Reuters Sports Schedule at 1400 GMT on Thursday, Dec 18

Reuters

Reuters sports schedule at 1400 GMT on Thursday: - - - - SOCCER Club World Cup, Marrakech, Morocco MARRAKECH, Morocco - South American champions San Lorenzo needed extra-time to see off the gallant challenge of Auckland City as they beat the New Zealand part-timers 2-1 in the Club World Cup semi-final. (SOCCER-WORLDCLUB/SANLORENZO, moved, by Brian Homewood, 400 words) - - Premier League Man City primed to pounce on leaders Chelsea LONDON - Rejuvenated Manchester City can pile the pressure on Premier League leaders Chelsea for the first time this season if they beat struggling visitors Crystal Palace on Saturday. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/ (PREVIEW), moved, by Michael Hann, 400 world) - - Spanish King's Cup (1900 unless stated) Athletic Bilbao v Alcoyano Atletico Madrid v Hospitalet Elche v Valladolid (2100) Malaga v Deportivo La Coruna (2100) Atletico look to book place in last 16 against Hospitalet BARCELONA - Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid side had a comfortable 3-0 win at lower league Hospitalet and now aim to finish off the tie in front of their own fans. (SOCCER-SPAIN/CUP (PIX) expect by 2300 GMT/6 PM ET, by Tim Hanlon, 350 words) - - Serie A Cagliari v Juventus (1800) Napoli v Parma (2000) Juve visit lowly Cagliari look to stretch gap at the top ROME - Serie A leaders Juventus can move a provisional four points clear of second-placed AS Roma when they visit struggling Cagliari while seventh-placed Napoli can jump four places with a home win over bottom side Parma. (SOCCER-ITALY/ (PIX), expect from 2000 GMT/3 PM ET, by Emanuele Giulianelli, 500 words) - - - - CRICKET Australia v India, second test Gabba, Brisbane (0000) Hazlewood takes five as Australia fight back Josh Hazlewood's five for 68 on debut helped Australia battle back into the second test against India on Thursday but the contest remained in the balance when the hosts finished the second day in Brisbane on 221 for four. (CRICKET-AUSTRALIA/ (UPDATE 4), moved, 500 words) - - South Africa v West Indies, first test, Pretoria (to 21) Amla closes on double-ton as South Africa build huge total PRETORIA - Captain Hashim Amla continued to be the rock for South Africa and Stiaan van Zyl scored a half-century on debut as the hosts cruised to 449 for four at lunch on day two of the opening test against West Indies on Thursday. (CRICKET-SAFRICA, moved with updates to follow, 300 words) - - - - - - - - BASKETBALL Euroleague Top 16 battle enters home straight BELGRADE - Lithuanian debutants Neptunas Klaipeda and Turkey's Galatasaray are in contention for one of the three remaining berths in the Euroleague second group stage, with both sides facing difficult opposition in Valencia and former winners Olympiakos respectively. (EUROLEAGUE-BASKETBALL/, expect by 2100 GMT/4 PM ET, by Zoran Milosavljevic, 400 words) - - - - NFL Titans visit Jags in clash of struggling teams The Tennessee Titans (2-12), who have not won a game since beating Jacksonville over two months ago, visit the Jaguars (2-12) as the penultimate week of the NFL's regular season kicks off with a clash on two non-playoff teams. (NFL-JAGUARS/ (PIX), expect by 0445 GMT/11:45 PM ET, 350 words) - - - - NBA Knicks on slow learning curve under new regime NEW YORK - In a season full of hope in the first full campaign under Knicks president Phil Jackson, winner of 11 NBA titles as a coach, New York have floundered to a 5-22 record and are struggling with a new offense, a rookie coach and a frustrated star in Carmelo Anthony. (NBA-KNICKS/, expect by 2000 GMT/3 PM ET, by Larry Fine, 400 words) - - Streaking Thunder visit first-place Warriors The red-hot Oklahoma City Thunder, finally on a roll after early struggles due to injuries to key players, seek their eighth consecutive victory when they visit the league-leading Golden State Warriors in one of the four games on the schedule. (NBA-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - NHL Leafs eye longest win streak in 10 seasons The Toronto Maple Leafs will shoot for their longest win streak in 10 seasons when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes in search of their seventh consecutive victory in one of the seven games on the National Hockey League schedule. (NHL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 750 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) - - - - FEATURE Sitting at the top table with Argentine Speroni LONDON - From regular Premier League football to being turned away from his own restaurant which is doing so well at weekends there are no free tables, life is good for Julian Speroni. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/SPERONI, moved, by Rex Gowar, 700 words) - - - - REUTERS SPORTS AWARDS AND YEARENDERS We will publish the result of the Reuters sports awards, voted for by the agency's journalists around the world, at 1900 GMT. Alongside the results we will publish a series of profiles, interviews and factboxes relating to the winners. The award categories are: Sportsman of the year Sportswoman of the year Team of the year Coach of the year Comeback of the year Breakthrough of the year Flop of the year - - - - (Europe desk editor: Ken Ferris)