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Robben & Magic man
Sparks fly when Latin magic cofronts Dutch flair in World Cup
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India smell a chance
India likely to go with 5 bowlers in first Test
Sim Bhullar first Indian-origin player to join NBA
NBA to launch extensive programme in Punjab
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SAO PAULO, july 8
Two teams with a rich tradition and an abundance of motivation should produce a close game, characterized by tight marking, disciplined defense and threats on the break as they bid to reach the July 13 final at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana. But for all the expectation, all the history and all the focus on the tactical approaches of Alejandro Sabella and Louis van Gaal, the clash at the Corinthians arena is likely to come down to how two individuals seize the moment. With both teams set to pack the midfield, regardless of what formal formation they field, Argentine Lionel Messi and Dutchman Arjen Robben will be charged with producing thrilling moments of skill that could decide who heads to Rio for the final. The narrative around the 27-year-old Messi's stature in the game has long suggested that the four-time World Player of the Year needs to take his country to a World Cup triumph to enter the list of the game's true greats. Whether that assessment is fair or not, Messi is certainly doing his best to prove that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as compatriot Diego Maradona and Brazil's Pele. The forward has four goals, all in the group stage, but his contribution has gone well beyond finding the back of the net. Messi has always had the ability, for Barcelona and Argentina, to drop away from the opposing back-line and run at defenses from deep, but in the quarter-final win over Belgium he played almost as a classic playmaking number 10. In this withdrawn role, Messi successfully controlled the tempo of the game, slowing it down when needed and probing for spaces for striker Gonzalo Higuain to exploit. So often the virtuoso who provides the dramatic crescendo to an attack, Messi has evolved in this tournament into the conductor of the orchestra. Dutch coach Van Gaal has been willing to adjust his lineup and formation for each game, but the one constant is the reliance on Robben to terrorize defenses with his high-speed dribbling. While much attention has focused on the tricky winger's tendency to go down easily in seeking penalties, that has distracted somewhat from the way his pace, directness and shooting have been the main focus of the Dutch attacks. — Reuters Battles within the battle Robben v Rojo Now 30, Robben remains one of the most dangerous wingers in the game, the Bayern Munich man having always maintained his terrifying pace on the ball. Robben loves to cut inside from the right flank onto his left foot, a move that has seen him score countless important goals throughout his career. Fifa's statistics show that he has made a total of 17 solo dribbles into the opposition area, nine more than any other player. For Argentina, Rojo is available again after suspension and seems certain to return at left-back in place of Jose Maria Basanta. Rojo has been arguably Argentina's best defender at the competition so far, but he has not yet come up against an opponent of Robben's quality. Sneijder v Mascherano Coming into the World Cup, Sneijder's place in the Dutch side was the subject of some doubt. But he has been a prominent player in Louis van Gaal's midfield thanks to his creativity as well as his willingness to go for goal himself. Only Robben has had more attempts on goal than the Galatasaray man, who is also one of just two players to have been denied by the woodwork on two separate occasions. The other is France midfielder Yohan Cabaye. In opposition to Sneijder, Mascherano patrols in front of the Argentina defence. While his passing ability should not be underestimated, he adds the grit in the middle of the park and will look to stop Sneijder from playing. The Dutch defence v Messi The injury suffered by Angel di Maria in the win over Belgium is a big blow to Argentina, who will miss his threat coming forward from midfield. Nevertheless, as long as Messi is available, Sabella's side should not need to worry too much. Van Gaal has favoured a three-man central defence so far, and if he sticks with that system the Dutch should have the numbers to cope with Messi as well as Gonzalo Higuain and whoever else lines up in attack for Argentina. However, they lack a world class centre-back, and the absence of Nigel de Jong deprives the Dutch of much-needed bite deep in midfield. Bruno Martins Indi could step forward into that role, or Daley Blind could play there. Whoever it is will have their hands full with Messi.
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Sparks fly when Latin magic cofronts Dutch flair in World Cup
The Netherlands' performance in their first meeting in West Germany in 1974 is viewed by some as the peak of collective skill. Led by two goals from Johan Cruyff, they dazzled with their passing and movement in a famous 4-0 win. Cruyff, who strutted through the match imperiously, opened the scoring in the 10th minute and sealed the deal in the final minute with a drive from a tight angle. Argentina strike back in ‘78
Dutch triumph in 1998
A goalless draw in 2006 The most recent encounter will be more easily forgotten. Eight years ago the pair played out a goalless draw in the final game of the group stage at the 2006 finals, having both already secured their place in the next round.
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FIFA denies urging referees to
withhold cards
FIFA has denied any agreement with the referees to withhold yellow cards in the World Cup. German newspaper Bild Monday reported that FIFA urged referees to refrain from showing too many yellow cards in the tournament. The daily added that there are covert orders from FIFA to match referees to punish players for clashes which result in injuries like Neymar suffered, reports Efe. "The story that there is a secret plan from FIFA telling the referees not to sanction yellow or red cards in order to have more entertainment or television shares... in other words that FIFA is risking and tolerating that players like Neymar and others are injured. This is just unacceptable," said FIFA's chief spokesman Walter de
Gregorio. Napoli back Zuniga over Neymar challenge
FIFA announces no player failed drug tests at WC
FIFA medical committee has announced that every player tested for drugs at the World Cup in Brazil has been cleared of doping after more than 1,000 tests came back negative. FIFA's chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak said that every player on each of the 32 competing teams, 736 players in total, had provided blood and urine samples for the test. According to The Guardian, Dvorak said that 777 out-of-competition tests were conducted between 1 March and 11 June plus another 232, four from each of the first 58 matches played in Brazil, since the tournament kicked off on 12 June, and all came back negative. Dvorak said that they have not found any prohibitive substances either prior to or during the
competition. Dutch are almost perfect, says Mascherano Argentina face a tough task to get past a Netherlands team who do almost everything perfectly and given space can be lethal, midfielder Javier Mascherano said on the eve of their World Cup semi-final clash. Argentina will be trying to end a 24-year wait for a place in the World Cup final on Wednesday, while Louis van Gaal's Dutch side are one win from being in the showpiece game for the second time in a row having lost the 2010 decider 1-0 to Spain. "It will be a very tough match, Netherlands is a great team and they do almost everything right," Mascherano said in an interview with Argentina's official news agency, Telam. "They are very experienced and have got a lot of great players, and they were at the last World Cup final although they lost," he added. — Agencies
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India smell a chance
Nottingham, July 8
As Sri Lanka proved just over a month ago and Australia proved over the past six months, England’s batsmen lack confidence and are as vulnerable on their own tracks as the tourists. Also, against Sri Lanka, the England bowlers found the going tough once the ball lost its shine. With the clear conditions overhead and no reverse swing on offer, England’s bowlers found it difficult to dislodge batsmen; the absence of the retired off-spinner Graeme Swann compounded this problem. The Indian attack is no different. A damp wicket, or one with grass, can bring to life the Indian bowlers. They proved this by dismissing South Africa and New Zealand cheaply in the first innings of the Tests matches in Johannesburg and Wellington last winter. However, once the pitches lost the juice, the Indian bowlers were slaughtered. Rather than taking a gamble on producing seaming tracks and encouraging their own bowlers as well as the Indians, England look content to fight pitched battles over five days to produce a result. They will be assisted by the fact the Indian spinners are inexperienced and lack the skills to bowl the opposition out on tracks that don’t aid fast turn. England do have a good record here — of their last six Tests at the Trent Bridge ground, England have won five. Stuart Broad of England noted this today. “Out of the last seven Tests here, I think we have won five... So we have a good record. James Anderson's record here is brilliant and Ian Bell has got some 500 runs here in the last four innings or something. This gives us confidence,” said Broad today. Before England’s win streak started at this ground, though, they were beaten here by India in 2007. It’s odd — it’s England, but there are early indications that this series could well be an “Indian Summer”, in terms of the conditions anyway. From the England perspective, flatter tracks might seem to be a safe option, but it could backfire on them. If India find themselves ahead, or even level after a couple of Test matches, England might want to revise this strategy. A fascinating contest waits.
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India likely to go with 5 bowlers in first Test
Nottingham, July 8 “I have to be ready at No. 6 because that's a crucial phase of the game where you can turn the matches,” Dhoni said. “If you start getting a few boundaries and bat positively in the company of other batsmen, and that's the time of the game you are able to get some quick runs because the ball will be slightly old and the bowlers are a bit tired. But you have to make sure that you get good start, and more importantly you capitalise on it. There are not too many teams around that have five bowlers. So, in itself it is a big challenge. It is great to have five bowlers outside the sub-continent and we will look at the wicket tomorrow and then decide,” he added. It means all-rounder Stuart Binny may be an option at No. 7.
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Sim Bhullar first Indian-origin player to join NBA
Washington, July 8 The 21-year-old, who is 7.5 feet tall and weighs 360 pounds, is a centre from the New Mexico State University. Originally from Canada, Bhullar's parents hail from Kapurthala in Punjab. His height is in his genes with his father 6.5 feet tall and his mother's height being 5.10 feet. Bhullar's younger brother Tanveer, who is 7.2 feet, also plays college basketball at New Mexico State. Bhullar's name was not originally drafted in last month's NBA Draft, and that might deter him from playing for the Kings when the 2014-2015 season begins later this year. The Indian-origin player made everyone took note of him in college as he averaged 10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game in his two-year career with the Aggies. In an interview with a Toronto paper ‘The Globe and Mail’, Bhullar said he wanted to make the most of it by dropping out of college after his sophomore year and enter the draft. “Guys my size don't have very long careers and you have to take advantage of it and do the best you can with the time you have to play,” Bhullar was quoted as saying. “I didn't want to get hurt in another college season and ruin my chances. And I'm not the kind of guy that's doing it just to make money right away; I just want to play at the highest level," he said. In 2013, the Kings became the NBA's first team to have an Indian-origin majority owner — Vivek Ranadive. Since taking over the reins of the Kings, which was lying low in recent years due to less winning percentages and declining ticket sales, Ranadive has transformed the organisation into one of the better ones in the league. — PTI
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NBA to launch extensive programme in Punjab
Chandigarh, July 8 The programme would cover 125 schools in Ludhiana and Jalandhar districts and 50 schools from all other districts of Punjab. Three government schools — at Bhaini Bagha, Bhikhi and Sardulgarh — have been adopted under the scheme in Mansa district. Punjab Basketball Association’s General Secretary Teja Singh Dhaliwal said that boys having talent would be selected from 1,25,000 students of 200 schools. “We have invited physical education teachers and coaches of Malwa region at Ludhiana on July 17. Troy Justice, Director of Basketball Operations of NBA in India, who is presently based in Mumbai, would also be present,” said Dhaliwal. Next day, the meeting would be held in Jalandhar where physical education teachers of schools and coaches from Majha and Doaba region have been invited. The Education Minister Dr Daljit Singh Cheema has already given a go ahead to this programme. He has instructed officials to extend full support to the venture. NBA’s top brass are convinced that there are tall talented boys available in Punjab but they need proper professional handling to become international stars. Due to lack of facilities and other reasons, youth have been going astray in Punjab. A significant part of them have been leaning towards drugs and other intoxicants. “We are sure that the programme would be helpful for boys to become healthy,” said Dhaliwal.
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The Netherlands are one win away from a second straight World Cup final while opponents Argentina head into Wednesday's last-four clash looking to end their 24-year wait for a place in the biggest game of
all.
This July is different. As you commute from London to Nottingham this year, you’re met with a slightly peculiar sight. The English countryside, usually lush and evergreen, has shades of brown. The grass is dry — caused by this year’s unusual English summer. It’s been dry thus far and it is expected to remain so, if you believe the meteorology
department.
Sim Bhullar has become the first player of Indian origin to be a part of the National Basketball Association (NBA) after he signed a summer contract with the Sacramento Kings, a professional basketball team in the
US.
Dutch domination in 1974
Four years later, the pair met in the World Cup final with hosts Argentina triumphing 3-1 in extra time on a ticker tape-covered field. Argentina striker Mario Kempes, who had watched the crushing four years earlier from the bench, opened the scoring, sliding the ball home seven minutes before halftime. With the hosts just eight minutes away from celebrating their first World Cup triumph, substitute Dick Nanninga headed in an equalizer to force extra time. Kempes scrambled in his sixth goal of the tournament to restore the lead, and five minutes from the end Daniel Bertoni secured the victory and left the 1970s Dutch with the unwanted title of the greatest team never to win the World Cup.
It was 20 years before the two teams were to meet again in the 1998 quarter-finals in Marseilles, France. Dennis Bergkamp's sublime winning goal is the standout individual moment and widely considered one of the most skillful finishes in a World Cup game. Patrick Kluivert, assistant coach of the current Dutch team, opened the scoring and then the impish Claudio Lopez, Gabriel Batistuta's clever strike partner, leveled. The game was decided in the 90th minute by a moment of pure brilliance - Bergkamp bringing down a superbly delivered long pass from Frank de Boer and in one sublimely smooth movement, slipping inside of Roberto Ayala and finding the net with the outside of his right foot.
Napoli have backed their Colombia defender Juan Zuniga over his challenge on Neymar that forced the Brazil forward out of the World Cup with a fractured bone in his back. "Napoli regrets the injury Neymar suffered that will prevent him playing in the semi-final against Germany," the Italian club said on their website. "Best wishes to the Brazilian champion for a speedy recovery," they added. "At the same time, the club expresses its solidarity with Zuniga, who has come under ferocious criticism and received threats of all kinds due to a foul that was unfortunate due to its consequences but not malicious." Napoli noted that Zuniga had not been punished for the challenge by the referee of the World Cup quarter-final, which Brazil won 2-1, and had later been cleared by FIFA's Disciplinary Committee.
This is a good indicator about the type of pitches India are likely to confront during this gruelling five-Test series. The curator at the Trent Bridge ground here has already stated that he is reluctant to water the pitch as this could result in both sides getting out for 180 runs each. This is an indication about the tone of the
series.
Pistorius defence rests case, date set for final arguments