In brief: Interim soccer coach wins debut
Landon Donovan ended a 1 1/2-year scoreless streak in international play, and Jonathan Bornstein and Kenny Cooper got goals in their national team debuts to lead the United States over Denmark 3-1 Saturday at Carson, Calif., in Bob Bradley’s first game as the Americans’ interim coach.
Bradley took over as coach from Bruce Arena, who had led the team since late 1998 and watched from a broadcast booth.
Football
UW adds game
The Washington Huskies have tentatively agreed to conclude their 2007 regular season on Dec. 1 at the University of Hawaii. The exact details of the contract are still pending. It will give the Huskies the NCAA-allowable 13 regular-season contests next year.
The Huskies game at home that was originally scheduled for Oct. 6 will be played on Nov. 17 and UW will have an open weekend on Oct. 6.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers plan to name Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin as their new head coach, according to a report by ESPN.com.
Sources told ESPN that the team would announce Tomlin as their coach either today or Monday. Tomlin would become only the third Steelers coach in 38 years, and the first black head coach in their 74-year history.
“Rob Chudzinski was hired as the Cleveland Browns’ offensive coordinator, returning to the team to take over a unit that ranked near the bottom in the NFL in nearly every category the past two seasons.
Boxing
Hatton triumphs
Ricky Hatton won back his 140-pound title with a unanimous 12-round decision over Juan Urango in Las Vegas to set up a lucrative fight in June against Jose Luis Castillo.
Hatton made a successful debut in this boxing mecca by beating Urango, but even the 3,000 or so fans who came over from Britain to cheer their countryman didn’t seem all that excited about his lackluster win.
Hatton outhustled Urango to win back the title he vacated last year when he moved briefly to 147 pounds, winning easily on all three ringside scorecards.
“Junior Witter successfully defended his WBC light welterweight title, stopping Mexican challenger Arturo Morua in the ninth round in London.
Winter Sports
Miller has miscue
Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin ended a 12-year winless streak for French skiers in their nation’s most famous downhill at Val D’Isere, France, finishing in 1 minute, 56.37 seconds, while American Bode Miller misjudged a turn and fell in the World Cup race.
Canada’s Erik Guay and Manuel Osborne-Paradis were second and third. The top American was 19th-place Scott McCartney.
“American Julia Mancuso placed second behind Renate Goetschl in a downhill at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, for her fourth straight finish among the top three.
“Czech ski jumper Jan Mazoch was fighting for his life after crashing at a World Cup event in Zakopane, Poland.
In difficult wind, Mazoch appeared to bounce off the hill during his second jump. He was taken to a hospital unconscious.
Rok Urbans of Slovenia won the event.
Motorcycle racing
Dakar racer dies
A French motorcyclist died in Dakar, Senegal, during the next-to-last stage of the Dakar Rally, the second death of this year’s grueling event across Europe and Africa.
Eric Aubijoux, a 42-year-old Yamaha rider, had a heart attack, rally director Etienne Lavigne said. Aubijoux had completed the stage and was finishing an untimed section near Dakar. He stopped his bike “feeling faint” before collapsing, organizers said in a statement.