Soccer News and Scores

CHESTER, Pa. (AP) -- The Portland Timbers extended their unbeaten streak to three with a scoreless draw against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday.

The Timbers (9-12-6) are only 1-8-4 on the road this season with seven goals scored.

The Union's winless streak reached eight, spanning two months. Since a 3-0 victory at New England on July 17, the Union (8-7-12) have gone 0-3-5.

Philadelphia is 5-1-8 at home.

That winless stretch was nearly snapped in the 88th minute when Justin Mapp sent a cross to Kyle Nakazawa, who clanged a shot directly off the crossbar.

Defender Carlos Valdes' header in stoppage time was saved by Portland goalkeeper Troy Perkins.

Philadelphia rookie goalkeeper Zac MacMath, who gave up four goals in a 4-4 draw against the Revolution on Wednesday, responded with a shutout.

The Union won't play until Sept. 17, when they host Columbus, while Portland will host New England on Friday.

Racing Club, Tigre and Godoy Cruz maintained the pressure on Apertura leaders Atletico Rafaela with wins in the latest round of fixtures in Argentina.

Teofilo Gutierrez scored a 19th-minute penalty to sink visiting Olimpo and move Racing Club up to second in the table, a point behind the pacesetters.

Tigre's 3-1 win at struggling Estudiantes was based on an impressive first half performance. The visitors raced into a three-goal lead inside 24 minutes with goals from Carlos Luna, Diego Morales (penalty) and Roman Martinez, with the home side having goalkeeper Damien Albil dismissed at 1-0.

Estudiantes, second from bottom and winless after six matches, needed a 61st-minute own goal from Carlos Casteglione to get off the mark - but they were not going to stop Tigre moving up to fourth.

Godoy Cruz are up to seventh after a come-from-behind 6-1 defeat of All Boys. Eduardo Dominguez gave the visitors the lead midway through the first half but Ruben Ramirez and Emanuel Perea's own goal turned things around by half-time and Ramirez, Leandro Caruso and Diego Villar made the points safe.

Dominguez's evening took a turn for the worse on the hour when he was dismissed, with substitute Jorge Curbelo completing the scoring for the home side four minutes from time.

On Friday, Colon Santa Fe defeated San Lorenzo 3-1. Esteban Fuertes scored either side of half-time for Colon and although Emmanuel Gigliotti pulled a goal back midway through the second half, Federico made the points safe four minutes from time.

In the other match, leaders Atletico Rafaela were held to a goalless draw by mid-table Newell's Old Boys, who drew for the fourth time in six matches.

Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes believes the club can offer David Beckham "love, care and attention".

Premier League side QPR have been linked with making a move for Beckham, 36, once the midfielder's contract expires at Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of the MLS season in November.

Fernandes said: "If you look at the five signings we've made we have brought in people who have something to prove. Shaun Wright-Phillips still feels he can play for England; Joey Barton has a lot to prove; Anton Ferdinand, missing in action at Sunderland, but back in London, home town, things to prove.

"Then we've Luke Young who felt he was deserted early by (England manager Fabio) Capello, and (Armand) Traore was never given a chance at Arsenal by (Arsene) Wenger. So we've five new players, and Beckham fits into that mould because he wants to return and captain Britain at the Olympics.

"Environment, love, care and attention - we can offer that to him. I'm not sure it's for him, and I'm not sure it will fit him in January. Who knows? But I'm an ideas man, and he is an idea. He may not want it, he may want a bigger club. I hear (Spurs manager) Harry Redknapp has said he wants him.

"Ultimately, (manager) Neil (Warnock) has to feel comfortable, but who knows what can happen in January. We will have to wait and see. They (Beckham's advisors) want to talk because our vision is a long-term one, with lots of things David can do in Asia with me. It's something we have to work at."

Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock has suggested the club could make a move for David Beckham in January after owner Tony Fernandes said he was interested in bringing the player back to England.

Beckham has spent five years in the United States with Los Angeles Galaxy but his contract with the Major League Soccer club ends in two months' time.

That means he will be free to negotiate a return to the Premier League and while he has said playing for a club other than Manchester United in England's top flight would be difficult he has not ruled it out.

After rumours of a move for Beckham emerged on Wednesday, Fernandes said on Twitter: "I think having someone like David in the club would be great. Was always in my thoughts."

And now Warnock has followed that up by saying "anything is possible" now Fernandes is in charge at Loftus Road.

Warnock was quoted in the Daily Telegraph as saying: "About three weeks ago I would not have dreamed to sign Joey Barton so I will never write anything off.

"The chairman Tony Fernandes has got such [an opinion] - why accept the average when you can reach for the top? That is how he is.

"It came out of the blue. I think anything is possible. He is a very astute businessman.''

However at a press conference on Thursday, Warnock appeared to try and put distance between himself and a move for Beckham.

"It is not a discussion [Tony and I] have had,'' he said. "I mean obviously it is good news for you lads I suppose and nothing much surprises me at the club but it's not something we've talked about, not myself anyhow.''

Asked what he would do if Fernandes offered him the player, he retorted: "I think you will have to ask me as and when. I've got enough problems worrying about Newcastle (on Monday), I don't want to worry about that (as well).

"We can't sign him anyhow, we can't sign anybody else now until January so why worry? I think he is a fabulous professional. I think he has been a great asset to English football, I like him as a person but ask me in January.''

CHESTER, Pa. (AP) -- Freddy Adu scored, Sebastien Le Toux had two second-half goals and the Philadelphia Union overcome a three-goal deficit to tie the New England Revolution 4-4 on Wednesday night.

Le Toux scored on a penalty kick in the 80th minute to pull the Union (8-7-1) within a goal, then tied it in the first minute of stoppage time. Roger Torres also scored for the Union.

Philadelphia has a seven-match winless streak (0-3-4) and hasn't won since July 17 in a 3-0 victory at New England.

Rajko Lekic, A.J. Soares, Moncef Zerka and Benny Feilhaber scored for the Revolution (4-11-12). They have a seven-game winless streak (0-2-5).

Philadelphia was without Faryd Mondragon, the All-Star goalkeeper who fractured his right ring finger in last Saturday in a 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake. Rookie Zac MacMath made his first career start for the Union.

This game was originally scheduled Aug. 28, but was moved because of Hurricane Irene.

Reigning Argentinian champions Velez Sarsfield have made it into the Copa Sudamericana round-of-16 by hammering compatriots Argentinos Juniors 4-0 in the return match of the second phase - but boss Ricardo Gareca found room for improvement afterwards.

El Fortin were able to build on the goalless draw in the first leg as visitors and never looked back after Guillermo Franco had given them a 23rd-minute lead, heading in following good work from Juan Manuel Martinez.

It was 2-0 in the 55th minute when midfielder Augusto Fernandez stole the ball and advanced into the box before beating Argentinos goalkeeper Luis Ojeda.

Forward Martinez made it 3-0 in the 74th minute with a penalty, before midfielder Hector Canteros rounded off the win with six minutes remaining.

However, boss Gareca said: "We have shown important things on the field, but we have other mistakes to be corrected. Argentinos had some opportunities to equalise when we were ahead 1-0. We were in need of a victory like this one."

In Santiago, Chilean giants Universidad Catolica made an important step towards the round-of-16 as they defeated compatriots Iquique 2-1 in the first leg.

Milovan Mirosevic headed in Rodrigo Valenzuela's cross to open the scoring in the 37th minute, with Enzo Endia widening the gap six minutes into the second half.

However, Michael Rios reduced the deficit in the 81st minute - a goal which may prove crucial with the return match scheduled for Wednesday.

Barcelona were pegged back from two goals ahead as Real Sociedad snatched a superb and deserved 2-2 draw at the Estadio de Anoeta.

Two goals in as many minutes from Xavi and Cesc Fabregas put Barca 2-0 up inside the opening quarter-hour and they appeared to be cruising, but Imanol Agirretxe's header changed all that and Antoine Griezmann netted a bizarre equaliser - making good on his pre-match promise to prove his commitment to the club after the collapse of his longed-for summer move to Atletico Madrid.

Barca also saw new signing Alexis Sanchez forced off by injury shortly after the half-hour mark.

Karim Benzema bagged a brace as Real Madrid continued their impressive start to the Primera Division season with an entertaining 4-2 victory against Getafe at the Bernabeu.

Cristiano Ronaldo and substitute Gonzalo Higuain were also on target, the former improving his record to 15 goals in his last six league games and eight in four against Getafe with a controversial penalty on the hour mark.

Miku netted a cool double for Getafe but it was not enough to prevent his side slipping to defeat.

Villarreal produced a fine performance to claim a 2-2 draw against Sevilla despite being down to 10 men for over an hour of their encounter at El Madrigal.

Alvaro Negredo gave the visitors the lead after home goalkeeper Diego Lopez had been sent off for a foul on Diego Perotti. Negredo's penalty was saved by Cesar Sanchez but the striker fired home the rebound.

The Yellow Submarine were awarded a penalty of their own 12 minutes later and Giuseppe Rossi made no mistake from the spot, and then Marco Ruben put the home side ahead with a fine finish 18 minutes from time. The hosts were denied the three points, though, when Alexis headed home an 87th-minute free-kick.

In the day's late kick-off, Roberto Soldado was on target as Valencia made it two wins from two in the Primera Division with a 1-0 victory at the expense of Atletico Madrid.

Soldado struck in the second half to settle a contest they had dominated, leaving the visitors still hunting for the their first victory of the new season.

Rangers have been dealt a major blow after Kyle Bartley was ruled out of action for up to six weeks.

Bartley, 20, was forced out of last month's 2-0 win at Inverness - his first match of his second spell at the Scottish champions - with what has now been diagnosed as a hernia problem.

The centre-half, who is on loan from Arsenal, also missed part of his first loan spell last season with a knee injury and has been told he faces another spell on the sidelines, with surgery a possibility.

Rangers director of football Gordon Smith told the Daily Record: "Kyle has a hernia problem and we expect him to be out of action for between five and six weeks, although I'm not sure at this stage if surgery will be required.

"Either way, it's obviously a big blow for the boy and the club.''

Gers' boss Ally McCoist is slightly more optimistic about the centre-half's potential recovery time, telling the club's official website: "It's a big disappointment for Kyle himself that he's out for a bit longer but I had a good chat with him last night after his operation and he's upbeat.

"He was obviously in a little bit of discomfort and a little bit of pain but he still managed to ask me if there was any possibility we could put the Celtic game back. I thought that was wonderful and it just sums big Kyle up. He doesn't want to miss any training or any games. I told him I'd ask but I didn't hold much hope it would happen for him.

"With the attitude he has and what he gives us, being without him is a big miss for ourselves but we won't rush him back. When you've someone who is as eager to be part of the team as his is, in many cases that's half the battle.

"I'd hope we'd have him back in around four weeks or so but we'll take as long as he needs to make sure he is fit again.''

A superb second-half strike by Czech defender Zdenek Kroca helped Kilmarnock to a 3-2 Clydesdale Bank Premier League victory over Dunfermline at Rugby Park.

The 62nd-minute effort sealed an entertaining encounter for the home side in which both teams held the lead.

Jason Thomson opened the scoring for Dunfermline but the visitors found themselves 2-1 behind following a double from Paul Heffernan.

Dunfermline substitute Ryan Thomson netted an equaliser just after the break only for Kroca's wonderful effort to condemn them to their second straight league defeat.

Killie went close early on as Dean Shiels evaded the attention of Andy Dowie and slid the ball across the penalty box but nobody was on hand to slot it home.

Dunfermline midfielder Paul Burns then struck the base of post from the edge of the box a minute before the visitors grabbed the opening goal.

Andy Kirk's header crashed off the underside of the bar and Thomson was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.

Dunfermline could have doubled their lead minutes later when Kirk got on the end of David Graham's cross but Killie goalkeeper Cammy Bell tipped the ball past the post.

Pars boss Jim McIntyre was sent to the stand after a confrontation with fourth official Ian Brines after 20 minutes.

Kirk was proving to be a threat to the Kilmarnock rearguard and only a smart tackle by Liam Kelly denied him an opportunity to double the deficit.

Kilmarnock were struggling to regain a foothold in the match but were handed a glorious opportunity when referee Brian Winter awarded a penalty after Alex Keddie clearly felled James Dayton inside the area.

Heffernan made no mistake from the spot, sending Paul Gallacher the wrong way.

As the first half drew to a close Kilmarnock took the lead. Dean Shiels threaded a clever through ball to Heffernan who coolly slotted beyond Gallagher.

Pars boss Kenny Shiels replaced Craig Easton with Ryan Thomson at half-time and the change paid off within five minutes as he glanced home from Cardle's inch perfect delivery.

Thomson came close to doubling his tally just before the hour mark when he drilled an effort just wide of the post following David Graham's knockdown.

Kilmarnock restored their advantage on 62 minutes when Kroca delighted the home supporters with a low curling effort beyond Gallacher from the edge of the box.

The home side almost doubled their lead minutes later when Shiels weaved his way into the area and unleashed a stinging effort only to be denied by Gallacher.

The travelling supporters thought their side had drawn level with 10 minutes remaining when Kirk nipped in front of Bell to knock the ball into the net but the striker was adjudged to be offside.

Both managers made changes in the closing stages but despite Dunfermline's determined approach to the game it was the hosts who looked more likely to add to their tally.

Rory McKeown did well to drive into the box and he unleashed a stinging effort that forced Gallacher into another fine stop.

The impressive Shiels received a standing ovation from the Kilmarnock faithful when he limped off with minutes remaining to be replaced by Spaniard Jorge Galan.

Galan was unable to make an impact during his three minute appearance though and Kilmarnock comfortably held out for the three points.

Sergio Aguero is vowing to have the same impact at Manchester City that Diego Maradona did when playing for Napoli.

Aguero, who is married to Maradona's daughter, has scored six goals in four league games since moving to City for ?38 million from Atletico Madrid this summer.

And he is vowing to spearhead City's charge towards the Premier League title, just as Maradona did at Napoli, who won Serie A twice, the UEFA Cup and the Coppa Italia when the Argentinean legend was in the team.

"I hope I can help Manchester City do great things like Diego did with Napoli," Aguero said. "I'm coming here to help the team develop and win titles, and if we can do that this year, it will be perfect. But we'll keep on trying to get better and better and I hope to play a big part in that."

Meanwhile, City boss Roberto Mancini has played down expectations ahead of the club's inaugural Champions League campaign, which kicks off against Napoli on Wednesday.

"I understand why people are getting excited but it is still early for us," Mancini said. "Yes, it's our target to improve, to win the Premier League and Champions League in the future. But let's see what happens in May. This group of players has only been together two months, and we need time.

"Of course, playing in the Champions League was all part of that project. But we are actually in the competition sooner than I thought we would be. The club has bought good players and we worked very hard and for these reasons we deserve to be where we are. But we still need to improve."

Eastern Conference strugglers Toronto stunned Columbus Crew with a 4-2 win in the latest round of MLS fixtures.

Columbus could have gone top with a victory, yet Toronto - bottom of the table with just four wins in their previous 28 matches - led 2-0 at half-time with goals from Nick Soolsma and Ryan Johnson.

Substitute Tom Heinemann pulled a goal back but Julian De Guzman restored the two-goal advantage seven minutes from time. Although Andres Mendoza set up a rousing finish with an 87th-minute goal, Danny Koevermans made the points safe just a few minutes after coming off the bench.

Charlie Davies' hat-trick gave DC United a 3-0 win at Chivas USA, who had David Lopes dismissed after the goals had gone in.

An own goal from goalkeeper Kasey Keller and further breakthrough from Alvaro Saborio set up Real Salt Lake's 2-1 win at Seattle Sounders, for whom Freddy Montero levelled on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors had Tony Beltran dismissed in the 35th minute - but the numbers were levelled up four minutes later when Jhon Hurtado saw red.

Teal Bunbury (2) and CJ Sapong got the goals which gave Sporting Kansas City a 3-0 win over Houston Dynamo, who had Carlos Costly sent off in the 64th minute.

Shalrie Joseph and Rajko Lekic scored in each half as New England Revolution beat FC Dallas 2-0, while Chris Wondolowski and Ramiro Corrales were on target as San Jose Earthquakes downed Chicago Fire by the same scoreline to end a 13-match winless streak.

New York Red Bulls recovered from the 45th-minute dismissal of Jan Gunnar Solli to earn a 1-1 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps. Davide Chiumiento gave the visitors the lead but after the dismissal of Solli on the stroke of half-time the hosts rallied with a goal from substitute Juan Agudelo.

Philadelphia Union's match with Portland Timbers ended in a goalless draw.

In Friday night's game, Landon Donovan was the matchwinner as the LA Galaxy stretched their advantage at the top of the MLS Western Conference further and and secured a play-off berth with a 1-0 win over Colorado Rapids.

Donovan's 36th-minute goal settled a tight contest with the fifth-placed Rapids in favour of the home side. It means the Galaxy have a seven-point advantage over Seattle at the top of the standings.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- Teal Bunbury scored once in each half, sparking Sporting Kansas City to a 3-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday.

C.J. Sapong also scored for Sporting (10-8-10), which broke a two-match winless streak, and Jimmy Nielsen needed to make only one save to earn his fifth shutout of the season.

Houston (8-9-11) lost its second straight and had to play the last 25 minutes short-handed after the ejection of forward Carlo Costly.

Bunbury scored in the 9th and 73rd minutes, beating marks from defender Andre Hainault each time. Sapong made it 3-0 in the 79th, tapping in a cross from Kei Kamara.

Costly was issued a straight red card in the 64th minute for a hard foul on Kansas City defender Chance Myers.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) -- Shalrie Joseph scored in the 14th minute and Rajko Lekic had a goal late in the second half to lead New England to a 2-0 victory over FC Dallas on Saturday night, snapping the Revolution's seven-match winless skid.

Joseph had his team-leading eighth goal of the season and Lekic scored in the 85th minute. New England (5-11-12) was 0-2-5 in its last seven games overall and were also winless in their last seven (0-3-4) at home since beating Vancouver on May 14.

Revolution goalie Matt Reis had his fifth shutout of the season, stopping six corner kicks and making four saves - the best of which was off a header by Dallas' Maicon Santos in the 16th minute.

F.C. Dallas (13-8-7) is just 1-3-1 in its last five matches.

Avai scored twice in the last 13 minutes to deny America MG victory in a clash of Brazil's Campeonato strugglers.

Things looked promising for the bottom side when Gilson opened the scoring in the eighth minute and Andre Dias doubled the advantage 19 minutes later.

However, Souza William's 77th-minute goal gave Avai hope and they earned a point courtesy of Cleverson's 81st-minute leveller.

Elsewhere, Santos moved above Cruzeiro into mid-table courtesy of Humberlito Borges' 12th-minute goal.

The visitors' hopes of earning something from the game disappeared in the last 25 minutes, when they had Leonardo and Fabricio dismissed.

Steve Bruce has hit out at Asamoah Gyan after the Ghana striker left Sunderland to join United Arab Emirates side Al-Ain on loan.

Bruce claimed Gyan had assured him he wanted to stay at Sunderland, and only found out about the loan deal on Saturday morning.

"I had a conversation with Gyan 48 hours ago, with his agent. He shook me by the hand and he said he wanted to stay here, play here because the nonsense had gone on too long," Bruce said after Sunderland's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.

"I will let everyone else make up their conclusions over why he has left the Premier League to go to the United Arab Emirates. What are you going to the United Arab Emirates for? No disrespect to the country of course.

"Sometimes things disappoint you in football which are quite unbelievable. If we are being brutally honest he has been unhappy and unsettled for weeks and months, but to start with it was Real Madrid and it has ended up with the United Arab Emirates. It is disappointing."

Gyan, who cost the Black Cats ?13 million last summer, has three years left on his Sunderland contract and Bruce had said when the deal was announced that he was hopeful the player would be back at the start of next season. However, that now appears extremely unlikely.

"He can come back but I can't see it," Bruce said. "All I will say is that we got the best possible deal for Sunderland Football Club. The one thing I would say is that I have never ever kept a person at a football club who didn't want to be there and that belief will always be there, whether I manage Sunderland or any other club.

"If you don't want to play for the team, the club or the jersey, what is the point? We decided to cut our cloth and get the best deal possible and move on. We will not panic. All we can do is batten down the hatches and get on with it."

HARRISON, N.J. (AP) -- New York coach Hans Backe called Saturday's game against the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps a "must-win."

Well, Backe's club didn't win. But the Red Bulls didn't lose either - for a league-high 15th time this year, tying a league record.

Reserve forward Juan Agudelo scored a goal off a fine feed from Rafa Marquez in the 68th minute, lifting the Red Bulls to a 1-1 tie with the league's worst team.

Agudelo entered in the 62nd minute as a substitute and scored his sixth goal of the season, but the Red Bulls, playing down a man after Jan Gunnar Solli was ejected right before halftime, could not get the go-ahead goal and fell to 6-6-15 overall.

It was the eighth straight match without a win for the Red Bulls, going 0-3-5 during that span.

The Red Bulls have 33 points, one ahead of Portland and two ahead of D.C. United for the last playoff spot.

"We're still in it and that's a good thing," Backe said. "It's unbelievable with all the tied games. I still think we're good enough to pick up wins. Time is running out (the Red Bulls have seven games remaining) and we need to get wins. It's frustrating, of course, and not normal. It's more frustrating that we're getting injuries and red cards and just can't get a rhythm going."

The Whitecaps (4-13-10) remained winless on the road this season, posting an 0-10-5 record.

The Whitecaps scored in the 23rd minute, when Camilo moved down the right side, then passed into the box to Davide Chiumiento, who whirled and did a 180-degree spin to fire a right-footed shot over Bouna Coundoul into the net. It was Chiumiento's second goal of the season, but he was upset with his team's performance after getting the lead.

"The second half, we didn't play with any energy or desire to win the game," Chiumiento said. "It's tough. We're not ready mentally to win on the road. We played a good first half and the second half we drew a blank. We didn't show enough courage to win the game."

Solli received a red card from referee Terry Vaughn in extra time in the first half. The ejection of Solli enabled Vancouver to play more conservatively and enabled it to keep the action away from the Red Bulls for most of the second half.

The Red Bulls drew even when Marquez lifted a 50-yard crossing pass right to the foot of Agudelo, who slid the ball past a stunned Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon for the game-tying goal. It was the teenager's sixth goal of the season.

"I was very happy to see him make a difference," Backe said. "He played with passion and was physically strong. It's great to see him perform like that and he's a player we have to see if he can start in the future."

The Red Bulls had two golden chances to take the lead in the 78th minute, when Agudelo's header was stopped by Gannon and Dane Richards' rebound shot was fired hard into Gannon's midsection.

"I never had a team like this with so many ties," veteran defender Carlos Mendes said. "It's very difficult to keep getting ties. We need to fix it quick."

dCARSON, CALIF. (AP) -- Charlie Davies scored three goals as D.C. United beat Chivas USA 3-0 on Saturday night.

Chris Pontius had assists on all three gaols to help D.C. (8-7-10) jump one point ahead of New York and Portland into the last wild-card playoff position.

Chivas (7-10-11) fell three points behind United.

Pontius found Davies inside the six yard box in the 11th minute with Davies easily scoring. After a failed clearance by Chivas' Ben Zemanski fell to Pontius in the 15th minute, he fed Davies, who scored again.

Pontius connected with Davies again in the 66th to give Davies his 11th goal of the season.

However, Pontius was taken off the field on a stretcher in the 67th minute after a collision with Chivas defender David Junior Lopes. Lopes received a red card on the play.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has hailed David Silva as one of the best players in the world and put the Spaniard on a par with Barcelona star Xavi.

Silva has been in excellent form during his second season at Eastlands and has played a key role in firing City into second place in the Premier League, behind leaders Manchester United on goal difference, with a 100% record.

Mancini is baffled that Barcelona and Real Madrid overlooked the gifted midfielder, signed from Valencia in 2010, but is delighted that he opted to joined City in a ?24 million deal.

"Silva is a top, top player. I don't know why he didn't go to Barca or Real Madrid because he's Spanish but we are lucky because he's here," Mancini said.

"If he had gone to Barca two years ago everyone would say he's one of the best players in the world - and he is one of the best players in the world.

"He's different from Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo because they are strikers and score a lot of goals but I think he's the same as Xavi and Iniesta."

Silva has scored two goals and provided two assists during City's first four games of the Premier League season and will be aiming to maintain that form in the Champions League.

City will make their debut in the competition on Wednesday when Napoli come to Manchester, and Mancini will hope to reap the dividends of a rotation policy that is one of the benefits of his large and talented squad.

Mancini admits the players may not be happy to kick their heels on the bench - for example Edin Dzeko did not play a minute of City's 3-0 win over Wigan at the weekend despite scoring four goals in the previous match.

Mancini said: "They may not be happy - that's impossible because every player wants to play always, but I'm the manager and I need to take this decision.

"Now we have a difficult match coming up, we play every three days and these players like Edin, Kolarov, Savic, Nasri have played two games in four days and they need to recover.

"We have a long year and I need all the players to be available as much as possible and sometimes it's better that they rest.

"We have the first game in the Champions League for the club, it will be an exciting night but we need to have a focus and make sure we beat them."

Mancini accepts that Serie A is behind the Premier League in terms of quality but insists City should not think they can stroll to victory against the Italian side.

Corinthians hit back from a goal down to beat Flamengo 2-1 and take over at the top of Brazil's Campeonato.

De Souza Deivid gave fifth-placed Flamengo a 28th-minute lead but Liedson levelled just past the hour mark and won the contest for the hosts two minutes from time.

The win lifts Corinthians two points clear of city rivals Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro's Vasco da Gama at the top.

Vasco moved level with Sao Paulo courtesy of a 2-0 defeat of Coritiba, provided by goals from Juninho and Romulo.

Gremio were also victorious, with Evaeverson da Silva and Damian Escudero setting up a 2-1 victory over hosts Bahia, who replied through Rodrigo De Souza's 57th-minute penalty.

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown has revealed he failed in an attempt to bring Scotland forward James McFadden to Pittodrie during the transfer window.

McFadden, 28, was released by Birmingham City on June after being unable to agree terms on a new contract and is available on a free transfer.

Brown attempted to convince the former Motherwell attacker to make a return to the SPL after eight years south of the border, but the Dons' boss admitted that it was impossible to compete with English clubs for McFadden's signature.

"I spoke to McFadden three or four weeks ago," Brown told the Daily Record. "My thinking was if he signed for us for six months he would give us a real lift.

"The move would also have got him match-fit and put him in the shop window. But of course, with his reputation he didn't need to be in the shop window. He will get another club when he is fully fit.

"He was flattered by our approach. His preference was to stay in England which was understandable and Aberdeen cannot compete with the wages on offer down there.

"That was the end of the matter. I didn't make our approach public because I didn't want false hopes among our supporters."

McFadden has not played since last August, when an anterior cruciate ligament injury ruled him out for the remainder of the 2010-11 season, which ended with Birmingham's relegation to the Championship.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp admits he would love to bring David Beckham to White Hart Lane.

Beckham, who trained with Spurs last season during the MLS off-season, is out of contract at Los Angeles Galaxy in November and has been widely linked with a return to the Premier League.

QPR have been linked with the former England captain, but now Redknapp has thrown his hat into the ring for Beckham's signature. The 36-year-old is yet to decide on his future, but Redknapp believes that despite his age, the former Manchester United star would still be a huge success in the Premier League.

"If David wants to come to Tottenham I'd welcome him with open arms," Redknapp told The Sun. "He's definitely still good enough to play in the Premier League. His game was never about pace so whether he's quick or not isn't an issue.

"David's unique quality is his use of the ball and his ability to pick out a player with a pinpoint pass. He is unbelievable and still an exceptional talent. I know first hand because we had him here last winter and he was terrific around the place. You couldn't find a nicer fella and a better professional.

"He's the best example there is for any young player, how he looks after himself, how he trains and how he's stayed an ordinary guy despite his extraordinary success. He is worth his weight in gold, he'd be an asset for any club. I'd have him here, that's for sure.

"He wouldn't be able to play until the January transfer window opens, though, because we've already lodged our 25 players with the Premier League. But he'd be a great one to have around the club again."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Nick Soolsma and Ryan Johnson scored in the first half, and Julian De Guzman got the game-winner in the 83rd minute to help Toronto FC beat the Columbus Crew for the first time, 4-2 on Saturday night.

Danny Koevermans sealed the win with a goal in the second minute of stoppage time for Toronto (5-12-12), which came in 0-5-7 against the Crew since joining the league in 2007.

"It's nice for the fans that we finally win against Columbus but it's also nice for the team because it's our first away victory," Toronto coach Aron Winter said of the team's 1-8-6 road mark.

Tommy Heinemann scored in the 67 minute and Andres Mendoza pulled Columbus (11-9-7) to 3-2 in the 87th. The Crew lost their second straight and fell into a tie with Sporting Kansas City for first place in the Eastern Conference.

"It's disappointing. It's embarrassing to tell you the truth," Crew defender Chad Marshall said. "To come back here after a week off against the worst team in the league and give up four goals, that's not good enough."

Toronto was last in the Eastern Conference and trailed the Crew by 16 points entering the game but improved to 1-4-2 in Columbus after scoring just five goals in the previous six trips.

Toronto goalie Stefan Frei left the game after a collision with Columbus forward Emilio Renteria just before Heinemann got the Crew on the scoreboard.

"When it was 2-1 there was a lot of quality," Winter said. "It could have gone 3-1 or it's going to be tied. We responded very well. After Stefan got injured there was a period of five, 10 minutes we were a little but lucky."

The leading teams in Brazil's Campeonato all failed to register wins in the latest round of matches.

Pacesetters Corinthians came unstuck 1-0 at Fluminense, who move up to fifth as a result of Fred's 22nd-minute decider.

However, Sao Paulo could not capitalise, falling to a 1-0 defeat at Gremio, with Dos Santos Douglas netting the only goal in the 64th minute.

The result means Vasco da Gama move above Sao Paulo into second - but they could only manage a 1-1 draw with Figueirense.

Silva Wellington gave the home side a fourth-minute lead and although Vasco da Gama were level 12 minutes later courtesy of Conserva Fagner, they could not find a winner which would have taken them to the top of the table.

However, the night's big shock saw fourth-placed Botafogo crash to a 5-0 loss at Coritiba. Emerson broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute and the floodgates opened in the second half with Marcos Aurelio (penalty), Rosimar Bill, Rafinha and Everton Costa all finding the target.

Flamengo slip to sixth after a 2-1 home defeat to Atletico Paranaense, who played a quarter of the game with ten men. Aguiar Heracles and Joffre Guerron gave the visitors a 2-0 lead, before Guerron saw red - but all Flamengo could manage was Welinton Souza's 81st-minute goal.

Internacional are up to seventh after a 3-0 win at Palmeiras - with Leandro Damiao's hat-trick enabling them to move above their opponents.

Felipe's 87th-minute goal gave Atletico Goianiense a 1-1 draw at Ceara, who had led through Egidio's 37th-minute goal, while two goals from Magno Alves - one a penalty - enabled Atletico Mineiro to move above fellow strugglers Bahia with a 2-0 home win. The visitors had Paulo Miranda dismissed.

Harry Redknapp says Heurelho Gomes wants to leave Tottenham Hotspur in January.

Gomes has been first-choice at Spurs in recent years but made a number of high-profile errors last season, and Redknapp moved to bring in 40-year-old Brad Friedel from Aston Villa in the summer.

Since then, Gomes has started just one game - the 5-0 Europa League victory at Hearts - and has not even featured in the squad for the last three matches.

"He's not happy and he's eyeing a January move," Redknapp said in The Sun. "If the chance comes for him to play elsewhere, I'm sure he'll take it.

"I've not bombed out Gomes and made him No 3 keeper but we decided Carlo Cudicini would be better on the bench. Gomes has trained hard but Friedel is fantastic. If ever there was a man who didn't deserve those two beatings by Manchester United and Manchester City, it was him."

Redknapp has also revealed that Giovanni dos Santos, who signed from Barcelona in 2008, could be a part of his plans this season.

Giovanni, 22, had been expected to leave the club during the summer but, after a proposed move to Sevilla failed to come to fruition, he could be given a fresh chance to impress at White Hart Lane.

"Gio wanted to move, but we couldn't let him go," Redknapp said. "We had a ?13 million offer from Udinese for him.

"It was ?10 million down and ?3 million do-able bonuses. A big sell-on. He wouldn't go. He wanted to go to Seville who were offering €3 million. You can't blame the chairman for not letting him go."

He added: "Gio is a talent - he has got a part to play."

Redknapp reiterated that chairman Daniel Levy will offer Luka Modric a new deal after he failed to secure a move to Chelsea.

"Only Gio and Luca are here out of the lads who wanted to go," Redknapp said. "Luka will just get on with it now. Daniel will sit down with Luka and discuss his contract and make a deal with him. We are looking to make him a good offer."

Celtic have announced that Morten Rasmussen has joined Turkish club Sivasspor on loan until the end of 2011.

Rasmussen has joined the club ahead of the start of the Turkish season.

Rasmussen was signed by Tony Mowbray in January 2010 and scored three goals in 13 appearances before the end of that season, six of them under Neil Lennon.

But the 26-year-old fell out of favour before the start of last season and was loaned to German side Mainz and Danish outfit Aalborg without playing another game.

Big-spending Malaga got their Primera Division campaign up and running with a convincing 4-0 home victory over promoted Granada, with new signings Santi Cazorla and Joaquin Sanchez sharing the goals between them.

Big things are expected of Malaga following their heavy summer investment but they suffered a disappointing start to the season when they lost 2-1 at local rivals Sevilla.

However, Manuel Pellegrini's men bounced back in style with a one-sided win against another Andalusian side.

Spain international Cazorla, who cost a reported 20million euros from Villarreal, netted at the start of either half to make it three goals in two games for the playmaker, while former Spain and Valencia winger Joaquin added further goals midway through each period.

The victory lifts Malaga up to eighth place on three points while Granada drop to the foot of the table, having lost at home to Real Betis in what was their first Primera Division match since the 1975/76 season

Malaga needed just four minutes to go ahead at La Rosaleda, Cazorla picking up a cross from Sergio Duda before finding the bottom corner of Roberto Fernandez's goal.

Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cazorla then had efforts to increase Malaga's lead before Joaquin made it 2-0 in the 25th minute, turning in Jesus Gamez's cross.

Malaga were dominating and Van Nistelrooy had a shot tipped over by Fernandez and Joaquin also tested the visiting custodian before Cazorla made it 3-0 in the 46th minute direct from a 25-yard free-kick.

Malaga completed the scoring in the 73rd minute when Cazorla turned provider to set Joaquin up for his second of the night.

Granada threatened to pull a goal back in the closing stages, with Franco Jara seeing a shot pushed around the post by Willy Caballero, Yohann Mollo curling an effort over and Ikechukwu Uche firing wide, but Malaga ran out convincing winners in the end.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed the club are looking into an interview by Fernando Torres in which the benched striker appeared to criticise his own team-mates.

Torres, who has scored just one goal since his ?50 million transfer from Liverpool in January, spoke to the official website of Spain's Primera Liga and appeared to hint at a lack of service from Chelsea's "older" and "very slow" players in an English translation that later appeared on his personal website.

Villas-Boas sought an explanation from Torres, who claimed his words were not translated accurately on his own website.

Chelsea are now seeking to obtain a copy of the interview in its original Spanish and Villas-Boas revealed he would warn Torres not to speak so candidly about the club in future if the translation did stand up.

"We are going in-depth to regain the tape of that interview," Villas-Boas said. "We'll see if things play exactly as they are in that interview. We want to go in-depth a bit more. Anyhow, it's one player's perspective. I don't think it's a perspective that the manager shares. I don't have to share my players' ideas sometimes."

Meanwhile, amid the controversy, Villas-Boas is hoping his decision to drop Torres for the 2-1 win against Sunderland on Saturday in favour of Daniel Sturridge will spark the striker into life.

Sturridge justified his inclusion with a crucial goal, and while Villas-Boas refused to confirm whether Torres would be reinstated to the starting XI for Chelsea's Champions League opener against Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, he revealed he expected the striker to benefit from his time on the bench.

"Any player that is not part of the squad, or not part of the selected players is not happy," Villas-Boas said. "I am glad that they are not happy because it means that maybe you can stimulate them to go one step further.

"Or maybe you can motivate them a little bit more and when they come back to being selected or to starting in the first XI they can still perform."

Eastern Conference strugglers Toronto stunned Columbus Crew with a 4-2 win in the latest round of MLS fixtures.

Columbus could have gone top with a victory, yet Toronto - bottom of the table with just four wins in their previous 28 matches - led 2-0 at half-time with goals from Nick Soolsma and Ryan Johnson.

Substitute Tom Heinemann pulled a goal back but Julian De Guzman restored the two-goal advantage seven minutes from time. Although Andres Mendoza set up a rousing finish with an 87th-minute goal, Danny Koevermans made the points safe just a few minutes after coming off the bench.

Charlie Davies' hat-trick gave DC United a 3-0 win at Chivas USA, who had David Lopes dismissed after the goals had gone in.

An own goal from goalkeeper Kasey Keller and further breakthrough from Alvaro Saborio set up Real Salt Lake's 2-1 win at Seattle Sounders, for whom Freddy Montero levelled on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors had Tony Beltran dismissed in the 35th minute - but the numbers were levelled up four minutes later when Jhon Hurtado saw red.

Teal Bunbury (2) and CJ Sapong got the goals which gave Sporting Kansas City a 3-0 win over Houston Dynamo, who had Carlos Costly sent off in the 64th minute.

Shalrie Joseph and Rajko Lekic scored in each half as New England Revolution beat FC Dallas 2-0, while Chris Wondolowski and Ramiro Corrales were on target as San Jose Earthquakes downed Chicago Fire by the same scoreline to end a 13-match winless streak.

New York Red Bulls recovered from the 45th-minute dismissal of Jan Gunnar Solli to earn a 1-1 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps. Davide Chiumiento gave the visitors the lead but after the dismissal of Solli on the stroke of half-time the hosts rallied with a goal from substitute Juan Agudelo.

Philadelphia Union's match with Portland Timbers ended in a goalless draw.

In Friday night's game, Landon Donovan was the matchwinner as the LA Galaxy stretched their advantage at the top of the MLS Western Conference further and and secured a play-off berth with a 1-0 win over Colorado Rapids.

Donovan's 36th-minute goal settled a tight contest with the fifth-placed Rapids in favour of the home side. It means the Galaxy have a seven-point advantage over Seattle at the top of the standings.

SEATTLE (AP) -- Alvaro Saborio scored from 10 yards away early in the 56th minute, and a rare gaffe by Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller resulted in an own goal as Real Salt Lake hung on for a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday.

Salt Lake (13-7-6) won its third in a row. The Sounders (13-6-9) had a four-game unbeaten streak halted.

Saborio set up his own game-winner when he picked up a loose ball in the penalty area, deked around Sounders defender Tyson Wahl and, from an angle to the right, and beat Keller to the back left corner.

"I just had to control the ball and kick it," said Saborio, who scored his team-leading eighth goal of the year. "We were hoping for the win, and we have to continue like that."

At the outset of the 13th minute, Salt Lake's Fabian Espindola sent a ball from the top left corner of the box toward the far post. Keller appeared to grab it at the post with Kyle Beckerman right there, and then lose his grip on it. He said afterward what he was really trying to do was knock the ball out of danger, but instead sent it trickling into the back right corner.

"It was a good cross into the box, and I scrambled to get it, and it kind of chucked off the turf a little bit," Keller said. "I didn't want to leave a rebound out in the middle, so I tried to hook it out for a corner and just got too much on it and ended up hooking it into my own net. Simple at that - it was my fault."

Mauro Rosales could have tied it for Seattle just 4 minutes later, but sent a penalty kick barely wide left. That was the the third time on eight attempts that the Sounders have missed from the spot this season.

Fredy Montero did tie it with about 30 seconds remaining in first-half stoppage time with a blast from the top of the 6-yard box past Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

Midway through the 69th minute, Rimando helped preserve Real Salt Lake's lead when he literally put his face in front of a hard shot by Seattle's Tyson Wahl that was taken from 12 yards straight in front of the net.

"Those are the ones you don't expect to make, and you don't train for them," Rimando said. "When they happen, you don't want them to go in the back of the net. But the guys kept on playing, so I saved it with my face."

Both teams finished with 10 men after each side had a player sent off by referee Mark Kadlecik midway through the first half - Tony Beltran of RSL on his second yellow of the game, and Seattle's Jhon Kennedy Hurtado less than 4 minutes later on a straight red for a hard tackle.

"I'm proud of the fact that they stuck together and kept working extremely hard and stayed disciplined through some pretty interesting decisions in the first half and some dire circumstances," Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis said. "In two of the past three matches, we've had a player ejected early in the match and the group has stayed very resilient."

Sounders oach Sigi Schmid felt his team should have garnered at least a point instead of going away empty.

"Sometimes, games go like this," he said. "In the first half especially and some in the second half, I thought we had some in the second half, there were some good moments where we got in and created some chances, where we got behind them on the flanks, which is exactly what we talked about. But at the end of the day, we couldn't convert."

Between the ninth and 11th minutes, thousands of the 35,940 fans at Century Link Field waved miniature American flags in recognition of Sunday's 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes believes the club can offer David Beckham "love, care and attention".

Premier League side QPR have been linked with making a move for Beckham, 36, once the midfielder's contract expires at Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of the MLS season in November.

Fernandes said: "If you look at the five signings we've made we have brought in people who have something to prove. Shaun Wright-Phillips still feels he can play for England; Joey Barton has a lot to prove; Anton Ferdinand, missing in action at Sunderland, but back in London, home town, things to prove.

"Then we've Luke Young who felt he was deserted early by (England manager Fabio) Capello, and (Armand) Traore was never given a chance at Arsenal by (Arsene) Wenger. So we've five new players, and Beckham fits into that mould because he wants to return and captain Britain at the Olympics.

"Environment, love, care and attention - we can offer that to him. I'm not sure it's for him, and I'm not sure it will fit him in January. Who knows? But I'm an ideas man, and he is an idea. He may not want it, he may want a bigger club. I hear (Spurs manager) Harry Redknapp has said he wants him.

"Ultimately, (manager) Neil (Warnock) has to feel comfortable, but who knows what can happen in January. We will have to wait and see. They (Beckham's advisors) want to talk because our vision is a long-term one, with lots of things David can do in Asia with me. It's something we have to work at."

Inter Milan coach Gianpiero Gasperini claims his Scudetto hopefuls have "lots of potential" but says he has lots of work to do following Sunday's 4-3 defeat at Palermo on the opening weekend in Serie A.

With the game level and five minutes remaining, Palermo striker Fabrizio Miccoli put the hosts in front with a superb free-kick before substitute Mauricio Pinilla made it 4-2 two minutes from time and, despite getting a goal back, Gasperini has plenty of problems to solve.

"There are so many minor details that are giving me food for thought at the moment, especially the fact that we were in the lead at a stage of the game when we didn't really deserve to be and then we were beaten at a time when we were playing our best football in all of the match," Gasperini said. "That's what disturbs me most.

"I believe this team has a lot of potential. Important potential, but to sustain it we have to balance it well.

"Certainly we all pay for errors due to distraction but this was the first match. Of course it was a pity to lose, especially when we had what it takes to win.

"We struggled out there from an athletic point of view - the game was played at a high intensity and it was very hot.

"The team needs to pick itself up, not think about the past and improve its condition and the overall balance."

Striker Diego Milito, who scored Inter's two goals at the Stadio Barbera, has asked for patience from the fans as Inter rebuild their treble-winning side of 2009.

"It's not right to think of the Inter of two years ago," Milito told RAI. "Today we are a different team, with a new coach who has other tactics in mind compared to those of the past and we have to be able to adapt to it.

"Of course it's going to take time to adapt to the new formation," he added. "For example today an attacking midfielder like Wesley Sneijder played further wide than he usually does. I think that he, in particular, has changed position.

"On a personal level it is always gratifying for a striker to score, but I can't hide my disappointment at the result. Naturally we all want to win, but now it's time to look to the future and try to improve."

Gasperini replaced Leonardo as head copach at the San Siro in June.

Chelsea have a agreed a deal to sign Somalian-born starlet Islam Feruz from Celtic, the forward's agent has confirmed.

Feruz has just turned 16-years-old but turned down the offer of a first professional contract with Scottish giants Celtic in favour of a move to the Premier League.

Manchester United and Manchester City were both reportedly interested in the highly-rated Scotland Under-17 international but Chelsea made an "extraordinary impression" on Feruz.

"He is looking forward to starting his career with Chelsea, but he would love to thank Celtic for all they did for him and his parents, he is Scottish and will one day score goals for Scotland," agent Rui Alves told Sky Sports.

"It is a massive step for Islam and for Scottish football," Alves added. "Now for him personally it is the beginning of a major adventure, he will have to work, work and work and raise his own level.

"Playing for a top club like Chelsea, where the major word in the squad is quality, will oblige him to show his own quality and deliver his best and convince the staff that he is more than just a major prospect."

Alves confirmed that Chelsea had fended off interest from around Europe to sign Feruz.

"It was not just every club in the Premiership but also most big clubs in Europe who were tracking him. He is the one serious player in Scotland at the moment."

Patrice Evra has warned Manchester United have to 'calm down' and keep their focus after running rampant at the start of the season.

Both Manchester United and Manchester City have claimed four wins out of four in the Premier League and have respective goal differences of plus 15 and plus 12, but Evra insists it is not a two-horse race.

"We are making it look easy but nothing is," he said in The Independent. "I have a lot of respect for Manchester City - they have a strong squad.

"When they beat Tottenham 5-1, we watched the game and we said we had to make sure we played well against Arsenal - and we scored eight. It looks like there is a competition between these two teams but don't forget Chelsea and Liverpool. However, when I see people the first thing they ask is the date of the derby."

Wayne Rooney, in particular, has been in inspirational form for United and, after a goal in each of his first two league appearances, he netted back-to-back hat-tricks against Arsenal and Bolton.

"Going right back to pre-season in the United States, he scored a lot of goals," Evra said. "You can see the hunger. Last season he had some problems but he is back. If a footballer has a problem, the first thing they want to do is play football and enjoy themselves. He wants to be the best player in the world.

"But you know we have to calm down. It is only four games. Things can change quickly. Football is like a pyramid. It is easy to reach the top but to stay there is difficult. That's why I want Wazza to keep training hard. After each session he does some finishing practice, which is something he didn't do a long time ago."

Director of football Damien Comolli has insists Liverpool did not want to sell Raul Meireles but had little choice after he handed in a transfer request and told the club he wanted to leave.

Meireles joined Chelsea in the final minutes of the transfer deadline day last month in a reported ?12million move, a switch that angered many Reds supporters.

The 28-year-old Portugal international last week insisted he never wanted to leave Liverpool but admitted he jumped at the chance to go to Stamford Bridge when it became clear he would be sold.

Meireles has accused Liverpool of a broken promise and claimed he was forced to submit a transfer request once they had decided to sell him to Chelsea.

Putting across Liverpool's side, Comolli said on the club's official website in response to questions sent in by supporters: "I think Raul said it himself with what I've seen recently in the press. Basically, he came to see me and said 'I want to leave, I want to play for another club'.

"Our intention was not to sell him but we were put in a corner a little bit when he put in a transfer request and said he wanted to go and that he didn't want to play for Liverpool anymore.

"I think the owners and Kenny (Dalglish) have said it, and we all have the same view. When someone doesn't want to be here it's difficult to say 'you are going to stay'.

"We've been through that process in January with Fernando Torres and this felt like the same situation. We've done it, we think it was the right thing to do for the club, because it's very, very difficult to have somebody here who doesn't want to be here.

"The job of the manager in the Premier League is already difficult having to manage 25 players and only having 11 to start on a match day, so you have to deal with all the others.

"On top of that if you have someone who is adamant they don't want to be here and wants to play for someone else, we took the view it's better if he goes and we get the best possible deal for the club. In the end I think we did well."

Meireles was not the only player to leave Anfield this summer, with Alberto Aquilani returning to Italy after agreeing a loan move with AC Milan for the rest of the campaign, while Joe Cole moved on a season-long loan to Lille.

Asked why Aquilani was allowed to go after impressing in pre-season, Comolli said: "With him it was more a question of opportunities to play. He's obviously a big player, he's got a very good resume and he's a very good player. But Kenny and the coaching staff felt he would play in a certain position.

"As I told Alberto during the summer, unfortunately in that position is someone called Steven Gerrard and it would have been difficult for Alberto to play."

Comolli also dismissed reports that Liverpool now have first refusal on highly-rated Lille star Eden Hazard as part of the Cole deal.

Philadelphia Union hit back from 4-1 down to earn a point from an entertaining match against New England Revolution in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference.

AJ Soares opened the scoring and when Rajko Lekic and Monsef Zerka made it 3-0 by the 26th minute, Revolution were in the driving seat.

Although Roger Torres pulled a goal back in the 28th minute, Benny Feilhaber's 34th-minute goal had the visitors in control on half-time.

However, Freddy Adu gave Philadelphia hope with a 56th-minute goal and Sebastien Le Toux reduced the gap to a single goal from the penalty spot with 10 minutes remaining, before equalising in the 90th minute.

The result lifts Philadelphia up to third place, five points off pacesetters Columbus Crew, while New England's consolation is that they moved off the bottom of the table - they are now above Toronto on goal difference.

QPR manager Neil Warnock has told ESPNsoccernet that Joey Barton was his first-choice signing this summer but accepts his temperament could cause problems.

Newcastle made Barton available on a free transfer last month but, with the Premier League's top clubs showing little interest, he made the move to top-flight newcomers QPR.

Warnock accepts that Barton's "baggage" was a deterrent to other sides, but he is just delighted that he was able to convince the player to move to Loftus Road.

"Let's be honest - if he didn't have this baggage he wouldn't have been signing for QPR," Warnock told ESPNsoccernet. "No one wanted him, but I did, and not for the first time. I wanted him when they were bombing him out of Manchester City and I was manager of Sheffield United.

"I had forgotten I tried to sign Joey, but he remembered that I wanted him when nobody else did once before, and I think that helped him make up his mind to give us a go.

"We had been linked with Scott Parker and I know how much the chairman wanted him, as a big-name signing, but my choice - my No. 1 signing - was always Joey Barton. Joey is the classic leader I was looking for. You can see the way he works in training how much he wants to be a winner.

"He's got everything, and you know that he has got perhaps too much! The rest of the Premier League are going to spend the next nine months trying to wind him up. How do you stop that passion? How do you stop him wanting to be a winner? That is impossible. It is up to him to curb his temperament at the moment that it matters. If he can do that, there is no limit to how far he can go in the game.

"It's pointless me saying anything that he doesn't know already, so I am not giving him any orders - these things happen in the heat of the moment and I cannot be in there with him when that flashpoint occurs. However, his team-mates will be close to him, and his team-mates can contribute to trying to keep him out of trouble."

Barton is set to face Newcastle at Loftus Road on Monday night and, while it may make for a fiery debut, Warnock feels it is an ideal situation.

"Certainly there can be no better debut for Joey Barton," Warnock said. "His old club, a full house and an exciting game against Newcastle - so much so you will be lucky to get hold of a pork pie at the game, let alone a ticket!"

Director of football Damien Comolli has insists Liverpool did not want to sell Raul Meireles but had little choice after he handed in a transfer request and told the club he wanted to leave.

Meireles joined Chelsea in the final minutes of the transfer deadline day last month in a reported ?12million move, a switch that angered many Reds supporters.

The 28-year-old Portugal international last week insisted he never wanted to leave Liverpool but admitted he jumped at the chance to go to Stamford Bridge when it became clear he would be sold.

Meireles has accused Liverpool of a broken promise and claimed he was forced to submit a transfer request once they had decided to sell him to Chelsea.

Putting across Liverpool's side, Comolli said on the club's official website in response to questions sent in by supporters: "I think Raul said it himself with what I've seen recently in the press. Basically, he came to see me and said 'I want to leave, I want to play for another club'.

"Our intention was not to sell him but we were put in a corner a little bit when he put in a transfer request and said he wanted to go and that he didn't want to play for Liverpool anymore.

"I think the owners and Kenny (Dalglish) have said it, and we all have the same view. When someone doesn't want to be here it's difficult to say 'you are going to stay'.

"We've been through that process in January with Fernando Torres and this felt like the same situation. We've done it, we think it was the right thing to do for the club, because it's very, very difficult to have somebody here who doesn't want to be here.

"The job of the manager in the Premier League is already difficult having to manage 25 players and only having 11 to start on a match day, so you have to deal with all the others.

"On top of that if you have someone who is adamant they don't want to be here and wants to play for someone else, we took the view it's better if he goes and we get the best possible deal for the club. In the end I think we did well."

Meireles was not the only player to leave Anfield this summer, with Alberto Aquilani returning to Italy after agreeing a loan move with AC Milan for the rest of the campaign, while Joe Cole moved on a season-long loan to Lille.

Asked why Aquilani was allowed to go after impressing in pre-season, Comolli said: "With him it was more a question of opportunities to play. He's obviously a big player, he's got a very good resume and he's a very good player. But Kenny and the coaching staff felt he would play in a certain position.

"As I told Alberto during the summer, unfortunately in that position is someone called Steven Gerrard and it would have been difficult for Alberto to play."

Comolli also dismissed reports that Liverpool now have first refusal on highly-rated Lille star Eden Hazard as part of the Cole deal.

Ally McCoist's Rangers earned a much-needed 1-0 victory against Dundee United thanks to Kyle Lafferty's second half strike.

The Northern Ireland international planted a fine header beyond Dusan Pernis to give his side a 1-0 victory at Tannadice, after Johnny Russell had been sent off for the home side on the half-hour mark.

Russell was given his marching orders after an unseemly tangle with Kirk Broadfoot following a poor tackle on the Rangers man, and that gave McCoist's men a numerical advantage that they were able to exploit as Lafferty rose highest to nod home Gregg Wylde's cross shortly after the hour.

The home side had chances of their own to come away from the match with something, but were foiled by their opponents in a performance that will not have eased all the concerns for McCoist.

Later in the day, Celtic hammered Motherwell 4-0 in their clash at Parkhead to set themselves up perfectly for their Europa League group opener against Atletico Madrid on Thursday night.

Man-of-the match James Forrest helped himself to a brace with further goals from fellow midfielders Joe Ledley and Ki Sung-yueng as the disappointing Steelmen were dismantled with ease.

Neil Lennon's men will travel to Spain with confidence for what is sure to be more difficult task as they remained one point behind SPL leaders Rangers, whom they meet in the first Old Firm derby of the season at Ibrox next Sunday. All in all, it was a good afternoon's work for the Parkhead side who at no point looked like they may be troubled.

A superb second-half strike by Czech defender Zdenek Kroca helped Kilmarnock to a 3-2 victory over Dunfermline at Rugby Park.

The 62nd-minute effort sealed an entertaining encounter for the home side in which both teams held the lead.

Jason Thomson opened the scoring for Dunfermline but the visitors found themselves 2-1 behind following a double from Paul Heffernan. Dunfermline substitute Ryan Thomson netted an equaliser just after the break only for Kroca's wonderful effort to condemn them to their second straight league defeat.

At Caledonian Stadium Inverness were denied a victory over Hearts thanks to Stephen Elliot's finish nine minutes from time in a match that ended 1-1.

Gregory Tade's right-footed effort had given the home side the lead shortly after half-time, after a good pass from Nicky Ross, but Elliot was in the right place at the right time to sweep home David Templeton's cross and ensure the game finished 1-1.

Elsewhere, St Mirren and St Johnstone played out a 0-0 draw at St Mirren Park.

Arsene Wenger concedes that Real Madrid and Barcelona have raced ahead of all other clubs this season, revealing his fear that Arsenal are being left behind by Europe's big spenders.

Wenger reinforced his own squad on transfer deadline day by signing Park Chu-Young, Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos, Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta. However, the Gunners' tactician believes they are some way off the pacesetters ahead of their Champions League opener away to Borussia Dortmund.

"I believe that this season, I see two teams that are above the rest - Real Madrid and Barcelona - and the rest have to catch up during the season," Wenger told The Guardian. "So for us, it's a new start because we are a new squad. What is at stake during the group stage for us is to show that we can go through.

"We are in our 14th season in the Champions League group phase and what has changed is that the competition inside England has become bigger among the top teams. It is as difficult to win the Champions League because a team that wins the Premier League is in the Champions League final almost every year.

"Outside the country, Barca and Real Madrid have much more financial power than they had 14 years ago because they have individualised their TV rights. So they, at the moment, with teams like Man City and Chelsea can take who they want."

Wenger cautioned that even Europe's richest clubs will soon feel the pinch, though, predicting a "financial crisis" to grip the continent, impacting upon the expenditure of all clubs.

"I believe that Europe overall, as a unit, is going towards a massive crisis, which nobody really expects now. I am convinced that Europe will go into a huge financial crisis within the next three weeks or three months and maybe that will put everything into perspective again.

"Football is not untouchable. We live with people going to the stadiums as well and from advertising from people who buy products. All our income could be a little bit under threat in the next few months. Football is not only about money. We believe in ourselves that we can compete with them but it's as simple as this."

The Arsenal manager says that his charges are confident after their Premier League win over Swansea at the weekend, but would not be drawn on the Gunners' chances of Champions League glory ahead of their game with Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.

"We have not had a particularly strong start in the league. We have had five players coming in [just before the transfer deadline] and nobody knows how good they will be.

"I wouldn't rule it out but it's too early to speak about winning it [the Champions League]. Saying that would raise a lot of scepticism about the team and I don't think anyone would believe it. But we have to do as well as we can and we have to form a team in the next two months. It's too early to have that kind of ambition."

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- The Galaxy made official Friday night what they have known for weeks.

Landon Donovan's goal gave Los Angeles a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids and made the Galaxy the first Major League Soccer team to clinch a playoff berth.

"I think that was a bit of a foregone conclusion," Galaxy defender Todd Dunivant said.

Los Angeles moved seven points clear of Seattle in the race for the Supporters' Shield, awarded to the team that finishes with the best regular-season record. Los Angeles captured the prize last season and is eyeing a repeat.

"It would be nice to win the Supporters' Shield," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. "That's the next objective for us."

Donovan scored his league high-tying 12th goal in the 36th minute off a feed from Sean Franklin to help the Galaxy (15-3-10) remain unbeaten in 14 home matches.

After a handful of strong chances in the first half went for naught, the Galaxy managed to convert one before the break.

David Beckham started the goal-scoring sequence near the right sideline, playing a short pass to Chad Barrett, who knocked it to a streaking Franklin. Following a dribble, Franklin beat the Rapids' last line of defense with a pass to Donovan, who was left unguarded and finished with a low strike that goalie Matt Pickens was unable to reach.

Donovan matched New York's Thierry Henry for most goals in the league.

"Landon's finish was critical," Dunivant said. "Nobody is going to save that."

The defending champion Rapids (10-8-11) lost their second straight following a six-game unbeaten streak.

Colorado had won the previous two games in the series at the Home Depot Center.

"In a stadium where we have had good fortune in the past, tonight was not to be for us," Colorado coach Gary Smith said.

Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts started in net for the first time since fracturing his left ulna against San Jose on June 25. Ricketts, who missed eight league matches following surgery, wasn't called into action often.

The Rapids' best chance at an equalizer was negated by an offside call in the 57th minute. Ricketts made a diving deflection of Sanna Nyassi's shot, sending the ball loose in the box. Wells Thompson cleaned up the rebound but was a step behind the defense while putting the ball into the net.

Former U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley was in attendance watching as a spectator. Bradley, who was fired from his post in July after a nearly five-year stint, has been in discussions with Egypt about its coaching vacancy.

Lanus drew level with Boca Juniors at the top of Argentina's Apertura with a 4-0 victory away at Argentinos Juniors on Monday.

Mario Regueiro opened the scoring after 37 minutes, but the visitors had to wait until 12 minutes from time to extend their lead through substitute Mariano Pavone.

Fellow substitute Diego Gonzalez, and Diego Valeri's 87th-minute penalty, added gloss to the scoreline for Lanus, who have an identical record to Boca Juniors after six games.

Lanus drew level with Boca Juniors at the top of Argentina's Apertura with a 4-0 victory away at Argentinos Juniors on Monday.

Mario Regueiro opened the scoring after 37 minutes, but the visitors had to wait until 12 minutes from time to extend their lead through substitute Mariano Pavone.

Fellow substitute Diego Gonzalez, and Diego Valeri's 87th-minute penalty, added gloss to the scoreline for Lanus, who have an identical record to Boca Juniors after six games.

Tottenham Hotspur have been hit by the news that they will be without captain Michael Dawson for the next two months.

The central defender has an achilles problem to leave Harry Redknapp struggling for options at the heart of his defence.

Dawson picked up the injury in training and missed Spurs' 2-0 victory away to Wolves in the Premier League.

With only Younes Kaboul available and both William Gallas and Ledley King suffering long-term fitness problems, Redknapp may be forced to use Croatian international Vedran Corluka in their stead, and Sebastian Bassong coming in from the cold. Spurs tried to sell the Cameroon defender in the transfer window while missing out in their interest in Bolton's Gary Cahill.

King has recently recovered from his latest setback and was warned last week by Redknapp that he will have to play more often if he is to sustain a White Hart Lane future

Arsene Wenger concedes that Real Madrid and Barcelona have raced ahead of all other clubs this season, revealing his fear that Arsenal are being left behind by Europe's big spenders.

Wenger reinforced his own squad on transfer deadline day by signing Park Chu-Young, Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos, Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta. However, the Gunners' tactician believes they are some way off the pacesetters ahead of their Champions League opener away to Borussia Dortmund.

"I believe that this season, I see two teams that are above the rest - Real Madrid and Barcelona - and the rest have to catch up during the season," Wenger told The Guardian. "So for us, it's a new start because we are a new squad. What is at stake during the group stage for us is to show that we can go through.

"We are in our 14th season in the Champions League group phase and what has changed is that the competition inside England has become bigger among the top teams. It is as difficult to win the Champions League because a team that wins the Premier League is in the Champions League final almost every year.

"Outside the country, Barca and Real Madrid have much more financial power than they had 14 years ago because they have individualised their TV rights. So they, at the moment, with teams like Man City and Chelsea can take who they want."

Wenger cautioned that even Europe's richest clubs will soon feel the pinch, though, predicting a "financial crisis" to grip the continent, impacting upon the expenditure of all clubs.

"I believe that Europe overall, as a unit, is going towards a massive crisis, which nobody really expects now. I am convinced that Europe will go into a huge financial crisis within the next three weeks or three months and maybe that will put everything into perspective again.

"Football is not untouchable. We live with people going to the stadiums as well and from advertising from people who buy products. All our income could be a little bit under threat in the next few months. Football is not only about money. We believe in ourselves that we can compete with them but it's as simple as this."

The Arsenal manager says that his charges are confident after their Premier League win over Swansea at the weekend, but would not be drawn on the Gunners' chances of Champions League glory ahead of their game with Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.

"We have not had a particularly strong start in the league. We have had five players coming in [just before the transfer deadline] and nobody knows how good they will be.

"I wouldn't rule it out but it's too early to speak about winning it [the Champions League]. Saying that would raise a lot of scepticism about the team and I don't think anyone would believe it. But we have to do as well as we can and we have to form a team in the next two months. It's too early to have that kind of ambition."

West Brom defender Gabriel Tamas has been charged with violent conduct over the clash which left Norwich's James Vaughan needing hospital treatment.

The Football Association took action over the incident which occurred late in the Baggies' 1-0 Premier League win at Carrow Road on Sunday.

Tamas was given until 18.00 BST on Tuesday to respond to the charge, which would carry an automatic three-match ban if accepted.

The 27-year-old Romanian caught Vaughan with an elbow to the face during a stoppage-time corner, something Norwich boss Paul Lambert insisted should have brought a penalty.

He added: "James has gone to see the plastic surgeon. It's a bad one. It has gone straight through the lip and they can't just stitch it up.''

Former Everton striker Vaughan later wrote on Twitter: "Back home! plastic surgeon sorted me out! think i will have 2 bite my lip over the 'incident' o wait already done that!''

West Brom manager Roy Hodgson defended Tamas, saying he was "100% convinced it is unintentional''.

He added: "It does not make it any better for Vaughan whether you have got caught intentionally or accidentally - it is still a painful blow.''

West Brom confirmed they would make a decision on Tuesday over whether to accept or contest the charge.

Lanus drew level with Boca Juniors at the top of Argentina's Apertura with a 4-0 victory away at Argentinos Juniors on Monday.

Mario Regueiro opened the scoring after 37 minutes, but the visitors had to wait until 12 minutes from time to extend their lead through substitute Mariano Pavone.

Fellow substitute Diego Gonzalez, and Diego Valeri's 87th-minute penalty, added gloss to the scoreline for Lanus, who have an identical record to Boca Juniors after six games.

Big-spending Malaga got their Primera Division campaign up and running with a convincing 4-0 home victory over promoted Granada, with new signings Santi Cazorla and Joaquin Sanchez sharing the goals between them.

Big things are expected of Malaga following their heavy summer investment but they suffered a disappointing start to the season when they lost 2-1 at local rivals Sevilla.

However, Manuel Pellegrini's men bounced back in style with a one-sided win against another Andalusian side.

Spain international Cazorla, who cost a reported 20million euros from Villarreal, netted at the start of either half to make it three goals in two games for the playmaker, while former Spain and Valencia winger Joaquin added further goals midway through each period.

The victory lifts Malaga up to eighth place on three points while Granada drop to the foot of the table, having lost at home to Real Betis in what was their first Primera Division match since the 1975/76 season

Malaga needed just four minutes to go ahead at La Rosaleda, Cazorla picking up a cross from Sergio Duda before finding the bottom corner of Roberto Fernandez's goal.

Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cazorla then had efforts to increase Malaga's lead before Joaquin made it 2-0 in the 25th minute, turning in Jesus Gamez's cross.

Malaga were dominating and Van Nistelrooy had a shot tipped over by Fernandez and Joaquin also tested the visiting custodian before Cazorla made it 3-0 in the 46th minute direct from a 25-yard free-kick.

Malaga completed the scoring in the 73rd minute when Cazorla turned provider to set Joaquin up for his second of the night.

Granada threatened to pull a goal back in the closing stages, with Franco Jara seeing a shot pushed around the post by Willy Caballero, Yohann Mollo curling an effort over and Ikechukwu Uche firing wide, but Malaga ran out convincing winners in the end.

The leading teams in Brazil's Campeonato all failed to register wins in the latest round of matches.

Pacesetters Corinthians came unstuck 1-0 at Fluminense, who move up to fifth as a result of Fred's 22nd-minute decider.

However, Sao Paulo could not capitalise, falling to a 1-0 defeat at Gremio, with Dos Santos Douglas netting the only goal in the 64th minute.

The result means Vasco da Gama move above Sao Paulo into second - but they could only manage a 1-1 draw with Figueirense.

Silva Wellington gave the home side a fourth-minute lead and although Vasco da Gama were level 12 minutes later courtesy of Conserva Fagner, they could not find a winner which would have taken them to the top of the table.

However, the night's big shock saw fourth-placed Botafogo crash to a 5-0 loss at Coritiba. Emerson broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute and the floodgates opened in the second half with Marcos Aurelio (penalty), Rosimar Bill, Rafinha and Everton Costa all finding the target.

Flamengo slip to sixth after a 2-1 home defeat to Atletico Paranaense, who played a quarter of the game with ten men. Aguiar Heracles and Joffre Guerron gave the visitors a 2-0 lead, before Guerron saw red - but all Flamengo could manage was Welinton Souza's 81st-minute goal.

Internacional are up to seventh after a 3-0 win at Palmeiras - with Leandro Damiao's hat-trick enabling them to move above their opponents.

Felipe's 87th-minute goal gave Atletico Goianiense a 1-1 draw at Ceara, who had led through Egidio's 37th-minute goal, while two goals from Magno Alves - one a penalty - enabled Atletico Mineiro to move above fellow strugglers Bahia with a 2-0 home win. The visitors had Paulo Miranda dismissed.

Steven Gerrard expects striker Luis Suarez to establish himself as one of Liverpool's all-time greats over the next few years.

Suarez made an immediate impact following a ?22.7 million move from Ajax in January, ensuring Liverpool did not suffer following the sale of Fernando Torres to Chelsea.

The Uruguay international, who was voted Player of the Tournament at this year's Copa America, has scored six goals in 15 Premier League starts for the Reds - and Gerrard believes he has a big part to play as Kenny Dalglish's side push for a top-four spot.

Asked whether Suarez could become an Anfield legend, Gerrard told the club's official website: "I don't see why not. He's still young enough and I'm sure he's going to get even better than he is now, which is a scary thought.

"He's got the appetite for the game to learn and get better. Hopefully he will go on here for a long time because he's certainly got a massive part to play at this club in the future - the history is there to be written.

"He's a very enthusiastic footballer and very intelligent. He's like a kid in the street and he can't wait to get out for training and games. Alongside Dirk (Kuyt) of late, they've been like two Duracell bunnies. They just don't stop and for defenders that must be a nightmare, knowing when you control the ball those two will be chasing.

"It's fantastic to have him and hopefully he can continue his form until the end of the season. If he does, it will give us a much better chance of getting some silverware."

Arsene Wenger concedes that Real Madrid and Barcelona have raced ahead of all other clubs this season, revealing his fear that Arsenal are being left behind by Europe's big spenders.

Wenger reinforced his own squad on transfer deadline day by signing Park Chu-Young, Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos, Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta. However, the Gunners' tactician believes they are some way off the pacesetters ahead of their Champions League opener away to Borussia Dortmund.

"I believe that this season, I see two teams that are above the rest - Real Madrid and Barcelona - and the rest have to catch up during the season," Wenger told The Guardian. "So for us, it's a new start because we are a new squad. What is at stake during the group stage for us is to show that we can go through.

"We are in our 14th season in the Champions League group phase and what has changed is that the competition inside England has become bigger among the top teams. It is as difficult to win the Champions League because a team that wins the Premier League is in the Champions League final almost every year.

"Outside the country, Barca and Real Madrid have much more financial power than they had 14 years ago because they have individualised their TV rights. So they, at the moment, with teams like Man City and Chelsea can take who they want."

Wenger cautioned that even Europe's richest clubs will soon feel the pinch, though, predicting a "financial crisis" to grip the continent, impacting upon the expenditure of all clubs.

"I believe that Europe overall, as a unit, is going towards a massive crisis, which nobody really expects now. I am convinced that Europe will go into a huge financial crisis within the next three weeks or three months and maybe that will put everything into perspective again.

"Football is not untouchable. We live with people going to the stadiums as well and from advertising from people who buy products. All our income could be a little bit under threat in the next few months. Football is not only about money. We believe in ourselves that we can compete with them but it's as simple as this."

The Arsenal manager says that his charges are confident after their Premier League win over Swansea at the weekend, but would not be drawn on the Gunners' chances of Champions League glory ahead of their game with Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.

"We have not had a particularly strong start in the league. We have had five players coming in [just before the transfer deadline] and nobody knows how good they will be.

"I wouldn't rule it out but it's too early to speak about winning it [the Champions League]. Saying that would raise a lot of scepticism about the team and I don't think anyone would believe it. But we have to do as well as we can and we have to form a team in the next two months. It's too early to have that kind of ambition."

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure is relishing the chance to fight for his place in the team after completing a six-month suspension for failing a drugs test.

Toure, 30, was hit with the ban after taking diet pills which contained the banned substance bendroflumethiazide. But having served his sentence, Toure insists he is as fit as he has ever been and is determined to regain his place in Roberto Mancini's side.

"I feel 24, 25-years-old," Toure told City TV. "I want to show all the people that think Kolo Toure needed tablets, water tablets, to be a better footballer. I just want to show them and that's what I will do.

"I will give 100% in every single game to show those people I don't need water tablets to be a strong man. I've been in this league for almost 10 years now, being unbeatable with Arsenal, doing a lot of good games. I just want to show them."

The former Arsenal defender believes his time away from the game has given him a renewed perspective. "Sometimes when you come every day to training you can't realise how big it is to be a footballer," he said. "I just realised how much we are lucky to be footballers and be able to play for a football team like City."

Big guns Japan and Australia face awkward away ties in the latest round of qualifying games for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil on Tuesday.

Japan take on Asian Cup semi-finalists Uzbekistan in Tashkent, while the Socceroos face a long journey to play Saudi Arabia in the stifling heat of Dammam. Both sides will be aiming to kick their campaigns into life after leaving it perilously late to snatch winners in the opening games of the third-round group stage on Friday.

The Samurai Blue squeaked past a dogged North Korean side thanks to a 94th-minute goal and Australia were just six minutes away from a humiliating draw at home to lowly Thailand when substitute Alex Brosque hit a winner to spare their blushes. Japan reached the last 16 in last year's World Cup in South Africa and won this year's Asian Cup, but boss Alberto Zaccheroni has warned his side to expect a tough fight in every qualifier. They will be without talismanic playmaker Keisuke Honda again on Tuesday, after the CSKA Moscow midfielder underwent surgery on his knee last Thursday.

Australia's coach Holger Osieck said his side nearly paid the price for poor execution against a Thai side 98 places below them in the FIFA rankings, and the German will expect a marked improvement against the Saudis.

South Korea go to Kuwait and will be happy to pick up where they left off on Friday, when a hat-trick from Arsenal new boy Park Chu-Young took them to a thumping 6-0 win over Lebanon.

China will be hoping to continue their successful start under new coach Jose Antonio Camacho away to Jordan, after their 2-1 win over Singapore, while the North Koreans face Tajikistan in Pyongyang.

Singapore take on 2007 Asian champions Iraq at home and Thailand will look to pick themselves up after the late heartbreak in Brisbane as they face Oman in Bangkok.

Lebanon face the United Arab Emirates at home and in Group E, Indonesia host Bahrain and Qatar take on Iran in Doha.

Ten teams - winners and runners-up of the five third-round groups - will be drawn into two pools for the round-robin fourth stage, with the eventual top two in each section earning a ticket to Brazil. The two third-placed teams will then face each other for the right to contest an intercontinental play-off.

Barely a day after sealing a season-long loan with Sunderland, Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner has claimed he will never return to play for the Gunners.

Bendtner, 23, has divided opinion among Gunners' fans during his six years at the club, as there are those who feel he has the talent to succeed at the highest level while others believe he is not of the required quality.

The Denmark forward has never been short of confidence and has repeatedly claimed he should be leading the line for the club, but he made limited impact last season - following a car crash two years ago - and has now been moved on.

Although he is still an Arsenal player, it appears he may well have burnt his bridges with many in and around the club by insisting he will never go back.

"I will never go back to Arsenal," he is quoted as saying in The Sun. "If I can have it my way, I will never play for them again.

"After my car accident I never really got the chance to earn a spot in the first team. That is over one and a half years with no real chance to prove myself.

"I am really looking forward to playing for Sunderland and then we will see next summer. I will find a new club - but I will not go back to Arsenal, that's for sure."

Steed Malbranque's representatives have dismissed reports the former Fulham, Tottenham and Sunderland midfielder has retired from football to care for a cancer-stricken son who does not even exist.

Reports emerging from France over the weekend, and repeated in a number of British publications, claimed that the 31-year-old, who joined French outfit St Etienne this summer, had decided to quit as his young son was suffering from cancer.

But in a statement released by solicitors working on the instruction of Malbranque's agent, Sebastien Boisseau, it is made clear that the Frenchman does not have a son and that no member of his immediate family is in ill health.

"Steed has read with concern the recent stories currently circulating about him and his family," read the statement which as issued by London-based solicitors Thomas Cooper.

"He would like to reassure all of his friends in England and throughout world football that these stories are wholly without foundation.

"Steed does not have a son and his immediate family are all in good health.

"Steed does not know the origin of these stories but would like to stress that they are without merit.

"He trusts that they will now cease immediately."

Malbranque's switch to St Etienne last month ended a 10-year stay in English football, during which time he made a total of 336 Premier League appearances.

GUARDADO EARNS MEXICO VICTORY

Andres Guardado scored the only goal as Mexico edged out Chile in an international friendly played in Barcelona tonight.

The Deportivo La Coruna winger curled home a free-kick with 11 minutes to go to settle a low-key encounter played at the Estadi Cornella-El Prat, the home of Espanyol.

A raft of second-half substitutions improved the fare on show after a poor opening half and Guardado - himself a replacement - scored what proved to be the winner from 20 yards after Pablo Barrera was fouled on the edge of the Chile box.

Steven Gerrard has targeted Liverpool's trip to Tottenham to make his comeback from a groin injury.

Gerrard has been sidelined since undergoing surgery in March, and has only played in six games since Kenny Dalglish's arrival at Anfield in January.

He is preparing to return to full training next week and has set his sights on the Reds' trip to White Hart Lane on September 18 to make his comeback.

"I feel really good and I'm back kicking balls again - it's all positive," Gerrard told Liverpool's website. "I should be back in full training with the team on Thursday or Friday of next week.

"I won't be involved against Stoke next Saturday but my plan is to hopefully be involved in the game against Tottenham. It will be Kenny's decision when I come back in."

Gerrard had hoped to be fit in time for the start of the new season, only to suffer a setback in July. And the England midfielder admits it has been hard seeing Dalglish's new signings flourish in his absence.

"It's been a tough five months for me since I had the surgery," he admitted. "It's been up and down emotionally and I've missed playing so much. I've had a good rest, I'm fired up and I'm raring to go again. I know I'm going to come back fitter, stronger and hungrier than ever.

"At the moment it's all good and I'm itching to get back. In fact it's worse than itching, my stomach is turning."

England Under-21s came from behind to secure a comfortable victory over Israel in Monday's friendly at Oakwell.

Stuart Pearce's Young Lions found themselves a goal down in the 25th minute when the visitors broke forward and Mohammad Klibat looped a shot past Ben Amos.

Martyn Waghorn equalised with a header 13 minutes after the break and a Marvin Sordell thunderbolt put England in front moments later.

A penalty from Nathan Delfouneso with eight minutes of normal time remaining and a finish from fellow substitute Henri Lansbury in injury time put the gloss on the win.

Head coach Pearce had said he would make changes from last Thursday's 6-0 European Championship qualifying triumph over Azerbaijan and only two players retained their place in the first XI, with one of them, Jack Rodwell, assuming the skipper's armband from the departed Jordan Henderson, who had been allowed to return to his club Liverpool.

Craig Dawson, scorer of two goals against the Azeri, was the other to keep his starting berth, while Amos, Andre Wisdom and Ross Barkley were the debutants amongst those to come into the team.

In total, seven of the line-up were making their first start for the Under-21s and Pearce's inexperienced side struggled to get going in the early stages.

Israel - the host nation for the 2013 Euros - looked the more dangerous, with Zion Tzemah shooting over direct from a free-kick.

Sordell saw a deflected effort bobble into the arms of goalkeeper Boris Kleyman before Or Barough went close for the visitors with a header.

Barkley unleashed a fierce effort in the 19th minute which stung the palms of Kleyman, who then punched away a free-kick from Jonjo Shelvey.

Four minutes later England were behind, Israel clearing a corner and launching a swift counter-attack which was rounded off by Klibat's curling strike beyond Amos.

It was almost 2-0 soon after when Nir Bitton drove wide, but Pearce's youngsters were inches away from an equaliser when another free-kick from Shelvey narrowly cleared the crossbar.

Dawson got on the end of a Waghorn delivery to the back post in the 41st minute but could not find the power to trouble Kleyman with his header.

Dan Gosling then nodded Shelvey's cross wide before an injury to Nathan Baker saw Steven Caulker brought on as a substitute in first half stoppage time.

Pearce made further changes at the interval, with Lansbury coming on for Rodwell and taking the captaincy, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain introduced for Shelvey and Adam Smith becoming the latest debutant by replacing Wisdom.

England looked purposeful as the action resumed, with Sordell seeing Kleyman push one of his efforts wide and hold onto another fired in from the edge of the area.

The pressure paid off in the 58th minute as Oxlade-Chamberlain crossed from the right and Waghorn headed past Kleyman to net his second goal in successive matches.

It took just two minutes for England to score again, Sordell putting the hosts ahead in emphatic fashion by turning and lashing a shot into the corner of the net from distance.

Gary Gardner then became the final player of the evening to win his first under-21 cap for the hosts by replacing Gosling, while Delfouneso and Connor Wickham came on for Waghorn and Barkley.

Israel substitute Muanas Dabbur flashed a shot across Amos' goal, but England were firmly in control and added a third goal in the final 10 minutes, Delfouneso confidently dispatching the spot-kick after Oxlade-Chamberlain was brought down in the box.

Lansbury then wrapped up the win at the death after being fed by Oxlade-Chamberlain.