Toure, Nasri blasts bring City League Cup joy

Sensational quick-fire goals by Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri inspired Manchester City to come from behind and beat Sunderland 3-1 in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.

Sunderland had taken a 10th-minute lead through on-loan Liverpool striker Fabio Borini and a fine first-half display left them on course for a first piece of major silverware since 1973.

However, City responded in the second half, with Toure lobbing in a superb long-range equaliser and Nasri smashing home less than two minutes later before substitute Jesus Navas added a third goal at the death.

Asia Cup: Pakistan beat India by 1 wicket

Shahid Afridi slammed an unbeaten 18-ball 34 to give Pakistan a thrilling one-wicket win over India with two balls to spare at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here Sunday.

Chasing a target of 246, Pakistan almost lost the plot in the last few overs. They needed 13 runs from 12 balls with four wickets in hand. But then lost three quick wickets within a space of five balls.

Afridi, however, held his nerve and smacked spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for two cosecutive sixes in the last over as Pakistan reached 249 with two balls to spare.

La Liga race tightens after Madrid derby draw

The three-horse race for the La Liga title tightened on Sunday when leaders Real Madrid drew 2-2 at city rivals Atletico and Barcelona won 4-1 at home to Almeria.

Real needed a Cristiano Ronaldo goal eight minutes from time to rescue a point at Atletico's Calderon stadium in a typically feisty Madrid derby, before Lionel Messi became only the third player to reach 230 La Liga goals in Barca's victory at the Nou Camp.

With 12 matches left, Real lead on 64 points, with champions Barca, chasing a fifth title in six years, second on 63 and Atletico, who are mounting a genuine challenge for the first time since they last won La Liga in 1996, third on 61.

Atletico recovered from conceding in the third minute to lead Real 2-1 at halftime and were closing in on a first home win against their neighbours in nearly 15 years before Ronaldo pounced on a loose ball and fired low into the corner.

It was the Portugal forward's 23rd goal of the campaign and helped extend Real's unbeaten run to 28 matches, stretching back to a 2-1 reverse away to Barca at the end of October.

Pellegrini lands first trophy in Europe, now wants more

It has been a long time arriving but Manuel Pellegrini can finally celebrate some meaningful European silverware - 10 years after arriving in Spain as a relative unknown.

The Chilean coach, who earned plaudits for his work at unfashionable Villarreal and Malaga, either side of a brief stint at Real Madrid, steered Manchester City to a 3-1 League Cup final triumph over Sunderland on Sunday.

His breakthrough moment did not come easily - City were woeful in the first half before goals by Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri and Jesus Navas gave them a flattering win - but it could mark a pivotal moment in the career of the 60-year-old.

"I never though that I needed a trophy," Pellegrini (Getty Images)

City have a realistic chance of a unprecedented domestic treble and, with one trophy in the bag, Pellegrini is clearly not about to rest on his laurels.

Protest In Brazil Continues

Determined to rein in protests which have marred the build up and threaten to overshadow the event, Brazilian authorities have vowed to crack down hard on violence in a bid to ensure the World Cup goes off without a hitch.

Brazil was caught out by the biggest protests in a generation last June during the Confederations Cup dress rehearsal event, which saw more than one million people take to the streets.

Some protest groups have vowed to keep on marching to protest the billions being spent on the Cup in a country whose public services need a massive overhaul.

Recent protests have been small, many Brazilians staying away appalled at how radical anarchists known as Black Bloc have injected a violent edge into proceedings. 

Miachael Clarke puts Aussies in a good position

Michael Clarke completed one of the more heroic of his 27 Test hundreds as he steered Australia towards a huge first innings score on the second day of the series-deciding third Test against South Africa at Newlands on Sunday.

The tourists reached the lunch interval on of 434 for four a day after the Australian captain had survived a battering from pace bowler Morne Morkel, who struck him a number of times, including a sickening blow to the back of the head.

Clarke showed admirable composure to battle it out on what is a flat wicket and having been unbeaten on 92 overnight, the right-hander was able to bring up his hundred in the second morning session, despite spending a nervy 24 balls stuck on 99.

Massa on top for Williams, Vettel sidelined

Brazilian Felipe Massa put Williams on top on the penultimate day of pre-season testing in Bahrain on Saturday while Red Bull's quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel failed to complete a lap.

Massa, who moved from Ferrari at the end of last year, completed 99 laps in the Mercedes-powered FW36 car and set the fastest time yet in seven days of testing at the Sakhir desert circuit.

"I'm really happy with the car and feel we found a good balance," said the 32-year-old, who carried out a full qualifying simulation on supersoft tyres towards the end of the afternoon.

"You can never be sure that you are 100 percent ready for the first race but I feel that what we have done in these days testing has been important for making sure that we have a car that can not only get to the end of the race but that will have good performance as well."

Vettel's car broke down with an electrical problem on its first lap out of the garage. He tried again later but only made it to the end of the pitlane before stopping again.

Didn't want to miss important names in farewell speech: Sachin

He delivered his farewell speech with such emotional conviction that many were left wiping tears but retired batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday said his only preparation for the stirring address was to remember the "important" names he wanted to mention.

The 20-minute speech, which Tendulkar delivered after his final Test in Mumbai last year, was lauded by one and all for its emotional clarity so much so that the spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and the millions glued to TV sets were left teary-eyed.

Reflecting on it, Tendulkar revealed that he planned on delivering a speech after his penultimate Test on a flight from Kolkata to Mumbai.

Sublime Suarez fires Liverpool to second

Liverpool's title challenge is gaining increasing momentum, with Luis Suarez inspiring them to a victory at Southampton that moves them second in the BPL.

A tilt at the crown had never been part of Brendan Rodgers' plan this season, but their recent form has given them a real chance of a first championship since 1990.

The latest victory came at Southampton - the only side to have won at Anfield this season - with goals from Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard earning the Reds a 3-0 which sees them climb above Manchester City and Arsenal.

It was the ideal start to a run of three successive away matches, with Suarez marking his 100th league appearance for the Reds by ending his an unusual barren run after just 16 minutes.

Saints did not wilt, though, with Adam Lallana hitting the post after a Rickie Lambert flick-on, before Luke Shaw, impressing in front of watching England manager Roy Hodgson, went on a marauding run which ended with Jay Rodriguez forcing Simon Mignolet into a fine save.

Federer subdues Berdych to win sixth Dubai title

Roger Federer roared back from a set and a break down to subdue Tomas Berdych 3-6 6-4 6-3 in the Dubai Championships final on Saturday as the Swiss maestro sealed a 78th singles title.

Federer had recovered from a similar position to stun world number two Novak Djokovic in Friday's semi-final and the 32-year-old again struggled early on before he dug deep to claim a sixth Dubai crown.

"It was a tough match," fourth seed Federer said in a courtside interview. "Tomas had the advantage and could have, should have, brought it home, but maybe I got a little lucky."

Campbell kicks up row, claims FA racist for not giving him England captaincy

Former England defender Sol Campbell believes he would have been national team captain for more than 10 years if he was white, according to extracts from his new biography that is being serialised by The Sunday Times newspaper.

Campbell, 39, who was born in east London to Jamaican parents, claimed the FA decided it could not have a black face leading the England side on a regular basis.

Stoke defeat a Major blow admits Arsene Wenger

Stoke stunned Arsenal 1-0.

Arsene Wenger conceded Arsenal's stuttering Premier League title bid had suffered a "major setback" after they lost ground at the top with a shock 1-0 defeat at Stoke.

Jon Walters' second-half penalty handed Stoke a famous win at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday and left the Gunners four points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea in third place.

The north Londoners have now won just once in their last eight trips to Stoke and Wenger admitted it was the worst possible start to what he had branded a season-defining month.

Spain call up Costa, snub Torres and Villa for Italy friendly

Brazilian-born forward Diego Costa was called up by Spain on Friday for next week's friendly against Italy, and veteran strikers David Villa and Fernando Torres were not wanted.

Dropping Villa and Torres for Wednesday's match at Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid does not mean they will not make the squad for the World Cup, coach Vicente del Bosque said.

"This list is exclusively for the game against Italy," Del Bosque said after announcing his 22 players. "There are three months left of competition, and many things can happen to convince us to bring other players. We don't close the door to anything."

Diego Costa, a naturalized Spanish citizen, was summoned for a pair of November friendlies, but injury kept the Atletico Madrid striker sidelined.

"I'm very happy to have been called up," Diego Costa said. "Besides, it will be very special to play Italy in our stadium, the Vicente Calderon."

He has been at the center of a few ill-tempered encounters with Real Madrid players, soon to be his new teammates in the national side.

Del Bosque said he wasn't concerned, adding that the latest run-ins were not as serious as the tension between Barcelona and Madrid players from recent years that didn't stop Spain from winning the World Cup and two European Championships.

"We don't make a big deal of it," the former Madrid manager said. "We know that there are conflicts, but I don't think it is the same case (as Barcelona and Madrid). There was a recent match between Madrid and Atletico and no incidents occurred."

Del Bosque said Italy was Spain's "last great test" before he names his final 23-man World Cup squad on May 25.

Spain will play Bolivia in a friendly on May 30 and then take on El Salvador on June 7 in the United States before it faces the Netherlands in its opening World Cup match on June 13.

While Del Bosque was adamant that he has yet to pick his final squad, the group he has chosen to face Italy appears to indicate he may opt to rejuvenate a side that lost handily to Brazil in the final of last year's Confederations Cup.

Even so, the squad is still loaded with midfielders, meaning Spain's control-based passing style won't change.

Besides Diego Costa, Del Bosque will have only Alvaro Negredo and Pedro Rodriguez as traditional forwards with Villa, Spain's all-time leading scorer, and Torres left at home.

Del Bosque summoned the young Bayern Munich pair of Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez, while Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta returned for the first time since the Confederations Cup.

Juan Mata and Alvaro Arbeloa were also dropped. Gerard Pique was unavailable due to injury, while Barcelona teammate Carles Puyol was left out as he struggles to return from nagging injuries.

Spain:

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Victor Valdes (Barcelona), Pepe Reina (Napoli)

Defenders: Juanfran Torres (Atletico Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Raul Albiol (Napoli)

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Jorge "Koke" Resurreccion (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Jesus Navas (Manchester City), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal)

Forwards: Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Alvaro Negredo (Manchester City), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid)

Jermain Defoe leaves Tottenham Hotspurs and the Barclays Premier League

Jermain Defoe said farewell to Tottenham Hotspur and to the Barclays Premier League this week as he heads off to play for Toronto FC in the MLS and begin a new chapter to his stellar career. Looking back on his 13 years in the Barclays Premier League the England striker talked exclusively to premierleague.com about his success on the pitch and off it with various good causes.

Defoe made his Barclays Premier League debut as an 18-year-old on 19 May 2001, coming on as a substitute for West Ham United away to Middlesbrough.

"I was at Bournemouth on loan having made my debut in the cup for West Ham and at Bournemouth I had scored a number of goals so I was looking forward to coming back to West Ham and playing that in the Premier League," he says. "It was like a dream come true to come on in the Premier League at such a young age for a good club. It was a special day."

Roger Federer in Dubai Championship Finals

Third-seeded Roger Federer ended top-seeded Novak Djokovic's chance of defending his Dubai Championships title with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 semifinal win Friday.

Federer will be looking for his sixth Dubai title when he plays third-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic in Saturday's final. Federer now leads Djokovic 17-15 in their career head-to-head meetings.

Djokovic established an early lead when Federer lost his serve in an error-filled second game of the first set. Serving at 5-3, Djokovic won the first set on his third set point of the game with a clean ace down the middle.

In the second set, Djokovic surrendered his serve in the sixth game to put Federer in position to even the score at one set apiece. Federer broke Djokovic's serve in the first and fifth games of the third set to set up the win.

Federer saved two break points when serving for the match in the final game.