l Vina del Mar (Chile): Brazil, who have never won an Olympic gold medal in soccer, failed to qualify for this year’s Games in Athens after a shock 0-1 defeat to Paraguay on Sunday. The five-time world champions were sunk by a 32nd-minute goal scored by rival captain Jose de Vaca.

l Manchester: Manchester United’s largest shareholders have laid bare a split at English soccer’s most powerful club by announcing they oppose a long extension to the contract of manager Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson, 62, has won eight league titles since coming to Old Trafford in 1986 and he is in talks with United to extend his contract beyond 2005.