■AUSTRALIA
Under-17 coach Crook dies
Officials expressed shock yesterday after under-17 coach and former national goalkeeper Martyn Crook died suddenly during a tour to the US. Football Federation Australia (FFA) said Crook, 52, passed away on Friday in Los Angeles, where the team was preparing for three matches against Brazil and the US. Media reports said he died of a heart attack. “We are deeply saddened and shocked by this news,” FFA chief executive Ben Buckley said in a statement, adding that Crook was “highly respected by the players and his professional colleagues alike.” “Martyn will be remembered by many people in the [Australian] football community, because he was a long-time contributor to the game in many capacities,” Buckley said. England-born Crook migrated to Australia as a child with his family, settling in Adelaide. Crook played 192 games as a goalkeeper with West Adelaide from 1977 to 1986 and made 14 appearances for the national team from 1979 to 1983. He was appointed assistant coach with the national under-17 team from 2001, before becoming head coach last year.
■ITALY
Vieira maybe out until 2009
Inter coach Jose Mourinho, announcing that Patrick Vieira’s Achilles tendon injury would rule him out for the next two games, added it was unlikely the French midfielder would be back playing before next year. “In two weeks, 2008 is over,” Mourinho said. “There’s a risk that you won’t see Vieira make his return until next year.” Vieira suffered the injury in training two days after Inter’s 1-0 win over Juventus on Nov. 22.
■CARIBBEAN
Trinidad, Jamaica both win
Errol McFarlane converted two second-half penalties for Trinidad and Tobago as they beat Barbados 2-1 in Caribbean Cup action at Trelawny Stadium on Friday. Gregory Goodridge gave Barbados a 13th-minute lead and McFarlane leveled two minutes after half-time. When Barbados goalkeeper John Michael Williams was penalized and sent off in the 70th minute, McFarlane slotted home the penalty for the win. In the late match, hosts Jamaica thrashed Grenada 4-0 to virtually assure them of a semi-final berth. Forward Eric Vernon opened the scoring after just six minutes and Luton Shelton of Norwegan club Valerenga found the net in the 17th minute. Real Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams extended the lead in the 53rd minute, before Demar Phillips of English club Stoke City rounded out the scoring in the 77th minute.
■ENGLAND
Five Palace fans jailed
Five Crystal Palace fans were jailed for up to four years on Friday for attacking Charlton Athletic supporters on a train. Prosecutors told a London court that more than 30 Palace fans trapped the Charlton followers on the train in a pre-planned attack before the game between the two neighbors in September last year, chanting “kill them” and “get off our manor”. Clive Taylor, 35, and Ashley White, 21, were jailed for four years, while 40-year-old Carl Thomas received a 38-month sentence and Darren Bush, 39, was sentenced to three years. Andrew Spicer, 38, admitted the charge and was jailed for two-and-a-half years.
■ENGLAND
Dutch friendly announced
England and Holland will begin their respective countdowns to the 2010 World Cup with a friendly in Amsterdam at the start of the 2009-2010 season. The Aug. 12 match was announced on Friday by the Football Association.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jack Hinshelwood on Monday sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory against Liverpool to leave the English Premier League champions without a win since clinching the title. Arne Slot’s side took the lead through Harvey Elliott’s early opener before Yasin Ayari equalized at the American Express Stadium. Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s advantage just before halftime, but Brighton staged a late fightback as Kaoru Mitoma leveled before Hinshelwood came off the bench to net with his first touch. Liverpool have taken just one point from their three matches following the title-clinching rout of Tottenham Hotspur on April 27. The Reds have lost at
Logan O’Hoppe, Taylor Ward and Matthew Lugo homered, and the Los Angeles Angels spoiled Clayton Kershaw’s season debut, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-9 on Saturday night to take the first two games of the three-game series. Kershaw allowed three runs and threw 38 pitches in the first inning. The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner lasted four innings, giving up five runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Shoulder, toe and knee injuries limited Kershaw to seven games last season, and his 2025 debut was delayed as he recovered from multiple offseason surgeries. O’Hoppe had two hits with
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