Zaragoza Wins Cup in Spain
Zaragoza won the Copa del Rey with a 3-2 victory over Real Madrid at Barcelona, Spain, on substitute Luciano Galletti’s goal in extra time.
Galletti scored in the 111th minute, firing a shot from the edge of the penalty area after Real Madrid’s David Beckham lost possession in midfield.
Beckham scored on a free kick in the 24th minute, and Roberto Carlos tied it on a free kick in the 48th minute.
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Lazio Prevails
Stefano Fiore scored twice in the second half, and Lazio defeated Juventus, 2-0, in the first leg of the Italian Cup final at Rome.
The midfielder used an acrobatic volley to redirect a headed assist from teammate Fernando Couto in the 59th minute and converted a bicycle kick in the 80th.
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U.S. Sets Games
The United States will play friendly international matches against Mexico and Poland to prepare for 2006 World Cup qualifying.
The U.S. will play Mexico on April 28 at Dallas and Poland on July 11 at Chicago, the U.S. Soccer Federation said Wednesday.
The July 11 game is part of a doubleheader involving Chicago and New England of Major League Soccer.
The U.S. plays a friendly at Poland on March 31.
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Italy Takes Measures
The Italian Soccer Federation approved measures that will require clubs to have their finances in order before they can play the next season.
The move comes on the heels of a search last month by tax police of offices of all teams in the top two divisions to see whether clubs manipulated their balance sheets.
Several Italian teams have faced financial crises lately, caused in part by high player salaries and transfer fees.
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Qatar Is Denied
FIFA moved to prevent three Brazilian players from switching nationalities to compete for Qatar.
Players who obtained a new nationality “with no clear connection to that country” would be ineligible to play internationally for that country, FIFA’s Emergency Committee ruled.
Qatar had offered a passport to Germany-based Ailton, Leandro and Dede.
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Tighter Security
After bomb attacks in neighboring Spain, Portugal will restore border controls it scrapped in 1991 as the country tightens security against terrorism ahead of Euro 2004, a government minister said.
Portugal said it would suspend agreements it abides by as one of the 15 European signatory countries to the Schengen agreement, which allows for border-free travel among member states.
About 1.2 million people from 16 countries are expected at the June 12-July 4 tournament.
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CSKA Lands Sponsor
Sibneft, the oil company associated with Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who was criticized at home for buying the English Premier League club Chelsea, signed a $54-million sponsorship deal with CSKA, the Russian premier league champion.
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Quick Passes
Roberto Baggio, who has made 55 international appearances for Italy, may be called up to the national team for an honorary farewell match, possibly against Spain on April 28, Coach Giovanni Trapattoni said.... Bayern Munich Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld has received an offer from Chelsea but intends to honor his contract with the Bundesliga club through the summer of 2005, the German newspaper Bild said on its website.... Germany defender Andreas Hinkel of Stuttgart will be out for about four weeks after tearing ligaments in his right ankle during a practice, the Bundesliga club said.... Czech playmaker Tomas Rosicky of Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, who broke an arm Feb. 28, doesn’t think he will be back before the beginning of May.
