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Brazil take bite at Chile
Suarez returns; Chiellini thinks ban is excessive
Continental shift in this World Cup
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Colombian assault awaits Uruguay
Djokovic marches on, Li Na falls
Cash awards hike in offing for medal winners
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Brazil take bite at Chile
BELO HORIZONTE, June 27 Seeking a sixth World Cup on home soil, Luiz Felipe Scolari's men hit their stride in a 4-1 demolition of Cameroon that won them Group A and showed striker Neymar at his very best with two great goals and crowd-pleasing trickery on the ball. Now facing Chile in the first game of the tournament's knockout round, Brazil will be encouraged by recent history. They easily knocked out Chile at the same stage in the last two World Cups "La Roja" (The Red) featured in, 1998 and 2010. Brazil have in fact won nine of their last 10 meetings. Yet this fast and attack-minded Chile side could be the best version yet, claiming one illustrious scalp already when they beat reigning champions Spain 2-0 en route to their own qualification behind the Netherlands in Group B.
“Brazil has often been Chile's nemesis but football changes, new generations come and new players appear,” said midfielder Arturo Vidal, known to fans as “King Arthur”, who returns from a knee injury that kept him out of the match against the Dutch. "We've beaten the world champions, so we can beat Brazil." For that to happen, strikers Eduardo Vargas and Alexis Sanchez will have to be at their cut-throat best as they were against both Spain and Australia whom they also beat, 3-1, before the Dutch got the better of them in the final group game. Like other Latin American nations' fans, Chileans have flooded Brazil in their tens of thousands and are dreaming of at least emulating their best ever showing of third in 1962. They were knocked out then by, guess who, Brazil. With both teams more comfortable in attack than defence, the match could be a rip-roarer as they go straight for each other's defensive weak points. Fernandinho is set to replace Paulinho from the start to give the midfield more thrust. — Agencies
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Suarez returns; Chiellini thinks ban is excessive
MONTEVIDEO, June 27 Liverpool striker Suarez was met by outraged President Jose Mujica when he landed at a military base next to Uruguay's main airport before dawn, an air force spokesman said. Mujica had joined hundreds of fans who gathered at the airport on Thursday night to show their support for Suarez but they left after a few hours when it became clear he had not yet left Brazil. After his arrival on Friday, Suarez, his wife and other family members were driven to a home he has in the small coastal town of Solymar and the player appeared keen on maintaining a low profile. Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini has made the shock announcement that he feels the four-month ban from all forms of football given to Luis Suarez is “excessive”. Chiellini posted a statement on his official website in which he claimed the ban brings him no happiness and he is sad to see Suarez’s World Cup end prematurely. “Now inside me there's no feelings of joy, revenge or anger against Suarez for an incident that happened on the pitch and that's done,” said Chiellini. “There only remain the anger and the disappointment about the match. At the moment my only thought is for Luis and his family, because they will face a very difficult period. I have always considered unequivocal the disciplinary interventions by the competent bodies, but at the same time I believe that the proposed formula is excessive. I sincerely hope that he will be allowed, at least, to stay close to his team mates during the games because such a ban is really alienating for a player,” he added. The Italian joins the clamours of support for Suarez, following comments from the Uruguayan President, World Cup legend Diego Maradona and his own grandmother in defending him. — Reuters
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Continental shift in this World Cup
With the knockout stage of the tournament due to start on Saturday, the winner so far is increasingly clear from the fans who are left in Rio de Janeiro: Latin America, which is enjoying a tournament like no other, with its teams more successful and its supporters more prominent than ever before. More teams from the Americas — 10 (including the non-Latin USA) — are participating in this World Cup than any previous tournament and a record eight have progressed beyond the group stages. New World shining
As well as Argentina and Brazil, the most impressive performances have come from smaller nations. England and Italy fell to Costa Rica and Uruguay, while Spain were squeezed out by Chile. This is a sign of the New World outdoing the Old. Diego Maradona said, “Latin Americans have been very strong. English football is gone. So are the Spanish and Italians despite having the best leagues in the world.” The Argentinian World Cup winner added on his TV show: “We [in Latin America] are firmly on our way to winning the trophy.” In terms of registered sales of tickets to fans, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico and Chile are in the top 10, which was almost entirely dominated by European nations in previous World Cups. The US was top with more than 125,000 tickets – though many of these will have been Hispanics. According to Facebook data on the World Cup, the top five best represented nations in Brazil are all from the Americas – the US, Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Argentina. This time, history is on Latin America's side. Although Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Greece and France are still in the competition, no European side has ever won the World Cup outside its home continent. One consolation for the Europeans is that only one of Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay can reach the semifinals due to the configuration of the draw. And although only six teams from Europe reached the last 16 in 2010, three of those went on to reach the semifinals, while the final between Spain and Holland was the second all-European affair in a row after France and Italy in 2006. Having provided seven of the last eight World Cup semi-finalists, Europe's dominance appears to be on the wane. Brazil striker Fred said: “I think the climate can make a bit of a difference, because we are better adapted to it. The tactical aspect makes a difference, too. We see Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Chile all playing technically good football. And as they are used to the very hot climate, it can end up helping a bit.” Asians floundering
The four AFC teams (Australia, Iran, Japan and S Korea) played 12 games, drew three and lost nine. There are three problems. One is physicality. Not only do many players lack the height and power, they are perceived to do so by European teams and are thus less likely to be signed. Another is cultural or political differences, which lead to a degree of isolation. The third factor is adequate wealth, which dissuades players to go and play in the competitive environment of Europe.
— Agencies |
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Short
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Belgian PM offers Obama beer bet over clash
Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo challenged U.S. President Barack Obama to a bet over Belgium's impending World Cup knock-out match against the United States, offering the prospect of some "great Belgian beers" should the U.S. team win. On Thursday, Belgium beat South Korea 1-0 to top Group H, setting up a clash with the United States after Juergen Klinsmann's team pipped Portugal to second place in Group G on goal difference despite losing to Germany. "Hey @BarackObama, I am betting some great Belgian beers that our @BelRedDevils will make it to the quarter final!" Di Rupo tweeted in the early hours of Friday. FIFA lifts ban on German great Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer's manager says FIFA has lifted his ban from all football-related activity for failing to help an investigation of alleged corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes. Manager Marcus Hoefl said in a statement posted via his Twitter feed that FIFA informed Beckenbauer on Friday the ban was lifted with immediate effect. FIFA's ethics committee imposed the ban on June 13. The German great then pledged to answer the questions put to him. Schweinsteiger not a happy camper
Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has not been a happy camper at the World Cup in Brazil.The brooding 29-year-old jogged silently with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer at Germany's training session on Friday without a smile or a word in the direction of dozens of journalists, fuelling speculation he is perturbed by his role as a reserve.
— Agencies Algeria book maiden last-16 berth
Curitiba: Rising star Islam Slimani helped realise million Algerian dreams when the striker gifted the African side its maiden last-16 entry in the World Cup after closing the door on Russia with a 1-1 draw as 10-man Belgium edged past South Korea 1-0 to stay atop Group H. Trailing 0-1, Slimani’s header in the 60th minute ensured that Algeria put their disappointment of three failed attempts — 1982, 1986 and 2010 — to qualify for the knockouts of the World Cup behind them and create history. Russian forward Aleksandr Kokorin gave his team the lead with a thumping header in the sixth minute. Algeria though kept testing the Russian defence and a few good strikes also put goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev on high alert. Soon hell broke loose in the Algerian camp when Slimani, who has three World Cup goals to his credit so far, headed the equaliser much to the joy coach Vahid Halihodzic.
Bogota: Long-suffering Colombians are shirking work, carousing in the streets and painting the nation yellow after a start that has exceeded all expectations and left them on edge ahead of Saturday’s knockout game. Devoted yet oft-disappointed supporters, whose team are competing at the finals for the first time in 16 years, have been dropping everything to watch the team play. In the capital Bogota, the swanky Parque 93 exploded into a raucous display of so-called ‘yellow fever’, named for the team’s sunshine-coloured shirts, as favourite James Rodriguez scored the final goal in a 4-1 win against Japan on Tuesday.
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Colombian assault awaits Uruguay
When Uruguay’s players should be focusing solely on the threat posed by James Rodriguez and his Colombia team-mates, they instead find themselves under siege in the wake of one of the biggest World Cup scandals in recent memory. Suarez was yesterday handed a nine-match international ban and a four-month overall suspension for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s last group game. Journalists descended upon Uruguay’s training base yesterday and while Suarez happily flashed a thumbs-up sign to photographers, his team-mates have shown signs of exasperation. Captain Diego Lugano snapped when asked about the incident in a press conference on Wednesday, slapping away questions on the subject by saying: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The affair has distracted attention from Uruguay’s return to the Maracana, scene of their seismic win over Brazil in the decisive game of the last Brazilian World Cup in 1950. Come kick-off in Rio de Janeiro, Uruguay and Colombia will also know whether it is Brazil or Chile who await them in the quarterfinals in Fortaleza on July 4. In Suarez’s absence, veteran Diego Forlan is expected to come into Uruguay’s frontline alongside Edinson Cavani, as he did when Suarez missed his side’s opening game through injury. Speaking before Suarez’s punishment was announced, Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez played down the likely impact of the 27-year-old’s absence against Colombia. “If one player is suspended, another one will play. We’ve already played lots of matches without Suarez. We’ve won some, and we’ve lost some, and he wasn’t there against Costa Rica either,” he said. Colombia, meanwhile, are bidding to make history by reaching the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. Jose Pekerman’s side will be buoyed by the memory of a 4-0 win over Uruguay in South American qualifying in September 2012, but Colombia captain Mario Yepes believes that their rivals’ superior World Cup experience will give them an edge. “Uruguay were inconsistent in qualifying, but they are very difficult opponents and we must respect them in the same way that we respected our group-stage opponents,” said the 38-year-old. — PTI
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Djokovic marches on, Li Na falls
London, June 27 The pair fought a tight two-hour-19-minute duel that could have gone either way, but the determined Czech held firmer in two tiebreaks to win 7-6(5) 7-6(5). Djokovic was cantering towards a regulation victory against Frenchman Gilles Simon on Centre Court when, with the score at 6-4 6-2 3-2, he slipped before flinging himself at a forehand. He fell heavily, appearing to jar his elbow, and was left wincing in pain as he rolled on the turf clutching his shoulder. His coach Boris Becker watched anxiously as his charge received treatment. After some shoulder manipulation by his chair, the Serb resumed as if nothing had happened and finished off Simon 6-4 6-2 6-4 with a characteristically athletic airborne smash. “It was a sharp pain when I fell, an awkward fall,” he said. “I was just hoping there is nothing going on with the joint. Luckily there is no damage and I could play.” Djokovic will now meet France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round. Women’s third seed Simona Halep suffered a less spectacular scare, dropping a set against unheralded Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko in a delayed second-round match. Halep eventually saw off Tsurenko 6-3 4-6 6-4. Battling Australian Leyton Hewitt bowed out but not before giving 15th seed Jerzy Janowicz a thorough workout in a second-round match held over from Thursday. Pole Janowicz prevailed 7-5 6-4 6-7(7) 4-6 6-3. — Reuters
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Saina in semis, Sindhu bows out
Sydney, June 27 Saina got off to a fine start against her Japanese opponent, as she straight away opened up a 4-0 lead and quickly widened the gap to 8-2. But Hirose fought her way back to make it 10-10. Although Saina always held an upper hand and maintained a slender lead, Hirose once again came from behind to make it 18-18. But the world No. 8 held on and was quick to take the next three points and the opening game. A dominant display in the second game by Saina left the Japanese girl gasping for breath. And the only time Hirose even came close to the shuttler from Hyderabad was at 2-3. Saina will face Shixian Wang in the semifinals. The Indian enjoys a 4-3 record against the world No. 2 — a two-time All England champion — although Wang has won in their last two encounters.
— PTI
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Cash awards hike in offing for medal winners
New Delhi, June 27 It has been proposed that for the Olympics (summer and winter) and Paralympics Games, the amount will be increased from Rs 50 lakh to to Rs 75 lakh for gold, Rs 30 to Rs 50 lakh for silver and Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh for bronze. Interestingly, the ministry has included medal winners at the All-England Badminton Championship in the list, with cash awards fixed at Rs 30 lakh (gold), Rs 20 lakh (silver) and Rs 10 lakh (bronze).
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London, June 27
The Brazil of their opening two group games, a win but an unconvincing one against Croatia and a draw against Mexico, have not struck fear into the Chileans.
Cristiano Ronaldo confessed that he would never get his skin inked as he wanted to continue donating blood. The 29-year-old Portugal footie ace, who reportedly gives blood twice a year, doesn't feel the need to get a tattoo, as in many countries, people with new tattoos can cause risks of cross-contamination and hepatitis while donating blood. The Real Madrid star, who had also started donating bone marrow, said that he started the noble act when he learned about his teammate Carlos Martins's son's suffering.
Rio de Janeiro, June 27
