■ Soccer
US to face England
The US national team will face England in an exhibition match at Wembley Stadium in London on May 28. The Americans will be making their first visit to England in 13 years before heading to Spain for another match in early June. The England contest will be the ninth career game between the two countries and will be played at the new 90,000 seat Wembley Stadium. It will serve as preparation for both teams as they gear up for the start of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
■ Formula One
F1 returning to Beeb
The BBC has regained the British television rights to Formula One from rivals ITV in a deal starting next year, Formula One commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone announced on Thursday. The agreement will be seen as a coup for the public broadcaster, coming at a time when 23-year-old British driver Lewis Hamilton is leading the championship for McLaren after finishing last year as runner-up. ITV have broadcast the sport in Britain since the start of the 1997 season, when Britain's Damon Hill was Formula One champion. "I am delighted to conclude this new deal with the BBC," Ecclestone said in a statement issued by Formula One Management that gave no financial details.
■ Soccer
Van Nistelrooy has surgery
Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is expected to miss six weeks after having surgery on his injured right ankle on Wednesday. Van Nistelrooy traveled to a clinic in the Netherlands to have arthroscopic surgery in a bid to stop inflammation in the ankle joint, Real Madrid said in a statement on their Web site. The Netherlands striker could still return for the club's final four Spanish league matches, which include a home date against FC Barcelona. Van Nistelrooy is expected to be available for the European Championship in June.
■ Soccer
Amateurs beat Marseille
Amateur side Carquefou pulled off one of the biggest upsets in French Cup history late on Wednesday by defeating mighty Marseille 1-0 to reach the quarter-finals. Playing in Nantes' Beaujoire stadium as their own ground was too small, the winning goal came from veteran Senegalese international Papa N'Doye after just seven minutes. Marseille besieged the minnows' goal for the rest of the game but were unable to get the equalizer that would have saved them from humiliation. The fifth division side reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
■ Soccer
Becks may not make team
David Beckham could struggle to force himself into the England team even if coach Fabio Capello recalls him for next week's friendly against France. Capello's assistant watched Beckham in preseason action for the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday to assess his fitness, suggesting that the former captain may be about to make his 100th appearance for his country. But Theo Walcott, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Aaron Lennon have all been left out of next week's under-21 friendly against Poland, suggesting that they could also figure when Capello announced his squad yesterday. Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce has already hinted that Capello may be about to draft in some young players. "You never know, there might be one or two names in Fabio's squad that make you sit up and listen," Pearce said.
■ SUMO
Raging Asashoryu stumbles
Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu was upset by Kotoshogiku at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament yesterday, while fellow top ranker and compatriot Hakuho also lost. In the day's final bout at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, sekiwake Kotoshogiku handed Asashoryu his first loss after getting both hands on the belt of the Mongolian and forcing the grand champion out. Asashoryu dropped to 11-1, but still holds a one-win lead over Hakuho and lower-ranked wrestlers Baruto and Tochiozan with three days left in the tournament. Kotoshogiku improved to 6-6. Hakuho was handed his second loss of the 15-day tourney when he was slapped down by ozeki Chiyotaikai seconds after the faceoff. Chiyotaikai improved to 8-4 and wrapped up the winning record he needs to maintain his ozeki status for the next tournament.
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