IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Soccer

Czechs bounce Austria to reach Under-20 final

EDMONTON, Canada: Czech Republic beat Austria 2-0 on Wednesday to reach the final of the Under-20 World Cup where it will face Argentina or Chile.

The Czechs took the lead in just the fourth minute when Lubos Kalouda whipped in a free-kick from the left which Austria keeper Michael Zaglmair failed to hold on to and Tomas Micola tapped home.

Eleven minutes later the Czechs doubled their lead when Ondrej Kudela burst down the right and slipped over a low cross which Martin Fenin converted from close range.

Markus Suttner went close twice for Austria but, weakened by injury and suspension, it struggled to create chances against a well-organized Czech defense.

Seven minutes from the end, though, Austria striker Rubin Okotie missed a glorious chance to re-open the game when left unmarked inside the area but headed wide.

Zaragoza sign Pavon and Matuzalem

MADRID: Real Zaragoza have signed center back Francisco Pavon from Real Madrid on a four-year contract, the Primera Liga club said on its website, www.realzaragoza.com.

The 27-year-old stepped up from the youth ranks to Madrid's first team in 2001, and was hailed as an example of the way forward for the club by former president Florentino Perez.

But Perez's plans to combine youth-team products with some of the world's biggest names - the policy of "Zidanes and Pavons" - eventually foundered. Pavon did not play a single league game last season.

Zaragoza also confirmed that they have agreed a deal with Shakhtar Donetsk to sign Brazilian midfielder Francelinho Matuzalem on a three-year contract.

The Ukrainian side had earlier rejected a $16.54 million bid from Zaragoza but the Spanish club have now finally landed the 27-year-old ahead of next season, when they will compete in the UEFA Cup.

Baseball

Cubs first baseman Lee begins 5-game suspension

CHICAGO: Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee sat out Wednesday's game against the San Francisco Giants as he dropped his appeal and began a five-game suspension for his role in a brawl with the Padres.

After getting hit by a pitch from San Diego hurler Chris Young in the June 16 game, Lee had words with the right-hander and threw a punch at him. Young threw a counter-punch and both benches emptied.

Lee told reporters he decided to start serving the suspension since his left ankle was sore after fouling off a pitch on it in Tuesday's game.

Lee, batting .337 with eight homers and 48 runs batted in, will also miss Thursday's game against San Francisco and then three home games against the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend.

Cubs stay hot with rout of Giants

CHICAGO: The red-hot Chicago Cubs won for the 17th time in 22 games and Carlos Zambrano became the National League's first 12-game winner in a 12-1 rout of the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.

Zambrano (12-7) left after five shutout innings with a 9-0 lead, allowing just two hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Sean Gallagher finished up by allowing one run on four hits over four innings and was credited with his first save of the season.

The Cubs have won five of six games since the All-Star break, including two of three in this series against the Giants, to move within 3 1/2 games of the Milwaukee Brewers at the top of the NL Central.

Bonds was given another day off to rest his sore legs.

(China Daily 07/20/2007 page24)