Kate Barber of the USA is shadowed by Britain’s Alex Danson during the final group B match in Beijing. Photograph: Aamir Qureshi/AFP
The Great Britain women’s hockey team have seen their hopes of an Olympic medal of any colour all but disappear, following a disappointing goalless draw with the United States.
Great Britain needed a win to [...]

Arshavin hopes that Zenit St Petersburg will lower their asking price. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Tottenham target Andrei Arshavin has revealed his frustration at the delay over his proposed move to White Hart Lane, and revealed that he hopes his unhappiness will lead to Zenit St Petersburg dropping their asking price. “My desire to leave is [...]

Konstantin Zyryanov scored the only goal of the game, capitalising on an error by Greece goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis. Photograph: EMPICS Sport/PA
The dour carefulness that won Greece Euro 2004 was, thankfully, the decisive factor that knocked them out of this championship at the earliest possible moment. Just as their triumph four years ago was hardly greeted [...]

Iraq fans retain an intense love of the game in the face of almost intolerable pressures. Photograph: Karim Sahib/Getty Images
So now we know. Iraq will play Australia, as planned, in Brisbane on Sunday in a crucial World Cup qualifier. The will-they-won’t-they-play shambles that has blundered on for the past week has left everyone looking bad: [...]

Andrew Hodge is currently one of the top three rowers in the world. Photograph: Getty Images
The men’s four, Britain’s main hope for gold at the Beijing Olympics,have suffered a significant setback in their preparation for the Gameswith the news that injuries have forced two of their key members topull out of the second World Cup [...]