Former Egypt coach Hassan Shehata has signed a one-year deal with Al Arabi of the Qatar Stars League.

Shehata replaces outgoing coach Pierre Lechantre and is expected to be on the touchline Thursday for the team's match against Umm Salal. Al Arabi is languishing in eighth place in the 12-team league with only two points after three matches.

Red-hot Novak Djokovic accelerated his push for the year-end number one ranking on Saturday, dismissing the challenge of Tomas Berdych in a one-sided semi-final at the Shanghai Masters.

The Serbian second seed came into the clash with an impressive 9-1 lead against the Czech player in head-to-head match-ups and immediately took charge, dominating the contest to win 6-3, 6-4.

Eddie Johnson scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 90th minute, to lift the United States to a 2-1 victory over Antigua and Barbuda in CONCACAF World Cup semi-final qualifying Friday.

Positioned on the far post, Johnson took a pass from substitute Alan Gordon and headed the ball past goalkeeper Molvin James for the winner.

Lionel Messi transferred his club form for Spanish giants Barcelona to World Cup qualifying action for Argentina, with a brilliant brace of goals helping his country to a 3-0 win over Uruguay.

Messi opened the scoring in the 66th minute when he slid in from a cross by Angel Di Maria with his second goal -- and his team's third -- coming eight minutes from time.

Silvio Berlusconi is ready to sell 30 percent of AC Milan to Qatar's ruling Al-Thani family, the Gazzetta dello sport newspaper reported Friday.

"Milan of Arabia" read the headline of the sports daily with a photo of Berlusconi wearing a red and white chequered headdress.

Uruguay lashed out at FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce on Thursday, claiming the official's criticism of Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who is at the center of a diving storm, was "unacceptable".

Boyce was reported to have described Suarez's theatrical tumble against Stoke in the Premier League as "cheating", adding that the tendency for players to easily fall to the ground was a "cancer" in the game.

Brazil knocked Iraq, coached by former Brazil great Zico, for six in the two countries' first ever full international meeting on Thursday.

Chelsea midfielder Oscar gave the 2014 World Cup hosts a 2-0 lead going into the break in the friendly, with Real Madrid striker Kaka putting the South American giants further ahead shortly after the restart.

Cocktails of olive oil and testosterone, blood stored in secret cupboards and a shadowy courier known as 'Motoman' have delivered the fatal blows to the doping-shattered reputation of Lance Armstrong.

In the 202 pages of damning evidence compiled by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) which it claims proved the existence of the biggest doping conspiracy in sports history, the use of EPO, testosterone, cortisone and transfusions were common occurrences which powered the American to seven Tour de France titles.

Championship leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari said on Thursday ahead of the Korean Formula One Grand Prix that the title race was still wide open, warning Lewis Hamilton remains a threat.

Alonso saw his lead over the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel slashed to just four points in Japan last week after the Spaniard was forced out moments after the start with a puncture, leading some to suggest it was now a two-horse race.

Monisha Kaltenborn became the first woman team principal in Formula One on Thursday when she took control of Sauber with immediate effect after its founder decided to step down from day-to-day management.

Peter Sauber had always made it clear that he did not wish to be running the team, which he built more than four decades ago, when he turned 70. He will be 69 on Saturday.