51.   Now the Americans need a victory to clinch a spot in the final qualifying stage.

52.   Reading and Bolton have also clinched playoff spots, while Tranmere can take the final place with a draw in its final regular season game with Middlesbrough on Sunday.

53.   Sampras, Chang, Muster, Ivanisevic and Yevgeny Kafelnikov have already clinched spots.

54.   Scotland and Slovenia had clinched playoff spots.

55.   Sissi scored two goals, her fourth and five goals of the tournament, and Maravilha was strong in goal as Brazil clinched a spot in the quarterfinals.

56.   That clinched a spot in the semifinals for the Americans and relegated the Britons to a three-team playoff for the last qualifying spot.

57.   The exception was Niclas Fasth of Sweden, who virtually clinched a spot on his first Ryder Cup team by finishing second to David Duval.

58.   The league leaders need only to beat lowly placed South Sydney next week to clinch top spot.

59.   The Raptors were informed before the game that they had clinched a spot in the playoffs Tuesday night.

60.   The U.S. team would have clinched a spot in the next round by beating Costa Rica on Wednesday night, but played a scoreless tie.