 |
|
|
Uruguay, Germany play for pride
Paul tips Spain for title, Germany for 3rd place
Spain dominate Player of the Finals list
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Spain owe it to the Dutch: Busquets
No entry
Senior National Men’s Hockey Championship
Delhi team net top boxers for world series
Boxing nationals to kick off sans Vijender
Gavaskar seeks suggestions from IPL captains
Jeev off to strong start
|
|
Uruguay, Germany play for pride
Port Elizabeth, July 9 Germany's high-scoring young side are determined to cap their impressive World Cup with one last win in Port Elizabeth where coach Joachim Loew promised his bitterly disappointed players will be in the right frame of mind and ready to win. "The disappointment is there but now we need to build up the team a bit," he said after the Germans were dumped out 1-0 by a far superior Spanish outfit in Durban on Wednesday. "I'm certain we will go into the match with the necessary focus. No one needs to hang their heads low and we want to have a good final match," said Loew, whose team thrashed widely fancied England and Argentina in the knockout stages. History will not favour twice World Cup winners Uruguay in this match. They have played the third-place playoff twice and lost on both occasions - losing to Austria in 1954 and the Germans in 1970. Germany have finished third on three occasions and lost the playoff only once in 1958, to France.
Attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller was sorely missed by the Germans on Wednesday and will likely start, as will Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, whose handball on the goal line late in the match against Ghana helped put his team in the last four.
|
|
Paul tips Spain for title, Germany for 3rd place
Oberhausen (Germany), July 9 The world renowned octopus at Aquarium Sea Life in Oberhausen, Germany, also predicted Germany would overcome Uruguay in the battle for third place on Saturday. The psychic sea creature will be hoping to keep a perfect record for South Africa 2010, having already correctly predicted four Germany victories and two losses in the tournament. Two glass cubes were baited with mussels and marked with flags of Spain and Netherlands. And Paul went directly to the Spanish tank and ate its mussel. Half an hour earlier, the octopus chose the mussel in Germany's tank over the confines of those marked with the Uruguay flag. Today's predictions are expected to be the last for Paul, who in octopus terms is a pensioner, at the grand old age of two-and-a-half. Octopuses generally live three years at the most. — Agencies And a parakeet tips Holland to win title Singapore: Paul, the octopus, is not the only creature predicting World Cup results. A parakeet, long tailed parrot, named 'Mani' has also been forecasting match results. Mani has become the talk of the town after predicting that the Netherlands will lift the trophy. The parrot, an 'assistant' to a roadside astrologer, had earlier predicted Spain-Germany semifinal and all the quarterfinal ties. People are seeking Mani's help to win bets on the World Cup matches, according to a report by the Channel News Asia. Muniyapan, Mani's owner of Indian origin, said he was now getting 10 customers in an hour compared to 10 on a regular day due to growing popularity of his parrot. —
PTI |
|
Spain dominate Player of the Finals list
Johannesburg, July 9 Their opponents The Netherlands by contrast provide two in the form of Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben and Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder, joint top scorer along with Villa at the finals with five goals. They are joined by Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan, scorer of four goals as the South Americans flew the flag for their continent in reaching the semifinals, and also Ghanaian forward Asamoah Gyan. Gyan scored three times for the African giants as they reached the last eight, but were deprived of a place in the semifinals after a goalbound effort was illegally punched off the line by Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez. Gyan missed the ensuing penalty in the last kick of the match and the South Americans won the penalty shootout. Barcelona's Argentinian playmaker Lionel Messi features on the list despite failing to score here but he was at the heart of most of their creative play up to their humbling by Germany in the quarterfinals. Young German star Mesut Ozil and team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger round off the list. The list reflects the dominance of European teams at the tournament with two in the final - which will result in Europe triumphing for the first time outside their continent - and three of the four semi-finalists. The winner in 2006 was somewhat controversially French star Zinedine Zidane, who was anointed despite having been sent-off in extra-time of the final for headbutting Italian defender Marco Materazzi. His successor will be announced after Sunday's final at Soccer City. The young player of the tournament will also be announced after the final whistle with the three nominees. One is German attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller - who has scored four times in the finals and was sorely missed in the semifinal defeat by Spain - and another is Ghanaian Andre Ayew - son of former African player of the year Abedi Pele - who was badly missed by the 'Black Stars' in their quarterfinal as he was suspended. The third nominee is Mexican Giovanni Dos Santos - on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray from Premier League outfit Spurs - who played in all four of his country's games at the finals. The three nominees were selected from a list of 35 players born after January 1 1989. — AFP
|
|
Spain owe it to the Dutch: Busquets
The emphasis on attack, the dominance of possession and the rapid passing moves that can rip open the best-organised defences are all characteristics that trace their roots to Cruyff's Barca 'Dream Team' of the early 1990s. "I can talk to you about Van Gaal and Cruyff, who brought important players through from the youth system," Busquets told a packed news conference at Spain's training base on Friday. "Rijkaard also pushed the 4-3-3 philosophy which is important for Barca and has also helped the national team," the 21-year-old added. The Barca-Dutch connection does not end there. Netherlands assistant coaches Frank de Boer and Phillip Cocu both played for Barcelona, as did Netherlands captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst and midfield stalwart Mark van Bommel. Spain defender Carlos Marchena told the news conference that having so many players from Barca, which he said was currently "the best team in the world", was a guarantee of success. — Reuters |
|
No entry
Chennai, July 9 The tweaker arrived at the domestic airport from Mumbai and was taken to international airport from where the Indian cricket team was scheduled to leave for Sri Lanka. Most of the team members had already arrived in the city yesterday. Instead of joining teammates at a city hotel, Harbhajan preferred to go straight to the international airport and wait for the team. A hotel representative accompanied Harbhajan and took him from domestic to international airport. The security personnel asked the spinner to show his ticket but the cricketer did not have any as the team travels on a group ticket. The hotel representative then pleaded the spinner's case with the airport manager but he also reasoned that they cannot let anyone in without a travel ticket and suggested the spinner to buy a visitor pass and wait in the lounge. Harbhajan though preferred to wait outside the entry area. A xerox copy of the ticket was arranged quickly and only then Harbhajan could get inside the airport. The Indian team, sans newly-wed captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, left for Sri Lanka to play a Test series and a tri-nation ODI series. Dhoni will fly to the island nation from here tomorrow. Reserve stumper Wriddhiman Saha, who was doing duty with India A team, will fly directly to Sri Lanka from London. — PTI
|
|
Senior National Men’s Hockey Championship
Bhopal, July 9 With this, three of the four teams from Madhya Pradesh have been stamped out from the tournament and now Madhya Pradesh State Hockey Academy (MPSHA) is the lone qualifier for the quarterfinals from the state. Earlier, Madhya Bharat and Madhya Pradesh from the state were also eliminated from the championship. Gyanendra Pandey scored two goals in the 27th and 41st minutes while Jaish Yadav hit a brilliant field goal in the 25th minute for Mumbai and took a 3-0 lead yesterday. For Bhopal, Abbassi converted two penalty corners in a span of four minutes in the 42nd and 46th minutes and reduced the margin to 3-2. At the breather, Mumbai led 2-0. In another fixture, Chandigarh crushed Uttar Pradesh 5-1 and made its chances bright to reach the second round. Gagandeep scored three goals in the 6th, 15th and 44th minutes while Harmanpreet Singh (53rd minute) and Ramandeep Singh (58th minute) hit one goal each for Chandigarh. The lone goal for Uttar Pradesh was struck by Suryanath Sharma in the 32nd minute. At the end of first half, Chandigarh led 2-1. In other matches, Karnataka humiliated Andhra Pradesh 17-0, Kerala defeated Vidharbha 4-2, Haryana beat Madhya Bharat 4-1 and Manipur trounced Chhattisgarh 10-2. — PTI Gill slams Hockey India’s ‘fascist’ approach Chandigarh, July 9 Hockey India has said it will impose strict penalties on players, officials and coaches participating in the competition. Notably, in its judgement on dated May 21, 2010, the Delhi High Court had directed the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to get its act together and set things in order with the cooperation of both the IHF and IOA and any other body that may have been set up. Terming the approach of HI as Fascist, IHF supremo KPS Gill said, “This is very strange that the sports ministry, headed by a former Election Commissioner, is not obeying the orders of the High Court.” Gill added that the IHF is not concerned about the promotion of the game. During the two-year suspension period of the IHF, Hockey India did not hold any domestic or national-level tournament in any age category, claimed Gill. After the Bhopal nationals, the IHF has decided to hold the national championship for u-19 age group in both boys and girls’ categories in Haryana from August 15 to 29 and u-16 nationals in Rajasthan in October.
|
|
Delhi team net top boxers for world series
New Delhi, July 9 Following the boxer draft, the team draw was held to determine the final competition schedule, revealing when the teams will compete against each other in their conference from the start of the WSB regular season on November 19. Eighty-seven boxers from around the world were chosen by the franchisees to make up their quota of international boxers to start the first WSB season. Other top boxers to make the cut were Australian super heavyweight champion Trent Rawlins and Olympian Jose Payares from Venezuela. In the Asia conference, Delhi were the day's big movers, signing nine boxers from across five different weight divisions, adding to their star pick Vijender Singh, Olympic bronze medallist Bahodirjon Sultonov, Ukrainian super heavyweight champion Roman Kapitonenko and Beijing Olympic semifinalist Abdelhafid Benchabla. The WSB will have eight weight categories including 54kg, 61kg, 73kg, 85kg and 91 plus kg. |
|
Boxing nationals to kick off sans Vijender
New Delhi, July 9 Vijender hurt his right hand during a sparring session at the national camp in Patiala and will not take the ring at the nationals for the third year in a row. Also missing from action would be Olympian Jitender Kumar (56kg) and former world youth champion Thokchom Nanao Singh (49kg), who too are nursing hand injuries. However, the tournament does have its share of stars with Commonwealth Games gold medallist Akhil Kumar (56kg), Asian champion Suranjoy Singh (52kg), Commonwealth champions Jai Bhagwan (60kg), Dinesh Kumar (81kg) and Paramjeet Samota (91kg) and South Asian Games gold medallist Chhote Lal Yadav highlighting the draw. To be held in Delhi after a gap of two years, the championships will also give the boxers decent prize money. Every bout won in the preliminary stage would fetch boxers Rs 1,000 and the money would keep increasing as the stage gets tougher. The Indian Boxing Federation has made it mandatory for each one of the 44 core group boxers to participate in the event and exceptions would be made only for the medically unfit. The IBF has threatened to throw non-participants, who fail to give a satisfactory reason for their absence, out of the camp, making them ineligible for the trials for the Commonwealth Games. With the trials just a couple of months away, the Nationals give the not-so-established names a chance to impress the selection panel headed by Dronacharya awardee OP Bhardwaj.— PTI
|
|
Gavaskar seeks suggestions from IPL captains
Gavaskar, along with Ravi Shastri and MAK Pataudi, have been entrusted by the BCCI to work out the modalities of the auction and conducting the tournament since the initial three-year contract of the players ended in April. The three former cricketers were given the responsibility after Modi was suspended immediately after the third edition of the meet. According to the letter written on July 5, it is learnt that Gavaskar has favoured retention of four Indian players and three foreigners. However, the players whom the franchises wish to retain would still go into the auction and the owners would be given the preference in case of a tie in the bid. The next governing council meeting is slated for August and all the suggestions will be discussed in that meeting before finalising. Soon after the conclusion of the third edition, the BCCI suspended Modi accusing him of financial irregularities while running the league. Although Modi has replied to all of them, he has dragged the Cricket Board to the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of his suspension and the all the disciplinary proceedings against him. —
PTI |
|
Jeev off to strong start
Glasgow (Scotland), July 9 Jeev was the lone Indian to finish the day with a sub-par card against his name and the next best was Shiv Kapur's even-par 71 that placed the Delhi golfer tied 44th. Jyoti Randhawa, however, signed a one-over 72 to lie tied 75th and one shot behind him at tied 99th was Kolkata pro SSP Chowrasia. — PTI |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Germany and Uruguay will hope to salvage some pride in their third-place playoff match on Saturday after devastating semifinal defeats earlier this week. 
Oberhausen (Germany), July 9
Two players central to the German and Uruguayan marches through the knockout stages will be available again after suspensions that weighed heavily on both teams in the semis.
Uruguay, who lost 3-2 to the Dutch after a last-gasp fight back, could be without in-form marksman Diego Forlan on Saturday because of a thigh problem sustained in the semifinal. Three players who could figure - Forlan, Mueller and Miroslav Klose - are joint second in the scoring charts after netting four times each. They all have a chance to win the golden boot if they can score twice and Spain's David Villa and Dutchman Wesley Sneijder draw blanks in Sunday's final. Forlan said he was eager to play in the third-place match and wanted himself and Uruguay could go out on a high. — Reuters 
Potchefstroom, July 9
New Delhi, July 9
Flu hits Germans amid Klose worries
No vuvuzelas not in court: Magistrate