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Soccer Capsules: All guns blazing at Arsenal
Comments 0 | Recommend 0PARIS — If Arsenal carries on at this rate, there'll be a line as long as a London bus of one-time doubters, this humble hack included, waiting outside manager Arsene Wenger's door to apologize at the end of the season.
"Sorry," we'll say, "You were right to believe that your young players would come good in the end. Right not to spend your way to success. Right to insist that football can be both beautiful to watch and victorious at the same time."
Being an affable chap, Wenger would accept the groveling gracefully. Proving wrong the many people who question his methods at Arsenal is not the primary motivator for this French professor of the round ball.
His soccer philosophy — the word is apt given the deep thought that Wenger puts into his job — is far more profound than simply hoping he will finally be able to crow "I told you so."
When Arsenal finished last of the Premier League's big four clubs last term, trophyless yet again, the reasons seemed glaringly obvious. The squad was too small and immature. It lacked spine, experience and strong leaders.
Buy, buy, buy! fans implored in the offseason. With Manchester City vacuuming up talent with its bottomless wells of Abu Dhabi oil money, Arsenal appeared doomed unless it, too, broke with club tradition and spent heavily.
Yet, except for the reported $16 million wisely paid for Belgium defender Thomas Vermaelen, Wenger stood firm. He largely stuck to the young Gunners he has nurtured so patiently. He refused the quick fix of transfers from a market inflated by the wantonness of City and Real Madrid.
Now, while those big spenders underperform, bargain-basement Arsenal is setting records.
First Premier League team to score 36 goals — the previous highwater mark was 31 — in the first 11 matches and the first to average more than three goals a game in that period. With 25 points and the best goal difference, Arsenal is second as the league breaks for players to fulfill international duties, nearly a third of the way through its season.
When Arsenal routed Everton to make its best ever start to a season, few would have argued with captain Cesc Fabregas' sobering prediction that "we're not going to win 6-1 every day."
No, but they're coming close. Portsmouth, downed 4-1. Wigan, sent packing 4-0. Blackburn, crushed 6-2. Wolverhampton, brushed aside 4-1.
The only blips, and big blips at that: back-to-back defeats at the two Manchesters, United and City, and a 2-2 draw at West Ham that left a straw to clutch to for those who argue that Arsenal still isn't ruthless enough in closing down games when ahead.
Neutrals and those who hope — are there any left? — that money isn't everything in soccer should cross fingers and toes that Arsenal keeps scoring like this and wins something this season. Failure for a fifth consecutive year could not only force Wenger out but also consign to history his belief that teams aren't obliged to spend massively to be champions. Placing so much faith in young players will seem as outdated as candlelight if they finish second-best again to the more free-spending likes of Chelsea and United.
Although soccer, unlike art, doesn't reward beauty just for the sake of it, the artistry, the quick and controlled freedom that Wenger's players are crafting surely deserves some silverware.
Masterpieces like Fabregas' goal on half time against Wolverhampton. Defender Bacary Sagna recovered the ball deep in Arsenal's half, lobbed it wide to Fabregas, sprinted down field, ran onto Fabregas' neat pass and crossed to the lurking Robin van Persie in the box.
With one sharp stroke of his right instep, the Dutch international took the speed off the ball and delivered it like a love letter at the feet of the on-rushing Fabregas.
Time elapsed from Sagna's first touch to Fabregas' near-post goal: 13 seconds. Wolverhampton had six players in their quarter of the field. They could have had 20, it still wouldn't have made any difference against such speedy efficiency.
Arsenal threatens from all over the pitch. Its league goals have come from 12 different players, compared to nine for United and for league leaders Chelsea, and just seven players — mostly the injured Fernando Torres — at sickly Liverpool.
Now, some provisos.
In the Premier League, only half the time has the team with most goals after 11 games held on to win the title. Indeed, in 17 full seasons, the top-scoring team has not won seven times.
Arsenal under Wenger also has something of a history of faltering in November, which he attritibutes partly to the onset of injuries with winter, and of New Year slumps.
So scoring freely now will not be enough.
But it is a good start.
John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jleicester@ap.org
MLS
Fire, Real Salt Lake look to reach MLS Cup
CHICAGO — Chicago Fire goalie Jon Busch has enjoyed watching Cuauhtemoc Blanco the past three seasons and doesn't want the "circus" to end.
Real Salt Lake would love nothing more than to pull down the tent.
With a spot in the MLS Cup up for grabs, there is certainly no shortage of story lines as these teams prepare to meet in the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday in Bridgeview, Ill.
There's Blanco's pending departure and the Fire's desire to keep the "circus," as Busch put it, surrounding the Mexican superstar going a little longer. There's reports that Real owner Dave Checketts is negotiating to sell nearly half the franchise to local real estate developer Dell Loy Hansen. And there's the simple fact that both teams are trying to break through to the MLS Cup after falling in the conference finals a year ago, with the Fire going down in the East and Real losing in the West.
"We've been very, very up and down and at times maddeningly inconsistent," Real coach Jason Kreis said Wednesday in a conference call. "But what we have shown this year is when we're good, we're very, very good."
And, after finishing fifth in the Western Conference, Real looked sharp in knocking off Columbus in the Eastern semifinals, scoring the final three goals in a 3-2 victory on Nov. 5 to take a series win on a 4-2 aggregate.
Now, they'll try to take out Chicago, the runner-up to Columbus in the East during the regular season with 45 points and a loser in the conference finals the past two years.
This time, the Fire are looking to advance to the MLS Cup and delay the departure of Blanco, who signed with Chicago in 2007 and is headed back to Mexico to play for Veracruz.
"Everywhere we go, people want to come out and see him," Busch said. "They don't really want to see us, but they want to see him. It's pretty cool to see that circus that follows him around. He's been great in the locker room with the guys, just trying to be one of the guys. Obviously, on the field, his vision that he brings, not many people can do that. Obviously, that helps us in the game situations. I think all in all, it's been a good situation for the Chicago Fire to have over the last two years."
Blanco didn't play in the two regular-season games against Salt Lake. Even so, the Fire got the better of Real.
Chicago pulled out a 1-0 win at home on Aug. 1 on Patrick Nyarko's header in the 76th minute, and played to a 1-1 tie at Salt Lake on Sept. 12. Now, Real will have to contend with Blanco, who has come on strong after being limited by nagging injuries.
The veteran midfielder was at his best in a 2-0 victory over New England last week that gave Chicago the series win, scoring one goal and setting up another, to lead the Fire back to the conference finals for the third straight year.
"They have a good midfield group, and not only Blanco, but we're going to have our eyes on all the attacking options," Real midfielder Andy Williams said.
Starting with Blanco.
"He's a player that sees passes and can make plays that the majority of players can't, to be completely honest," Kreis said. "You've got to be aware when he's on the ball, what else is happening? What are the other runs? Who's getting in behind you? He can see those passes and complete those passes a lot of people can't."
-- Andrew Seligman
World Cup qualifying
Kiwis happy with home advantage against Bahrain
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand expects home advantage to play a decisive role in its must-win qualifier against Bahrain on Saturday, helping it to reach the World Cup for the first time in 27 years.
The magnitude of that advantage has become an issue in the week before the intercontinental playoff as Bahrain media suggested New Zealand might go as far as heavily watering the pitch before Saturday's match to make conditions less favorable to the visitors.
The Gulf News said Bahrain was "90 minutes away from making the dream of playing in next year's finals in South Africa a reality" and "simply must not lose," though it acknowledged New Zealand's home edge.
"The game will be played in gusting winds, on a boggy pitch against a bunch of bruisers who want to stamp their authority on the tie," the newspaper said. "Groundsmen are understood to be planning to further soak the pitch should it look like drying because they believe playing on a heavy surface will prove advantageous to the home side."
New Zealanders say there's no such plan to soak the ground, although they're looking forward to forecast strong, cold southerly winds and rain, and temperatures around 11 Celsius (52 Fahrenheit) when the match kicks off at 8 p.m. local time.
Bahrain's decision to base itself in Australia for most of the past week, rather than to acclimatize in New Zealand, has surprised its opponents. New Zealand captain Ryan Nelsen said he was hoping for "a good, dirty southerly, some beautiful Wellington wind, and a nice bit of sleet" to chill the Bahrainis.
Training in Sydney's temperatures of around 25C (77F) before braving Wellington's colder weather may have been a tactical error, Nelsen said. He was surprised Bahrain had delayed its arrival in Wellington until late Thursday, leaving it time only for one full training session before kickoff.
"There's a two-hour difference from Australia and the weather's going to be completely different," Nelsen said.
Bahrain coach Milan Macala was unconcerned about the disparity in conditions.
"The players do not feel intimidated at all about the new environment or the weather conditions," he was quoted as saying. "In fact, it is easier for footballers to play in the cold. They soon warm up.
"Everyone is feeling good about the upcoming game and I believe we have a pretty good chance."
Bahrain enter the match with a better than even chance of advancing to the finals for the first time — it was knocked out at the same stage ahead of 2006.
The teams drew 0-0 when they met in the first leg in the Bahrain capital of Manama in September. New Zealand hailed that result as a moral victory but the draw leaves Bahrain at an advantage under the tournament's away goals rule.
Another 0-0 draw will take the Wellington match into extra time and, if the winner is undecided, into a penalty shootout.
New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert is likely to stick with the formation he used for the first leg in Bahrain. Former Fulham midfielder Simon Elliott is in doubt for the match with a hip injury and will be replaced by Mike McGlinchey, causing the only change to the Kiwi side from the first leg.
Leo Bertos and Tony Lochhead, who played wing back roles in Manama, are likely to be encouraged to push forward on Saturday, though New Zealand is wary of Bahrain's speed on the counterattack.
"Ricki's showing attacking signs going into the game so it's good for us," striker Shane Smeltz said.
"We certainly need to do that at home. We obviously want to get more goal scoring opportunities than we did in the last game."
A crowd of 35,000, the largest for a football match in New Zealand's history, will watch Saturday's match, hoping their team can reach the Cup finals for the first time since 1982.
A small contingent of Bahrain supporters have followed their side to New Zealand.
-- Steve McMorran
French players ready to face Ireland
PARIS — Raymond Domenech believes his players have gained enough experience from their troubled qualifying campaign and need no extra motivation to face Ireland in the World Cup playoffs.
France plays Ireland for a place at next year's World Cup in South Africa, with the first match at Croke Park on Saturday and the return at Stade de France four days later.
"There's no need to add any more pressure," Domenech said Wednesday.
France is bidding to reach its fourth straight World Cup after failing to qualify for the 1990 and 1994 tournaments.
Domenech believes the difficult qualifying campaign, in which France finished second behind Serbia in Group 7, has strengthened the players' resolve.
"There are games where you don't need any external pressure," Domenech said. "It already exists, the players want to go to the World Cup. The pressure is internal.
"If the players don't feel it now — and that's what I warned them about — it means that we've made a mistake, that we don't belong here."
Domenech's team struggled for consistency during its qualifying campaign, losing 3-1 to Austria and drawing with Romania and Serbia. But last month's 3-1 win against Austria was an encouraging performance.
France's squad is complete with Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra arriving after playing in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.
"Normally you have to push players a bit, but here you should just let them arrive and ease into the match," Domenech said. "Small talk, about what's going on in their clubs, is more relaxing."
Domenech has refrained from criticizing his opponents, but the mind games have started in the Irish camp.
Ireland defender Richard Dunne criticized Domenech in Wednesday's Guardian newspaper, saying the coach could be the weak link when the two teams meet.
Although France was eliminated from last year's European Championship in the group stages after losing to the Netherlands and Italy, Domenech did take France to the final of the 2006 World Cup — where it lost to Italy on penalty kicks.
France has often endured a tense relationship with its fans, and the team has been regularly jeered at home games. But Domenech hopes the French supporters will get firmly behind the team this time.
"The fans (must) put a nice kind of pressure on us: 'We believe in you, we love you, we want to show you we're here,'" he said.
-- Jerome Pugmire
Dunne criticizes France coach ahead of WCup match
DUBLIN — Ireland defender Richard Dunne accused Raymond Domenech of messing up a talented France team and said Wednesday he believes the coach could be the weak link when the two teams meet in the World Cup playoffs.
Dunne said he did not think Domenech was good enough to turn things around if Ireland won Saturday's first leg in Dublin. They meet again in at Stade de France next Wednesday.
"Every time a tournament comes round, (France) have all these world-class players and then a man who seems intent on messing them up," Dunne said in Wednesday's edition of the Guardian newspaper. "Over the last World Cups and European Championships, things have not run smoothly for France. They've always got through but maybe it's time that we put a stop to that."
The Ireland-France match is one of four playoffs of teams who finished second in their qualifying groups. The other games are Russia vs. Slovenia, Portugal vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece vs. Ukraine.
Ireland failed to qualify for the last World Cup in 2006 and for the last two European Championships in 2004 and '08. France, which won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, was the runner-up at the 2006 World Cup.
But Dunne believes the French can be beaten, especially if Ireland wins the home leg.
"We know that if we can get in front, they probably have not got the man at the top to pull them back around," Dunne said. "(Domenech's management) could be a weakness or it could be a big smoke screen. France have played really well in their last few games. But if we can get on top of them and try to turn the game into a battle, we feel we have the stronger personalities."
Ireland has lost midfielder Liam Miller for the game because of a calf muscle injury.
Sudan to host Egypt-Algeria WCup playoff in needed
ZURICH — Sudan will be the neutral venue if an African World Cup qualifying playoff match is needed between Group C rivals Egypt and Algeria.
FIFA made the draw Wednesday with Egypt's choice of neighboring Sudan being selected instead of Algeria's preferred choice Tunisia.
If required, the match will be played next Wednesday.
Egypt and group leader Algeria play their final qualifier on Saturday in Cairo. A two-goal victory for Egypt would leave the two nations tied on points, goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head record and requiring a single playoff match.
The winner in Sudan would advance to next year's World Cup in South Africa.
League Roundup
Athletic Bilbao out of Copa del Rey after draw
MADRID — Athletic Bilbao was knocked out of the Copa del Rey after drawing 2-2 against second-tier Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday.
Bilbao, a 23-time cup winner, failed to overturn the 2-0 first-leg deficit for an aggregate of 4-2.
Bilbao was unlucky not to score several times early on with Fernando Llorente leading the attack. His long-range shot in the 12th minute was centimeters (inches) wide of the left post and minutes later he struck the crossbar.
Llorente finally got on the scoreboard in the 43rd when he rose to meet Markel Susaeta's cross with his head and the ball rebounded in off defender Jorge Andujar's foot.
However, Rayo's Juan Jose Collantes effectively buried the hopes of last year's finalist in the 73rd with a first-time shot off the inside of his boot from a looping pass over the Bilbao defense.
Xavi Martinez struck back moments later, heading in from a free kick.
In the 78th, Eduard Albacar sealed Rayo's passage through the round-of-32 when he equalized with a free kick.
Getafe also advanced following a 1-1 draw against Espanyol after securing a 2-0 advantage in the first leg.
The Madrid team's striker Roberto Soldado controlled a long pass in the 21st minute and shot past goalkeeper Cristian Alvarez.
In the 37th, Getafe's Jordi Codina did well to get a hand to Ivan Alonso's header from five meters (yards) although the forward followed through on the rebound to equalize.
A total of 14 yellow cards were awarded in a bad-tempered match.
Racing Santander went through beating Salamanca 4-1 and 4-2 on aggregate.
Pedro Perico scored in the 21st for second-division Salamanca. However, Congolese striker Mohammed Tchite's hat trick rescued the first-division team and Francisco Jimenez scored the fourth.
Alhassane Keita's goal for Mallorca in the 41st was enough to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg against Valladolid due to the away goals rule.
On Tuesday, Real Madrid crashed out of the Copa del Rey after losing 4-1 on aggregate to third-tier Alcorcon, while defending champion Barcelona advanced with a 5-0 victory over Cultural Leonesa.
Hercules defends its 2-1 lead at Almeria on Thursday.
Elsewhere
Germany stunned by Enke's suicide death
HANNOVER, Germany — The suicide death of Robert Enke left Germany stunned Wednesday, sending the soccer-obsessed country into mourning and leaving the national team without its top goalkeeper for next year's World Cup.
Enke's widow appeared at a news conference, broadcast live throughout the country, saying her husband battled depression for years before he stepped onto the tracks and got hit by an express train Tuesday evening not far from his home.
"I tried to be there for him," Teresa Enke said, choking back tears. "When he was acutely depressive, it was a difficult time. We thought we'd manage everything. We thought with love, we could do it. But you can't."
Hundreds of people filed into Marktkirche, a Lutheran church, on Wednesday evening to attend a religious service and then march silently to Hannover's soccer stadium to honor Enke, who was the local club's captain.
The memorial service was conducted by Bishop Margot Kaessmann, the first woman ever elected to lead the nation's Protestants.
"The death of this athlete shows that soccer is not everything in our life," Kaessmann said. "Behind popularity and success there could be profound loneliness and desperation."
Kaessmann closed by saying, in English, "You'll Never Walk Alone," the title of a song adopted by Liverpool fans and supporters of other soccer teams, including German clubs.
Enke's widow was the first to light a candle.
Germany coach Joachim Loew and captain Michael Ballack were among those attending the service, and the German soccer federation canceled an exhibition against Chile slated for Saturday. Hannover canceled all practice until Monday.
Loew said the national team could not simply go back to business as usual.
"We lost a friend. We deeply mourn Robert Enke," Loew said. "I feel completely empty. He was a great guy. He had incredible respect for others. We will miss him, as a top-class sportsman and an extraordinary man."
Enke had a good chance of being Germany's starting goalkeeper at next year's World Cup in South Africa. He is the second Germany player known to have suffered from depression. Talented Bayern Munich midfielder Sebastian Deisler quit soccer in January 2007 after several bouts of depression and five knee operations.
"I can assure you — we owe Robert Enke that — German soccer will use all its capabilities to find an answer to the question of how a young athlete celebrated by so many as an idol could land in such a situation," German soccer federation president Theo Zwanziger said.
"We need time to come to terms with everything and not superficially."
National broadcasters prepared special programs dedicated to Enke, praised as a generous man who established a foundation to help children with a heart disorder that killed his 2-year-old daughter in 2006.
Enke and his wife adopted a girl in May who is now 8 months old, and Teresa Enke said her husband hid his illness because he was afraid the infant would be taken away from the family if his depression became known.
She said her 32-year-old husband had been afraid that he would lose "his sport, our private life," if news of his illness became public.
Police said Enke left a suicide note and that there were no indications his death was anything but a suicide.
Valentin Markser, a doctor who treated Enke, said the goalkeeper first sought treatment of depression in 2003, when he lost his starting place at Spanish club Barcelona and developed anxieties and fear of failure.
Enke again sought treatment in early October, after developing a mysterious illness. Doctors took several weeks to determine that he had a bacterial intestinal infection.
In his suicide note, Enke apologized to his family and the staff treating him for deliberately misleading them into believing he was better, "which was necessary in order to carry out the suicide plans," Markser said.
"Despite daily treatment, we did not succeed in preventing his suicide," the doctor said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent a "very personal" note to Enke's widow to convey her "consternation and compassion," government spokesman Christoph Steegmans said. Many other top politicians sent their sympathies.
Enke had not been selected for Saturday's match and Wednesday's game against Ivory Coast in Gelsenkirchen because he had only recently returned from the intestinal infection and had played only two Bundesliga games since then.
The illness had kept him sidelined for nine weeks and forced him to miss four Germany games.
Enke made his national team debut in a 1-0 loss to Denmark in March 2007. His last game was a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan on Aug. 12. He also played 196 Bundesliga games.
After Jens Lehmann retired following last year's European Championship, Enke was promoted to No. 1 for Germany but was slowed by a broken hand.
In Barcelona, club president Joan Laporta said: "I knew him personally and he was a very well educated, correct guy. Barcelona is in mourning over the death of Robert Enke."
Enke first sought help after he was blamed for Barcelona's loss to a second-division team in his debut and was dropped from the first team by then-coach Louis van Gaal, now in charge at Bayern Munich.
Born in the former East German city of Jena and starting his career there, Enke also played for Borussia Moenchengladbach, Benfica, Tenerife and Fenerbahce, which he left after one game because of a hostile reaction by fans over a poor performance. He joined Hannover in 2004.
-- Juergen Voges
UEFA picks experts to monitor top clubs' finances
NYON, Switzerland — UEFA has selected a team of independent experts to monitor the finances at European football clubs.
UEFA said Wednesday that former Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene and eight financial, management and legal consultants have formed the Club Financial Control Panel, which can inspect accounts and recommend banning clubs from the Champions League.
They include former Celtic chairman Brian Quinn, who was once the Bank of England's deputy governor.
UEFA president Michel Platini wants the panel to help create "financial fair play" across Europe's 53 football nations.
"This marks the start of a new era in European football," Platini said in a statement. "Financial fair play is a top priority for UEFA in order to achieve more transparency and guarantee equality in our competitions."
Platini believes high spending on player transfers and salaries can't be sustained, and wants clubs to break even on football-related business by 2012.
He has claimed support from billionaire owners Roman Abramovich from Chelsea and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of AC Milan.
UEFA believes that more than half of Europe's top-tier clubs lose money every year despite lucrative television rights and sponsorship deals.
It wants clubs to stop trying to buy instant success and instead invest in long-term projects, such as stadiums and training facilities for young players.
UEFA's ruling executive voted in September to back Platini's policy and toughen up the system of issuing licenses, which clubs already require before being allowed to enter its competitions like the Champions League and Europa League.
The governing body hopes to publish detailed rules next year that will set clubs a standard of financial management to aim for by 2012, and which will be policed by the new panel.
"I am confident that we will be able to monitor and oversee the financial fair-play system that will ultimately lead to a more stable financial regulation of European football," Dehaene said.
Dehaene's team, which met for the first time Tuesday at UEFA's headquarters, is drawn from eight different nations and composed mainly of academics.
It also includes Jacobo Beltran (Spain), Egon Franck (Germany), Umberto Lago (Italy), Johan Lokhorst (Netherlands), Petros Mavroidis (Greece) and Yves Wehrli (France).
England's representative, Brian Lomax, was managing director of Supporters Direct, a non-profit body that helps fans take a bigger and more democratic role in how their clubs are run.
France names its 12 venues for Euro 2016 bid
PARIS — France has named the 12 venues it hopes will be able to host the 2016 European Championship.
The French football federation said Wednesday that stadiums in Bordeaux, Lens, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nancy, Nice, Paris, Saint-Denis, Saint-Etienne, Strasbourg and Toulouse could all be used if France hosts Euro 2016.
Matches would be played at nine venues, while the three others would be backups.
France must hand in its candidature in February, with UEFA announcing the winner next May. Other single bids have been received from Italy and Turkey, while Sweden and Norway are making a joint bid.
France won the European Championship when it last hosted the tournament in 1984, with the final at Parc des Princes in Paris.
Luisao to miss Brazil matches after appendectomy
SAO PAULO — Brazil defender Luisao will miss the team's upcoming friendlies against England and Oman after undergoing an appendectomy.
Benfica says Luisao underwent the emergency procedure on Tuesday night, just before he was to report to the Brazilian national team.
Benfica said on its Web site Wednesday the surgery was successful and Luisao should be released from the hospital in three days.
The Brazilian football confederation did not immediately say if another defender would be summoned for Brazil's matches against England on Saturday in Doha and Oman three days later in Muscat.
Two days ago, Benfica teammate Ramires had already been dropped from the Brazilian squad because of a muscle injury.
Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa out for 3 months
LONDON — Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa has had knee surgery and will be out of action for about three months.
Bosingwa is the second Chelsea defender with a serious injury. Left back Ashley Cole has a depressed fracture of the tibia, although he will not require surgery.
Chelsea said Wednesday on its Web site that Bosingwa "underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee this week. His recovery time will be approximately three months."
The Portugal right back and Cole have played a key role in Chelsea's success this season, adding attacking options and helping the London club concede the fewest goals in the Premier League with eight in 12 games.
Fluminense wins away in Copa Sudamericana semis
ASUNCION, Paraguay — A solo goal from striker Fred gave Fluminense of Brazil a 1-0 win against host Cerro Porteno in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana semifinals on Wednesday.
River Plate of Uruguay hosts Liga de Quito of Ecuador on Thursday in the other semifinal.
Fluminense dominated the early exchanges against Cerro Porteno, but home goalkeeper Diego Barreto produced a string of fine saves to keep the scoreline blank at halftime.
Former Lyon striker Fred finally got the breakthrough in the 76th minute, controlling a long kick by goalkeeper Rafael before advancing into the box and striking low past Barreto.
The return leg will be played in Rio de Janeiro next week.
J-League club seeks financial help
OITA, Japan — Struggling Oita Trinita will ask for financial assistance from a special J-League reserve fund after revenue and sponsorship fell well below expectations this season.
Oita, which was relegated to the second division, plans to borrow from the a J-League fund set up for clubs in financial difficulties. Oita did not specify the amount but media reports said the figure was in the range of $2.2 million.
"It has been very difficult to raise funds," Oita club president Hiroshi Mizohata said Wednesday. "We have been unable to obtain funds by ourselves and will have to slim down the scale of our business operations."
With the loss of Brazilians Ueslei and Roberto, Oita has struggled this season. The team was relegated on Oct. 24 after a 1-1 draw with Kyoto Sanga. Maruhan Corp., a leisure-related business giant, has pumped $14.5 million into the club since July 2005, but it has decided not to renew its sponsorship for next season.
The economic downturn has taken a big toll on many sports in Japan.
Last week Toyota, the world's largest automaker, withdrew its team from Formula One, leaving no Japanese teams on the grid.
Japan under curfew in South Africa
TOKYO — Japan's football team is subject to a security curfew ahead of Saturday's friendly with 2010 World Cup host South Africa.
Japan's players have been instructed not to leave their hotel after dark while they are in South Africa for the match in Durban.
"The players are free to go to the beach in front of the hotel, but we've told them not to go out after dark," Ichirota Fukushi, the team's media relations director, told The Associated Press via telephone from South Africa.
South Africa has one of the worst crime rates in the world, putting the government under pressure to show that safety is improving ahead of next year's World Cup.
South Africa's murder rate — one of the world's highest — has dropped slightly, but the country faces a distressing rise in rapes, robberies and hijackings, according to South African police figures released in September.
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