United tour: Man. United have confirmed they will start their pre-season tour with two matches in South Africa next month. The Red Devils will take on AmaZulu FC in Durban on July 18 and Ajax Cape Town in Cape Town three days later. Always popular in that part of the world, it will be United’s first visit since 2008.
Jailed: A Serbian football fan was given a 16-month prison term yesterday for threatening a reporter investigating a surge in attacks by hooligans. A court in Belgrade found Milos Radisavljevic, leader of the Partizan Belgrade supporters, guilty for “endangering the safety of journalist Brankica Stankovic by chanting threats and insults” at a match in December 2009.
Silvestre: Inter must increase their offer if they want to sign Matias Silvestre, Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has said. Inter have reportedly offered seven million euros for the Argentinian centre-back, but that is not good enough for Palermo. “Inter are negotiating,” Zamparini said. “For seven million (euros) Silvestre will not be transferred. If a club like Inter wants him only for seven million then the player will remain with us.”
Jailed: China yesterday jailed two ex-chiefs of its football association, four former national team players and two others, in the culmination of a major crackdown on corruption in the scandal-plagued sport. Former Chinese FA head Nan Yong and his predecessor Xie Yalong were each given sentences of 10 years and six months for taking bribes.
Holman: Midfielder Brett Holman was rewarded for another strong season by being named player of the year by Professional Footballers Austra-lia, yesterday. The 28-year-old, whose fine performances saw him signed by Aston Villa from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar for next season, beat out Japan-based Alex Bros-que and Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici.
World Cup: Midfielder Marco Pappa equalised in the 82nd minute to lift hosts Guatemala to a 1-1 draw with the United States yesterday in a 2014 World Cup qualifier. The Guatemalans had not scored against the US in their eight prior meetings but Pappa, who plays for Chicago Fire in the MLS, found the net as the finish loomed to end a drought that began in 2000.