| UAE stun Brazil in beach soccer
Dubai: Possibilities always exist, but no one, not even Marcelo Mendes, the UAE coach, would have expected his side to beat beach soccer world champions Brazil in their own backyard. But Mendes's men have achieved the impossible and Saturday's 2-1 victory over the world's top side will go down as one of his squad's greatest achievements till date. The Emiratis realised the dream as the two sides locked horns in a friendly during the UAE's two-week-long training camp in Rio de Janeiro. Mendes's men had the opportunity to compete against some of Brazil's top beach soccer sides, including Vasco da Gama and Botafogo as they lined up at the Buzios Beach Soccer Tournament. .
Canada defies odds and clinches top spot, set to take on Honduras
Not satisfied with a mere quarter-final berth, Canada's young soccer team took its quest for a Gold Cup title a step further by winning its group in convincing fashion. Patrice Bernier and Marcel De Jong scored as Canada tied Costa Rica 2-2 last night in its final game in the group stages at the CONCACAF championship tournament. The result gave Canada the top spot in Group A with seven points after 1-0 victories over Jamaica and El Salvador in the first two group matches. "What we had to do tonight, we did," Canada head coach Stephen Hart said. "We got the result of a point." Canada will play its quarter-final match in the soccer championship for North and Central America and the Caribbean next Saturday against the runner-up of Group B.
Also in Soccer
There is an episode of Seinfeld that may explain Alex Ferguson's decision to sign Michael Owen (I have found that there's an episode of Seinfeld that best illustrates most things in life). The great George Costanza is explaining his dating technique to Seinfeld, or Seinfield if you're Pat Kenny. He will be going out with a sales girl he met, although it's not so much a date as she has some errands to run and George will accompany her. Jerry wonders if that can technically be referred to as a date. "What's the difference?" George asks. "You know the way I work, I'm like a commercial jingle. First it's a little irritating, then you hear it a few times, you're humming it in the shower." There may be more truth in this theory of seduction than in all the romantic tales, but it may also serve as an illustration of the havoc Rafael Benitez caused when he decided to take on Alex Ferguson last January, havoc that seems to have affected Ferguson so badly he decided to sign a player 10 days ago who hasn't played meaningful football since he signed for Newcastle, not that anyone else at St James' Park either.
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