Brazilian Soccer Coach to Be Fired

Wanderley Luxemburgo will be fired as coach of Brazil’s national soccer team and replaced by Cruzeiro Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, Brazilian media reported Tuesday.

Luxemburgo’s team has gone 4-2-2 in World Cup qualifying, where Brazil is currently fourth. Only the top four South American teams are guaranteed spots in the 2002 tournament.

Dema Kovalenko had a goal and an assist as the Chicago Fire defeated the New York-New Jersey MetroStars, 3-0, in the opener of their Major League Soccer semifinal series before 7,141 at Chicago.

Miscellany

Minnesota Wild defenseman Sean O’Donnell was suspended for six exhibition games and fined $1,000 by the NHL for his actions during an exhibition game against the Mighty Ducks Sept. 20. O’Donnell, who has already served two games of the suspension, delivered a two-handed slash to center Antti Aalto and punched him in the back of the head. O’Donnell was assessed a major penalty for fighting, a game misconduct and a match penalty for an attempt to injure. . . . Detroit Red Wing center Kris Draper ended his holdout, signing a four-year, $13.5-million contract with the team. Draper was a restricted free agent and was the team’s last unsigned player. He had five goals and seven assists in 51 games for Detroit last season. . . . The Boston Bruins signed center Joe Thornton and left wing Sergei Samsonov to three-year contracts. . . . New York Islander goalie Rick DiPietro, the first overall pick in the NHL entry draft, was assigned to Chicago of the International Hockey League. . . . Washington Capital goalie Olaf Kolzig underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will miss the start of the regular season.

Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics is improving after undergoing surgery for stab wounds suffered at a nightclub early Monday. Pierce’s condition was upgraded from fair to good after surgery to repair his damaged lung, according to officials at the New England Medical Center. They said stab wounds to Pierce’s face, neck and back were superficial. . . . Forward Marcus Fizer, the No. 4 selection in this year’s NBA draft from Iowa State, signed with the Chicago Bulls. . . . Spencer Gloger, who started 28 games as a Princeton freshman last season and was the Tigers’ second-leading scorer, is transferring to UCLA.

Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia upset top-seeded Nathalie Tauziat of France, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the quarterfinals of the WTA SEAT Open at Luxembourg. . . . Spain’s Sergi Bruguera defeated countryman Emilio Alvarez, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the second round of an ATP tournament at Palermo, Sicily. . . . John Daly, who has made only seven cuts this year and has not won since 1995, will be among three players to represent the United States in the Dunhill Cup in two weeks at St. Andrews in Scotland. . . . Deidra Lane, accused of killing her husband, former NFL running back Fred Lane, has been formally charged with conspiring with former bank teller Natosha Watson to steal money from a Charlotte, N.C., bank.