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

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.

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.

 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.

England have turned to Wasps flanker James Haskell for their Twickenham Test clash with world champions South Africa on Saturday.

Haskell, who comes in for Tom Croft, is the only change to the starting XV from last weekend’s 28-14 defeat to Australia.

Croft drops to the bench, where he is joined by uncapped Leicester number eight Jordon Crane, who is promoted to the 22 at the expense of Michael Lipman.

New England manager Martin Johnson has resisted the temptation to tinker with the front five who struggled against the Wallabies, but Haskell is expected to beef up the back row.

“We want to get some consistency into this team, and where the mistakes we made we want to spend this week trying to correct them,” Johnson told Sky Sports News on Tuesday.

Haskell impressed after coming on as a replacement against the Australians and will be looking to press his claims for a regular place in the repeat of last year’s World Cup final.

England’s failure to dominate Australia’s forwards had led to speculation that Johnson, a formidable pack leader when he took England to the 2003 World Cup title, would shake up the team.

“We want to get some consistency and where the mistakes we made we want to spend this week trying to correct them,” said Johnson, who has now picked the same backline for the third game in a row.

England gave the Wallabies too many easy points by giving away penalties and was punished by the accurate boot of Matt Giteau.

“To concede 28 points makes it very difficult to win,” Johnson said. “If we can cut that in half, which I think we can do, then you are in a fantastic position to win games.

“As a team, we do need to become a bit smarter on the field. A lot of that is because we have a new team coming together. That is not an excuse but we have to function better in what we are trying to do.”

South Africa will delay naming their lineup until Thursday after injuries to key players.

Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has a further problem with the form of World Cup hero, winger Byran Habana, but is most concerned by his injury list and lackluster victories against Wales and Scotland.

Hooker Bismarck du Plessis and prop Gurthro Steenkamp have already been ruled out of the game.

Another prop, Brian Mujati, is nursing a shoulder injury and Jannie du Plessis has joined up with the squad while scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who missed Saturday’s game against the Scots with a thigh-muscle injury, is hoping to return to the team.

Wales have retained the team that lost to South Africa for Saturday’s clash against New Zealand, chasing a first victory over the All Blacks since 1953.

Coach Warren Gatland, a former All Black, recalled 12 players who did not start in the 34-13 victory over Canada last Friday. But 19-year-old Cardiff Blues winger Leigh Halfpenny, who scored two tries against the Canadians, plays for the third game in a row.

“Given the performances in the first two games, he was the pick of the three wings,” Gatland said. “He deserved to be selected for this game. He scored a couple of great tries against Canada, particularly his first one. He can also kick goals as well, if we need it.

“I watched Leigh at under-20 level 12 months ago, and to be honest I thought he’d never play international rugby because physically I didn’t think he was big enough. It’s great to see what can happen in 12 months in terms of him applying himself and doing the work.”

Wales hopes that backup flyhalf James Hook will recover from a knee injury to be a replacement. Hook went off during the victory over Canada and either he or Dan Bigger will be on the bench.

Chris Paterson, Thom Evans and Jason White have all been ruled out of the Scotland team for Saturday’s international against Canada, while Simon Taylor will return.

Beaten 14-10 by South Africa last weekend after leading the world champions 10-0 at halftime, the Scots hoped to send out their strongest team against the Canadians at Pittodrie, home of Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen.

But fullback Paterson, winger Evans and backrower White have failed to recover from injuries picked up against the Springboks. Simon Webster and Nikki Walker will play on the wings and Rory Lamont moves from wing to fullback.

The good news for coach Frank Hadden is that Taylor, who has missed games against New Zealand and South Africa, has at last recovered from a calf muscle injury and comes in for Allister Hogg.

“There is an element of freshening up the squad and it’s also an opportunity to look at certain blends ahead of the Six Nations,” Hadden said. “But, as ever, the selection is about winning the game.”

France have recalled giant lock Sebastien Chabal and scrum half Sebastien Tillous-Borde for Saturday’s home Test against Australia.

They are the only two changes by coach Marc Lievremont from the team which thrashed the Pacific Islanders 42-17 last Saturday.

Tillous-Borde comes in for Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, who was injured in the victory, while Chabal replaces Romain Millo-Chluski.

“These are not easy choices, given that the 23-man squad has given us a lot of satisfaction,” Lievremont told Associated Press.

“We have gone for experience.”

Lievremont expects a closer match against the Wallabies who took advantage of errors to beat England 28-14 last weekend.

“In the first half against England they buckled without really caving in,” Lievremont said. “They suffered a lot in the first half but showed how clever they are. They let England wear themselves out.”

Australia coach Robbie Deans has responded to the performance against England by making three changes to his pack for the match at the Stade de France.

Wycliff Palu comes in at No.8 in place of the injured Richard Brown while Dean Mumm takes over at flanker from Hugh McMeniman who switches into the second row in place of Mark Chisholm.

In the front row Ben Alexander comes in to replace Benn Robinson at loose-head prop.

Theo Walcott has been ruled out of England’s friendly international against Germany in Berlin on Wednesday after dislocating his right shoulder in training.

The Arsenal forward was taken to hospital where the shoulder was put back into place. A decision will be taken in the morning over when Walcott will return to England.

Arsenal have been kept fully informed about the 19-year-old’s treatment, with England boss Fabio Capello naturally disappointed.

“Our priority is Theo and making him as comfortable as possible before he returns to England,” Capello told the Press Association. “We are all very disappointed but the important thing is for Theo to travel home and make a quick recovery.”

England were already missing several top players for the Olympic stadium clash and questions have been raised over whether some were actually too bad to travel.

Capello insisted earlier on Tuesday that he wants national team doctors to check players who claim they are injured for internationals.

The coach said he had no doubts the current injuries were legitimate, but would have the national team doctors look at players in the future.

“This will be the rule for the next games,” he said Tuesday. “We respect club doctors but our doctor will check the condition of the players, to avoid misunderstandings.”

Capello said the rule will apply to all players who complete games for their clubs on the weekend before England matches and then report injured.

Two of the players who were checked by England doctors, Steven Gerrard of Liverpool and Chelsea’s Frank Lampard, were ruled out of the trip.

Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand did not play for Manchester United at the weekend and the others were injured earlier.

Speaking before Capello, England captain John Terry dismissed speculation that players could be faking injuries to save themselves for big club games as a “load of rubbish.”

Capello is taking Wednesday’s game seriously despite the absence of many of his first-choice players. Germany will also be missing some top players, including captain Michael Ballack of Chelsea.

“Tomorrow will be a very important game. For me, it’s not a friendly game. I want to win every game,” Capello said before training. “Germany is always one of the big teams in the world. It’s a very dangerous team.

“It’s very important for me to see new players, to check the confidence and the value of the young players. I am very confident we will play a good game.”

Terry said the depleted squad gives England’s younger players a chance to justify their selection.

“The younger players in the squad can prove to the manager that they are good enough to be called up again,” Terry said. “It’s a chance for them to shine and give everything and to make the most of it.”

Unfortunately, Walcott will not now be among them.

Ballack was deemed still not fully fit for Germany, although he made a comeback appearance for Chelsea over the weekend while midfield colleague Torsten Frings was left out by mutual agreement.

Also missing through injuries are Philipp Lahm, Clemens Fritz, Marcell Jansen and Christian Pander, all defensive players.

Ballack, Frings and Lahm, who make up the players’ council, were in Berlin to negotiate over bonuses if the Germans qualify for the World Cup — and clinched a deal that will pay each player up to 200,000 euros ($253,000).

Loew has called up three newcomers, defender Marvin Compper and midfielder Tobias Weis, both of the high-flying promoted Hoffenheim, and Wolfsburg defender Marcel Schaefer. Schaefer, the only true left back in the team, could get a start.

“We need to get some insight into the future and we should use Wednesday’s game to test one or two players,” Loew said. “It’s important to integrate some young players ahead of 2010.”

Liverpool ended Chelsea’s 86-match unbeaten run in league matches at Stamford Bridge as Xabi Alonso’s goal gave them a 1-0 win on Sunday.

Liverpool’s victory lifts them three points clear of Chelsea and surprise third placers Hull City and is further indication of the strength of their challenge for a first English title in 19 years.

Spanish midfielder Alonso scored in the 10th minute with a shot that was deflected into the net by Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez hailed the growing confidence of his team and the character they showed as Chelsea battled hard to equalize.

“I thind the understanding betweeen the players is better and the belief is really good,” he told Sky Sports News.

“We have players with quality and players that can change the game,” he added.

Claudio Ranieri’s Chelsea side lost in February 2004 to Arsenal, but the London club hadn’t been beaten at home in the Premier League since then — a record that remained intact under Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant.

Ironically, before the match of the table toppers in England, Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari had reportedly suggested that his side could finish the season unbeaten.

But Chelsea, missing key players such as Didier Drogba, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack, gave a below-par performance and rarely looked capable of getting back into the match once Alonso had scored, courtesy of a huge deflection off Bosingwa.

It was the first goal Chelsea have conceded in more than ten hours over seven league and cup matches.

Everton held Manchester United to a 1-1 draw Saturday in another setback for the defending champions as they try to catch the Premier League leaders.

Hull’s dazzling start to its topflight debut continued with a 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion. The fourth straight league win put Hull level on 20 points at the top of the standings with Chelsea and Liverpool, which play each other Sunday.

United, which has 15 points, was cruising after Darren Fletcher scored in the 22nd minute, but Marouane Fellaini leveled in the 63rd.

“We had good chances and played some fantastic football and we should have capitalized on that,” United manager Alex Ferguson said. “At the end of the day, though, you cannot deny Everton the point.”

Sunderland beat Newcastle 2-1 in the northeast derby, which saw Joey Barton return for the Magpies after serving a six-match ban for attacking a teammate during his Manchester City career. Newcastle fans threw objects at Barton, forcing police to intervene, before the midfielder was brought on in the 85th.

Also, Benni McCarthy scored four minutes into second-half injury time to salvage Blackburn a 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough.

Man United looked headed for its seventh consecutive victory in all competitions after Fletcher controlled a pass from Ryan Giggs, rounded Joleon Lescott and shot through goalkeeper Tim Howard’s legs.

Nemanja Vidic could have extended the lead but his shot was cleared off the line by Leon Osman and Howard then denied both Cristiano Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs.

Everton was lucky to have conceded just one goal in the first half and the Toffees found their way back into the match when Fellaini rose above Vidic to head a cross from former United defender Phil Neville past goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

“We are really pleased with how the players finished, especially against Manchester United and the way they are playing,” Everton manager David Moyes said. “A point against them at this moment is as good as a win as far as we are concerned.”

Wayne Rooney, who scored his first career goal for Everton in 2002, missed chances to score his 100th against his former club.

Tempers flared after the break when United center back Rio Ferdinand confronted former teammate Phil Neville after his strong challenge on Ronaldo.

“I don’t think the referee protected our players enough,” Ferguson said. “I don’t know what the game is coming to with some of the tackles and the speed of the tackles.”

Rooney was substituted in the 72nd after being booked for a late tackle on Mikel Arteta, unjustly according to Ferguson.

“The referee (Alan Wiley) was to blame because he booked him for nothing and the crowd was egging him on, wanting him to be sent off,” Ferguson said. “In that situation you wonder who will be next.”

Ronaldo, still struggling to regain his form after undergoing ankle surgery, squandered a chance to restore United’s lead in the 87th when the winger turned Nani’s cross wide.

“He had a chance, he may have done better,” Ferguson said. “But to be honest, we didn’t deserve anything at that point. It was a hanging-on job.”

Hull was put under pressure throughout the first half by fellow league newcomer West Brom, with goalkeeper Boaz Myhill saving well from Borja Valero and Ishmael Miller, while Jonas Olsson headed against the crossbar.

West Brom paid for not taking its chances when Hull defender Kamil Zayatte volleyed Dean Marney’s corner past Scott Carson in the 47th.

Geovanni doubled the advantage in the 62nd with a diving header, after releasing Marlon King and receiving the ball back again. On-loan striker King added a third four minutes later.

“The strikers will probably get all the mentions in the papers but I am absolutely ecstatic after a third clean sheet in the bounce,” Hull manager Phil Brown said. “It is Champions League form, but that is what it is — form. That is temporary.”

At the Stadium of Light, Kieran Richardson ended Sunderland’s 28-year wait for a home win over Newcastle with a 75th-minute free kick.

“We’ve finally defeated Newcastle on home turf for the first time in 28 years and I thought it was an excellent game,” Sunderland manager Roy Keane said. “It’s always nice to beat your local rivals and everybody has been reminding us how long it has been. But we deserved it, we played some good stuff.”

Sunderland went ahead in the 20th when Djibril Cisse lunged with his right foot to steer in Steed Malbranque’s misdirected shot.

But the lead only lasted 10 minutes as Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi, unmarked at the far post, headed in Geremi’s free kick.

Sunderland could face repercussions after its fans came onto the pitch to celebrate the victory.

At Ewood Park, Middlesbrough forward Tuncay Sanli’s overhead kick found the net but was ruled offside, and teammate Jeremie Aliadiere volleyed against the crossbar in the first half.

Middlesbrough midfielder Alfonso Alves scored in the 74th when he danced the ball around Andre Ooijer before beating Blackburn goalkeeper Ross Turnbull.

FC Barcelona moved to the verge of a place in the next round of the Champions League with a big win over FC Basel on Wednesday, and Chelsea and Inter Milan also look set to be there after narrow victories.

Bojan Krkic scored twice to lead Barcelona to a 5-0 win in Switzerland and Chelsea captain John Terry scored late to give Chelsea a 1-0 win over AS Roma. Inter beat Anorthosis Famagusta 1-0 to take control of its group, while PSV Eindhoven, Bordeaux and Sporting Lisbon also won.

Barcelona’s win made it the only team in the 32-club competition to have a perfect record through three matches after Liverpool and Atletico Madrid lost their 100 percent streaks with a 1-1 draw in Spain, where Simao Sabrosa equalized for the home side with seven minutes remaining.

Barcelona, which won the last of its two titles in 2006, needed two very late goals to beat Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 in its last Champions League match but had no such problems Wednesday and took the lead after just four minutes.

Lionel Messi scored first when he collected a chip over the defense from Daniel Alves and side-footed the ball past goalkeeper Franco Costanzo. Barcelona got another in the 15th when Sergi Busquets scored from a pass by Xavi Hernandez, and Krkic scored seven minutes later with a low shot from the edge of the area.

Even with star striker Samuel Eto’o on the substitutes’ bench, Barcelona totally dominated and created three chances to make it 4-0 before the first half hour was over. Alves sent a shot over the bar following a well-worked move from a free kick, Krkic had a shot blocked and Alves’s effort from the rebound was saved by Costanzo.

Krkic extended his team’s lead just a minute into the second half, rounding off a speedy counterattack with a low shot, and Xavi Hernandez made it 5-0 in the 48th with a strike from the edge of the area.

Krkic almost got his hat trick in the 55th with a lob onto the roof of the net and Barcelona, which was already on course for its biggest ever away win in the Champions League, then taunted its Swiss opponent further by bringing on France striker Thierry Henry.

“There are no easy games,” Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. “Only when we give the maximum are victories like this possible.”

Barcelona has nine points in Group C, three more than Sporting Lisbon, which won at Shakhtar 1-0 through a 76th-minute goal by Liedson. Basel was stranded in last place without a single point.

Inter won but could only follow its 4-0 destruction of Roma at the weekend with a lackluster victory over visiting Anorthosis Famagusta, with Adriano getting the only goal in the 44th.

Adriano beat two defenders in the air to head in a floated cross from fellow Brazil international Maicon, giving Inter the lead in Group B with seven points. Anorthosis has four points, one more than Werder Bremen, which equalized in the 83rd through Hugo Almeida for a 2-2 draw at Panathinaikos.

Elsewhere, Chelsea and Liverpool both labored in efforts to carry impressive Premier League form into Europe.

Chelsea was coming off a 5-0 victory at Middlesbrough and Roma was reeling from its Serie A loss to Inter, but any thoughts that the Blues might get an easy win were dispelled as the Italian side seemed content to frustrate the hosts by defending in numbers.

“They made it very difficult for us the whole time,” Terry said. “They’re a very good side, with some great players in their team. Maybe they deserved something, but thankfully we got the three points.”

Chelsea, which leads the Premier League on goal difference from Liverpool, had to wait until the 77th for its goal, which could have been prevented if Roma had put a defender on the line for the corner kick that led to Terry’s header.

Still, Chelsea went clear in Group A with seven points to CFR Cluj’s four after the Romanian club lost at Bordeaux 1-0. Roma and Bordeaux were even with three points each.

Liverpool continues to share the Group D lead with Atletico after Simao equalized in Madrid with a low shot past goalkeeper Pepe Reina. Both teams have seven points.

It was as much as the home side deserved despite trailing to Robbie Keane’s 14th-minute goal. Diego Forlan had a 56th-minute equalizer ruled out because of a questionable offside decision, and Simao saw his shot a minute later pushed onto the post by Reina.

PSV Eindhoven comes next in Group D, finally getting its first points with a 2-0 win over Marseille.

“The Champions League is over. You have to be realistic,” Marseille coach Eric Gerets said. “We don’t belong in the next round of the Champions League when you look at tonight’s match. There was a world of difference between the two teams in terms of desire, physical freshness, and courage.”