Nearly a year after being dropped from the national team, David Beckham looks set to return to the England squad as coach Steve McClaren scrambles to boost his side’s chances of qualifying for the 2008 European Championship. Beckham could be named on Saturday in McClaren’s squad to play Brazil in a friendly at Wembley next Friday.
Chelsea are the odd club out in the Champions League semifinals — they have never won a European title. The Blues host Liverpool in the first leg on Wednesday — a repeat of their 2005 semifinal. Liverpool emerged victorious then and went on to win their fifth European Cup.
Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Middlesbrough on Saturday, dropping two points in the Premier League title race. United midfielder Kieran Richardson gave the hosts the lead in the third minute, but Mark Viduka headed Middlesbrough level in the 45th.
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Andrew Flintoff is ”upset and embarrassed” at being stripped of the England vice-captaincy for his drunken antics at the World Cup. Flintoff fronted a news conference on Monday at the team’s hotel, admitting he was ashamed of himself. He was suspended for England’s 51-run win over Canada on Sunday.
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Steve Tikolo struck an unbeaten 72 and took two wickets to guide 2003 semifinalist Kenya to a seven-wicket win over Canada in the opening Group C match of the World Cup. Tikolo top-scored on Wednesday, with opener Maurice Ouma contributing 58 runs as Kenya replied to Canada’s 199 all out with 40 balls to spare.
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Every time England seamer Liam Plunkett wants inspiration, he just reaches for his iPod. The England cricket team has downloaded clips of the greatest moments of its players on to their digital music players and portable-game consoles, as well as their laptops.
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Pakistan comfortably overhauled South Africa’s 199 in a World Cup warm-up match that was almost abandoned because of an uneven pitch on Friday. Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf combined for a 100-run third-wicket partnership to propel Pakistan to 200-3 with nearly six overs to spare.
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South Africa coach Mickey Arthur managed to find positives in his side’s shaky start against Ireland in a Cricket World Cup warm-up match. Arthur said South Africa’s 36-run win had no bearing on the tournament proper, which his side enter as the world’s top-ranked one-day team.
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Andrew Hall dragged South Africa out of trouble with the bat and then took three wickets on Monday to guide the Proteas to a 36-run win over Ireland in a World Cup warm-up match. Hall struck an unbeaten 67, helping lift South Africa from 91 for eight to 192 all out.
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/ 25 February 2007
Manchester United moved nine points clear of Chelsea at the top of the English Premier League on Saturday after Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the 88th minute to earn a 2-1 win at Fulham. Also on Saturday, Robbie Fowler scored two penalties in Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Sheffield United, and Charlton beat fellow strugglers West Ham 4-0.