| Ballack back
in German squad Berlin: Playmaker Michael Ballack
returns to the Germany squad for a Euro 2004 qualifier against Scotland on June
7 in Glasgow. Ballack, who returned to action for German champions
Bayern Munich last month after seven weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury,
has not played for Germany since a 1-3 defeat by The Netherlands in a friendly
international in November. The 26-year-old was included on Monday by coach Rudi
Voeller in a 23-man squad for a friendly against Canada next Sunday in Wolfsburg
and qualifiers against Scotland and the Faroe Islands. Germany,
Scotland and Lithuania are tied on seven points at the top of Group Five. Ballack
and the other players in the squad from Bayern Munich and Kaiserslautern will
not play against Canada on Sunday. Bayern and Kaiserslautern face each other in
the German Cup final on Saturday in Berlin. THE SQUAD —
Goalkeepers: Hans-Joerg Butt, Oliver Kahn, Frank Rost. Defenders: Frank
Baumann, Arne Friedrich, Michael Hartmann, Marko Rehmer, Andreas Hinkel, Tobias
Rau, Christian Woerns. Midfielders: Michael Ballack, Jens Jeremies , Joerg
Boehme, Paul Freier, Torsten Frings, Sebastian Kehl, Carsten Ramelow, Bernd Schneider
. Strikers: Fredi Bobic, Miroslav Klose , Kevin Kuranyi, Benjamin Lauth,
Oliver Neuville. Reggae Boyz
beat Nigeria Kingston: Andy Williams hit a dramatic
winner in injury time to earn Jamaica a 3-2 victory over Nigeria in a friendly
international on Sunday. Substitute Frank Sinclair laid on the
goal for Williams as Jamaica warmed up in style for the Concacaf Gold Cup in the
US in July. Onandi Lowe and Jermaine Johnson also struck for
the home team while the Nigerians replied through Ugochukwu Uche and Nwankwo Kanu. The
‘Reggae Boyz’ took the lead in the 25th minute when Lowe picked up a loose ball
inside the penalty area, held off two Nigerian defenders and shot into the corner.
They doubled their lead six minutes before halftime via Johnson. Nigeria
pulled a goal back in the 65th when Micah Hyde lost possession and Uche went on
to score. The visitors equalised through Kanu with 10 minutes to go but Williams
struck in added time. ‘Cathy wasn’t
switched on’ Melbourne: Cathy Freeman was not “switched
on” for her comeback 400m race but she was confident that she would be at full
strength in time for August’s world championships in Paris, her coach said on
Monday. Freeman’s first international 400m race since her 2000
Sydney Olympic triumph ended in disappointment on Sunday, with a fifth-place finish
in 51.70 seconds in Eugene, Oregon. Ana Guevara of Mexico won in a season-best
time of 49.34 seconds to beat Freeman’s 1998 meet record of 50.02. Coach
Peter Fortune said freeman endured a hectic few days before the race, due to sponsorship
commitments, which affected her preparation. NBA
star Ming files lawsuit Shanghai: Houston Rockets’
centre Yao Ming has filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola for unlawfully using his
image and is demanding a public apology and one yuan (12 cents) in compensation.
Yao’s management agency said on Monday that “the core of the
lawsuit is to protect Yao’s legal rights, while the amount of compensation is
less important”. The indictment was filed in a Shanghai court
on Friday. The spat stems from just released commemorative Coke
bottles in China which feature a photo of Yao and other Chinese national stars
wearing their national team shirts. Yao signed a multi-year deal
earlier this month to become Pepsico’s image frontman. Aussies
look to spin a web Sydney: Australian golf promoters
are hoping to cash in on the hype over Annika Sorenstam’s ‘battle of the sexes’
by inviting Karrie Webb to play against the men. Tony Roosenburg,
director of the Heineken Classic and Australian PGA tournaments, told reporters
at the weekend he would invite Webb to play in both events.
Soccer: Best of Premier League, from 9.00 am on ESPN Tennis: French
Open, live from 3.30 pm on TEN Sports General: Sportsline, live from 7.30
pm on STAR Sports Basketball: NBA Western Conference finals, Game V, live
from 6.30 am (Wednesday) on ESPN
| 
