U.S. Ties Canada in Algarve Cup

The U.S. women’s national team needed an 85th-minute goal from Aly Wagner to salvage a 1-1 tie with Canada in its Algarve Cup opener Friday in Olhao, Portugal.

Canada took the lead in the seventh minute when defender Randee Hermus scored during a scramble in front of the U.S. goal. Despite several quality chances by Mia Hamm, the Americans were unable to equalize until Hamm’s late corner was cleared out to Wagner just outside the penalty area, from where Wagner drove a 22-yard strike that beat Canadian goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc to the upper left corner.

The U.S. holds an all-time advantage of 24-4-2 against Canada, but the Canadians have steadily closed the competitive gap since the 1999 Women’s World Cup.

“The Canadians are a very physical team, great battlers,” Hamm told reporters after the game. “It’s difficult not to be intimidated by them.”

Hamm was unable to convert several scoring chances, one a short-range shot in the 54th minute that LeBlanc was able to push aside.

Wagner’s goal, the ninth of her international career, enabled the U.S. to keep pace with the rest of Group A, all tied with one point after Friday’s play. Olympic champion Norway, which plays the United States on Sunday, played to a 1-1 draw with Sweden. The U.S. will close group play against Sweden on Tuesday.

France leads Group B after its 3-0 victory over Denmark. China and Finland are next with one point apiece after their 0-0 tie.

In Group C, Portugal and Wales tied, 1-1, and Ireland and Greece tied, 0-0.

Diouf Fined

Liverpool striker El Hadji Diouf was fined two weeks’ pay by the club for his spitting incident during Liverpool’s 1-1 tie with Celtic in Thursday’s UEFA Cup quarterfinal match in Glasgow, Scotland.

About five minutes before the end of the match, Diouf was retrieving a ball near a group of Celtic supporters when one fan patted him on the head. Diouf responded by spitting into the crowd, prompting an angry reaction from two fans, who were arrested and later released.

Scottish police interviewed Diouf twice before Liverpool returned to England and are considering filing charges against Diouf for breaching the peace.

Although Diouf apologized, he was fined by Liverpool Coach Gerard Houllier, who called the player’s behavior “totally inappropriate.”

Houllier told reporters, “Whatever the provocation, he should not have responded the way he did. Liverpool Football Club does not condone this kind of action in any way and we will deal with this matter internally. It is not conduct we consider acceptable for a Liverpool player. We view the matter extremely seriously.... He is young and will have to learn.”

Scolari, Figo Feud

Portugal’s national team coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, and his star midfielder Luis Figo have clashed over Scolari’s decision to add a recently naturalized Brazilian-born player, Anderson Luis de Souza, a.k.a. “Deco,” to the squad.

“National anthems can be learned, but they are not felt,” Figo told the newspaper O Jogo. “If you are patriotic, you would only think to play for your nation’s team.”

Scolari, who coached Brazil to the 2002 World Cup championship, responded angrily to Figo’s comments, telling reporters in Portugal, “I’m the one in charge of picking the national team, not the players. I don’t give in to pressure from anyone.”

Brazilian legend Pele weighed in on the matter, telling radio TSF, “If Deco] is technically solid and has become a naturalized citizen because he loves Portugal, why shouldn’t he play?”

Deco, who plays for the Portuguese club FC Porto, has lived in Portugal since 1997. He stands to make his debut for Portugal in a March 29 friendly -- against Brazil.