Mathis, Howard Make U.S. Team

Midfielder Clint Mathis and goalkeeper Tim Howard are back on the U.S. roster for World Cup qualifiers against El Salvador and Panama.

Mathis, a spark for the Americans during the 2002 World Cup, injured an ankle in June and didn’t play until last weekend for Hannover, his club in Germany.

Howard, who starts for Manchester United, has a slight injury and is questionable for the game, U.S. Coach Bruce Arena said Monday. Howard is joined on the roster by Tottenham Hotspur’s Kasey Keller, who started against Jamaica, and Jonny Walker of the MetroStars. Brad Friedel, who starts for Blackburn in England, is still not completely injury free, Arena said.

The U.S., which opened with a 1-1 tie at Jamaica on Aug. 18, faces El Salvador on Saturday at Foxboro, Mass., then plays at Panama on Sept. 8.

Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones, who helped set up the goal against Jamaica, also was picked by Arena.

Other Galaxy players called up to their national teams are Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala), Tyrone Marshall (Jamaica) and Alejandro Moreno (Venezuela).

Sanchez Talking

Hugo Sanchez, a former Real Madrid star and Mexican legend, said he would welcome the chance to one day coach his former Spanish league club.

“I’d love to be on the Real Madrid bench, but I’m also conscious that I have to wait for my moment and my opportunity,” said Sanchez, who coaches UNAM Pumas in the Mexican league. “When the team decides it needs a new coach, I’ll have my hand raised.”

Sanchez is in Madrid to lead Pumas against Real Madrid in an exhibition game tonight.

*

English Roundup

American defender Carlos Bocanegra, another player called up to the national team by Arena, scored his first goal of the season for Fulham in a 4-3 loss to Portsmouth in an English Premier League game.

With Fulham trailing, 4-2, Bocanegra scored in the 75th minute on a header.

Another American, defender Jonathan Spector, 18, started for Manchester United in a 0-0 tie against Everton. Spector nearly scored a goal early in the second half after a surging run that resulted in a shot that narrowly missed the post.

Off the field, Newcastle fired Coach Bobby Robson after an 0-2-2 start. Robson, 71, is a former England national team coach.

*

Quick Passes

FC Barcelona loaned Javier Saviola to Monaco for one season after the Argentine striker was granted Spanish citizenship. Saviola’s Spanish passport means he will not take one of the non-European Union spots that European teams are allotted.... Carlos Marchena and Ruben Baraja scored to lead defending Spanish league champion Valencia to a 2-1 victory over Villarreal in its season opener. Valencia also announced that defender Roberto Ayala, who helped lead Argentina to a gold medal at the Athens Olympics, would need surgery on his injured right knee and be sidelined up to two months.... Former German national team coach Rudi Voller is in talks with Italian club AS Roma, the team he once played for, to become its coach, German news reports said.

*

-- Compiled by Jim Barrero