An eighth-minute

Maxi Rodriguez goal gave Argentina a 1-0 win over Scotland at Hampden Park as Diego Maradona’s reign as national coach began with a positive result. Rodriguez (right) celebrates the only goal as Argentina begin the Maradona era with a victory. Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor made a great save from Argentina captain Javier Mascherano before Rodriguez finished off a fine move by sliding the ball home from close range. The South Americans, slick and speedy at times, appeared to ease off after their blistering start but still dominated most of the match, leaving the Scots looking for their first friendly win at the national stadium since 1996. Read the full story

Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre will be going head-to-head with Lance Armstrong at the Giro d’Italia next year.

With Armstrong still undecided on competing in the French event, the Giro guarantees at least one major race featuring both the reigning Tour champion and the American, a seven-time winner.

“The Giro d’Italia will be my first important goal. I will be ready for the start,” the Spanish cyclist, who had previously been uncommitted on the Giro, said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press.

Sastre said he would use the Giro as more than just a warm-up for the defense of his Tour title.

“If I go to the Giro, it is not just for training,” he said.

And with Armstrong there, it will give him extra motivation.

“To have Lance in front of me and to try to beat him is really nice,” Sastre said. “It will be his first Giro d’Italia, and there is where I will have an advantage over him. It is my fourth Giro.”

Australian Paul Sheehan shot a four-under 67 on Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan.

Sheehan fired successive birdies at seven and eight at the par-71 Phoenix Country Club and added two more on the back nine to take a one-stroke lead over a group of seven, including American Brandt Snedeker and Japan’s Toru Suzuki.

South Africa’s Ernie Els shot a 72 to finish in a tie for 34th place. Defending champion Ian Poulter of Britain shot a 73.

The $2.1 million event is one of the richer tournament’s on the Japanese men’s tour. Recent winners include Tiger Woods (2004, 2005) and Padraig Harrington (2006).

John Daly shot a two-under 68 on Thursday to finish four strokes behind joint leaders Liang Wen-chong and Richard Sterne halfway through the first round of the Hong Kong Open.

Daly was four under with two to play, but bogeyed his final two holes to drop back in the event sanctioned by the European and Asian tours.

“I’m not too disappointed, being a little rusty. I haven’t played in a month. Two- under par on the first round — it appears pretty good. I’ll take it,” Daly said.

The 42-year-old Daly, a former British Open and PGA Championship winner now ranked No. 788 in the world, said he’s striking the ball well, but struggling with his rhythm because he hasn’t been able to play consecutive tournaments.

He made only five cuts in 17 starts on the PGA Tour this year and earned just over $56,000.

“I need to play three or four weeks in a row to get anything out of my game,” Daly said. “I haven’t been able to really do that in two years.”

Liang, the Chinese star who won the 2007 Asian Tour Order of Merit, and South African Sterne shot 64 on the Hong Kong Golf Club course.

“Even though the course is short, there are many places where you can run into problems,” Liang said. “When you’re not playing well, when you’re impatient, it’s very easy to make mistakes because the fairways are quite narrow.”

Lin Wen-tang and Frankie Minoza are one off the lead with Francesco Molinari, Chawalit Plaphol, Wang Ter-chang and Oliver Wilson on 66.

Forward Luis Fabiano’s hat trick powered Brazil to its biggest win over Portugal, a 6-2 rout in a friendly on Wednesday.

The win was a reprieve for embattled Brazil coach Dunga, whose team had been held scoreless in three consecutive home games in World Cup qualifying.

The game lined up Brazil’s Kaka against Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, and while Kaka orchestrated many of Brazil’s attacks, the Portuguese star did little in his team’s offense at Bezerrao Stadium outside Brasilia.

Portugal gave the home side a scare when Dannhe left and dished an impeccable pass.

The rout began in the 24th minute when Kaka escaped two defenders and his right cross was converted by Fabiano.

Ten minutes into the second spell, Maicon made it 3-1 finding a gap with a drive between the left post and goalkeeper Quim, and two minutes after that Fabiano completed his hat trick when he knocked home a rebound from a save by Quim.

Former national captain and coach Javed Miandad has been handed the task of reviving Pakistan’s ailing cricket fortunes.

The 51-year-old was appointed director general by the Pakistan Cricket Board on Wednesday, and immediately outlined his goal to bring international matches back to the subcontinent nation following recent internal security problems.

“I will use my connections to convince teams to tour Pakistan and our cricket will be back to normal soon,” he said. “My priority will be to restore the image of Pakistan cricket, which has been hit by controversies in the recent past.”

This year’s ICC Champions Trophy was scheduled to be played in Pakistan but it has been postponed after countries such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa refused to take part due to violence stemming from political turmoil and terrorist attacks.

The PCB is also embroiled in a row with star fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who has received bans for breaching its code of conduct and also for taking banned drugs — as has fellow paceman Mohammad Asif.

Miandad, whose third stint as Pakistan coach ended in controversy in 2004 after a home series loss to India, has since had an acrimonious relationship with the PCB.

The Guyana Teachers’ Union 40th Annual Track and Field Championship was officially declared opened by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds at the Mackenzie Sports Complex (MSC) ground in Linden which he described as the fitting place to host the event. The event commenced at 18:00 h with an impressive ceremony, including march past of the different participants, and the official lighting of the torch. Among those present were Chairman of Region Ten Mortimer Mingo and GTU President Colwyn King. Read the full story

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Banks DIH and the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) collaborated to officially launch the first in a series of small goal, four-a-side street football on November 18.
            The competition titled “Guinness Greatest of De Street” kicked off at Water and Holmes Streets opposite Giftland Office Max in the presence of Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony, Parliament Secretary in the Ministry Steve Ninvalle Banks DIH Communications Manager Troy Peters and scores of football patrons.
The initiative which is the brainchild of the beverage giant evolved out of the need for a more organised approach to promoting street football which has gained popularity over the years in several communities.
Peters said the event will give an official touch to the sport and will allow non traditional teams to play in a more organised way while earning financial and other rewards.
Last evening’s event featured 32 teams, divided into eight groups of four battling for supremacy. The first two teams will go through to the knock out round. The competition runs for 25 minutes with three 30 second timeouts. Only 10 players can be registered to a team and they must be at least 18 years old.
Minister Anthony commended the beverage company for this partnership, noting that it coincides with the Ministry’s programme of promoting sports in communities across the country.
“Some regions have traditionally not been an active part in sport but through this community initiative we have been able to go out there and get them to have very vibrant community programmes, so we thought that partnership with Banks DIH in hosting this street football competition is an extension of our community programmes,” Minister Anthony said.
He said these communities have been chosen because of the need for youths to become actively involved in sport. If successful, he expressed hope that the competition grows larger and extends beyond Georgetown in the near future.
“We want to make street football a very vibrant and integral part of sports and we know by extension that while we have that, people will benefit in tremendous ways,” Minister Anthony said.  
Banks has been a major sponsor in Guyana’s sporting fraternity and has support Twenty/20 football, horseracing and football competitions in Berbice, the Goodwill swimming championships held each year in August, the Premiere League Football Competition, and the Smirnoff Ice Golf Tournament. The company will also be sponsoring the upcoming 2008 Kashif and Shanghai football tournament.

Evander Holyfield is retur

ning to the ring at age 46 because he wants to become undisputed heavyweight champion again. Holyfield remains confident of his abilities despite recent setbacks in and outside of the ring.  Holyfield will fight giant 2.13 meter WBA champion Nikolai Valuev next month, aiming to become the oldest man to claim a world heavyweight title and the first to win it five times. Read the full story

Lance Armstrong fears he could

be attacked by spectators if he returns to the Tour de France next year. Armstrong enjoyed unparalleled success in winning seven straight Tours. The seven-time Tour champion, who is making a comeback after three years in retirement, said in an interview in The Guardian on Tuesday that he is concerned about his safety. Read the full story

 Diego Maradona thinks it is time the English stopped complaining about the ‘Hand of God’ goal he scored against their team at the 1986 World Cup.

Maradona has been in Scotland preparing for his debut as Argentina coach but many British journalists are just as interested in his contribution to a 2-1 win over England 22 years ago.

Maradona famously punched the ball into the net for the opening goal of that quarterfinal victory — instantly becoming a hate figure in England and burnishing his image as a hero back home.

But he said Tuesday that it was no worse than England being awarded a dubious goal during its 1966 World Cup final win.

“England won a World Cup with a goal that was plain to see to everyone that it did not cross the line,” Maradona said. “So I don’t think it is fair that people should judge me when stuff like that goes on.”

England beat Germany 4-2 in extra time in the ‘66 final at Wembley, but were only awarded their crucial third goal upon the intervention of a Russian linesman.

German players insisted that Geoff Hurst’s shot, which bounced down off the bar, never crossed the line and replays more than 40 years later are still inconclusive.

“He missed by that much,” Maradona said to laughter, holding his hands about a meter apart. “You didn’t have action replays in those days.”

But not everyone is likely to appreciate the humor in Maradona’s remarks.

Scotland assistant manager Terry Butcher was part of the England defense breached by Maradona at the 1986 World Cup and has already said he will not offer his opponent the traditional post-match handshake on Wednesday.

After diverting the ball past England goalkeeper Peter Shilton with his hand for Argentina’s first goal, Maradona went on to score one of the greatest goals in World Cup history for the second, eventually helping his side to the title.

“It’s very hard to forgive and forget in the circumstances. But it was 22 years ago,” Butcher told the Press Association.

“I think I’m 4-1 to get a red card in the tunnel — it would be the fist of Terry Butcher rather than the hand.

“But, no, it’s gone now and, while we will never forget, it’s not about that game. I haven’t got a Maradona doll that I stick pins in every day, I don’t need psychiatric help,” he added.

Maradona countered through a translator: “I’m not going to seek him out. I don’t know why Butcher has taken this attitude. I don’t quite understand. I will let Butcher get on with his life and I’ll get on with mine.

“I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. If he doesn’t shake my hand, I’ll still be alive tomorrow.”

By another twist of co-incidence, Burley was a member of the Scotland team when Maradona announced his arrival as a world class talent as Argentina won 3-1 at Hampden in 1979.

Maradona, then just 18, scored a goal in a mesmeric performance and went on to become one of the greatest footballers of all time.