Football - Maradona meets with Dubai club Al Wasl

Dubai’s Al Wasl club has made Diego Maradona an offer to be its next coach and talks are ongoing, the club said yesterday. The 50-year-old Argentine, who has been out of coaching since he led Argentina to the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals, visited the club’s training facility Saturday. He did not speak to reporters at the club headquarters nor when he was taking in a shopping trip to the Dubai Mall. Ashraf Ahmad Mohammad, the club’s chief executive officer, said he was “happy” with the negotiations thus far but expects it will take several more days to reach an agreement. The club had said it might have an announcement yesterday but nothing was forthcoming. Al Wasl is fourth in the domestic league and has been looking for a coach since firing Sergio Farias in March. It would definitely get a controversial and colorful figure should the club sign the 1986 World Cup winner, but not someone with extensive managerial experience. Before taking the reins of Argentina in 2008, he had only coached Deportivo Mandiyu in 1994 and Racing Club in 1995, and in both cases left before his contract was up. Under Maradona, Argentina’s results were mixed and the team slumped to two of its worst ever losses – a 6-1 hammering by Bolivia in 2010 World Cup qualifying and a 4-0 quarterfinal defeat by Germany at the tournament.

Wolfsburg fines Diego for skipping crucial game

Brazilian midfielder Diego has been fined by Wolfsburg for storming out of the team hotel before a crucial relegation battle at Hoffenheim on Saturday. Diego skipped the match and returned to training yesterday, when Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath said “he has a contract and apparently realised that obligations must be fulfilled.” Magath told Sky on Saturday that Diego – a €15.5 million purchase from Juventus – reacted badly after being told he would be starting as a substitute. Wolfsburg won 3-1 without the 26-year-old to ensure Bundesliga survival on the last day of the season. Magath said “he gave no explanation.” Diego, who has a contract with Wolfsburg until 2014, said: “It’s my problem, our problem. We have to sit down together and find a solution.” Magath suggested the Brazilian may be given another chance. No details were given of the fine. “It doesn’t interest me if someone makes a mistake. I’m ready to work with anyone, but it has to be evident that they’ll do things my way,” the 57-year-old said. “Everything is possible.”

Athletics - Gebrselassie wins his fourth Great Manchester Run

Ethiopian long-distance great Haile Gebrselassie won the Great Manchester Run for the fourth time, pulling clear of Chris Thompson of Britain to ease to victory in the 10-kilometre race yesterday. Gebrselassie, the marathon world-record holder who won the event in 2005, ‘09 and ‘10, posted a time of 28 minutes, 10 seconds in wet and windy conditions in the northern English city. Thompson kept pace with Gebrselassie for 7km, even coming up to the shoulder of the 38-year-old two-time Olympic 10,000-metre champion at one point, before fading and finishing second in 28:21. Sergiy Lebid of Ukraine came third, four seconds further behind. Britain’s Helen Clitheroe, the 3,000-metre champion at the European indoors this year, smashed her personal best by 30 seconds to win the women’s race in 31:45. Clitheroe led from the start to cross the line ahead of France’s Christelle Daunay, who was 14 seconds behind. Kenya’s Grace Momanyi, the Commonwealth 10,000-meter champion, was third in 32.05.

Gay wins 150 street race in rainy Manchester

Tyson Gay won a 150-metre street race in Manchester yesterday, missing out on Usain Bolt's world record in difficult conditions. The American 100 specialist streaked clear early and ran the straight track in steady rain in 14.51 seconds – 0.16 slower than the mark set by Bolt at the same event in 2009. Gay covered the last 100 meters in just 8.88. He says "I don't know what that equates to but I'm glad it's pretty fast." American sprinter Darvis Patton finished second in 14.98, with British pair Marlon Devonish and Christian Malcolm rounding out the four-man field. Gay said he could race Bolt before the Aug. 27-Sept. 4 World Championships if Bolt's schedule allows.

Motorsport - Britain’s Mark Higgins wins Asia Pacific rally

Britain’s Mark Higgins won yesterday’s second round of the Asia Pacific rally championship, finishing ahead of India’s Guarav Gill and Gill’s teammate Katsu Taguchi of Japan in the International Rally of Queensland. Higgins and co-driver Ieuan Thomas finished the 19-stage weekend rally in a time of 2 hours, 22 minutes, 14.2 seconds. Gill and his New Zealand co-driver Glen Macneall crossed the line in 2:22.30, with Taguchi and Japan-based co-driver Mark Stacey nearly another minute behind.

Golf - McDowell stumbles and

still has lead at Players

Graeme McDowell still had the lead at The Players Championship after the rain-delayed third round finished yesterday but a double bogey on the 18th put a dampener on his round. McDowell made a late surge, building a three-shot lead with a tap-in birdie on the island-green 17th. But he was shocked to see his approach on the 18th bounce onto the green, take a hard turn to the left and roll all way into the water. He finished with a 68. That gave him a one-shot lead over K.J. Choi and David Toms going into the final round. It set up what could be a dynamic finish, with so many top players on a course where anything can happen at any minute. That much was evident at the end of the third round. Nick Watney lost the lead by playing a three-hole stretch in 4 over.