Sporting Digest: Football

ASTON VILLA are to visit Japan to play a friendly against Yomiuri Verdy, members of the new J-League, in Tokyo on 19 July.

BERND SCHUSTER, Atletico Madrid's 33-year-old former West German international midfield player, is joining the Bundesliga club, Bayer Leverkusen, on a free transfer.

ITALY (v Switzerland, World Cup Group One, Berne, Saturday): Pagliuca; Mannini, (both Sampdoria), Maldini, Baresi (both Milan), Vierchowod (Sampdoria), D Baggio (Juventus), Albertini (Milan) or Zoratto (Parma), Fuser, Signori (both Lazio), R Baggio, Casiraghi (both Juventus).

WORLD CUP Asian zone first round Group C (Singapore): North Korea 2 (Pan Gwang-Chol pen 5, Ryu Song-Gun 60) Indonesia 1 (Darmawan 31); Singapore 1 (Rafi Ali 52) Vietnam 0. Group F (Dubai): Japan 1 (Hoirike 50) Thailand 0; United Arab Emirates 3 (Talyani 43, al- Balooshi 53, Ismail 89) Sri Lanka 0.