Report: Man U star Rooney racks up gambling debts (SportsTicker)

April 8, 2006

LONDON (Ticker) - England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson will talk to star striker Wayne Rooney over allegations that he has racked up 700,000 British pounds ($1.22 million) of gambling debts.

Ligue One Roundup, Apr. 8

April 8, 2006

Fred and Florent Malouda scored a goal each Saturday to give Lyon a 2-1 win over Nice that moved it to the verge of a record fifth straight French league title. The win opened Lyon's lead over second-place Bordeaux to 14 points. With only five matches remaining for both teams, Lyon has 75 points and Bordeaux, which drew 0-0 at home to Saint-Etienne, has 61.

D.C. United 2, Chivas USA 0

April 8, 2006

MLS: Jamie Moreno scored twice to help D.C. United beat Chivas USA 2-0 on Saturday for their first victory of the season. Moreno deflected Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan's sliding clearance into an empty net in the 59th minute, and added a goal in stoppage time.

Premiership Recap, Apr. 8

April 8, 2006

EPL Recap: Tottenham beat Manchester City on Saturday to keep their fight for Champions League football alive. They are now five points clear in fourth place.

Wigan 1-1 Birmingham: Big point for City

April 8, 2006

Wigan 1-1 Birmingham: Big point for City

by England

Championship: Blades steal a win, Reading's high-five

April 8, 2006

Championship: Blades steal a win, Reading's high-five

by England

Legend Maradona ready to lead Argentina

April 8, 2006

Legend Maradona ready to lead Argentina

by World Cup

La Liga: Real Madrid held at home by strugglers

April 8, 2006

La Liga: Real Madrid held at home by strugglers

by Europe

Ligue 1: Lyon take another step towards fifth title

April 8, 2006

Ligue 1: Lyon take another step towards fifth title

by Europe

Bundesliga: Werder thrash Bayern to open race

April 8, 2006

Bundesliga: Werder thrash Bayern to open race

by Europe

Tottenham on track for Champions League berth (AP)

April 8, 2006

Tottenham beat Manchester City 2-1 on Saturday to stay on course for a Champions League berth next season while Sunderland -- struggling to stay in the Premier League -- had to abandon its game with Fulham because of a wet field. Tottenham went up 2-0 on goals by Paul Stalteri and Michael Carrick in the 44th and 49th minutes.

Valencia beat Celta to go second as Real draw (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

(Adds Celta Vigo v Valencia)

UPDATE1-Soccer-Inter beat Ascoli to go second in Serie A (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

(releads, updates after Ascoli v Inter)

Goalkeeper decision splits Germany

April 8, 2006

World Cup: German soccer officials, players and fans were still split Saturday by coach Juergen Klinsmann's decision to name Arsenal's Jens Lehmann and not Bayern Munich's Oliver Kahn as the national team's World Cup goalkeeper.

English Premier League Roundup, Apr. 8

April 8, 2006

EPL Wrap: Tottenham beat Manchester City in the English Premier League on Saturday to keep their fight for Champions League football alive. They are now five points clear in fourth place.

Serie A Roundup, Apr. 8

April 8, 2006

Vincenzo Iaquinta scored his first goal in two months to help Udinese beat Livorno 2-0 Saturday and move seven points clear of the Serie A relegation zone. Iaquinta opened the scoring in the 35th minute, kicking in a rebound at Livorno's Stadio Armando Picchi. Defender Cesare Natali added a 52nd-minute goal with a powerful header off a corner kick as Udinese pocketed its second straight win and handed Livorno its sixth straight loss.

Hoeness: Ballack off to Blues

April 8, 2006

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness believes midfielder Michael Ballack will join Chelsea in the summer.

Bundesliga Roundup, Apr. 8

April 8, 2006

Bundesliga Wrap: Werder Bremen beat leader Bayern Munich 3-0 Saturday to reopen the Bundesliga title race and hand coach Felix Magath his heaviest loss in two years at the club. Miroslav Klose played a role in all three goals to lift Bremen into second place, ahead of Hamburg on goal difference.

La Liga Roundup, Apr. 8

April 8, 2006

Veljko Paunovic scored twice Saturday to give Getafe a 2-1 victory over Malaga that added to the last-place team's worries of relegation from the Spanish league. Paunovic's deflected drive opened the scoring at Malaga's La Rosaleda stadium in the 19th minute, although substitute Pablo Counago equalized early in the second half with an angled shot.

McLeish praises Waterreus

April 8, 2006

Rangers manager Alex McLeish has praised Ronald Waterreus for his performance against Motherwell in the wake of the fall-out from an interview he gave in a Dutch magazine.

Scottish Premier League Roundup, Apr. 8

April 8, 2006

Hearts beat Dunfermline 4-0 in the Scottish Premier League on Saturday maintain a two-point lead over third-place Rangers. Hearts marked Tynecastle stadium's 120th anniversary with first-half goals by Michal Pospisil, Roman Bednar and Saulius Mikoliunas. Substitute Juho Makela adding a fourth goal with eight minutes left. Hearts are in second place - 17 points behind Celtic, which won its fourth Scottish league title in six seasons and 40th overall with a 1-0 victory over Hearts on Wednesday.

RC Lens earn PSG draw with late penalty (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

RC Lens grabbed a 1-1 home draw against Paris St Germain with a 90th minute penalty on Saturday.

Bayern expect Ballack to move to Chelsea (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

Bayern Munich are resigned to losing midfielder Michael Ballack to Chelsea at the end of the season.

Unsworth sets Premier League course for Sheffield United (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

A dramatic stoppage-time strike by David Unsworth gave Sheffield United a 3-2 victory over Hull City and one foot in next season's Premier League on Saturday.

Bayern manager criticises timing of Kahn announcement (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

Bayern Munich manager Uli Hoeness has criticised Juergen Klinsmann for dashing Oliver Kahn's World Cup hopes the day before Saturday's important league match against Werder Bremen.

Premier League match reports (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

Brief match reports of Premier League matches on Saturday: CHARLTON ATHLETIC 0 EVERTON 0

Spurs edge closer to Champions League qualifiers (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

(adds quotes, details)

Bayern chief expects Ballack to join Chelsea

April 8, 2006

Bayern chief expects Ballack to join Chelsea

by Europe

Portsmouth 2-2 Blackburn: Pompey show spirit

April 8, 2006

Portsmouth 2-2 Blackburn: Pompey show spirit

by England

Tottenham 2-1 Man City: Carrick on target

April 8, 2006

Tottenham 2-1 Man City: Carrick on target

by England

Bad weather spares Sunderland relegation

April 8, 2006

Bad weather spares Sunderland relegation

by England

Charlton 0-0 Everton: Toothless Addicks

April 8, 2006

Charlton 0-0 Everton: Toothless Addicks

by England

Under-fire O'Leary determined to stay at Villa

April 8, 2006

Under-fire O'Leary determined to stay at Villa

by England

Championship: Blades steal a point, Reading's high-five

April 8, 2006

Championship: Blades steal a point, Reading's high-five

by England

Cardinal criticizes Milan Derby date

April 8, 2006

Cardinal Ersilio Tonini bitterly criticized the Italian soccer league's decision to play the highly anticipated AC Milan-Inter Milan derby on Good Friday, a day ahead of the regular 34th Serie A round. "The insensibility of the soccer world is discouraging," the 81-year-old Vatican official told Milan sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport on Saturday. "There is no justification for this choice.

Scotland-based winger in Angola squad for Lesotho (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

World Cup finalists Angola have named Scotland-based winger Jose Quitongo among nine uncapped players in a preliminary squad for their Cosafa Castle Cup assignment this month.

Iran president would be welcome in Germany for World Cup (Reuters)

April 8, 2006

Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would be welcome in Germany to cheer on his team at the World Cup but he would be taken to task for his anti-Israel comments, a German minister said on Saturday.

Prem boss Richards vows to clear name

April 8, 2006

Prem boss Richards vows to clear name

by England

Ferguson predicts three-horse-race next season

April 8, 2006

Ferguson predicts three-horse-race next season

by England

Wigan success story to get US TV treatment

April 8, 2006

Wigan success story to get US TV treatment

by England

Wenger: 'Chelsea are 80% league champions'

April 8, 2006

Wenger: 'Chelsea are 80% league champions'

by England

Belgian soccer player dies from stab wounds

April 8, 2006

Police in southern Vietnam are investigating the death of a Belgian soccer player who was found in his bed with stab wounds in the chest, an official said Saturday.

Belgian soccer player dies from stab wounds in Vietnam (AP)

April 8, 2006

Police in southern Vietnam are investigating the death of a Belgian soccer player who was found in his bed with stab wounds in the chest. The 26-year-old Belgian player of Ugandan origin, who had come to try out for the Dong Nai Football Club, was found Wednesday and died shortly after being taken to a hospital, team deputy director Le Van Trieu said Saturday.