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Soccer Capsules: Donovan, Howard missing for U.S. against Slovakia
Comments 0 | Recommend 0BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan will be among those missing when the United States plays Slovakia in an exhibition game Saturday.
U.S. coach Bob Bradley also bypassed starting goalkeeper Tim Howard of Everton. He selected Aston Villa's Brad Guzan, Wolverhampton's Marcus Hahnemann and Valerenga's Troy Perkins for his 22-man roster Monday. Hahnemann hasn't made an international appearance since October 2007 against Switzerland.
Three players are from FC Dallas, including forward Jeff Cunningham, who hasn't played for the national team since a September 2005 World Cup qualifier against Guatemala. The other Dallas players selected were defender Heath Pearce and 22-year-old midfielder Dax McCarty, who has never played for the national team.
Fulham forward Eddie Johnson also was picked. Johnson has 12 goals in 37 international appearances but hasn't played for the national team since a June 2008 World Cup qualifier against Barbados.
Donovan and the Galaxy host Houston on Friday in the Western Conference final. Chicago is home against Real Salt Lake a day later in the Eastern Conference Championship.
The U.S. team began training for the match Monday. After Saturday's game, the first between the U.S. and Slovakia, the Americans close their 2009 schedule on Nov. 18 against Denmark in Aarhus. U.S. coach Bob Bradley may make roster changes for that game.
World Cup
Organizers: SAfrica never in danger of losing WCup
LONDON — World Cup organizers say there was never an emergency plan to move the 2010 tournament if South Africa were not ready.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter said the United States was among countries that could host at short notice. But World Cup organizer Danny Jordaan says the only way that could have happened was in the event of a natural disaster.
Jordaan says his country would never have agreed to invest $4.5 billion in infrastructure if soccer's governing body imposed any other contingencies.
"No country will sign that contract unless it is a secure contract," Jordaan said at a tourism conference in East London. "The organizing association has just one provision ... natural disaster destroying infrastructure to such an extent that the country cannot recover in time."
Mexico managed to host the 1986 World Cup just eight months after an earthquake killed about 10,000 people in the country, although the tournament was then just half the size of the 32-nation edition set for South Africa.
Concerns had been raised that South Africa would not be ready to host the competition after construction work on stadiums and transport infrastructure lagged behind schedule. A new rail line from Johannesburg's international airport to Pretoria has been curtailed and things were held up further this year by a construction workers' strike.
But Jordaan said he was never worried.
"Only an act of God that can move the World Cup away," Jordaan said. "God has been merciful, I suppose."
Jordaan said that South Africa had regularly proved itself capable of hosting international showpieces, starting with rugby's 1995 World Cup — just a year after the country's first democratic elections.
"The rugby World Cup, the cricket World Cup, the athletics World Cup and now the football World Cup," Jordaan said. "In golf too: the Presidents Cup and other major events. You cannot mention more than 10 countries in the world with that kind of event profile."
Pointing to the fact that this year's Confederations Cup and British and Irish Lions rugby tour passed without serious incident, Jordaan again denied that the level of crime in South Africa would deter visitors or mar the first World Cup to be held in Africa.
He said South African security forces got experience policing major events by assisting locals at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and last year's Beijing Olympics, but cautioned against fans straying from well-known tourist routes.
"There's clearly a distinction to be made between societal crime in the country and event safety and security," Jordaan said. "They are two separate matters because when you deliver an event, you have all the information.
"If I have 100 percent information of your movements, of your arrival and your departure, I can tell you we will secure you. If I have no information, well, it is more difficult."
League Roundups
Gerrard's disputed penalty earns Liverpool draw
LIVERPOOL, England — Steven Gerrard equalized with a disputed penalty Monday as Liverpool drew 2-2 with Birmingham to fall 11 points behind Premier League leader Chelsea.
Liverpool trailed 2-1 in the 71st minute at Anfield when striker David Ngog went down in the area after a challenge by Lee Carsley, although the Birmingham midfielder clearly made no contact and afterward accused the French striker of cheating.
"He went past me and I was nowhere near (him). It's a joke," Carsley said. "I didn't touch him at all. When (the ref) sees that he will be really disappointed. I know for a fact that, if I went home knowing I'd done something like (Ngog did), I'd be embarrassed.
"We're supposed to be teaching the kids and leading by example, and that's just an embarrassing case of cheating."
Gerrard, having come off the bench despite a lingering groin injury, scored from the spot to keep his team in seventh spot in a horror season that also has Liverpool facing elimination from the group stage of the Champions League.
Liverpool has been beaten six times in its past nine matches in all competitions, drawing twice and winning only once.
"We can talk about the penalty, whether it was or not," Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said. "Maybe it wasn't a penalty, but I think we deserved to win because we had way too many opportunities."
The Reds have 19 points, while Birmingham is 15th with 12 points after a seventh straight league game against Liverpool without losing. Chelsea has 30 points, five ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United. Tottenham has 22, Aston Villa 21 and Man City 20.
Although Fernando Torres was missing with a groin injury, Benitez surprisingly selected Gerrard on the bench and then watched his side go ahead in the 13th minute through Ngog.
Glen Johnson set up the chance with a weaving run down the right. Goalkeeper Joe Hart blocked shots from Ngog and Dirk Kuyt, but Alberto Riera lobbed the ball back toward the Frenchman, who powered it into the roof of the net with a first-time volley.
Birmingham leveled from a free kick in the 26th. Headed passes by Roger Johnson and Liam Ridgewell set up Christian Benitez for an close-range header to score.
Liverpool lost Riera just before halftime with a recurrence of his hamstring trouble and Gerrard went on as his replacement. But the Liverpool captain had not touched the ball before his side fell behind to Cameron Jerome's amazing strike in first-half stoppage time.
The striker collected a headed clearance by teammate Scott Dann, shrugged off a challenge and fired a dipping 30-meter shot that flew past goalkeeper Pepe Reina and under the crossbar.
Gerrard almost made it 2-2 in the 63rd minute when his header hit the outside of the post after a cross from Johnson.
Still, the Liverpool captain equalized in contentious circumstances.
Ngog burst into the area from the left and went down under a challenge from Carsley, although it appeared clear from TV replays that no contact had been made. Referee Peter Walton awarded the spot kick and Gerrard sent Hart the wrong way.
"This is a shame for the game. Why not stay on your feet?" Birmingham manager Alex McLeish said of Ngog's fall. "Peter Walton's a great referee but he's got that one wrong. If we hadn't lost the penalty, I felt we would have won it."
Gerrard lobbed an 18-meter shot over the bar before Liverpool sent on Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani for his home debut with eight minutes remaining but to no avail.
Benfica beats Naval 1-0 to top Portuguese league
LISBON, Portugal — Javi Garcia scored in the 90th minute Monday as Benfica won 1-0 over Naval to go to the top of the Portuguese league.
The Spanish midfielder found the net with a header to cap a long period of pressure by Benfica. Javier Saviola and Angel Di Maria both hit the goal frame.
Benfica has 25 points, the same as Braga but with a better goal difference.
On Saturday, Braga lost 1-0 to Guimaraes for its first defeat of the season. Third-place FC Porto has 22 points after losing 1-0 at Maritimo on Sunday.
League Preview
Real Madrid looks for redemption against Alcorcon
MADRID — Real Madrid will be looking to redeem itself when it faces Alcorcon on Tuesday in the second leg of the fourth round of the Copa del Rey.
The 4-0 loss at Alcorcon in the first leg left Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini's job on the line, but the Spanish club hasn't lost a domestic match since — even with Cristiano Ronaldo out injured.
Now, the team needs to score at least four goals at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, which is expected to be at its 80,000 capacity after the first match was played before 4,000 at Alcorcon's ground in the southern suburbs of the Spanish capital.
"For the pride and history of Real Madrid, we have to win this tie," said Kaka, one of the highest paid players on Madrid's team.
Madrid last overturned a 4-0 deficit during the 1974-75 season when it rallied to knock Las Palmas 5-4 on aggregate.
Raul Gonzalez is likely to start for the first time in four games, while Jose Maria "Guti" Gutierrez will not return against the third-tier club. Pellegrini left Guti out of the team for the fourth straight game since the midfielder exchanged heated words with the Chilean coach at halftime at the Santo Domingo stadium. Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso and Iker Casillas were all left out of the squad, while Sergio Ramos will miss out because of suspension.
Madrid, which hasn't won the Copa del Rey since 1993, is one of several top division clubs needing to overturn a first-leg loss to second division clubs this week.
Almeria trails Hercules 2-1, Celta Vigo leads Tenerife 2-1 and 2009 Copa del Rey finalist Athletic Bilbao must overcome a 2-0 deficit to Rayo Vallecano. Racing Santander coach Juan Carlos Mandia could be on his way out if his team doesn't overturn a 1-0 deficit to Salamanca. Santander is winless in eight overall.
Defending champion Barcelona holds a comfortable 2-0 lead over Cultura Leonesa heading into the Camp Nou on Tuesday, when 11 of the 16 games will be played.
Atletico Madrid hasn't won since a 2-0 result at Marbella and will likely be without injured striker Sergio Arguero. The Argentine's right leg injury is also putting his place in the national team's lineup for an international friendly against Spain at the Vicente Calderon on Saturday in doubt.
"He was slightly injured and couldn't play more minutes than he did since he's at the point of getting more seriously injured," said Atletico coach Quique Sanchez Flores, whose sole victory in four games was the first-leg win.
Aguero has scored three goals in two matches despite the leg injury.
Also, Sevilla, Valencia and Deportivo La Coruna carry first leg wins into their matches against lower-tier clubs. Sporting Gijon and Villarreal both drew 1-1 in their matches.
There are three matches pitting first division clubs against each other, with Osasuna leading Xerez 2-1, Zaragoza and Malaga even at 1-1 and Getafe holding a 2-0 lead over Espanyol.
-- Paul Logothetis
Elsewhere
Torres left out of Spain squad for friendlies
MADRID — Spain coach Vicente del Bosque left Liverpool striker Fernando Torres out of the squad for its upcoming friendlies against Argentina and Austria.
Del Bosque spared Torres from the 23-man list as the 25-year-old forward is currently playing with a hernia problem. Torres has been a regular since 2003, scoring 23 goals in 71 appearances.
"We spoke to him, we spoke to (Liverpool coach) Rafa Benitez and we came to the conclusion it's better not to force him," Del Bosque said on Monday. "We don't want to push him, we want him to recover."
Jesus Navas earned his first call-up with the European champions, having been passed over before because of the Sevilla winger's anxiety worries over long journeys to away matches.
Del Bosque also recalled striker David Villa, who missed Spain's final two World Cup qualifiers with a leg injury. Valencia teammate Pablo Hernandez and Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa also return while Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna was left out as he recovers from injury.
Spain welcomes Diego Maradona's Argentina to the Vicente Calderon on Saturday to celebrate the Spanish federation's 100th anniversary. Del Bosque was looking forward to the match and didn't reproach Maradona for his foul-mouthed tirade against journalists immediately after the Albiceleste qualified for next year's finals in South Africa last month.
"I'm not in a position to criticize Maradona," the former Real Madrid coach said. "We are how we are. We all have our virtues and defects."
Spain will return to Vienna for the first time since its 2008 European Championship triumph to play Austria in another friendly on Nov. 18.
Lahm apologizes for critical interview
MUNICH — Germany defender Philipp Lahm apologized to Bayern Munich on Monday for criticizing the management in a newspaper interview.
The Bayern deputy captain already had been fined an undisclosed sum that the club said was unprecedented. German media speculated that it could have been €50,000 ($75,000).
Lahm appeared before the entire board Monday and apologized after what the club said had been a "very open, comprehensive and constructive talk."
Lahm had criticized Bayern's transfer moves and coach Louis van Gaal's frequent formation changes in an interview published Saturday before the Bundesliga game against Schalke. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
A Bayern statement Sunday said Lahm had violated club rules in a "striking, unforgivable manner" and had broken an "absolute taboo" by publicly criticizing the club, coach and teammates.
It is Bayern's policy that all interviews have to be cleared by the club, which was the case with Lahm.
"Philipp realized that it would have been better to go to the board directly with his opinions," Bayern said, adding that the differences had been "settled."
Italy striker Luca Toni was also fined an undisclosed sum Sunday for leaving the stadium at halftime after being substituted in the match against Schalke. Toni's departure from the stadium without permission was an "unacceptable lack of discipline," Bayern said, describing the Italian's fine as "substantial."
Toni already had apologized to the club Sunday.
Wales and Scotland without key players for match
CARDIFF, Wales — Wales and Scotland will be without key players for Saturday's friendly international because injuries sustained over the weekend.
Wales will be missing captain Craig Bellamy because of a groin injury, while midfielder Simon Davies and defender James Collins have withdrawn because of foot and groin injuries, respectively.
Wales coach John Toshack recalled Robert Earnshaw and Joe Allen, and drafted in Adam Matthews and midfielder Andy Dorman.
Scotland called up goalkeeper Paul Gallacher after Craig Gordon fractured his arm playing for Sunderland. The St. Mirren player made the last of his eight appearances 5½ years ago.
Rangers defender Steven Whittaker could also miss out because of a hamstring problem.
German hooligans attack train; no one injured
FRANKFURT — About 30 masked hooligans attacked a train carrying football fans when it stopped at a train station in Germany, police said Monday.
The hooligans carried baseball bats, iron bars and other weapons and hurled stones when the train stopped Saturday evening in Weddel, near Braunschweig. Police officers accompanying the traveling Hannover fans prevented the two groups from clashing and no one was injured.
One carriage and the train station suffered substantial damage. The assailants, believed to be rival Eintracht Braunschweig supporters, fled in the darkness.
The train was carrying Hannover fans who were returning from Potsdam where the reserve team had played a game.
Braunschweig, which plays in the third division, had a home game Saturday. Braunschweig and Hannover have a bitter rivalry.
Dunga says Ronaldinho can make it to World Cup
SAO PAULO — Brazil coach Dunga says Ronaldinho is still capable of playing for the national team and has not ruled out summoning him for the World Cup in South Africa.
Dunga told the IstoE weekly magazine that it's up to the AC Milan player to show he still has the desire to play well and help Brazil.
Dunga says he wants "to have the best players, but the national team is not only about skill anymore, it's about competitiveness and commitment."
Ronaldinho hasn't played a match with Brazil since April in a World Cup qualifier. He was not picked for Brazil's friendlies against England and Oman later this month in Qatar.
Dunga picks Simplicio to replace injured Ramires
SAO PAULO — Brazil coach Dunga has selected Palermo midfielder Fabio Simplicio to replace injured Benfica player Ramires for the upcoming friendlies against England and Oman.
The Brazilian football confederation said Monday that Ramires was released from the squad because of an unspecified muscle injury. It did not give further details.
Brazil will end its season by playing England on Saturday in Doha and Oman three days later in Muscat.
Local media said AS Roma defender Juan and goalkeeper Doni would also miss the friendlies due to injury, but the confederation says only Ramires will miss the matches.
Brazilian World Cup referee suspended for mistakes
SAO PAULO — A referee chosen to officiate at next year's World Cup has been suspended for the rest of the Brazilian League season for repeated mistakes.
The suspension of Carlos Eugenio Simon was announced Monday by the Brazilian soccer confederation. The confederation cited a "repetition of mistakes."
Simon's latest error came Sunday in Fluminense's 1-0 victory over Palmeiras at Maracana Stadium. Obina scored for Palmeiras in the 28th minute for a 1-0 lead, but Simon disallowed the goal because of a foul call on Obina. Replays appeared to show there was no wrongdoing on the play.
Ronaldo receives libel damages over drink story
LONDON — Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has accepted libel damages from a tabloid newspaper that claimed he drank heavily and danced at a nightclub while recovering from a foot injury in Los Angeles.
Ronaldo, who says he does not drink alcohol, received an undisclosed amount of compensation and an apology from the Daily Mirror when the case came before the High Court on Monday.
Ronaldo said in a statement that he takes training and recovery from injuries seriously, adding that he would never have "gone on a bender" and danced in a nightclub after discarding his crutches as the Mirror claimed in July 2008.
Ashley Cole to be sidelined with leg fracture
LONDON — Chelsea defender Ashley Cole may be sidelined for several weeks with a depressed leg fracture which has already ruled him out of England's friendly against Brazil on Saturday.
Chelsea revealed on Monday that the leftback had aggravated a previous injury which forced him to miss three club matches. He needed a painkilling injection to play in Saturday's 1-0 victory over Manchester United but the condition worsened during the game.
Cole was left out of Fabio Capello's England squad for the game in Doha and Chelsea said he had a depressed fracture of the tibia, an injury first picked up in last month's Champions League 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid.
His England absence means a chance for Manchester City's Wayne Bridge or Aston Villa's Stephen Warnock to shine.
FA warns Wayne Rooney over referee comment
LONDON — Wayne Rooney has been warned about his conduct by the Football Association for mouthing a comment to a TV camera after Manchester United's loss to Chelsea that suggested the referee was biased toward his opponents.
Rooney appeared to say "12th man" as he walked off the field after Man United's 1-0 loss at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and the FA said Monday he had been warned about his future conduct.
United's players were angry that referee Martin Atkinson awarded Chelsea a free kick that led to John Terry's winning goal. The result puts Chelsea five points clear at the top of the Premier League with United slipping to third.
Marseille striker Kone out for 8 days
MARSEILLE, France — Marseille striker Bakari Kone will be sidelined for eight days after injuring his right ankle in a 5-5 draw at Lyon in the French league.
The Ivory Coast player, who scored his team's third goal in Sunday's match but was replaced after one hour, needed seven stitches, Marseille said in a statement on Monday.
Kone left his club to join his Ivory Coast teammates ahead of Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Guinea only "to notify his team about his injury," Marseille said.
Marseille is eighth in the French standings with 19 points from 11 games.
Austria's Schiemer, Drazan out for Spain match
VIENNA — Salzburg defender Franz Schiemer and Rapid Vienna midfielder Christopher Drazan will miss Austria's friendly match against Spain next week with injuries.
Schiemer has a sore thigh muscle and Drazan was ruled out for several weeks Monday after tearing ligaments in his right ankle.
Austria coach Dietmar Constantini, whose side plays European champion Spain in Vienna on Nov. 18, has called up Salzburg midfielder Christoph Leitgeb as a replacement.
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