Morgan: Wales defender Craig Morgan is a slight doubt for today’s opening Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro. Manager John Toshack revealed today the 25-year-old, who joined Preston from Peterborough over the summer, suffered a foot injury in training earlier this week.
Diego: New Wolfsburg signing Diego believes his former club Juventus have made “huge mistakes” in this summer’s transfer market. “The transfer market campaign made by Juve is full of mistakes,” he said. “They have lost so much money as well as stars. I hope that in the future they will have a winning project with the understanding that the quality not only belongs to Italian players.”
Buffon: Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has been left out of Juventus’s 25-man Europa League squad. Buffon is currently recovering following surgery on his back after suffering a herniated disc during the World Cup in South Africa. Juve named three goalkeepers in their list: Marco Storari, Alex Manninger and youngster Marco Costantino.
Carson: Goalkeeper Scott Carson has withdrawn from England’s squad to face Bulgaria in their opening Euro 2012 fixture following a family bereavement. The West Bromwich Albion stopper will be replaced by Watford’s Scott Loach for today’s game at Wembley.
Hildebrand: Former Germany international goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand has signed a one-year deal with Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon. The 31-year-old, a free agent after the ending of his contract with Hoffenheim, won the German league with Stuttgart in 2007, and has seven caps to his name.
Div. II/III KO: Għargħur vs Sta Venera 0-1; Swieqi vs Senglea 0-2.
Sumo: Japan’s public broadcaster NHK said it would resume live broadcasts of sumo at an autumn tournament this month after the sport’s governing body promised to cut all ties with crime groups. The state broadcaster in July refused to air a tournament live for the first time in 58 years to protest scandals involving links between the ancient sport and organised crime, including widespread mob-run illegal gambling.
Field Hockey: Low temperatures and high winds did nothing to stop the flow of 22 goals in three matches in Pool A of the women’s World Cup in Argentina on Wednesday. Australia beat India 6-3, Netherlands gave New Zealand a 7-3 hockey lesson and Germany beat Japan 2-1.
Athletics: American sprinter Tyson Gay put Jamaican rival Nesta Carter in his place on Wednesday night when he easily beat him in the 100 metres race at the Zagreb Grand Prix meeting. The 28-year-old got a poor start but still timed a meet record 9.92 seconds while Carter – who on Sunday had equalled Gay’s fastest time of the year of 9.78sec – was second well back in 10.07sec. American Michael Rodgers was third in 10.14 sec.
Boxing: American Bernard Hopkins is scheduled to fight Jean Pascal for the World Boxing Council light heavyweight title on December 18 in Quebec. The 45-year-old Hopkins hasn’t fought since winning a unanimous decision in his re-match with Roy Jones four months ago. Hopkins had to seek medical treatment after collapsing in his dressing room after the bout. Pascal’s last fight was in August when he beat Chad Dawson to retain his title.
Golf: Former world no.1 Fred Couples will join Adam Scott and Greg Norman at this year’s Australian Open. Couples, 50, was forced to pull out of last year’s Open with a back complaint but officials said he would be going to The Lakes course in Sydney from December 2 to 5. Prize money for the Open will be $1.3 million.