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Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:13 AM

TUKWILA, Wash. (AP) -- Bob Bradley was walking off the practice field toward the team bus when a father stopped the coach of the United States national team with a cheerful yell from a playground.
"Hey, good job on the Confederations Cup, man!'' the dad shouted through a chain-link fence as a little girl played nearby. He then raised his coffee cup to salute the coach.

Two weeks ago, the guy might have thrown his mug at Bradley - if he'd even known who he was.

Now, strangers are toasting the U.S. coach and his team.
Three days after its stunning success in the Confederations Cup in South Africa, a younger, scaled-down U.S. team was back home preparing for Saturday's game against Grenada, its opener in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Wednesday morning's 90-minute practice on a back field with only a girls' team watching through a fence was a relatively quiet plateau off the peak of becoming the first U.S. team to reach the final of a FIFA men's tournament.

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:14 AM

LYON, France (AP) -- Lyon agreed to sell France striker Karim Benzema to Real Madrid on Wednesday in a deal worth up to ?41 million ($67 million).

Lyon said on its Web site that Madrid will pay a minimum fee of ?35 million ($57.4 million), rising to up to ?41 million with performance bonuses.

Madrid confirmed a transfer deal was reached, adding that Benzema agreed to a six-year deal. Madrid said on its Web site that Benzema would undergo a medical examination soon.

"Lyon has accepted Karim Benzema's decision and has negotiated the terms of a transfer which satisfies all sides,'' Lyon said in a statement. "The club wishes Karim the best of success with Real Madrid.''

The Spanish club headed off stiff competition from Manchester United to secure a deal for the 21-year-old Benzema, considered one of the most exciting young players in Europe.

Lyon coach Claude Puel said the time had come to sell the club's biggest asset

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:15 AM

Chivas USA announced Wednesday that it has traded forward Alecko Eskandarian to the Los Angeles Galaxy for allocation money and a conditional pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.

"This move allows us greater flexibility in terms of our roster and salary budget," said Chivas USA head coach Preki in a statement. "We would like to thank Alecko for his contributions to our club. We wish him the best."

The 26-year-old Eskandarian is becoming something of an MLS journeyman as the Galaxy will be his fifth club in six years. The move follows three seasons as a D.C. United player, one split between Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake, and a season-and-a-half with Chivas.
A native of Montvale, N.J., Eskandarian has scored 28 goals in his MLS career and has also been capped by the U.S. national team on one occasion

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:15 AM

MADRID (AP) -- David Villa appeared closer to signing with Barcelona following a reported meeting with the Spanish champion's sporting director Txiki Begiristain.

The Valencia striker, who has just returned from playing for Spain at the Confederations Cup, ate with Begiristain on Wednesday according to newspaper El Comercio. It said an agreement in principal had been reached between the club and the player.
Chelsea and Manchester United are also vying for the 27-year-old striker's services, with Real Madrid pulling out of the running last week after balking at Valencia's reported asking fee of $70 million.
Villa scored three goals for Spain at the World Cup warmup event in South Africa, and is coming off a season in which he scored 28 goals -- the third best tally in the leag

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:16 AM

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Manchester City may need to show patience in its bid to bring Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o to the Premier League club, manager Mark Hughes said Wednesday.

"We have made an offer but there appears to be a situation between the player and his club that we cannot be part of,'' Hughes said. "We just have to sit back and see what develops. Patience is a word that has been mentioned and we may need some of it.''

Eto'o's agent Josep Maria Mesalles told a Spanish radio station on Monday that the player would see out the final year of his contract before leaving Barcelona on a free transfer next year.

City has reportedly offered Barcelona $41 million for the Cameroon striker in a deal that would earn him around 10 million pounds a year, making him the highest-paid player in world.

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:17 AM

The United States national team will be permitted to call up seven more players to its Gold Cup roster, taking the total to 30 players. CONCACAF made the decision that any team playing in both the Confederations Cup and the Gold Cup would be permitted a further seven roster spots.

The U.S. reached the final of this year's Confederations Cup, where it lost to Brazil 3-2 in the final. Five days after that loss, it will kick off its Gold Cup campaign against Grenada.

"In light of the consecutive competitions, the Confederations Cup and the Gold Cup, with the objective of providing the best performance possible for the public, and in recognition that the back-to-back tournaments strain players and their clubs, CONCACAF will give permission to any team who also is participating in the Confederations Cup in the same year to enlarge their roster to 30 from the 23 already permitted," CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said.

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:18 AM

LONDON (AP) -Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey signed a new long-term contract Wednesday.

The 18-year-old Wales international made 22 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners last season. Six of those were in the Champions League in which he scored his first Arsenal goal in the 5-2 win against Fenerbahce in October. It was his only goal of the season.

"We're delighted that Aaron has signed a new long-term contract,'' manager Arsene Wenger said. "He made a very good contribution in his first season and he showed that he is a very intelligent player with great quality. He is still only 18 and we're really looking forward to seeing him develop with us in the forthcoming years.''

Ramsey, who has made six appearances for Wales, joined Arsenal last summer after turning down Manchester United and Everton

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:19 AM

The Colorado Rapids have signed French defender Julien Baudet. The 30-year-old comes from English League One side Crewe Alexandra, where he was club captain.

His move will take place after the international transfer window opens, on July 15, and upon the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate.

Baudet was voted the fans' player of the year for Crewe in the 2007-2008 season.

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:20 AM

BRUSSELS (AP) -The Belgian soccer federation says Dutch coach Dick Advocaat has signed a two-year contract to take charge of Belgium's national team next year.

Advocaat will remain with the Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg until his new job begins in January.

Advocaat will replace Rene Vandereycken, who was dismissed in April after losses in World Cup qualifiers left Belgium with little chance of making the tournament in South Africa next year.

Having guided the Netherlands to the 1994 World Cup quarterfinals and Euro 2004 semifinals, Advocaat's initial goal will be to qualify Belgium for the European Championship finals in 2012

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 07:21 AM

Chivas USA Coach Preki demanded explanations, but police intervened. So Chivas left South Carolina without much opportunity to discuss lingering matters with officials after its 3-1 U.S. Open Cup loss Tuesday to the Charleston Battery. After the match, Preki trotted across the field to speak with officials before police stepped in and led the coach and players in the direction of the locker room. Preki was frustrated by what he perceived to be a blown call on the Battery's goalkeeper as Chivas defender Carey Talley prepared to attack the goal.
Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-chivas-usa-charleston1-2009jul01,0,4552041.story)

Goodfellas

07-02-2009, 06:37 PM

David Beckham can expect a negative reaction from some fans when he returns to Major League Soccer next month, U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said. Beckham missed the start of the MLS season after negotiating an extension to his loan at AC Milan that expired today. The former England captain is due to make his comeback on July 16 when the Los Angeles Galaxy visits the New York Red Bulls. "I'm sure there will be some negative reaction from some fans," Gulati said in an interview in Johannesburg where he was traveling with the U.S. national team for the Confederations Cup. "That's inevitable, but in the end he's a good player, a soccer icon and I think he'll help his team and the league. But are there going to be some people that are upset? Sure."
Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=a9ek7UKw.cE0)

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 07:51 AM

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Over a decade later, Ntombie Khofane still feels the warmth of Nelson Mandela's handshake and remembers his message to students at her school that life can get better.
Boosted by her belief that he was right, Khofane left her unemployment-riddled Mount Ayliff area six years ago and took a bumpy, nine-hour bus ride into Soweto.

Now, she has already made it up to assistant surveyor at the Soccer City Stadium, living proof of how construction for the World Cup is building more than mere sports arenas. Such projects are offering jobs and a sign of how far the nation has progressed since the dark days of apartheid.

The 94,000-seat Soccer City Stadium, which will host the World Cup final, has risen like a huge cooking pot from the red dust, framed by slag heaps from gold mining on one side and Johannesburg skyscrapers on the other

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 07:55 AM

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) -- Cruzeiro reached the Copa Libertadores final thanks to a quickfire double from Wellington Paulista which sealed a 5-3 aggregate win over Gremio in their all-Brazilian semifinals on Thursday.

Wellington scored in the 35th and 36th minutes before Rever and Souza struck in the second half to level the score. But Cruzeiro's 3-1 win at home in the first leg proved decisive.

Gremio defender Adilson was sent off for a professional foul in the 60th.

Cruzeiro will play Argentine club Estudiantes in the two-legged finals of the Latin American championship on July 8 and 15.

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 08:28 AM

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that his club are eager to bring Cesc Fabregas back to the Camp Nou.

Fabregas has been linked with his former club for a long time, but these comments from Laporta confirm that a move is a distinct possibility. Speaking to radio station Cadena Cope, Laporta said, "Cesc Fabregas has the Barcelona DNA in his body and we know that he wants to play for this club."

"At the moment he is the leader at Arsenal and a very important player for them. But Cesc is wanted by me, by the coach Pep Guardiola and by the sport director Txiki Begiristain.

"We are concentrating all of our efforts on it, but at the same time we have a lot of respect for Arsenal. We have positive relations with Arsenal so it will not be an easy topic to talk to them about."

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 08:29 AM

NEW YORK (AP) -- Midfielder Jermaine Jones could join the U.S. national team later this year, possibly with defender Edgar Castillo.

The 27-year-old Jones, who has appeared in the European Champions League for Schalke of the Bundesliga, has played three times for Germany's national team in exhibitions. He holds dual citizenship and has petitioned FIFA for a switch of nationality.

"We've had pretty regular communications with Jermaine's representatives and his advisers,'' U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati said Thursday. "I think that paperwork for that has probably now been submitted to FIFA. And the earliest he would be eligible to move would be the 2nd of August, which would be 60 days after the rule change came into effect.''

Jones, the son of a U.S. soldier, was Eintracht Frankfurt's captain before signing a four-year contract with Schalke in April 2007.

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 08:30 AM

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Finishing second to Brazil in last weekend's Confederations Cup final boosted the Americans' confidence. It's also led to soul searching in Mexico, which used to be the region's top team.

The United States has risen to No. 12 in the latest rankings by FIFA. Meanwhile, Mexico has slumped to No. 33.

"We didn't earn the right to play in the Confederations Cup," Decio De Maria, the general secretary of the Mexican Football Federation, said on Thursday. "But this is not the basic point. For a long time the United States has maintained stability in its coaching staff. They have put up with the tough times, and have gotten support in tough times. We haven't."

De Maria blamed his own federation for some of the problems, pointing out that Bruce Arena -- and now his assistant, Bob Bradley -- has been in charge for 11 years

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 08:31 AM

Michael Owen has been heavily linked with a shock move to Manchester United, according to British daily The Guardian.

It is said that the injury prone striker has had his services called upon to provide goals for the English Premier League champions in the wake of the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez -- all pending a medical at Old Trafford.

Reports say that Owen is currently holding talks with United as both parties move to complete one of the most unexpected transfers in English football history.

The 28-year-old's glittering career looked to be all but over as previous transfer speculation had linked him to teams in the lower half of the league, but the former England international's luck seems to have changed.

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 08:34 AM

It's been a tough year for DaMarcus Beasley. The fleet-footed winger has found himself frozen out at the club level, with Rangers in Scotland, and a series of dismal showings for the U.S. national team have seen his stock plummet.

The former Chicago Fire player is back home in Indiana for the next three weeks taking a break. "My mind set is to take a vacation [from soccer]," Beasley said to Ft. Wayne, Ind., daily The News-Sentinel.
But it's just a vacation. Beasley is determined to push through the rough patch come time for next season, and is taking the wider view of his career.

"This is probably the toughest year that I've had in my career," Beasley said. "People forget the fact that I've played 89 times for my country [and] I've played in two World Cups. They say at 27 my best years are behind me, but 27 is where I'm hitting my prime. I had a bad year last year and that's it. It's just [going to be] how I rebound from this."

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 10:41 AM

Sal Zizzo is undergoing a physical at Fortuna Dusseldorf and is expected to sign a one-year loan deal with the 2nd Bundesliga club within the day. The Rhine-based club also confirmed negotiations with the former UCLA Bruin, but warned that they were still awaiting his final decision about the mov
yanks-abroad.com (http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=4870)

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 10:41 AM

UEFA president Michel Platini has warned big-spending clubs that he plans to introduce tighter financial regulations within "two or three years" that would put an end to huge spending sprees in football. Real Madrid has spent $338.4 million to acquire three of the world's most sought-after players in a matter of weeks, including Ronlado and Kaka. Manchester City, meanwhile, is offering Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o $18.9 million a year, which would make the Cameroon international the highest-paid player in world.
Toronto Sun (http://www.torontosun.com/sports/soccer/2009/07/03/10010761-sun.html)

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 10:42 AM

After his five-month loan to Italian superclub AC Milan, David Beckham is expected back with the Los Angeles Galaxy and scheduled to play on July 16 against the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium. But when he takes the field the mood will be far less giddy than the one that heralded his arrival in the U.S. in 2007. nd then the check came. After his first training session with the Galaxy, in Washington two days before a nationally televised game against D.C. United, he helped organize a dinner with 10 other players at Morton's steak house in Arlington, Va. Beckham had enjoyed the players-only meals at Real Madrid, and if he was going to be just one of the lads in the Galaxy locker room, things needed to get off on the right foot. Beckham was earning a $6.5 million salary, and his income, with endorsements, would balloon to $48.2 million. Martino was making a salary of $55,297 -- before taxes -- and living in one of the U.S.'s most expensive cities. Nearly everyone at the table was thinking, Is Beckham going to pick up the check? But nobody said anything. Beckham, meanwhile, had never been in this situation before. The players on his other teams had all been millionaires, and Real Madrid paid for all team meals anyway. The Galaxy provided only a $45 per diem on the road. What would Beckham do? What should he do? Donovan eyed the bill from his seat. He had paid for teammates' dinners in the past, and he'd made his position clear even before Beckham's arrival. "He'd better be picking up meals too," Donovan had told teammates, "or else I'll call him out on it."
SI.com (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/the_bonus/06/29/beckham.book/index.html?eref=T1)

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 10:43 AM

The Insider has learned that Columbus star Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the reigning MLS most valuable player and among the top midseason favorites for the award this year, is again attracting interest from his native Argentina. One club has stepped forward, though its identity was not immediately made available. Schelotto has told colleagues that he would prefer to return to the Crew next year, if Columbus wants him.
The Washington Post (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/07/schelotto_in_demand.html)

Goodfellas

07-03-2009, 10:43 AM

The newest Galactico, Cristiano Ronaldo, has revealed he had to quit Manchester United as he feared serious injury if he didn't. Ronaldo cited the rough physical nature of the Premier League as one of the factors that convinced him to join the free-spending Spanish giants.
goal.com (http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/07/02/1359340/cristiano-ronaldo-blames-bullies-for-manchester-united)

Goodfellas

07-04-2009, 07:15 AM

SANDY, Utah (AP) -- San Jose kicked in an own-goal in second-half injury time, allowing Real Salt Lake to tie the Earthquakes 1-1 on Friday night.

Real Salt Lake (5-6-5) extended its undefeated streak to five matches (2-0-3), tying a franchise record last done Sept. 27-Oct. 25, 2008.

Arturo Alvarez scored his fifth goal of the season in the 63rd minute for the Earthquakes (3-8-4), who got just their second road point of the year.

Real Salt Lake's Fabian Espindola was ejected with a red card in the 77th minute for a kick to the legs of San Jose's Brandon McDonald after McDonald tripped Espindola on a run down the sideline.
A man up late in the game, San Jose was minutes from its first road win and ending a 16-match road winless streak dating to a 2-0 victory at Columbus on June 7, 2008.

But in the second minute of stoppage time, RSL's Yura Movsisyan broke toward the goal from 15 yards. San Jose's Chris Leitch tried to get in the way, but instead, the ball ticked off him and over goalkeeper Joe Cannon's frantic dive, just getting into the net and giving Salt Lake the tie

Goodfellas

07-04-2009, 07:16 AM

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Osael Romero scored two goals, including the winner in the 86th minute, to give El Salvador a 2-1 victory over Costa Rica in Group A at the Gold Cup on Friday night.

El Salvador and Canada share first place with three points apiece after Canada defeated Jamaica 1-0.

Romero broke a 1-1 tie by intercepting an attempted defensive clearance and scoring on a low 16-yard shot before an overwhelmingly pro-El Salvador crowd that erupted after the goal. One man ran onto the field with a flag to give to El Salvador coach Carlos de los Cobos, but security stopped him.

El Salvador broke a 12-game winless streak against Costa Rica dating from 1997.

Romero scored his first goal in the 20th minute on a diagonal 8-yard shot. Warren Granados tied the score in the 64th minute with a sliding 5-yard shot under the crossbar

Goodfellas

07-04-2009, 07:17 AM

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Ali Gerba scored in the 75th minute to give Canada a win in the Gold Cup's opening game.

Gerba volleyed Mike Klukowski's left-wing cross inside the left post from 7 yards while being marked tightly by Jamaican defender Claude Davis.

Goalkeeper Greg Sutton kept Jamaica scoreless with two saves in a 10-minute span. In the 54th minute, Sutton dived to his right to stop Damion Stewart's 13-yard line drive.

Then in the 64th minute, Sutton blocked Ricardo Fuller's 14-yard shot off a breakaway. Sutton, released recently by Toronto FC of MLS, finished with four saves

Goodfellas

07-04-2009, 07:18 AM

LIMA, Peru (AP) -- Peruvian football players threatening to boycott the national team in upcoming World Cup qualifiers will face punishment, a top Peruvian sports official said Friday.

Peru's football players union has set a deadline of July 24 for the country's governing body to make changes in the way it runs the sport - or face consequences.

Peru has not reached a World Cup finals since 1982 and is in last place in the 10-team South American qualifying group for next year's World Cup in South Africa. Peru has won only one of 14 qualifiers for South Africa and has no chance of advancing.

"It seems the union only wants to make trouble,'' said Luis Souza, president of the Sports Association of Professional Football. He criticized union officials for skipping a negotiating meeting on June 30, and suggested they were unlikely to attend one set for next week.

Souza, serving as a go-between for the union and the Peru Football Federation, has called for dialogue between the two sides.
"If the players reject playing for the national team, there will be punishment from FIFA,'' Souza said in an interview published by the official news agency Andina. "In the end, the clubs will suffer. ... I'm not in favor of anybody. But I disagree with some of the union's ways of doing things.''

Among other things, the union is asking for voting rights in the Peru Football Federation, protection for fired coaches, salary guarantees for players, and protection from clubs who are late to pay their players.

Peru still has qualifying matches in September and October against Uruguay, Venezuela, Argentina and Bolivia.

Goodfellas

07-04-2009, 07:20 AM

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -- Next week's first-leg match in the finals of the Copa Libertadores will go ahead in Argentina despite a swine flu outbreak that is blamed in the deaths of at least 44 people in the country.

CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American soccer, said on Friday the match between Argentine club Estudiantes and Brazilian club Cruzeiro would be played in La Plata on Wednesday.

It said the second-leg game would be played as scheduled on July 15 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, to determine the winner of Latin America's most important club competition.

Cruzeiro said in a statement that it intended to play the match unless Argentine health officials stepped in to stop it.

Cruzeiro reached the final on Thursday after eliminating fellow Brazilian club Gremio 5-3 on aggregate over two games. Estudiantes eliminated Uruguay club Nacional on Wednesday.

Two months ago, South American clubs Sao Paulo of Brazil and Nacional declined to play Copa Libertadores matches in Mexico during an outbreak of swine flu in that country.

"We're sorry about the situation the country is going through, but the dates are set,'' Estudiantes vice president Marcelo Malaspina said. "All precautions are being taken so the game can be played in a relaxed atmosphere.''

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:33 AM

SEATTLE (AP) -- A young U.S. lineup easily beat up on Grenada in the Americans' opener at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

"Today is important to start the Gold Cup the right way," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said after Saturday night's 4-0 win. "It was a really good team effort, four different guys scored tonight, so all things are important."

Freddy Adu scored the opening goal in the seventh minute and Stuart Holden doubled the lead in the 31st, both fed by Robbie Rogers.

Rogers made it 3-0 in the 60th minute and Charlie Davies, one of the few players kept on from the Confederations Cup, got the final goal in the 68th.

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:37 AM

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Alejandro Moreno scored the tying goal in the 59th minute and the Columbus Crew pushed their home unbeaten streak to 17 games with a 1-1 draw with D.C. United on Saturday night.

Christian Gomez scored his fourth goal in the 33rd minute for to give United (5-3-9) the lead, but the Crew rallied to extend their streak despite being outshot 22-9. Columbus' 11-0-6 run at Crew Stadium is one game shy of tying the MLS record for home unbeaten streaks.
Columbus (5-3-8) got the equalizer when Steven Lenhart, who entered at the start of the second half, flicked a cross from Emmanuel Ekpo to Moreno and he settled the ball before scoring his third goal

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:38 AM

Galaxy 1, Revs 0

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Recently acquired Alecko Eskandarian scored in the eighth minute as the (4-3-9) won consecutive games for the first time this season.

The Revolution (4-5-4), playing their first MLS match since June 13, were playing their fifth game in 14 days after reaching the SuperLiga semifinals and losing in the U.S. Open Cup.

Eskandarian, who made his debut with the Galaxy after being acquired from Chivas USA on Wednesday, volleyed Todd Dunivant's diagonal pass from the left flank inside the left post from 11 yards.
Josh Saunders made four saves for his first MLS shutout this season. He replaced Donovan Ricketts, who's starting for Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:39 AM

FC Dallas 2, Red Bulls 1

FRISCO, Texas (AP) -- Jeff Cunningham scored twice in a 2-minute span of the first half as FC Dallas extended New York's road winless skid to 23 games.

FC Dallas (4-7-5) extended its unbeaten streak to three games while pushing the Red Bulls' overall winless streak to 10. New York's last won on May 8, when it beat San Jose 4-1. The Red Bulls (2-13-4) are also 0-17-6 in their last 23 on the road.

Cunningham, fourth on the MLS career goals list with 107, started in place of striker Kenny Cooper, who missed the game due to U.S. national team duty for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Cooper had started 47 consecutive games at forward.

Cunningham's first goal came in the 15th minute after he dribbled past Nick Zimmerman and fired a left-footed shot into the left corner of the net from the top of the penalty area.

In the 17th minute, Cunningham took advantage of a great pass from midfielder Dave van den Bergh to chip in a shot from inside the goalie's box. Van den Bergh crossed a volley from 20 yards which Cunningham redirected into the net with the top of his left foot.
Cunningham had a potential third goal disallowed in the 80th minute when he was called offside after knocking in a missed shot by Eric Avila.

New York's Juan Pablo Angel scored from inside the goalie's box in the 43rd minute for his sixth goal of the season, with Danleigh Borman and Jorge Rojas assisting

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:40 AM

Dynamo 1, Wizards 0

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- Kei Kamara scored on Mike Chabala's first career assist to boost Houston.

Houston's Pat Onstad made three saves for his eighth shutout of the year, giving him the MLS lead over Chivas USA's Zach Thornton.
The Dynamo (9-3-4), who extended their Western Conference lead to four points over Chivas, broke a two-match winless streak.
Kansas City (5-6-4) controlled the run of play early, with three clear scoring opportunities in the first 11 minutes, before Houston scored on a counterattack in the 18th.

Corey Ashe sent a long pass down the left side to Chabala, whose left-footed cross found Kamara in front of the net. Kamara outjumped central defender Rauwshan McKenzie and headed the ball home from just inside the 6-yard box.

McKenzie was filling in for U.S. national team defender Jimmy Conrad, who was called up to the Gold Cup squad but is out with a hamstring injury. Conrad aggravated the strain in Sunday's 3-1 SuperLiga loss to Mexican side Santos Laguna.

The Wizards had two late chances to equalize, but couldn't convert, either.

In the 83rd minute, Josh Wolff's header hit the ground and bounced off the underside of the crossbar. The ball bounced around in front of the goal, but Abe Thompson's attempt to put back the rebound went wide.

Claudio Lopez's free kick from just outside the penalty area, in the closing seconds of stoppage time, also missed by inches.

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:40 AM

Fire 2, Rapids 1

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) -- Marco Pappa and Wilman Conde scored and the Chicago Fire ended a three-game losing streak -- and a 10-game skid in Colorado.

Chicago (6-3-6) had been 0-6-4 on the road against the Rapids since 1999. The Fire were coming off a three-week absence from the MLS schedule to play three SuperLiga matches, and hadn't played a league match since losing to D.C. United on June 13. Chicago also improved to 5-1-3 on the road.

Jacob Peterson scored for Colorado (5-4-6), which has lost two straight for the first time this season. The Rapids also dropped to 11-2-1 on Fourth of July matches.

Pappa scored his fifth goal of the season in the 30th minute. He took a pass from Baggio Husidic just outside the crease and nudged the ball past Matt Pickens' right hand.

Conde made it 2-0 in the 37th minute with a goal off a header. Cuauhtemoc Blanco sent a corner kick into the middle of the field, and Conde finished the play with his second goal.

Colorado nearly took a lead in the 14th minute, but Mehdl Ballouchy hit the center of the crossbar from 15 yards.

The Rapids avoided the shutout in the 76th minute. The ball was stopped near the right post and Peterson ran up and kicked it into the net for his first goal.

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:42 AM

PARIS (AP) -- Marseille owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus died Saturday after a long battle with leukemia, club officials said. He was 63.
"He was someone who loved Marseille, but unfortunately today he was swept away by his illness,'' Marseille's assistant manager Guy Stephan told iTele TV station. "It's a great loss for Marseille.''
Former president Christophe Bouchet, who worked under Louis-Dreyfus between 2002-04, said he felt "a deep sadness'' and added that it was "unfortunately not a great surprise, since (Louis-Dreyfus) was very ill over the last month.''

Louis-Dreyfus took over at Marseille in 1996. He was previously the director of the Adidas and Salomon sportswear labels.

Louis-Dreyfus had suffered from leukemia for several years and his condition had worsened in recent months.

Marseille did not immediately confirm the death on its Web site

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:43 AM

MONACO (AP) -- Caen striker Steve Savidan is likely to retire from football after tests revealed a heart condition during a medical examination with Monaco.

The 31-year-old Savidan was poised to join Monaco until tests revealed the heart problem, and he now expects to retire.
"It became apparent that there was a heart problem that has recently come about," Savidan said Saturday on Monaco's Web site. "It is highly probable that the doctors will not let me continue my career."

Savidan scored 14 league goals for Caen, which was relegated last season, and he made his debut for France in a friendly match against Uruguay in November.

"It's a huge disappointment not to be able to join Monaco," Savidan said. "My journey continues, I will go back to Caen for further tests ... a page has been turned."

Last year, Lilian Thuram, France's most capped player, announced his retirement at age 36 -- citing a heart condition that stopped him from moving to Paris Saint-Germain.

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:44 AM

LILLE, France (AP) -- Lille goalkeeper Mickael Landreau faces up to six months out after tearing cruciate ligaments in his right knee.
The 30-year Landreau, recently signed from Paris Saint-Germain, injured himself in a freak preseason training incident on Friday.
Lille will be without him "for an estimated period of six months," the club said on its Web site on Saturday.

Landreau sustained the injury after losing his balance.
"(I did it) myself, I was wrong-footed," Landreau told sports daily L'Equipe. "My first thoughts went out to (coach) Rudi Garcia and to the club, which had done so much to sign me."

Landreau will have an operation at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital Paris on Sunday, and will be replaced at the start of the new season by Ludovic Butelle -- originally Landreau's understudy. Lille starts at home to Lorient on Aug. 9.

"Lille is fully behind the player during this difficult moment," the club said.

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:45 AM

SANDY, Utah (AP) -- San Jose kicked in an own-goal in second-half injury time, allowing Real Salt Lake to tie the Earthquakes 1-1 on Friday night.

Real Salt Lake (5-6-5) extended its undefeated streak to five matches (2-0-3), tying a franchise record last done Sept. 27-Oct. 25, 2008.

Arturo Alvarez scored his fifth goal of the season in the 63rd minute for the Earthquakes (3-8-4), who got just their second road point of the year.

Real Salt Lake's Fabian Espindola was ejected with a red card in the 77th minute for a kick to the legs of San Jose's Brandon McDonald after McDonald tripped Espindola on a run down the sideline.

A man up late in the game, San Jose was minutes from its first road win and ending a 16-match road winless streak dating to a 2-0 victory at Columbus on June 7, 2008.

But in the second minute of stoppage time, RSL's Yura Movsisyan broke toward the goal from 15 yards. San Jose's Chris Leitch tried to get in the way, but instead, the ball ticked off him and over goalkeeper Joe Cannon's frantic dive, just getting into the net and giving Salt Lake the tie.

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:46 AM

Goodfellas

07-05-2009, 07:48 AM

Canada 1, Jamaica 0

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Ali Gerba scored in the 75th minute to give Canada a win in the Gold Cup's opening game.

Gerba volleyed Mike Klukowski's left-wing cross inside the left post from 7 yards while being marked tightly by Jamaican defender Claude Davis.

Goalkeeper Greg Sutton kept Jamaica scoreless with two saves in a 10-minute span. In the 54th minute, Sutton dived to his right to stop Damion Stewart's 13-yard line drive.

Then in the 64th minute, Sutton blocked Ricardo Fuller's 14-yard shot off a breakaway. Sutton, released recently by Toronto FC of MLS, finished with four saves

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 05:34 AM

this point in the season, one win can shift the standings in Women's Professional Soccer play, except for first place. The Los Angeles Sol (11-1-4, 37 points) continued its domination with a 1-0 win on Sunday. The Sol clinched the first-ever WPS playoff spot last week.

Saint Louis Athletica (6-5-2, 20 points) earned a win on Sunday, which moved them into second place. The Boston Breakers (5-5-3, 18 points) dropped to third. The Washington Freedom (4-6-4, 16 points) is now in fourth. Sky Blue FC (4-6-3, 15 points) and the Chicago Red Stars (3-6-5, 14 poitns) earned wins, moving both clubs out of the bottom of the table. FC Gold Pride (3-7-3, 12 points) sits alone at the bottom

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 05:35 AM

Chicago Red Stars 2, Washington Freedom 1

As of now, eight points are all that separate last place from second. With just under a month to play, anything is possible.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Red Stars made history Wednesday night. Second-half goals by Cristiane and Lindsay Tarpley led Chicago to a 2-1 win and the first-ever come-from-behind win for any WPS team.

The Washington Freedom's Abby Wambach got on the board first, burying a Lisa De Vanna assist in the 34th minute for a 1-0 lead.
Second half the Red Stars took control. In the 48th minute Lindsay Tarpley sent a shot toward goal. Freedom goalkeeper Erin McLeod deflected the ball into play. Chicago striker Cristiane was there.

Standing with her back to the net, Cristiane kicked it backwards and straight into the net, tying the match at 1-1.

In the 61st minute, Megan Rapinoe sent the ball to Tarpley, who spun around her defender and found some space. Tarpley rocketed the shot into the net for a 2-1 lead, and eventual win. Chicago snapped its nine-game unbeaten streak and scored for the first time in 451 minutes

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 05:36 AM

Sky Blue FC 1, Boston Breakers 0

"What we did differently this week, as you know, we put the ball in the back of the net," Red Stars Coach Emma Hayes said. "The law of averages suggests that the amount of chances we have, we have to bloody put the ball in the back of the net.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Heather O'Reilly tallied in just the sixth minute to give Sky Blue FC a 1-0 win over the Boston Breakers.

O'Reilly bent a corner kick into the box in the sixth minute, headed right toward goal. Boston goalkeeper Alli Lipsher grabbed for the save, but the ball went into the net for a 1-0 lead, and O'Reilly's second tally of the season.

The goal also marked the first one Boston had given up in 261 minutes, since a June 17th match with FC Gold Pride.

"Obviously it was a little bit of a lucky goal for us, but at the same time I think that we created enough chances that we deserved a goal today," Sky Blue FC head coach Kelly Lindsey said. "It's not necessarily the way we mapped it out in practice, but we'll gladly take it."

In the 20th minute, Boston nearly evened the score when Christine Latham headed the ball just wide of the right post. Boston threatened again in the 73rd minute. Kelly Smith sent the ball to Amy Rodriguez in the box. Rodriguez shot the ball toward goal. Sky Blue goalkeeper Jenni Branam blocked it for the save. Smith attempted a shot moments later, but it sailed past the right post.

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 05:37 AM

Los Angeles Sol 1, Washington Freedom 0

With the win sky Blue snapped Boston's three-game unbeaten streak and picked up their second win in three games.

BOYDS, Md. -- Marta tallied a stoppage-time goal to lead the Los Sol to a1-0 win over the Washington Freedom.

The Freedom had their best chances of the match early in the first half. Abby Wambach blasted a shot toward goal. Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc dove to make the save. Cat Whitehill sent a freekick toward goal in the 25th minute. It deflected off the right goal post.
But Los Angeles got all it needed in extra time. In the 91st minute, Aya Miyama passed the ball to Marta, who drilled a left-footed shot home for the club's fourth consecutive win.

"Though it was one of only a few chances I had, it came at the right time to be able to win the game," Marta said.

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 05:37 AM

Saint Louis 1, FC Gold Pride 0

The Sol is now unbeaten in 11 matches. A win on Wednesday, July 8th against Saint Louis Athletica will ensure the Sol WPS Regular Season Champions. With that title, Los Angeles will host the Championship August 22.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Lori Chalupny tallied her second goal of the season to lead Saint Louis Athletica to a 1-0 win over FC Gold Pride.
Athletica's Enila Aluko almost got Athletica on the board in the 11th minute, when she sent a shot toward goal. FC Gold Pride goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart easily stopped the attempt. Five minutes later, St. Louis' Melissa Tancredi headed a shot over the crossbar.

FC Gold Pride nearly tallied in the 69th minute. Tina DiMartino and Leslie Osborne sent quality chances at goal. Athletica goalkeeper Hope Solo made both saves to keep her net clean.

But In the 73rd minute, it was Saint Louis who found the net. Chalupny struck a straight shot into the upper far corner for a 1-0 Athleitca lead.

Saint Louis head coach Jorge Barcellos summed up the match very simply. "Three big points," Barcellos said. "Three very important points."

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 05:39 AM

ROME (AP) -- AS Roma captain Francesco Totti says he will sign a new five-year contract to stay with the Serie A club and is not ruling out a return to Italy's national team after recovering from a knee injury.

Roma's captain has spent his entire career with his hometown Serie A club, which finished sixth in the league last season. A huge favorite with the fans, he is Roma's all-time top scorer with 178 goals.

Totti told reporters Sunday that he will sign a contract that runs until 2014 when he returns from a preseason training camp in northern Italy.

Asked about a possible international return if he was contacted by Italy's 2006 World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi, he said: "We'd evaluate that together. Let's see how I am during the year. The physical problems have passed, my knee is OK and the aim is to play as much as possible."

The club has had financial problems and has been considering buyout offers for several years.

Totti said as far as he knew "nobody had made a real offer" for Roma.

He said he had spoken with club president Rosella Sensi, whose family owns Roma, and that she had told him "if she gets a significant offer, for the good of Roma, she will sell."

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 05:39 AM

CAIRO (AP) -- Mohammed Abu Treka scored twice and Hosni Abed Rabbu once to give Egypt a 3-0 win Sunday, sending Rwanda to the bottom of Group C in a World Cup qualifying match.

Abu Treka's header came in the 65th minute from a pass by Abed Rabbu, who scored from a penalty kick in the 75th minute. Abu Treka's second goal came in the fifth minute of injury time.
Egypt is now second on four points, three behind group leader Algeria.

The Egyptians mounted numerous attacks in the first half but were unable to break down Rwanda's stubborn defense, prompting Egyptian coach Hassan Shehata to make three changes in the second half

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 05:41 AM

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) -- Rangers manager Walter Smith says every member of the Scottish double-winning squad is up for sale.
The league and cup winners had said in January that key personnel would have to be sold in a bid to balance the books.

Fans had hoped that winning the Scottish Premier League and securing automatic entry into the lucrative group stages of the Champions League would mean holding on to their top stars.

But Smith says every player has a price, regardless of the money guaranteed by playing in Europe's top knockout competition, and that the earlier need to sell had remained.

"Every player is susceptible to a bid," Smith told the Sunday Mail newspaper. "I know there's a feelgood factor after winning the double but this doesn't go away

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 05:41 AM

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) -- Palestinian officials say two popular Brazilian football clubs will play each other in the West Bank later this year in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Palestinian football official Sami Makawi says the exhibition match between Rio's Flamengo and Sao Paulo's Corinthians will take place in September in the West Bank's only regulation-size stadium.
He says the Brazilians support the Palestinian cause and know how much Palestinians love Brazilian football.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yariv Ovadia said Sunday Israel's ambassador to Brazil issued a personal invitation to the teams to play in Israel as well. He says Israel hopes the teams will accept the offer.

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 07:30 AM

A former University of Oregon women's soccer player sued Sounders FC forward Nate Jaqua and Major League Soccer this week, accusing Jaqua of sexually assaulting her in Eugene, Ore., two years ago. According to the complaint, the woman allegedly met Jaqua on July 1, 2007, and later allowed him to walk her home from a Eugene bar. Jaqua allegedly sexually assaulted the woman in a cemetery along the way.
Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sounders/2009416403_sounders04.html)

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 02:14 PM

Real Madrid are reportedly considering making a surprise move for Standard Liege's Oguchi Onyewu if they fail to secure the services of Liverpool full-back Alvaro Arbeloa, according to El Mundo Deportivo.
Goal.com (http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2009/07/06/1366394/report-real-madrid-consider-usas-oguchi-onyewu-as-back-up)

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 02:15 PM

This morning Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti attempted to put an end to speculation linking John Terry with a move to Manchester City by telling them that he is not available at any price, but it appears City have a contingency plan in the form of Bayern Munich star Lucio.
goal.com (http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/07/06/1366661/manchester-city-set-to-sign-bayern-munichs-lucio-report)

Goodfellas

07-06-2009, 02:16 PM

Real Madrid megastar Cristiano Ronaldo is relishing playing in Spain's Primera Division after six years and countless accolades in the Premier League with Manchester United. "The Premier League is a very good competition," he was quoted as saying on guardian.co.uk, "but I think that the Spanish league is going to have a little more quality because of the players who are arriving. "Both leagues are going to be very good, but I think that with Florentino Perez's signings, the Spanish league will be superior to the English."
goal.com (http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2009/07/06/1365982/real-madrid-ace-cristiano-ronaldo-la-liga-better-than)

Goodfellas

07-07-2009, 07:54 AM

MADRID (AP) -- Cristiano Ronaldo received a rapturous welcome from 80,000 Real Madrid fans Monday, an outpouring so exuberant the soccer star had to be hustled away when spectators leaped barriers and took the field.

A beaming Ronaldo came out to the capacity Santiago Bernabeu crowd wearing the same No. 9 jersey as Madrid great Alfredo di Stefano wore.

"I'm very happy to be here. I've achieved one of my dreams," Ronaldo, who agreed to a six-year deal, said. "I want this to begin as quickly as possible so that I can show what I can do."

Goodfellas

07-07-2009, 07:55 AM

Benny Feilhaber has been added to the U.S. roster for the Honduras game on Wednesday in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The game will be the second of each team in Group B action.

Because of the close time proximity between the Confederations Cup and the Gold Cup, CONCACAF allotted the U.S. team an extra seven roster slots.

Those seven -- Brad Guzan, Jonathan Bornstein, Sacha Kljestan, Ricardo Clark, Feilhaber, Jozy Altidore and Conor Casey -- won't travel with the squad, but be available to call in for individual matches, as Feilhaber has been.

The 24-year-old first shot to prominence in the 2007 Gold Cup. The Aarhus midfielder hit a stunning volley late in the final against Mexico to give the U.S. a 2-1 win and a spot in the 2009 Confederations Cup.

Feilhaber was part of the squad that reached the final in the Confederations Cup, starting the final against Brazil.

Goodfellas

07-07-2009, 07:56 AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Organizers of an all-star soccer match say the exhibition featuring FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi and other international stars was unexpectely cancelled by FIFA.

Patrick Lynch, general manager of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, said Monday that FIFA prohibited him from staging the July 4 event after all arrangements had been made.

The game was originally set for July 5 at the Coliseum before being moved to July 4. The organizers waited until Monday to announce the cancellation.

A team of South American all-stars was to face a squad from the rest of the world.

Among those listed on the teams were Italy's Marco Materazzi and Mauro Camoranesi, France's Patrick Viera, Spain's Fernando Morrientes and the Netherlands' Edgar Davids.

Officials from FIFA or CONCACAF did not attend the news conference.

Goodfellas

07-07-2009, 07:57 AM

CHICAGO (AP) -- Cat Whitehill and Leslie Osborne have been recalled to the U.S. women's squad for two football internationals against Canada later this month.

Both Whitehill and Osborne have been sidelined from national team duties by knee injuries since before the 2008 Olympics, which the United States won without them. They were chosen for the games against Canada on July 19 in Rochester, New York, and three days later in Charleston, South Carolina, by coach Pia Sundhage.

Also chosen Monday was striker Abby Wambach, who will be seeking her 100th U.S. goal in her hometown of Rochester. She has 99 goals in 128 international games.

On May 25, Wambach played her first match for the national team since breaking her leg almost 12 months ago.

Neither Whitehill nor Osborne has played for the U.S. team in more than a year. Both have recovered fully from operations on their anterior cruciate ligaments and have been regular starters for their Women's Professional Soccer clubs.

Goodfellas

07-07-2009, 11:33 AM

MILAN, Italy (AP) -- United States defender Oguchi Onyewu has joined AC Milan on a three-year contract the club said Tuesday, becoming the first U.S. player to join Serie A in more than 10 years.
Milan acquired Onyewu from Standard Liege in Belgium after some outstanding performances in the United States' run to the Confederations Cup final. The U.S. lost 3-2 to Brazil in the final.

Financial details of the transfer were not disclosed. Onyewu also holds a Belgian passport and he will likely be registered by Milan as an EU player.

The last American to play in Serie A was Alexi Lalas, who played for Padova from 1994-96. (Although Italian national-team striker Giuseppe Rossi, who was born in New Jersey and still holds American citizenship, spent a season with Parma.)

The 27-year-old Onyewu was born in Washington, D.C., after his parents emigrated to the United States from Nigeria and helped Standard Liege to two consecutive Belgian league titles.

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:06 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) -Some positive press in Portugal has Freddy Adu thinking he might finally get some playing time in Europe.

Adu scored his second career goal for the U.S. national team in Saturday's 4-0 win over Grenada in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
OK, so it was against a low-ranked team, and Adu was getting a rare chance to start because coach Bob Bradley is giving many regulars some time off following the Confederations Cup, but at least it was something that could make an impression.

"There's reports in the papers that I might get my chance in Benfica,'' Adu said Tuesday. "I know they're watching.''

Adu, once hyped as U.S. soccer's greatest prodigy when he joined MLS at age 14, has been nothing more than a fringe player since moving to Portuguese club Benfica in 2007. Last season Benfica loaned him to Monaco of France's Ligue 1, where he played just 169 minutes over 10 matches.

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:07 AM

SEATTLE (AP) -- Sebastien Le Toux drilled in a penalty kick in the 89th minute Tuesday night, giving the Seattle Sounders a 1-0 victory against the Kansas City Wizards in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal.
The Sounders were awarded the penalty kick when Fredy Montero was taken down in the area by Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
Seattle keeper Kasey Keller, who was red-carded in the 29th minute when the teams met in a regular-season Major League Soccer game in Seattle on April 11, earned the shutout.

The Sounders will host the Houston Dynamo of MLS in a semifinal game on July 21. The Wizards were eliminated from the Cup in the quarterfinals for the second straight year, having fall to the USL First Division Sounders last season

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:08 AM

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ali Gerba scored for the second straight game and Canada strengthened its hold on Group A of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 1-0 win over El Salvador on Tuesday.
Defender Manuel Salazar headed the ball out of the penalty area, but it fell to the feet of Canada's Patrice Bernier, who fired toward goal, leaving Gerba to deflect the ball past goalkeeper Miguel Montes in the 32nd minute.

The goal did little to dim the enthusiasm of a crowd largely supportive of El Salvador and determined to enjoy the Cuscatlecos' first visit to Crew Stadium. El Salvador, with a win and a loss, will play a decisive game against Jamaica on Friday as it seeks to advance to the quarterfinals. Unbeaten Canada faces Costa Rica needing only a tie to advance.

Will Johnson barely missed capitalizing on a long spell of possession by Canada when his low shot from the right side beat Montes but rolled past the left post in the 72nd minute.

Canada's defense smothered El Salvador's attack throughout the final quarter of the game, conceding virtually no good scoring opportunities

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:09 AM

Costa Rica 1, Jamaica 0

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Celso Borges' goal in the 64th minute gave Costa Rica a 1-0 win over Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on Tuesday.

Borges slid to get under a low cross from second-half substitute Pablo Herrera, knocking the ball beneath the arm of goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.

Following its first win, Costa Rica will face Canada on Friday in Group A. Jamaica was winless and will have to get past El Salvador on Friday to have any hope of advancing out of the group stage.
Walter Centeno barely missed putting Costa Rica ahead in the 20th when his header beat Ricketts but deflected off the crossbar.

A spinning shot from Jamaica forward Omar Cummings left goalkeeper Ricardo Gonzalez flat-footed as the ball dipped rapidly behind his head but bounced off the upper-left corner of the goal and out of play in the 29th.

Jamaica played a man down after a midfielder Rudolph Austin was shown a straight red card by referee Jair Marrufo for his tackle against Borges in the 35th. But the Reggae Boyz held their own with 10 men, pressing the attack at the start of the second half before surrendering the decisive goal to Borges.

Cummings squandered an opening against Gonzalez in the 51st, hesitating on his shot and giving three Ticos defenders time to snuff out the opportunity.

Eleven minutes later, Jamaica midfielder Demar Phillips found space inside the penalty area and sent a shot skimming just over the crossbar and off the top netting.

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:10 AM

SANTIAGO, CHILE (AP) -- Juan Manuel Olivera scored the winner as Universidad de Chile beat Union Espanola 1-0 on Tuesday to claim the Chilean Football Championship.

Olivera scored in the 63rd minute with a header off a cross from Emilio Hernandez.

This is Universidad de Chile's first title in five years. The title marked the end of Uruguayan Sergio Markarian's six-month tenure as coach of Universidad. Markarian terminated his contract and plans to leave Chile. The team's next coach will be Argentinian Jose Basualdo.
"I think we achieved everything we set out to do," Markarian said.

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:11 AM

U.S. starting midfielder Michael Bradley has been suspended for four games by FIFA, soccer's governing body, for "committing acts of misconduct against opponents and match officials" in the U.S.' 2-0 upset of Spain on June 24, a FIFA spokesman has confirmed to SI.com.

However, Bradley will be available for the U.S.' important World Cup qualifier at Mexico on Aug. 12, since he can serve his suspension during the current CONCACAF Gold Cup (even though Bradley isn't on the roster).

Bradley was sent off in the 87th minute against Spain by Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda for a tackle on Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso. The Spanish publication AS first reported that Bradley had allegedly confronted Larrionda in the tunnel after the game.

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:12 AM

Victor Valdes has put pen to paper on a new contract at Barcelona that will keep him at the club until 2014.

The 27-year-old goalkeeper reached an agreement with the Catalan outfit, where he has spent his entire career. The new deal will see his salary improve and his buy-out clause increase to $209 million.
With his previous deal set to expire next summer, Valdes was linked with several clubs but his first choice was always to remain at Barcelona.

"I am very happy and very satisfied," he was quoted as saying by the club's official Web site. "For me, it is an honor to be able to defend the Barca colors every day. It is like a dream come true, among things, to know I can retire at the club. The most important thing is the years that I spend here, along with my colleagues, and trying to achieve big things, like we did this season.

"The most important thing is to repeat titles. I am happy to stay for many more years with the club I love."

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:12 AM

LONDON (AP) -ESPN will broadcast Premier League matches in Britain on a channel previously dedicated to American sports.
ESPN, owned by The Walt Disney Co., acquired the rights to televise 46 matches next season and 23 in each of the following three seasons after broadcaster Setanta collapsed last month.

The matches will be aired on the British ESPN channel, previously known as ESPN America. The channel will continue showing American sports, such as baseball and ice hockey.

ESPN's Premier League content will be produced by Sky Sports, which has the rights to air the majority of matches. But ESPN will have its own commentators and graphics.

ESPN said Tuesday that viewers will have to pay up to 12 pounds ($19) a month to receive the channel

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:14 AM

Aquivaldo Mosquera has officially returned to Mexico as the Colombian defender is Club America's newest player.

Mosquera, who played a key role in Pachuca's Clausura 2006 and '07 championships, said he was looking forward to the move.
"I have a lot of desire to begin this new phase of my career," Mosquera told Mexican daily Reforma.

Mosquera is expected to help bring defensive stability to America, something that could translate to a playoff spot. The last time America was in the playoffs was in the Clausura '07 season when Mosquera helped los Tuzos beat las Aguilas in a memorable final before leaving for Sevilla.

But Mosquera was also a part of Pachuca's Copa Sudamericana '06 title-winning side as well as the '07 CONCACAF Champions' Cup-winning Tuzos squad as well.

America faithful seemingly have already placed high expectations on the incoming defender because of his past accomplishments, but Mosquera said he will not rely on his previous accomplishments for success now.

"Truth is, you need to show it on the field," he said. "There are a lot of expectations but I need to show why America wanted me and keep growing as a footballer and more so with an institution like America." --Goal.com (http://www.goal.com/)

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:14 AM

Toronto FC want Julian DeGuzman badly and is prepared to break the bank (of Montreal) to make it happen. SBI correspondent and Canadian soccer expert Duane Rollins reported on his website, The 24th Minute, that TFC has made a seven-figure offer for the soon-to-be-former Deportivo La Coruna star.
Soccer By Ives (http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2009/07/deguzman-weighing-significant-offer-from-toronto-fc.html)

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:15 AM

Manchester United are preparing to make a bid to end Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's brief stay at Real Madrid and revitalise his career at Old Trafford, according to a report. Manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants to add the Dutchman to his new look front-line and it is believed that the Spanish giants would be willing to let the striker leave.
goal.com (http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2009/07/07/1368652/manchester-united-preparing-huntelaar-move-report)

Goodfellas

07-08-2009, 09:16 AM

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 05:59 AM

BOSTON (AP) -- The owner of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution has joined an effort to bring the FIFA World Cup to the U.S. in 2018 or 2022.

Robert Kraft, CEO of The Kraft Group, accepted Wednesday an invitation to join the board of directors for the USA Bid Committee.
Kraft led the successful bid for Foxboro Stadium to serve as one of the nine host venues during the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

The U.S., Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and Russia have formally declared their desire to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain have each submitted joint bids for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, while Qatar and South Korea have applied as candidates to play host only to the tournament in 2022

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 06:02 AM

LA PLATA, Argentina (AP) -- Cruzeiro of Brazil held host Estudiantes to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final on Wednesday.

Kleber and Leonardo Silva had chances to win the game for Cruzeiro, but goalkeeper Fabio also had to be in top form to save efforts from Estudiantes captain Juan Sebastian Veron, Enzo Perez and Mauro Boselli.

Cruzeiro president Jose Perrella had called for the final to be postponed because of a deadly swine flu outbreak in Argentina, but his club will return home to Belo Horizonte for the return leg with a chance to win its third Latin American club championship next Wednesday.

Former Manchester United midfielder Veron was back to lead Estudiantes after missing the semifinal second leg against Uruguay's Nacional with a calf injury.

Veron is trying to emulate his father Juan Ramon's achievement in winning the Copa Libertadores with Estudiantes.

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 06:02 AM

CARSON, Calif. -- Saint Louis Athletica is becoming quite the spoiler... well at least where the Los Angeles Sol is concerned. And all they really spoiled was the Sol becoming the WPS regular season champion early. Amanda Cinalli netted an 11th minute goal to give the visitors the lead. Athletica held on Wednesday for the 1-0 win.
With the win, Athletica (7-5-2, 23 points) secured the No. 2 spot in the WPS standings. Back-to-back wins give Athletica a comfortable five-point cushion. With six games left on the season, Saint Louis has plenty of time to keep pushing. Athletica has a 10-day hiatus before playing at the Washington Freedom.

The Los Angeles Sol (11-2-4, 37 points) drops just their second match of the season and still sit a top the standings. The Sol has just three games left to play in the regular season, all of them on the road. They take the pitch again July 23, playing at FC Gold Pride

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 06:03 AM

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- South African construction workers went on an indefinite strike Wednesday at stadiums being built for the 2010 World Cup - a move that could derail Africa's historic first World Cup tournament.

Thousands of workers at stadiums across the country put down their tools after wage negotiations deadlocked earlier this week. Workers are demanding a 13 percent pay increase while employers are offering 10.4 percent.

The strike could delay completion of flagship projects such as the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg and stadiums in Cape Town and Durban. Other stadiums in smaller towns have also been affected.

The venues need to be completed by December to meet deadlines set by the game's ruling body FIFA before the tournament kicks off in June 2010.

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 06:04 AM

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- Celebrations by Universidad de Chile fans after the team's triumph in Chile's apertura football tournament turned violent on Tuesday night, leaving at least two people wounded and 245 detained, police said Wednesday.

Universidad clinched the title on Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Union Espanola thanks to a header from Uruguayan striker Juan Manuel Olivera.

After the match thousands of fans took to the streets in noisy celebrations in Santiago and other cities.

The celebrations turned violent in some places and lasted until dawn. Police Col. Pedro Fernandez said at least two people were wounded, including a man who was stabbed in the neck and chest and who remains in serious condition.
Fernandez said 245 people were detained and that four shops had been looted in Santiago

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 06:05 AM

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato has married a Brazilian actress in a ceremony packed with celebrities and football stars.

The 19-year-old Pato married Sthefany Brito at a church in downtown Rio and held the wedding reception at the Copacabana Palace late Tuesday.

Kaka and former AC Milan player Cafu were among the players at the wedding, while several Brazilian celebrities were also among the nearly 500 guests, according to local media.

The 22-year-old Brito is a well-known soap opera actress in Brazil. She met Pato in January 2008 and since then Pato honors her by celebrating some of his goals using his hands to form a heart.
Brito is expected to live in Italy with Pato. The couple will honeymoon in Bora Bora, according to reports

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 06:07 AM

The Los Angeles Galaxy have announced the signing of Trinidad and Tobago midfielder Chris Birchall, according to a press release sent out by the team.

"Chris is a player that I've tracked for a number of years," Galaxy General Manager and Head Coach Bruce Arena said. "He is an experienced midfielder with good qualities on both sides of the ball who I feel he will be able to contribute immediately as we push for a playoff position."

Birchall, 25, has played his entire club career in the U.K., enjoying successful stints at Port Vale, Coventry, St. Mirren and Brighton and Hove.

A native of Stafford, England, Birchall plays his international football for Trinidad and Tobago, where he has won 32 caps. In those appearances, he has added four goals. He was a key member of the squad that won its first-ever qualification to the World Cup in 2006

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 06:08 AM

After being rebuffed in its quests for Liverpool's Xabi Alonso and Roma midifelder Daniele De Rossi, Real Madrid is preparing a swoop for Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas, according to Spanish daily Marca.

The Spanish giants continue their quest for a creative playmaker for the squad and are studying their available options after Roma rejected an offer in the region of $42 million for De Rossi.

Real Madrid is refusing to meet Liverpool's $65.2 million price tag for Alonso, and reports indicate that the Arsenal man is now the next target on Florentino Perez's list.

Last week, reports in England suggested that Arsenal valued Fabregas at $69.4 million, a figure Real is refusing to pay. However, the Spanish club is understood to believe that a deal could be made for a lower fee.

This despite Fabregas himself having repeatedly stated that he sees his future -- at least for the coming season -- at the Emirates, trying to ensure Arsenal ends its four-year trophy drought

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 06:10 AM

LONDON (AP) -Arsenal have tied Robin van Persie to a new contract to the Premier League club and rejected fundraising proposals to strengthen the squad with big-money signings.

The 25-year-old Netherlands striker, who was Arsenal's top scorer last season with 20 goals in 44 games, has signed a long-term deal, the club said on Wednesday, without giving details.

Retaining talent like Van Persie will be Arsenal's priority, with chief executive Ivan Gazidis cautioning Wednesday against buying players in an "inflated transfer market'' to end the club's four-year trophy drought.

Transfer fees have been swelled by Real Madrid's spree of more than ?200 million to secure stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema this offseason.

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who is not on Arsenal's board despite owning 25 percent of the Gunners, had been willing to underwrite a share issue that would have raised funds to reduce the debt and add to the transfer budget.

But Gazidis said the policy of self-financing - reaffirmed by the board - was "very efficient.

Goodfellas

07-09-2009, 06:11 AM

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -Manchester United continued to revamp its attacking options after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo by signing winger Gabriel Obertan on a four-year contract from French champion Bordeaux.

United manager Alex Ferguson had been watching the 20-year-old French winger's development for several years.

"We are delighted to get him now as he is an exciting prospect,'' Ferguson told the club's Web site. "We like to get young players and develop them, and we will see that in Gabriel over the next two years.''

No further details were immediately given about the size of the transfer fee.

"I am very happy to join Manchester United,'' Obertan said. "This is a big opportunity for me to play at such a great club. I am very excited to be here and I look forward to proving what I can do.''

Goodfellas

07-10-2009, 07:14 AM

I can't think of another guy where I'd say he wasn't a good teammate, he didn't give everything through all this, he didn't still care. But with (Beckham) I'd say no, he wasn't committed."

That was one of the more explosive quotes from Landon Donovan in Grant Wahl's newly-released book The Beckham Experiment.
Now, with David Beckham's return to the team just days away, the Galaxy star has stated that he never should've said anything publicly.

"For me, it's something I need to correct," Donovan said in a press conference on Thursday. "I made a mistake. I spoke about something between the team publicly, and when David comes, I'm going to talk to him about it, man to man. The past year was hard for all of us, but I shouldn't speak publicly like that. I should and will talk to David."

For the Galaxy, Wahl's book has raised questions about whether or not Golden Balls will be welcomed back to the squad, but Donovan says that the comments were not made recently and that he will speak to Beckham about them in person.

"The timing now - everybody thinks we said these things last week," the U.S. National Team star said. "The reality is that this happened last year. The timing of it now makes it uncomfortable, and obviously, they're trying to sell books."

Still Donovan seems to know that he will have to make amends, and he says that he plans to do so in person.

"The reality also is that as a man, I should have told David what I felt and I will tell David what I felt," he said. "I have already apologized to him and I will apologize to him in person, in a public manner, and we'll get through it internally. "

Beckham is slated to return to L.A. on the July 15. His return, coupled with the return of Donovan from international duty, could not come at a better time. The Galaxy are locked in a tight battle for a playoff position in the Western Conference. The team will have one more match before Beckham's return when they play this Saturday against L.A. rivals Chivas USA.

Goodfellas

07-10-2009, 07:15 AM

HOUSTON (AP) -- Panama's soccer team huddled on the field after playing Mexico to a 1-1 tie on Thursday night, waiting for the incited fans to leave Reliant Stadium.

The Gold Cup match ended in chaos after a confrontation between Mexican coach Javier Aguirre and a Panamanian player triggered fights between fans in the stands.

Tempers flared throughout the match and boiled over in the 80th minute.

Panama's Ricardo Phillips dribbled out of bounds in front of the Mexico bench and when the linesman stopped play, Phillips shoved Aguirre.

Panama coach Gary Stempel said Aguirre hit Phillips first, trying to trip him as he ran by. Aguirre said he was just trying to stop the ball and accidentally made contact with Phillips.

"It was an imprudent act on my part," Aguirre said. "I sincerely regret it. It was a product of passion. The Panamanian team deserves an apology as well."

Players converged in the area and several got into shoving matches. Referee Joel Aguilar ejected Aguirre and whipped out a red card to give to Phillips as fans littered the field with cups of beer and other objects.

Phillips was escorted off the field by a swarm of police -- and pelted with beer cups as he ran into a tunnel -- and after about 15 wild minutes, play resumed.

A fight then broke out between two fans in the front row across the field from the benches and Houston police officers moved in to separate them. Police handcuffed at least two fans in the area.
"It was a disgrace," Stempel said. "I don't have the words."

Goodfellas

07-10-2009, 07:16 AM

MEXICO CITY (AP) -Latin American players are prized imports in the English Premier League and the other big - and not so big - leagues across Europe.

Players are coming from Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. And no place is more flush with talent than Brazil, where the national soccer confederation says 1,176 Brazilians signed with clubs across the globe in 2008.

Remember this name - Keirrison de Souza Carneiro, or simply Keirrison.

The 20-year-old Brazilian striker scored 12 goals in his first 14 games with Brazilian club Palmeiras, which prompted him to leave the club in June and start talks with Champions League winner Barcelona. His departure partly caused the dismissal of coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who criticized the player's attitude for leaving without notifying him.

High-profile clubs like Barcelona aren't alone tapping into the Latin connection.

Coaches Steve Bruce at Premier League club Sunderland and Alex McLeish, the Scot who heads newly promoted Birmingham City, have been working the region in the off-season

Goodfellas

07-10-2009, 07:17 AM

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) -- Liga de Quito beat Brazilian league leader Internacional 4-0 on aggregate in the Recopa Sudamericana playoff Thursday to claim only the second international title in the history of Ecuadorean football.

Argentine striker Claudio Bieler scored his second goal of the series in the 40th minute to help secure a 3-0 home win in Thursday's return match. Carlos Espinola headed the opener from a corner after nine minutes and Enrique Vera added a third in the second half.
Bieler scored the only goal when Liga won the first leg 1-0 away in Porto Alegre, Brazil, two weeks ago

Goodfellas

07-10-2009, 07:18 AM

AC Milan completed the signing of U.S. international center back Oguchi Onyewu this week on a free transfer from Belgian club Standard Liege.

Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday reports the 27-year-old will fly to Italy's fashion capital at the start of next week to undergo a routine medical with the Rossoneri before finalizing his transfer.

Onyewu will be shown around the Milanello facilities and will get to know his new teammates, but will only stay in Italy for a couple of days before resuming his holidays.

The powerful central defender was in action with the U.S. national team until June 28, when the Yanks lost 3-2 to Brazil in the final of the Confederations Cup.

Therefore, he will be granted a few extra days of rest and will probably team up with the rest of the squad in Atlanta on July 21.
Milan will face Club America in the World Football Challenge the following day and Onyewu could make his debut against Chelsea on July 24 in Baltimore, or in the first derby of the season against Inter in Boston on July 26.

Goodfellas

07-10-2009, 07:22 AM

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) -Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has signed a two-year contract extension that runs until 2013.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who has been with the Reds his entire career, followed forward Fernando Torres, midfielder Yossi Benayoun, winger Dirk Kuyt and defender Daniel Agger in reaching new deals with the Premier League team.

Liverpool finished second last season at 25-2-11, four points behind Manchester United (28-4-6).

Goodfellas

07-10-2009, 07:28 AM

Juventus has completed the signing of Felipe Melo from Fiorentina, according to Sky Sport Italia.

A deal was reported on Tuesday and it now seems the Brazilian will be plying his trade in Turin next season, after signing a five-year deal worth $3.6 million per season.

Official confirmation is expected to arrive from both clubs on Thursday.

Juventus has paid $29.5 million plus the full ownership of winger Marco Marchionni, a deal worth $35.1 million in total, the amount set as the player's release clause in a contract he just signed on June 30 with the Viola.

The transfer was originally expected to be completed Wednesday, but there was a late hitch over the salary Marchionni would be earning in Florence. These problems were solved, as the winger found an agreement with Fiorentina transfer guru Pantaleo Corvino.

Goodfellas

07-10-2009, 07:29 AM

Adolfo "Bofo" Bautista has put an end to rumors linking him to Greek and MLS clubs by deciding to extend his contract with Jaguares de Chiapas for six more months.

The volatile striker has his mind set on reaching South Africa and views playing for Jaguares as his best bet to get another call up with the Tricolor.

"I am happy; I spoke with the club officials and have taken the decision of remaining with Jagures with the intention of returning to the national team in the near future," Bautista told reporters.

"Playing in Mexico signifies that I can be observed constantly and my objective is for Jagures to be good and be with the Tricolor."
With potentially lucrative offers from abroad, Bautista instead turned his attention on taking the best path to the national team.

"Indeed, that was my main focus," Bautista said about his decision of remaining with Jagures despite having offers from Greece and the U.S. "I want to be physically good with the team as my firm idea is to go to the World Cup."

Goodfellas

07-11-2009, 06:58 AM

At the Confederations Cup, U.S. striker Jozy Altidore told Goal.com he needed to find a club where he could play regularly. "I'm just looking for someplace to play the whole year," he said.
Whether his next move allows for that or not, he seems to have found his next destination.

According to Goal.com's Greek edition, Greek Super League champion Olympiakos has signed a loan deal with Spanish side Villarreal that would bring the 19-year-old Altidore to Karaiskakis Stadium. His scintillating performance in South Africa last month appears to have jumpstarted interest in the New Jersey-native's prospects

Goodfellas

07-11-2009, 06:59 AM

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Mexico football coach Javier Aguirre has apologized for a confrontation with a Panama player in Thursday's 1-1 draw with Panama in the Gold Cup, which triggered fights in the stands between rival fans.

With about 10 minutes to play in the game in Houston, Aguirre raised his leg and seemed to kick Panama forward Ricardo Phillips as he dribbled near the sideline. After a linesman stopped play, Phillips shoved Aguirre. Players converged in the area and several got into shoving matches.

Referee Joel Aguilar ejected Aguirre and gave a red card to Phillips as fans littered the field with cups of beer and other objects.
Aguirre made the apology in comments on the Web site of the Mexican Football Federation

Goodfellas

07-11-2009, 07:00 AM

PERTH, Australia (AP) -- Scottish striker Chris Iwelumo broke his right foot to take the gloss off Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1-0 win over Perth Glory in a club friendly on Friday.

Iwelumo was injured when he was challenged by Australia international Jacob Burns.

Wolverhampton coach Mick McCarthy confirmed Iwelumo broke his metatarsal and would miss the start of the English Premier League.
"It's hugely disappointing,'' McCarthy said. "Chris has worked his socks off to have the career he has.

"We just got to the Premiership and he breaks his metatarsal ... it's hugely disappointing for him and for me.''

Iwelumo was involved in the only goal, flicking on George Elokobi's long throw for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake to tuck away his rebound off the post in the second minute.

Goodfellas

07-11-2009, 07:01 AM

MADRID (AP) -Barcelona is eyeing Valencia's David Villa or Atletico Madrid's Diego Forlan regardless of whether Samuel Eto'o decides to stay with the Spanish champions.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said Friday that the club is still waiting for a response from Eto'o over a two-year contract extension at his current pay level. Manchester City has also made the Cameroon striker an offer that could reportedly make him one of Europe's highest paid players.

"It's independent of whether Eto'o continues or not,'' Laporta said. "(We) have the intention of strengthening that position and there are players like Villa and Forlan who are very interesting for that spot.''

Laporta also said that Barcelona had made an offer to Deportivo La Coruna to buy left back Luis Filipe and that it was waiting for an answer from the Spanish club

Goodfellas

07-11-2009, 07:04 AM

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) -Iraq celebrated its first home football match since 2002 by defeating Palestine 3-0 in a friendly on Friday.

About 25,000 fans, many waving Iraq and Palestine flags and chanting "Iraq, Iraq,'' packed Fransou Hariri Stadium for a game that was as much about the nation's struggle for stability as it was about sports.

Some fans sat on the roofs of nearby buildings to catch a glimpse of the match in the capital of a Kurd-ruled region that was safer than many other parts of Iraq.

Palestine planned to fly to Baghdad for a second friendly on Monday, even though the capital was caught up in a deadly wave of bombings on Thursday.

"The holding of this match in Irbil gives a clear message to the world that Iraq is recovering and security is prevailing,'' Hussein Saeed, head of the Iraqi Football Federation, told the crowd before the game. "We are here today because football is the message of love.''

redline777

07-11-2009, 07:23 AM

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 06:58 AM

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Edson Buddle scored a first-half goal to lead the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 1-0 win over Chivas USA on Saturday night as David Beckham watched from a suite alongside Zinedine Zidane.

Earlier Saturday, Beckham said teammate Landon Donovan was "unprofessional" for criticizing him in a soon-to-be released book without confronting him first. Beckham was back with the Galaxy after a five-month loan to Italy's AC Milan.

Los Angeles (4-3-9) won its season-high third straight game, its longest streak since reeling off six straight in 2007.

Chivas, which drew with Los Angeles 0-0 on April 12, has gone 0-2-3 in the SuperClasico derby between the Los Angeles-area teams since its last win on Sept. 13, 2007.

Beckham is set for his first practice with the Galaxy on Monday and will be available for Thursday's league game at New York.
At the half-hour mark, rookie defender A.J. De La Garza whipped a cross in from the right side of the penalty area, and Buddle placed a header off the left post and into the back of the net.

A 14-goal scorer last season, Buddle has only three this year.
Chivas, which did not attempt a shot until the second half, had its best chance in the 84th minute when Atiba Harris' 20-yard shot missed by a few feet.

Alecko Eskandarian, who played for Chivas against the Galaxy in the season's first meeting, started for the Galaxy 10 days after he was traded between the rivals. Former Galaxy players Ante Jazic, Paulo Nagamura and Sasha Victorine all started for Chivas.

The Galaxy were without starting goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who was playing for Jamaica for the Gold Cup. Chivas defender Shavar Thomas also was away with the Reggae Boyz.

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 06:59 AM

Revs 0, Wizards 0

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Matt Reis made a career-high 11 saves en route to his fourth shutout of the season and the New England earned a tie with Kansas City.

The Revolution (4-5-5) nearly scored in the first minute when Kenny Mansally took Kheli Dube's pass and fired it on goal, but Kevin Hartman made a diving save. The Wizards are 5-6-5.

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 06:59 AM

Crew 0, Fire 0

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) - William Hesmer made a career-high 11 saves to help the Columbus Crew to a scoreless draw.

The goalkeeper's performance for the Crew (5-3-9) came one week after he had 10 saves in a 1-all tie against D.C. United. In his third game back from knee and back injuries that forced him to miss nine contests, Hesmer came one save shy of equaling the Crew record held by Brad Friedel (1996), Mark Dougherty (1999) and current Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch (2004).

Busch made four saves for Chicago (6-3-7).

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 07:00 AM

Sounders 2, Dynamo 1

SEATTLE (AP) - Defender Patrick Ianni scored on a bicycle kick during the first minute of the second half, and the Seattle Sounders rallied.

Ianni's winning goal was his first of the season for Seattle (7-3-7). Fredy Montero extended his goal streak to five games for the Sounders.

Brad Davis' third goal of the season gave the Dynamo (9-4-4) the lead in the 12th minute

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 07:00 AM

Rapids 1, FC Dallas 0

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) - Kosuke Kimura scored in the 79th minute to power the Colorado Rapids.

Kimura's second goal of the year helped end a three-game winless streak for Colorado (6-4-6). He took a pass from Mehdi Ballouchy just outside the crease and sent the ball over goalkeeper Ray Burse's left shoulder.

FC Dallas (4-8-4) fell to 1-5-2 away from home after being 2-0-1 overall in its previous three games

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 07:01 AM

Toronto FC 3, Earthquakes 1

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- Chad Barrett had two goals and assisted on the go-ahead score to lead Toronto FC.

Barrett, who had two goals and two assists in Toronto's first 16 matches, scored in the fifth and 69th minutes as Toronto FC (7-6-4) climbed above the .500 mark. Pablo Vitti also scored as Toronto matched a season high for goals.

Darren Huckerby returned from a one-game injury absence to score for the Earthquakes (3-9-4).

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 07:02 AM

MONACO (AP) -- French league club Monaco says four of its soccer players are being treated for swine flu.

Names of the players were not disclosed, and the club said they are expected to make full recoveries after taking medication to treat the H1N1 virus.

Monaco doctor Philippe Kuentz said on the club's Web site Saturday that the four will be "kept in isolation for a period of five days" as a precautionary measure.

They began showing signs of a fever during the club's training camp in Vichy on Friday.

Recently, rugby player Maxime Medard was treated for swine flu after returning from a southern hemisphere tour, where France played Australia and New Zealand

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 07:07 AM

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -Swedish club Hammarby has agreed to sell American striker Charlie Davies to French side FC Sochaux.
Davies, who played for the U.S. team that lost to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final in South Africa last month, signed with Hammarby at age 20 in 2007.

"Naturally it's sad that a player like Charlie is leaving us,'' Hammarby chief executive Michael Andersson said on the club's Web site. "But when a player develops like Charlie has done we don't have resources to keep him. It's a problem we share with other teams in Sweden.''

Davies struggled during his first season but had a breakthrough year in 2008 with 14 goals. So far this season, he has scored four goals in nine games.

Hammarby, which is struggling near the relegation zone in the 16-team Swedish first division, did not reveal the transfer sum or any details about Davies' contract with FC Sochaux.

Davies is currently playing for the U.S. in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
"I'm extremely happy right now,'' Davies told Swedish daily Expressen. "Naturally, it's sad to leave Hammarby. I've had a good time in Stockholm and I have many friends there. But I always wanted to take the next step. Hopefully I can keep on developing in Sochaux.''

Davies said he has been promised a spot in Sochaux's starting lineup.

"The main reason why I choose Sochaux, besides that it's a good league, is that they wanted me in the starting 11,'' he said. "They really wanted me.''

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 07:08 AM

SUNDERLAND, England (AP) -Sunderland has bought Manchester United striker Fraizer Campbell.

The 21-year-old forward, who spent last season on loan at Tottenham, has signed a four-year deal to play for the Black Cats, who have paid United an initial fee of 3.5 million pounds ($5.67 million; ?4.06 million). That could rise to 6 million pounds ($9.2 million; ?6.96 million) depending on appearances.

Campbell, who had limited chances at star-studded United, was loaned out as part of the deal that took Dimitar Berbatov to Old Trafford. He started nine times for Spurs and made 13 appearances as a substitute, scoring three times.

Hull also had Campbell on loan and he netted 15 goals in 32 starts for the Tigers when they were promoted to the top flight in the 2007-08 campaign. Hull and Man United reached a deal for a fulltime transfer a few weeks ago, but the striker ended up moving to Sunderland instead

Goodfellas

07-12-2009, 07:09 AM

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) -Liverpool has signed 18-year-old Chris Mavinga from Paris Saint-Germain.

The leftback, who can also play in the center of defense, has played for France at Under-18 level and teams up with former PSG striker David Ngog, who moved to Anfield a year ago.

The Reds also announced on Saturday that Moroccan attacking midfielder Nabil El Zhar had signed an extension to his contract to keep him at Anfield until 2012. El Zhar, who made 19 appearances for the Reds last season, joined the club from Saint-Etienne in October 2006.

Goodfellas

07-13-2009, 06:45 AM

Week 16 of Women's Professional Soccer featured a rare Los Angeles Sol loss. It didn't hurt the Sol (11-2-4, 37 points), who still have a 14-point lead in the standings. Saint Louis Athletica (7-5-2, 23 points) helped their own cause, beating the Sol to secure second place.

Sky Blue (5-6-3, 18 points) knocked off Boston 2-1 Sunday and to move into a third-place tie with their East coast rival Breakers (5-6-3, 18 points). Chicago (4-6-5, 17 points) also earned a win Sunday to move into fifth place. The Washington Freedom (4-6-4, 16 points) did not play and dropped to sixth. FC Gold Pride (3-8-3, 12 points) still sits at the bottom

Goodfellas

07-13-2009, 06:46 AM

Red Stars 3, Gold Pride 1

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Cristiane had two firsts for the Red Stars Sunday, tallying the first penalty kick and first multi-goal game in club history. She then tallied the first hat trick in WPS history.

"I don't think we played our best game tonight," Red Stars head coach Emma Hayes said. "But we showed what we can do when our players play their best. Cristiane had world class finishes for us tonight."

In the 31st minute, Gold Pride defender Marisa Abegg took down Chicago striker Cristiane in the box. Without hesitation, the referee awarded Chicago a penalty kick. Crisitane easily buried the shot over a diving Nicole Barnhart and into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Chicago's Lindsay Tarpley challenged for the ball in the 44th minute. A high kick left FC Gold Pride's Kristen Graczyk on the field. Graczyk was immediately taken off the field and attended to for a head injury and leaving FC Gold Pride down a player.

Once play resumed, Chicago immediately took advantage. Megan Rapinoe forwarded the ball to Cristiane, who streaked upfield. The Brazilian international beat the defense, dodged Barnhart and shot. Two defenders attempted to clear the ball, but it went into the net for a 2-0 Red Stars lead.

Gold Pride's Tiffany Milbrett blasted a penalty kick into the net in the 64th minute. On the counterattack, Tarpley forwarded the ball to Cristiane, who made a run and launched a long ball into the net.

Goodfellas

07-13-2009, 06:47 AM

Athletica 1, Sol 0

CARSON, Calif. -- Saint Louis got an early goal and a near flawless defensive performance to hand Los Angeles just its second loss Wednesday.
Saint Louis wasted little time, scoring in the 11th minute. Athletica forward Eniola Aluko passed the ball to midfielder Amanda Cinalli, who sent the ball into the net, beating Karina LeBlanc for just the second time all season.

Los Angeles nearly struck in the beginning of the second half when Aly Wagner and Aya Miyama both sent shots toward goal in the first five minutes. Saint Louis goalkeeper Hope Solo had four saves and collected her sixth shutout of the season.

With six games left on the season, Saint Louis has plenty of time to keep pushing. Athletica has a 10-day hiatus before playing at the Washington Freedom. The Sol return to the pitch July 23 and will play its last three matches of the season on the road.

"The loss today is a small bump in our successful season," Los Angeles Sol coach Abner Rogers said. "It's a true mark of a champion to bounce back after a loss

Goodfellas

07-13-2009, 06:47 AM

Sky Blue 2, Breakers 1

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Two first-half goals by Sky Blue FC proved to be too much for the Boston Breakers Sunday evening.

Natasha Kai got the visitors on board in the 24th minute. Collette McCallum served the ball into the box. Kai headed it past Breakers goalkeeper Allison Lipsher for the 1-0 lead.

Thirteen minutes later, Sky Blue stuck again. Heather O'Reilly passed to Rosana, who was about eight yards out. Rosana buried the shot into the left side of the net for a 2-0 lead.

Boston put up a fight until the bitter end. In the third minute of second-half injury time, Angela Hucles found an open Jenny Nobis, who chested the ball down and blasted it toward goal, cutting the lead in half.

"You can't argue (our team's) work in the second half. They worked incredibly hard," said Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco. "Our final pass quality and finishing quality have not been good enough."

Goodfellas

07-13-2009, 06:48 AM

STOCKHOLM (AP) -- Helsingborg ended Elfsborg's 13-game unbeaten streak with a 3-2 win that moved the southern Swedish team to within three points of league leader IFK Goteborg on Sunday.

Rasmus Jonsson scored twice - both brilliant lobs - and Christoffer Andersson added another for Helsingborg, which moved up to third in the table with 25 points from 14 games.

Veteran Sweden striker Henrik Larsson missed his third straight game for Helsingborg because of a groin injury.

IFK, which plays AIK on Monday, tops the table with 28 points. Elfsborg stayed in second place with 27 while defending champion Kalmar, which routed Djurgarden 6-1 Saturday, is fourth with 24.

Goodfellas

07-13-2009, 06:49 AM

LONDON (AP) -Frank Arnesen has been promoted to sporting director at Chelsea and will work closer with new manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Premier League club announced the appointment on Sunday, saying the former Denmark international will continue his roles with the reserves and academy teams but will also have responsibilities with the senior side to help support Ancelotti.

"As Chelsea continues to grow rapidly, the board wanted increased senior support for the first team and (a) new manager on a daily basis at Cobham (training center) to help assist the overall long-term football and business strategy of the club,'' the Blues said in a statement.

Arnesen joined Chelsea from Tottenham in 2005 and was appointed to the club's board of directors in May.

R.L.

07-13-2009, 02:48 PM

hi mate, jozy altidore seems like a real talent. good on the ball and can hold defenders off. on his day he can be a real hand ful. but players these days go to clubs that just isnt right for them and their development. if i had a choice i'd choose Arsenal over any other clubs cause mr wenger will persevere with you till the end. unlike clubs such as real madrid, you either perform or your out...just ask klas jan huntelaar

As a player, I would much rather go to Manchester United for development. Arsenal is getting better, but it's also a club that is buying loads and loads of players, not making any stars themselves.

Watch Manchester - they know how to develop players. Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham - and if I aren't mistaken, Nicky Butt - are all players of their own school - well Giggs came when he was like 14.

Furthermore, Manchester also understand to develop already great players - Rooney, Keane, Ronaldo etc - the list is enormious!

Also the 2 twins playing back. And the 17 year old who scored a couple of goals in the just ended season. United is the team for developing new superstars =)

Goodfellas

07-14-2009, 07:24 AM

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Carlos Tevez agreed to join Manchester City on a five-year deal Monday, further enhancing the wealthy Premier League club's bid to join England's and Europe's elite.

The 25-year-old Argentina striker will complete his switch across Manchester from the more-illustrious United, where he had previously played on loan, after a medical examination.
City will have to pay $41 million to sign Tevez from the group that owned his economic rights.

Goodfellas

07-14-2009, 07:25 AM

Manchester City's negotiations with Arsenal and the player's representatives over a potential move for Emmanuel Adebayor from north London to Eastlands are now at an advanced stage, according to Sky Sports News.

The Citizens reportedly are about to offer the striker a lucrative and lengthy contract, should he decide to switch, in a deal now worth $35.7 million.

City is ready to offer the player a five-year contract, according to Sky's sources, with the accompanying personal terms also extremely appealing.

Adebayor can expect to earn something in the region of $276,000 a week at City, an amount that is apparently double what he currently earns at Arsenal

Goodfellas

07-14-2009, 07:28 AM

American international midfielder Danny Szetela is on his way back to Racing Santander. The former U.S. Olympian spent the last year-and-a-half with Serie B side Brescia Calcio.

Brescia extended an initial one-year loan deal for an extra six months, but has decided to let Szetela return to Spain rather than sign him permanently.

"The club Brescia Calcio officially announces the return of Danny Szetela to Racing Santander because of the loan's completion," an announcement on Brescia's Web site confirmed.

The 22-year-old first gained notice thanks to three goals in the 2007 U20 World Cup from a central midfield position. That helped him earn a move from Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew to La Liga side Santander.

With Racing, Szetela only made appearances in the Copa del Rey, Spain's domestic cup competition, but couldn't force his way into the team for league play. After six months with the club, he was loaned out to Brescia.

It remains to be seen if Racing is counting on the combatative youngster or if it plans to loan him out again.

Goodfellas

07-14-2009, 07:29 AM

SECAUCUS, N.J. (AP) -The New York Red Bulls have signed defender Leo Krupnik from Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Premier League.

The 29-year-old Krupnik can't be added to the team's 24-man roster until after the international transfer window opens on Wednesday. The club is also awaiting receipt of his international transfer certificate.

Red Bulls sporting director Jeff Agoos said Monday that Krupnik will add depth and experience to the defense.

Krupnik appeared in 30 matches last season for Maccabi Haifa, helping it win and 11th league title. He also had stints with three other Israeli clubs.

Krupnik was drafted in the sixth round of the 2002 MLS SuperDraft by the MetroStars before they became the Red Bulls, but never played with the first team.

Goodfellas

07-14-2009, 07:30 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama has welcomed soccer's Columbus Crew to the White House to congratulate the team on its MLS championship.

Obama on Monday joined the team from Ohio in the Rose Garden to honor a turnaround from a losing season in 2007 to the best record in the league for 2008.

The president joked that he's been watching plenty of soccer these days -- for his daughters' games. He says he's learned two main rules for youth soccer: no matter the position, players should run toward the ball all at once; and snacks at halftime must never be forgotten.

Obama says soccer's popularity is on the rise in the United States and that the national team has been playing with distinction.

Goodfellas

07-14-2009, 07:31 AM

NEWCASTLE, England (AP) -Newcastle goalkeeper Steve Harper says the club is "dying a slow, painful death'' as the search for a buyer continues.

Prospective owners are yet to seal a deal with owner Mike Ashley for the club that was relegated from the Premier League in May.
Consortiums from Malaysia and the United States remain the favorites to buy the Magpies, but a former member of the Irish group that owned Sunderland, has also expressed an interest.
Harper said Monday: "We want it to be done and dusted so we know where we are and where we are going because at this moment, the football club is dying a slow, painful death.''

Newcastle is without a manager as Alan Shearer waits to see if he will be retained

Goodfellas

07-15-2009, 08:28 AM

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Carlos Tevez stressed Tuesday that money wasn't the primary factor that drew him to Manchester City, an underachieving club that is spending freely to bring in some of the best players in the world.

The 25-year-old Tevez joined City on a five-year deal from Manchester United despite winning two Premier League titles, the Champions League and the Club World Cup in just two seasons.
"Money was not the most important thing about my move," Tevez said through a translator at the City of Manchester Stadium. "I have a coach who wants me and a good fan base and environment around me."

City hasn't won the league title since 1968, but the team was bought last September by Sheikh Mansour, a member of Abu Dhabi's royal family

Goodfellas

07-15-2009, 08:29 AM

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is hopeful of adding Arsenal forward Emmanuel Adebayor to his strike force and has not given up on his pursuit of Chelsea captain John Terry.

Bringing Adebayor to Man City seems the more likely prospect, potentially before the team goes to South Africa on Wednesday for a three-match tour.

Negotiations were continuing between the clubs as the Togo international underwent a medical examination and sought a work permit.

"There's been discussions between ourselves and Arsenal but, as is my usual response about players that we haven't signed, really it's not the right time or place to discuss that -- only in as much as yes, there has been contact," Hughes said. "There's a deal to be done possibly but it's not been concluded as we speak. Until it actually happens, really it's not the time or the place to discuss it here."

Goodfellas

07-15-2009, 08:44 AM

CHICAGO (AP) -Chicago Fire midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco will replace Toronto's Dwayne De Rosario in the MLS All-Star game later this month.

De Rosario, the game's MVP in 2006, was picked to start for the fourth consecutive season. Instead, he will join his Toronto teammates against the Puerto Rico Islanders in a CONCACAF game on July 29 - the same day as the All-Star Game in Sandy, Utah.
Blanco was the All-Star game's MVP last year with a goal and assist

Goodfellas

07-15-2009, 08:45 AM

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (AP) -- Cruzeiro enters the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final knowing a defeat at home against Estudiantes will be a huge disappointment.

Cruzeiro was able to hold Estudiantes to 0-0 in Argentina last week and needs a victory in front of its fans on Wednesday to capture its third Latin American club championship.

"It's our responsibility, we know that," midfielder Ramires said. "When you play at home, in front of your fans, you always have to go after the win. This is what we are going to try to do."

Nearly 65,000 fans are expected to pack Mineirao Stadium hoping to see the team lift the Copa Libertadores trophy for the first time since 1997. Cruzeiro's first title was in 1976.

The Brazilian club won all six home matches at Mineirao in this year's Copa Libertadores, including a 3-0 result against Estudiantes in the group stage.

"We have a responsibility and we know the importance of this match," coach Adilson Batista said. "We are focused on winning

Goodfellas

07-15-2009, 08:46 AM

AC Milan's latest signing, Oguchi Onyewu, has successfully completed his medical, according to the Web site MilanNews.it.
The center back signed for the Rossoneri on a free transfer after five years with Belgian outfit Standard Liege and has passed his medical examination with flying colors.

He will now join up with his teammates ahead of their preseason tour of the United States, where they will play the L.A. Galaxy, Club America, Chelsea and city rival Inter.

Onyewu has been the Rossoneri's only significant signing thus far in the summer of 2009 and just gave a simple, "Thank you very much," to the Italian journalists present as he left the clinic.

The 27-year-old recently gained plenty of exposure at the Confederations Cup, as the U.S. made it to the final before losing 3-2 to Brazil in an exciting encounter in Johannesburg.

Goodfellas

07-15-2009, 08:47 AM

MAYNOOTH, Ireland (AP) -Cristiano Ronaldo and most of his Real Madrid teammates opened training Tuesday in rainy Ireland, less than a week before the Spanish team plays Shamrock Rovers in a friendly.

Ronaldo backheeled passes during keep-away drills at Carton House, an exclusive golf resort and spa west of Dublin.

The Portugal winger signed from Manchester United earlier this month for a record 80 million pounds (?94 million). He was joined in Ireland by longtime Madrid striker Raul Gonzalez and new teammate Karim Benzema - two more of the new era of "galacticos.''

"There's not many Cristiano Ronaldos in the world, and Real Madrid wants to field the best team in the world,'' said Raul, who was also part of the first wave of "galacticos'' at Madrid along with Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, David Beckham and Roberto Carlos.
After the evening practice, several dozen local fans pleaded for Ronaldo to stop as camera crews walked through puddles and mud to keep up.

"I must go to training,'' Ronaldo said. "Maybe you wait for me after.''

Goodfellas

07-15-2009, 08:48 AM

GENEVA (AP) -An online anti-corruption project tracking the flow of money involved in player transfers will be used by all 208 football nations within a year, FIFA said Tuesday.

The Transfer Matching System is key to the global governing body's efforts to eliminate rogue agents, illegal payments and money laundering from football as billions of dollars change hands each season.

FIFA legal director Marco Villiger said the system was the "most thrilling'' administrative project the organization has undertaken.
"Whenever an international transfer is made all the relevant data from the transfer will have to be entered into a Web-based system,'' Villiger said in a conference call with reporters.

Clubs which flout the system could be kicked out of competitions and banned from buying and selling players, while FIFA and national associations can expel officials or agents from the game.
"It is clear that these sanctions must be harsh,'' Villiger said

Goodfellas

07-15-2009, 01:41 PM

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Construction workers have agreed to end a weeklong strike that threatened to derail the completion of already tightly-scheduled projects for the World Cup, union officials and employers said Wednesday.

Workers agreed on a pay increase of 12 percent, below the earlier demand of 13 percent, and work at sites across South Africa is to resume on Thursday.

"The strike is over," said Lesiba Seshoka, spokesman for the National Union of Mineworkers. "We got a good offer."

About 70,000 workers began striking July 8, stopping work on stadiums, airports, freeways and Johannesburg's new high-speed rail link -- projects that are scheduled to be finished by December. The World Cup football championship is to be held in the summer of 2010.

Negotiations were concluded in the early hours of Wednesday morning and an agreement was supposed to have been signed at noon (1000 GMT).

However, the deal was finally signed around 5 p.m. after negotiators spend hours fine-tuning the wording of the agreement.

Goodfellas

07-16-2009, 09:56 AM

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Mexico midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco had a goal and an assist Wednesday to lead the Chicago Fire into the final of the SuperLiga with a 2-1 win over the New England Revolution.

Chicago will host the title game of the tournament for North American pro clubs Aug. 5 against Mexican team Tigres UANL, which beat Santos Laguna 3-2 in the second semifinal of the night.
New England was the defending SuperLiga champion.

Blanco's goal on a free kick in the 63rd minute put the Fire ahead for good.

Goodfellas

07-16-2009, 09:57 AM

Diego Forlan has been touted as Barcelona's current number one transfer target, after they were rebuffed in their quest to sign David Villa from Valencia.

The player's father, Pablo Forlan, had intensified these stories after claiming that the prospect of representing the club that "play the best football in the world" appeals to every player.

But Enrique Cerezo has now declared that he is not thinking about selling Forlan, nor is he worried that Barcelona could match the striker's buy-out clause, set at €36 million.

"Nothing worries me, except winning matches," the club president told Ona FM. "Everyone knows how we work. I have said that we do not want to sell.

"There is no reason to think it over. We will not sell him and that's it. Talking about it is just a waste of time."

He also rejected claims that he had met with his Barca counterpart, Joan Laporta, to discuss the sale of Forlan, saying, "Laporta has told me nothing

Goodfellas

07-16-2009, 09:58 AM

SANDY, Utah (AP) -- Midfielders Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales of Real Salt Lake have been added to the Major League Soccer roster for the MLS All-Star game later this month.

They were added Wednesday as commissioner's picks to the MLS squad that will take on Premier League club Everton on July 29.
The first 11 players were selected to the MLS squad Monday. The remaining spots for the 18-man roster will be announced next Monday

Goodfellas

07-16-2009, 09:59 AM

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Mexico's biggest supporter this weekend in its Gold Cup quarterfinal against Haiti will be coach Javier Aguirre -- who won't be on the sideline.

Aguirre, serving the second of a three-game suspension for an in-game altercation with Panama player Ricardo Phillips during group play last week, needs Mexico to win on Sunday.

Otherwise, he still will be out during a World Cup qualifier against archrival United States next month.

Aguirre said all he wanted to in a statement of apology last week posted on the Mexican Football Federation's Web site. He declined to elaborate about his suspension on Wednesday during a news conference at the new Cowboys Stadium.

The Gold Cup games will be the first sporting events at the $1.15 billion stadium

Goodfellas

07-16-2009, 10:00 AM

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) -Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu is progressing well from knee surgery and is set to return to action in September.

The United States international was operated on at the end of last season after being injured in the Glasgow club's Scottish Premier League title-clincher against Dundee United.

Edu was forced to sit out the Scottish Cup final win over Falkirk in May.

"Even when I hurt my knee, I just thought it was a little injury and I had been looking forward to the cup final and winning the double,'' Edu said. "I'm glad we went on to get it but it would have been nice to have been part of that and missing out was a setback.''

Edu also missed his national team's run to the final of the Confederations Cup last month when the Americans lost 3-2 to Brazil.

"That's just how the game goes sometimes and I'm concentrating instead now on trying to play again,'' he said. "I'm really happy for the guys who did well because I think it opened a lot of peoples' eyes to the fact we can play football.

"It shone a light on Americans and proved we do have some talent in our country. That was great

Goodfellas

07-17-2009, 06:11 AM

MAYNOOTH, Ireland (AP) -- Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to lead Real Madrid back to the top of the soccer world. He's relishing the chance to prove he can do just that.

"Life is a challenge, and I'm a challenge man," Ronaldo said Thursday at Madrid's preseason training camp near Dublin.
The Portugal winger moved to Madrid from Manchester United for a record $131 million transfer fee. Along with Kaka, Karim Benzema and Raul Albiol, Ronaldo said he and his teammates have a job to do when the Spanish season starts next month.

"The new players have to show they have been brought in for a reason," Ronaldo said. "We have to win the league

Goodfellas

07-17-2009, 07:02 AM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The United States will be playing short-handed in Saturday's CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal against Panama.

Four of the 23 players on the original U.S. roster have returned to their European clubs: forwards Charlie Davies (Sochaux) and Freddy Adu (Benfica), and defenders Steve Cherundolo (Hannover) and Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaellands).

In addition, midfielder Benny Feilhaber has gone back to Aarhus after playing for the U.S. in the first round. Feilhaber was among seven additions to the original U.S. roster allowed by CONCACAF because the Americans headed to the Gold Cup immediately after the Confederations Cup.

None of the additional players will be with the U.S. for this weekend's game, team spokesman Michael Kammarman said. The winner plays Canada or Honduras in the semifinals.
The U.S. is seeking its third straight Gold Cup title.

Goodfellas

07-17-2009, 07:03 AM

SAO PAULO (AP) -- Ronaldo scored twice to lead Corinthians to a 4-3 victory over Sport in the Brazilian league on Thursday

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:24 AM

Real Madrid will be able to jump back in to their summer spending spree if they successfully off-load striker, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
And it could be as soon as this coming Monday if reports are true that the Oranje hitman will reveal his decision whether or not to leave the Santiago Bernabeu.

According to AS, the 25-year-old had met with Jorge Valdano to inform him that he will agree to study an offer tabled by VfB Stuttgart over the weekend and announced a formal reply on Monday.

Los Blancos, who had already confirmed that Arsenal are not interested in the Dutchman, have been trying to egg Huntelaar on to accept a move to the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The German side are so far the only club to have made a substantial offer of €18 million (plus €2 in incentives) to the 'White House', and president Florentino Perez has made it a priority to ship out the former Ajax marksman.

If Klaas does complete a transfer to Stuttgart, Madrid could begin their final push to sign Xabi Alonso. The Merengues had notified Liverpool that they would delay further negotiations for the midfielder until at least after they clear out another player from their bulging 30-man squad

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:26 AM

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas wished his club would build from within, but he stopped short of criticizing its recent big spending on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka.

Casillas joined the club when he was 9, and worked his way up to become a regular first-team starter at 18 in 1999.

"I like for a team to have players who, from a young age, have loved the colors of the club and know the values they have,'' Casillas said on Friday during a football clinic for hundreds of young players in Venezuela.

He said Madrid's habit of buying star players made it difficult for homegrown talent to break through.

"This always happens to us at Real Madrid,'' he said. "Always more is demanded from the players brought up in our own youth system than is demanded from players brought in from outside.''

Casillas also said he was hopeful that Real Madrid would win back the Spanish title from Barcelona in the coming season.

"After a difficult year with Barcelona, we hope to give Madrid fans a lot of happiness,'' he said. "Barcelona deserved everything it won. The challenge for us is to forget and win.''

Last season, Barcelona became the first Spanish club to win the treble - the league, domestic cup and the Champions League.
Many of Barcelona's top players such as Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta were brought up in the club's youth program. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is also a product of the Barcelona system.

Madrid, in contrast, has traditionally spent large sums snapping up foreign stars like Ronaldo, Kaka, Roberto Carlos, David Beckham and Luis Figo.

In the offseason, it has spent $302 million on five players

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:27 AM

SEATTLE (AP) -- New Chelsea FC manager Carlo Ancelotti doesn't believe he needs to be looking for a new captain.

No matter what Manchester City offers, Ancelotti doesn't see defender John Terry going anywhere.

"I am sure he will remain in Chelsea,'' Ancelotti said on Friday afternoon as the Blues practiced ahead of their match Saturday against the Seattle Sounders FC of the MLS. "I am sure, 100 percent. He has a contract for three years more and this is the situation now.''

The pursuit of Terry by Manchester City has been big news in England and the debate on Terry's future made its way to America. Despite constant denials by Chelsea that it would ever agree to the transfer, the question has lingered because of Terry's refusal to comment on the situation.

Going with the team on its four-match tour of the United States was a strong indication that Terry is committed to remaining with the only club he's ever played for. Perhaps as an added acknowledgment, Terry was the first player on the field Friday night as the Blues held an open practice before a few thousand fans at Qwest Field

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:28 AM

SEATTLE (AP) -- If Steve Zakuani and the Seattle Sounders FC get embarrassed on Saturday when they face English Premier League power Chelsea FC in an exhibition, the London native already knows his first move post-match.

"If we do bad I'm going to turn my phone off for the next 24 hours after," Zakuani said.

The Sounders get the MLS' first shot against some of the top powers from Europe when they host Chelsea on Saturday. The exhibition match begins a stretch of games in America for some of the top clubs from Italy, England and Spain as the European squads prepare for the beginning of their seasons later in the summer.

The match will be the debut of new Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti after his move in the offseason from AC Milan, becoming the third coach at Stamford Bridge in the last year.

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:28 AM

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Barcelona reached an initial agreement with Inter Milan to sign striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Friday in a deal that could also send striker Samuel Eto'o and midfielder Aleksandr Hleb to the Italian champions.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said "there is an agreement in principle with Inter Milan." On Thursday, Spanish news reports said a $56 million deal for the Sweden striker had been completed.

The Catalan club, however, said it was still negotiating with Inter with the deal dependent on Ibrahimovic and Eto'o, so other options -- such as Valencia striker David Villa -- had not been discarded.

"Ibrahimovic's signing depends on the player himself, on Samuel Eto'o and all the parties involved," said Laporta, who added that he had been personally discussing the matter with Eto'o. "David Villa as an option is not finished. We haven't discarded any possibilities."

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:30 AM

According to The Daily Star, Fulham will move for 21-year-old Fredy Montero, a young Colombian striker currently playing for the Seattle Sounders.

Montero, who was recently on trail at Real Betis in Spain, has netted nine times in 15 games for Seattle, and reportedly has caught the eye of the London club.

Roy Hodgson now has to replace Bobby Zamora, who has signed for Hull City in an $8.2 million deal. This money will give Hodgson valuable funds with which to bolster his attack.

Earlier reports suggested Fulham was in the hunt for Swedish hitman Marcus Berg. However, the Cottagers' interest appears to have fallen short as it now seems likely that the Swede will pen a contract for German side Hamburg over the course of the next 24 hours.

Montero, who has three international caps to his name and has scored one goal for his country, has also been linked with several other Premier League clubs.

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:31 AM

LOWELL, Massachusetts (AP) -New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis said David Beckham's return to the Los Angeles Galaxy and his inevitable return to AC Milan are distracting from other interesting stories in Major League Soccer.

Attending an event for an immigrant football tournament in Lowell on Thursday, Reis said that Beckham may sell plenty of celebrity magazines, but that all MLS teams have players from around the world who have compelling personal stories.

"There (are) plenty of other pieces and other stories that are out there,'' said Reis, who was originally drafted by the Galaxy in 1998.
Beckham returned Thursday in the Galaxy's 3-1 win over the New York Red Bulls. He has publicly feuded with Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan and drawn fire from American fans for not taking the MLS seriously.

A new book on Beckham also claims the 34-year-old midfielder found travel accommodations in MLS "shocking.''

Beckham joined the Galaxy in July 2007 under a $32.5 million, five-year deal following four seasons at Real Madrid.

Slowed by ankle and knee injuries, he played just eight matches for the Galaxy that year with one goal. While healthier last year - he played 25 matches - Los Angeles again missed the playoffs

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:31 AM

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -Chivas USA has acquired midfielder Marcelo Saragosa from FC Dallas in exchange for forward Atiba Harris.
The deal was announced Friday.

Saragosa joined Sao Paulo FC at age 13 and played nine years with the Brazilian powerhouse. He joined Major League Soccer in 2004 with the Los Angeles Galaxy, playing 2 1/2 years with them before being traded to FC Dallas. He has two goals and six assists in 94 career MLS games.

Harris was acquired by Chivas USA before the 2008 season in a trade with Real Salt Lake. He played 1 1/2 seasons, with five goals and seven assists for Chivas USA.

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:33 AM

TURIN, Italy (AP) -Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero has extended his contract with the Serie A club until 2011.

The striker's contract was due to run out in 2010, but a statement Friday on the club's Web site said that Del Piero had signed for an extra year.

"I am proud to have been with Juventus for all these years and I still want to write important pages of (its) history,'' Del Piero said.
The 34-year-old striker has been with Juventus since the 1993-94 season

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:35 AM

LONDON (AP) -A fresh inquiry into the contentious contract that brought Carlos Tevez to England three years ago has cleared West Ham of further wrongdoing.

The latest investigation focused on changes made to the Argentina forward's contract that enabled him to play in the last three matches of the 2006-07 season. His goals helped West Ham stay in the top flight at the expense of Sheffield United.

West Ham has already been fined 5.5 million pounds (then $11 million) in April 2007 by a disciplinary commission for breaking rules on third-party ownership of players in the transfers of Tevez and Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano.

Last September, an independent panel found that Tevez was not eligible to play in the matches, ruling that Sheffield United was entitled to compensation from West Ham because Tevez's goals condemned them to relegation. A figure between 10 million and 15 million pounds ($14 million and $21 million) was agreed by the clubs in March.

The latest inquiry, conducted by the Premier League and the Football Association, considered elements of that verdict by Hugh Griffiths, focusing on how Tevez's contract was revised in April 2007.

"The inquiry has concluded that, on the basis of the evidence available to them, there is no prima facie case that West Ham United and/or its officials did commit any further breaches of Premier League or FA rules immediately after the independent disciplinary commission's decision,'' the FA and Premier League said Friday in a statement

Goodfellas

07-18-2009, 06:36 AM

The New York Red Bulls have signed midfielder Ernst Obster from sister club Red Bull Salzburg.

"We were interested in bringing Ernst to New York since our preseason trip to Austria last year," said sporting director Jeff Agoos in a statement. "Ernst can play a variety of positions on the field and we think that he has a bright future ahead of him."

The 25-year-old has played his entire career with Salzburg except for a loan spell at LASK Linz in 2003-04. The left footer has also appeared for the Austrian Under-21 team. --Goal.com (http://www.goal.com/)

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 05:51 AM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Worn down and undermanned, the United States found a way to rally.

Now the Americans remain in position to win their third straight CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Kenny Cooper converted a penalty kick in the 105th minute, giving the two-time defending champions a 2-1 victory over Panama and a semifinal berth against Honduras, which beat Canada 1-0 in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader.

With just one regular in the starting lineup and down a goal early, U.S. coach Bob Bradley told his team at the first break it was time to get going and play like defending champions.

"Bob told us, `All right, we're in a tough one,"' midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "He told everybody to step up and play better, and we'll get our chances."

They made the most of them the rest of the way.

"It was ideal to finish it off in regulation, but it took 30 extra minutes and that still says something about this group," Bradley said.
Blas Perez put Panama ahead in first-half stoppage time, but Beckerman tied the score in the 49th.

In Sunday's quarterfinal doubleheader, Guadeloupe meets Costa Rica and Mexico faces Haiti in the first sporting event at the Dallas Cowboys new stadium at Arlington, Texas. The semifinals are Thursday in Chicago.

"It's going to be another tough one," Beckerman said. "This definitely took a lot out of us."

Cooper was kicked in the gut by Panama's Roman Torres as they went for the ball, and the penalty was awarded by Mexican referee Benito Archundia, who also worked Italy's victory over Germany in the 2006 World Cup semifinal. Goalkeeper Jaime Penedo correctly dived to his right, but Cooper's low kick went in off the post.

Panama's Felipe Baloy received a his second yellow card, and a red, for arguing with Archundia following the final whistle.

The Americans, who beat Honduras 2-0 in the first round, have not lost at home to an opponent from the North and Central American and Caribbean region since a 3-2 defeat to the Catrachos in a World Cup qualifier at Washington, D.C., in 2001. The U.S. won this tournament in 1991, 2002, 2005 and 2007, and the Americans haven't failed to reach the semifinals since 2000, when they were defeated by Colombia on penalty kicks in the quarterfinals
Forward Brian Ching was the only regular on the field, with the others dispersed to their clubs or on vacation ahead of the European season.

Jimmy Conrad, U.S. captain for the game, left the field in the 44th minute after he was hit in the face, which drew blood. Conrad has a concussion and his status for Thursday's game was not immediately known.

The United States was already short-handed because four of the 23 players on the original roster returned to their European clubs: forwards Charlie Davies (Sochaux) and Freddy Adu (Benfica), and defenders Steve Cherundolo (Hannover) and Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaellands). Midfielder Benny Feilhaber also went back to Aarhus after playing for the U.S. in the first round.

Panama, which lost to the U.S. on penalty kicks in the 2005 Gold Cup final, went ahead when Perez scored about 45 seconds into stoppage time. He beat goalkeeper Troy Perkins with an acrobatic right-footed kick for his third goal of the tournament.

Beckerman tied the score after Davy Arnaud cut back a cross for him.

"I let the swing and fortunately it went in," Beckerman said.
Notes: The Americans practiced this week across the street at the Philadelphia Eagles facility, where they chatted with Brian Westbrook and David Akers. ... A crowd announced 31,087 attended the doubleheader, with about 75 percent of the lower bowl full at Lincoln Financial Field and maybe 2,000 fans were scattered around the second level. The U.S. is bidding to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022, with FIFA due to make a decision in December 2010, and Philadelphia hopes to be selected as a site. ... This was the U.S. men's national team's first match in Philadelphia since a 4-0 loss to Israel on Sept. 25, 1968.

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 05:56 AM

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- Seven weeks after wearing AC Milan's jersey, David Beckham is ready to compete against the perennial Italian power with the MLS' Los Angeles Galaxy.

Beckham and the Galaxy will play AC Milan on Sunday night in an exhibition, Beckham's first home game since returning from Italy on July 10.

"I'm looking forward to it but it's going to be funny," Beckham said about playing against recent teammates. "You're always going to come up against teams you've played with and against in the past. It won't be too strange."

Despite losing stars Kaka to Real Madrid and Paolo Maldini to retirement, AC Milan still has Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato and Andrea Pirlo.

"We'll be competitive, that's for sure," Galaxy forward Landon Donovan said. "For a lot of our guys, this is a very good opportunity. We don't want to stand around like cones and get embarrassed."
One of AC Milan's newest acquisitions is defender Oguchi Onyewu, who started for the United States in last month's FIFA Confederations Cup and in the 2006 World Cup.

Onyewu signed with Milan on July 7 but is expected to play later this week, as AC Milan competes in the World Soccer Challenge.
Beckham played in his first MLS game this year Thursday night against New York in East Rutherford, N.J. During the Galaxy's 3-1 victory, fans booed Beckham every time he touched the ball.
How does the midfielder expect to be received at home?

"We'll have to wait and see," Beckham said. "It's great for myself to be back playing in front of the fans that we've got. They've always been amazing to me since I've been here. I hope it continues."
Beckham, who played 70 minutes against New York, said he wants to increase that total Sunday night.

"Coming back after a while of not playing, it's easy to get an injury," Beckham said. "It's important that I work hard and don't put myself in any silly positions."

The match was part of the last-minute agreement between the Galaxy, Major League Soccer and AC Milan to extend Beckham's loan to the end of the Serie A season in May. Originally, Beckham had to return to the Galaxy in March.

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:01 AM

TORONTO (AP) -- Houston defender Bobby Boswell scored the tying goal in the 75th minute as the Dynamo rallied to a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday.

Boswell, sent in alone on a pass from midfielder Geoff Cameron, was foiled on his first attempt by goalie Stefan Frei, but the ball came loose. Boswell then buried a shot for his third goal of the season.
Houston (9-4-5) improved the MLS' best record.

Toronto (7-6-5) took the lead in the 38th as fullback Marvell Wynne, pushing forward, made a pass that sent Dwayne DeRosario in alone on goalie Pat Onstad. DeRosario scored his team-leading sixth of the season.

"We didn't play anywhere near the standard we know we can," Toronto FC coach Chris Cummins said. "What I will say is that point might be vital to us looking for the push to get into the playoffs. And I think, two months ago, we might have lost a game like that."
The goal came just after Toronto fan-favorite striker Danny Dichio entered the game, replacing defender Adrian Serioux, who bruised a knee in a leg-on-leg collision with Houston's Dominic Oduro.
Serioux's injury will be reassessed on Monday, but Cummins said it doesn't appear to be serious.

Onstad expressed concern over the condition of artificial turf surface at BMO Field.

"It's got to be tough for Toronto FC when they have to play on that field," he said. "That field is nothing short of awful."
Dichio quickly made an impact, helping to freeze the Dynamo defenders during Wynne's pass to DeRosario and setting up the goal.

Houston played without four prominent players. Leading scorer Brian Ching and midfield standout Stuart Holden (United States) and defender Andre Hainault (Canada) are all competing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. MLS assist leader Brad Davis didn't make the trip because he has the flu.

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:01 AM

D.C. United 3, Rapids 1

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Bryan Namoff redeemed himself after knocking a ball into his own net, scoring the tiebreaking goal in the 56th minute to lead D.C. United.

Namoff's header off Christian Gomez' corner kick beat screened Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens. The goal was the third of Namoff's 187-game MLS career.

In the 14th minute, Namoff kicked the ball into his own goal to put Colorado (6-5-6) up 1-0. Namoff was trying to keep the ball away from Conor Casey but inadvertently put it past Josh Wicks, the second own goal United (6-3-9) has allowed in the last four games.
United won for the first time in four matches.

The Rapids are 0-7-4 in Washington since their last win there July 10, 1999.

United's Jaime Moreno, who had missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, came in to start the second half and scored on a penalty kick in the 47th minute to tie the game at 1-all. The goal was Moreno's sixth of the season -- four coming on penalty kicks.
Pablo Mastroeni, who committed the foul that resulted in the penalty kick, was assessed a yellow card.

D.C.'s Luciano Emilio, who sat out the last two matches with a knee injury, scored in the 61st minute to complete the scoring.

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:03 AM

Crew 3, Real SL 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Columbus Crew extended their home unbeaten streak to an MLS-record tying 18 games as Jason Garey scored twice.

Steven Lenhart also scored for Columbus (6-3-9), which improved to 12-0-6 during its run at Crew Stadium. The streak matches San Jose's MLS mark, set in 2004 and '05.

Raphael Cox scored his first career goal for Real Salt Lake (5-7-5), which had its five-game unbeaten streak snapped.

Columbus was without league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto and 2008 defender of the year Chad Marshall. Schelotto is recovering from a hamstring injury and Marshall is with the U.S National Team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The two were named All-Star starters earlier this week.
Lenhart's second goal of the year came in the 23rd minute and followed passes from Frankie Hejduk and Duncan Oughton, who made his first start of the season for the Crew.

Garey extended Columbus' lead in the 31st minute, finishing from close range after Real Salt Lake failed to clear Lenhart's header from inside the penalty area.

Garey padded the score with a pretty goal in the 53rd minute, combining on a give-and-go with Lenhart before beating RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

Garey has three goals this season.

Cox scored in the 76th minute.

Salt Lake players Tony Beltran, Robbie Russell and Ned Grabavoy were shown yellow cards by referee Abiodun Okulaja. Crew midfielder Danny O'Rourke was booked in the 72nd minute

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:03 AM

Fire 2, Earthquakes 0

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) -- Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored a goal and added an assist to help the first-place Chicago Fire snap their franchise-record six-game home winless streak.

Blanco set up the winning goal in the 82nd minute when he intercepted a pass from defender Brandon McDonald and found forward Patrick Nyarko alone in the center of the box.

Nyarko, who scored his third goal of the season, was starting in place of forward Brian McBride, who is sidelined for at least three months after undergoing shoulder surgery Friday.

Chicago, which had gone 0-4-2 in its last six home games, also ended a club-record 406-minute scoreless streak there.

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:05 AM

SEATTLE (AP) -- Daniel Sturridge jumped at the chance to join Chelsea as soon as he heard the club was interested in him.
His debut on Saturday made Blues' management look very smart for acquiring the talented 19-year-old player.

Making his debut following an offseason move from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge, Sturridge scored in the 12th minute and assisted on Frank Lampard's goal later in the first half as the Blues opened their preseason tour of America with a 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday.

"Nobody ever thinks twice about going to such a big club when it comes calling," Sturridge said. "You have to take the opportunity and I'm very happy to be here."

Sturridge's goal early in the match quieted some of the 65,289 fans -- most in Seattle green -- who turned out to see the first of two international exhibitions the Sounders will host this season. It also made a winner of new manager Carlo Ancelotti in his first match leading the Blues after his move from AC Milan.

It was Chelesa's second appearance in Seattle in recent years. They faced Celtic in 2004 in an exhibition match that drew 30,504 and was part of an increased run of international exhibitions in the Pacific Northwest.

But Saturday was the first time those Northwest fans were cheering for their own team. Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said he went to pick up his dry cleaning at 8 a.m. Saturday and was met by a Sounders fan already in full regalia.

The hometown team responded with a spirited effort despite getting shut out.

"From a European point of view I think it definitely sends a message that we can play so well against Chelsea," Seattle midfielder Freddie Ljungberg said, a former Chelsea nemesis during his time at Arsenal. "When I speak to my friends back home there are a lot of questions about what is the level and how would you play against a great team. I think that message was sent today."

The match was Chelsea's first on-field test since beating Everton 2-1 in the FA Cup final on May 30. They are using the tour of the United States -- which includes matches against Inter Milan, AC Milan and Club America -- as their training leading up to the English Premier League opener against Hull on Aug. 15.

To that end, a number of stars either sat or played only one half. Didier Drogba and Michael Essien never took off their warmups, while Ashley Cole, John Terry and Petr Cech were among the Chelsea starters to only play a half. Terry did not speak to reporters afterward regarding the ongoing pursuit of his services by Manchester City.

The only Chelsea regular to play the full 90 minutes was Lampard.
"Today was the best atmosphere I've played in out here for sure," Lampard said. "I think the game was pretty even really except for the two goals that we scored which is maybe a slight difference in quality from the Premier League to here, but the Seattle team played good football."

Seattle is in the middle of its MLS season and had to balance upcoming matches with trying to make a good showing against the Blues. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller and forward Nate Jaqua only played a half, while Ljungberg played into the second half before leaving.
The Sounders host Houston in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on Tuesday. They will play Chicago next Saturday.

With the blazing rave green of the Sounders easily dwarfing the royal blue of Chelsea's in the stands, the Sounders were clearly the more fit side. But some sloppy passing and poor first-touches kept the numerous runs by Ljungberg and striker Fredy Montero from becoming great scoring opportunities. Seattle also missed on a pair of open second-half headers, and Sanna Nyassi missed an open net when his chipped attempt went over the crossbar.

While Seattle failed to convert, the Blues made the most of their runs through Seattle's shaky defense. Sturridge took advantage in the 12th minute, accepting a pass from Florent Malouda near the top of the box, stopping while Seattle defender Tyrone Marshall slid past and beating Keller with a right-footed strike.

Just over 20 minutes later, Sturridge got Chelsea's next goal started. His pass from near midfield found the foot of Nicolas Anelka running free in the box. Anelka chipped a centering pass that Lampard easily deposited past the helpless Keller.

The second half featured reserves for both sides. Seattle defender Zach Scott twice saved goals by clearing balls off the line after keeper Terry Boss was beaten.

"Their speed, their movement, their touch, there's no mistakes in the back," Seattle's Steve Zakuani said. "They're all very, very good at what they do. That's the next level, that's why they are where they are. It was good to measure ourselves today

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:09 AM

VIENNA (AP) -- Former Austria captain Andreas Ivanschitz has left Panathinaikos and is set to sign a three-year contract with Bundesliga club Mainz 05.

His manager Georg Stanggassinger said the 26-year-old playmaker will sign a ?1.5 million ($1.97 million) deal on Sunday.
Ivanschitz said Saturday: "I wanted to switch to a better league. I want to be challenged more and play among the best players every week.''

Ivanschitz, who previously played with Rapid Vienna and Red Bull Salzburg before joining Panathinaikos in 2006, was not a regular starter for the Greek club last season and lost his place in Austria's squad under coach Dietmar Constantini

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:11 AM

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Emmanuel Adebayor became the third striker to join Manchester City in the offseason on Saturday, leaving Arsenal to boost its Premier League rival's already extensive attacking options.

The Togo international signed a five-year deal at the end of a week that began with Argentina forward Carlos Tevez joining from Manchester United. Manager Mark Hughes had already recruited Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn last month.
"Along with the other signings we have made in the last two windows, he will greatly enhance our ability to compete with the top sides,'' Hughes said. "Emmanuel has been one of the top forwards in the Premier League since he arrived from France and we are delighted he has agreed to come and join us.''

Adebayor won nothing at Arsenal since joining from Monaco more than three years ago. He is hopeful that will change, with City now bankrolled by a big-spending Abu Dhabi owner.

"This is a team, maybe in one year or two years, that will be one of the best in the world,'' the 2008 African player of the year said.
The 25-year-old Adebayor's transfer fee was reported to be about 25 million pounds ($41 million).

"His arrival is another clear indication that we are determined to augment the players we have here with the best of international talent,'' Hughes said. "He adds vital balance and power to our attack. He has everything a top forward needs. He is versatile, powerful, quick and agile on the ball.''

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger added: "I am sure he will give something special to Manchester City - we will miss him.''
Apart from Tevez and Santa Cruz, Adebayor will be joining an attack that also contains record signing Robinho and Craig Bellamy, as Hughes continues to transform his squad using the wealth of the club's Abu Dhabi owner.

"We have got a number of strikers,'' Hughes said. "It's about making sure we are able to get everybody up to the right level and we can make sure against any given opposition we have the right combinations.''

The need for more options was highlighted Saturday as Valeri Bojinov, Felipe Caicedo, Benjani Mwaruwari and Bellamy all failed to find the net as City lost 2-0 to the Orlando Pirates on a preseason tour of South Africa. City left Robinho, Tevez, Santa Cruz and midfield recruit Gareth Barry out of the team.

Hughes is not neglecting the need to bolster the defense, although his primary targets are proving difficult to capture.

Everton rejected a bid of 15 million pounds ($24.4 million) for England defender Joleon Lescott on Friday, while Chelsea has dismissed two offers for England captain John Terry, insisting the center back is not for sale at any price.

"That's Chelsea's stance and we understand that,'' Hughes said. "But we obviously are looking to strengthen in defensive areas and we are looking at all options.''

Terry played in the opening match of Chelsea's tour of the United States on Saturday as the FA Cup winners beat the Seattle Sounders 2-0.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti reiterated after the friendly: "John Terry is a player of Chelsea and he will remain a player and symbol of Chelsea.''

City's latest bid for Terry was about 30 million pounds.
When asked earlier Saturday if City would continue to pursue Terry, Hughes said: "It's a case of seeing at what level we want to go up

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:12 AM

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -Michael Owen made an immediate impact in his Manchester United debut Saturday, coming off the bench to score with five minutes left in a 3-2 victory over a Malaysian all-star squad in the team's Asian tour opener.

The striker, who joined Man United on a free transfer from Newcastle, scored after the Premier League champions surrendered a two-goal lead to Malaysian XI before a crowd of 85,000.
Owen pounced on a loose ball after Darron Gibson's pass to Ryan Giggs was blocked by goalkeeper Mohamad Farizal Marlias. Owen replaced Wayne Rooney in the 61st minute.

"Michael is different to the other strikers we have here,'' manager Alex Ferguson said. "He's always searching for that space in and around the box, and he reacted really well to take his goal.''
Rooney put United ahead in the eighth minute and set up a goal in the 27th minute with a cross to Nani. as the half ended, Mohamad Amri Yahyah chipped a 25-yard shot over United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. Malaysia tied it in the 52nd, with Amri beating substitute goalie Ben Foster.

Man United plays Malaysian XI again Monday in Kuala Lumpur after its trip to Indonesia was canceled because of Friday's bombing of the Jakarta hotel where the team was to stay. The team will depart Wednesday for the next leg of the Asia tour in Seoul and then head to China

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:13 AM

SAO PAULO (AP) -Less than a month after being fired from Palmeiras, Vanderlei Luxemburgo is about to take on a new job - coaching Santos for the fourth time since 1997.

"I have signed a contract with the Santos Football Club,'' Luxemburgo wrote in his blog late Friday. "I am very happy to be returning to this great club with which I feel a very strong identification.''

He said he would present himself to the club on Monday "when I will provide more details on my return to Santos.''

Luxemburgo coached Santos in 1997, 2004 and from 2006-07.
The Santos Football Club confirmed Luxemburgo's hiring on its official Twitter site.

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:14 AM

TOKYO (AP) -A Brazilian striker has been cautioned by his Japanese club for changing his shorts in full view of the crowd.

Kashima Antlers forward Marquinhos had his shorts on back-to-front, and made the requisite change at the side of the pitch during the July 15 game against Kawasaki Frontale.

While it was an incident that would not raise an eyebrow in most parts of the world, Kashima president Kazumi Ohigashi displayed Japan's reputation for social propriety by admonishing his striker.

"You've got to confirm these things before the match,'' team president Kazumi Ohigashi said in Saturday's Nikkansports newspaper. "I'd like him to be more organized.''

The J-League's defending champions won the game 1-0 and have an eight-point lead in the standings. Marquinhos is one the team's top players and has six goals in 17 games this season.

Goodfellas

07-19-2009, 06:16 AM

Real Madrid will be able to jump back in to their summer spending spree if they successfully off-load striker, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
And it could be as soon as this coming Monday if reports are true that the Oranje hitman will reveal his decision whether or not to leave the Santiago Bernabeu.

According to AS, the 25-year-old had met with Jorge Valdano to inform him that he will agree to study an offer tabled by VfB Stuttgart over the weekend and announced a formal reply on Monday.

Los Blancos, who had already confirmed that Arsenal are not interested in the Dutchman, have been trying to egg Huntelaar on to accept a move to the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The German side are so far the only club to have made a substantial offer of €18 million (plus €2 in incentives) to the 'White House', and president Florentino Perez has made it a priority to ship out the former Ajax marksman.
If Klaas does complete a transfer to Stuttgart, Madrid could begin their final push to sign Xabi Alonso. The Merengues had notified Liverpool that they would delay further negotiations for the midfielder until at least after they clear out another player from their bulging 30-man squad.

Goodfellas

07-20-2009, 06:03 AM

FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- Kheli Dube scored his first goal in four months and the New England Revolution beat Chivas USA 2-0 on Sunday.

Dube, who hadn't scored since New England's season opener on March 21, ended a 302-minute scoreless streak for the Revolution (5-5-5) by taking a through ball from midfielder Shalrie Joseph and sprinting past a pair of Chivas defenders on the right wing before beating goalkeeper Zach Thornton with a 22-yard drive to the far left corner.

New England ended a three-match (0-2-1) winless streak and also improved to 3-0-1 in its last four overall against Chivas.

Chivas (8-6-3) has scored just one goal during its four-game losing streak and is 1-5-2 in its last eight matches. It is 0-4-1 in its last five games at New England.

Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis notched his fourth shutout of the season, facing seven first-half corner kicks by Chivas' Mariano Trujillo and making two superb stops -- punching out a right-footed drive by Sasha Victorine in the 12th minute and taking away a Carey Talley header in the 25th minute.

Steve Ralston scored his fifth goal of the season in the 77th minute for the Revolution. Victorine was unable to control the ball in the penalty area before Ralston scored from 10 yards.

Goodfellas

07-20-2009, 06:05 AM

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Alvaro Saborio scored two goals and Costa Rica advanced to the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals for the first time since 2003, beating Guadeloupe 5-1 Sunday in the first sporting event played at the new Cowboys Stadium.

Costa Rica (2-1-1) will play the winner of the Mexico-Haiti match in the semifinals Thursday in Chicago.

Armando Alonso had two assists to help Costa Rica jump out to a 2-0 advantage in the first 16 minutes.

In the early moments, Alonso passed the ball to midfielder Celso Borges near the top of the penalty box. Borges scored on a reverse bicycle kick, beating frozen goalkeeper Marius Fausta as the ball bounced once before landing just inside the left post.

"It was a great pass by Alonso," Borges said through an interpreter. "I didn't think twice about it. I just let the play guide me."
Saborio took a pass from Alonso and scored on a header from nine yards out to extend the lead to 2-0.

Andy Herron's goal on an assist from Saborio in the 47th minute made it 3-0.

Guadeloupe (2-2) cut its deficit to 3-1 when Larry Clavier passed to Alexander Alphonse, who split two defenders and scored on a header in the 64th minute.

Costa Rica outshot Guadeloupe 19-12.

"We started the game not concentrating," Guadeloupe coach Roger Salnot said through an interpreter. "We were out of sorts. Giving up two goals was a big blow. We couldn't change the course of the game."

Guadeloupe, a small cluster of islands under French rule in the Caribbean that was playing in its second Gold Cup, lost in the semifinals to Mexico in 2007.

Costa Rica, which has never won the Gold Cup, lost in the finals in 2002 to the United States and in the semifinals to Mexico in 2003. It was eliminated in the quarterfinals in both 2005 and 2007.
Saborio's second goal came in the 72nd minute on an assist from Borges. He took a long pass and beat Fausta to make it 4-1.
"I felt very confident," Saborio said through an interpreter. "I was able to follow the scheme."

Pablo Herrera added a goal in the 89th minute to cap the scoring.
The $1.15 billion Cowboys Stadium, which so far has played host to concerts by George Strait and the Jonas Brothers in June, was a little more than half full at the start. The stadium began to fill up with fans of Mexico toward the end of the match

Goodfellas

07-20-2009, 06:06 AM

GERONA, Spain (AP) -- Villarreal has begun its Spanish league preparations with a 27-0 victory over minnows Navata in a preseason friendly.

New arrival Jonathan Pereiro scored seven goals while strikers Joseba Llorente and Marcos Ruben notched four each as the topflight club beat the third division side from the Catalan league Sunday.

Villarreal finished fifth in the top league last season and will play in the Europa League -- the former UEFA Cup competition -- this season

Goodfellas

07-20-2009, 06:11 AM

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) -Switzerland captain Alexander Frei has completed his transfer to FC Basel, the club said on its official Web site Sunday.

The 30-year-old striker signed a three-year contract after Basel reportedly paid German club Borussia Dortmund ?4.25 million ($6 million) to bring back a player who spent three years at St. Jakob Park as a teenager.

Frei is Switzerland's record national team scorer with 39 goals in 67 international matches.

He spent three seasons with Dortmund and previously played for French club Rennes.

Goodfellas

07-20-2009, 06:12 AM

SAO PAULO (AP) -Colombian midfielder Mauricio Molina has reached a deal to move from Brazil's Santos to South Korean club Seongnam Ilhwa.

Molina is expected to travel to South Korea this week to finalize details on his transfer.

"The financial part played a role in my decision, I had to think of my family,'' Molina told local media.

Financial details were not released.

Molina said he had already rejected an offer from the South Korean club last year and decided to stay with Santos at the time.
"My heart is going to stay here,'' Molina said. "Santos has won another fan.''

The 28-year-old Molina scored 17 goals in 78 matches with Santos since debuting with the two-time national champion in 2008.

Goodfellas

07-20-2009, 06:14 AM

LYON, France (AP) -Lyon has signed French defender Aly Cissokho from FC Porto on a five-year contract for ?15 million ($24.3 million).
The 21-year-old Cissokho has passed a medical test and will start training on Monday, the club said on its Web site.

Earlier this month, Lyon signed striker Lisandro Lopez from Porto for ?24 million ($39 million), which could rise to ?28 million ($46 million) with performance bonuses.

The seven-time French champion has also signed winger Michel Bastos from Lille.

Cissokho will likely be the first choice at left back in coach Claude Puel's team, meaning Italy's World Cup-winning defender Fabio Grosso could leave soon.

Cissokho impressed for Porto in its Champions League quarterfinal against Manchester United last season. Two seasons ago, Cissokho was playing in the French second division with Gueugnon. He had been set to join AC Milan recently, but the Italian club pulled out of the deal after a medical test showed that Cissokho apparently had a dental problem that could cause muscular injuries.

Lyon is rebuilding after selling striker Karim Benzema to Real Madrid for ?35 million ($57.4 million) and letting midfielder Juninho join Qatar's Al Gharafa on a free transfer.

Lyon still hopes to sign Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, the French league's top scorer last season with 24 goals, or to buy back striker Loic Remy from Nice - a year after selling him.

Goodfellas

07-20-2009, 06:15 AM

COPENHAGEN (AP) -- Defending champion FC Copenhagen began the new Danish season with a surprising 2-0 defeat by Nordsjalland at the weekend.

Stephan Petersen scored just four minutes into the game and Martin Bernburg added a second in the 24th minute.

It was only the second win for Nordsjalland against Copenhagen in their last 22 matches. Copenhagen, which finished 39 points ahead of eighth-placed Nordsjalland last season, failed to capitalize on numerous scoring chances.

Brondby, which finished second behind its crosstown rival Copenhagen last season, drew 2-2 at home with Odense. Jon Jonsson earned Brondby a point with a 66th minute equalizer.
SonderjyskE beat Randers 1-0 courtesy of Kenneth Fabricius' eighth-minute goal, while Silkeborg drew 1-1 at Koge.

Goodfellas

07-20-2009, 06:15 AM

STOCKHOLM (AP) -IFK Goteborg beat Trelleborg 3-1 on Sunday to remain top of the Swedish first division.

Jakob Johansson opened the scoring in the 14th minute, pouncing on a loose ball after goalkeeper Viktor Noring failed to clear Stefan Selakovic's header.

Thomas Olsson made it 2-0 in the 27th, beating Noring with a header. Fredrik Jensen pulled one back for Trelleborg in the 50th minute after a corner but Goteborg's Ragnar Sigurdsson put the result beyond doubt when he converted a penalty in the 81st.
Goteborg, which is unbeaten at home this season, leads the standings with 31 points after 15 games. Elfsborg, which beat lowly Djurgarden 2-1 at Stockholm's Olympic Stadium, is one point behind in second place.

Goodfellas

07-21-2009, 06:31 AM

CARSON, California (AP) -Los Angeles Galaxy coach and general manager Bruce Arena says the team regrets the exchange between David Beckham and a fan at halftime of its friendly against AC Milan.
Arena's comments Monday come a day after Beckham was the target of frequent booing and derisive banners held up by one of the team's support groups during Beckham's first home game since returning from a five-month loan to AC Milan.

At halftime of Sunday's 2-2 draw, Beckham walked toward the L.A. Riot Squad supporters seating section and motioned to a fan to come closer. The man jumped down from the seats and was arrested by police for trespassing.

Arena said in a statement issued by the team that it's important for fans to be able to voice their opinions but they must do it in an appropriate manner.

Arena says the team has a good relationship with the L.A. Riot Squad and has reached out to set up a meeting with the group. He says the group has issued a lifetime ban on the fan that left the stands

Goodfellas

07-21-2009, 06:32 AM

NEW YORK (AP) -- Houston coach Dominic Kinnear picked three of his own Dynamo players to join the MLS All-Star team.
In addition to goalkeeper Pat Onstad, midfielder Brad Davis and forward Brian Ching of the Dynamo, Kinnear also added three others to the 18-man team. Seattle Sounders defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and forward Fredy Montero will join Kansas City midfielder Davy Arnaud.

The first-year Sounders have four players headed to Sandy, Utah, for the game against Everton of the Premier League on July 29.
Monday's choices put five Houston players on the roster

Goodfellas

07-21-2009, 06:33 AM

DUBLIN (AP) -- Cristiano Ronaldo struggled in his first match for Real Madrid, missing two free kicks in a preseason friendly against Shamrock Rovers before a late strike from Karim Benzema gave the visitors a 1-0 win.

The Dublin club of part-time footballers held Real Madrid's starters at bay through the first half Monday and came close to embarrassing the star-studded team in front of a sellout crowd of 10,800 at Tallaght Stadium. The facility erected temporary stands that tripled capacity for the occasion.

Ronaldo, the world's most expensive player after his euro94 million ($134 million) transfer from Manchester United, struck one free kick wide right and the other straight into a wall of Rovers players. He also hit a shot wide before being substituted at halftime.

Goodfellas

07-21-2009, 06:37 AM

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) -A 12-year-old has played in a first-division football game in Bolivia.

Mauricio Baldivieso - the son of Aurora club coach Julio Cesar Baldivieso - entered the match Sunday in the 84th minute in a game Aurora lost 1-0 to La Paz FC. He is believed to be the youngest player to take the field in a top-flight game in the South American country.

Baldivieso wore No. 10, the same number his father once wore playing for Bolivia's national team.

"I felt relaxed because I had the support of other players on the team,'' Baldivieso said.

The younger Baldivieso touched the ball three times, and was knocked down once by an opponent - which drew jeers from the fans.

"Papa told me that I would make my debut if we were winning,'' he told reporters. "But things went another way and I still got to play.''
Baldivieso turns 13 on Wednesday and said he hopes to play abroad one day.

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07-21-2009, 06:39 AM

MADRID (AP) -- A Colombian soccer player who admitted killing a heckling fan this month said he was drunk during their confrontation and wanted to simply scare the man with a gun.

Javier Florez surrendered to authorities in the Colombian city of Barranquilla hours after the fatal shooting. He was charged July 13 with aggravated homicide and pleaded gulity to illegally carrying a firearm. He could face up to 50 years in prison, with his trial to start in the coming months.

The fan had been taunting Florez after Athletic Junior lost in the local Colombian league July 5. Florez said he reacted after a stone was thrown at his car.

"I was drunk, full of hate, of fury," Florez told the Spanish sports newspaper Marca. "They challenged me to fight. I went up to them, pulled the gun out and one of them jumped at me to take it away. In this altercation, the horrible thing happened. I shot several times. I don't remember very well."

Florez denied that he intended to kill the man.
"I parked the car and went to confront them," he said. "I was carrying a gun and thought it would scare them."

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07-21-2009, 06:40 AM

MADRID (AP) -Liverpool midfield Xabi Alonso is flattered by the interest shown by Real Madrid, even if he has little say in where he ends up playing next season.

"The fact that Real wants you is always nice, above all, taking into account where I am in my career. But I've already said, at this point, what could happen is not my decision,'' Alonso told Spanish sports daily AS on Monday. "We will have to see what happens.''
Alonso, however, said he was open to playing for the Spanish club, which has already spent more than ?200 million ($285 million) on Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema.

"Real Madrid's project is impressive,'' the Spain international said.
Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez gave no hint as to whether he will be willing to part with the midfielder, saying Monday that Alonso had traveled with the team to Thailand as part of its preseason tour of Asia.

Alonso is reportedly also being sought by Inter Milan

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07-22-2009, 07:58 AM

SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Sounders and D.C. United will meet in the U.S. Open Cup final after winning their semifinals on Tuesday.
Seattle got a late equalizer and then beat Houston Dynamo 2-1 after extra time, while D.C. beat the lower-league Rochester Rhinos by the same score.

Houston took a 1-0 lead after 32 minutes through Nigerian striker Ade Akinbiyi -- formerly of Burnley and Stoke -- and held that advantage until the 89th minute when Nate Jaqua brought Seattle level.

In the fifth minute of extra time, Sounders midfielder Stephen King ran onto a Steve Zakuani pass and drove home his shot from the top of the penalty area.

In the other semifinal, South African striker Thabiso Khumalo scored what proved D.C. United's winner in the 82nd minute, and then later broke a wrist.

Bolivian captain Jaime Moreno converted a penalty to put United ahead 1-0 in the 41st minute.

Rochester, which plays a level below Major League Soccer in the USL First Division but won the Cup in 1999, equalized through Kenyan forward Tai Atieno in the 62nd minute.

Khumalo scored the winner by following in on a blocked shot. In injury time, Khumalo right wrist was hit by the ball after a goalkeeper clearance, breaking the joint.

D.C. United, which beat USL-1's Charleston Battery in last year's final, is aiming to become the first team since 1983 to retain the Cup

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07-22-2009, 07:59 AM

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard scored to give Chelsea FC a 2-0 victory over Inter Milan on Tuesday night in a soccer exhibition at the Rose Bowl.

The game was part of the World Football Challenge, a series also involving AC Milan and Mexico City's Club America.

Drogba scored on a swerving 30-yard shot that Inter Milan goalkeeper Vid Belec deflected inside the right post.

Lampard converted a penalty kick in the 50th minute after Inter Milan's Ivan Cordoba used his right elbow to block Daniel Sturridge's shot from the left side of the penalty area.

Inter Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the subject of a possible transfer to FC Barcelona, entered the game in the 59th minute. Ibrahimovic, who played in the 2006 World Cup for Sweden, led Serie A with 25 goals last season.

Inter Milan secured its fourth consecutive Serie A championship in 2008-09 while Chelsea won England's FA Cup.

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07-22-2009, 08:00 AM

Samuel Eto'o and his representatives have been locked in talks with the Inter Milan hierarchy since Monday night, but club president Massimo Moratti has said that nothing has been agreed yet.

"We are still a little way off [from an agreement], but this is normal," he told Italian media agency ANSA. "We found an agreement very quickly with his club. Now we are speaking with all concerned and everyone is trying their best for themselves."

These quotes come after Moratti told El Mundo Deportivo that Eto'o would accept Inter's offer, but no contract has yet been agreed on.
The sticking point is Eto'o's wages, as Inter offered the player $12.8 million per season. Eto'o is thought to be demanding around $17 million, closer to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's reported wages, but may lower his demands over the course of the negotiations.

While the former Mallorca striker may be persuaded to accept a lower wage, Inter may be able to increase its offer if it can move some of its fringe players off the wage bill.

The likes of Nicolas Burdisso, Amantino Mancini and Nelson Rivas are all expected to leave and any agreement for their departure would allow for a little more financial maneuvering during the Eto'o negotiations.

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07-22-2009, 08:09 AM

LONDON (AP) -Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri broke a bone in his lower leg during a training session Tuesday at the club's preseason camp in Austria and will be out for up to three months.

Arsenal confirmed that Nasri had sustained a fractured fibula in his right leg, but did not immediately provide further details on the French international's injury.

The club said it expects Nasri to travel back to Britain on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Nasri was signed from Marseille last summer as a replacement for Alexander Hleb, who left for Barcelona. Nasri scored on his debut against West Bromwich Albion last season. He had a total of seven goals in 44 appearances.

Arsenal arrived at its preseason camp this week and has a friendly against SC Columbia scheduled for Tuesday.

The team has two other friendlies in Austria scheduled for next week before returning to London for the Emirates Cup on Aug. 1-2.

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07-22-2009, 08:10 AM

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack's preseason preparations suffered a setback as he picked up a toe injury this week.
The Germany international has flown back to England for treatment after suffering a break and is to miss the remaining fixtures of the Blues' tour of America.

Ballack featured in Chelsea's 2-0 win over the Seattle Sounders last Saturday, but will not take part in Tuesday's game against Inter Milan. He will also be absent from the meeting with manager Carlo Ancelotti's former club Milan, as well as the concluding game against Club America.

He could be back in action for an encounter with Championship outfit Reading on Aug. 1 upon the Blues' return to England.

Ballack's Chelsea career has been hampered by injury since his arrival from Bayern Munich in 2006.

In April of the following year, the German suffered an ankle injury, keeping him out of action for eight months, during which time he feared he may never play again.

He continued to have foot problems at the start of last season as he limped out of Chelsea's 4-0 win against Portsmouth.

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07-22-2009, 08:11 AM

LONDON (AP) -Florent Malouda has signed a new deal to stay with Chelsea for three more seasons.

The French winger, who had a year left on his existing contract, has agreed to stay at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2012 and said Tuesday he was looking forward to playing under new manager Carlo Ancelotti.

"I was really happy when I heard it was Carlo Ancelotti because I have a lot of respect for him,'' Malouda said about the former AC Milan coach. "At my former club Lyon I played many times against Milan. For me it is a really good choice and I believe in him

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07-22-2009, 08:14 AM

SAO PAULO (AP) -Former Brazil and Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is satisfied with the way things are going after 20 days as coach of Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor.

Scolari took over the club on July 1 in his first job since being fired by Chelsea in February.

"The work has been good so far,'' Scolari said Tuesday. "The players have responded well to the way we do things, they like to work hard and they are working with a lot of motivation.''

Bunyodkor has won all three of its matches since the Brazilian coach made his debut - one in the Uzbekistan Cup and two in the domestic league, which it leads nine points ahead of second-place Pakhtakor.

"It's all going smoothly in these first 20 days,'' said the 60-year-old Scolari, who led Brazil to its fifth World Cup title in 2002 in South Korea and Japan.

Scolari signed an 18-month deal with the club, taking over from Brazilian great Zico.

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07-22-2009, 08:14 AM

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) -Sven-Goran Eriksson is being linked to League Two struggler Notts County.

According to several newspapers, radio and TV reports on Tuesday, English football's oldest league club, which is owned by Middle Eastern business consortium Munto Finance, wants to appoint the former England coach as a director of football.

BBC Radio Nottingham said Eriksson was having talks with the club but County, formed in 1862 and a Football League member since 1888, and the Swede's agent, Athole Still, declined to comment on the reports.

County finished 19th in League Two last season. Its only success was winning the FA Cup in 1894 and it was last in the top flight in 1991.

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07-23-2009, 07:05 AM

The news that Landon Donovan was being pursued by newly promoted Serie A side Livorno came as a surprise to most observers. Livorno seems like too small a club for Donovan, who has indicated he would like to play for a big European team.

But on Wednesday, Donovan's agent, Richard Motzkin of WMG, confirmed to Goal.com that he had spoken to representatives at Livorno about the Los Angeles Galaxy striker. He also said the club had shown an interest in Houston Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark, another WMG client.

Motzkin declined to provide more details.

The news of Livorno's interest in Donovan, the U.S. national team's all-time leading scorer, emerged on Tuesday when club president Aldo Spinelli claimed he was preparing a bid. He is looking to bolster his attacking corps, which currently includes former Italy international Cristiano Lucarelli and veteran Francesco Tavano.

Questions linger whether the small Tuscan side has the financial capabilities to wrest Donovan from MLS, given the striker's raised profile after a strong performance at the Confederations Cup.

Clark, a 26-year-old hard-nosed holding midfielder, also turned heads at the Confed Cup. His play in the 2-0 win over Spain was particularly impressive. He is a box-to-box player who is not afraid of a hard tackle and is capable of shooting from long distance.
On the negative, he has also had discipline problems throughout his career, including earning a nine-game ban after kicking an opponent who was on the ground in 2007, and more recently, receiving a red card against Italy in the Confed Cup.

While in South Africa, Clark, whose contract is up at the end of this season, spoke to Goal.com about his desire to go overseas and whether he could play in top European league like Serie A.
"I'm always keeping my options open," Clark told Goal.com. "I feel like with my abilities, I could play in a league like that."

Goodfellas

07-23-2009, 07:07 AM

LONDON (AP) -- Sven-Goran Eriksson says he's in for the biggest challenge of his life at Notts County, but insisted Wednesday he will take the fourth-tier team back to the Premier League.

The 61-year-old Swede said he turned down jobs across Europe to take the position as director of football in a five-year deal with County, which dubs itself the oldest league club in the world but hasn't been in the top flight since 1992 and finished 19th in League Two last season.

"I think it's the biggest football challenge of my life, trying to take Notts County back to the Premier League, but that's the target," Eriksson said at his first news conference with the club.
After spending two decades coaching top clubs around Europe -- along with England and Mexico -- Eriksson's latest job has been met with widespread surprise in Britain, and a large dose of scorn in the press.

Eriksson himself admitted that when he was first informed of County's initial interest, his response was: "Mmm, I'm not sure about that."

But Eriksson's mind was turned after hearing about the club's ambitious plans after being bought up by Munto Finance, a Middle Eastern business consortium.

"After listening to the other people and seeing the project they have, I became interested quickly," he said. "I always said I wanted to come back to the Premier League. I chose a little bit of a difficult way to do it I think. It will take a few years, but I think we will do it."
Eriksson will oversee player transfers, the youth academy, and building overseas links.

"It's going to be different for sure, but I'm looking forward to it," Eriksson said. "I have discussed players with him (manager Ian McParland). Obviously I don't know the players. I don't know League Two at all.

Eriksson, who has also been made a shareholder, insisted he wasn't at County for the financial rewards.

"If it was for the money, I could have easily gone elsewhere," he said. "I'm not here for the money. I'm here for the challenge. I'm not here for the weather, or if the city is nice or not. If that was the case then I could have gone to Italy.

"I started as a player at this level and here I am again."
County hopes Eriksson's profile will help to attract players that can help the club climb the English football ladder.

"We can't pay Premier League salaries to players in League Two -- we all know that and we have to be sensible," he said. "Internationally I know a lot of agents, players and they have already started calling from half of Europe today. I already had to switch the phone off."

While less of a success at international level, Eriksson has won plenty at the clubs he has coached.

Eriksson won six trophies with Lazio between 1997 and 2000, including Serie A, the European Cup Winner's Cup and two Italian cups. He led Sweden's IFK Goteborg to the UEFA Cup in 1982.
He also won domestic cups with Benfica, AS Roma, Fiorentina and Sampdoria.

Eriksson didn't get the chance to produce Manchester City's first major trophy since 1976, since he was fired after only taking charge of the 2007-08 season.

Eriksson -- England's first foreign manager -- departed after the 2006 World Cup, where he led the team to the quarterfinals, as he did at the 2002 edition and the 2004 European Championship.
Despite having a better win record than any of his predecessors, Eriksson riled many England fans for using a defensive approach and failing to win a major title.

At the helm of Mexico for less than a year, Eriksson won only four of nine qualifiers, and all at home. In 13 matches overall, he won six and drew one.

The pressure to deliver will be less at County. Their only major success was winning the FA Cup in 1894.

"This job is something a little bit new for me but why not try it?" Eriksson said. "I'm still hungry, I still love it."

Goodfellas

07-23-2009, 07:08 AM

ATLANTA (AP) -Oguchi Onyewu, the first U.S.-born player to sign with prestigious Italian club AC Milan, is eager to prove he belongs at football's highest professional level.

He'll get a first chance, of sorts, on Wednesday, when AC Milan plays Mexico's Club America in a friendly at the Georgia Dome.
"Obviously in sports, there's no guarantees,'' Onyewu said Tuesday. "I'm certainly under the impression that I'll have to play for my spot. I'm still trying to figure out what I need to do because we have a number of great defenders on the squad, and this is the first day that I actually got involved with the team.''

AC Milan organizing director Umberto Gandini, who has hired Brazilian Leonardo as head coach, hopes Onyewu will be the central piece in a slight rebuilding job for the long-respected team. Captain Paolo Maldini retired when last season ended, and many Milan fans were upset when playmaker Kaka was sold to Real Madrid.

Gandini replaced coach Carlo Ancelotti, who signed with Chelsea, after Milan finished third last season in the Serie A. The team also announced that Massimo Ambrosini will replace Maldini as captain.
"We are in a new period,'' Gandini said. "Therefore we are in a situation with our new coach, Leonardo, to help with ideas and new motivations to develop a new era. We are very proud of our history. We are very confident of our present and working toward the future.
Onyewu, 27, whose parents emigrated to the United States from Nigeria, left to play professionally in Europe seven years ago.

He signed a three-year deal with Milan earlier this month, but the Italian club had been tracking Onyewu since he emerged with Belgium's Standard Liege in 2004. Despite an unsuccessful 11-game tenure with Newcastle, where he often failed to keep up with the fast pace in the English Premier League, Onyewu returned to Belgium for the 2007-2008 season and helped Standard Liege win consecutive Belgian league titles.

For the United States, Onyewu started all three games at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and showed his talent in the Americans' CONCACAF Gold Cup championships in 2005 and '07

Goodfellas

07-23-2009, 07:09 AM

SAO PAULO (AP) -The cost of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil could reach more than $40 billion in infrastructure alone, according to a report released on Wednesday.

The 12 cities hosting matches in 2014 have projected spending a total of 79.4 billion reals ($41.7 billion) to prepare for football's biggest showcase, Globo's G1 Web site said.

The total includes costs for new stadiums and improvements in transportation, public safety, health systems and several other areas, G1 said after analyzing the projects of each city. The money for the projects is expected to come from both the public and private sectors.

Nearly half of the total investments are expected to take place in Sao Paulo, South America's biggest city, which plans to spend $19.1 billion.

The nation's capital, Brasilia, said it plans to spend only $315 million, mostly in the renovation of Mane Garrincha Stadium.
This month, the mayors for the host cities said they need to start infrastructure work as soon as possible in order to have everything ready in time for the tournament.

The cities hosting matches are Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Brasilia, Curitiba, Salvador, Recife, Natal, Fortaleza, Manaus and Cuiaba.

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07-23-2009, 07:14 AM

LONDON (AP) -Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel has signed a new five-year contract at Chelsea through till 2014.

The 22-year-old Mikel agreed the deal Wednesday, one day after teammate Florent Malouda also signed a new contract.

Mikel said: "It was easy to commit to because I am happy here and when the opportunity came it was good to sign after speaking to the club.''

Mikel expects the team will have a bright future under new manager Carlo Ancelotti.

He said: "I think we have a good working relationship already.''
Mikel moved to Chelsea in 2006 despite Manchester United's attempts to buy him.

Goodfellas

07-23-2009, 07:15 AM

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Liverpool lost central defender Martin Skrtel to an apparent serious hamstring injury in Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Thailand in a preseason friendly.

The Slovak international came on as a halftime substitute but only lasted 10 minutes before grabbing the top of his right hamstring and walking gingerly off the field.

Fringe first-teamer Nabil El Zhar came off soon after with a medial ligament injury in his right knee after attempting a bicycle kick.
Midfielder Xabi Alonso, subject to intense transfer speculation about a move to Real Madrid, did not make an appearance.

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, acting as captain in the absence of Steven Gerrard, who was facing court on affray charges in England, said the players want the transfer saga involving Alonso sorted out soon.

"The feeling within the squad is he's a top player and you don't want to be losing your best players," Carragher said. "Hopefully something is sorted out as quickly as possible. You've got to do what's in the best interests of the club."

Star striker Fernando Torres made his first appearance of the preseason, coming on for the latter stages of the second half.
Liverpool's starting team contained five regular first-team players: Jamie Carragher, Dirk Kuyt, Lucas Leiva, Ryan Babel and Daniel Agger.

The opening goal came in the sixth minute as Carragher played a long ball into the path of Babel, who outpaced the defense, controlled the ball and slotted past the goalkeeper.

Liverpool looked rusty, struggling to combine effectively in the attacking half. Babel volleyed another long pass wide and had another effort stopped by the goalkeeper.

Thailand's equalizer came in the 72nd minute as substitute Sutee Suksomkit played a neat one-two and calmly placed his shot past onrushing substitute goalkeeper Peter Gulasci.

Liverpool changed 10 players at the break, with new signing Glen Johnson coming on and playing in an unfamiliar left-back position, while Javier Mascherano and Andriy Voronin were among those also given a run in the second period.

Goodfellas

07-23-2009, 07:16 AM

The future of Italian international Luca Toni at German giants Bayern Munich is seriously in doubt after the attacker was demoted to the Bundesliga side's reserve team.

Toni has only just returned to training action after his Confederations Cup action with Italy, and head coach Louis van Gaal was far from happy with the striker's fitness. Therefore, van Gaal opted to sent Toni to the reserves.

The striker appeared to be on his way out of the Allianz Arena after the Bavarians signed Mario Gomez from Stuttgart for $42.7 million earlier this summer. Wolfsburg, Fenerbahce, Milan and Tottenham Hotspur were all keen to add Toni to their squad.

However, the former Fiorentina star chose to fight for his place instead and stayed at Bayern. His intentions of impressing van Gaal didn't exactly start well though, and it remains to be seen whether Toni will accept training with the reserves.

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07-23-2009, 07:17 AM

FRANKFURT (AP) -Midfielder Tim Borowski is leaving Bayern Munich after one season to return to Werder Bremen.

The 29-year-old Borowski joined Bayern last year on a free transfer but failed to secure a regular place in the starting team.
Werder, which won the German Cup last season but finished 10th in the Bundesliga, is looking to bolster its squad while new Bayern coach Louis van Gaal wants to reduce his number of players.
The two clubs announced the move Wednesday, without giving details.

Borowski bid farewell to his Bayern teammates at a training camp in southern Germany before returning to Bremen, where he will get a three-year contract.

Goodfellas

07-23-2009, 07:18 AM

SAO PAULO (AP) -Ronaldo is set to play himself in an Iranian movie about a Palestine girl who was killed before realizing her dream of meeting him.

Ronaldo has reached a deal to be part of the movie and will start filming as early as September in Lebanon, according to officials at the Brazil-Iran chamber of commerce, which is helping produce the movie.

Still without a title, the movie is based on the true story of Alneyrab, a 13-year-old girl who dreamed of meeting the soccer star when he visited the Middle East on a humanitarian mission in 2005. She was only able to watch her idol pass through along with his entourage, and later was killed in a conflict in the region.

Ronaldo's agent, Fabiano Farah, confirmed to Globo's Web site that Ronaldo has signed a pre-contract for the movie.

The 32-year-old Ronaldo, who is thriving with Corinthians in his comeback from the third serious knee injury of his career, will appear in some scenes that take place in the girl's dreams, said Farrokh Faradji Chadan, president of the Brazil-Iran chamber of commerce.

He is expected to spend only a few days in Lebanon shooting the movie. Chadan would not disclose how much Ronaldo will be paid for what he called a "humanitarian'' production.

Chadan said the deal to have Ronaldo participate in the movie - which is expected to be finished next year - was reached in June.
Ronaldo has been a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Development Program since 2000 and made a trip to Israel and the West Bank in 2005 as part of his campaign against poverty around the world. He was playing for Real Madrid at the time.

Ronaldo signed with four-time Brazilian champion Corinthians in December 2008 despite doubts he would ever recover from the knee injury sustained with AC Milan in February of that year.

After more than a year on the sidelines, Ronaldo returned to action in March and has already helped Corinthians win two titles in Brazil - the traditional Sao Paulo state championship and the Brazilian Cup. He has scored six goals in his last four matches.

Ronaldo was a member of Brazil's team that won its fourth World Cup title in 1994 in the United States, and was the team's top player when it clinched the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
Ronaldo, the career World Cup scoring leader with 15 goals, has also played for Cruzeiro, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and Inter Milan

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07-24-2009, 11:49 AM

LONDON (AP) -- England midfielder Steven Gerrard was cleared Friday of intentionally attacking a man in a bar and said he could now concentrate on Liverpool's push for a first Premier League title.
The jury at Liverpool Crown Court found the Liverpool captain not guilty of affray, accepting the footballer's explanation that he acted in self defense in punching businessman Marcus McGee at the Lounge Inn bar on Dec. 29 in a dispute over music.

"Can I just say how pleased I am with today's verdict," Gerrard said outside the court. "I'm glad to put this case behind me and I am really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on my football now.

"I would just like to say a big thank you to my legal team and to my friends and family and everyone at Liverpool Football Club for supporting me."

The 29-year-old Gerrard has played for Liverpool for his entire career and last month signed a contract with the club until 2013.
After leading the Reds to its fifth Champions League title in 2005, he was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II and remains the key member of Rafa Benitez's team.

"We are really pleased," Benitez said from Singapore where Liverpool is on a pre-season tour. "He is very important for us and he can now focus just on football. We are all pleased at the club and over here at the training camp.

"We have been supporting him all the time and were just waiting for the decision. Now, he can concentrate just on football and hopefully play at the same level as last year."

Gerrard was the only one of seven defendants to be cleared over the incident, which was described an "explosion of violence" by the judge.

He showed no emotion when the jury foreman delivered the not guilty verdict after 70 minutes of deliberation.

"The verdict is a credible verdict on the full facts of this case," judge Henry Globe told Gerrard. "You walk away from this court with your reputation intact."

Gerrard was celebrating in the Southport bar near Liverpool after scoring twice in his team's 5-1 win at Newcastle. He was with a party of friends, including former Liverpool manager and player Kenny Dalglish.

Video footage from the bar showed Gerrard and his friends drinking beer, downing spirits and dancing while chanting football songs. But trouble flared at around 2 a.m. when Gerrard wanted to change the music on the CD player.

The 34-year-old McGee said Gerrard had tried to grab a music card from him after being refused control of the device.

Gerrard admitted throwing three punches but said only o
ne connected. He said he only swung at McGee because he thought he was about to be attacked himself.

"What at first sight to the casual observer may seem to have been a clear-cut case against you of unlawful violence, has been nowhere near as clear-cut upon careful analysis of the evidence," Globe said.
The judge suggested it was unwise of Gerrard to approach McGee to resolve the earlier "trivial disagreement."

"You did not start the violence, it was started by the violent elbowing of Marcus McGee in the face by one of your friends, John Doran," Globe said. "The victim's consequential actions of reeling backwards and then forwards and your actions in response to that movement forward has to be seen against that background.
"At all times you insisted that you only ever acted in what you believed was reasonable self defense to what you understandably, albeit you accept mistakenly, believed was an attempted attack upon you by Marcus McGee."

Five other men have already pleaded guilty in the incident and another admitted a lesser charge of threatening behavior.
The six men will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Aug. 7.

Goodfellas

07-24-2009, 11:50 AM

Cuauhtémoc Blanco was, for a long time, the face of the America franchise. Now, the famed player has become the face of MLS' Chicago Fire. When Blanco left America, his No. 10 was officially retired in a tribute to Blanco's terrific career at America.

Now the heads of America have said they've contacted Blanco about reinstating the No. 10 back in the team. Michel Bauer, president of America had supposedly contacted Blanco.

Blanco, though, denies any conversation ever took place and said he felt disrespected that his number is being reinstated as Salvador Cabañas is now sporting the No. 10.

"I feel like they have disrespected me in America," Blanco said in his radio talk show, Directo al Blanco. "I don't think that Cabañas has earned the love form the fans. It really does bother me, if they went without it for five years then its something you must respect. I don't think he has the same love from the Mexican fans as I do. I think a lot of time has to go by before you can earn the right to wear that number."

Jaime Ordiales, sporting director for America, said otherwise. Ordiales acknowledged that conversation about the assumed matter had taken place between Blanco and Bauer.

"I was informed that the president had already spoken to him," Ordiales said in a press conference. "I can't say more though because I was not present. I do know though that he did bring it up. I'm not going to get in the middle of this though. I heard what Blanco said and I don't know why he said it, but everyone has the right to say what they want went it seems convenient for them."
Despite the comments made by Blanco, Ordiales said that the doors will always be open for the star. He brushed the topic aside and talked about America's great performance in the World Football Challenge.

"I am happy to see that our youth did such a good job," he noted. "It brings me joy to see that the Mexican player has quality, personality, and commitment to play in these types of games. We hope to provide these types of games in order to please our fans."

Goodfellas

07-24-2009, 11:51 AM

Reports from the Turkish media suggest that Fenerbahce is set to make a staggering $36 million bid to land Real Madrid winger Arjen Robben.

After a summer of extravagant spending, Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano must offload a portion of his squad in order to balance the books and potentially free up extra funds to make another foray into the transfer market.

It is thought that if any substantial bid arrived for former Chelsea winger Robben, then he would be allowed to discuss terms with any potential suitors.

The Dutchman is contracted at the Bernabeu until 2012, and his employers want to recoup some, if not all, of the $50 million it spent to bring the player to Spain in the summer of 2007.

Speculation has suggested that English Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City are interested in taking the 25-year-old back to England, but are unlikely to meet Madrid's asking price.

Now Fenerbahce's German coach Cristoph Daum appears to have earmarked Robben, who would become the most expensive signing in Turkish soccer history, after the same club signed Daniel Guiza from Real Mallorca for $24 million in 2008.

The main stumbling block, however, may be Robben's lack of enthusiasm for a move away from Spain

Goodfellas

07-24-2009, 11:52 AM

MADRID (AP) -Esteban Granero did something none of his new "galactico'' teammates did to join Real Madrid this offseason - he took a pay cut.

The 22-year-old midfielder trained alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema - who along with Kaka cost Madrid nearly ?200 million ($285 million) in transfer fees this offseason - for the first time Friday after accepting a drop i
n salary to rejoin his boyhood club after two seasons at Getafe.
"I was going to accept the deal they offered me before it even landed on the table,'' said Granero, who lost out on a reported ?800,000 ($1.14 million). "Sometimes it's a rodeo to get to Real Madrid and, in my case, it meant going through Getafe, which worked out.''
Granero, who joined Mad
rid's youth system at age 8, is the 10th midfielder at the club and has led to it declaring that it won't sign anyone else until it sells several players.

One such player is striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who returned to training after turning down a move to Bundesliga side Stuttgart on Thursday.

"It's true that I feel a great sense of responsibility,'' Granero said. "To be a part of this squad is hard and you have to earn your place. You have to shed your skin with every training because you always have to be conscious and respectful of the white shirt.''
Liverpool's Xabi Alonso and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery have both been linked with Madrid, but Granero would still welcome them to the club.

"It's clear it'll be even harder to play, but you have to aspire in difficult moments and I've decided to take a step forward in my career,'' Granero said.

Goodfellas

07-24-2009, 11:53 AM

SAO PAULO (AP) -Midfielder Serginho and striker Diego Tardelli scored second half goals to help Atletico Mineiro retain the lead in the Brazilian league with a 2-1 victory over Fluminense on Thursday.

Serginho opened the scoring in the 60th minute with a header. Five minutes later, Tardelli widened the lead after receiving a well-placed pass from defender Thiago Feltri.

Fluminense forward Kieza made it 2-1 in the 79th minute.
It was not a very auspicious debut for Fluminense's Renato Gaucho who was hired earlier this week to coach the Rio de Janeiro team for the fifth time.

Gaucho replaced former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who was fired July 13 after a series of poor results in the Brazilian league.

Also on Thursday, Corinthians beat Vitoria 2-1 to pick up another three points and move up to the 4th position in the standings.
In the 21st minute, Ronaldo gained possession of the ball on the left side of the field and quickly passed it to fellow striker Dentinho, who was inside the area to score the first goal of the game.
Midfielder Douglas made it 2-0 for Corinthians in the 30th minute after receiving the ball from defender Jean.

Twelve minutes later midfielder Apodi scored Vitoria's only goal.
In another game on Thursday, Coritiba and Sport tied 1-1.
On Wednesday, Avai downed Gremio 1-0; Cruzeiro beat Santo Andre 2-0; Flamengo and Barueri tied 1-1; Santos beat Atletico Paranaense 1-0; Internacional and Sao Paulo tied 2-2; Nautico and Botafogo tied 2-2; and Goias defeated Palmeiras 2-1.

Goodfellas

07-24-2009, 11:55 AM

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- David Beckham offered no explanations or apologies for the way he confronted an angry group of Los Angeles Galaxy fans over the weekend.

"It's not a setback for myself. It's other people that have to change," Beckham said Thursday after practice. "It's not about whether I can move on. I wasn't the one booing."

Beckham confronted Galaxy fans in a group called the L.A. Riot Squad during Sunday night's 2-2 exhibition tie with AC Milan.
Members of the Riot Squad booed and jeered him during the game and displayed banners saying, "Go Home Fraud" and "Is Evil Something You Are or Something You Do?"

"Of course, I don't like my son seeing that and hearing that," Beckham said. "From an organized group of fans, I think it was disrespectful."

At halftime, Beckham walked toward the group while shouting and pointing. He challenged fans to meet him on the field and tried to lift himself over advertising boards before security intervened. Police arrested a fan who left the stands.

Then after a second-half corner kick in front of the Riot Squad's section, Beckham immediately turned to those fans, put his index finger to his lips, shrugged his shoulders and blew them a kiss. The kick resulted in a goal.

"At the end of the day, I play my game," Beckham said. "If it's not good enough for some people, as long as it's good enough for myself and the team, nothing else matters."

The Riot Squad blamed Beckham for agitating the situation in a statement on the group's Web site Thursday.

"Had David responded differently on Sunday, the booing and the chanting probably would have ended at halftime," the statement read in part. "We don't believe questioning Beckham's commitment to our team is over the line, but it's clear that David feels otherwise."

Galaxy fans have been angry about Beckham's public desire to stay with AC Milan beyond March, the original end of his loan. Both clubs and Major League Soccer negotiated a deal to let Beckham stay until the end the Serie A season.

"We want to support David," the Riot Squad's statement continued. "We will almost certainly end the booing and chanting when Beckham plays in his first MLS match in our stadium, but it is ultimately up to David.

"If [he] shows the evident disinterest he did at the end of last season, or if he provokes us further, we might have something more to say to him."

Beckham was recently criticized in the book, "The Beckham Experiment" by Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan for not giving his full effort during the final half of last season.

Donovan said Thursday that he doesn't expect to see Beckham as a late addition to the MLS All-Star roster for the July 29 game against Everton.

Beckham has played in only two games with the Galaxy this summer since returning from a five-month loan to AC Milan.

"There's a lot of guys that have been here from minute one and worked very hard to get this honor," Donovan said. "And I don't think if asked that he would necessarily want to be on the team because he's a pretty honest guy. He works hard and he knows that a lot of guys deserve this."

Goodfellas

07-24-2009, 11:56 AM

Livorno's move for Landon Donovan will have to wait, according to club president Aldo Spinelli.

The newly promoted club has been linked with the U.S. star over the last few days, but now the deal seems to be on hold until next season, with Spinelli saying that certain sponsors don't want Donovan to leave America just yet.

"I think at this point it will happen only for next season," Spinelli told Tuttomercatoweb.com. "It seems the sponsors Nike and Gatorade do not want the player to leave America right now."

Spinelli did not mention anything on the status of the club's bid for U.S. midfielder Ricardo Clark, whom agent Richard Motzkin said also was attracting interests from the new Serie A side. --Goal.com (http://www.goal.com/)

Goodfellas

07-25-2009, 06:29 AM

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Yuri Zhirkov scored the tiebreaking goal in the 69th minute, and Chelsea defeated AC Milan 2-1 Friday night to provide new coach Carlo Ancelotti a satisfying victory over his former team in the World Football Challenge.

With the score 1-all, Chelsea fired two close-range kicks at goaltender Zeljko Kalac before Zhirkov's low-flying attempt from 19 yards landed in the left corner of the net.

The World Football Challenge is a four-team round robin tournament. Chelsea has also beaten Inter Milan, and AC Milan has also lost to Club America.

Ancelotti quit as coach of AC Milan in May and promptly signed a three-year contract with Chelsea. The 50-year-old Italian won two Champions League titles and one Serie A championship with AC Milan.

Didier Drogba also scored for Chelsea, and Clarence Seedorf had the lone goal for AC Milan. During stoppage time, AC Milan missed two excellent chances to tie the score.

Oguchi Onyewu, who earlier this month became the first American-born player to sign a contract with AC Milan, entered in the 67th minute. The defender received cheers from many in the sellout crowd of 71,203 at the home stadium of the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens play on artificial turf, but for this game the field was covered with sod.

Drogba gave Chelsea a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute, shooting from the right side with his right foot and sending a rising shot into the left corner of the net. The goal was set up by a pass from John Terry.

AC Milan missed a chance to draw even in the 19th minute, when Andrea Pirlo fired a shot that was deflected by goaltender Petr Cech to Ronaldinho, who was denied on a bicycle kick.

But the Italian team drew even in the 38th minute on a goal by Seedorf, who broke free at the penalty arc and sent a shot past the outstretched arms of Cech. Ronaldinho received credit for the assist.

Midway through the second half, however, Seedorf left with a leg injury

Goodfellas

07-25-2009, 06:30 AM

SANDY, Utah (AP) -- Yura Movsisyan scored twice and Real Salt Lake took advantage of an own goal by FC Dallas' Daniel Torres to rally from a two-goal deficit and earn a 4-2 victory Friday night.

With the score tied at 2, Real Salt Lake (6-7-5) took the lead when Fabian Espindola's cross hit off Torres and into the goal.

Movsisyan added his second goal of the match in stoppage time to seal the win over FC Dallas (4-9-5).

Trailing 2-0 at halftime, Real Salt Lake cut FC Dallas' lead in half in the 55th minute when Movsisyan beat Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse on a one-on-one.

Robbie Findley pulled RSL even in the 62nd minute with a penalty kick after being fouled in the box by Jair Benitez.

Jeff Cunningham scored a goal and assisted on another against his former team for FC Dallas, but missed a second-half penalty kick.
Cunningham's 13th-minute goal was the 108th of his career, moving him into a tie for third all-time with Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis. He still trails D.C. United's Jaime Moreno (128) and Chivas USA's Ante Razov (114).

Kreis was Cunningham's teammate for four games in 2007 before retiring to become coach and quickly traded the forward to Toronto FC.

Dave van der Bergh gave FC Dallas a 2-0 lead in the 21st minute when Cunningham passed the ball to David Ferreira, who sent the ball across the goal box to van der Bergh.

Cunningham had a couple opportunities to pass Kries, with the best coming on a penalty kick in the 71st minute after Salt Lake defender Chris Wingert was called for a handball in the box.

Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando, though, saved Cunningham's attempt.

Kreis was ejected from the match in the 73rd minute for verbally abusing the fourth official. FC Dallas' Drew Moor was ejected in stoppage time after a hard foul on Tony Beltran

Goodfellas

07-25-2009, 06:31 AM

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Zlatan Ibrahimovic will arrive at Barcelona on Sunday to seal his move from Inter Milan to the Spanish champion.

Barcelona said Ibrahimovic would undergo his medical examination on Monday.

Barcelona has also allowed striker Samuel Eto'o and midfielder Aleksandr Hleb to travel to Milan to finalize their moves to the Serie A champion, which was part of the agreed swap. Eto'o is set to join Inter for five seasons while Hleb would go on loan for one campaign.
Barcelona, which said it would reveal further details of Ibrahimovic's trip on Saturday, has also agreed to pay Inter a reported $56 million to help complete the move

Goodfellas

07-25-2009, 06:32 AM

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) -Diego Maradona said Friday what every Argentine football fan already knows - the next World Cup qualifier against archrival Brazil is critical.

"We're playing for our lives against Brazil. It's going to be a very tough game,'' Argentina's coach said on local television about the Sept. 5 match.

At Maradona's urging, the match will be played in Rosario, located about 300 kilometers (180 miles) northwest of Buenos Aires.
Argentine officials and FIFA officials approved moving the match from River Plate's Monumental Stadium after Maradona complained about the state of the playing surface.

Maradona described the field at Monumental Stadium as "disastrous'' and a "pasture'' before a 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Colombia on June 6. He also said the place needed a paint job.

But many considered his criticism biased as Monumental is the home of River Plate, the archrival of Boca Juniors, Maradona's old team.

With four rounds left in South American qualifying, Argentina holds the fourth and final automatic qualifying spot.

The group is led by Brazil on 27 points, Chile on 26 and Paraguay on 24, with Argentina on 22 points and facing competition from Ecuador (20), Uruguay (18), Colombia (17) and Venezuela (17).
The team finishing fifth plays the fourth-place team from North and Central America and the Caribbean for a spot at next year's tournament in South Africa.

Argentina's two remaining home qualifiers are on Sept. 5 against Brazil and Oct. 10 versus Peru. Argentina has away matches on Sept. 8 in Paraguay and Oct. 13 in Uruguay.

Goodfellas

07-26-2009, 07:47 AM

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- David Beckham earned his first assist since returning to the Los Angeles Galaxy, setting up Landon Donovan's first-half equalizer in a 1-1 draw with the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night.

The Galaxy (6-3-10) had a four-match winning streak snapped. Kansas City (5-6-6) is winless over its last three matches and 1-2-4 over the past seven.

Beckham, who was fined $1,000 by Major League Soccer on Friday for a verbal altercation with a home fan at halftime of a friendly against AC Milan on July 19, heard a mix of boos and cheers from the standing room only crowd of 11,906 every time he took a corner kick. The mix was loudest, though, after his assist on Donovan's goal in the 33rd minute.

Beckham fed the ball through the middle to Donovan, who made a 10-yard run before launching a low shot past Kevin Hartman from just outside the penalty arc.

A heads-up play from Claudio Lopez put the Wizards up 1-0 in the 26th minute.

Lopez caught Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts off his line and launched a looping shot from a yard shy of midfield. Ricketts raced back and stretched for the ball, but it sailed over his fingertips and into the goal.

The 51-yard shot was reminiscent of a 70-yarder Beckham hit near the end of a 3-1 victory over Kansas City on May 24, 2008, at the Home Depot Center. That goal, however, came with Hartman pushed up the field as Kansas City looked for goal.

Ricketts was injured on the play and had to be replaced by Josh Saunders. The Galaxy said Ricketts had back spasms.

Lopez just missed scoring again in the 77th minute. His bending free kick from 18 yards beat Saunders but hit the far post.

Goodfellas

07-26-2009, 07:48 AM

Fire 0, Sounders 0

SEATTLE -- Jon Busch made five saves, two on consecutive point-blank tries by Nate Jaqua during the first half, to help the Chicago Fire earn a draw against the Seattle Sounders.

The Fire (7-3-8) extended their unbeaten streak to four matches (2-0-2) following a three-game losing streak from May 31-June 13. Seattle (7-3-8) is unbeaten in six games (3-0-3).

Busch got some late help when a shot by Fredy Montero bounced off the right side of the crossbar, and another Sounders shot in traffic in the penalty area was cleared off the line by Chris Rolfe.

Kasey Keller made two saves for Seattle to earn his sixth shutout of the season.

Both teams finished with 10 players.

Chicago's John Thorrington was sent off with his second yellow card in the 55th minute. Just three minutes later, Seattle's Freddie Ljungberg was shown a yellow for diving. His subsequent protest to referee Baldomero Toledo drew a second yellow, leading to his ejection.

The Sounders had three near-misses during the first half -- all by Jaqua. In the second minute, Jaqua took a shot from the top of the 6-yard box that hit the right post, giving Busch just enough time to scramble and clear it over the goal line.

Midway through the 37th minute, Montero lofted a target ball into the box. Jaqua's header was saved by Busch, but he wasn't able to secure the ball. It rebounded back to Jaqua, whose point-blank shot from inside the 6-yard box was stopped by Busch.

Michael Pappa had the best chance for the Fire during the first half, watching his shot across the box from the left side skitter past the wide-open goalmouth and just wide of the far post.

Jaqua had another golden opportunity early in the 71st minute when he got around Busch, but his shot was deflected away from the post at the last instant

Goodfellas

07-26-2009, 07:48 AM

Crew 3, Toronto FC 2

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Jason Garey scored in second-half stoppage time and the Columbus Crew set an MLS record by extending their home unbeaten streak to 19 matches.

Columbus (7-3-9) overcame a 2-1 deficit to improve to 13-0-6 at Crew Stadium since a 2-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes on June 7, 2008. The Earthquakes held the previous mark of 18, spanning the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

Steven Lenhart tied the game in the 76th minute for Columbus and Eddie Gaven also scored.

Ali Gerba and Dwayne De Rosario scored for Toronto FC (7-7-5).

Goodfellas

07-26-2009, 07:49 AM

Revolution 1, Dynamo 0

HOUSTON -- Kheli Dube scored in the 76th minute and New England handed Houston its first home loss of the season.

New England (6-5-5) extended its unbeaten streak to three games and avenged a 2-0 home loss to Houston on May 3.

The Dynamo (9-5-5) head into the All-Star game with the league's best record.

New England's Matt Reis made eight saves, including a jumping stop to bat Houston's Julius James' header in the 91st minute.
Onstad finished with four saves.

Goodfellas

07-26-2009, 07:49 AM

Rapids 4, Red Bulls 0

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- The New York Red Bulls tied their league record with a 12-game winless streak.

Jacob Peterson, Pat Noonan, Nick LaBrocca and Mehdi Ballouchy scored for Colorado (7-5-6), which completed a two-game season sweep of New York. Goalkeeper Matt Pickens had his fourth shutout of the year and 15th of his career.

The Red Bulls (2-15-4), a season after reaching the MLS Cup final, lost their fifth straight and have gone 0-10-2 since beating San Jose 4-1 on May 8. They have been outscored 26-7 during the winless streak, which equals the MLS record they set during the 1999 season.

Goodfellas

07-26-2009, 07:50 AM

United 2, Earthquakes 2

SANTA CLARA, Calif -- Ryan Johnson and Cornell Glen scored and San Jose rallied from two down to tie D.C. United.

Christian Gomez scored twice for United (6-3-10) in the first 21 minutes.

San Jose (3-10-5), the worst team in the Western Conference, had a couple of its familiar defensive breakdowns but responded by dominating play over the final hour

Goodfellas

07-26-2009, 07:51 AM

SINGAPORE (AP) -Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has urged Xabi Alonso to stay at the club, indicating he is not resigned to losing the midfielder to Real Madrid.

At a training session Friday ahead of Sunday's friendly against Singapore, fans waved banners and chanted for Alonso to remain with Liverpool. A group of 21 fans lined up in the stands wearing shirts that spelled out, 'Xabi, please don't leave' in Spanish.

"I told him that he could hear the fans yesterday,'' Benitez said Saturday. "I said to him, 'Maybe you have to stay.'''

"Clearly, my idea is he's a very good player and we'll be really pleased if he stays.''

Real Madrid are thought to be eager to sign Alonso, but on Friday also completed the signing of midfielder Esteban Granero from Getafe. Granero is a player in a similar mould to Alonso, both noted for passing accuracy and shooting.

During the preseason Asian tour, Benitez had also been forced to fend off fresh talk of the departure of defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano

Goodfellas

07-26-2009, 07:52 AM

FRANKFURT (AP) -Hertha Berlin has signed 21-year-old defender Nemanja Pejcinovic on loan from Rad Belgrade.

The Bundesliga club said Saturday it had an option to sign him on a full three-year contract.

"He is a young, very talented player who can play in several defensive positions,'' Hertha's director Michael Preetz said

Goodfellas

07-27-2009, 05:54 AM

FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts (AP) -- Diego Milito scored his first of two goals in the opening minutes to lead Inter Milan to a 2-0 victory over Serie A rival AC Milan on Sunday in a friendly during their preseason tour of America.

The crowd of 42,531 leaned heavily toward AC Milan, and they were quieted in the fourth minute when Milito chased the ball down to the left of the goal and guided it between the goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac and the near post. He gave Inter a 2-0 lead in the 75th minute on a 2-on-1 break with Dejan Stankovic, who drew the defender and passed to Milito for the shot that bounced off and over the keeper into the net.

The clubs that share a home in foggy San Siro had met outside Italy only twice: in Chiasso, Switzerland, in 1908 and at Yankee Stadium in 1969. But they came to the United States as part of an friendly tournament known as the World Football Classic.

"Certainly the focus will be on league play," Milito said "But I want to help the team do well, and to honor the shirt that wearing every time I put it on."

Inter star Zlatan Ibrahimovic was not with the team; he is expected in Barcelona on Monday for a physical that would complete the deal that would send striker Samuel Eto'o and midfielder Aleksandr Hleb to the Italian champions.

"For me, there's no such thing as a friendly game," said defender Oguchi Onyewu, the first American ever to play for Milan. "I don't go out there hoping to lose, or expecting to lose. I go out there trying to give it my all."

Milan and Chelsea sold out the 71,000-seat home stadium of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens on Friday night. But Sunday's match on a warm New England afternoon was played with the upper deck half-closed and the lower bowl empty at one end because the seats were obstructed by the enormous stage for Tuesday night's AC/DC concert. (Also obstructed was the press box, forcing the media to be relocated into luxury suites.)
Although the rivalry between the teams has been bitter, there was little animosity for the friendly and even a few smiles -- and gasps from the crowd -- when referee Jorge Gonzalez held up a red card for Milan's Ronaldinho in the 34th minute but quickly realized his mistake and replaced it with a yellow one.

Inter was rarely tested, though Julio Cesar made a pair of tough saves at around the 70th minute, when it was still 1-0, and another on Alessandro Nesta in stoppage time, just before the final whistle.

"This is preseason. It shouldn't be a precursor to anything," Onyewu said. "By no means is this a reflection of how the games are going to go during the season."

Missing from the Milan lineup were Clarence Seedorf, who injured his leg on Friday night; Filippo Inzaghi, who is one of the club's top forwards; and the team's top two goalkeepers. Milan coach Leonardo also bemoaned a schedule that had his team play three times since Wednesday; Inter had not played since meeting Chelsea last Tuesday.

"I think you have a lot of problems with injuries. It's not easy to manage," he said. "To play each two days a match, it's impossible."

Goodfellas

07-27-2009, 05:55 AM

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Franco DiSanto and Florent Malouda scored in a two-minute span in the second half to lead Chelsea to a 2-0 win over Mexico's Club America on Sunday in the final match of the World Football Challenge friendly tournament.

Malouda took a pass from Ashley Cole and chipped it in front of the goal, where DiSanto beat Club America goalkeeper Armando Navarrete to the ball and knocked it into the net in the 76th minute.

"It is very important for a young player like me to take advantage of every single opportunity," said DiSanto, 20, who made 16 appearances as a sub last season. "I'm just beginning with the Chelsea and I want to stay here."
Two minutes later, DiSanto beat defender Oscar Rojas, and dropped a ball back to Malouda, who fired it past Navarrete.

Chelsea went undefeated in winning the four-team, round robin-style tournament, which was played in six cities across the United States over the last week. Club America was second, one point ahead of Inter Milan. AC Milan finished fourth.

The goals came about 15 minutes after Club America failed to capitalize on two of its best scoring opportunities. In the 61st minute, Chelsea goalkeeper Ross Turnbull pushed Enrique Esqueda's shot wide. Two minutes later, Pavel Pardo's free kick from 35 yards out glanced off the head of forward Salvador Cabanas, who flicked the ball off the post.
Esqueda also missed two chances in the first half, when goalkeeper Hilario tipped away a header. A minute later, Esqueda's shot went just wide.
Chelsea kept most of its famous names on the bench. Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and John Terry did not play.

Club America was without star keeper Guillermo Ochoa, who earlier in the day led Mexico to a 5-0 win over the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final. Coach Jesus Ramirez took several players off the field in the second half, saying he was saving them for an upcoming match against Mexican club San Luis.

"It is hard to take off most of our starting team because everybody wanted to continue on the field," Ramirez said through a translator. "We have to be smart, because we need most our players ready for this Wednesday."

Goodfellas

07-27-2009, 05:56 AM

BEIJING (AP) -- A brace for Michael Owen and a hat-trick for veteran Ryan Giggs helped Manchester United finish off a preseason Asian tour Sunday with a fourth win out of four matches.

The 8-2 win over Hangzhou Greentown in eastern China, south of Shanghai, comes after an earlier victory over FC Seoul, and two wins over Malaysia. The second game in Kuala Lumpur was hastily scheduled because the hotel bombings in Jakarta forced the club to cancel its match in Indonesia.

Dimitar Berbatov, Zoran Tosic and Nani also scored for United, who led 4-0 at halftime. Brazilian Valdo and substitute Wang Hongyou scored late goals for Hangzhou.

The English champions played in Hangzhou without captain Gary Neville, who flew home for treatment on a groin strain before the Seoul game Friday

Goodfellas

07-27-2009, 05:57 AM

NEW YORK (AP) -FIFA president Sepp Blatter plans to extend a personal invitation to President Barack Obama to attend the 2010 World Cup when the two meet at the White House on Monday.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, Blatter said the invitation has been extended and that he will "confirm it'' at the meeting.
"I know there are people around the president who are football fans, and that they will make everything possible in his agenda that the president be at the opening of the World Cup or the final,'' Blatter said.

Blatter also plans to discuss the state of governing body U.S. Soccer with the president, including the United States' bids to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

The 2010 World Cup is in South Africa.

Goodfellas

07-27-2009, 05:58 AM

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -Zlatan Ibrahimovic has arrived at Barcelona to complete his transfer from Inter Milan.

Barcelona said Sunday that the Sweden striker will undergo his medical examination the following day before sealing the Spanish champions' biggest ever transfer, a reported ?45 million ($64 million).

As part of the deal, Barcelona's Cameroon striker, Samuel Eto'o, will join Inter on what is expected to be a five-year contract while Belarus midfielder Aleksandr Hleb will go on loan to the Italian club for one season.

Goodfellas

07-27-2009, 05:59 AM

WEMBLEY, England (AP) -Tottenham is attempting to secure a cut-price transfer of Peter Crouch from Portsmouth Sunday that would reunite him with fellow striker Jermain Defoe and manager Harry Redknapp.

Negotiations between Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie come nine years after Crouch left White Hart Lane.
Redknapp, who had two stints as Portsmouth manager, initially brought the England forward to the south coast club from Liverpool last July. Since taking charge at Spurs in October, Redknapp has already bought Defoe from Portsmouth.

"Daniel is talking to Peter Storrie and the pair are very good negotiators,'' Redknapp said before Tottenham played a friendly against Celtic in the Wembley Cup. "I don't know where it is going at the moment.

"Portsmouth have a price they want but myself and Daniel have spoken and we have a price we think is fair. Hopefully a compromise will happen and we'll get something done. There will be no medicals today, they are still talking.''

Crouch started his career at Tottenham, where he failed to make the first team, before spells at Queens Park Rangers, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Norwich, Southampton and Liverpool.

He spent three years at Liverpool, but struggled to secure a regular first-team place last season following the signing of Fernando Torres, and moved to Pompey.

Portsmouth manager Paul Hart said selling the 28-year-old Crouch would help to balance the books following a period of heavy spending under Redknapp.

"Obviously I'm disappointed to see Peter leave, but given the severe financial restraints in place here we had no choice but to accept an offer from Tottenham,'' Hart told the Daily Mirror. "I think people need to realize that Pompey have been punching above their weight and could no longer sustain the level of spending that has gone on here over the last three years.''

Crouch may join Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in a revamped Spurs attack, with the club also trying to sign the Netherlands international from Real Madrid.
Redknapp is also chasing former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira, who is currently at Inter Milan.

"They are two players we've been interested in,'' Redknapp said. "We've spoken to Real Madrid about Huntelaar. I spoke with Patrick's agent about playing for Tottenham. We'll have to wait and see.''

Goodfellas

07-27-2009, 06:00 AM

SINGAPORE (AP) -Liverpool beat Singapore 5-0 Sunday to snap a three-game preseason winless streak.

Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin opened the scoring in first-half injury time after a slow start by the Reds. Liverpool secured the result with second-half goals by Fernando Torres, Albert Riera and a brace from Krisztian Nemeth.

"We had five goals with different players so I'm really pleased,'' Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said. "Every single day we are improving physically.''
Midfielder Xabi Alonso, subject to intense transfer speculation about a move to Real Madrid, played the final 13 minutes of the match in his first appearance this preseason.

Liverpool, which had five Spanish internationals arrive late for preseason training after taking part in the Confederations Cup, was winless in friendlies this year. A 1-1 draw against Thailand on Wednesday followed a 1-0 defeat by Rapid Vienna and a scoreless draw against Swiss club St. Gallen.

The team picked up two injuries in the Thailand game as first-choice central defender Martin Skrtel strained his right hamstring and forward Nabil El Zhar damaged a right knee ligament. Both returned to Britain for treatment last week.

Goodfellas

07-28-2009, 06:24 AM

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Zlatan Ibrahimovic signed a five-year contract with Barcelona after passing a medical test on Monday.

The Sweden striker completed the Spanish champions' most expensive transfer, a $65.6 million move from Inter Milan. He was presented to more than 40,000 fans at Camp Nou stadium wearing the No. 9 Barcelona jersey.

The 27-year-old Ibrahimovic is contracted at Barcelona through to 2014. He has a buy-out clause at $357 million.

Barcelona's Cameroon striker, Samuel Eto'o, is set to join Inter as part of the deal, while Belarus midfielder Aleksandr Hleb will go on loan to the Italian club for one season.

"I haven't come to replace Eto'o because I'm a very different player," Ibrahimovic said. "I'm going to work to the maximum to demonstrate you haven't made a mistake in signing me. Thanks to Inter Milan for allowing me to sign for Barcelona. This is a very big day for me."

Barcelona said Ibrahimovic has a broken finger on his left hand and will require surgery. The injury happened during Inter's last friendly, against Chelsea in Los Angeles last week.

"It will require setting surgically, which will be done tomorrow at noon," technical secretary Txiki Beguiristain said.

Ibrahimovic became Barcelona's third signing this summer as part of coach Pep Guardiola's bid to strengthen a team that last season won an unprecedented treble of Spanish, Champions League and Copa del Rey titles.

The other two new players are both from Brazil -- Maxwell also moved from Inter, while Keirrison signed from Palmeiras.

Ibrahimovic moved from Ajax to Juventus in 2004 before spending the next three seasons at Inter, leading Serie A in scoring with 25 goals as the Nerazzurri won a fourth straight league title last season.
Ibrahimovic, who is of Bosnian and Croatian ancestry, never hid his desire to leave Italian football.

"When did I start thinking about moving somewhere else? In December, before Christmas," he reportedly said. "The more I saw Barcelona play, the more I wanted to leave. I was fed up of Italy, of Milan, of your football: you play badly, there's too much stress."

Ibrahimovic had also posted "Time to learn Spanish" on his Twitter page.
Luciano Moggi, Juventus' former director who signed Ibrahimovic from Ajax, said Inter have all but handed the Scudetto to Juve.

"Inter have committed suicide by selling Ibrahimovic," Moggi said. "They have sold their leader. Eto'o is a great player, but he is a player that does well when the team is doing well. Ibrahimovic can make the difference even when a team is playing badly."

Goodfellas

07-28-2009, 06:25 AM

MILAN, Italy (AP) -- Samuel Eto'o moved to Inter Milan on Monday in a deal that took Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the opposite direction to Barcelona.
Eto'o signed a five-year contract with the Italian champions after passing a medical, as Ibrahimovic was being paraded at the Camp Nou stadium in a transfer that will cost Barcelona $65.6 million.

Belarus midfielder Alex Hleb will also be joining Inter on a one-season loan move.

"I made history at Barcelona, but that chapter is over," said Eto'o, who will be presented as an Inter player on Tuesday. "At Inter, I am starting a new chapter and starting from zero. I am happy with this new adventure and hope everything goes well.

"I won a lot at Barcelona and now I hope to do so in these colors."
The 28-year-old Eto'o helped Barcelona win the 2006 and 2009 Champions League, scoring in both finals.

Inter coach Jose Mourinho was brought in a year ago with the goal of helping the team win its first European Cup since 1965, but Eto'o warned his new club not to focus too much on the Champions League.

"I know that Inter is desperate to win the Champions League, but you can't only think about that cup," he said. "Because if you are too focused on the Champions League, you forget about the other competitions and then you run the risk of being knocked out of European competition.
"You need to take it match by match and treat them all as a final."

Goodfellas

07-28-2009, 06:26 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) -President Barack Obama on Monday lobbied the head of international soccer on the United States' bid to host the World Cup and said he hoped to attend the upcoming contest in South Africa.

Obama met with FIFA president Sepp Blatter at the White House to discuss the United States' prospects to attract the tournament in 2018 or 2022. Blatter again invited Obama to attend the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, and Obama said he'd like to make that trip.

"You know, I hope to,'' Obama said to reporters as he walked back toward the West Wing after a separate event. "We're going to take a look at the schedule.''

Blatter said he heard the same message during their closed-door meeting, which included some soccer moves in the Oval Office. Obama bounced the ball on his foot, "making two, three movements, and then he took it to his head,'' Blatter said.

Asked how Obama did, Blatter said the move "merits a compliment.'' He then added Obama is not ready for United States' team that almost defeated Brazil.

Blatter presented Obama with a soccer ball from that Confederations Cup match, which saw the U.S. team lose 3-2 after leading 2-0.
"I told him it was the ball of the first half,'' Blatter told reporters outside the White House after his meeting.

Blatter has been dour on his sport's popularity in the United States but said the country has "a good chance'' to play host to the match for the first time since 1994.

The entire soccer movement in the United States could receive a tremendous boost if the 2018 or 2022 World Cup is awarded to the Americans. FIFA will decide in December 2010, with England considered the front-runner for '18. Blatter has expressed a preference for bringing the tournament back to Europe after stints in Africa and then South America, where Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup.

The United States is one of 11 countries that has formally declared its desire to host either event, while Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain have submitted joint bids

Goodfellas

07-28-2009, 06:28 AM

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) - Major League Soccer has picked Houston to host the 2010 All-Star Game.

MLS commissioner Don Garber made the announcement Monday after a news conference previewing this year's game, which will take place Wednesday outside Salt Lake City. The MLS team will play Everton FC of the Premier League.

Garber says the league will stick with the current format of the select MLS players taking on an international club. Next year, it might be a team from Mexico.

Houston Dynamo president Oliver Luck says the game could be played in either Robertson Stadium, where the Dynamo play their home games, or Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL's Houston Texans

Goodfellas

07-28-2009, 06:29 AM

LONDON (AP) -- Peter Crouch has moved to Tottenham, linking up again with manager Harry Redknapp and England teammate Jermain Defoe from their time at Portsmouth.

The 28-year-old Crouch moved to Spurs from Pompey on Monday for a reported $14.8 million. The length of the deal wasn't announced.
Crouch was previously at Spurs but failed to make the first team and left in 2000. He has also played at Queens Park Rangers, Aston Villa, Norwich, Southampton and Liverpool.

Unless Spurs can sell Darren Bent, Crouch's arrival is likely to end the pursuit of Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Redknapp has previously said he could only afford to sign one of the two players

Goodfellas

07-28-2009, 06:30 AM

MEXICO CITY (AP) -Mexico coach Javier Aguirre arrived home Monday after his team's 5-0 win over United States in the Gold Cup final and he already has a giant problem - who should play in next month's World Cup qualifier against the U.S.

Not one American starter from Sunday is likely to be in the lineup to play Mexico on Aug. 12 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The U.S. has never won in Mexico.

Aguirre also played a largely "B'' team in the Gold Cup, but the group performed better with each match. Only goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, striker Giovani Dos Santos, captain Gerardo Torrado and defender Jonny Magallon are likely to back up. And Magallon may only play if Barcelona's Rafael Marquez does not recover from injury.

"I respect what is said or written,'' Aguirre said Monday. "But our objective of going to the World Cup with our best players is very clear. I don't know if this will be the base. I have time to think about it and analyze. We'll put out the players we think are best suited to getting three points off the United States.''

Aguirre, like U.S. coach Bob Bradley, left most Europe-based players off the Gold Cup squad. The missing players included: Carlos Salcido and Javier Rodriguez (PSV Eindhoven), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart), Pavel Pardo (America) and Aaron Galindo (Guadalajara). Guillermo Franco (Villarreal) was also left off the team, but called up after Omar Arellano was injured.
"I remember having read - and I hated it - that this was a 'B' team. And now it might be the base,'' Aguirre said, taking a little dig at reporters.
Nestor de la Torre, the director of national teams, is expected to announce the squad on Wednesday that will face United States. Aguirre said the team would have a week to practice together.

"It's important the players are training together seven days before the match,'' Aguirre said. "You must understand, this is more than a game. These are three very important points.''

Once the undisputed regional power, Mexico is struggling to reach next year's World Cup in South Africa.

Midway through the final round of qualifying for the North and Central American and Caribbean region, Costa Rica leads with 12 points, followed by the United States with 10, followed by Honduras (7), Mexico (6), El Salvador (5) and Trinidad and Tobago (2).

The top three teams qualify automatically, and No. 4 meets the fifth-place team from South America in a playoff for another berth.

Goodfellas

07-28-2009, 06:31 AM

NEW YORK (AP) -Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton has been selected to replace Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad on the MLS All-Star team.

Onstad strained his back in a 1-0 loss to New England on Saturday night.
The MLS All-Star team will take on Premier League club Everton on Wednesday night in Utah.

Thornton is second in the MLS in shutouts (seven) and third in goals-against average (0.88) and went 401 minutes without allowing a goal from April 22 to May 16. He has played every minute of every league game for Chivas USA.

This is the sixth All-Star selection for the 13-year MLS veteran and the first since 2003 when he was a member of the Chicago Fire.

Goodfellas

07-28-2009, 06:32 AM

LONDON (AP) -Liverpool's American owners have reduced the club's debt to 250 million pounds ($412 million) as negotiations continue over a refinanced long-term loan with Royal Bank of Scotland, an executive familiar with the talks said Monday.

Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. have paid back 40 million pounds on the loan used to purchase the club and are expected to pay a further 20 million pounds in the coming months to get the debt down to 230 million pounds, the executive told The Associated Press. He was speaking on condition of anonymity because the talks over a refinanced loan were still ongoing.

He said Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow, who also works for private equity firm MidOcean Partners, is in talks this week with RBS about a new long-term financial package.

The American duo were granted a re-negotiated loan of 350 million pounds in January 2008 from the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia, but had only been using 290 million pounds by the time the terms expired over the weekend.

Hicks and Gillett bought Liverpool in 2007 for 174 million pounds, taking on 44.8 million pounds of liabilities. They have been criticized by fans for burdening the club with so much debt.

RBS received complaints from fans about their ongoing support of the owners, and the bank took the unusual step last month of reassuring fans about the club's financial health in an e-mail.

RBS is now Britain's biggest government-controlled bank as a result of an industry bailout last year. One major fans' group led calls for the bank to pull the plug on the owners' loan since taxpayers had effectively bailed out RBS.

Liverpool made a profit of 10.2 million pounds in the financial year ending July 2008. However, parent company Kop Football (Holdings) Ltd. posted a loss of 42.6 million pounds, mainly due to interest payments totaling 36.5 million pounds.

Liverpool also has less debt than the other so-called "big four'' teams in the Premier League.

Champion Manchester United, which is owned by the American Glazer family, has debts of more than $1 billion, Chelsea's obligations to owner Roman Abramovich from his interest-free loans are more than $560 million, while Arsenal's debt has soared to some $525 million.

In the run-up to the new deal, Hicks and Gillett have been shoring up their financial positions in North America.

Gillett sold the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team, the Gillett Entertainment Centre and the Bell Centre back to the Molson family for a reported $580 million.

Hicks is looking to sell Major League Baseball team Texas Rangers, but intends to keep the National Hockey League's Dallas Stars. The holding company that owns the teams recently defaulted on about $525 million in loans.

Goodfellas

07-29-2009, 01:24 PM

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Kolo Toure joined Manchester City on a four-year deal from Arsenal on Wednesday to bolster the defense for the Premier League's biggest spenders.

The Ivory Coast defender joined City for $23 million after seven years with the Gunners.

City had tried and so far failed to sign both John Terry from Chelsea and Joleon Lescott from Everton.

Using owner Sheikh Mansour's wealth, City manager Mark Hughes is revamping the squad in the hope of winning the club's first league title since 1968.

"It is no secret that we have been looking to strengthen our defense, and in Kolo I feel we have recruited a world-class player," Hughes said. "He brings a wealth of Premier League experience from his seven seasons with Arsenal.

"Kolo has been a central figure in a very strong Arsenal team for many years, and I have been an admirer of him for a long time. He is strong, quick, reads the game well and will be an influential figure in the dressing room."

Toure has been reunited at City with Emmanuel Adebayor, the Togo striker who left Arsenal earlier this month and is now part of a strike force including Robinho, Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz. England midfielder Gareth Barry was also bought from Aston Villa.

The departure of Toure from Arsenal marks the end of an era for the club. He was the last surviving member of the "Invincibles," who went unbeaten for 49 straight Premier League matches in 2003-04.

Goodfellas

07-29-2009, 01:25 PM

MADRID (AP) -- Spain defender Alvaro Arbeloa is joining Real Madrid on a five-year contract from Liverpool.

The 26-year-old Arbeloa passed a medical Wednesday in Madrid before completing his $5.7 million transfer from the Premier League club.
"The results of every test are very satisfactory," Dr. Carlos Diez said. "He is delighted about playing for Real Madrid. It's always been his dream. He can't wait to join his teammates."

Arbeloa becomes the club's seventh offseason signing, after Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema, Raul Albiol, Alvaro Negredo and Esteban Granero.

"Arbeloa's versatility allows him to play anywhere in defense," Madrid said on its Web site. "He is a very regular and consistent player who thrives in one-on-ones."

Arbeloa, who was part of the Spain squad that won the 2008 European championship, was with Madrid as a youth player before moving to Deportivo La Coruna in 2006 and then on to Liverpool six months later.
The right back was in the final year of his Liverpool contract, having moved to Anfield for 2.6 million pounds in January 2007. He played 99 games for the English club and scored two goals.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has already spent 17.5 million pounds on England right back Glen Johnson, who is expected to take Arbeloa's place in the side.

Liverpool also has Swiss international Philipp Degen back after rib and lung injuries. Jamie Carragher has also filled in at right back.

Goodfellas

07-29-2009, 01:26 PM

SAO PAULO (AP) -Doctors say Brazilian striker Ronaldo is doing well after undergoing surgery on his broken left hand.

Corinthians doctor Joaquim Grava says surgeons inserted 12 screws Wednesday in the hand that Ronaldo broke during a Brazilian league match over the weekend.

Ronaldo is expected to be sidelined for at least a month.

Corinthians said on its Web site that Ronaldo will remain hospitalized until Thursday.

The striker was injured after falling 20 minutes into Corinthians' 3-0 loss to Palmeiras on Sunday following a contest for the ball.

The injury comes less than five months into Ronaldo's successful return from the third serious knee injury of his career.

Goodfellas

07-29-2009, 01:26 PM

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) -Eduardo Da Silva will join Croatia for its World Cup qualifier against Belarus next month after a lengthy absence due to injury, coach Slaven Bilic said Wednesday.

Eduardo, who scored 14 goals in 24 matches for Croatia, missed most of the country's qualifying matches because of a broken leg he sustained playing with his club side, Arsenal. He will be part of the team to face Belarus on Aug. 12 in Minsk.

Croatia is under pressure to hold on to the No. 2 spot in European qualifying Group 6. England leads the group and can clinch its fourth straight World Cup appearance with a victory over Croatia at Wembley on Sept. 9.

Bilic also introduced Dinamo Zagreb defender Dejan Lovren to the team, after losing Robert Kovac and Hrvoje Vejic to injury.

Goodfellas

07-29-2009, 01:27 PM

SAO PAULO (AP) -Veteran World Cup defender Juan Pablo Sorin is retiring from football after a lackluster stint with Brazilian club Cruzeiro.
The 33-year-old left back ended his 15-year career at a press conference on Tuesday.

"I'm done with football,'' Sorin said. "It was a beautiful career which I enjoyed a lot and always tried to give my best, give all I had. It was a short career, but I think it's time to stop while I'm still doing well.''
Sorin, who played for Argentina in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, was plagued by injuries with Cruzeiro and played sparingly recently.
"I didn't have the effect I hoped for,'' Sorin said. "I played only six matches in seven months, that's not a lot. I'm not proud of these numbers.''

Sorin was with Germany's Hamburg when he had right knee surgery in May 2007 and played only once afterward. Then he signed last year with Cruzeiro for the third time in his career.

He arrived hoping a good performance would help him return to the Argentine national team, for which he scored 12 goals in 76 matches since his debut in 1995. But injuries gave him no chance.

"It's a conscientious decision,'' Sorin said. "It was not done in the spur of the moment. I have been thinking about quitting for quite some time.''
Sorin said the thought of retirement began in May after he sustained a right thigh muscle injury that kept him from playing in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores.

He said one of the reasons he returned to Cruzeiro was to help the team do well in the Latin American competition, but he couldn't recover in time and eventually missed the final in which Cruzeiro lost the title to Argentina's Estudiantes.

Sorin first played for the Brazilian club from 2000 to 2002, helping the two-time Copa Libertadores champion win the Brazilian Cup and the regional Copa Sul-Minas. After playing in Italy, Spain and France, he returned for a short stint in 2004 before moving to Spain's Villarreal and then Hamburg.

Sorin previously played for Italy's Juventus and Lazio, Spain's Barcelona, France's Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina's River Plate and Argentinos Juniors.

Goodfellas

07-29-2009, 01:28 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) -- If D.C. United is going to become the first MLS team to win a CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round series, they will have to do it the hard way.

Jaime Moreno's penalty kick canceled out Mario Benitez's goal, but United only salvaged a 1-1 tie with El Salvador's L.A. Firpo on Tuesday night, meaning they will likely need a road win to advance to the tournament's group stage.

"We've been through these competitions before, knowing that if you don't take care of these results at home you're going to be in for a tough environment and difficult circumstances,'' D.C. United coach Tom Soehn said. "There's no other result than having to go down there and get a win. A result.''

The second and final game of the total-goals series will be next Tuesday in El Salvador. United will advance with a win or by scoring at least two goals in a tie against the nine-time Salvadoran champs, who are in their preseason. They open their domestic campaign on Aug. 16.

The New England Revolution and Chivas USA both failed to win preliminary series in last year's inaugural tournament, while D.C. and the Houston Dynamo had automatic berths to the group stage.

"I think it's going to be really, really hard for us to play on their field next Tuesday,'' D.C. goalkeeper Milos Kocic said. "Today, we felt like we weren't playing home. We felt like we were on a neutral field. I was screaming, I was yelling at guys, 'Let's go, let's go, this is our field.'''
Benitez, in his Firpo debut, put his side ahead in the 26th minute, stealing the ball from Greg Janicki in the United end and driving a shot inside the right post, past Kocic's dive.

Moreno tied it three minutes before halftime with a well-placed penalty after referee Paul Delgadillo ruled that Christian Sanchez's slide tackle brought down Rodney Wallace in the 18-yard box.

Both sides had chances to go ahead in a lively second half. United's Christian Gomez was denied from close range in the 90th minute by goalkeeper Juan Gomez. Five minutes earlier, D.C.'s Andrew Jacobson and Firpo's Herbert Barrera each sent good chances wide in an end-to-end sequence.

United was originally slated to play fall 2008 Salvadoran runners-up Chalatenango, but Firpo was offered Chalatenango's berth when the team failed to meet tournament requirements.

"We were a bit surprised (to be invited). We learned about 19 or 20 days before tonight's match,'' Firpo coach Augistin Castillo said through an interpreter. "At first, a lot of people didn't want us to participate because we didn't have the adequate training necessary to compete in the tournament. But the players really wanted to play in this tournament.''
Firpo, who went 2-2-2 but failed to progress in the tournament last year, last won the Salvadoran league in the 2008 spring season. Firpo was the runner-up this spring.

D.C., 0-5-2 in this event, qualified by winning the 2008 U.S. Open Cup.

Goodfellas

07-29-2009, 01:29 PM

PACHUCA, Mexico (AP) -- Mexican club Pachuca claimed a comfortable 3-0 home victory over Deportivo Jalapa of Guatemala in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round on Tuesday.

Juan Carlos Cacho opened the scoring in the 42nd minute, before goals from Gabriel Caballero extended the lead in the 55th and Christian Gimenez sealed the win in the 74th.

The second leg will be played next week in Guatemala with the winner of the home-and-away series advancing to the group stage.

The CONCACAF Champions? League is the top club competition for North and Central America and the Caribbean and is contested by 24 clubs.
The final is scheduled for April 2010. The winner qualifies for the World Club Championship played against the champions from other continents such as the European Champions League holder and South America's Copa Libertadores winner

Goodfellas

07-30-2009, 07:11 AM

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) -- Kendall Jagdeosingh scored the lone goal in the second half to give the Puerto Rico Islanders a 1-0 win over Canadian club Toronto FC in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions' League preliminary round Wednesday.

Panama club San Francisco beat San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad 2-0 at home, while Liberia of Costa Rica also secured an opening win with a 3-0 home victory over Honduran side Real Espana.

The return legs will be played next week, with the winners qualifying for the group stage.

The CONCACAF Champions' League is the top club competition for North and Central America and the Caribbean. The final is scheduled for April 2010, with the winner to compete against the club champions from other continents in the World Club Championship.

Jagdeosingh scored for the Islanders - semifinalists last year - after rounding Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the 68th minute.
Meanwhile, a sixth minute penalty from Carlos Vilarete and a second from Temi Perez in the 39th gave San Francisco a solid advantage to take into the second leg against San Juan Jabloteh.

The Panamanian club claimed victory despite suffering a shock at the beginning of the week when three of its players suffered minor injuries after being shot at by unidentified gunmen.

In the night's final match, Michael Umana was on the mark from the penalty spot after 30 minutes before a double from substitute Alejandro Alpizar in the 75th and 88th minutes gave Liberia victory over Real Espana.

Goodfellas

07-30-2009, 07:12 AM

SYDNEY (AP) -- Australia will play three home matches - including hosting Netherlands on Oct. 10 - and four matches overseas in the leadup to the 2010 World Cup, Football Federation Australia announced Thursday.
Sydney Football Stadium will host the third-ranked Dutch side in an international friendly. Last September, the Socceroos defeated the Netherlands 2-1 in Eindhoven.

The only other time the two countries have played was in June 2006 when Australia drew 1-1 in Rotterdam in the leadup to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where Australia was beaten in the second round by eventual champions Italy.

On Oct. 14, Australia will play a 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Oman at Melbourne. Australia is in fourth place in its qualification group. The third home game will be played in Brisbane on March 3, another Asian Cup qualifier against Indonesia.

Its overseas matches include the previously announced match against Ireland in Limerick on Aug. 12 and a match against South Korea in Seoul on Sept. 5, both friendlies.

Goodfellas

07-30-2009, 07:13 AM

MARSEILLE, France (AP) -- Marseille's record signing Lucho Gonzalez was taken to hospital after injuring his left collarbone in a friendly against Saint-Etienne on Wednesday.

Gonzalez, who joined Marseille from FC Porto for $25 million, left the field with his left arm in a sling accompanied by club doctor Christophe Baudot after about 60 minutes of the match.

Marseille said on its Web site that Gonzalez was taken to a hospital in Valence for tests.

Coach Didier Deschamps was worried that Gonzalez could miss the season-opener at Grenoble on Aug. 8.

"We are waiting, he was in a lot of pain even though he is someone who never complains,'' Deschamps told the club Web site. "We will wait and see what the test results show, but it's his collarbone and there is a concern there.''

The 28-year-old Gonzalez has played 43 games for Argentina, scoring six times. He tore the meniscus in his left knee in a Champions League match against Manchester United in April.

Marseille beat Saint-Etienne 1-0, with Ivory Coast forward Bakari Kone scoring

Goodfellas

07-30-2009, 07:14 AM

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- More than half of the Mexico team which won the Gold Cup will face the United States again on Aug. 12 in a critical World Cup qualifier at Azteca Stadium.

Coach Javier Aguirre named 12 players from the Gold Cup squad that beat the United States 5-0 in Sunday's final.

None of the Americans is likely to start against Mexico next month. The Americans have never won at Azteca Stadium.

Mexico desperately needs a victory in a struggle to qualify for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

The 12 from the Gold Cup team are: Goalkeepers Guillermo Ochoa and Jose de Jesus Corona; defenders Efrain Juarez, Jose Antonio Castro and Jonny Magallon; midfielders Israel Castro, Gerardo Torrado and Alberto Medina; and forwards Miguel Sabah, Giovani Dos Santos, Carlos Vela and Guillermo Franco.

Aguirre added five defenders: Ricardo Osorio, Carlos Salcido, Rafael Marquez, Oscar Rojas and Aaron Galindo. Also called up were midfielders Andres Guardado and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, and forward Nery Castillo.
Midway through qualifying, Costa Rica leads the North and Central America and Caribbean region with 12 points. The U.S. has 10 followed by Honduras (7), Mexico (6), El Salvador (5) and Trinidad and Tobago (2). The top three advance automatically to South Africa. The No. 4 team plays off with the No. 5 from South America for another berth

Goodfellas

07-31-2009, 06:31 AM

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- David Beckham hopes that a minor back injury will not prevent him from playing in the Los Angeles Galaxy's exhibition against FC Barcelona on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.

Beckham missed practice Thursday to receive therapy for a back injury that he said he sustained three days ago.

"It's not a problem," Beckham said of his back pain. "I've had something like this in the past. It comes up every now and then. I just did my work in the gym and got some treatment so I should be back training (Friday)."

Goodfellas

07-31-2009, 06:31 AM

MARABELLA, Trinidad (AP) -- The New York Red Bulls got second-half goals from Ernst Oebster and Alfredo Pacheco and earned a 2-2 draw with W Connection in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round on Thursday night.

Jonathan Fana gave Connection of Trinidad a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute.
But New York rallied behind goals by Oebster in the 47th minute and Pacheco in the 59th to go up 2-1.

Hughtun Hector tied it in the 71st minute to give Connection hope for the second leg on Wednesday.

In other games Thursday, Javier Orozco's hat trick helped Cruz Azul of Mexico earn a 6-2 road victory over Costa Rican club Herediano, and Honduran club Olimpia rallied to beat Arabe Unido of Panama 2-1 at home.
The Champions League is the premium competition for clubs in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The tournament winner qualifies to play against the champions from other continents in the World Club Championship

Goodfellas

07-31-2009, 06:32 AM

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) -- The owner of one of Romania's top soccer teams was charged with blackmail and supporting a criminal group.
Organized crime prosecutors said Thursday that CFR Cluj owner Arpad Paszkany financed the media group Gazeta from 2004 to 2006 to promote his business interests and compromise rival companies.

Prosecutors say the publications ran libelous campaigns against companies and people Paszkany did not like. The publications also allegedly blackmailed companies to sign advertising contracts.

Prosecutors say the group financed by Paszkany threatened one of his opponents into selling him land worth $564,000 for just $14,000.
CFR Cluj played in the group stage of the Champions League last season, beating Roma and tying Chelsea

Goodfellas

07-31-2009, 06:33 AM

SOMERSET, N.J. (AP) -- U.S. national team captain Christie Rampone will serve as player-coach of Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer.

The New York area team announced Thursday that the 34-year-old defender will be the interim coach after Kelly Lindsey's sudden resignation a day earlier. Sky Blue (6-7-5) has two remaining regular season games and is in contention for a playoff berth in the league's inaugural season.
Rampone is the club's third coach this season. Ian Sawyers was fired in May because of disagreements with management. General manager Gerry Marrone says the team was "shocked" and "disappointed" by Lindsey's decision.

A New Jersey native, Rampone has played in three World Cups and three Olympics.

Goodfellas

07-31-2009, 06:38 AM

MUNICH, Germany (AP) -- Bayern Munich beat Manchester United 7-6 on penalties to win the preseason Audi Cup after a scoreless draw in regulation time on Thursday.

Bayern goalkeeper Michael Rensing, striving to become the starter in the upcoming season, made the decisive save by stopping Jonny Evans' shot. Daniel van Buyten then converted the winning penalty.

Both teams wasted one penalty each, with Rensing also stopping Patrice Evra, and Edwin van der Sar knocking away Danijel Pranjic's effort.
There was no extra time.

In a slow-paced game, Mario Gomez hit the crossbar of Van der Sar's goal in the first half and Dimitar Berbatov's overhead attempt also bounced off the post.

Rensing did well to deny Wayne Rooney late in the game.

The match for third-place was also decided on penalties, with Roberto Abbondanzieri making two saves to help Boca Juniors beat AC Milan 4-3 in the shootout.

The goalkeeper stopped shots from Andrea Pirlo and Alexandre Pato, who had also wasted several opportunities in regulation as the game ended 1-1.

Thiago Silva scored for Milan in the 27th but Lucas Viatri tied in the 87th.
Federico Insua also had his penalty saved in the shootout but Viatri then converted for Boca for the decisive score before Pato's blunder.

Goodfellas

07-31-2009, 06:39 AM

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) -- Now it's Ronaldo's weight -- not his goals -- which is attracting all the attention in Brazilian football.

The question everybody was asking in Brazil on Thursday was whether the football star had weight reduction surgery on the sly while repairing his broken hand or if it was just speculation from local media.
Ronaldo is not speaking, and his club Corinthians is neither confirming nor denying that the striker had the surgery while he hospitalized to repair a broken hand.

Several local media are reporting, based on unnamed sources, that doctors removed 70 centimeters of fat from Ronaldo's waist on Wednesday.

"There are certain things a doctor can talk about, but others only with the consent of the patient," Corinthians doctor Joaquim Grava told Terra Web site. "I am not allowed to confirm if the (surgery) has been done or not."
Terra said doctors used a different name for Ronaldo at the hospital to keep anyone from finding out about whether he underwent the weight reduction surgery.

The hospital is not confirming the possible surgery, and Corinthians' press office said only that the team does not discuss the personal lives of its players.

"If he did have the surgery, Ronaldo will be flying even more than he was already," Corinthians goalkeeper Felipe said. "It will be good for us. If he really had the surgery and is thinner, it will be a problem for the other teams."

Ronaldo has been thriving in his return to football after being sidelined for more than a year because of his third serious knee injury. Since making his debut with Corinthians in March, Ronaldo has scored 17 times in 27 matches and helped the traditional club win the Sao Paulo state championship and the Brazilian Cup.

He acknowledged, however, that he remained slightly out of shape and that losing the remaining pounds that still kept him overweight was particularly hard.

The 32-year-old Ronaldo reportedly wanted to remove 3.3 pounds of fat, but doctors said it was not necessary.

He was expected to undergo the surgery later in the year, in the offseason, but took advantage of the hand injury to have the procedure now, GloboEsporte.com said.

Ronaldo was hospitalized on Wednesday to repair the hand he broke in a fall during a 3-0 loss to Palmeiras on Sunday. Doctors successfully inserted 12 screws to repair the fractures on two bones of his left hand.
The surgery will keep him sidelined for about five weeks.

Ronaldo was extremely out of shape when he signed with Corinthians in December following the knee surgery he underwent in February 2008. He was about 22 pounds overweight at the time, but recently said he needed to lose only about only 2 or 4 pounds.

Ronaldo's weight first attracted attention at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, when arrived at the team's camp admittedly overweight after a series of injuries with former club Real Madrid.

Even the Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, got involved in Ronaldo's weight controversy at the time. In a video conference with players just days before the team's debut, Silva asked Parreira whether the striker was fat.

Ronaldo later compared the speculation about his weight to the rumors about the president's affection for alcohol, and Silva ended having to send a fax to Ronaldo saying his previous comments about his weight were meant to end speculation, not add fuel to it.

Ronaldo has won two World Cups and three world player of the year awards. He is the career World Cup scoring leader with 15

Goodfellas

08-01-2009, 07:37 AM

NEW YORK (AP) -- Major League Soccer says it has suspended Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis for one game and fined him $3,000 for actions that led to his ejection from a game against FC Dallas last Friday.

Kreis was dismissed from the game in the 73rd minute because of a verbal confrontation with officials. The penalties handed down Friday are in addition to the one-game suspension and $500 fine Kreis received automatically for the ejection.

Kreis will miss Real Salt Lake's game at Chicago on Saturday and a home contest versus Seattle Sounders FC on Aug. 8.

Seattle midfielder Freddie Ljungberg was fined $500 for failing to leave the field in a timely and orderly manner after being issued a red card in the 59th minute against Chicago last Saturday.

The U.S. Soccer Foundation is the recipient of player fines

Goodfellas

08-02-2009, 06:13 AM

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Edgaras Jankauskas scored his first goal of the season in the 76th minute Saturday night to give the New England Revolution a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC.

Jankauskas, a 34-year-old Lithuanian striker, was added to the Revolution roster July 2 and was playing in just his third game. He beat defender Nick Garcia to a loose ball on the left wing, after a cross by Jay Heaps to Shalrie Joseph on the right side. Joseph steered the ball back to the left, leaving Toronto goalie Stefan Frei out of position.

Dwayne DeRosario scored his eighth goal of the season in the 34th minute to give Toronto (7-7-6) the lead in a match played before a crowd of 12,014 at Gilette Stadium.

New England (6-5-6) extended its unbeaten streak to four (2-0-2).

Goodfellas

08-02-2009, 06:14 AM

FC Dallas 6, Wizards 0

FRISCO, Texas (AP) - Jeff Cunningham had a career-high four goals to move into third place on the league's all-time list and David Ferreira scored twice to lead FC Dallas.

Cunningham, who had his second MLS hat trick, has 112 goals to surpass former Dallas Burn star Jason Kreis for third on the league's career list.
Goalkeeper Dario Sala returned to the lineup for FC Dallas (5-9-5) after missing 12 games with a knee injury and needed to make just one save for the shutout, an acrobatic diving stop on the Wizards' Davy Arnaud in the 48th minute.

Kansas City (5-7-7) dropped to 0-2-2 in its past four matches, scoring one goal in that span

Goodfellas

08-02-2009, 06:14 AM

Fire 1, Real Salt Lake 0

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) - Patrick Nyarko scored in the 76th minute to help Chicago extended its unbeaten streak to five games.

Nyarko got his fourth goal of the season on a header that caromed off the left post, and he freed himself from the defense long enough to get on the end of a cross from Tim Ward.

Nyarko is getting more playing time at forward after July shoulder surgery shelved former U.S. national team star Brian McBride for up to four months. Prior to the injury, Nyarko had been used as a right midfielder.
The Fire (8-3-8) improved to 3-0-2 in their last five games.
Salt Lake (6-8-5) had 16 shots, but just three on goal

Goodfellas

08-02-2009, 06:15 AM

Dynamo 4, United 3

HOUSTON (AP) - Brian Ching scored twice in the first half and Houston held on to beat D.C. United.

Houston (10-5-5) extended its lead in the Western Conference to six points over second-place Seattle.

The game was scoreless before the Dynamo scored three goals in a three-minute span in the first half, with Brad Davis scoring in the 36th minute shortly before Ching scored twice a minute apart.

Stuart Holden converted a penalty kick in the 66th minute for Houston.
Luciano Emilio scored two goals and Fred had one for United (6-4-10). Emilio's second goal provided the final margin in the 87th minute.

Goodfellas

08-02-2009, 06:15 AM

Columbus 1, Colorado 0

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) -- Columbus retained its lead in the Eastern Conference.

Defender Chad Marshall, recently recalled to the U.S. national team, scored in the 39th minute as the Crew posted just its second road win of the season.

Columbus won despite playing without Venezuelan forward Alejandro Moreno (groin) and reigning league MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto (left hamstring). Both stars sat out the for the third consecutive game.
Colorado had its three-game home winning streak snapped

Goodfellas

08-02-2009, 06:16 AM

LONDON (AP) -- Atletico Madrid coach Abel Resino said Saturday it is impossible to compete with the spending muscle of Real Madrid and Barcelona, creating a three-tier competition within the Spanish league.
"Real Madrid and Barcelona are very, very far from the rest of the other Spanish teams in terms of economic power,'' Resino said after his team lost 2-1 to Arsenal in a preseason friendly. "After them, there are a group of five or six, including us, Valencia, Sevilla, Villarreal. Those are more or less who can compete among themselves. And then the rest.''

Madrid has recruited heavily since Florentino Perez's return as president, buying Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United, Kaka from AC Milan and Karim Benzema from Lyon. Barcelona broke its record to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Inter Milan after winning the league, Spanish cup and Champions League last season.

Atletico hasn't won the Spanish league since 1996. There has only been two teams besides Madrid and Barcelona to win the title in the past 10 years - Valencia in 2002 and 20004 and Deportivo la Coruna in 2000.
Resino, who joined Atletico in February from Castellon, declined to say his team had no chance of winning the league.

"Atletico Madrid is a team that through its history has always had to fight hard,'' Resino said.

He was pleased with his team's performance against Arsenal, saying it was good preparation if the two teams meet in the Champions League playoff later this month.

"The most important thing is the team played well with a good attitude,'' Resino said. "We made a few changes and it has been a very positive test. We are uncovering new players in the team, from the youth system, and know more things after this match.

"We had a few chances in the second half, and a draw would have been a fairer result

Goodfellas

08-02-2009, 06:17 AM

ALKMAAR, Netherlands (AP) -- Ronald Koeman's coaching career at defending champion AZ Alkmaar began with a 3-2 loss at Heracles Almelo in the opening round of the Dutch league on Saturday.

Heracles, which also has a new coach in Gertjan Verbeek, took the lead in eighth minute when Bas Dost cleverly dummied to set up Everton, who beat goalkeeper Sergio Romero from the edge of the area.

Heracles' Willy Overtoom ran past three defenders and fired a low shot past Romero to extend the lead in the 48th. It got worse for the defending champions when Mark-Jan Fledderus curled in a free kick from 30 meters in the 60th.

Graziano Pelle and Mounir El Hamdaoui each scored in the 77th to give AZ hope, but Heracles held firm after AZ's Gill Swerts was sent off in the 89th for fouling Overtoom. Seconds later, Pelle was dismissed for deliberately kicking Kwame Quansah.

FC Twente beat Sparta Rotterdam 2-0 after goals from Blaise Nkufo and Bryan Ruiz. Twente had held Sporting Lisbon to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the Champions League on Wednesday.
Willem II's Christophe Gregoire scored the season's first league goal, finding the net in the fourth minute in his team's 3-1 win over Vitesse Arnhem. Said Boutahar and Arjan Swinkels also scored for Willem II, while Vitesse's Sinan Kaloglu picked up a goal.

Later Saturday, Ricky van Wolfswinkel scored in FC Utrecht's 1-0 win at RKC Waalwijk.

Roda JC, which narrowly escaped relegation last season, drew 0-0 with SC Heerenveen in Friday's first match of the new season.

On Sunday, new Ajax coach Martin Jol has a tough assignment at FC Groningen while new PSV Eindhoven coach Fred Rutten starts against newly promoted VVV-Venlo.

New Feyenoord coach Mario Been has his first match against his former club, NEC Nijmegen, and ADO The Hague hosts NAC Breda.