Thursday, May 15, 2008

Zenit St. Petersburg became the second Russian team in four seasons to win the UEFA Cup, beating Scotland's Glasgow Rangers, 2-0, in the final yesterday in Manchester, England.

Igor Denisov scored in the 72nd minute after an exchange with Andrei Arshavin, cutting through the defense and beating goalkeeper Neil Alexander. Konstantin Zyryanov got the second goal in injury time, tapping the ball over the line off a pass from Fatih Tekke.

Denisov had escaped being penalized for a handball early in the second half, with Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt not making a call.

Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot also escaped punishment for an apparent handball late in the first half.

CSKA Moscow became the first Russian club to win a European title in 2005 when it captured the UEFA Cup, Europe's No. 2 club tournament behind the Champions League. This was the first European title for Zenit Coach Dick Advocaat, who guided Glasgow Rangers from 1998 to 2002. Rangers have not won a European title since taking the defunct Cup Winners' Cup in 1972, when it defeated Dynamo Moscow.

Scottish fans filled two-thirds of City of Manchester Stadium and more than 100,000 were in downtown Manchester watching on giant screens. . . .

The U.S. national team, which had a first-round bye in World Cup qualifying, meets Barbados in the second round, playing the total-goals series in Carson, Calif., on June 15 and at the Caribbean nation seven days later.

If the United States advances, it would open the semifinals Aug. 20 at Guatemala or St. Lucia, then play at Cuba or Antigua and Barbuda on Sept. 6. The Americans' first home match would be Sept. 10 at Bridgeview, Ill., against Trinidad and Tobago or Bermuda. The U.S. team would host the Cuba-Antigua and Barbuda winner Oct. 11 at Washington, then play at the Trinidad and Tobago-Bermuda winner on Oct. 15. The home game against the Guatemala-St. Lucia winner would be Nov. 19 at Commerce City, Colo.

-- From News Services