Maradona wants farewell match

Buenos Aires, November 1: Former Argentine football star Maradona said he would like a ``farewell game'' for the National side wearing his...

Buenos Aires, November 1: Former Argentine football star Maradona said he would like a “farewell game” for the National side wearing his old number 10 shirt.

“I would be the happiest man in the World if I could play a farewell game in the Argentine shirt with the number 10,” he said.

Maradona celebrated his 40th birthday into the early hours at a night club in Buenos Aires along with 500 guests.

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The former World Cup star has returned to the capital to take over as general manager of the first division club Almagro following a months-long course of therapy in Cuba for drug addiction and weight problems.

Brazil hit out RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazilians hit out at Sepp Blatter after the FIFA president threatened in a magazine interview to kick the country out of the 2002 World Cup.

Blatter was accused of getting hold of the wrong end of the stick when he warned last weekend that congressional inquiries into the state of Brazilian soccer broke FIFA rules and could lead to an international ban.

Luxemburgo’s confession
Rio De janeiro: Brazil’s former National coach Wanderley Luxemburgo, sacked last month amid allegations that he had committed various irregularities, has admitted to faking his age, police said.

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A Federal Police spokesman on Tuesday said Luxemburgo had confessed that he was born in 1952 and not 1955 as stated on his birth certificate.

“He admitted it,” the spokesman said. “He said his father did it when he (Luxemburgo) was a minor.” The confession was made during a three-hour interview on Monday.

Werder Bremen crash out
Berlin: Last year’s finalists Werder Bremen and Champions League participants Hamburg SV stumbled out of the German Cup in the second round on Tuesday.

Werder went down 1-0 to fellow First Division club Freiburg, Tunisian striker Adel Sellimi scoring the winner in the final minute.

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Former German first division club Karlsruhe SC, knocked-out Hamburg SV 1-0 courtesy of a goal by Vitus Nagorny in the 70th minute.

Tottenham bow out

London: Tottenham Hotspur stumbled out of the League Cup on Tuesday when they were thumped 3-1 at home by First Division Birmingham city in the third round.

Manchester United, fielding a virtual reserve side, won 3-0 at first division leaders Watford while Leeds United were playing extra time at first division Tranmere Rovers after reaching 90 minutes level at 2-2.

Birmingham took the lead after 15 minutes when Dele Adebola, left unmarked in the box, sidefooted home. Adebola then made it 2-0 after 28 minutes.

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Ramon vega was at fault again just before halftime when Mark Burchill tapped in Birmingham’s third.

Deportivo back on top
Madrid: A Diego Tristan hat-trick paved the way for Deportivo Coruna to return to the top of the Spanish First Division for the second time in a week after a comfortable 4-0 victory over Las Palmas on Tuesday.

Tristan’s goals on 31, 47 and 58 minutes and one from Dutch international Roy Makaay sealed victory.

The result left Deportivo top on 17 points, one clear of Valencia and three ahead of Real Madrid and Alaves. But with all of the Galician club’s rivals playing on Wednesday Deportivo’s reign at the top may be short-lived.