Zenit lose: Leaders Zenit St Petersburg saw their unbeaten start to the Premier League season come to an end as they were defeated 3-1 at home by Terek Grozny yesterday. Ailton (17, 55) scored a goal in each half before Igor Lebedenko (61) added the third for Grozny to leave Zenit stunned. The home side quickly pulled a goal back through substitute Alexander Ryazantsev but they could not get any closer as they suffered their first loss in 13 league games this season.
Falcao: Manchester United’s on-loan striker Radamel Falcao, who is nursing a calf injury, has been left out of Colombia’s squad for friendlies against the United States and Slovenia over the next 10 days. Falcao, who missed the World Cup after knee ligament surgery in January, has struggled to hold down a place at United since his loan move from Monaco. Also missing from coach Jose Pekerman’s squad are injured World Cup keeper David Ospina, of Arsenal, and Napoli defender Camilo Zuniga.
Abeid call-up: Newcastle United midfielder Mehdi Abeid has earned a first call-up to the Algeria squad for their final two African Nations Cup qualifiers. The 22-year-old French-born player is one of two newcomers in a 23-man selection for the matches against Ethiopia in Blida next Saturday and Mali away in Bamako on Nov. 19. Algeria have already qualified for the 2015 finals as the only team in the group phase with a 100 per cent record.
Obertan: Midfielder Gabriel Obertan will miss Newcastle’s Premier League trip to West Brom today after tearing a thigh muscle. Manager Alan Pardew has confirmed that the Frenchman will be sidelined for a minimum of six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery, but was coy over suggestions he could be out for four or five months.
A-League: Melbourne City won 3-1 away to rock-bottom Brisbane Roar in the Australian league yesterday. David Williams and Mate Dugandzic scored in the first 10 minutes and, although substitute Brandon Borello pulled a goal back, Marc Marino made the game safe for City. It was a first win of the season for City and came after the early departure of former Spain striker David Villa to New York City.