IN BRIEF (Page 23)

Soccer

Inter extends lead as Roma draws at Torino

ROME: Inter Milan stretched its lead at the top of Serie A to seven points on Sunday after a comfortable 2-0 win at rock-bottom Cagliari while second-placed Roma was held to a 0-0 draw at Torino.

Second-half goals from Latin American pair Julio Cruz and David Suazo allowed Inter to cruise to victory, despite top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic being unavailable through suspension.

Plucky Roma clung on to a 0-0 draw in a game that Torino bossed from start to finish and which it should have won.

Roma at least moved back above Juventus into second place having briefly lost that on goal difference following Juve's 3-2 win at Lazio on Saturday.

Real ensures top spot ahead of Barcelona duel

MADRID: Real Madrid ensured it will be the leader of the Spanish championship entering 2008 with a 2-0 win over Osasuna on Sunday that sets it up perfectly for "El Classico" against Barcelona in one week.

It was the 60th anniversary of Real's Santiago Bernabeu stadium and Dutch international Ruud van Nistelrooy ensured a double celebration marking his 50th league appearance with a goal as compatriot Wesley Sneijder was also on target.

Real is now four points ahead of Barcelona going into the showdown at Camp Nou.

Last season Real was five points behind leader Sevilla at this stage and went on to win the title so it has reason to be optimistic about retaining its crown.

Barcelona will be without the injured Lionel Messi, ruled out for five weeks with a thigh injury, but has won all eight league matches at home and looked formidable in its 3-0 demolition of Valencia on Saturday.

Capello believes in England but says team must regain its 'grit'

MILAN: New England manager Fabio Capello believes he has a great pool of talent to work with, but says the team was lost grit and confidence.

The Italian was appointed until 2012 on Friday and succeeds Steve McClaren, who was sacked last month after England failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

"I will have to make the winning mentality return to England, they need to rediscover themselves. The material (I have to work with) is of a truly first-class level," Capello told Rai television on Sunday.

"I'll have to find a system to create an atmosphere ... because this team have lost a little bit of their grit, a determination they showed in competitions a few years ago.

"I saw them play against Russia ... it's necessary to regain self-confidence," Capello added.

Ribery wins French Player of the Year award

PARIS: France forward Franck Ribery received the 2007 French Player of the Year award on Sunday.

The Bayern Munich player came first in the vote by former award- winners organized by France Football magazine.

Barcelona striker Thierry Henry, who had won the award for the last four years, came second and Olympique Lyon forward Karim Benzema finished third.

Ribery, 24, joined German Budesliga Bayern Munich from Olympique Marseille in June. He was a member of the France team that reached the final of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Motor sports

Latvala takes Gronholm's place at Ford

LONDON: Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala will replace retired compatriot Marcus Gronholm on Ford's main team next season, the world rally champions announced on Sunday.

Latvala, 22, moves up to a full works drive after competing in a privately entered Stobart Ford this year. He will partner with Mikko Hirvonen in 2008, with Ford keeping an all-Finnish line-up.

Hirvonen will become the team's lead driver.

"He (Latvala) has gained confidence by the day and has developed into the most promising driver in the WRC this season," said Ford team boss Malcolm Wilson in a statement.

Latvala finished third in last month's Rally Ireland and eighth overall in the championship.

Gronholm, a double world champion, retired after finishing runner-up to Citroen's French champion Sebastien Loeb.

(China Daily 12/18/2007 page23)