Sport Briefs

Football – Chelsea duo Michael Essien and Didier Drogba face competition from Arsenal’s Emmanuel Adebayor and a pair of Egyptians in the race to be named African Player of 2008.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that Egypt’s Mohamed Aboutrika and Amr Zaki, who play for Al-Ahly and Wigan respectively, Togo’s Adebayor, Ghanian Essien and Ivorian Drogba were the five players nominated for the annual individual award. France-born Mali international Frederic Kanoute won the 2007 African Player Award. The awards ceremony earlier slated for January 23 in Senegal will now take place in Nigeria on February 10, the same time as the CAF General Assembly.

Cycling
Lance Armstrong arrived in Australia yesterday a few hours after his Astana team, and a few days ahead of when Tour Down Under officials indicated he would.
The Astana squad flew in from Europe via Singapore in preparation for the UCI ProTour race, which starts on January 18 and marks the return of seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong to professional competition four years after he retired.

Football
SuperSport United returned to the top of the Absa Premiership on Saturday evening when they defeated Orlando Pirates 1-0 at Johannesburg Stadium.
The result, which reaffirms Matsatsantsa’s status as one of the leading contenders for the league title, came courtesy of a goal from defender Rudi Isaacs in the first half.

Formula One
The new Ferrari is to get its maiden run out today at Mugello rather than in Fiorano owing to track conditions, the Ansa news agency reported on Saturday.
The change of plan comes following recent heavy snowfalls and several days of sub-zero temperatures at Fiorano.
Ferrari plans to unveil its new model for the upcoming season, which starts in Australia on March 29, on its website today.

Football
Kazakhstan top-flight sides FC Megasport and FC Almaty announced their decision to merge for next season, the clubs’ press services reported yesterday.
Both clubs represented Almaty in the top division of the national league and finished fifth and eighth respectively last season.
However, the new side, named Lokomotiv, would represent Kazakhstan’s capital Astana and would be financially backed by the national railway company.

Rugby
New Zealand’s Dan Carter limped off with a recurrence of an Achilles tendon injury during Perpignan’s 40-14 victory over Bourgoin in the French Top 14 championship on Saturday. Flyhalf Carter, who did not come out for the second half, will have tests today which could indicate his chances of appearing in the European Cup pool fixture at home to Ospreys on Saturday.

Football
Bloemfontein Celtic coach Owen Da Gama saw his side fashion a great escape against his former employees, Platinum Stars, in the Absa Premiership on Saturday evening, with Phunya Sele Sele coming from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Olen Park. Goals from Bradley Grobler and a revitalised Jabu Mahlangu handed Stars a 2-0 half-time lead, but Celtic hit back in the second stanza thanks to an own goal and secured a point late on when substitute Mark Mayambela scored a dramatic equaliser.

Athletics
Just five months after the Beijing Olympics, the Bird’s Nest is a cavernous museum searching for a new purpose.
The iconic National Stadium drew acclaim for its daring design, an engineering marvel that borders on sculpture. Now it draws about 10 000 tourists a day – mostly Chinese – who pay 50 yuan (about US$7) to walk on the stadium floor, then climb through the expensive seats to a souvenir shop hawking pricey mementos recalling Zhang Yimou’s dazzling opening ceremony or the three world records set by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. – Supersport