Madrid fires its coach
Luxemburgo fifth Real coach to be let go in 21⁄ years 2 Sinclair pots two to guide Portland to NCAA crown
Vanderlei Luxemburgo was yesterday fired as coach of Real Madrid, one of the world’s most glamorous soccer teams, but mired in fourth place in the Spanish league this season. The dismissal came less than two weeks after the team’s board gave Luxemburgo a vote of confidence. He had been in charge of the team for nearly a year, but the team’s poor play led to protests by fans at recent games.
“ The situation of the team was such that it was decided we needed a change,” vice-president Emilio Butragueno said. “ The performance wasn’t up to expectations. It was worrying for us and Madrid supporters.’’ Juan Ramon Lopez Caro, coach of reserve team Real Madrid Castilla in the Spanish second division, will run the team for now.
Real Madrid boasts the likes of Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham
Luxemburgo, a Brazilian, is the fifth coach to depart the powerhouse in the past 21⁄ 2years. During that time, it has failed to win a major trophy.
Meanwhile, Juan Manuel Pena scored an own- goal in the first half and deflected Deco’s strike after the interval yesterday to help FC Barcelona beat Villarreal 2-0 in the Spanish league. The win at Villarreal was Barcelona’s seventh straight in the league and ninth overall. NCAA: Canadian Christine Sinclair scored two goals and Portland beat UCLA 4- 0 in the NCAA women’s national championship game at College Station, Texas, yesterday.
Angie Woznuk added a goal and two assists for the Pilots ( 24- 0- 2), who won their second title in three years. Portland beat Santa Clara 2- 1 in the 2002 championship game.
Sinclair, a member of the Canadian national team, set an NCAA single- season record with her first- half goals, giving her 39. Entering the game, the Burnaby, B. C., native was tied with SMU’s Lisa Cole, who had 37 goals in 1987. The senior was already the NCAA tournament’s all-time goal scorer and finished her career with 25. ITALY: Mauro Camoranesi’s goal in the 88th minute led defending champion Juventus to a 2- 1 win over Fiorentina yesterday in Serie A.
France striker David Trezeguet put Juventus in the lead in the eighth minute for his 11th goal this season. GREECE: Brazilian striker Alexandre Soares scored in injury time to lead AEK Athens past PAOK Thessaloniki 2- 1 yesterday and retain second place in the Greek first division.
Italian defender Bruno Cirillo also scored for AEK. Polish striker Marcin Mieciel had the goal for PAOK. The win gives AEK 29 points, leaving it one behind defending champion Olympiakos, which won 3- 1 at Egaleo on Saturday. SCOTLAND: Celtic rallied past Aberdeen 3- 1 and returned to the top of the Scottish Premier League. Jamie Winter put Aberdeen in the lead in the 53rd minute, but Celtic got three goals in eight minutes from Aidan McGeady, Stilian Petrov and Paul Telfer.
Celtic has 41 points and leads Hearts by one. ENGLAND: Andy Cole scored twice with singles from Trevor Sinclair, Joey Barton and Darius Vassell to help Manchester City beat Charlton Athletic 5- 2 yesterday. The win kept Man City in eighth place.
Meanwhile, Man U will meet a non-league team in the third round of the FA Cup with yesterday’s draw kind to the powerhouse teams. The record 11- time winner of soccer’s oldest and most famous domestic cup competition is at either Burton Albion or Burscough, whose game on Saturday was postponed because of a waterlogged field.
Although the random draw has no seedings, no Premier League clubs were drawn to face each other.
Defending champion Arsenal hosts League Championship’s Cardiff. FRANCE: Olivier Thomert scored one goal and set up another to help Lens move into fourth place in the French first division by beating visiting Saint- Etienne 2- 1.
Daniel Cousin scored the winning goal in the 64th minute.