SPORTS briefs

LONDON. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is set to receive an apology from Premier League referees chief Keith Hackett following his dismissal in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United. League Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan has spoken to Hackett about the Old Trafford incident which saw Wenger sent to the stands by referee Mike Dean on the advice of fourth official Lee Probert. The Gunners boss caught Probert's attention when he kicked an empty water bottle down the touchline following a disallowed goal for Arsenal in the final minutes.

JOLIET. Ryan Briscoe grabbed the IndyCar series points lead by stringing together quietly consistent finishes. Then he took control by putting on a remarkable wheel-to-wheel show under the lights at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday night. Briscoe made an aggressive move for the lead going into the final lap of the race, pulling alongside fellow title contender Scott Dixon as the white flag flew. After going side-by-side with their wheels inches apart, Briscoe nosed ahead at the finish line to win by 0.0077 seconds.

HONOLULU. Brian Viloria saved a little for a "Rocky-like" ending for the hometown crowd. Viloria didn't get the Hollywood knockout he was hoping for, but earned a 12-round, unanimous decision over Jesus Iribe to retain the IBF light flyweight championship on Saturday night. Viloria, nicknamed "The Hawaiian Punch," controlled the fast-paced bout in front of his hometown crowd, starting and ending with a flurry of punches. The bigger Iribe broke his right hand in the second round, but the Mexican still slugged it out.

NEW YORK–. Showers drenched US Open qualifying matches Saturday and disrupted "Kids Day" activities at Arthur Ashe Stadium, prompting the question of whether or not organizers should put a roof on the famed venue. The Australian Open has protection from the elements and Wimbledon's retractable roof debuted this year. French Open officials have plans, but no guarantee, for a roof within five years.

MADRID. Cristiano Ronaldo, the world's most expensive player, scored a dream debut goal as Real Madrid's 'Galacticos' defeated Deportivo La Coruna 3-2 in the Spanish league curtain-raiser.