Buenos Aires  - Lionel Messi rose to the challenge of wearing the historic number 10 Argentina jersey by leading his side to a comfortable 4-0 win over Venezuela Saturday in Buenos Aires, in Diego Maradona's official debut as Argentine national team coach.

Argentina thus redressed its course in the South American qualifiers towards the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and now stand second on 19 points from 11 games, four points ahead of leader Paraguay.

Madrid  - European champions Spain increased their lead at the top of World Cup qualifying Group 5 on Saturday, with a tight 1-0 defeat of Turkey in Madrid.

Spain won thanks to the first international goal of Gerard Pique - and thanks to several sharp saves from Iker Casillas, arguably the world's best goalkeeper at the moment.

Turkey dominated the first half, but the hosts improved after the interval and took control in midfield.

Miami - Andy Murray took a set to get adjusted to the baseline backboard game of Juan Monaco before emerging from his first meeting with the Argentine a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 winner at the Miami Masters on Saturday.

The fourth seed from Britain, losing finalist last weekend at Indian Wells to Rafael Nadal, had his troubles in the first set as 59th-ranked Monaco got everything back and broke Murray twice in the process.

Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia  - Ole Einar Bjoerndalen narrowly missed out on a 90th World Cup win Saturday when he was pipped to victory by fellow Norwegian Emil Hegle Svendsen in a 12.5-kilometre pursuit race in Khanty-Mansiysk.

In the women's 10km race, six-time world champion Magdalena Neuner of Germany took the honours, leaving the battle for the overall World Cup to be decided between Kati Wilhelm of Germany and Sweden's Helena Jonsson in Sunday's mass start event.

Denver, Colorado  - The international Olympic Committee (IOC) intends using blacklists against those working in the background with athletes as part of its fight against doping.

"We have to look more deeply into the environment of the athletes because that is where it is happening," IOC vice-president Thomas Bach told German Press Agency dpa in an interview following the IOC Executive Committee meeting that concluded Friday in Denver.

Karachi, Mar. 28 : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided not to host host the Asia Cup hockey tournament citing economic reasons.

The Dubai Sports City has officially announced that it would not be able to host the ten nation tournament, and has conveyed the same to the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF).

The AHF, following the refusal, has urged the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) to hold the championship, which will also serve as the qualifying tournament for the 2010 World Cup.