Soccer Capsules: Suazo rejoins Mexican club Monterrey
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Chile striker Humberto Suazo says he's staying with Mexican club Monterrey after failing to negotiate a transfer to Boca Juniors.
Suazo has been training for the last three weeks with Monterrey's youth team, refusing to join the top club while he tried to work out a move away from Mexico. He is returning to the first team this week and has offered an apology to teammates.
Suazo has played with Monterrey since 2007 and has scored 70 goals in 132 matches in the Mexican league. He also played briefly on loan with Spanish club Zaragoza.
U.S. Soccer
Reyna, Meola lead new eligibles for U.S. Soccer Hall
CHICAGO (AP) — Former national team captain Claudio Reyna and goalkeeper Tony Meola are among 12 first-time eligible players for the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame.
The U.S. Soccer Federation said Tuesday other newly eligible players are: Jose Burciaga Jr., Ronald Cerritos, Lorrie Fair, Jen Lalor-Nielsen, Ronnie O'Brien, Ante Razov, David Regis, Thori Staples Bryan, Greg Vanney and Kerry Zavagnin.
Holdovers on the 31-player ballot include Mike Burns, Peter Nowak, Carlos Valderrama and Peter Vermes, all in their final year of regular eligibility.
Players must appear on at least two-third of the regular ballots to gain election. Voters include Hall of Famers, administrators and media.
The veterans ballot includes George Best, Teofilo Cubillas, Shep Messing and Glenn Myernick. The top player on the veterans ballot needs 50 percent for election. U.S. soccer no longer has a building for its hall. The one in Oneonta, N.Y., closed two years ago.
Union trade Le Toux to Whitecaps
CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — The Philadelphia Union have traded Sebastien Le Toux to the Vancouver Whitecaps in exchange for allocation money. Per MLS and club policies, the terms of Tuesday's trade were not disclosed.
Le Toux was selected by the Union in the 2009 MLS expansion draft and quickly became the most productive offensive player on the team, scoring 14 goals with 11 assists in 2010. For his efforts, Le Toux was voted to the MLS Best XI and was named Philadelphia's first-ever All-Star selection. He started every match last season, scoring 11 goals with nine assists.
Team manager Peter Nowak says the allocation money gives the Union flexibility to compile the best roster in 2012 and beyond.
Later Tuesday, the Union announced they had exercised their option to retain the services of midfielder Roger Torres.
"We're very happy to keep Roger in Philadelphia and see the benefits of the investment we've made in him," Nowak said. "Roger has shown the ability to be a valuable playmaker and we look forward to helping him continue his development."
In 46 appearances with the Union, including 19 starts, Torres, 20, has three goals and eight assists. The Union open the regular season on March 12 in Portland.
Red Bulls re-sign midfielder Lindpere
HARRISON, N.J. (AP) — Midfielder Joel Lindpere has signed a new multi-year contract with the New York Red Bulls. The MLS team announced the signing on Tuesday.
Lindpere was the team's 2010 most valuable player. He started a franchise-record 34 regular season games this past season, a franchise record. Red Bulls general manager Erik Soler said the team wanted to reward Lindpere to recognize his efforts.
Lindpere had played in Norway before joining the Red Bulls in March 2010. He led the team with six assists in his first season, and had seven goals and seven assists this past season.
Timbers get MF Renken off waivers
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland Timbers have acquired 18-year-old midfielder Charles Renken off Major League Soccer waivers.
Renken has played on U.S. youth national teams since 2005 and attended camp with the national U-23 team in Germany last fall. He spent the 2010-11 with the U-19 team of the German Bundesliga club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, his first season as a professional.
Ingolstadt terminates Buddle's contract
Edson Buddle's contract has been terminated by Ingolstadt of Germany's second division.
Signed a year ago from the Los Angeles Galaxy, the 30-year-old American scored six goals this season. But he didn't dress in December for the team's final game before the winter break, and Kicker magazine said then he was struggling with fitness. Buddle, a member of the 2010 U.S. World Cup team, had a trial in January with Everton in England.
League Capsules
Man United wipes out City's Premier League lead
LONDON (AP) — Manchester United wiped out Manchester City's lead at the top of the Premier League on Tuesday with a 2-0 victory over Stoke as its neighbor went down 1-0 at Everton to a goal by a former United player.
Darron Gibson, who left Old Trafford earlier in January, struck on the hour for Everton against City, which is now only top due to its superior goal difference over United.
Defending champion United scored both goals from the penalty spot through Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov.
Tottenham is five points off the lead after Gareth Bale's double helped the north London sweep past Wigan with a 3-1 win. Chelsea is now seven points adrift of Spurs in fourth after requiring an own goal to salvage a 1-1 draw at Swansea.
Liverpool provisionally climbed above Arsenal into fifth place with a 3-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, ahead of the Gunners' match against Bolton on Wednesday.
The Premier League's leading sides were in action as their officials were wrapping up deals in the final hours of the January transfer window.
Alex Ferguson's United side was without 11 senior players, including both first-choice goalkeepers, but had little trouble against a lackluster Stoke side that rarely threatened.
United took the lead after Park Ji-sung raced onto a short pass from Paul Scholes and was brought down by Jermaine Pennant.
Hernandez found the bottom corner in the 38th-minute spot kick, sending Thomas Sorensen the wrong way. But he handed over penalty duties to Berbatov seven minutes into the second half after Jon Walters had bundled Antonio Valencia over in the area.
"The first (penalty) one was very debatable," Stoke manager Tony Pulis. "The second one was (a penalty) ... and the one he didn't give — for a foul on Patrice Evra — was a definite penalty."
The result at Goodison Park made it a perfect night for United.
At White Hart Lane, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp went to the match straight from his tax evasion trial at a London court. His side had little trouble dispensing of Wigan on another night when Bale shone for the north London club to consolidate its bid for an automatic Champions League qualification place.
Bale volleyed in a 29th-minute opener that was followed up by Luka Modric's cool finish five minutes later from 18 yards.
Bale struck again for his 11th goal of the season in the 64th, before James McArthur scored a consolation goal for Wigan in the 80th.
In south Wales, a last-gasp own goal by Neil Taylor salvaged a point for Chelsea against Swansea, which beat Arsenal at home two weeks ago.
Former Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair had given Swansea the lead five minutes before halftime, volleying the ball over goalkeeper Petr Cech after a slack defensive header by Jose Bosingwa.
Chelsea's hopes of a comeback appeared over when defender Ashley Cole was sent off for a second booking in the 86th. However, the visitors leveled when Bosingwa's shot was deflected into the net by Taylor in injury time.
Fernando Torres failed to score his first Premier League goal for Chelsea since September on the first anniversary of his 50 million-pound (then $80 million) move from Liverpool.
But the striker who joined Liverpool on that same day did enjoy a happy anniversary in the win at Wolves, with Andy Carroll striking his first league goal since Oct. 29.
Craig Bellamy added another in the 61st and Dirk Kuyt wrapped up Liverpool's second win in its past seven league matches in the 78th.
"It was a very professional, high-quality performance," Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said. "It was great for Andy to score a goal. Craig scored a fantastic goal, as did Dirk."
-- Rob Harris
Athletic beats third tier Mirandes 2-1 in semifinals
MIRANDA DE EBRO, Spain (AP) — Athletic Bilbao beat Mirandes 2-1 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal on Tuesday, yet conceded a stoppage-time goal to give the third-tier club some hope ahead of the second leg next week.
Mirandes' partisan crowd of 8,000 spectators at Anduva stadium were silenced after 18 minutes when Fernando Llorente read Oscar de Marcos' run to head in the ensuing short cross at the far post for the opener.
With Spain coach Vicente del Bosque in the stands, Llorente continued his hot scoring run of late with an individual effort in the 27th. The Spain striker cut in from the left and dummied a shot, continuing his run before sliding the ball beyond goalkeeper Nauzet Cecilio.
But the hosts cut the deficit in the first minute of stoppage time when Ander Lambarri gathered a long ball inside the area and turned to beat goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz.
"We're going to have to play the match of our lives," Mirandes coach Carlos Pouso said of next Tuesday's return at the San Mames stadium.
Mirandes is only the third team from below the second division to progress this far, after Figueres in 2002 and Deportivo Logrono in 1931.
"The truth is it was a tough game," said Llorente, who has eight goals in his past six games. "We started well but that late goal is a shame because we'd played a good game until then."
An extra 1,700 seats were added at Anduva after Mirandes eliminated topflight clubs Villarreal, Racing Santander and Espanyol.
Pablo Infante, the competition's leading scorer who works as a banker by day, led the hosts' early charge.
Bilbao's Iker Muniain looked to have scored Athletic's third in the 63rd but was wrongly judged to be offside.
Mirandes dominated the chances afterward, with Iraizoz tipping Haritz Mujika's volley over the bar then palming Cadena's volleyed shot to deflect onto the crossbar in the 75th.
Jose Angel Jurado volleyed wide before Lambarri gathered Caneda's long ball in the left side of the area and turning to fire under Iraizoz.
"It was clearly a game of two halves," Pouso said. "We weren't able to do more. You couldn't help but notice our opponents were from the first (division)."
Lyon beats Lorient 4-2 to reach League Cup final
LORIENT, France (AP) — Lyon reached the League Cup final by beating Lorient 4-2 in extra time on Tuesday after fighting back from two goals down to score a stoppage-time equalizer.
Lorient striker Innocent Emeghara opened the scoring in the 59th minute before winger Kevin Monnet-Paquet doubled the lead from a tight angle in the 68th.
But Alexandre Lacazette kept Lyon's hopes alive by scoring in the 80th, and Lyon substitute Jimmy Briand forced extra time by heading in a corner in the last minute of injury time.
Bafetimbi Gomis beat goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte in the 12th extra minute to give Lyon the lead. Lacazette capitalized on a counterattack in the last minute to seal the win.
"It was a true cup match with those momentum swings," Lyon coach Remi Garde said. "We had the luck but also the strength to go and get the equalizer in the 90th minute. In extra time, we developed more our plays and made the difference with our mental and physical strength."
Lyon dominated early in the scoreless first half and were denied several times by Lecomte, but Lorient fought back in the last 20 minutes before the break and even had a shot cleared off the line by Lyon fullback Aly Cissokho.
Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris saved his team on the stroke of halftime by stopping an angled effort from Emeghara.
Lorient tortured Lyon through its pacey forwards and took the lead when Alaixys Romao played Emeghara in, the Swiss forward cutting inside Brazilian defender Cris to shoot past Lloris.
The hosts added a second goal after some fine work from Emeghara, who made a run from midfield to feed Lucas Mareque. The Lorient fullback hesitated inside the area and lost possession, but Monnet-Paquet pounced on the loose ball to fire home an angled shot.
Lorient had chances to make it 3-0.
Barthelme beat Lloris with a low strike in the 72nd but Lyon fullback Anthony Reveillere stretched out his right foot to clear the ball off the line. Mareque then dribbled past Cris in the 73rd but could only hit a tame shot straight at Lloris.
Lyon pulled a goal back in the closing minutes with a powerful drive from Lacazette.
Lecomte denied Michel Bastos in the 87th but he couldn't stop Briand's header off a corner in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Lorient coach Christian Gourcuff was left fuming after the equalizer as only two minutes of injury time had been announced.
In extra time, Lacazette slipped inside the area as he was about to shoot but an opportunistic Gomis pounced to beat Lecomte.
Lloris preserved the win by palming a free kick from substitute Yann Jouffre over the bar in the 104th minute and parrying a low drive from the same player in the 112th.
Gomis then led a counterattack and found Bastos inside the area in the 120th. The Brazilian winger slipped the ball to Lacazette, who slotted into an empty net to round out the scoring.
Titleholder Marseille hosts Nice in the second semifinal on Wednesday.
African Cup
Gabon sails through as Group C winner
FRANCEVILLE, Gabon (AP) — Gabon sailed through to the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations as the surprise Group C winner on Tuesday, leaving the last two quarterfinal places to be decided on the final day of group matches.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the decisive goal in a tight 1-0 win over Tunisia at Stade de Franceville as already-qualified Gabon finished the first round with three wins.
On Wednesday, Ghana, Guinea and Mali all have a shot at the two remaining last eight spots from Group D.
In Group C's other game, Morocco salvaged some pride with a 1-0 win over Niger via a second-half goal from Younes Belhanda. While in Equatorial Guinea, Zambia was distracted ahead of its quarterfinal against Sudan when midfielder Clifford Mulenga was sent home for breaking a team curfew.
Aubameyang's 62nd-minute goal in Franceville, his third in three games, separated Group C's top teams and likely sent second-place Tunisia to a last-eight meeting with title contender Ghana — which is expected to top Group D after the final day of the group stage.
The Black Stars need just a point against Guinea to confirm their progression as group winner, although Mali and the Guineans have a chance of stopping that from happening.
Gabon has gone against all pre-tournament form by beating Morocco and now Tunisia to make a dream start.
Aubameyang was again the star for the buoyant co-host in Franceville, where Gabon first lady Sylvia Bongo again put her faith in the striker by wearing a bright yellow team shirt with his No. 9 on it.
He decided the battle of the two teams who had already qualified when he slipped a deflected shot past goalkeeper Rami Jeridi.
The stadium — which was only half full at kickoff — was packed and celebrating as Gabon's players danced in celebration in the center circle after the final whistle. They were applauded by President Ali Bongo and his wife, who have attended all three of Gabon's games so far.
"Of course it's a motivation for us," captain Daniel Cousin said of the VIP fans. "He's (the president) always supporting us."
At Stade de l'Amitie in Libreville, Morocco ended its disappointing tournament with a 1-0 win over debutant Niger to avoid the humiliation of finishing bottom, scarce consolation for the Moroccans but perhaps enough to save coach Eric Gerets' job.
"They (the Morocco players) stood up and gave a first sign of life today ... and I think a lot of players showed me that we still have a reason to continue our job together," Gerets said.
On Wednesday, back at Stade de Franceville, Ghana will attempt to hold off a Guinea team that faces an all-or-nothing match against Africa's No. 2-ranked team and the four-time champion.
"Against Ghana, it will be like a final," Guinea coach Michel Dussuyer said. "We have respect for them but we want to win, we want to qualify for the quarterfinals."
There could be all sorts of permutations at the end of Group D, but if Mali beats Botswana in Libreville — as expected — Guinea has to win against Ghana to have a chance of going through on goal difference.
In Bata, Zambia's build-up to the knockout stage was interrupted as Mulenga was expelled from the team camp for staying out too late with two other unidentified players.
The other two had apologized, a team spokesman said, but Mulenga "showed no remorse" and was sent home.
-- Gerald Imray
Sudan make quarterfinals for first time since 1970
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea (AP) — Reaching the African Cup of Nations quarterfinals with an entirely home-based squad is Sudan's brightest footballing moment in more than 40 years.
Sudan beat Burkina Faso 2-1 on Monday to climb above Angola and snatch a last-eight place with cup favorite Ivory Coast from Group B.
The result not only advanced Sudan, it was also its first victory in the finals since 1970, ending a winless streak of nine matches over three tournaments.
Coach Mohamed Abdallah says the success was sparked by defeat in the opening match, when Sudan lost 1-0 to Ivory Coast but showed it could compete with the best in Africa.
"In that first match, we lost the game but we gained confidence," Abdallah said.
As a founder member of the Confederation of African Football with its own fine football tradition, Sudan's descent to irrelevance following its African Cup win on home soil in 1970 was hard to bear.
The east African nation hosted the inaugural Cup of Nations in 1957 when just four teams were due to compete before South Africa was thrown out because of apartheid.
Sudan failed to make the final in that first tournament, but fared slightly better in 1959 with a second-place finish in a three-team round-robin format won by host Egypt.
By 1963, the cup expanded to six teams. Sudan won its group to qualify for the final but went down 3-0 to host Ghana.
The tournament returned to Sudan in 1970, when the host had group-stage wins over Ethiopia and Cameroon, before beating Egypt in the semifinals. Sudan met powerhouse Ghana in the final where an early goal secured its only continental title.
Sudan was then overtaken by other teams, and further cup appearances in 1972 and '76 yielded a return of just four draws.
Even during its heyday, Sudan never qualified for the World Cup and the team would not appear at the Cup of Nations for more than 30 years, eventually returning to the finals in 2008 only to lose all three group matches.
After so many meager years, coach Abdallah said continuity and faith in young players was finally bringing the team renewed success.
Apart from a brief period in 2009-10, Abdallah has been in charge of the national side since 2004, and said his familiarity with his home-based players helped.
"It's very important. You have to follow and see the players all the time," he said. "I have enough time to know all my players because they all play in Sudan."
Abdallah hopes that will change with the added exposure his team is getting in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
"One of my objectives is to have a few players get to play outside," he said.
The 2-2 draw against Angola included Sudan's first goals in the finals since 1976, but also featured two glaring defensive errors.
"I'm trying to minimize the small mistakes of our inexperienced defenders against high-quality strikers," Abdallah said. "I think we are improving."
Finding the balance between defense and attack was crucial, he said. "You can't tell the players just to attack. We have to defend well and use our chances."
Sudan will play Zambia in the last eight on Saturday.
-- Mark Walsh
Ghana looks to quarters, Guinea ready for 'final'
FRANCEVILLE, Gabon (AP) — On the verge of the quarterfinals at the African Cup of Nations, Ghana's one remaining obstacle in Group D is a Guinea team which is desperate to reach the knockout stage.
Victories over Botswana and Mali have put Ghana within a point of being certain of qualifying as group winner, while Guinea and Mali — who are equal on three points — both have a chance of going through.
With Mali expected to beat Botswana in the other Group D match, Guinea knows it likely has to pull off a shock against Ghana at Stade de Franceville on Wednesday to have a chance.
A win for the Guineans along with the predicted victory for Mali would land all three teams on six points and bring goal difference into the equation to decide the quarterfinalists.
Ghana's work is not done yet and maybe the African Cup has one more surprise before the quarterfinals.
"Against Ghana it will be like a final," Guinea coach Michel Dussuyer said. "We have respect for them but we want to win, we want to qualify for the quarterfinals."
Ghana has no choice but to be wary of a Guinea team that hammered Botswana 6-1 — when the Ghanaians could only scrape a 1-0 victory over the group outsiders.
By scoring six goals, Guinea equaled the record for most goals in an African Cup game and made "a very important point," Dussuyer said. He promised his team would try to impose its style of play on the title contender.
Speedy winger Abdoul Razzagui Camara and striker Sadio Diallo were rampant against the Botswanans, while center forward Ismael Bangoura should hit form sooner or later after threatening without luck through Guinea's first two games.
Guinea is also no stranger to tense finishes — or upsetting big teams — having claimed a last-minute draw in Nigeria in its last qualifying match to seal its place at the tournament.
And while Ghana is the strongest candidate to top the group and sail through to the quarterfinals, the overconfidence it displayed to struggle to a narrow win over Botswana was a worry.
"Everything is cool in the camp," Ghana assistant coach Kwesi Appiah said, shrugging off concerns of a high-pressure finish for the Black Stars, who could still dramatically slip up and follow the likes of Senegal and Morocco out of the tournament.
Ghana was impressive to see off Mali, however, with forwards Asamoah Gyan and Andre Ayew its standout players. Gyan has also been playing with right ankle and hamstring injuries, suggesting Ghana will be even better when he's fully fit.
"It's true that I am playing through pain," Gyan said, "life goes on."
Ghana will be further boosted on Wednesday by the availability of central defenders Isaac Vorsah and captain John Mensah, who have both served suspensions to be back in contention.
Mali should beat Botswana in Libreville at the same time to put itself in pole position for the quarterfinals. The Malians just have to see off the underdog, which was completely outclassed by Guinea in its last match and yet retains hope of a first win at the African Cup.
"I just told my players what has happened, we can never reverse it," Botswana coach Stanley Tshosane said after the Guinea rout. "We must accept it and continue with our mission.
"We want to return to our country with a win so we are going all out against Mali, no favors. No one gave us any favors to be here. We had to work hard so they (Mali) must work hard also."
-- Gerald Imray
ICoast great Pokou backs team to succeed
MALABO, Equatorial Guinea (AP) — Ivory Coast great Laurent Pokou made the trip to Equatorial Guinea, and now he's hoping to watch his country win the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 20 years.
The 64-year-old Pokou is second only to Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o in goals scored at the African Cup. He scored a record five goals in one match against Ethiopia in 1970.
"The team has high level players who are very professional and each one of them knows that they have to defend their country's colors," Pokou told The Associated Press. "We have the quality to win this cup, but that gives more pressure because every team will raise their level to play against us."
Pokou held the African Cup scoring record for 38 years until his mark of 14 goals in two tournaments was broken by Eto'o in 2008. It took Eto'o five campaigns to take the lead.
"When Eto'o passed the record, it hurt a bit because every tournament people talked about it," said Pokou, who has almost the same lean physique he boasted in his playing days. "It helps and it makes me happy in another way because Eto'o is a great player and it's normal that records are broken. I'm philosophical about it and, anyway, nobody has beaten my record of five goals in a match yet."
Despite Pokou's goalscoring exploits, Ivory Coast was unable to win the African Cup during his time. The team finished in third place in 1968 when Pokou scored six goals and was fourth in 1970 when he was again the highest scorer with eight.
Ivory Coast finally won the continental title in 1992 and the current generation of mostly Premier League-based stars like Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba is strongly favored to repeat the feat.
Unlike today, when Africa's top talents are snapped up by the big clubs at ever younger ages, Pokou had to wait until he was 27 for a move to Europe.
"It wasn't easy to leave because I was the best player at my club in Abidjan and the best player for Ivory Coast. Once, when I was at the airport going to France, soldiers came to stop me getting on the plane," he said.
That wasn't the only difference Pokou remembers.
"Before, the money that was given to the players was nothing," he said. "The shirts couldn't be changed like now because when the match finished they were all collected and used again for the next match.
"Now they can be thrown into the crowd or swapped with the opponent — that was very rare before because you wouldn't have a shirt to play the next game."
After his exploits in 1970, Pokou finally arranged a move to Rennes, where he played for four years during two spells at the club in the 1970s.
In between his stints with Rennes, Pokou had two years playing alongside France great Michel Platini at Nancy, an experience he described as "memorable."
The current Ivory Coast team has attracted criticism for a negative style, but Pokou said he was pleased after a 1-0 opening win against Sudan and successive 2-0 victories against Burkina Faso and Angola to set up a quarterfinal match against co-host Equatorial Guinea.
"We are here to win this cup. You can't go to war thinking the other guy is going to kill you," he said. "We have the talent to win, but that's not enough. You also need the players to stay fit and a good spirit in the group. We have a good coach who knows how to create the conditions to win."
Ivory Coast defender Souleymane Bamba said having stars from the past around camp is a bonus for the current players.
"It's massive for us because they have been there before, they're big names in the country," Bamba said. "We listen to them a lot because they give us some very good advice."
-- Mark Walsh
Zambia's Mulenga sent home from African Cup
BATA, Equatorial Guinea (AP) — Zambia says midfielder Clifford Mulenga has been sent home from the African Cup of Nations for partying too late and breaking the team curfew.
Zambia football federation spokesman Erick Mwanza told The Associated Press that Mulenga and two other unidentified players had breached team rules.
"He came home late, that's one of the reasons," Mwanza said. "He did not show remorse or apologize like his two other colleagues did. His two other colleagues unreservedly apologized. He did not.
"They went out to some kind of party that was not allowed."
Mwanza said the decision had been taken "for the good of the team, the rest of the players and for the good of the country in winning a major tournament. We believe it's the right decision.
"The coach (Herve Renard) says no player is above the rest of the team. They are all equals. The people back home are looking for the team to win and if you have indiscipline in the team you cannot do anything on the pitch, you cannot function."
Assistant coach Patrice Beaumelle refused to make any further comment, saying "the most important thing is that the team prepares for the quarterfinal" on Saturday in Bata.
Mwanza refused to comment on whether the players had been drinking alcohol. He said the two unidentified players had been punished but would not reveal what sanctions had been taken.
"We've taken some action that we don't want to make public, but they will stay with the team. Clifford Mulenga is on his way home. He is out of the camp."
Mulenga made one brief appearance as a substitute in Zambia's 1-0 win against co-host Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.
Elsewhere
Violence fears prompt Argentine cancellation
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The Argentine Football Assocation has called off a third-division match, fearing an outbreak of violence in a game between the club Nueva Chicago and rival General Lamadrid.
AFA suspended the game scheduled for Wednesday after the death on Tuesday of Nueva Chicago fan Aldo Barralda. Barralda was stabbed on Jan. 18 in a fight between rival hooligan gangs associated with Nueva Chicago. The hospital Santojanni said Barralda died of a lung infection.
Violence is endemic in football in Argentina. The non-profit group Let's Save Football says 260 fans have died in football-related violence since 1924. More than a dozen fans have died of football-related violence in the past two years.
Barralda's death again focused attention on a smoldering problem that Argentine police and AFA officials have been unable to solve.
Barralda was believed to have been involved in the death of Agustin Rodriguez, the member of a rival hooligan at the club Nueva Chicago.
Rodriguez's death prompted dozens of football hooligans to invade the Santojanni hospital two weeks ago, looking for Barralda and trying to avenge Rodriguez's death. The chaotic scene at the hospital was captured on closed-circuit television and was widely shown on national television and abroad.
The camera caught the gang members barging past limited security at the hospital, and then throwing chairs and equipment in a hospital corridor as they searched for Barralda.
No arrests have been made in the case.
Guardiola says Barcelona may be feeling pressure
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona may finally be feeling the pressure that comes with being billed the world's best club, coach Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday.
Guardiola spoke in rallying tones ahead of Wednesday's Copa del Rey semifinal at Valencia after the Spanish and European champions drew 0-0 at Villarreal to sit seven points behind league leader Real Madrid.
"Living with this constant pressure of having to win and win makes it hard, makes you tense," Guardiola said ahead of the first-leg match. "Sooner or later we'll stop winning. Eventually a better team will come along. That's when we'll have to see if we believe in ourselves. I have to see it to believe it."
Guardiola harked back to his time as a player to help boost his squad's spirits ahead of another road game, with the team having dropped 13 points in 10 games away in the league this season.
"As a player I sometimes allowed myself to slip up and I don't want my players to do the same," said the Catalan coach, whose club has managed to win all three of its away games in the domestic cup competition.
Guardiola remained mum on whether he would sign a contract extension, with the 41-year-old having signed one year extensions around this time in each of the last two seasons.
"Whether I sign an extension or not is my decision," Guardiola said. "I want to be convinced."
Barcelona will be without injured players Andres Iniesta, David Villa, Pedro Rodriguez and Ibrahim Afellay for the game at the Mestalla stadium, while Lionel Messi has not looked his best of late. Guardiola wasn't chasing excuses as the record 25-time cup champion vies for a spot in the final.
"Barcelona needs to keep competing, that's what's most important," Guardiola said. "People can't ask us if we prefer one competition over another."
Turkish Football Federation chief, deputies resign
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The head of the Turkish Football Federation and two of his deputies have resigned following a controversy on how to deal with teams implicated in match fixing.
The federation said Mehmet Ali Aydinlar and two vice chairmen stepped down on Tuesday.
The resignations come days after a proposed rule change was rejected that would have prevented teams accused of match-fixing from being relegated.
Fenerbahce President Aziz Yildirim and 92 other people have been charged in the scandal allegedly involving 19 leagues game last season.
Their trial opens on Feb. 14. Fenerbahce, which was barred from the Champions League, was among clubs that opposed the rule change.
The federation will elect a new chairman on Feb. 27.
Chelsea reduces losses slightly to $109 million
LONDON (AP) — Chelsea has reduced losses slightly in its last financial year as the club tries to comply with new UEFA financial controls.
Announcing its results for the 12 months to June 30, 2011, the west London club says losses had been reduced to 67.7 million pounds ($109 million) from 70.9 million pounds ($106 million) the previous year.
Turnover increased by less than 10 percent to 222.3 million pounds ($357 million) from 205.8 million pounds ($330 million). Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck says the club "is focused on complying with the requirements of UEFA's financial fair play regulations while maintaining its ability to challenge for major trophies."
Roman Abramovich has bankrolled Chelsea since his takeover in 2003. Chelsea failed to win a trophy last season.
Struggling Sporting fires coach Preciado
GIJON, Spain (AP) — Struggling Sporting Gijon has fired coach Manuel Preciado after five-plus seasons with the Spanish club. Sporting has lost four of five games and is 19th in the league, three points from safety.
Sporting president Manuel Vega-Arango says the decision wasn't easy, but that the club came first and "that's football."
Preciado was the longest standing coach with a topflight Spanish club after taking over for the 2006-07 season.
Sporting was promoted in his second season but has barely avoided relegation since, with the 54-year-old Preciado leading the Asturian club to a 10th-place finish last season.
Assistant Inaki Tejada will coach Sporting on Sunday against Osasuna.
Tevez appeals against City fine
LONDON (AP) — Carlos Tevez has appealed to the Premier League against a six-week fine imposed by Manchester City for his continued absence from the club.
City found Tevez guilty on Dec. 22 of gross misconduct for traveling without permission to his native Argentina in November, where he remains.
The Premier League leaders handed Tevez a fine of 1.2 million pounds ($1.9 million), which the player appealed on Jan. 7. That appeal was thrown out on Jan. 11 by City directors Marty Edelman and Mohamed al-Mazrouei following a hearing.
Tevez hasn't played for City since refusing to warm up during a Champions League game against Bayern Munich in September.
Vasco players protest over delayed salaries
SAO PAULO (AP) — Players from Brazilian league runner-up Vasco da Gama refused to report to the team's hotel to protest delayed salaries.
The players were expected to report to the hotel on Tuesday but said they will only show up on Wednesday morning, the day the team will play Bangu in the Rio de Janeiro state championship.
Club director Daniel Freitas told the UOL website that "it's their way of protesting against what has been happening."
Vasco reportedly still owes the salaries for the month of December. The team won last year's Brazilian Cup and finished second to Corinthians in the Brazilian league.
Juventus' match at Parma postponed due to snowfall
PARMA, Italy (AP) — The Serie A match between host Parma and leader Juventus has been postponed less than an hour before kickoff because of snowfall.
Snow had been falling on and off all day Tuesday in the northern Italian city and a security official, after talking with directors from both clubs, decided to call off the match.
Unbeaten Juventus could have gone four points clear at the top of the Serie A standings ahead of the rest of the matches, which are scheduled for Wednesday. Parma currently sits mid-table. Second-place AC Milan can now move top if it beats Lazio on Wednesday.
Barcelona releases Belarus' Hleb from contact
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona says it has reached an agreement with Alexander Hleb to release the Belarus midfielder from his contract. The former Arsenal player had been under contract with the Spanish and European champions until the end of the season.
Hleb made 35 appearances for Barcelona during the 2008-09 season when the Catalans won a treble of Spanish league, Champions League and Copa del Rey trophies. But he never fit into coach Pep Guardiola's plans after that, with the Belarusian subsequently loaned out to Stuttgart, Birmingham and Wolfsburg.
Mascot suspended in Brazil for obscene gestures
SAO PAULO (AP) — A team's mascot has been suspended for two home matches for making obscene gestures to opposition fans. Ceara's "Grandpa" mascot was suspended Tuesday after making the gestures to fans from Ferroviario in a match on Sunday.
Local media reports that Ceara is also expected to punish the person who was inside the mascot costume. Ceara was relegated from the Brazilian first division last year but is one of the most famous clubs in northeastern Brazil.
Nuremeberg defender Nilsson out four weeks
NUREMBERG, Germany (AP) — Nuremberg central defender Per Nilsson is expected to be out for four weeks after hurting his left knee in a friendly shortly after coming back from an Achilles tendon operation.
The Swedish defender pulled a ligament in his knee during a friendly on Monday against second-division side Karlsruhe. Nilsson began the brief comeback only two weeks ago. lub doctor Matthias Brem says Nilsson will be out "probably for four weeks."
Fan handcuffs himself to post during Everton match
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — A fan interrupted Everton's home match against Manchester City for several minutes Tuesday night when he handcuffed himself to a goal post.
The supporter invaded the Goodison Park field about five minutes before halftime and handcuffed himself to City goalkeeper Joe Hart's left post. Police officers took about three minutes to uncut him from the post before the Premier League match could resume with the score still at 0-0.
Three Sofia players banned three months for doping
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Three CSKA Sofia players have been given minimum three-month bans after testing positive for banned stimulants.
The Bulgarian Olympic Committee disciplinary commission announced the decisions on Tuesday against Kostadin Stoyanov, Rumen Trifonov and Todor Yanchev. The players tested positive for methylhexanamine after domestic league matches last season. CSKA already has fired the team doctor, accusing him of prescribing the banned stimulant to the players.
