Milutinovic Gets New Job
The United States faces the possibility of having to overcome not one but two of its previous World Cup coaches in qualifying for the Germany 2006 World Cup.
The Honduran soccer federation said Tuesday that it had reached agreement with Bora Milutinovic to take charge of its national team.
“Bora has already accepted our financial offer,” Rafael Callejas, the federation’s president, told a Honduran television station. “All that is left to be done now is the formal agreement.”
Steve Sampson, the U.S. coach in the France ’98 World Cup, coaches Costa Rica.
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Beckham Scores
Playing in his second match for Real Madrid after his $42-million summer move from Manchester United, David Beckham scored his first goal for the Spanish champions and also picked up his first yellow card as Real defeated FC Tokyo, 2-0, in front of 48,000 at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Beckham opened the scoring shortly before halftime with one of his patented free kicks from about 18 yards out.
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Makaay Arrives
Dutch striker Roy Makaay completed his $20-million move from Deportivo La Coruna to German champion Bayern Munich and was immediately told just what is expected of him.
“We expect just one thing, goals, nothing more,” said Uli Hoeness, Bayern’s commercial manager.
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Cole to Chelsea
The astonishing spending spree undertaken by Chelsea of the English Premier League over the last few weeks continued when the London club paid $10.5 million to acquire England midfielder Joe Cole, 21, from West Ham United.
The sale brings Chelsea’s total spending since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich took control of the club in July to more than $70 million.
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Quick Passes
Bruno Metsu, the French coach who guided Senegal to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in the country’s first appearance in the tournament, is on a short list of six candidates to become Nigeria’s next coach.... Newcastle got two goals from former England captain Alan Shearer as it tied Bayern Munich, 2-2, in a friendly at Newcastle.
The Scottish champion Rangers were routed, 3-0, at home by Arsenal, which got goals from Edu, Lauren and Sol Campbell. Arsenal had been held to a 1-1 tie by Celtic earlier in the week during its preseason Scottish tour.... Veteran Norwegian defender Henning Berg, 33, joined Rangers on a one-year contract.
Kenya’s government has frozen the bank account of the country’s soccer federation, claiming that it had failed to fully pay taxes owed to the government.... In U.S. Open Cup action, the Colorado Rapids defeated the Kansas City Wizards, 3-2, at Denver, and the Seattle Sounders ousted the San Jose Earthquakes, 1-0.
Times wire services contributed to this report.
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GALAXY TONIGHT
vs. Fresno Fuego, 7:30
What -- U.S. Open Cup.
Site -- Home Depot Center.
Update -- The Galaxy received a bye into the fourth round of the country’s oldest domestic tournament. Coach Sigi Schmid said that recently acquired defender Ryan Suarez should play 90 minutes. The Galaxy, which won the tournament in 2001 and lost in the final to the Columbus Crew in 2002, is 12-3 overall in the U.S. Open Cup while the Professional Development League’s Fuego, the lone amateur team remaining in the field that began with 34 teams, has advanced with victories over the Chico Rooks (1-0), the Utah Blitzz (4-0) and the El Paso Patriots (5-2).
Tickets -- (213) 480-3232 or (714) 740-2000.
-- Paul Gutierrez
