International matches

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Soccer: Four-goal Denmark stun lacklustre England

COPENHAGEN : England's preparations for their next World Cup qualifiers suffered an embarrassing setback when they slumped to a 4-1 friendly defeat against Denmark, their worst defeat for 25 years.

Charlton striker Dennis Rommedahl, former Newcastle and AC Milan hitman Jon Dahl Tomasson and substitute Michael Gravgaard all scored in a seven-minute period in the second half.

Wayne Rooney grabbed a late consolation for England before substitute Soren Larsen added a fourth for the Danes in injury time as the Englishmen conceded four goals for the first time since they lost to Wales in May 1980.

"We just didn't play to our potential," admitted England skipper David Beckham.

"In the first half, our positional play and football was very good but in the second half we just lost our shape and didn't do what the manager told us to do at half-time."

Denmark had looked sharp in the early exchanges as former Chelsea winger Jesper Gronkjaer gave full back Ashley Cole plenty to think about but goalkeeper Paul Robinson was rarely threatened as ex-Newcastle man Tomasson was played as a lone striker.

Beckham, playing his first competitive game of the season, struggled to find his usual rhythm and, as a result, coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was once again indebted to Rooney.

The Manchester United teenager had a goal ruled out and a penalty appeal turned down.

Rooney had found the net in the 35th minute with a sweet volley after being set up by Joe Cole but the effort was ruled out after the striker was judged to have fouled a Danish defender.

Eriksson made four changes at half-time bringing on Michael Owen for Jermain Defoe but it was the Danes who stunned the Englishmen by taking the lead on the hour mark.

Beckham had wasted a free-kick and the home team quickly cleared their lines. As the ball was swept forward, Thomas Kahlenberg found Tomasson out wide.

But David James, who had replaced Robinson at the break, came sprinting off his line and failed to make contact with the ball.

Ashley Cole tried to cover but the Stuttgart man was able to cross for Rommedahl who had an easy tap-in.

Three minutes later, it was 2-0.

This time Claus Jensen beat the weak challenge of substitute defender Glen Johnson and although his cross was half-cleared by Cole, Tomasson was on hand to head home his 36th international goal.

England were reeling and conceded a third in 67th minute.

This time it was substitute Gravgaard who was on target heading in a cross from the right after he managed to squeeze in between Jamie Carragher, another second half substitute, and Steven Gerrard.

Rooney grabbed a consolation three minutes from the end from an incisive pass from Beckham but Larsen then poked home the fourth for the Danes past a hapless James in stoppage time.

The defeat gives England plenty to think about ahead of their next World Cup qualifier against Wales in Cardiff on September 3. - AFP /dt

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Soccer: Brazil coach satisfied after dull Croatia warm-up

SPLIT, Croatia : Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said he was satisfied after his world champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Croatia.

The Croats took the lead in the 32nd minute through Niko Krankjar, the son of Croatia's manager, with Ricardinho levelling ten minutes later.

"We just got a result against a decent Croatian side," said Parreira.

"This was good preparation for us for our next World Cup qualifier against Chile," added Parreira whose 2002 world Cup winners are coasting to Germany 2006 needing just three points from their last three qualifiers.

But he expressed concern about two of his star players, Ronaldo and Adriano.

"Ronaldo and Adriano weren't at their normal level. The game against Chile is only in a fortnight and hope that they'll be in better physical condition and more motivated after training for their respective clubs."

The wet weather conspired against any slick moving action, the last time Brazil had encountered such conditions, in the Confederations Cup final against Argentina in Frankfurt in June, the stadium roof had kept them dry.

Brazil made the first move with a Roberto Carlos freekick going close, then Ronaldo stirred the Croatian keeper into action with a shot in the ninth minute.

Having contained the Brazilians Croatia fought back with skipper Kranjcar putting them in the lead with a shot when his shot hit the post and he pounced on the rebound to foil Brazil keeper Dida.

But Croatia only held the lead for ten minutes when Ricardinho produced a neat freekick which flew into the back of the hosts' net.

Parreira brought on Real Madrid's new recruit Robinho in the second half but it was his teammate Ronaldo who fluffed a chance in the 57th minute.

- AFP/ir

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Soccer: Russia suffer World Cup setback

RIGA : Russia's hopes of making the World Cup finals suffered another setback when they were held to a 1-1 draw against Latvia.

The result left them in third place in Group 3, five points behind leaders Portugal and two behind Slovakia who were playing Liechenstein later Wednesday.

The Latvians grabbed a shock lead after just six minutes when Maris Verpakovskis, who impressed at Euro 2004, chased a long ball and crossed for skipper Vitalijs Astafjevs to score with a volley.

Russia, missing the suspended Alexei Smertin, eventually battled back into the match and Andrei Arshavin levelled the scores in the 24th minute from close range after goalkeeper Alexsandrs Kolinko had failed to hold the first drive.

It was Arshavin's sixth international goal in 12 matches.

Latvia remain a point behind Russia with 14 points and will take on Estonia on September 3 while Russia face Liechtenstein at home on the same day. - AFP /dt

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Soccer: Saudi Arabia upset South Korea 1-0 in World Cup qualifier

SEOUL : Saudi Arabia beat South Korea 1-0 Wednesday in a nail-biting final Asian zone group-A World Cup football qualifier.

Both countries are already through to the finals in Germany next year but the outcome crowned the Saudis as winners of the group with an unbeaten record ahead of the South Koreans.

It was the home side's second World Cup qualifying round defeat this year to Saudi Arabia, who inflicted a 2-0 reverse in March.

This time the deficit was narrower and the Saudis were fortunate to escape with a win against a side down to 10 men for the last 15 minutes.

Midfielder Kim Dong-Jin was sent off for a vicious tackle on 20-year-old striker Mohammed al-Anbar.

The visitors took the lead after four minutes when al-Anbar found space in the penalty area and headed past goalkeeper Lee Woon-Jae from a centre by Saleh al-Saqri.

It was a perfect start for the Saudi team but they had to cling on to the advantage for dear life as South Korea erupted in a frenzy of attacking football.

Chances came thick and fast but the malady of the South Koreans in recent months - poor finishing - surfaced again to frustrate their best efforts.

Dutch coach Jo Bonfrere, whose position has been in doubt recently, was justified in bringing back some of the stars of the 2002 World Cup to bring stability to the side.

The recall of Ahn Jung-Hwan, the 29-year-old who joined French club Metz in July, appeared to be a masterstroke by Bonfrere. The striker posed all sorts of problems for the Saudi defence in the first half.

But even the composed Ahn failed to hit the target although he came close on several occasions.

The game could have turned out differently if a brilliant shot by Baek Ji-Hoon, a relative newcomer at 20, had found the target and given South Korea an equaliser just eight minutes into the match.

His finishing was perfect but he was frustrated by a save of rare quality from Saudi goalkeeper Zaid Mabrouk. - AFP /ch

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Soccer: Zizou helps France regain their zest

MONTPELLIER, France : Zinedane Zidane made a triumphant return to the international stage, the talismanic midfielder lifting France to a 3-0 win over Cote d'Ivoire.

Zidane, lured out of retirement to help France's ailing World Cup campaign, added style and substance to Raymond Domenech's side in this warm up to next month's crucial qualifier against the Republic of Ireland.

With the 33-year-old's every step cheered by a sell-out 30,000 crowd the Real Madrid star, wearing the captain's armband, crowned his comeback with a second half goal which was sandwiched by efforts from William Gallas and Thierry Henry.

Zidane's return to the international fray was down to some fast-talking by the wily Domenech - and a mysterious apparition at his bedside.

And he quickly made his mark 11 years to the day that he first donned a French shirt when in the 19th minute he came up with an angled shot that narrowly edged over the crossbar.

Another veteran Lillian Thuram was also returning but the Juventus defender's comeback lasted barely half an hour when he had to limp off injured to be replaced by Sebastien Squillaci.

France went in front when Gallas marked his 28th birthday in the best possible way when he scored in the 28th minute in what was first ever goal for his country.

The Chelsea defender's powerful header off a sweetly struck corner from Sylvain Wiltord flew over Cote d'Ivoire keeper Jean-Jacques Tizie giving the Blues due reward for some entertaining play.

Just before the break Zidane produced a neat cross for Willy Sagnol over on the right who knocked it back to 'Zizou' only for his header to be scooped up safely by Tizie.

Then on 61 minutes the stadium erupted when Wiltord sent a corner flying across the goalmouth for Zidane who flicked the ball left-footed into the corner of the Cote d'Ivoire net.

His beaming smile told its own story as he savoured his 27th goal in the national shirt.

Five minutes later Thierry Henry, like Gallas also celebrating his 28th birthday, got in on the act with a fine solo effort when he saw off a lone Cote d'Ivoire defender and Tizie to produce an acute left-angled shot which trickled into an empty goal.

Cote d'Ivoire, with Didier Drogba in their midst, proved tough opponents as befits a nation heading their World Cup qualifier group.

And they almost got what would have been a deserved goal in the last minute of time only for Arthur Boka's shot to skim the wrong side of Gregory Coupet's right post.

The game was preceded by a minute's silence for the 152 French citizens and eight crew who perished in Tuesday's aircrash in Venezuela - AFP /dt