Soccer Shorts: Brazil's coach Carlos Alberto Parreira yesterday confidently named his starting XI for the reigning champions' opening World Cup match against Croatia next month.
Injury and fitness permitting, the line-up will be the same that started Brazil's last competitive match, the World Cup qualifier against Venezuela in October, and include the "magic quartet" of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Adriano and Kaka.
"The team which starts the cup will be the same one which finished the qualifiers," said Parreira. "We have to be coherent." - Guardian Service
Hearts clinch place
Hearts clinched a Champions League place for the first time with a 1-0 win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier League last night.
Paul Hartley scored the winner with a second-half penalty. With one game left Hearts have 74 points and cannot be caught by third-placed Rangers.
Runaway champions Celtic killed off Kilmarnock's outside chance of Uefa Cup football with a 2-0 win at Parkhead.
Neville appeal fails
Manchester United skipper Gary Neville has lost his appeal against a £5,000 fine from the FA for his celebrations during the Barclays Premiership win against Liverpool in January.
United had just grabbed a dramatic late winner when Neville celebrated in front of the away fans at Old Trafford, grabbing his club badge in jubilation.
Back door ruled out
There will be no back door into the Champions League for Tottenham Hotspur if rivals Arsenal win the final of Europe's elite club competition, Uefa's chief executive said yesterday.
"I am afraid I have to tell Spurs that there is no alternative," Lars-Christer Olsson said.
Spurs are fourth in the Premiership, a position that normally means Champions League qualification. But should Arsenal beat Barcelona in the final in Paris on May 17th, they will leapfrog Spurs, who will be relegated to the Uefa Cup.
Gonzalez not for sale
Rafael Benitez has rebuffed inquiries from Spanish clubs hoping to sign the Liverpool winger Mark Gonzalez, even though the Chile international has yet to play for the European champions. He is still waiting for a work permit and is on loan to Real Sociedad for the remainder of the season.
"Three or four Spanish clubs are asking about him," said Benitez. "But we are not thinking about selling him. We want him here next season."
Drogheda at strength
While Shelbourne wait on a string of established midfielders to shake off the injuries, Drogheda United are close to full strength again for this evening's trip to Tolka Park (live on Setanta Sports, kick-off 8.0), where they find themselves in the unusual position of having a healthy advantage over the Dubliners in the Premier Division table, writes Emmet Malone.
"Normally when we're playing them we're maybe six points or so behind them and you're going into the game thinking, 'We really have to go out and win this if we're going to do anything,'" says United boss Paul Doolin. "Maybe this time there isn't quite that same sort of pressure."
The Dubliners will be without Bobby Ryan, Joseph Ndo, Jim Crawford, Richie Baker and Greg O'Halloran, leaving manager Pat Fenlon short of options in midfield. United, meanwhile, must wait at least a week before striker Shane Barret is fit.
In brief . . .
Newcastle have made their approach to the Premier League for dispensation to allow Glenn Roeder to take over as full-time manager. Chelsea target Andriy Shevchenko insists his future is at AC Milan. The Ukraine striker has been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge for the past two years . . . Wolves have confirmed Glenn Hoddle is to remain as their manager following a board meeting.
