The Sport Matrix: Monday 12 January 2015

Mancini the fall-guy, but Inter ease pain with first home win

The good news for Roberto Mancini yesterday was that Internazionale won their first home game since his return to the club in November.

The bad news was he was knocked to the ground after a ball kicked by one of his own players hit him in the face.

Marco Andreolli was the player responsible.

Mancini’s embarrassment was tempered by the fact his side beat Genoa 3-1. They took a 2-0 half-time lead through Argentinian strikers Rodrigo Palacio and Mauro Icardi. Genoa pulled one back through Armando Izzo, but former Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic wrapped up the win with a header three minutes later.

KP sacking badly handled, says Broad

England bowler Stuart Broad has admitted the sacking of former team-mate Kevin Pietersen was mishandled by all concerned last year. “It just became a bit of a media uproar,” he said. “It just seemed a bit unnecessary.

“Obviously Kevin’s disappointed and every player should be if you’re not going to represent your country again. It could’ve been handled very differently, by everyone.”

Welsh continue losing streak

London Welsh went down to their 13th straight Premiership defeat as they were comfortably beaten 38-7 at Newcastle yesterday. “We didn't make [them] work hard for their tries,” assistant coach Gordon Ross lamented as the hosts recorded their biggest win for eight years.

Federer reaches grand landmark

Roger Federer racked up the 1,000th victory of his career as he continued his preparations for the Australian Open with the Brisbane International title yesterday. The Swiss overcame Milos Raonic 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 to follow Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl in achieving the milestone. “It feels very different to any other match,” he said. “For some reason 1,000 means a lot because it’s such a huge number.”

Brailsford calls for action on doping

Sir Dave Brailsford has criticised cycling’s governing body, the UCI, over their lack of action on the issue of doping that so engulfs the sport. “They need to deliver,” the Team Sky principal said at a media day in Majorca yesterday.

“Great leaders don’t find excuses why they can’t do something. Sometimes you’ve got to get over obstacles and find ways of doing things to get to a new place.”