Former Winners Join Champions Field
Former winners Bayern Munich, Feyenoord, Inter Milan and Manchester United reached the European Champions League Tuesday by winning their final qualifying matches in emphatic fashion.
In front of 40,000 in Munich, Germany, Bayern got goals from Michael Ballack, Elber and Hasan Salihamidzic en route to a 3-1 victory over Partizan Belgrade of Yugoslavia. Bayern advanced, 6-1, on aggregate, after beating Partizan, 3-0, in Belgrade two weeks ago.
Feyenoord of the Netherlands used goals by Shinji Ono and Thomas Buffel to defeat Fenerbahce, 2-0, in Istanbul, Turkey, and went through, 3-0 on aggregate, after a 1-0 victory two weeks ago.
Inter Milan was in equally good form, disposing of Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon, 2-0, in front of 51,405 at San Siro, to go through, 2-0 on aggregate, after a 0-0 tie in Lisbon two weeks ago. Luigi Di Bagio and Alvaro Recoba scored first-half goals.
Manchester United lost its away game to Zalaegerszeg of Hungary, 1-0, two weeks ago in Budapest but rebounded with a 5-0 victory at home Tuesday to reach the Champions League field of 32 with a 5-1 aggregate triumph.
Playing in front of an Old Trafford crowd of 66,814, Manchester built a 3-0 lead as Ruud Van Nistelrooy, David Beckham and Paul Scholes scored. United wrapped it up in the second half with goals by Van Nistelrooy on a penalty kick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 32 Champions League teams will be divided into eight groups of four for Thursday’s first round.
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Chileans Go on Strike
The players on Chile’s 32 professional teams went on strike Tuesday to protest unpaid salaries and to demand a greater say in the administration of the sport. Chile’s coaches held a separate meeting in Santiago, after which they said they would support the players’ stance.
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USA Tops Italy
The United States’ under-20 national team defeated Italy, 2-1, on goals by Eddie Johnson and Devin Barclay at XIX Torneo Internacional de Futbol de l’Alcudia in Valencia, Spain.
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A Break for Keller
U.S. national team goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who unsuccessfully battled Scotland national team goalkeeper Neil Sullivan for the starting job at Tottenham Hotspur for most of last season, will be keeping it for at least several months.
Sullivan broke his thumb during training Sunday and will be sidelined for two months and possibly longer if surgery is needed, the English Premier League team said.
Coach Glenn Hoddle has started Keller in the first three games this season and Keller has responded with two shutouts, including one Tuesday night in a 1-0 win against Charlton.
