Spain World Cup hero Carmona learned of father's death after final

MADRID — Spain's Women's World Cup final goalscoring hero Olga Carmona learned her father had died after the nation's 1-0 win over England, the Spanish federation (RFEF) said Sunday.

The 23-year-old defender drilled home the only goal of the game in Sydney to help La Roja win the tournament for the first time in their history.

"The RFEF deeply regrets having to report the death of Olga Carmona's father," said the Spanish federation in a statement.

"The footballer learned the sad news after the World Cup final.

"We send our most sincere embraces to Olga and her family in a moment of deep pain. We love you, Olga, you are in the history of Spanish football."

Real Madrid player Carmona dedicated her goal to the late mother of one of her best friends, displaying an undershirt with "Merchi" written on it.

"I want to say this victory is for one of my best friend's mother, who died recently, I celebrated the goal with that shirt," Carmona told Spanish state broadcasters La 1, soon after the game's conclusion.

 Agence France-Presse 

England, Spain pursue history in Women's World Cup final

SYDNEY — History will be made at the Women's World Cup on Sunday when England and Spain clash in the final in Sydney with both bidding to win the tournament for the first time.

The game kicks off at 1000 GMT (6 p.m. in Manila) in front of an anticipated sell-out crowd of about 75,000 at Stadium Australia.

It will be the final act of a tournament full of shocks which began one month ago and started with 32 teams, making it the biggest Women's World Cup ever.

Now they are down to the last two and it's a final too close to call. Neither team has ever got this far before.

The two sides last met at the European Championship last summer, when hosts England squeezed into the semi-finals 2-1 in extra time and went on to lift the trophy.

Coach Sarina Wiegman and defender Millie Bright said they were attempting to think of this as just another game, but the skipper admitted there was no getting away from the enormity of the occasion.

British media has been full of references to 1966 -- when the country won the men's World Cup for the only time.

"We know how passionate our nation is back home and how much they want us to win," Bright said on Saturday.

"But for us there is a process, we have a game plan to execute and we need to play the game of our lives."

Chelsea attacker Lauren James is back from a two-match ban for stamping on an opponent in the last-16 victory on penalties over Nigeria.

It would be a surprise, however, if Wiegman makes any changes to the side that impressively saw off Colombia 2-1 and then disposed of co-hosts Australia in the semi-final.

"We have grown through the tournament, we've grown in confidence and we are just preparing as we always do," said Wiegman.

'NEXT QUESTION'

Except against Nigeria, England have been mostly ruthless and machine-like in reaching the final, especially in silencing the home crowd in the 3-1 victory over Australia.

Spain are more slick and have often passed their opponents into submission, coupled with sparks of attacking flair.

England are unbeaten at the tournament, but a notable blip for Jorge Vilda's side was their 4-0 drubbing to a Japan team which hit Spain at pace on the counterattack in the group phase.

Spain had never even won a knockout match at the World Cup until this edition and their exploits are even more impressive for the turmoil that threatened to torpedo their chances.

In September last year, 15 players -- many of them from European powerhouse Barcelona -- came out and said they no longer wanted to represent their country.

They had numerous complaints, but their chief issue was with Vilda -- how strict he was, his lack of success, his tactics and his methods.

Three of the 15 mutineers returned for the World Cup and one of them, Barcelona midfield schemer Aitana Bonmati, has been among the best players at the tournament.

Vilda has been asked repeatedly by reporters at the World Cup about the missing players and was once quizzed about whether the ones he brought to Australia and New Zealand even liked him.

On the eve of the final he appeared to have had enough of that line of questioning, replying: "Next question, please."

He was more forthright about the spirit among his players, saying they were "united".

"The training sessions, the games, everything that's happened outside has been extraordinary," he said.

'SORRY' PRINCE WILLIAM 

Spain's Queen Letizia will be in attendance but Prince William -- chairman of England's Football Association -- has faced criticism for staying at home.

"Lionesses I want to send you a huge good luck for tomorrow," he said in a video with daughter Charlotte sitting next to him.

"We're sorry we can't be there in person but we're so proud of everything you've achieved and the millions you've inspired here and around the world."

Whoever wins, it will be a new name on the Women's World Cup.

The United States, who had been chasing a third title in a row, went out on penalties in the last 16 to Sweden.

Norway, Germany and Japan are the only other nations to have lifted the trophy.

Agence France-Presse 

Changed role, same goal for Rapinoe at fourth and final World Cup

LOS ANGELES -- Megan Rapinoe has embraced a different role for the United States as the decorated veteran bids to bow out from the World Cup with a third title in a row.

The 38-year-old is set to retire from football at the end of the season and is the senior member of a US squad packed with young talent in Australia and New Zealand.

The forward scored six goals, earning both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot, as the Americans triumphed once more in France four years ago.

Her open-armed goal celebration became a defining image of the tournament.

Rapinoe is just as formidable off the field. she was a key voice in the team's battle with the US federation for equal pay and conditions, and remains an unflinching advocate for women and the LGBTQ community.

She is now past her prime on the pitch and won't play every minute at her fourth World Cup, but US coach Vlatko Andonovski said the 2019 Ballon d'Or winner was as important as ever.

"First and foremost, the thing with 'Pinoe' is, when she's on the field, she's a great player," he said in the build-up to the tournament.

"That's the first reason why she's on this team.

"She's one of the most creative players that I've ever seen."

Rapinoe's experience and leadership will arguably be just as critical off the field for a squad that features 14 World Cup newcomers.

"She will have a role of a player-leader -- and leading the leaders as well," Andonovski said.

The United States begin their campaign on Saturday when they face Vietnam in Auckland and are favourites to retain their crown over the next month.

Setting the standard 

Rapinoe took a knock in a June 10 game for her club OL Reign in the National Women's Soccer League but expects to be fit for whenever she is needed.

"It was quite minor," she said. "Not amazing timing, but such is life for an athlete. It's nothing I'm worried about for the start of the tournament."

Whatever minutes she ends up playing, Rapinoe still sets the standard for the rest of the World Cup squad.

"First, she's an amazing player, so on the field you already know where the level needs to be," said 18-year-old forward Alyssa Thompson.

"And off the field she's so funny and makes me feel comfortable even though I'm so young and she's much older than me.

"She just makes me feel like I'm supposed to be here too."

Rapinoe certainly doesn't need anyone to make her feel she belongs at a World Cup, but nor has she lost her sense of wonder at taking part in what she calls "the premier women's sporting event in the world, bar none."

"I can't believe we're back at the World Cup again," she said. "This is the best moment of all our career.

"It never gets old."

Agence France-Presse

US women win World Cup on their own terms

Megan Rapinoe left early, her work done for the day. The celebration came early, too, for a U.S. team determined up until the final minute to win this Women’s World Cup on its own terms.

No excuses. Certainly no apologies.


Just dominant soccer from a team that embraced the moment both on the pitch and in front of the microphones in France.

The argument about equal pay ends now. These women deserve more, much more, than anyone on the perennially underachieving U.S. men’s team.

And give them an extra pat on the back for doing it their own way.

“An amazing group of players but even better group of people,” U.S. coach Jill Ellis said. “They put their hearts and soul into this journey and I can’t thank them enough.”


There should be thanks all around for this team, and not just because they won another World Cup. That was almost expected — the U.S. has now won four of the eight Women’s World Cups — but not many thought that it would play out in this fashion.

They kicked off the tournament by preening and posing with each goal — all 13 of them — in a rout of Thailand. They spoke out about parity in their paychecks and equal rights, and their pink haired captain got into a tiff with President Donald Trump over a possible White House visit.

And when their 2-0 win over the Netherlands was over, the message had gotten through. Fans dressed in red, white and blue chanted “Equal Pay” in support of their lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation.

“Give the people what they want,” Rapinoe said.

The equal pay will come, if not for this team then maybe for the next. It has to, because not only are the U.S. women more successful than the men, they are far more entertaining.

That showed when Rapinoe posed dramatically after putting the U.S. ahead for good with a second half penalty shot. It showed with some final match head banging that put one player out of the final and left another bloodied.

It showed all tournament long whenever controversy threatened to interfere with the mission of a group of very talented players and a coach not afraid to push all the right buttons.

“We’re crazy, that’s what makes it special,” Rapinoe said. “We have no quit in us, we’re so tight and we’ll do anything to win.”

They may not end up visiting the White House, but that doesn’t mean there’s not more celebrating to do. The final had barely ended when they were invited to a parade Wednesday in New York City, and there will be the obligatory late night TV appearances for Rapinoe and her teammates.

What it means for the future of women’s soccer is less clear, if only because great breakthroughs that were predicted from earlier World Cup titles never quite happened. The good news is there were some encouraging signs this week with ESPN agreeing to televise National Women’s Soccer League games the rest of the season and Budweiser announcing on Sunday it was signing on as a multi-year national sponsor of the league.

Still, in one final indignity, the women didn’t even have the day to themselves in soccer. For some reason international soccer officials not only played the Copa America final on the same day, but the 2019 Gold Cup, too.

This was a day to celebrate, though, not to complain about what should be. That can come later, though the fact FIFA is looking to expand from 24 to 32 teams for the 2023 World Cup is further evidence that world soccer is beginning to take the women’s game more seriously.

What is also evident is that the rest of the world is catching up to the U.S., though the Americans never trailed in any match. With European countries in particular devoting more resources to the women’s game there’s going to be a World Cup in the not so distant future in which the U.S. isn’t an overwhelming favorite.

It won’t help that those future teams will also likely be without the 34-year-old Rapinoe, who was the unquestioned star of this World Cup, on the field and off. She scored goals in bunches, wasn’t afraid to tangle with both her own president and the ruling soccer elite, and was the center of attention everywhere.

And when she posed majestically after scoring the only goal that would be needed against the Netherlands?

Well, let’s just say she did it better than any man.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Pep confidant: the Barca great thriving in China’s ‘crazy’ second tier

Sergi Barjuan excelled at Barcelona for nearly a decade, played in two World Cups for Spain and counts Pep Guardiola as a close friend.

No wonder then that it took time getting used to China’s second division, where he says that players often lack composure and some pitches are desperately poor.

Known in the football world simply as Sergi, the 46-year-old left his family behind last November to become coach of Zhejiang Greentown, who were relegated in 2016.

Barcelona it is not.

But after a rough start getting settled, the no-nonsense former defender has taken a youthful side to within touching distance of a return to the Chinese Super League (CSL).

It is a measure of compensation for the “big problem” of being away from his family in Spain, especially his four children.

“Now it’s very good, but the first four months were very difficult — different culture, different food, different thinking about life,” he told AFP during an interview in Hangzhou, the city near Shanghai where Zhejiang are based.

It was more than just adjusting to a new life for Sergi, a mainstay for Barcelona as a raiding left-back from 1993 to 2002 — it was learning a new kind of football.

“This football is different from Europe. The last 20-25 minutes is crazy football, each match is the same, attack, attack, attack, no control,” he said, speaking English but occasionally turning to his translator, the man he jokingly calls his “Chinese wife” because he is so reliant on him.

Sergi’s point was illustrated on Saturday when Zhejiang, second in China League One, surrendered a 2-0 home lead during a madcap three-minute spell to draw with mid-table Beijing BG.

Several times Sergi buried his head in his hands as his team unraveled.


But they travel to Wuhan Zall on Wednesday in a top-of-the-table clash knowing that victory will put their promotion charge back on track with a handful of games left.

Sergi, who won nine major trophies with Barcelona and played with the likes of Guardiola and the Brazilian greats Ronaldo, Romario and Rivaldo, said his first task at Zhejiang was to make the players run less and think more.

“They cannot play like Barcelona, that’s impossible, impossible,” said the likeable Sergi, who earned more than 50 caps for Spain.

“But a lot of the running is meaningless. When they get the ball, they need to think: what’s best for the team?

“Yesterday, the last 20 minutes… just running but not thinking, stop!”

Guardiola friendship

Sergi, who after leaving Barcelona played for Atletico Madrid for three years, is one of the best-known among a clutch of foreign coaches working in China, lured to the country by handsome contracts.

He hopes that promotion to the CSL would mean farewell to the pitches of the second tier, calling their sometimes poor quality one of the biggest differences he has found from home, and describing Zhejiang’s own surface as “very, very bad”.

That could explain his side’s stuttering home form, failing to win in their last eight matches at their sparsely supported Dragon Sports Center stadium.

After retiring as a player in 2005, Sergi spent two years as Barcelona youth coach, then managed three different Spanish sides, the last being Mallorca briefly in 2017.

Then came the phone call from China, whisking him to the other side of the world.

What with the time difference and demands of the job, Sergi does not watch Barcelona on television, even for El Clasico.

But he remains friends with many of his Camp Nou team-mates, particularly Manchester City manager Guardiola.

Sergi gives an insight into what makes his fellow Catalan one of the greatest coaches of his generation.

“I talk to him about my experience here, always he wants to know about other kinds of football.

“He asks me what experiences I have or lessons I have learnt in China, then he uses that.

“He likes to get advice to improve himself and learn from it.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Ref duped by Neymar play-acting, Mexico coach says

Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio hit out at Italian referee Gianluca Rocchi’s handling of their 2-0 World Cup quarter-final loss to Brazil, claiming Neymar play-acted.

Neymar broke the deadlock with a 51st minute opener at Samara Arena and set up Roberto Firmino for a late second.

But tensions flared following a tussle with midfielder Miguel Layun as Mexico battled to stay in the tournament.


Brazil coach Tite said Layun had “stepped” on Neymar.

But Neymar’s exaggerated reaction — the player dramatically writhed on the turf after Layun approached him — suggested a repeat of the play-acting that marred his play in the group phase.

The 56-year-old Osorio refused to identify Neymar by name following the defeat but claimed the play-acting, and the ensuing delays in play, had been badly handed by Rocchi.

“I think it’s a shame for football,” said Osorio.

“We wasted a lot of time because of one single player… we lost our style in the second half, because of the referee.

“There were too many stoppages and my players got more and more tired of that situation. At one point there was a four-minute stoppage.

“I think this is a very bad example for the world and the world of football.”

Neymar, voted man-of-the-match, was stopped by Tite afterwards as he was about to reply to reporters’ demands to clarify the incident.

Tite was adamant: “They stepped on him. I saw it on the screen.”

Neymar attempted to play down the incident.

“Look, I think it’s more an attempt to undermine me than anything else,” said the Brazilian.

“I don’t care much for criticism, or praise, because this can influence your attitude.

“In the last two matches I didn’t talk to the press because I don’t want to I just have to play, help my teammates, help my team.

“I’m here to win. I can always improve. Today I feel much better and I’m very happy for this win.”

As Brazil get set to face Japan or Belgium, who play later, for a place in the semi-finals, Mexico return home after the last 16 for the seventh consecutive edition.

Despite his complaints about Neymar, who now has two goals in this tournament, Osorio suggested Mexico’s main problem had been Brazil’s superior firepower.

“I’d like to say that playing at such a level against a team like Brazil, Mexico have shown they are a top team,” he added.

“I think Mexican football needs to have more players playing abroad, so they can match themselves up against the best.

“I’m deeply sorry for our fans, they’re the best fans in the world.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Suarez scores again and Uruguay downs host Russia 3-0

SAMARA, Russia — Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani scored a goal each and Uruguay went on to defeat Russia 3-0 on Monday, finishing undefeated in group play and handing the host nation its first loss of the World Cup.

Both teams were already assured of spots in the knockout round, but Uruguay’s victory put it at the top of Group A and looking toward a match in Sochi on Saturday against the second-place finisher from Group B.

Uruguay, which also benefited from an own-goal in the first half, had its third straight shutout of the tournament after consecutive 1-0 victories over Egypt and Saudi Arabia.



By advancing to the round of 16 with victories over Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Russia secured its best World Cup showing in the post-Soviet era.

But Uruguay — ranked No. 14 in the world — posed a far greater challenge to the hosts.

Suarez, who seems to have put past World Cup controversies behind him, scored with a low shot from just outside the box that sailed past the wall of Russian players and into the right corner of the goal. The Barcelona striker blew a kiss to the corner of Samara Stadium where most of La Celeste’s cheering supporters were seated.

Uruguay went up 2-0 over Russia on an own-goal — the sixth of the World Cup to tie the tournament record. Midfielder Diego Laxalt’s shot from long range deflected off Denis Cheryshev’s foot and past goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.

Russia, the lowest ranked team in the field at No. 70, went down to 10 men after right back Igor Smolnikov received a second yellow card in the 36th minute. Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov immediately took off Cheryshev for defender Mario Fernandes.

Cavani scored in the 90th minute and was taken out a short time later. The Paris Saint-Germain forward put a rebound into the left corner of the net after Diego Godin’s header was parried by Akinfeev.

Uruguay was making its 12th appearance at the World Cup, which it won in 1930 and 1950. More recently, the team finished fourth in South Africa in 2010 and made the round of 16 in Brazil four years ago.

Uruguay midfielder Lucas Torreira made his first start of the World Cup. Since the 22-year-old Torreira has been in Russia there have been persistent rumors that he is headed to Arsenal.



INJURIES

Russia left back Yuri Zhirkov was taken out of the match against Egypt because of an ankle injury but was available as a substitute on Monday. Teammate Alan Dzagoev was out again because of a hamstring injury sustained in the opener against Saudi Arabia but he may return for the knockout round.

Defender Jose Maria Gimenez didn’t play for Uruguay because of a right thigh injury. Gimenez scored in the team’s opening match of the tournament, a 1-0 victory over Egypt. The team did not say when he might return.

GROUP DYNAMICS

Both teams will face the top finishers from Group B, which includes Portugal, Spain, Iran and Morocco. By finishing second, Russia will play at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow against the Group A winner.

Because Russia had the advantage in goal differential from its first two group matches, it would have won the group with a draw.

KEYS TO SUCCESS

Russia’s home-country advantage could only carry it so far against its more experienced opponents. But the Russians had recent history to think they were up to the challenge: The teams played to a 1-1 draw in a 2012 friendly in Moscow.

Suarez scored in that match, and thwarted Russia in this one, too. His goal on Monday was the 53rd of his career, in his 101st appearance. It was his second goal of the tournament after also scoring in the 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia.

No Uruguayan players have been handed yellow cards in Russia. The only other team at the tournament without a yellow is Iceland.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Senegal saves Africa from embarrassment at World Cup

MOSCOW — By starting its World Cup with a win, Senegal also saved Africa from embarrassment in the tournament.

The continent was facing the prospect of a worst-ever World Cup start before Senegal beat Poland on Tuesday. The 2-1 victory was the first and only African win in the first round of matches, after Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and Tunisia all lost their opening games. A few hours after Senegal’s win, Egypt then also lost its second match, 3-1 against Russia.

As in 2002, when Senegal beat then-defending champions France in its opening match, it now hopes to build on the momentum. But coach Aliou Cisse said beating the Poles didn’t have the same history-making feel of the 1-0 victory in 2002 against the French, Senegal’s former colonial masters. From there, in what was its first and until now only World Cup, Senegal went on a run to the quarterfinals.


“It is not the same thing, not the same flavor,” Cisse said. “Everyone knows the history of France and of Senegal. France was the colonizing power of Senegal. We were the immigrant sons of that France.”

Not since 1974 — when Zaire, its only representative, lost all three of its matches, conceded 14 goals and scored none — had Africa been without at least a win or a draw in the first matches. Since the World Cup expanded to a 32-team format in 1998, the worst opening round for African teams was in 2006, when Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Angola all lost their first matches and Tunisia drew 2-2 with Saudi Arabia.

Compounding the worries for African supporters is that, aside from Senegal, the continent’s five teams largely aren’t scoring. Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria didn’t get off the mark in losing their opening matches to Uruguay, Iran and Croatia, respectively. Tunisia’s goal in its 2-1 loss to England came from a penalty. Mohamed Salah, Egypt’s star striker, also scored from the spot on his return Tuesday to the team following his left-shoulder injury in the Champions League final in May.

The only African to score from open play so far in Russia is Mbaye Niang, who pounced on an appallingly judged and executed Polish back pass to net Senegal’s second goal at Moscow’s Spartak Stadium. The other two goals in the match were both scored by Poles. Defender Thiago Cionek deflected a shot off his right calf past his own keeper, an own goal that gave Senegal the lead. Grzegorz Krychowiak headed in Poland’s late consolation goal.

Although contesting only its second World Cup, Senegal could end up carrying the hopes of all Africa if the continent’s other teams don’t quickly pick themselves up. Morocco faces a tough task against Portugal and Spain in Group B. Nigeria has to play Argentina and resilient Iceland in Group D. Tunisia has the more manageable Panama but a tough match against Belgium in Group G. Egypt’s second-match loss to Russia severely compromised its chances of getting out of Group A.

Senegal’s next opponents in Group H are Japan and Colombia.

“We know Africa supports us. If we can make all the other African nations proud, that is twice as glorious,” Niang said. “We’re thinking of our journey, trying to write our own story but if we can inspire the others, that’s a greater honor for us.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Messi begins bid for 1st World Cup title against Iceland

MOSCOW — Lionel Messi takes the field for the first time in this year’s World Cup on Saturday when Argentina opens group play against Iceland, the smallest nation to ever play in the tournament.

The superstar forward goes into the World Cup under enormous pressure to finally win a major international title. Critics of the Barcelona forward believe that void takes him out of the debate as the best player in the history of the game.

Messi is playing in his fourth World Cup and came close to the title in 2014. Although he was named player of the tournament, Argentina lost to Germany 1-0 in the final. Messi took Argentina only to the quarterfinals in his first two World Cup appearances.


He turns 31 on June 24 during the group stage, and this could be Messi’s final shot at a World Cup title.

Messi will be the headliner of the Group D match at Spartak Stadium in Moscow, but Iceland could have strong fan support after its improbable run to the quarterfinals of the 2016 European Championship. Iceland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson does not mind being the darling of the tournament in its World Cup debut and only second major tournament.

Slovakia in 2010 was the last first-time World Cup team to make it to the knockout stage of the tournament and Iceland believes it can make a run, as well. Captain Aron Gunnarsson, who sports a long red beard and plays the role of a Viking warrior, leads the postgame, slow-building clapping exchange between the team and fans that is Iceland’s trademark and should energize the crowd.

The game is at 4 p.m. local time (9 a.m. Eastern).

source: sports.inquirer.net

Neymar fitness in the spotlight as Brazil face Croatia

Brazil will keep a close eye on the fitness of star striker Neymar when the World Cup contenders face Croatia in a friendly at Anfield on Sunday.


Neymar, who scored four goals in the 2014 World Cup, has not played any form of football since February after breaking his foot.

The 26-year-old Paris Saint Germain ace sat out training on Thursday as a precaution.


But his Brazil team-mate Fernandinho has given a positive assessment of Neymar’s condition just two weeks before the start of the World Cup on June 14.

“By the movements and dribbles he has been doing in training, he has shown he is well,” said the Manchester City midfielder.

“He is confident which is important, he shows that he isn’t scared of our defenders as he takes them on without fear.

“This is the first steps to getting his confidence back to 100 percent for the World Cup.

“We also support his recovery because without a doubt he will be the difference for our team.

“I’ve been in his position when I was younger, being injured isn’t easy even when getting back from injury doing daily workouts even when the bone is still hurting is still difficult.

“Neymar is ready. He is fit. He’s not had a good injury and it takes time to recover. But he’s training well, he’s feeling well.”

Neymar could play some part as a substitute at Anfield, but Selecao boss Tite is unlikely to take any unnecessary risks, with their opening World Cup fixture against Switzerland looming on June 17.


That said Neymar must surely have some game-time, with a friendly against Austria in Vienna on June 10 serving as Brazil’s other warm-up fixture.

Coutinho returns

Brazil, five-time world champions, have spent the week training at Tottenham ahead of their opening World Cup warm-up fixture.

The match with Croatia gives the Liverpool crowd the opportunity to see former Reds star Philippe Coutinho.

Brazil forward Coutinho left Liverpool for Barcelona in January, while his international colleague Roberto Firmino will also be hoping to feature on his home club ground.

It is uncertain what kind of reception Coutinho will receive, with Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish this week requesting the “boo boys” to stay away from the match.

“We haven’t had that conversation about Philippe returning to Anfield,” Fernandinho said.

“But I believe he’s happy because he spent a couple years at Liverpool, had some fantastic games where his performances managed to take him to Barcelona and the Brazilian national team.

“I believe it will be an honor for him to return to a city and home he knows well.”

Brazil has an injury doubt over Renato Augusto and he is likely to miss Sunday’s fixture due to a right knee issue.

But Brazil’s squad has had a relaxed feel to it this week ahead of the more serious work.

There is a sense of wishing to right wrongs of the past, with the 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany at their home World Cup four years ago still weighing heavily on their minds.

Yet Brazil has always been regarded as the most watchable team in world football and intend to carry on their role as great entertainers, win, lose or draw in Russia.

“We cannot promise the title, but we can promise great matches,” said captain Thiago Silva this week.

“By the time of the World Cup you will see great football.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Neymar heading back to Barcelona after World Cup qualifiers

BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona says that Neymar won’t rejoin the team until after he plays in Brazil’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

That means that Neymar will miss Sunday’s Spanish league match at Athletic Bilbao.

Brazil plays Ecuador in Quito on Sept. 1 and five days later it hosts Colombia in Manaus.

On Saturday, Neymar scored the decisive penalty in a shootout to help Brazil beat Germany for its first Olympic gold medal in men’s football.

Despite the striker’s absence, Barcelona has won all three of its matches this season.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Twitter flies on surprisingly strong numbers

SAN FRANCISCO–Twitter shares shot higher by some 30 percent Tuesday after its quarterly report showed surprisingly strong revenue and user growth, despite a widening loss.

The popular one-to-many messaging service said its quarterly loss widened to $145 million from a $42 million loss a year ago.

But revenue more than doubled from a year ago $312 million in the three months that ended June 30, with the number of monthly active users hitting 271 million, up 24 percent year over year.

The “adjusted” results, which exclude certain expenses and stock compensation, showed a modest profit of $15 million, better than expected. That along with the rise in use evidently bolstered confidence of investors who pushed the stock up more than 30 percent to $50.30 in after-market trading.

“They seem to be doing the right thing,” said Gartner vice president of mobile computing Ken Dulaney.

“It is well-advertised on TV. Companies put Twitter IDs on pitches. It is kind of ingrained in what we do.”

And, the analyst noted, there is plenty of room for Twitter to evolve, perhaps into a more extensive real-time news service tightly linked to television programming.

Twitter’s loss included $158 million in stock-based compensation.

Twitter took in $277 million from advertising, a 129 percent increase from the same period a year earlier.

Ads served up on Internet-linked mobile devices accounted for 81 percent of that revenue in a sign that the San Francisco-based firm was tending to the business side of following users onto smartphones and tablet computers.

About a third of Twitter’s revenue came from outside the United States, with International revenue climbing 168 percent to $102 million, earnings figures showed.

“Our strong financial and operating results for the second quarter show the continued momentum of our business,” Twitter chief executive Dick Costolo said in the earnings release.

“We remain focused on driving increased user growth and engagement, and by developing new product experiences, like the one we built around the World Cup, we believe we can extend Twitter’s appeal to an even broader audience.”

Helped by World Cup 

Forrester analyst Nate Elliott saw the earnings numbers and user growth figures as encouraging, but only a little bit.

Twitter use in the second quarter of this year was up just six percent from the first three months, and that was with the help of storms of tweets fired off during the World Cup football tournament in Brazil.

“The wind was in their sails,” Elliott said of Twitter. “You would have liked to see them do a lot better than that on users.”

Twitter does appear to be making progress on user numbers and is showing they can bring in money from the people already on the service, according to the analyst.

“And in making progress, they are reminding us that they aren’t there yet,” Elliott said.

“Things are moving in the right direction, but you have to wish they would move a little faster.”–Glenn Chapman

source: technology.inquirer.net

Germany beats Argentina 1-0 to win World Cup

RIO DE JANEIRO — Mario Goetze produced the piece of individual skill that Lionel Messi couldn’t muster.

With two quick, deft touches, Goetze ended Germany’s 24-year wait for another World Cup title with an extra-time winner against Argentina on Sunday — denying Messi the one title he needs to forever take his place among the game’s all-time greats.

It was the moment of brilliance that ensured Germany’s 1-0 victory in a tight and tense final.

Goetze, who wasn’t born when West Germany beat Argentina in the 1990 final, controlled a cross with his chest in the 113th minute and in one fluid motion volleyed the ball past goalkeeper Sergio Romero and inside the far post from five yards out.

It delivered Germany its fourth World Cup title, equal second with Italy on the list of all-time champions and just behind Brazil’s five.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I don’t know how to describe it. You just shoot that goal in, you don’t really know what’s happening,” Goetze said. “And then at the end of the match, having a party with the team, the whole country … it is for us, a dream come true.”

At the final whistle, German players fell into a pile in a mid-pitch celebration. Messi walked past them with his hands on his hips — still in the shadow of his compatriot Diego Maradona, who led his country to the 1986 title.

The 22-year-old Goetze went on as a substitute for Miroslav Klose near the end of regulation time and his fresh legs made the difference.

Andre Schuerrle broke down the left flank, sending his cross into the area, and the Bayern Munich midfielder did the rest with a clinical finish. The goal echoed that of Andres Iniesta four years ago, when the midfielder scored in similar fashion but from the other side of the area to give Spain a 1-0 extra-time win over the Netherlands.

It went entirely to script, according to Germany coach Joachim Loew.

“I said to Mario Goetze, ‘OK, show to the world that you’re better than Messi and you can decide the World Cup. You have all the possibilities to do that,’” Loew said. “I had a good feeling with him.”

Germany became the first European team to win a World Cup in the Americas, and the victory ends a string of near misses since winning its last major title at the 1996 European Championship. The team lost the 2002 World Cup final to Brazil, the Euro 2008 final to Spain and was eliminated in the semifinals in both 2006 and 2010.

Argentina had not been back in the final since that 1990 loss, and has now been beaten by Germany in the last three World Cups.

“This was our chance, and we felt that way. We couldn’t do it. We have to lift our heads and suffer the pain,” Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano said. “Obviously, the pain is tremendous.”

It is Germany’s first World Cup title as a unified nation, having won as West Germany in 1954, 1974 and 1990.

The Germans faced Argentina in both the 1986 and 1990 finals, during Maradona’s heyday. This time, they were up against Messi, the four-time world player of the year who has set a slew of scoring records in leading Barcelona to every major club title and is widely considered the best player since Maradona.

But in the biggest game of his career, Messi came up short.

He had one good chance to score when he was sent free in the area just after the halftime break, but sent his shot wide. It was a difficult angle, but still the type of chance he so often converts for Barcelona.

Messi threatened intermittently throughout the match, but was effectively smothered by the German defense. His free kick in the 120th minute went well high.

Messi, who scored four goals in the group stage but none in the knockout rounds, then had to trudge alone up the stairs of the Maracana Stadium to accept the Golden Ball award for the tournament’s best player, shaking hands with German Chancellor Angela Merkel along the way.

“At this moment I don’t care about this prize — only lifting the trophy matters,” Messi said. “I’m hurt for losing the way we did. … I think we deserved a little better, we had chances. As well as they controlled the ball, we still had the clearest chances.” After Messi received his award, the German team made its way up the stairs for captain Philipp Lahm to raise the hallowed 18-carat gold trophy.

Until Goetze’s winning goal, the game was more notable for top-class defending than creative attacking, but both teams had their share of chances.

Gonzalo Higuain fired wide when gifted a chance in a one-on-one with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, and later had a goal ruled out for offside.

Germany defender Benedikt Hoewedes hit the post just before halftime with a header.

Germany had entered the game as the favorite after its 7-1 semifinal drubbing of Brazil. But Argentina proved to be an entirely different proposition.

“I’m very proud of the team. They played a great game against a great team,” Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella said. “I salute the players, they made the country proud.”

After Germany’s last win in 1990, then-coach Franz Beckenbauer predicted that a unified Germany would be “unbeatable” in the future. It took 24 years to prove him right but with young players like Goetze, the next wait may not be as long.

“We, I think, deserve this trophy,” Goetze said.

___

Lineups:

Germany: Manuel Neuer; Philipp Lahm, Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng, Benedikt Hoewedes; Christoph Kramer (Andre Schuerrle, 31), Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil (Per Mertesacker, 120), Thomas Mueller; Miroslav Klose (Mario Goetze, 88).

Argentina: Sergio Romero; Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis, Ezequiel Garay, Marcos Rojo; Lucas Biglia, Javier Mascherano, Enzo Perez (Fernando Gago, 86); Ezequiel Lavezzi (Sergio Aguero, 46), Gonzalo Higuain (Rodrigo Palacio, 78), Lionel Messi.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Netherlands beats host Brazil 3-0 to finish 3rd

BRASILIA, Brazil — When it was all over, it was the Netherlands receiving a standing ovation from the Brazilian crowd. Brazil walked off the field to boos, after another demoralizing loss to end its home World Cup.

The Netherlands’ remarkable campaign ended on a high note after Robin van Persie and Daley Blind scored early goals to help give the team a 3-0 win over Brazil in the third-place game on Saturday.

“We can look back at a very successful tournament,” Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal said. “I’m proud of my players.”

The Netherlands finishes a World Cup unbeaten in regular play for the first time, having lost to Argentina on penalties in the semifinals. After finishing runner-up in 2010, the third place is the best position for the Dutch squad since it lost the final in 1974 and 1978.

The Brazilian fans loudly greeted the Dutch players after they received the third-place medals, applauding on their feet.

“I would like to thank all people in Brazil for their great support,” Arjen Robben said. “For us it was the best way to end this tournament. We fully deserved third place the way we played. It’s a very big achievement.”

The loss added to Brazil’s frustration at the home tournament following the disastrous 7-1 defeat to Germany. After the final whistle, the team was loudly booed by the nearly 70,000 fans that attended the match at the National Stadium in Brasilia. Many had already left even before the late third goal by the Dutch. It’s the first time since 1940 that Brazil lost two consecutive competitive games on home soil.

“It’s a terrible feeling, I don’t know what to say,” Oscar said. “After a huge loss to Germany, today we tried our best from the beginning to win third place but it wasn’t our day. We have to see what went wrong so we can improve for the future.”

Brazil conceding 14 goals in the tournament, the most ever for the team. The previous worst had been 11 goals in the 1938 World Cup. Now it conceded 10 in its last two games.

“It was supposed to be an even match but after the early goal things started going their way,” Scolari said. “I don’t think we played that bad. The players fought hard from the start. They created chances, so it’s difficult to lose 3-0. But they deserve all the credit in the end, they reached the semifinals.”

Van Persie converted a penalty kick three minutes into the match after Robben was brought down by Brazil captain Thiago Silva on the edge of the area. Blind added to the lead in the 17th with a shot from near the penalty spot after defender David Luiz made a mistake while trying to clear a cross in front of the goal. Georginio Wijnaldum rounded off the win in injury time with a shot inside the near post.

“The most beautiful was our resilience. We were knocked out but we came back and finished third,” Wijnaldum said. “We wanted to close it out well.”

Brazil looked lost from the start, making many of the same defensive mistakes that marked the historic defeat to the Germans four days ago. The Netherlands took advantage with quick passes and speed in the attack.

Silva had to foul Robben after being beaten on the run, leading to van Persie’s firm left-foot shot into the right upper corner to put the Dutch ahead.

The Dutch wanted a red card for Silva for a professional foul, but Algerian referee Djamel Haimoudi only gave him a yellow. Silva had missed the semifinal against Germany because of a yellow card suspension.

Blind added to the lead after Luiz failed to clear a cross, heading the ball right back to the Dutch defender for an easy goal.

Wijnaldum closed the scoring in injury time with a goal from inside the area after a cross by Daryl Janmaat.

“It’s frustrating,” Silva said. “We didn’t deserve to have it end like this. But unfortunately it’s football. I have to apologize to our people. The fans supported us even during the 7-1 loss and again today. They booed in the end, but it was normal. They have feelings too.”

It was the fourth time Brazil played in a third-place match. It beat Sweden in 1938 and Italy in 1978, and the only other loss had come against Poland in 1974.

The Netherlands had played in the third-place match one other time. It fell to Croatia 2-1 in 1998 after being beaten by Brazil in the semifinals.

Van Gaal, in his final match with the Netherlands before joining Manchester United, had to play without midfielder Wesley Sneijder, who was injured while warming up for the game.

Scolari made six changes from the team that started in the loss against Germany, the national team’s worst defeat in its 100-year history.

___

Lineups:

Brazil: Julio Cesar; Maicon, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Maxwell; Luiz Gustavo (Fernandinho, 46), Paulinho (Hernanes, 57), Ramires (Hulk, 73), Willian, Oscar; Jo.

Netherlands: Jasper Cillessen (Michel Vorm, 90); Dirk Kuyt, Ron Vlaar, Stefan de Vrij, Bruno Martins Indi, Jordy Clasie (Joel Veltman, 90), Daley Blind (Daryl Janmaat, 70); Georginio Wijnaldum, Jonathan de Guzman; Arjen Robben, Robin van Persie.

source: sports.inquirer.net

5 reasons why Messi stands out in football world

RIO DE JANEIRO — A four-time world player of the year, Argentina’s Lionel Messi is gifted with talents that most footballers can only dream of. What makes him special is that he possesses not just one or two but a combination of special skills that give him an edge over just about everyone.

Although he hasn’t played brilliantly in every game of this World Cup, Messi’s talents have been on display on Argentina’s road to Sunday’s final against Germany. Here are five traits that explain what makes the Argentina captain so difficult to stop. 


SPEED

There are plenty of players who could outrun Messi in a 100-meter dash. But running with the ball is a different story. Messi can control the ball at close to top speed, making him an excellent dribbler. Also, it’s his acceleration rather than his top speed that cuts up defenses. Few defenders can keep up when Messi revs up from standstill, creating space for his left-foot shot.

BALANCE

Like former Argentina great Diego Maradona, Messi uses his short stature to his advantage. His low center of gravity enables him to make quick turns and to stay on his feet when challenged. Often, the only way to knock him off balance is to foul him. Defenders at the World Cup have been taking turns tackling Messi to spread the risk of getting booked around the team.

ACCURACY

Messi is one of the world’s top free-kick takers, striking the ball with impressive accuracy with his magic left foot. Almost always he hits the target or just misses it — you rarely see Messi blast a free kick five meters over the crossbar. In Argentina’s final group-stage match, Nigeria gave Messi two free kick opportunities near the penalty area toward the end of the first half. He elegantly curled the first one over the wall, but goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama was well-positioned and stopped it. By the second free kick, Messi had fine-tuned his aim, and struck the ball perfectly inside the post. Enyeama jokingly asked the referees during the break to not give Messi any more free kicks.

PATIENCE

Patience is a perhaps and underrated virtue for a football player, and it’s one that has served Messi well in the World Cup. Every opponent has come with a plan to stop him, by closing down his space and tackling him as soon as he touches the ball. As a result Messi has looked out of the game for long periods. But instead of hanging his head and getting frustrated, Messi keeps looking for openings, patiently awaiting a moment when defenders take their focus off him for just a split second. That’s when he strikes. Against Iran, that moment came in injury time when he scored his second goal of the tournament. Against Switzerland, it happened in extra time as he set up Angel Di Maria’s winning goal with a piercing run down the middle.

INTELLIGENCE

Messi also stands out for his ability to read the game, mapping out paths to the opponent’s goal in his mind before the opponent does. That’s key to understanding why he’s such a prolific scorer. Knowing by instinct where a gap will open up for a quick pass or shot gives him an advantage over others, though it can also complicate things for the team. Sometimes Messi lets chances slip away by being too smart for his Argentina teammates, who aren’t in sync with him to the same degree as Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez in Barcelona.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Netherlands looking to finish World Cup unbeaten

BRASILIA, Brazil — Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal is trying to motivate his players for the third-place match against Brazil by giving them the mission of becoming the only Dutch squad to finish a World Cup unbeaten in regular play.

After being eliminated by Argentina on penalties, the Netherlands has the chance of ending the tournament without a loss in seven matches. The Dutch won its first four games, then drew Costa Rica 0-0 in the quarters and Argentina 0-0 in the semis.

Van Gaal had been saying the third-place game was pointless and he would rather not play it, but “we are realizing that there is something else we need to defend and we have to go for it. Never a Dutch team returned home unbeaten, and that has to be the next target.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Brazil striker Neymar to miss rest of World Cup

FORTALEZA, Brazil—With tears streaming down his face after being kneed in the back, Neymar was carried off the field on a stretcher.

He won’t be coming back. Not to this World Cup, anyway.

The 22-year-old Brazil striker, the one with the hopes of a nation on his shoulders, was ruled out of the rest of the tournament after fracturing his third vertebra during Friday’s 2-1 quarterfinal win over Colombia.

“It’s a big loss for us,” Brazil midfielder Fernandinho said. “We need to find a way to stay together and become stronger after losing our greatest player. We will try to win this World Cup and for sure we will dedicate it to Neymar.”

Neymar is the biggest football star in Brazil, and one of the biggest at the tournament along with Argentina forward Lionel Messi. His face has been plastered on billboards and shown on television continuously, leading many of his staunchest supporters to copy his dyed-blonde fauxhawk.

His millions of fans had expected Neymar’s World Cup to end with him holding the trophy, not being carried off the field in tears.

Neymar was kneed by Colombia defender Juan Camilo Zuniga late in the second half at the Arena Castelao. He was taken to a private clinic and was released a short time later.

He was not expected to need surgery, Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said, but he will also not be able to face Germany on Tuesday in the World Cup semifinals.

“He will not be in condition to play, he will need a few weeks to be fit again,” Lasmar said. “He is very, very sad.”

About 50 Brazil fans, many still wearing the team’s jerseys, crowded outside the clinic whereNeymar was taken, while the ambulance that carried him remained parked in front, lights blazing.

Neymar was hurt in the 86th minute, falling to the ground in pain after Zuniga jumped into him from behind.

Brazil teammate Marcelo quickly called for medical assistance when he saw Neymar writhing in pain. Neymar stayed face down until team doctors arrived and put him on a stretcher.

“Everybody knew that Neymar would be hunted,” Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said. “It’s been happening in the last three matches and we had been talking about it. But nobody listens to us.”

Friday’s match ended with 54 fouls in total — 31 by Brazil and 23 by Colombia. Scolari said Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo should have done more to take control of the match.

According to Hulk, another of Brazil’s striker, Neymar needs more protection from the officials.

“Every time is like this. Players always come after Neymar,” Hulk said. “The referees need to do more to keep this from happening.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

World Cup: Winning ugly no issue for anxious Brazil

FORTALEZA — Brazil striker Neymar has admitted he is happy to win ugly as he looks to take another step towards delivering his country’s sixth World Cup on home soil against Colombia in Fortaleza on Friday.

La Selecao have been criticized for some of their less convincing performances on route to the quarterfinals, most notably in squeezing past Chile on penalties in the last 16.

“You can’t always enjoy yourself and win 4-0 or 5-0. Football nowadays is so difficult, so even, that the team who is most committed on the pitch ends up winning,” said the Barcelona man on Wednesday.

“I don’t want a show. That’s the last thing we are trying to do. We are not necessarily here to produce a spectacle. We are here to run to the end, until we are tired, and come out as winners.”

Neymar fell to the ground in tears as Chile’s Gonzalo Jara missed the decisive spot-kick in the shootout in Belo Horizonte with teammates Julio Cesar and captain Thiago Silva also seen to cry in relief as much as joy.

Worried that carrying the expectations of 200 million Brazilians is becoming too much for his squad, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari called the team’s sports psychologist Regina Brandao in for an extra session with the players on Tuesday.

And Neymar said the sessions were having the desired effect.

“I had never done anything like it before and I am quite enjoying it,” added the 22-year-old.

“It is not only us, in football, who are surrounded by emotion every day and need psychologists. I think it could do every person good, to make one more relaxed.”

Neymar also insisted he will be fully-fit to face the Colombians despite suffering thigh and knee injuries against Chile.

One of the major concerns for Scolari has been the lack of support for Neymar in attacking areas as he has scored half of his side’s eight goals after four games, whilst other forwards Fred, Jo and Hulk have struggled to make an impact.

Neymar, though, claimed the team isn’t overdependent on him.

Paulinho in for Gustavo

“I don’t feel overburdened either on the pitch or off it. I have team-mates who help me by winning the ball back, scoring goals, setting them up,” he said.

“The Brazil team doesn’t have just one person who has to do everything.”

Scolari will be forced into at least one change from the side that faced Chile as Luis Gustavo is suspended so Tottenham Hotspur’s Paulinho is expected to come back into the side.

Gustavo’s absence is even more critical for the hosts given the sensational form of the tournament’s top goalscorer, Colombia’s James Rodriguez.

The Monaco playmaker has taken on the mantle of his side’s focal point with ease in the absence of the injured Radamel Falcao with five goals in four games, including a sensational dipping volley to open the scoring in his side’s 2-0 win over Uruguay in the last 16.

A fourth consecutive win for Jose Pekerman’s men took them into the last eight for the first time and ahead of the biggest game in Colombian football’s history, midfielder Carlos Sanchez insisted they won’t be overawed by their opponents.

“Afraid? No, respectful, yes, because it’s Brazil, the organising country, because of its players, its coaches, and for everything Brazil represents,” he said.

And Rodriguez believes Brazil should be just as worried about him as his countrymen should be about Neymar.

“We’re facing a very tough rival, which has great players, but they also have to think that we have great players.”

History, though, is against the Colombians as they have only beaten Brazil twice in 25 previous meetings and only once in a competitive fixture at the 1991 Copa America.

source: sports.inquirer.net

World Cup: 2 decades on, Escobar still in Colombian hearts

RIO DE JANEIRO — If Colombia had reached the World Cup quarterfinals 20 years ago the country might not have been dragged through its international shaming for the killing of World Cup defender Andres Escobar.

Instead it will on Wednesday relive the trauma of Escobar’s gunning down in a Medellin discotheque car park on July 2, 1994, 10 days after he scored an own goal in a World Cup group match against the United States.

And it must get over the pain in time for the national team to play Brazil on Friday in its first appearance in a World Cup quarterfinal.

Escobar’s death has been widely blamed on the fury of Colombian drug lords at losing a gambling fortune because of the country’s World Cup exit. But there are many theories.

A Twitter campaign has been launched to honour Escobar ahead of Wednesday’s anniversary and Friday’s game. A flood of messages from around the world have been left, particularly after Colombia beat Uruguay to reach the quarter-finals.

“We hope you enjoyed the match up there #AndresEscobar! The dream and your team are still alive,” said one.

In Medellin, where 80,000 people turned out for his funeral and there is already an Escobar statue, a special ceremony will be held on Wednesday.

The World Cup city of Rio de Janeiro will also pay homage with the streetfootballworld network of organizations holding its commemoration at a museum.

Escobar, 27, had played 50 times for his country and was a stalwart with Atletico Nacional when he was killed.

He had also played with Young Boys Berne in Switzerland and the World Cup in the United States was his second after being in the squad in Italy four years earlier.

In 1994, the South Americans, led by the mercurial Carlos Valderrama, lost their opening match to Romania.

In their second match against the World Cup hosts, Escobar inadvertently steered a cross into his own net. Colombia were dumped out though they beat Switzerland 2-0 in their final group game.

Ten days later, Escobar went to a discotheque in Medellin, a city then in thrall to drug traffickers and with a homicide rate of 380 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Escobar was harrangued about the own goal inside the bar. The argument continued in the car park outside.

The footballer was gunned down with a dozen bullets shot by one of the group. Witnesses indicated that the killer shouted “gol” with each shot fired.

The motive for the killing has never been clearly established however.

It could have been the work of drugs dealers or paramilitaries who had bet on the match and lost money through Escobar’s mistake.

Or it could have been the act of a disappointed and deranged fan avenging the loss.

Escobar, a classy defender reputedly set for a second spell in Europe, was highly popular in his homeland.

That was evident from the huge numbers who turned out for his funeral in Medellin, where they made clear their hatred of drug-fueled violence.

Humberto Munoz Castro, who had links to a powerful Colombian cartel, was arrested and confessed to the killing.

There were reports he worked for shady characters who had bet on the team and lost heavily.

Found guilty, Munoz was handed a 43-year jail term reduced to 26 but served only 11 years and was released in 2005.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Argentine army count on ‘amazing’ Messi at World Cup

SAO PAULO — More than 100,000 Argentine fans will besiege Sao Paulo on Tuesday to see four-time world footballer of the year Lionel Messi and his teammates take on Switzerland for a place in the World Cup quarterfinals.

Belgium meanwhile have injury worries, including captain Vincent Kompany, as they head into a match against Jurgen Klinsmann’s surprise American side which closes the tournament’s last 16 phase.

The Argentine football army will be in place inside and outside the stadium when the Switzerland game starts at 1600 GMT. Most will have to watch giant screens outside the Corinthians Arena.

Victory for Messi would end the career of Switzerland’s legendary German coach Ottmar Hitzfeld who has said he will retire at the World Cup.

A win for Hitzfeld’s team would be a major upset and a disaster for the world superstar now in his third World Cup without ever getting close to touching the trophy.

And despite a frontline that also includes Gonzalo Higuain and Angel di Maria, and until his injury Sergio Aguero, Argentina are susceptible to their reliance on Messi.

Their three Group F wins over Nigeria, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina all relied on Messi goals — four out of the six scored by Argentina.

Argentine coach Alejandro Sabella said he was happy for the two-time world champions to rely on their star man and likened it to Brazil using Messi’s Barcelona teammate, Neymar.

“I think both players are amazing. Messi’s the best in the world, Neymar is a great player and of course with players like this the team depends on them. It’s normal,” he said.

Switzerland are calling Xherdan Shaqiri — who scored all the goals in the 3-0 triumph over Honduras — their own Messi. But Switzerland have never beaten Argentina at the World Cup in six previous attempts.

And despite scoring seven goals in Group E, they also conceded six, including five by France.

Late Flight Home

Belgium could be without captain and center-back Kompany and are definitely deprived of his central defensive partner Thomas Vermaelen, who has a knee injury, when they take on the United States in Salvador at 2000 GMT.

Kompany is struggling with a niggling groin injury, but coach Marc Wilmots still said it would be a “failure” not to reach the quarter finals.

He was also unconcerned about criticism of the style of Belgium’s three straight wins in Group H and playmaker Eden Hazard being eclipsed in most matches.

“I let people make their complaints, we just advance. We are not going to bang our heads against the wall. When I see the team giving everything I have no regrets. We have a young team, unbeaten for a long time in competitive matches,” Wilmots said Monday.

Klinsmann, who faced criticism from the US media before the tournament but is now flavor of the moment, is also confident.

He has told his players to push their flights back to after the July 13 final.

Belgium beat the United States in two friendlies in the past three years. But Klinsmann says the US team has changed as they showed with their group win over Ghana and determined draw with Portugal.

“We also believe we can have enough confidence going into this very special knockout game to say we are able to beat them,” said the German.

The winners of the two games will clash in the quarter finals in Brasilia on Saturday.

source: sports.inquirer.net