Germany Wins Another Women's WC Title; US Wins Third-Place Match

At Shanghai, China:

Germany captured her second straight FIFA Women's World Cup championship with a 2-0 shutout against Brazil on Sunday. Birgit Prinz (52') and Simone Laudehr (86') each tallied once for the Germans. Earlier in the day, the United States, led by Abby Wambach's double (30', 47'), manhandled Norway 4-1 to win the Bronze medal match. Lori Chalupny (58') and Heather O'Reilly (60') each scored once for Team USA.

Not The US Women's Day

At Hangzhou, China:

Two goals from Marta (27', 79') helped propel Brazil to a 4-0 fistbeating of the United States in Thursday semifinal in the FIFA Women's World Cup. The Brazilians will face Germany in Sunday's championship match.

US Women Thump England To Reach Semis

At Tianjin, China:

Goals courtesy of Amy Wambach (45'), Shannon Boxx (57'), and Kristine Lilly (60') lifted the United States to a 3-0 whitewashing of England in quarterfinal round play in the FIFA Women's World Cup on Saturday. Next for Team USA will be the semifinal match against the winner of Sunday's match between Brazil and Australia.

Busy Thursday In UEFA Cup Play

The other 38 first-round two-game, total-goals series got underway Thursday in the 2007-08 UEFA Cup competition:

Here's a round-up of five of those series-opening matches:

At Madrid:

Atletico Madrid put the big-time hurt on visiting Kayserispor as Los Colchoneros blasted their Turkish guests 4-0 in their series opener.

At London:

Unless they suffer a big-time meltdown in Cypurs in the return match week after next, Tottenham Hotspur appear headed for the group stage following their 6-1 home fistbeating (frontier style, of course) of Cypriot club Anorthosis Famagusta FC.

At Munich:

After being a Champions League fixture for a decade, the UEFA Cup is certainly an unusual experience for Bayern Munich. But that's what they, following what for them was certainly an off year for them (finishing fourth in the Bundesliga), wound up. Luca Toni, a key off-season pickup, scored the only goal in the first half of Bayern's 1-0 home series-opening win over Belenenses.

At Toulouse, France:

In their first UEFA Cup match in 20 years, Toulouse were held to a 0-0 home draw by CSKA Sofia.

At Genoa, Italy:

Danish club Aalborg BK picked up two important away goals as they gained a series-opening 2-2 stalemate with hosts Sampdoria.


You can view results from the other series openers here, here, and here.

UEFA Cup Formally Starts

Wednesday marked the start of the first round proper of the 2007-08 UEFA Cup as the first two of forty two-game, total-goals series commenced:

At Lovech, Bulgaria:

A second-half from from Romeo Castelen powered Hamburg to a series-opening 1-0 road win over PFC Litex Lovech.

At Lens, France:

Thanks to their early away goal, FC Copenhagen will be heading back to the Danish capital with an advantage following their 1-1 road draw with Lens.

2007-08 UEFA Champions League Group Stage : Matchday #1, Continued

Eight games were played on Wednesday as Matchday #1 in group stage play in the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League drew to a close:

GROUP E:

At Glasgow, Scotland:

Second-half goals from Charlie Adam (62') and Jean-Claude Darcheville (pictured here, swamped by teammates) (PK-75',) powered Rangers to a 2-1 come-from-behind home win over VfB Stuttgart. Photo © Getty Images






At Barcelona:

Goals from Lionel Messi (82+) and Thierry Henry (90+1') helped propel Barcelona to a 3-0 home whitewashing of Lyon. A group of happy Barca players celebrating their second goal is pictured here. Photo © Getty Images




STANDINGS:

1(tie). Barcelona and Rangers, 3 points each; 3 (tie). VfB Stuttgart and Lyon, 0 points each





GROUP F:

At Rome:

Thanks to goals from Simone Perrotta (9', celebrated as pictured here) and Francesco Totti (70'), AS Roma got group stage play off to a rousing start with their 2-0 home blanking of Dynamo Kiev. Photo © Getty Images






At Lisbon:

Cristiano Ronaldo came back to the Portuguese capital to haunt his former team as his 62nd-minute strike provided the only goal in Manchester United's 1-0 road win over Sporting. Yep, that's Ol' Cristiano celebrating, pictured here. Photo © Getty Images





STANDINGS:

1(tie). AS Roma, and Manchester United, 3 points each; 3 (tie). Sporting and Dynamo Kiev, 0 points each





GROUP G:

At Eindhoven, Netherlands:

Danko Lazovic (59') and Kenneth Perez (80') each scored a goal as PSV Eindhoven (seen here celebrating) held off visiting CSKA Moscow 2-1. Photo © Getty Images





At Istanbul, Turkey:

Fenerbahce knocked off visiting Inter Milan 1-0, thanks to Deivid's goal at 43 minutes, in which he is seen here celebrating. Photo © Getty Images








STANDINGS:

1. PSV Eindhoven and Fenerbahce, 3 points each. 3 (tie) CSKA Moscow and Inter Milan, 0 points each.





GROUP H:

At London:

'Twas an easy opening match for Arsenal as the hosts throttled Sevilla 3-0. Cesc Fabregas (27', pictured here celebrating), Robin van Persie (59') and Eduardo da Silva (90+2') each tallied once for the Gunners. Photo © Getty Images

At Prague, Czech Republic:

In their first-ever UCL group stage contest, Slavia Prague knocked off visiting Steaua Bucharest 2-1. Zdenek Senkerik (13') and Tuani Belaid (63', pictured here celebrating) provided the scoring for the hosts. Photo © Getty Images







STANDINGS:

1(tie) Arsenal and Slavia Prague, 3 points each; 3 (tie) Sevilla and Steaua Bucharest, 0 points each

Jose Leaves Chelsea

England's favorite Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho has left Chelsea.

Fast Lori Chalupny Sends Team USA Into Women's World Cup Quarterfinals

At Shanghai, China:

Lori Chalupny, only 55 seconds into the match, scored the game's lone goal as the United States advanced to the quarterfinals of the FIFA Women's World Cup with their 1-0 win over Nigeria. The Americans will play England in Saturday's quarterfinal-round match.

2007-08 UEFA Champions League: Matchday #1, Part 1

Tuesday marked the opening day of group stage play in the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League:

GROUP A:

At Marseille, France:

Goals from Julien Rodriguez (76') and Djbril Cisse (90+1') propelled Marseille to a 2-0 home win over Besiktas. Here is the visiting Istanbul club's Edouard Cisse trying to stay in front of Marseille's Mamdou Niang. Photo © Getty Images



At Porto, Portugal:

Dirk Kuyt's equalizer at 17 minutes enabled Liverpool to gain a 1-1 road draw with FC Porto. Lucho Gonzalez had given the Dragons the early lead on his successful 8th-minute penalty kick. That's Lucho, pictured here, battling with the Reds' Ryan Babel (right). Photo © Getty Images


STANDINGS:

1. Marseille: 3 points (GD+2); 2 (tie). Liverpool and FC Porto, both 1 point (GD:0); 4. Besiktas, 0 points (GD-2)



GROUP B:

At London:

Andriy Shevchenko's goal at 53 minutes enabled Chelsea to salvage a 1-1 home deadlock with Rosenborg. Miika Koppinen put the visiting Norwegian club ahead 1-0 with his 24th-minute tally. Pictured here are some words exchanged between The Troll Children's Vidar Riseth and the Blues' Michael Essien. Photo © Getty Images


At Gelsenkirchen, Germany:

David Villa (pictured here) scored the lone goal (63') in Valencia's 1-0 road win over FC Schalke 04. Photo © Getty Images



STANDINGS:

1, Valencia, 3 points (GD+1); 2 (tie) Chelsea and Rosenborg, 1 point each (GD+0); 4. FC Schalke 04, 0 points (GD-1)



GROUP C:

At Madrid:

Ruud van Nistelrooy scored his 50th career UEFA Champions League goal (pictured), which turned out to be the game winner at 74 minutes, as Real Madrid defeated visiting Werder Bremen 2-1. Photo © AFP











At Athens:

Thanks to Luciano Zauri's equalizer at 77 minutes, Lazio gained a 1-1 road stalemate with Olympiacos. Luciano Galletti put the homestanding Legend in front with his goal at 55 minutes. The Young Eagles' Gaby Mudingayi is pictured here surrounded by a pair of Olympiacos players. Photo © Getty Images





STANDINGS:

1. Real Madrid, 3 points (GD+1); 2 (tie) Lazio and Olympiacos, 1 point each (GD+0); 4. Werder Bremen, 0 points (GD-1)



GROUP D:

At Milan:

Defending European champion AC Milan began their title defense in winning fashion as they doubled up visiting SL Benfica 2-1. Andrea Pirlo (9') and Filippo Inzaghi (24', seen here celebrating) provided the scoring for the Rossoneri. Photo © Getty Images












At Donetsk, Ukraine:

Brandao (5', seen here celebrating) and Cristiano Lucarelli (8') provided early scores that held up as Shakhtar Donetsk blanked visiting Celtic 2-0. Photo © AFP

STANDINGS:

1. Shakhtar Donetsk, 3 points (GD+2); 2. AC Milan, 3 points (GD+1); 3. SL Benfica, 0 points (GD-1); Celtic, 0 points (GD-2)

Nigeria Cops Under-17 Crown After Winning PK Shootout

At Seoul, South Korea:

After a match that was deadlocked at 0-0 after 120 minutes, Nigeria won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup crown defeating Spain in the penalty-kick shootout 3-0. Ganiyu Oseni, Daniel Joshua, and Matthew Edile each converted on his penalty kick for the Nigerians, who captured their third U-17 World Cup title.

Sevillistos Manhandle AEK On Route To UCL Route Stage

At Athens:

In a match postponed from last Tuesday due to the passing of Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta, the visiting Red-Whites thumped AEK Athens in game two of their UEFA Champions League two-game qualifying series 4-1, and easily to the two-game set 6-1 on aggregate. The Sevillistos will be part of Group H (along with Arsenal, Steaua Bucharest, and Slavia Prague) in the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League, while AEK will play a two-game home-and-away set against Red Bull Salzburg in the first round of the UEFA Cup. Luis Fabiano scored twice (PK-32', 45') for the Spaniard club.