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General Sports News

Rio to miss Andorra clash

Author: Sir David Smith
Date: 07/06/2009

Rio Ferdinand will play no part in England's World Cup qualifier against Andorra on Wednesday.

The Manchester United defender missed Saturday's 4-0 victory over Kazakhstan, but is still struggling with the calf injury that has blighted his last month of the season.

Fabio Capello admitted his England side had started the game poorly but was pleased to eventually seal a 4-0 win in Almaty.

England almost conceded a goal inside the opening 60 seconds as they produced a limp opening 40 minutes to the match but ultimately maintained their 100 per cent start to the qualifying campaign thanks to goals by Gareth Barry, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard.

Meanwhile, reports suggest Wigan Athletic have received bids in excess of 16million from Manchester United and Real Madrid for Ecuador international Antonio Valencia.

Everton boss David Moyes has reacted to rumours linking England international Joleon Lescott with a summer switch to Manchester City by insisting he is not looking to sell any players this summer.

Instead the Toffees manager is keen to build on a season in which he guided his team to fifth spot in the Premier League and to the FA Cup Final.

There are renewed hopes that a deal to sell Newcastle United will be completed by the end of the month.

The man responsible for brokering the arrangement, Keith Harris, chairman of investment bank Seymour Pierce, has revealed that there are two or three parties keen to buy the club.

New Sunderland manager Steve Bruce thinks his 11 years of managerial experience will serve him well at the Stadium of Light.

Since entering management at Sheffield United in 1998, Bruce has enjoyed spells at Huddersfield Town, Wigan Athletic, Crystal Palace and Birmingham City but thinks the Sunderland job is a step up for him.

Jenson Button continued his domination of the current Formula One season by winning the Turkish Grand Prix - his sixth victory in seven races - as he moved a step closer to clinching the 2009 drivers' world championship.

Button's Brawn GP team-mate Rubens Barrichello retired from the race while Sebastian Vettel, who started from pole, eventually had to settle for third behind Mark Webber.

It was Button's fourth successive victory and he now leads the title race by 26 points from Barrichello.

Svetlana Kuznetsova has revealed that she was only talked out of retiring from tennis by Marat Safin.

The Russian, who beat Dinara Safina in Saturday's French Open final at Roland Garros, said she considered quitting last year at the age of 22 after growing disillusioned with the sport.

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