Reuters Sports Schedule at 0001 GMT on Friday, Jan 23
Reuters sports schedule at 0001 GMT on Friday: - - - - TENNIS Australian Open, Melbourne (to Feb 1) Federer, Nadal hope injury, illness concerns over MELBOURNE - Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal both had differing levels of concern over the physical fitness ahead of their third round clashes with Andreas Seppi and Dudi Sela at the Australian Open while Maria Sharapova faces Zarina Diyas. (TENNIS-OPEN/ (PIX), expect throughout, by Ian Ransom and Greg Stutchbury) - - - - SOCCER Asian Cup (to 31) Iran v Iraq Japan v United Arab Emirates Political foes clash in Canberra as Iran take on Iraq CANBERRA - Three-times winners Iran take on old political foe Iraq in the Asian Cup quarter-finals, with South Korea awaiting the victors in the last four. (SOCCER-ASIA/M27, (PIX), expect by 0930 GMT/ 4.30 AM ET, by Tim Wimborne, 400 words) - - Holders Japan face impressive UAE. SYDNEY - Holders Japan, who swept into the last eight with three wins and no goals conceded, take on the impressive United Arab Emirates looking to set up a last four clash with hosts Australia. (SOCCER-ASIA/M28, (PIX), expect by 1130 GMT/ 6.30 AM ET, by Nick Mulvenney, 400 words) - - African Nations Cup (to Feb 8) Algeria v Ghana (1600) Senegal v South Africa (1900) Algeria and Senegal bid for last eight spots MONGOMO, Equatorial Guinea - Algeria and Senegal can reach the quarter-finals if they win for a second successive match but will be up against opponents with their backs to the wall in Ghana and South Africa respectively. (SOCCER-NATIONS/ (PIX, TV) expect from 1800 GMT /1 PM ET, by Mark Gleeson, 400 words) - - FA Cup fourth round Cambridge United v Manchester United (1955) Manchester United visit fourth-tier Cambridge LONDON - Manchester United take on Cup minnows Cambridge United, a League Two (fourth tier) side whose modest Abbey Stadium holds just over 8,000 fans, in the FA Cup fourth round. (SOCCER-CUP/ (PIX) expect by 2155 GMT/4:55 PM ET, 400 words) - - Ligue 1 Nice v Olympique Marseille (1930) Marseille eye provisional top spot on visit to Nice PARIS - Olympique Marseille can top Ligue 1 with a win at mid-table Nice at least until leaders Olympique Lyon, who have a one point advantage, play on Sunday. (SOCCER-FRANCE (PIX), expect by 2130 GMT/4:30 PM ET, by Julien Pretot, 400 words) - - Dutch championship FC Twente v Heracles Almelo (1900) Copy on merit - - - - GOLF PGA Tour: Humana Challenge, La Quinta, California (to 25) Americans Reed and Mickelson head field at La Quinta Title holder Patrick Reed, who won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii 10 days ago, and five-times major winner Phil Mickelson headline the field going into Thursday's opening round of the 72-hole pro-am event in the California desert. (GOLF-PGA/ (PIX), expect end-of-day lead by 0100 GMT/8 PM ET, 450 words) - - European Tour: Qatar Masters, Doha (to 24) Austria's Wiesberger in three-way tie with South African duo Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and South Africans Branden Grace and George Coetzee are in a three-way tie for the lead heading into the third round at the Qatar Masters. (GOLF-EUROPEAN/, expect by 1830 GMT/ 1:30 PM ET, 300 words) - - - - NBA Bulls look to snap skid versus defending champion Spurs The Chicago Bulls, in the midst of a rough stretch where they have lost four of their last six games, host the red-hot defending champion San Antonio Spurs in one of the four National Basketball Association games on the schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0101 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - CRICKET Australia v England, Hobart, fourth match ODI Tri-series (0320 GMT) Australia seek third win despite batting changes In form Australia will be without David Warner, George Bailey and Shane Watson for the match against England but will be confident of a third consecutive win in the tri-series after opening success. (CRICKET-TRI/, expect by 1120 GMT/ 6.20 AM ET, 400 words) - - New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Dunedin, fifth ODI NZ coach asks bowlers to go full out in fifth one-dayer New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has urged his pace bowlers to continue going at full throttle despite Adam Milne being ruled out with a slight side injury of the fifth one-day international against Sri Lanka, who are still without Lasith Malinga. (CRICKET-ZEALAND/, expect by 0200 GMT/9PM ET, 400 words) - - - - ALPINE SKIING World Cup: Men's Super-G, Kitzbuehel, Austria Men's Super-Combined, Kitzbuehel, Austria Norway's Jansrud favourite to win Super-G KITZBUEHEL - Norway's Kjetil Jansrud, who was the fastest in practice, will be the favourite to win the Super-G which opens the Kitzbuehel weekend programme before a super-combined in the evening. (ALPINE SKIING/, expect by 1430 GMT/9:30 AM ET with update by 1800 GMT/1PM ET after the combined, 350 words) - - - - CYCLING Tour Down Under, Adelaide, Australia (to 25) Copy on merit - - - - RALLYING Monte Carlo rally (to 25) Copy on merit (Asia editor: Patrick Johnston)
