ST. PETERSBURG, Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin and FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter will put aside their troubles Saturday when they take center stage and kick off the countdown to the 2018 World Cup. Putin

ASUNCION: River Plate came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Guarani Tuesday and secure a 3-1 aggregate win that takes them into their first Libertadores Cup final since 1996. Guarani, bidding

PASADENA, United States: Goals from Luis Suarez and Sergi Roberto lifted Barcelona to a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy Tuesday that manager Luis Enrique called an encouraging start to the European Champions’

BERLIN: Bayern Munich have reached an agreement with Italy’sJuventus to sign Chile international midfielder Arturo Vidal, the German club’s CEO Karl Heinz Rummenigge confirmed Thursday. “I can confirm that we have with both parties,

ATLANTA, United States: Jamaica’s “Reggae Boyz” delivered defending champion United States a humbling 2-1 defeat Wednesday, becoming the first Caribbean squad to reach the Gold Cup final by shocking the heavily favored hosts. After

ATLANTA, United States: Mexico advanced to the Gold Cup final Wednesday after a controversial penalty kick goal that had Panamacoach Hernan Dario Gomez saying his team was robbed of a rightful victory. Mexican captain

Defending champion Petra Kvitova recovered from a set and a break down to beat Annika Beck 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of the New Haven Open on Tuesday. The third-seeded Kvitova dropped the

Iraq’s premier backed the Egyptian military crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohammed Mursi in a statement yesterday, the latest Arab leader to back the operation. Nuri Al Maliki appealed for “self-restraint” but said Baghdad

Jose Mourinho made a winning return as Chelsea manager with a 2-0 success at home to promoted Hull City in the club’s opening Premier League game yesterday. Back at Stamford Bridge after spells at

Midfielders Marco Reus and Jonas Hofmann’s late goals sealed Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 home win over Eintracht Braunschweig to leave the Champions League runners-up top of the Bundesliga yesterday.