Brazil Is Eliminated in France
World champion Brazil was knocked out of the FIFA Confederations Cup in France on Monday when it could manage no better than a 2-2 tie against Turkey, while the United States’ participation in the tournament ended with a 0-0 tie against Cameroon.
The Turks, third-place finishers at the 2002 World Cup, ended tied with the Brazilians on points as both teams went 1-1-1 but advanced to Thursday’s semifinal against France because they scored four goals in three games compared to Brazil’s three.
In a back-and-forth match in front of 29,170 at Saint Etienne, Adriano gave Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira’s team the lead in the 23rd minute, but Gokdeniz Karadeniz tied it for Turkey eight minutes into the second half.
With both teams attacking furiously, the Turks went ahead, 2-1, on a goal by Okan Yilmaz in the 81st minute, only for Alex to pull Brazil level three minutes into injury time.
African and Olympic champion Cameroon, which will play Colombia in the semifinals, rested nine starters from the side that had defeated Brazil and Turkey in earlier matches.
Even so, the U.S., which scored one goal in three tournament games, was unable to pierce the Cameroon defense in front of 19,206 at Lyon.
Real Madrid Shakeup
One day after winning the Spanish championship for the 29th time, Real Madrid bid coach Vicente del Bosque adieu and also declined to renew the contract of long-serving team captain Fernando Hierro.
“The team needs to renew itself,” said Real’s Argentine sporting director, Jorge Valdano. “The board arrived at the idea that it is time to change course.”
Del Bosque, 52, who coached Real to two European Champions League titles and two Spanish championships in his four years in charge, as well as to a world club championship and a European Super Cup, was resigned to leaving.
“I’ve been with the team for many years, in different positions, and I’ve been happy here,” he told the Spanish television station Antena 3 before the decision was announced. “Whether I stay or not is an important decision, and the team will choose the path it deems best.”
Hierro, 35, had been with the club for 14 seasons, anchoring its defense throughout that time.
Among those mentioned as candidates to replace Del Bosque are Manchester United assistant and former Portugal national coach Carlos Queiroz; Raynald Denoueix, who led Real Sociedad to second place in the Spanish league, FC Porto Coach Jose Mourinho and England Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Rijkaard to Barcelona
Former Dutch international and Netherlands national team coach Frank Rijkaard, 40, signed a four-year contract to coach Barcelona, replacing Radomir Antic.
Antic, hired in midseason as a short-term replacement for Louis Van Gaal, lifted the club from 12th place to sixth in the Spanish league, good enough to qualify for next season’s UEFA Cup, but the Serb was shown the door anyway by Barcelona’s new president, Joan Laporta.
“It’s a decision that doesn’t go in my favor, but that’s life,” Antic said. “I think I did enough to deserve a chance to stay on.”
Laporta also released veteran Dutch defender Frank de Boer, 33, and said other changes are forthcoming.
Ronaldinho Hunt
Barcelona has withdrawn from the hunt to sign Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho from Paris Saint Germain, which wants to keep the forward but is being tempted by lucrative offers.
“We want Ronaldinho, but our offer is lower than Manchester United and Real Madrid, who have both offered $23 million,” said Sandro Rosell, a Barcelona vice president. “We are not going to enter a fight between them.”
