Soccer Roundup: Manchester United Closes In On A Title

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar saved a penalty kick yesterday to help his team defeat host Manchester City, 1-0, and close in on its first English Premier League title since 2003.

Van der Sar stopped Darius Vassell’s shot in the 81st minute at the City of Manchester Stadium to protect United’s lead. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 23rd goal of the season, on a penalty kick after 34 minutes.

United, which has an 8-point advantage in the standings, can win the title if second-place Chelsea does not beat Arsenal today. Chelsea plays host to United on Wednesday.

Ronaldo was involved in one of the game’s major incidents after only two minutes, when City defender Michael Ball appeared to step on him. The referee Rob Styles, facing the other way, failed to spot it.

DEMPSEY SCORES FOR FULHAM Fulham, which is struggling to stay in the English Premier League, defeated Liverpool, 1-0, when the United States international Clint Dempsey scored his first goal since joining the club in January.

Dempsey, a second-half substitute, scored in the 69th minute.

The result means Fulham is almost guaranteed a place in the Premier League next season. (AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE)

RANGERS IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Glasgow Rangers clinched a slot in next season’s European Champions League with a 2-0 victory yesterday against the Scottish Premier League winner Celtic in the final derby clash of the season.

Second-place Rangers have 72 points from 36 games, while first-place Celtic has 81. (REUTERS)U.S. QUALIFIES FOR UNDER-17 EVENT The United States men’s under-17 national team, despite a 3-2 loss to Jamaica on Friday, clinched a berth in the FIFA U-17 World Cup when Trinidad and Tobago defeated Canada, 2-1, in an earlier game in Kingston, Jamaica.

Costa Rica and the United States have advanced to the World Cup, which will be played in South Korea from Aug. 18 to Sept. 9. One more qualifier will emerge from among Canada, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago after games today.

The United States took a 2-0 lead in the first half on goals by Sheanon Williams and Alex Nimo. But Jamaica rallied to tie the score in the second half with three goals in the final 12 minutes. Jamaica won the match on John Ross Doyley’s penalty kick in injury time.

The United States is the only country to have qualified for all 13 world championships in this age group, dating to 1985. JACK BELLGOALKEEPER IS SUSPENDED Vélez Sarsfield of Argentina has suspended its volatile goalkeeper, Gaston Sessa, for the rest of the season after his wild kick at Boca Juniors striker Rodrigo Palacio during a midweek Libertadores Cup match.

The club’s president, Raúl Gámez made the announcement Friday night, saying, “He won’t carry on playing but we’re not going to kick him out.”

The 34-year-old Sessa, who has been involved in a string of incidents, told reporters that he regretted his behavior. Sessa went up to grab a crossing kick. As he did so, he raised his foot to head height and landed his studs in Palacio’s face.

Sessa was sent off after the incident, an all-Argentine Libertadores Cup Round of 16 match, which 10-man Vélez lost, 3-0. Palacio played on after being treated for a cut on his forehead.

Sessa was suspended in 2002 for 10 matches after attacking a referee and more recently for pulling down his shorts in front of fans of his former team Racing Club after a penalty was awarded.(REUTERS)

SHORT-TERM JOB FOR BEENHAKKER Leo Beenhakker, the coach of Poland’s national team, will take charge of Feyenoord Rotterdam on a short-term basis in the Dutch playoffs as the club battles for a spot in next season’s UEFA Cup.

The 64-year-old Beenhakker replaces Erwin Koeman, who resigned last week after the team finished seventh in the league. The four teams in the sixth to ninth positions play off for one UEFA Cup berth. Feyenoord opens at Groningen on Thursday.

Beenhakker was previously a youth coach and also guided the club to its last league title in 1999. After quitting Feyenoord in 2000, he became the technical director of archrival Ajax Amsterdam and also led Trinidad and Tobago to the 2006 World Cup. (REUTERS)

Tag Cloud

External Information

Additional Information

Where Am I?