Richest club: Manchester United posted a 20 per cent fall in profit yesterday, hit by a drop in television revenues from domestic and European games, but it reclaimed the title of the world's richest soccer club. United said operating profit before goodwill and exceptional items fell to 46 million pounds in the 11 months ended June. The performance was enough for the 128-year-old club to say it was once again world soccer's biggest earner. Last July, Real Madrid said it had taken the title although it is difficult to make a direct comparison between the clubs' financial performance.
Fiorentina: Fiorentina have bought Romanian international goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont from Ajax. Italian press agency ANSA reported that the 28-year-old had signed a five-year contract worth 1.5 million euros per season. Fiorentina have been looking for a new keeper since Sebastian Frey damaged cruciate ligaments in his left knee two weeks ago.
Adu: Freddy Adu became the youngest player to compete for the United States in soccer on Sunday when he made his international debut during a 0-0 draw with Canada in a friendly. The 16-year-old received a rapturous welcome from the crowd of 6,077 at the University of San Diego's Torero Stadium when he replaced injured forward Eddie Johnson in the 81st minute. The match was the first of 10 the US will play before this year's World Cup.
Wigan: Wigan Athletic have signed Swiss international midfielder Reto Ziegler from Tottenham Hotspur on loan until the end of the season. The 20-year-old left-sided player has been on loan at German club Hamburg SV this season, where he made eight appearances, including three in the UEFA Cup, before returning to Spurs earlier this month.
Romario: Veteran Brazilian striker Romario scored a hat-trick on Sunday but could not prevent Vasco da Gama losing 5-3 to Botafogo in a Maracana stadium re-opened after months of renovation work. The hat-trick took Romario, a week away from his 40th birthday, closer to his target of 1,000 goals in professional football. The diminutive striker says he has scored 955 goals so far, and hopes to emulate a feat achieved by Brazilian great Pele, although there is some debate over the statistics.
Oliseh: Nigerian midfielder Sunday Oliseh has announced his retirement and leaves Belgian club Racing Genk with immediate effect. The 31 year-old Oliseh joined Genk last year from German club Borussia Dortmund and was under contract until 2007. He played his last game on Sunday in a 2-1 defeat at Charleroi. He began his professional career in Belgium in 1990 with Club Liege and had spells with Reggiana, Cologne, Ajax, Juventus, Bochum and Dortmund. He also helped Nigeria win gold at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
In England: Premier League - West Ham 2 (Ferdinand 17, Benayoun 28) Fulham 1 (Helguson 53).
In Italy: Serie B - Arezzo vs Catania 0-0; Cesena vs Mantova 2-0. Serie C1 - Foggia vs Martina 1-1.