Palace saved at 11th hour

THE consortium attempting to buy Crystal Palace are confident they can proceed with their takeover after the Coca-Cola Championship club dramatically avoided closure.

The administrator in charge of the Eagles, who have debts of 30million, gave the CPFC 2010 group until 3pm yesterday to reach an agreement with Bank of Scotland over the purchase of the club's Selhurst Park before the liquidation process was due to begin. A deal was agreed in principle to haul the 105-year old club back from the brink.

RESULTS

International matches: Australia 1, Denmark 0; Netherlands L, Ghana L; Portugal L, Cameroon L; Switzerland L, Costa Rica L.

FIXTURES

International matches: Albania v Andorra (7.00); Azerbaijan v Honduras (5.30); Belarus v Sweden (6.30); Greece v Paraguay (5.30); Norway v Ukraine (6.00); Poland v Serbia (7.30); Romania v FYR Macedonia (6.00); Zimbabwe v Brazil (2.30).