Latin American Roundup

Atletico Mineiro coach fired after loss to leader Atletico Paranaense

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) -- Atletico Mineiro fired coach Jair Picerni on Sunday, a day after the club was embarrassed in a 5-0 loss to Atletico Paranaense in the Brazilian league.

With the loss, Atletico fell to 22nd place in the 24-club first division and faces the threat of relegation to the second division. The four last-placed clubs descend to the second division next season.

Picerni joined Atletico in July but failed to turn the club around. Under Picerni, the club was 4-7-7.

Possible replacements reportedly include former all-star Mario Sergio, Abel Braga Candinho and Oswaldo de Oliveira.

It's been a disappointing season for Atletico, a traditional club that won the Brazilian championship in 1971 and was runner-up in 1999, '80 and '77. Atletico also won the regional Conmebol Cup in 1997 and '92.

The national championship has been a revolving door for coaches. Vitoria and Vasco da Gama also fired their coaches last week.

Racing end losing run; trio shares Argentine lead

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -- Racing Club ended a five-match losing streak in the Argentina championship at the weekend, just days after coach Ubaldo Fillol had brushed aside an anonymous death threat.

Racing, who began the championship by winning their first three games only to lose the next five, held on for a goalless draw in a dour match away to Arsenal to end their unwanted run.

Fillol, goalkeeper in Argentina's 1978 World Cup match, had insisted on Wednesday that he was staying in the job despite a anonymous phone call to his home saying he would be a dead man if he did not leave.

He shrugged off the phone call, saying he had security and would only leave if the club fired him.

Racing, nicknamed the Academy, are 15th in the 20-team table with ten points from nine games.

Arsenal, coached by Jorge Burruchaga who scored the winning goal for Argentina in the 1986 World Cup final against West Germany, are 13th after drawing their fifth game in nine outings.

Boca Juniors, River Plate and Velez Sarsfield are level on 19 points at the top with Newell's Old Boys one point behind.

Striker Martin Palermo scored twice in nine minutes as Boca came from behind to beat Huracan-Tres Arroyos 2-1, Gabriel Gonzalez having given the visitors the a fifth-minute lead.

Ariel Lopez scored both goals for Quilmes as they twice came from behind to held River 2-2. Chilean international Marcelo Salas and defender Fernando Crosa scored for River.

An own goal by David Abraham and a Rolando Zarate gave Velez Sarsfield a 2-0 win at Independiente, ending an excellent two weeks for the Red Devils who beat Boca and their great rivals Racing in their previous matches.

Former World Cup forward Ariel Ortega scored his first goal for Newell's Old Boys as they ended Estudiantes's unbeaten run to stay in touch with the leading trio.

Ortega, who has ended an 18-month soccer exile which followed his decision to walk out on Turkish club Fenerbahce last year, scored the only goal from the penalty spot.

Mexico's Pumas top Sinaloa to end losing streak

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Defending champion Pumas halted a four-game losing streak Sunday, edging Sinaloa 3-2 in the Mexican league.

Bolivian Joaquin Botero put Pumas ahead at Mexico City's Olimpico '68 Stadium, heading in a goal in the 11th minute. But Sinaloa veteran Jared Borgetti quieted the crowd with the equalizer in the 33rd.

Jaime Lozano worked free in the area to score from the right side to reclaim the lead for the Pumas in the 41st, and Ismael Iniguez blasted a long, looping shot past Sinaloa goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo nine minutes later to make it 3-1. Borgetti solidified the final with a second score for Sinaloa in injury time.

The Pumas won the league title in May but have struggled since. The win allowed the squad to escape the cellar of Group 1 with nine points. Sinaloa has 11 points and remains tied atop Group 1 with the Tecos.

At the capital's cavernous Azteca Stadium, Colombian Gabriel Rey scored in the 72nd minute to lift Atlante over Atlas 3-2. Diego Garay of Argentina put Atlante up 1-0 in the 29th, but Juan Pablo Garcia equalized four minutes into the second half.

Garcia found the back of the net for the second time to briefly give Atlas the lead in the 63rd minute, but Chilean Fernando Martell scored nine minutes later to set the stage for Rey's game-winner.

Also on Sunday, Pachuca muscled past visiting Cruz Azul for a 3-1 victory. Marinho Ledesma broke a tense, scoreless contest with a goal in the 63rd minute and Juan Carlos Cacho gave Pachuca a two-score advantage 17 minutes later.

Emilio Mora sliced the deficit in half in the 84th minute, but Cacho pushed in an easy roller in the closing seconds before injury time to sure up the victory.

Eight weeks into Mexico's winter season, Veracruz is the league's best team with 24 points. The "Tiberones Rojos" earned their eighth victory by edging the Tecos 1-0 on Saturday. Mario Rosales, trying to use his head to knock away a shot by Juan Pablo Santiago, instead pushed the ball into his own net five minutes into the contest for what proved to be the lone score.

America and the Chivas of Guadalajara battled to a 1-1 draw in the "classic" of Mexican soccer. After a string of near-misses for both sides, 65,000 fans at the Chivas' Jalisco Stadium erupted when Omar Bravo gave the home team a 1-0 advantage, scoring from the right side in the 56th minute.

But two minutes before the final whistle, Jesus Mendoza took a cross from Rodrigo Valenzuela and knocked the equalizer home from point-blank range on the left side.

Also on Saturday, Paraguayan Jose Saturnino Cardozo scored in the first minute and added goals in the 67th and 84th as Toluca cruised past the Tigres 4-1. Vicente Sanchez of Uruguay also had a goal for Toluca in the 18th minute while Nestor Silvera got the Tigres' only score in the 87th.

Monterrey embarrassed the Jaguares of Chiapas 5-1. After Carlos Ochoa put Chiapas ahead 1-0 in the 34th minute, Oribe Peralta equalized 12 minutes later.

Guillermo Franco made it 2-1 in the 55th minute and Argentine Guillermo Franco scored, Sergio Perez had two goals and Chiapas Jorge Manrique knocked the ball into his own net to solidify the final.

Morelia and the Santos finished 1-1 and Puebla outlasted Necaxa 2-1 on the strength of a pair of goals by Jair Garcia. Brazilian Sandro Sotilli scored from the right side in the 70th minute in Necaxa's losing effort.

Bolivia coach angered as players leave for Polish trial

LA PAZ (Reuters) -- Bolivia coach Ramiro Blacut was angry after two young players left a national team training camp to take part in a trial with Polish first division club Wisla Krakow.

Defender Sergio Jauregui, 20, and striker Juan Carlos Arce, 19, left the camp on the outskirts of La Paz after being invited to try their luck in eastern Europe.

"They are young players who are looking for fame and fortune," Luis Galarza, a member of the coaching staff, told reporters.

"I hope everything goes well for them but their departure has annoyed coach Ramiro Blacut."

Bolivia later said defender Ronald Raldes and striker Pablo Salinas had been called up as replacements.

Bolivia, bottom of the 10-nation South American World Cup qualifying group with six points from eight games, face two home matches in four days.

They take on Peru in La Paz on Saturday and Uruguay at the same venue, at 3,600 metres above sea level, on Tuesday.

Revised squad:

Goalkeepers: Leo Fernandez (Oriente Petrolero), Jose Carlos Fernandez (Santa Fe, Colombia), Sergio Galarza (Wilstermann)

Defenders: Ronald Arana (Oriente Petrolero), Lorgio Alvarez (Oriente Petrolero), Juan Manuel Pena (Villarreal, Spain), Ronald Raldes (Rosario Central, Argentina), Marcelo Carballo (The Strongest), Percy Colque (Bolivar), Luis Gatty Ribeiro (Bolivar), Oscar Sanchez (Bolivar), Ronald Raldes (Bolivar), Gualberto Mojica (Blooming)

Midfielders: Erwin Sanchez (Oriente Petrolero), Luis Cristaldo (The Strongest), Gonzalo Galindo (Bolivar), Limberg Gutierrez (Bolivar), Limbert Pizarro (Bolivar), Ruben Tufino (Bolivar), Walter Flores (San Jose)

Forwards: Pablo Salinas (Blooming), Joaquin Botero (UNAM/Pumas, Mexico), Diego Cabrera (The Strongest)

Recoba, unsuitable for altitude, out of Uruguay squad

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) -- Uruguay have dropped Alvaro Recoba from their squad for next week's World Cup qualifier in Bolivia because they do not think the Inter Milan player is fit for a game at high altitude.

"(Coach Jorge) Fossati considered that Recoba is not the most suitable to play in the high altitude of La Paz," a spokesman for the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) said.

Recoba, who was jeered by supporters during a training match in Montevideo before the World Cup qualifier at home to Ecuador last month, will also miss next weekend's game away to neighbours Argentina because of suspension.

He picked up a second yellow card in the 1-0 win over Ecuador.

Problems have mounted for Fossati ahead of the two games.

Central defender and captain Paolo Montero has been ruled out because of an Achilles' tendon injury while his fellow defenders Dario Rodriguez and Alejandro Lembo are both short of match practice.

The pair are in the reserves at Germany's Schalke 04 and Spain's Real Betis respectively.

Uruguay, seventh in the 10-nation South American qualifying group with 10 points from eight games, face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday and Bolivia, at 3,600 metres above sea level in La Paz, the following Tuesday.

Fossati has named a 28-man squad for the two games:

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Fabian Carini (Inter Milan, Italy), Sebastian Viera (Nacional), Sergio Navarro (Plaza Colonia)

Defenders: Dario Rodriguez (Schalke 04, Germany), Alejandro Lembo (Real Betis, Spain), Carlos Valdez (Nacional), Joe Bizera (Penarol), Guillermo Rodriguez (Danubio), Alejandro Lago (Fenix)

Midfielders: Gustavo Varela (Schalke 04, Germany), Marcelo Sosa (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Pablo Garcia (Osasuna, Spain), Diego Perez (Monaco, France), Javier Delgado (Saturn Ramenskoye, Russia), Juan Martin Parodi (Panionios, Greece), Mario Regueiro (Racing Santander, Spain), Carlos Diogo (Penarol), Cristian Rodriguez (Penarol), Gonzalo Castro (Nacional), Omar Pouso (Danubio)

Forwards: Vicente Sanchez (Toluca/Diablos, Mexico), Javier Chevanton (Monaco, France), Richard Morales (Osasuna, Spain), Dario Silva (Sevilla, Spain), Diego Forlan (Villarreal, Spain), Diego Perrone (Danubio), Fabian Estoyanoff (Fenix), Carlos Bueno (Penarol)

Pizarro recalled to Peru squad

LIMA (Reuters) -- Striker Claudio Pizarro has been recalled to the Peru squad for the first time since suffering a head injury during the Copa America last July.

The Bayern Munich forward is set to return in Saturday's World Cup qualifier away to Bolivia as Peru try to make up lost ground after their 3-1 home defeat to Argentina last month.

Peru, attempting to qualify for their first World Cup since 1982, then travel to Paraguay for another qualifier on October 13.

Pizarro underwent surgery for his injury after complaining of nausea and dizziness following the 3-1 win over Venezuela on July 9. Peru, who hosted the Copa America, were knocked out by Argentina in the quarter-finals.

Coach Paulo Autuori, who has refused to talk to the local media since the start of the Copa, brought in three uncapped players; striker Paolo Guerrero, who plays for Bayern, and locally-based Juan Manuel Vargas and Juan Cominges.

Peru are eighth in the 10-nation South American qualifying group with nine points from eight games.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Oscar Ibanez (Cienciano), Leao Butron (Alianza Lima)

Defenders: Jorge Soto (Sporting Cristal), Guillermo Salas (Alianza Lima), Juan Manuel Vargas (Universitario), Walter Vilchez (Alianza Lima), John Galliquio (Universitario), Santiago Acasiete (Almeria, Spain), Miguel Rebosio (Almeria, Spain), Alberto Rodriguez (Sporting Cristal)

Midfielders: Juan Carlos la Rosa (Cienciano), Juan Jayo (Alianza Lima), Luis Alberto Hernandez (Coronel Bolognesi), Marko Ciurlizza (Alianza Lima), Nolberto Solano (Aston Villa, England), Julio Cesar Garcia (Morelia/Monarcas, Mexico), Roberto Palacios (Deportivo Cali, Colombia), Juan Cominges (Sporting Cristal)

Forwards: Jefferson Farfan (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Paolo Guerrero (Bayern Munich, Germany), Claudio Pizarro (Bayern Munich, Germany), Andres Mendoza (Metallurg Donetsk (Ukraine)

Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.