Soccer Capsules: Blanco, Hernandez off Mexico team for Iceland game
MEXICO CITY — Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Javier Hernandez have been dropped from Mexico's squad for Wednesday's friendly against Iceland in Charlotte, North Carolina, despite scoring this week against North Korea.
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who played in Wednesday's 2-1 victory over the North Koreans, was among 18 players selected for the match along with defender Jonny Magallon and forward Adolfo Bautista. The entire El Tri squad is from Mexican clubs.
Iceland selected just two foreign-based players: Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson of AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands.
Mexico has won all three of its World Cup warmups this year, beating Bolivia 5-0 and New Zealand 2-0, the latter with Mexico's Europe-based regulars.
Next week's match will probably be Aguirre's last to look at younger players , or others he is not likely to call up for the World Cup.
Mexico has the busiest schedule of national teams ahead of the World Cup. El Tri faces Ecuador on May 7 at East Rutherford, New Jersey; Senegal three days later in Chicago; Angola on May 13 at Houston; Chile on May 16 at Mexico City; England on May 24 at Wembley; the Netherlands on May 26 at Freiburg, Germany; and Italy on June 3 at Brussels.
Mexico plays host South Africa in the World Cup on June 11 and also meets France and Uruguay in Group A.
MEXICO: Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Club America), Luis Ernesto Michel (Chivas Guadalajara); Defenders: Paul Aguilar (Pachuca, Efrain Juarez, Jonny Magallon (Chivas Guadalajara), Jorge Torres Nilo (Atlas), Juan Carlos Valenzuela (Club America); Midfielders: Gerardo Torrado (Cruz Azul), Israel Castro (Pumas UNAM), Braulio Luna (San Luis), Jesus Molina (Tigres), Adrian Aldrete (Monarcas); Forwards: Adolfo Bautista (Chivas Guadalajara), Alberto Medina (Chivas Guadalajara), Pablo Barrera (Pumas UNAM), Angel Eduardo Reyna (Club America), Miguel Sabah (Monarcas), Vicente Matias Vuoso (Santos)
IRELAND: Goalkeepers: Gunnleifur Gunnleifsson (Hafnarfjordur), Fjalar Thorgeirsson (Fylkir); Defenders: Valur Gislason (Fylkir), Arnor Sveinn Adalsteinsson (Breidablik), Heimir Einarsson (Akraness), Gudmundur R. Gunnarson (KR Reykjavik), Jon Gudni Fjoluson (Fram Reykjavik), Skuli Jon Fridgeirsson (KR Reykjavik); Midfielders: Bjarni Gudjonsson (KR Reykjavic), Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Alkmaar, Netherlands), Baldur Sigurdsson (KR Reykjavik), Matthias Vilhjalmsson (Hafnarfjordur), Gudmundur Kristjansson (Breidablik), Gunnar Mar Gudmundsson (Hafnarfjordur), Oskar Hauksson (Reykjavik), Steinthor Thorsteinsson (Stjarnan), Gunnar Orn Jonsson (KR Reykjavik); Forwards: Bjorgolfur Takefusa (KR Reykjavik), Atli Gudnason (Hafnarfjordur), Alfred Finnbogason (Breidablik), Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (Alkmaar, Netherlands).
U.S. Soccer
Feilhaber, Holden, Davies progress
American midfielders Benny Feilhaber and Stuart Holden have taken steps forward as they try to get healthy in time for the World Cup, and forward Charlie Davies is set to resume training with Sochaux as he recovers from injuries sustained in a car crash.
AGF Aarhus in Denmark said Friday that Feilhaber has returned to training with the club after treatment for an ankle injury in Brazil. The team said the 25-year-old from UCLA, who was born in Brazil, spent several weeks recuperating on the beaches in Rio de Janeiro.
Team doctor Jens Bo Vestergaard Jorgensen said "things look really good with Benny."
He says he was surprised by Feilhaber’s quick recovery and the midfielder will join full squad practice next week.
Feilhaber injured his ankle Feb. 15 while training with Aarhus. He has two goals in 31 international appearances, playing in all five U.S. games at last year’s Confederations Cup.
Holden said Friday he is walking without crutches as he recovers from a broken leg. He had surgery after his right leg was injured during a challenge by Nigel de Jong in the Americans’ 2-1 exhibition loss at the Netherlands on March 3.
In his first season with Premier League club Bolton after leaving Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo, the 24-year-old is expected to return to action next month as he tries to make the 23-man U.S. World Cup roster.
He wrote Friday on Twitter: "Good news, the CAST is off and I am walking without crutches."
Holden has two goals in 11 international appearances.
Davies said he has left the Cap Sport Centre in Capbreton, where he had been since late February.
"Your boy is finally home!!! Feels so good to be back. Nothing like sleeping in your own bed," he wrote Friday in his Twitter account. "Now just waiting for next week to start!!!"
The 23-year-old was likely to be on the U.S. World Cup roster before a one-vehicle accident Oct. 13 in Virginia. He sustained two broken bones in his right leg, a broken and dislocated left elbow, a broken nose, forehead and eye socket, a fracture in his face, a ruptured bladder and bleeding on his brain.
Davies, who was born in Manchester, N.H., and played for Boston College, hopes to play in games for Sochaux next month.
He has four goals in 17 games with the U.S. national team and was a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team. Davies had two goals in six matches with Sochaux before the accident.
Robinho to miss opening of Red Bull Arena
HARRISON, N.J. — Brazilian star forward Robinho will miss Saturday's opening of Red Bull Arena with a minor injury that caused him to skip the trip for the exhibition game.
Robinho sustained a thigh injury Sunday during Santos' 4-3 loss to Palmeiras in the Sao Paulo state championship. Santos' roster includes 18-year-old sensation Neymar, who scored for Santos last weekend.
The $200 million, 25,000-seat soccer-specific stadium is scheduled for its first league match March 27, when the Red Bulls host Chicago, but players have threatened a strike next week ahead of the Major League Soccer opener on Thursday, when Philadelphia is at Seattle.
Players and management negotiators met for a second straight day Friday in Washington, D.C.
World Cup
FIFA says Indonesia out of 2022 World Cup race
ZURICH — Indonesia was dropped from the race to host the 2022 World Cup on Friday after failing to provide government guarantees to FIFA.
"We have informed Indonesia that because they have failed to provide a number of documents and guarantees .... Indonesia is not any more a candidate for 2022," FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said.
Indonesia was always considered the outsider among the 11 original candidates that applied to host the tournament in 2018 or 2022.
Indonesia hosted the 2007 Asian Cup, but would have needed to invest billions of dollars in building and upgrading stadiums to provide the minimum 10 venues for hosting the 32-team World Cup.
Indonesia originally bid to host either tournament, then withdrew from the 2018 contest to focus on 2022.
Valcke said the Indonesia government had other priorities for state funds.
Indonesia is the second bidder to drop out since the March 2009 entry deadline. Mexico withdrew its candidacy last year.
The United States, Australia, England, Japan, Russia, plus the Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium joint bids, have applied to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. Qatar and South Korea are bidding for 2022 only.
The remaining candidates must deliver their bid books detailing how they would organize the event to FIFA headquarters on May 14.
The two winning bids will be chosen on Dec. 2.
-- Graham Dunbar
SAfrican airline drops ad after FIFA complaint
JOHANNESBURG — A South African budget airline has dropped a national newspaper advertisement after FIFA complained it breached "ambush marketing" laws surrounding the World Cup.
The airline, Kulula, ran an ad describing itself as the "Unofficial National Carrier of the You-Know-What" in the country’s Sunday Times newspaper on Feb. 28.
FIFA’s lawyers notified Kulula the ad violates South African law and created "an unauthorized association with the 2010 FIFA World Cup."
The airline, which is renowned for its unconventional marketing style, said FIFA told it not to use soccer balls or the words "South Africa" in its advertising.
Kulula dropped the ad but said it was "ludicrous" that it could not use items relevant to South Africa.
The tournament begins June 11.
-- Gerald Imray
FIFA throws out move to limit president to 8 years
ZURICH — FIFA's executive committee rejected a move to limit the term of soccer's president to eight years.
Members voted 15-5 with one abstention Friday to throw out a proposal by Asian confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam, which would have taken effect for the election in May 2011. It was viewed as an opening challenge to Sepp Blatter, who was elected in 1998 and intends to run for a fourth term.
The vote indicated that Bin Hammam lacks sufficient support to mount a serious challenge.
"The situation can be different than it is today, in January 2011," Bin Hammam told The Associated Press.
A 60-year-old Qatari, Bin Hammam, has represented Asia on FIFA's executive committee since 1996. Aside from his own vote, Bin Hammam said he got support from his three Asian colleagues — Chung Mong-Joon of South Korea, who also has presidential ambitions; Japan's Junji Ogura; and Worawi Makudi of Thailand. He declined to identify the fifth backer.
Bin Hammam said he will not revive his proposal at the FIFA Congress, scheduled June 9-10 in Johannesburg ahead of the World Cup opener.
-- Graham Dunbar
League News
Liverpool out to stop latest Man U title push
LONDON — Despite being 15 points behind Manchester United in the Premier League title race, Liverpool has plenty of motivation to beat the Red Devils on Sunday.
The two northern giants of English football are tied on 18 league titles each and, although Liverpool is virtually out of contention this season, its fans won't want to see United take its long-held record away while becoming the first team to win the title four years in a row.
But United manager Alex Ferguson said Friday his team looks at the game at Old Trafford as a spur to winning another title.
"We look at the game on Sunday as the road hopefully to another title for us," Ferguson said. "Our form has picked up really well in past few weeks. It's a major boost to be top of the league at this stage of the season."
While Liverpool has not won a league title since 1990, Ferguson has won 11 in 17 seasons to guide his team level with Liverpool's total.
Liverpool finished runner up last season but is fifth this term after a poor season by its own standards.
"I think their challenge last year was almost championship form," Ferguson said. "But sometimes a team (falters) — it happened to me in my second (full) year here. You peak with that particular team and sometimes it's difficult to do it again. And in my second full season we ended up middle of the league.
"I think everyone expected Liverpool to be better, but they are not and ... the challenge for them is with quite a few others for that fourth spot, which is a league of its own."
Liverpool's recent results against United have been impressive. Liverpool won this season's meeting 2-0 at Anfield and won both home and away meetings last season including a 4-1 victory at Old Trafford.
United holds a two-point lead at the top of the standings although second-placed Chelsea, which visits Blackburn on Sunday, has a game in hand which it plays next Wednesday at last-placed Portsmouth.
Arsenal, in third, is also two points back having played the same number of games as United and hopes to stay in contention by beating West Ham at home on Saturday.
Midfielder Alex Song returns from a two-game suspension which he described as unbearable.
"It is very difficult to watch your friends when you don't play, but I had confidence in my team. We have the players to come in and do well," he said. "Now we are in a strong position and we will fight in the games that are left.
"The mentality has changed for us. Everyone has in their head that we need to do something this year. It is very important for us. The manager trusts us to do the job."
The race for fourth place, which carries a place in next season's Champions League, is also getting hotter.
A point ahead of Liverpool, Tottenham is currently fourth and has a tricky game at Stoke, which boasts strong home form. Sixth-placed Manchester City visits Europa League quarterfinalist Fulham on Sunday and Aston Villa, which is seventh and three points behind Tottenham with a game in hand, should be confident of beating lowly neighbor Wolves.
Down at the foot of the standings, last-placed Portsmouth hosts next-to-last Hull knowing it is all but relegated. Portsmouth had nine points deducted after going into administration and is now 14 points behind Hull and Burnley and 17 from safety with only nine matches to go.
Burnley bids to improve its survival chances by winning at fellow struggler Wigan while Saturday's other games are Everton vs. Bolton and Sunderland vs. Birmingham.
-- Robert Millward
Barcelona faces Arsenal in Champions League
NYON, Switzerland — Defending champion Barcelona will face Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinals and could face Inter Milan in the semifinals.
Friday’s draw also set up a quarterfinal between Manchester United and Bayern Munich, which is a repeat of the 1999 final that United won with two late goals.
The other quarterfinals feature an all-French matchup between Lyon and Bordeaux and Inter Milan against outsider CSKA Moscow. UEFA also made the semifinal draw, with the winner of Arsenal-Barcelona to face either Inter Milan or CSKA Moscow.
Barcelona beat Stuttgart 4-0 on Wednesday helped by two goals by the brilliant Lionel Messi and Arsenal, which has never won European soccer’s most prestigious competition, outplayed FC Porto 5-0 last week. The meeting between Arsenal and Barcelona will feature the return of Thierry Henry to north London where the forward spent eight seasons, scoring a club-record 174 league goals.
Inter beat Chelsea home and away and looked impressive under coach Jose Mourinho, who won the title with FC Porto in 2004.
The May 22 final in Madrid’s Bernabeu Stadium could also be a repeat of last season’s in Rome when Barcelona beat Man United 2-0.
United, which won the title in 2008 for its third triumph in the competition, beat seven-time champion AC Milan home and away in the last 16 round with striker Wayne Rooney scoring twice in each game.
The quarterfinal games will be played March 30-31 with the return games April 6-7. The semifinals are April 20-21 and 27-28.
-- Bradley S. Klapper
Fulham to play Wolfsburg in Europa quarterfinals
NYON, Switzerland — Fulham has been drawn to play Germany’s Wolfsburg in the Europa League quarterfinals after American midfielder Clint Dempsey’s late goal on a chip over the goalkeeper gave the Cottagers an upset victory over Juventus.
The first leg of the home-and-home, total-goals series will be at Craven Cottage on April 1 and the second leg will be in Germany one week later, the Union of European Football Associations determined Friday.
Benfica hosts five-time European champion Liverpool in the first leg of Europe’s second-level club tournament, formerly known as the UEFA Cup. Hamburg hosts Belgium’s Standard Liege, and Valencia hosts Atletico Madrid in an all-Spanish matchup.
FIFA
FIFA reports $196M profit, $1B reserve fund
ZURICH — FIFA says it made a profit of $196 million in 2009 and increased its reserves to more than $1 billion as soccer’s commercial appeal defied the global economic crisis.
In its annual financial report published Friday, soccer’s world governing body said it made its surplus on revenue of $1.059 billion. It’s an increase of $12 million in profit from 2008.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was a "happy president" that revenue had topped a billion for the first time.
"We are comfortable. I wouldn’t say we are rich," Blatter said after a two-day meeting of FIFA’s ruling executive. "A good result has been achieved."
Blatter said the financial report showed that awarding the 2010 World Cup to South Africa was a "good financial and commercial decision."
In the report, Julio Grondona, the chairman of FIFA’s finance committee, said the first World Cup in Africa had posted marketing revenues that surpassed the results of the previous two tournaments, in Germany (2006) and South Korea and Japan (2002).
FIFA has focused on building its reserves in recent years to sustain it in the event that a World Cup is canceled and commercial partners have to be repaid. It originally had a target of $800 million to be set aside by the end of 2010, but has exceeded that with its equity totaling $1.061 billion.
"FIFA has thus far made it through the turbulence in the financial markets and the global recession unscathed and has emerged from the crisis in a stronger position," its report said.
In 2008 it made $184 million profit on revenue of $957 million and its equity stood at $902 million.
FIFA will distribute some of its extra cash — earned mostly from better-than-expected television and marketing deals — to its continental and national members.
-- Graham Dunbar
FIFA lifts Iraq’s ban from international soccer
ZURICH — FIFA has lifted a ban on Iraq that excluded the country’s teams and officials from taking part in international soccer.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said Friday that Iraq was welcomed back because its Olympic committee reversed a decision to disband the national soccer federation.
Blatter said FIFA worked closely with the International Olympic Committee before lifting the ban.
Iraqi soccer officials must present FIFA with new statutes by May 31 and hold a general assembly two months later.
The world soccer governing body suspended Iraq in November because of political interference in soccer business. FIFA’s rules require full independence of national federations.
Elsewhere
Beckham writes letter of support to AC Milan
MILAN — David Beckham sent an open letter to his AC Milan teammates Friday, offering his support for the remainder of the season.
Beckham tore his Achilles’ tendon in Milan’s 1-0 win over Chievo Verona on Sunday, cutting short his second loan period with the Italian club from the Los Angeles Galaxy.
"I want to wish everyone good luck and to say I hope they can bring home the championship," the 34-year-old midfielder wrote on the club’s Web site. "I would also like to thank you all for your support after the Chievo Verona match. I hope to play with you again and be part of this marvelous club."
Milan is second in the Italian league on 58 points, one behind league leader Inter Milan.
Beckham underwent surgery on the injury in Finland on Monday. He will miss the World Cup and is expected to be out for about six months.
National team manager Fabio Capello told a TV station in Spain that he invited Beckham to accompany the team in South Africa.
"We’ve asked Beckham to come with us to South Africa," he told Gol Television. "He can be there with us. It depends on him and other things, on how the injury is. It’s clear he won’t be able to play."
In two loans with Milan, Beckham played 29 matches and scored two goals.
Beckham was trying to earn a place on the World Cup roster and become the first English player to appear in four World Cups.
He will miss most of the MLS season, which ends in October.
Toulalan blasts French World Cup-winning team
PARIS — Lyon midfielder Jeremy Toulalan lashed out Friday at members of France's 1998 World Cup-winning team for their criticism of the current national squad.
Toulalan told Le Progres newspaper that France's current form is poor but the negative comments from the former champions is "getting on our nerves."
"It's obvious we are not good," Toulalan said. "We don't make people dream but France has always struggled in qualifying tournaments."
Following a disappointing qualifying campaign, France reached the World Cup in South Africa after a controversial playoff win over Ireland decided by Thierry Henry's hand ball in the build-up to William Gallas' decisive goal.
France's 1998 World Cup and 2000 European championship teams featured Zinedine Zidane, Laurent Blanc and Lilian Thuram.
Toulalan has won 31 caps for France since coach Raymond Domenech first called him up in 2006. He is likely to be part of the France squad for the June 11-July 11 World Cup.
Toulalan said the France players were keeping faith in Domenech despite the widespread skepticism about the coach.
"He doesn't deserve this," Toulalan said. "I appreciate the man and I like him as a coach. This atmosphere is probably getting on his nerves."
Toulalan also blasted the French football federation for choosing European champion Spain as the opponent for a friendly international that Domenech's team lost 2-0 at the Stade de France this month.
Spain dominated the game and claimed its first victory in France in 42 years.
"There was no worse choice for our confidence than choosing Spain," Toulalan said. "The federation goes where the wind blows and is doing nothing to help us. I have never felt so humiliated and helpless than against Spain and Barcelona last season (in the Champions League with Lyon)."
France plays Uruguay, Mexico and host South Africa in Group A at the World Cup. Domenech's team opens against Uruguay in Cape Town on June 11.
"We want to go as far as possible and hopefully we'll reach at least the quarterfinals," Toulalan said. "Not many people have confidence in us, but we are getting used to it and I'm sure the coach will do anything to win."
Ferguson: Hargreaves needs more games in reserves
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves will require another two games with the reserves before being fit enough to return to the first team squad, manager Alex Ferguson said Friday.
The 29-year-old Hargreaves returned for United's second-string team Thursday against Burnley after 18 months off the field following surgery on both knees to treat persistent tendinitis.
"It is a big boost for the boy — we are delighted for him because being out of the game for a year and a half is very difficult," Ferguson said. "We've had experience of this, playing for a long interval without Gary Neville. Gary's proved and shown you can come back from it and Owen's advantage is that he's a younger man.
"Hopefully Owen's back for a continued period now. I think he will need a couple more games for the reserves, by that time he should be back in the first-team squad."
The Canadian-born former Bayern Munich player still hopes to make England's World Cup squad for the June 11-July 11 tournament.
In another boost to Ferguson's quest for a fourth straight Premier League title, midfielder Ryan Giggs is back in the squad for Sunday's match against Liverpool.
Giggs has been out since breaking his arm at Aston Villa on Feb. 10, but Ferguson says he is "back, looking good — nice and fresh."
United has a two-point lead over Chelsea at the top of the league.
Bayern without Ribery for Frankfurt match
MUNICH — Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery will miss Saturday's Bundesliga match at Eintracht Frankfurt because of an ankle injury.
Bayern is hopeful the French winger will return for Wednesday's German Cup semifinal against Schalke.
Ribery's absence has angered club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who complained Friday that the player should not have played for France in a friendly against Spain at the start of March.
"He was treated badly. He was made fit at any cost, with the result that he played badly. And now we are paying the price," Rummenigge said.
"But we are optimistic that he will be able to play Wednesday in the German Cup semifinal."
Striker Mario Gomez and defender Martin Demichelis are also out for Bayern, which will be seeking to extend its two-point lead over Schalke.
"We want the title and we have to win in Frankfurt," said captain Mark van Bommel.
English forward Jermain Defoe has hamstring injury
LONDON — English forward Jermain Defoe has a hamstring injury and will be sidelined for several weeks, the latest player in the national team pool to get hurt.
Defoe has 17 Premier League goals this season for Tottenham, fourth in the league behind Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney (25), Chelsea’s Didier Drogba (21) and Sunderland’s Darren Bent (18).
Left back Ashley Cole (broken left ankle on Feb. 10) and midfielder David Beckham (torn left Achilles’ tendon) were hurt previously, and Beckham will miss the World Cup.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp says Defoe will be out for "a few weeks." Tottenham is fourth in the Premier League, trying to earn a berth in next season’s European Champions League.
Three face murder charges over PSG fan death
PARIS — Preliminary charges of murder have been filed against three men suspected of taking part in an attack on a Paris Saint-Germain fan who died earlier this week.
The three suspects, who were part of a group of four people arrested last week, have been freed under judicial supervision, the Paris prosecutor's office said Friday.
The 38-year-old PSG fan died late Wednesday after spending weeks in a coma following an attack by rival PSG supporters. He had suffered serious head injuries during street clashes among PSG fan groups at a Feb. 28 French league match against Marseille.
A fourth suspect was charged last week.
