Soccer Capsules: Internacional start Libertadores with win
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) — Internacional of Brazil defeated Peru's Juan Aurich 2-0 on Thursday as the first round of matches in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores continued.
In other games, Universidad Catolica of Chile was held 1-1 at home against Bolivia's Bolivar, Ecuador's Emelec won 1-0 at home against Paraguay's Olimpia and Libertad, also of Paraguay, had a 4-1 home win over Peru's Alianza Lima.
The 32-team group stage of the continental tournament continues next Tuesday and will wrap up in April. The final of the competition is in July.
In Group 1, two-time Copa Libertadores champion Internacional opened the scoring through striker Oscar in the 23rd, with Argentine midfielder Jesus Datolo sealing the victory from inside the box in the 89th.
Internacional dominated the match, especially after Juan Aurich midfielder Cesar Ortiz was sent off in the 36th for earning his second yellow card following a hard foul.
In the Group 3 game in Santiago, Chile, Bolivar took the lead in the 38th with William Ferreira tapping in after Universidad Catolica goalkeeper Cristopher Toselli was left out of position following a right wing cross.
Roberto Ovelar equalized six minutes later from a counterattack.
Bolivar's Walter Flores was sent off for a foul in the 71st, but the visitors were able to hang on for a valuable away point.
The Bolivar goalkeeper was hit on the arm by a small object thrown from the crowd in the 24th, but was able to continue.
At Guayaquil, Ecuador, Luciano Figueroa won and then converted a penalty in the 51st minute of the Group 2 game, after he was adjudged to have been pushed to the ground.
Olimpia's Pablo Zeballas nearly equalized in the 87th when he hit the crossbar with a freekick from 30 yards (meters). The same player received a straight red card in stoppage time.
The match was affected by heavy rain which fell throughout the game, making playing conditions gradually more difficult.
In Group 5 in Asuncion, Paraguay, Libertad scored four second half goals to come from behind after Joazinho Arroe had put Alianza Lima of Peru ahead in the 28th.
Luciano Civelli , Sergio Aquino and Mauro Caballero put Libertad 3-1 up before Alianza Lima*s Walter Ibanez scored an own goal in the 91st.
U.S. Soccer
Brazil-U.S. exhibition at Landover, Md., on May 30
CHICAGO (AP) — The United States' exhibition soccer game against Brazil will be played May 30 at Landover, Md. The game was announced Jan. 12 as part of Brazil's three-game U.S. trip, with the site and date set Thursday by the U.S. Soccer Federation.
Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion, will be playing the Americans for the fourth time in four years. Brazil has won all three in that span — twice at the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa and a 2-0 exhibition win at East Rutherford, N.J., in August 2010.
The U.S. is 1-15 against Brazil, winning in 1998 at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
"When you talk about Brazil, you are speaking of one of the most gifted football playing nations in the world," U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "It is our goal to be able to match up against teams like Brazil on a consistent basis, so this is an amazing opportunity."
Before World Cup qualifying begins, the Americans play at Italy on Feb. 29, then plan to host Scotland on May 26. They play at Canada on June 3 before opening qualifying at home against Antigua and Barbuda on June 8.
Host of the 2014 World Cup, Brazil will play Mexico on June 3 at Arlington, Texas, and Argentina on June 9 at East Rutherford.
Viewers up slightly for Man U-Chelsea on Fox
NEW YORK (AP) — Manchester United's 3-3 tie with Chelsea last Sunday was seen by 1,377,000 viewers on Fox, up slightly from the network's first live Premier League broadcast two weeks earlier.
The game received a 0.8 rating and 2 share, the network said Thursday, the same as for Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Arsenal on Jan. 22. Viewers were up from 1,258,000 for the earlier telecast. Fox's three delayed EPL broadcasts earlier this season averaged a 1.1 rating. Those matches were aired before or after NFL games, depending on the market. The two live broadcasts started at 11 a.m. EST.
The rating is the percentage of television households tuned to a broadcast, and the share is there percentage watching among the households with TVs on at the time.
U.S. women to play two games in Japan
CHICAGO (AP) — The U.S. Women's soccer team will play in Japan against the host country and against Brazil in April. The games will be April 1 against the World Cup champion Japanese at Sendai, and April 3 against the Brazilians in Chiba in the new Women's Kirin Challenge Cup.
Japan will face Brazil on April 5 in Kobe.
U.S. coach Pia Sundhage, who led the Americans to second place in last year's World Cup, says "playing two of the world's best teams almost back to back will be a tremendous challenge for our entire roster."
Before that trip, the Americans will play in the Algarve Cup in Portugal, an event the United States has won eight times.
Earthquakes sign new deal with Wondolowski
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The San Jose Earthquakes have signed two-time MLS leading goal scorer Chris Wondolowski to a new contract.
General manager John Doyle announced the deal on Thursday, saying he wanted to reward Wondolowski for his success. Terms were not disclosed.
Wondolowski scored 16 goals last season to tie D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario for the league lead. Wondolowski had 18 goals the previous season. He joined Stern John and Carlos Ruiz as the only players to tie or lead the MLS in goals in consecutive seasons. Wondolowski has also played five games for the U.S. national team.
League Capsules
Man United gets chance for payback for FA Cup exit
LONDON (AP) — Two weeks after Manchester United was knocked out of the FA Cup by Liverpool, the defending Premier League champions get the chance for some payback when they host their traditional rivals Saturday in the English championship.
With league leader Manchester City at Aston Villa on Sunday, second-place United is likely to need victory at Old Trafford to stay in touch with its neighbor at the top of the standings.
United showed its fighting spirit by recovering from a 3-0 deficit to draw 3-3 at Chelsea last weekend and is in the mood to face the team it overhauled as English football's most successful last season.
"They're a club similar to us with massive history," United midfielder Ryan Giggs said. "We're the two most successful teams in the country, so we know we've got to perform and play well to get anything from any game against them.
"We know we're in for a tough game. It's the club we tried to catch for so long and now we've caught them the challenge is to stay ahead."
Liverpool is out of contention for the title it last won in 1990 but still has the cup competitions to aim for — and can also spoil United's season.
Out of the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup, United only has the Premier League and the minor attraction of the Europa League left to aim for. A loss at Old Trafford on Saturday could be a heavy blow to United's title hopes.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish is trying to keep his players focused on the match rather than the hype surrounding it.
The FA Cup game was overshadowed by the continued fallout of the row between the clubs that erupted this season when Liverpool forward Luis Suarez was found guilty of racially abusing United defender Patrice Evra.
Suarez is available again after missing the previous game because of suspension.
"Both teams have a responsibility to ensure this weekend is remembered as a cracking game of football between two very good sides, rather than for anything else," Dalglish said. "I'm sure people will want to talk about Luis Suarez, but he accepted his ban, served his suspension and returned against Spurs on Monday. It's time for all of us to draw a line under what happened and move forward.
"From Luis' point of view we have spoken to him and I know he will shake the hand of Patrice Evra and the other Manchester United players before the game."
Any slip up by United could give third-place Tottenham the chance to close a five-point gap on the defending champions.
Tottenham hosts Newcastle in another of Saturday's eight games finally free of the court case that prevented manager Harry Redknapp from attending Monday's 0-0 draw at Liverpool.
Redknapp was cleared of tax evasion charges Wednesday and was almost immediately linked with the job of succeeding Fabio Capello as England coach. But Redknapp said he is thinking only about a Tottenham side that is hoping to have Rafael van der Vaart and Jermain Defoe back from injury.
"I've not even thought about it. I've got a job to do," Redknapp said. "I've got a big game on Saturday for Tottenham. Tottenham is my focus."
Also Saturday, it's: Blackburn vs. Queen Park Rangers; Bolton vs. Wigan; Everton vs. Chelsea; Fulham vs. Stoke; Sunderland vs. Arsenal; and Swansea vs. Norwich.
On Sunday, City is at Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers hosts West Bromwich Albion.
League Championship leader West Ham aims to boost its campaign for promotion from the second tier at Peterborough on Saturday.
-- Stuart Condie
Espanyol, Athletic look to overtake Levante in fourth
MADRID (AP) — Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao are both looking for wins to leap into the Spanish league's Champions League places this weekend and overtake struggling Levante, which visits leader Real Madrid.
Levante was the early season surprise but its grip on fourth place has slackened after six league games without a victory. It is now tied on points with Espanyol and only two above Bilbao, which has lost just once in 13 matches overall ahead of Saturday's match at Real Betis.
Bilbao reached its 36th Copa del Rey final on Tuesday following an emphatic victory over third-tier club Mirandes. With striker Fernando Llorente in tremendous form, the all-Basque squad coached by Marcelo Bielsa has a strong chance of playing in Europe's top-tier competition next season.
Llorente has scored 11 goals since returning from injury last month to lead a young squad full of budding Spain internationals, with Llorente and Javi Martinez already fixtures in the squad that won the World Cup.
Espanyol has brushed off injuries to forwards Alvaro Vazquez and Sergio Garcia to be unbeaten in seven league matches ahead of last-place Zaragoza's visit on Sunday.
"The second half of the season is always the most difficult, you have to manage situations of utmost stress," said Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino, whose team tailed off in the second half of last season. "We know any first-division team is capable of beating another. We've got great respect for (Zaragoza) as they are in a situation we have been through."
Zaragoza has only 12 points from 21 games this season to sit 11 points from safety. Last weekend's 2-1 home loss to Rayo Vallecano — when it surrendered a 1-0 lead — showed little indication the club is capable of staying up.
Levante was expected to be battling to stay up but a tremendous start put it top of the league for several rounds. The remains winless in 2012 before a trip to the Santiago Bernabeu, where Madrid has won nine of 10 games and its loss only to Barcelona.
Madrid could have Argentina forward Angel di Maria back from injury, but midfielder Sami Khedira remains out while utility player Hamit Altintop will be sidelined with a left leg injury.
Barcelona, meanwhile, is on the road at Osasuna on Saturday looking to pressure Madrid, which holds a seven-point advantage.
Barcelona beat Valencia 2-0 to secure its place in the cup final against Bilbao — also its 36th appearance — and can look forward to a league match with a much healthier squad, after Andres Iniesta and Alexis Sanchez returned from injury while Xavi Hernandez scored after being rested for two games. Pedro Rodriguez and Sergio Busquets also trained with the rest of the team on Thursday.
"We're going to make sure the league is very long for Madrid," Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said on Thursday.
Third-place Valencia looks for its first league victory since December when it plays Sporting Gijon on Sunday, while new Sevilla coach Jose Miguel "Michel" Gonzalez begins with a match at Real Sociedad on Monday.
In other 22nd-round games, it's: Racing Santander vs. Atletico Madrid; Malaga vs. Mallorca; Rayo vs. Getafe and Villarreal vs. Granada.
-- Paul Logothetis
Will Robben return to Bayern's lineup?
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The benching of Arjen Robben only seemed to improve Bayern Munich's performance. Now coach Jupp Heynckes has to decide if the Netherlands star will return to the starting lineup.
That is the dilemma a day after Heynckes left Robben on the bench and saw his team win 2-0 at Stuttgart in the German Cup quarterfinals.
With his move, Heynckes reshuffled his midfield and Bayern was as dominant as at the start of the season — when Robben was out injured.
"It wasn't a decision against Arjen but a decision to make the midfield stronger. I realized I had to change something, I had to react after the 1-1 draw in Hamburg. We have good attacking players but we need better balance," Heynckes said after the match.
Heynckes moved Toni Kroos closer to the attack and returned Thomas Mueller to the right wing, usually taken by Robben. Mueller set up both goals, Kroos had an effective match and the best player was Franck Ribery, who scored a goal and roamed from one side to the other, driving Stuttgart's defense to despair. Ribery seemed to have more space without Robben on the field.
Robben stayed on the bench even when Bastian Schweinsteiger was injured early in the game. Schweinsteiger tore a ligament in his right ankle. Bayern says his foot will be in a cast for a week before doctors can say how long he will be out. Schweinsteiger already missed two months with a broken collarbone and also has been nursing left knee problems.
Bayern's most reliable player is Mario Gomez, who has scored 26 goals in 29 games this season.
Looking ahead, Bayern announced on Thursday the signing of talented Switzerland forward Xherdan Shaqiri from FC Basel.
After a loss, a win and a draw to start the second half of the season, Bayern has fallen two points behind defending champion Borussia Dortmund, which is on a 14-match unbeaten run.
Dortmund hosts Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, while Bayern is at home to Kaiserslautern.
Bayern is also under pressure from Schalke and Borussia Moenchengladbach. Schalke is equal on points and Moenchengladbach is only one behind. The fours teams at the top will decide the championship winner.
Schalke visits Moenchengladbach in the highlight match of the 21st round.
The high-scoring Schalke, with the second best attack (46 goals) after Bayern (47), goes up against the league's stingiest defense with only 12 goals conceded.
Klass-Jan Huntelaar has 16 goals and eight assists, the leading scoring performance in the league.
"This is a very important game," Huntelaar said of the trip to Moenchengladbach. "But nothing will be decided after the final whistle. The championship will be decided in the last four rounds and we have to stay up until then. Such games are important for the confidence."
Moenchengladbach beat Schalke in the German Cup after Huntelaar was sent off in December.
Fifth-place Werder Bremen, which is eight points behind Moenchengladbach, hosts Hoffenheim. Winless in its last 10 Bundesliga matches, Hoffenheim fired coach Holger Stanislawski on Thursday after losing 1-0 at home to second-division club Greuther Fuerth in the German Cup quarterfinals.
Wolfsburg kicks off the round on Friday against Freiburg.
On Saturday, Mainz hosts Hannover and Stuttgart plays Hertha Berlin. On Sunday, Augsburg hosts Nuremberg and Hamburg travels to Cologne.
-- Nesha Starcevic
Boca out to win the double and sway the critics
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Despite Boca Juniors being among the favorites to win the Argentine league title and Copa Libertadores, the club's fans are not completely satisfied.
The second half of the split Argentine league season opens Friday with Boca having won the first part, but the team has been criticized for its defensive, counterattacking style under coach Julio Cesar Falcioni.
Winning the double, however, would surely sway most of the doubters.
"If they don't like Boca they should go to the theater," Boca defender Rolando Schiavi said of the fans. "I prefer winning without so much luster."
Boca won the so-called Apertura (literally means "opening season") and will be the favorite in the second half, called the Clausura ("closing season"), when it begins Friday with Boca hosting Olimpo at its famous Bombonera stadium.
Racing Club is also seen as a contender under former Argentina coach Alfio Basile, who replaced Diego Simeone after he joined Atletico Madrid in Spain. Racing's top attacking threats are Colombian pair Teofilo Gutierrez and Giovanni Moreno.
Velez Sarsfield is expected to be the other main contender, and also a strong candidate in the Copa Libertadores.
Boca's main focus will be the continental club championship, which carries the same prestige in Latin America as the Champions League does in Europe. The 32-team group stage began this week and the title will be decided in July.
Since Argentina started playing a split season 20 years ago, no local club has won the league and Copa Libertadroes in the same year.
Boca has won the Copa Libertadores six times — one behind Argentine club Independiente with seven — and was the dominant club in Latin America a decade ago, winning four Libertadores titles in eight seasons.
This team looks dominant, too.
Boca conceded only six goals and was undefeated in 19 games in the Apertura season. The club finished 12 points ahead of Racing, Velez, Colon and Belgrano.
Playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme is expected to be back after recovering from frequent injuries, and Boca has added Uruguay forward Santiago Silva for depth. Silva, who will play only in Copa matches, moved after a short spell with Fiorentina.
Velez will also be priortizing the Copa Libertadores, and has a top scorer in Mauro Obolo and a playmaker in Federico Insua.
The Clausura season will mark the end for Estudiantes midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, who says he will retire in June. Known as "La Brujita" (Little Witch), the 36-year-old Veron has played for Boca Juniors, Sampdoria, Parma, Lazio, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Demoted to the second division last year, River Plate has not been forgotten.
River is lodged in second place in the second division and, if it stays that way, will return to the top flight next season. The top two teams in the second division win automatic promotion.
River signed former France striker David Trezeguet in the off season, hoping to bolster its bid to return to the first division.
-- Debora Rey
Garde bringing the best out of new-look Lyon
PARIS (AP) — When Remi Garde took charge of Lyon this season, he was given a one-year contract, told he had no money to spend and inherited a squad low on morale following a tough season under the rigid leadership of former coach Claude Puel.
Several months later, Garde has restored team spirit, has the team playing attractive, attacking football, and successfully blended in youth players while instilling a resilient streak that was lacking under Puel.
Despite trailing in its last three matches, Lyon has bounced back to either win or draw, and it is unbeaten in its last five matches ahead of Saturday's home game against struggling Caen.
"This team has a lot of character, a lot of heart," Garde said after Lyon came from behind to beat Bordeaux 3-1 in the French Cup on Wednesday. "It's tough to beat us at the moment."
Although seven-time former champion Lyon is in fourth place and 10 points behind leader Paris Saint-Germain, the fact it still has an outside shot at winning the title is testament to Garde's innovative, risk-taking approach.
He has put his trust in young players like striker Alexandre Lacazette, midfielder Clement Grenier, center back Samuel Umtiti, who all played under Puel when he was Lyon's youth team coach. Plus, he has not been afraid to drop Yoann Gourcuff.
Gourcuff has failed to live up to expectations since joining Lyon for €22 million ($27.8 million) from Bordeaux last season. While Puel stubbornly stuck by Gourcuff, Garde has chosen a different approach.
Garde has been fair with Gourcuff, starting him in six league games and four Champions League matches, but has now put him on the bench. The 21-year-old Grenier, a reserve team player last season, has taken his place.
Garde has not given up on Gourcuff altogether, praising him for his part in setting up Lacazette's equalizer against Bordeaux, and diplomatically saying the player "is lacking in rhythm" at the moment.
The 20-year-old Lacazette, another graduate from Lyon's youth team, has scored four goals in his past three games and is challenging Bafetimbi Gomis for a regular starting spot alongside Lisandro Lopez.
Lacazette, who scored the winning goal when France beat Spain to win the under-19 European Championship in 2010, has thanked Garde for giving him a chance to prove himself at a higher level. Grenier also played in the under-19 final.
"Since I have the trust of the team and the coach, it's easier for me out on the field," Lacazette said.
Lyon also trailed 2-0 away to Marseille in the league last weekend but fought back to draw 2-2, a few days after coming back from 2-0 down to beat Lorient 4-2 and reach the League Cup final.
"Everyone in the squad is ambitious and is doing their part," Garde said. "The attitude of the players who come on is remarkable. It's a good sign."
Even Gourcuff, so woefully out of form this season, showed glimpses of his talent on Wednesday, most notably with a superb dragback and flick over the defense in a move that led to Lacazette's goal.
"That will do him some good," said Garde, who remains friends with Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, having played for the Gunners between 1996-99. Garde also scored 22 goals in 145 league games for Lyon as a skillful defender.
Meanwhile, Montpellier will look to keep the pressure on PSG when it plays resurgent Ajaccio at home on Saturday. Ajaccio has hauled itself off bottom spot by winning four and drawing two of its past six league games.
Many observers tipped Montpellier to fade after the Christmas break. However, led by 15-goal top scorer Oliver Giroud, the title challenge is gaining momentum and the team remains only three points behind PSG, which is away to Nice on Sunday.
Even though Nice is struggling in 18th place, it always makes things hard for PSG at Stade du Ray.
"They are in quite a precarious position, but Nice will be waiting for us," PSG defender Christophe Jallet said.
Defending champion Lille looks to bounce back from its French Cup loss to Valenciennes when it takes on Bordeaux at home. Lille is 10 points behind PSG in third place and ahead of Lyon on goal difference.
In Saturday's other matches, it is: Auxerre vs. Lorient; Evian vs. Marseille; Valenciennes vs. Nancy; Brest vs. Dijon, and Rennes vs. Sochaux.
Toulouse faces Saint-Etienne in Sunday's other game.
-- Jerome Pugmire
Lazio fights back from two down to win in Serie A
MILAN (AP) — Lazio pulled off a stunning second-half comeback against lowly Cesena in Serie A, recovering from two goals down to win 3-2 despite playing for nearly an hour with 10 men on Thursday.
Adrian Mutu gave Cesena the lead then debutant Vincenzo Iaquinta fired home a spot kick following an incident which also saw Lazio defender Abdoulay Konko sent off.
However, Lazio surged back in the second half with three goals in 10 minutes, from Hernanes, Senad Lulic and Libor Kozak.
Lazio moved provisionally into third place, ahead of Udinese which faces second-placed AC Milan on Saturday. Cesena remained second from bottom, four points off safety.
Meanwhile, Siena beat Napoli 2-1 in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals. The second leg will be played on March 21.
Cesena desperately needed a victory to help its fight against relegation. And it looked like the three points were on the cards in the first half.
A swift counterattack saw Giuseppe Colucci release Iaquinta who set up Mutu in the area for the opener.
Lazio seemed to have shot itself in the foot shortly after half an hour when Konko was sent off for pushing over Mutu in the area after the Romanian beat the offside trap and raced towards goal.
Iaquinta, who joined on loan from Juventus last month, struck a powerful penalty high into the right of goal.
Lazio had given little sign of what was to come after the break, during the opening 45 minutes.
It got itself back into the game in the 52nd minute. Miroslav Klose threaded the ball through to Hernanes, who muscled his way into space before half turning and thumping the ball into the back of the net.
Cesena almost restored its two-goal advantage immediately but Mario Santana's effort flew a whisker wide of the left upright.
Lazio leveled on the hour as Klose nodded the ball on to Lulic, who fired a razing strike into the bottom right corner.
The comeback was complete two minutes later as Kozak stole the ball in a goalmouth scramble and slid a shot in between Cesena goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli and the right-hand post.
Elsewhere, Siena put on an impressive display in its first ever Italian Cup semifinal.
Reginaldo latched onto Daniele Mannini's pass and rounded onrushing Napoli goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis before slotting the ball home to give Siena the lead.
Gaetano D'Agostino doubled Siena's advantage in the 66th from Andrea Rossi's cross.
Napoli grabbed one back four minutes from time when Siena defender Emanuele Pesoli turned into his own net as he was trying to keep the ball away from Edinson Cavani.
-- Daniella Matar
Milan looks to bounce back against Udinese
MILAN (AP) — AC Milan travels to Udinese on Saturday looking to get its season back on track, while Serie A leader Juventus visits Bologna a day later — if the weather permits.
Milan has not won in its last three games and lost the first leg of its Italian Cup semifinal 2-1 at home to Juventus on Wednesday.
Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri says "we're not going through a good and lucky period at the moment ... but we have to remain calm."
The Serie A champion will also be without talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as he sits out the first of his three-game ban for striking an opponent.
Udinese has not lost a home game all season, winning 10 of its 11 matches at the Stadio Friuli. Juventus sits a point above Milan in the standings, having played a game less.
-- Daniella Matar
African Cup
Zambia's preparations for final like no other
LIBREVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Zambia prepared for the African Cup of Nations final by traveling to a rubbish-strewn beach Thursday to sing songs and lay flowers in honor of players who died in a plane crash nearly two decades ago.
The current players, some without shoes, walked down the nondescript stretch of sand in Libreville not far from where a Zambian military plane crashed into the ocean soon after takeoff in 1993, killing 25 players and officials on board as well as five crew.
It robbed the country of one of its best teams and a group favored to win the following year's African Cup.
This squad walked silently at first as players held their flowers, some too young to remember the disaster. Then players started singing as they approached the water and laid their flowers on the edge of the surf. Some waded in knee-deep. They huddled to pray for Zambia's previous soccer stars.
On Sunday, they will try to honor them again by beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast, Africa's top-ranked team, for Zambia's first continental title.
The site for the small, informal ceremony was chosen as the part of the beach the plane flew over 19 years ago before plunging into the water 500 yards out to suddenly and tragically snatch away nearly an entire squad.
At the head of the 22 players Thursday was Kalusha Bwalya, probably Zambia's greatest player and a member of the '93 team who escaped the accident because he played for a club in Europe and was to meet the rest of the squad for a World Cup qualifier at their final destination: Dakar, Senegal.
Bwalya's teammates never made it.
Zambia and Bwalya returned to the Gabonese capital for the first time since the tragedy. The Zambians will be in the African Cup final for the third time. And they've returned to try and finally win it in the city where Zambia suffered its lowest, saddest soccer moment.
Zambia made the '94 final with a makeshift squad that was inspired by Bwalya and the tragedy, only to lose to Nigeria.
The team has surprised many again by making the final, and a victory in Libreville this weekend would undoubtedly be dedicated to the 18 players and seven federation officials who died a few miles from the stadium.
"It's been a long journey," Bwalya said, remembering his late teammates as the current players stood behind him, some ankle-deep in the ocean. "I'm just pleased that God has given me enough days to see this day."
Some of the players, dressed in their team tracksuits, took photos of the beach. Others just looked out to sea.
Captain Christopher Katongo, the joint-leading goalscorer in this year's African Cup, led them in prayer as they formed a tight huddle.
"It's no coincidence that we are here today," Bwalya, now the Zambia Football Association president, said as he read from a short speech he prepared. "We've worked hard as a team. In 1993 the Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets) came here to fulfill a promise. They did not succeed and instead gave up their lives in a bid to bring glory to our country.
"It's the same cause that brings us here today, the only difference is that we are alive and our former teammates are no longer here. Their dreams are our dreams."
Earlier at Leon Mba Airport, where the ill-fated plane took off years ago, the players smiled and posed for photos for fans.
Hours later on the beach they were somber but relaxed. Bwalya also invited a retired Gabonese soldier who was on the beach and saw the plane go down on that April day in 1993 and tried to help.
Zambia arrived just hours earlier from Bata, Equatorial Guinea, where it beat 26th-ranked Ghana in Wednesday's semifinal to set up the poignant return to Libreville. The Copper Bullets, tied for 71st in the FIFA rankings, face No. 18 Ivory Coast, with well-known stars Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and brothers Yaya and Kolo Toure.
"We are not the favorite one more time," coach Herve Renard said, "but it will be very difficult to beat us. They (Ivory Coast) know. We know we are playing against a very good team, a strong team, but sometimes football is psychology, the mental state, and our mental state is very high.
"There is not one game in Zambia without talk of the memory of the team of 1993. We wanted absolutely to come back to Gabon 19 years after the tragedy. We are there."
-- Gerald Imray
England Coaching Situation
As FA meets, Redknapp edges closer to England job
WEMBLEY, England (AP) — Endorsed by a growing number of England players, Harry Redknapp should move closer to becoming the new coach of the national team on Friday when plans to recruit Fabio Capello's replacement are finalized by the Football Association.
But with Tottenham hitting unprecedented recent highs under Redknapp, FA executives meeting on Friday will also consider alternative options if the affable and widely respected manager cannot be prized away from White Hart Lane.
The groundswell of public support for Redknapp gathered after Capello quit on Wednesday in a row over fired captain John Terry, with the Italian plunging England's preparations for this summer's European Championship into turmoil.
Now the FA is swinging into line with the national mood by stating a preference for a homegrown coach and recognizing the widespread backing for Redknapp, whose Tottenham is third in the Premier League.
"We of course understand the feeling of the nation and supporters, fans of England are very important when it comes to choosing the right person for the job," FA general secretary Alex Horne said on Thursday. "But we have to sit down and look long-term and give ourselves as many options as are available.
"We owe it to ourselves to write up the job brief and make sure we sit down calmly and make sure we have an exhaustive list."
Two of England's most prominent players, Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand, have led the calls on Twitter for the appointment of Redknapp.
"We need an English manager now, we don't need anything else lost in translation," Ferdinand said. "Harry Redknapp would be my choice by a distance."
And he seems to fit the job description that will be completed on Friday by a four-man board led by chairman David Bernstein.
"The motivational qualities of a future England manager are absolutely vital, to be able to handle big players and motivate and excite both the players and the fans," Bernstein said. "We'd all probably agree that the quality of play and the level of confidence shown at Wembley is not quite where we'd like to be."
But persuading Redknapp to take the job beyond Euro 2012 might not be so clear cut, with another season still to run on his Tottenham contract.
Having been backed by Tottenham during a tax evasion trial which ended with not guilty verdicts on Wednesday, Redknapp might want to remain loyal to a club on the brink of a second season of Champions League football.
The option is open for Redknapp to just coach England at the June 8-July 1 European Championship before returning to Tottenham.
"We are not prepared to restrict ourselves at this stage," Bernstein said. "He might be English. He might be British. He might not be. He might be for the Euros only, he might be long term. We need to look at all the options."
Bernstein insisted that "we can't be driven" by Redknapp's support in the England squad.
But if Redknapp is recruited, despite the hefty compensation that would be paid to Tottenham, he can expect a similar salary to Capello, who was on around $9 million a year.
"With Fabio, it was expensive but I don't think you would say it was a mistake," Bernstein said. "Going forward, we will have to assess things very carefully. But let me be absolutely clear we are not going to do anything on the cheap. We have to get the right person for the job and we will pay the proper market rate."
The new coach will not be expected to deliver instant success for a country that has only ever won the World Cup in 1966.
"Let's be a bit realistic here," FA director of football development Trevor Brooking said. "We haven't won a tournament for 46 years ... let's not get this expectancy that whoever comes in is going to suddenly start delivering us championships or whatever."
England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce will take charge of England's friendly against the Netherlands on Feb. 29, with the Euro 2012 opener not until June 11 against France.
Of course, England is also without a captain. It was the FA's decision to strip Terry of the armband due to his pending racism trial that angered Capello and led to him quitting.
Terry, though, can remain a member of the squad, which could also include Rio Ferdinand, whose brother Anton is alleged to have been racially abused by Terry in the case that will go to court on July 9.
"You don't want to go to a tournament divided," said Brooking, who played 47 times for England. "You want the spirit, quality and atmosphere to make results."
There will also be a new code of conduct for players.
"I want to ensure we can reach a genuine agreement with the players on, because it is important they have a level of ownership on this," Club England managing director Adrian Bevington said.
-- Rob Harris
Redknapp favorite, Beckham in mix for England job
LONDON (AP) — Harry Redknapp is already the favorite, and even David Beckham is in the mix. One day after Fabio Capello resigned as coach of England's national team, British bookmakers installed Redknapp as the man most likely to take the job.
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is also among the candidates, along with interim England coach Stuart Pearce, Roy Hodgson, Guus Hiddink, Martin O'Neill and Arsene Wenger. Beckham, who recently signed a contract extension to play with the Los Angeles Galaxy, is a long shot but still among the names being thrown about.
Whoever it is, an English or British coach is preferred following the Italian's exit.
"There is a preference for an English person or a British person, but in the end we want the best person," Football Association Chairman David Bernstein said Thursday. "Clearly an English or a British person would have a good start of the matter."
The FA said it would start drawing up a shortlist of candidates on Friday, and Redknapp is sure to be high up on the list — especially after the Tottenham manager was acquitted of tax evasion charges on Wednesday.
Redknapp, however, wasn't ready to jump at the chance just yet.
"I haven't even thought about it," Redknapp told Sky Sports News as he arrived at Tottenham's training ground on Thursday. "We have a big game on Saturday (against Newcastle)."
Redknapp, who coached Portsmouth to the FA Cup title in 2008, has led Tottenham into third place in the Premier League this season and already has the backing of England players Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand.
"Harry redknapp for me," Rooney wrote on Twitter.
Ferdinand added: "Harry Redknapp would be my choice by a distance."
Both Manchester United players also called for the next coach to be an Englishman, a topic on the lips of just about every football fan in the country since Capello's decision to quit.
Sven-Goran Eriksson was the first foreigner to take over England's national team, but the Swede left after the 2006 World Cup despite three straight quarterfinal appearances at major tournaments. He was replaced by Steve McClaren, an Englishman who failed to qualify the team for the 2008 European Championship.
Despite the talk, one English coach has already ruled himself out.
"As an Englishman, I am proud to be in that sort of frame, but it's not for me and I will make that quite clear," Newcastle manager Alan Pardew said. "I am not even in the running as far as I am concerned."
Pardew, however, agreed with the push to give the job to Redknapp.
"I do hope it goes to an Englishman, just on a personal level," Pardew said. "I think that's important this time, and I really, really hope that Harry and Spurs and everybody sorts themselves out and can do it in a manner in which it works for everybody."
Until the FA appoints a permanent coach, Pearce will lead the team for a friendly against the Netherlands at Wembley on Feb. 29. But after that, coaches like Mourinho and Hiddink will be back in the fray.
"Everyone knows that I liked being in England and that England will one day have to be my natural destination," Mourinho, who coaches at Real Madrid, said late last year.
Mourinho is renowned for dealing with high profile players but, like Capello four years ago, has no previous international experience. Hiddink, however, could make England his sixth national coaching job after spells with the Netherlands, South Korea, Australia, Russia and Turkey.
The biggest outsider is Beckham, who would probably rather be playing for the team at Euro 2012 instead of coaching.
-- Max Sharp
Commentary: Capello gives England excuse to fail again
Their colonial history notwithstanding, the English often like to think of themselves as being good at doing the right thing.
In deciding that John Terry should no longer captain the national team while accused of a racially aggravated crime, the English Football Association did the right thing.
Fabio Capello was either incapable or unwilling to accept that, and so said "ciao!" to his $9 million-a-year job as England coach. In doing so, the Italian demonstrated how little he learned about the English psyche in four years in charge of the Three Lions.
For Capello, the question of whether Terry shouted racial abuse at a black player was a matter for English courts to decide. And, strictly speaking, Capello is right. But there are broader considerations here, too, that Capello seemed to ignore, putting him on a collision course with the FA.
By suggesting that the Terry case isn't an issue for soccer to take a stand, that the Chelsea defender should remain England's captain because he is innocent until proven otherwise, Capello fell out of sync with both the FA and all those in England of various colors and political persuasions for whom the FA did the right thing.
It's often wise to be skeptical of politicians who milk the passions and popularity of sports to score easy points. But Prime Minister David Cameron's assessment of how Capello misjudged English moods was spot on.
"I don't think he was right about the John Terry issue," Cameron said Thursday as the nation digested wall-to-wall headlines about Capello's sudden resignation. "You can't be captain with that question mark that needs to be answered."
Terry stoutly insists that he didn't racially abuse Anton Ferdinand. If he is cleared at his trial in July, the FA decision to strip him of the captaincy will seem in hindsight to have been unfair, just as Capello suggested.
But the FA has a brand — England — and the reputation of English soccer to protect. It and others have worked hard — and still have work ahead — to rid the English game of racism. A head-in-the-sand, "not our problem" approach from the FA to the Terry case would have raised questions about English soccer's dedication to the anti-racism cause.
Capello seemingly didn't grasp that. His argument that it is not for "sports justice" to judge whether Terry committed a crime missed the point and took an overly narrow view of the issues. The FA wasn't judging Terry by ending his captaincy now. Instead, it was protecting itself and the image of England should he be found guilty later.
Doing so provoked much debate in England about how significant a captain is for a team. Some argued it is merely a ceremonial role no more important than that of a regimental goat.
Still, Terry, as captain, would have been the first player to lift the Henri Delaunay Cup above his head if England wins the European Championship final on July 1. So, even if ceremonial, the captain is still the face of a nation. It would reflect abysmally on England if a few weeks after Euro 2012 its captain is found to have shouted a racial slur at Ferdinand.
The idea that someone should not be punished "until it becomes official" was important for Capello, by all accounts a very principled man. For FA executives, the need to protect England, Terry and the captaincy by stripping him of that role "until the allegations against him are resolved" was so important that they went over Capello's head and acted without consulting their manager. Both points of view have merit but proved incompatible.
In abandoning ship four months before Euro 2012, the Italian bequeathed to his now ex-players the parting gift of a handy excuse.
If — or should that be when? — England labors in Group D against France and Sweden and makes Ukraine look like a decent side, expect Capello's ghost to re-enter stage left.
"Not really our fault, mate," you'll hear players say. "Given the mess caused by Capello's departure, what did you expect?"
A change of manager is not overnight going to cure the underlying reasons why England has failed to win a major trophy since the 1966 World Cup, not least of which is the physicality of English soccer and its lack of a winter break that together leave players drained and often broken for major international tournaments.
English media, which largely welcomed Capello's appointment on Dec. 14, 2007, started to turn against him after England's poor World Cup in 2010 punctured his winning aura. Much was made of how players supposedly chafed under his strict regime and bored of their Playstations and DVDs while locked away in Camp Capello in South Africa.
But shouldn't the honor of playing for England keep them motivated? Why is that too much to ask? The tendency of England players to buckle under, not shoulder, the weight of the England shirt predates Capello and will continue as one of soccer's riddles after he is gone.
That Capello was Italian was cool when he took over, replacing Steve McClaren who was uncool because he was English. Just as exotic meringue Pavlovas once seduced bland English palates, England at the start of the Capello era was hungering to go continental if that would bring success. Capello's broken English was deemed less important than his trophy-studded resume. The hope seemed to be that players would learn from Capello simply by osmosis.
Now the clamor is for the soccer equivalent of eel pie and ale — Tottenham coach and London lad Harry Redknapp. As luck would have it, a jury acquitted Redknapp of tax evasion charges just hours before Capello resigned, clearing him for the England job should he and the FA so desire.
"We need an English manager now," tweeted Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand, Anton's older brother. "We don't need anything else lost in translation."
Englishness "should run right through the squad from players to tea lady," tweeted his teammate, striker Michael Owen.
Ah, dear England. Still insular. Still stuck in the limbo between eternal hope and near-certain disappointment at the next soccer rendezvous. But still doing the right thing.
John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jleicester@ap.org.
Pearce interim England coach after Capello quits
WEMBLEY, England (AP) — Stuart Pearce will take charge of the England team on an interim basis for an upcoming friendly following Fabio Capello's resignation.
While the European Championship is still four months away, England has a friendly against the Netherlands on Feb. 29.
"His first thought was managing his country without any conditions at all," FA chairman David Bernstein said.
The 49-year-old Pearce, a former Manchester City manager, runs the British Olympic and England under-21 teams.
"He has huge experience outside and inside the organization," Bernstein said. "He has been working with the under-21 team and has been working with Fabio for some time. I have got great confidence in Stuart, we will be in good hands. Our priority then will be to appoint a new England manager."
Capello quit Wednesday, angry that he had not been consulted by the FA over its decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy.
Capello thanks players, FA in goodbye note
MILAN (AP) — Fabio Capello thanked his former England players in a note and wished them the best for the future, but did not elaborate on his decision to quit as England coach.
Capello resigned Wednesday, angry at a decision by the Football Association to strip John Terry of the England captaincy.
In a note reported by Italian news agency ANSA, Capello says, "I want to thank the players, the staff and the Football Association for the professionalism they have showed me in my years as national coach."
Capello, who spent four years in charge of England, adds that he wants to say "a special goodbye to all the fans who always supported the team and my work. I wish they can all attain the highest sporting goals." Capello flew back to Italy on Thursday.
Elsewhere
Ajax board offers to resign, Cruyff saga rolls on
AMSTERDAM (AP) — A long-running struggle for control over Ajax's club management and strategy took another twist Thursday when the entire board of directors, including football great Johan Cruyff, offered to resign.
The move follows a Dutch court ruling earlier this week rejecting the appointment of Louis van Gaal as CEO of Ajax. Cruyff had opposed Van Gaal's appointment, which was made by the other four board members hostile to Cruyff without his knowledge or consent.
The club said Thursday the five will all leave "in the shortest possible term, once suitable replacements have been found that can count on broad support."
However, it was far from clear when that will actually happen. The club also canceled an extraordinary meeting of shareholders set for Friday and no new date has been set.
Despite Cruyff's offer to quit the board, his hand appears to have been strengthened by Tuesday's ruling. Under the club's Byzantine structure, self-proclaimed Cruyff supporter Hennie Henrichs chairs the Ajax Vereniging — the body that that must eventually propose a new supervisory board.
Meanwhile, other appointees Cruyff had opposed, including would-be executive Martin Sturkenboom and technical trainer Danny Blind, said Thursday they will depart the club immediately.
Blind, a former Ajax player and head coach, said his future at the club had been "tied to the possible arrival of Louis van Gaal."
"Now that that's not happening, I cannot and I will not continue," he said in a statement.
Van Gaal coached a talented young Ajax team to the Champions League title in 1995, but fell out with Cruyff during his time at Barcelona.
Cruyff began his professional career at Ajax and he remains a highly influential figure at the club he helped turn into a European powerhouse in the 1970s.
The boardroom confusion at Ajax mirrors difficulties on the field: although the club is the defending champion in the Dutch league, it is currently sixth in the standings.
-- Toby Sterling
FC Basel star Shaqiri to join Bayern Munich
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — FC Basel's star forward Xherdan Shaqiri will join its Champions League round-of-16 opponent Bayern Munich at the end of the current season.
Basel confirmed the long-speculated transfer Thursday, but did not disclose the fee Bayern will pay for the 20-year-old Switzerland international. Swiss media reported that Bayern will initially pay around 13 million Swiss francs ($14.2 million; €10.7 million).
Shaqiri, whose contract with the Swiss champion ran through 2014, has signed a four-year deal with the German giant, Basel said in a statement on its website.
"The management of FC Basel stuck to its practice of not preventing a player from transferring to a higher ranked league if the conditions and the player's destination are right for all concerned," the club said.
Shaqiri had been expected to move in the January transfer window, but Basel's surprise progression to the Champions League knockout stages after beating Manchester United in December meant the club hung on to its prize asset.
Basel will host Bayern in the first leg on Feb. 22.
It also leads the Swiss League by seven points and has reached the Swiss Cup quarterfinals.
"FC Basel is convinced that Shaqiri will continue to play his part in all three competitions and until the end of the season," his club said.
The Kosovo-born Shaqiri has played 17 times for his adopted country, scoring four goals.
He went to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as an 18-year-old and appeared as a late substitute in a 0-0 draw against Honduras as the Swiss failed to advance from their group, despite beating eventual champion Spain 1-0.
Shaqiri attracted international attention by scoring a spectacular goal against England in September 2010 as Switzerland lost 3-1 in a European Championship qualifier in Basel. He scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory in a qualifier against Bulgaria last September.
Hoffenheim fires coach Stanislawski
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Hoffenheim is parting company with coach Holger Stanislawski, one day after losing 1-0 at home to second-division Greuther Fuerth in the German Cup quarterfinals.
Stanislawski joined the club at the start of the season from second-division St. Pauli on a contract that was set to expire in 2014. Hoffenheim said Thursday it was terminated by mutual consent. Hoffenheim has won only one of its last 10 Bundesliga games.
No successor was immediately named. German media said former Stuttgart and Hertha Berlin coach Marks Babbel was the leading candidate. Babbel was fired by Berlin in December after a dispute with club officials.
"We regard Holger Stanislawski highly as a person and as a competent coach," managing director Ernst Tanner said. "But after a long, constructive talk we came to the conclusion that it was better for all to end the cooperation. The latest results were decisive."
Stanislawski's fate appeared sealed even before the loss to Greuther Fuerth after Hoffenheim's financial backer and de facto chief Dietmar Hopp criticized the team's slumping performances, although the players and the fans seemed be behind the coach.
The charismatic Stanislawski enjoyed a near cult status in St. Pauli in Hamburg, but appeared out of place in provincial Hoffenheim.
Hopp's millions helped Hoffenheim move from the third to the first division in successive seasons and the club topped the Bundesliga halfway into its debut in 2008-09.
But Hoffenheim has since stabilized in the middle of the standings and has not been able to crack the top five permanently. The club currently sits eighth.
Leading striker Vedad Ibisevic left the club in the midseason transfer period, along with several other players.
Qatar hires consulting firm for 2022 World Cup
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Qatar hired its first major contractor for the 2022 World Cup, choosing American consulting firm CH2M Hill to help deliver the tournament in the Gulf nation.
The firm will work with the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee to ensure all World Cup-related projects — including the 12 stadiums, the new Doha International Airport and a metro network — are built on time.
The firm will stay on through 2024 to ensure all World Cup-related work is completed. Organizers did not release any details on the value of the contract.
Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup in December 2010, beating out the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea. It was a surprise choice considering the summer heat exceeds 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the desert country.
Inter chief Moratti denies Capello reports
MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti insists he is not thinking of replacing coach Claudio Ranieri with former England manager Fabio Capello.
Capello resigned on Wednesday, angry at a decision by the Football Association to strip John Terry of the England captaincy.
In an official statement on Thursday, Moratti says reports he is thinking of replacing Ranieri "now or at the end of the season are without any basis whatsoever" and that rumors he is considering bringing in Capello are "as unfounded."
Capello had a glittering career as a coach in Italy, guiding AC Milan, Roma and Juventus to seven Serie A titles, although the two he won with Juve were both revoked following a match-fixing scandal. Inter lies fifth in the Serie A.
Plzen defender banned for two years for doping
PRAGUE (AP) — A Czech player has been suspended for two years by UEFA for testing positive for an undisclosed banned substance after a Champions League match in November.
Defender David Bystron of Czech champion Viktoria Plzen was informed on Thursday of the ban, which was backdated to Jan. 3. Bystron tested positive after the Nov. 23 match at BATE Borisov in the Belarus capital Minsk. Plzen won 1-0, a victory that helped the team earn a spot in the Europa League for finishing third in its group behind Barcelona and AC Milan.
Plzen says it is up to Bystron to reveal the substance. Plzen faces Germany's Schalke next week in the Europe League.
Swansea manager Rodgers signs 3 1/2-year contract
SWANSEA, Wales (AP) — Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers has signed a new 3 1/2-year contract after leading the club to midtable in its first ever season in the Premier League.
The 39-year-old Northern Irishman had been employed on a rolling one-year contract since taking over in July 2010, even after guiding Swansea to its first topflight campaign since the early 1980s. Without heavy investment in star players, Swansea is 10th in 20-team standings after 24 of 38 games — 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
The former Reading and Watford manager says "I very much appreciate what Swansea as a city, a club and supporters have given me and my family over the last 19 months, so signing the new contract was one of the easiest decisions of my life."
Brazilian teenager dies during football practice
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Vasco da Gama says a 14-year-old boy trying out for the youth squad died during practice on Thursday. The teenager, whose name was not immediately released, collapsed about half an hour into morning practice in 30-plus (near 90 F) degree temperatures in high humidity in Rio de Janeiro.
Local media said the teenager had a series of seizures after passing out. He was transported to a hospital by the team coach but reportedly was already dead. Vasco said he had been practicing with the squad for five days. Authorities will investigate the death.
Real Madrid's Altintop sidelined by leg injury
MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid utility player Hamit Altintop is likely to be sidelined for several games with a muscle injury in his left leg. Madrid did not set a timeline for the Turkey international's return, but such a muscle tear normally takes several weeks to heal.
Altintop has played as a midfielder and fullback since his summer move from Bayern Munich, scoring one goal from seven appearances for the Spanish leaders. Madrid plays Levante in the league on Sunday.
Werder Bremen's Wesley set to return to Brazil
BREMEN, Germany (AP) — Werder Bremen says midfielder Wesley is set to return to Brazil and sign for Palmeiras, pending a medical exam.
Werder's general manager Klaus Allofs says the transfer contracts are ready to be signed if Wesley passes the medical exam. He is flying to Brazil on Friday. Wesley joined Werder in 2010 from Santos but never seemed to settle in the Bundesliga.
