With the backing of the Kremlin-owned gas giant Gazprom and the cash to buy the world's top players, Zenit St Petersburg must have hoped the 2012-2013 season would be their best ever.

But despite the support of the world's largest energy firm, last year's Russian champions failed to progress in both of Europe's main club tournaments and are third in the country's Premier League.

Brett Holman's 85th-minute equalizer helped Australia save a 2-2 draw against Oman on Tuesday, and narrowly avoid a shocking upset in an Asian qualifier for the 2014 World Cup.

Holman's 25-yard strike capped a remarkable rally, after Australia had fallen 2-0 behind to Omani forward Abdul Mubarak's early strike and an own goal by Mile Jedinak just after half time.

A new-look New Zealand side beat the Solomon Islands 2-0 on Tuesday to complete their Oceania group World Cup qualifying campaign unbeaten.

Blackburn Rovers' versatile Tim Payne netted both goals, in the opening and closing stages of the match, to give the All Whites six wins from six matches.

Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova, who has been undergoing cancer treatment in New York since January, arrived back in Spain on Tuesday, the Catalan giants announced.

"Tito is in Barcelona," the Spanish league leaders said on their website fcbarcelona.com, adding that he would ease himself gradually back into running the side.

Barcelona announced coach Tito Vilanova is due back at the club after 10 weeks in the United States receiving treatment for a throat tumor.

The club said: "Vilanova will be returning home this week after being in New York for the last two months."

Manchester City defender Vincent Kompany will return from a two-month injury layoff and start for Belgium in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Macedonia.

Kompany has been training with the main team since Belgium's 2-0 victory over Macedonia last Friday and should regain his spot on the starting lineup at the expense of Bayern Munich veteran Daniel Van Buyten.

Sebastian Vettel's controversial win at the Malaysian Grand Prix left some fans wondering who really decides a race outcome — the driver or the team.

The three-time defending champion ignored team orders and overtook Red Bull teammate Mark Webber for the victory, leaving the Australian driver fuming.

LeBron James wasn't about to be upstaged by the stars in the crowd, scoring 32 points as the Miami Heat won their 26th straight game with a 109-77 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats.

Some of the world's leading sportsmen were watching from courtside on Sunday night. Novak Djokovic, the top-ranked men's tennis player. Wladimir Klitschko, the world heavyweight boxing king. Rory McIlroy, who sits atop the golf rankings for at least one more night.

Mired in a marathon game midway through the opening set, Maria Sharapova wore down her opponent with characteristic resolve and relentlessness, winning the last point without hitting a shot.

That put Sharapova ahead to stay, and she beat fellow Russian Elena Vesnina on a muggy afternoon at the Sony Open, 6-4, 6-2.

Ethiopia's chances of reaching the 2014 World Cup in Brazil became a little more realistic on Sunday after beating Botswana to open a two-point gap at the top of its group in African qualifying.

Ghana beat Sudan 4-0 to apply the pressure on leader Zambia in their group after the 10-man Zambians were held 1-1 in Lesotho.