Mexico, Brazil Advance in Confederations Cup

Mexico and Brazil advanced to the semifinals of soccer’s Confederations Cup in Germany with ties Wednesday, the final day of group play.

Mexico’s 0-0 tie with Greece at Frankfurt clinched first place in Group B, setting up a semifinal against Argentina, the runner-up in Group A, Sunday at Hanover.

Brazil hung on for a 2-2 tie with Japan at Cologne, sending the five-time World Cup winner into a semifinal game against Group A winner Germany on Saturday at Nuremberg.

Mexico played without defenders Salvador Carmona and Aaron Galindo. Coach Ricardo Lavolpe, who suspended the players Tuesday, would say only that they had been sent home for disciplinary reasons.

Oguro Masashi’s 88th-minute goal allowed Japan to tie Brazil. Robinho gave Brazil a lead after 10 minutes, and Shunsuke Nakamura tied it in the 27th. Five minutes later, Ronaldinho put Brazil ahead, 2-1.

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Midfielder Lionel Messi led Argentina past South American rival Colombia, 2-1, and Juanfran’s two goals sparked Spain over Turkey, 3-0, in the World Youth Championship in the Netherlands.

Argentina and Spain will play in a quarterfinal match Saturday.

The Netherlands reached the quarterfinals by defeating Chile, 3-0, and will play Nigeria, which defeated Ukraine, 1-0.

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Manchester United was taken off the London Stock Exchange, ending a 14-year stint as a publicly traded company.... Goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni scored his 13th goal on a penalty kick to help Brazil’s Sao Paulo defeat Argentina’s River Plate, 2-0, in a Copa Libertadores first-leg semifinal at San Paulo, Brazil.

Diego Maradona was hired as a vice president of Boca Juniors, the first-division Argentine team where he started his career. Maradona’s role will include managing player transfers, the roster in general, traveling with the team abroad and providing a support role to the next coach, who has not yet been hired.... Pat Noonan scored twice to help the New England Revolution (8-1-4) to a 3-1 victory over the host Columbus Crew (4-8-1) in a Major League Soccer game.

Motor Racing

Driver Shane Hmiel, 25, suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on June 3 after failing a second substance abuse test, has been suspended through 2006 and faces an evaluation after next season before he’s allowed to return to racing.

Max Moxley, president of Formula One’s governing body, FIA, said Michelin should compensate people who bought tickets for the U.S. Grand Prix, in which 14 drivers pulled out at the last minute Sunday at Indianapolis because of concerns over the safety of tires.

FIA has accused the seven teams using Michelin tires of damaging the sport’s image by pulling out of the race. Only six cars -- using Bridgestone tires -- started the race.

Miscellany

Americans Misty May and Kerri Walsh remained undefeated in the Beach Volleyball World Championship at Berlin, beating compatriots Rachel Wacholder and Elaine Youngs, 21-15, 21-16, in the women’s third round.

St. Louis of the NHL re-signed Coach Mike Kitchen through the 2005-06 season.

Nicole Ohlde scored 10 of her 14 points in the second half, and Minnesota defeated Phoenix, 75-59, in a WNBA game at Minneapolis.... Betty Lennox scored 29 points, and host Seattle beat Connecticut, 95-86.

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero has been appointed to a position on the 10-person NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee, beginning Sept. 1. The committee selects the teams, forms the brackets and oversees administrative duties for the NCAA tournament.

Trisha Stafford-Odom has joined the UCLA women’s basketball staff, Coach Kathy Olivier said. Stafford-Odom played at California and in the WNBA. She was the girls’ coach at Westchester High the last three seasons.

Former UCLA softball stars Stacey Nuveman, Amanda Freed, Natasha Watley and Tairia Flowers will play for the U.S. national team this summer, with the highlight event being the inaugural World Cup on July 14-18 at Oklahoma City.

Other former local high school standouts on this team are Jennie Finch, Jaime Clark, Laura Berg, Lovie Jung, Caitlin Lowe, Jessica Mendoza and Jenny Topping.

Pepperdine women’s golf Coach Laurie Gibbs was selected as national coach of the year by Golfweek magazine.

High Schools

Brittany Daniels of Merrill West in Tracy, a three-time California triple-jump champion, was selected Gatorade’s national girls’ track and field athlete of the year.

David Klech, a hurdler and long jumper at California High in San Ramon, has been selected Gatorade’s state boys’ track and field athlete of the year.

Heather West from Davis High and Ryan King from Sacramento Christian Brothers have been selected the 2005 California Interscholastic Federation’s scholar-athletes of the year.