Sporting briefs

Record: Former Mexico goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez will play in his 698th league match, a Mexican record, for Santos Laguna at home to Atlas in the Clausura championship today. The 40-year-old played at the 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Cup finals and won the CONCACAF Gold Cup with Mexico in 1996 and 2003. He began his career at Atlas in his home city of Guadalajara in 1993. Sanchez will break the record held by former Mexico striker Benjamin Galindo, who ended his career at Guadalajara in 2001.

Matuidi: Paris St Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi has signed a four-year contract extension with the French champions. The 26-year-old joined from St Etienne in 2011 and his deal was due to expire this summer, but it was widely anticipated that talks would result in him agreeing to stay on with the fast-progressing capital club.

Finney: The FA has confirmed there will be a minute’s applause before England’s friendly next week against Denmark in memory of Tom Finney. Sir Tom died on February 14, aged 91. He made more than 400 league appearances for Preston between 1946 and 1960 and won 76 England caps. Denmark will also honour Richard Moeller Nielsen, who coached the national team to victory at the Euro 1992, before Wednesday’s match. Moeller Nielsen died on February 13, aged 76.

Japan: Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni added Milan playmaker Keisuke Honda and Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa to his squad for next month’s World Cup warm-up match against New Zealand in Tokyo. Injuries to captain Makoto Hasebe and Schalke’s Atsuto Uchida prompted Zaccheroni to recall Jubilo Iwata defender Yuichi Komano and Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s Toshihiro Aoyama in the 23-member squad for the March 5 encounter.

Gfa Division One: Kerċem vs Xagħra 4-2; Victoria Hotspurs vs SK Victoria Wanderers 0-4.