Brazilian authorities on Thursday began investigations into allegations that security personnel beat members of a visiting Argentine football club at the halftime of the Copa Sudamericana.

South American football officials described it as the most serious incident in decades in the country that will host the 2014 World Cup — raising fears about Brazil's ability to secure the event and putting a blemish on the country's reputation just months before the Confederations Cup.

Bode Miller likely won't start his season until February as part of his cautious return from left knee surgery. There's also a chance he might sit out the entire season.

Meanwhile, the American skier might be busy taking care of his wife — after accidentally hitting her in the face with a golf ball.

Porltand's rookie guard Damian Lillard had a career-high 29 points as the TrailBlazers handed the San Antonio Spurs a surprise second-straight loss with a 98-90 victory on Thursday.

Like the Spurs, another pre-season title fancy, the Los Angeles Lakers also remained in a rut, losing to the New York Knicks, while Atlanta crept up the standings with a comfortable home win over Charlotte.

Juventus are still hoping to lure Didier Drogba to the club with an 18-month deal, according to speculation in the Italian press.

Drogba signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Shanghai Shenhua in July but that has not stopped Italy's sports press from repeatedly talking up the Ivorian striker's departure from China in favor of Serie A.

Zambia's Godfrey Chitalu, not Argentina's Lionel Messi nor Brazil's Zico, scored most goals in a calendar year, local football bosses claimed here Thursday.

Barca's Messi was credited with the new record after going better than German legend Gerd Mueller's best of 85 goals in 1972 with a first-half brace that sealed his side's 2-1 win over Real Betis on Sunday.

Trailing Barcelona in the Spanish league and facing elimination in the Copa del Rey, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is questioning the will and attitude of one of the most talented and highest paid squads in football.

Mourinho said after his team's 2-1 defeat at Celta Vigo in the Copa on Wednesday that "there are players who have disappointed me" and that some "didn't want to play because it was cold, raining and (only) a Copa match."

Chelsea reached the Club World Cup final by scoring twice in the first three minutes of the second half to beat Monterrey 3-1 on Thursday.

The Champions League winner will face Copa Libertadores champ Corinthians in the final on Sunday.

Bradley Wiggins says he wants to defend his Tour de France title after previously indicating his focus in 2013 could be on the Giro d'Italia and the Spanish Vuelta.

The 32-year-old Briton had said he would probably help Team Sky teammate Christopher Froome, who finished second behind him in July, win the 2013 Tour.

Utah's Mo Williams sank a three-pointer on the buzzer to give the Jazz a 99-96 win over San Antonio on Wednesday, ending the Spurs' winning streak at five and stopping the Texan team moving to the top of the NBA standings.

The Jazz trailed by eight points with a little more than four minutes remaining but fought back for a satisfying win over their recent nemesis. Williams' winning shot was his only three of the night and he finished with just eight points on 3-for-9 shooting from the field.

Celta Vigo upset Real Madrid with a 2-1 victory in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, and Lionel Messi scored his 21st double to reach 88 goals in 2012, leading Barcelona to a 2-0 win over second-tier club Cordoba.

Having broken German great Gerd Mueller's 40-year-old record for most goals in a year on Sunday, Messi added to his tally in the 11th minute by tapping into an empty net from David Villa's pass.