Sports briefs

U.S. goalie must sit for El Savador match

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. — Goalkeeper Tim Howard will be a spectator Saturday night when the U.S. plays El Salvador in its second game of the regional World Cup qualifying finals.

Howard was suspended for one match after getting his second yellow card of qualifying during the 2-0 win against Mexico on Feb. 11 in Columbus, Ohio. Backup goalkeeper Brad Guzan will start in his place.

"The rules are the rules," Howard said after Thursday's final practice in Miami. "I always want to be playing. I think that goes without saying. I think everybody does. Will it be difficult? Well, I'll just be rooting for the guys and I'll be into the game, it will be intense and I'll be hoping for a good result."

Guzan is the backup to Aston Villa's Brad Friedel, the U.S. starter during the 2002 World Cup. Guzan has three shutouts in 11 international appearances. This will be the first time he has played in Central America.

Westhead named Ducks women's coach

EUGENE, Ore. — Paul Westhead, who has won titles in the NBA and WNBA, was hired as the women's head coach at Oregon on Thursday.

The 70-year-old Westhead replaces Bev Smith, who was let go last week after the Ducks went 9-21 last season.

Westhead most recently was an assistant for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder. He was dismissed along with head coach P.J. Carlesimo in November after the Thunder started the season 1-12. Westhead guided the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA title in 1980 and the Phoenix Mercury to the WNBA championship in 2007.

Smith, a former All-American as a player for the Ducks from 1978-82, was 123-121 in eight seasons as head coach at Oregon.

Astros' Boone has open heart surgery

HOUSTON — Astros third baseman Aaron Boone had open heart surgery in California on Thursday to replace a bicuspid aortic valve.

The 36-year-old Boone was diagnosed with a congenital defect in his heart where the valve has two — not the normal three — cusps to manage blood flow. The Astros signed Boone in the offseason. He announced his condition at spring training on March 18 and said he's uncertain if he'll ever play baseball again.

Boone has played for Cincinnati, the New York Yankees, Cleveland, Florida and Washington in his 12-year major league career. He is best known for his 11th-inning homer off Boston's Tim Wakefield in Game 7 of the 2003 AL championship series that sent the Yankees into the World Series.

Silver medalists win Worlds dance event

LOS ANGELES — Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto have won the original dance at the World Figure Skating Championships, moving them closer to the leaders from Russia.

Belbin and Agosto, in their first event since November, earned 65.16 points Thursday compared to 64.58 for Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin, who won the compulsory dance on Tuesday.

Belbin and Agosto were joined by fellow Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White in the top three of the original dance, requiring music from the 1920s, '30s and '40s.

—Associated Press