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Dutchman with the golden touch
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As Sneijder, the star, kept on shining
Uruguay face huge struggle to stay at the peak
‘Domenech was the problem’
Leonardo tipped to become new Brazil coach
No news on trophy presenter yet!
"Sachin and Lara are the best against whom I have bowled. I am happy that I will be able to bowl to Sachin in my last Test"
Senior National Men’s Hockey C’ship
McLaren Formula One drivers Jenson Button (L) and Lewis Hamilton of Britain pose for photographers after a news conference for the British Grand Prix in London on Tuesday. — Reuters
Podium finish possible in Spa, Monza: Mallya
PCB rules out immediate return of Younus, Yousuf
Somdev in 2nd round
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Dutchman with the golden touch
Cape Town, July 7 "This is a great achievement and wonderful thing for the Netherlands, winning six matches in a row (at the World Cup finals) and now, we have five days to prepare us for one more 90 minutes," Sneijder told reporters. "This is so special. I experienced it already with Inter, playing a final is special and you must savour the moment as it doesn't happen very often. "I have told my team to savour it and enjoy it then give it all you've got," he added. The Dutch had a tough second half after Uruguay replied to Giovanni Van Bronckhorst's opening goal by Diego Forlan just before the break but a tactical change effectively settled the match. With Rafael van der Vaart beside him, Sneijder moved forward and restored the lead 20 minutes from time with a deflected shot, his fifth of the tournament which levelled him with Spain's David Villa. "It was a tough match and at the end, we made it unnecessarily difficult but we won and that was what it was all about," said Sneijder. "When you get in such a situation you just have to shoot and if you are lucky the ball goes in," he said of his goal. "Wesley Sneijder plays a very important role," said coach Bert van Marwijk. "But it is also very important that everyone on the bench can play as well." — Reuters Sneijder Man of the Match again
Wesley Sneijder's fifth goal at the 2010 World Cup helped the Netherlands beat Uruguay 3-2 on Tuesday and reach the final, giving the Inter Milan midfielder the Man of the Match award. Sneidjer's goal in the 70th minute, which was a deflection off Uruguay's Maximiliano Pereira, put the Netherlands ahead 2-1 in the game in Cape Town. The goal pulled the 26-year-old Sneijder even with Spain's David Villa as the top scorer of the tournament. Sneijder also was named Man of the Match for the fourth time during South Africa 2010 following games against Denmark, Japan and Brazil.
— DPA |
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As Sneijder, the star, kept on shining
Debut: Euro 2004: 2006 World Cup: Euro 2008:
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Uruguay face huge struggle to stay at the peak
Cape Town, July 7 In fact, it is quite possible that Uruguay, beaten 3-2 by Netherlands in Tuesday's semifinal, might not even qualify for the next World Cup in neighbouring Brazil in 2014 given the difficulties they face. Some pundits have sneered at Uruguay, pointing out that they beat Ghana in the quarterfinals after Luis Suarez stopped a goal-bound shot with his hand on the line, but there has been much to admire as they hugely exceeded expectations. Although Uruguay won the World Cup twice back in the early days of the tournament in 1930 and 1950, the country today can barely support a professional league. Few first division matches attract more than a couple of thousand fans and many of the stadiums would not be considered fit for even semi-professional football in many European countries.
Penarol and Nacional, who once dominated the South American Libertadores Cup, are no longer feared on the continent and Uruguayan clubs won the last of their eight titles back in 1988. The only way out for most young Uruguayan players is the airport. The lucky few end up in Europe but the country also exports dozens to Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Colombia. Coach Oscar Tabarez, who also led the Celeste to the second round at the 1990 World Cup, sees his players only a few times a year and has warned frequently that the differences between countries such as Uruguay and rich European nations are growing. He says that European countries are snapping up Uruguayan players at an ever-younger age, sometimes in their mid-teens, and although the country produces players at an impressive rate, it does not have the chance to develop them. Before Tuesday's game, a philosophical Tabarez said it would be impossible for Uruguay to stay among the elite, even if they won the World Cup. "It would be utopian to think of Uruguay's permanence at the summit ... but we can believe in circumstantial results," he said. Uruguay played a major role in turning soccer into an international sport, winning the 1924 and 1928 Olympic tournaments with a short-passing game which had never been seen before in Europe. They were also at the forefront as the World Cup became a reality, hosting and winning the first tournament in 1930 at the Centenario stadium which is still used for their home games. After winning again in 1950, other larger nations equalled their technical ability and, with such a small population, they fell behind. At one stage, they became synonymous with rough play and gamesmanship, something which Tabarez and his immediate predecessors have worked hard to wipe out. — Reuters
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‘Domenech was the problem’
“The real problem was the coach. We suffered from a communication problem. Domenech was not open to discussion,” he said in an interview to be published on Thursday by the cultural weekly Les Inrockuptibles. “A lot of players could not talk to him any more. Our opinion carried no weight so after a while we stopped talking. That's what I did. I was just listening and doing what he told me to do.” “It’s him (Domenech) who refused discussion. The boycott of the training session was decided during a meeting of all the players. Franck Ribery was late because of a television interview. We all agreed to boycott training. There was no pressure from the senior players,” he added. Domenech's six year tenure ended in such a disgrace that it caused uproar in France. Sports minister Roselyne Bachelot castigated “the disaster of the national team made of immature gang leaders in command of scared kids.” Lilian Thuram, a prominent member of the 1998 World Cup-winning team and now a member of the French Federation's council, said the players, who led the revolt, should be banned from playing for France again. France’s new coach Laurent Blanc however told his first press conference on Tuesday that it was not his responsibility to take disciplinary action against players like Ribery, Patrice Evra or Eric Abidal who have been branded as the ringleaders.
— Reuters
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Leonardo tipped to become new Brazil coach
Leonardo was at helm of Milan for just one season. The sides agreed to go separate ways in May after a see-saw Serie A season saw them finish in third place, behind city rivals Inter Milan and Roma. Dunga was fired soon after Brazil were eliminated from the World Cup with their loss to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. Unlike Dunga, however, "Leonardo has a good relationship with the press and would not create as much friction," ESPN wrote on its website. Former national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was in charge of the Brazil team that won the World Cup in 2002, has also been linked to the job. Scolari, however, has already indicated that his club commitments with Brazilian team Palmeiras would prevent him from becoming the national team coach for the next two years. — DPA
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Attendances to pass 3 million, 3rd best
JOHANNESBURG: The overall attendance at the World Cup in South Africa will pass 3 million at Wednesday's semi-final, making it the third highest after the United States in 1994 and Germany in 2006, FIFA said.
Total attendances so far have been 2.997 million at 61 games, for an average of 49,134, according to latest figures from soccer's international governing body. The US tournament 16 years ago drew a record 3.59 million, followed by Germany at the last World Cup with 3.36 million. "Here in South Africa, it is only the third time in the history of the World Cup that we will have passed 3 million," FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot said. "That is a resounding success." Attendance at fan parks inside South Africa, and elsewhere around the world, would top 5 million after Wednesday night's game between Germany and Spain in Durban, he added.
— Reuters |
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No news on trophy presenter yet!
Johannesburg: Tournament organisers have still not decided who will present the trophy to the winners of the World Cup final on Sunday in Soccer City.
National icon Nelson Mandela would be the obvious choice for the Local Organising Committee (LOC) but the frail 91-year-old's attendance remains uncertain. "He has an open invitation. The Mandela family will make a decision on the day of the final," LOC spokesman Jermaine Craig said on Wednesday in Johannesburg. Mandela had been expected to attend part of the opening game on June 11 in Soccer City but withdrew after his great grand-daughter was killed in a car crash that morning. Many are now hoping South Africa's first black President will be able to hand over the trophy at the final instead as he had campaigned vigorously for South Africa to be granted the right to host the event. Mandela, who turns 92 a week after the final, has curtailed his public appearances in recent years, spending most of his time at home with family.
— DPA |
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Only Bhajji can match my Test record: Murali
New Delhi, July 7 Muralitharan, who will quit the longer version after the first Test against India beginning on July 18 at Galle, said the Indian off-spinner stood the best chance of emulating his feat. "I think only Harbhajan can do this. I don't know how old is he and how long he will continue. But he is the only one who can achieve this feat in Test cricket," Muralitharan told PTI from Colombo. With 792 Test wickets under his belt from 132 matches, Muralitharan needs eight scalps in his final Test match to reach the 800-mark. In comparison, 30-year-old Harbhajan has 355 scalps from the 83 Test matches he has played so far. With Twenty20 cricket taking precedence over other formats of the game, Muralitharan feared slow bowlers might struggle to survive and get where he has reached. "In the current scenario, Test cricket is dying. One-day cricket does not have a bright future. Only Twenty20 is going to survive. So it will be difficult for any slow bowler to survive so long," he said. The wily off-spinner is just eight wickets away from the 800-mark but Muralitharan, who scalped 515 wickets from 337 ODIs, insisted he was not chasing any record. "I don't run after records. I have the world record in my name. Although if I could get eight more wickets, it will be a good way to end. I am sure I will be able to do that in one match. If not, no worries," said the ace spinner. Looking back at his illustrious career, Muralitharan identified batting greats Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara as his toughest opponents. "If we talk about the consistency, then no other batman can match Sachin and Lara. They are the best against whom I have bowled. "I had to do extra effort against them. I am happy that I will be able to bowl Sachin in my last Test," he said. Besides being the most successful bowler in the history of international cricket, Muralitharan has been part of Sri Lanka's 1996 World Cup winning team but the off-spinner does have some regrets. "I have achieved everything that an international cricketer can dream about. I have only one regret that I could not win (series) in India, South Africa and Australia. But one can not get everything in life," he said. Meanwhile, the immensely popular Sri Lankan cricketer is yet to make up his mind about the ODI World Cup to be held in subcontinent next year. "I have not given it a thought yet. I cannot say that it is off my radar but I will think about this. After that I will be able to say something about participating in the tournament," he said. In contrast, he remains very clear that he plans to play in the Indian Premier League, where he represents Chennai Super Kings, as long as possible. "I want to continue playing in the IPL till the franchise needs me. It is quite exciting and I wish to be a part of that excitement," he said. Another thing he has made up his mind about is not joining politics, like former colleagues Arjun Ranatunga and Sanath Jayasuriya. "Neither politics nor coaching. I am not going to do either of this. I will travel around the world and enjoy life. “I have been playing for two decades and could not spend time with family. Now I will compensate for that," he said. Even though his decision to quit came as a surprise, Muralitharan said he thought a lot before deciding to quit. "I was thinking about it for a long period. I just thought that it is the right time to do so, nothing else," he added. He also took the opportunity to congratulate his Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who got married this week. "I knew he just got engaged but didn't know he got married as well. Anyway, I congratulate him and wish him a happy married life," signed off the star spinner. — PTI
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Senior National Men’s Hockey C’ship
Bhopal, July 7 Surendra Gaur (17th and 66th minutes), Upendra Pillai (24th and 41st minutes), Vikash Choudhary (31st and 53rd minutes), Rana Pratap Singh (42nd and 47th minutes) and captain Shailendra Bundela (44th and 54th minutes) scored two goals each while Kaushlendra Bundela (61st minute) hit a goal for MPSHA. At the breather, MPSHA led 3-0 in the match played at the Aishbagh Stadium here yesterday. In the second half, MPSHA played an attacking game, which helped its players to score eight more goals including six in a span of just 13 minutes, and took a formidable lead of 11-0. The lone goal for Himachal Pradesh was scored by Gaurav Kumar in the 67th minute and minimised the margin 1-11. In another fixture, Bhopal trounced Chhattisgarh 5-1. Asad Kamaal (42nd and 53rd minutes) and Suleman (46th and 68th minuets) scored two goals each while Aftabuddin (30th minute) hit a brilliant field goal for Bhopal. For Chhattisgarh, Khogeshwar netted the ball in the 65th minute. At the breather, Bhopal led 1-0. In other matches, Chandigarh beat Vidarbha 10-0, Uttar Pradesh routed Vidharbha 6-1, Maharashtra beat Rajasthan 4-0, Tamil Nadu humbled Madhya Pradesh 5-0 and Punjab defeated Hyderabad 2-1. — PTI
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Button has best chance to end home jinx
London, July 7 There will be no room for sentiment when the only two Britons in the race line up in front of an expected 120,000-strong crowd for their home grand prix at a revamped circuit. "The feeling of winning the British Grand Prix, your home grand prix, is unique," Hamilton, looking every inch the smiling assassin, told reporters this week. "It is almost as good as winning the world championship." Both men, currently one-two at the top of the standings, have taken world titles already and also triumphed in the glamorous surroundings of Monaco. But whereas overall leader Hamilton (127 points) won at Silverstone in his 2008 championship year, Button (121) has yet to finish in the top three in 11 seasons of trying. Having won two races already this year, and finished his last three on the podium, the reigning champion has his best chance yet of breaking the jinx. "This one is very special for us," Button said. "It's something I am really excited about. "For most drivers, our main aim is to win the world championship, to win in Monaco — and I have been able to achieve both of them — and also to win your home grand prix. "It's something that I am looking for and looking forward to the challenge this weekend. "I love the British Grand Prix, it has such an amazing atmosphere," Button added. "It's not just because I'm British but there are a few races around the world that we go to where there is a very special atmosphere. Silverstone is one of
them." — Reuters |
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Podium finish possible in Spa, Monza: Mallya
Silverstone (UK), July 7 Dwelling on Sunday's race at the Silverstone Circuit, just metres away from the team's factory, Mallya said Force India has some updates and he was looking for a fruitful outing for both the cars. "It's a very big weekend, and obviously Silverstone is where we really want to perform well. It's the home race for us now," Mallya said. Sunday's race will mark the halfway point of 2010 Championship and Mallya is optimistic that Force India has realistic chances of podium finishes in the Belgian and Italian Grand Prix. "Spa and Monza are tracks that will suit the car better, and if we can get a podium, that would be the icing on the cake. But if not, at least we're demonstrating that we're scoring points. We're up to 43 now, and this team hasn't done as well in a long while," he added. Mallya's sentiments found an echo in Sutil who said in tracks more conducive to his car, he can do even better than his sixth place finish in Valencia. — PTI |
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PCB rules out immediate return of Younus, Yousuf
Karachi, July 7 PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has conveyed this to Federal Minister for Sports Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani at a meeting that was also attended by the board's legal advisor, Tafazzul Risvi and chief operating officer Wasim Bari. The meeting was held on the directives of the National Assembly standing committee on sports in connection with the finalisation of the new constitution of the board that has become a bone of contention between Butt and the ministry of sports. Butt's mood regarding the two senior players was clear when he came out of the meeting and spoke to the media stating that since Yousuf had himself taken the decision to retire, he would not be considered for national team. He also ruled out an immediate return for Younus to the team stating he and his lawyer had given some inappropriate statements against the board.
— PTI |
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Somdev in 2nd round
Newport (USA), July 7 The unseeded Indian took one hour and three minutes to complete a 6-4, 6-3 win in the first round of the $442,500 grass court event. Somdev broke Kim once each in the two sets and saved all three breakpoints he faced in the second set. He will next taken on another American in fifth seed Mardy Fish, who humbled compatriot Mark Russell 6-1, 6-2 in his opening round. Somdev had fallen to Fish in the first round at the Queen's Club last month and will look to avenge his defeat. — PTI |
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Johannesburg:
Tournament organisers have still not decided who will present the trophy to the winners of the World Cup final on Sunday in Soccer City.
National icon Nelson Mandela would be the obvious choice for the Local
Organising Committee (LOC) but the frail 91-year-old's attendance remains
uncertain. "He has an open invitation. The Mandela family will make a
decision on the day of the final," LOC spokesman Jermaine Craig said on
Wednesday in Johannesburg.
Sneijder played his first game with the senior Dutch side against Portugal on 30 April in 2003. He became the eighth youngest player to play for the Netherlands in the first team’s history
Paris, July 7
Gallas also said that Domenech was responsible for the boycott of a training session in support of striker Nicolas Anelka sent home for insulting the coach at halftime in their 2-0 defeat by Mexico in their second group game. “We wanted to protest against the decision taken by the coach and the Federation particularly because the coach said Anelka had not been kicked out because of his insults but because he had refused to talk about it afterwards,” he said.
Brasilia, July 7