Donovan, McBride Stay in U.S.
Major League Soccer has scored an impressive double victory this week, first by being able to keep Landon Donovan in the league and, on Wednesday, by making sure that Brian McBride sticks around too.
The two United States national team players, both of whom enjoyed an outstanding World Cup, could have returned to Europe had MLS not made significant efforts to keep them.
First, the league persuaded Bayer Leverkusen, the German Bundesliga team that owns Donovan’s contract until 2007, to allow the 20-year-old to remain on loan with the San Jose Earthquakes for another two seasons. Donovan helped the Earthquakes win the MLS championship in 2001.
On Wednesday, the Columbus Crew announced that McBride, 30, will stay with the team at least through the 2005 season.
The striker, referred to as “a cornerstone of American soccer” by MLS deputy commissioner Ivan Gazidis, has scored 59 goals in 159 regular-season and playoff games for Columbus and helped the team win the U.S. Open Cup in 2002.
Having played briefly in England with Preston North End, McBride was rumored to be heading for Manchester City in the English Premier League. Instead, he now appears likely to end his career in the MLS.
Centenary Match
European champion Real Madrid celebrated its centenary in style Wednesday night by coming from three goals down to tie a star-studded World Selection, 3-3, in front of 55,000 rain-drenched fans at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid.
Second-half goals by Santiago Solari, Tote and Esteban Cambiasso sent the crowd home happy after Germany’s Miroslav Klose, Brazil’s Kaka and Senegal’s Aliou Cisse had put the world all-star team in apparent control.
Even the halftime entertainment was something out of the ordinary, with Spanish tenor Placido Domingo, a Real Madrid fan, singing the club’s hymn, accompanied by a full symphony orchestra and flanked by the two teams.
Morelia Wins
Morelia gained the slimmest possible advantage in Mexico’s championship final Wednesday night when it defeated Toluca, 1-0, in front of 40,000 fans at the Estadio Morelos in Morelia in the first game of the two-game series.
A 58th-minute goal by Javier Saavedra provided the edge as Monarcas goalkeeper Moises Munoz shut out the Red Devils, ending the 15-game scoring streak of their Paraguayan striker, Jose Cardozo.
The second game is Saturday at Toluca.
Celtic Woes
Scottish champion Glasgow Celtic, which saw six of its fans arrested after causing a disturbance aboard a charter flight last week, came in for more bad news Wednesday when three of its players were arrested in connection with the theft of a newspaper photographer’s camera at a nightclub in Newcastle, England. The three players, who were not identified, were released on bail, pending a court appearance in March.
Zamorano Move
Chilean World Cup striker Ivan “Bam Bam” Zamorano, who has played for Club America in Mexico for the last two years, returned home to Chile and reportedly will join Colo Colo after turning down offers from MLS, Japan’s J-League and the Saudi Arabian league.
Quick Passes
Sir Bert Millichip, chairman of England’s Football Assn. for 15 years, died Wednesday at age 88 after collapsing at a social function in Birmingham, England.... Former coach of Spain’s national team, Javier Clemente, 52, was named coach of Espanyol in the Spanish first division.... UCLA defender Scot Thompson was named to the U.S. under-23 national team that will play Canada in two friendly games in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., today and Saturday.
