Soccer Sports News & Betting

FRISCO, Texas — FC Dallas has acquired goalkeeper Chris Seitz from Seattle in a trade for a fourth-round draft pick in 2012.

The 23-year-old Seitz spent the 2010 season with the Philadelphia Union before Seattle took him ninth in the MLS re-entry draft Wednesday.

With Philadelphia, Seitz made 22 starts and allowed 1.8 goals per game, with a 5-12-6 record.

Real Salt Lake chose Seitz third overall in the 2007 draft. Seitz also helped the United States Under-23 team make the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Timbers signed four players from last season Wednesday as they make their jump to Major League Soccer next season.

The Timbers signed midfielder Kalif Alhassan, defender Mamadou “Futty” Danso, defender Kevin Goldthwaite and midfielder James Marcelin.

All four played for Portlands USSF Division-2 Pro League team in 2010. Timbers coach John Spencer says all four have the skills to make an impact at the next level.

Alhassan, a native of Ghana, had two goals in eight matches last season with the Timbers, while Danso, from Gambia, and Marcelin, of Haiti, have both been with Portland for the past two seasons.

Goldthwaite, who has played for several MLS teams over the last six seasons, made three appearances with the Timbers last season.

Hernan Crespo came off the bench to score twice in extra time as Parma beat Fiorentina 2-1 on Tuesday to reach the Italian Cup quarterfinals.

Mario Santana put Fiorentina ahead in the 114th minute, but Crespo equalized a minute later and the 35-year-old Argentine striker hit the winner in the 117th.

Both sides had chances to finish the game inside 90 minutes. In the first half, Sebastien Giovinco and Valeri Bojinov hit the post for Parma, while Fiorentinas Khouma Babacar hit the bar.

After the break, Fiorentinas Alessio Cerci and Marco Marchionni both went close while Parmas Giovinco was denied by Fiorentina goalkeeper Vlada Avramov. Parma keeper Nicola Pavarini then made a double save from Adem Llajic and Babacar in the closing stages.

Juan Jose Lopez, who served as River Plates interim coach after Angel Cappa resigned last month, was named the clubs new coach Tuesday.

Lopez said in a radio interview that he had been given the job and told of his promotion by club president Daniel Passarella.

Lopez, the clubs director of youth clubs, filled in for Cappa and managed to pull River out of relegation danger. He won four of six games in charge as River finished the Apertura season with 31 points. He was a surprise choice with many reports suggesting Estudiantes coach Alejandro Sabella would get the job. Estudiantes won the season title on Sunday.

Lopez is the third coach named to the job in 14 months, following Cappa and Leonardo Astrada.

“Im the coach of River,” Lopez told radio La Red. “Passarella told me the club directors approved me to stay on the job.”

In addition to Sabella, Passarella also approached Marcelo Bielsa about taking over one of Argentinas most popular clubs. Bielsa, who stepped down last month as Chiles national coach, turned down the approach.

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Timbers have signed English defender Kerrea Gilbert from the English club Arsenal.

The Timbers, who join Major League Soccer as an expansion team next season, also acquired a fourth-round pick from the Houston Dynamo in the 2014 SuperDraft in exchange for defender Jordan Graye.

Gilbert, 23, has played for Arsenal for five seasons after developing in the English Premier League clubs youth system. He was loaned to several English clubs over the course of his career with the team.

Graye was acquired by the Timbers in last months expansion draft from D.C. United.

JOHANNESBURG — FIFA president Sepp Blatter insisted Monday that the votes to award World Cups to Russia and Qatar were based on developing soccer and had nothing to do with money.

He also noted that the worlds biggest soccer tournament will have to adjust to more than merely the sweltering desert heat when it takes its party-like atmosphere to the Middle East in 2022.

Blatter said that homosexual fans “should refrain from any sexual activities” that are illegal in Qatar.

Drinking alcohol also is restricted in the country, but Blatter hopes soccers universal appeal will bridge cultural differences at the 2022 World Cup.

“Its another culture and another religion, but in football we have no boundaries,” said Blatter, who was in South Africa for the official closing of the 2010 World Cup. “We open everything to everybody and I think there shall not be any discrimination against any human beings, being on this side or that side, left or right or whatever.

“Football is a game that does not affect any discrimination. You may be assured … if people want to watch a match in Qatar in 2022, they will be admitted to matches.”

Having praised South Africas tournament as an example of the success a first-time host can achieve, Blatter added during his appearance at Soccer City that he thought there was “too much concern” for the World Cup in Qatar.

FIFA has been criticized for choosing Russia and Qatar over more traditional soccer countries during a Dec. 2 vote that took place without two members of the executive committee who were suspended for allegedly agreeing to take money for their support.

In his first public address since the vote, Blatter defended FIFAs choices.

“We go to Eastern Europe, to Russia where the World Cup has never been. And later on, we go to the Middle East, we go to the Arabic world, we go to the Islamic world,” Blatter said.

“This is the development of football and dont speak about money. This has nothing to do with money, as it had nothing to do with money here in Africa. It has to do with the development of the game,” he said, pounding the podium with his fist for emphasis.

Blatter also announced a $100 million legacy fund for South Africa. He said $20 million had already been used to build a new South African Football Association headquarters and for part of the organizing of the competition, but promised the remainder would go to “social and community projects.”

FIFA earned an estimated $3.5 billion from this years World Cup.

South Africa president Jacob Zuma, who had met with Blatter at Soccer City earlier Monday, said he hoped the first World Cup in Africa would act as a catalyst for development in the country.

“We are officially closing one of the major highlights and success stories of the year,” Zuma said. “We hosted a memorable World Cup.”

Blatter said he was proud of the South African tournament.

“FIFAs World Cup is not a circus, coming into a country, putting up some tents and when the performance is over, taking everything with and perhaps some more and going home,” he said. “No, FIFAs World Cup is more than that.”

Estudiantes claimed the Argentina Apertura title on Sunday - their fifth league championship - with Rodrigo Lopez of Uruguay scoring two goals in the final 15 minutes to defeat Arsenal 2-0.

Estudiantes went ahead in the 75th on a goal awarded initially to Gaston Fernandez, though a television replay suggested he was not the last to touch it. Lopez was eventually given credit for it.

And in the 87th it was Lopez who ended all doubt, looping in a header from 10 meters (yards) over leaping Arsenal keeper Cristian Campestrini.

“This title is a result of how well we played all season,” Lopez said. “I should not get the credit. It goes to my teammates. All this came from sacrifice and the hard work of everyone.”

Estudiantes finished with 45 points, two more than Velez in 19 matches. Velez defeated Racing 2-0 on Sunday in a match played at the same time.

With Velez winning, and Estudiantes only managing a draw until late in the game, the championship seemed to be headed to a one-game playoff to decide the title.

Juan Manuel Martinez scored in the 23rd minute for Velez, and Maxi Moralez made it 2-0 early in the second half.

The title means Estudiantes are the dominant team in Argentina in the last few seasons. They won the Apertura title in 2006 and then captured the Copa Libertadores in 2009 - Latin Americas top club competition.

“This is incredible, there are no words to describe it,” said Juan Sebastian Veron, thes club skillful playmaker who labored for a decade in Europe before heading home several years ago. “We worked so hard. There is no doubt we were the best.”

The Argentine title has become a carousel. Estudiantes are the eighth different club to win the title in eight seasons. Under the system used in Argentina and most of Latin America, two season titles are awarded each year - the Apertura and Clausura.

That system may end in June with the league likely to move to one 38-match season instead of two 19-match campaigns.

The immediate question is the future of Estudiantes coach Alejandro Sabella, who is widely reported the top candidate to take over at high-profile River Plate, which has been without a permanent coach since Angel Cappa resigned last month.

Estudiantes vice president Marcelo Malaespina has said he expects Sabella to complete his contract, which expires in June.

Estudiantes had two very early scoring chances. Fernandez put the ball in the net from close range in the ninth but was ruled offside, and Enzo Perez threatened three minutes later.

But after the early chances, Arsenal had more opportunities on the counterattack.

Estudiantes regrouped early in the second half with Perez just missing wide in the 52nd minute and Veron setting up several chances.

The hosts seemed to be in trouble when Veron went off in the 59th with a lower-leg injury, but that somehow seemed to spark the club from La Plata, located just an hours drive from Buenos Aires.

Estudiantes Leandro Benitez sent a scorching shot over the crossbar in the 60th, and Fernandez forced Arsenal keeper Campestrini to make a scrambling save four minutes later as Estudiantes pressed for the victory.

The deciding goal came from a corner delivered by Leandro Benitez, with Lopez scrambling it home. That seemed to relax Estudiantes, with Lopez breaking through again to seal it.

In late matches, San Lorenzo defeated Banfield 2-1 and Colon won 1-0 over Newells Old Boys.

Walter Erbiti and Juan Carlos Menseguez scored for San Lorenzo with Jonathan Bottinelli getting the lone goal for Banfield.

Lucas Acosta scored for Colon.

The season ends Monday with four more matches.

On Friday, All Boys and Godoy Cruz drew 2-2.

Lionel Messi scored twice in the second half, raising his season total to 27 goals in 22 games, and Barcelona routed Real Sociedad 5-0 Sunday night to extend its winning streak to nine.

American midfielder Stuart Holden scored his second goal of the season in the 88th minute to help Bolton overcome its fourth red card of the season and beat Blackburn 2-1.

Kevin Prince Boateng and Robinho scored first-half goals as AC Milan beat Bologna 3-0 in a convincing performance by the Serie A leaders.

Papiss Demba Cisse took his Bundesliga season tally to 13 with two goals for Freiburg in a 3-0 victory over visiting Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Lisandro Lopez and Bafetimbi Gomis scored a goal each as Lyon beat Toulouse 2-0 at home to stay two points behind French leader Lille.

FC Twente missed an opportunity to go top of the Dutch league after losing 6-2 at SC Heerenveen.

Oussama Assaidi scored three goals and set up two others for Heerenveen, which also got Mika Vayrynens 89th minute penalty.

Nacer Chadli replied for Twente with goals in the 32nd and 51st.

Twentes loss kept PSV Eindhoven on top despite its winless streak extending to three games after a 0-0 draw against De Graafschap on Saturday.

Christian Eriksens 11th-minute goal secured a 1-0 victory for Ajax at Vitesse Arnhem, giving temporary coach Frank de Boer a winning start.

PSV has 38 points, one more than defending champion Twente. FC Groningen stayed third with 36 after dismissing AZ Alkmaar 2-0 on Tim Matavzs double. Ajax has 35.

Feyenoord beat Excelsior 1-0 on Luc Castaignos first-half strike to win the Rotterdam derby.

Bas Van den Brink scored his third goal in as many weeks and assisted on another to help Gold Coast United defeat the Wellington Phoenix 2-0 in Australian A-League football on Saturday.

United outplayed the Phoenix, which received three yellow cards for poor or late challenges and committed more than a dozen fouls. The home side received four yellow cards in a game marred by spiteful and reckless challenges.

Van den Brink scored in the 21st minute when he outsprinted Phoenix defender Andrew Durante to get to a well-placed Jason Culina free kick and score with a header.

Gold Coast coach Miron Bleiberg said it was one of his teams easiest victories due to Wellington receiving so many fouls.

“It was, I call it, half-football, half-rugby,” Bleiberg said. “There was no malice. They gave it to us and we gave it back.”

Also on Saturday, Robbie Kruse scored two goals to lead the Melbourne Victory to a 3-1 win over their crosstown rivals, the Melbourne Heart. It was the Hearts sixth loss in seven matches.

Victory coach Ernie Merrick said the win was one of his clubs most satisfying of the season.

“It was a game we played for the full 93 minutes, our defense was rock-solid from midfield, and Krusey did a job up front,” Merrick said.

Sergio van Dijk of the Netherlands joined the A-Leagues top scorers as Adelaide United beat last-place North Queensland 2-0. Van Dijk headed his eighth goal of the season after Marcos Flores scored in the 5th minute to give Adelaide its seventh straight home win.

Sydney played first-place Brisbane and Perth hosted the Central Coast Mariners in other matches Sunday.

On Wednesday, Newcastle plays the Gold Coast and North Queensland takes on Sydney to close out the 18th week of matches.

Asian champion Seongnam Ilhwa cruised into the Club World Cup semifinals by routing tournament host Al Wahda 4-1 on Saturday.

Mauricio Molina scored the fourth-minute opener and set up two others for the South Korean side to meet European champ Inter Milan on Wednesday.

Captain Sasa Ognenovski, Choi-sun Kuk and Cho Dong-geon also scored, while Fernando Baiano netted Al Wahdas equalizer.

Al Wahda gifted the first goal when Hamdan Al Kamali botched a clearance instead of letting goalkeeper Adel Al Hossani collect the ball, and Molina sent it back into an empty net.

Baiano made it 1-1 by heading in Eisa Ahmeds cross, but the tie lasted only three minutes, as Seongnam responded thanks to Molinas corner kick, which was headed in by Ognenovski.

Choi smashed in Seongnams third in the 71st after Cho drew the defense, and Cho capped the classy performance by heading in a Molina pass in the 81st.

Copa Libertadores champ Internacional of Brazil meets African titleholder TP Mazembe of Congo in the first semifinal on Tuesday.