Soccer Capsules: U.S. World Cup bid board holds first meeting
NEW YORK — Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, University of Miami president Donna Shalala and comedian Drew Carey attended the first board meeting of the U.S. bid committee trying to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.
Former women’s team star Mia Hamm and U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati also were at the three-hour session Tuesday in Major League Soccer’s offices. U.S. coach Bob Bradley, who is not on the board, also sat in.
FIFA’s executive committee is to choose the 2018 and 2022 hosts next December.
England, Netherlands-Belgium, Russia, Spain-Portugal, Australia and Japan also are bidding to host both World Cups. Indonesia, Qatar and South Korea are bidding for 2022 only.
England and Spain are considered leading contenders for 2018, while the U.S. is viewed as a top candidate for 2022.
U.S. to play Honduras in WCup warmup Jan. 23
CHICAGO — The United States will play its first World Cup warmup of 2010 against fellow qualifier Honduras on Jan. 23 in Carson, Calif.
Both teams are likely to be missing several starters for the match. The only date clubs are required to release players prior to the end of the European seasons is March 3, when the Americans tentatively are slated to play the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
The U.S., getting ready for its sixth straight World Cup appearance, also is trying to arrange a home game against Mexico in late February. The Americans open the World Cup in South Africa on June 12 against England, play Slovenia on June 18 and Algeria on June 23.
Honduras, preparing for its first World Cup since 1982, opens against Chile on June 16, plays Spain on June 21 and Switzerland on June 25.
Club World Cup
Barcelona goes for history, starting with Atlante
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Barcelona's bid to finish 2009 with a historic sixth major trophy of the year will begin Wednesday when the European champions play Mexican club Atlante in the Club World Cup semifinals.
Barcelona is the favorite to lift the former Intercontinental Cup after winning all five trophies available since May — last season's Champions League, Spanish league and Copa del Rey, along with the curtain raisers for the current season — the Spanish Supercup and the European Supercup.
Pep Guardiola's team will go down in history if it can complete a clean sweep of titles.
"We're staring down a unique opportunity and the whole club knows it," defender Rafael Marquez said on Tuesday. "We're all hungry to win this title that we haven't yet."
In its two previous appearances at the competition, Barcelona lost 2-1 to Sao Paulo in 1992 and 1-0 to Internacional — also of Brazil — in the final three years ago.
Coach Pep Guardiola was a member of that first losing team, and is keen to avoid the team's previous mistakes.
Barcelona, then led by Ronaldinho and coming off a league-Champions League double, went on a sharp decline from the final in Yokohama, Japan, that left the team without a trophy until Guardiola's arrival at the start of last season. Guardiola became the first coach to lead a Spanish club — and only fifth in Europe — to three trophies in one season.
"Just because we have big names ... this does not mean that it is already won," Guardiola said. "The CONCACAF winner has the same right to the final as the European champion."
Guardiola said that Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi's injured ankle was "much, much better" but that a final decision on his fitness would be left until Wednesday.
"His ankle looks better, his spirits too," Guardiola said at the Zayed Sports City stadium. "We'll see how he reacts in the training tonight and tomorrow we'll decide."
Although it's already likely, a sixth trophy would cement Messi's standing as the world's best player and likely herald a FIFA Player of the Year award. Messi missed Saturday's 1-0 win over Espanyol.
"It's the last championship of an historic 2009 and we want to end it well," said Messi, who is the team's joint leading scorer alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic with 12 goals.
Before the Catalans can look ahead to Saturday's final against either South Korean club Pohang Steelers or Estudiantes of Argentina — who play Tuesday — it will have to overcome some fatigue to first get past Atlante.
Former Real Madrid player Santiago Solari, now at Atlante, is fully aware of Barcelona's strengths.
"They're not only the best in the world the last year and a half for their play and results, but this Barcelona is also one of the best teams in the history of football," Solari said. "You have to take your sombrero off to them."
Atlante beat New Zealand's Auckland City 3-0 to reach the last four, but Solari and his teammates believe all of the pressure is on Barcelona.
"All of the responsibility falls on Barcelona. This we know," the Argentine midfielder said. "We'll go out and try to play our football."
Atlante could look to exploit an "exhausted" Barcelona, as Guardiola put it, which has faced a crowded December schedule due to the trip to Abu Dhabi.
Still, Guardiola expected a spirited contest between teams of similar philosophies.
"They want the ball," Guardiola said. "Maybe in Europe the level, the velocity — or speed — is higher, but they want to play, I 'm sure. If you let them play, we're going to suffer."
-- Paul Logothetis
Estudiantes reaches Club World Cup final
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Three players from Pohang Steelers were ejected, and the South Korean team lost 2-1 to Argentina’s Estudiantes on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the Club World Cup.
Leandro Benitez scored off a free kick in first-half injury time and made it 2-0 when he knocked in a loose ball in the 53rd minute. Denilson cut the deficit in half in the 71st.
Estudiantes will play European champion Barcelona or Atlante, the North and Central American and Caribbean representative, in Saturday’s final.
Hwang Jae-won was ejected in the 56th minute, Kim Jae-sung in the 72nd and goalkeeper Shin Hwa-yong in the 77th. The first two players were sent off for receiving their second yellow cards, and Shin was ejected for making incidental contact trying to clear the ball after sprinting out of his penalty area.
Estudiantes won the world title in 1968, beating Manchester United when the competition was called the Intercontinental Cup.
-- Paul Logothetis
World Cup
England’s 2018 WCup bid gets government backing
LONDON — England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup secured Tuesday the government backing it needs to be considered by the world soccer governing body.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the heads of government departments have signed guarantees worth $487 million. It commits the country to providing the necessary finance and infrastructure should England win the right to host the tournament.
The guarantees include tax, visas and security.
England 2018 bid chairman David Triesman says the guarantees are "testament to the government’s commitment to bringing the World Cup to England."
The United States, England, Australia, Japan, Russia, Netherlands-Belgium and Spain-Portugal are bidding to host both World Cups. Qatar, Indonesia and South Korea are bidding for 2022 only, believing Europe is favored for 2018 under FIFA’s wish to rotate the event across continents.
The bids must be submitted to FIFA in May, with a decision on the hosting rights on Dec. 2.
The English bid team will announce host cities on Wednesday.
England will be based in Rustenburg during WCup
LONDON — England’s World Cup training base will be at the Royal Bafokeng sports campus in Rustenburg as the Three Lions prepare for their tournament opener against the United States on June 12.
Coach Fabio Capello confirmed his decision Tuesday. He had expressed concern about the condition of the fields during a visit this month.
"The facilities are OK. There were some problems with the pitches but I spoke to people there and they will be OK for June when we are in South Africa," Capello said. "We found Rustenburg was the best place for us. It is quiet, good for security, is close to the stadium where we play the first game."
Rustenburg, at an altitude of 3,783 feet, is the site of the US-England match, the first official game between the nations since the Americans’ 1-0 upset victory at the 1950 World Cup.
League Roundups
United wins in Ferguson's 900th league match
LONDON — Manchester United cruised past Wolverhampton 3-0 in Alex Ferguson's 900th league match in charge of the English champions on Tuesday.
Wayne Rooney, Antonio Valencia and Nemanja Vidic scored to ensure United joined league leader Chelsea on 37 points ahead of the latter's match against Portsmouth on Wednesday.
Aston Villa moved up to third with a 2-0 win at Sunderland, Birmingham climbed to sixth by beating Blackburn 2-1 and Bolton moved out of the relegation zone with a 3-1 victory over West Ham.
Ferguson would have been confident of a victory when he saw Wolves manager Mick McCarthy make 10 changes to the side that beat Tottenham at the weekend.
"They made it very difficult for us, pressed every ball, tackled everywhere," said Ferguson, who took charge of United in 1986. "I thought they put up a good show considering they had most of their second string out. That wasn't surprising given the game they've got against Burnley at the weekend. Once we got the goal, we were comfortable enough."
It took until the 30th minute for United to go ahead, with Rooney scoring from the penalty spot after Ronald Zubar handled.
Vidic's header from Darron Gibson's corner gave United a two-goal cushion before the break and Valencia volleyed in another afterward.
Villa is just five points behind United in third after winning at Sunderland. Emile Heskey put Villa ahead in the 24th after running on to James Milner's pass. And Milner wrapped up the win in the 61st by striking into the top corner.
Sunderland had captain Lorik Cana sent off for a second bookable offense in the 79th when he fouled Milner.
At St. Andrews', Birmingham registered its fifth successive top flight victory for the first time in 36 years.
Cameron Jerome struck in the 12th and three minutes into the second half, while Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen grabbed a late consolation.
"To win five games in a row is absolutely sensational," Birmingham manager Alex McLeish said. "I did a double take when I saw that we're in the top six, but we're proud of that and we've earned it. I don't think we've been lucky."
At Reebok Stadium, goals from Chung-Yong Lee, Ivan Klasnic and Gary Cahill sealed a vital three points for Bolton to move Gary Megson's team out of the bottom three.
That's where West Ham remain despite Alessandro Diamanti scoring in the 69th.
Valenciennes ties Auxerre 0-0 in French league
VALENCIENNES, France — Auxerre denied Valenciennes in a goalless draw to keep fifth place in the French league on Tuesday.
"It's a draw, it's one good point," Auxerre defender Adama Coulibaly told Canal Plus television, "Valenciennes stays behind us."
Defending champion Bordeaux tops the standings with 34 points from 16 matches, four clear of second-place Montpellier which has a game in hand.
Auxerre is six points off the lead, and one ahead of Valenciennes.
In the first half, both teams struggled to create chances on a frozen pitch.
Valenciennes stepped up the pressure on the Auxerre defense in the second half, with forward Johan Audel firing above the bar from close range in the 46th minute.
Audel then charged down the left flank to hoist the ball into the box in the 48th, but Auxerre goalkeeper Olivier Sorin palmed away Gregory Pujol's header.
The following minute, Valenciennes midfielder Renaud Cohade failed to catch the frame from 14 meters.
Valenciennes again lacked the finishing touch in the 53rd when an unmarked Carlos Sanchez sent a bouncing header off target, and Audel's diagonal shot sailed just wide of the post in the 78th.
As Valenciennes players started tiring, Auxerre nearly stole the match in the 80th but Valter Birsa curled his shot straight at the Valenciennes goalkeeper.
"We tried to push in the second half," Valenciennes midfielder Fahid Ben Khalfallah told Canal Plus. "We had a couple of chances but couldn't convert them.
"We had the opportunity tonight to move up. Unfortunately, we'll stay in the middle of the table. But it's so tight (in the standings) that a win is enough to rise to third place and a loss is enough to drop to tenth."
On Wednesday, it's: Le Mans vs. Grenoble, Lorient vs. Marseille, Lyon vs. Boulogne, Monaco vs. Rennes, Montpellier vs. Bordeaux, Nancy vs. Nice, and Paris Saint-Germain vs. Lens.
Those matches were initially scheduled on Oct. 28 but the French league postponed them to this week to help France prepare better for the World Cup playoff against Ireland.
Rangers crush Dundee Utd to go top in Scotland
GLASGOW, Scotland — U.S. midfielder DaMarcus Beasley's first Rangers goal since May 2008 helped the Scottish champion return to the top of the table with a 3-0 victory over Dundee United on Tuesday.
Beasley unleashed a dipping strike from the edge of the penalty area in the 26th minute, and Kenny Miller scored twice in the second half.
Rangers has a one-point lead over Celtic.
"It was important to win tonight and go back top of the league," Miller said. "It was a good performance and a good result for us."
Elsewhere
UEFA suspends top referee for alleged match-fixing
NYON, Switzerland — European soccer’s governing body has suspended a top referee while it investigates him for allegedly helping to fix an international match in a betting coup.
UEFA said Tuesday it will not appoint Bulgarian referee Anton Genov to a European match — an international, Champions League or Europa League fixture — while further investigations are carried out.
UEFA said there were "obvious irregular betting patterns" during a Nov. 14 exhibition between Macedonia and Canada.
"After interviewing the referee in question, UEFA has decided not to appoint Anton Genov to any European matches until further notice," UEFA spokesman Rob Faulkner said in a statement.
Genov awarded four penalties, two to each side, during Macedonia’s 3-0 victory in Strumica.
Betting operators reportedly were alerted by the number of wagers placed on at least three goals being scored, and on the number of penalties awarded.
The 43-year-old Genov has been on world governing body FIFA’s list of referees approved to take charge of international matches since 1999.
Referees must be on the list to be considered for selection to officiate at World Cup finals.
UEFA said last month it was investigating three top referees as part of Europe’s biggest ever match-fixing probe.
German police specializing in fraud and organized crime are leading the investigation which involves more than 200 matches in at least 11 countries.
Croatian betting syndicates based in Germany are suspected of bribing players, coaches, referees and other officials to fix games, and are believed to have made at least $15 million.
UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino described match-fixing as a "cancer we need to eradicate."
On Monday, the Bulgarian soccer federation fired the country’s referee commission, which is responsible for appointing officials to matches and assessing their performance.
The federation cited a series of mistakes made by referees in league and cup matches.
Argentine hooligans get savvy with politics
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Dozens of groups of football hooligans in Argentina are promising to clean up their act and end the violence that has been linked to some 150 deaths in and out of stadiums.
Of course, there is a catch.
These politically savvy hooligans are looking for government support, and hoping their campaign to end the intimidation and vandalism will lead to stipends for many to follow Argentina at the World Cup next year in South Africa.
The effort is being organized by Marcelo Mallo, who campaigned for former Argentina President Nestor Kirchner, whose wife, Cristina, succeeded him as president two years ago. Mallo has formed Hinchadas Unidas Argentinas (Argentine Fans United), and filed papers to be recognized as a non-governmental organization, which could lead to some government aid.
The political links are not disguised. At stadiums across the country, banners urging Kirchner to run again — "Come back Kirchner" or "Kirchner 2011" — also carry the initials HUA.
"HUA's main objective is to get rid of violence at the stadiums," Mallo explained in an Associated Press interview. "If these groups can produce social leaders who work in the neighborhoods, tomorrow they can be tools the government has at its disposal. They could help win votes."
Sitting in Mallo's office was a self-described hooligan named Emiliano, a supporter of the club Huracan. He sported a large tattoo on his left arm and repeated several times he'd nearly been killed in brawls with rival gangs. Another hooligan, who identified himself using only a rude nickname, showed off a scar on his right leg, the remnant of a gunshot wound, he said.
"The new generation is working to make sure there are no more deaths," Emiliano said. "We want the hooligan groups to get along. Politicians throw chairs at each other in parliament, and nothing happens. We fight with each other and they say we are hooligans."
Many are skeptical the hooligans can be tamed.
Reports suggest about 300 members of hooligan groups are planning to travel to South Africa. Many do not have the $7,000 needed to cover their costs, and a top government official said there will not be any free travel.
"The government neither rewards, promotes nor finances trips," said Pablo Paladino, undersecretary at the national department of Football Security.
Though they may wish to go to South Africa, FIFA, the world-governing body of football, may try to keep them out. At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, many English hooligans had their passports confiscated by British authorities, which kept them from traveling to Germany.
Argentine hooligans, like their counterparts in Europe, have thrived on intimidation. Their songs and chants cut them off from other fans, and when hundreds stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the heart of a stadium — waving flags, beating drums and shooting off fireworks — other fans learn to stay far away.
Outside the stadium, they scalp tickets to finance themselves and prepare for an after-game brawl, taking on rivals with fists and knife fights that can injure innocent bystanders.
Mariano Berjes, a former judge and one of the founders of the Argentine group "Let's Save Football," opposes the hooligan alliance and accuses it of working a deal with the government.
"One has to seriously suspect ties, collusion and financing that is linked to the highest rungs of power," Berjes said. "If being in one of these hooligan groups allows for the chance of free travel to South Africa, tomorrow many may want to follow this violent path to get privilege."
-- Vicente Panetta
Backe quits as Notts County manager after 7 weeks
LONDON — Hans Backe quit as manager of Notts County on Tuesday just seven weeks into a three-year contract with the troubled League Two club.
Backe followed former England defender Sol Campbell out of the club after telling chief executive Peter Trembling his position was no longer tenable because of "broken promises" over investment in the team.
"It's becoming a well-coined phrase, isn't it?" Trembling said. "There were frustrations I've already aired about getting funds through as quickly as we wanted."
Backe, a former FC Copenhagen, Aalborg and Panathinaikos coach, won four of nine matches after replacing the fired Ian McParland in October.
Previous owners Munto Finance apparently reneged on promises to fund a revival at the world's oldest professional league club — a situation that prompted Campbell to walk out on his contract in September after just one game.
Trembling was involved with Munto before he completed the purchase of the club from the Middle Eastern business consortium.
Trembling said he had tried to talk the 57-year-old Backe out of resigning in a phone conversation Saturday but that Backe confirmed his decision after speaking with director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Backe's fellow Swede is reportedly in dispute with Munto over money he says he is owed.
"We've got a new structure in place and we're on the lookout for new investments, and Sven and I are working round the clock on that," Trembling told Sky Sports News. "Come the middle of January, we could be in an extremely healthy position and not only back on track but maybe further down the line from where we expected to be.
"I am disappointed that Hans has not waited around for that to happen."
Eriksson said Backe's departure would not affect his position.
"I am aware that Hans' decision has led to speculation about my own position here at Notts County," Eriksson said. "I wish to make it clear that I believe the management buyout is a positive first step for the club and we look forward to confirming further investments for the future."
Trembling said he and Eriksson would meet to decide upon a new manager after this week, with David Kevan in temporary charge for Monday's game at Bournemouth.
Trembling also dismissed as "absolutely ridiculous" newspaper reports that the club had only enough money to pay its staff for two more months.
"We're running this football club like a proper business," Trembling said.
Notts County was founded in 1862.
-- Stuart Condie
12 Eritrea players defect during event in Kenya
NAIROBI, Kenya — Twelve Eritrea national team players defected during a tournament in Kenya last week.
Nicholas Musonye, the secretary general of the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations, said the players failed to board a plane with the rest of the 25-man squad on Saturday to return home from the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.
"They defected, they did not go home," Musonye said.
An official of the Refugee Consortium of Kenya, a non-profit organization that gives free legal aid and representation to asylum seekers and refugees, said the 12 players had sought their assistance.
The official said his organization will present the Eritreans' case to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, which will determine whether they can be granted asylum. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
Musonye said this is third time Eritrean players have gone missing in events organized by the council, with up to a dozen disappearing during a tournament being held in Tanzania in 2006-07.
The incidents underscore the harshness of life under the regime of President Isaias Afwerki, a former rebel leader who led Eritrea to independence from Ethiopia in 1993 but has since turned dictator. Strict government controls on the economy, media and religion in the nation of more than 5 million people have forced thousands to flee.
Musonye said the latest defection could be detrimental to football in Eritrea, because the government may not agree to let the team participate in future tournaments outside the country.
He added that despite experiencing difficult economic times, the Eritrean government has worked hard to improve football levels.
Musonye said he plans to speak with Kenya's police commissioner Tuesday to request that tracking down the players be made a top priority.
Eritrea was knocked out in the quarterfinals of the two-week Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup, which was won by Uganda on Sunday.
-- Tom Odula
Bulgaria fires referees body over onfield mistakes
SOFIA, Bulgaria — The Bulgarian football federation has fired the country's referee commission for the second time in 15 months, citing a string of mistakes from onfield officials during league and cup matches.
The Bulgarian Football Union decided to dismiss the commission late Monday and said it will appoint a new one in January. The seven-member body is responsible for the appointment of referees and assessing their performance.
The BFU also announced the indefinite suspension of two referees because of substandard performances in two recent Bulgarian Cup matches.
"Clearly, referees have committed errors that have affected the results of some matches," BFU president Borislav Mihailov said.
The performance of a Bulgarian referee was criticized in the Macedonian media despite the country winning 3-0 over Canada in a Nov. 14 friendly. He awarded two penalties to either team.
Bulgaria's referee commission was dismissed under similar circumstances in September 2008. Several months later, the head of that committee was charged with allegedly pressuring referees to fix the outcome of seven games in the country's top division.
The trial is still pending.
-- Veselin Toshkov
Messi's ankle improves, but not certain to start
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Lionel Messi's injured ankle has improved, although Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is waiting until Wednesday before deciding if the Golden Ball winner will play against Atlante in the Club World Cup.
Guardiola says that Messi's right ankle is "much, much better" and that he would see how the Argentina forward reacted in training Tuesday before deciding whether to field him in the semifinal match against the Mexican club.
Messi injured his ankle in a Champions League victory over Dynamo Kiev last Wednesday and missed out on Saturday's 1-0 win against Espanyol.
Messi has scored 12 goals in all competitions this season.
Chelsea may be without injured Drogba vs. Pompey
LONDON — Chelsea could be without leading scorer Didier Drogba for Wednesday's Premier League match against Portsmouth after the Ivory Coast striker hurt his back in training.
Drogba had to leave training Tuesday because of the injury.
Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti says he doesn't want "to change a lot of players tomorrow and we will decide on Didier tomorrow."
Drogba has scored 18 goals this season and hit two on Saturday, but Chelsea was jeered from the field by home fans after a 3-3 draw with Everton that took its winless streak to four matches.
Chelsea is three points clear at the top of the Premier League. Portsmouth is two points adrift at the bottom.
Saint-Etienne fires coach Alain Perrin
SAINT-ETIENNE, France — Saint-Etienne has fired coach Alain Perrin after a string of poor results.
The club said in a statement Tuesday that Perrin's deputy, Christophe Galtier, will take over as coach of the 10-time French champions.
Saint-Etienne got off to a poor start this season and is only three points away from relegation. On Sunday, Saint-Etienne lost to Paris Saint-Germain 3-0.
Perrin joined the club last year. Galtier played for Marseille, and later Lille and Toulouse, before going on to coach Marseille. He was Perrin's main assistant at Portsmouth, Sochaux and Lyon before the two joined Saint-Etienne.
Ribery hopes for weekend comeback
MUNICH, Germany — Bayern Munich says France winger Franck Ribery may make his comeback from a knee injury this weekend in the last league match before the winter break.
The 26-year-old has been sidelined for much of the season by a persistent left knee problem.
But coach Louis Van Gaal said Tuesday that "he is doing better than ever, because he can train without pain."
Bayern hosts the Bundesliga's bottom club, Hertha Berlin, on Saturday.
Van Gaal said he thinks Ribery could be brought on as a substitute "perhaps for a few minutes."
Stewart Downing's former agent charged with fraud
MIDDLESBROUGH, England — Stewart Downing's former agent has been charged with fraud by police following a claim by the England winger that he is owed money.
Ian Elliott was arrested in September 2008 following allegations of financial irregularities made by the Aston Villa winger, who was with Middlesbrough at the time.
Police say Elliott will appear at Teesside Magistrates' Court next year.
Elliott denied any wrongdoing at the time of his arrest.
Hoffenheim's Ba, Compper out with swine flu
HOFFENHEIM, Germany — Hoffenheim striker Demba Ba and defender Marvin Compper have been diagnosed with swine flu and will miss the club's last league match before the winter break.
Hoffenheim said Tuesday that both players have been quarantined as a precaution and won't train with the team ahead of Saturday's game at Stuttgart.
They are expected to return when training resumes on Jan. 3.
