International Roundup

Ferencvaros, MTK in tight battle for Hungary title

BUDAPEST (Reuters) -- Hungary's first division title race goes to the wire Friday, with Ferencvaros leading Budapest city rival MTK on goal difference.

Both clubs won on Saturday.

Ferencvaros, looking for a 28th championship and a sixth league and cup double after winning the cup earlier this month, hosts third-placed Debrecen on Friday, while MTK travels to fourth-placed Ujpest. Both games kick off at 1600 GMT.

The prize is a qualifying spot in the Champions league.

After 31 matches, Ferencvaros and MTK have an identical record of 19 wins, six draws and six defeats, but Ferencvaros has a two-goal advantage on goal difference.

The final round of matches will be given extra spice as Debrecen and Ujpest will also be battling to finish third and grab Hungary's second UEFA Cup place.

Both have 52 points from 31 games, but Debrecen has a goal difference of 19 against Ujpest's 14.

Kispest-Honved, the club made famous by Ferenc Puskas in the 1950s and 60s, was relegated from Hungary's top flight at the weekend for the first time since 1916-17.

They will be joined in the second division by Dunaferr.

Late goal clinches friendly win for Jamaica

KINGSTON (Reuters) -- Andy Williams hit a dramatic winner in injury time to earn Jamaica a 3-2 victory over Nigeria in a friendly international Sunday.

Substitute Frank Sinclair laid on the goal for Williams as Jamaica warmed up in style for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States in July.

Onandi Lowe and Jermaine Johnson also struck for the home team while the Nigerians replied through Ugochukwu Uche and Nwankwo Kanu.

The "Reggae Boyz" took the lead in the 25th minute when Lowe picked up a loose ball inside the penalty area, held off two Nigerian defenders and shot into the corner.

Jamaica doubled its lead six minutes before halftime after Johnson ended a solo run with a powerful right-foot drive.

Nigeria played with more purpose in the second half and pulled a goal back in the 65th minute when Micah Hyde lost possession and Uche went on to score.

The visitors equalized through Kanu with 10 minutes to go but Williams struck in added time.

Jamaica: Donovan Ricketts (45-Aaron Lawrence), Claude Davis, Gerald Neil (75-Frank Sinclair), Micah Hyde, Jermaine Johnson (71-Omar Daley), Andy Williams, Theodore Whitmore (70-Damion Stewart), Ricardo Gardner, Marco McDonald, Onandi Lowe, Michael Johnson.

Nigeria: Rotimi Sunday, Usim Bob, Obanu Kanu, Nwankwo Kanu, Ekwueme Ifeanyi, Ajuwa Bina, Lawal Garuba, Alagbe Tony, Ugochukwu Uche (65-Henry Nwosu), Goodwin Samson, Sojo Efe.

Russia drops captain Titov for Swiss qualifier

MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Russia captain Yegor Titov and two other experienced internationals have been dropped for next month's Euro 2004 Group 10 qualifier against Switzerland.

Russia coach Valery Gazzayev also axed Porto winger Dmitry Alenichev, who won the UEFA Cup with his Portuguese club last week, and Lokomotiv Moscow midfielder Marat Izmailov from his 20-man squad, named on Monday, for the June 7 match in Basel.

Titov, who turns 27 on Thursday, played poorly in Russia's previous Euro qualifier, a 1-0 defeat away to Georgia on April 30, and also looked disappointing in recent matches for his club Spartak Moscow.

Instead, Gazzayev recalled Spartak defender Yuri Kovtun to the national team after nearly a year's absence.

The rugged 33-year-old, who has not played for Russia since last year's World Cup finals, scored three goals, all headers, in Spartak's last four games.

Gazzayev also called up two newcomers, strongly-built Dynamo Moscow striker Dmitry Bulykin, the league's joint top scorer this season, and speedy Saturn Ramenskoye winger Pyotr Bystrov, as he looks to improve his team's fire power.

Gazzayev has been heavily criticized by Russian media following consecutive defeats to Group 10 outsiders Albania and Georgia.

Russia, with six points from four matches, trails Group 10 leader Switzerland by two points.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Sergei Ovchinnikov (Lokomotiv Moscow), Veniamin Mandrykin (CSKA Moscow) Defenders: Viktor Onopko (Rayo Vallecano), Yuri Kovtun (Spartak Moscow), Andrei Solomatin, Alexei Berezutsky, Vasily Berezutsky and Denis Yevsikov (all CSKA Moscow), Sergei Ignashevich (Lokomotiv Moscow) Midfielders: Sergei Semak, Rolan Gusev, Igor Yanovsky (all CSKA Moscow), Alexei Smertin (Girondins Bordeaux), Igor Semshov (Torpedo Moscow), Andrei Karayka (Krylya Sovietov Samara), Yevgeny Aldonin (Rotor Volgograd), Pyotr Bystrov (Saturn Ramenskoye) Forwards: Denis Popov (CSKA Moscow), Dmitry Sychev (Olympique Marseille), Dmitry Bulykin (Dynamo Moscow).

Belgian veterans recalled for Bulgarian clash

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- National coach Aime Antheunis on Monday recalled veteran defender Nico Van Kerckhoven for Belgium's vital Euro 2004 clash in Bulgaria next week.

It was the first call-up for the 32-year-old Schalke 04 left back since last year's World Cup. Antheunis also called on Austria Vienna's Didier Dheedene, 31, to add even more experience to the defense.

Ajax teenager Jelle Van Damme was dropped from the squad.

"The older players know what it is about," said Antheunis. Belgium is currently third behind Bulgaria and Croatia and is looking for a win in Sofia on June 7 to claw its way back into Group 8 contention.

Van Kerckhoven was on the Red Devils squad which lost to Brazil in the second round of the World Cup last year. "After a long injury, he has regained his form," said Antheunis after announcing the squad for the qualifier.

Antheunis will again have to miss Celtic defender Joos Valgaeren, who suffered a concussion during last week's UEFA Cup final loss to FC Porto.

Goalkeepers: Geert De Vlieger (Willem II, the Netherlands), Frederic Herpoel (AA Ghent).

Defenders: Nico Van Kerckhoven (Schalke 04, Germany), Timmy Simons (FC Brugge), Olivier De Cock (FC Brugge), Eric Deflandre (Olympique Lyon, France), Daniel Van Buyten (Olympique Marseille, France), Peter Van der Heyden (FC Brugge), Philippe Clement (FC Brugge).

Midfielders: Walter Baseggio (Sporting Anderlecht), Gaby Mudingayi (AA Ghent), Gaetan Englebert (FC Brugge), Bart Goor (Hertha Berlijn, Germany), Tom Soetaers (Roda JC, Netherlands).

Forwards: Emile Mpenza (Schalke 04, Germany), Thomas Buffel (Feyenoord Rotterdam, Netherlands), Sandy Martens (FC Brugge), Wesley Sonck (Racing Genk), Mbo Mpenza (Excelsior Mouscron).

Lokomotivi Tbilisi axe 11 players after poor season

TBILISI (Reuters) -- Georgian club Lokomotivi Tbilisi has dropped 11 first-team players after missing out on a UEFA Cup place following a disappointing season.

Lokomotivi, which was leading the premier division at one point in the season, has dropped to fourth place, seven points off the leader with just one round of matches remaining following last week's 1-0 home defeat to city rival Dinamo.

Lokomotivi finished second to champion Torpedo Kutaisi last year and also won the Georgian Cup, which earned it a UEFA Cup spot. It was hoping at least to match last year's performance.

Peruvian coach Luis Zaharias has remained in the job at least for now, but captain and ex-Georgian international Georgi Balashvili as well as one player from Ghana and another from Peru were among those ousted.

It was not the first time that bosses have decided to use drastic measures to shake-up the team. The club axed four players after it admitted betting against itself in a UEFA Cup qualifier last year.

 

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