Killer keeper
SAO PAULO - Former Flamengo goalkeeper Bruno has been convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison. The jury of five women and two men found Bruno guilty of ordering the killing of model Eliza Samudio, whose body has never been found amid allegations that she was dismembered and her remains were fed to dogs. Bruno also was convicted of holding hostage the young son that Samudio had with him.
Balotelli scores
ROME - Mario Balotelli grabbed the headlines again as 10-man AC Milan consolidated their grip on third place in Serie A with a 2-0 win yesterday at lowly Genoa which extended their unbeaten league run to 10 games. Balotelli, who started on the bench, scored the clinching second after his replacement, Giampaolo Pazzini, had notched the opener. But the result was marred by an ugly second half incident as Guinea full-back Kevin Constant was sent-off for a sustained attempt to confront Genoa's Cesare Bovo 25 minutes from time.
Positive tests
MONTE CARLO - The IAAF says six athletes from Russia and Belarus, including three gold and two silver medallists, have been caught for doping in retrospective testing from the 2005 track and field world championships. Nazdeya Ostapchuka a Belarusian shot putter who was also stripped of her London Olympic gold medal for doping, was one of the six. She won the shot put at the 2005 worlds in Helsinki. The other two gold medallists from 2005 were the hammer throwers, men's winner Ivan Tsikhan of Belarus and women's champion Olga Kuzenkova of Russia.
Durant winner
LOS ANGELES, California - Kevin Durant dropped in 34 points, including the go-ahead free throws with one minute 38 seconds left as the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder escaped the short-handed New York Knicks 95-94 in Thursday night NBA action. Knicks top scorer Carmelo Anthony sat out his second straight game with a sore right knee but JR Smith stepped up, firing in a season-high 36 points off the bench, including six threes. After Durant's two free throws put the Thunder ahead 95-94, Smith missed a three-pointer at 32 seconds.
Rooney stays
MANCHESTER, England - Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has dismissed widespread speculation that Wayne Rooney could leave the English Premier League giants at the end of the season. Rooney was dropped to the bench for Tuesday's Champions League match against Real Madrid, the team's biggest game of the season, sparking stories in the British media that the England striker might be sold. However, Ferguson said on Friday that Rooney "will be here next year. You have my word on that". Ferguson said there was "no issue between myself and Wayne Rooney - to suggest we don't talk is nonsense", and maintained his decision to leave the striker out against Madrid was tactical. "He understood the reasons (for not being in the starting lineup) completely," Ferguson.