Sports Diggest

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Australia through with scrappy Thailand win BANGKOK, Nov 15: Australia reached the final stage of Asia's 2014 World Cup qualifying with a 1-0 win in Bangkok on Tuesday but they were made to work for their victory by a gutsy Thailand. A second-half goal from Brett Holman was enough to give the Socceroos three points from a scrappy performance and take them through with 12 points from five games. Australia were keen to reassert themselves after losing their 100 percent win record in Friday's shock 1-0 defeat to Oman. - AFP Italy football team meets president Napolitano ROME, NOV 15: The Italian football team met with President Giorgio Napolitano Tuesday as part of the celebrations to mark 150 years of Italian unification. Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon presented his teammates and coach Cesare Prandelli to Napolitano at the President's palace. "We are a population and a nation that is still young and sometimes that makes us slip up," Buffon said. - AP Capello pours cold water on Beckham return WATFORD, England, Nov 15: David Beckham's hopes of forcing his way into England's squad for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine have been all but quashed by manager Fabio Capello. Beckham, who has been in outstanding form for his US club side LA Galaxy after guiding them to the MLS Cup Final this season, has never given up hope of adding to the 115 caps he has won so far for his country. - AFP