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Adieu Nigeria
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Swiss banking on ‘Alpine Messi’
USA plan to attack unbeaten Belgium
Navas is the man for Costa Rica
Short passes
Genie scorches into quarters
Asian Games bid: IOA seeks 15-day extension to the deadline
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Adieu Nigeria BRASILIA, June 30
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Robben says sorry for diving
The Mexico manager, Miguel Herrera, accused the Bayern Munich forward of cheating to win the penalty that knocked his side out and demanded that the Portuguese referee, Pedro Proenca, be sent home from the tournament. Speaking to Dutch television, Robben said: “The one at the end was a clear penalty but I have to admit there was an incident in the first half where I did dive. I must apologise. I should not be doing that.” With Robin van Persie off the field, it was expected that Robben himself would take the kick but he gave it to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, on the grounds that Robben had been the one fouled. Robben was perhaps remembering the 2012 European Cup final, where he had won a second-half penalty against Chelsea, took the kick himself and saw it saved by Petr Cech. Nevertheless, Van Gaal will back himself to win the quarter-final in Salvador, although when he spoke he did not know whether he would be facing Costa Rica or Greece. However, he admitted to using the water breaks to reorganise his team from a 3-5-2 into a 4-3-3. This is outside the spirit of the water breaks but demonstrates the kind of cunning in which Van Gaal specialises. “The players showed they have the belief to fight through to the end,” he said. “Let me tell you that the Dutch media thought we would never survive the first round and so how we are suddenly favourites to qualify for the semis is something I have difficulty imagining. But with the team spirit that brought us this victory I think we will be very difficult to beat.” Mexican coach lashes out at referee for penalty call
Mexico coach Miguel Herrera lashed out at referee Proenca for awarding the penalty. “The determining factor was the man with the whistle. He put us of the World Cup,” Herrera said. "At the very least they can look at this and this referee ought to be going home like us." Robben however insisted Proenca had been right to award the penalty, telling Dutch broadcaster NOS: "I was fouled." But Robben did admit to a dive in an unsuccessful attempt to win a penalty earlier in the first half. "I really have to say and at the same time apologise in the first half I took a dive and I really shouldn't do that," Robben said. "That was a stupid, stupid thing to do but sometimes you're expecting to be struck and then they pull their leg away at the last minute." Mexico have now lost in the second round in six consecutive World Cup appearances, and had been just minutes away from a first quarter-final since 1986. The match saw three-minute cooling breaks used for the first time in World Cup history as pitch-side temperatures hit 39 degrees C (102.2 Fahrenheit).
— Agencies |
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Swiss banking on ‘Alpine Messi’
Sao Paulo, June 30 Shaqiri is the same height as Lionel Messi and has a similarly low center of gravity and, while he has some way to go to match the feats of the prolific Argentina forward, the 22-year-old gives Switzerland a genuine threat up front. Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano said his team would be keeping a close eye on him. “The (Swiss) are an orderly team who like to play good football and have top players,” he said. “Shaqiri and (forward Haris) Seferovic are in good form and we’re going to have to be very careful.” Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld believes that by remaining organized his team could make their first quarterfinal appearance since they hosted the finals 60 years ago. The Swiss have never beaten Argentina, drawing two games and losing four. “We are the clear outsiders but we have nothing to lose and much to gain,” he said. “We can make history on Tuesday. In one game, anything is possible,” added the German coach, who will step down after the World Cup.
Benaglio said his side had the added motivation of winning for absent team mates Steve von Bergen, who was injured in the loss to France, and unused striker Mario Gavranovic, who tore his cruciate knee ligament in training on Saturday. AGUERO OUT
While Argentina’s defense will be hoping to shackle
Shaqiri, Switzerland’s back line has an arguably tougher task in shutting out an inspired
Messi. The 27-year-old, whose stuttering international career before this World Cup was the only blip in an otherwise stellar career, has set about putting that right with four goals in Brazil so far. He also scored his first international hat-trick the last time Argentina and Switzerland met, in a friendly in 2012. “We are preparing just as we do for any other game. However, it will be difficult to completely take Messi out of the game,” Benaglio said. “You can see so many videos of Messi where he does something surprising at a decisive moment.” Argentina have relied heavily on their number 10’s talents. Far from waltzing through the groups stages, none of their wins was comfortable. “Everyone said we were going to win by big scores in the group stage and it’s clear that it was not the case,” said midfielder Maxi Rodriguez. “Our mentality is always the same, in a World Cup you have to concentrate 100 percent, if not then anyone can beat you.”
— Reuters |
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USA plan to attack unbeaten Belgium
The Belgians came through the group stage with three wins but failed to hit the heights expected of their exciting, star-studded squad with somewhat lukewarm performances and late shows. However with talents likes Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, there is time for that to change and the Europeans will be a stiff test for a US side. The American’s mix of organisation and physical fitness has been improved by coach Juergen Klinsmann’s focus on quick passing moves that have sharpened their attacking edge, and it is that high energy mantra that could unsettle Belgium. — Reuters |
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Navas is the man for Costa Rica
RECIFE, June 30 Ahead after Bryan Ruiz’s strike early in the second half the Central Americans were on the floor after Sokratis Papastathopoulos popped up at the death to force extra time, but Costa Rica prevailed 5-3 on penalties after nervelessly converting all five spot-kicks and will now face the Netherlands on Saturday for a place in the semifinals.
Having gone behind to an excellent Bryan Ruiz goal in the 53rd minute, the Europeans did not look like scoring against the 10-man Central Americans until Papastathopoulos pounced on a rebound from the Levante keeper to grab Greece the most unlikely of equalisers.
The loss of defender Oscar Duarte for the final 25 minutes following a second yellow card did not aid their cause but Jorge Luis Pinto, reduced his back line from five to four and kept his four-man midfield in support of frontman Joel Campbell as they sought not to fall back too deep as Greece, also looking to make history, desperately sought the goal that would force extra-time. As was the case throughout the game, the Europeans’ favoured route to goal was via dead balls, but when captain Georgios Karagounis uncharacteristically blasted a 25-yard free-kick well over the bar you got the sense the 2004 European Champions would be going home. The midfielder then forced his way into the area with four minutes to go but Costa Rican keeper Keylor Navas, immense throughout, smothered his low cross. Costa Rica had reverted to the XI that started in the wins over Uruguay, Italy. — Agencies
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Suarez apologises for biting Giorgio Chiellini: Luis Suárez has finally admitted he bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini and apologised for the conduct that led to his banishment from the World Cup. In a statement released via his Twitter page, Suárez said: “After several days being home with my family. I have had the opportunity to regain my calm and reflect on the reality of what occurred on during the Italy-Uruguay match... the truth is my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bite in the collision he suffered with me. For this I deeply regret what occurred, apologise to Chiellini and the entire football family and I vow to the public there will never be another incident like it.” Fifa a bunch of old b******s: Uruguay prez:
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London, June 30 Former world No.1 Caroline Wozniacki became the third Wimbledon seed to fall at the hands of the Czech Republic’s Barbora Zahlova Strycova, dumped out of the fourth round 6-2 7-5. World No. 43 Zahlova Strycova had sent second seed Li Na packing in the previous round. Big serving from last year’s runner-up Sabine Lisicki propelled the German into the fourth round, claiming a stop-go 6-4 3-6 6-1 victory over 11th seed Ana Ivanovic. Lisicki, seeded 19, had the first set in the bag when the match was called off after much discussion between players and officals about the gathering gloom on Saturday evening. Former world No.1 Ivanovic came out fighting as the match resumed on a chilly Monday morning. But the duo were again forced off court for more than an hour by a shower, with Ivanovic leading 5-2 in the second. The Serb kept her concentration to wrap up the set, but the ever-smiling Lisicki calmed her nerves and found range and power on her returns to break Ivanovic’s serve twice and win the match with a seventh booming ace. Lisicki meets Kasakhastan’s Yaroslava Shvedova, who came through after Madison Keys was forced to withdraw because of injury. The 19-year-old injured her left thigh shortly before play was suspended because of bad light on Saturday, with Shvedova leading 7-6 6-6. Wawrinka eases through
Fifth seed Stanislas Wawrinka needed only 87 minutes to breeze through his delayed third round match against Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin. He won 6-3 6-3 6-4, setting up a clash against Spain's Feliciano Lopez, who outgunned John Isner 6-7(8) 7-6(6) 7-6(3) 7-5 in a match dominated by big serves. The players hit a combined 86 aces. — Reuters |
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Asian Games bid: IOA seeks 15-day extension to the deadline
New Delhi, June 30 The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is racing against time to make the bid for the Games, but the Sports ministry is yet to make up its mind on the matter and has sought clarification from the IOA on a number of issues. The two-hour long meeting between the IOA and the Sports ministry officials ended in a stalemate on Monday, forcing the former to seek a 15-day extension to the bid-submitting deadline from the from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The IOA has also decided to approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter and expedite the whole process. Today’s development has put the country’s bid for Asian Games in jeopardy as the ball is now in the OCA’s court. Even if the OCA extends the deadline, it would not make things entirely smooth for the IOA as it would still need clearances from Finance ministry, Home ministry, Planning commission and the Delhi government, and finally the nod from the Cabinet. “The Sports ministry has neither said yes nor no. It’s still playing the waiting game. It has sought clarification on various issues including the venue for athletes’ village, two new indoor stadiums and the city to host water sports,” IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta told The Tribune. |
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London, June 30
Paul Pogba put France ahead in the 79th minute, heading in at the far post after Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama flapped at Mathieu Valbuena’s corner following a sustained spell of French pressure. The win was sealed when Joseph Yobo turned a low cross into his own goal in stoppage time and France will play Germany or Algeria in the last eight.@@It was a controversial victory, however, as the game had swung France’s way after Nigeria’s influential midfielder Ogenyi Onazi was injured by a late tackle from Blaise Matuidi, who was lucky to escape with only a yellow card.@@Nigeria had been defending increasingly desperately in the run-up to Pogba’s goal.@@France were centimeters from going ahead when Karim Benzema poked the ball past Enyeama, who managed to partly block his shot and Victor Moses hooked the ball off the line.@@Nigeria escaped again when John Obi Mikel cleared Benzema’s shot off the line, then Yohan Cabaye struck the underside of the crossbar with a thunderous long-range strike. Enyeama then tipped Benzema’s close-range header over the bar, leading to the corner from which France scored their first
goal.
The first half had been much more even. Nigeria made a bright start and thought they had gone ahead when Emmanuel Emenike turned in Ahmed Musa’s low cross at the near post but the effort was ruled offside in an extremely close call.@@Pogba was denied when he met Valbuena’s low cross from the right with a flying volley, only to be brilliantly denied by Enyeama who parried the ball away with a tremendous reflex save. Nigeria produced some neat moves in midfield interspersed with basic unforced errors and Mikel was lucky to escape when he sliced Patrice Evra’s low cross towards his own goal and was relieved to see the ball land in Enyeama’s hands. @@Nigeria should have gone ahead just before halftime when France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris parried Emenike’s fierce shot back into his area but Moses handled as he attempted to control the rebound.@@Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi was left cursing his team's bad luck. "I think it was a good game, I think we had a very good game but we were just unlucky to have lost at the end," said Keshi.
— Reuters
Fortaleza, June 30
Switzerland are hoping the large Brazilian contingent expected in the crowd at the Corinthians arena in Sao Paulo will be backing them against the hosts’ arch-rivals Argentina. “I think we will definitely have the support of the Brazilian fans in the stadium,” goalkeeper Diego Benaglio said. “You can feel the rivalry between Brazil and Argentina
here.”
Salvador, June 30
But Greece had earlier showed us their knockout pedigree again. Looking down and out with no time on the clock they finally found a way past Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas to force extra-time.
And they very nearly won it in injury time when a header from Fulham’s Konstantinos Mitroglou forced yet another wonderful save from Navas. In their whole, lengthy qualifying campaign Costa Rica never lost any of the 16 matches in which they scored, so, for them, breaking down the stubborn Greek defence carried possibly even more significance.
