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Star Track
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Lippi’s list of 23 ready
Super Stosur knocks Serena out
Confident India seek revenge
Women wrestlers in fitness fight
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Argentina Best performance: Winners in 1978 and 1986. Most appearances at finals: Diego Maradona (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994) - 21. Most goals at finals: Gabriel Batistuta (1994, 1998, 2002) - 9. World Cup high: Diego Maradona scoring a thrilling solo goal against England in the quarter-finals at the Mexico 86 World Cup. World Cup low: Losing 6-1 against Czechoslovakia in Sweden 58. Qualification: The road to South Africa was filled with pitfalls for the two-time champions. Argentina only qualified following the very last game of the tournament, after defeating Uruguay 1-0 in Montevideo, where they had not won since 1976. After their defeat against Chile in the tenth game, coach Alfio Basile quit and Diego Maradona took over. Under his watch, the team failed to meet expectations and they were pummelled 6-1 by Bolivia in La Paz. However, history weighed heavier in the last two games, and victories against Peru and Uruguay were enough to reach the World Cup. Many people in Argentina dream about repeating the epic 1986 campaign in which the team made it to the World Cup after a turbulent qualifying campaign and went on to become world champions. Most appearances: Messi (18). Top goalscorers: Sergio Agüero, Lionel Messi, JR Riquelme (4). Greece Best performance: Reaching the group stage in 1994. Most appearances at finals: I Kalitzakis (1994), S Kofidis (1994), N Nioplias (1994), N Machlas (1994) - 3. Most goals at finals: Greece have yet to score a World Cup goal. World Cup high: Beating Ukraine away in their play-off second leg to seal their place at the 2010 World Cup. World Cup low: Failing to score a single goal during their solitary appearance at the finals in 1994. Qualification: Despite the exploits of star striker Theofanis Gekas, the top scorer in UEFA qualifying with 10 goals, Greece made hard work of a modest World Cup 2010 qualification group that included Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia and Luxembourg. After losing home and away to group winners Switzerland, the Greeks were consigned to a play-off with Group Six runners-up Ukraine. Manager Otto Rehhagel stuck to the negative tactics that won Euro 2004 and, following a 0-0 draw in Athens, it looked like the Greeks were going out. But Salpigidis scored and that was enough to send Greece to their second World Cup finals. Most appearances: Theofanis Gekas and Sotirios Kyrgiakos (11). Top goalscorer: Theofanis Gekas (10). South Korea Best performance: Fourth in 2002. Most appearances at finals: Hong Myung-Bo (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) - 16. Most goals at finals: Ahn Jung-Hwan (2002, 2006) - 3. World Cup high: Ahn Jung-Hwan's golden goal against Italy in the last 16 in 2002. Qualification: South Korea qualified comfortably through the tougher of two final groups in the Asian zone. Most appearances: Lee Chung-Yong, Lee Keun-Ho, Kim Dong-Jin, Ki Sung-Yeung, Park Ji-Sung (7). Top goalscorer: LK Ho, Nigeria Best performance: Second round in 1994 and 1998. Most apearances at finals: Jay-Jay Okocha (1994, 1998, 2002) - 10. Most goals at finals: Emmanuel Amuneke (1994), Daniel Amokachi (1994) - 2. World Cup high: Beating Spain 3-2 at the 1998 finals. World Cup low: Being destroyed 4-1 by Denmark in the second round of the 1998 finals. After the impressive result against Spain, the 'Super Eagles' were taught a cruel lesson in the first knockout round by the 1992 European Championship winners, with a Tijani Babangida goal the only consolation. Qualification: In the final qualifying round, Nigeria remained unbeaten, but draws against rivals Tunisia - home and away - and Mozambique looked to have ended their World Cup 2010 dreams. However, a dramatic 93rd-minute winner from Victor Obinna in their penultimate game against Mozambique kept their slim hopes alive and, when group leaders Tunisia suffered a shock loss to Mozambique in the final match, Nigeria came from behind to beat Kenya 3-2 in Nairobi to qualify against the odds. Most appearances: Ikechukwu Uche, Peter Odemwingie, Vincent Enyeama (10). Top goalscorer: Ikechukwu Uche (4). |
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Undoubtedly one of the best centre forwards in the world today, Didier Drogba still manages to polarise opinion with his theatrical and temperamental style of play taking the shine off the powerful striker's incredible talent. Drogba moved from his native Ivory Coast to France in 1988, living with his uncle in order to pursue a career in football. He started his career at Dunkirk before moving to Abbeville, Levallois and Le Mans.
Strengths: There are few players in the world as strong. Weaknesses: Temperament, propensity to dive and over-exaggerate tackles. Style: Robust, bustling centre forward who harasses his markers. Quotes: "If he is feeling a good sensation about the game, if he is confident, he is impossible to play against. I used to play with Marco van Basten. He always thought he would score, and he was usually right. Drogba can be like that." Carlo Ancelotti. Trivia: Drogba began his professional career playing at right back for French side Dunkirk.
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Rome, June 2
Rooney could turn out like Gazza, says Lampard
London: Live wire England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney could well emulate former football star Paul Gascoigne alias Gazza at the World Cup, believes Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard. At Italia 90, Gascoigne famously drove Sir Bobby Robson to distraction with his energy. His escapades included unscheduled trips to the beach to do card tricks for the locals with Chris Waddle, and a marathon tennis match with American tourists in the blazing sun just hours before a game. Gallas out of training
SAINT-PIERRE: Centre back William Gallas pulled out of training at France's World Cup camp on Wednesday because of a stomach ache, a team spokesman said. Gallas had been a doubtful starter for the June 11-July 11 finals in South Africa because a calf muscle injury but took part in France's first two warm-up games, against Costa Rica last week and Tunisia on Sunday. The defender pulled out of jogging on a beach at France's base on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion and would not take part in a training session scheduled for later on Wednesday, the spokesman said. Brazil joy for Zimbabwe
HARARE: Brazil's Samba Boys brought joy to long-suffering Zimbabwe on Wednesday, prompting euphoria on the streets as they arrived to play a World Cup warm-up match. Zimbabwe has been tormented by a decade of economic collapse, political crisis and violence and good news has been rare. Until this week its dream of some benefit - especially tourist revenue - from the World Cup in neighbouring South Africa had been dashed. Then Brazil, one of the favourites to win the biggest trophy in football, agreed to come to Harare. |
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Super Stosur knocks Serena out
Paris, June 2
Jankovic in semifinals
Jelena Jankovic reached the French Open semi-finals for the third time in her career on Wednesday with a 7-5, 6-4 defeat of Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova. The fourth seed was given a tough time by the world number 36 but enjoyed some unlikely assistance from her opponent near the end of the one hour 31 minute contest. Shvedova, who wore sunglasses, completely missed an easy smash to hand Jankovic a break of serve and level the second set at 4-4 and then served a double fault on match point down. — Reuters |
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Harare, June 2 For India, their batting has been the biggest strength so far as they posted 285 in the first match and chased down 242 with consummate ease in the second tie with 6.3 overs to spare. Batting mainstay Rohit Sharma has been in the form of his life as he slammed consecutive centuries to anchor the Indian innings in both the matches. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and vice-captain Virat Kohli have also sizzled with the bat. The team, however, has not been served well by its openers. Both Dinesh Karthik and Murali Vijay could not give starts that India is so used to when Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir open the innings. Raina, on his part, looked in good nick in both the matches but the team is yet to get a big knock from the skipper. — PTI
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Women wrestlers in fitness fight
Patiala, June 2 Navjot is suffering from a knee fracture and is being treated, with signs of constant improvement, by team coach Dr Manjeet Singh. On the other hand, Gursharan is suffering from back ache. Because of the injuries, she has not been able to practice and this has taken a big toll on her performance. Though there are no major competitions in the immediate future the team is preparing for various foreign tours in July followed by the World Championship in September and the Commonwealth Games. Therefore, the coaches and doctors are losing some sleep over so many top wrestlers carrying a niggle, or in some cases even more than that. Their concern is based on the fact that in a gruelling sport like wrestling, being declared fit is a different issue and being match fit a totally different one. Talking about the injuries, chief national wrestling coach P.R. Sondhi said there were already very few Punjab wrestlers in the Indian team and injuries to both these girls was all the more worrying.
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Undoubtedly one of the best centre forwards in the world today, Didier Drogba still manages to polarise opinion with his theatrical and temperamental style of play taking the shine off the powerful striker's incredible talent. Drogba moved from his native Ivory Coast to France in 1988, living with his uncle in order to pursue a career in football. He started his career at Dunkirk before moving to Abbeville, Levallois and Le Mans.
Rome, June 2
Paris, June 2
Harare, June 2
Patiala, June 2
Overall record at finals: Played 65, Won 33, Drawn 13, Lost 19. 
Overall record at finals: Played 3, Won 0, Drawn 0, Lost 3. 
Overall record at finals: Played 24, Won 4, Drawn 7, Lost 13. 
Overall record at finals: Played 11, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 6. 
But it was after a move to Guingamp that he really began to catch the eye, netting 17 goals in their 2002-03 Ligue 1 campaign before signing for Marseille - where he scored 19 goals in 35 appearances during his one season there. Chelsea and Jose Mourinho then came knocking and smashed the British transfer record for a striker, paying £24 million for his services in 2004. Drogba scored 16 goals in each of the next two seasons, helping Chelsea win back-to-back Premier League titles. Drogba made his international debut in 2002 and is now the Elephant's leading all-time goalscorer - leading them as captain to a first ever World Cup appearance in 2006. 
Out after eight days of training are Palermo goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu, his defence team-mate Mattia Cassani, Cagliari midfielder Andrea Cossu and strikers Marco Borriello from AC Milan and Giuseppe Rossi of Spanish side Villarreal. Lippi waited until late Tuesday to issue the list, seemingly because he feared that a knee injury could sideline Juventus forward Mauro Camoranesi, a 2006 world champion who was injured while training, but should recover after a few days of rest.
Stosur used her fierce forehand to force a succession of errors from the world number one, breaking twice to take the opening set and surge ahead 5-3 in the second. Williams slowly found her range and broke back and after taking the tiebreak 7-2 she looked set for victory when Stosur wavered when serving to stay in the match in the 10th game of a tense deciding set. Williams just missed a forehand pass on her only match point and was broken in the next game before Stosur held serve to wrap up victory after two hours and 24 minutes.
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