Adu Gets First Start in 1-1 Tie
Freddy Adu made his first professional start Saturday, but it was not enough to help D.C. United end a six-year winless streak at San Jose, where the defending Major League Soccer champion Earthquakes earned a 1-1 tie in front of a Spartan Stadium crowd of 17,667.
Defender Troy Dayak gave the Earthquakes (1-2-2) the lead in the 33rd minute when he sprinted in to glance a header into the back of the D.C. United net off a free kick by teammate Jeff Agoos.
“I felt like I was getting dialed in -- I knew that I was going to get one today,” Dayak said. “I told a few people to put the ball in front of me. I hit one wide and one over the top and the third one was a charm.”
Dema Kovalenko tied it for D.C. United (1-2-2) in the 66th minute, taking a long diagonal pass from Bobby Convey at the far post and beating goalkeeper Pat Onstad from close range.
“I felt that we had to give him a chance,” D.C. United Coach Peter Nowak said of starting the 14-year-old Adu, who played 80 minutes. “He has worked hard and I thought that he earned it.”
In other MLS games Saturday:
* The Dallas Burn (2-0-2) stretched its unbeaten streak to four matches by holding the Columbus Crew (0-3-1) to a scoreless tie in front of 13,271 at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
* U.S. national team players Chris Klein and Josh Wolff scored as the Kansas City Wizards (2-1-1) shut out the Colorado Rapids (1-1-2), 2-0, in front of 24,740 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
* A crowd of 11,262 saw Dipsy Selolwane, Damani Ralph and Ante Razov score at Soldier Field in Chicago as the Chicago Fire (2-1-2) rolled over the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (2-1-1), 3-0, behind goalkeeper Henry Ring’s fourth shutout in five games.
Maradona Up to Par
Former Argentine World Cup champion Diego Maradona, who spent more than a week in intensive care at a Buenos Aires hospital because of heart and lung problems, checked himself out against the advice of doctors and headed for the golf course.
The Argentine newspaper La Nacion reported that Maradona, 43, had left the hospital because he was “fed up,” and Reuters television showed images of him in a golf cart on a local course Thursday evening.
Maradona’s website said the player “had been recommended to take strolls as part of his treatment” and said he was “practicing swings with a luminous golf ball because night had fallen.”
Quick Passes
South Korea qualified for the Athens Olympics when it defeated China, 2-0, in Shanghai on goals by Cho Jaae-Jin and Kim Dong-Jin.... Defender Jonathan Woodgate will not be able to play for England in the June 12-July 4 European Championship in Portugal after tearing a thigh muscle.
Three-time champion Cologne was assured of relegation from the German Bundesliga when it lost, 2-1, at home to Bayern Munich.... Leicester City was similarly guaranteed relegation from the English Premier League when Manchester City beat Newcastle United, 1-0, on a headed goal by Costa Rican international Paulo Wanchope. That result assured Leicester of a bottom-three finish.
Celtic striker Henrik Larsson reversed his year-old decision to end his international career and agreed to play for Sweden in Euro 2004. Larsson has scored 24 goals in 72 internationals.... The Argentina Football Assn. banned San Lorenzo forward Daniel Cordone, 29, for two years after he failed a drug test for the second time in less than a year. Cordone, who tested positive for a marijuana derivative, will be unable to play again until March 1, 2006.
-- Compiled by Grahame L. Jones
