Real Madrid

Who: Real Madrid vs. Celtic What: World Football Challenge Where: Lincoln Financial Field When: Saturday, 1:30 p.m. (kickoff approx. 1:55 p.m.) TV: ESPN2 Tickets/parking: Log onto www.ticketmaster.com; parking is $20 on stadium grounds. Commuter info: SEPTA will run its Sports Express subway trains all day, with the Phillies hosting the Cardinals at 7:05. For kicks: Real Madrid has been on another scoring tear in its annual tour of the United States, coming off a 5-1 rout of Italian giants AC Milan at Yankee Stadium Wednesday night.

So this is what one of the world's best soccer teams looks like. Real Madrid came to Philadelphia demonstrating the pace, the touch, the teamwork and, more important, the skill that has made it such an international soccer power. Despite Real Madrid's abundance of talent, the Union hung in there admirably before losing a 2-1 decision Saturday night in the World Football Challenge before 57,305 at Lincoln Financial Field. Real Madrid dominated the first half, while the Union had the better of the second half, especially the last 20 minutes.

Yaya Toure scored in the 52d minute as Manchester City ended Manchester United's chances of winning three trophies in the same season, beating its local rival, 1-0, at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday to reach its first FA Cup final in 30 years. The result left United, the Premier League leaders, still in contention for the domestic championship and Champions League. Toure scored after intercepting a poor clearance by United's Michael Carrick. United was reduced to 10 men in the 72d minute when Paul Scholes drew a red card for a dangerous lunge.

All signs are pointing toward the Union's playing host to international soccer power Real Madrid this summer. A formal announcement could come later this week, but a soccer source indicated that the two are expected to meet July 23 at Lincoln Financial Field. The two sides were reportedly tying up some final details. Union officials were unavailable for comment. If the game happens, it would be the second consecutive year that the Union hosted an international soccer power.

THERE ARE FEW TIMES when one can say a loss speaks volumes in favor of the loser. But it can be said emphatically in the case of the Union. In front of a raucous crowd of 57,305 at Lincoln Financial Field Saturday night, the litmus test that was a 2-1 loss to Spanish power Real Madrid proved the Union can hang with the world's best - even if it took a little time to get up to speed. "It was definitely a challenge, but I think we responded well," said Union manager Peter Nowak.

SHOTS ON GOAL Upcoming game What: World Football Challenge Who: Real Madrid vs. Union When: Tomorrow, 9 o'clock Where: Lincoln Financial Field TV: ESPN Deportes On the web: ESPN3.com For kicks: SEPTA will run its Sports Express on the Broad Street Line until 12:30 a.m. . . . The quintessential litmus test arrives in the Spanish Cup champion, which is led by world-class striker Cristiano Ronaldo....

Even after more than a century of achievement, one fact succinctly summarizes Real Madrid's status in soccer. Ten of its players, the most from any club, competed for three nations in last month's semifinals of the European championships. Five of them helped Spain defend its title. Those players - including Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, Spain's Iker Casillas, and Germany's Mesut Ozil - will face Scottish champion Glasgow Celtic at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday night. The exhibition is the end of a four-game tour of the United States.

Listen to Eagles chief operating officer Don Smolenski explain the inner workings of a deal that returns Real Madrid to Philadelphia, and it sounds like love at first sight. From the time Real walked off with a 2-1 win over the Union in July at Lincoln Financial Field, Smolenski wanted the Spanish League champions back - as soon as possible. After nearly a year of exhaustive phone conversations, conference calls, and meetings via Skype, Smolenski finally got his wish. The Eagles will announce Tuesday that Real Madrid returns to take on Scottish Premier League champion Celtic on Aug. 11 as part of the World Football Challenge.

MADRID - He has a contract with one of football's biggest clubs and the same long, floppy hair and nickname Leo of his idol, Lionel Messi. It may take a while, however, before Leonel Angel Coira can match the wondrous Messi: He is 7 years old. Real Madrid said yesterday it signed the Argentine prodigy to its youth academy after seeing him in tryouts. He will start training with Madrid's youth team Sept 6. Coira hopes to follow the path set by Messi, a countryman who joined Barcelona from the Argentine club Newell's Old Boys as a teenager and has gone on to win the World Player of the Year award two times.

At first, the Union looked overwhelmed; then they slowly settled in; and, finally, they took on the personality that has defined them in their year-and-a-half existence in Major League Soccer. On Saturday night before 57,305 soccer enthusiasts at Lincoln Financial Field, the Union dug in against one of the world's best teams, fought, scrapped, and probably never acquitted themselves better in a losing effort. Real Madrid held on for a 2-1 win, and even though it was only a friendly, the Union made up for a slow start with a blazing finish that had one of the world's best teams back on its heels.

The Week in Soccer   Sporting Kansas City at Los Angeles Galaxy 10:30 p.m. Saturday (NBC Sports Network) Two Major League Soccer powerhouses meet, with the spotlight on American stars Graham Zusi (Sporting) and Landon Donovan (Galaxy).   Chelsea at Liverpool 11 a.m. Sunday (Fox Soccer Channel) The Anfield fans would like nothing more than a win over Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez, who used to coach Liverpool.   Portland Timbers at San Jose Earthquakes 11 p.m. Sunday (UniMás)

MANCHESTER, England - Cristiano Ronaldo sent Real Madrid into the Champions League quarterfinals at the expense of his former club Manchester United by hitting his 40th goal of the season to clinch a 2-1 victory on Tuesday. The forward completed Real's comeback in the 69th minute to secure a 3-2 aggregate-goals win after the Spanish champions took advantage of United being reduced to 10 men on a controversial red card. Ronaldo opted not to celebrate the goal that clinched the win. "I am happy inside because Madrid got through," he said.

The Houston Dynamo, runners-up in the MLS Cup in 2012, started 2013 in a winning way on Saturday by beating visiting D.C. United, 2-0. The Dynamo benefited from an own goal by United defender James Riley in the 80th minute and a late goal from midfielder Ricardo Clark. Elsewhere: A Gershon Koffie goal gave the host Vancouver Whitecaps a 1-0 victory over Toronto FC, and spoiled Ryan Nelsen's debut as a Major League Soccer coach. . . . FC Dallas made Jackson Henrique's goal in the 11th minute stand up for a 1-0 home win over the Colorado Rapids.

Serena Williams beat 2011 French Open champion Li Na of China, 7-6 (1), 6-3, Wednesday for her second round-robin win in the WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, for the top eight players in the world. Defending champion Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic withdrew because of a virus. Samantha Stosur of Australia will replace her. Roger Federer edged Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-5, to reach the quarterfinals of his hometown Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel.

A month after his groundbreaking Olympic debut, South Africa's Oscar Pistorius was reeling from a stunning upset Sunday in the London Paralympics. Pistorius had never been beaten over 200 meters until Brazilian sprinter Alan Oliveira finished in 21.45 seconds to beat the Paralympics icon by 0.07 seconds. Pistorius, who won a legal battle to wear carbon-fiber blades in competing with able-bodied rivals, later suggested that Oliveira ran with longer prosthetics than should be allowed. "He's never run a 21-second race, and I don't think he's a 21-second athlete," Pistorius said.

Dennis Barth resigned as Gloucester Catholic High baseball coach to become the head coach at Rutgers-Camden. Barth, who went 485-94-1 and won nine state titles in 19 seasons, will be replaced at Gloucester Catholic by former West Deptford coach Mike Rucci . "Rutgers-Camden has a good facility, an A-plus facility, and offers a good education," said Barth, whose team will play at Campbell's Field, home of the Riversharks of the Atlantic League. Barth is coming off another successful season with the Brooklawn Senior American Legion team, which reached the championship game of the American Legion World Series.

Sunderland at Arsenal Saturday at 9:50 a.m. (ESPN; ESPN3.com) Whether you think it's the world's best league or not, there's no denying that the English Premier League is the most glamorous. The new season kicks off this weekend. After spending the summer fraying Arsenal fans' nerves, Robin van Persie has left for Manchester United (barring any problems with his medical tests). Once the deal is signed and sealed, last season's league-leading goal-scorer could make his United debut in their season opener against Everton on Monday (2:55 p.m., ESPN2)

It may have only been the preseason for Real Madrid, but one of the world's top soccer powers showed it meant business during an exhibition tour in the U.S. The four-game tour, part of the World Football Challenge, concluded with Real Madrid's 2-0 win over reining Scottish champion Celtic, on a humid Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field. Thus Real Madrid appears ready to begin defense of its Spanish La Liga title. League play begins for Real Madrid on Aug. 19. Despite the usual festive attitude of an international competition of this variety, a somber scene occurred in the 72d minute when Dylan McGeough of Celtic was knocked out while going for a head ball.