Messi, Ronaldo go on goal
sprees before Copa clash
BARCELONA, Jan 28: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo warmed up for their teams' upcoming Copa del Rey clash with high-scoring displays Sunday to help Barcelona and Real Madrid cruise to comfortable wins against helpless Spanish league opponents. After Ronaldo hit his 20th career hat trick in an 11-minute span to help Madrid rout Getafe 4-0, an insatiable Messi did him one better by netting four times in Barcelona's 5-1 thrashing of 10-man Osasuna. Messi is on pace to break his own Spanish league record of 50 goals from last season. The forward leads the league with 33 goals in 21 rounds, chased by Ronaldo on 21. AP
Kosmina quits as coach
of Adelaide United
ADELAIDE, Jan 28: John Kosmina has quit as coach of Adelaide United in Australian football's A-League, citing a lack of trust in club management. The 56-year-old former Australia international announced his decision Monday, saying he had no regrets at leaving the club in his second season as coach. Adelaide dropped from second to fourth place in the 10-team league during last weekend's 19th round but remains only six points behind league leader Central Coast. AP
Villa knocked out of FA Cup
ENGLAND, Jan 28: Former England striker Darren Bent put Paul Lambert's team in front early on but the Premier League strugglers were then rocked by goals from defender Danny Shittu (27 minutes) and forward John Marquis (89). Seven-time FA Cup winners Villa were also turfed out by fourth tier Bradford City in the semi-finals of the League Cup Tuesday. Reuters
Brazil delays World Cup
event over fire tragedy
BRASILIA, Jan 28: Brazil has postponed an event dubbed "500 Days until World Cup-2014" set for Monday in Brasilia after a deadly nightclub fire in the country's south killed at least 233 people, officials said Sunday. "As a sign of mourning due to the tragedy in Santa Maria (in Rio Grande do Sul state), Federal District governor Agnelo Queiroz, who is deeply saddened, has decided to push back the event that had been scheduled for National Stadium" in the federal capital, his office said. AFP
Murray needs to find
the killer instinct
MELBOURNE, Jan 28: Andy Murray has the physique, the technique, the demeanour and the belief. Now all he needs is the killer touch. For more than an hour, the Scot dominated the Australian Open final, leaving world number one Novak Djokovic blinking, agitated and gasping for breath. AFP
