3. WORLD: Chivas and Toluca reach Mexico final
- by Soccer America , Dec 4, 2006
Guadalajara faces Toluca, which beat Pachuca, 1-0, on a goal by Uruguayan Vicente Sanchez to win its series, 2-1. Chivas have not won one of the Mexican split-season championships in almost a decade. Toluca is the defending Apertura champion.
Club America and Pachuca both faced scheduling conflicts if they had won. Club America is off to Japan this week for the Club World Championship beginning next Monday. Pachuca must travel to Chile's Colo Colo for the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana final.
ENGLAND. Manchester United extended its lead at the top of Premier League to six points by winning at Middlesbrough, 2-1, on Scotland international Darren Fletcher's header midway through the second half. Second-place Chelsea was idle this weekend. Arsenal moved into third by beating London archrival Tottenham Hotspur, 3-0. Brazil's Gilberto converted two controversial penalties for the Gunners, who were missing star Thierry Henry.
FRANCE. The game between Paris St. Germain and Toulouse scheduled for Sunday in Paris was postponed for security reasons. Police said they feared crowd trouble after a PSG fan was shot dead by a policeman who was caught up in a violent rampage by PSG fans following PSG's 4-2 loss to Hapoel Tel Aviv in the UEFA Cup on Nov. 23. Several hundred fans marched peacefully Sunday in memory of 24-year-old Julien Quemener, a member of a group known as the Boulogne Boys, some of whom have links to PSG's violent far-right fan base. No new date for the PSG-Toulouse game at the Par des Princes has been set yet.
GERMANY. Once again, the Bundesliga lead changed hands as Werder Bremen returned to first place after leader Schalke and VfB Stuttgart were held to 0-0 ties at Nuremberg and Mainz, respectively. Werder beat Hertha Berlin, 3-1, to lead Schalke on goal difference. German international Miroslav Klose scored two goals, and Brazilian playmaker Diego added the third.
ITALY. Inter Milan extended its winning streak to 11 games in league and cup competitions with a 2-0 home win over Siena with goals by Argentine World Cup duo Nicolas Burdisso and Hernan Crespo. It remained four points ahead of Roma, which beat Atalanta, 2-1, with two Francesco Totti penalties. Third-place Palermo fell eight points off the pace when it played to a 0-0 tie at Parma on Sunday.
SPAIN. Playing without star Ronaldinho, who was being rested for its crucial UEFA Champions League game on Tuesday, Barcelona was held to a 1-1 tie at Levante that left it just one point ahead Real Madrid. Portugal international Deco opened the scoring on a free kick in the 41st minute, but Levante took the game to Barca and earned a deserved equalizer in the 76th minute when Brazilian defender Alvaro scored on a rebound after Barca keeper Victor Valdes failed to hold a free kick. Goals from veteran Brazilians Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos gave Real Madrid a 2-1 comeback victory over struggling Athletic Bilbao.
