IN BRIEF (Page 24)
Golf
Faldo names McGinley, Olazabal as Ryder deputies
VIRGINIA WATER, England: Skipper Nick Faldo named Jose Maria Olazabal and Paul McGinley on Tuesday as his vice-captains for Europe's Ryder Cup defence against the United States next year.
The 41-year-old Olazabal has played in seven Ryder Cup teams and formed a brilliant partnership with fellow Spaniard Seve Ballesteros.
Irishman McGinley, 40, has appeared in the biennial match three times and holed the winning putt in 2002.
"These are two guys I have got a good chemistry with," Faldo said.
"One (Olazabal) mainly plays in America and one (McGinley) mainly plays in Europe. I felt that was very important, for me to have good eyes and ears close to the ground, good feedback, and also for the players to know lines of communication were now open."
Soccer
Chelsea sign midfielder Sidwell from Reading
LONDON: Chelsea have signed midfielder Steve Sidwell from fellow Premier League club Reading on a free transfer.
Sidwell, who had been linked with a number of top English clubs because his contract with Reading runs out on June 30, will join the London club on July 1.
Chelsea said on their Web site www.chelseafc.com that Sidwell had passed a medical but gave no details about the length of the contract.
The 24-year-old, who joined Reading in 2003, was a key player for the club this year, helping them finish eighth in the table in their first season in the Premier League.
German Zittel named to coach Madagascar
German Gunter Zittel has been appointed coach of Madagascar, just over a week before they travel to face World Cup finalists Ivory Coast in an African Nations Cup Group One qualifier.
It is the first major appointment for the 55-year-old, who has previously worked as an instructor for the German soccer federation and as an assistant coach at TSV 1860 Munich.
Zittel's appointment, announced by the Malagasy Football Federation, is expected to be short-term because Madagascar have just two matches left in the qualifiers and are already out of the race for a place at the 2008 Nations Cup finals in Ghana.
Gill asked to change Malaysia match time
KUALA LUMPUR: Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam yesterday asked Manchester United officials to reschedule the club's July 27 match against a Malaysian XI to avoid conflict with the Asian Cup 2007.
Hammam met with United chief executive David Gill and Premier League chairman David Richards in an effort to resolve a tense situation, which could result in legal action being taken against the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
"I really appreciate the gesture that David Gill and Sir Dave Richards have displayed by coming here to AFC House to meet face to face to discuss this issue," Hammam said in a statement.
Tennis
USA beats Argentina at World Team Cup
BERLIN: The United States kept their hopes of winning the World Team Cup alive on Tuesday with a 2-1 win over Argentina in rainy Duesseldorf.
World No 8 James Blake came back from a set down to beat Agustin Calleri 2-6 6-3 6-4 before Jose Acasuso levelled the Red Group match at 1-1 with a 7-5 6-4 victory over Mardy Fish.
The Bryan brothers, the world's top-ranked doubles pairing, then thrashed Calleri and Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2 6-1 to take the match for the United States, who last won the Cup in 1993.
(China Daily 05/24/2007 page24)
