Sporting briefs

Chivu injured: Inter's Romanian defender Cristian Chivu suffered left knee ligament damage in Saturday's 3-2 win at Reggina but will not need surgery, the club said in a statement. Italian media said he would be out for two months.

Adriano out: Striker Adriano has again been left out of Inter's squad for tomorrow's Champions League clash at Anorthosis Famagusta, the club said. Inter coach Jose Mourinho had already dropped the Brazilian for the previous two games because of indiscipline.

Derby violence: Levski Sofia came from behind to draw 1-1 with bitter city rivals CSKA in a Bulgarian league match marred by violence. Police said 26 fans were arrested before the game. Supporters destroyed two buses while bus shelters and public telephones were also vandalised.

River lose again: Title holders River Plate slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Lanus on Saturday, extending their winless domestic run to an unprecedented 11 games. The defeat guaranteed beleaguered coach Diego Simeone's team, who have nine points from their 13 games, finished the weekend bottom of the Apertura championship.

Russia champions: Unfashionable Rubin Kazan beat Saturn Ramenskoye 2-1 yesterday to seal their first Russian league title with three games remaining. Former Serbia striker Savo Milosevic, who joined Rubin this season, scored the 89th-minute winner from close range to give his team 60 points from 27 matches and an unassailable 10-point lead over second-placed CSKA Moscow. Kazan's title is especially sweet as the club from the Volga region celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Horse racing: Favourite Vodka produced a devastating late charge to beat one of the highest-quality Japanese fields ever in the Emperor's Cup yesterday. Vodka, who became the first filly in 64 years to win the Japan Derby last year, edged out Daiwa Scarlet in a photo finish with 2008 Derby winner Deep Sky third in Tokyo. Vodka outclassed 16 of the country's top thoroughbreds, completing the 2,000 metre race in a course record of one minute 57.2 seconds.

Rugby: Australia and New Zealand may play future Bledisloe Cup matches in Tokyo or the United States, Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill said. O'Neill and his New Zealand counterpart Steve Tew said that the two countries would also consider playing internationals against other countries on neutral territory. The two southern hemisphere giants met in a Bledisloe Cup match in Hong Kong on Saturday, the first time they have clashed in a neutral country outside of the World Cup. New Zealand beat Australia 14-9.

Basket, NBA: Kobe Bryant scored 33 points to propel the Los Angeles Lakers to their eighth successive win over the Denver Nuggets in a 104-97 road victory on Saturday. The unbeaten Lakers (3-0) led by only two points with four minutes remaining when Bryant grabbed a rebound and scored to start a seven-point spurt by the Pacific Division leaders.

Tennis: France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga won the Paris Masters by beating Argentine David Nalbandian 6-3 4-6 6-4 in the final yesterday and clinched the last qualifying spot for the Masters Cup. It was the first Masters Series title for Australian Open runner-up Tsonga, whose only previous win was the Bangkok Open in September.