AFP - Manchester City reached the second qualifying round of this season's UEFA Cup with a 2-0 win over part-timers EB/Streymur from the Faroe Islands that gave the Premier League side a 4-0 aggregate victory.

AP - Emeka Okafor signed his six-year, $72 million free-agent deal with the Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday and indicated he's excited to play under new coach Larry Brown.

AP - John Lynch wasn't content playing a part-time role, not after four straight Pro Bowl seasons.

AP - Brandon Webb scattered six hits in eight innings to win his big league-leading 15th game, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat Los Angeles 2-1 Thursday night to extend their lead over the Dodgers to two games in the NL West.

AP - Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero and Juan Rivera each hit a three-run homer, and the Los Angeles Angels added to their East Coast romp with a 12-6 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday night.

AP - Brett Favre's agent says the three-time MVP understands he would be walking into a media frenzy by showing up for the Green Bay Packers' training camp, but he's willing to deal with that rather than have retirement forced on him.

AP - Ken Griffey Jr. is leaving home to get back in a pennant race. The Chicago White Sox acquired Griffey from the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, hoping the 38-year-old outfielder can help them hold onto their slim lead in the AL Central.

AP - After a nasty split with the Boston Red Sox, Manny Ramirez is Hollywood-bound. The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired the enigmatic slugger Thursday, giving up two minor leaguers in a startling, three-team trade that sent outfielder Jason Bay from Pittsburgh to Boston.

AFP - Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal has slammed the ATP for a hardcourt tournament schedule which is taking its toll on the players.

AFP - Tottenham on Thursday unveiled new signing David Bentley, who has cost an initial 15 million pounds (22 million euros) from Blackburn.

AP - The Chicago Cubs arrived in Milwaukee at the beginning of the week with a one-game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central. It doesn't look like that any more. Alfonso Soriano reached base five times and Ryan Dempster pitched seven strong innings to lead Chicago to its third straight win over Milwaukee, 7-2 on Wednesday night.

AFP - British forward Luol Deng signed his new contract with the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls, the club announced Thursday.