Eddie Johnson scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 90th minute, to lift the US to a 2-1 victory over Antigua in CONCACAF World Cup semi-final qualifying yesterday.
Mexico kept their record intact as they scored all their goals in the second half to rout Guyana 5-0 in another qualifier for the 2014 Brazil showdown.
With their victory, the Americans moved into a tie with Guatemala for first place in Group A with 10 points and control their own destiny entering their last semi-final round match Tuesday against Guatemala in Kansas City, Kansas.
The US are guaranteed to advance with a win or a draw against Guatemala.
Whisky maker toasts Chelsea deal
A Myanmar whisky maker has struck a deal to become an official brand of Chelsea FC, the company said, in the latest sign of change in the one-time pariah state.
International Beverage Trading Co, the group behind Grand Royal Whisky, said the two-year deal made it Myanmar’s first company to partner with a European football club.
The tie-up gives it the right to use the Chelsea logo and player images for promotions and advertising. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The move comes as Western nations roll back the sanctions against Myanmar following a raft of democratic reforms.
Schalke’s Draxler set for comeback
Schalke midfielder Julian Draxler is set to return to training tomorrow despite fracturing his arm less than a fortnight ago in the 2-2 Champions League draw against Montpellier.
The 19-year-old will wear a protective cast over his left arm as Schalke prepare to face neighbours and defending champions Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on October 20 after the international break.
Schalke have not said when Draxler is set to return to first-team action and looks set to miss the next Champions League match against Arsenal in London on October 24.
Plovdiv coach Ivanov quits after a day
Former Bulgaria striker Georgi Ivanov has quit as coach of Lokomotiv Plovdiv a day after agreeing a contract until the end of the season, the club said.
Ivanov was officially presented to the media last week, replacing Emil Velev, who was fired following Lokomotiv’s disappointing start to the season.
Ivanov, 36, who resigned as Levski Sofia coach in April, decided to quit after a training session on Friday, saying he despaired of the “organisational chaos”. Club owner Veselin Mare-shki failed to persuade him to return at a meeting.
Portanova has suspension cut
Bologna defender Daniele Portanova’s six-month ban for failing to report match-fixing was cut to four months by the Italian sporting tribunal.
Portanova will now be able to play again from December 8 but will not be happy with his sentence after saying in midweek that he wanted to be acquitted of all charges.
“I want them to tell me that I can start playing again immediately, that they recognise my innocence, because what I’m experiencing it’s not right,” he said.
‘Ox’ goal gets his father off his back
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened his goal-scoring account for England against San Marino and silenced his father into the bargain. The Arsenal winger revealed his father Mark, himself a former England international, had taunted him about his lack of goals.
Oxlade-Chamberlain, 19, be-came his country’s fourth youngest scorer in the 5-0 World Cup qualifying win, mirroring Mark’s own record of one goal in eight games. However, the latter was impatient for Alex to get on the international scoresheet.
“It’s a relief to get the monkey off my back as they say,” Oxlade-Chamberlain said.
“I’ve been looking for my first goal for England and my dad’s been pushing me, telling me I need to get a goal.”
Zaccheroni hails Japan defending
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni praised his players after they stunned France with a 1-0 friendly win on Friday.
The hosts largely dominated the match, with Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima required to produce a number of saves, but they were unable to find the net and the visitors punished them in the 88th minute when Shinji Kagawa claimed the winner.
“It’s a very, very good result that will give the players confidence, but our objective remains the 2014 World Cup,” said Italian Zaccheroni.
“We defended well but the players were a bit timid in the first half. At the end of the match, France put everything into attack and found themselves unbalanced.”