SPORTS briefs

Fernando Alonso

SAN JOSE. Mexico dealt Costa Rica a damaging home defeat while Honduras and the United States won to shake up the standings in 2010 World Cup qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean. Mexico more than met the challenge of taking on Costa Rica on the artificial pitch at notoriously hostile Saprissa Stadium, winning 3-0 with goals from Giovanni Dos Santos, Guillermo Franco and Andres Guardado.

CANBERRA. British veteran Steve Peat overcame a second-place jinx to win the elite men's downhill event on the final day at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships at Stromlo Forest Park yesterday. Peat, 35, has four times been a runner-up in the time trial but on Sunday finally experienced the thrill of donning the rainbow jersey as world champion.

LONDON. Wayne Rooney found himself embroiled in a diving controversy after the England striker's tumble earned a controversial penalty in his side's 2-1 friendly victory over Slovenia. Just days after insisting he would never dive, Rooney was accused by Slovenia players of going to ground too easily following Bostjan Cesar's tug on his shirt in the first half at Wembley on Saturday. Cesar clearly pulled Rooney's shirt briefly, but the contact didn't seem strong enough to warrant the fall from the Manchester United star, who was also tugging on his opponent's jersey. Cesar clearly pulled Rooney's shirt briefly, but the contact didn't seem strong enough to warrant the fall from the Manchester United star.

PARIS.Former champions France's hopes of making the 2010 World Cup finals suffered another blow on Saturday when the 1998 winners were held to a 1-1 draw by Romania in their Group Seven qualifier. France, who travel to a must-win qualifier with group leaders Serbia, who they trail by four points on Wednesday, took the lead through veteran captain Thierry Henry early in the second-half only for Julien Escude to put through his own net a few minutes later.

OVIEDO. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso shrugged off allegations of Renault race-fixing on Saturday when he was welcomed by between 100,000 and 150,000 people in his hometown of Oviedo. The 28-year-old clocked speeds of over 260kmh as he tackled the 1.8km track in several cars, including last year's Renault F1 car, the R28. Alonso, the world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006, is widely tipped to move to Ferrari in 2010.