Argentina guaranteed itself of at least fifth place in South America's World Cup qualifying, and the resultant intercontinental playoff, by drawing 1-1 at Ecuador on Tuesday.

In other games, Colombia, Uruguay and Chile all notched key wins as the fight to qualify for Brazil 2014 moved toward its climax.

Iran scored twice in each half Tuesday to beat Lebanon 4-0 at Tehran's Azadi Stadium and move into second place in its Asian World Cup qualifying group.

Bidding to reach the World Cup for a fourth time, Iran is one point behind South Korea in Group A and two ahead of Uzbekistan.

Lebanese referee Ali Sabbagh has been sentenced to six months in jail by a Singapore court after pleading guilty to influencing two linesmen to help fix an Asian Football Confederation match.

The sentencing Tuesday comes two months after the trio was charged with "corruptly receiving gratification in the form of free sexual service," arranged by Singaporean businessman Eric Ding Si Yang, in an attempted to fix the April 3 match in Singapore.

On the field, the Confederations Cup can give Brazil's national team a major boost in its quest to win a sixth World Cup title next year. Off the field, the eight-team tournament will offer the first hints about where the country stands in its preparations for the main event in 2014.

Brazil has won the last two Confederations Cup titles — in 2005 and 2009. And while expectations will be predictably high for this month's tournament, it won't be anywhere near the pressure the team will face in 12 months, when Brazil will try to avoid losing a second World Cup on home soil.

Roger Palmgren has quit as Namibia coach after receiving unspecified threats, the country's football association said on Monday.

"Palmgren tendered his resignation due to serious threats directed toward him and his family," a national football association statement said.

Rafael Nadal defied David Ferrer as well as a worrying security breach to become the first man to capture the same Grand Slam title eight times with victory in the French Open final.

Nadal claimed his 12th major with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win over his Spanish compatriot who was playing in his first Grand Slam final at the age of 31 and at the 42nd time of asking.

Rafael Nadal is happy to suffer if it allows him to become the first man to capture the same Grand Slam title eight times when he tackles Spanish compatriot David Ferrer in Sunday's French Open final.

Nadal, who won the Roland Garros crown in 2012 for the seventh time to pull clear of Bjorn Borg's six titles, goes into his 17th Grand Slam final seeking a 12th major overall.

The past is irrelevant for Maria Sharapova as she prepares to face up to the steamroller that is Serena Williams in Saturday's French Open final.

The 26-year-old Russian has the odds stacked against her despite being the defending champion, the second seed and boasting a 12-match unbeaten run at Roland Garros.

As Theo Buecker prepares an almost entirely new team for the last match of Lebanon's World Cup qualifying campaign, he struggles with memories of a former squad that had given him reason to believe that they'd all create history.

"If our boys had not sold the two matches against Qatar, we'd reach Brazil," Buecker said. "We'd go to the World Cup next year."

English Premier League clubs will enjoy a revenue boost of almost 25 percent next season thanks to a glut of lucrative new television deals, according to a report published on Thursday by financial analysts Deloitte.

A trio of television rights agreements estimated to be worth £5.5 billion ($8.5 billion, 6.5 billion euros) are due to kick in when the 2013-14 campaign gets under way, as the English top flight cashes in on its position as the world's most popular football championship.