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A Hernan Crespo double inspired Argentina to a 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Brazil on Wednesday and propelled the victors into the 2006 World Cup finals in the latest round of South American qualifiers.
   While Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said it had been like descending into hell, it should prove temporary as the world champions only require three points from the last three matches to make it to Germany next year.
   Crespo had said, perhaps a wee bit unfortunately for a sportsman, that beating Brazil was the perfect shot in the arm and he certainly helped that happen with two first-half strikes while Juan Riquelme scored the other one, which was a quite outstanding goal.
   Brazil played better in the second-half but only had a trademark Roberto Carlos free-kick to show for their efforts and left the vast majority of 60,000 spectators to depart in ecstatic mood.
   Argentina coach Jose Pekerman dedicated the qualification to former handler Marcelo Bielsa, who surprisingly quit late last year despite guiding the Argentinian Olympic side to the gold medal and the national side to top of the group.
   ‘Tonight the players discovered an astonishing level of play and that was the difference between the sides,’ he said.
   ‘We played at a superb tempo and class in the first-half and it is understandable that we weren’t at the same level in the second-half because it is impossible to play at such intensity for 90 minutes against a great side like Brazil.’
   Crespo was more than just delighted at the outcome.
   ‘This is like the greatest dream of my life being played out tonight. Qualifying for the World Cup finals and doing it by beating Brazil.’
   Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said Argentina deserved their victory.
   ‘The way they played in the first-half Argentina deserved the victory,’ said Parreira.
   ‘On Saturday against Paraguay (a 4-1 victory) we were in paradise tonight we were in hell.
   ‘For some reason we always find it difficult to play here.’
   Parreira, who guided Brazil to World Cup glory in 1994, said that Argentina had taken their chances brilliantly.
   ‘They attacked five times and scored on three occasions.’
   In the other matches of the day, Colombia and Chile won home matches for the second time in five days, beating Ecuador 3-0 and Venezuela 2-1 respectively, to boost their chances of emerging from the 10-nation South American qualifying group.
   Meanwhile, Paraguay, thumped 4-1 by Brazil on Sunday, reversed the scoreline against Bolivia to stay in contention.
   There were also some quality goals in Barranquilla where midfielder Tressor Moreno scored twice in the first ten minutes to spark Colombia’s win.
   He rifled home a loose ball in the sixth minute and produced a 25-metre scorcher three minutes later after Juan Pablo Angel chested the ball into his path.
   Martin Arzuaga, who plays for local club Atletico Junior, added the third in the 70th minute, two minutes after coming on as substitute.
   Luis Jimenez scored in the 30th and 60th minutes to put Chile in command against Venezuela, but the visitors pulled one back with Ruberth Moran’s sixth goal of the qualifiers with seven minutes to go.
   The defeat virtually ended Venezuela’s brave attempt to reach their first World Cup.
   Carlos Gamarra, Roque Santa Cruz, Julio Cesar Caceres and Jorge Nunez shared the goals as Paraguay sent hapless Bolivia to their eighth straight away defeat in the group.
   Bolivia, however, produced the best goal of the night, a 30-metre first-time effort from Gonzalo Galindo.

When Bangladesh are struggling to improve the standard of the sport, a foreign hockey team has arrived in the city on Thursday for a long-term training using the facilities of the country. Myanmar has sent their team, comprising 25 players and two officials, following a cultural pact between Bangladesh and their eastern neighbours.
   The team will stay at the BKSP for two months and subsequently will play an under-18 tournament, to be organised by the sports academy from August 5-13. The Bangladesh government will bear their all expenses during the stay and the BKSP coaches will conduct their training, said the hockey federation sources.
   The BHF officials claimed that the visit is a landmark for Bangladesh’s sports as no other country had previously chosen the country for training of their teams in any discipline. Usually Bangladesh sends their players abroad for better training.
   Mentionable that Bangladesh Hockey Federation had to close down the preliminary camp of the national team two weeks after its start on May 12 because of a poor response from the players and their Pakistani coach Qamar Ibrahim still remained missing.

Abahani averted a defeat against Arambagh but could not avoid losing their first points as the lone match of the Metropolis Premier Division Football League ended in a 1-1 tie at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Thursday.
   Abahani played a dull game and lost the points due to some poor finishing while Arambagh produced some speedy counter-attacks and the defence led buy Charles Ghansha, who was released by Muktijoddha, stood strong against the wave of attacks.
   Abahani were unfortunate in the 62nd minute as Ghanaian midfielder Audoo Ibrahim’s shot was cleared from the goal line by Rasel Ansari and the rebound fell into the feet of Uzzal whose shot was also saved by the same defender.
   Uzzal was the culprit missing several sure sitters to bring the downfall of his team and another striker Farhad had no contribution in the attack.
   Morshed put Arambagh ahead through an opportunist strike in the 13th minute of the match. Pouncing on a Shipon back-head intended for Abahani custodian Nizam, Morshed rounded the custodian to place the ball coolly into the net.
   Abahani had to wait for another 66 minutes to get the equaliser. In between the time, Farhad shot straight to Arambagh goalie in the 36th minute and Uzzal hit a defender from the rebounder.
   Arambagh’s foreign recruit Dominic Kubaye could have sealed the fate of the match in the third minute after the break as he dodged past his marker receiving a Ritu through pass but Nizam dived timely into the feet of Dominic to save Abahani.
   Substitute striker Shahajuddin Tipu who came on for Farhad levelled the score in the 79th minute as Audoo Ibrahim initiated another of his countless efforts and his shot was punched away by custodian Shakil but an unmarked Tipu had no difficulty to head the ball home.
   Abahani now have seven points from three matches while Arambagh earned their first points from the same number of outings.

In the first derby match of the Premier Division Football League the two local powerhouses – Muktijoddha Sangsad KC and Mohammedans – lock horns at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.
   The match will be a crucial one for both the teams as they face the first hard challenge in the league. The points of the match are crucial for the league standings which motivates the teams for the ultimate glory. The coaches of both the teams expressed their strong intentions to win the match.
   Mohammedans are rocked by the injuries of their two key players – striker Monju and attacking midfielder Papel Mahmud – and both are doubtful starters. On the other hand, Muktijoddha have no injury problems.
   Mohammedans were yet to sign any foreign recruits till 8:00pm on Thursday but selected Moroccan midfielder Mohammed Regraruy as their first overseas player for the league. His international clearance was ready at the Bangladesh Football Federation office but the club officials were yet to arrive with the player. He may take the field if his registration procedure can be completed in time.
   Muktijoddha have brought Nigerian striker Jeremiah from Kolkata giants East Bengal and all his registration procedure was completed on Thursday. The manager of Muktijoddha, Abdus Sattar, confirmed Jeremiah’s inclusion in the playing eleven of the derby match on Thursday.
   The rate of the tickets is Tk 20 each and the match will kick off at 5:00pm.

Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has hit back at compatriot Mark Waugh’s claims his ability is waning.
   Since returning from a drug ban in March 2004, Warne has taken 92 of his world record 583 Test wickets.
   ‘In the last 25-30 Tests, I’ve played some of the best cricket of my career and I haven’t played against Bangladesh,’ he said.
   ‘My role in the team has changed, bowling behind Lee, Gillespie, McGrath and Kasprowicz.’ Waugh, who retired from Test cricket in 2002, suggested his former team-mate’s tactical nous was taking over from physical ability.
   ‘I don’t think Warney is quite the bowler he was five to 10 years ago,’ he wrote in the Melbourne Age.
   ‘He’s still very good but he relies more on accuracy, subtle variation and reputation these days than on vicious ripping leg-breaks and unplayable flippers.’
   Warne countered: ‘Mark’s a great friend of mine and he’s got to make a few quid somehow, even by joining you blokes (in the media).
   ‘He’s got a great cricket brain and he’s entitled to his opinion.’
   Currently captain of Hampshire, Warne argued Australia’s two most recent skippers, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, are more aggressive than their predecessors.
   ‘We’ve been bowling first a lot lately and that means I’ve been bowling on day one, two and three wickets,’ he explained.
   ‘Under Mark Taylor we’d always bat first and so I’d be bowling on day four of five when it turns more.’
   Warne was speaking at the unveiling of his portrait in the pavilion at Lord’s, an honour that sees him rated alongside Aussie greats greats Sir Donald Bradman and Keith Miller.
   The portrait will initially be hung in the Long Room, meaning Warne is set to walk past it when he takes the field for the first Ashes Test against England on 21 July.
   He joked: ‘I hope they don’t let Brett Lee anywhere near it with a black pen because I might end up with a moustache like Merv Hughes’s.’

Newly-crowned French Open champion Rafael Nadal was brought down to earth here Wednesday losing his first match of the season on grass to lowly-ranked German Alexander Waske.
   Doubles specialist Waske won 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, ending a 24-match unbeaten run from the 19-year-old Spanard, although all of these were on clay.
   Nadal defeated Mariano Puerta in four sets in the final of the French Open in Paris on Sunday having eliminated top seed Roger Federer of Switzerland in the semi-finals.
   He has targetted Wimbledon and the Halle tournament was to have served him as a valuable switchover to grasscourt tennis.
   Nadal said that he had felt exhausted and the constant forays to the net of his 195th ranked opponent had not allowed him to get his game going.
   ‘His approaches to the net stopped me from finding my rhythm,’ said Nadal.
   ‘By the end I was exhausted both physically and psychologically and I had a thigh problem,’ added Nadal, who is going to return to his home base of Mallorca and rest before Wimbledon.
   His decision to do that effectively rules him out of gaining any more experience on grass at either Nottingham in England or Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.
   However, the Spaniard insisted that he had garnered enough from the match to warrant a
   rest.
   ‘I learnt how to play on grass, so therefore it was a very good experience for me,’ he said.
   In other games, Russia’s Marat Safin, dug himself out of deep trouble against old nemesis Fabrice Santoro of France to win 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) and 3-2 in the decider when his opponent abandoned due to a left thigh injury.
   Safin will play Olivier Rochus in the next round after the Belgian put out Spanish eighth seed Feliciano Lopez in straight sets (7-6 (7/2), 6-3.

Indian cricket board president Ranbir Singh Mahendra on Wednesday said his organisation wanted to bid for the 2011 cricket World Cup independently.
   Mahendra said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wanted a situation where it could bid independently but noted that the compulsions of the Asian Cricket Committee could compel it to mount a bid with Pakistan.
   ‘To say a direct yes or no at this stage would be premature, but it was the thinking in the BCCI that we can hold it on our own,’ Mahendra told reporters here.
   Pakistan Cricket Board recently expressed its desire to bid with India for the biggest cricketing extravaganza that is held every four years.
   The 2007 World Cup will be held in the West Indies.
   Pakistan and India had jointly held two World Cups — in 1987 and 1996. Sri Lanka too was a co-host with them in 1996.
   ‘The present government had agreed to give tax exemption to such a big event and we want to make the most of it.
   ‘We will definitely bid for it,’ Mahendra said.
   India will host the Champions Trophy in cricket — considered a mini world cup — in 2006.
   Mahendra said the BCCI did not want any confrontation with state governments over state cricket associations.
   ‘But if they try to take over these bodies through legislation, we have geared ourselves to respond with counter measures,’ he said.
   These measures could include not giving matches to state associations and cutting their grants and subsidies.
   Mahendra said the BCCI
   had not liked the way in which some state cricket associations affiliated with it were being
   treated.
   Regarding demands for a bowling coach for the Indian team, he said the proposal was under consideration and if coach Greg Chappell wanted one, the team would get a coach.
   Mahendra said Sachin Tendulkar still had cricket left in him. ‘For me he is okay and will play in the future,’ he remarked.
   BCCI against own cricket channel
   The Indian cricket board has decided against starting its own TV channel to telecast matches and to end a lingering row over broadcast rights.
   According to board president Ranbir Singh Mahendra, ‘there never was any proposal to have (our) own channel nor was any such move under consideration’.
   ‘I am not in favour of any such channel. Our purpose is cricket and not to run a commercial enterprise,’ he added.
   Mahendra said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had constituted a marketing committee that would decide the issue of TV rights and sponsorship.
   The committee includes Mahendra, board secretary SK Nair and former BCCI chiefs Jagmohan Dalmiya and Inderjit Singh Bindra.
   He said the committee will invite tenders for TV rights and sponsorship and recommend names to the board.
   The sponsorship rights of the Sahara group will end shortly.

John Wright, the former Indian coach, has said that the time for honorary selectors may be up, and has urged the Indian board administration to bring in professionals.
   ‘I have no problems with the selectors because they’re all trying to do a tough job,’ said Wright in a frank interview with Wisden Asia Cricket.
   ‘What I have a problem with is the system, whereby they’re voted in every year and they’re voted in by a geographical region. I don’t think that situation is healthy.’
   Wright said he had witnessed several passionate selection meetings, and noted that since selectors performed in an honorary capacity, they would be changed often, regardless of whether they were competent or otherwise.
   This process, he said, had to change because a large part of a team’s showing depended on the actions of the selectors.
   ‘Every year, generally,
   you have a new convenor
   and a different make-up on your panel, so the continuity is difficult.
   Sanjay Jagdale has been an outstanding selector and because his time is up he is no longer in that position.
   That to me just doesn’t make sense.
   ‘I feel that the system of picking your national selection panel may have done its course,’ he continued, ‘and I would urge the BCCI to study the situation. I have a personal opinion that it should be a professional position, the way it is in a number of countries.
   ‘You can have the best coaching system and your best coaches, but if you don’t get your selections right, you’re making it very difficult for yourselves.’
   Wright added that a selector who toured with the team could help matters, because
   he would be in a position to interact with the captain and coach on requirements and decisions.
   As for feedback on players at first-class level, utilising the services of coaches could be helpful.
   ‘I think there are some good coaches out there in the first-class system, and they should be used. I hope they establish a pathway for coaching in domestic cricket.
   ‘There’s a new group coming through, guys like Paras Mhambrey, Venkatesh Prasad, Robin Singh.
   ‘If you can get a system going where they feel there’s a
   career there, then that could be helpful.’
   Wright added that you could not rule entirely out a situation where coaches became surplus to requirement and the team was ‘taking responsibility for those decisions.
   ‘Which leads us to the Ian Chappell situation, where if a captain doesn’t really want anyone else around, then fine.’

Andy Roddick ripped a near-record 243kph serve in a flawless second set as he routed returning Mark Philippoussis 6-2, 6-4 in the second round of the 680,250-euros Queen’s club tournament on Wednesday.
   The second-seeded American, winner of the last two editions, fired over a bomb clocked just under his all-time best in the game of 249.
   Roddick, who licked his wounds at home for a week after a second round Roland Garros loss, was back in devastating form on a more favourable surface for his big power game.
   The seed showed no mercy to his Australian opponent, whose comeback from a March ankle ligament injury has stalled after just one win here.
   A day after the 1997 champion and 2003 Wimbledon finalist had played and won his first match in more than three months, the grim truth of the difficulty of his comeback emerged.
   Straight out of the box, Roddick was on his game. After surviving an opening barrage of three Philippoussis aces in the first game, the American began to swing the momentum.
   ‘I wasn’t super-confident with the draw,’ said Roddick. ‘But I played about as well as I could. That’s all I could have asked for in a first (grass) match.’
   The former world number one didn’t drop a set on serve in the second set, setting up match points with his tenth ace. He broke number 189 Philippoussis three times.
   Philippoussis, who had lived a nightmare of injuries and lack of form for nearly a year and a half, emerged upbeat despite his defeat as he played in only his third tournament of 2005.
   The defeat leaves Philippousiss with 12 days to try and prepare for Wimbledon, which begins June 20. He plans a week of private hitting in London.
   The victory in his first career match against Philippoussis extended Roddick’s record on grass the 22-2 over the past two years.
   His only recent defeats came at the hands of Roger Federer (2003 Wimbledon semi-final and last summer’s final).
   Teenaged Chris Guccione kept the flag flying along with Hewitt in west London as he surprised Russian Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-4 and next plays Brit Tim Henman.
   Croatian fifth seed Mario Ancic, another handy players on the lawns with a 2004 Wimbledon semi on his record, advanced to the third round over Czech Jan Hernych 6-4, 6-4.
   Ancic was the last man to beat two-time Wimbledon champion Federer on grass, taking a win in the 2002 Wimbledon first round; since then, the Swiss has won 25 straight on the surface.
   Swedish sixth seed Thomas Johansson beat Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-7 (4/7) 6-3, 7-5 while Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic knocked Chilean eighth seed Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)
   French youngster Richard Gasquet, showed improving form with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Briton Jaime Delgado, a wild card ranked outside the Top 200.
   The 15th-seeded Max Mirnyi ousted Italian veteran Davide Sanguinetti 6-4, 6-3 while teenaged Chris Guccione earned an Australian win, beating Russia’s Igor Andreev 6-4, 6-4.

Australian second seed Alicia Molik stumbled to a 6-4, 6-2 defeat by Laura Granville of the United States in the second round of the pre-Wimbledon Edgbaston grasscourt tournament on Wednesday.
   Molik, making her return after eight weeks out following an ear infection, failed to impose herself against an opponent ranked 100th in the world.
   On a day of surprises Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova, the 2002 Wimbledon quarter-finalist and seventh seed, suffered a marathon 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 defeat by Spain’s Arantxa Parra Santonja in 2-1/2 hours.
   Ninth seed Marion Bartoli of France was thrashed 6-3, 6-0 by Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn and Czech 16-year-old Nicole Vaidisova, the 10th seed, lost
   6-4, 6-2 to Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou.
   The number 11 seed Virginie Razzano of France was also eliminated, beaten 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 by Mashona Washington of
   the US.
   Fifth seed Tatiana Golovin of France remains on course for a semi-final meeting with top seed and defending champion Maria Sharapova after coming through her second round match unscathed.
   The Moscow-born 17-year-old, who lost in last year’s Edgbaston final to Wimbledon champion Sharapova, fought hard to beat South African qualifier Natalie Grandin 6-4, 7-5.
   Sharapova will face Australian 16th seed Samantha Stosur in the third round on Thursday after Stosur overcame compatriot Evie Dominikovic 6-1, 1-6, 7-6.
   For Japan, sixth seed Shinobu Asagoe, eighth seed Ai Sugiyama and qualifier Rika Fujiwara all reached the third round.

Australian cricketing legend Donald Bradman’s memorabilia may tour India, thanks to the fact that the foreign ministers of the two countries are cricket fans.
   Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told reporters on Wednesday that the proposal for a touring exhibition had cropped up during his talks with his Indian counterpart K Natwar Singh
   ‘Both the foreign minister (K Natwar Singh) and I love cricket,’ said Downer.
   ‘The exhibition will be very popular here,’ he said noting that cricket was very popular in both India and Australia. It would reinforce the bonds between the two cricketing nations, he added.
   India and Australia could jointly support the exhibition that would travel to major
   cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai, said Downer.
   The foreign minister, himself a keen cricketer, said: ‘I used to enjoy playing cricket. I was a medium pacer.’
   Downer began a three-day visit to India June 6. He arrived in Chennai Monday and flew in on Tuesday for talks with Indian leaders.
   Bradman, who passed away in his home in Adelaide in 2001, is considered the greatest batsman of all times.
   He had a mind boggling career average of 99.94 and would have increased that to 100 had he made just four runs in the final Test of the 1948 England tour - but was bowled for a duck.

Mike Gatting believes the one-day series will be a game of ‘cat and mouse’ before the serious business of the Ashes. Both teams will fight for a psychological advantage in the two tournaments before the first Test, but Gatting said the result would not influence the remainder of the summer.
   ‘It would be nice to win the one-day series but that won’t have any bearing on the Ashes,’ Gatting, who was the last England captain to hold the urn, told the Herald Sun.
   ‘I think there will be a bit of cat and mouse leading into the Test series.
   ‘I don’t think Steve Harmison will play many of the lead-up matches against Australia. I think he’ll just play against Bangladesh.’
   Australia have their first match of the tour today in a Twenty20 warm-up against the Professional Cricketers’ Association before the official game against England at the Rose Bowl on Monday.
   The tri-series begins on June 16, but Australia’s opening fixture is against Bangladesh at Cardiff on June 18.

Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic complained Wednesday that the investments he has made in construction business in his homeland Croatia financially ruined him.
   ‘Unfortunately, my investments sunk like Titanic,’ Ivanisevic, who retired after his All England Club swansong last year, told the Globus weekly.
   ‘From the beginning everything went wrong. Every single investment that I have made in Croatia has failed,’ the 33-year-old added.
   ‘I don’t belong to any party, any lobby ... I did not bribe anyone and in construction business you cannot build a dog house without bribing someone.’
   ‘It’s my fault of entering a business where there is no honesty. Those people ate me like sharks,’ stressed Ivanisevic who has been investing in construction business in Croatia since 1998.
   However, Ivanisevic, who earned 19.8 million dollars in carrier prize money emphasized that thanks to tournaments that he is still playing he would not go bankrupt.
   ‘I am playing Senior Tour and I can earn very well, so I will never face bankruptcy.’
   Ivanisevic is to play next week in a tennis tournament in Croatia, hosting former tennis stars.
   The four-day tournament, opening on June 15 in the northern coastal town of Novi Vinodolski, is also to host Boris Becker, John McEnroe and Thomas Muster.

England on Wednesday called spinner Gareth Batty into their one-day squad as cover for the injured Ashley Giles.
   Giles has been troubled this season by a hip injury which counted him out of the recent two-Test series against Bangladesh, and he is not expected to be match fit until late June or early July.
   There seems little prospect of Giles playing in the NatWest Series which features England, Bangladesh and Australia, and begins on June 16.
   Batty stood in for Giles in the Bangladesh Tests, and could play in Monday’s Twenty20 International against the Australians, England’s first meeting with Ricky Ponting’s side this Ashes summer.
   Peter Gregory, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s chief medical officer, said Giles was still some way off recovering full fitness.
   ‘Ashley’s injury is responding to treatment and we are pleased with the progress he is making.
   ‘He will need to continue strengthening work and cricket-specific training at a local level.
   ‘We have not yet specified a date for his return to competitive cricket, but at this stage we anticipate that he will be available to Warwickshire within the next two weeks and we will be monitoring his progress closely.’
   England look set to insist on Giles completing a county match without any hiccups before bringing him back into the international fold, suggesting that the NatWest Challenge against Australia next month, beginning on July 7 at Headingley, could mark his return.

Pakistan fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed, who has been reported for a suspect bowling action, will undergo tests in England this week.
   The tests, to be conducted by a biomechanic specialist recommended by the International Cricket Council (ICC), will determine if he is exceeding the tolerance level of 15 degrees allowed for bowlers to straighten their elbows.
   ‘We are concerned with the fact that Shabbir has been reported for the third time in his career. The tests in England will confirm what corrective measures are required for him,’ Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director of cricket operations Salim Altaf told Reuters on Thursday.
   Shabbir was also reported in September 1999 and January 2004. The tall 29-year-old, who has taken 46 Test wickets in nine matches, rattled the West Indies with match figures of eight for 119 in Pakistan’s victory in the second Test in Jamaica this week.
   He also took five wickets in the first Test in Barbados where he was reported for his action.

Ukraine moved closer to its first World Cup appearance with a 1-0 victory at European champion Greece on Wednesday, while Jan Koller scored four goals to keep the Czech Republic in a close race with the Netherlands.
   Spain needed an equaliser in the sixth minute of injury time against visiting Bosnia-Herzegovina to salvage a 1-1 draw and go top of its group. But there were routine victories for Turkey, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Denmark, Slovakia and Ireland in the hunt for World Cup spots.
   Andriy Husin’s strike at Piraeus came nine minutes from the end and enabled Ukraine to move seven points clear of its rivals in Group 2.
   ‘It was a big win for us ... we’re 99.9 per cent in Germany,’ said Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin, who played at the 1982 and ‘86 World Cups for the Soviet Union.
   It was major setback for Greece, which had not lost in seven Group 2 games.
   ‘Nothing is lost,’ Greece coach Otto Rehhagel said. ‘We pressed but didn’t get a goal.’
   The Greeks slipped to third, eight points behind, after Turkey routed Kazakhstan 6-0. Fatih Tekke and Tuncay Sanli scored two goals each. Fourth-place Denmark stayed in contention with a 3-1 win over Albania, helped by two goals by Soeren Larsen.
   Koller scored four times to lead the Czech Republic back from a goal down and over Macedonia 6-1. The result came four days after the Czechs demolished Andorra 8-1.
   After Goran Pandev had given the visitors a surprise 14th-minute lead, Borussia Dortmund striker Koller turned the game around with four strikes either side of halftime.
   Another Dortmund star, Tomas Rosicky, fired home a 74th-minute penalty and Liverpool’s Milan Baros scored two minutes from the end.
   Baros initially celebrated scoring his team’s second goal in the final minute of the first half but FIFA later credited it to Koller, giving the lanky striker four in the match.
   The Netherlands stayed top, however, after an impressive 4-0 victory at Finland where Manchester United’s Ruud van Nistelrooy, Feyenoord’s Dirk Kuijt, Barcelona’s Phillip Cocu and Arsenal’s Robin van Persie were all on target.
   With four games remaining, the Netherlands has 22 points and the Czechs have 21. Romania, a 3-0 winner against Armenia, has 16 but has just three games to play and it looks as if the Dutch and the Czechs may both qualify without having to go to the playoffs.
   All eight group winners qualify automatically as well as the best two runners-up. The other six second-place finishers go to the playoffs in November.
   The games were among 13 World Cup matches in Europe. Host Germany, which doesn’t have to qualify, drew 2-2 with Russia in Moenchengladbach.
   Spain appeared headed for a stunning upset when Zvjezdan Misimovic gave Bosnia the lead seven minutes before halftime in Valencia. It was the first goal ‘keeper Iker Casillas had conceded in 686 minutes of play, a national team record.
   In a dramatic final few minutes, Bosnia had Nedim Halilovic and Mirsad Beslija sent off and Valencia defender Carlos Marchena scored a valuable equalizer for the home side to put the Spaniards one point ahead of Serbia-Montenegro at the top of Group 7. Although they stayed unbeaten, it was their fourth draw in seven games.
   Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo scored the match-winner for Portugal, which won 1-0 at Estonia to stay three points clear of its rivals in Group 3. Second-place Slovakia won 4-0 at Luxembourg. Russia is third with 14 points and a game in hand.
   Euro 2004 qualifier Latvia edged Liechtenstein 1-0 in Riga to maintain its chances of reaching the World Cup finals for the first time. Imants Bleidelis scored the only goal of the game in the 17th minute, but the fourth-place Latvians still have seven points to make up on the Portuguese.
   Ireland jumped two places to the top of Group 4 with a 2-0 victory at the Faeroe Islands. The Irish scored twice in the second half through Ian Harte’s penalty and a deflected strike by Kevin Kilbane, climbing above Switzerland and Israel and leaving France further behind.
   In the closest group of all, Ireland has 13 points from seven games, the Swiss have 12 from six, Israel has 11 from seven and France 10 from six. All four are next in action on Sept. 3.
   Spain hoped to go three points clear at the top of Group 7 by beating Bosnia-Herzegovina in Valencia. In other qualifying games, Iceland beat Malta 4-1 and Belarus drew 0-0 with Scotland.

Asian heavyweights Iran, Saudi Arabia and South Korea lived up to their footballing reputations on Wednesday, all securing wins and clinching automatic qualifying spots for next year's World Cup in Germany.
   In Tehran where Iran's 1-0 home win over Bahrain sparked mass celebrations across the Islamic republic.
   Huge crowds of delighted residents took to the streets, as the capital and other big cities erupted into a deafening cacophony of car horns, firecrackers and cheering.
   'We will go to the World Cup to achieve something there, not only to participate,' Iran's elated Croatian coach Branko Ivankovich told reporters.
   The win put Iran - the top Asian side and 18th in FIFA's world rankings - top of Asian qualifying Group B with 13 points followed by Japan with 12 points. Bahrain have four points and the North Koreans none.
   The match saw Iran get off to a strong start, with two chances in the third minute, and defender Mohammad Nosrati hitting the post in the fourth. In the first 15 minutes, Iran had seven corners.
   But Bahrain were no pushover, quickly managing to assert themselves and had several strong chances in the first half - exposing weaknesses in Iran's defence.
   But just seconds into the second half, a free-kick from near the corner spot from Fereydoun Zandi found the six yard box and Nosrati headed the ball into the lower right hand corner of the net.
   Iran's Mehdi Mahdavikia skimmed the post in the 56th minute and found the goalkeeper at close range in the 70th. But much of the rest of the game was anecdotal - as Iran firmed up their defence and waited for the final whistle.
   'I swear to God that last night I dreamed of this goal, and after my first shot hit the post I was afraid God did not like me,' Nosrati said after the match. 'But when I scored, my dream came true.'
   'This is one of the most beautiful days of my life, because we have made 70 million people happy,' said veteran captain Ali Daei. 'We have a lot of plans to prepare our game for the World Cup.'
   In Group A, South Korea, 2002 World Cup semi-finalists, secured their entry into the World Cup for the eighth time and the third time in succession, with a 4-0 drubbing of Kuwait, whose fans resorted to chanting 'Korea, Korea' in the game's final half-hour.
   South Korea went ahead in the 19th minute, virtually from their first organised attack, when unmarked Kim Dong-Jin received the ball on the left flank and sent a neat pass for Park Chu-Young who scored from close range.
   In the 28th minute, Park Chu-Young broke the offside trap for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper but was brought down in the box by Mesaed al-Enezi. Lee Dong-Gook converted from the penalty spot to put the Koreans 2-0 up.
   Angered by the result, fans started throwing bottles onto the pitch which forced the Thai referee to stop the game for seven minutes.
   Ten minutes after the interval, Kim Sang-Sik fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box to beat diving Kuwaiti goalkeeper Shehab Kankuni.
   Park Ji-Sung sealed Kuwait's fate by scoring the fourth goal in the 62nd minute when
   he deceived Kankuni after penetrating deep into the Kuwaiti area.
   But it was Saudi Arabia who topped the group, one point clear of South Korea after a 3-0 win over Uzbekistan.
   Inspirational Saudi captain Sami al-Jaber scored twice for the hosts, in the 9th and 60th minutes.
   Saad al-Harthi, who came on as a replacement for Jaber in the 68th minute, grabbed a third for Saudi Arabia three minutes from full-time.
   The result left Saudi Arabia on top of the Asian qualifying Group 1, with 11 points from five games. South Korea lie second a point behind.
   Kuwait are in third place on four points while Uzbekistan lie bottom with two points.
   These two teams play
   their last game in Tashkent in August.
   The third-place finishers in the two Asian groups will play off against each other, with the winners facing the fourth-placed team in the North and Central American and Caribbean Zone for a back door entry to Germany 2006.

Former England manager Sir Bobby Robson believes that England can win the World Cup next year - and says Wayne Rooney could be the star of the tournament.
   The World Cup finals in Germany are exactly a year away, and Robson is confident of England's chances.
   He told BBC Sport, 'We have a fine team and we weren't very far away in Portugal in 2004. I think we will be hard to beat and have every chance.
   'In Rooney we have an artist. I think that boy is sensational.'
   England lost to Portugal on a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-final of the European Championship last year.
   'We should've done better but were a bit unlucky,' added Robson. 'And our players should be better next year.
   'Rooney's come on. What is Rooney, who is only 19, going to be like when he's 23, 24, 28 if he keeps on the straight and narrow? I think he's going to be awesome.
   'I think on our hands we have a Maradona or a Pele - a top, top player.'
   England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson came under fire after their exit at Euro 2004.
   But Robson, who took England to the World Cup semi-finals in 1990, said, 'If you judge the guy on results you can't accuse him of anything. Overall his percentage of winning is terrific. He hasn't lost many games has he?'
   Not since 1958 has a team from outside Europe won a World Cup held on the continent, but Robson believes England's biggest opposition will come from South America this time.
   'I don't know how good Brazil are going to be and you don't know what's going to come out of Argentina but those are the two dangers, they always are.
   'I don't see anything out of France, Germany or Italy that will frighten us - I really don't.'
   Robson also thinks England skipper David Beckham, who has had some criticism over his performances for his country in recent years, is still one of their key players.
   He added, 'A lot will depend on our belief and our make-up and one or two key players not getting injured.
   'Rooney is the key. I think Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard are key as is Beckham. He has his critics but there is nobody better than Beckham.
   'Look at that ball he put in the other day for Michael Owen, his acceptance of the ball, where he just knows when to knock it in, and how to eliminate the
   keeper.
   'He is a wonderful crosser and he is always a danger on free-kicks - and that's an asset.
   'Every clever team has to have a Beckham in my opinion because free-kicks might win you the game.
   'All the great teams have a specialist free-kick taker and we have one in Beckham - what
   we need now is one with a left foot.'

Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United are on the prowl for summer signings to help tip the balance in what could be the closest Premiership race for years.
   Arsenal are in negotiations with Stuttgart about Belarus winger Alexander Hleb as manager Arsene Wenger tries to strengthen the right side of his midfield but a deal is being held up by Stuttgart’s search for a coach to replace Matthias Sammer.
   The Germans have to decide whether to give his successor a say in Hleb’s future. Hleb, who joined Stuttgart in 2000, has three years left on his contract.
   Chelsea have had a 4 million pound bid for Kakha Kaladze rejected by AC Milan who are believed to be demanding 8.5m pounds for the Georgian left-back, who has one year left on his contract but has made clear his wish to move to Stamford Bridge.
   The English champions have agreed personal terms with the 27-year-old, who is top of the wanted list ahead of Athletic Bilbao’s Asier Del Horno.
   French champions Lyon insist Michael Essien has signed an extension to his contract but club sources say the Gahana midfielder, whom Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants to link with Claude Makelele, is desperate to join the London club, reputedly the world’s biggest payers.
   Lyon were expected to listen to a first Chelsea offer next week.
   Chelsea’s Argentina pair Hernan Crespo and Juan Veron are set to stay in Italy. Chelsea are hopeful of gaining a fee from Milan for Crespo at the end of next season as his contract still has three years to run, but they may cancel Veron’s contract after another year on loan at Inter.
   Manchester were told they could not buy 14-million pound-rated Valencia winger Vicente but were close to snapping up PSV Eindhoven’s South Korean midfielder Park Ji-sung after making a 5 million pound bid.
   Newly-promoted West Ham were reported to be in talks with France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.
   The 34-year-old, banned for six months in France for spitting at a referee, is free to resume his playing career in another country.
   And Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin was making a move for Newcastle’s French winger Laurent Robert.

Mexico and the United States continued to impress in World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday while Paulo Wanchope scored an injury-time winner as Costa Rica beat Guatemala 3-2 after throwing away a two-goal lead.
   Mexico had to wait until the last half hour to beat Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 at home while the US goals all came in the first half as they won 3-0 in Panama.
   The region's 'big two' remained firmly on course for Germany next year as the final stage of the CONCACAF qualifiers reached the halfway mark.
   Mexico lead with 13 points from five games with their neighbours one behind. They are followed by Costa Rica (7), Guatemala and Trinidad & Tobago (4) and Panama (2).
   The top three teams qualify directly for the World Cup and the fourth plays off against the fifth-placed team from Asia.
   The US, who needed an injury-time goal to draw 1-1 with Panama when they met in an earlier stage of the qualifiers last year, had no such problems the second time around.
   Defender Carlos Bocanegra headed them in front from a corner in the eighth minute.
   Fourteen minutes later, forward Landon Donovan added to the two goals he scored in Saturday's 3-0 win over Costa Rica when he headed in Steve Ralston's cross.
   Free-kicks by Carlos Hernandez and Ronald Gomez in the 34th and 66th minutes put Costa Rica in control on the Saprissa stadium's artificial pitch before Edwin Villatoro and Mario Rodriguez scored twice in three minutes to level.
   Guatemala were playing for time when former West Ham and Manchester City striker Wanchope snapped up a loose ball to fire home in the 92nd minute.

Internazionale striker Adriano has rubbished suggestions he could leave the Serie A giants for Chelsea this summer.
   The Brazilian has been strongly linked with a move to the Premiership champions for several months, and he revealed that the London club and Real Madrid have both been in touch with his agent.
   However, earlier this week Internazionale owner Massimo Moratti declared he had not yet received a suitable offer for the man who scored 16 league goals last season, and Adriano has now stated that he wants to spearhead Inter’s assaults on the domestic title and the Champions League next season.
   ‘Real Madrid and Chelsea wanted to speak to me and find out if I was interested in joining them. I said to my agent Gilmar, I do not want to speak to them and I don’t want to break any contract.
   ‘I never said if I don’t win anything with Inter I will ask to leave the club. I want to stay at Inter for as long as I can. I’m happy in Milan, here there are so many people who care about me.’
   Adriano did, however, admit he could be tempted to look elsewhere if Inter fail to pick up any silverware next season, but his motivation will not be money.
   ‘I believe money is not everything in my life and to be honest I’m not interested in money,’ he added. ‘I believe a football player will not be satisfied until he wins some trophies.
   ‘Certainly if next year we do not win anything, Inter must understand my desire to look at somebody else.’

Hundreds of fans gathered at Capodichino airport in Naples on Thursday to welcome back Diego Maradona, 14 years after he last set foot in the city.
   The 44-year-old former World Cup winner was returning to the scene of some of his greatest triumphs to appear at a farewell match in honour of former Napoli team mate Ciro Ferrara.
   No-one knows whether Maradona will play in the game, which takes place at San Paolo stadium on Thursday and pits a selection of his former Napoli team mates against past and present Juventus players, including Frenchman Zinedine Zidane.
   ‘The moment for him to return to Naples has arrived,’ Ferrara was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport.
   ‘Him being here would be a present for the 20 years of my career.’
   Maradona’s arrival for a world record fee of 6.9 million pounds ($12.59 million) in 1984 signalled the start of a golden period for Napoli, transforming them from a mediocre club into one of the best in the world.
   With the Argentine up front, they won two Serie A titles, the Italian Cup and the 1989 UEFA Cup.
   Maradona also captained his country to victory in the 1986 World Cup and helped his side finish runners-up four years later.
   His decline was just as spectacular, however.
   In 1991 he failed a dope test for cocaine and the resulting ban spelled the end of his Serie A career.

Former BCB officials stand by Osman Khan
Former directors of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, led by Saber Hossain Choudhury, went to the Millennium Heart and General Hospital to see the ailing former national cricket coach Osman Khan. Former BCB directors Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul, Ahmed Sajjadul Alam Bobby were among others with Saber. The former directors agreed to bear partial expenditures of his treatment.
— New Age

Dilkusha beat Jirabo
Dilkusha SC beat Jirabo SC by 2-0 goals in a match of the Metropolis Third Division Football League at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium in Kamalapur on Thursday. Samad scored the first goal for the Dilkusha SC in the 20th minute while Bakul netted the second goal in the 78th minute. In day’s other matches at the Banani Army Stadium, Mirpur Ekadash defeated The Muslim Institute by a solitary goal while Swadesh Samaj Kalyan Sangha shared points with Friends Social Organization in a 2-2 draw.
— UNB

Rajbari face Pabna in final today
Rajbari DSA and Pabna DSA moved into the final of the Pepsi Inter-District Women’s Volleyball Championship eliminating their rivals in the semis at the Dhanmondi Women’s Sports Complex on Thursday. The third-place deciding match and the final will be held today at 8am and 4pm respectively at the same venue. In the day’s first semifinal, Rajbari DSA beat Tangail DSA 25-11, 25-11, 25-19 while in the second semifinal Pabna DSA defeated Rajshahi DSA 25-22, 25-23, 14-15, 17-25, 15-11.
— UNB

Win for Rangamati
Rangamati sadar upazila edged Master Haradhan Smiriti Sangsad 1-0 in the second round match of the Zila Parishad Junior (under-14) Gold Cup Football Tournament at the local stadium on Thursday. Apu, the captain of the winning team, scored the all important goal for Rangamati. Barkal Upazila will take on Sujan Smriti Sangsad today.
— New Age

Ntini ready to
join Bears
South Africa’s Makhaya Ntini, one of the world’s leading fast bowlers, could be joining Warwickshire later this summer, it has emerged. With Heath Streak set to be away on duty with Zimbabwe from the beginning of August until the end of the season, a new overseas bowler will be needed. And Warwickshire spokesman Keith Cook told BBC Sport: ‘We first targeted Makhaya about 18 months ago. ‘But we must seek approval from the South African board before confirming.’ But that approval could be on its way soon.
— BBC

Ronaldo to visit tsunami-hit Aceh
Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo is to visit Indonesia’s tsunami-hit province of Aceh this weekend to raise funds for victims of the massive December disaster, an event organiser said Thursday. The 20-year-old Portuguese international will arrive on Saturday and fly to Aceh the same day where he will be reunited with tsunami child survivor Martunis, an organiser of Ronaldo’s trip told AFP. Martunis triggered an outpouring of aid from Portuguese football officials and players after he was pictured wearing Portugal’s national colours after surviving the December 26 disaster.
— AFP