Santa Cruz: Striker Roque Santa Cruz will close out a much-travelled career at home in Paraguay after rejoining his first club Olimpia, the Asuncion-based team announced yesterday. The 34-year-old, Paraguay’s all-time top scorer with 32 goals in 111 internationals, joins Olimpia from Malaga, where he had returned on loan from Mexican first division club Cruz Azul.

Sweden: Sweden elected to train behind closed doors yesterday as they prepared for their Euro 2016 opener against Ireland following several flare-ups between players and coaches in training on Friday. Angry words were exchanged between striker John Guidetti and midfielder Albin Ekdal, while Guidetti also argued with assistant trainer Peter Wettergren during Friday’s session.

Fellaini: Jose Mourinho, the new Manchester United manager, has sent a good luck text to the club’s Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who will make his bow at the European Championship tomorrow. “Mourinho contacted me by SMS to say welcome to United and to wish me a good Euro,” Fellaini told reporters.

New Zealand: Marco Rojas scored the final attempt in a penalty shootout to give New Zealand a 4-2 victory against Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby yesterday, which qualified the All Whites for next year’s Confederations Cup tournament in Russia. The game had been locked at 0-0 after extra time with hosts Papua New Guinea, playing their first Oceania Nations Cup final, having several opportunities to cause an upset.

Amodu: Shaibu Amodu, who had nine different spells as coach of Nigeria, has died suddenly, the country’s football federation said yesterday. Amodu, 58, was the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) technical director and his death came days after that of former national team captain and coach Stephen Keshi on Tuesday.