Sport Briefs

Duo back in the fold

PETER Odemwingie has been recalled to the Nigerian side to play Ghana, ending a spat with coach Samson Siasia.

Fenerbahce forward Emmanuel Emenike was also selected after being arrested but released without charge in connection with a Turkish match-fixing investigation. - Sapa-AFP

Coach 'must quit'

DIEGO Maradona said Argentina coach Sergio Batista should quit. He said if he had lost to Uruguay, he would have left. Batista succeeded Maradona after last year's World Cup quarterfinal defeat by Germany. - Sapa-AFP

Big bucks for Copa hero

GOALKEEPER Fernando Muslera, hero of Uruguay's Copa America campaign, has signed with Turkish club Galatasaray. Muslera, who will receive à2-million (about R20-million) a year, saved a penalty from Argentine striker Carlos Tevez to knock the hosts out of the Copa. - Sapa-AFP

Serena in comeback

SERENA Williams continued her comeback, taking part in mixed doubles, doubles and singles in World Team Tennis in New York this week. After a year-long break, Williams beat Martina Hingis 5-3 in singles but lost the mixed doubles in a tiebreaker against Hingis and Travis Parrott. Williams and Rennae Stubbs won the doubles, beating Hingis and Katie O'Brien 5-2. - Sapa-AP

Going tech soon

THE English Premier League hopes that goal-line technology will be introduced from next year, depending on approval from Fifa. A decision won't come until an International Football Association Board meeting in July 2012, just weeks before the 2012-2013 English season starts. - Sapa-AP

Que strikes it lucky

FILIPINO golfer Angelo Que had two holes-in-one in just nine holes this week as he prepared to defend his title at the Selangor Masters in Malaysia starting today. The 32-year-old, who used a six iron and pitching wedge to hole out, said he hoped his luck did not run out. - Reuters

Sri Lanka T20 no IPL

SRI Lanka's first Twenty20 cricket tournament, which promised initially to rival the popular Indian Premier League, begins today amid doubts about its interest among local fans. The Sri Lanka Premier League was modelled around the Indian version and was seen as a way of bringing in profits for the Sri Lanka cricket administration. - Sapa-AFP

No mercy for Messi

CRITICISM of Lionel Messi following Argentina's Copa America exit is "totally exaggerated" and having decent pitches would have helped him play better, his Barcelona teammate Xavi said yesterday. Xavi said that, on a pitch in bad condition, everything becomes more equal. - Reuters