David Beckham gets big assist in AC Milan win

David Beckham set up two goals as AC Milan beat Lazio, 3-0, in Rome on Sunday to take over second place in the Italian league.

The result at the Stadio Olimpico left Milan with 44 points, six points behind leader and city rival Inter Milan, which tied, 1-1, with Torino.

Beckham completed his first full 90 minutes for Coach Carlo Ancelotti, created Milan’s first two goals and helped secure his place on Milan’s squad for the UEFA Cup.

Milan’s next UEFA Cup match is at Werder Bremen on Feb. 18, and Beckham, a Galaxy midfielder who is supposed to return to the team in March for the MLS season, will still be available for the second leg on Feb. 26.

“[Andrea] Pirlo is in great condition and with Beckham alongside him, it is a good balance. They are great players and help control the game,” Ancelotti said.

Beckham’s low cross in the 42nd minute found Pato unmarked in the Lazio box, and the young Brazilian fired in his 10th goal of the season.

The England midfielder sent in a trademark free kick just after halftime, and Massimo Ambrosini rose high to head one in for a 2-0 Milan lead.

Fernando Torres scored twice in the last two minutes to revive Liverpool’s English Premier League title hopes with a 2-0 victory over Chelsea, cutting Manchester United’s lead to two points.

Lionel Messi went on as a second-half substitute to score twice and lift Barcelona to a 2-1 victory over Racing Santander. Barcelona is 12 points ahead in the Spanish league title race.

HOCKEY

Kings’ Gauthier will have hearing

Kings defenseman Denis Gauthier will have a hearing today with NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell to determine whether supplementary discipline will be imposed for Gauthier’s elbow to the head of Montreal’s Josh Gorges during the second period of the Kings’ game at the Bell Centre on Saturday. Gauthier got a five-minute major penalty for charging and a misconduct penalty, but the league can also fine or suspend him if Campbell finds that additional punishment is warranted. The Kings’ next game is Tuesday at Ottawa.

-- Helene Elliott

WINTER SPORTS

Lindsey Vonn wins super-G race

Lindsey Vonn won her first super-G race in two years with a dominant performance on a demanding course at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, to extend her overall World Cup lead.

The win was a major boost two days before another Super-G kicks off the world championships in Val d’Isere, France.

Vonn, who earned her fifth win of the season, also tied Tamara McKinney’s American women’s record of 18 career World Cup victories.

Manfred Moelgg and Giorgio Rocca gave Italy a 1-2 finish in a men’s World Cup slalom at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Bode Miller of the United States, the defending overall World Cup champion, placed sixth in his second-best slalom finish of the season since being runner-up in the first race.

Olympic champion Shani Davis of the United States won a men’s speedskating 1,000-meter World Cup race at Erfurt, Germany, to close in on the title at the distance. Davis set a course record on the Erfurt oval by winning in 1 minute 8.40 seconds.

PASSINGS

Mayer, 73, helped power McLaren

Teddy Mayer, who helped build McLaren into a Formula One powerhouse, has died. He was 73. Mayer later moved into CART racing, joining the Penske team and, as vice chairman, oversaw the team’s successes in the 1990s.