Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal said Friday that striker Radamel Falcao must prove himself, warning that a player's financial value never influenced his selection policy.

The Colombia international was left out of van Gaal’s 18-man match-day squad for United’s 1-0 loss to Southampton last weekend as the Dutchman instead named three center-backs –- Jonny Evans, Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair -- on the substitutes’ bench.

Top-seeded Serena Williams will play Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium in her first-round match at the Australian Open as she begins her attempt to win a 19th Grand Slam singles title.

Williams could meet former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals and Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the semifinals following Friday's draw. The season-opening major begins Monday at Melbourne Park.

Fernando Torres scored twice as Atletico Madrid ended Real Madrid's defense of the Copa del Rey title with a 2-2 draw on Thursday, maintaining its dominance over its crosstown rival this season.

Atletico advanced 4-2 on aggregate and will play Barcelona in the quarterfinals after it won 4-0 at Elche to move on 9-0 over both legs.

A gun-like sensor is put against the head of each person as soon as they get off a plane in Equatorial Guinea, the host country for the African Cup of Nations. When the sensor beeps, the man holding it nods and the passenger is ordered to move along.

Next, unsmiling women wearing white coats and masks spray cleansing gel on everyone's hands and tell them to rub them together. And questionnaires have to be filled in, asking if you've had a fever in the last 21 days. The body temperature of everyone is checked.

Muhammad Ali was back in the hospital Thursday for follow-up care related to a severe urinary tract infection, his second stint in the hospital in the last four weeks.

The three-time former heavyweight boxing champion was admitted to an undisclosed hospital earlier this week, Ali family spokesman Bob Gunnell said Thursday. Ali was in stable condition.

Former France player David Ginola wants to challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency in a campaign backed by a bookmaker.

M&C Saatchi PR, acting on behalf of Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, told The Associated Press that Ginola will launch his campaign in London on Friday.

Hamza Aldaradreh scored the first hat-trick of the Asian Cup on Friday as Jordan hammered Palestine 5-1 to keep themselves alive in the competition.

Aldaradreh finished with four goals, helping Jordan end a miserable run of 11 games without a win, but their hopes of advancing still hang in the balance with defending champions Japan to come in their final Group D game on Tuesday.

South Korean coach Uli Stielike Friday said he was beset by medical problems which are badly hampering his preparations for their final Group A game against high-flying Australia.

Stielike, who had to make seven changes for the 1-0 win over Kuwait through injuries and a flu bug, said he would have to consult medical staff before making his final selection.

Spain's Fernando Verdasco claimed a second title five years after his first at the Kooyong Classic on Friday when opponent Alexandr Dolgopolov was forced to retire with a knee injury.

With the Australian Open starting on Monday, the Ukrainian now fears he will not be able to play after feeling pain in the first set and retiring after losing the opener against his 31-year-old opponent 7-6 (7/3) in 44 minutes.

Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta is set to be out of action for "approximately three months" after undergoing ankle surgery, the English Premier League club said Thursday.

The Gunners said Arteta had had a bony spur that was causing him discomfort removed from his left ankle, with a statement on Arsenal's website saying: "The procedure went well and Mikel will now begin a period of rehabilitation which is expected to last approximately three months."