SPORTS

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Soweto derby debutant Luvuyo Memela came off the bench to score twice and hand Orlando Pirates a pulsating 3-1 South African Premiership victory over greatest rivals Kaizer Chiefs Saturday. Memela was introduced for the second half before an 84,000 crowd at the Soccer City …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane fired Liverpool into second place in the Premier League with a 2-0 victory against Newcastle, while Tottenham cemented their top four berth as Son Heung-Min inspired a 2-0 win over Huddersfield on Saturday. Salah struck in the 40th minute …

Zurich, Switzerland | AFP | Football’s lawmakers on Saturday approved video assistant referee technology (VAR) for this summer’s World Cup, in one of the biggest changes to the sport in years. The International Football Association Board (IFAB, meeting in Zurich, rubber-stamped a move already backed by FIFA’s top brass, including …

Brighton, United Kingdom | AFP | Arsene Wenger has grown used to defending himself in recent years but the Arsenal manager’s grip on his position has never seemed less secure ahead of Sunday’s clash with Brighton. A crushing 3-0 loss against Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday intensified …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | A European-wide deep freeze that shows no sign of stopping anytime soon led Friday to the postponement of several British sports fixtures this weekend. And while no games in English football’s elite Premier League have yet been called off (pitches at most top-flight clubs …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Two Burundi officials have been arrested after their town’s football team allegedly “roughed up” President Pierre Nkurunziza who was playing during a match with his personal team, legal sources and witnesses said Friday. A legal source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the administrator …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Beleaguered Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger called on his players to show they can meet the club’s standards after a second humbling 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City in five days on Thursday. City moved 16 points clear at the top of the …

Sochi, Russia | AFP | World Cup coaches expressed a quiet confidence on Wednesday about Video Assistant Referee technology ahead of its likely adoption for this year’s showpiece event in Russia. Representatives from the 32 teams to have qualified for the World Cup gathered in the Black Sea resort of Sochi …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | The International Olympic Committee has lifted a ban against Russia, Moscow officials said on Wednesday, after the country had been barred from the Pyeongchang games over state-sponsored doping. The news, confirmed later by the IOC, was announced as Olympic athletes were feted in the Kremlin, thanking …

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | AFP | In Brazil, the land where football is king, Neymar’s foot injury has unleashed sharp emotions and concern, rumors and speculation about the star player upon whom so many hopes rest for World Cup victory in Russia. “We just might have lost the World Cup …