World Best Sports

After a lengthy pre-match fireworks display, Macheda struck after just 24 seconds, collecting an embarrassingly bad pass from MLS defender Kevin Alston and slotting home. The Italian then headed in a corner from Nani in the 12th minute as United took firm control of the game, watched by a crowd of 70,728. Local Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching pulled one back for MLS but that merely prompted a late surge from United with Darron Gibson curling in a beautiful free-kick, before Tom Cleverly coolly finished to make it 4-1.

Hernandez, who joined United from Chivas, was given a warm welcome by many Mexican-Americans in the crowd. He ran on to a long ball and confidently lobbed MLS keeper Nick Rimando. Canadian Dwayne De Rosario notched a consolation goal in the final moments for the North American league.

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England's failed footballers should count themselves lucky that their ignominious World Cup exit was met with little more than a public mauling by the media. Their counterparts from North Korea, who lost all three of their group games, have been subjected to a six-hour excoriation for "betraying" the communist nation's ideological struggle, according to reports.

There are even fears for the safety of the team coach, Kim Jung-hun, who was accused of betraying the son and heir of the regime's "dear leader," Kim Jong-il. Early this month the players were summoned to an auditorium at the working people's culture palace in Pyongyang, forced onstage and subjected to a six-hour barrage of criticism for their poor performances in South Africa, according to the US-based Radio Free Asia.

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He may be overweight and seemingly past his best but new AS Roma striker Adriano believes he still has a lot to offer on his comeback to Italian football. A year and a half ago, Adriano walked out on Inter Milan and returned to Brazil claiming he was unhappy in Italy and needed his friends and family in Rio de Janeiro.

At the time he was much criticised for his expanding waistline while there were frequent rumours of drink and depression problems. But after a largely successful season with his original club Flamengo, Adriano is back in Italy – just bigger than ever. When the 28-year-old was presented to the Italian media earlier this month, he allegedly weighed 108 kilos, around 25 kilos above his ideal weight.

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Yannick Djalo scored a pair of first-half goals to power Sporting Lisbon over Manchester City 2-0 in an exibition friendly at the Red Bulls Arena. Djalo headed Simon Vukcevic's cross from the right side off goalkeeper Joe Hart's outstretched hands in the 23rd minute.

Djalo added his second goal in the 40th minute. He took a pass from Daniel Carrico then slipped it by Hart and picked it up on the other side before scoring into an empty net. "It's good to show what I can do against good competition," Djalo said. Craig Bellany had one of the best scoring chances for Manchester City four minutes into the match.

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Real Madrid  have confirmed that captain and record-breaking striker Raul Gonzalez will leaved the club on Monday after 16 years in the first team and with German side Schalke his destination. Raul, who has played for Real since 1994, won six La Liga championships and three Champions League titles during his time with the Spanish giants.

He has scored 323 times in 740 appearances for the club. Fellow veteran Guti, a product of Real's youth system who made his pro debut in 1995, said earlier Sunday that he was leaving with Besiktas in Turkey his likely new home. Both men have been told by new coach Jose Mourinho that they do not form part of his plans for the new season.

A statement on the Real official website on Sunday announced that 33-year-old Raul would be afforded a farewell celebration at the Bernabeu.

"The farewell party will start at 1pm. Club president Florentino Perez will be present, and it will be followed by a press conference by Raul and general director Jorge Valdano," said a club statement.

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AC Milan  will never transfer Brazilian forward Ronaldinho, declared club owner and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Tuesday. "Ronaldinho is not transferable and we're all in agreement that he will remain at Milan as long as he continues to play," said Berlusconi during a press conference here.

"I've not spoken to him recently, but it is certain that we will be renewing his contract and that he'll stay (at Milan) as long as he continues to play. "I consider him the best player of all time."Ronaldinho won the Ballon d'Or (European Footballer of the Year award) in 2005 and was at the peak of his powers a year later when his dazzling skills inspired Barcelona to a league and Champions League double.

He experienced a sharp downturn in form thereafter, however, and joined Milan in July 2008 for a fee in the region of 18.5 million euros.

The 30-year-old has not yet hit the heights he reached in Catalonia during his time in Italy, although he appeared close to his best in the early months of last season, when Milan finished third in Serie A.

He has recently been linked with a return to his native Brazil in the colours of Flamengo, having been left out of the Brazil squad at the World Cup, but Berlusconi dismissed the rumours.

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Gabriel Obertan scored in the 76th minute as English Premier League giant Manchester United defeated Philadelphia Union 1-0 in an exibition match at Lincoln Financial Field.

Obertan received the pass from Danny Welbeck and sailed a shot past netminder Brian Perk for the only goal of the game in front of a crowd of 44,213.

Manchester United was missing several of its stars on Wednesday against the North American Major League Soccer side. They played without Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick during the second leg of its North American tour.

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England  managed only one win and two draws during the group stages and then suffered a humiliating 4-1 World Cup exit at the hands of Germany  in the knockout round. But Fabio Capello's men have risen to seventh place in the rankings. World and European champions Spain top the rankings ahead of Holland, Brazil, Germany, Argentina  and Uruguay.

Portugal, who lost to eventual winners Spain in the knockout round, have dropped five places to eighth. Italy, world champions in 2006, have dropped six places to 11th. Egypt are ninth and the top 10 is completed by Chile. The Republic of Ireland are up five places to 36th and Scotland are up two spots to 41st. Northern Ireland have dropped three places to 59th and Wales have slipped seven spots to 84th. New Zealand, who were unbeaten in their three group matches in South Africa, have climbed 24 places to 54th.

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Dimitar Berbatov scored one goal and contributed to two more as English powerhouse Manchester United launched their North American Tour with a 3-1 friendly victory over Celtic. Substitutes Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley also scored for Manchester United, while Georgios Samaras converted a penalty for Scottish Premier League club Celtic. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson fielded a strong lineup that included Berbatov, Edwin van der Sar, Paul Scholes, Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs – who received an especially warm welcome from Canadian fans.

The match was played at the 50,000-seat Rogers Centre, where a temporary grass pitch was installed where the Toronto Argonauts normally play their Canadian Football League gridiron games on a synthetic surface.

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Fabio Capello is likely to drop John Terry from the England team next season, according to Italy defender Fabio Cannavaro.

Cannavaro got an insight into Capello's ruthless style of management when he worked with the Italian at Real Madrid and the Juventus star is convinced Terry is in severe danger of losing his England place after his controversial comments at the World Cup.

Earlier this year Capello had stripped Terry of the captaincy following revelations about the Chelsea player's affair with the ex-partner of former team-mate Wayne Bridge.

And Capello was further angered when Terry used a press conference during the World Cup to claim that he was ready to confront the Italian over his tactics and team selection.

Terry was forced to back down after Capello called his comments a "big mistake" but he gave a poor performance as England slumped to a 4-1 second round defeat against Germany.

Cannavaro is convinced Capello will make changes for the 2012 European Championship qualifying campaign, with Terry the most likely to lose his place.

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