IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Soccer

Ronaldinho lifts Brazil to victory against US

CHICAGO: Ronaldinho scored the decisive goal from a free kick as Brazil came from behind to beat a feisty United States 4-2 in a friendly on Sunday.

The Barcelona forward curled the ball through a gap in the wall to put Brazil 3-2 ahead in the 75th minute, two minutes after Clint Dempsey had scored for the hosts to make it 2-2 in an entertaining game on a hot afternoon.

A last-minute penalty converted by substitute Elano completed Brazil's win in a match between the respective Copa America and CONCACAF champions.

Brazil head coach Dunga said the game against an improving American side had been a good test for his team, who begin World Cup qualifiers in October.

"It was difficult for us because of the temperature and a lot of our players are still (getting into shape after the) preseason," Dunga told reporters.

Stingy Sao Paulo wins again in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO: Sao Paulo completed its ninth game without conceding a goal and secured a 2-0 win at Vasco da Gama to maintain their nine-point lead at the top of the Brazilian championship.

The defending champion, who has given away just seven goals in 25 matches and taken 54 points, also ended Vasco's one-year unbeaten record at its Sao Januario stadium.

Amaral and Julio Santos twice hit the Sao Paulo crossbar in the first half before the visiting team stung its opponents on the break in the second.

Dagoberto made the breakthrough with a shot from the edge of the penalty area in the 61st minute and Hernanes finished off a counter-attack in stoppage-time for the second goal.

Second-placed Cruzeiro, who has a game in hand, kept up the chase by beating Gremio 2-0 with both goals coming from Bolivia striker Marcelo Moreno Martins.

Independiente back on top, losing start for Ardiles

BUENOS AIRES: Independiente reclaimed top spot in the Argentine championship at the weekend while former Argentina midfielder Osvaldo Ardiles made a losing start as coach of Huracan.

Independiente's 2-2 draw with San Martin was enough to send it ahead of Boca Juniors on goal difference after the previous leaders lost 1-0 to a stoppage-time goal at Colon.

South American champions Boca became the latest team to succumb at Colon, whose habit of upsetting more illustrious teams at home has earned their stadium the nickname the Elephants' Graveyard.

Independiente, Boca and Tigre, who won 2-0 at Gimnasia-Jujuy, each has 13 points from seven games while only three points separate the top 14 teams.

Baseball

Brewers roar into first place after homerun blitz

NEW YORK: The Milwaukee Brewers opened the game with a record-breaking three consecutive home runs before beating the Cincinnati Reds 10-5 to take over first place in the National League Central Division on Sunday.

Rickie Weeks, J.J. Hardy and Ryan Braun made Major League history as the Brewers became the first road team to begin a game with three consecutive homers.

Weeks homered to center field and Hardy followed with a shot to right field.

"That's a lot of pressure on me," Braun, the next batter, told reporters.

But he delivered, driving a 1-1 pitch off Cincinnati's Phil Dumatrait over the center field fence.

The win, coupled with the Chicago Cubs' 10-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, put the Brewers in first place, a game ahead of the Cubs.

(China Daily 09/11/2007 page24)