Soccer Capsules: Obama wishes U.S. soccer team luck in World Cup
WASHINGTON — Barack Obama gave the U.S. World Cup team a presidential sendoff, greeting players at the White House on Thursday along with Vice President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton.
"I just want to say how incredibly proud we are of the team," Obama said. "Everybody’s going to be rooting for you. And although sometimes we don’t remember it here in the United States, this is going to be the biggest world stage there is. And you’re going to be representing all of us."
Biden intends to attend the U.S. opener against England on June 12 in Rustenburg, South Africa. Clinton is honorary chairman of the bid committee trying to bring the World Cup back to the U.S. in 2018 or 2022.
"We’re going to be proud of what you do when you get to South Africa, and you will have somebody in the Oval Office who’s going to be watching ESPN to make sure that things are going OK," Obama said.
Biden also gave the players a tour of the White House.
"I had been there once before with the Olympic team. This time around, it was pretty awesome." goalkeeper Tim Howard said.
While their soccer skills got the players into the White House, it was their fashion sense that caught the eye of the leaders. Clinton told the players he wants to join the team just for their stylish tan dress shoes. Obama agreed they were "good-looking" shoes.
"They had a sense of humor and gave us a real nice tour," forward Jozy Altidore said. "Overall, it was just an exciting part of the day."
After the White House visit, the team traveled to Philadelphia and worked out at the Eagles’ NovaCare Complex ahead of Saturday’s exhibition against Turkey at Lincoln Financial Field. The team leaves the following day for South Africa.
More than 48,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday’s game, the next-to-last warmup before the U.S. opens against England.
"We’ve been working really hard to get ready for the World Cup," midfielder Clint Dempsey said. "I think the team is confident. It would be nice to go into South Africa with a solid performance against Turkey. We’ll be ready to play Saturday, and I think the guys on this team believe in each other and what we’re trying to accomplish."
While Howard, Dempsey and Landon Donovan were given the night off for Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Czech Republic in East Hartford, Conn., the lineup Saturday should be closer to the team’s first-choice selection.
The other first-round games, against Slovenia on June 18 and versus Algeria on June 23, are too far off to think about.
"We’re focused on Saturday, first and foremost," Howard said. "Then we’re focused on England. We can’t worry about what might happen beyond that. I think we’re in the right frame of mind as we get ready to start the World Cup."
FC Dallas and Fire play to 1-1 draw
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — David Ferreira of FC Dallas and Brian McBride of the Chicago Fire scored in the first half, but the teams failed to produce any other offense in a 1-1 draw on Thursday night. The game featured only five shots, three by Chicago. FC Dallas garnered the only shot in the second half.
Dallas (2-2-6, 12 points) went ahead when Ferreira scored unassisted in the sixth minute. Ferreira and Fire defender Wilman Conde ran side by side to chase down a long looping ball, but Conde fell.
Ferreira then dribbled around him near the top corner of the box. Fire defender C.J. Brown charged over but ran past Ferreira, who sidestepped him and had a clear look at the top left corner past goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra.
The tying goal was scored when Justin Mapp used a full-leg kick to send the ball from near midfield into the box. McBride got behind defender George John for position and made a crisp header past goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.
The Fire's best chance to score in the second half came in the five minutes of stoppage time. A corner kick reached the far post, where Baggio Husidic and Dasan Robinson each got a foot on the ball while Hartman was out of position. Neither could get a clear shot on goal. The Fire, who failed to score in two international friendlies last week, has a four-game winless streak in MLS play.
Portsmouth to tour U.S. in preseason
PORTSMOUTH, England — Portsmouth will play an exhibition game at DC United on July 24 to complete its first tour of the Americas since going to South America in 1951.
Portsmouth will leave for California on July 12, two days after an exhibition at Havant & Waterlooville, and will play Mexico's Club America at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium on July 14. It will play an Edmonton select team on July 21 and finish the tour at RFK Stadium. Pompey was last in the Premier League at 7-24-7 last season and was relegated to the League Championship.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Bolton also have preseason U.S. tours. In addition, Club America will play Cruz Azul at the Rose Bowl in Pasadana, Calif., on July 10.
RSL to visit White House
SANDY, Utah — Real Salt Lake has added a stop during next week's road trip to Washington. The defending MLS Cup champions are scheduled to visit the White House on June 4 and be congratulated by President Barack Obama for winning the league title last season.
Salt Lake is playing twice next week against D.C. United. The first game is Wednesday in a U.S. Open Cup qualifier and the second on Saturday is a regular-season MLS game. The players will also take part in a service project Thursday at the National Mall.
DC United MF Barklage undergoes MRI on left knee
WASHINGTON — D.C. United midfielder Brandon Barklage is awaiting the results of an MRI on his left knee. Barklage was examined Thursday for a possible torn ACL. Results are expected Friday.
Barklage was hurt during Wednesday night's exhibition against AC Milan. He initially appeared to have an injured ankle as he was taken off on a stretcher in the second half.
St. Louis women's pro soccer team folds
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Athletica of Women's Professional Soccer has folded because of financial problems. The team made the announcement on its website Thursday, blaming a "funding crisis" that left the team without enough money to end the 2010 WPS season. The team said its players would be available as free agents June 1.
The announcement said WPS will reconfigure the remaining 2010 schedule as a seven-team league. WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci said the league and U.S. Soccer considered other options, but "a severe funding gap in St. Louis," forced the franchise to close.
Mexico Soccer
Hernandez joining Man U after getting work permit
MANCHESTER, England — Mexican forward Javier Hernandez is joining Manchester United from Chivas after being granted a work permit by the British authorities.
Hernandez, on his nation's World Cup roster, is the first Mexican player to join the 18-time English champions. He already has passed a medical examination and agreed to a contract. Convincing Britain's Home Office to allow him to work here was the last hurdle to be cleared.
Hernandez is joining United on July 1, but the 21-year-old forward will be allowed time off after the World Cup. His first game for the Red Devils is set to be at former club Chivas on July 30 in an exhibition to open the new 45,000-seat stadium in Guadalajara.
Hernandez is known in Mexico by his nickname "Chicharito," which translates roughly as "little sweet pea."
World Cup
Brazil arrives at WCup and says: Please stay away
JOHANNESBURG — Brazil arrived at the World Cup on Thursday saying it will be less friendly to fans and the media as it was four years ago. The players and coaches hope to avoid the euphoria they blame for their elimination in the quarterfinals at Germany 2006.
Brazil moved into its training camp with the usual expectations that accompany the five-time world champions, but coach Dunga quickly made it clear that the team will try to keep as much distance as possible from the hype surrounding them.
"From the first day we said the priority is the national team," Dunga said. "Everything else comes later. We need to have a certain balance when it comes to the work of the national team."
The Brazilian Football Confederation said through its spokesman in the team's first news conference in South Africa that what happened in the 2006 World Cup "did not work" and will not happen again.
The team's 2006 buildup in the lakeside resort town of Weggis, Switzerland, was marked by a partying atmosphere that players and coaches said was detrimental to the team. Thousands of fans were allowed to follow nearly all of Brazil's practices and the media had daily access to nearly all of the players. Brazil fell to France 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
The media will have access to only some players this time, and fans will not likely be able to watch the team's practices.
"People often complain that we are being harsh," Dunga said. "Sometimes you don't need to give access to everything we do."
Brazil has always been one of the teams which gave the most access to fans and the media, but not this time.
"We want you to think about it and see if it's really necessary to have so many TV cameras pointed to the players' rooms here," confederation spokesman Rodrigo Paiva said.
Brazil is staying at the five-star Hotel Fairway inside a golf club in Randburg. The team will practice at a nearby school, but only the media is expected to have access to parts of trainings. Brazil players underwent a physical conditioning session at the hotel on Thursday and would get to the field for the first time on Friday.
The players first reported to the national team in the Brazilian city of Curitiba last Friday for a series of physicals. The focus of the preparations in Brazil was to work on the players' fitness.
Inter Milan players Maicon and Lucio, who had been given a few extra days off after helping the Italian club win the Champions League last Saturday, joined the rest of the group on Thursday. Goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who also was given time off, reported to the squad earlier this week. Dunga said the team was extra motivated for the World Cup.
"We know the responsibility we have in a World Cup," said Dunga, who captained Brazil to the 1994 title. "We are all motivated to do our job and reach our goal."
Brazil will play friendlies against Zimbabwe in Harare on June 2 and Tanzania on June 7. Zimbabwe tourism minister Walter Mzembi said earlier this month that Brazil asked for a $1.8 million appearance fee to play in Zimbabwe, but on Thursday he wouldn't reveal what Zimbabwe paid. All he would say was that the fee was being funded by the government and local sponsors including a cell phone company, a mining company and the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe.
Brazil will play two matches in Johannesburg in the group stage — against North Korea at Ellis Park on June 15 and against Ivory Coast at Soccer City Stadium on June 20. The team's final Group G match, against Portugal on June 25, will be in Durban.
The Brazilians were greeted by local organizing committee chairman Irvhin Khoza.
"You can see that they are confident and serious about this tournament," he said. "The arrival of Brazil gives great confidence to all South Africans that this World Cup is really happening."
-- Gerald Imray and Tales Azzoni
Unions ask companies to let staff watch WCup games
LONDON — Britain's trade unions are asking companies to let employees watch the World Cup at work to prevent them from faking sickness during England matches.
After many workers called in sick during the 2006 World Cup, the Trade Union Council said Thursday that companies should allow televisions in the workplace or introduce flexible working hours during the June 11-July 11 tournament.
England's group matches against the United States and Algeria are scheduled to kickoff in the evening but its June 23 game with Slovenia, which could decide whether England progresses to the next round, starts at 3 p.m. British Summer Time (1400 GMT).
"The best way to ease tensions is for employers to discuss the issue with staff," TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said. "Rather than impose a blanket ban on football and run the risk of demotivating staff and losing hours through unauthorized sick days, we would encourage employers to let people watch the games if they like and claim back their time afterwards.
"That way, everyone wins."
A study by accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers said that 53 percent of British men and 21 percent of women planned to watch World Cup matches during office hours. PWC said that 5 percent of all staff said they would watch without permission or pretend to be ill, with another 20 percent taking annual leave or using flexible hours to ensure they are free.
"There is huge goodwill to be gained from accommodating flexible working requests or allowing staff to take a couple of hours out," said Michael Rendell, leader of PWC's human resource services. "With pay rises scarce and bonus pools down, this is a great way to thank and engage staff."
England's final group match is its only one likely to affect those working traditional office hours. If England progresses to the second round or beyond, it can only be involved in fixtures scheduled for evenings or weekends.
"People in England work the longest hours in Europe and we believe rigid working hours contribute to their unhappiness," Barber said. "Allowing people more flexibility makes them happier and ultimately more productive for their employers."
The TUC added that companies needed to be mindful of the fact that many workers in Britain will be supporting other nations.
Although Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland did not qualify for the showpiece, the last national census in 2001 showed that 8.3 percent of Britain's population was born overseas.
-- Stuart Condie
Heysel still has its impact 25 year later
BRUGES, Belgium — After living through the Heysel Stadium tragedy first hand 25 years ago, FIFA medical chief Michel D'Hooghe knows the importance of planning.
For the World Cup in South Africa, D'Hooghe went through the long list of emergency preparations — available doctors, nearby hospitals, first aid — in case the unthinkable would happen, a disaster at a World Cup stadium.
"You cannot foresee everything," D'Hooghe said. "But I can assure you that never have so many precautions been taken. We have prepared for everything possible."
On May 29, 1985, 39 fans died — many crushed to death — when they tried to flee a rush by hooligans at the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus at Heysel.
That final was held in a decrepit stadium and entry was badly checked. Despite a strong police force, there was little-to-no security action to contain the deadly rush. To have it happen at the European Cup final changed things forever. Twenty-five years later, the effects are still felt.
"At that moment, people opened their eyes," D'Hooghe said in an interview with The Associated Press.
As a Belgian federation official, he had to take care of a Liverpool club delegation. He still remembers the chaos was such that he only learned the number of casualties hours later when he arrived home in Bruges in the middle of the night.
"And as always, they only put a red traffic light after an accident has happened," D'Hooghe said.
Compounded by the Bradford disaster three weeks earlier in northern England when 56 people died in a stadium fire, and the 1989 Hillsborough disaster in Sheffield when 96 fans were crushed to death against fences, football changed its ways in Europe.
Up to then, football grounds were basically male bastions, often dank, brick, elementary structures rife with bad standing-only views, awful sanitation and almost no concession stands.
"The Heysel disaster really woke everyone up to the fact that it was not just about hooliganism but that it was about infrastructure and the management of crowds," said Simon Inglis, an architectural historian who wrote The Football Grounds of Europe.
Move ahead to June 11, 2010, to the 94,000-seat Soccer City stadium and site of the opening match of the World Cup. The lessons still apply there, too.
Marc Meire remembers first hand what Heysel was like and, as the civil engineer for the Grinaker-LTA contracting company, was in charge of building the World Cup's main stadium. He never wants anyone to go through something like Heysel again.
In 1982, three years ahead of the disaster, security at Heysel was not much better, and Belgian-born Meire still remembers how he got squeezed in a crush at the ground after a grudge match against the Netherlands.
"It is very uncomfortable when your feet loose contact with the ground and you can't breathe," Meire said. "I will never forget the scared face of young boy squeezed between me and his helpless father."
So having built Soccer City, he knows where security fits in.
"It is top of the list. Arguably more important than spectator comfort and iconic design," he said. "Heysel made an impact on crowd control and access and evacuation. Hillsborough made us look at spectator fences."
South African football has had a tragedy, too. In 2001, 43 people died in a crush at a game between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, the country's best-known teams, at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
"The Ellis Park disaster, where people got trampled at the access gates, showed the necessity for second, wider access control," Meire said.
Wide perimeter fencing away from the stadium is another prime feature around Soccer City.
That stadium will also be the latest example of what football designers have learned since the tragedies of the 1980s. Since the Heysel disaster, architects looked at stadiums in the United States and realized that the family and comfort had to be at the heart of the football experience.
"Good access, comfortable seats, good sight lines, good ventilation, pleasant and attractive surroundings, etc., reduce the levels of frustration and anxiety, thereby increasing the tolerance levels," Meire said.
One thing is still missing.
"If the players can provide a clean spectacle," he said, "we will have winning combination."
-- Raf Casert
Van Marwijk cuts final 4 from squad
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Netherlands squad that made the final cut on Thursday for the World Cup blends attacking flair with an aging defense.
Coach Bert van Marwijk unveiled a 23-man roster built around three players who starred in the Champions League final: Inter Milan's creative midfielder Wesley Sneijder, Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben and his teammate Mark van Bommel, who will play as a defensive midfielder.
Robben and Sneijder will be joined in attack by Robin van Persie, the Arsenal striker who marked his comeback after six months out of international soccer with two classy goals Wednesday when the Netherlands beat Mexico 2-1 in a warmup.
Van Marwijk's back four will likely include a pair of 35-year-olds — Andre Ooijer and Giovanni van Bronckhorst — alongside young Ajax right back Gregory van der Wiel and Joris Mathijsen, 30.
Van Marwijk cut Vurnon Anita of Ajax and Ron Vlaar of Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven midfielder Orlando Engelaar and AZ Alkmaar forward Jeremain Lens. Anita's omission came just a day after he made his international debut as a second-half substitute. Celtic left back Edson Braafheid got the nod instead of Anita, but only just.
"Braafheid can also play as a left-side center back," Van Marwijk said at the Dutch training camp in Austria. "Anita can also play on the right of defense, but we chose Gregory van der Wiel and Khalid Boulahrouz there. Boulahrouz hasn't played much this season, but I've seen him improving in training — he is quick and aggressive."
Vlaar forced his way into the preliminary squad with a strong season for Feyenoord, but was considered a long shot to go to South Africa and has missed much of the training camp in Austria with an injury. Lens also was a surprise inclusion in the original squad and was competing for a spot on the final team with the more experienced Ryan Babel of Liverpool and Eljero Elia of Hamburg.
"We watched Lens for 2½ weeks and concluded that he fell a little short of Babel and Elia," Van Marwijk said. "Lens is young. His time will come if he keeps improving."
Of the four players sent home on the eve of the World Cup, only Engelaar had experience at a major tournament, the 2008 European Championship.
"I think he was the most disappointed, and justifiably so," Van Marwijk said. "He had a tough time this season, but toward the end he reached his old level."
Van Marwijk's team plays Ghana and Hungary next week in home friendlies before leaving for South Africa, where the team will play in Group E with Denmark, Japan and Cameroon.
-- Mike Corder
Malouda wants French fans to feel proud again
LENS, France — Florent Malouda hopes to have the same kind of success with France in the World Cup that he enjoyed this season with English champion Chelsea.
Malouda's best season helped Chelsea win the Premier League and FA Cup League double. After a long spell out of the national team, the midfielder is firmly back in coach Raymond Domenech's plans for the World Cup in South Africa.
"When you have such a great season, where you've shared so much with the fans, you want to experience the same thing with the national team," Malouda said after France beat Costa Rica 2-1 Wednesday. "We don't want to go back to our clubs with our heads down. When you win titles with your club, you become more ambitious."
Reflecting on France's surprising run to the 2006 World Cup final, Malouda says "the fans were proud of us and we want to get that back" in South Africa.
That is going to be difficult after France barely qualified for the World Cup, knocking out Ireland in a tense playoff with a hotly disputed goal that disappointed French fans and even the politicians.
"It's all down to what we do on the pitch, the attitude we have, and above all the results," Malouda said. "There's a certain amount of responsibility when you play for the French team, but the players feel like they're ready to take up the challenge. The context wasn't easy before, but we've tried to change things."
Malouda's international career under Domenech looked to be finished when he criticized the team tactics after France's embarrassing European Championship performance two years ago — where the team crashed out in the group stages.
Domenech used Malouda as a defensive midfielder, and he was barely allowed to go over the halfway line. Despite the constraints imposed upon him, Malouda found himself heavily criticized by Domenech. He responded by hitting back with some choice complaints of his own. Domenech subsequently dropped Malouda for seven of the 10 World Cup qualifiers.
Now, Domenech finally seems inclined to play to the team's attacking strengths rather than continuing the quest for defensive stability that proved so elusive. He has switched to a 4-3-3 formation with Malouda on the left of midfield, Lyon's Jeremy Toulalan holding the center ground and Bordeaux's Yoann Gourcuff on the right.
Against Costa Rica, Domenech picked Manchester United's Patrice Evra just behind Malouda and Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery just ahead in a potentially scintillating left flank.
"What I like about the new system is that it's more attacking, I have more freedom and I'm not just a defensive midfielder like at Euro 2008," Malouda said. "I'm someone who enjoys responsibility. It was quite painful for me the last couple of years when I was on the (France) bench. I did my best to turn the situation around, and I'm very happy."
Malouda's versatility worked against him before, at least in an attacking sense, because he has sometimes had to play as a defensive midfielder and even briefly as a left back for Chelsea when Ashley Cole broke his ankle in February.
A flurry of goals toward the end of the 2008-09 season were an indication that Malouda's true talents had been overlooked. This season he has burst into life in front of goal for Carlo Ancelotti's team, scoring 12 league goals and beating his highest league tally of 10 which he managed with former clubs Lyon and Guingamp.
"There was a spell this season where I played just behind the strikers. I felt free in a position that I liked," Malouda said. "I prefer to play higher up, but my versatility means that coaches like to put me (in several positions)."
Although Domenech is unlikely to give him the same freedom Ancelotti does, Malouda understands the bigger picture.
"It won't matter if I'm a world champion," he said.
-- Jerome Pugmire
Buffon confident of maintaining form
SESTRIERE, Italy — Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon established himself as the world's top goalkeeper at the 2006 World Cup. He's confident he can make a similar impact in South Africa.
Buffon missed two months of the season with a knee injury, but now feels he is back to his best.
"I have faith in my ability. To say otherwise would be a lie," Buffon said Thursday at the Italy training camp in the Italian Alps. "If the team is united, then players can play above themselves."
World champion Italy has friendlies against Mexico and Switzerland before leaving for South Africa, where it will play Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia in group play.
"The match with Paraguay will be the most difficult," he said. "It's a tricky team which will work its socks off, and the first match is always difficult. Starting with a win will be important."
Italy is aiming to become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, but will need to avoid a repetition of the 2009 Confederations Cup when the team crashed out after defeats to Egypt and Brazil. Nonetheless, Buffon is one of nine World Cup winners on Marcello Lippi's 28-man training squad.
"The chances of us winning are less than they were in Germany," Buffon said. "Having won it in 2006, it has become even more difficult to repeat it.
"Even so, we have everything necessary to do well at the World Cup. Of course to retain the World Cup you need luck in a number of situations. If we do go out, we have to make sure we do so with our heads held high, giving a good image of Italian football."
Buffon has been linked to a move away from Juventus in recent days, but said he was happy to stay at the club, which he joined in 2001.
"I could see that Juventus wanted to keep me and so I decided to stay," he said. "Now the only thing that interests me is the mentality the new players have. They have to spill blood for the shirt."
FIFA: More than 160,000 WCup tickets available
JOHANNESBURG — More than 160,000 World Cup tickets are still available with the tournament kickoff just two weeks away, and more than half of those will go on sale Friday, according to FIFA.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke revealed the current ticketing status Thursday at a ceremony marking the handover of Johannesburg's Ellis Park to World Cup organizers.
None of the 64 games are sold out, and FIFA said it would release an extra 90,000 tickets — which were not taken up by its various sponsors and affiliates — to the general public on Friday.
Organizers said the latest ticket release would be the last "big inventory available for the public" for Africa's first World Cup but added there may be further unannounced releases during the tournament.
Valcke said FIFA had set a target of selling 97-98 percent of tickets to equal figures at the last World Cup in Germany and was hopeful organizers would reach the milestone. FIFA said it has already reached 96 percent sales of the total 2.88 million tickets available for the tournament.
Valcke said "all is nearly perfect" when asked about final World Cup preparations but tickets, particularly the high-end "category one" tickets, which range from $160 for a group game to $900 for the final, appear to be causing problems.
More than 75,000 category one tickets, unaffordable for the majority of South Africans, are still available. A total of 4,000 tickets in all four categories are available for the opening game, nearly 7,000 tickets for the semifinals, and 861 for the final.
About 360,000 foreign visitors are expected for the tournament, nearly 100,000 less than initial estimates, which makes it unclear where the remaining ticket sales for the more expensive seats will come from.
Tournament organizers' ticket pricing is also believed to have contributed to poor sales on the African continent, where African fans are being asked to pay the same prices as Europeans or Americans. Valcke said less than 40,000 tickets had been sold on the continent outside of the host nation.
"We can definitely talk about a disappointment when we see the number of tickets sold in Africa," Valcke said.
Local organizing committee chief executive Danny Jordaan requested fans to buy more tickets, but also to be less noisy at stadiums and observe safety announcements and protocol.
"The level of noise in the stadium. It is an important matter that when we make an announcement in the stadium everybody must be able to hear it," Jordaan said. "We ask for that particular discipline. We cannot have unmitigated noise levels in the midst of the singing of national anthems. These are serious issues that we need to address."
Boisterous local football fans are well-known for producing constant noise during football games, helped by their plastic vuvuzela trumpets. FIFA denied suggestions last year at the Confederations Cup that it may ban the vuvuzelas — which produce a loud humming noise — at the World Cup.
-- Gerald Imray
Goooooal! Argentina team doc OKs sex for World Cup
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Soccer and sex are just fine for the World Cup. That's the word from Argentina's team doctor who says players can have sex with their regular partners during the monthlong tournament in South Africa.
Dr. Donato Vallani said sex was a part of life.
"The players can have sex with their wives and girlfriends during the World Cup," he said on Radio Del Plata. "Players are not Martians."
"But," he added, "it should not be at 2 a.m. with champagne and Havana cigars."
Vallani didn't give any other specific instructions except to say that players keep a regular sleep schedule. He also said the players could eat Argentina's specialty — barbecued beef — with a glass of wine. But excess drinking was, of course, prohibited.
Argentina travels to South Africa on Friday and plays Nigeria on June 12 in its World Cup opener. Also in Group B are South Korea and Greece.
Capello says Rooney is ready after injuries
MILAN — England striker Wayne Rooney is fit enough for Fabio Capello's World Cup squad. After knee, ankle and groin injuries over the last two months of the season, Rooney's problems were behind him, Capello told Sky Sports Italia on Thursday.
"Rooney is fine. He's not been scoring recently, but I'm pleased with what he's doing in training because he's at 100 per cent," Capello said.
"One player doesn't make a difference and even though Rooney lifts everyone, it is the team that wins," Capello said. "Above all when you play in a World Cup it is the team spirit that is the key."
Following a near-perfect qualifying campaign, England has been installed among the favorites. But Capello knows from experience that pre-tournament predictions count for little. He was part of an aging and divided Italy squad at the 1974 World Cup that fell in the first round.
"We have to train well, want to win and be determined," Capello said. "It is enjoyable working with the players, they are very good technically and I am satisfied with the work he have done in this period."
England plays its last warmup game against Japan in Graz on Sunday, then plays the United States in its opening World Cup match in Rustenburg on June 12.
Torres trains normally for 1st time with Spain
MADRID — Spain striker Fernando Torres should be fit for the World Cup after training on Thursday for the first time since undergoing knee surgery. The Liverpool striker took to the field alongside his 22 teammates for about 45 minutes.
It was Torres' first appearance since his surgery on torn cartilage in his right knee on April 18.
"It's great news to have Fernando training with us, he's such an important player for us and his goals are important," defender Gerard Pique said. "I hope he can be ready for the first game of the World Cup."
Torres has made 72 appearances for Spain and scored 23 goals, including the winner in the 2008 European Championship final victory over Germany. Cesc Fabregas also trained normally as the Arsenal midfielder continued his recovery from a broken leg.
Spain opens Group H against Switzerland on June 16 then plays Honduras and Chile. The European champion travels to Innsbruck on Friday before facing Saudi Arabia in a friendly on Saturday. It will also play South Korea and Poland before leaving for South Africa.
Essien ruled out of World Cup with knee injury
ACCRA, Ghana — Ghana midfielder Michael Essien will miss the World Cup after failing to recover from a knee injury. Essien injured a hamstring while playing for Chelsea against APOEL Nicosia in the European Champions League on Dec. 8.
He returned to play the second half for Ghana against Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations of Jan. 15, then injured his right knee two days later during training. He has not played since.
"An evaluation by a combined team of medical experts from the Ghana Football Association and Chelsea Football Club revealed that Essien will not make full recovery until the end of July," the association said Thursday on its website.
Ghana opens the World Cup on June 13 against Serbia, then plays Australia on June 18 and Germany on June 23. Essien helped Ghana reached the second round of the 2006 World Cup in its first appearance at the tournament.
Switzerland calls up Albert Bunjaku for World Cup
CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — Albert Bunjaku has been drafted into Switzerland's World Cup squad to replace injured forward Marco Streller. Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld opted Thursday to add the 26-year-old Bunjaku from his list of players on standby instead of uncapped 18-year-old Nassim Ben Khalifa.
Bunjaku scored 12 goals in the Bundesliga for FC Nuremberg this season, and made the first of his two international appearances last November. The Kosovo-born player is the third from the former Yugoslav territory in Hitzfeld's 23-man squad, joining midfielders Valon Behrami and 18-year-old Xherdan Shaqiri.
Streller was ruled out on Wednesday after aggravating a thigh muscle injury in training.
Elsewhere
UEFA sets rules to curb soccer clubs' spending
NYON, Switzerland — UEFA passed rules designed to curb European soccer clubs' excessive spending and end an era of so-called "financial doping."
UEFA's ruling executive agreed Thursday to set limits on wealthy club owners subsidizing losses incurred by paying high transfer fees and salaries.
Europe's soccer authority wants clubs to break even by spending only what they earn from soccer-related income — or face being barred from playing in the Champions League. UEFA president Michel Platini said the new financial fair play regime was "not to punish (clubs), but to protect them."
"This approval today is the start of an important journey for European football's club finances as we begin to put stability and economic common sense back into football," Platini said in a statement.
Platini has said clubs were "cheating" by spending recklessly to chase success, and feared others would go out of business with unsustainable debts. Last offseason, Real Madrid borrowed from banks before spending $310 million on a host of talent, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Xabi Alonso.
In England, the 20 Premier League clubs have been carrying a collective debt of $5.1 billion. The Premier League issued a joint statement with England's Football Association backing UEFA in its "difficult task."
The English bodies "are fully supportive of the principle of sustainability and of football clubs living within their means," it said.
Under UEFA's new rules, owners will be allowed to cover losses of up to a maximum of $55 million over an initial three-year period starting in 2012. In the three years from 2015, just $37 million in losses can be covered.
The bailouts would only be allowed with "committed funds" of capital and not by borrowing, UEFA head of club licensing Andrea Traverso said. Clubs without a wealthy patron would be allowed $6.1 million in losses over three years. Accounts will be examined by a UEFA panel of financial and legal experts, chaired by former Belgium Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene.
Traverso said UEFA could first bar clubs from the Champions League in the 2014-15 season. UEFA currently distributes over $856 million each season among the 32 clubs competing in the group stage of the world's most lucrative club competition.
Traverso said clubs could adjust their business model before first being judged on their 2012 financial reports, but monitoring would start immediately.
"They will already be warned or advised if they are moving in the wrong direction," he said, adding that clubs should aim to spend no more than 75 percent of revenue on player costs.
UEFA will publish detailed rules next month, with some taking effect immediately. Clubs will face sanctions if they fail to pay salaries on time or fall behind settling transfer payments to rival clubs. To encourage clubs to develop their own players, UEFA has set no limits on clubs' investment in youth academies, training facilities and stadiums.
"Clubs could spend an unlimited amount of money in those categories; in other costs they have to balance their books," Traverso said.
The rules follow a two-year consultation involving federations, clubs, leagues and players' unions representing Europe's 53 soccer nations.
UEFA analyzed the 2008 financial reports from 732 top-tier clubs across Europe and found almost half failed to break even. One in five clubs suffered a "huge" loss — defined as spending 20 percent above total income.
Their total losses amounted to $708 million despite record income of $14.1 billion in a boom era for television deals.
-- Graham Dunbar
Extra officials to be tested in Champions League
NYON, Switzerland — UEFA's experiment of two extra match officials is to be extended to the Champions League and qualifying games for the 2012 European Championship.
UEFA's ruling executive decided on Thursday to apply the trial to its highest profile competitions, after the use of an extra official behind each goal was first tried out in the Europa League last season.
"It went well and we want to continue," UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said. "It is difficult to find something negative in this experiment."
In the Champions League, the extra officials will first appear in the playoff round in August. The showpiece Super Cup match in August between Champions League winner Inter Milan and Europa League winner Atletico Madrid also will use the system.
The first Euro 2012 qualifiers are in September, and extra officials will be in all matches through to the finals scheduled in Poland and Ukraine, UEFA said. The second-tier Europa League will resume its trials in the group stage from September.
UEFA and its president Michel Platini have been the most enthusiastic supporters of extra officials since football's world governing body FIFA approved trials in 2008. FIFA's rule-making panel, the International Football Association Board, agreed last week to extend trials for two more years.
IFAB asked continental bodies like UEFA and national federations to propose which competitions use the system. UEFA will submit its wish-list to FIFA for approval, which is expected to be a formality.
The two extra officials help the referee to monitor penalty-area incidents such as fouls, diving and shirt-pulling. UEFA believes the system also helps cut down on dissent, and has a deterrent effect as attackers are less likely to try to deceive the officials.
-- Graham Dunbar
France fields Sarkozy, Zidane for Euro 2016 vote
GENEVA — France President Nicolas Sarkozy and soccer great Zinedine Zidane will be part of the bid team trying to secure hosting rights for the 2016 European Championship.
The high-profile support should make France the favorite to woo the 13 voting members from the ruling executive of tournament organizer UEFA in Friday's vote at a Geneva conference center. Each candidate is allowed a 30-minute presentation before the voting begins.
Turkey will have President Abdullah Gul to promote a bid that aims to bring the majority Muslim country into the heart of Europe, while Italy will have soccer great Paolo Maldini fronting its bid. Government support is important because state funding is essential to building projects for the 24-nation, monthlong tournament.
"We are happy to be competing against two great candidates," Turkish Football Federation head Mahmut Ozgener told NTV television from Geneva. "(But) we can put on a better organization and we believe that we will do so."
France's bid calls for $2.1 billion investment in a pool of 12 stadiums, at least nine of which are needed to stage the 51 scheduled matches. New arenas are promised in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon and Nice, and UEFA has praised the long-term legacy the bid could create.
Sarkozy's government, plus regional and city authorities, have pledged $820 million in public funds. Another $620 million in private financing is already secured.
Turkey intends to spend $1.14 billion on nine venues, seven of which are new, to host its first major international soccer finals. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan guaranteed state backing for the entire budget when UEFA's inspection team visited candidates last month. Turkey must also invest in transportation, hotels and other infrastructure, and says the national modernization plan is already under way.
Italy proposes to spend $922 million — of which $792 million is state-guaranteed — to upgrade stadiums that have lagged behind European standards since it hosted the 1990 World Cup.
France, which won the 1998 World Cup at home with Zidane on the roster, also hopes Euro 2016 can be a catalyst for change. Like Italy, it has hosted two previous European Championships, including its 1984 victory by a team captained by Michel Platini.
Platini is now the popular UEFA president who has quietly approved the French bid, but did not campaign and will not vote. Turkey's Senes Erzik and Italy's Giancarlo Abete also will leave their 13 executive colleagues to choose the winner.
-- Graham Dunbar
Marchisio to be key player for Juventus
MILAN — New Juventus coach Luigi Del Neri has said he will build his side around midfielder Claudio Marchisio. Del Neri signed a two-year contract with Juventus last week after helping Sampdoria reach the qualifying rounds of the Champions League and has been charged with reinvigorating a team that finished seventh last season.
"For the future I am thinking about Marchisio, he's an important player," Del Neri told Thursday's Gazzetta dello Sport. "He is a central midfielder, not a winger. He is young, has a good temperament and I like him."
The 24-year-old Marchisio is in Italy's 28-man provisional World Cup squad and is seen as the future of a Juventus team that is currently built around Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon and Alessandro Del Piero, who are all aged over 30.
Brazilian midfielders Diego and Felipe Melo came in for much criticism last season. They were Juventus' major signings last summer, but despite being paired in midfield many critics claimed Diego's role behind the strikers unbalanced the team.
"I am not the type of coach to change a team to suit one player," Del Neri said. "The individual has to adapt himself to the team."
Despite replacing Ciro Ferrara with Alberto Zaccheroni mid-campaign, Juventus' season ended in anticlimactic fashion. The team only qualified for the Europa League because Inter Milan won a league and cup double as the likes of Palermo, Napoli and Sampdoria battled for places in the Champions League.
"My main aim is to return to the days when our opponents worried about Juventus," Del Neri said. "We can't let it be any other way. Healthy fear is part of our genetic makeup and we have to get it back."
Di Carlo expects Cassano to stay
GENOA, Italy — New Sampdoria coach Domenico Di Carlo thinks star striker Antonio Cassano will stay and help the Italian team in its first Champions League campaign.
Di Carlo was named as Luigi Del Neri's replacement as Sampdoria coach on Wednesday and his predecessor has been linked with taking a number of players with him to Juventus.
"Antonio is a great player and I know he will go on and do more for us. I'm convinced of this," Di Carlo told reporters on Thursday. "He has improved a lot over the last few years. His talent will be useful."
Cassano scored eight goals for Sampdoria last season and provided an attacking foil for Giampaolo Pazzini, who hit 17. As well as Cassano, Pazzini, captain Angelo Palombo and fullback Reto Ziegler have all been linked with transfers to Juventus, especially as director general Giuseppe Moratta also moved to Juventus from Sampdoria. However, Di Carlo feels he will have a competitive team for next season.
"I trust the club," Di Carlo said. "We've seen up to now how well the board works."
Though making its debut in the Champions League format, reached the last final of the European Cup, losing to Barcelona at Wembley in 1992. Di Carlo believes playing in the qualifiers will help Sampdoria prepare for next season.
"It is good we are in the Champions League qualifiers, because soon after the players get back from the summer break we immediately have a target to reach," he said.
English FA hopes for stablity by hiring new chief
LONDON — England's Football Association has shored up its management team ahead of the World Cup by appointing Alex Horne as the permanent successor to chief executive Ian Watmore, who resigned amid a power struggle.
Horne, who had been serving in a temporary capacity since Watmore's sudden exit in March, will assume the new title of general secretary. An accountant who has been at the FA for seven years, Horne will hope to restore stability at the organization, which is still reeling from the newspaper sting that forced chairman David Triesman to quit earlier this month.
Roger Burden was appointed Thursday as acting chairman before a permanent replacement is announced.
"We are confident that in appointing Alex to lead the executive on a permanent basis he will provide strong leadership and stability," Burden said.
"As a board we will now draw breath to define the role and search for a new independent non-executive chairman. We will be seeking an individual who has football understanding and who can oversee the broad business of The Football Association."
Separately Thursday, Newcastle banned Mail on Sunday reporters from its matches and media conferences after the tabloid published the covert recordings of Triesman making accusations about rival countries bidding to host the World Cup in 2018. Newcastle has also written to the Premier League and all other top flight chairmen urging them to adopt the same ban.
"This decision had been reluctantly taken after repeated irresponsible press coverage," Newcastle said in a statement.
Champions League final seen by 1.6 million in U.S.
NEW YORK — The Champions League final was seen by 1.6 million viewers on Fox, an increase from 1.4 million for last year's game on ESPN. Inter Milan's 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich on Saturday was the first U.S. over-the-air network telecast of a European Champions League final.
The game received a 1.0 rating on Fox, Nielsen Media Research said Thursday. It was viewed in 1.098 million homes, up from 1.066 million for Barcelona's 2-0 win over Manchester United last year. Fox Sports chairman David Hill said last week he hoped for a rating of 2.0 to 2.5.
Adriano leaving Flamengo for Roma
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian striker Adriano says he will return to playing football in Italy, one year after abandoning Inter Milan to play for Rio de Janeiro's Flamengo.
Smiling but with tears in his eyes, Adriano said on Thursday in Rio he was leaving early next month to take a spot with Roma, reportedly on a three-year contract.
Adriano, who has battled problems with alcohol and depression, returned to his hometown Rio in April 2009, saying he was unhappy in Italy and that he wanted to once again find joy in football. He did all of that and more, leading Flamengo to its first Brazilian championship in 17 years. He was the leading scorer in the league.
Adriano's play has fallen off of late, though, and he will not be at the World Cup.
FIFA lifts ban on El Salvador
ZURICH — FIFA lifted a ban on El Salvador's football authority on Thursday and removed the threat of its three match officials would be taken out of the World Cup.
The world governing body acted earlier this month after the El Salvador government refused to recognize the authorities set up to run football in the Central American country.
FIFA threatened to extend it for a further year if the situation were not resolved and the ruling would have affected the appearance of a three-man refereeing team from El Salvador, which is due to officiate at the World Cup in South Africa. But FIFA issued a statement Thursday saying that the Salvadorian parliament had amended its laws to allow the authorities to comply with FIFA's requests.
FIFA says the new football authority has now been formerly recognized by the government and registered by the ministry of the interior.
Pellegrini: I expected Real Madrid to fire me
MADRID — Manuel Pellegrini says he expected Real Madrid to fire him after a difficult season and the Chilean coach is leaving the Spanish giant with the feeling of a job half-done.
Pellegrini says "I've been waiting for this for a long time" after president Florentino Perez said Wednesday that Madrid would not keep Pellegrini on for the extra year of his contract and would instead sign Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho as his replacement.
Pellegrini tells Spanish radio station Cadena Ser he was not able to do what he wanted and he is leaving "with a feeling of being halfway there."
Pellegrini says he has had no communication since August with Perez, who took the "wrong" decision to sell midfielders Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben against his wishes.
Porto looks for new coach after Ferreira exit
LISBON, Portugal — FC Porto is searching for a new coach after the departure of Jesualdo Ferreira. Portuguese media reports say the club is considering Fluminense coach Muricy Ramalho and Corinthians coach Mano Menezes as possible replacements. Both coaches are Brazilian.
Domigos Paciencia, who led Braga to a second-place finish in the Portuguese championship last season, and Andre Villas-Boas, a former assistant to Jose Mourinho and now at Academica, are also said to be on the short list.
The Portuguese club said late Wednesday 64-year-old Ferreira left by mutual consent. Ferreira guided Porto to three consecutive league titles since taking charge in 2006 but could only manage a third-place finish last season.
England to host Hungary in August friendly
LONDON — England will host Hungary in August in its first match after the World Cup. The friendly at Wembley Stadium will be the 22nd meeting between the sides and help them prepare for the start of qualifying for the 2012 European Championship the following month.
The match will be played on Aug. 11. England won 3-0 when Hungary last played at Wembley in 1996. Hungary was the first non-British team to win in England when its "Magical Magyars" claimed a 6-3 victory at Wembley in 1953.
Sarkozy travels to Geneva to support Euro 2016 bid
PARIS — French President Nicolas Sarkozy will travel to Geneva to support his country's bid to organize the 2016 European Championship.
France is competing with Italy and Turkey to host the tournament, with the deciding vote by UEFA's ruling executive scheduled on Friday. France is seen as the favorite after UEFA praised the country for creating a "very good long-term legacy" plan in its bid.
It won the European championship when France organized the tournament in 1984. It also won the World Cup playing at home in 1998.
Carle signs 3-year deal with Sydney FC
SYDNEY — Two days after being cut from Australia's World Cup squad, Nick Carle has signed a three-year contract with Sydney, ending his time with English club Crystal Palace.
Carle was one of three players released from the Socceroos' 31-man squad on Tuesday, a day ahead of the team leaving for South Africa. The 28-year-old Carle has played 13 matches for Australia. He previously played with Newcastle in Australia's A-League, and had overseas stints at Troyes, Genclerbirligi, Bristol City and two seasons at Crystal Palace.
Cologne signs Giannoulis
COLOGNE, Germany — Cologne has signed 22-year-old defender Konstantinos Giannoulis from Greek club Iraklis. The Bundesliga club says Giannoulis signed a three-year contract Thursday. Giannoulis is Cologne's second new signing after Alexandru Ionita of Romania.
