Buoyed by the recent victory in the AFC Cup qualifying match over Nebitchi of Turkmenistan, Muktijoddha Sangsad will take on Brothers Union in the repeat final of the Independence Cup football at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.
   The match, which was abandoned after 13 minutes of action due to a thunderstorm on March 30, will kick off at 4:00pm. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is expected to watch the match and distribute the prizes among the winners.
   Muktijoddha, who were trailing 1-0 in the abandoned match, will be boosted further as their two suspended players, Pappu and Moni, will be eligible to play the match after completing their bans in the previous final.
   Brothers, on the other hand, suffered a major blow as their in-form Russian striker Victor Edward has developed blisters in his body caused by the stifling heat.
   Coach Wazed Gazi made it clear to the reporters that Edward would not be available for Saturday’s final and Moroccan Adil will take his place as the second foreign player. Midfielder Hisam Inani is the other overseas player of the Gopibagh outfit.
   The Brothers coach also believes that the 16-day gap between the two finals would go against them. ‘We were playing good with the whole team showing a great spirit in the abandoned final.
   Now we have to start afresh and I do not know what will happen tomorrow,’ said Gazi. He, however, brushed aside the suggestion that his team are on the back-foot following the illness of Edward and the success of Muktijoddha in the international circuit.
   Muktijoddha coach Safiqul Islam partly agreed with him as he believes the success in the AFC Cup does not have any bearing on the domestic competition. ‘It’s a new match and we have to play it accordingly.
   Of course the AFC Cup victory is a big achievement. But that doesn’t mean we can take Brothers lightly,’ said Islam.

Holders Dhaka are on the verge of retaining their title in the four-day version of the National Cricket League as their penultimate match in the competition against Chittagong, now being held at the Fatullah Stadium, is heading for draw.
   None of the teams could take a first innings lead in the match with both the sides finishing on equal 288, which means a draw will ensure Dhaka’s championship with both getting three points.
   If Dhaka can secure those three points on the final day on Saturday they will take their tally in the four-dayers to 41 points.
   Rajshahi, the one-day champions and the nearest rivals of Dhaka in the four-day point table with 28 points, are also poised for victory away to Barisal. But should Dhaka stay unbeaten against Chittagong, they have to remain content with the runners-up trophy.
   In the other match of the ninth round, Sylhet took a marginal lead of 13 runs against Khulna but yet they are on the brink of defeat after being bundled out for a meagre 93 runs in the second innings. Khulna, who were all out for 243 in the first innings in reply to Sylhet’s 256, now need only 29 runs to complete the victory having reached 52 for two in the second innings.
   At Fatullah stadium, Nazimuddin scored a sparkling 103 off 232 balls embellished with 13 fours and two sixes helping Chittagong tie the first innings total with Dhaka. He was aptly aided by Faisal Hossain, who scored 78 off 134 balls and shared a 124-run partnership for the fourth wicket. In the second innings, Dhaka made 194 for four courtesy of on an unbeaten 89 off wicketkeeper Sazzad Kadir.
   Rajshahi took a 98-run lead over Barisal having finished their first innings at 360 riding on two half-centuries by Naim Islam and Forhad Reza. Former Under-19 batsman Naim was the topscorer with 89 off 249 balls. Forhad managed 69 off 104 deliveries. The duo put on 101 runs for the third wicket after both the openers were dismissed for 17 runs.
   At the end of third day’s play, Barsial were reeling on 138 runs for seven which means they are only 36 runs ahead of their opponents with a day to go. It also means, if the last three batsmen of the host team fail to bat for a long time, it would be very tough for them to avoid a defeat.

New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming said Thursday he is prepared to boycott the tour of Zimbabwe later this year if he feels it will make a difference.
   But he said the decision will not be a hasty one and there were three months to consider the moral issues.
   ‘If the information that I read suggests it’s probably not wise to go and that will make a difference, then that’s something I’ll consider,’ Fleming said after leading New Zealand to an innings and 38-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second Test here.
   ‘Like the other players I’ll be reading a lot, watching the situation closely and trying to educate myself on what impact the tour will have.
   ‘The players will take a lot of care over the decision and make sure it’s the right one in their mind for the right reasons.’
   New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Martin Snedden has said no players would be penalised if they individually decided not to tour as a protest against President Robert Mugabe’s government.
   Mugabe, who has been in power since Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain in 1980, won a sweeping victory in the March 31 election, but foreign critics led by the United States and the European Union dismissed the poll as a sham.
   Prime Minister Helen Clark has said she is personally opposed to the tour and the leader of a minor party in the coalition government has written to the players urging them to pull out.
   Fleming said he had received his letter but had not opened it yet, and said there had not been any team discussion.
   ‘The players have to get educated, it’s naive for them to make a decision without being educated.
   ‘There’s going to be a lot of material that will give them an opportunity to make a decision on whether they want to go for moral reasons.
   ‘Safety will be discussed by NZC and that’ll be their decision.’
   Fleming, who leaves for England on Sunday to take up his county contract as captain of Nottinghamshire, said he would talk to Zimbabwe players to help his decision.
   Last year, England’s tour of Zimbabwe was in doubt after Zimbabwean authorities imposed a media ban on 13 British journalists.
   After a two-day delay, England’s cricketers finally flew out when the ban was lifted, but cut short their itinerary.

Former Zimbabwe batsman Andy Flower has criticised the return to international cricket of Heath Streak, on the grounds that nothing had changed since he led a group of rebel players against the country’s cricket authorities.
   ‘That Heath Streak led them into it and is now back playing is poor form. There have not been the wholesale changes they were demanding but they want to go back,’ Flower told the May edition of the Wisden Cricketer Magazine.
   Flower, whose younger brother Grant has joined him at English county Essex, added: ‘I don’t know what the reasons are.
   ‘But you don’t make a big stand then, when nothing changes, go back and say: ‘Actually, I do want a contract.’ Now there are half a dozen or so young white players out of a job.’
   Streak spent nearly a year out of international cricket after being sacked as captain having alleged racial bias in selection by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union. His dismissal led to a total of 15 white players quitting the African minnows.
   But last month the fast bowler returned to the team.
   Another of the rebels who joined Streak was Grant Flower but Andy Flower said he was always against the move that effectively ended his brother’s international career.
   ‘I told him he would not win that battle. He’d either not play any more international cricket or be in a protracted battle in court. There wouldn’t be any winners.’
   Last month Zimbabwe became only the fourth side since the end of World War II to lose a Test match inside two days, in an innings and 21 run defeat by South Africa in Cape Town.
   And even with the return of former rebels like Streak and Andy Blignaut, Flower said he could not see how morale could be restored.
   ‘I find it very surprising that they can return after the relationship breakdowns during that year-long struggle. I don’t know what the relationship between the rebels and other players is. It has to be awkward.
   ‘How do you build harmony out of a situation like that?,’ added Flower who could yet come across Streak, playing for county champions Warwickshire, during the course of the English season.
   Zimbabwe’s record Test scorer with 4,794 runs at 51.54 including 12 hundreds from 63 matches, Flower, 37 later this month, said he’d no intention of ending his international retirement.
   He has not been to Zimbabwe since the World Cup where his black armband gesture, along with black fast bowler Henry Olonga made headlines worldwide.
   And he said he was still uncertain when he’d return.
   ‘The last time I was there was in the World Cup in 2003. I’d love to go and see my friends. But I just don’t think it is a thing I can do at the moment.
   It is possible that it would be dangerous.’

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said Thursday he hoped to play a lead role on the team’s tour of the West Indies next month after missing the current series against India due to injury.
   ‘I will regret missing the series against India for the rest of my career,’ Akhtar, who pulled out of the India tour at the last minute due to a hamstring problem, told AFP.
   ‘But I am fully fit now and raring to go for the West Indies tour. I want to play a lead role,’ said Akhtar, who has played four domestic matches in the last three weeks to prove his fitness.
   The 29-year-old paceman, regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in the world, suffered the injury on Pakistan’s tour of Australia in January this year.
   But his withdrawal, regarded at the time as a potentially fatal blow to his team’s chances, inspired Pakistan’s back-up bowlers to help Pakistan level the three-match Test series 1-1.
   Pakistan play India in the fifth of six one-dayers in Kanpur on Friday, after levelling the series with a sensational last ball win at Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
   Akhtar’s hamstring injury took more time to heal than expected, depriving him of a possible return in the one-day series in India.
   ‘I would have loved to play the one-day series but still had some ground to cover so I did not hasten my return, as advised by Imran Khan and chief selector Wasim Bari,’ said Akhtar, who has 144 Test and 186 one-day wickets.
   ‘People in India love me so I have missed the series of a lifetime.’
   Under South African physion Grant Compton, Akhtar says he regained full fitness last month but was asked to prove his fitness in domestic matches.
   ‘Now my eyes are on the tour of the West Indies. We have never won a series there and I want to play the lead role to achieve that,’ said Akhtar.
   Pakistan will play three one-days and two Tests in the Caribbean.
   Akhtar, dubbed the Rawalpindi Express for his pace, has been plagued by fitness problems since making his Test debut in 1998.
   He was forced to sit out Pakistan’s last tour of the West Indies in 2000 and spurned a chance to play for Nottinghamshire the same year.
   ‘I have set strict fitness regimes for myself and would like to play on a consistent level,’ said Akhtar, who will play for Worcestershire in the English season after Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies.
   Akhtar, who played for Durham last year, will line up with Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas and South African Zander de Bruyn for his new county.

India’s cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has hired two top lawyers to lead his appeal against the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to ban him for six one-day internationals, officials said on Thursday.
   Veteran Sidhartha Shankar Ray and cricket board lawyer Usha Nath Banerjee will argue Ganguly’s case before an ICC appeals commissioner. Ganguly is appealing match referee Chris Broad’s verdict to ban him for repeated slow over-rates during the ongoing one-day series against Pakistan.
   The duo successfully argued Ganguly’s appeal last November against a previous ICC decision to suspend him from two Test matches for a similar offence during a one-dayer against Pakistan at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
   ‘I am happy to argue for the Indian captain again,’ Ray, a lawyer-politician who was once chief minister of Ganguly’s home state of West Bengal, was quoted as saying in local media.
   Indian cricket board vice president Rajiv Shukla said Ganguly’s appeal had the board’s backing.
   ‘The appeal is justified because banning the captain for six matches is too harsh,’ Shukla told AFP.
   Broad, who fined Ganguly 70 percent of his match fee for slow over-rates in the third international in Jamshedpur on Saturday, imposed the ban after India again fell three overs short in the following match in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
   Pakistan won both matches to square the absorbing six-match series 2-2.
   The ICC is expected to appoint the appeals commissioner by Friday from a panel of eight that includes former Australian captain and veteran broadcaster Richie Benaud.
   It is unlikely that New Zealand’s Tim Castle, who heard Ganguly’s appeal in November, will once again be asked to adjudicate.
   The other members on the commissioners’ panel are Michael Beloff and Oliver Popplewell of England, Gamini Marapana (Sri Lanka), Albie Sachs (South Africa), Anthony Lucky (West Indies) and Clive Barnes (Zimbabwe).
   The commissioner will have seven days to decide on the appeal.
   ICC’s Code of Conduct allows cricketers to continue playing while their case is heard, which makes Ganguly eligible for the remaining two one-dayers in Kanpur on Friday and New Delhi on Sunday.
   India’s selectors, who have already named Rahul Dravid as stand-in captain, declined to comment when asked if Ganguly will take the field on Friday.
   Ganguly’s supporters argue that the the slow over rate was not intentional and the spirit of the game was not violated.
   Banerjee, the cricket board’s lawyer, was quoted as saying on Wednesday there were ‘grounds to seek a review of the harsh punishment’.

World number one Roger Federer struggled to subdue battling Chilean Fernando Gonzalez to reach the Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals on Thursday and take his winning streak to 25 matches this year.
   The top seed won 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 in 2hr 21min of topsy-turvy centre court action and will face French teenager Richard Gasquet for a place in the semi-finals.
   Federer, who now boasts a 35-1 winning record in 2005, is chasing a sixth title of the year and is hoping to become the first player to win three Masters in a row.
   But second seeded Russian Marat Safin, the only man to beat Federer this year on his way to the Australian Open title, crashed out 6-2, 6-4 to Juan Carlos Ferrero.
   Rafael Nadal, the 11th-seeded Spaniard whose form has electrified the tournament, brushed aside Belgium’s Olivier Rochus 6-1, 6-2.
   Federer breezed through the first set and then would have match point in the 12th game of the second but he agreed to replay the point after Gonzalez questioned a forehand which had been called out. It proved a costly gesture of sportsmanship as Gonzalez held on and took the tie-break.
   Federer recovered in style, breaking to go 4-3 in the third and then served out the match when his opponent hit a tired forehand long.
   Safin, whose Australian Open title in January was his second career Grand Slam, continued to see his season slip into freefall as he committed 57 unforced errors, and smashed one racquet, on his way to a passionless defeat to Ferrero.
   Gasquet rediscovered his Monaco magic after the 18-year-old qualifier staged a battling recovery to beat Russian 10th seed Nikolay Davydenko 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
   French Open champion Gaston Gaudio and his Argentinian compatriot Guillermo Coria, the man he beat in last year’s Roland Garros final, both moved into the quarter-finals.
   Gaudio, the fourth seed, defeated Romanian qualifier Victor Hanescu 6-2, 6-0 while sixth seeded Coria pulled off a 7-6 (7/0), 6-1 win over Spain’s Alberto Martin.
   Gaudio will now face Nadal while Coria takes on Spain’s David Ferrer for a place in the semi-finals.

Pakistan has caught the Twenty20 cricket bug and will hold its first domestic tournament featuring the game’s rapid one-day version later this month, an official said Friday.
   ‘We are pleased to announce the first ever Twenty20 tournament in which teams from 11 regions will be competing from April 25-30,’ Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyra Khan said.
   Twenty20, in which sides play 20 overs each, was introduced in England two years ago and has proved a huge success, attracting more crowds than some normal matches.
   Khan said he hoped Pakistan’s experiment with the new form would be entertaining and win a big audience.
   ‘The holding of the event will mark a new era of cricket in Pakistan and it will generate interest,’ said Khan.
   The 11 teams are divided in two pools of four and a third pool with three teams. The top teams from each pool will play a triangular series on April 29 followed by the final on April 30.
   The winners of the inaugural Twenty20 tournament will pocket 5,000 dollars and the runners-up will get 2,500 dollars.
   Pakistan is also considering whether to hold a Twenty20 side game when England tours here from October-December this year.
   A Twenty20 cricket match was part of Pakistan’s tour to Australia and Australia will also play England in a Twenty20 game in this summer’s Ashes series.

French teen Tatiana Golovin shocked defending champion Venus williams in straight sets here Thursday to reach the
   quarter-finals of the 1.3 million-dollar WTA claycourt tournament.
   Golovin, 17, defeated Williams Williams, the fourth seed, 7-5, 6-4. She earned a quarter-final clash with seventh-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia, who defeated Croatian Jelena Kostanic 6-3, 6-3.
   ‘I just really just stuck to my game, and I think I was really solid throughout the match,’ Golovin said. ‘I didn’t give her a lot of second serves to return, and I really pressured her forehand, and that’s what really was key.’
   Williams faced a quick turnaround after playing Wednesday night and early Thursday afternoon.
   An even younger teenager, 15-year-old Nicole Vaidisova, moved on to the round of eight after edging Japan’s Shinobu Asagoe 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).
   Vaidisova, of the Czech Republic had upset reigning French Open champion Anastasia Myskina of Russia, the third seed, on Wednesday.
   Vaidisova awaits eighth seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, who defeated Czech Klara Koukalova 6-4, 6-0.
   Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik ended the campaign of Ai Sugiyama, defeating the Japanese player 6-1, 4-6 6-1.
   Srebotnik next faces second-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva, who routed Spaniard Nuria Llagostera Vives 6-0, 6-3.
   Unseeded but dangerous Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne, a former world number one and the 2003 champion here, posted a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Czech Iveta Benesova and will face top-seeded American Lindsay Davenport in the quarter-finals.
   Davenport had few problems with qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova of the Ukraine on Thursday night, cruising to a 6-3, 6-1 victory.
   Davenport, 28, has won two titles this year, including last week’s event in Amelia Island for her 47th career singles title.

Liverpool set up a mouth-watering Champions League semi-final against English Premiership rivals Chelsea after grinding out a 0-0 draw in the second leg of their quarter-final against Juventus here Wednesday.
   A stalemate at the Delle Alpi stadium secured a 2-1 aggregate victory for the Reds after their first leg win at Anfield last week - the first meeting between the two teams since the Heysel disaster 20 years ago in which 39 Juventus fans died when a wall collapsed as they tried to escape from advancing Liverpool fans.
   The nearest Juve came to scoring the goal that would have taken them through on the away goals rule came in the 78th minute when Fabio Cannavaro’s header struck the post.
   Juve, who were beaten by Italian Serie A rivals AC Milan in the 2003 final, enjoyed plenty of possession but lacked the imagination to break down a resolute defence marshalled superbly by giant Finn Sami Hyypia.
   And Liverpool, who were without their injured captain Steven Gerrard, would have sewn the game up much earlier had Milan Baros’ superb solo effort not rolled the wrong side of the post soon after the break.
   Given the history between the two teams, the match was played in a tense atmosphere.
   Before the game, anti-riot police were forced to use tear gas on Juventus supporters trying to attack Liverpool fans arriving on special buses under a heavy police escort.
   Juve fans threw an array of missiles at the police and three vehicles, including two police cars, were set on fire.
   Replacing Gerrard, Liverpool’s driving force in midfield, was Spaniard Xabi Alonso for his first start since breaking an ankle on New Year’s Day.
   With an ankle injury still troubling French striker David Trezeguet, Juve coach Fabio Capello partnered Ibrahimovic together with Alessandro Del Piero in attack. To cope with the loss of injured French right-back Jonathan Zebina, Capello reverted to a three-man defence with experienced Uruguayan Paolo Montero flanked by Cannavaro and Lilian Thuram.
   The first chance of the game fell to Juve in the 11th minute. Gianluca Zambrotta tore down the left wing and from an acute angle whipped in an inviting cross for Ibrahimovic whose half-volley flashed over the bar.
   Baros was a constant menace to Juve’s defence in the early exchanges, but although his pace and movement caused plenty of concern for Montero and his ageing legs the Czech international lacked support in good positions.
   Juve’s tigerish midfielder Emerson saw his volley charged down before slicing a drive well wide as the home side finished the first-half on top.
   Liverpool came within inches of taking the lead five minutes after the restart.
   Alonso put Baros through with a sublime diagonal pass and the livewire Czech accelerated past Montero and Thuram before prodding the ball towards goal, only to see his effort roll agonisingly wide.
   Emerson’s header was safely gathered by Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek as Juve mustered their first on-target chance before Djibril Cisse came on for Liverpool for his first outing since breaking a leg last October.
   Cannavaro was denied by the woodwork as Juve pressed hard for the all-important goal, but Liverpool dug deep and held on to advance to the last four.

PSV Eindhoven booked a Champions League semi-final with AC Milan here Wednesday, beating Lyon 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after the scores were level on 1-1 after extra-time.
   PSV’s Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes held his nerve in pouring rain to save shots by Michael Essien and Eric Abidal, while Lyon’s Gregory Coupet managed to keep out only DaMarcus Beasley’s effort.
   The two sides were deadlocked after extra time after Sylvain Wiltord’s 10th minute goal for Lyon was cancelled out by Alex in the 50th minute for PSV. That left them 2-2 on aggregate.
   The result meant more European heartbreak for Lyon - which boasted the best scoring record of any of the sides left in the competition, with 28 goals in nine games - after being knocked out at the same stage last season.
   In a tense opening period in Eindhoven’s rain-soaked Philips Stadium, the first attacking moment came after nine minutes and sharpshooter Wiltord made no mistake for his fifth goal of the campaign.
   A Florent Malouda cross into PSV’s box was badly headed away by Wilfred Bouma into the path of a bounding Wiltord who did well to chest the ball down and strike a powerful shot past the despairing clutches of Gomes.
   Wiltord, causing all sorts of problems for the PSV defence on the left wing, was almost the provider four minutes later, latching on to a loose ball and sending a cross in towards a goal-hanging Malouda, but Gomes intercepted.
   PSV’s first real chance on goal came from Mark Van Bommel, who was given too much space on the edge of the area but only managed to fire his shot high.
   PSV continued to press and South Korean striker Park Ji-Sung was at the centre of a series of crosses that tested the defence of the three-time French champions but Coupet was up to the challenge.
   Park had a chance in the 38th minute but blasted his shot high over Coupet’s goal. And Jan Vennegor of Hesselink’s first touch let him down with a clear sight on goal just two minutes later as PSV dominated possession.
   Bouma was caught napping as soon as the second-half started, a Malouda through ball playing in Ghana striker Essien past the stocky PSV defender only to shoot wide.
   As PSV pushed for an equaliser, Brazilian defender Alex chested down a bad defensive header by Abidal from a Van Bommel free-kick and drilled a right-foot volley through a crowd of players and a frozen Coupet in the 50th minute.
   With Lyon under the cosh, Park’s 30-yard drive went close to adding number two for PSV just a minute later.
   In the 71st minute, Gomes punched out a corner directly to Lyon’s Brazilian defender Cris whose shot ricocheted off two defenders before being cleared off the line.
   From the resulting corner, the ball broke again to Cris whose overhead kick had Gomes beaten but went just wide.
   At the other end, Coupet did well to parry a cross bound for fast-advancing American striker Beasley, on as a replacement for Vennegor.

It is rare that Manchester United and Arsenal get to this stage of the season with all realistic hopes of silverware resting on the FA Cup.
   United manager Alex Ferguson will be protecting a 100 percent record in the semi-finals when the holders take on Newcastle United in Cardiff on Sunday.
   Ferguson has lifted the trophy a record five times and led United to victories at this stage of the competition in 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2004.
   The Millennium Stadium is also the venue for Arsenal’s semi-final against Blackburn Rovers today.
   This season the two heavyweights of English soccer, who between them have won the Premier League for the last nine years, have been outpointed by runaway leaders Chelsea.
   The Stamford Bridge club have also reached the Champions League semi-finals and won the League Cup.
   Most neutral fans hope Manchester United and Arsenal can set up a ‘dream’ FA Cup final back in Cardiff on May 21. The last United v Arsenal final was in 1979 when the London side won 3-2.
   Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has reached seven FA Cup semis in his nine years at Highbury, said this season was always in danger of ending in disappointment after the defending champions completed an unbeaten top-flight campaign in 2003-04.
   ‘When you have won the premiership without losing a game you cannot better that, you can only do worse,’ Wenger told the club’s official website.
   Nine-times winners Arsenal have a proud tradition in the FA Cup - only Manchester United’s 11 victories possess a better record - and French midfielder Robert Pires says winning the trophy would provide a great finish to the season.
   ‘We may not be in the Champions League but there is at least one other trophy we can win,’ said Pires. ‘We can still be a success.
   ‘It is not a consolation prize. We want to win all the time and we all know how important the FA Cup is to our supporters.’
   Blackburn, making their first appearance in an FA Cup semi-final since 1960, may welcome back former Wales midfielder Robbie Savage following a five-game absence with a groin injury.
   After playing for 70 minutes in a midweek reserve match, Savage said he was keen to feature against Arsenal. ‘My fitness felt good and I’m desperate to play,’ he said.
   Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher said captain Roy Keane’s harsh criticism of his team mates this week could galvanise the holders against Newcastle.
   ‘Roy Keane has been vocal in the press. We all knew about that as he is vocal in the dressing room before going to the press,’ said Fletcher.
   ‘It does spur you on. If he can get an extra bit out of us for Sunday, which he is obviously trying to do, that’s great.’
   Manchester United are definitely without striker Louis Saha (calf injury) and Wales winger Ryan Giggs (hamstring).

WAYNE Rooney put his recent troubles behind him with a kiss for fiancee Coleen McLoughlin as he picked her up from Manchester Airport.
   The Manchester United and England soccer star was waiting to greet his girlfriend as she flew back from a modelling assignment in Cyprus on Thursday.
   The pair shared a tender embrace in Rooney's BMW jeep just days after their public spat in Brasingamen's club, at Alderley Edge, Cheshire.
   The couple admitted having a heated row in front of startled onlookers and Rooney's team-mates at the nightspot, but denied there was any violence involved.
   Judging by their reunion after only two days apart, the two 19-year-olds have decided to kiss and make up, as Coleen brought back presents for her husband-to-be.
   Coleen's budding modelling career has taken off, with her latest fashion shoot following an assignment for Vogue magazine.
   The teenage striker has been in training for United's FA Cup semi- final clash against Newcastle at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on Sunday.

Argentine footballer Leandro Desabato was granted bail on Thursday after spending the day in custody on charges of racially insulting a Brazilian opponent during a Libertadores Cup match in Sao Paulo.
   Desabato, who plays for Buenos Aires club Quilmes, was arrested on the pitch at the end of their 3-1 defeat by Sao Paulo on Wednesday evening
   following a clash with rival striker Grafite.
   But the player, who will be allowed back to his team's hotel as soon as the bail of Real 10,000 (US$3,878) is paid, can still not leave Brazil, where he faces charges of slander aggravated by racism.
   Quilmes said Desabato had been the victim of a farce and the accusations against him were based on lip-reading by television viewers.
   They also said their directors had been aggressively treated at the Morumbi stadium and that Brazilian authorities were seeking publicity.
   Desabato, who has been charged with the crime of slander aggravated by racism, was seen to say something to Grafite in an off-the-ball incident in first-half injury time.
   Grafite shoved his hand in Desabato's face and was sent off along with Quilmes midfielder Carlos Arano. The referee took no action against Desabato.

Chelsea, who spent 210 million pounds of Roman Abramovich's money in his first year as owner, plan to plunder the Russian oil billionaire's bank again in the summer with bids for Steven Gerrard and Shaun Wright-Phillips.
   Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who has guided the club to the verge of their first English championship in 50 years and the Champions League semi-finals, has earmarked Manchester City's Wright-Phillips as the right-sided winger his squad needs.
   And The Times says Liverpool are resigned to losing Gerrard in a move that would break the British record transfer fee of 30 million pounds Manchester United paid Leeds for Rio Ferdinand in 2002.
   Manchester City said they had received no offers for Wright-Phillips and insist he is crucial to their long-term development but a reported 20 million pound transfer would help cut debts of 62 million pounds.
   The news should trigger a reaction from Arsene Wenger who is keen to bring Wright-Phillips to Arsenal where his stepfather Ian Wright is still the leading scorer.
   But Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes Gerrard
   will snub a 35 million pound move to Chelsea if Liverpool knock them out of the Champions League.
   The England midfielder sensationally rejected an offer from Stamford Bridge last summer after a deal had been agreed between the clubs and has vowed to reconsider his position at the end of the season.
   Liverpool booked their semi-final date with Chelsea with a 2-1 aggregate win over Juventus and Carragher hopes beating his suitors will convince Gerrard to stay at Anfield.
   The 24-year-old missed Wednesday night's goalless draw in Turin with a groin strain but should be fit to face the Premiership leaders on 27 April and 3 May.
   'Why would anyone want to walk away from a club who had reached a European Cup final? These are good times at Liverpool at the moment and this result shows the club are going places,' Carragher said.
   'I'm sure Steven will be delighted back home. We're desperate for him to stay but it's his decision. If we get to the Champions League final it must have an influence.'

Zidane will not come out of retirement to help struggling France qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals.
   'I can confirm I'm sticking by my decision. Full stop,' the 32-year-old Real Madrid star told his website.
   The 1998 World and Euro 2000 champions, are going through difficult times after drawing four of their opening six qualifiers.
   Having won their other two games, France top Group 4 on equal points with Israel, but Switzerland and the Republic of Ireland are a point behind with a game in hand.
   France coach Raymond Domenech fuelled speculation of a return last month when he said that 'the door was open' for Zidane.
   Zidane, FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003, retired from international football after Euro 2004. He won 93 caps for France and his two headed goals in the final against Brazil secured the 1998 World Cup.
   He became the world's most expensive player in 2001 when he moved from Juventus to Real Madrid for 63.6 million dollars.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is monitoring closely developments at Inter Milan.
   Tuesday evening's abandonment of Inter's Champions League clash with AC Milan due to crowd trouble has alerted Perez to the prospect of again tempting Brazilian striker Adriano to Spain.
   Inter will learn today their punishment from UEFA, which could include a lengthy ban from all European competition. While that would be a hammer blow for the club, players such as Adriano know missing European football next season could also mean being ignored for their national team in a World Cup year.
   Perez met with Real general manager Arrigo Sacchi and vice-president Emilio Butragueno on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of reviving their interest in Adriano. Sacchi worked with the striker at Parma and maintains a friendship with the youngster.
   Also playing in Perez's favour is the confusion over the future of Inter majority shareholder Massimo Moratti, who is said to be considering cutting all ties with the club after falling out with fans.
   Moratti has worked hard to establish a good relationship with Adriano in recent months and his departure is sure to unsettle the 22 year-old, who has used the club supremo as a buffer between himself and coach Roberto Mancini.

Manchester United players are said to be unhappy with the growing influence of assistant manager Carlos Queiroz.
   The Sun says United's senior players stars revolted over the increasing influence of Queiroz, who is being groomed as United boss Sir Alex Ferguson's eventual successor.
   Senior players are unhappy manager Ferguson has given his No2 a bigger say over tactics, team selection and training and have made their complaints known to the gaffer.
   Several players asked reserve boss Brian McClair to approach Fergie about the growing influence of Queiroz.
   But Fergie furiously defended his Portuguese No2.

Chelsea's Frank Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech led the nominations for the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) player of the year award on Thursday.
   Midfielder Lampard, defender Terry and Czech goalkeeper Cech have helped Chelsea to the brink of their first Premier League title for 50 years and into the Champions League semi-finals.
   Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, Crystal Palace striker Andy Johnson and Arsenal forward Thierry Henry,
   winner of the award for the last two years, are the other candidates.
   Lampard, last year's runner-up, or Terry are tipped to become the first English player to win the award since former Manchester United forward Teddy Sheringham in 2001.
   'Frank was knocking on the door last year when he finished second to Thierry Henry and like John Terry he's taken his game to a new level under (Chelsea coach) Jose Mourinho,' PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor told the organisation's website.
   'Frank just wants to play and, like Terry, he has been there week in, week out all season and they have both been inspirational.'
   Foreign players have dominated the PFA award, with Dutch forwards Ruud van Nistelrooy and Dennis Bergkamp, Irish midfielder Roy Keane and French winger
   David Ginola chosen by their fellow professionals in recent years.
   Frenchman Henry is again the Premier League's top scorer, Gerrard has helped Liverpool to the Champions League semi-finals and Johnson's 18 goals for Palace earned him his first England cap.
   Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and winger Cristiano Ronaldo are among the nominations for the young player of the year prize won last year by Chelsea midfielder Scott Parker.
   Manchester City midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips, last season's runner-up, Chelsea winger Arjen Robben, Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing and Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe complete the nominations.
   The winners will be announced at the PFA awards ceremony on April 24.