Uruguay 0-0 France

France and Uruguay contested a truly awful goalless draw in the second match of the 2010 World Cup at the Cape Town Stadium.

The result ensured that both of the opening day Group A fixtures ended in draws – but there was much more to savour in South Africa’s earlier game against Mexico.

The match in Cape Town never really got going; instead of sparking into life, it deteriorated into a largely forgettable contest only briefly illuminated by the occasional moment of trickery and skill.

In a game of few chances, Uruguay came closest to scoring through a Diego Forlan shot that was saved in the opening half, while they finished the contest with 10 men after substitute Nicolas Lodeiro picked up two bookings.

France were arguably the better team and might have snatched the points with a free-kick from a promising position deep into injury-time, but substitute Thierry Henry’s strike hit the wall.

Both teams had laboured through qualification, requiring play-offs to reach South Africa, and their lack of fluency was clear to see.
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Mourinho to meet Inter president as exit edges closer

Coach Jose Mourinho is to hold talks with Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti as the Portuguese edges closer to leaving the European champions.

Mourinho, 47, is expected to become Real Madrid boss after guiding Inter to an historic Treble.

“Mourinho and Moratti will meet in Milan,” said a Mourinho spokesman. “If not in the next few hours, on Tuesday.”

Moratti added:”There’s always hope but we have to respect the wish of a person who thinks his task has expired.”

Mourinho’s expected exit comes after the former Porto and Chelsea manager led Italian domestic Double winners Inter to a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in Saturday’s Champions League final at Real’s Bernabeu stadium.

His agent Jorge Mendes held a 90-minute meeting with Real director general Jorge Valdano and sporting director Miguel Pardeza on Monday, according to Spanish media.

Spanish newspapers AS and Marca have reported that Mourinho will sign a four-year deal with Real worth £8.5m annually, though Inter want £13.7m in compensation as the Portuguese’s contract with the Serie A side runs until 2012.
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Andy Murray eases past Juan Ignacio Chela in Madrid

Andy Murray showed signs of returning to his best form with a comfortable 6-3 6-3 win over Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela in the Madrid Open second round.

The 22-year-old Scot, who had won his last four matches with the world number 51, took the first eight points of the match and raced into a 3-0 lead.

He broke Chela for a third time to take the opening set before dropping his own serve at the start of the second.

But he stepped up a gear to progress to a meeting with Romanian Victor Hanescu.

The world number five showed glimpses of his best form which has deserted him over the past few weeks following first-round exits in successive tournaments in Miami and Monte Carlo.

Murray, who received a first-round bye, made an impressive start as he raced to a 3-0 lead after twice breaking Chela’s fragile serve.

Although he lost his second service game, Murray went on to clinch the first set with a sublime cross-court checked forehand winner against serve.
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Aussie Neil Robertson beats Dott to win world title

Neil Robertson beat Graeme Dott 18-13 to become the first player from outside the UK and Ireland to win the world title since Cliff Thorburn in 1980.

The Australian, who rises to number two in the world, had trailed 5-3 but having edged ahead, kept his nose in front despite not being at his best.

Big breaks were at a premium in a tense and error-ridden final, with Scotland’s Dott knocking in the only century.

Robertson sunk the last ball at 0054 BST to secure his first world crown.

It was a gruelling, but gripping, climax to a fantastic tournament with the players equalling the record set by John Higgins and Mark Selby in 2007 for the latest ever finish to a Crucible final.

There will be huge celebrations in Robertson’s home city of Melbourne as the country watched the 28-year-old become the first Australian to lift the famous trophy and pick up his fifth ranking title.

Despite neither player being able to replicate the phenomenal break-building skills showcased earlier in the 17-day tournament, there was certainly no shortage of tension as the pair traded blows in an edgy contest.
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Underage gymnast costs China Sydney Olympics bronze

China have been been stripped of the Olympic bronze medal won by the women’s gymnastic team at the 2000 Games in Sydney for using an underage gymnast.

The International Olympic Committee acted after investigations determined that gymnast Dong Fangxiao was only 14 years old at the 2000 Games.

Gymnasts must turn 16 during the Olympic year to be eligible.

The United States women’s team, who finished in fourth place in Sydney, will now take bronze medal

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) carried out the investigation and subsequently recommended the IOC take the medal back.

The IOC executive board upheld the request and formally stripped the medal on the first day of a two-day meeting in Dubai.
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Andy Powell removed from Wales squad

Wales have dropped Andy Powell from the national squad following his drink-drive charge after an alleged golf buggy incident.

The back-row was arrested with another man at 0540 GMT on Sunday at services off junction 33 of the M4 near the team hotel in the Vale of Glamorgan.

That was hours after he played in the dramatic 31-24 win over Scotland.

Wales team manager Alan Phillips said: “This kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated.”

Phillips revealed Powell has apologised to Wales’ management and was also asked to apologise to the hotel management before being asked to leave the squad.

A Welsh Rugby Union statement read: “After discussions with the player himself, it has been decided by management that he should be suspended from the squad for behaviour contrary to the squad’s code of conduct.”
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Togo head home as Africa Cup of Nations gets under way

Venue and dates: Angola, 10-31 January Coverage: Final and semi-finals live on BBC TV, BBC World Service and commentaries on BBC Sport website. Live commentary on opening match on BBC World Service and BBC Sport website

Togo’s footballers flew home from the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday as the tournament got under way in Angola.

The players had been keen to stay but Togo president Faure Gnassingbe urged them to withdraw after Friday’s gun attack which killed three people.

Three days of mourning for the dead and injured have been declared in Togo.

As he boarded the plane in Cabinda, Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor said: “We have to mourn our dead. We go back home to do this.”

The attack on Togo’s convoy as it crossed from the Republic of Congo into the northern enclave of Cabinda killed an assistant coach, press officer and bus driver, and injured several other players.

Togo’s government insisted its players return home from the tournament because of security fears, but reports claimed negotiations were ongoing throughout Sunday.

But as the opening match between Angola and Mali kicked off at 1900 GMT, the Togo team were heading for the airport, and their flight to Lome took off at 2040.
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Michael Schumacher targets eighth Formula 1 title

Michael Schumacher says he intends to crown his Formula 1 comeback by challenging for the 2010 title.

The seven-time champion announced his return for 2010 on Wednesday with Mercedes, the renamed Brawn GP team.

Despite three years out of the sport, he insists he can threaten the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button – the 2008 and 2009 world champions.

“I have won the title seven times and the team won both titles last year, so what do you expect,” said the German.

Schumacher, who turns 41 on 3 January, added: “Now Mercedes are team owners you cannot expect anything else other than the world title. That is what we aim for but we have to deliver and that is our job.

“Honestly I can’t wait until 1 February when we will officially run the car.”

Schumacher retired in 2006 after competing in 250 grands prix, 180 of them for Ferrari and he won 91 races, 71 for Ferrari, on his way to his multiple world titles.
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Chile weightlifter has unexpected baby during training

Chilean Olympic weightlifter Elizabeth Poblete has given birth to a baby boy during a training session, without having known she was pregnant.

Ms Poblete, 22, who lives in Brazil, said she had felt unwell but had no idea she was expecting a baby.

The boy was three months premature and was taken to hospital with his mother, where he remains in intensive care.

The hospital in Sao Paulo denied reports it forced Ms Poblete to leave after she was unable to pay for care.

Ms Poblete began to feel unwell during training on 8 December, as she was preparing to take part in a competition.

Shortly after, she gave birth to a baby weighing only 1.15kg (2.54lbs) and measuring about 34cm (14 inches).
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India beat Sri Lanka by an innings to top Test rankings

Third Test, Mumbai, day five:
India 726-9 declared beat Sri Lanka 393 and 309 by an innings and 24 runs

India have become the world’s top-ranked Test team for the first time after beating Sri Lanka in the third Test by an innings and 24 runs.

Sri Lanka, resuming on 274-6, were bowled out for 309 as Zaheer Khan took three of the final four wickets.

The 2-0 series win moves India above South Africa in the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings.

“I would not hesitate to say this is the best team I have ever played with,” said India star Sachin Tendulkar.

“If you look at the batting line-up, right from the number one batsman to the number seven batsman which is Mahendra Singh Dhoni, it’s a solid line-up.”

Needing 60 runs to make India bat again, Sri Lanka lost Kumar Sangakkara caught behind off Zaheer in the fifth day’s opening over.
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