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Kaka, Zidane to play for Haiti

LISBON, Portugal (AP):

Brazilian midfielder Kaka and retired soccer star Zinedine Zidane are to play in an exhibition game in Lisbon on January 25 to raise money for earthquake-hit Haiti. The Match Against Poverty is being organised by the United Nations Development Programme and Portuguese club Benfica, which will host the game at its Stadium of Light.

Benfica announced yesterday that Real Madrid's Kaka will line up with former Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved and Spain's Fernando Hierro against a team of Benfica All Stars, featuring current and former players including Rui Costa. Italian Pierluigi Collina will referee the game.

FINA retest

ROME (AP):

Swimming's governing body (FINA) plans to retest doping samples from last year's World Championships for evidence of blood doping. After a meeting in Bangkok, FINA said it would examine samples to check for the presence of 'plasticisers' - tiny particles of plastic left over from blood bags.

In September, FINA said that of the 391 tests taken at the July 15-August 2 Rome championships, none came back positive. A total of 162 samples were screened for the blood-boosting hormone EPO.

Donovan may extend loan

LIVERPOOL, England (AP):

Landon Donovan may stay at Everton if his 10-week loan from the Los Angeles Galaxy continues to be successful. The United States international has made a strong impression during his first two matches on the right wing for the Premier League club, but he is scheduled to head back to Major League Soccer for the opening game on March 27, and Donovan signed a new contract with the Galaxy through 2013.

Essien out

LUANDA, Angola (AP):

Ghana's hopes of reaching the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations were dealt a blow when Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien was ruled out for the rest of the tournament with a knee injury. Essien sustained the injury at training Sunday.

"He will not be able to play anymore in the tournament," Ghana spokesman Randy Abbey said Monday without giving more details.

Chelsea added on its website: "We will fully assess the injury on Michael's return to us later this week."

World Cup tickets

JOHANNESBURG (AP):

South Africa's World Cup organiser is urging FIFA to make it easier to buy tickets. Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the World Cup organising committee, said he is concerned that too few South Africans and other Africans are buying tickets to the June-July tournament. Some have blamed a ticketing regime that involves applying online or filling in application forms at branches of a South African bank.

Jordaan said the ticketing committee is changing the process and that he is "confident that FIFA will understand our position."

11 ejected

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP):

Eleven fans have been ejected from Melbourne Park for disruptive behaviour and smuggling flares onto the grounds on the first morning of the Australian Open, police said. In a separate incident, a group of Croatian supporters were denied entry to the grounds yesterday after setting off a flare.

Victoria police superintendent Jock Menzel said the 11 ejected people were standing on chairs and bothering other spectators during the match between Croatia's Ivo Karlovic and Czech Radek Stepanek.