U.S. Gets Past El Salvador

Brian Ching helped put the United States in good position to advance to the regional finals of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup.

Ching scored five minutes in on the Americans’ first shot of the game, Landon Donovan scored a second-half goal and the United States beat El Salvador, 2-0, Saturday at Foxboro, Mass.

Bruce Arena, the winningest coach in U.S. national team history, got his 50th victory with the national team, and the Americans improved to 11-1-4 against El Salvador, which hasn’t advanced to soccer’s biggest event since 1982.

El Salvador played most of the game a man short after defender Denis Alas was ejected in the 26th minute for getting his second yellow card, assessed for wearing jewelry.

Golf

Vijay Singh shot an eight-under-par 63 to move to 11-under 131 and take the second-round lead in the Deutsche Bank Championship at Norton, Mass. With an eagle on the first hole sparking the best round of the tournament, he took the lead from Tiger Woods with back-to-back-birdies on Nos. 12-13.

Billy Haas (64) and John Rollins (66) were tied with Woods (68) at nine under. David Duval shot a 70, giving him an even-par 142, and he made the cut for the first time in 15 months.

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Cristie Kerr shot her second straight nine-under 63 to take a four-stroke lead into the final round of the State Farm Classic at Springfield, Ill. She is at 21-under 195, the best 54-hole score on the LPGA tour this season.

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Craig Stadler shot a nine-under 63 to take a one-stroke lead over Jay Haas after the second round of the inaugural First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. Stadler, who had two eagles, six birdies and a bogey, is at nine-under 135. Haas shot a 66.

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Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a five-under 66 to take the lead at the European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland. He is at 15-under 198. Ryder Cup teammates Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia are one stroke behind after three rounds. Donald shot a 65 and Garcia had a 68.

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Jason Gore made a 35-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Parker McLaughlin and win the Pechanga California State Open at PGA Golf Course in Murrieta. Gore, who shot a 70, and McLaughlin, who shot 67, finished tied at 274.

Pro Basketball

Diana Taurasi scored 18 points, had seven assists and six rebounds to help the Phoenix Mercury defeat the Seattle Storm, 63-55, in a WNBA game at Phoenix.... Swin Cash scored 17 points, Cheryl Ford had 10 points and 14 rebounds and the Detroit Shock overcame 17 turnovers to defeat the Charlotte Sting, 66-58, at Charlotte, N.C..... Natalie Williams scored 16 points to lead Indiana over the Washington Mystics, 69-42, at Indianapolis.... The Sacramento Monarchs handed the San Antonio Silver Stars their ninth consecutive loss, beating them, 80-70, at San Antonio.

Motor Racing

Chris Johnson of Claremont took over the lead in the West Coast Pro Trucks Series by earning his second win of the season in the 50-lap feature at Irwindale Speedway.

In the 25-lap Pick-Your-Part Figure 8 Series feature, Steve Stewart earned his third straight victory by holding off Earl Cox and Tony Curtis.

Miscellany

The Miami Dolphins have filed a grievance against Ricky Williams, asking an arbitrator to uphold their contractual right to recover $8.6 million paid to the retired running back between signing bonus and incentives, the Miami Herald reported on its website.

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Former welterweight champion Ricardo Mayorga, who was arrested in his native Nicaragua on Friday on suspicion of rape, said his scheduled Oct. 2 bout with Felix Trinidad in New York would go on as planned.

Passings

Moe Norman, the golf star whose amazingly accurate swing helped him win 13 Canadian Tour titles, died Saturday of heart failure in Kitchener, Canada. He was 75.