Pellegrini says Manchester City have 'complete' squad

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City's Manuel Pellegrini could be one of the least active Premier League managers in the January transfer window after declaring his title-chasing squad "complete" on Thursday.

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United fans are the best, says under-fire Van Gaal

LONDON (Reuters) - Much-travelled Louis van Gaal has coached some of the biggest clubs in world football but Manchester United's fans are the best he has come across, the Dutch veteran said on Thursday.

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Ranieri wants Leicester to build on fantastic half-season

(Reuters) - Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has backed his squad to build on their "fantastic half-season" ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash against relegation-threatened Bournemouth.

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Liverpool's Benteke can become even better, says Klopp

(Reuters) - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has urged striker Christian Benteke to improve his performance further after the Belgian scored the winner in Wednesday's 1-0 Premier League win over Sunderland.

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Klopp ends year level with Van Gaal but happier

LONDON (Reuters) - Juergen Klopp refused to rule out Liverpool as Premier League title contenders on Wednesday after ending the year level on points with Manchester United and nine behind leaders Arsenal.

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Rejected Moyes implores United to give Van Gaal more time

(Reuters) - Rejected former boss David Moyes says Manchester United must not become a club that are continuously sacking managers and should give his under-fire successor Louis van Gaal time to build a successful side.

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Wenger rejects doubts about Arsenal's title credentials

(Reuters) - Manager Arsene Wenger has rejected doubts about Arsenal's title credentials, saying statistics back him up about the Premier League leaders on New Year's day.

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BAM to unveil new singles coach in January

PETALING JAYA: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) will unveil the new men’s singles coach Indra Wijaya next month.

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Peng Soon all inspired after brush with Olympic champ

PETALING JAYA: Getting a chance to partner Olympic champion Lee Hyo-jung has only served to fire up Chan Peng Soon in his own Olympic bid.

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Suarez double as Barca set record in Betis win

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Luis Suarez struck twice and Lionel Messi scored on his 500th appearance for Barcelona who set a new Spanish record of goals in a calendar year with a 4-0 win over Real Betis that lifted them top of La Liga on Wednesday.

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Barca want even more in 2016, says Luis Enrique

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona coach Luis Enrique is still not satisfied despite winning five trophies in 2015 and is aiming to do even better next year.

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Chong Wei hoping for more players to qualify for Olympics

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Lee Chong Wei has one wish for the New Year – to see more of his team-mates qualify for the Olympics.

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Liverpool's Klopp calls for consistency ahead of Sunderland game

(Reuters) - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has called on his team to be more consistent ahead of Wednesday's Premier League game against lowly Sunderland.

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Villarreal's Suarez on Barca's radar, says Luis Enrique

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona coach Luis Enrique has been impressed by Villarreal winger Denis Suarez and could try to bring him back during the January transfer window.

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Rivals turn partners to help Muar in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Wee Kiong and Tan Boon Heong are rivals in world badminton but that did not prevent them from helping Muar Badminton Club to an 11-6 victory in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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United unlucky not to beat Chelsea, says Rooney

(Reuters) - Manchester United were unlucky not to beat Chelsea despite dominating the game, skipper Wayne Rooney said following the goalless home draw against the struggling champions.

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Liverpool set to welcome Ibe for Sunderland game, says Klopp

(Reuters) - Midfielder Jordon Ibe is likely to return from illness for Liverpool's Premier League match against Sunderland on Wednesday but a recovering James Milner will have to wait another week for his comeback, manager Jurgen Klopp has said.

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I won't quit, says defiant Van Gaal after United draw

LONDON (Reuters) - Under-fire manager Louis van Gaal said he would not quit after Manchester United extended their run without a victory to eight games in all competitions with a 0-0 draw with champions Chelsea in the Premier League on Monday.

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Arsenal hail Cech after keeper sets clean sheet record

LONDON (Reuters) - After picking the ball out of his net several times in a 4-0 drubbing at Southampton two days earlier, Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech celebrated a record on Monday by keeping his 170th Premier League clean sheet.

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Hiddink pleased with striker-less Chelsea's point

LONDON (Reuters) - Interim manager Guus Hiddink was satisfied with Chelsea's 0-0 draw at Manchester United on Monday, especially as the Premier League champions played without a recognised striker.

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Serdang stay on course for Champions Challenge action

KUALA LUMPUR: Serdang Badminton Club stayed alive in their chase for a Champions Challenge spot in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Garcia's FIFA corruption report must be published - Prince Ali

LONDON (Reuters) - FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al-Hussein has called for Michael Garcia's report into allegations of corruption during bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to be published immediately, the BBC said on Sunday.

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Man City victory overshadowed by Kompany injury

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City crushed Sunderland 4-1 but their Premier League title aspirations suffered a major blow as skipper and defensive lynch-pin Vincent Kompany hobbled off with a calf injury.

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Liverpool reveal cracks in Leicester armoury

LONDON (Reuters) - Cracks finally appeared in Leicester City's armour as a 10-match unbeaten sequence that propelled them to the top of the Premier League ended in a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday.

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Leicester get reality check, Van Gaal on the brink

LONDON (Reuters) - Leicester City were give a Premier League reality check when the unlikely leaders lost 1-0 at Liverpool on Saturday after Manchester United slumped to a third consecutive league defeat to pile more pressure on manager Louis van Gaal.

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Klopp a fan of Leicester's near-perfect style

LONDON (Reuters) - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp is full of admiration for Leicester City's style of football which has propelled the Midlands club to the top of the Premier League.

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Chelsea players must break unlucky cycle - Hiddink

LONDON (Reuters) - Guus Hiddink has challenged his Chelsea players to break the negative cycle that has seen the champions lose touch with the top of the Premier League this season.

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Spurs aim for winning run during festive season - Vertonghen

(Reuters) - Jan Vertonghen hopes Tottenham Hotspur can follow up last weekend's 2-0 Premier League victory over Southampton with a string of wins during the packed festive period, as the team attempts to cement their place in the top four.

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International titles? Checked. National title? Checked. Chong Wei’s approval? Iskandar’s got it!

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Lee Chong Wei has given Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin the seal of approval for a place in next year’s Thomas Cup team.

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Liverpool can kick on during festive period - Benteke

(Reuters) - Liverpool have enough quality and strength in depth in the squad to win games and pick up important points during a demanding festive schedule, striker Christian Benteke has said.

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United determined to put things right at Stoke, says Young

(Reuters) - As pressure mounts on Manchester United after an extended run of poor results, winger Ashley Young insists players are in high spirits and are determined to put things right with a win at Stoke City on Boxing day.

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Improving Yen Mei impresses in Purprle League match

KUALA LUMPUR: National women’s singles shuttler Ho Yen Mei is beginning to show steady improvements towards the end of the year.

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Mourinho has no formal offer from United, says agent Mendes

(Reuters) - Manchester United has made no official offer to Jose Mourinho to replace Louis van Gaal at the Premier League club, according to the Portuguese manager's agent Jorge Mendes.

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Stoke still wary of out-of-sorts Man Utd - Hughes

(Reuters) - Stoke City are refusing to take an out-of-sorts Manchester United for granted when the sides meet in the Premier League on Saturday, with the Red Devils more than capable of rediscovering their best form, manager Mark Hughes has said.

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Cech confident Arsenal can deal with injury crisis

(Reuters) - Arsenal are in the middle of an injury crisis with seven players currently on the sidelines but goalkeeper Petr Cech has said he was confident the club can pull through this period.

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Liverpool defender Skrtel out for six weeks

LONDON (Reuters) - Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel will be out for six weeks after suffering a hamstring and tendon injury, the Slovakian said on Tuesday.

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FIFA ethics committee unlikely to stop at Blatter, Platini

ZURICH (Reuters) - Largely anonymous, lacking police powers and with its independence sometimes questioned, FIFA's ethics committee has often struggled to be taken seriously in the fight against corruption in football's world body.

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Coutinho confident of ending Liverpool trophy wait in 2016

(Reuters) - Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho says he has a great chance of celebrating his third year at Liverpool in 2016 by landing his first major trophy with the club.

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Chelsea have quality to climb back up under Hiddink: Courtois

(Reuters) - Struggling Premier League champions Chelsea have the quality to climb back up the table under interim manager Guus Hiddink, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has said.

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Villa need at least 10 wins, says manager Garde

LONDON (Reuters) - Aston Villa, languishing at the bottom of the table, need at least 10 more wins if they are to avoid relegation from the Premier League for the first time, French manager Remi Garde said on Tuesday.

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Yong-dae makes smashing debut in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: Badminton doubles star Lee Yong-dae made a smashing debut in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Porous City need Kompany return for title fight - Pellegrini

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini is praying for the return of injured captain Vincent Kompany to shore up his team's defence and keep them in the hunt for the Premier League title.

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Arsenal's Sanchez suffers slight injury setback

LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal could be without forward Alexis Sanchez for the busy Premier League Christmas programme after he aggravated a hamstring injury in training, manager Arsene Wenger said on Monday.

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Watford's Ighalo will not leave in January, says Flores

(Reuters) - Top scorer Odion Ighalo, whose goals have caught the attention of bigger Premier League clubs, will stay at Watford at least until the end of the season, manager Quique Sanchez Flores said.

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Platini slams FIFA ban as 'masquerade', vows to fight in court

LONDON (Reuters) - The head of European football, Michel Platini, vowed on Monday to go to court to fight a decision by the independent Ethics Committee of the world football body FIFA to ban him for eight years, calling it a "pure masquerade".

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Table-topping Leicester not getting carried away

(Reuters) - Surprise Premier League leaders Leicester City are not ready to delve in title talks and would prefer to keep doing their job on the on the pitch, captain Wes Morgan has said.

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Players must respond to Hiddink, says grateful Ivanovic

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic welcomed interim manager Guus Hiddink back to the club on Monday but warned his team-mates that they bear the responsibility for results.

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Arsenal's defence not afraid of Barcelona trio, says Ozil

(Reuters) - Arsenal's defence do not fear Barcelona's prolific front three, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, and are keen to test themselves against the world's best players in the last 16 of the Champions League, midfielder Mesut Ozil said.

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Blatter and Platini banned by FIFA for eight years

ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA President Sepp Blatter and European football boss Michel Platini were both banned from football for eight years on Monday for ethics violations, leaving the global game leaderless as it fights a swirl of corruption cases.

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Honeymoon well and truly over for Klopp

LONDON (Reuters) - Last week Liverpool's extrovert manager Juergen Klopp was dancing down the touchline in front of jubilant fans after Divock Origi scored deep into added time to earn a 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion at Anfield.

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Premier League loses a Special One but now courts another

LONDON (Reuters) - And then there was one....

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Juventus go second with Carpi win

ROME (Reuters) - Inter Milan's lead at the top of Serie A was cut when they lost 2-1 at home to Lazio on Sunday while AS Roma beat Genoa 2-0 to record their first win in eight games and ease the pressure on under-fire coach Rudi Garcia.

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Malaysian pair win Mexico City Grand Prix title

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying nailed the Mexico City Grand Prix title in style after defeating South Korean pair Choi Sol-gyu-Eom Hye-won on Sunday.

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Bale hits four as Real crush nine-man Rayo 10-2

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid closed to within two points of La Liga pacesetters Barcelona and Atletico Madrid when Gareth Bale helped himself to his first four-goal haul in a 10-2 demolition of nine-man Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

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Not good enough, says Van Gaal, as pressure intensifies

LONDON (Reuters) - Bookmakers were busy slashing the odds on Louis van Gaal to be replaced in the Manchester United hotseat by Jose Mourinho on Saturday after a 2-1 home defeat to struggling Norwich City in the Premier League.

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Chelsea restore order after Mourinho axe, Leicester five clear

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea began the post-Jose Mourinho era with a 3-1 win over Sunderland at Stamford Bridge to ease away from the Premier League's bottom three on Saturday while Leicester City moved five points clear at the top.

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You can call Iskandar a national champion now

KUALA LUMPUR: There is an asterisk to Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin’s name now.

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Messi, Neymar to start Club World Cup final

YOKOHAMA (Reuters) - Lionel Messi and Neymar were both named in Barcelona's starting line-up for the Club World Cup final against River Plate on Sunday.

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Villa survival hopes look bleak despite battling draw

(Reuters) - Aston Villa displayed some fight to earn a 1-1 draw in torrential rain at Newcastle United on Saturday but their Premier League survival hopes grow bleaker by the week.

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Ton-up Harry shoots Spurs into the top four

LONDON (Reuters) - Harry Kane may have had his thunder as England's brightest young strike hope stolen of late by Jamie Vardy but Tottenham Hotspur's own home-polished jewel sparkled once more on his 100th appearance for the club on Saturday.

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Only mixed doubles survive in Mexico

PETALING JAYA: Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong was brought down to earth at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

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Dutchman Hiddink returns to Chelsea as interim manager

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea turned again to experienced Dutchman Guus Hiddink to guide them out of a crisis when they named him interim manager on Saturday for the rest of the season following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

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Mueller winner gives Bayern huge lead at winter break

BERLIN (Reuters) - Champions Bayern Munich opened up an eight-point lead in the Bundesliga at the start of the German season's one-month winter break after beating Hanover 96 1-0 on Saturday amid mounting speculation over the future of coach Pep Guardiola.

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Messi, Neymar still doubtful for Club World Cup final

YOKOHAMA (Reuters) - Barcelona forwards Lionel Messi and Neymar are still doubtful for the Club World Cup final against River Plate, coach Luis Enrique told reporters on Saturday.

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BAM have their man for GM post, pending approval

KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia have identified a suitable candidate to take over from outgoing general manager Kenny Goh.

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Yee Han pulls off upset win in National Grand Prix Finals

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Chong Yee Han pulled off the biggest surprise at the National Grand Prix Finals by stunning Goh Soon Huat in the men’s singles semi-finals.

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Three Malaysian pairs make Mexico semis, not Zulfadli

KUALA LUMPUR: Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei can count their lucky stars they are still in the hunt for the women’s doubles crown at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

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No feud with Pulis says Liverpool manager Klopp

LONDON (Reuters) - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp dismissed any suggestion of a feud with West Bromwich Albion's Tony Pulis after being the target of a sarcastic jibe from his opposite number on Friday.

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Newcastle's McClaren calls for patience ahead of Villa clash

LONDON (Reuters) - Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren has called for patience ahead of Saturday's Premier League match against fellow relegation candidates Aston Villa as they look to record a third successive victory for the first time this season.

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Stoke must stop Palace counter-attacks, says Hughes

LONDON (Reuters) - Stoke City must stop Crystal Palace from imposing their counter-attacking style of play in Saturday's Premier League game, manager Mark Hughes has said.

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Bielsa would be great acquisition for Swansea, says Pochettino

LONDON (Reuters) - Swansea City will be getting one of football's top managers if they appoint Marcelo Bielsa according to Tottenham Hotspur's Mauricio Pochettino, who played under his countryman in their native Argentina.

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Selangor: Oops! We'll take you back Cornthwaite

PETALING JAYA: Selangor have made a U-turn, deciding to re-sign Australian centreback Robert Cornthwaite for the M-League next season.

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Hiddink a perfect fit for Chelsea, says former assistant Wilkins

LONDON (Reuters) - Ray Wilkins, who worked as an assistant to Guus Hiddink in his previous spell in charge of Chelsea six years ago, believes the experienced Dutchman would be the perfect choice to return following Jose Mourinho's sacking.

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Mourinho not coming back for now, Real president says

MADRID (Reuters) - Sacked Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will not be making an immediate return to Real Madrid to replace Rafa Benitez, who remains the ideal man for the job, president Florentino Perez said on Friday.

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Holders Barca to meet city rivals Espanyol in King's Cup

MADRID (Reuters) - Holders Barcelona will continue their bid for a record-extending 28th Spanish King's Cup against local rivals Espanyol and Atletico Madrid will face Rayo Vallecano in another city derby following Friday's draw for the last 16.

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Ying Ying wants to end the year as national champion

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Lee Ying Ying has two goals at the National Grand Prix Finals.

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Goh-Tan on the right lane for Rio Olympic spot

KUALA LUMPUR: Winning the US Grand Prix has put shuttlers Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong in the driving seat to qualify for next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

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Mourinho sacked by Chelsea - BBC

LONDON (Reuters) - Jose Mourinho was sacked as manager of Premier League champions Chelsea on Thursday, according to BBC sources, following a dreadful run of results.

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Wenger gives Sanchez 'slight chance' for Man City clash

(Reuters) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has given winger Alexis Sanchez a "slight chance" of being included in his squad for Monday's Premier League showdown at home to Manchester City.

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Penang receive RM19mil budget for Super League challenge

GEORGE TOWN: Penang have allocated a whopping RM19mil for their challenge in next season’s Super League.

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Villa to back Garde with funds in January window

LONDON (Reuters) - Remi Garde flew out to discuss Aston Villa's future with owner Randy Lerner this week and, with the club stuck to the foot of the table, a contingency plan for life in the second tier was probably high on the agenda.

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Chun Seang wants national title before he hangs his racquet

KUALA LUMPUR: Independent shuttler Tan Chun Seang believes he has about two to three good years left in his career.

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Thomas Cup teams among new inductees into OCM Hall of Fame

KUALA LUMPUR: Four Thomas Cup winning teams – 1952, 1955, 1967 and 1992 – have been inducted into the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s (OCM) Hall of Fame.

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SEA Games champs head for an early bath in Mexico GP

PETALING JAYA: It was a wasted trip to Mexico for SEA Games gold medallists Amelia Alicia Anscelly-Soong Fie Cho.

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Leicester's Mahrez rules out January move

(Reuters) - Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez, who has reportedly caught the attention of several clubs across Europe after his strong performances in the first half of the season, has ruled out a move away from the Foxes during the January transfer window.

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Aguero in line for Man City return at Arsenal

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City could have striker Sergio Aguero available for Monday's Premier League clash with Arsenal after the Argentine returned to full training following a heel injury.

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Platini will not attend FIFA ethics committee hearing

PARIS (Reuters) - Suspended European football chief Michel Platini will not attend Friday's FIFA ethics committee hearing in protest at what he condemns as political process designed to prevent him running to lead the world governing body, his lawyers said on Wednesday.

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Hernandez blames Van Gaal for leaving United

(Reuters) - Javier Hernandez left Manchester United because manager Louis van Gaal told him he had a "one percent chance" of playing as a striker if he stayed at the club, the Mexican has said.

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Iskandar: This is my best chance to be national champ

PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin yearns to be a national champion.

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Vivian-Khe Wei desperate to secure Olympic ticket

PETALING JAYA: Shuttlers Vivian Hoo-Woon Khe Wei are desperate to secure their passage to next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics as soon as possible.

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Key players will stay at Everton in January - Martinez

(Reuters) - Everton manager Roberto Martinez expects to retain all his key performers in the January transfer window and believes the value of English players will rise at the end of the season.

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Alonso goal sends Bayern into German Cup last eight

BERLIN (Reuters) - A lacklustre Bayern Munich needed a long-range goal from Spaniard Xabi Alonso to secure a 1-0 victory over Darmstadt 98 on Tuesday that put them into the quarter-finals of the German Cup.

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Valencia players given iPads by Neville to help in training

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Valencia coach Gary Neville is using modern technology to get his ideas across to the players and his assistant Miguel Angel Angulo says he is managing with the language barrier better than he expected.

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Blatter reasserts innocence ahead of FIFA ethics hearing

ZURICH (Reuters) - Suspended FIFA President Sepp Blatter again proclaimed his innocence in a corruption scandal gripping the world football body as he prepares to testify this week before the group's ethics panel.

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Coach Shah to replace Zainal in Pahang hot seat

PETALING JAYA: Former international Ahmad Shaharuddin Rosdi has been promoted to become Pahang head coach for next season, replacing Zainal Abidin Hassan.

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My work was 'betrayed' by Chelsea players, says Mourinho

LONDON (Reuters) - Jose Mourinho has identified the problems at both ends of the pitch which led him to talk of "betrayal" after seeing his champions Chelsea slump to their ninth Premier League defeat of the season at Leicester City on Monday.

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Chong Wei accepts challenge to find successor

KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 4 Lee Chong Wei is ready to do his part in finding his replacement before calling it a day.

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Sacking Mourinho makes no sense, says Lampard

LONDON (Reuters) - Frank Lampard believes his crisis-racked former club Chelsea need an urgent shake-up to rescue their season, but does not think that should mean manager Jose Mourinho is sacked.

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Badminton legends do their bid to popularise the sport

KUALA LUMPUR: These three shuttlers are colourful and strong characters. They also happen to be role models who possess an amazing array of court craft and badminton skills.

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Wales will test England at Euros, warns Ramsey

(Reuters) - Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has warned England ahead of next year's European Championship finals in France that Wales have come a long way since the teams last faced each other four years ago.

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'Ashamed' Mourinho feels betrayed by Chelsea players

LEICESTER, England (Reuters) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho watched his team suffer a 2-1 loss at table-topping Leicester City on Monday and then said he felt ashamed at their lowly Premier League position and betrayed by his players.

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Leicester return to summit as Chelsea woes continue

LEICESTER, England (Reuters) - Sublime goals from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez sent Leicester City back to the Premier League summit after a deserved 2-1 win on Monday over lacklustre Chelsea whose march to the title last season seems a distant memory.

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Barcelona set to face Scolari's spoiling tactics

OSAKA (Reuters) - Barcelona are likely to face Luiz Felipe Scolari's full repertoire of spoiling tactics when they meet the Brazilian coach's Guangzhou Evergrande team in their Club World Cup semi-final on Thursday.

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Player selection will be fair, assures BAM’s Frost

KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no outside interference or favouritism in the selection of national shuttlers. This was the assurance given by BAM technical director Morten Frost at the start of selection trials on Monday.

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Change your mindset to produce world-class shuttlers, state coaches told

KUALA LUMPUR: Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) deputy president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria has thrown down the gauntlet to state coaches.

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BAM to hire another Indonesian singles coach

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia are expected to hire another Indonesian to join the men’s singles coaching set-up, said Badminton Association of Malaysia deputy president Datuk Seri Norza Zakari on Monday.

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Valencia held at Eibar in Neville's La Liga debut

MADRID (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid turned up the heat on champions Barcelona when they fought back to secure a 2-1 win at home to Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Sunday as Real Madrid slipped off the pace with a 1-0 loss at Villarreal.

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Klopp salutes atmosphere as Liverpool celebrate draw

(Reuters) - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has probably not celebrated too many draws with quite the fervour that he greeted Divock Origi's stoppage time leveller to grab a point at home to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

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Premier League see-saw typified by Newcastle win at Spurs

(Reuters) - The unpredictability of a barmy Premier League season was underlined by Tottenham Hotspur's 2-1 home defeat by struggling Newcastle United on Sunday, which left bewildered home manager Mauricio Pochettino scratching his head.

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Double joy for Japan in badminton Superseries Finals

KUALA LUMPUR: Kento Momota and Nozomi Okuhara made it a delightful rare double for Japan at the BWF World Superseries Finals.

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Pornpawee just too good for Jing Yi in Mumbai

KUALA LUMPUR: Youngster Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand continues to be a thorn in the side of Malaysia’s No. 1 women’s singles shuttler Tee Jing Yi.

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Mehmet not worried about rumours about his sacking

PETALING JAYA: The glory days are back for the Red Giants. And Selangor coach Mehmet Durakovic believes that the Malaysia Cup victory on Saturday is just the beginning.

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All not lost for Mohd Hafiz in coaching stint

KUALA LUMPUR: One door closes, another opens for former All-England champion Mohd Hafiz Hashim.

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V Shem-Wee Kiong finally got it right State side

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian men’s doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong have finally hit the jackpot.

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United old boy King writes Cherries' fairytale

(Reuters) - Josh King never played for Manchester United's first team in five years at Old Trafford but the Norwegian international claimed an unexpected place in the club's lore by consigning them to a humbling defeat on Saturday.

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France to play Romania in Euro 2016 opener

PARIS (Reuters) - Spain will begin their bid for an unprecedented third successive European Championship title against Czech Republic while hosts France will open the 2016 tournament against Romania after the draw was made on Saturday.

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Barca let two-goal lead slip in Deportivo draw

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Leaders Barcelona threw a two-goal lead away as late strikes from Lucas Perez and Alex Bergantinos gave Deportivo La Coruna a 2-2 draw in La Liga on Saturday.

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Norwich fight back after Lukaku's hot streak continues

LONDON (Reuters) - Norwich City fought back to draw 1-1 with Everton after Romelu Lukaku scored on Saturday for the sixth successive Premier League match to give the visitors an early lead.

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Ahsan-Hendra down world No. 1 in Dubai

KUALA LUMPUR: Reigning world champions Mohd Ahsan-Hendra Setiawan are on track to end the year in style after checking into the men’s doubles final at the BWF World Superseries Finals.

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Yen Mei to cheer on Jing Yi in India International Challenge

KUALA LUMPUR: Over to you, Tee Jing Yi. Youngster Ho Yen Mei will be rooting for Jing Yi to win her second international title after going down fighting in the women's singles semi-finals of the India International Challenge in Mumbai.

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A mini reunion for Sidek brothers at wedding

KUALA LUMPUR: It is rare to see the famous badminton siblings – the Sidek brothers of Misbun, Razif, Jalani, Rahman and Razif – gathered together these days.

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Goh-Tan have a score to settle in US Grand Prix final

KUALA LUMPUR: One down. One to go. National men’s doubles shuttlers Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong gained sweet revenge over Taiwan’s Chen Hung-ling-Wang Chi-ling in the semi-finals of the US Grand Prix at the Orange County Badminton Club in California.

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CAS orders FIFA not to extend Platini's 90-day provisional suspension

PARIS (Reuters) - FIFA's Ethics Committee have subjected European football chief Michel Platini to a "sham procedure", the Frenchman's legal team said on Friday after he lost an appeal to have a provisional 90-day ban overturned.

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Yaya Toure named BBC African Footballer of the Year

(Reuters) - Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure has held off fierce competition from Algeria's Yacine Brahimi, the 2014 winner, and Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to pick up the BBC African Footballer of the Year for 2015.

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Real Madrid's bid to overturn Cup expulsion denied

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid's bid to get their King's Cup expulsion temporarily suspended, pending a final decision on an appeal, has been rejected by the Spanish government's Disciplinary Committee for Sports (TAD).

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Van Gaal has no doubts over United position

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal issued a defiant response to his critics on Friday and said he had no doubts that he was the right man to lead Manchester United despite their early Champions League exit.

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Police: Just go and enjoy football, not cause trouble

PETALING JAYA: Police will be out in force for Saturday’s Malaysia Cup final between Selangor and Kedah at the Shah Alam Stadium and fans need not fear for their safety.

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Swansea want to beat Man City for Monk, says Curtis

(Reuters) - Swansea City players are aiming to win Saturday's Premier League game against Manchester City for former manager Garry Monk because they feel responsible for his departure, caretaker manager Alan Curtis said on Friday.

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Honduras international Peralta shot dead

(Reuters) - Honduras midfielder Arnold Peralta was shot to death in the Honduran city of La Ceiba on Thursday, police said.

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With some quick thinking, Yen Mei through to semi-finals in Mumbai

KUALA LUMPUR: It’s a good thing that Malaysian shuttler Ho Yen Mei can think on her feet.

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Thanks to Saina, Marin in World Superseries Finals last four

KUALA LUMPUR: Reigning world champion Carolina Marin should buy Saina Nehwal of India a Christmas present for keeping her challenge alive in the US$1mil (RM4.2mil) BWF World Superseries Finals.

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Money down the drain, Peng Soon-Liu Ying left in vain

KUALA LUMPUR: About RM100,000 and some valuable Olympic ranking points have gone down the drain with the quarter-final exit of mixed doubles Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying in the US Grand Prix badminton tournament.

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Baddrol feeling the same vibes from 2007 and 2008 ahead of Malaysia Cup final

GEORGE TOWN: Kedah midfielder Baddrol Bakhtiar feels that the current Red Eagles team are as good as the squad who won the “double treble” in 2007 and 2008.

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Andik to show his love to Selangor by winning Malaysia Cup

PETALING JAYA: The Selangor fans love Indonesian Andik Vermansyah to bits. And the feeling is mutual.

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Barca look to retain lead ahead of Club World Cup

MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona are likely to jet off to the Club World Cup with a narrow lead at the top of La Liga but the Spanish and European champions could find themselves playing catch up when they return from Japan.

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Selangor will continue rivalry with Singapore in AFC Cup

PETALING JAYA: Selangor and Singapore will continue their rivalry in the AFC Cup competition next season.

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Just win the US Grand Prix, Goh-Tan told

KUALA LUMPUR: Just win it. This basically is what Morten Frost expects from the country’s top men’s doubles pair Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong in the US Grand Prix at the Orange County Badminton Club in California.

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A day full of upsets at Dubai Superseries Finals

KUALA LUMPUR: There were upsets galore on the second day of the US$1mil (RM4.2mil) BWF World Superseries Finals in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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Jin Wei relishing the rivalry with Bingjiao

KUALA LUMPUR: It won’t be too long before the decade-long rivalry between Lee Chong Wei and Lin Dan of China comes to an end.

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Giroud treble inspires rampant Arsenal to reach last 16

ATHENS (Reuters) - Olivier Giroud grabbed a superb hat-trick as Arsenal crushed Olympiakos Piraeus 3-0 to book their spot in the Champions League's last 16 with a classy demolition job that ended the hopes of their Greek opponents on Wednesday.

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Soccer-Hernandez equaliser not enough for Leverkusen against Barca

(Reuters) - A Javier Hernandez strike gave Bayer Leverkusen a 1-1 draw against Group E winners Barcelona but it was not enough for them to reach the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday.

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Soccer-Mourinho's Chelsea hold nerve for crucial win over Porto

LONDON (Reuters) - Jose Mourinho's Chelsea turned from domestic whipping boys back to European stalwarts on Wednesday, beating his former club Porto 2-0 to top Champions League Group G.

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Monk sacked as Swansea City manager

LONDON (Reuters) - Garry Monk was sacked as Swansea City manager on Wednesday, the club said in a statement after a dreadful run which has seen the Welsh club plummet towards the Premier League relegation zone.

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FAM hires new foreign coach for ‘ghost’ team

PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia FAM have done it again!

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Hong Kong mixed pair upset world No.1 in Superseries Finals

PETALING JAYA: Reginald Lee Chun Hei-Chau Hoi Wah delivered the biggest upset on the opening day of the US$1mil (RM4.2mil) BWF World Superseries Finals in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

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Problems mount for Van Gaal as Ferdinand labels United embarrassing

(Reuters) - Manchester United's lack of goals has been the bugbear of the Old Trafford faithful this year but after Tuesday's elimination from the Champions League it appears Louis van Gaal has got problems at both ends of the pitch.

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FAM appoints Bernhardt as national U-23 coach

PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have appointed German coach Frank Bernhardt as the new national Under-23 coach.

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California dreaming off to good start for Peng Soon-Liu Ying

KUALA LUMPUR: Mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying have travelled all the way to California in the United States in a bid to earn precious Olympic qualifying points.

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BAM calm as four more players quit

KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) are not worried despite losing four more players from their set-up.

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Chelsea players don't lack commitment, says Courtois

(Reuters) - Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has rejected the idea that his Chelsea team mates are lacking commitment ahead of Wednesday night's crunch Champions League match against Porto.

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Liverpool's Sturridge out for several weeks - reports

LONDON (Reuters) - Liverpool's injury-prone striker Daniel Sturridge faces several weeks on the sidelines because of a hamstring problem, according to British media reports on Tuesday.

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We can win anywhere, says fired-up Arsenal boss Wenger

LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal can win anywhere in Europe according to manager Arsene Wenger who issued a rallying call ahead of Wednesday's make-or-break Champions League decider against Olympiakos Piraeus.

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Van Gaal struggles to understand United's European exit

WOLFSBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Manchester United's 3-2 Champions League defeat at VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday was difficult to understand, said manager Louis van Gaal after they crashed out in the group stage for the first time since 2011.

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Record-setting Ronaldo hits four as Real crush Malmo

MADRID (Reuters) - Cristiano Ronaldo hit four goals and Karim Benzema netted a hat-trick as Real Madrid romped to a record-equalling 8-0 victory at home to Malmo in the final round of matches in Champions League Group A on Tuesday.

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Selangor coach Durakovic would rather play than shout

PETALING JAYA: Selangor coach Mehmet Durakovic would rather be in the thick of the action than merely shouting from the sidelines during Saturday’s Malaysia Cup final against Kedah.

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Misfiring Martial must be given time, says manager Van Gaal

(Reuters) - Manchester United striker Anthony Martial needs time to find his scoring touch again and will have enough opportunities to get back in form, manager Louis van Gaal has said.

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Wijnaldum urges Newcastle to keep faith with McClaren

(Reuters) - Newcastle United winger Georginio Wijnaldum has urged the club to keep faith with manager Steve McClaren in the wake of the team's impressive 2-0 win over Liverpool at the weekend.

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Klopp working on changing Liverpool mentality - Lovren

(Reuters) - Changing Liverpool's mentality is a key task for manager Juergen Klopp, centre back Dejan Lovren has said, while offering a glimpse into the German's training methods.

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West Ham's Lanzini ruled out for six weeks

(Reuters) - West Ham United's on-loan Argentine midfielder Manuel Lanzini has been ruled out for six weeks with a thigh injury he picked up in training ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Manchester United.

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Super Dan out of Superseries Finals in Dubai

KUALA LUMPUR: Five-time world champion Lin Dan of China has withdrawn from the US$1mil (RM4.2mil) BWF World Superseries Finals in Dubai due to injury.

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Liverpool's Klopp worries me, says Ferguson

(Reuters) - Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said he was worried about the impact manager Juergen Klopp was having at his old team's great rivals Liverpool.

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Absent Kedah chief coach ‘in touch’ with team

GEORGE TOWN: Chief coach Tan Cheng Hoe was very much involved in helping to steer Kedah into the Malaysia Cup final although he is not with the squad.

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Chelsea must regroup ahead of important week, says Courtois

(Reuters) - Chelsea must leave behind the disappointment of Saturday's humiliating 1-0 Premier League loss at home to promoted side Bournemouth and regroup ahead of an important week, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has said.

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Schneiderlin to miss United trip to Wolfsburg

LONDON (Reuters) - France midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin will miss Manchester United's final Champions League Group B game at VfL Wolfsburg on Tuesday.

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Purple League: Ampang Jaya remain upbeat despite injury woes

KUALA LUMPUR: Injuries to two of their star players and a loss to Kepong BC have failed to dampen Ampang Jaya BC’s mood in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Liverpool beaten by lowly Newcastle

LONDON (Reuters) - Liverpool missed the chance to close in on the Premier League's top four when they suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to lowly Newcastle United at St James' Park on Sunday.

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Goal-shy United desperate for win at Wolfsburg

BERLIN (Reuters) - Manchester United will be looking for the goals that have been so hard to come by this season when they travel to VfL wolfsburg on Tuesday with their hopes of sealing qualification for the Champions League knockout stage still hanging in the balance.

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Abdul Latif brothers steer Cheras to victory in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: The Abdul Latif brothers Arif and Razif made it a great day for Cheras BC in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Bingjiao bounces back to bag Indonesian Masters title

KUALA LUMPUR: China’s He Bingjiao just can’t stand losing.

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Real end turbulent week with victory over Getafe

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid ended a turbulent week off the pitch on a high on Saturday when Karim Benzema struck twice and Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale scored a goal apiece in a 4-1 victory over Getafe in La Liga.

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Gladbach's quick treble condemns Bayern to first league loss

BERLIN (Reuters) - In-form Borussia Moenchengladbach struck three times in 14 minutes in the second half to floor champions Bayern Munich 3-1 on Saturday and inflict their first Bundesliga defeat of the season.

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Blatter to make case to FIFA ethics body in coming weeks: paper

ZURICH (Reuters) - Suspended FIFA President Sepp Blatter said in a Swiss newspaper interview published on Saturday that he expects to make his case to the ethics committee of soccer's governing body in the coming weeks.

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Selangor goalie wants Dickson stopped at all cost

PETALING JAYA: Selangor goalkeeper Norazlan Razali wants his team-mates to shackle Pahang’s Dickson Nwakaeme at all cost.

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No joy for Malaysian shuttlers in Bangladesh

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia suffered a triple blow on a disappointing final day at the Bangladesh International Challenge in Dhaka.

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All smiles for Boon Heong-Kien Keat as Olympic ticket within grasp

KUALA LUMPUR: Independent shuttlers Tan Boon Heong-Koo Kien Keat can afford a big smile nowadays.

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Real thrown out of Cup over ineligible player - Cadena Ser

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid have been thrown out of the King's Cup after they used an ineligible player in Wednesday's last 32, first leg match at third-tier Cadiz, Spanish radio station Cadena Ser reported on Friday.

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Precious confidence like a small flower, says Liverpool's Klopp

LONDON (Reuters) - Confidence is blooming at Liverpool under new manager Juergen Klopp but the German knows the precious commodity, "like a small flower", could be destroyed if his side allow complacency to slip in ahead of Sunday's visit to Newcastle United.

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Survival still the priority for Leicester, says Ranieri

(Reuters) - Leicester City sit second in the Premier League, trailing Manchester City only on goal difference, and have the league's leading scorer in Jamie Vardy but manager Claudio Ranieri says top flight survival remains their top priority.

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City's Hart to return at Stoke, Aguero doubtful

(Reuters) - Manchester City keeper Joe Hart could make his return from injury against Stoke City, but manager Manuel Pellegrini will still be without seven players when the Premier League leaders visit the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.

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Coach Sathia doesn’t mind returning to Kelantan

PETALING JAYA: B. Sathianathan has no qualms about coaching Kelantan again.

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Hasselbaink appointed manager of QPR

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Dutch international Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has been named as new manager of Queens Park Rangers, the Championship (second tier) club announced on Friday.

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Wei Feng’s the hero for Kepong in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore SEA Games champion Chong Wei Feng was Kepong Badminton Club’s hero, clinching the winning point against Klang United in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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An unfortunate day for Malaysian shuttlers in Malang

KUALA LUMPUR: Malang lived up to its name for Malaysian shuttlers as all of them were wiped out from the Indonesian Masters.

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BAM’s Frost needs Chong Wei to play Thomas Cup qualifier

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will not let Lee Chong Wei skip the Asia Team Championships in Hyderabad, India, from Feb 15-21.

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Tottenham's Pochettino eyes striker addition in January

(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino hopes to sign an out-and-out striker in the January transfer window to ease the burden on Harry Kane but the Argentine said maintaining team balance was more important than adding to the squad.

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United are different but not boring, says West Ham's Bilic

(Reuters) - Manchester United are different from the successful side under former boss Alex Ferguson but they are anything but boring, West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic has said ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash against Louis van Gaal's men.

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Teck Zhi and Iskandar advance in Indonesia

KUALA LUMPUR: It was a day to savour for Malaysia’s singles shuttlers Soo Teck Zhi and Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin at the Indonesian Masters.

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Malaysia move up in FIFA world ranking… one spot

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is now ranked No. 170 in the world – up one rung after FIFA released its rankings list on Thursday.

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Let’s get the job done first, says Selangor goalie

GEORGE TOWN: Selangor goalkeeper Norazlan Razali refuses to accept full praise for keeping Selangor alive in the Malaysia Cup semi-finals against Pahang.

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Red-faced Real look to bounce back after cup fiasco

MADRID (Reuters) - Under-fire Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez must rally his players for the visit of Getafe with the possible elimination from the King’s Cup for fielding an ineligible player just the latest setback in a turbulent first season.

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FIFA delays decision on 40-team World Cup

ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA's executive committee approved a package of planned reforms on Thursday aimed at cleaning up soccer's scandal-plagued world governing body, proposing term limits for senior officials and increased representation for women.

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Well done Son for helping Puchong go second in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: South Korea’s Son Wan-ho gave Puchong United BC a huge lift at the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Here’s your chance to see Chong Wei and wife pair up

KUALA LUMPUR: Fancy watching Lee Chong Wei partnering his wife Wong Mew Choo in mixed doubles?

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Let the ‘kids’ play, says Chong Wei as he reveals 2016 plans

KUALA LUMPUR: Lee Chong Wei will only hang up his racquet after the 2017 SEA Games here. In the meantime he hopes BAM will expose the youngsters at next year's Thomas Cup qualifiers in February.

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Real face Cup disqualification for fielding ineligible player

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Real Madrid are set be thrown out of the Spanish King's Cup after playing banned Russian winger Denis Cheryshev in their last-32 win over Cadiz on Wednesday.

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Swiss authorities make more arrests in FIFA corruption scandal - NYT

ZURICH/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Law enforcement officials made more arrests on Thursday in the ongoing investigation of football's world governing body FIFA, at least some of them in a pre-dawn raid on a hotel in Zurich, Swiss authorities and the New York Times said.

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Liverpool hit Saints for six to reach League Cup semis

LONDON (Reuters) - Liverpool ran riot to reach the League Cup semi-finals with a 6-1 thrashing of Southampton on Wednesday in which Divock Origi grabbed a hat-trick and Daniel Sturridge scored twice as the Juergen Klopp juggernaut rolled on.

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Cahill signs new four-year Chelsea deal

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea's England defender Gary Cahill has signed a new four-year contract that will keep him at the club until 2019, the Premier League champions said in a statement.

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Benzema insists he has done nothing wrong in sextape scandal

PARIS (Reuters) - France and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema insisted on Wednesday he has done nothing wrong after being put under investigation in France in connection with an alleged attempt to blackmail a fellow international with the use of a sex video.

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Pahang’s defence of Malaysia Cup hits a snag

GEORGE TOWN: Pahang’s quest for a third successive Malaysia Cup title hit a speed bump when they were held to a goalless draw at home in the Malaysia Cup semi-final, first leg.

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Gutsy doubles pair Mei Kuan-Pei Jing progress in Indonesia

PETALING JAYA: Women’s pair Chow Mei Kuan-Lai Pei Jing just keeps getting better.

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Southampton hurting after sale of key players - Koeman

(Reuters) - Sale of key players could hurt Southampton's chances of finishing in the European places this season, manager Ronald Koeman has said.

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Gary Neville appointed Valencia coach - La Liga club

(Reuters) - Former England and Manchester United defender Gary Neville is the new boss of Valencia -- his first managerial post.

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Old guards steer PJ to emphatic win in Purple League

PETALING JAYA: Petaling Jaya Badminton Club tapped on the wealth of experience of former national shuttlers Mohd Hafiz Hashim and Koo Kien Keat to emphatically thrash the Kajang Badminton Club in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Man City's Aguero and Hart could be fit for Stoke clash

(Reuters) - Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and goalkeeper Joe Hart could return from injury in time for Saturday's Premier League game against Stoke City, manager Manuel Pellegrini has said.

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Man City, Stoke, Everton down underdogs to make Cup semis

LONDON (Reuters) - The plucky underdogs were brought down to earth as Manchester City, Everton and Stoke City reached the League Cup semi-finals on Tuesday, ending the hopes of second-tier sides who felled fancied opponents in the last round.

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Singapore police re-arrest alleged match-fixer Tan - report

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singaporean police have again arrested alleged match-fixer Dan Tan, almost a week after a court in the city state freed him from more than two years of detention, the state-owned Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported on Tuesday.

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Klopp gives goalkeeper Mignolet vote of confidence

LONDON (Reuters) - Liverpool are happy with the form of Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and are not looking for a replacement, manager Juergen Klopp said on Tuesday.

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AFF propose to lower age for SEA Games football

PETALING JAYA: The Asean Football Federation will propose to the South-East Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) for the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games Under-23 football competition be made an Under-21 tournament.

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FAM suspend bungling refs in PKNS-Kedah match

PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) referees’ committee have taken four bumbling match officials to task.

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Chelsea submit plans for new 60,000-seat stadium

LONDON (Reuters) - Premier League champions Chelsea have submitted a planning application to re-develop their Stamford Bridge ground into a new 60,000-seater stadium, the club said on Tuesday.

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Korean doubles ace Yeon-seong gunning for more honours

KUALA LUMPUR: South Korean world No. 1 men’s doubles pair Yoo Yeon-seong-Lee Yong-dae have a chilling message for their rivals: “We can only get better!”

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Doubles pair Juan Shen-Kian Meng game to step up

PETALING JAYA: Low Juan Shen-Tan Kian Meng are relishing the challenge of stepping up to become an established men’s doubles pair in the national set-up.

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Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar are Ballon d'Or nominees

LONDON (Reuters) - Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will go head-to-head once again for the title of world's best footballer after being short-listed along with Neymar on Monday for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or.

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Higuain brace takes Napoli top with win over 10-man Inter

MILAN (Reuters) - Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain scored twice to put them top of Serie A with an extraordinary 2-1 win over Inter Milan who twice hit the woodwork in stoppage time after playing the entire second half with 10 men on Monday.

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Valencia coach Nuno steps aside after poor run

MADRID (Reuters) - Valencia coach Nuno Espirito Santo has stepped down "by mutual consent" after Sunday's 1-0 La Liga defeat at Sevilla left the ambitious Singapore-owned club languishing in mid-table.

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Sports Comm identifies three keys areas to improve stadium safety

PETALING JAYA: The Sports Commissioner has identified three key areas on stadium safety to avoid a recurrence of the crowd trouble which marred Malaysia’s World Cup qualifying match against Saudi Arabia in September.

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BAM’s Morten says ‘underperforming’ players still needed

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttlers Chong Wei Feng and Liew Daren have reached their maximum, but their services are still needed to help improve the standard of the second-liners.

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Give me more time, Wei Feng urges BAM

KUALA LUMPUR: Under-performing national No. 2 shuttler Chong Wei Feng wants the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) to keep their promise.

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Spurs manager Pochettino proud of high-fliers

(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino praised his side for digging deep against Chelsea in Sunday's 0-0 draw after their energy-sapping midweek Europa League trip to Azerbaijan began to tell in the second half.

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Liverpool's Coutinho set to return against Southampton

(Reuters) - Midfielder Philippe Coutinho is on course to return to Liverpool's squad for their Capital One (League) Cup quarter-final clash against Southampton on Wednesday, manager Juergen Klopp has said.

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Vardy success will spark hunt for next gem, says Smalling

(Reuters) - Jamie Vardy's rise from non-league anonymity to Premier League record-breaker could herald an era where top-flight managers scour England's lower leagues in the hope of discovering the next "hidden gem", Manchester United's Chris Smalling said.

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Costa 'privileged' to be dropped so late, says Mourinho

(Reuters) - Chelsea striker Diego Costa is "privileged" to be one of the last first-team regulars to be dropped from the starting line-up, Blues manager Jose Mourinho said.

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BAM’s Norza not amused with shuttlers’ slow progress

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria’s patience is wearing thin over the lack of progress of several national shuttlers.

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Muar City thrash Klang United 15-0 in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: Muar City BC rode on the strength of their Korean badminton stars to stay in the lead in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Fighting Felda prove doubters wrong with JDT victory

JOHOR BARU: Felda United accomplished three tasks when they dumped favourites and reigning Super League and AFC Cup champions Johor Darul Ta’zim out of the Malaysia Cup competition on Saturday.

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Young Hyeok-jin underlines talent with Macau Open win

MACAU: Young South Korean shuttler Jeon Hyeok-jin has finally come of age. The 20-year-old produced a top-notch performance to gun down world No. 9 Tian Houwei of China for the Macau Open title.

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Macau is Sindhu’s happy hunting ground

MACAU: Macau is definitely India shuttler P.V. Sindhu’s favourite hunting ground.

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Record for goal-king Vardy as Leicester hold United

LONDON (Reuters) - Jamie Vardy wrote his name into the record books on Saturday, becoming the first player to score in 11 successive Premier League matches as his Leicester City team drew 1-1 with Manchester United at the King Power Stadium.

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Barca's ruthless trident only happy if they all score

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona's devastating attacking trident of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are only happy if they all score, emphasising the camaraderie between them, says coach Luis Enrique.

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McClaren feeling the heat after Newcastle ship five at Palace

LONDON (Reuters) - Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren faced increasing pressure after a thumping 5-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday sent them to a third Premier League defeat in five games as they dropped into the relegation zone.

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Rampant Bayern cruise past Hertha to go 11 points clear

BERLIN (Reuters) - Unbeaten Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich opened up an 11-point gap at the top after goals from Thomas Mueller and Kingsley Coman eased them past Hertha Berlin 2-0 on Saturday, their 13th win in 14 league games.

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Neymar double as Barca's rampant strikers sink Sociedad

BARCELONA (Reuters) - A Neymar double, a spectacular volley from Luis Suarez and a goal for Lionel Messi saw top of the table Barcelona's unstoppable strike force sweep aside Real Sociedad 4-0 in La Liga on Saturday.

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Can Low-Tan assume the title as second national doubles pair?

MACAU: Low Juan Shen-Tan Kian Meng could well be the answer to Malaysia’s search for a solid second men’s doubles pair.

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Soon Huat couldn't last the distance in Macau Open semis

MACAU: It’s the end of the road for Goh Soon Huat at the Macau Open.

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Soon Huat almost got his celebration too early in a day full of upsets at Macau Open

MACAU: National shuttler Goh Soon Huat thought he had won the match when the linesman called B. Sai Praneeth’s shot out.

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Jin Wei claims easy win for Asean Schools Games gold

KUALA LUMPUR: There is just no stopping shuttler Goh Jin Wei.

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Malaysia Cup semi-finals cast decided

PETALING JAYA: Pahang kept their hope of defending their Malaysia Cup title alive despite falling to a defeat to Lions XII at Jalan Besar Stadiumin Singapore on Saturday.

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Chong Wei steers Petaling Jaya to victory in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Lee Chong Wei had to overcome tiredness and his Japanese opponent to steer Petaling Jaya BC to a sensational win in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Fai Yin gains plenty of experience from partners in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: National mixed doubles shuttler Wong Fai Yin is one lucky guy.

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Bingjiao wants to emulate idol Wang Xin

MACAU: He Bingjiao first saw Wang Xin on television – playing in the final of the 2010 Uber Cup.

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JDT hitman hoping for a good weather for Saturday's match

JOHOR BARU: Good weather and a dry pitch. That’s what Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) striker Safee Sali is hoping for when his team take on Felda United in the Malaysia Cup quarter-final, second-leg tie at the Larkin Stadium on Saturday.

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Van Gaal thinks Leicester could win Premier League title

(Reuters) - Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes that Leicester City's Premier League heroics are no flash in the pan and that the surprise leaders must be taken seriously as potential title contenders.

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Pochettino praises mature Spurs, says Kane is staying put

(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino hailed his side's patience and maturity after their persistent probing broke down a packed Qarabag defence to send them through to the Europa League knockout rounds on Thursday.

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Liverpool will be patient with Sturridge, says Klopp

(Reuters) - Liverpool will be patient with Daniel Sturridge after the striker suffered a foot problem in training hours before Thursday's Europa League win over French side Bordeaux, says manager Juergen Klopp.

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Spurs, Liverpool and Bilbao through, Dnipro out

LONDON (Reuters) - The value of an in-form striker was underlined as Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao needed goals from pivotal front men to grab vital wins that booked places in the Europa League last 32 on Thursday.

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Maybank cuts tie with BAM

KUALA LUMPUR: The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) have suffered a big blow ahead of the Olympic Games as Maybank has withdrawn as one of their main sponsors.

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Malaysian pair lost, but gain praises from opponent at Macau Open

MACAU: Inexperience has cost qualifiers Low Juan Shen-Tan Kian Meng dearly at the Macau Open.

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Japan have abundance of quality badminton players

MACAU: Japan may have booted out former world No. 3 Kenichi Tago from the national team for indiscipline, but they are not fretting over the lack of quality shuttlers.

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Purple League a platform for former players to give back as coaches

KUALA LUMPUR: It feels just like the good old times. Former international shuttler Foo Kok Keong is delighted to see his former team-mates having a prominent role to play in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Selangor will be wary when they host Sarawak in Malaysia Cup tie

PETALING JAYA: Selangor coach Mehmet Durakovic is a pragmatic man.

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Coach Elavarasan wants individual brilliance in Malaysia Cup return leg

PETALING JAYA: Football may be a team game, but PKNC FC coach E. Elavarasan is counting on the individual brilliance of his players to propel them into the semi-finals of the Malaysia Cup.

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Pahang: FAM to blame for Borji controversy

PETALING JAYA: The Pahang FA are incensed with the Football Association Malaysia’s (FAM) threat to demote them to the Premier League if they fail to settle their dues with former player Mohamed Borji of Morocco.

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FIFA criticises Singapore's decision to free suspected match-fixer

ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA is "very disappointed" at Singapore's decision to free Dan Tan Seet Eng, named by the Interpol as "the leader of the world's most notorious match-fixing syndicate".

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United draw leaves Champions League hopes in balance

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Manchester United endured a frustrating night when they were held to a goalless draw by PSV Eindhoven at Old Trafford on Wednesday, squandering the opportunity to seal their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

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Real take top spot by thwarting Shakhtar rally

LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Real Madrid, who had already sealed a place in the last 16 of the Champions League, ensured top spot in Group A with a remarkable 4-3 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.

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Sturridge could return for Liverpool

LONDON (Reuters) - England striker Daniel Sturridge is in contention to make a first appearance under manager Juergen Klopp in Liverpool's Europa League game at home to Girondins Bordeaux on Thursday.

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Ibrahimovic's happy homecoming as PSG thrash Malmo

MALMO, Sweden (Reuters) - Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic crowned a triumphant homecoming with a second-half goal as Paris St Germain crushed Malmo 5-0 on Wednesday to book a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

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Malaysia Cup: Last hurrah for Fandi’s Lions on Saturday?

PETALING JAYA: Singapore football will officially sever ties with the M-League early next month. But their sojourn in the M-League could come to an end as early as Saturday.

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Chong Wei, pick and choose your battles

KUALA LUMPUR: Former badminton great Foo Kok Keong has applauded Lee Chong Wei for taking a break after winning three back-to-back Open titles in one month.

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Jin Wei poised for more highs in Asean Schools Games

KUALA LUMPUR: Shutler Goh Jin Wei is in the running for two gold medals in the 7th Asean Schools Games in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.

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Kenny Goh leaves BAM for Asian badminton job

KUALA LUMPUR: Kenny Goh is leaving the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) after nine years of service.

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Beaming Messi back playing like he was never away

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona kept winning during Lionel Messi's injury absence but the fans were still clearly delighted to have him back on Tuesday and he rewarded their patience with a signature performance against AS Roma.

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Vardy thanks team mates after record scoring run

(Reuters) - Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has credited his team mates for helping him equal Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of scoring in 10 consecutive English Premier League games.

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Mourinho says doused halftime row with Costa with 'kisses and cuddles'

(Reuters) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he and striker Diego Costa have made up with "kisses and cuddles" after their halftime row in Tuesday's 4-0 Champions League win over Israeli opponents Maccabi Tel Aviv.

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Rooney and Martial back for United, says Van Gaal

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester United will have their captain Wayne Rooney, French teenager Anthony Martial and Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini available for Wednesday's Champions League tie against PSV Eindhoven at Old Trafford.

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Ten-man Bayern crush Olympiakos to book knockout place

MUNICH (Reuters) - Ten-man Bayern Munich eased into the Champions League knockout stages after demolishing Greece's Olympiakos Piraeus 4-0 on Tuesday to secure top spot in Group F with a game to spare.

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Chelsea repeat drubbing of Maccabi to close in on last 16

HAIFA, Israel (Reuters) - Chelsea enjoyed their second 4-0 Champions League victory over 10-man Maccabi Tel Aviv this season to move into prime position to reach the knockout stages of the competition from Group G on Tuesday.

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Lions XII to exit M-League after season ends

PETALING JAYA: Singapore Lions XII will no longer play in the M-League.

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Grieving Soon Huat toughed it out in Macau Open

MACAU: It has been a tough few months for national shuttler Goh Soon Huat.

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Chong Wei pulls out of Macau Open

MACAU: Shuttler Lee Chong Wei has pulled out from the Macau Open.

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Real president Perez backs coach Benitez

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has backed coach Rafa Benitez despite Saturday's humiliating 4-0 drubbing at home to arch rivals Barcelona in the La Liga 'Clasico'.

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Blatter, Platini face December ruling from ethics judges

ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA's ethics judges said on Monday they were aiming to decide the fate of suspended president Sepp Blatter and the man who hopes to succeed him, Michel Platini, by the end of December, following an investigation into graft allegations.

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Sunderland will park the bus to stay up, says Allardyce

LONDON (Reuters) - Sunderland will have to 'park the bus' to help them stay in the Premier League this season, manager Sam Allardyce said after they snatched a scrappy 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Monday.

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Messi primed as blistering Barca prepare for Roma

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Lionel Messi is set for his first start for nearly two months when Barcelona, fresh from pulverising Real Madrid 4-0 at the weekend, set their sights on Champions League qualification when AS Roma visit the Nou Camp on Tuesday.

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Leicester's improvement not rocket science, says Drinkwater

(Reuters) - Leicester City's meteoric rise from relegation strugglers to table-toppers is not down to "rocket science" but due to the team playing to their strengths, midfielder Danny Drinkwater has said.

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Liverpool players hail Klopp impact after defeating City

(Reuters) - Liverpool's players were quick to credit manager Juergen Klopp's tactics after they ran out convincing 4-1 winners against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

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Arsenal's slim European hopes boosted by Zagreb scandals

LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger still believes his side have a "strong chance" to qualify for the Champions League last 16 for a 16th consecutive season as the Premier League side and Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb face a do-or-die contest.

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Chong Wei wins Hong Kong Open title

PETALING JAYA: It has been rich pickings for shuttler Lee Chong Wei.

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Two-goal Kane on target again as Spurs thrash West Ham

LONDON (Reuters) - A double from Harry Kane, who scored in his fifth consecutive club match, inspired Tottenham Hotspur to a 4-1 win over London rivals West Ham United in the Premier League at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

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Suarez, Neymar humiliate Real in 4-0 'Clasico' romp

MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona dealt a stinging blow to Real Madrid's title hopes when Luis Suarez and Neymar continued their scintillating form to fire the champions to a stunning 4-0 victory in the La Liga 'Clasico' on Saturday.

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Benitez struggles to make sense of 'Clasico' drubbing

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez struggled to find explanations after watching his side humiliated 4-0 at home by arch rivals Barcelona in Saturday's La Liga 'Clasico'.

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Klopp promises more to come after Liverpool rout City

(Reuters) - The Juergen Klopp effect began to really take hold on Saturday as Liverpool hammered mercurial Manchester City 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium to provide the Merseysiders' new coach with his most striking Premier League win yet.

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PSG canter past Lorient on emotional afternoon

PARIS (Reuters) - Paris St Germain took another step towards a fourth straight Ligue 1 title when they beat Lorient 2-1 away on Saturday with goals by Hervin Ongenda and Blaise Matuidi on an emotional afternoon eight days after the Paris attacks.

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Messi won't be 100 percent for 'Clasico' - Luis Enrique

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona forward Lionel Messi will not be at full fitness for Saturday's La Liga 'Clasico' at Real Madrid if he makes his return from injury but "the feelings are positive", coach Luis Enrique said on Friday.

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Hamburg surprise Dortmund 3-1 as Bundesliga resumes

BERLIN (Reuters) - Hamburg SV hit Borussia Dortmund on the break to clinch an unexpected 3-1 victory on Friday as the Bundesliga resumed amid tight security following the deadly shootings in Paris last week and the cancellation of Germany's friendly with Netherlands due to security fears.

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Aguero back but City below full strength for Liverpool game

LONDON (Reuters) - Premier League leaders Manchester City will have striker Sergio Aguero back for Saturday's home game with Liverpool but David Silva would be "a risk" and three other senior players are all injured, manager Manuel Pellegrini said on Friday.

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FIFA reform committee concludes work amid secrecy

ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA's reform committee avoided giving details on its final proposals for cleaning up football's scandal-plagued governing body after winding up its third and final meeting on Friday.

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No Lee Chong Wei in Dubai Superseries Finals

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Lee Chong Wei's return to form in the Superseries Tour has come a tad too late.

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Just Grand Prix tournaments will do for doubles pair Vivian-Woon

KUALA LUMPUR: The last-minute withdrawals of Malaysia’s top two women’s doubles pairs from two recent international tournaments have raised eyebrows.

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World champion Jin Wei promises to keep her feet on the ground

SEPANG: There’s hardly any rest for newly-crowned world junior champion Goh Jin Wei.

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United lose Rooney, Martial, Carrick and Fellaini

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester United will be without skipper Wayne Rooney, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick and Anthony Martial for their visit to Watford on Saturday when the Premier League resumes after the international break.

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Real's Bale fit and ready for 'Clasico' battle

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale is confident he is back to full fitness and says he is "ready for battle" when leaders and champions Barcelona visit in the La Liga 'Clasico' on Saturday.

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Full Real squad available to Benitez for 'Clasico'

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has a full squad available, including forward Karim Benzema, for Saturday's La Liga 'Clasico' at home to Barcelona.

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Wenger calls for routine blood tests

LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called for routine blood tests in football to improve anti-doping measures which he says are currently 'superficial'.

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Easy does it for young shuttlers to reach full bloom

KUALA LUMPUR: Sometimes, certain players take longer than others to bloom in sports.

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Doubles pair in the quarter-finals of Hong Kong Open

KUALA LUMPUR: Doubles shuttlers Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong are back in the groove.

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Blatter, Platini lose appeals against provisional FIFA bans

ZURICH (Reuters) - Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter and European soccer chief Michel Platini have lost their appeals against provisional 90-days bans by the global soccer body's ethics committee, FIFA said on Wednesday.

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Beckham says 'Number 7' shirt should inspire Memphis

(Reuters) - David Beckham has urged Manchester United winger Memphis Depay to use the club's famous 'Number 7' shirt as an inspiration to kickstart his floundering Red Devils career when he comes back into the team against Watford on Saturday.

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Man City's Nasri rules himself out for three months

(Reuters) - Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has ruled himself out of action for three months due to a hamstring injury but insists he will return "better than ever".

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Sterling has point to prove as Man City face Liverpool

LONDON (Reuters) - Four months after quitting Liverpool for Manchester City, Raheem Sterling will have the first opportunity to justify the move by getting one over his former employers when the teams meet at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

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Turkey fans boo minute's silence for Paris victims

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish fans booed during the minute's silence for the victims of the Paris attacks before their national team drew 0-0 with Greece in a friendly international football game on Tuesday.

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Boost for Klopp as injury-prone Sturridge returns to training

(Reuters) - Striker Daniel Sturridge has returned to full training, taking him a step closer to making a first appearance under manager Juergen Klopp when Liverpool take on his former employers Manchester City on Saturday.

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France's Man United striker Martial suffers foot injury

LONDON (Reuters) - France's Manchester United striker Anthony Martial left Wembley Stadium on crutches with his left foot strapped after suffering an injury in the 2-0 friendly defeat by England on Tuesday.

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Chelsea's Fabregas denies reports of rift with Mourinho

(Reuters) - Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has denied suggestions of a rift with manager Jose Mourinho, accusing "certain individuals from outside" of trying to destabilise the club and refuting reports that he is leading an alleged dressing-room revolt.

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Newly-crowned world champion Jin Wei is still 'hungry' after success

PETALING JAYA: She’s talented. She’s humble. And she definitely has a big appetite!

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Malaysia show heart in slim 2-1 defeat to UAE

SHAH ALAM: The national football team put up a much improved better display. But it was still not enough as they were edged 2-1 by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Shah Alam Stadium.

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Shuttler Jing Yi earns lucky break in Hong Kong

PETALING JAYA: The Hong Kong Open has to be shuttler Tee Jing Yi’s favourite event. The Penangite earned a free pass into the main draw following the withdrawal of India's Saina Nehwal.

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Chong Wei expected to cross path with Chen Long in Hong Kong

KUALA LUMPUR: A quick re-match between Lee Chong Wei and China’s Chen Long is on the cards at the Hong Kong Open.

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Frost: Jin Wei could break top 10 before 20

KUALA LUMPUR: Fifteen-year-old shuttler Goh Jin Wei can buck the trend and be a hit after her World Junior Championships success.

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Euro 2016 will not be moved from France - Germany's Loew

HANOVER (Reuters) - The 2016 European Championship football tournament will take place in France despite Friday's deadly attacks in Paris, which could have happened anywhere, Germany coach Joachim Loew said on Monday.

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Aguero encouraged by early signs of De Bruyne partnership

(Reuters) - Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has been encouraged by the early signs of his partnership with attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and hopes they can form a strikeforce that will drive the side on to trophy-winning success.

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Kane expects England improvement for France friendly

(Reuters) - Striker Harry Kane says there is no reason to press the panic button ahead of Tuesday's international against France and is confident England can redeem themselves after a lacklustre performance in the 2-0 friendly loss to Spain.

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Germany vs Netherlands friendly to symbolise unity - Loew

HANOVER (Reuters) - Germany coach Joachim Loew hopes his team's friendly against the Netherlands on Tuesday will be a "symbol for freedom" and show everyone that the world is united with France following the deadly attacks in Paris on Friday.

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Thai Khosit gives local lad Joo Ven a beating to lift Maybank Malaysia International title

KUALA LUMPUR: Disappointment was written all over youngster Soong Joo Ven’s face.

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Euro 2016 in France must not be cancelled - organisers

PARIS (Reuters) - The Euro 2016 finals in France should not be cancelled even though the risk levels have gone up, the head of the organising committee said on Saturday following the attacks in Paris.

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Ukraine beat Slovenia 2-0 in Euro playoff

LVIV, Ukraine, Nov 14 (Reuters) – Ukraine translated their dominance into goals by beating Slovenia 2-0 in the first leg of their Euro 2016 playoff on Saturday.

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Two Malaysians in semi-finals of World Junior Badminton

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttlers Goh Jin Wei and Lee Ying Ying have given Malaysian women’s singles a big boost.

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Say what you want, we're playing for national pride, says Aidil

PETALING JAYA: Playing behind closed doors could well be a blessing in disguise for the national team.

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Acid test for Kim Swee when Harimau Malaya face UAE

PETALING JAYA: The match against the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday is Malaysia’s last outing for the year.

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Spain dismissal of England suggests La Roja back on song

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's 2-0 win over England on Friday suggested their recovery from last year's World Cup flop is on track and confirmed they will be among the favourites when they bid for an unprecedented third straight continental title at Euro 2016.

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Red card could spell end for erratic David Luiz

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The international future of David Luiz looked to be in question after a poor performance and a needless sending off left coach Dunga fuming at his irresponsibility in Brazil's 1-1 draw against Argentina on Friday.

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France beat Germany as attacks overshadow friendly

PARIS (Reuters) - Olivier Giroud and Andre-Pierre Gignac scored as Euro 2016 hosts France beat world champions Germany 2-0 in a friendly overshadowed by attacks in the French capital that, according to early media reports, left at least 40 dead on Friday.

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Double for Dutchman Robben in 3-2 win over Wales

CARDIFF (Reuters) - Netherlands enjoyed a 3-2 friendly win away to a weakened Wales on Friday with Arjen Robben proving the match-winner with two goals from his lethal left foot as they put their failure to reach Euro 2016 to one side.

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Joo Ven the saving grace in Maybank Malaysia International

KUALA LUMPUR: Beating a senior player for the first time is always a moment to savour for any junior.

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Argentina-Brazil match postponed because of rain

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The World Cup qualifier between Argentina and Brazil was postponed less than an hour before kick off on Thursday due to heavy rain that left the pitch waterlogged and fans in traffic unable to get to the ground, Brazilian officials said.

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Rooney faces 'huge challenge' for England starting place

(Reuters) - Wayne Rooney has said he faces a "huge challenge" to keep his place in England's starting line-up and hailed their current crop of forwards as the "best group of strikers" he has played with.

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England have potential but lack organisation - Del Bosque

ALICANTE, Spain (Reuters) - Roy Hodgson's England have "great potential" but need to be more organised, said Spain coach Vicente del Bosque on the eve of Friday's friendly between the two nations.

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Palestine hand Malaysia another thrashing in World Cup qualifer

PETALING JAYA: Palestine handed Malaysia another 6-0 bashing in their World Cup Group A qualifying match in Amman, Jordan.

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Brazil will counter-attack against Argwnrina, says Martino

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Brazil will sit back and absorb Argentina pressure before breaking out in counter-attacks in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier, according to home coach Gerardo Martino.

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Sweden and Ibra aim to silence Danes in playoffs

LONDON (Reuters) - Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said last year's World Cup was not worth watching without him and hopes history does not repeat itself when they play Denmark for a place at Euro 2016.

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Neymar the best in the world right now, says Dunga

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Neymar is the best player in the world right now and his return to the Brazil team to face Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers will give the visitors a vital boost, coach Dunga said on Wednesday.

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Yee Han proves a point by advancing in Maybank Malaysia International

PETALING JAYA: Forgotten shuttler Chong Yee Han showed he still has plenty to offer.

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Manchester United's Memphis working hard to rediscover best form

(Reuters) - Winger Memphis Depay has hit back at his critics, insisting he is working hard to rediscover his best form after being axed from Manchester United's first team by manager Louis van Gaal.

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Yoke Meng expects juniors to kick on in individual events

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia have finished fifth in the World Junior Mixed Team Championships in Lima, Peru. But BAM development manager Kwan Yoke Meng believes they will do better in the individual events.

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Aguero targets Liverpool game for return from injury

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero believes he will be fit to return after the international break, targetting Liverpool as his comeback game from injury.

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Milner pulls out of England squad with hamstring injury

(Reuters) - James Milner has withdrawn from the England squad for friendlies against Spain and France after the Liverpool midfielder suffered a hamstring injury in their Europa League win over Rubin Kazan last week, the Football Association said.

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Maracana to host Olympic football finals, FIFA says

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The men's and women's Olympic football finals will be played at the Maracana stadium, FIFA announced on Tuesday.

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Chelsea fined 50,000 pounds and West Ham 40,000

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea and West Ham United have been fined 50,000 ($75,535) and 40,000 pounds respectively after both clubs admitted FA misconduct charges following their bad-tempered Premier League clash last month.

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Schweinsteiger backs Van Gaal to achieve success at United

(Reuters) - Bastian Schweinsteiger has backed Louis van Gaal to achieve as much success with Manchester United as he managed at Bayern Munich and pleaded with fans to be patient and wait for the Dutch coach's ideas to take root.

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Benzema files complaint over French sex tape probe

PARIS (Reuters) - Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema will lodge a complaint for violation of judicial confidentiality after French radio Europe 1 published extracts of phone taps that could incriminate the France international, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

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I'm not smart enough to be FIFA president, says Ronaldo

LONDON (Reuters) - World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo is not clever enough to become FIFA president one day in the future, he told Reuters on Monday.

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Analysis - What has happened to Chelsea's Diego Costa?

LONDON (Reuters) - Diego Costa has turned into a pale imitation of the player who took the Premier League by storm last year and Chelsea must get him firing on all cylinders again to have any hope of salvaging their wretched season.

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Italy coach Conte preparing for life without Pirlo

ROME, (Reuters) - Italy coach Antonio Conte hinted that Andrea Pirlo’s international future may be over on Monday after omitting the midfielder from his latest squad.

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Misfiring Real need quick response ahead of Barca visit

(Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez needs to get his misfiring side back on track quickly for the visit of Barcelona's ruthless attack in 'El Clasico' following another lacklustre display in a 3-2 defeat by Sevilla.

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Neymar's Nou Camp magic brings back memories of Ronaldinho

(Reuters) - With sublime control, a back heel flick, a pirouette and a sweet volleyed finish, Neymar fashioned a glorious goal at the Nou Camp on Sunday to rekindle memories of Barcelona's greatest Brazilian wizards.

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Giroud right to be angry at himself, says Wenger

(Reuters) - Arsenal's Olivier Giroud missed a flurry of chances in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur but manager Arsene Wenger was satisfied to see the striker's frustration with his own performance.

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Palace inflict first defeat on Liverpool boss Klopp

LONDON (Reuters) - Juergen Klopp tasted defeat for the first time as Liverpool manager after Crystal Palace's Scott Dann scored with eight minutes remaining to grab a 2-1 win at Anfield on Sunday.

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Sacrifices a part of life for India’s top women badminton pair

KUALA LUMPUR: India’s No. 1 Ashwini Ponnappa-Jwala Gutta will miss Tuesday’s Deepavali as they will be competing in the China Open in Fuzhou.

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Villa hold Man City in Garde's first match in charge

LONDON (Reuters) - Bottom club Aston Villa finally stopped the rot by holding Premier League leaders Manchester City to a 0-0 draw in new manager Remi Garde's first match in charge on Sunday.

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Neymar hits double as Barca sink Villarreal

(Reuters) - A delightful flick and volley from Neymar allowed him to complete a double as Barcelona beat Villarreal 3-0 to go three points clear at the top of La Liga ahead of Real Madrid’s clash with Sevilla later on Sunday.

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Miserly Inter notch eighth single-goal win of the season

MILAN (Reuters) - Miserly Inter Milan notched their eighth Serie A win of the season, all of them by single-goal margins, when they beat Torino 1-0 on Sunday with a typically cautious performance.

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Kepong back to winning ways in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: Kepong Badminton Club (BC) got their Resorts World Genting Purple League campaign back on track after edging Petaling BC 12-9 for their first win of the season.

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Soon Kit ready to restore Malaysian badminton to former glory

KUALA LUMPUR: It pained Cheah Soon Kit to see Malaysia’s drastic decline in men’s doubles.

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Satheishtharan happy to get winning point for Malaysia in World Juniors

KUALA LUMPUR: R. Satheishtharan passed his first test with flying colours at the World Junior Championships in Peru.

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Valencia put five past high-flying Celta

(Reuters) - Valencia's Paco Alcacer and Dani Parejo both hit doubles in a surprise 5-1 away thrashing of high-flying Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday.

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Milan held by Atalanta, Bologna win at Verona

(Reuters) - AC Milan's winning streak ended as they were held 0-0 at home by Atalanta in Serie A on Saturday while Bologna beat struggling Hellas Verona 2-0 away to move out of the relegation zone.

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Al Ahli and Guangzhou Evergrande goalless in ACL final first-leg

DUBAI (Reuters) - Dubai’s Al Ahli and China’s Guangzhou Evergrande drew 0-0 in the first-leg of the Asian Champions League final on Saturday in a fractured encounter with few chances at the Rashid Stadium.

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Guardiola to hold Bayern contract talks after winter break

BERLIN (Reuters) - Bayern Munich and coach Pep Guardiola will discuss a possible extension of his three-year deal, which runs to the end of this season, after the start of the winter break next month, club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said on Saturday.

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Goal addicts Bayern cruise past Stuttgart 4-0

BERLIN (Reuters) - Champions Bayern Munich needed only one half to demolish VfB Stuttgart 4-0 on Saturday as they increased their lead at the top of the Bundesliga with another goal-rich performance to eight points and kept course for a record fourth consecutive title.

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Malaysia halted by Great Wall of China in World Junior Championships

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s hopes for a mixed team medal at the World Junior Championships in Peru ended but Cheam June Wei can still afford a smile.

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Newcastle snatch improbable Premier League win at Bournemouth

LONDON (Reuters) - Newcastle United earned an important and highly improbable Premier League victory at Bournemouth on Saturday, snatching a 1-0 victory completely against the run of play thanks to a first half Ayoze Perez goal.

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Wei Feng fast reaching career crossroads as Olympics seemingly impossible

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Chong Wei Feng is in a dilemma.

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Malaysia closing on to become group champions in World badminton meet

KUALA LUMPUR: It was a day of high and low for shuttler Teoh Mei Xing in the World Junior Championships in Peru.

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Messi, Tevez, Fleetwood's Ball vie for FIFA goal of year

LONDON (Reuters) - Argentina's Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez, English third tier player David Ball and U.S. women's international Carli Lloyd were among players included on the shortlist for FIFA's goal of the year award on Friday.

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Suspended FIFA chief Blatter in hospital - lawyer

NEW YORK, ZURICH (Reuters) - Suspended FIFA president Sepp Blatter, his federation mired in a corruption crisis, is in hospital for medical checks but should be discharged soon, his U.S. lawyer said on Friday.

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Tanongsak saves the day for Puchong United

KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand’s Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk saved the day for Puchong United in the Resorts World Genting Purple League.

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Van Gaal says fans should support team, not jeer players

LONDON (Reuters) - The chorus of disapproval that strikes up every time Manchester United struggle to find the net is having a negative effect on the players, manager Louis van Gaal said on Friday.

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Ribery to sue CNN for $1.5 million over image rights

PARIS (Reuters) - Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery is suing CNN for $1.5 million in damages after the American broadcaster used a picture of the former France international to illustrate a story on cryotherapy, his lawyer said on Friday.

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Man City must be on Garde for Villa, says Pellegrini

LONDON (Reuters) - Premier League leaders Manchester City must beware a response from bottom club Aston Villa on Sunday now they have a new man in charge, manager Manuel Pellegrini said on Friday.

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South Korea showing depth for next Thomas Cup

KUALA LUMPUR: South Korea have sent an early warning that they have enough depth in the men’s singles department for next year’s Thomas Cup Finals in May in China.

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No Kunalan in Kim Swee's team against Palestine

PETALING JAYA: Winger S. Kunalan is the latest casualty in the national football team.

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Palestine to host World Cup qualifiers in Jordan

ZURICH (Reuters) - Palestine will host this month's home World Cup qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Malaysia in Jordan, football's governing body FIFA said on Thursday.

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Ronaldo tired of Messi comparisons, says 'not a fake person'

MADRID (Reuters) - Cristiano Ronaldo is tired of comparisons with Lionel Messi and appreciates that some people must dislike his personality or the ways he sees football.

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Ibe on target to maintain Liverpool momentum under Klopp

(Reuters) - Liverpool's revival under manager Juergen Klopp continued to gather steam as the Merseyside club notched up a third win in a row with a 1-0 away victory over Russian side Rubin Kazan in the Europa League on Thursday.

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Mourinho loses suspended stadium ban appeal

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has lost an appeal against the suspended one-match stadium ban and 50,000 pounds ($76,115) fine he received last month, the Football Association said on Thursday.

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Joo Ven leads Cheras to win in Purple League

KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Soong Joo Ven has made a promising comeback from a shoulder injury.

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New venue for Malaysia vs Palestine World Cup qualifying match still undecided

PETALING JAYA: The national team will fly off to Amman, Jordan, on Friday without a single clue where their 2018 World Cup qualifying match against Palestine on Nov 12 will be held.

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Under-fire Benitez needs Ronaldo back at very best

BARCELONA, Nov 5 (Reuters) - With coach Rafa Benitez under-fire for Real Madrid's perceived lack of attacking threat, the Spaniard needs Cristiano Ronaldo to return to his very best at Sevilla on Sunday.

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Mourinho has platform to relaunch season after Dynamo win

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea now have the perfect platform to relaunch their season and banish all talk of manager Jose Mourinho's departure after their 2-1 home win over Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on Wednesday.

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No more Champions League naivety, says City's Hart

(Reuters) - Manchester City's 3-1 Champions League win at Sevilla shows the Premier League side have moved past the "reckless" and "naive" displays that caused them to stumble in previous campaigns, goalkeeper Joe Hart has said.

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Formidable Bayern crush Arsenal to top group

MUNICH (Reuters) - Bayern Munich dismantled Arsenal 5-1 in Champions League Group F on Wednesday after a sensational first-half performance to close on the knockout stages with two matches left.

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AFF propose an U-21 SEA Games football competition

PETALING JAYA: The Asean Football Federation will propose to the South-East Asian Games Federation that the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games Under-23 football competition be made an Under-21 tournament.

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Lions XII on the prowl after making Malaysia Cup knockout stage

PETALING JAYA: The Lions are lurking for title No. 2

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Danish badminton star Axelsen is one cool ‘competitive dragon’

KUALA LUMPUR: Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen enjoys being at home in Odense... if he's not terrorising opponents on the badminton courts as one of the world's rising stars.

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Liverpool to dampen down Gerrard speculation

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been invited to train at the club during the American close-season but there have been no discussions about a playing contract, sources close to manager Juergen Klopp said on Wednesday.

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Bayern expect 'long-ball' Arsenal, Wenger seeks discipline

(Reuters) - Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola expects to face a compact Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but said forcing the Gunners to play long balls out of the back would give the Germans a chance to control the game.

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United's Van Gaal still hasn't learnt Smalling's name

(Reuters) - Manager Louis van Gaal may have got his decision to leave Wayne Rooney on the pitch against CSKA Moscow spot on, but one thing the Dutchman seems to find impossible to get right is Manchester United defender Chris Smalling's name.

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French police question Benzema in soccer sextape inquiry

PARIS (Reuters) - French police questioned Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema on Wednesday in connection with an inquiry into an alleged attempt to blackmail fellow-France soccer international Mathieu Valbuena, a police source said.

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Real seal last 16 spot as Nacho strike sinks PSG

(Reuters) - Real Madrid booked a place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday after substitute Nacho Fernandez scored late in the first half to clinch a 1-0 home win over Paris Saint Germain.

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Malaysia-Palestine World Cup qualifier to go ahead in Hebron

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will go ahead with their travel plans for their World Cup qualifiers against Palestine despite the growing unrest in Hebron.

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Second season of Purple League will be grander

KUALA LUMPUR: The Purple League promises to be a grandeur affair this season.

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Kian Meng-Pei Jing fumble in first round of Korean Open

PETALING JAYA: New Malaysian mixed doubles pair Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing threw away three match points and were knocked out in the first round of the Korean Open Grand Prix Gold.

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Chelsea's Fabregas denies reports of rift with Mourinho

(Reuters) - Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has denied suggestions of a rift with manager Jose Mourinho, accusing "certain individuals from outside" of trying to destabilise the club and refuting reports that he is leading an alleged dressing-room revolt.

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All to play for in return leg of Asian Champions Trophy

PETALING JAYA: There is still everything to play for in both the return-leg of the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) semi-finals.

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Klopp's indomitable spirit important for Liverpool - Ibe

(Reuters) - Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has helped instil a never-say-die mentality among his players to believe a game can always be won regardless of the situation, winger Jordon Ibe has said.

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Mourinho handed stadium ban and fine

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been given a one-match stadium suspension with immediate effect and fined 40,000 pounds over a misconduct charge, the Football Association said on Monday.

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Garde watches on as Tottenham beat Villa to go fifth

LONDON (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur left new Aston Villa manager Remi Garde in no doubt about the challenge he faces after a 3-1 victory kept the beleaguered club bottom of the Premier League on Monday.

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United's Rooney given vote of confidence by Van Gaal

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has given a vote of confidence to the team's misfiring captain Wayne Rooney ahead of Tuesday's Champions League home group game against CSKA Moscow.

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Malaysia Cup: Already qualified Selangor may rest some regulars

PETALING JAYA: The early qualification for the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals has given Selangor the luxury of resting their key players in their final Group C match against Felda United on Wednesday.

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Southampton have hit new heights, says Koeman

LONDON (Reuters) - Southampton manager Ronald Koeman described his side's first-half display in the 2-0 derby victory over Bournemouth on Sunday as "the best 45 minutes" since he was appointed last year.

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Garde to be named new Aston Villa manager - reports

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Arsenal midfielder Remi Garde will be named as Aston Villa's new manager on Monday, according to British media reports.

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Costa avoids disciplinary action over tangle with Skrtel

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea striker Diego Costa has avoided disciplinary action after appearing to kick out at Liverpool's Martin Skrtel in Saturday's 3-1 defeat, according to English Football Association sources.

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Former junior world champs look for breakthrough in Korea

KUALA LUMPUR: Former world junior champions Chooi Kah Ming-Ow Yao Han know they have not lived up to expectations.

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Barca players apologise to Getafe over Halloween prank

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Barcelona have apologised to La Liga rivals Getafe after some of their players donned Halloween outfits and cavorted around the Madrid club's Coliseum stadium after Saturday's 2-0 victory for the Spanish and European champions.

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Kone treble inspires Everton, Southampton win

LONDON (Reuters) - Arouna Kone grabbed a hat-trick as Everton piled on the Premier League relegation worries for Sam Allardyce's Sunderland with a 6-2 demolition job at Goodison Park on Sunday.

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Real heavyweights returning for PSG clash

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has been relying on second-string players to get the club through a mini injury crisis but should have several of his heavyweights back when Paris St Germain visit in the Champions League on Tuesday.

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Fiorentina turn on style to join Inter at the top

(Reuters) - Fiorentina hit four goals before halftime, including a cheeky backheel by Gonzalo Rodriguez and a Panenka-style penalty from Khouma Babacar, to beat Frosinone 4-1 and join Inter Milan at the top of Serie A on Sunday.

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JDT edge Istiklol for historic AFC Cup title

PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) have created football history after becoming the first Malaysian team to win an Asian club competition.

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CCTV keeping shuttlers in hostel at night

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of disciplinary cases among national shuttlers have dropped.

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We're moving forward, says Wenger after Arsenal win

LONDON (Reuters) - A clinical second-half display earned Arsenal a 3-0 win at Swansea City on Saturday and proved they are ready to mount a sustained Premier League title challenge.

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Mourinho says he does not expect sack at Chelsea

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho's said he expected to be given time to turn around the defending English champions' dreadful start to the season after a 3-1 home loss to Liverpool on Saturday.

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Vardy eyes record books as scoring streak continues

LONDON (Reuters) - Jamie Vardy continued shooting his way towards a Premier League record when he extended his goal streak in Leicester City's 3-2 victory at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

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Victorious Real, Barca pull clear at the top

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid and Barcelona surged three points clear at the top of La Liga on Saturday when Real beat promoted Las Palmas 3-1 at home and the champions won 2-0 at Getafe.

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Frost expects shuttlers to hold their own at world junior meet

KUALA LUMPUR: Morten Frost is expecting better performances from Malaysian shuttlers at the World Junior Championships in Lima, Peru.

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More misery for Mourinho as Liverpool beat Chelsea

LONDON (Reuters) - Jose Mourinho's future as Chelsea manager looked increasingly uncertain after Liverpool beat them 3-1 in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with Philippe Coutinho scoring twice.

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Di Maria fires PSG 10 points clear

PARIS (Reuters) - Angel Di Maria volleyed in with 15 minutes left to give ParisSaint-Germain a 1-0 win at Stade Rennais on Friday and extendtheir lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table to 10 points.

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Atletico miss chance to go top after Gimenez howler

MADRID (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid squandered a chance to leapfrog Barcelona and Real Madrid to the top of La Liga when a Jose Maria Gimenez howler gifted Deportivo La Coruna an equaliser in a 1-1 draw at the Riazor on Friday.

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Frankfurt end Bayern's winning league run with 0-0 draw

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Leaders Bayern Munich's express start to the season finally ran out of steam on Friday with a goalless draw at Eintracht Frankfurt, following 10 wins out of their 10 previous Bundesliga games.

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JDT reaching the AFC Cup final brings back memories for football great Kwai Lam

PETALING JAYA: The last time a Malaysian team played in an Asian club competition was back in 1967.

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I would not enjoy playing for Van Gaal's United - Scholes

LONDON (Reuters) - Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has said he would not enjoy playing in manager Louis van Gaal's current side.

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It's frustrating to defend against Man Utd, says Hangeland

(Reuters) - Manchester United are a frustrating team to defend against, Crystal Palace defender Brede Hangeland has said ahead of Saturday's Premier League encounter with Louis van Gaal's side.

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Liverpool's Moreno filled with 'rage' after Rodgers snub

(Reuters) - Being dropped by former manager Brendan Rodgers at the start of the season filled Liverpool's Alberto Moreno with "rage", the defender said, adding that he felt the Northern Irishman did not trust him as much as new boss Juergen Klopp.

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Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain out for at least three weeks

LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal's injured England forwards Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be sidelined for at least three weeks, manager Arsene Wenger told a news conference on Thursday.

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Former champions Chan-Goh hoping for another German title

KUALA LUMPUR: Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying are hoping to do a double take at the German Open.

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Safee to miss World Cup qualifier against Palestine due to suspension

PETALING JAYA: Mohd Safee Sali will sit out Malaysia’s World Cup qualifying match against Palestine next month.

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All eyes on Mourinho as Chelsea host Liverpool

LONDON (Reuters) - It would have been crazy to doubt Jose Mourinho's job security when the Premier League kicked off in August but, with 10 games gone, his position at Chelsea is under intense scrutiny ahead of Saturday's match with Liverpool.

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Another surprise defeat for Juve as Roma go top

MILAN, Oct 28 (Reuters) – Juventus slumped to another surprise defeat on Wednesday when the champions lost 1-0 at Sassuolo while AS Roma reclaimed top spot in Serie A with a 3-1 home victory over Udinese.

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FAM form independent panel to appoint new national coach

PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will appoint an independent panel to select the national coach.

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Frenz A beat B-side in Champions Trophy first leg match

PETALING JAYA: There’s no love lost between the two Frenz United football teams from Malaysia.

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Liverpool's Benteke to miss Bournemouth tie with knee injury

(Reuters) - Liverpool striker Christian Benteke has been ruled out of Wednesday night's League Cup game against Bournemouth with a knee injury and is a major doubt for Saturday's Premier League clash at Chelsea, according to British media reports.

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Hyun-il reckons Chong Wei not over the hill yet

KUALA LUMPUR: Here’s something that will surely put a smile on Lee Chong Wei’s face.

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Soccer-Seven ready to run for head of FIFA; Nakhid disqualified

ZURICH (Reuters) - Seven candidates are now lined up to take over at FIFA from Sepp Blatter, whose 18 years as president are ending with world soccer's governing body entangled in a scandal over pervasive corruption.

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Relief for Pahang after progressing in Malaysia Cup

PETALING JAYA: Pahang can breathe easy now after getting their Malaysia Cup title defence back on track.

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No need to get too excited over Chong Wei’s recent win

PETALING JAYA: “Let’s not get carried away.” That’s the message from national badminton coach Hendrawan following Lee Chong Wei’s French Open triumph on Sunday.

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Champs Pahang secure Malaysia Cup quarter-final berth

SHAH ALAM: Defending champion Pahang have booked their Malaysia Cup quarter-final slot in convincing style – shooting down Police 3-0 in their penultimate Group D match.

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Holders Chelsea crash out with Arsenal in League Cup

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea's woes continued when the holders were dumped out of the Capital One (League) Cup fourth round following a shootout defeat by Stoke City on Tuesday, while Arsenal suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat at second tier Sheffield Wednesday.

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Newcastle defender Coloccini wins red card appeal

LONDON (Reuters) - Newcastle United defender Fabricio Coloccini will not serve a one-match ban after winning an appeal for wrongful dismissal following his sending-off in Sunday's 3-0 defeat at north-east rivals Sunderland.

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Record U.S. scorer Wambach calls time on career

(Reuters) - Former World Player of the Year Abby Wambach, the leading international scorer of all time who is renowned for her heading prowess, announced on Tuesday that she would end her stellar career in December.

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Former Villa striker Yorke eyes vacant manager's job

(Reuters) - Dwight Yorke has said he is interested in becoming the next Aston Villa manager after Tim Sherwood was sacked following the club's 2-1 defeat by Swansea City at the weekend.

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Mourinho tarnishing Premier League image - Hackett

(Reuters) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's constant spats with referees are tarnishing the image of the Premier League, according to the former general manager of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) Keith Hackett.

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Smalling one of the best in the world, says United's Rooney

(Reuters) - Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is among the "top three centre-halves in the world", according to club captain Wayne Rooney.

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FIFA presidency candidate Salman hits out at nasty lies

(Reuters) - FIFA presidential candidate Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has dismissed accusations of human rights abuses during his time as Bahrain Football Association head as nasty lies, in comments to the BBC on Tuesday.

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Mourinho charged with misconduct after being sent to stands

LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association after being sent to the stands for the second half of his side's 2-1 loss at West Ham United on Saturday, the governing body said on Monday.

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Argentina recall Higuain for Brazil, Colombia qualifiers

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina, still without the injured Lionel Messi and goalless in their opening two 2018 World Cup qualifiers, recalled striker Gonzalo Higuain on Monday for next month's games against Brazil and Colombia.

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PKNS are one win away from Malaysia Cup knockout stage

GEORGE TOWN: PKNS FC are just one win away from earning a spot in the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals.

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Finally, Chong Wei nails Superseries title in France

PETALING JAYA: The wait is over. Lee Chong Wei finally ended his 16-month BWF Superseries title drought by winning the French Open on Sunday.

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Klopp denied first win, says Liverpool lack belief

LONDON (Reuters) - Juergen Klopp said his Liverpool side lacked self-belief after they were held 1-1 at home by Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday, leaving the German coach still without a win from his three games in charge.

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Suarez treble gives Barca comeback win over Eibar

MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona needed a clinical Luis Suarez hat-trick to secure a 3-1 comeback win at home to modest Eibar which put the champions level on 21 points with arch-rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga on Sunday.

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Van Gaal 'sick' of questions about Rooney's struggles

(Reuters) - Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said he was "sick" of answering questions about Wayne Rooney's form after Sunday's Manchester derby ended in a goalless draw.

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Soccer-Kane scores hat-trick as Spurs thrash Bournemouth

LONDON (Reuters) - Harry Kane scored a hat-trick for Tottenham Hotspur, who moved into the top six of the Premier League with a resounding 5-1 victory away to Bournemouth in the first league meeting between the clubs on Sunday.

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Manchester City return to top after dull derby draw

LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League by drawing 0-0 away to Manchester United in a disappointing local derby on Sunday.

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Sherwood sacked by Villa

LONDON (Reuters) - Aston Villa have sacked manager Tim Sherwood, the Premier League club announced on Sunday.

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Sunderland off bottom of Premier League with derby win

LONDON (Reuters) - Sunderland registered their first Premier League win of the season by thumping local rivals Newcastle United 3-0 at home to move off the bottom of the standings on Sunday.

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