GUATEMALA CITY — Carlos Bocanegra scored on a header in the 69th minute, and the United States escaped from Guatemala with a chippy 1-0 victory Wednesday night in the Americans’ opener in the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying.
Unmarked about 3 yards from the goal, the U.S. captain headed in DaMarcus Beasley’s corner kick.
• Mexico won Sven-Goran Eriksson’s debut as coach, rallying to beat Honduras 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier as Pavel Pardo scored twice in the second half in Mexico City.
• Daniel Keon scored twice, Cornell Glen added a goal and Trinidad & Tobago beat Cuba 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier in Havana.
• Kei Kamara scored two goals as the Houston Dynamo beat Chivas USA 4-0 in MLS play.
• Taylor Twellman had a goal and assist, and the New England Revolution beat D.C. United 2-1.
New Mexico put on probation
ALBUQUERQUE — The NCAA put New Mexico’s football program on three years of probation and cut five scholarships as punishment for academic violations involving two former assistant coaches.
Head coach Rocky Long was not accused of any wrongdoing in the case. He signed a new five-year contract that runs through June 2013.
• Redshirt freshman Kellen Moore will start at quarterback for Boise State.
• Junior Bill Stull was named the starting quarterback for Pittsburgh.
• North Carolina State sophomore quarterback Justin Burke is transferring to Louisville and will be eligible to play in 2009.
• The NCAA banned the horse-collar tackle from college football. Following the lead of the NFL and acting on a proposal made by its Football Rules Committee, the NCAA will assess a penalty this season when a runner is yanked to the ground from the inside collar of his shoulder pads or jersey.
Other changes announced include a clarification of rules on chop blocks, or tackling below the knees, and implementation of a 40-second play clock that will start as soon as the ball is ruled dead. Previously, a 25-second clock began only on the referee’s signal.
Footnotes.
A Team Penske transporter, carrying the primary cars for Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe to Infineon Raceway for this week’s IndyCar Series race in California, caught fire on Interstate 80, west of Cheyenne. The two drivers escaped injury and were able to save the tractor, but the lower level of the transporter, containing crew member uniforms and a variety of equipment was destroyed.
• Kyle Busch earned his third win in the Craftsman Truck Series by dominating the O’Reilly 200 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
• Former Wyoming standout Theo Ratliff returned to the Philadelphia 76ers, seven years after he was traded from the team during its run to the NBA Finals.
• The Detroit Red Wings signed tough-guy right wing Aaron Downey to a one-year contract.
• Markieff Morris, an incoming freshman basketball player at Kansas, is facing a battery charge after allegedly firing a BB gun from his dorm window. He has been ordered to appear Sept. 10 in Lawrence Municipal Court. The Associated Press
