Thu, Feb 04, 2010 page18

• Soccer Shorts

  • AGENCIES
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  ■ENGLAND

  Benjani loaned to Black Cats

  Struggling Premier League side Sunderland added some much needed firepower to their out-of-form strike force on Tuesday with the loan signing of Zimbabwean international Benjani Mwaruwari from rivals Manchester City. The Black Cats got the benefit of the doubt from the Premier League over signing the 31-year-old, even though they failed to process the required paperwork before Monday’s 5pm transfer deadline. Sunderland boss Steve Bruce — whose side have been in free-fall after a winless run of 11 games — blamed technical problems for the delay. Benjani — scorer of 29 goals in 43 international appearances — is a free agent in the summer, but Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini had said he could move on if he wanted to.

  ■PARAGUAY

  Libertad make group stage

  Pablo Velazquez’s two second-half goals helped put Paraguayan club Libertad into the group stage of the Copa Libertadores with a 3-1 home win against Deportivo Tachira of Venezuela on Tuesday. Libertad advanced 3-2 on aggregate to be the first through the preliminary first round. Pedro Boada opened the scoring for Tachira following a corner in the 30th minute to leave Libertad needing three goals to progress. Rodolfo Gamarra tipped the ball past Tachira goalkeeper Manuel Sanhouse, flicked the ball over Jong Viafara’s challenge and volleyed the equalizer from a narrow angle in the 41st minute. Velazquez side-footed in following a scramble in the Tachira box with just over 20 minutes to play, and sealed Libertad’s passage in the 81st minute.

  ■PORTUGAL

  Porto put five past Sporting

  Holders Porto thrashed Sporting 5-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup on Tuesday. Porto took the lead on 18 minutes through a Rolando tap in, but Russian midfielder Marat Ismailov equalized four minutes later with a thunderous drive from outside the box. Colombian striker Radamel Falcao put Porto ahead again on 34 minutes from the edge of the area and added another in the 42nd minute with a flying header after a Ruben Micael cross. Varela scored the fourth just after halftime and Argentine Mariano Gonzalez made it five with a stunning long-distance strike in the 57th minute, before Liedson scored Sporting’s second in stoppage-time.

  ■ITALY

  Berlusconi slams own club

  AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi lambasted his own club and chief executive Adriano Galliani on Tuesday for signing Inter winger Mancini on loan. The Brazilian, who has barely played for bitter city rivals Inter in the last two seasons after a dip in form, joined Milan on Monday on the last day of the transfer window. “I really don’t understand it,” the Italian prime minister told Jerusalem’s Italian community, sources at the meeting said. “He is another creative player when we need someone who can finish off moves. He’s not played for two years. I don’t agree with getting him and I’ve told Galliani.”

  ■ENGLAND

  Pompey cash held back

  The Premier League will keep more than £2 million (US$3.2 million) Portsmouth raised from selling players during the transfer window and hand it to clubs owed money by Pompey. Portsmouth sold defender Younes Kaboul to Tottenham Hotspur and goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to Stoke City for a total of about £8 million. The southeast club is reported to be about £60 million in debt.
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