Soccer Capsules: Cabanas sitting in armchair during recovery
MEXICO CITY — Paraguay football star Salvador Cabanas is eating and sitting in an armchair, continuing a remarkable recovery after being shot in the head at point-blank range just over a week ago.
Despite the progress, doctors said on Wednesday that Cabanas, 29, was still in critical condition and still has blood in the brain area that needs to be drained. Doctors have also said the bullet lodged in Cabanas' skull will remain there with no further attempt to remove it.
Cabanas, one of the best strikers in Latin America, was shot in the head just before dawn on Jan. 25 in a bar in a prosperous area on the south side of Mexico City. He's the top player for Mexico City's Club America and was expected to lead Paraguay when the World Cup opens on June 11 in South Africa.
"Everything is going well," said Dr. Ernesto Martinez, who was part of a surgical team that decided against trying to remove the bullet, a procedure they called too risky. "We have to protect him, but he's speaking and he obeys what we tell him with no problem."
Martinez said the bullet in Cabanas' skull would remain there, calling it a small piece of metal that was not harmful. He said many people live normal lives with implanted metal plates or screws.
"The bullet won't be taken out," Martinez said. "We could do more damage if we tried to remove it. But where it's located it doesn't do a bit of harm. The bullet doesn't have to come out, not even for legal reasons or anything."
The attack on Cabanas took place just before dawn and appears to have grown out of an argument between Cabanas and the main suspect in the shooting, Jose Jorge Balderas Garza. He remains at large with police or legal officials saying little about progress to locate him.
Widespread reports have suggested Balderas Garza told Cabanas he had not been scoring enough goals for America. The point-blank shooting took place moments later in the bar's toilet.
Juan Carlos Silva, a teammate of Cabanas on Club America, was shot on Monday night in Mexico City in a failed attempt to steal his vehicle. Silva's single gunshot to the buttocks was not life-threatening.
Silva, 21, told reporters on Wednesday that he tried to resist the robbery attempt, which was a mistake.
"God protected me, and thank goodness there wasn't another shot," he said. "Now that I think about it, I took a big risk."
There is no suggestion the two shootings are related.
Cruzeiro, Juan Aurich progress in Libertadores
MONTERREY, Mexico— Brazil's Cruzeiro hammered Bolivia's Real Potosi 7-0 on Wednesday to storm into the group stages of the Copa Libertadores.
Cruzeiro won the prelimiary stage tie 8-1 on aggregate, and were joined in the group stage by Peruvian club Juan Aurich, which won 2-1 away at Estudiantes Tecos of Mexico to record a 4-1 aggregate victory.
Cruzeiro's seven goals came from seven different players: Wellington Paulista (28), Thiago (30), Kleber (38), Jonathan (45), Eliandro (87), Bernardo (88) and Joffre Guerron (90), who were all on target for the Belo Horizonte club.
Potosi was already four goals down when Gerardo Yecerotte was sent off just after half time and the Bolivian club finished with nine men when Gonzalo Galindo was also red carded in the 74th minute.
Juan Aurich went into the game with a 2-0 buffer from its home first leg, and extended that advantage with a crucial away goal from Luis Tejada, heading in a Reimond Albarracin cross, in the 44th minute.
That left Tecos needing four goals to progress, and what small encouragement they took from Juan Aurich's Willy Rivas being sent off for stamping in the 66th minute was soon snuffed out as Ricardo Ciciliano scored in the 74th to make it 2-0 on the night and 4-0 on aggregate.
Fredy Bareiro headed in a consolation goal for the Mexican club in the 76th.
Paraguay's Libertad won through to the group stage on Tuesday, and there are three more second-leg matches remaining in the preliminary round to decide the six teams that progress to the group stage of Latin America's top club tournament.
U.S. Soccer
U.S. midfielder Clark injured, out up to 4 weeks
FRANKFURT — American midfielder Ricardo Clark has pulled a muscle in his right calf, delaying his Bundesliga debut by up to four weeks and putting him in doubt for the United States’ exhibition game at the Netherlands on May 3.
Clark hasn’t played since signing for Eintracht Frankfurt in January, with coach Michael Skibbe saying the American needed a few weeks to get back in top shape.
The former Houston Dynamo midfielder hasn’t played regularly since the MLS playoffs ended in November. The 26-year-old Clark became a free agent after his contract with Houston expired.
American winger Beasley’s car blown up in Glasgow
GLASGOW, Scotland — United States midfielder DaMarcus Beasley's BMW car has been set on fire outside his home in Glasgow.
Police in the Scottish city are continuing to investigate Monday night's incident, which it describes as "willful fireraising."
"Someone blew up my car," Beasley wrote Wednesday on Twitter. "I'm doin ok, just glad no one got hurt."
Beasley, who moved to Glasgow in 2007, added: "In the market for a new car! Lol..Gotta try to find some humor."
Rangers has described it as a "disturbing and deplorable incident."
Revolution hires new assistant coach
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Revolution has hired an official from the David Beckham Academy as an assistant coach.
Revolution head coach Steve Nicol announced Wednesday that Stephen Myles will serve at the team's assistant coach next season. The 48-year-old Myles is scheduled to join the team at a practice session on Monday.
Myles served as assistant director of competition at the David Beckham Academy in Los Angeles since 2005. He has also spent the last two seasons coaching the LA Galaxy's under-16 team in the club's youth development academy. In addition, Myles had 15-year-career as a player included stints with five English clubs.
Myles replaces Paul Mariner, who departed the team in October to accept a position at Plymouth Argyle in the English Championship.
Revs to open season vs. L.A. Galaxy
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Revolution will open the 2010 season away against Western Conference Champions Los Angeles Galaxy. On Wednesday, Major League Soccer released its schedule for the 2010 regular season that begins March 25.
The Revolution travels to Southern California for team's opener March 27, then goes to the nation's capital to face rival D.C. United on April 3. The team opens its 2010 home slate against Toronto FC on April 10.
The Revolution also makes its first visit to Philadelphia and new league entrant the Union on July 31. This year the 2010 MLS schedule features a two-week break — June 11 through June 25 — that aligns with the group phase of the FIFA World Cup.
New England will also participate in SuperLiga 2010, a tournament between MLS teams and Mexican clubs.
Red Bulls D Kevin Goldthwaite has tendon surgery
SECAUCUS, N.J. — New York Red Bulls defender Kevin Goldthwaite has undergone surgery to remove residual scarring in his adductor tendon.
The Major League Soccer team announced Wednesday that the surgery was performed on Tuesday in Philadelphia. Goldthwaite's recovery time is expected to be six weeks. The 27-year-old Goldthwaite was acquired from Toronto FC in the middle of the 2007 season and started in 17 games for the Red Bulls in 2009.
He was New York's 2008 Defender of the Year after playing in a career-high 28 games, tallying two goals and two assists.
DC United gets F Adam Cristman from Wizards
WASHINGTON — D.C. United has acquired forward Adam Cristman from the Kansas City Wizards in return for use of an international roster spot until the end of 2011.
Cristman played in only five games last season, because of a broken bone in his foot that required surgery. He scored six goals in 18 games for the New England Revolution in 2008.
In a release announcing Wednesday's trade, United general manager Dave Kasper called Cristman "a hardworking, athletic striker who will provide solid cover for us."
Portland council OKs soccer stadium plan
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland City Council has approved a $31 million plan to remodel PGE Park.
Major League Soccer awarded Portland an expansion franchise to start play in 2011, with the understanding that the multipurpose stadium would be converted into a soccer-first venue.
Portland Timbers owner Merritt Paulson thanked the council for Wednesday’s vote and said: "Now we look forward to showing the rest of the country why we are Soccer City USA."
The Portland State football team will continue to use the stadium, but baseball’s Portland Beavers — also owned by Paulson — need a new home. Paulson says his goal is to keep the Beavers in the Portland area.
FIFA Rankings
Spain tops world football rankings; Egypt 10th
ZURICH — Spain kept the top spot in FIFA’s world rankings released Wednesday, and Africa Cup of Nations winner Egypt surged into the top 10.
The United States was unchanged at No. 14, leading the CONCACAF nations. Mexico followed at 17.
European champion Spain is followed by Brazil and Netherlands. World champion Italy is fourth and Portugal is fifth.
The top nine was unchanged after only No. 8 Argentina played in the past month, beating Costa Rica 3-2 in a friendly match.
Egypt won its third straight continental title Sunday, lifting it 14 places and knocking Croatia down to No. 11. Egypt had a previous high ranking of 15th in January 2009.
Nigeria achieved the highest position by an African nation when it ranked fifth in April 1994. It also made the top 10 in 2006.
Nigeria, which reached the African Cup of Nations semifinals, jumped seven places to No. 15 and runner-up Ghana climbed seven to No. 27.
Cameroon fell nine places to No. 20, and Ivory Coast dropped six to No. 22 after both lost at the quarterfinal stage.
Australia is the top Asian nation at No. 23, a fall of two places, and No. 40 Japan rose three.
New Zealand, the World Cup qualifier from Oceania, climbed three spots to No. 79.
League News
Defoe hat trick clinches Spurs win at Leeds in cup
LONDON — Jermain Defoe's hat trick sent Tottenham into the FA Cup fifth round with a 3-1 victory over third-tier Leeds on Wednesday.
Defoe put Spurs ahead in the 37th minute, but it was canceled out on the stroke of halftime by Luciano Becchio at Elland Road.
Despite Tottenham's dominance in the fourth-round replay, the target proved elusive until Defoe netted again in the 73rd and the England striker sealed the victory in stoppage time with his 20th goal of the season.
"He's capable of scoring all the time, he's a fantastic goalscorer," Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said.
Tottenham will face Bolton in the next round after ending Leeds' dream run in the competition, which saw the fallen power oust Premier League champion Manchester United in the third round.
Leeds had to endure intense Spurs pressure from the start, with Defoe going close four times before finally hitting the net.
David Bentley rampaged down the right flank before passing along the ground to Defoe, who span and lifted the ball into the top corner with a mis-hit connection.
Having been subdued until then, Leeds immediately pushed for an equalizer, with Heurelho Gomes' quick reaction blocking Lubomir Michalak's glancing header.
Gomes did well as halftime loomed to parry first-leg goalscorer Jermaine Beckford's volley, but Becchio was lurking to tap in the rebound.
"They put us under pressure — particularly in the second half," Defoe said. "But we stuck in and passed the ball."
Leeds had goalkeeper Casper Ankergren to thank for keeping them in the match, turning over a header from Michael Dawson, pushing away Bentley's shot on the run and denying Defoe until finally being beaten again.
Again Bentley was the provider, as the winger used Aaron Lennon's injury absence to push for a regular place in the team after falling out of favor.
Bentley sent a well-placed, low cross into the center and Defoe raised it over Ankergren into the net.
"(Bentley) has come back and taken his opportunity, his attitude has been great," Redknapp said. "Let's hope he continues to play as well as he has been at the moment."
Leeds looked to equalize in stoppage time, just like in the 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane, but Spurs launched a swift counterattack. Defoe latched onto Jermaine Jenas' high ball and ran unchallenged down the pitch before rounding Ankergren to complete his hat trick.
"We can be proud of the fact that we've given two top sides in Tottenham and Manchester United three great games and that should provide us with a nice boost as we enter the business end of the league season," Leeds manager Simon Grayson said. "Our aim now is promotion (to the League Championship) and if we can play anything like that we will give ourselves a chance."
The return of the 2001 Champions League semifinalists to the football spotlight has provided a reminder of the perils of gambling on future success to deliver trophies.
But the financial implosion witnessed in the last decade at Leeds threatens to repeat itself at 2008 FA Cup winner Portsmouth, whose faint hopes of staying in the Premier League were hit by a 1-0 loss at Fulham in Wednesday's only Premier League match.
Jonathan Greening's first goal for Fulham in the 74th condemned bottom-place Pompey to their fifth loss in seven matches.
Greening scored at the far post after Damien Duff dispossessed Nadir Belhadj and put the ball across the six-meter (yard) box.
"We dominated the game and from one mistake we lost," Portsmouth manager Avram Grant said. "It is very frustrating. We are playing the type of football that deserves to take us much higher."
But debt-ridden Portsmouth is five points adrift of Hull at the bottom of the standings.
-- Rob Harris
PSV, Twente win to stay unbeaten in Dutch league
AMSTERDAM — PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente won again to remain unbeaten after 21 rounds and on top of the Dutch league on Wednesday.
PSV beat 10-man FC Utrecht 2-1 while Twente topped Heracles Almelo 2-0.
PSV and Twente have 55 points. PSV was top thanks to a superior goal difference. Ajax was third with 46.
Balazs Dzsudzsak played in Ola Toivonen for the opening goal after seven minutes but Sander Keller tied the score for Utrecht in the 39th.
Substitute Orlando Engelaar restored PSV's advantage, scoring on the hour after taking Otman Bakkal's pass.
Utrecht, whose lone league win at Eindhoven dated to 30 years ago, saw Sander Keller ejected in the 77th.
"We didn't play well in the first half," said PSV midfielder Ibrahim Afellay. "In the second, we were in control. We enjoyed more ball possession. That contributed to the win."
At Twente Enschede, winger Bryan Ruiz scored with a left-footed shot from a tight angle to give Twente the lead in the 42nd.
Ruiz, who has scored 15 times in 21 matches for Steve McClaren's side this season, could have doubled the lead in the 43rd but fired wide from close range.
Veteran forward Blaise Nkufo capitalized on a defensive mix up to net Twente's second in the 66th.
Also on Wednesday, Luis Suarez scored all four to inspire Ajax to a 4-0 win over Roda JC. Suarez scored on a 54th-minute penalty awarded after he was fouled by Davy de Fauw. He converted another penalty in the 69th before combining with Marko Pantelic to score in the 79th. He then completed the rout with a volley five minutes from time to bring his season league-leading tally to 22.
"Davy made just a little contact and the referee gave the penalty," Suarez said. "We got the three points and that's what is important."
Andreas Granqvist converted a 16th-minute penalty and Danny Holla added a goal in the 58th as FC Groningen beat ADO The Hague 2-0, and Sparta Rotterdam and Vitesse Arnhem drew 1-1.
Feyenoord is at RKC Waalwijk on Thursday.
-- Bruce Mutsvairo
Inter Milan beats Fiorentina 1-0 in cup semis
MILAN — Inter Milan was a step closer to another Italian Cup final after beating Fiorentina 1-0 in the first leg of the semifinals on Wednesday.
Diego Milito struck from close range in the first half after being set up by strike partner Mario Balotelli.
The second leg was scheduled for April 14.
"It is not a bad result," Inter coach Jose Mourinho said. "Considering we were at home it gives us a bit of an advantage. We know it is never easy to play in Florence, but I would say we have the advantage.
"I am happier with the result than the way we played. I was expecting more from us in the second half, but Fiorentina controlled the midfield."
After a cagey start Inter had the first chance of the match, in the 24th. Sulley Muntari flicked on a long ball to Wesley Sneijder, but Fiorentina goalkeeper Sebastien Frey pushed his shot wide.
Three minutes later Frey made another stop, this time of Maicon's powerful volley from Balotelli's cross.
Inter took the lead in the 34th. Balotelli beat Fiorentina's offside trap and squared the ball for Milito, who got ahead of Manuel Pasqual to score.
Juan Vargas had Fiorentina's best chance two minutes later, but shot low and wide after Alberto Gilardino played him into space.
After the break Fiorentina went straight on the attack, but after good approach play Mario Santana shot weakly at Inter stopper Francesco Toldo.
Milito thought he had doubled his tally in the 57th, but Sneijder was offside when he fired home the rebound from Goran Pandev's effort.
Stevan Jovetic then squandered a free header for Fiorentina. Pasqual crossed from the left, but Jovetic headed tamely wide.
As the match came to a close Sneijder went close with a free kick in the 71st, and Jovetic fired wide from a corner in the closing minutes.
Sevilla beats Getafe 2-0 in cup semifinals
MADRID — Sevilla beat Getafe 2-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals with a strike from Luis Fabiano and an own goal by Pedro "Mario" Alvarez on Wednesday.
Fabiano's looping header beat goalkeeper Oscar Ustari after Adriano crossed from the right in the 45th minute. The striker celebrated by putting a trilby hat on his head in tribute to club president Jose Maria del Nido.
In the 80th, Jesus Navas sprinted outside Jose Manuel Jimenez and delivered a low cross which bounced in off defender Alvarez.
Atletico Madrid hosts Racing Santander in the second semifinal on Thursday. The return legs will be played next week.
Getafe, finalist in 2007 and 2008, had most of the chances in the first half in wet conditions at Sevilla's Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, with Pedro Leon on the right of midfield repeatedly unnerving the host's defense.
Manuel del Moral drew two saves in succession from Andres Palop early on and looked certain to score in the 27th as he slid in to meet Daniel Parejo's cross until Adriano made a last-ditch interception.
Palop denied Getafe again when he stretched to get a hand to Franciso Casquero's shot from outside the area.
The 2007 champions created chances on the break, however, with Jesus Navas and Diego Perotti a threat on the wings. In the 41st Ustari made a spectacular save from Fabiano's point-blank volley after Navas put the Fabiano through.
Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez withdrew striker Alvaro Negredo after 36 minutes, replacing him with Koffi Romaric to bolster the midfield. Frederic Kanoute went on for the injured Fabiano in the 68th.
Fabiano's goal settled Sevilla's nerves and the host took control in the last half hour.
Rangers beats St. Johnstone to reach cup final
GLASGOW, Scotland — Rangers will face St. Mirren in the League Cup final after beating St. Johnstone 2-0 on Wednesday.
Steven Davis and Lee McCulloch provided the semifinal goals in the first half at Hampden Park where the final will also be held on March 21.
Rangers broke the deadlock in the 26th minute when Steven Smith's throw in was collected by Nacho Novo, who teed up the shot for Davis to fire high into the empty net at the back post and claim his third goal in as many games.
The lead was doubled 12 minutes later when Steven Whittaker passed back to McCulloch and the midfielder unleashed a fierce shot from just outside the box which took a slight deflection past goalkeeper Graeme Smith.
On Tuesday, Billy Mehmet's goal clinched St. Mirren's 1-0 win at Hearts and a first appearance in any final for 23 years.
Rangers, which has a 10-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League, will be looking to make amends for last year's League Cup final loss to Celtic.
Brandao brace puts Marseille into League Cup final
PARIS — Striker Brandao scored twice as Marseille rallied from a goal down to beat Toulouse 2-1 on Wednesday and reach the French League Cup final.
Brandao, who also scored twice in the previous round against Saint-Etienne, equalized three minutes from the end of normal time and got the winning goal in the 104th minute as the game went into extra time.
France striker Andre-Pierre Gignac put Toulouse ahead with a firm header from Albin Ebondo's cross in the 58th minute.
Marseille leveled in the 87th when substitute Hatem Ben Arfa turned inside leftback Cheik M'Bengue and Brandao headed his cross powerfully home. Brandao sealed victory with a brilliant strike that flew through Ebondo's legs and past goalkeeper Matthieu Valverde.
Marseille, which has never won the trophy, plays either League Cup holder Bordeaux or Lorient in the final on March 27.
John Terry
Commentary: In Terry, soccer has its Tiger Woods — again
PARIS — If England captain John Terry lifts soccer’s World Cup in July, his alleged marital infidelities will be forgotten — even forgiven — faster than you can say "Love Rat."
No one, other than Terry’s wife, perhaps, will recall model Alicia Douvall’s (paid for?) newspaper claim that the Chelsea defender seduced her in a London nightclub by placing a cocktail stirrer in her surgically enhanced cleavage and supposedly making "explicit remarks about what he’d like to do to me."
The mounds of newsprint wasted on whether Terry is unfit for the captaincy because of the allegations that he also played away from home with the ex-girlfriend of England teammate Wayne Bridge will long since have been used to wrap fish and chips.
All people will see and care about is the World Cup’s sheen, not the flaws of the man holding it. The reporters now feigning moral indignation wouldn’t dare bring up the name of alleged twice-a-week mistress Vanessa Perroncel at the winners’ news conference because they’d be hissed at by their peers and shot looks of disgust.
Terry irritated Britain’s ruthless tabloids by trying to get a judge to suppress the stories about him, applying for the nuclear weapon of gag orders, a so-called "super injunction." After judge Michael Tugendhat lifted the reporting restrictions last Friday, editors exacted revenge by splashing tawdry details on page after page.
But imagine the headlines should Terry score the winning goal in the World Cup final in Johannesburg on July 11, ending four decades of disappointment for England.
"Terryfic!" Perhaps even "Saint John!"
It might not be right. It might not be admirable. But the fact is that everyone loves a winner, even when they’re a sinner, too. If fans are honest, they’ll acknowledge that they expect their sporting heroes to perform and to win — not cure cancer, solve global warming or even be sober or nice.
Standards are so low that some fans aren’t even bothered that their icons cheat to win. If they were, they wouldn’t cheer dopers at the Tour de France or baseball players whose steroid-assisted muscles blew up faster than an Atlantic storm.
So pretending that sports people have let everyone of us down when they are caught with their pants around their ankles, bringing guns into locker rooms, smoking a marijuana pipe or urinating in public is hypocritical.
Sports people are just ordinary people who, if they are lucky, get paid extraordinarily well for doing extraordinary things. But that doesn’t make them extraordinary. Some of them are barely literate. One reason, surely, that teams bus players to matches is because some of them aren’t adult enough to find a stadium unassisted or get there on time.
If society wants kids to have role models, point them toward the likes of Mother Teresa instead of Tiger Woods. Even the animal kingdom offers better examples of monogamy than the venal world of modern sports.
Paying young men — because it’s still mostly men making the really big money — the equivalent every week of what company CEOs might earn yearly virtually guarantees trouble; their sudden wealth attracts dubious company and dubious choices.
It does not buy role models. Never has.
Terry was made England captain because he is a winner, a fearsome defender and an on-field leader. Since those were the requirements expected of him then, they should be the standards by which his continued suitability should be measured now.
For the FA to suddenly pretend that it truly cares about its captains’ off-field antics would stretch credulity, given the philanderers and boozers who have previously worn the armband. Terry’s behavior can hardly have surprised the FA. This is, after all, the same player fined by Chelsea for a drinking binge at a hotel packed with shaken American tourists 24 hours after the Sept. 11 terror attacks of 2001 — long before he was made England captain.
While Terry might not be smart enough to keep his name out of gossip pages, he does seem to realize that his path to public redemption lies on a soccer pitch. Unlike Woods, who has been Mr. Invisible since his infidelities were dished up to the fickle court of public opinion, Terry is playing through the storm.
Each match, each goal, for Chelsea and England is a step back from disgrace.
Weeks in a sex-addiction clinic — if he’s at one — may help rescue Woods’ marriage. The reported possibility that Terry might visit his estranged wife in Dubai could rescue his. But if Terry scores a World Cup-winning goal, or if Woods breaks Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors, then they can be assured of undying love from fans.
Perhaps not tasteful. But it is true.
John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jleicester@ap.org.
Terry receives backing from Capello’s assistant
LONDON — John Terry’s chances of retaining the England captaincy amid his sex scandal were boosted Wednesday after receiving the support of an assistant to coach Fabio Capello.
Stuart Pearce became the first member of the England coaching hierarchy to throw his support behind Terry, who has been under scrutiny since it was alleged the married father of two had a relationship with England teammate Wayne Bridge’s former partner.
No decision on Terry is likely to be made before the Chelsea defender meets later this week with Capello, who has been entrusted by England’s governing body with making the final decision.
While criticizing the media focus on Terry, Pearce strongly defended the player’s importance ahead of the World Cup, where England opens against the United States in South Africa.
"John Terry is a fantastic captain," said Pearce, who also coaches the under-21 team. "On and off the pitch I think he is a selfless professional.
I’m not a big lover of witch hunts of people which I’m afraid our country tends to follow a little bit these days," Pearce added. "The bottom line is John, his family and everyone concerned in the matter — it’s a matter for those people and not the likes of other people who haven’t got a vested interest in what goes on."
The situation is not without precedent in international football. It emerged this week that U.S. coach Steve Sampson dropped John Harkes two months before the 1998 World Cup because the captain was having an affair with the wife of teammate Eric Wynalda.
"There’s a lot of similarities between what happened to us in ‘98 and what’s happening now," Wynalda told The Associated Press. "It’s an unfortunate time for England, because I know how that can affect a team firsthand. Obviously, we all know how we did in the World Cup in ‘98."
Harkes was a member of the 1990 and 1994 World Cup teams and became the captain before he was dropped by Sampson in a surprise move in April 1998. He made 90 international appearances from 1987-90.
-- Rob Harris
Ancelotti: Terry can have time off from Chelsea
LONDON — Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is willing to give captain John Terry time away from the team if he needs to sort out issues regarding his private life.
Terry, a married father-of-two, is facing intense media scrutiny after a report that he allegedly had a relationship with former teammate Wayne Bridge's ex-partner Vanessa Perroncel.
Ancelotti said Tuesday that if Terry "needs a holiday I will give him a holiday. If he doesn't need a holiday then he will play against Cardiff."
That FA Cup fifth-round match against second-tier Cardiff on Feb. 13 is seen as the most likely match Terry could miss. The Premier League leaders host third-place Arsenal in a crucial match on Sunday, with a trip to Everton the following Wednesday.
Elsewhere
Fursenko elected head of Russian Football Union
MOSCOW — Sergei Fursenko has been elected as new president of Russia's national football federation.
Fursenko, a former head of a division of Russia's natural gas monopoly Gazprom, overwhelmingly won a vote by the Russian Football Union at a Wednesday meeting. His only opponent was businessman Alisher Aminov.
The 55-year-old Fursenko replaces Vitaly Mutko, who resigned in November after four years in the position.
Mutko resigned following President Dmitry Medvedev's order that all sports federations must be run by full-time professionals. He was appointed sports minister in 2008.
Fursenko, a former president of the Zenit St. Petersburg football team, promised Russia will win the World Cup in 2018.
"I'm absolutely sure that we will reach the victory," Fursenko told the meeting. "We will reach nothing if we don't put forward such goals."
He also advocated changes in the union's governing bodies and promised to make the development of football his main priority.
Mutko's top achievement was appointing Dutch coach Guus Hiddink to lead the Russian national team.
Under Hiddink, Russia reached the semifinals at the 2008 European Championship — its best post-Soviet showing. But it recently failed to qualify for this year's World Cup.
Mutko has proposed Hiddink extend his contract, which expires in July.
But Fursenko, who is expected to meet Hiddink on Thursday, said he will not be in a hurry to make a decision.
"We have almost half a year and must work (with Hiddink) till the end of his contract. And in that time we will decide what to do next," he said.
Domenech: Le Guen, Giresse could replace me
PARIS — France coach Raymond Domenech says Paul Le Guen or Alain Giresse could replace him after the World Cup. After six years in charge, Domenech will step down following the World Cup in South Africa later this year.
Although Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc and Marseille's Didier Deschamps are the favorites, Domenech thinks his successor may not be the selection everyone expects.
"The choice should not be limited to one or two people," the 58-year-old Domenech was quoted as saying Wednesday on the Web site of sports daily L'Equipe. "Maybe Paul Le Guen is available, Alain Giresse. There are some coaches who have succeeded with other countries."
The 45-year-old Le Guen coached Cameroon at the African Cup of Nations last month, and Giresse led Gabon at that tournament. Both are former France midfielders, with the 57-year-old Giresse starring at the 1982 World Cup.
French football federation head Jean-Pierre Escalettes wants to announce Domenech's successor before the June 11-July 11 World Cup. Former Fulham boss Jean Tigana, Domenech's current assistant coach, Alain Boghossian, and former France midfielder Luis Fernandez are also possible contenders.
Domenech announces his 23-man World Cup squad on May 2. France, the 1998 World Cup winner and runner-up to Italy in 2006, plays Uruguay, Mexico and South Africa in Group A. France opens against Uruguay in Cape Town on June 11.
Sweden's Brolin seeks credit for 1991 goal
STOCKHOLM — Former Sweden striker Tomas Brolin wants to improve his scoring tally for the national team by getting credit for a goal he claims was unfairly given to a teammate nearly 20 years ago.
The 40-year-old Brolin, who excelled at Parma but flopped at Leeds United, told national broadcaster SVT on Wednesday that he scored 27 goals for Sweden — not 26 as the official record stands.
Brolin said he was robbed of a goal awarded to defender Roland Nilsson in Sweden's 2-1 win over Norway in a friendly on Aug. 8, 1991. Replays of the goal shown by SVT appeared to support his claim: Nilsson's shot deflected off Brolin's back past Norwegian goalkeeper Einar Rossbach.
A football statistician interviewed by SVT suggested Brolin had a legitimate claim but Swedish Football Association spokesman Thomas Salateg called for further analysis.
"I guess we will have to discuss this with the statisticians and then we'll see if there's going to be a change," Salateg told The Associated Press.
Brolin said he didn't raise the issue immediately after the match because it was Nilsson's first goal for the national team. If the official record is changed, Brolin would rise one notch to tie Agne Simonsson for seventh place among Sweden's all-time top scorers.
Brolin was Sweden's top player in the early 1990s and scored three goals to help it reach third place in the 1994 World Cup. He quit playing in 1998.
Frank Ribery says future will be decided in March
MUNICH — France winger Franck Ribery said his future at Bayern Munich will be decided in March.
Ribery has another season on his contract with Bayern, which is eager to sign him to an early extension.
"I think that we will reach a decision in March," Ribery told DSF television Wednesday. "I will know then if I am staying or going.
"Money is not the most important thing for me. The sporting future is decisive. We'll see how this matches my ambition. I feel very well here. I am very happy to be playing here. Bayern Munich is a big club. They do everything here for players to be happy."
Ribery is coming back after knee and other injuries and has been used as a substitute in recent games by coach Louis van Gaal.
While trying to get Ribery to extend his contract, Bayern officials have also said it would make no sense to keep him until he becomes a free agent and leaves the club without compensation in 2011.
Ribery has been linked with many top European clubs.
Cazorla has hernia operation, out 5-6 weeks
VILLARREAL, Spain — Villarreal midfielder Santi Cazorla will use time off with a leg injury to treat a nagging hernia problem, and the Spain international is expected to be sidelined for five to six weeks.
Villarreal said that Cazorla underwent the operation on his hernia, repairing a problem that has nagged him since the start of the season. He was already sidelined by a muscle tear in his right thigh.
Cazorla, who was a member of Spain's European Championship-winning team, remains in doubt for this summer's World Cup as he has failed to play regularly since late last season, when he broke his right leg.
The 25-year-old has scored three goals from 14 appearances as Villarreal has struggled, sitting 10th in the Spanish league.
Italy sets up 3 friendlies before World Cup
ROME — Italy will face Cameroon, Mexico and Switzerland in three friendlies before traveling to South Africa to defend its World Cup title.
The Azzurri will take on Cameroon March 3 in Monaco, Mexico June 3 in Brussels and Switzerland June 5 in Geneva. The Italian football federation said there was still the possibility that the Mexico game could be moved to another site.
Italy will train at altitude in the Sestriere ski resort starting May 25.
For the World Cup, the Azzurri were drawn in Group F with Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia. All three of the friendly opponents have also qualified.
Portsmouth signs Rocha to help in relegation battle
LONDON — Portuguese defender Ricardo Rocha has joined Portsmouth until the end of the season.
The 31-year-old center back hopes to keep bottom-place Pompey in the topflight.
The former Tottenham player said Wednesday that "it's very good for me to be back" in England.
Rocha was released by Belgian club Standard Liege and available on a free transfer. He left Tottenham last June after making only 18 appearances.
De Jonge resigns as SC Heerenveen coach
HEERENVEEN, Netherlands — Jan de Jonge has stepped down as SC Heerenveen coach after a string of poor results.
"It just didn't work," De Jonge said on Wednesday.
He rose from within the Heerenveen ranks to take over from departing Trond Sollied five months ago.
Heerenveen, which lost to VVV-Venlo on Tuesday, is 13th in the Dutch league standings. As the Dutch Cup defending champion, it was eliminated last month following a loss to PSV Eindhoven.
A former striker at FC Groningen during his playing days, De Jonge will return to his old role as head of Heerenveen's youth academy.
Hamburg striker Guerrero to remain in Peru
HAMBURG, Germany — Hamburg's injured striker Paolo Guerrero, whose fear of flying has kept him grounded at home, will remain in Peru for the next few weeks while a physiotherapist from his Bundesliga club monitors his progress from injury.
Hamburg says a physiotherapist will fly to Lima this week to help with Guerrero's recovery from torn knee ligaments and an operation in September.
Guerrero boarded flights back to Germany four times in recent weeks but disembarked before takeoff because of his fear of flying.
Hamburg says it will not put any pressure on the striker and that he will get local help in Peru soon to try to overcome the phobia.
Robben may have to change tights
MUNICH — Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben may have to play without his thermal tights — or change their color.
Sporting director Christian Nerlinger says the German football federation (DFB) is not happy that Robben is playing in gray-colored tights and not in red ones, the usual color of Bayern's shorts.
Nerlinger says DFB rules stipulate the long outfit has to have the same color as the shorts and that Bayern is getting him red tights.
Robben has scored two goals in the last three games playing with the tights.
