Quarter-final investigation FIFA is investigating the role of Germany midfielder Torsten Frings plus Argentina defender Leandro Cufre and forward Maxi Rodriguez for their part in the fracas that followed Friday's World Cup quarter-final. Sanctions were also being considered against officials of both teams after the trouble that began immediately following Germany's 4-2 win on penalties at the Olympiastadion. FIFA officials and the referee were caught up in the chaos and punches and kicks appeared to be thrown in scenes lasting about 90 seconds in front of a crowd of 72,000. FIFA had said earlier on Sunday that it was taking no action against any Germany player but it is now investigating Frings. "Following new evidence coming to light, the disciplinary committee have opened a case against the German player Torsten Frings who they are considering played an active role in the incident at the end of the match," said FIFA spokesman Markus Siegler. Italy's Sky Sport Television has repeatedly shown images of the melee, with commentators saying the images showed Frings punching Argentina forward Julio Ricardo Cruz. But Frings protested his innocence. "I found myself in a crowd of people where everyone was hitting out wildly," he told German newspaper Kreiszeitung Syke. "I took two punches myself. I put out my hands to protect myself, that was all." FIFA said at its daily briefing earlier on Sunday that a case had been opened immediately against Cufre, a non-playing substitute who was red-carded by Slovak referee Lubos Michel for his part in the fracas. Photographs in German newspapers on Saturday showed Cufre kicking defender Per Mertesacker in the midriff. Siegler also confirmed that Rodriguez was cited "following his apparent attack on the German No 7 Bastian Schweinsteiger". He said the disciplinary committee was still studying video footage of the incident and collecting other evidence. "A further assessment is being made with regard to officials of both teams," he added. The match ended 1-1 after extra time leading to a shootout with the trouble appearing to start when Germany midfielder Tim Borowski gestured towards the Argentina players to "keep quiet" having scored the decisive penalty to make it 4- 2 to Germany. People aplenty POLICE and local authorities estimate that 20 million people in Germany have followed the football action of the past three weeks on some 200 giant outdoor screens, vastly exceeding the organisers' expectations. Hat-tricks AFTER 60 games and a total of 138 goals, the 2006 World Cup Germany was still waiting for its first hat-trick. If the tournament runs to its conclusion without a three- goal haul it will be the first time that this has happened in a World Cup. There were no less than seven hat tricks at Switzerland 1954 and five at France 1938. Four came at Mexico 1986 and also at Spain 1982. Portugal's Pauleta is the last hat-trick marksman with his trio in the 4-0 defeat of Poland in Jeonju on 10 June 2002. Ronaldo denies wrong-doing PORTUGAL winger Cristiano Ronaldo has denied asking Argentinean referee Horacio Elizondo to take action against Wayne Rooney during the World Cup quarter-final. Rooney was sent off after stamping on Ricardo Carvalho and then pushing his Manchester United team-mate Ronaldo, with England going on to lose on penalties. Ronaldo, who winked at the Portugal bench following the dismissal, then scored the penalty to clinch victory in the shoot-out and secure Portugal's first World Cup semi-final in 40 years. "I know that people will say that the referee sent off Rooney because I spoke to him," said Ronaldo. "I only said to the referee that it was a foul, only that. "I never asked for the red card. "But I know the English press will say that it was my fault that he was sent off. 'He is my team-mate and a player of international level. That is why I hope that his gesture wasn't so bad as it looked." Rooney awaits punishment by FIFA. On healing missions ENGLAND striker Michael Owen jet out to America on Monday for an operation on his injured knee while David Beckham will take six weeks off after suffering from Achilles' heel. The 26-year-old headed for Dr Richard Steadman's Colorado clinic, where he will undergo surgery to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament under the watchful eye of Newcastle's club doctor Roddy McDonald. He will spend up to a fortnight in the United States before returning home to start his rehabilitation. Owen said: "It's just coming up to a couple of weeks now since I did it, and at the minute it is just dead time really while I'm waiting to have the operation." Owen is facing months on the sidelines working his way back to fitness after damaging his right knee less than a minute into England's 2-2 World Cup draw with Sweden in Cologne on 20 June. He flew back from Germany after a scan revealed the rupture, and there were also fears his medial ligament had been affected. Newcastle's medics, in consultation with chairman Freddy Shepherd, quickly turned to Dr Steadman, the man who had previously saved the careers of both Alan Shearer and Craig Bellamy. With the Football Association's insurance policy covering only a proportion of Owen's �103,000-a-week wage packet, Shepherd is vigorously pursuing compensation. However, in the meantime, all �17 million record signing Owen can do is concentrate on his recovery after missing the last five months of last season with a fractured metatarsal. David Beckham faces a fight to be fit for the start of the season after being ruled out for six weeks. Beckham, who has stepped down as England captain, had scans on his injured knee and ankle on Sunday. The Real Madrid midfielder limped out of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against Portugal in the second-half. The scans showed a tear in his right Achilles tendon and a small "lesion" in the ligaments of his left knee. A spokesman for Beckham confirmed the England star will undergo a second scan on the injuries with the Real Madrid club doctors present. Beckham, 31, said: 'I twisted my knee in the first-half and then I went up for a header in the first five minutes of the second-half and the player landed on my Achilles.' He had planned to have three weeks' rest before returning to pre-season training with Real but the injuries could change his schedule. Six weeks means he would not be in action until 12 August, just four days before Steve McClaren's first match as England manager. Arrested for betting MALAYSIAN police have arrested 18 people and broke a major gambling syndicate allegedly taking illegal bets on World Cup matches near the capital of Kuala Lumpur. According to reports, the police raided a building near a pigsty in Selangor state Monday night and seized high tech equipment, including computers, digital recorders and mobile phones. Police estimate the bookies took in more than $8 million from on-line bets on the 30 matches played so far. The latest arrests followed a week-long investigation. Selangor police have raided a total of 22 illegal betting houses since the World Cup began, with 56 arrests so far. All forms of sports betting, except horse racing, are illegal in Malaysia, but bookies have continued to offer betting odds on-line. Illegal bookmakers face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $52,000 if convicted.
