U-17 Women to Face Japan in World Cup Soccer Final

The under-17 women`s soccer team has become the first South Korean team to advance to the final of a FIFA-sanctioned tournament.

South Korea will face Japan Saturday for the championship after having beaten Spain, 2-1, Tuesday in the semifinals of the FIFA U-17 Women`s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago. Japan rallied to beat defending champion North Korea, 2-1, in the other semifinals.

At the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, South Korea gave up the opening goal and trailed 1-0 in the 23rd minute, but scores by Yeo Min-ji and Joo Soo-jin propelled the team over Spain.

The semifinals had been South Korea`s best finish in a FIFA-sanctioned tournament. South Korea reached the final four of the 1983 U-20 World Cup in Mexico, the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, and this year`s U-20 Women`s World Cup in Germany.

Yeo is the tournament`s leading scorer with eight goals in five games, and could finish as both top scorer and Most Valuable Player.

Before the final, North Korea will play Spain for third place.

Mainz stay top of Bundesliga, Ribery injured in Bayern win

BERLIN (AFP) – Bundesliga leaders Mainz 05 beat Cologne 2-0 on Tuesday to stay top, while Bayern Munich face an anxious wait to hear the extent of Franck Ribery's injury from their late 2-1 win at Hoffenheim.

Having been stunned by a goal after just 36 seconds, Bayern hit back as Ribery's fierce long-range shot was followed up by Thomas Mueller on 62 minutes before Munich defender Daniel van Buyten's winner in added time.

But Mueller's equaliser could be costly as Ribery had to be helped off with what looked like a painful ankle injury on 64 minutes as he fell awkwardly after taking his shot.

With Bayern facing Basel in next Tuesday's Champions League match, Munich coach Louis van Gaal will be hoping the Frenchman can face the Swiss side.

"It doesn't look good, it looks like it is a bad ankle injury and we will have to wait and see what the tests show," said a grim-faced van Gaal.

Bayern got off to the worst possible start when they conceded the fastest goal in Hoffenheim's history.

The defending champions were stunned as midfielder Sebastian Rudy beat Munich's defence on the right and squared for Hoffenheim's Veded Ibisevic to score before Bayern hit back.

German daily Bild reported in its Wednesday edition that Van Gaal was set to sign a year's extension to his contract to stay with Bayern until 2012.

Having coached Bayern to the German league and cup titles last season, van Gaal is in his second season with Munich.

"Nothing is signed. All I can say is that we are very happy with the work of Louis van Gaal," said Bayern's sporting director Christian Nerlinger.

The result in Hoffenheim lifts Bayern up to seventh while the hosts are second.

Mainz picked up their fifth straight win to keep their 100 percent record and open a five-point lead with their win over Cologne.

The hosts took the lead when subsititute midfielder Lewis Holtby's header beat Cologne goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon on 72 minutes before he scored his second in added time.

Champions League side Werder Bremen slumped to their second consecutive league defeat when they were beaten 4-1 at Hanover.

Bremen face defending holders Inter Milan next Wednesday in Italy, but Thomas Schaaf's side are lacking in confidence after following up Saturday's defeat at home to Mainz with this loss in Hanover.

An own-goal by Germany defender Clemens Fritz after just 10 minutes put Bremen on the back foot until captain Torsten Frings converted a penalty after 36 minutes to put his side level.

Hanover reclaimed the lead when Ivory Coast striker Didier Ya Konan scored in the 53rd minute before defender Christian Schulz scored the second on 79 minutes.

To add insult in extra time, Hanover's Norway striker Mohammed Abdellaoue added the fourth to put his side third and Bremen 12th.

In Wednesday's games, bottom side Schalke are at fourth-placed Freiburg and are desperate to avoid their fifth straight defeat.

Life goes on for Peyton and Eli after Manning Bowl II

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - With the distractions of another Manning Bowl behind them, quarterbacking brothers Peyton and Eli Manning can focus on the rest of a demanding NFL season that could end with the ultimate sibling showdown - at the Super Bowl.

Peyton Manning showed no mercy to his younger brother as the Indianapolis Colts crushed the New York Giants 38-14 on Sunday to maintain a vice-like grip on the family bragging rights.

After a Week One loss to the Houston Texans, the Colts looked every bit the Super Bowl contenders they are expected to be this season as they overwhelmed the Giants, Peyton throwing for three touchdowns while a swarming Indianapolis defense harassed little brother Eli all night.

While the Mannings embraced the Manning Bowl II hype they were relieved to have it over with, although Peyton hinted at a game plan that might see them renew the family feud in February in Dallas on one of the sporting world's biggest stages.

Peyton said he and the Colts are prepared to do what they can to help Eli and the Giants and expects little brother to return the favor, starting next weekend when New York host Indy's AFC South rivals the Tennessee Titans.

"I think they (Giants) will be fine," Peyton told reporters. "They will be playing the Titans next week and we'll be pulling hard for them, hopefully they can help us out in the AFC South and we're going to do our best to help them when we play all these other NFC East teams.

"So I'm real proud of him and I love him."

RARE REUNION

Manning family reunions on the field are rare, Sunday's rout marking just the second time and first in four years they had stared across at each other from opposing sidelines.

When the brothers met in the first Manning Bowl in 2006, Peyton, who is five years older, was already well on his way to a Hall of Fame career while Eli was just beginning his third season and still undergoing intense on the job training.

Since that night at Giants Stadium, both Eli and Peyton have gone on to lead their teams to Super Bowl titles and Super Bowl most valuable player awards.

But despite their impressive resumes, a Super Bowl-like build-up and a prime time television audience, Manning Bowl II failed to produce any drama as Peyton schooled Eli, delivering a quarterbacking master class.

Peyton Manning is known to sometimes wander over to the Colts defense during a game and ask them to turn up the heat on the opposing quarterback.

He might have wanted to ask them to dial it down a notch on Sunday, as Colts pass rushers had Eli scrambling for his life most of the night sacking the beleaguered Giants quarterback four times.

"He (Peyton) didn't say anything to me," smiled Colts sack master Dwight Freeney. "I'll have to give it to him (Peyton).

"He normally gives me a little tap, 'Get after that quarterback.'"

Polansky stakes Canada to 1-0 lead

TORONTO -- Peter Polansky and Milos Raonic got Canada off to a winning start in its Davis Cup Americas Zone Group I tie with the Dominican Republic on Friday.

Polansky, ranked No. 176 in the world, defeated Jhonson Garcia 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the opening match of the best-of-five tie. Then Ranoic needed more than three hours to dispatch Dominican No. 1 Victor Estrella 5-7, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 9-7.

Toronto's Daniel Nestor and Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., can cement the tie for Canada with a win in doubles over the Dominican tandem of Luis Delgado and Jose Hernandez on Saturday.

The winner of the tie maintains its spot in Americas Zone Group I, which is one tier below the 16-country World Group. The loser will be relegated to Americas Zone Group II.

"(Garcia) was playing this junk game, giving me a lot of slices, a lot of high balls and then some slow ones, and it was tough for me to adapt to," Polansky said.

But the native of Thornhill, Ont., found his rhythm by being the aggressor and putting more pressure on the 29-year-old Garcia.

"I think I was, kind of, being more aggressive in the third and fourth," he said. "In the end, I should've been more aggressive on a more regular basis."

Raonic, also of Thornhill, entered his contest with just three Davis Cup matches under his belt and having never played a five-set affair. Making use of his six-foot-four frame and booming first save the Canadian was able to secure the victory.

And while he looked tired following the match, Raonic clearly hadn't lost his sense of humour.

"Maybe I wanted to break some records here," he said jokingly in reference to the historic John Isner-Nicolas Mahut marathon at Wimbledon earlier this year. "I was feeling 72-70."

On Sunday, Polansky takes on Estrella in singles, with Raonic scheduled to meet Garcia.

Polansky had to endure some tricky elements during his match, played on the grandstand court at Rexall Centre. There was the cold, windy weather as well as noise from a group of schoolchildren sitting in the upper portions of the stadium.

"The atmosphere was for sure a little different," said Polansky. "I think they were cheering just to cheer ... but I think it's good for them to see and to be there for a match like that."

Liverpool Start Fast in Europa League

London: Former European champions Liverpool and Juventus will put their domestic problems to one side when they begin their Europa League campaigns on Thursday.

In unfamiliar surroundings after having failed to qualify for this season's Champions League, the two teams head into Europe's second-tier competition struggling for form in their domestic championships.

Defending champion Atletico Madrid opens the defense of its title with a trip to Greek side Aris and big-spending English club Manchester City visits Red Bull Salzburg.

Hodgson was named manager of the year in England last season after his exploits in Europe with Fulham, which beat Juventus, Hamburg, Wolfsburg and then-defending champion Shakhtar Donetsk in its fairy tale run to the final.

He left Fulham for Liverpool at the start of July but has had a difficult start at Anfield. The five-time European champions have had a tough run of fixtures in the league, winning just one of their four matches, and were poor in the 0-0 draw at Birmingham on Sunday.

Offseason signing Joe Cole is available after suspension and Hodgson will have to decide whether to start Fernando Torres, who is still feeling his way back to full fitness after injury problems.

Torres has come in for some criticism by sections of the British media for his display against Birmingham, but Hodgson defended the Spain striker.

"Criticism is something we have to live with," Hodgson said. "We bear strong expectations at this club and everyone is interested in us.

"Everything that happens at the club is put under the microscope and that includes players' performances. Fernando Torres has no problem with that. He is an excellent player."

Hodgson said he could rest key players ahead of Sunday's Premier League match against fierce rival Manchester United.

Netherlands forward Dirk Kuyt is missing with a shoulder problem and left back Fabio Aurelio is struggling with an Achilles' tendon injury.


Juventus, which like Liverpool is usually a Champions League challenger, followed up a 1-0 loss at Bari in its Serie A opener with a 3-3 draw at home to Sampdoria, leaving the Turin club in 15th place.

"At this stage of the season, making mistakes helps the team develop but unfortunately we've conceded too many goals," Del Neri said. "I want a nastier team and one able to read the game better."

City, which is in the same group as Juventus, has spent a lot of money on players since the club was taken over by the Abu Dhabi royal family two years ago.

"Because of our profile, each time we play in Europe it will be a kind of cup final for the home team," City captain Kolo Toure said. "Everyone wants to beat us, but we need to begin the group stages with a good result, so we'll be ready."

City is without striker Emmanuel Adebayor due to a dead leg, but left back Wayne Bridge is available to start his first match of the season after recovering from an ankle injury.

Salzburg has also spent heavily since being bought and re-branded in 2005 but has still failed to make the Champions League. The Austrian side lost to Hapoel Tel Aviv in the qualifiers this season.

Atletico ended a 14-year wait for silverware and claimed its first European trophy since 1962 when it beat Fulham 2-1 in last season's final in Hamburg.

Buoyed by that success, it has started the Spanish league in great form this season and is only one of two teams to have a perfect record after two matches. Diego Forlan, who scored both goals in last season's Europa League final, has already found the net three times in wins over Sporting Gijon and Athletic Bilbao to lead Atletico to the top of the table.

Other standout matches see Sevilla, winner of the UEFA Cup in 2006 and '07, host Paris Saint-Germain in Group J while former European champions FC Porto and PSV Eindhoven take on Rapid Vienna and Sampdoria, respectively.

Nadal wins his first U.S. Open and Clijsters coasts to third US Open

New York: Rafa Nadal sealed his place among the tennis greats on Monday, beating Novak Djokovic to win the U.S. Open and complete his collection of grand slam titles. With eight grand slams already under his belt before this tournament began, the Spaniard was already assured a spot in the sport's elite, but conquering New York elevated him to a whole new level and left no doubts about who is the number one player in the world. Nadal overcame the distraction of a two-hour relay delay and losing his first set of the tournament to beat the brave but ultimately outclassed Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 after three hours and 43 minutes of unrelenting tension at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Djokovic, who had beaten Roger Federer in an exhausting five-set semi-final on Saturday, expelled any doubts about his fighting qualities with a courageous performance, fending off an astonishing 20 break points during the course of the match, but the pressure eventually wore him down. After losing the second set on a sloppy service game, Nadal ran away with the last two -- clinching the victory when Djokovic hit a forehand wide -- and collapsed on court as the enormity of his achievement sank in. Nadal had already won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon singles titles and by adding the U.S. Open he joined Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi and Roger Federer as the only men to win the four majors. At 24, he was the third youngest to achieve the feat and his best may be still to come. Nadal became the first man since Laver in 1969 to win the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open in the same year and he now has the chance to hold all four concurrently if he can add the Australian Open in January. With nine grand slam titles in total -- five French Opens, two Wimbledon, one Australian Open and now one U.S. Open, he climbed to seventh place on the all-time list and Federer's record of 16 could be within his reach if he stays healthy. The U.S. Open, played on hardcourt, had always been Nadal's biggest hurdle because of the wear and tear it puts on his troublesome knees. But he arrived in New York this year, fresher than ever and armed with a new and improved serve that enabled him to sail through his opening matches without fuss. Djokovic has always been at his best on hardcourts. He made the final at Flushing Meadows in 2007, losing to Federer, then won the Australian Open the following season. He fought off two match points to beat Federer in the semi-finals on Saturday and got a lucky break when rain washed out Sunday's final, giving him an extra day to recharge his batteries. He got another lucky break when the final was halted after a thunderstorm hit midway through the second set but it was never going to be enough against a man with destiny in his sights.
New York: Kim Clijsters won her second consecutive US Open championship and third overall on Saturday, easily beating Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-1 in a final that lasted 59 minutes and lacked any drama.

Clijsters is the first woman since Venus Williams in 2000-01 to win the title in Flushing Meadows two years in a row. And the Belgian's US Open winning streak is actually up to 21 matches because she also won the 2005 title. She missed the tournament in 2006 because of injuries, including wrist surgery, and skipped it the next two years while taking time off to get married and have a baby.

US Open tennis timetable 2010 & results: Williams to fight Clijsters in semi

US Open tennis schedule 2010 & results: Williams to fight Clijsters in semis. Venus Williams, last American trust in the ongoing U.S. Open is to get on Kim Clijsters in the semifinals on Friday. All American hopes drop upon Venus as their star player Andy Roddick was knocked out in the first rounds of the tournament.
Venus has not exposed any of her plans while fighting the Belgian player in the semifinal. She often shied away from media questions on her plans in the game. “Win the point” and “perform my game” were her normal responses when asked about the approaching face-off.

Outside Venus, the only American presences in the U.S. Open are the Bryan brothers and a boy called Jack Sock in the junior level. It heightens Venus’ force to win for the arrogance of the country.

The African-American tennis player has faced Clijsters twelve times in the past. Out of which both the players grabbed six victories respectively. “I don’t really know her that well as a person,” Williams said. “I see her around, and she always seems pretty pleasant.”Venus advanced into the semifinals domineeringly successful the Italian Francesca Schiavone 7-6, 6-4 in just two hours. The quarterfinal match will provide Venus some extra energy. She has triumphed over Schiavone seven times before. “I like seeing my name against hers,” Venus said after the memorable quarterfinal victory.

In the meantime, for Clijsters quarterfinal win was not a memorable event. She could just manage the victory out of luck more. The Belgian player was found suffering more than most in the swirling wind during her matchup beside the Australian Sam Stosur.

Even Clijsters was astonished at her 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 win over her strong opponent. “I didn’t play a good match,” she said after the match. “I said to my coach: ‘Wow, what just happened? How did I win?’ Next match, everything will have to be a lot better.”