Soccer Capsules: Police identify suspect in Cabanas shooting
MEXICO CITY — Police identified a suspect in the shooting of Paraguay footballer Salvador Cabanas, who was in critical but stable condition Tuesday after being shot in the head in the bathroom of a bar in a fashionable Mexico City neighborhood.
Mexico City Attorney General Miguel Angel Mancera identified the suspect as Jose J. Balderas Garza — known also as "El JJ" or "El Modelo" — from surveillance videos. Mancera said the videos showed the suspect entering the toilet with his bodyguard just moments before the Paraguayan was shot.
Hours after the shooting on Monday, surgeons attempted to remove a bullet lodged in Cabanas’ skull but decided the operation was too risky.
Mancera said the suspect spoke with an accent from the northern state of Sinaloa — a center of Mexico’s drug trade. But he said "there is no indication of organized crime," suggesting instead the violence might have been set off by an argument involving a Cuban woman.
"It could have been an argument between the two (Cabanas and Balderas Garza) given their proximity and the fact she (Cuban woman) told us she had been talking with Cabanas’ brother-in-law," Mancera said.
Officials said Cabanas, the star of World Cup-bound Paraguay, was in the bar with his wife and brother-in-law.
Mancera said a bar-cleaning employee recalled there had been "an argument, a strong exchange of words" between two men in the bathroom before a shot was fired.
Videos showed that club employees did not attempt to stop the suspects as they hurriedly left the bar and got in a car.
"Nobody did anything to stop them," Mancera said.
Mancera said investigators were questioning 16 people, including bar employees.
Authorities in the Mexico City borough where the shooting took place ordered the bar closed Monday, saying it had failed to provide adequate security for its customers based on the shooting.
Borough spokeswoman Georgina Pineda said the bar’s late closing hours — the shooting reportedly took place just after 5 a.m. — were not the reason for the closure. Pineda said it had operated with a permit as a "private club" that exempted it from normal closing hours, though alcohol sales were supposed to stop in the early morning hours.
On Tuesday, hospital officials said a scan indicated Cabanas’ condition had not worsened.
"Salvador is showing favorable signs (of recovery), he’s stable and is starting to have brain responses to pain," Dr. Ernesto Martinez told reporters. "But we still have to wait."
Cabanas, 29, is the top scorer for Mexico City’s Club America.
Club America president Michel Bauer said its league match against the Indios scheduled for Sunday would go on as planned.
"We’re going to play," Bauer said. "We are practicing like usual. There are no changes."
Bauer said he did not plan to sign another player to replace Cabanas.
The club started a page on its Web site for fans to leave messages for Cabanas. By Tuesday afternoon, supporters had left more than 2,000 messages.
In the Paraguay capital Asuncion, fans gathered in the national stadium Defensores del Chaco to pray for Cabanas.
Juan Angel Napout, president of the Paraguayan federation, said he opened a part of the stadium so "the public comes dressed in the national team shirt to pray for Salvador, who is playing the most important game of his life."
Cabanas has played in the Mexico league since 2003 and has scored 125 goals in 218 matches. He also scored 10 for the national team.
Earlier this month, he attracted the attention of Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, who expressed interest in bringing Cabanas to the English Premier League club. Reports suggested the deal didn’t go through because Club America’s asking price was too high.
AP source: Mexico-Ecuador possible at Meadowlands
NEW YORK — Mexico and Ecuador could play a World Cup warmup match at the new $1.6 billion Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on May 7, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press
Negotiations are in the final stages for the match to be included in Mexico’s pre-World Cup tour, the person said, speaking Tuesday on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. Mexico also is negotiating to play Bolivia at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park on Feb. 24, the person said.
A grass field would be installed at the new Meadowlands for the Mexico-Ecuador game, a second person said, also on condition of anonymity. It would be the first soccer game at the stadium, where the regular surface is FieldTurf.
The first scheduled event at the new home of the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets is a college lacrosse tripleheader on April 10. Bon Jovi is to perform the first concert on May 26.
The new Meadowlands, with an 82,500-capacity, 9,500 club seats and 222 luxury suites, is among the venues selected to be included in the U.S. bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. It also is bidding to host the 2014 Super Bowl.
Mexico, which meets host South Africa in the World Cup opener on June 11, has a March 3 exhibition lined up against New Zealand at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Its U.S. tours are promoted by Soccer United Marketing, an affiliate of Major League Soccer.
Ron VanDeVeen, senior vice president of events at the new stadium, declined comment.
-- Ronald Blum
Tachira, Colon win in Libertadores openers
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Venezuelan club Deportivo Tachira and Argentina's Colon both won Tuesday in the opening games of the 2010 Copa Libertadores.
Deportivo Tachira beat Libertad of Paraguay 1-0 while Colon was a 3-2 winner against Chile's Universidad Catolica in the opening legs of their knockout two-legged ties to decide places in the group stage.
Tachira striker Armando Maita scored the sole goal after 30 minutes to give home side victory.
In Argentina, striker Federico Nieto opened the scoring for Colon in the fourth minute before Juan Morales drew Universidad Catolica level in the 34th.
Colon bounced out to a two-goal advantage when veteran striker Esteban Fuertes — against his old team — and young midfielder Facundo Bertoglio scored quickfire goals in the 65th and 68th minutes.
Morales scored his second in the 80th minute for what could prove a valuable away goal for Universidad ahead of the second leg.
Libertad will host Tachira in the return leg on February 2, while Universidad travel to Colon on February 9.
There are six knockout ties for group berths. Other first legs this week are: Newell's Old Boys-Emelec, Real Potosi-Cruzeiro, Juan Aurich-Estudiantes Tecos and Atletico Junior-Racing.
The Copa Libertadores is the top club tournament in Latin America and this year features a total of 40 clubs from 11 countries.
Mexican sides San Luis and Chivas of Guadalajara were given byes to skip the group stage and enter the last 16 as compensation for being forced to pull out of last year's tournament due to the swine flu outbreak.
Dos Santos moving to Galatasaray
MEXICO CITY — Giovani Dos Santos, one of the top players on Mexico's World Cup team, says he's moving on loan from England's Tottenham to Turkish club Galatasaray.
Dos Santos said in a radio interview in Mexico on Tuesday that he was looking forward to getting more playing time. He said the loan deal included an option for Galatasaray to buy him, though he offered no more details.
Dos Santos said he was looking forward to reuniting with Frank Rijkaard, who coached Barcelona before moving to Galatasaray. Dos Santos played with Barcelona under Rijkaard.
U.S. Soccer
AP Interview: Gullit blames self for Galaxy flop
BRISTOL, Conn. — Ruud Gullit didn’t take long to realize he was the wrong man to coach David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy.
"In L.A., nobody is talking about soccer. No television stations. You see it nowhere," Gullit said. "It’s difficult to swallow because you need that adrenaline to pump yourself up. If nobody talks about it, it’s almost like an enigma."
Famous from a standout career that earned him the 1987 European player of the year award, the former Dutch star was hired with much fanfare in November 2007. He left just nine months into a three-year contract, the Galaxy further adrift than when he arrived.
Now a television commentator for Sky Sports in England, the long dreadlocks of his playing days replaced by a close-cropped look, the 47-year-old is preparing to be a studio analyst for ESPN at this year’s World Cup. He’ll be paired in Johannesburg with his former Galaxy boss, Alexi Lalas, a key figure in the expansion of the network’s coverage.
To prepare, Gullit made his first trip to ESPN’s studios this week. During a 30-minute interview Monday, he was willing for the first time to publicly discuss what went awry during his time in Los Angeles.
"It was too much of a clash between my way of being used to working and the rules of the MLS," he said.
Gullit couldn’t cope with restrictions such as Major League Soccer’s salary cap and its draft. Having coached previously at Chelsea, Newcastle and Feyenoord, he was accustomed to the ways everywhere else in the soccer world: When you want a player, you go out and buy him.
His three-year contract was said to be worth $6 million, and he said that was so out of line with MLS standards that it created an uncomfortable situation.
"For the amount of money that they normally pay, I don’t go from Europe all the way to live here. So therefore they need to find sponsors. But who knows Ruud Gullit in America? Who would pay that amount of money? And the moment that you find out nobody wants to pay that, that’s where all the trouble starts," he said.
Lalas was let go as the Galaxy president and general manager on the same day Gullit departed, the team just 6-8-5 following a seven-match winless streak. The Galaxy missed the playoffs for the second straight season before reaching the MLS Cup final in 2009 under Gullit’s successor, former U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena.
"I think he’s being a little hard on himself to be honest with you. I think there’s plenty of blame to go around," Lalas said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I probably should have done things differently to at least help more in some ways. But I think ultimately the learning curve was so big, and he came into a situation that was so different than anything he’d ever been associated with, that it was going to take a long time. And unfortunately for Galaxy, we didn’t have that time. And that’s our fault also."
In some ways, Gullit is dismayed by the lack of a soccer culture in the United States.
"When USA is playing at home, they don’t play at home. It’s unbelievable," he said. "Certain people don’t want to acknowledge it so much because everybody wants to protect the American sports, and I can understand that. But everybody knows soccer is coming. Everybody plays it everywhere. I think it will be two generations — then people will get used to it, understand the game more. This generation still doesn’t understand it."
He also can’t get used to the American system of playoffs that MLS uses. Gullit thinks it creates an atmosphere that’s not conducive to top soccer, clashing with the rest of the world, where the team that finishes first automatically is the champion.
"Every week you have to play well to be the champion. But here it’s just a matter of getting in the playoffs, and how you get there is not so much important as long as you play well in the knockout stages," he said.
ESPN likes Gullit’s outspokenness. Tim Scanlan, ESPN’s vice president of event productions, recommended Gullit to Jed Drake, the executive producer of ESPN’s World Cup coverage, and the pair met with Gullit in London late last year to sign him up.
"He is just a completely engaging character and one who has been around a good bit of time and has seen the game from a variety of perspectives," Drake said.
Gullit predicts Brazil will reach the final in South Africa. He has high hopes for the Netherlands, the team he captained to the 1988 European Championship. But he also has doubts.
And then there is Italy, the defending champion.
"The thing is always with the Italians, they don’t need to play well to get to the final," he said.
He also believes the U.S. has the ability to upset England when they meet on June 12. That matchup in Rustenburg is getting the most attention of the 48 first-round games, already drawing the highest prices in the secondary ticket market.
"I always say to a lot of people all around about American football, I say: ‘Look, you underestimate it. You go and play in 90 degrees, on turf, in the afternoon, traveling six hours,"’ he explained. "And when they play under the normal circumstances, all of the sudden these teams say: "Hey, wait a minute. This is not as bad. They play some good football."’
-- Ronald Blum
Ljungberg says he’s returning to Seattle
SEATTLE — Freddie Ljungberg is bypassing a chance to play in Europe and honoring the two-year contract he signed with the Seattle Sounders FC.
In a posting on his Web site Tuesday, Ljungberg said he intends on being back with the Sounders on Feb. 1. Ljungberg said late last week that playing in Seattle this season would depend on Major League Soccer and its players union avoiding a lockout and reaching a new labor contract before the current deal expires on Jan. 31.
Ljungberg hinted a new deal could be on the horizon, writing, "Based on the latest news I’ve heard from both sides, there won’t be a lockout or strike on Feb 1. So from Feb. 1 I will be with my team in Seattle trying to help them become the best team in America."
The Swedish midfielder and Seattle’s designated player was absent from the start of Seattle’s training camp on Monday, seeming to draw the ire of coach Sigi Schmid and goalkeeper Kasey Keller. Ljungberg’s name has been linked with a number of European teams and the transfer window for clubs in Europe closes on Sunday.
Ljungberg said the attention from Europe — where he became a star with Arsenal — is flattering.
"I have handled this situation with the respect and dignity that the Seattle fans deserve. I don’t believe that players should look to manufacture moves to other clubs by involving the media, as this is disrespectful to their club and fans," Ljungberg wrote. "I hope you understand that this situation was out of my control but I can say that I am truly happy that it has been resolved and I will be returning to Seattle."
Ljungberg helped Seattle enjoy one of the most successful expansion seasons in MLS history in 2009. Ljungberg had two goals and nine assists as the Sounders became the first expansion franchise since 1998 to qualify for the MLS playoffs. Ljungberg was also an MLS all-star in his first season in America.
When he gets to Seattle, he may face discipline from the Sounders.
"It’s not OK. It’s something that we’ll handle internally as a club in terms of whether there is fines or anything like that," Schmid said. "All of them would like to miss a week. We can’t let them all miss a week. So from that standpoint we’ve got to hold them all to a standard."
Ljungberg said his absence was a "communication error due to the business discussions."
-- Tim Booth
U.S. player Holden joins Bolton until end of season
BOLTON, England — U.S. midfielder Stuart Holden joined the Premier League club Bolton on Tuesday until the end of the season.
The Scottish-born player’s contract with the Houston Dynamo has expired following four seasons in Major League Soccer. He is joining Bolton on a free transfer after an impressive trial earlier this month.
The 24-year-old Holden is set to play at the World Cup in South Africa in June. He has scored twice in 12 international appearances.
"This was the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my career, but at the end of the day I felt it was the right time to test myself at the highest level," Holden said. "Having had a short spell over here when I was younger, I knew all about the passion for football in this country and that helped to draw me back."
"The Premier League is one of the best leagues in the world and I was really excited when this opportunity came up. Now I am looking forward to getting involved and getting started."
Bolton is trying to avoid relegation and is currently among the three teams that would be demoted.
"Stuart has been training with us and he has done well," Bolton manager Owen Coyle said. "He has a great energy and desire, and he wants to show that he can play in the best league in the world, so he is a young man with a point to prove."
Youth game to be ‘soft’ opening at Red Bull Arena
SECAUCUS, N.J. — The first event at Red Bull Arena will be a March 13 soccer game between the U.S. Under-17 team and the Red Bulls’ Under-18 academy team.
Free tickets will be distributed starting Feb. 15, the Red Bulls said Tuesday, and donations will be collected at the game for the Sporting Chance Foundation, which will give the money to relief for Haitian earthquake victims.
The $200 million, 25,000-seat stadium in Harrison formally opens with an exhibition game against Brazil’s Santos on March 20, and the Red Bulls host their first Major League Soccer match there against the Chicago Fire on March 27.
Beat to open at home against defending champs
KENNESAW, Ga. — The expansion Atlanta Beat will play the first home game in their new suburban stadium May 9 against Sky Blue FC, the defending champion of Women's Professional Soccer.
The 8,300-seat stadium is located on the Kennesaw State University campus northwest of Atlanta. Beat general manager Shawn McGee says he expects a "packed house" for the 6 p.m. game, which also will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.
Atlanta is one of two new teams joining WPS as the league heads into its second season. The city had a team of the same name in a previous women's league that went out of business after the 2003 season.
World Cup
New Zealand opts for private security at World Cup
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand has hired a private security firm to guard its players during this year's World Cup in South Africa, New Zealand Football told local media on Wednesday.
Chief executive Michael Glading told the New Zealand Herald his organization had engaged a South African contractor whose firm had previously provided security within South Africa for the All Blacks and the Wellington Hurricanes rugby teams.
World Cup organizers have spent an estimated $220 million on security around the Cup and have assured competing teams that every step will be taken to ensure their safety at the tournament. Glading said New Zealand would be among a number of countries which had put in place additional arrangements.
"We have hired a South African to oversee our security," Glading said. "He will link with the security FIFA provide and liaise between them and the team.
"We have hired his company so we are not sure if he will be by himself or comes with an army, but he has a reputation as one of the best in the business," he added. "FIFA are encouraging countries to have their own security as well as what they provide."
New Zealand will be based near Johannesburg throughout the tournament and will fly to the venues of its pool matches against Slovakia, Paraguay and Italy.
Italy and Germany are among nations that have already indicated they will have private security throughout the Cup, and Australia has said it will use "some local resources."
Glading said the use of private contractors was prudent.
"Since the attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team (in Pakistan last year), all sporting teams have to be aware of their security," he said.
"It depends on where you go, but Africa would be one of the main danger areas. It's no great secret that South Africa is a country with a high crime rate so security will be important."
Glading said the New Zealand government might also send a small detachment of police to South Africa to assist in the protection of players, officials and their families.
Spain confirms 3 friendlies before World Cup
MADRID — European champion Spain will play three international friendly games in the run-up to the World Cup, with Liechtenstein and South Korea confirmed as opponents on Tuesday.
Spain will face Liechtenstein in Vaduz on May 29 before playing South Korea, which has also qualified for the finals in South Africa, on June 3 in Innsbruck, Austria, the Spanish football federation said.
Its final friendly will be on June 8, but its opponent or location have not yet been confirmed.
Spain has already arranged to play France on March 3.
Spain is one of the favorites for the June 11-July 11 tournament. It begins Group H play against Switzerland on June 16 before matches with Honduras and Chile.
3,200 banned fans to be stopped from going to WCup
LONDON — The British government will extend sanctions on about 3,200 fans banned from watching soccer matches in the country to prevent them from traveling to South Africa for the World Cup.
The troublemakers already have to surrender their passports to police before international matches but the Home Office says the government will impose what it calls a "control period" to lengthen the time they can be stopped from traveling.
The number of arrests by police at soccer matches in England and Wales fell 2 percent last season.
About half of the 3,752 arrests were for disorder and about a third for alcohol-related offenses. Ticket scalping and violence also featured in the list of reasons.
Brazil starts beefing up security
BRASILIA, Brazil — Brazil has already started beefing up its security effort for the 2014 World Cup, increasing the salaries of police and firefighters who will be assigned to the tournament and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Justice Minister Tarso Genro said on Tuesday the focus would be on crime prevention in the cities chosen to host World Cup matches, and for the Olympics in Rio.
Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and other top officials have tried to play down the threat of violence in Brazil, which was a key concern when FIFA and the IOC named the country to hold the world's two biggest sporting events.
League News
Tottenham beats Fulham, Liverpool held by Wolves
LONDON — Tottenham stayed fourth with a 2-0 victory over Fulham as Liverpool's bid to rejoin the English Premier League's elite group faltered further with a 0-0 draw at Wolverhampton on Tuesday.
Peter Crouch and David Bentley scored to deliver Tottenham's first league win in a month. While Liverpool did move up to fifth with a draw, Manchester City is a place behind and level on points with two games in hand.
"It's important for us that the teams around us are dropping points and we keep picking up points," Crouch said.
The point for Wolves against Liverpool moved them out of the relegation zone along with Bolton, whose new manager Owen Coyle masterminded a 1-0 win over former club Burnley. Portsmouth remained lodged to the bottom after drawing 1-1 with West Ham.
The focus returns to the title race on Wednesday when second-place Arsenal goes to Aston Villa and Chelsea hosts in-form Birmingham, while leader Manchester United is playing Man City in the semifinals of the League Cup.
At the start of the match at White Hart Lane, Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer had to be instantly alert as Spurs came close three times inside two minutes through Tom Huddlestone, Jermain Defoe and Crouch.
Schwarzer was finally beaten in the 27th minute when Crouch slipped the ball in from close range. The instigator was out-of-favor midfielder Bentley whose cross from the right was clipped over Bjorn Helge Riise by Luka Modric from the byline. Modric then volleyed to Crouch, who found the net despite pressure from Schwarzer.
Bentley, on a rare league start, put Tottenham further ahead on the hour with his first goal in five months from a free kick that deflected off Riise's head.
The victory enabled Spurs to move further clear of Liverpool in the race for the four Champions League spots.
On a freezing night in central England, Liverpool couldn't find a way past Wolves despite captain Steven Gerrard returning from a two-match injury absence and new midfielder Maxi Rodriguez making a first start.
What the Reds lacked was the cutting edge provided by striker Fernando Torres, who was injured.
Liverpool dominated the first half but found the home side difficult to break down and the closest the visitors came after the break was Rodriguez and Dirk Kuyt striking speculatively from distance.
"We didn't create clear chances and the final pass in the final third was the difference," Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said. "In the second half they were pushing harder and we had to defend, but we still had some good counterattacks. Again the final pass was the difference. If you analyze the game, then the result is fair."
In the battle against relegation, Coyle's Bolton moved out of the drop zone at the expense of Burnley, which he left this month.
The manager had to put up with abusive chants from the about 5,000 visiting supporters, but they were silenced in the 34th by Chung-Yong Lee's fifth goal of the season.
Bolton moved up to 15th, a point ahead of West Ham, which led at Portsmouth through Matthew Upson's goal, but home substitute Danny Webber canceled it out with his first league goal.
-- Rob Harris
Wenger busy ahead of Arsenal's game at Aston Villa
LONDON — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is juggling injury concerns and the demands of the January transfer window while preparing his players for a game at Aston Villa that could return the team to the top of the Premier League.
Wednesday's match is followed by similarly tough meetings with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, so Wenger could have done without the distractions.
Central defenders William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen are the only players to have started all of Arsenal's 22 Premier League matches, but the former will have to struggle through a back injury if he is to feature at Villa Park.
"Until now, he has been clear of injuries," Wenger said. "But we have played him on the limit a few times where we didn't know before the game how long he would last."
Gallas sat out Sunday's FA Cup loss at Stoke and was replaced by Sol Campbell for his second club debut. Any worsening of Gallas' condition could lead to a renewed reliance on the former England international.
And Wenger is also working on his squad for the remainder of a season he hopes will end with the club's first Premier League title since its unbeaten 2003-04 campaign.
Wenger let Switzerland defender Philippe Senderos join Everton on loan until the end of the season and will also give England under-21 midfielder Jack Wilshere a chance to prove himself at another club.
Wilshere has played seven games this season, but none in the Premier League.
"I will let him go out on loan without any doubt," Wenger said. "I want him to go to the right club and play."
With Manchester United having played at the weekend, Arsenal can retake the lead from the defending champions with victory at Villa Park.
Arsenal is two points back and ahead of Chelsea on goal difference, although the Blues host Birmingham in another of Wednesday's four matches.
Sunderland is at Everton in another, while Wigan is at Blackburn.
Also Wednesday, Manchester United tries to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Manchester City and reach the League Cup final for a second straight season.
United was bolstered by Rio Ferdinand's return from injury at the weekend and the England international should play again.
"Getting our center backs back is key to our progress," manager Alex Ferguson said. "We're trying to get some continuity in the team selection. We've had a topsy-turvy spell with defenders out injured. Getting those players back and having continuity is important.
"His experience is vital."
-- Stuart Condie
AS Roma beats Catania 1-0 in Italian Cup
ROME — AS Roma beat 10-man Catania 1-0 to reach the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday.
About 15 minutes after Catania's Giuseppe Bellusci was sent off, Daniele De Rossi struck home in the 74th minute.
Roma will play the winner of Wednesday's quarterfinal between AC Milan and Udinese, on Feb. 3 and 10.
"We knew that Catania would give their all in defense and try to play on the counterattack," Roma coach Claudio Ranieri said. "We weren't too concerned with how we played tonight, we just wanted to reach the semifinals."
Both sides appeared tired in the first half and struggled to find much continuity or rhythm.
John Arne Riise went close with a powerful shot in the 37th that Catania goalkeeper Andrea Campagnolo failed to hold, but Christian Terlizzi beat Stefano Okaka to the loose ball.
De Rossi then shot narrowly wide having ran at the Catania defense in the 44th.
After the break Roma started the stronger and Jeremy Menez and Okaka went close.
In the 59th, Catania went down to 10 men when Bellusci pulled down Rodrigo Taddei on the edge of the area. Campagnolo stopped David Pizarro's shot from the free kick.
In the 72nd, Campagnolo again stopped Catania from going a goal down when he saved from Simone Perrotta.
Roma took the lead when Okaka broke down the right wing and cut the ball back on the edge of the area to De Rossi, who hit a low shot past Campagnolo.
Elsewhere
Renard wants to lead another African national team
LUBANGO, Angola — Zambia coach Herve Renard hopes to lead another African national team if his contract is not renewed when it expires in six months' time.
Zambia under Renard reached its first quarterfinal appearance at the African Cup of Nations since 1996, missing several scoring chances before losing to Nigeria on penalties on Monday in Angola.
"The only thing I want is to stay in Africa," Renard told The Associated Press. "My ambition is to lead a reputed national team. I know it's possible. There are many teams playing at the top in Africa. I hope I can take over one of them, but I am not in a hurry."
The 41-year-old Frenchman says he is yet to receive any job offers but beaten quarterfinalists Ivory Coast and Cameroon, who are both bound for the World Cup later this year, could be possible destinations if they decide to get rid their current coaches.
Ivory Coast, boasting several stars such as Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Barcelona's Yaya Toure, failed to reach the semifinals after losing to another World Cup-bound team, Algeria. Cameroon, ranked No. 1 in Africa in the FIFA rankings, lost 3-1 to Egypt.
Ivory Coast is coached by Vahid Halilhodzic of Bosnia while Paul Le Guen of France is in charge of Cameroon. Halilhodzic's contract ends in May, just before the World Cup. Le Guen recently extended his deal to include the tournament in South Africa.
Renard's team beat Gabon 2-1 and drew 1-1 with Tunisia to finish top of Group D ahead of four-time champion Cameroon. But after containing Nigeria in a near-perfect display, Zambia couldn't take any of its scoring opportunities.
Zambia President Rupiah Banda praised the team known as the Copper Bullets for "putting up a very good performance."
Renard, who has coached lower-division teams in England and China, was an assistant as Claude Le Roy led Ghana to a third-place finish at the 2008 Africa Cup.
In his playing career, Renard was a defender for French club Cannes from 1982 to 1990.
-- Bruce Mutsvairo
Report: China players paid for national team spots
BEIJING — Chinese players paid large bribes for places at the national football team's training camp, and even bigger ones to play in international matches, according to a report in a local government-run newspaper.
The allegations this week in Shanghai's Oriental Morning Post are the latest to rock the scandal-plagued Chinese Football Association, whose top official was replaced this month after he and two others were questioned by police about match fixing.
According to the Post, a single trip to the national youth squad's camp cost 80,000 yuan ($12,000), while a place at the adult team's camp was priced at 100,000 yuan ($15,000), the Oriental Morning Post said in a report this week.
A call-up to an actual official match required a bribe of 200,000 yuan ($30,000), the paper said.
National team appearances enhanced not only players' prestige, but also their pocketbooks, offering added leverage in salary negotiations with their professional teams while improving chances of a lucrative move abroad.
The Post did not say to whom the bribes were paid, although football association officials exercise broad powers over staff and coaching decisions.
An association spokesman reached by telephone Wednesday said he would first have to ask higher ranking officials for permission to comment on the report.
Investigators launched a drive against match fixing and corruption last year following complaints from state leaders over poor performance by the national team, which now ranks No. 97 in the world.
Last month, 16 team officials and others were arrested on suspicion of bribing or threatening players and referees to determine the outcome of games they had bet on.
Despite its woes, the top-tier, 16-team China Super League hit an attendance record average of 16,300 a game last season. Sponsors Nike and Pirelli have made a combined annual commitment of $22 million to sponsor the league.
The large sums involved in the Chinese game could create new opportunities for corruption, Sports Minister Liu Peng warned at a national meeting on Tuesday.
"We should keep a firm resolve to fight corruption in soccer and regulate the sports," Liu was quoted as saying by the official China Daily newspaper.
"We have no mercy for those who break the law through match manipulation and gambling," Liu said.
Cash-strapped Crystal Palace in battle for future
LONDON — Crystal Palace is urgently searching for a buyer to avoid bankruptcy after financial troubles left the second-tier club facing a 10-point penalty.
Despite Palace's cash restraints, the London club was in a strong position to return to the Premier League, sitting just outside the League Championship playoff places.
But with financial administrators being appointed Tuesday to reorganize the club's finances and protect it from creditors, the league will have to impose an automatic 10-point deduction.
That will leave Palace just four points above the relegation zone, seriously undermining its hopes of ending a five-year stay outside of the top flight.
Palace chairman Simon Jordan had been attempting to attract new investment into the club, which has been late in paying its players twice this season.
"This club has been in the spotlight for some months with creditors pressing for payments and players anxious about their wages," said Brendon Guilfoyle of the court-appointed administrators. "Our role now is to find a buyer quickly to provide certainty for the employees, players and fans for the future. We are hoping our appointment will be short-lived as we understand there are many interested buyers."
Leverkusen captain Rolfes undergoes knee surgery
STUTTGART, Germany — Bayer Leverkusen captain Simon Rolfes underwent another operation on his knee and is in doubt for the World Cup.
The midfielder left a fitness test for Germany players in Stuttgart and had surgery Tuesday morning to repair cartilage damage on the same right knee that was operated on in July and October.
Leverkusen said Rolfes would be out for several weeks after making two brief appearances in the last two games for the Bundesliga leaders. They were his first since the October operation after he played in the 1-0 win at Russia that qualified Germany for the World Cup.
"It's going to be difficult now (for him) to make the World Cup," said Leverkusen director of sports Rudi Voeller, adding that it was too soon to say how long Rolfes may be out but it could be months.
Rolfes' absence could create problems for Germany coach Joachim Loew in South Africa.
Another defensive midfielder, Thomas Hitzlsperger, hardly comes off the bench in Stuttgart, while Loew has told veteran Torsten Frings of Werder Bremen that he is out of the picture.
Celtic signs Denmark striker Morten Rasmussen
GLASGOW, Scotland — Celtic has signed Denmark striker Morten Rasmussen from Brondby on a 3½-year contract.
Rasmussen will bolster an attack heavily dependent upon Australia forward Scott McDonald and Greece striker Georgios Samaras. The pair have scored 19 of the Glasgow club's 42 goals in the Scottish Premier League.
Celtic and Brondby agreed not to disclose financial details about the transfer.
Nicknamed Duncan, the 25-year-old Rasmussen has played three times for Denmark.
Brondby managing director Frank Buch-Andersen says the club has "known about his wish to try himself abroad and now he gets that opportunity in the Scottish league."
Rasmussen joined Brondby on Jan. 13, 2006, on a five-year contract.
Premier League lifts Portsmouth transfer embargo
PORTSMOUTH, England — Portsmouth can sign players on loan or on free transfers during the January window after the Premier League lifted its embargo on the club Tuesday.
The league imposed the indefinite ban in October because Portsmouth owed other English clubs money for previous transfers, but the Premier League said those debts had now been paid.
Portsmouth now has six days to find players to help boost its fight against relegation.
Pompey is last in the Premier League with just 14 points from 20 matches.
"The club and the Premier League have worked together to allow us to be able to do some business in the last week of the transfer window," Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie said. "Avram Grant will now be trying to bring in players to strengthen the squad."
Midfielder Jamie O'Hara returned to Tottenham two weeks ago when Portsmouth was unable to reregister him at the expiration of his loan.
Man United agrees to sign Fulham's Smalling
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United agreed to sign Fulham's Chris Smalling on Tuesday and the defender will join the English Premier League champion at the start of next season.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said Smalling was due to undergo a medical at United on Wednesday, although personal terms and a fee have already been accepted.
The 20-year-old Smalling has made only six starts for Fulham since joining from non-league side Maidstone in June 2008, but he has already played for England Under-21s.
Smalling made his debut on the final day of last season and started his first match on Sept. 17 in the Europa League.
"When Manchester United come calling it's not easy to stand in the boy's way," Hodgson said after Smalling played in Fulham's 2-0 loss at Tottenham on Tuesday.
Ferdinand may be banned for violent conduct
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand could be banned for three games after the Football Association charged him with violent conduct for apparently elbowing an opponent.
The FA charged him Tuesday after watching the video of the match. Ferdinand returned to play Saturday after three months out, but was filmed clashing with Hull forward Craig Fagan.
United won 4-0 to return to the top of the Premier League.
Ferdinand must respond to the charge Wednesday and the FA will hear the case Thursday.
The England international would miss matches against Arsenal, Portsmouth and Aston Villa if banned.
Gudjohnsen set for West Ham despite Spurs approach
LONDON — Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp wants to sign Monaco striker Eidur Gudjohnsen on loan, but believes he is set to join West Ham until the end of the season.
Redknapp said on Tuesday that the Iceland international was available on a good deal, with Monaco paying part of his wages.
Redknapp said he spoke to the 31-year-old Gudjohnsen's agent earlier Tuesday, but the player was heading to West Ham so he left matters with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.
"I would take him on loan, he would be a good loan signing," Redknapp said. "He can play in different systems and can hold the ball, but I think he's going to West Ham."
Gudjohnsen left Barcelona at the end of last season, three years after joining from Chelsea for eight million pounds (then $16 million) on a four-year deal.
Setback for Tottenham's plans to build new stadium
LONDON — Tottenham's plans for building a new stadium have been dealt a setback after a government watchdog criticized aspects of the project.
Spurs want to build a 56,250-capacity ground adjacent to their current White Hart Lane site.
But the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, a government adviser, said that it won't support the club's planning application because it is unhappy about the plans to also build public housing and a supermarket.
Spurs submitted a planning application last October and the stadium has been included as a possible venue should England win its bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or '22.
Ronaldo banned two games for breaking rival’s nose
MADRID — Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo has been banned for two Spanish league games for breaking an opponent’s nose.
The Spanish soccer federation fined Ronaldo $843 Tuesday for "dangerous play that caused harm." Madrid, which was fined $253, can appeal the decision.
Malaga defender Patrick Mtiliga will be out for three weeks after being struck in the face with Ronaldo’s arm in the 70th minute of Madrid’s 2-0 win Sunday. Ronaldo was given a red card.
Ronaldo will miss matches at Deportivo La Coruna and Espanyol. Madrid trails Barcelona by five points at the top of the league standings.
Inter pair to explain comments after Milan derby
MILAN — Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho and chief executive Ernesto Paolillo will have to face Italy's football association over comments they made after the Milan derby.
The association requested Tuesday the pair attend a meeting to explain remarks that appeared to question its impartiality and that of referee Gianluca Rocchi after Inter's 2-0 win over AC Milan on Sunday.
The result gave Inter a nine-point lead in the Serie A. But Mourinho was furious that midfielder Wesley Sneijder and defender Lucio were both sent off, saying "they did everything to stop us winning."
Paolillo said in Monday's edition of La Repubblica that "between the changes to the fixture list and this match, I have seen one too many signals I don't like."
Sneijder was banned for two matches and Lucio for one. Inter's next two games are against Parma and Cagliari.
Juve fans banned from Italian Cup match at Inter
MILAN — Juventus fans were banned from the Italian Cup match at Inter Milan on Thursday because of race-related incidents involving supporters in games between the teams.
Milan prefect Gian Valerio Lombardi made the decision Tuesday to close the visitor’s section of San Siro stadium for the match.
Juventus supporters recently sang racist songs and displayed racist banners toward Inter striker Mario Balotelli, who is of Ghanaian descent.
Also Tuesday, the Italian soccer league banned Palermo fans from their match at Bari on Saturday because of security fears. Tickets for the visitor’s section of San Nicola stadium will be offered to families, pensioners and school children.
Maradona returns as Argentina beats Costa Rica
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Diego Maradona returned from his two-month suspension to coach Argentina to a 3-2 win over Costa Rica in an exhibition match on Tuesday night.
The former star player earned himself the ban from FIFA for a foul-mouthed tirade at reporters.
The team of mostly Argentina-based player he fielded twice took the lead — through Estudiantes midfielder Jose Sosa in the 11th minute and Rosario Central defender Guillermo Burdisso in the 38th.
Costa Rica, also with a young team, found an equalizer on both occasions: Saprissa midfielder Michael Barrantes scored in the 21st and Universidad striker Diego Madrigal tied it again in the 77th.
Arsenal's striker Franco Jara hit the winner for Argentina in the 80th minute.
Maradona wanted for anti-drug campaign
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — President-elect Jose Mujica of Uruguay wants Digeo Maradona to work on an anti-drug campaign.
Mujica said in Tuesday’s edition of El Observador newspaper that Maradona’s struggles with his own drug addiction would help him connect with younger people. He said Maradona, being one of the great soccer players and Argentina’s coach, would appeal to teens.
Maradona has had at least one brush with death following a cocaine overdose. He was also kicked out the 1994 World Cup for testing positive for drugs. He says he has been clean since 2007.
Serse Cosmi to remain as Livorno coach
LIVORNO, Italy — Serse Cosmi will remain as Livorno coach despite offering his resignation following the 2-0 loss to Napoli last week.
Cosmi had said he'd had enough of club president Aldo Spinelli "meddling" in team affairs, but Spinelli said Tuesday on the club's Web site that he refuses to accept the resignation.
Spinelli promised to help Cosmi strengthen the squad in the transfer window after having allowed midfielder Antonio Candreva to join Juventus on loan.
Livorno is currently 16th in the Serie A with 21 points from 21 games.
Villarreal striker Ruben to join Wigan
VILLARREAL, Spain — Villarreal says it has agreed to sell striker Marco Ruben to Premier League club Wigan.
The former River Plate forward has never played for the Spanish league club's topflight team since arriving in 2008 and spent 18 months on loan at Recreativo Huelva. He has spent this season playing for Villarreal's B-team in the second division, scoring nine goals.
Financial terms for the transfer were not disclosed, but Wigan is reportedly paying 7 million pounds for the player.
Ruben said on Villarreal's Web site Tuesday that he is looking forward to working with Roberto Martinez, who "is a good coach and (Wigan) is a great team."
Paolo Guerrero's fear of flying keeps him in Peru
HAMBURG — Hamburg striker Paolo Guerrero has not returned to the Bundesliga club from his home in Peru because of his fear of flying.
The club said Tuesday that Guerrero had boarded a flight three times within the past week, only to leave the aircraft before the takeoff from Lima. Guerrero's fear of flying also made him cancel a trip to the United States to see a knee specialist. The striker is recovering from torn knee ligaments.
Hamburg said Guerrero was well ahead in his rehabilitation. The club has signed striker Ruud van Nistelrooy from Real Madrid.
Valladolid 'keeper out for 2 months after surgery
VALLADOLID, Spain — Valladolid goalkeeper Jacobo Sanz will be sidelined for two months after undergoing emergency surgery to remove a blockage in his intestines.
The Spanish league club said Tuesday that Sanz will remain in the hospital for a week before beginning his recovery.
The 26-year-old Sanz was rushed to hospital on Monday afternoon after falling ill.
He has made only seven appearances this season after a knee injury sidelined him in November to lose his place to Justo Villar.
Sanz previously played for Getafe.
Pocognoli joins Standard Liege from AZ Alkmaar
LIEGE, Belgium — Belgium defender Sebastien Pocognoli has joined Standard Liege from AZ Alkmaar on a contract running through June 2014.
The Belgian league champions are struggling this season and need defensive reinforcements.
The 22-year-old Pocognoli started out his career with Standard before moving to Racing Genk and AZ Alkmaar. He has four international appearances for Belgium.
