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Dutch return from the dead
Brazil three steps from heaven
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The people of Brazil needed this, says Cesar after heroics
Desert Foxes fight for glory, revenge
France pinning hopes on Benzema
Serena fizzles out, Federer marches on
Dravid to mentor team for England tour
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Dutch return from the dead
Fortaleza, June 29
After the changeover, Mexico took the lead almost immediately with former Barcelona forward dos Santos breaking the deadlock with a brilliant shot from outside the box. Mexico continued to dominate play with the Dutch feeling the heat, literally. In the final half hour, the Dutch finally started showing why they are one of the favourites as they set up camp in the Mexico final third. It was all ‘Oranje’ in the final quarter of the game and it was only the magnificent Ochoa that stood in the way of a Dutch equaliser. Mexico adopted a defensive strategy, sat back and defended their lead. That turned out to be the wrong decision as the Dutch put Mexico under tremendous pressure. With the time winding down, Mexico would have been dreaming of a quarterfinal berth. But with just three minutes left on the clock, Sneijder finally broke through the Mexican defence to give his side a deserved equaliser. There was more heartbreak for Mexico as Robben was fouled in the box by Marquez, a foolish foul to give away, with the referee pointing to the penalty spot. Huntelaar, a substitute for Van Persie, stepped up and slotted in the penalty to give his team the unlikeliest of leads. — Agencies
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Brazil three steps from heaven
Belo Horizonte, June 29 Gonzalo Jara latterly of West Bromwich Albion, Brighton on loan and an unremarkable spell at Forest was experiencing something for the first time: the eyes of the world were on him. If there was anyone not watching this game, as both sides battled through extra-time and into penalties, then they better have had a bloody good excuse. This was pressure. This was expectation. This was Brazil at their own World Cup finals going perilously close to being tipped out by their one of their neighbours to the west, and all before it had all properly begun. By the time that Neymar stepped up to take the last of Brazil’s five regulation penalties, his team-mates Willian and Hulk had already missed and had one saved respectively. The score stood at 2-2 and the boy wonder, at 22, had the weight of a nation’s expectations on his slender shoulders. For all his undoubted talents, Neymar has never been down as a brilliant penalty taker – in fact, in the early days at Santos one manager, subsequently sacked, preferred him not to take them.
With Neymar relatively becalmed and Sanchez the most dangerous player on the pitch, Chile came back into the game in extra-time. From the start, it was like the best sort of football match, the best kind of frenetic match that the Premier League serves up so often, played at a frenetic pace in the broiling afternoon sun for no other reason than so much was at stake. — The Independent
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The people of Brazil needed this, says Cesar after heroics
Belo Horizonte, June 29 Before the penalties Julio said, hit them with confidence and I’ll stop three,” said Brazil’s captain Thiago Silva. “It was preordained. Chile were a great team but we found strength. The most important thing is that the group is united, independent of any mistakes.” After the game Cesar said the result would lift the whole nation. “I’m very, very happy. I believe the Brazilian people just needed this,” he said. “We all needed this. We all knew it was going to be a very tough game. Chile deserve all our respect and that’s the way it’s going to be. I just hope the games that come now aren’t decided by penalties, otherwise our friends and families might have heart attacks,” he added. “This is something I’ve been saying over and over again. Many people were challenging my being selected. This shows I was well training for the World Cup. I must thank Felipao and the staff for all the training they have done for me. After what happened in 2010 I see how may people are just cheering for me and hoping for me after what happened.” Cesar referred to the quarter-final against the Dutch four years ago when he misjudged a cross for Holland to equalise — they went on to win. “After the [last] World Cup, to be labelled as the villain, it was very bad. I got the support of my family, who just supported me. This gives me the necessary strength. I apologise if I talk too much. I am trying to sum up four years’ work.” Suffered a lot, says NeymarBarcelona forward Neymar said afterwards that he had gone through emotional torment during the game. “We really suffered. It was pure emotion,” he said. “My tears after the game were of happiness. We know that it was not one of our best matches but the desire to win and get through to the next round that we showed was huge. It was the most I have ever suffered in football. Today I had everything. I took a knock, I had cramp. Now all I want to do is rest.” — Agencies
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Rodriguez’s brace spells agony for Uruguay
Rio de Janeiro, June 29
No-one could match Colombia’s No 10. Rodriguez brought all the mercurial brilliance that Suarez could not, without any of the malice. His capacity for the unpredictable again astounded, and it was all the more admirable because of the predictable pattern the game set in to before his latest wonder-goal. Within minutes of kick-off, it was Rodriguez himself who picked the ball up near the Colombian box. As he tried to turn inside, he was met with two granite-hard Uruguayan bodies, one of them only too willing to bounce him onto the turf. It was always going to be one of Tabarez’s main strategies. Even with Suarez, Uruguay had looked like a conservative team whose primary outlet was to feed the ball to their star and hope he did something stunning. Without him, they were surely going to be even more prepared to just try to stun the opposition.
So, Rodriguez did something that is hugely difficult to pull off, at least for any regular player. As the ball ricocheted into the air just in front of the Uruguayan 18-yard box, he chested it, turned and — without letting the ball hit the ground — smashed it in off the crossbar with the purest arc of a shot. It was divine, and possibly the goal of the World Cup so far. — The Independent
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Desert Foxes fight for glory, revenge
Porto Alegre, June 29 In all likelihood, however, a powerful Germany side will bring the Desert Foxes’ run to an end and deprive them of retribution and further glory. But it might not be easy. The Germans, champions in 1954, 1974 and 1990, arrived in Brazil as one of the favourites. They showed their credentials by demolishing Portugal 4-0 in their opening game but stumbled slightly against Ghana, drawing 2-2.
In their crucial final group game, a headed goal by Islam Slimani brought them back from 1-0 down against Russia to secure a draw, sending them through to the last 16. Algeria have beaten Germany in the World Cup before, defeating the then-West Germany 2-1 in Spain in 1982. But what followed was a travesty. After also defeating Chile, Algeria were on the cusp of qualifying for the knockouts. West Germany met Austria in the final group game with a narrow German victory enough for both teams to go through and see Algeria eliminated. After an early German goal, the two kicked the ball around aimlessly. The cynical display caused worldwide outrage and has gone down in the annals of soccer infamy as “the Shame of Gijon”. So the stage is set for a grand show. Germany can expect a warm welcome in the Rio Grande do Sul capital — the state has a significant population of German descent from immigration in the 19th Century. While satisfied with Germany’s performance against USA, coach Joachim Loew signalled they needed to tighten up in several aspects. He criticised the finishing and said they were also careless in the match’s later stages, squandering possession in midfield. Algeria will hope Porto Alegre will be propitious for them after their historic battle here against South Korea, when their four goals made then the highest-scoring African side in a single World Cup game. Halilhodzic had complained after the loss to Belgium that his team lacked the fitness to press to the end and needed to be psychologically stronger. That seems to have been rectified. “I love it as a coach to see my team fighting like this,” Halilhodzic had said after the match. — Reuters Podolski ruled out Germany forward Lukas Podolski (in pic) has been ruled out of the clash against Algeria with a thigh injury. The 29-year-old Arsenal star — who is at his third World Cup finals — suffered the injury in Germany’s 1-0 win over USA in their final group stage match and an MRI scan on Saturday revealed a small tear. “Lukas must rest for two or three days, but should we progress in the tournament it won’t be a problem for him to play,” said Germany coach Joachim Loew.
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France pinning hopes on Benzema
Brasilia, June 29
Nigeria’s preparations have been disrupted after they became the latest African country to be embroiled in a money row and the players threatened not to train. Team officials said promises of payment from the country’s president had resolved the situation but it is hardly the best way for the African champions to prepare for the France game. — Reuters
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Dutch stun Mexico with last-gasp 2-1 win
A remarkable last-gasp turnaround by the Netherlands earned them a 2-1 comeback victory over Mexico on Sunday and a place in the World Cup quarter-finals as they equalized in the 88th minute and won it with a stoppage-time penalty. Mexico made the breakthrough three minutes after halftime when Giovani Dos Santos held off two challenges before firing a powerful low shot into the corner. Keeper Guillermo Ochoa, Mexico's hero in their group stage draw with Brazil, then produced an astounding reaction save to divert Stefan de Vrij's point-blank effort on to a post but he could do nothing to keep out Wesley Sneijder's fierce equalizer. The Dutch won it when Arjen Robben was brought down by Rafael Marquez in stoppage time, with substitute Klaas-Jan Huntelaar slamming in the penalty. The Dutch advance to a meeting with Costa Rica or Greece, who play later on Sunday. Klinsmann tells Americans to change flights
United States coach Juergen Klinsmann has told his players to get their families to change their return flights from Brazil until after the World Cup final. The U.S. face Belgium in the second round of the World Cup on Tuesday after emerging from a tough Group G ahead of Portugal and Ghana. Defender Omar Gonzalez says Klinsmann's upbeat assessment of his team's chances of progressing has even gone as far as encouraging revised travel plans. "Juergen has been nothing but positive. He’s telling us, he’s telling our families to change our flights to July 14th, 15th, because we’re going to be here until the very end," said the center-half. "So that just speaks volumes to how positive he is, how much he believes in this team, and obviously it trickles down to all of us.” An England football supporter had a piece of his ear bitten off by another British fan at the World Cup in Brazil and efforts are on identify the suspect and bring him to justice, UK police said today. The assault happened during England's match against Uruguay in Sao Paulo on June 19. England lost the Uruguay match 2-1 after two goals from Luis Suarez, who found himself in trouble with football's world governing body FIFA for biting an Italian player in a later match. Local officers started an investigation after the fan made a complaint but the assailant has not been identified. — Agencies |
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Advani wins 9th world title
New Delhi, June 29 A resounding 6-1 win over Poland’s Kacper Flilpiak in the IBSF World 6-Red snooker Championship on Sunday earned him his ninth world title — most by any Indian cueist in the Open category — at Sharm el-Sheikh, the Egyptian island. The final lasted barely an hour, proving Advani’s prowess yet again in both snooker and billiards. He has won both World snooker titles on debut — the IBSF World Championship, China (2003), and this year’s IBSF 6-Red World Championship. “This is a dream. I wasn’t expecting anything from this championship. For the last two months I’ve been playing quite a bit of billiards, so to come into a world snooker championship and win it is simply unreal. At this point I’m just thrilled to be able to play quality snooker,” said Advani after his win.
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Serena fizzles out, Federer marches on
London, June 29
The result blasted a gaping hole in the women’s tournament which now looks wide open with second seed Li Na having departed a day earlier. World No. 1 Williams, 32, had not fallen before the fourth round at Wimbledon since 2005 and, after returning to court from a four-hour rain delay on day six, she seemed to be charging towards the business end of the tournament. Her power game began to malfunction and Cornet, sensing her moment, battled back with some attacking tennis to leave a strangely hesitant Williams reeling. After watching the match slip away, Williams dug deep at the end to claw back two games to trail 4-5 but she bungled a volley to offer Cornet a match point and then netted a backhand. “If somebody would have told me a couple years ago that I would be in second week here, beating Serena, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Cornet said. “Before it was just a pain to come here in Wimbledon. But now it’s the contrary,” added the 24-year-old who has reached the last 16 of a major for only the second time in 34 attempts. The result ended hopes of an eagerly anticipated last 16 match-up between Williams and fast-rising Canadian Eugenie Bouchard who comfortably beat fellow French Open semi-finalist Andrea Petkovic 6-3 6-4. Williams has now lost before the quarterfinals in all three of this year’s slams and time is running out on her bid to reach Steffi Graf’s professional era record haul of 22 major titles. “I think everyone in general plays the match of their lives against me,” Williams said. “So I just have to always, every time I step on the court, be a hundred times better. If I’m not, then I’m in trouble.” Swiss master Federer, seeking a record eighth Wimbledon title, did not give Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo time of day though, continuing his serene progress to the fourth round with a nonchalant 6-3 6-1 6-3 victory. — Reuters
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Dravid to mentor team for England tour
New Delhi, June 29 It has been learnt that skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coach Duncan Fletcher had approached the BCCI to have Dravid for a few interactive sessions with the young batsmen and the batting legend readily agreed to it. “Rahul Dravid has not been appointed batting consultant or in any other capacity. Since he has enjoyed stupendous success in England, the team management wanted the boys to interact with him before the first Test,” Patel said. “MS and Duncan requested me to find out whether Rahul could spare some time with the boys ahead of 1st Test. I spoke to Rahul and he was gracious enough to agree. We want him to share his vast experience. He has had so much success in England that no one can tell the current lot better about technique and temperament than Rahul,” he added. — PTI
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Fortaleza, June 29
London, June 29
Mexico after dominating play for the first hour of the match pulled down the shutter and inexplicably sat back allowing the Dutch back into the game. The Dutch pressure finally told as Wesley Sneijder smashed the ball into the net in the 88th minute to bring his team back on level terms. Mexico suffered their biggest heartbreak four minutes into added time when captain Rafael Marquez gave away a debatable penalty. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar dispatched the penalty to end Mexico’s run in the tournament. Mexico started the brighter of the two teams and held the possession well. 
The Dutch, who probably have been the best European side in the tournament, struggled with the heat from the outset. They failed to retain the ball well giving the possession away cheaply. Mexico, meanwhile, were full of running and passed the ball superbly. Besides playing excellent offensive football, the Mexicans were extremely well organised at the back. They repelled everything that came their way with Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie and Sneijder having little say in the matter. Mexico looked the more likely team to score and Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen had to pull out a few fine saves to keep the scores level. The Netherlands failed to even test Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa even once in the first half.
It was the most exquisite tension, when at 3.55pm Belo Horizonte time, a defender released by Nottingham Forest this summer took the long walk forward to take the last of ten penalties on a hot afternoon in the Brazilian interior.
But with a shimmy to the left and a stutter to his run-up, Neymar dispatched the last Brazil penalty to make it 3-2. Then it was left to Jara, already the scorer of a first half own goal, to take the shoot-out into sudden death. Chile had performed, once again, beyond the sum of their parts. They had been marvellous. But football can be such a swine at times and this was it. Jara against Julio Cesar, who had saved two already, including one from man of the match Alexis Sanchez. Jara hit the post. And with that, thousands of Brazilian voices let rip. They had negotiated the first knockout round. They were in the last eight. Catastrophe had been averted, but it had been so close and their shortcomings, not least in attack had been down up in a game where they had missed chance after chance. 
Before then the game’s defining moment coming when Howard Webb, the English referee assigned by Fifa to the toughest game of the round, disallowed a goal for Hulk with the score at 1-1. It was a decision that appeared to have been taken on the advice of his linesman Mike Mullarkey who was best placed to see Marcelo’s ball from the left on 55 minutes strike the bicep of Hulk before he scored. The Brazilian has a considerable chest and big arms too, and there was just a split second and two pairs of eyes to make the call. Webb got it right, but the Brazilians hated him for it. There was a danger that Webb could find himself the scapegoat in the event of a Brazil defeat. You did not have to look far for the problems. Luiz Felipe Scolari replaced Fred with Jo in the second half and it got no better in front of goal in normal time. 
After all the histrionics, a bit of history is made, all the while offering a glimpse of the future. Colombia reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time ever but their star man James
Rodriguez looks set to grace such stages many times. They charge on, while the Uruguayans choke, sent home with Luis Suarez.
Without their own star, Oscar Tabarez’s team just did not have enough. They could not make a statement quite as abrasive as the manager’s pre-game press conference. The intensity of their performance did not match the intensity of their rage.
Although Uruguay did step out once early on, it only led to Juan Zuniga suddenly bursting through the centre before — of course — being taken down. Tabarez’s team were given due warning. They immediately dropped back, and thereafter were only willing to allow Edinson Cavani forward. That revealed part of the problem. The Paris Saint-Germain striker’s erratic recent form initially continued. When suddenly played through with a superb ball over the top, he could do nothing but get the meekest of touches onto it. That only encouraged Uruguay to dig in even more, and it became clear they were just going to make it as difficult as possible for Colombia to break them down.
Algeria, masterminded by the wily French Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic and carrying the hopes of the Arab world with them, have impressed with their tenacity and ball skills.
Fast forward to the World Cup in Brazil and Benzema is now the toast of the Gallic nation, with three goals in as many games and man-of-the-match performances in the victories over Honduras and Switzerland. He has earned effusive praise from coach Didier Deschamps and France will need the 26-year-old to maintain his form if they are to beat Nigeria in the last-16 clash. “Benzema has extraordinary movement which underpins the team’s play,” Deschamps said. 
Williams’s hopes of a sixth singles title fizzled out as she sank to a 1-6 6-3 6-4 defeat against 25th seed Alize Cornet who celebrated by kissing the Court One turf.
