since Pete Sampras, then 17th in the world, claimed the 2002 title in New York.

But victory was well-deserved with Cilic saving eight of nine break points, firing 17 aces and 38 winners past a weary-looking Nishikori who had defeated three top five players to make his maiden major final — Milos Raonic, Stan Wawrinka and world number one Novak Djokovic.

“There has been a lot of hard work in these last few years and especially this last year. I think my team has brought something special to me, especially Goran,” said Cilic who, like Nishikori, was making his debut in a major final.

“We’ve been working really hard but the most important thing that he has brought to me is joy in tennis and always having fun. I enjoyed my best tennis over here and played the best ever in my life.”

Cilic also told his fellow professionals that the likes of Djokovic, Roger Federer and 2013 champion Rafael Nadal, absent this year through injury, can be defeated.

“I feel that for all the other players that are working hard, I think this is a big sign that if you’re working hard things are going to pay off,” he said.

Nishikori admitted he had been outplayed.

“Marin was playing really well today, I couldn’t play my tennis. It’s a tough loss but I am happy to get to my first final,” said Nishikori. “But I will get the trophy next time — it was a fun two weeks.”

Monday’s final was the first at a major not to feature either Djokovic, Federer or Nadal since the 2005 Australian Open — so long ago that it was pre-Twitter.

It was also a battle of contrasting styles between the 5ft 10in (1.78m), 150lbs (68kg) Nishikori and the bigger, heavier 6ft 6in (1.98m), 180lbs (82kg) Cilic who had knocked out five-time champion Federer in the semi-finals.

- Cool conditions -

Under overcast skies and on the coolest day of a two-week tournament marked by punishing heat and high humidity, the championship match began inside a half-full Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Once he had saved a break point in the first game, Cilic was comfortably the dominant player breaking for 4-2 and claiming the opening set in 33 low-key minutes when Nishikori, on the defensive and pinned behind the baseline, patted a meek backhand into the net.

The big Croat’s 11 winners to the Japanese’s two illustrated the one-sided nature of the contest.

The winner of 20 of the previous 21 men’s finals in New York had claimed the first set.

However, Nishikori had dropped the opener to both Raonic and Wawrinka in the fourth round and quarter-finals but still came out on top.

Cilic, finding the tightest angles, pounced again in the third game of the second set when his opponent sliced another apologetic backhand into the net.

He backed it up for 3-1 after Nishikori was unable to convert two break points.

Four successive aces helped Cilic to 4-2 which was soon 5-2 as he clinched his third break of the final.

Nishikori briefly rallied for a first break of the match but Cilic went to set point courtesy of a misdirected overhead by the 10th seed and sealed it 6-3 with a pinpoint forehand drive which found the corner.

The 24-year-old Japanese player, who had spent more than 16 hours on court to make the final, cracked again to fall 1-3 down in the third set off a wild, wide backhand.

Cilic then saved three more break points for a 5-2 lead before Nishikori clung on with a hold.

Moments later, it was all over as Cilic went effortlessly to three match points.

He double-faulted on the first but claimed the title after one hour 54 minutes with a sweet backhand crosscourt.

JOHANNESBURG, September 9- South Africa are confident of ending a depressing record against Nigeria when they clash Wednesday in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The Cape Town showdown is a highlight of the 14-fixture matchday 2 schedule along with Cameroon-Ivory Coast in Yaounde and Egypt-Tunisia in Cairo.

There were doubts whether the Nigeria game would go ahead, but controversially-elected national football federation boss Chris Giwa stepped aside to prevent a worldwide FIFA ban.

African governing body CAF had warned Nigeria that failure to play in South Africa would have resulted in disqualification from the competition.

Reigning African champions Nigeria have won five and drawn one of six matches against South Africa in the World Cup and Cup of Nations.

Not only have Bafana Bafana (The Boys) failed to defeat the Super Eagles, they have not scored even one goal.

The countries made contrasting Group A debuts last weekend with South Africa winning 3-0 in Sudan while Nigeria were stunned 3-2 by visiting Congo Brazzaville.

It was a dream start for new South Africa coach Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba and a young, much-changed side with Sibusiso Vilakazi scoring twice in the stamina-sapping Omdurman heat.

Nigeria surrendered a 46-match unbeaten home record in Cup of Nations qualifiers and looked a shadow of the team that overcame Burkina Faso 1-0 in the 2013 final to win a third African title.

Mashaba says he has a “gut feel” that South Africa can end the 22-year dominance of Nigeria.

“Wednesday could be a defining moment — it is time to kick this habit of losing to Nigeria,” stressed the 64-year-old promoted last month from national youth team coach.

“Bafana have become a laughing stock and our duty is to restore pride in the national team. Winning in Sudan was the start of a rebuilding process.”

South African Footballer of the Year Vilakazi said the attitude of the players had changed dramatically since Mashaba succeeded sacked Gordon Igesund.

“They are prepared to fight and want to bring pride and happiness to the country. We are aware of our record against Nigeria and need to change it.”

Nigeria caretaker coach Stephen Keshi blamed the Congo defeat on a lack of aggression, playing to the crowd, and slowness to the ball.

“I was more upset by the way we played than the result. We scored first and thought it would be easy,” said the 52-year-old handler known as ‘Big Boss’.

“Even when we fell two goals behind, there were enough scoring chances to draw at least. Now we must go to South Africa and win.”

A change Keshi may consider is starting with burly Turkey-based striker Emmanuel Emenike, who troubled Congo when he came off the bench for the second half.

The Nigerian defeat in Calabar means Cameroon are the only team never to lose a home Cup of Nations qualifier.

A new side without retired striker Samuel Eto’o and suspended midfielder Alex Song started their Group D campaign with a 2-0 away win over a lack-lustre Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ivory Coast came from behind at home to edge Sierra Leone 2-1 through goals from recalled Seydou Doumbia and Gervinho to give French coach Herve Renard a winning start.

“We lacked speed and width at times,” admitted Renard, who steered outsiders Zambia to the 2012 African title with a penalty-shootout win over Ivory Coast.

“I believe we will do much better in Yaounde,” he said of a match between two countries eliminated after the first round of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Record seven-time African champions Egypt were lucky to lose only 2-0 in Senegal as Group G unfolded and Tunisia looked largely unimpressive when winning 2-1 at home to Botswana.

Egypt dare not lose against Tunisia in Cairo if they want to avoid the humiliation of failing to qualify for a third consecutive tournament having won the previous three.

Algeria, the most impressive African team at the World Cup, host Mali and Ghana are away to Togo in other attractive pairings.

Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski admits new signing Danny Welbeck will be ahead of him in the pecking order at the Emirates.

The former Manchester United striker joined the Gunners in a £16 million move on transfer deadline day and is expected to make his debut against Manchester City on Saturday.

And Podolski knows that he will have to play second fiddle to the England international, at least at the start of Welbeck’s Arsenal career.

“Initially, it’s a difficult situation for me,” Podolski told Kicker.

“When you buy new players for a lot of money they have an advantage because they will play.

“But we’ve got a long season ahead of us, and we’ll see what happens. When I am in top shape, I am a perfect fit for the Arsenal team.

“And I see myself in the first XI then, that’s what I work towards. I am not sure, [but] I hope that that’s the case.”

Podolski had been linked with a move away from Arsenal during the transfer window, but any talk of a transfer was scuppered by a long-term injury to Olivier Giroud.

LONDON, England, September 9-Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas says that he will always feel a connection to former club Arsenal, but that he is committed to the Blues.

The Spaniard joined the west London outfit in the recent transfer market, ending a three-year spell at Barcelona. Prior to his time in Spain, Fabregas had spent eight years at Arsenal, racking up more than 300 appearances for the club.

The Gunners had first option to buy the playmaker back from Barcelona, but decided against it, with Fabregas heading to Chelsea for £30m instead.

Chelsea will welcome Arsenal to Stamford Bridge on October 5, and while Fabregas admits that Arsenal remain special to him, he says that it will not impact his commitment to his new club.

“Don’t think I didn’t think about it,” he told El Pais.

“I will keep the Gunner feeling forever and I know that I will return to Highbury (Emirates Stadium) and it will be a special moment, but I am a committed guy.

“I remind you that I played the Champions League final against Barcelona (with Arsenal) and I swear I would have done anything to win that game – and I have been a Barcelona fan since I was a kid.

“So I know that when I play against Arsenal I will know who is my (current) team, who are my colleagues and who I defend. And I know that the Arsenal fans will understand me, I have no doubt.”

The 27-year-old concedes that he never thought he would find himself at Chelsea, but that Jose Mourinho made him feel like the move was the best thing for him.

“If you’d told me five years ago that I would play for Chelsea and Mourinho I would not have believed you, but life changes,” explained the Spain international.

“I started to think about leaving Barcelona after the Copa del Rey final. It was when I started to think that it had finished, that there was a change or that I didn’t want to continue.

“I spoke with my agent and asked him to find me a new team, and an offer from Chelsea arrived. For me it was coming back to London, where I grew up. There was no better way out.

“I spoke with Mourinho and he told me the things I needed to hear. I felt valued. I felt I was going to be important in an important project.”

LONDON, September 9 – Floyd Mayweather is alleged to have subjected his ex-fiancee to years of torment through physical and emotional abuse, court papers have revealed.

The undefeated five-divison world champion is accused of battering, blackmailing, imprisoning and stealing from his former lover Shantel Jackson.

Mayweather, who is set to fight Marcos Maidana this weekend, now faces a trial by jury after his ex filed the explosive lawsuit.

The 29-year-old model announced she was suing Mayweather last week, claiming at a press conference that he beat her and invaded her privacy by posting a picture of an ultrasound scan online and announcing that they broke up because she aborted their twin babies.

But in sensational court documents the full extent of the boxer’s tumultuous on-off eight year relationship with the beauty is laid bare in painful detail.

Shantel says she suffered years of hell at the hands of Mayweather, 37, whose ‘outrageous acts’ caused her ‘pain and humiliation’.

During one argument, he allegedly choked and twisted her arm, while in another he held her at gun point and threatened to shoot her.

He also kept her ‘prisoner’ in his Las Vegas home, threatened to publish naked pictures he had secretly taken of her while she slept and stole thousands of dollars worth of belongings from her, her court filings claim.

And in raging verbal attacks he called her a ‘bum’ and a ‘b*tch’ telling her, ‘You’re not sh*t without me. I made you who you are.’

Shantel is seeking unspecified damages from Mayweather for battery, assault, defamation, invasion of privacy, false imprisonment, harassment and infliction of emotional distress.

The case is due to be tried by jury in Los Angeles and is expected to last seven days, court papers show.

Stunning Shantel met the boxer in 2006 when she was aged 21 and working as a hostess at an event in Atlanta, Georgia.

The pair began dating and soon after Mayweather asked her to move in with him in Las Vegas.

-Daily Mail

LONDON, September 9- Bobby Charlton believes new Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has “the world at his feet”, insisting the club have got “nothing to worry about” despite a shaky start to the new Premier League season.

United are still waiting for their first league win since van Gaal, fresh from leading his native Netherlands to third place at the World Cup, took over from the sacked David Moyes, the faltering English giants having lost to Swansea on the opening day and been held to draws by both Sunderland and Burnley.

Meanwhile the Dutchman also suffered the embarrassment of seeing United knocked out of the English League Cup following a 4-0 defeat by third-tier Milton Keynes Dons.

But Charlton, a record goal-scorer for both United and England, was confident the Old Trafford club would return to form under van Gaal’s guidance.

“We’ve got nothing to worry about. He’s got the world at his feet, the new manager,” Charlton, speaking at Soccerex in Manchester as an ambassador for landmine charity Find a Better Way, was quoted as saying by the Manchester Evening News.

- ‘I do like the Dutch’ -

“What we need to do now is put the players in the right places and the ball in the right place. But that’s harder than it sounds.

“I’ve got to say, I do like the Dutch. They’re one of the few countries that I think like us.”

Charlton, a key member of the England team that won the World Cup in 1966, was also a central figure when, two years later, United became the first English club to win the European Cup under the guidance of celebrated manager Matt Busby.

And Charlton, in his role as a board member, also worked closely with Alex Ferguson when he too was winning numerous trophies as manager of United.

Asked to compare van Gaal, known for not suffering fools gladly, with Busby, Charlton replied: “Matt Busby never threatened you. He asked you nicely. Our new manager is not quite like that.”

Former Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss van Gaal will go in search of his first league win as United manager when Queens Park Rangers come to Old Trafford on Sunday.

United defender Phil Jones could miss that match after suffering what appeared to be a hamstring injury while on England duty on Monday.

Jones limped off 13 minutes from full-time in England’s 2-0 Euro 2016 qualifying victory away to Switzerland in Basel on Monday.

United are due to assess the 22-year-old’s fitness when he arrives back in Manchester on Tuesday.

Several players could make their United debuts against QPR, including England left-back Luke Shaw who hasn’t played competitively for the club because of a hamstring injury since his pre-season move from Southampton.

Recent United signings Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao are also in line to play against west London club QPR.

Ander Herrera, another pre-season recruit, is also hopeful of returning to action having been restricted to just one United appearance since joining from Athletic Bilbao because of an ankle problem

“Training hard and looking forward to this next game at Old Trafford!”, midfielder Herrera told his Twitter followers on Monday.

There could also be a home debut at Old Trafford for Angel di Maria, the former Real Madrid winger who United signed for a British record £59.7 million ($98 million, 75 million euros) last month.