LA CORUNA, Spain, 6 May 2004 — Porto beat Deportivo Coruna 1-0 to reach the Champions League final on Tuesday, Brazilian striker Derlei Silva’s second-half penalty proving to be the only goal of the two-legged semifinal.

The Portuguese champions will play Monaco or Chelsea in the final in Gelsenkirchen, Germany on May 26. The French side take a 3-1 lead into the second leg of their semifinal the next day in London.

Derlei, returning to the team after four months out with a knee injury, kept his nerve on the hour to convert a spot-kick after the Spanish side’s defender Cesar fouled Deco Souza just inside the area. Deportivo defender Noureddine Naybet was sent off 20 minutes from time after receiving his second yellow card. The best chance of a dull first half fell to Deportivo midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron but he shot wide from eight meters with the goal gaping. Porto nearly scored at the start of the second when Derlei headed Deco’s curling cross against the far post.

The visitors did not have long to wait for their breakthrough, however.

Draw Keeps Arsenal on Course for Unbeaten Season

In London, Arsenal remained on course for a remarkable unbeaten Premier League season when they drew 1-1 at in-form Portsmouth on Tuesday.

The champions have two games remaining — away to Fulham and at home to relegated Leicester City — to achieve the milestone.

It has been achieved only once before, by Preston North End in the inaugural season of the Football League in 1888-89, but that was a campaign of just 22 matches.

Should Arsenal make it 38 — they lost one of 38 matches en route to the 1991 title — their next target will be Nottingham Forest’s 42-game unbeaten run over two seasons which began in 1977-78.

Norwich Lift Title, Sunderland in Playoffs

Norwich City lifted the English first division championship on Tuesday despite a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, who clinched a playoff spot, after second-placed West Bromwich Albion lost 4-1 away to Stoke City.

Norwich City, who lost courtesy of a Carl Robinson goal just before halftime, have 91 points while West Brom have 86 and will finish as runners-up with one game remaining.

Sunderland are in third place with 76 points and will take their place in the end-of-season playoffs with three other teams from the six who are still battling for the remaining spots.

West Brom fell behind on the stroke of halftime to a Darel Russell goal but Scott Dobie equalized five minutes after the break. Kris Commons put Stoke 2-1 up on the hour before adding his second in the 73rd minute to end West Brom’s title hopes.

South Africa Hope for Jobs, Unity From 2010 World Cup

In Johannesburg, South Africa, favorites to host the 2010 World Cup, hope the event will create jobs, boost the economy and unite a racially-divided nation, the bid organizer said yesterday.

“It would be a huge vehicle of unifying South Africa, because it would address a key issue — that is, job creation,” bid chief executive Danny Jordaan told foreign journalists in Johannesburg a day after FIFA published its technical report on the five countries hoping to host Africa’s first World Cup.

Jordaan said the bid would inject three 3 billion rand ($438 million) into the economy and create 156,000 jobs in one of the world’s most inequitable societies, where unemployment probably far exceeds the official rate of 30 percent. But he said the bid would use corporate boxes to subsidize cheaper tickets so everybody could afford to go to matches.

“This country belongs to all who are living here, both black and white, and that is (what our) success is based on,” Jordaan said.

The decision as to who will host the 2010 World Cup will be made by FIFA’s executive committee in Zurich on May 15. Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia are the other countries vying for the tournament.

Maradona Returns to Hospital Intensive Care

In Buenos Aires, Diego Maradona has returned to an intensive care ward less than a week after discharging himself following 12 days in hospital with heart and lung problems, clinic officials said yesterday.

Local media reported the 43-year-old Maradona was taken back to hospital with breathing problems and was on a drip with an oxygen mask.

However, local TN television quoted Maradona’s family doctor Alfredo Cahe as saying he had returned to hospital for a check-up. Officials at the Suizo-Argentina clinic, where he had previously been treated, said Maradona was in the intensive care ward but gave no further details.

Arabi Hold Ittihad Goalless Draw

Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia were held to a goalless draw by Al-Arabi of Kuwait in their Group D match of the Arab Champions League in Kuwait City on Tuesday night, writes Mahmoud Ahmad from Jeddah.

Al Ittihad had the best chance to take the lead in the 27th minute, but Mohammed Nour and Hamza Idris, who combined for a great move frittered away the chance with only Al Arabi goalkeeper Falah Dabasa to beat.

The Saudi team leads Group D with 10 points, ahead of Sepahan of Iran on goal difference. Al-Arabi are next with five points, followed by Neftchi with zero.

The group winner will be decided in separate home matches on May 18.