Football Briefs

WORLD Cup hosts South Africa arrested a run of five matches without a win when they beat Malawi 3-0 in a friendly international at Germiston in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

An experimental side, made up of home-based players, provided relief for beleaguered coach Joel Santana in a match designed to allow the Brazilian further opportunity to side up local talent. Bernard Parker opened the scoring with a header from a corner in the 32nd minute and added a second 10 minutes from time.Substitute Daine Klate scored the third goal at the end of the game.* THE PSL disciplinary hearing involving Mamelodi Sundowns was postponed on Monday night at the request of The Brazilians.”I readily agreed to a date change to next Tuesday,” said PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu, “after the club informed us they were still in the process of compiling their evidence.”Sundowns have been charged with the failure to attend the press conference after the penalty shoot-out defeat against Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 Final in Durban, as well as returning to the field five minutes late after halftime.* RANGERS midfielder Brahim Hemdani has been included in Algeria’s squad for next week’s World Cup qualifier in Liberia, despite not playing for his club this season.The 30-year-old, who only won his first cap in May, is among a 24-man squad named by coach Rabah Saadane, the Algerian Football Federation said.* WERDER Bremen’s Brazil playmaker Diego, in Italy for the Champions League match with Inter Milan, has said playing in Serie A appeals to him.”I feel good at Bremen but in the future I would like to play here,” he told reporters.* EXPERIENCED midfielders Tim Cahill and Vince Grella were named Wednesday in a full-strength Australia squad for this month’s Asian World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Brisbane.Everton midfielder Cahill, currently serving a three-match English Premier League ban after being sent off against Liverpool last weekend, is back in the national squad after a seven-month absence with a foot injury.* JAVIER Mascherano believes Liverpool have never been better equipped to challenge for honours during his time at Anfield.The Argentina midfielder, 24, has established himself as a key man under Rafael Benitez since arriving from West Ham in February 2006.In that time, Liverpool may have reached a Champions League final but have never mounted a convincing challenge for a first Premier League title since 1990.Nampa-Reuters and AFPBernard Parker opened the scoring with a header from a corner in the 32nd minute and added a second 10 minutes from time.Substitute Daine Klate scored the third goal at the end of the game.* THE PSL disciplinary hearing involving Mamelodi Sundowns was postponed on Monday night at the request of The Brazilians.”I readily agreed to a date change to next Tuesday,” said PSL prosecutor Zola Majavu, “after the club informed us they were still in the process of compiling their evidence.”Sundowns have been charged with the failure to attend the press conference after the penalty shoot-out defeat against Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 Final in Durban, as well as returning to the field five minutes late after halftime.* RANGERS midfielder Brahim Hemdani has been included in Algeria’s squad for next week’s World Cup qualifier in Liberia, despite not playing for his club this season.The 30-year-old, who only won his first cap in May, is among a 24-man squad named by coach Rabah Saadane, the Algerian Football Federation said.* WERDER Bremen’s Brazil playmaker Diego, in Italy for the Champions League match with Inter Milan, has said playing in Serie A appeals to him.”I feel good at Bremen but in the future I would like to play here,” he told reporters.* EXPERIENCED midfielders Tim Cahill and Vince Grella were named Wednesday in a full-strength Australia squad for this month’s Asian World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Brisbane.Everton midfielder Cahill, currently serving a three-match English Premier League ban after being sent off against Liverpool last weekend, is back in the national squad after a seven-month absence with a foot injury.* JAVIER Mascherano believes Liverpool have never been better equipped to challenge for honours during his time at Anfield.The Argentina midfielder, 24, has established himself as a key man under Rafael Benitez since arriving from West Ham in February 2006.In that time, Liverpool may have reached a Champions League final but have never mounted a convincing challenge for a first Premier League title since 1990.Nampa-Reuters and AFP