La Rioja, Argentina  - Giniel de Villers won Thursday's Dakar Rally stage and reclaimed the overall lead because Spain's Carlos Sainz was forced to abandon the race on a day of mixed emotions for the Volkswagen team.

The two-time rally world champion Sainz and his co-pilot Michel Perin drove their VW Touareg into a ravine. Sainz escaped unhurt and could have continued but Perin sustained a shoulder injury which ended their title hopes.

Rome  - Italian football giants AC Milan have signed young Brazilian Felipe Mattioni on loan from Gremio Porto Alegre, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Thursday.

Mattioni is a 20-year-old defender holding Italian and Brazilian passports. Milan hold an option to have his full ownership when his Brazilian contract expires in 2011.

Speed and versatility are his main characteristics, allowing him to play both as right-flank defender and midfielder, although he was fielded also as central defender.

Innsbruck, Austria - Olympic supremo Jacques Rogge and Austrian officials on Thursday signed the host city contract for Innsbruck to stage the inaugural Winter Youth Olympics.

The document was signed at Innsbruck's twon hall during a two-day visit of Rogge and other International Olympic Committee members.

The IOC delegation - which included the newly-appointed 2012 coordination committee head Gian Franco Kasper, who is also world ski federation supremo - toured venues and met with Austrian officials and local students.

Portimao, Portugal - Ivory Coast defender Arthur Boka has renewed his contract at VfB Stuttgart until 2012, the German Bundesliga club said on Thursday.

Sydney - Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried has hit an injury crisis with four days to go before the start of the tournament at Melbourne Park as a bad back forced him to withdraw ahead a match in Sydney on Thursday.

The pullout at the Medibank International sent Finn Jarkko Nieminen into the semi-finals, his first of the season and third in a year.

Tsonga had complained of back trouble during previous wins this week, but was unable to take to the court for his quarter-final against the 41st-ranked Finn.

Tsonga lost the Open final last January to Novak Djokovic, the Sydney top seed.

London - Champions Manchester United have the chance to go top of the table for the first time on Saturday night as the battle for the English Premier League title begins to hit boiling point.

Victory at Bolton Wanderers would lift United one point clear of Liverpool, who are not in action until Monday night when they host Merseyside rivals Everton.

With one game in hand, United have the chance to add to the pressure on Liverpool, who were held to a goalless draw at Stoke City in their last match.

"You don't mind when you go top, but top is definitely the place to be," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said. "Hopefully that's where we'll be by Saturday night."