Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday, October 23
Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Wednesday: - - - - SOCCER Champions League group stage (1845 GMT unless stated) Group D CSKA Moscow v Manchester City (1600) Bayern Munich v Viktoria Plzen Group A Bayer Leverkusen v Shakhtar Donetsk Manchester United v Real Sociedad Group B Real Madrid v Juventus Galatasaray v FC Copenhagen Group C Anderlecht v Paris St Germain Benfica v Olympiakos Piraeus Real host Juventus in clash of European heavyweights MADRID - Nine-times European champions Real Madrid can secure a maximum nine points from three matches with a win at home to Juventus and put themselves on the brink of qualification for the last 16. (SOCCER-CHAMPIONS/REAL, expect by 2030 GMT/4.30 PM ET, (PIX, TV) by Iain Rogers, 500 words) We will also move a wrap (SOCCER-CHAMPIONS/WRAPUP 1) and individual reports on all the other group games. - - Latin flair behind Guangzhou's ACL bid Guangzhou Evergrande are eyeing a breakthrough for Chinese soccer by becoming the country's first winner of the AFC Champions League but their hopes of beating FC Seoul all depend on their South American trio. (SOCCER-ASIAN/CHAMPIONS, expect by 0700 GMT/3 AM ET, 500 words) - - - - BASEBALL Red Sox, Cardinals meet in World Series opener BOSTON - The Boston Red Sox host the St. Louis Cardinals in the opening game of Major League Baseball's best-of-seven World Series at Fenway Park. (BASEBALL-WORLDSERIES/ (PREVIEW, PIX), expect first copy by 0030 GMT/8:30 PM ET, by Larry Fine and Julian Linden, 600 words) - - Cards' Beltran gets long-awaited shot at World Series BOSTON - St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Carlos Beltran has always produced his best in the post-season when it really matters but has never made it to the World Series until now, his 16th year in MLB. (BASEBALL-WORLDSERIES/BELTRAN, expect by 1800 GMT/2 PM ET, by Julian Linden, 500 words) - - Farrell proves perfect fit as Red Sox manager BOSTON - Presiding over a Boston Red Sox team bubbling with characters and charisma is John Farrell, a strong, quiet baseball lifer who fits the manager's job like a glove. (BASEBALL-WORLDSERIES/FARRELL, expect by 1800 GMT/2 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 500 words) - - - - NHL Slumping Sabres seek spark versus Bruins The Buffalo Sabres, winless at home and looking to put a halt to their worst start in franchise history, host the Boston Bruins while Daniel Alfredsson faces his former Ottawa team when the Detroit Red Wings host the Senators in National Hockey League action. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 300 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0001 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - MOTOR RACING Indian Formula One Grand Prix F1 expects Vettel to secure his fourth title in style NEW DELHI - Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel may not need another point to secure his fourth successive Formula One title this weekend but he is more likely to do it in style by bagging his sixth win in a row. (MOTOR RACING-PRIX/PREVIEW (PIX), moved, by Alan Baldwin, 500 words) We have also moved a drivers' form sheet and statistics for Sunday's race at the Buddh International Circuit. - - - - RUGBY Dumped O'Connor chooses long road back to Wallabies MELBOURNE - Unwanted by Australian rugby, discarded utility back James O'Connor has confirmed the feelings are mutual by heading off to Europe, completing a rapid fall from grace in four months since being anointed starting flyhalf against the British and Irish Lions. (RUGBY-AUSTRALIA/O'CONNOR-EUROPE, moved, by Ian Ransom, 700 words) - - - - CRICKET Bangladesh v New Zealand, second test, Mirpur (to 25) Anderson ton gives New Zealand lead over Bangladesh Corey Anderson smashed his first test century as New Zealand reached 419 for eight against Bangladesh to take a first innings lead of 137 on the third day of the second and final test in Dhaka on Wednesday. (CRICKET-ZEALAND/, moved, 300 words) - - Pakistan v South Africa, second test, Dubai (to 27) Tahir grabs five wickets to skittle Pakistan for 99 Leg-spinner Imran Tahir grabbed five wickets on his return to the South Africa lineup as Pakistan collapsed to 99 all out in the second test in Dubai on Wednesday. (CRICKET-SAFRICA/, moved, 350 words) - - - - TENNIS WTA Championships, Istanbul (to 27) Williams faces Radwanska, Azarenka meets Jankovic ISTANBUL - Top seed Serena Williams bids for her second straight win when she meets Agnieszka Radwanska while second seed Victoria Azarenka is also bidding for another victory as she plays Jelena Jankovic, while China's Li Na gets her campaign underway against Sara Errani. (TENNIS-WOMEN/ (PIX), expect by 2100 GMT/5 PM ET, by Ece Toksabay, 500 words) - - ATP: Valencia Open, Spain (to 28) Swiss Indoors, Basel (to 28) Copy on merit (Duty editor: Ken Ferris)
