■ Soccer
Nigeria to play Ireland
Nigeria will play Ireland and Jamaica as part of its build-up for 2006 World Cup qualifiers, a spokesman for the country's soccer association said on Thursday. "Our team will take on both countries in the Unity Cup tournament fixed for May 27 and June 2 in London," Samuel Kaalu told Reuters by phone from the capital Abuja. Kaalu said Nigeria's leading players were expected to play in the matches, despite the country's first World Cup qualifier against Rwanda being played in Lagos on June 5. "The tournament date had been fixed before we realized the problem, so something will be worked out," he said. Algeria, Angola, Gabon and Zimbabwe are also in African qualifying Group Four, from which the top team will qualify for the World Cup finals in Germany.
■ Formula One
Renault just behind Ferrari
Spain's Fernando Alonso overcame a troubled start to set a blistering pace with his new Renault engine at the Circuit de Catalunya, finishing second in Formula One testing to Michael Schumacher on Thursday. Schumacher's Ferrari teammate Rubens Barichello was third, then Jenson Button, a surprise success this season in the BAR-Honda. Alonso and Jarno Trulli tested the Renault engine for the first time on Wednesday with less than encouraging results. Trulli broke his on the 28th lap, and Alonso also experienced problems. Both drivers replaced engines and were able to test their cars successfully on Thursday. Trulli was seventh. Schumacher, winner of the season's first three Formula One grand prix, set the best lap time at 1 minute, 23.764 seconds. Yesterday would be the fourth and last test session at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona before the San Marino Grand Prix on April 25. The Spanish GP follows on May 9.
■ Formula One
Cars might become slower
Formula One could be forced to slow down this season after the sport's governing body expressed concern about rising speeds on Thursday. International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley said that the governing body was prepared to flex its muscles. "We are looking very carefully at possibly using powers that we have under the Concorde Agreement to reduce the performance of the cars," he said, referring to the confidential accord governing the sport. "If we conclude that the cars are too fast, then we can give notice to the teams under the Concorde Agreement which requires the technical working group to come up with proposals for slowing the cars," he said.
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