■SOCCER
Ronaldo called up by Queiroz
Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz on Sunday announced a 23-man squad, including a nominally injured Cristiano Ronaldo, to face Bosnia in their World Cup playoff games on Saturday and Nov. 18. Queiroz has called on Ronaldo, despite the opposition of the player’s club Real Madrid, who estimate their star will be out of action for at least two more weeks as he recovers from an ankle injury that has forced him to miss the club’s last seven matches. Ronaldo initially injured his right ankle in Real’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Marseille at the end of September and aggravated the problem while playing for Portugal on Oct. 10. Quieroz says the national team’s doctors would examine him and see if he could play some kind of a role, even from the bench. Two new names in the squad are Benfica’s Fabio Coentrao and Chelsea keeper Hilario, while Ricardo Costa, a defender with German champions Wolfsburg, is back after a two-year absence.
■SOCCER
Beckham to miss friendly
David Beckham will miss England’s friendly with Brazil next week after his club Los Angeles Galaxy beat Chivas USA in the Major League Soccer Western Conference semi-finals. Beckham was named in the England squad for Saturday’s match against Brazil, but on the proviso that he would be spared international duty if the Galaxy beat Chivas on Sunday. The Western Conference final will be played during the same weekend that England face Brazil in Qatar. Sunderland forward Darren Bent has been named in the squad that will travel to the Middle East. At leftback, there is no place for Ashley Cole, despite the Chelsea player completing the full match against Manchester United on Sunday. Aston Villa’s Stephen Warnock will hope to play. In midfield, Tottenham Hotspur duo Tom Huddlestone and Jermaine Jenas have been called up, with teammate Aaron Lennon and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard injured.
■RUGBY UNION
Carter facing a suspension
New Zealand flyhalf Dan Carter was facing a disciplinary hearing yesterday after being cited for a high tackle on Wales replacement scrumhalf Martin Roberts late in Saturday’s Cardiff international. Carter crashed into Roberts 10 minutes from the end of the game, won 19-12 by the tourists, prompting Wales coach Warren Gatland to complain that the All Black No. 10 should have been yellow carded. If Carter gets suspended he could miss one or more of New Zealand’s remaining tour games against Italy, England and France.
■BASEBALL
Zambrano’s mom kidnapped
The mother of former major league pitcher Victor Zambrano has been kidnapped in Venezuela. Zambrano’s agent, Peter Greenberg, says Elizabeth Mendez Zambrano was abducted on Sunday morning from her son’s farm near Maracay in central Venezuela. In Venezuela, the families of wealthy athletes are periodically targeted by kidnappers. Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba’s son and brother-in-law were released by kidnappers a day after they were abducted in June.
■SAILING
BMW Oracle unveils wing
America’s Cup challenger BMW Oracle Racing has unveiled what is believed to be the world’s largest wing, which it will test as a replacement for a traditional soft-sail rig on its giant trimaran. Complete with flaps, the wing will tower nearly 58m above the deck when it’s installed this week. It is longer than the wing of an Airbus 380, the largest passenger airliner.
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