Sporting briefs

Mbia: Rennes' Cameroon def-ender Stephane Mbia has snubbed a move to English side Everton for French club Marseille. The move by the 23-year-old, who had also been an Everton target, had looked in doubt after Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier insisted at the weekend that the transfer fee of 12 million euros was "a little expensive".

Benayoun: Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun has agreed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool. Benayoun, 29, who joined from West Ham United two years ago, has signed a deal to stay with the Premier League runners-up until 2013.

Pillud: Espanyol have signed Argentine right-back Ivan Pillud on loan from Tiro Federal for one season. Espanyol have an option to buy the 23-year-old, who was on loan last season at Newell's Old Boys, Espanyol said.

Hearts: Hearts continued to bolster their squad by signing Dawid Kucharski from Lech Poznan. The 24-year-old defender spent three years with Poznan and won the Polish Cup with his former side last season. Kucharski becomes the Edinburgh club's third new signing of the close season after midfielder Ian Black and Spanish winger Suso Santana.

Palestine friendly: Palestine will host Egypt on August 8 in probably their highest profile match on home soil at their main stadium near Jerusalem. In announcing the national team's upcoming schedule, Palestinian FA chairman Jibril Rajoub also said Palestine would play an away friendly against Iraq on Friday and would then play China away on July 18. The Palestinian FA was affiliated by FIFA in 1998 and competes in World Cup qualifying in Asia.

Faurlin: QPR are interested in signing Alejandro Damian Faurlin, 22. The Argentine midfielder plays for Instituto in his country's second division. QPR are hoping to persuade him to join them and are expected to hold talks with him in London this week. QPR manager Jim Magilton is also giving a trial to forward David Connolly, 32, who is a free agent after being released by Sunderland.

Edu: Former Brazil midfielder Edu has returned to Corinthians as a free agent after leaving Valencia, the Brazilian club said yesterday. Edu, who helped Corinthians win the Brazilian league title in 1998 and 1999 before joining Arsenal, signed a contract until 2011. The 31-year-old helped Arsenal win the English Premier League in 2002 and 2004 before moving to Spanish club Valencia where his contribution was limited by injuries.

Cycling: Quick Step rider Jurgen van de Walle became the first cyclist to withdraw from the 2009 Tour de France yesterday after suffering a broken collarbone on the second stage. The 32-year-old was involved in a crash just under two kilometres from the finish of Sunday's second stage between Monaco and Brignoles which left him with the broken collarbone and a damaged lung. The Belgian finished the stage, but was taken straight to hospital.

Golf: Tournament host Tiger Woods sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole to win the PGA National by one stroke over Hunter Mahan on Sunday. Woods added two routine pars to fire a three-under par 67 final round to stand on 13-under par 267 after 72 holes at Maryland's Congressional Country Club and claim the trophy at his six million-dollar tournament. The event, a dream of Woods and his late father Earl, pays tribute to the US military and proceeds benefit his foundation's youth work.

American football: Former gridiron star Steve McNair was shot four times in what police are now ruling a killing. The ex-Tennessee Titans quarter-back and a female friend were found shot to death last weekend at a home in Nashville. Police said the female is 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi. Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said they do not have a motive but the investigation is continuing. US newspapers reported that McNair, married and a father of four, and Kazemi had been dating.

Sumo: Controversial sumo grand champion Asashoryu announced that he and his wife had divorced. The wrestler, whose real name is Dolgorsuren Dagvadorj, married his childhood sweetheart Gombotseren Tamir in late 2002. They had a son and a daughter together. Asashoryu, the fourth most successful wrestler in sumo history, long dominated the sumo world, with his bad-boy behaviour both in and out of the ring frustrating traditionalists while exciting his fans.