Brazil still produces the world's best footballers but the growing influence of agents on leading players has created a mountain of woes for the national side, Pele said Monday.

The legendary Brazilian, the only player to feature in three World Cup-winning teams, said the passion for football was as strong as ever but acknowledged the "Selecao" were struggling with a host of problems.

Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-2 Sunday to win his sixth China Open title and improve his record at the tournament to a sterling 29-0.

Djokovic had seven aces to none for his Spanish rival, and saved both break points he faced in the match, which was the 45th between the two players.

Ireland avoided a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against the defending champion All Blacks by beating France 24-9 to secure first place in Pool D on Sunday — but an impressive victory came at a cost for the Six Nations champions.

Star flyhalf Jonny Sexton, captain Paul O'Connell and flanker Peter O'Mahony all went off injured — the latter two on motorized stretchers — to potentially leave the Irish without three of their most important players for a last-eight game against Argentina next Sunday.

France striker Olivier Giroud received a welcome confidence boost as he scored twice Sunday in a 2-1 win over Denmark in a friendly match.

The 29-year-old Arsenal forward found the net with France for the first time since last March, bagging two goals in the space of two minutes.

Germany and Poland clinched their places at next year's European Championship with 2-1 home victories over Georgia and Ireland in their final qualifying games on Sunday.

Max Kruse scored three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Germany to finish top in Group D, one point above Poland, which had Robert Lewandowski to thank for the winner against Ireland with his 13th goal in qualifying. It tied the mark set by David Healy of Northern Ireland in Euro 2008 qualifying.

Lewis Hamilton took full advantage of his Mercedes’ team-mate Nico Rosberg’s mechanical misfortunes to seize a commanding victory in Sunday's Russian Grand Prix and take a massive step towards a third driver's crown.

The defending world champion started second on the grid, inherited the lead when Rosberg slowed and then retired, after seven laps, with throttle pedal problems and claimed his ninth win of the season.

Italy coach Antonio Conte applauded his deployment of a rarely-used tactical system that could provide the basis for his "little war machine" when the Azzurri head to Euro 2016 next summer.

Italy, the beaten finalists at Euro 2012, qualified for next summer's showpiece in France thanks to a one-sided 3-1 win over Azerbaijan in Baku complete with goals from Eder, Stephan El Shaarawy and Matteo Darmian.

Dani Pedrosa came from behind to grab his first win of the season in stunning fashion at the Japan Grand Prix Sunday, while championship leader Valentino Rossi finished second.

The Spanish Honda rider clocked 46min 50.767sec, 8.573sec ahead of Rossi on Yamaha and 12.127sec in front of Rossi's team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

Top seed Stan Wawrinka won the Japan Open after thrashing Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-2, 6-4 in a one-sided final to capture his fourth title of the year.

French Open champion Wawrinka needed just 65 minutes to complete victory in Tokyo with Paire, who underwent a scan on his swollen left ankle before the match, clearly struggling.

Reigning Olympic football gold medalists Mexico punched their ticket to the Rio Games on Saturday, advancing along with Honduras with semi-final wins in the regional qualifying tournament.

Goals from Hirving Lozano and Erick Torres lifted Mexico to a 2-0 victory over Canada at Rio Tinto Stadium.