U.S.-Haiti Match Could Be Emotional

The United States men’s team continues its preparation for World Cup qualifying in a friendly match tonight in Miami, but its opponent certainly figures to have more than soccer on its mind.

The U.S. plays Haiti at 5 p.m. PST and it should be an emotional match for Haitian players concerned about the political crisis in their country that led to the removal and departure of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Feb. 29.

“It’s a day-to-day situation in Haiti,” said Haiti’s Coach Fernando Clavijo, the former coach of Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution. “I don’t think anyone can guess right now in which direction it will go.

“The difficulties are pretty much well known by everyone. We try to separate ourselves from the politics with the sport. But it is extremely hard for us to do that, knowing that the families of the players are in danger. This is one of the biggest concerns we have every day.”

The Haitian team has relocated its training base to Miami and will remain there indefinitely. The country’s federation has stopped funding the team, which is being supported by local businesses in Florida.

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Champions Draw

English Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea were drawn to play each other in the quarterfinals of the European Champions League.

The teams are 1-2 in the Premier League standings, although Chelsea is tied for second with Manchester United, which was eliminated from the Champions League earlier this week by Portugal’s FC Porto.

“The good thing is that there will be an English team in the semifinals,” Arsenal Coach Arsene Wenger said. “But the negative thing is that it takes a bit of the charm away from a European Cup tie. You expect to play a team from another country.”

That’s exactly the way it worked out for the event’s other six teams.

In the other quarterfinal matchups, defending champion AC Milan of Italy will take on Deportivo La Coruna of Spain, Lyon of France will face FC Porto and AS Monaco will meet Real Madrid of Spain.

The first legs will be played March 23 and 24 with the return legs on April 6 and 7.

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Syria Tragedy

At least five people were killed and more than 100 injured when spectators stampeded during a riot in a soccer stadium in Syria, hospital officials and witnesses said.

The official Syrian news agency SANA said fights broke out involving fans of the teams Al-Jihad and Al-Fatwa shortly before their Syrian championship game was to begin in Qameshli, 450 miles from Damascus.

The “regrettable incidents” resulted in a number of casualties, SANA reported, without giving more details. The game was canceled.

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Charity Match

German club Bayern Munich has offered to play a charity game against Real Madrid to raise money for the survivors and relatives of the victims of Thursday’s Madrid train bombings.

The bombings came shortly after Real Madrid had beaten Bayern, 1-0, on Wednesday night to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Bayern left the Spanish capital soon after the bombings.

Spain’s worst terrorist attacks left nearly 200 people dead and more than 1,400 wounded.

“We were not aware of the incredible scale of the attacks until we arrived back in Munich,” Bayern Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.

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Quick Passes

Dutch international winger Arjen Robben is expected to be sidelined for more than a month because of a torn right hamstring, his club team PSV Eindhoven said.... Former French player and coach Henri Michel signed a two-year contract to coach Ivory Coast.... Another former French star and coach, Alan Giresse, signed a two-year contract to coach Georgia.

-- Compiled by Jim Barrero