Wellington Phoenix threatened with liquidation

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)—The Wellington Phoenix football club, which plays in Australia’s A-League, has been threatened with liquidation over a NZ$260,000 (US$180,000) debt to New Zealand’s Accident Compensation Corporation.
ACC chief executive Keith McLea told Wellington’s Dominion-Post newspaper the football jerseys
Corporation, a government agency which funds injury and disability treatment, would go to court Tuesday to begin liquidation proceedings.
The Phoenix is New Zealand’s only professional football team and has played in the A-League since 2008.
McLea said club owner Century City Football owed levies to the corporation, some of which dated back several years.
“They have promised to pay many times but not done so. We have even agreed payment plans with them but these have not been honored,” he said. “Liquidation is the final option and is a step we have not taken lightly. We fully appreciate the potential impact on the Wellington Phoenix football team.”
Terry Serepisos, the Wellington-based property developer who owns team through San Francisco 49ers jersey
Century City Football, said the amount owed to ACC would be paid on Tuesday. He said the exact amount was “in dispute” and the threat of legal action resulted from a misunderstanding.
MADRID (AP)—Santiago Cazorla scored twice for Villarreal in a fast-paced 3-2 win over 10-man Malaga in the Spanish league Monday, with all five goals coming in the first 34 minutes.
The win puts Villarreal in second place with 12 points from five games, one point behind leader Valencia. Barcelona also has 12 points but a lesser goal difference, with Real Madrid in fourth on 11 points.
Cazorla slotted in the winner in the 34th after controlling an assist from Brazil forward Nilmar, having earlier equalized to make it 1-1 in the 21st.
Malaga midfielder Eliseu Pereira opened the scoring in the fourth by latching onto Antonio Apono’s free kick with his left foot. The next 30 minutes featured nearly nonstop end-to-end action, and Cazorla leveled with a hard shot after taking a pass from Marcos Senna.
Two minutes later, Giuseppe Rossi scored Villarreal’s second from another assist by Nilmar. But Venezuela forward Jose Rondon leveled the match level again in the 29th when he rose to connect with a pass from Ghana forward Quincy Owusu-Abeyie.
Eliseu was sent off in the 41st after headbutting Carlos Marchena, who dramatically fell to the ground, giving Villarreal room to protect its lead.
On Saturday, Real Madrid was held 0-0 at Levante, Barcelona beat 10-man Buffalo Bills jersey
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 and Valencia won 2-0 against Sporting Gijon.
On Sunday, Mallorca beat Real Sociedad 2-0, Espanyol won 1-0 against Osasuna, Almeria beat Deportivo La Coruna 2-0, Getafe overcame Racing Santander 1-0, Hercules won 2-0 against Sevilla 2-0 and Atletico Madrid beat Zaragoza 1-0.