Soccer Capsules: Ecuador defeats Mexico 2-1 in friendly
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — Christian Benitez scored after only 40 seconds to set up Ecuador's 2-1 win over Mexico in a friendly Saturday.
It was Ecuador's first victory over Mexico in 14 years, spoiling the debut of Mexico's interim coach Efrain Flores.
Benitez's opener was canceled out by an own-goal by Luis Checa in the 40th minute. Jaime Ayovi got the winner in the 58th.
Mexico had a chance to tie the game in the 59th minute, but Ecuador goalkeeper Maximo Banguera deflected Carlos Salcido's long drive off his fingertips — and then off the crossbar.
It was Mexico's second friendly match without a victory since being knocked out of the World Cup by Argentina in the group of 16. Mexico and Spain drew 1-1 last month with Enrique Meza serving as interim coach
Mexico faces Colombia on Tuesday in Monterrey, Mexico, and Flores will be on the bench again. Mexico is expected to select a full-time replacement for Javier Aguirre next month. Aguirre quit just a few days after the World Cup loss to Argentina.
The victory marked a successful debut for new Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda. Rueda took Honduras to the 2010 World Cup, but resigned afterward to take over Ecuador. Ecuador plays at Venezuela on Tuesday, a warm-up for next year's Copa America — the South American championship — in Argentina.
Both teams played some of their top Europe-based talent. For Ecuador it was Manchester United midfielder Antonio Valencia, and for Mexico it was his Red Devils' teammate Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, and Tottenham forward Giovanni Dos Santos.
U.S. Soccer
Real Salt Lake equals MLS record
SANDY, Utah (AP) — Real Salt Lake beat the New York Red Bulls 1-0 on Saturday to tie a Major League Soccer record by remaining unbeaten at home for 22 games.
Fabian Espindola scored in the 4th minute, getting on the end of a Kyle Beckerman pass and slotting it past the onrushing keeper.
The defending MLS champions tied the record set by the Columbus Crew last year, and moved within one point of respective conference leaders Columbus and Los Angeles.
| Chicago Fire 1, L.A. Galaxy 1 |
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In Bridgeview, Illinois, Los Angeles needed a last-minute equalizer to salvage a 1-1 draw at Chicago, and lost its overall lead in the MLS standings.
Omar Gonzalez headed in a corner by Landon Donovan in the 90th minute to give L.A. an away point, while Columbus' victory brought it level with the Galaxy on 44 points.
Chicago was reduced to 10 men in the 21st minute, yet went ahead in the 87th via a Collins John free kick.
| Dallas 1, Toronto 0 |
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In Frisco, Texas, Dallas extended its club-record unbeaten streak to 13 matches by defeating Toronto.
David Ferreira set up Jeff Cunningham's 47th minute goal by looping a pass over three defenders to Marvin Chavez who redirected the ball back to Cunningham, who scored from the top of the are.
Cunningham, who started for the injured Milton Rodriguez, scored his 129th career MLS goal.
| D.C. United 0, Columbus Crew 1 |
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In Washington, Guillermo Barros Schelotto scored to help Columbus beat lowly D.C. United and extend its lead in the Eastern Conference to 7 points.
Schelotto scored after United goalkeeper Bill Hamid miscontrolled a back pass from Clyde Simms.
D.C. has scored only 15 goals in 23 games this season, failing to trouble the scorers 15 times.
| New England Revolution 3, Seattle Sounders 1 |
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In Foxborough, Massachussets, a late scoring surge saw New England overcome Seattle.
The visitors had gone ahead through Steve Zakuani in the 59th minute, before the Revolution sparked into life.
Chris Tierney equalized in the 70th minute, Marko Perovic put the hosts ahead three minutes later, and Kheli Dube provided a buffer in the 81st.
| Colorado Rapids 3, Chivas 0 |
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In Commerce City, Colorado, Omar Cummings scored two second-half goals and Conor Casey added another, leading Colorado past Chivas.
Cummings turned down an invitation from Jamaica's national team to play in a friendly against Costa Rica on Sunday because of green-card issues. That was to the Rapids' benefit as he notched his seventh and eighth goals of the season.
Casey had put Colorado ahead, knocking in a ball after Chivas goalie Zach Thornton mishandled a shot from Cummings.
| Philadelphia Union 1, Kansas City Wizards 1 |
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In Chester, Pennsylvania, Davy Arnaud fired in a 30-yard shot in the 71st minute to salvage a point for Kansas City at Philadelphia.
Sebastien Le Toux scored in the 33rd minute for the Union, taking a pass from rookie Danny Mwanga and sending a clean shot past Wizards goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen.
Kansas City was without leading scorer Kei Kamara, who joined Sierra Leone's national team in preparation for the African Cup of Nations qualifier against Egypt on Sunday.
World Cup
Brazilian club tries to keep Maracana open
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian league leader Fluminense is trying to keep Maracana stadium open while renovations for the 2014 World Cup are carried out.
Construction at Maracana began two weeks ago, and the last league match at the famous venue is scheduled for Sunday.
But Fluminense lawyers want to keep the stadium open longer and say it can host matches while the major renovation work is still pending.
Some seated sections are being removed and teams have been playing with the venue at a reduced capacity.
Fluminense lawyer Mario Bittencourt told the GloboEsporte website the club will ask the country's sports tribunal to rule against the Brazilian federation's decision to close the stadium, which is not scheduled to reopen until 2013 ahead of the Confederations Cup.
League News
San Lorenzo beats Boca 2-1; Arsenal leads table
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — San Lorenzo won 2-1 at 10-man Boca Juniors in the Argentine Apertura on Saturday, with second-half goals from Sebastian Balsas and Juan Menseguez.
Balsas headed the opener in the 52nd minute and Menseguez scored the second in the 88th. Martin Palermo pulled a goal back for Boca in stoppage time.
Boca defender Gary Medel was sent off five minutes before half time.
The win briefly moved San Lorenzo to the top of the table, but Ramon Diaz's side was overtaken by Arsenal, which had a 1-0 home win against Argentinos Juniors later in the day.
Boca coach Claudio Borghi is under renewed pressure, with his team having won just one of its opening five games.
Veteran playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme was again missing for Boca after undergoing knee surgery in May and Medel's red card just before half time left Boca with further problems in the Bombonera stadium.
Lucas Viatri almost gave Boca a surprise lead after hitting the crossbar with a header from a left wing cross in the 47th minute. Juan Insaurralde's follow-up header also hit the woodwork but he was judged offside.
Balsas gave San Lorenzo the lead when Jonathan Bottinelli retrieved a ball on the left and floated in a cross for the striker to rise above the Boca defense.
Menseguez scored a second for San Lorenzo with a curling shot into a bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Palermo got Boca's consolation goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time after a mistake from San Lorenzo goalkeeper Damian Albil.
Elsewhere, Mauro Obolo put this season's surprise package Arsenal top of the table with the winning goal in the 39th minute against defending champion Argentinos Juniors.
Arsenal has now won four out of five matches and sits atop the standings, one point ahead of San Lorenzo.
Meanwhile, Nestor Silvera opened the scoring for Independiente at Newell's Old Boys in the 23rd minute, but Mauro Formica equalized in the 77th to deny Independiente a first win of the season.
Earlier Saturday, Matias Perez scored the winner in the 38th minute as newly promoted All Boys beat fellow top flight newcomer Olimpo.
On Friday, Estudiantes won 2-1 at Godoy Cruz, while Colon won 2-1 at Racing.
Matches continue Sunday with Quilmes vs. Huracan, Gimnasia vs. Lanus, Banfield vs. Tigre and Velez Sarsfield vs. River Plate.
Elsewhere
Malouda: France were naive in 1-0 loss to Belarus
PARIS (AP) — France captain Florent Malouda has blamed naivety for the team's shock 1-0 home defeat by Belarus in a 2012 European Championship qualifier that the French press called a "catastrophe" and a "nightmare."
Friday's game was heading for a draw in a match of few chances, but Belarus caught the French cold with a classic counterattack goal scored by Sergei Kislyak in the 86th minute to silence a nervy Stade de France crowd.
"We showed our naivety toward the end. When we were going for victory we forgot to ensure the draw, which is the minimum requirement," Malouda said Saturday. "It was hard to take, I don't think many players expected us to lose this game."
Malouda said a lack of experience was no excuse for Laurent Blanc's new-look team — which was hit by several injuries — because players just had to accept that international football is unforgiving and there is no time to settle in comfortably.
"You have to be ready whether you have one cap, two or 100," Malouda said. "I told the young players before the match that you have to face up to your responsibilities."
To make matters worse for Blanc, strikers Loic Remy, Louis Saha and Guillaume Hoarau are all out after picking up injuries against Belarus.
The French desperately needed a win after a World Cup debacle, when they went out at the group stage without winning a game. The players also went on strike at a training session, prompting a stern rebuke from fans and politicians alike.
The French press was scathing on Saturday in the aftermath of a fourth straight defeat.
"The Nightmare Continues" said daily newspaper Le Parisien. Sports daily L'Equipe called it "Catastrophic" and added that "Laurent Blanc's France team completely failed."
The verdict of Ouest France was "France Humiliated" while France Soir reacted to the defeat with a sharp "What a Slap" headline.
Even L'Humanite newspaper, not noted for its sports coverage, joined in with a pertinent question.
"Will Blanc's Blues Climb Out of the Dark?" it asked.
Former France midfielder Emmanuel Petit, who won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship two years later, gave his bleak view.
"This team lacks initiative, character, personality and talented players, with the exception of Malouda," Petit wrote for L'Equipe's website. "There is no room for mediocrity at the highest level of football. Not only did this match not solve anything, but it has made things worse."
France travels to play Group D leader Bosnia on Tuesday with Blanc already under pressure.
France has won only one of its last nine games, and that was a scrappy 2-1 win over Costa Rica in a World Cup warmup.
"We lost to China before the World Cup, to Norway and to Belarus and we have to admit that this is our true level," Malouda said.
France has scored just five goals in the last nine games, and has conceded 12. No striker has scored in that time.
"I want to put an end to this negative spiral of defeats and rebuild on a solid foundation. That's the priority, not being the captain or counting how many caps you have won," Malouda said. "There is a lot of expectation at international level and we need to do more."
Blanc agrees that the French have a chronic lack of confidence in front of goal, a problem long denied by former coach Raymond Domenech.
"We're not scoring many at the moment," Blanc said. "You can't invent scoring goals in the French team and it only underlines the difficulties we are having."
His cause was not helped on Friday, with Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema pulling out of the match with an ankle injury and with Saha (right calf), Remy (groin) and Hoarau (shoulder) all getting injuries.
Blanc called up Lyon forward Jimmy Briand on Saturday as a replacement. Blanc still hopes Benzema may recover in time, but he may need more reinforcements.
If not, the options look bleak up front. Thierry Henry has retired from international football, and Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka still has 17 games of his huge ban left to serve for his part in France's World Cup fiasco off the pitch.
Blanc has Lorient forward Kevin Gameiro and Briand as his fully fit strikers. But they are inexperienced and have only five international appearances between them.
-- Jerome Pugmire
Combative Capello has little time for criticism
LONDON (AP) — Emboldened by a strong start to European Championship qualifying, England coach Fabio Capello feels able to swat away his critics with more confidence.
Since England's second-round exit from the World Cup, Capello's tactics and methods have come under intense scrutiny as his aura of authority has eroded.
Now, rather than trying to defend his style of management and big-game decisions, the 64-year-old Italian is adopting a spiky approach to reporters' questions — even in the aftermath of the 4-0 victory over Bulgaria on Friday.
"For me, in the morning, when you shave you look at yourself in the mirror and say 'OK or not OK?' ... is what you wrote about this man correct or not correct?" Capello said referring to himself. "I'm sure what I brought (to the team) was good. I try to do my job really well, I sometimes make mistakes, sometimes I do well like (against Bulgaria)."
One tabloid portrayed Capello as a donkey after being unhappy with his squad choices for the opening Euro 2012 qualifiers, which includes an away match against Switzerland on Tuesday.
"I read some things — you decide what you write, I can't change it," said Capello, who has led Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus and Roma to titles. "I always feel the same — there is no change in me."
Since his early playing days at Italian side SPAL, Capello has seen his prospects prematurely written off.
"I started my career with a lot of big injuries and when I was 20 years old the newspapers said, 'The career is finished for Fabio,'" Capello recalled. "I worked always really hard and I stayed strong and this time is the same."
Early this week, Capello complained that he was being portrayed as a "monster" by the English media, having been treated as a "god" during World Cup qualifying.
Asked in the wake of the Bulgaria match whether he should be shown more respect, Capello replied: "Respect is not the right word because 'respect' in Italy means something different. The word 'respect' has a lighter meaning in English."
Against Bulgaria there was more attacking ruthlessness than was evident in South Africa — or even in the warmup matches building up to the tournament — as Jermain Defoe scored a hat trick, while new first-choice goalkeeper Joe Hart pulled off a string of fine saves.
Yet the emphatic win at Wembley Stadium came with seven of the team that lost 4-1 to Germany in Bloemfontein.
Clearly exasperated about the World Cup post-mortem continuing during Euro 2012 qualifying, Capello repeated his frustration that the players were too tired to perform in June after a grueling season.
"I told you before, the moment is different, but you didn't want to listen," Capello said. "The players were fresh and were ... sharp. That is so important in modern football."
Capello's next major test is a match against the only team to beat eventual World Cup winner Spain in the tournament: Switzerland.
-- Rob Harris
Prandelli praises inspirational Cassano
MILAN (AP) — Italy coach Cesare Prandelli believes Antonio Cassano can help lead Italy's recovery from its World Cup disaster.
The Sampdoria striker was the inspiration as Italy came back to win 2-1 against Estonia on Friday. He scored the equalizer and then set up Leonardo Bonucci for the winner.
Before Prandelli's appointment, Cassano had been frozen out of the squad for two years by previous coach Marcello Lippi.
"Cassano feels part of the squad now and that could make a big difference for us," Prandelli said on Saturday. "I've found a more mature Cassano. His marriage has calmed him down, but he's developed as a player. You can see it as he's the first to arrive in the changing room and that he talks about tactical situations, something he didn't do in the past when we were together at AS Roma."
Italy returned to its Coverciano training base in Tuscany ahead of the match with the Faroe Islands on Tuesday.
The win in Tallinn was Italy's first in 2010 and snaps a run of seven games without a victory.
"This team can give much, much more," Prandelli said. "I've always said that we need to be patient. It is like when someone builds a skyscraper. If you ignore the foundations you immediately find yourself in trouble.
"Italian football is much better than we are currently giving it credit for. But we are in the first few stages and we have only just began to understand how we need to play."
The former Fiorentina coach continues to have problems with his goalkeepers as he awaits Gianluigi Buffon's return to fitness.
Federico Marchetti replaced the Juventus 'keeper during the World Cup, but in his first competitive match in charge Prandelli chose Palermo's Salvatore Sirigu.
Sirigu was responsible for Sergei Zenjov's opener after he spilled the ball into his path.
"I will only chose the goalkeeper after speaking to both players," Prandelli said.
-- Jeremy Inson
Hitzfeld hits out at Swiss fans for jeering Frei
ST. GALLEN, Switzerland (AP) — Switzerland may stop playing home matches at St. Gallen after fans jeered captain and record scorer Alex Frei during Friday's friendly against Australia, according to coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Swiss fans in a 14,660 crowd at the AFG Arena turned on Frei after he missed a 60th-minute penalty in a 0-0 draw.
Minutes later, Hitzfeld took the 31-year Basel forward out of the line of fire and replaced Switzerland's all-time leading scorer who has 40 international goals.
"The public reaction after Frei's penalty miss saddened me. Alex doesn't deserve such treatment," Hitzfeld said after the game.
"Now we have to consider where we choose to play our next home games."
Fans in the northern city of St. Gallen have previously jeered home players.
When the AFG Arena first staged an international in May 2008 — a 3-0 victory over Liechtenstein which was Switzerland's final warmup before co-hosting the last European Championship — fans targeted forward Marco Streller, another Basel player.
Streller also has been whistled by fans at matches played in Geneva because of his connections with Basel, Switzerland's wealthiest and most successful club in recent years — and which will play in the Champions League this season.
Frei and Streller can expect a warmer welcome next Tuesday, if fit and selected to face England at their home St. Jakob Park stadium when Switzerland begins its qualification program for Euro 2012.
France calls up Briand to replace Remy and Saha
CLAIREFONTAINE, France (AP) — France called up Lyon forward Jimmy Briand as coach Laurent Blanc's problems mounted with strikers Loic Remy, Louis Saha and Guillaume Hoarau all out of Tuesday's Euro 2012 qualifier away to Bosnia-Herzegovina due to injury.
Remy hurt his right groin and was replaced in the 34th minute of Friday's shock 1-0 home defeat to Belarus, while Saha came on as a second-half substitute but lasted only 10 minutes before limping off with a right calf strain.
The French Football Federation said Saturday that the Paris Saint-Germain forward Hoarau hurt his right shoulder after landing heavily on it against Belarus.
Marseille forward Remy and the injury-prone Everton striker Saha left the Clairefontaine training base earlier Saturday after medical tests ruled them out of Tuesday's game.
It was not immediately known if Blanc would call up another striker on Saturday.
Saha had not played for France for four years.
Bosnia-Herzegovina is top of Group D after winning 3-0 away to Luxembourg on Friday.
Dawson ruled out of qualifier at Switzerland
LONDON (AP) — England defender Michael Dawson has been ruled out for up to eight weeks due to injury and will miss Tuesday's European Championship qualifier in Switzerland.
Dawson was carried off during the second half of Friday's 4-0 win over Bulgaria with what his club Tottenham said Saturday was damage to his left medial knee ligament and his left ankle. Spurs said he will be sidelined for six to eight weeks.
Bolton's Gary Cahill came on as a substitute for Dawson at Wembley and could replace him in Tuesday's starting lineup.
Tottenham has William Gallas and Sebastien Bassong as backup to Dawson, who will miss the club's first ever Champions League group matches — against Werder Bremen and FC Twente. However, he could be back to face defending champion Inter Milan on Oct. 20.
Adriano replaces ill Marcelo in Brazil squad
SAO PAULO (AP) — The Brazilian football federation says that a bout of gastroenteritis has forced left back Marcelo to leave its training camp in Spain and that Barcelona defender Adriano is replacing him.
The squad began a five-day training stint in Barcelona on Friday and will finish Tuesday.
Brazil will not play any friendly matches, but a practice game against Barcelona's B team is scheduled for Tuesday.
Coach Mano Menezes said he decided to put the players through a training camp because the federation was not able to set up a friendly against a major international side.
The coach did not select players from Brazilian clubs.
Movsisyan ends chance to play for United States
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Former Real Salt Lake forward Yura Movsisyan ended his chance to play for the U.S. national team, playing his first competitive game for Armenia in a 1-0 loss to Ireland on Friday in an opening qualifier for the 2012 European Championship.
The 23-year-old was born in Armenia but had a green card that made him potentially eligible for U.S. citizenship. He played in Armenia's exhibition against Iran last month and under FIFA rules became ineligible to play for the Americans when he appeared in his first competitive game for another nation.
Movsisyan started against the Irish. He left Salt Lake after last season to sign with Randers and has nine goals this season for the Danish club.
Algeria coach Saadane resigns after Tanzania draw
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — The Algerian Football Federation says coach Rabah Saadane has resigned, a day after the team's disappointing 1-1 home draw against Tanzania in a 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifier.
The federation said Saturday that Saadane had tendered his resignation and that it had been accepted.
Saadane took charge three years ago and steered Algeria to this year's World Cup in South Africa, ending a 24-year wait. Algeria went out in the group stage after being drawn against England, the United States and Slovenia.
The federation said that Algeria's under-17 coach Abdelhak Ben Chikha will take charge on a caretaker basis.
