Busy Time for U.S. Women
The busy United States women’s national team announced its roster for the Algarve Cup in Portugal, and 17 of the 20 players who competed in Olympic qualifying in Costa Rica last week were included.
Returning to the roster for the trip to Portugal -- the team departs Wednesday -- are defenders Brandi Chastain and Kylie Bivens and midfielder Lori Chalupny.
Among the veterans included were Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Briana Scurry, Cindy Parlow and Shannon MacMillan.
Joy Fawcett and Kristine Lilly were not selected to the roster, so they could rest. Forward Heather O’Reilly, 19, will instead be playing for the U.S. under-21 team that will make a 12-day trip to China this month in preparation for this summer’s Nordic Cup.
The U.S., which won the recent CONCACAF regional Olympic qualifying tournament, is the defending champion of the Algarve Cup, a 12-team, weeklong event that begins Sunday. The U.S. opens against France and also will play Denmark and Sweden in group play.
Meza Fired
Enrique Meza, a onetime coach of Mexico’s national team, was fired from his position as coach of Cruz Azul in the Mexican league because of the club’s poor start to the Clausura tournament.
Meza is the first coach to be fired this season, after watching his team take only five points in nine games.
Cruz Azul, which lost 2-0 to Morelia over the weekend, is last in its group and overall in the 20-team league and has lost six in a row.
Mexican League
Salvador Cabanas scored three goals, but a goal in second-half injury time by Eliomar Marcon pulled UAG into a 3-3 tie with Mexican league leader Jaguares Chiapas.
Jaguares still hold a commanding 10-point lead in Group 3 over San Luis but blew a chance to push their overall points lead to five ahead of Group 4 leader Chivas of Guadalajara.
Chivas moved six points ahead of Necaxa with a 2-0 victory over Irapuato on goals by Adolfo Bautista and Omar Bravo.
Toluca (15 points) kept its lead in Group 1 with a 2-2 tie against Necaxa on goals by Rafael Garcia and Jose Saturnino Cardozo.
UNAM Pumas, the Group 2 leader, rallied for a 3-3 tie against Queretaro on an 89th-minute goal by Dario Veron. Queretaro took a 3-2 lead in the 87th minute on the third of Carlos Casartelli’s three goals in a 20-minute span.
Real Madrid Troubles
The appeal of Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos was rejected by UEFA, Europe soccer’s governing body, to reduce a two-match ban for hitting an opponent in the face. He will have to sit out Wednesday’s Champions League game against Bayern Munich.
On Sunday, the Spanish club learned it will be without forward Ronaldo, who tore a muscle in his left thigh Saturday against Racing Santander.
Raul, another of the team’s strikers, did not practice Monday because of an ankle injury and his status for Wednesday’s game is unknown.
Copa America
Argentina and Uruguay, which each have won 14 South American championships, were put in the same group for this summer’s Copa America.
Also in the group are Ecuador and Mexico, one of two invited guests.
Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion, heads another group that includes Chile, Paraguay and Costa Rica, the other invited guest.
The final group consists of defending champion Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and host Peru.
Quick Passes
Midfielder Pablo Aimar of Valencia in the Spanish league will sit out about three weeks because of a torn muscle in his left leg.... English clubs Arsenal and Manchester United were drawn to face each other in the semifinals of the FA Cup. The game will be April 3 or 4 at Villa Park in Birmingham.
-- Compiled by Jim Barrero
