WINNERS
Defender JAY DEMERIT, a 25-year-old Wisconsin product, helped second-tier Watford tie Premier League Fulham, 1-1, in the FA Cup and was named Man of the Match at Vicarage Road Stadium. Fulham's American defender Carlos Bocanegra received a yellow card for a foul on Paul Devlin while Brian McBride remained on the bench for Fulham.
BOBBY CONVEY's 90-minute appearance in a 1-1 FA Cup tie with Swansea marked the second time he's played a full game in 20 appearances for Reading and earned him praise from Coach Steve Coppell: "He [Bobby Convey] put in some great crosses … He can be well pleased with his contribution today."
Real Madrid's new coach, Brazilian VANDERLEI LUXEMBURGO is off to a good start. Two goals by RONALDO led Real to a 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid that, along with a 3-0 loss by Barcelona to Villarreal, puts Real seven points behind the leader. Luxemburgo's debut came Jan. 5 when Real scored a gamewinner against Real Sociedad when they played the final six minutes of a Dec. 12 game that was abandoned of a hoax bomb scare.
In an all-Ghana final, HEARTS OF OAK won the the inaugural African Confederation Cup on a penalty-kick tiebreaker over Asante Kotoko after tying 2-2 on aggregate. Hearts will face 2004 African Champions League winner Enyimba of Nigeria in the African Super Cup next month.
LOSERS
MANCHESTER UNITED's 0-0 tie with Exeter, a non-league club, prompted an apology from Man U. manager Sir Alex Ferguson: "Without doubt, that was the worst performance I have seen from my team in the FA Cup since I came here 18 years ago." Man U's American keeper Tim Howard made one crucial save and U.S. defender Jonathan Spector received average ratings from the British press.
Premier League club Newcastle 2-0 win ended the fairytale FA Cup run of YEADING in what was billed the biggest mismatch in the tournament's history because six divisions and 123 places separate the clubs. Newcastle's players earn up to $95,000 a week while Yeading's part-timers earn about $94 a game. The game was scoreless for the first 51 minutes.
After scoring in a 3-1 win over Roma, Lazio captain PAOLO DI CANIO gave a fascist-style straight-armed salute to the crowd. Because encouraging Fascism is a crime in Italy, Di Canio's celebration is under investigation.
A Greek First Division game on Sunday between OLYMPIAKOS PIRAEUS and PANIONIOS was postponed after 10 police officers were injured during a fan riot.