Brazil playmaker Hernanes put Lazio ahead but later missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Roma in the city derby Monday that left both clubs still battling for Europa League spots.

Striker Alvaro Negredo scored twice Monday to give Sevilla a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in a physical Spanish league match in which both teams had a man sent off.

AC Milan squandered a two-goal lead over 10-man Fiorentina and settled for a 2-2 draw Sunday that ended its four-match winning streak in Serie A.

Chelsea seized on Tottenham's slip-up in the Premier League to reclaim third place with a 2-1 victory over Sunderland that handed Paolo Di Canio a losing start as manager.

Arsenal's late bid to qualify for the Champions League next season gained further momentum with a 2-1 victory at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, while one of the goals of the season helped Aston Villa move out of the relegation zone in the English Premier League.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) agreed on Saturday to allow the government to begin investigating suspected match-fixing in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup, but said it wanted a top FIFA prosecutor to join in.

A barefoot President Dilma Rousseff on Friday kicked off the inauguration of the stadium of the northeastern city of Salvador, one of 12 that will host next year's World Cup finals.

Chelsea, Benfica and Fenerbahce closed in on the Europa League semifinals with victories on Thursday while Basel claimed crucial away goals with a draw at Tottenham.

Argentine club Arsenal paid a fine of nearly US$20,000 to Brazilian authorities to ensure charges weren't brought against seven players accused of injuring several police officers and a journalist after a Copa Libertadores match.

One of the three soccer officials facing match-fixing related charges was taken to a hospital with an undisclosed illness while the other two appeared in a Singapore court Friday and entered no pleas.