Gold Cup: The United States beat underdogs Panama 3-1 in a penalty shootout to win the Concacaf Gold Cup final on Sunday. Panama dominated the second half of normal time but the match ended scoreless after an extra 30 minutes as the sides battled for supremacy in the biennial competition for North and Central America and the Caribbean countries. "The game was very sloppy," said US assistant coach Glenn Myernick, standing in for head coach Bruce Arena who was suspended for swearing at officials during Thursday's semi-final against Honduras.
Vassell: England striker Darius Vassell is poised to move from Aston Villa to Premier League rivals Manchester City, Villa's website said yesterday. The 25-year-old was undergoing a medical before completing a transfer reportedly worth £2.5 million. "He had a year left on his contract, we've been offered good money by Manchester City, so it suits everybody all round as it stands," Villa manager David O'Leary said. City signed former Man. United striker Andy Cole from Fulham last week when they also sold England midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips to Chelsea for around £21 million.
Borgetti: Bolton Wanderers have agreed terms to sign Mexico striker Jared Borgetti on a two-year contract, the Premier League club said. The 31-year-old, known as "The Desert Fox", agreed terms over the weekend and will complete his move to the Reebok Stadium provided he passes a medical. "We are just waiting for the all clear on the medical," Bolton manager Sam Allardyce told the club's website. Bolton will pay Borgetti's former club Pachuca around one million pounds.
Nakamura: Serie A club Reggina have agreed to sell Japanese international midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura to Scottish club Celtic. "We have reached an agreement with Celtic for the transfer of Nakamura," the Italian club said. Nakamura has scored 11 goals in 80 Serie A matches during his three seasons with Reggina. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder joined the Calabrian club from Yokohama Marinos in 2002.
FIFA Order: Kenya have been ordered by FIFA to play a World Cup qualifier against Tunisia in September behind closed doors after a fan was killed during crowd trouble at their match against Morocco last month. The crowd forced down gates to the stadium before the game, leaving a 15-year-old supporter dead and 15 other fans injured. The Kenya Football Federation has also been fined 25,000 Swiss francs ($19,440).
¤ Barcelona midfielder Thiago Motta, who missed most of last season because of a serious knee injury, risks missing out on the start of the new campaign after having surgery on an injured toe. Motta had a cyst removed on the big toe in his left foot in a Barcelona clinic yesterday, but club doctors said they were unable to estimate how long the Brazilian would be out of action because further surgery was needed. Fellow midfielder Santiago Ezquerro is also out injured and expected to be sidelined for three weeks after tearing a thigh muscle in training at the weekend.