CHICAGO — Soldier Field figures to resemble Latin America more than middle America when the United States plays Honduras in a World Cup men’s soccer qualifier tonight.
Fans wearing the white-and-blue jersey of the Catrachos were coming off planes at O’Hare International Airport on Friday. More than 50,000 advance tickets were sold for the match, which completes the first half of the final round of qualifying for the U.S. soccer team.
“I think the boys, we’re used to it,” midfielder DaMarcus Beasley said. “We’ve been playing away games at home for nine, 10 years since I’ve been here.”
Wednesday night’s 3-1 loss at Costa Rica boosted the Ticos (3-1) over the U.S. (2-1-1) into first place in North and Central America and the Caribbean. Honduras (1-1-1), which is third, was the last team to beat the U.S. in a qualifier on American soil, a 3-2 win at Washington’s RFK Stadium in September 2001.
• Stuart Holden scored in the fourth minute, and the Houston Dynamo held on to beat the Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Fire 1-0 and extend its MLS unbeaten streak to eight games.
• U.S. national team goalkeeper Tim Howard has agreed to a five-year contract with Everton after helping the team to a fifth-place finish in the Premier League.
• Italian league power Juventus hired Ciro Ferrara as its coach.
Dozier’s SAT scores questioned
ATLANTA — Robert Dozier, who starred on the Memphis team that made it to the 2008 NCAA basketball championship game, is the second player on that team to have questions arise about his entrance exams.
Dozier’s inconsistent SAT scores prevented him from being admitted to the University of Georgia in 2004.
• Tom Green has been fired as basketball coach at Fairleigh Dickinson after leading the Knights to 407 wins and four NCAA Tournament appearances in a 26-year tenure.
• Tennessee-Martin said head basketball coach Bret Campbell has resigned after an internal audit found he violated school policies by cashing checks for summer basketball camps.
• Dwayne Collins has withdrawn his name from the upcoming NBA draft and says he will return to the University of Miami for his senior year.
Sparks to showcase sponsor
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Sparks are joining the Phoenix Mercury as WNBA teams putting a sponsor’s name on their jerseys.
Under the multiyear deal with Farmers Insurance Group, the Sparks will feature the company’s name and logo on the front of their jerseys and warmups.
• Detroit Shock center Kara Braxton will be suspended for six games after pleading guilty to a drunken driving charge during the offseason.
Footnotes.
Wayne Webb successfully defended his PBA Senior U.S. Open title, beating Brian Voss 214-188 in Las Vegas.
• The U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation has successfully bid to host the 2013 World Bobsled and Skeleton Championships at Mount Van Hoevenberg, N.Y.
The Associated Press
