Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Saturday, Feb 27
Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Saturday: FIFA Infantino election gives FIFA time to tackle problems ZURICH - Gianni Infantino's election as FIFA president should give soccer's governing body the time it needs to begin tackling the corruption and other problems that have dragged it into the worst crisis in its 112-year history, current and former officials said. (SOCCER-FIFA/, moved, by Mike Collett, 400 words) Asia calls for unity to drive FIFA reform SEOUL - Asian football said it was looking forward to working with new FIFA President Gianni Infantino, despite the region's two candidates losing out to the Swiss in Friday's election, and called for unity to help push the reform process forward. (SOCCER-FIFA/ASIA, moved, by Peter Rutherford, 400 words) SOCCER Premier League (1500) West Ham United v Sunderland (1245) Leicester City v Norwich City Southampton v Chelsea Stoke City v Aston Villa Watford v Bournemouth West Bromwich Albion v Crystal Palace (1730) Leaders Leicester look to widen gap LONDON - Premier League leaders Leicester can steal a march on the chasing pack when they host Norwich on Saturday, with Totteham Hotspur (second) and Arsenal (third) not in action until Sunday. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PIX) expect by 1715 GMT/1215 PM ET, 400 words) La Liga Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (1500) Getafe v Celta Vigo (1715) Sporting Gijon v Espanyol (1715) Real Betis v Rayo Vallecano (1930) Real Sociedad v Malaga (2105) Real face Atletico needing win to close on Barca MADRID - Real Madrid host city rivals Atletico in a match both need to win as they try to rein in runaway leaders Barcelona in the race for the Liga title. (SOCCER-SPAIN/ expect by 1715 GMT/1215 PM ET, 400 words) Bundesliga (1430) Hamburg SV v FC Ingolstadt 04 VfB Stuttgart v Hanover 96 VfL Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich Werder Bremen v SV Darmstadt 98 Bayern look to extend lead with win at Wolfsburg BERLIN - Bayern Munich face struggling VfL Wolfsburg looking to open up an 11-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund ahead of their top-of-the-table clash next week. (SOCCER-GERMANY/ (PIX), expect by 2130 GMT/4:30 PM ET,, by Karolos Grohmann, 400 words) Serie A Empoli v AS Roma (1700) AC Milan v Torino (1945) Totti to return as Roma seek to extend winning run ROME - As Roma forward Francesco Totti should return to the squad after last week's row with coach Luciano Spalletti as the Champions League hopefuls aim to extend their five-match winning Serie A streak at Empoli, while in-form AC Milan host Torino having not lost since Jan. 6. (SOCCER-ITALY/ (PIX), expect by 2145 GMT/4:45 PM ET, by Ed Dove, 300 words) Dutch league Twente Enschede v Groningen (1730) PSV Eindhoven v ADO Den Haag (1845) SC Cambuur v PEC Zwolle (1845) Vitesse Arnhem v Willem II Tilburg (1945) PSV keen to put Atletico toil behind them AMSTERDAM - PSV Eindhoven take a one point lead into the weekend's fixtures and can keep up their lead if they beat ADO Den Haag but must put behind them the exertions of their Champions League draw with Atletico Madrid in midweek. (SOCCER-DUTCH/, expect by 2200 GMT/ 5 PM ET, 250 words) RUGBY Six Nations Italy v Scotland (1425) England v Ireland (1650) England seek to extend winning run LONDON - After starting the Six Nations championship with two away wins, England return to Twickenham to take on holders Ireland. (RUGBY UNION-ENGLAND/ (PIX) expect by 1900 by Mitch Phillips, 400 words) Italy and Scotland clash in familiar circumstances ROME - Italy and Scotland, both with two defeats from two games, meet in Rome in what already looks like another wooden spoon decider. (RUGBY UNION-ITALY/ (PIX), expect by 1700 GMT/12 AM ET, 400 words) Super Rugby Kings v Sharks, Port Elizabeth, (1300) Stormers v Bulls, Cape Town (1505) Japan joins Super Rugby as Sunwolves debut in Tokyo TOKYO - Sunwolves coach Mark Hammett will readily accept defeat in the Japanese franchise's maiden Super Rugby season if they play with the same conviction displayed in Saturday's 26-13 loss to the Lions in their first match. (RUGBY UNION-SUPER/SUNWOLVES (PIX), moved, by Shinichi Saoshiro, 400 words) - - - - TENNIS Wawrinka faces Baghdatis in final DUBAI - Swiss Stan Wawrinka plays Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in the final. (TENNIS-MEN/DUBAI, expect by 1730 GMT/2:30 PM ET, by Matt Smith, 300 words) - - - - CRICKET Asia Cup, Bangladesh Bitter neighbours India, Pakistan face off in Asia Cup DHAKA - India and Pakistan meet in a widely anticipated contest in the Asia Cup with the bitter neighbours looking to apply the finishing touches to their preparations for next month's World Twenty20. (CRICKET-ASIA/INDIA-PAKISTAN, expect by 1700 GMT/12 PM ET, 350 words) - - - - PGA Tour: Honda Classic, Palm Beach Gardens (to 28) Fowler sets the pace at PGA National World number five Rickie Fowler, seeking a fourth career victory on the PGA Tour, takes a one-shot lead over fellow American Jimmy Walker into the third round at PGA National after firing a four-under-par 66 on Friday. (GOLF-PGA/ (PIX), expect end-of-day lead by 2300 GMT/6 PM ET, 400 words) - - - - NBA Warriors look for high five against Thunder Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors head to Oklahoma City looking to run their winning streak to five games against Kevin Durant and the Thunder. (NBA-THUNDER/, expect by 0445 GMT/11:45 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - Spurs and Rockets clash in all-Texas showdown The San Antonio Spurs go for a fifth straight win when the take on state rivals Houston Rockets in an all Texas showdown in one of eight games on the National Basketball Association schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0530 GMT/12:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 500 words) - - - - NHL Stars looks to shine against Rangers Jason Spezza, who is closing in on 800 career points, and the Western conference leading Dallas Stars host the New York Rangers who are locked in a tight battle with the Florida Panthers for second place in the East, in one of nine games on the National Hockey League schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/, expect by 0345 GMT/10:45 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 800 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, 500 words) (Europe desk editor: Ed Osmond)
