Sports - International Herald Tribune

Thursday, February 7, 2008 (PARIS)

Phil Noble/Reuters

Services were held in England and Germany to mark the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash that killed eight members of the Manchester United soccer team.

Britons mourn a team and an era
By JOHN F. BURNS
The 50th anniversary of the plane crash that killed eight Manchester United players has occasioned a wave of nostalgia in Britain for an era when soccer stars were a simpler and seemingly sturdier group.

Soccer

Capello starts molding England's men of clay
By ROB HUGHES
The English have called in Fabio Capello, an Italian paid £6 million a year to try to teach them to be winners. Wednesday was all about Capello's first match in charge, and a 2-1 victory over Switzerland.

Giants coordinator Spagnuolo has all-day interview for Redskins job
AP
The architect of the defense that won the Super Bowl spent about 10 hours Wednesday meeting with owner Dan Snyder about the Redskins coaching vacancy.

In the arena

Davis Cup comes round too soon for some
By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY
The 2008 Davis Cup begins Friday, but many leading players have opted out and some critics are again calling for a more compressed format for the team tennis event.

Traditional powers warm up with victories
AP
Germany, Italy and the Netherlands continued their preparations for this year's European Championship by winning international exhibition matches.

Baseball

Syringes surface in Clemens case
By DUFF WILSON AND MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT
Brian McNamee has reportedly given federal investigators bloody gauze pads, syringes and vials he said he used to inject Roger Clemens with steroids and human-growth hormone in 2000 and 2001.

NBA

Suns take a gamble on O'Neal
By HOWARD BECK
The Phoenix Suns, a team built on speed, compromised their philosophy by acquiring the 35-year-old Shaquille O'Neal from the Miami Heat in exchange for the veteran forward Shawn Marion and the young guard Marcus Banks.

Soccer | African Cup of Nations

Final four promise exciting contests
GREG LALAS
The quality of the quarterfinals at the African Cup of Nations suggest more drama for the semifinals on Thursday. The first four games in the knockout rounds offered late goals, red cards, wonder strikes. In the end, and after some dramatic twists, the four favorites advanced.

Ice Hockey

NHL roundup for Wednesday
AP
The Washington Capitals beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3.

Basketball

NBA roundup for Wednesday
AP
The Detroit Pistons won 100-95 over the Miami Heat.

Football | Vantage Point

New York fetes Giants with first parade
By GEORGE VECSEY
Under gloomy skies New York gave the triumphant Giants the ticker tape parade the franchise was denied after its first two Super Bowl victories.

Soccer | World Cup 2010 Qualifying: Australia, Japan and South Korea open campaigns with big wins; Syria holds Iran to 0-0 draw; China draws 1-1 with Iraq

Soccer | Friendly Internationals: Capello's England beat Switzerland

Basketball: NBA roundup for Tuesday

College Basketball: The AP top 25 roundup for Tuesday

Ice Hockey: NHL roundup for Tuesday

Tennis | WTA Tour: French trio Razzano, Dechy, Cornet advance in Paris

Doping | Baseball: Clemens denies it all to U.S. Congress

Doping | Rowing: Two more Russian rowers banned

Motor Racing | NASCAR : Hendrick still the team to beat in 2008

Motor Racing | Champ Car World Series: Champ Car series readying for another season

Rugby Union | Six Nations: Injuries force changes for next matches

Atheltics : UK Athletics allows Dwain Chambers to run at World Indoor trials