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Sports Briefs

■ Baseball
Pettitte to return to Yankees
Lefthanded hurler Andy Pettitte, a key component on four of the New York Yankees' World Series championship teams, agreed to terms on a contract on Friday that will bring him back to the Bronx. "We have preliminarily agreed to terms with Andy Pettitte on a contract to pitch for the New York Yankees, pending the passing of a physical examination," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

■ Baseball
Piazza agrees to play for A's
Mike Piazza's days behind the plate may be numbered, but he appears poised to be a force at the plate for some time to come. After 15 seasons as one of the top catchers in baseball, Piazza on Friday agreed to terms on a one year deal with Oakland Athletics, where he will likely figure in the lineup largely as a designated hitter. Piazza, a 12-time National League All-Star, is the all-time leader among catchers with 396 home runs. Piazza made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1992 and was named National League Rookie of the Year the following season. He won 10 consecutive Silver Slugger awards from 1993-2002.

■ Bobsled
Rohbock wins second gold
Shauna Rohbock of the US had never won as a driver in a World Cup women's bobsled race until this season. But after two races this year, she has won two World Cup gold medals. Rohbock and brakeman Valerie Fleming won for the second straight week, setting a track record at the Olympic Park in Park City, Utah on Friday. Rohbock and Fleming will go for a North American sweep next week in Lake Placid, New York. "I just want to drive well and get over my injuries," Rohbock said."

■ Football
Shannon to coach Miami
The Miami Hurricanes promoted defensive coordinator Randy Shannon to head coach on Friday to replace Larry Coker. Shannon helped the Hurricanes win three national championships as a linebacker and has overseen the defense since 2001. Miami fired Coker two weeks ago after the team finished the regular season 6-6, its worst record since 1997. "Randy has the discipline and heart of a champion," university president Donna Shalala said in a statement. "He has been preparing himself for a head coaching position his whole life and I am very happy that the opportunity came at the University of Miami, his alma mater," she said.

■ Soccer
Finals continue today
Guadalajara will have a tough task in its quest to win its 11th Mexican soccer championship today, when it travels to Toluca for the second leg of the Apertura finals. A goal by Argentine Bruno Marioni earned Toluca a 1-1 draw on Thursday night, giving it the edge for the home leg toward a sixth crown in the 10 years. "They played better in the first half, but we could come back in the second and now we could close this at home," said Marioni, the reigning scoring champion. Omar Bravo scored for Chivas, the most popular team in the country.

■ Soccer
Andretti to test F1 car
Marco Andretti, grandson of 1978 world champion Mario and son of former McLaren driver Michael, will drive a Formula One car for the first time when he tests with Honda next week, the team said on Friday. The 19-year-old American will drive this season's RA106 grand prix car on the final day of testing this year in Jerez on Dec. 15. Andretti finished last season as `Rookie of the Year' in the Honda-powered IndyCar series with Andretti Green Racing and was also runner-up in the Indy 500 by the second closest margin ever.

■ Soccer
Unfit referees sent packing
Three Greek referees have been sent home from soccer's Club World Cup after one of them failed a fitness test, organizers said. The unidentified assistant referee was the only one of the tournament's 16 officials found lacking by the speed and endurance test, FIFA said in a statement. "As one assistant-referee from Greece failed this test, the FIFA Referees Committee was left with no choice but sending the European referees trio back home," FIFA said. "Instructions issued to the referees prior to the competition made it clear that entire trios would be forced out if any of their members failed the fitness test," it added.

■ Soccer
Hunt's ban overturned
UEFA's appeals body overturned on Friday the two-game ban on Germany under-21 international Aaron Hunt, accused of racist remarks against two English players. UEFA banned the Werder Bremen striker because of "gross unsporting conduct toward an opposing player" during the Oct. 10 European Championship qualifier against England. The Football Association complained to UEFA that Hunt allegedly insulted England's black under-21 players Micah Richards and Anton Ferdinand. England won the match 2-0. Hunt told the appeals body he exchanged insults, but denied they were racist in nature. "I did nothing to feel guilty about," said Hunt, whose mother is English.

■ Boxing
Maskaev to defend crown
Oleg Maskaev of Kazakhstan defends his WBC heavyweight title against Uganda's Peter Okhello today in the first world championship bout ever held in Russia. The 37-year-old Maskaev took the title from Hasim Rahman in August, knocking out the WBC champ in the 12th round. The 34-year-old Okhello is ranked 11th. He has won 18 of 25 fights, 16 by knockout. "The fight will be a tough one and the most important in my career -- my first one on such a high level and against a title holder," he said. Maskaev, who lives in the US, came to Moscow two weeks ago to prepare for the bout.

■ Soccer
UEFA mull Euro expansion
UEFA will consider the possibility of expanding the European Championship finals from 16 teams to 24. Though European soccer's governing body insisted on Friday its executive committee had not discussed the issue on Thursday or Friday, it did say the idea would be studied. UEFA said different formats needed to be analyzed as well as when such a change could be implemented, should the proposal be adopted. UEFA said Scotland suggested the idea of expansion a few weeks ago and was supported by Sweden, Latvia and Ireland. From 1960-1976 the European Championship final included only four teams. It was expanded to eight teams in 1980 then to 16 in 1996.


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