Sports

Briefs

Manager: Cop threw me out of cup final

By wire services
Published February 28, 2005

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CARDIFF, Wales - Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was ejected during England's League Cup final Sunday, saying police thought he was inciting Liverpool fans by gesturing that they remain silent.

Mourinho said the referee acted at the behest of police during his team's 3-2 overtime victory. He watched much of the game on TV after his ouster in the 79th minute.

Mourinho insisted his gesture - placing his finger to his lips - was aimed not at fans but at reporters who criticized his team.

"To me it's unusual to be sent off by a policeman," said Mourinho, who guided Portugal's FC Porto to the European Champions League title last year. "Not by a referee or a fourth official but by a policeman. ... If I made a mistake I apologize," he added.

Didier Drogba and Mateja Kezman scored in extra time for Chelsea after the teams tied at 1 in regulation.

UNCAF CUP: Costa Rica defeated Honduras 8-7 in penalty kicks after the teams tied at 1 in regulation in the final of the top cup competition for Central American teams.

RUNNING

Fastest 60 of season

Angela Daigle matched the fastest 60-meter time of the year in 7.09 seconds at the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships in Boston. Daigle easily beat her best of 7.24 and got a $25,000 bonus.

ELSEWHERE: Overcoming cold, rainy weather, Samson Loywapet won the Hong Kong Marathon in 2 hours, 15 minutes, 21 seconds. Dai Yanyan earned the women's title in 2:34:41, beating Feri Subnafen by almost 10 minutes. ... John Korir and Lornah Kiplagat defended their titles at the World's Best 10K in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

TENNIS

Aussie a champ at last

Unseeded Australian Wayne Arthurs became the oldest first-time winner since the ATP Tour was formed in 1990, beating third seed Mario Ancic 7-5, 6-3 at the Tennis Channel Open in Scottsdale, Ariz. Arthurs, 33, won in his 128th ATP Tour-level tournament.

DUBAI OPEN: Top-ranked Roger Federer won the event in the United Arab Emirates for the third straight time, defeating Ivan Ljubicic 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3. Federer extended his ATP record streak of finals wins to 16, including three this year.

MEXICAN OPEN: Rafael Nadal mixed blistering groundstrokes with a soft touch around the net to rout fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-1, 6-0 in 52 minutes to win the final late Saturday in Acapulco. In the women's final, top seed Flavia Pennetta overcame leg problems and humid conditions to outlast Ludmila Cervanova 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

HORSES

Owner leaps to top

Rebel's Mission won the fifth race at Tampa Bay Downs to give owner Richard Averill his ninth win of the meet from 12 starters, tying him for the lead in the Oldsmar track's owner standings with Michael F. Buccina and Silver Diamond Thoroughbreds.

ELSEWHERE: Miss Terrible held off Puxa Saco by half a length to win the $109,600 Las Flores Handicap for fillies and mares at Santa Anita. ... Boo's Boy , owned by former NBA player Sam Bowie , won the $77,000 Senior Trendsetter final at the Meadowlands. ... Amazing Buy led throughout to take the $79,950 Busher Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

ET CETERA

WINTER SPORTS: In the U.S. Short Track Speed Skating Championships, Apolo Ohno and Hyo Jung Kim each won two races to finish sweeps. Both won at 1,000 and 3,000 meters. ... Janica Kostelic captured the only women's World Cup skiing combined of the season, mastering the new course for next year's Olympics in San Sicario, Italy.

ARENA FOOTBALL: Clay Rush hit a 62-yard field goal, the second longest in league history, to help Colorado beat visiting Los Angeles 58-40. San Jose's Aaron Mills hit a 63-yarder in 1996. Colorado defensive specialist Rashad Floyd set a league record with 171/2 tackles; Kevin Cobb of Los Angeles had 17 in 2000.

[Last modified February 28, 2005, 01:04:17]

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