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Star Track
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Fit-again Torres may play Poland
Soderling back in final
India desperate for big win today
Hockey and its too many cooks
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Along with midfield compatriots Xavi and Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas emerged from the Barcelona cantera but it is under the guidance of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal that he has become one of world football's most sought-after players, and a key figure for both club and country. He became the youngest player to represent the country at a World Cup when appearing in the 2006 tournament, but faces a strong challenge to secure a starting role under Vicente del Bosque though, having often featured as a substitute in the qualifying campaign.
Strengths: A superb passer of the ball. Possesses excellent vision and ability to dictate pace and tempo of a contest. Strong character and mentality to complement technical excellence. Weaknesses: Lack of real pace. Also less potent in front of goal given his brilliant use of a football. Style: Composed, cultured, creative. Quotes: "His vision is comparable to [Michel] Platini, and that is a compliment. He is at the start of his career and we know that Platini has finished his. Cesc has it all in front of him, but he has a vision and he will develop still more." Arsene Wenger, September 2007. Trivia: Fabregas became Arsenal's youngest ever player in any competition on October 28, 2003 when appearing in a League Cup tie against Rotherham aged just 16 years and 177 days.
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Germany
Best performance: Winning the tournament in 1954, 1974 and 1990. Most appearances at finals: Lothar Matthäus (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998) - 25. Most goals at finals: Gerd Müller (1970, 1974) - 14. World Cup high: Winning the World Cup on home turf in 1974 with a 2-1 win in the final to beat Johan Cruyff's Netherlands, who were famed for their 'total football' and widely acknowledged as one of the greatest sides in history. World Cup low: Losing in the 1966 final to England after a contentious goal from Geoff Hurst that may or may not have crossed the line at Wembley, depending on your geographical location. It was the opinion of Azerbaijani linesman Tofik Bakhramov that counted, though. Qualification: Germany enjoyed an unbeaten qualifying campaign under Joachim Loew as they held off the challenge of Guus Hiddink's Russia to secure top spot in Group Four. After starting their campaign in ominous fashion with a 6-0 hammering of Liechtenstein, the key to Germany's qualification was their two victories over Russia, the second of which was a 1-0 win in Moscow in October that guaranteed their participation in the finals in South Africa. Most appearances: Philipp Lahm, Mario Gomez (10). Top goalscorer: Miroslav Klose (7). Ghana
Best performance: 2nd round in 2006. Most appearances at finals: Richard Kingson (2006), John Paintsil (2006) - 4. Most goals at finals: Stephen Appiah (2006), Sulley Muntari (2006), Haminu Dramani (2006), Asamoah Gyan (2006) - 1. World Cup high: Making the second round at the 2006 finals. World Cup low: Failing to qualify for the finals prior to 2006. Qualification: Aside from the hosts, Ghana were the first African team qualify when they won their first four games of the final round. Most appearances: Richard Kingson (12). Top goalscorers: Matthew Amoah (5). Australia
Best performance: 2nd round, 2006. Most appearances at finals: Lucas Neill, Craig Moore, Vince Grella, Mark Viduka, Luke Wilkshire, Jason Culina, Tim Cahill, John Aloisi, Mark Bresciano, Scott Chipperfield ( all 2006) - 4. Most goals at finals: Tim Cahill (2006) - 2. World Cup high: Win over Japan in Kaiserslautern in 2006. World Cup low: The exit from the 1974 World Cup with no goals and only one point. Qualification: The experienced Socceroos line-up achieved a level of consistency and solidity under the guidance of Dutch coach Pim Verbeek that saw them cruise to South Africa on the back of a stellar defensive record. Most appearances: Mark Schwarzer (8). Top goalscorer: Tim Cahill (3). Serbia
Best performance: (As Yugoslavia) Fourth place in 1962. Most appearances at finals: Dragan Stojkovic (’90, ’98) - 9 (for Yugoslavia). Most goals at finals: Ivan Bek (1930), Kosta Tomasevic (1950), Todor Veselinovic (1958) - 3 (for Yugoslavia). World Cup high: The fourth-place finish in 1962, after reaching the semi-finals and losing to Czechoslovakia. World Cup low: Failing to get out of the group stage for only the second time, as Serbia & Montenegro, at the 2006 finals. Qualification: They lost 2-1 in France early in qualifying, but that was Serbia's only defeat until they lost in Lithuania after securing qualification. Most appearances: Milos Krasic (10). Top goalscorer: Milan Jovanovic (6).
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Fit-again Torres may play Poland
Madrid, June 4 “We have a positive feeling, even though it will be tight,” Del Bosque said of Torres after Spain's 1-0 win over the Koreans in Innsbruck on Thursday. “I hope he can have some time on the pitch against Poland but we are not surprised about his condition as we knew the risk we were taking when we selected him. I am confident he’ll be fit for the World Cup,” he told a news conference. Rio taken to hospital
Drogba limps off
Didier Drogba limped off in the first half of Ivory Coast's World Cup warm-up against Japan on Friday. The Elephants’ key player went down under a heavy challenge from Japan defender Tulio after 15 minutes which left him spread-eagled on the pitch. After rising groggily to his feet, the Chelsea forward hobbled off clutching his groin and was replaced by Seydou Doumbia. Lampard is confident
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Paris, June 4 In sweltering conditions Soderling looked jaded at the end when Berdych hit a backhand into the tramlines to end a three hour 27 minute contest full of fierce baseline rallies. “It was more than tough,” the sweat-drenched 25-year-old said on court. “Tomas played really well today. “It was really tough for me to play my game, because he was hitting the ball so hard and so flat. Everything was 10 centimetres from the baseline.” Soderling, who beat Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, could hardly believe that he was back in the final after losing to Federer last year. “It's unbelievable. When I came here, I was thinking about only the first round, getting past the first round. Now, two weeks later, I am in the final again. It's better than the best dream ever,” he said. Soderling broke serve in the sixth game of the first set when Berdych double-faulted and went on to win the opener. Both players struggled to control their power in the warm air, often firing shots over the baseline, but Berdych began to find his range to win the second and third sets. The Czech, playing in his first grand slam semi-final, had a chance to break the Soderling serve right at the start of the fourth but the Swede pummelled down an ace. Soderling struck in the sixth game, breaking when 15th seed Berdych netted a backhand, to set up a deciding set. After trading early breaks in the fifth, Soderling broke twice more to reach his second grand slam final. Four-times champion Nadal plays Austria's Jurgen Melzer in the second semi-final later on Court Philippe Chatrier. — Reuters
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India desperate for big win today
Harare, June 4 Given the scenario, India, who currently have just four points from just one win, have to beat the Lankans tomorrow with a bonus point and hope that the outcome of Monday's Zimbabwe-Sri Lanka match also goes their way. A win and a bonus point tomorrow will take India's tally to nine points, level with Zimbabwe. Raina and his men would then hope that Zimbabwe spring another surprise and upstage the Lankans, who have five points, in the final league encounter. — PTI
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Hockey and its too many cooks
Chandigarh, June 4 The third body, Hockey India, has proposed a series of amendments/changes in its constitution before the general elections are held. One of these bodies headed by KPS Gill and backed by a strong Delhi High Court verdict in its favour will meet on June 6. Interestingly, only those units of men’s’ hockey affiliated to the Indian Hockey Confederation before it was taken over by the Indian Olympic Association in 2008 have been called for the June 6 meeting. In the June 12 meeting, the Indian Women’s’ Hockey Association, has likewise called its pre-2008 units for the meeting. While the hockey muddle is getting complicated day by day, two senior functionaries of the International Hockey Federation, including its president, Leandre Negro, reportedly visited India. The visit was a low profile event and he reportedly held meetings with the both Hockey India as well as the Union Ministry of Sports. Now when India is due to play in the Women’s World Cup in Argentina and also to host the Commonwealth Games Hockey events in October, the foremost question both before the Ministry of Sports and the International Hockey Federation will be which of the three bodies to recognise. Sources reveal that in the records of the International Hockey Federation, neither the Indian Hockey Federation nor the All-India Womens’ Hockey Association figure anywhere. The only body recognised from India by the FIH after 2001 was the Indian Hockey Confederation. It may be pertinent to mention here that in 2001, there was a formal merger of the mens’ and womens’ hockey bodies at the national level. It was only in 2008 that the FIH formally recognised Hockey India and wanted a democratically elected body in place in time for the 2010 World Cup. Litigations and other problems, however, made the FIH to extend the deadline to May 31. Again this deadline could not be followed. There are some units and hockey officials, who incidentally are active both in Hockey India as well as their revived old national bodies - Indian Hockey Federation and the All-India Womens’ Hockey Association. Merger of men and women bodies may be a secondary issue but how the country will come out of this multi-bodies syndrome controlling our erstwhile national sport hockey looks intriguing. Otherwise the sport that has already suffered irreparable damage, will continue on its downslide.
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Along with midfield compatriots Xavi and Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas emerged from the Barcelona cantera but it is under the guidance of Arsene Wenger at Arsenal that he has become one of world football's most sought-after players, and a key figure for both club and country. He became the youngest player to represent the country at a World Cup when appearing in the 2006 tournament, but faces a strong challenge to secure a starting role under Vicente del Bosque though, having often featured as a substitute in the qualifying campaign.
Madrid, June 4
Sweden’s Robin Soderling wore down Czech Tomas Berdych 6-3, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 on Friday to reach the final of the French Open for the second year in a row. The fifth seed’s victory keeps alive the prospect of a re-match with Rafael Nadal in the final after he last year became the first player to beat the Spaniard at Roland Garros.
With their chances of making the final hanging by a thread, a beleaguered India will have to win and win it big when they take on Sri Lanka in a do-or-die match in the cricket tri-series here tomorrow. Smarting from the ignominy of being beaten twice by Zimbabwe in the tournament -- their first back-to-back defeats against the traditional minnows — Suresh Raina and his teammates have their back against the wall with the prospect of an early exit looming large.
Fabregas left Barcelona at the age of just 16 when joining Arsenal in 2003 and it was a gamble that quickly paid off. The 2007-08 Young Player of the Year, Fabregas was installed as Arsenal captain in November last year and has thrived in Arsenal's free-flowing formation as its creative lynchpin. 
Overall record at finals: Played 58, Won 37, Drawn 9, Lost 12. 
Overall record at finals: Played 4, Won 2, Drawn 0, Lost 2. 
Overall record at finals: Played 7, Won 1, Drawn 2, Lost 4. 
Overall record at finals: Played 40, Won 16, Drawn 8, Lost 16. 
England captain Rio Ferdinand was taken to hospital after suffering a left knee injury in the final minutes of a training session on Friday. Goalkeeper David James did not train because of a nagging knee injury which he aggravated during the long flight from London.
England midfielder Frank Lampard reckons that his team's patchy form ahead of the World Cup in South Africa will have no negative impact on how they perform during the tournament. “The Japan match was another warm-up game. Yes, it was not a vintage performance, but the second half was much better than the first half, much livelier. We played with a lot more intensity and moved the ball quicker. We will take the positives out of it and then look at the negatives and try and put them right for the first game,” The Telegraph quoted Lampard, as saying. —
Agencies
Sweden’s Robin Soderling wore down Czech Tomas Berdych 6-3, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 on Friday to reach the final of the French Open for the second year in a row. The fifth seed’s victory keeps alive the prospect of a re-match with Rafael Nadal in the final after he last year became the first player to beat the Spaniard at Roland Garros.
Dubai: 
MADRID: