Holland, SA caught in a diplomatic row

Published>Fri, Jun 18 10 12:07 PM

Johannesburg, June 18 -- At a tournament traditionally known to blend borders and forge friendships, Mirthe Nieuwpoort and Barbara Castelein find themselves at the centre of an international row. The Dutch women were given 10,000 rand bails each from a dedicated WC court at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. They have to appear in court again on June 22. This was after being caught wearing a body-hugging orange dress that had a logo of a Dutch beer company that isn't a FIFA World Cup sponsor. Dutch foreign minister, Maxime Verhagen, has already spoken to the South African ambassador, Peter Goosen, and told him that "charges of and the arrest of these two women were disproportionate and not correct", according to the spokesman for the Netherlands embassy, quoted by The Star daily in Johannesburg on Thursday. "If South Africa and FIFA want to tackle a company over illegal advertising, they should take legal action against the company and not against two ordinary citizens who walked around in orange outfits," Verhagen said. The women are facing charges of ambush marketing, flouting South Africa's Merchandise Marks Act of 1941. Only the two Dutch women were arrested from among the 36 who wore that dress to Monday's Holland-Denmark game. The Dutch ambassador to South Africa, Robe de Vos, said the embassy has asked the police to explain the arrests.

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Rana Naved hopes to have ban lifted in appeal hearing tomorrow

Published Fri, Jun 18 10 11:57 AM

Karachi, Jun 18 (PTI) Pakistan all-rounder Rana Naved ul Hasan is hoping to get the leniency that his other teammates got when his appeal against a 12-month ban comes up before a Pakistan Cricket Board-appointed judge tomorrow. Justice (retd) Irfan Qadir, who has already lifted bans on former captains Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan and reduced fines on the Akmal brothers, will hear out an appeal from Naved against the ban and the Rs two million fine imposed on him in March for alleged indiscipline. "I am very hopeful that the judge will remove the ban and also fine and allow me to represent my country once again. The team for England is due to be announced on Sunday and I have still not given up hope of making the squad," Naved said in an interview. The PCB''s inquiry committee charged Rana Naved with under-performing and some members and the former Pakistan team coach Intikhab Alam also raised doubts over his performances in a one-day and Twenty20 match during the tour of Australia. Naved, who has played for Pakistan in 87 ODIS, said the charges of under-performing still haunt him as he had always given his 100 per cent. "Playing for Pakistan is a great honour for me and I could never even think about being dishonest with my performances for my country which has given me so much to be proud about," he said. The PCB inquiry committee questioned Naved about his performance in the Twenty20 match in which he scored only one run from nine balls as Pakistan chased a small total of 128 runs. Naved said he struggled to score runs as he sustained an injury on his arm while batting after getting a short pitched ball from Mitchell Johnson. "I said the same thing to the inquiry committee and informed them about the details of that injury and how I was in great pain during the innings, but they apparently saw things differently," he added. "The allegations against me are disappointing and unfair and I hope that at the hearing, the charges are dropped." Indications are that the judge will uphold Naved''s appeal as the board has gone soft on the players after handing them out the strong punishments in March.

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Mexico send sorry France to brink of exit

Published>Fri, Jun 18 10 11:21 AM

France, the 1998 world champions and 2006 runners-up, were left teetering on the brink of World Cup first round elimination when they slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Mexico here today.

Veteran Cuauhtemoc Blanco converted a late penalty to clinch the victory after substitute striker, Manchester United-bound Javier Hernandez, had put the Central Americans ahead 64 minutes into the Group A showdown at Peter Mokab Stadium.

Mexico's first victory over France left them and Uruguay level on four points ahead of a June 22 Rustenburg clash and both will advance to the next round by drawing.

France play South Africa, who have a point each, at the same time in Bloemfontein and if either wins and the other game delivers a positive result, goal difference could come into play.

The fourth meeting of the countries in the history of the tournament kicked off in cold conditions before a large colourful crowd with each team making one change from their opening encounter last Friday.

Florent Malouda replaced Yoann Gourcuff in the French line-up while defender Hector Morena came in for Paul Aguilar in the Mexico side.

Saudi Arabian referee Khalil al-Ghamdi stamped his imprint early with a fourth-minute caution for veteran Mexican striker Guillermo Franco amid much protest.

Mexico had a couple of early half chances that were not put away by Carlos Vela and Franco while a slick French free-kick manoeuvre fizzled out as Franck Ribery overhit a cross.

The Central Americans were more threatening as the halfway point of the opening half approached with a William Gallas block taking the sting out of a move and Carlos Salcido firing past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris only to miss the target.

It was Lloris versus Salcido again on 27 minutes with the French goalkeeper doing well to push away a hard, low drive after the Mexican cut in from the left flank helped by timid defending.

Mexico suffered a blow when Vela limped off to be replaced by Pablo Barrera, who put Lloris under pressure almost immediately from a cross that the goalkeeper unconvincingly punched away.

Midfielder Jeremy Toulalan joined Franco in the referee's book during first-half stoppage time, ruling him out of the South Africa fixture as he was also cautioned against Uruguay.

Andre-Pierre Gignac replaced lone French striker Nicolas Anelka at half-time and the referee was the busiest man on the pitch as the second half unfolded, showing yellow cards to Mexicans Efrain Juarez and Morena.

Mexico broke the deadlock on 64 minutes when Hernandez raced on to a lobbed Rafael Marquez pass, rounded Lloris and calmly stroked the ball into the net.

France coach Raymond Domenech, who gives way after this tournament to former star Laurent Blanc, stared emotion-less at the action as his side struggled to make an impact up front.

And his worst fears were realised after 79 minutes when Eric Abidal fouled Pablo Berrera and 37-year-old Blanco made a long run before placing a low spot kick wide of Lloris into the corner of the net.

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My philosophy is to invest in youth

Published>Fri, Jun 18 10 11:17 AM

Dambulla, June 18 -- It is a cricketing truism that numbers never fully tell the story of Bangladesh cricket. The minnows have frequently punched above their weight and taken positive strides under coach Jamie Siddons. In a chat with HT the straight-talking Aussie calls it as it is. Despite the series loss in England, there were quite a few positives, including Tamim Iqbal's performance. Certainly. We played competitive cricket and gave England a scare. Tamim Iqbal was a standout performer and people will agree that he is up there with the best. If you look at the replays you will know how he was in total control against the England attack. He is a world-class player and my philosophy is to produce as many world-class players as possible. If I can create three or four more like him, Bangladesh will be a world-class team. How has this team changed since 2007, when you took over? Three years back there wasn't a huge talent pool in Bangladesh. Some went to the Indian Cricket League (ICL), some were in their late thirties and hadn't really performed greatly at the international level. So I didn't see any future clinging on to them. The move to go for younger players with potential is paying off now. In the next two or three years, Bangladesh will be a team to reckon with. What is your philosophy as coach of the Bangladesh cricket team? My philosophy is if a player is not good enough, replace him. I can't bank on 35-year-olds to give me a match-winning performance and then rue four years later why I didn't invest in youth. In two years, Bangladesh will have a team of 26-years-olds who have played together for six, seven years.

My key role is as the batting coach. I think we have broken every batting record that Bangladesh ever had. Our scores have improved both in Test and one-day cricket. I know we lose most of the time, so if you look at the win-loss ratio it will be demoralizing. But if you look at the improvement in personal performances we have definitely achieved 65 to 70 percent of our target.

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Mexico send sorry France to brink of exit

Published>Fri, Jun 18 10 10:47 AM

France, the 1998 world champions and 2006 runners-up, were left teetering on the brink of World Cup first round elimination when they slumped to a 2-0 defeat against Mexico here today.

Veteran Cuauhtemoc Blanco converted a late penalty to clinch the victory after substitute striker, Manchester United-bound Javier Hernandez, had put the Central Americans ahead 64 minutes into the Group A showdown at Peter Mokab Stadium.

Mexico's first victory over France left them and Uruguay level on four points ahead of a June 22 Rustenburg clash and both will advance to the next round by drawing.

France play South Africa, who have a point each, at the same time in Bloemfontein and if either wins and the other game delivers a positive result, goal difference could come into play.

The fourth meeting of the countries in the history of the tournament kicked off in cold conditions before a large colourful crowd with each team making one change from their opening encounter last Friday.

Florent Malouda replaced Yoann Gourcuff in the French line-up while defender Hector Morena came in for Paul Aguilar in the Mexico side.

Saudi Arabian referee Khalil al-Ghamdi stamped his imprint early with a fourth-minute caution for veteran Mexican striker Guillermo Franco amid much protest.

Mexico had a couple of early half chances that were not put away by Carlos Vela and Franco while a slick French free-kick manoeuvre fizzled out as Franck Ribery overhit a cross.

The Central Americans were more threatening as the halfway point of the opening half approached with a William Gallas block taking the sting out of a move and Carlos Salcido firing past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris only to miss the target.

It was Lloris versus Salcido again on 27 minutes with the French goalkeeper doing well to push away a hard, low drive after the Mexican cut in from the left flank helped by timid defending.

Mexico suffered a blow when Vela limped off to be replaced by Pablo Barrera, who put Lloris under pressure almost immediately from a cross that the goalkeeper unconvincingly punched away.

Midfielder Jeremy Toulalan joined Franco in the referee's book during first-half stoppage time, ruling him out of the South Africa fixture as he was also cautioned against Uruguay.

Andre-Pierre Gignac replaced lone French striker Nicolas Anelka at half-time and the referee was the busiest man on the pitch as the second half unfolded, showing yellow cards to Mexicans Efrain Juarez and Morena.

Mexico broke the deadlock on 64 minutes when Hernandez raced on to a lobbed Rafael Marquez pass, rounded Lloris and calmly stroked the ball into the net.

France coach Raymond Domenech, who gives way after this tournament to former star Laurent Blanc, stared emotion-less at the action as his side struggled to make an impact up front.

And his worst fears were realised after 79 minutes when Eric Abidal fouled Pablo Berrera and 37-year-old Blanco made a long run before placing a low spot kick wide of Lloris into the corner of the net.

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HI takes offensive stance, Gill unfazed

Published>Fri, Jun 18 10 10:37 AM

New Delhi, June 18 -- Hockey India on Thursday warned players against participating in the national championships, which will be organised by Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), the rival body, in Bhopal next month. Re-emphasising that HI is still the recognised body for hockey in India, Stokes said that the players should refrain from participation in unauthorised tournaments. "Strict disciplinary action will be taken against all those who participate in tournaments which are not authorised by Hockey India," HI president Vidya Stokes said in a statement. HI was instated when IHF was disaffiliated on charges of corruption in 2008 but a recent court ruling questioning the manner in which IHF was dismantled has breathed a new lease of life into the body and expectedly, leading to HI's new found insecurity over its future. While Stokes said the authority to organise local and national tournaments lay completely with HI, IHF remains committed to its plans of organising the championships. IHF President KPS Gill was unfazed about the warning issued. "There are a lot of aspiring hockey players in the country. We don't care about the warnings and despite it, I am sure that we will enjoy good participation," he told HT. Gill also added that talks with Indian Women's Hockey Federation are underway and a formal meeting would be organised later this month.

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Saina moves ahead in super series

Published>Fri, Jun 18 10 10:17 AM

New Delhi, June 18 -- World No. 6 Saina Nehwal beat European Circuit Finals champion, Ella Diehl of Russia 21-13, 23-21 in the second round to advance in the Singapore Super Series. Earlier, the top seed had an easy opening match against Malaysia's Mew Choo Wong, who she had met earlier in the final of the India Open Grand Prix in Chennai. Saina downed the Malaysian 21-8, 21-5. It took Saina 37 minutes to wrap up the proceedings against Diehl. The ace Indian shuttler opted for long rallies in both the games. Out of 78 rallies Saina played in the match, she won 44 as opposed to 34 for Diehl.

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ANALYSIS - Awful France prove doubters right

Published>Fri, Jun 18 10 09:37 AM

Those who suggested France should not be at the World Cup in the first place might allow themselves a smug smile that they will probably not stay very long.

An uninspired display in a 0-0 draw with Uruguay last week and a truly awful one in a surprise 2-0 defeat by Mexico on Thursday left the 2006 runners-up threatened by another early exit following their Euro 2008 flop.

France owed their presence in South Africa to a dismal qualifying campaign that culminated with a controversial playoff win over Ireland featuring Thierry Henry's infamous handball.

For that reason alone, many felt France did not deserve to be at the World Cup. The performances from the 1998 champions in their two matches here so far have done nothing to disprove that feeling.

Toothless in attack, clumsy in midfield and shaky at the back, France looked a shadow of the team who ruled the world just over a decade ago and thrilled their fans again with their surprise run to the title match in 2006 in Germany.

On a cold night in Polokwane, they were simply outplayed by a Mexican side playing a fast, simple game with nothing fancy and never found the answer, creating just one real chance in the whole 90 minutes.

They still have a match to play, against South Africa next week in Bloemfontein, and could theoretically save their skins.

That is unlikely, however, as a draw between Uruguay and Mexico, who top the group with four points each, would send France packing even if they beat the hosts.

NO ZIDANE

Since arriving in South Africa, the France players and their coach, the controversial Raymond Domenech, had kept saying they felt the team could go places.

Unlike at Euro 2008, when a rotten atmosphere marred their campaign, the squad appeared to be united and desperate to restore pride, the only thing they can now realistically still fight for.

The problem is attitude alone does not win games and the absence of a Zinedine Zidane, the wizard who signed off with a headbutt in the 2006 final that might have cost France the title, has been sorely felt on the pitches of South Africa.

Many France fans will tell you that Domenech, who has never won anything as a coach nor done much to make himself popular, is the reason France have lost their magic touch.

Henry, France's record scorer with 51 goals from 122 internationals, should have played against Mexico, they will add, without mentioning the fact that the 32-year-old is clearly past his prime.

Domenech, who started the World Cup with a bold 4-3-3 formation before reverting to his usual, more cautious 4-2-3-1 system, might have made a few wrong choices here and there.

Yes, the stubborn 58-year-old with the bushy eyebrows, who kept annoying everyone with his trademark mix of dry remarks and undecipherable commments, was once again distrustful of the outside world, just like many of his players.

Being nice and signing autographs, however, would not have helped Domenech and his men make an impact at the first World Cup staged in Africa.

France's real problem is that a unique generation of players led by the great Zidane has been lost and not replaced.

Laurent Blanc, a prominent actor of that golden era who will take over from Domenech after the World Cup, must first look hard for new gems if he is to make France proud of their team again.

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PREVIEW - Japan hold no surprises for the Dutch

Published>Fri, Jun 18 10 09:17 AM

The Dutch have good reason to give Japan plenty of respect before their Group E match on Saturday and not just because of the Blue Samurai's surprise victory over Cameroon in their World Cup opener.

The Dutch, who will be looking for vast improvement on their laboured 2-0 victory over Denmark on Monday, still have fresh memories of their shock at being outplayed by the Japanese for an hour in a friendly last year.

The Dutch ultimately ran out 3-0 winners in that match in Enschede and a similar result in on Saturday at the Moses Mabhida stadium would suit them fine as they look to book a place in the round of 16.

"The first hour of that match Japan was in charge but finally we won," Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder told reporters.

"Our coach said that was the only match our opponents really made it difficult for us, so let that be the only one."

Coach Bert van Marwijk is expected to stick with the same line-up he chose for the Denmark game, preferring again to use impressive winger Eljero Elia as an impact player coming on from the bench.

The Netherlands' most potent weapon on the wing, Arjen Robben, has been training on his own this week as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury and is highly unlikely to be risked.

Japan's win over Cameroon in Bloemfontein on Monday ended a miserable run of results for Takeshi Okada's team and so he will again forgo the traditional short passing game for a more compact defensive style.

"It doesn't matter what anyone thinks, I have to pick players that are going to win us three points." Okada told the Kyodo news agency.

Defensive midfielder Yuki Abe also had bad news for anyone hoping for a free-flowing contest.

"The Dutch themselves think their strength lies in attack so what we need to do is try to wind them up and frustrate them," he said.

An added incentive for both teams on Saturday is that whoever tops Group E will return play their second round match in Durban, which not only offers football free of altitude complications but is the warmest of the host cities.

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Chinese merchants cash in on World Cup fever

Published>Fri, Jun 18 10 08:37 AM

Beijing, June 18 (IANS) Till the early hours of dawn, many parts of Beijing remain alive with the chinking sound of glasses and cheerings, mingled with the sound of vuvuzela trumpets coming from the television sets.

When fans all over the world are celebrating the soccer extravaganza in a great global party, Chinese merchants are focussed on the sales boom brought about by the World Cup. Restaurants, bars and sidewalk snack booths in many Chinese cities are open overtime to cash in on maximum profit during the tournament.

Over 70 percent of Chinese football fans say they would buy World Cup souvenirs and over 60 percent say they would spend at least 100 yuan celebrating at pubs during a World Cup match.

At least 67.2 percent of people in a survey said they would spend or have spent 50-100 yuan at pubs while watching the world cup there, and over 70 percent will buy world cup souvenirs or team jerseys, the survey launched by renren.com said.

Household electrical appliances also sell much better than before, especially flat-screen televisions, Global Times reported.

'The sales volume of flat-screen televisions rose by 1.6 times compared to the same period last year,' Xu He, a salesman in Changchun, was quoted as saying.

'A lot of customers bought new TV sets for seeing the World Cup live better. Most of them are eager to take new televisions back home,' Xu added.

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Dhoni, Afridi bat for UNICEF project

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 09:37 PM

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Bangladesh counterparts today batted for the United Nations Children's Fund's healthy hat-trick scheme focussing on providing sanitation, nutrition and access to school for the girl child in South Asia.

Gathered here for the ongoing Asia Cup cricket tournament, Dhoni, Kumar Sangakkara, Shahid Afridi and Shakib Al Hasan expressed their views on the grim situation and wanted everyone to rally around the project.

In his remarks, Dhoni thanked his parents for administering polio drops to him when he was a child.

"My parents took good care of me, administered polio drops and I am here. Children are the future and we need to ensure that they and their mothers remain healthy," he said.

"More than being just cricketers, we are husbands, sons and brothers and we have an obligation towards our community.

It is important that governments ensure that there is proper access to toilets, wider administration of polio drops and that the girl child goes to school," Sangakkara said.

Talking about the situation in Pakistan, Afridi said, "In Pakistan, we need to ensure that girls to go to school and polio too is a big problem." Shakib lamented the slow progress in Bangladesh.

"We have come a long way from the 1970s when children used to die because of water contamination but more needs to be done," said Shakib said.

According to UNICEF, 45 per cent of the population in South Asia lack access to sanitation and 41 per cent of children suffer from malnutrition leading to three million infant deaths.

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Iceland court orders Bobby Fischer remains exhumed

Published Thu, Jun 17 10 09:27 PM

The remains of former chess champion Bobby Fischer, who died two years ago in Iceland, will be dug up to settle a paternity claim, Iceland's Supreme Court has ruled.

The court said tissue samples were needed to determine the paternity of Jinky Young, the Filipina daughter of Fischer's former lover. It overturned a ruling by a lower court earlier this year denying the request.

"In order to obtain such a sample it is unavoidable to exhume his body," a court document published this week said, without specifying when the remains would be dug up.

Fischer's estate, estimated at around $2 million, has been the subject of an inheritance dispute involving claims by a former wife, two nephews and the U.S. tax authorities.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court said Jinky's need to discover the identity of her father outweighed the concerns of a municipal court, which had denied an exhumation request earlier this year on the grounds it was not strong enough.

The appeal was granted after DNA samples needed to establish paternity were deemed insufficient, the court said.

Fischer, a former child prodigy, became the only U.S. world chess champion by defeating the Soviet Union's masters but spent his last years as a fugitive from U.S. authorities, wanted for defying sanctions against Yugoslavia.

Once feted as a national hero and seen by some as the greatest chess talent ever, the Chicago-born Fischer refused to defend his title and relinquished to the Soviet champion Anatoly Karpov in 1975.

He died at the age of 64 after an unspecified illness in Reykjavik and was buried in a cemetery south of the Icelandic capital.

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Argentines light up World Cup after S.African gloom

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 09:09 PM

Argentina lit up the World Cup with the tournament's first hat trick on Thursday, sweeping aside a spirited South Korea and lifting the gloom after host South Africa's likely elimination.

In a tournament short on goals up to now, the Argentines played a thrilling game to beat South Korea 4-1, equalling the previous highest tally in Germany's 4-0 rout of Australia.

Argentina led a South American charge that makes them by far the most successful region in the tournament so far, with five wins and two draws from seven matches.

The exciting Argentine coup came after South African vuvuzelas went quiet and national elation turned to despondency following a disastrous 3-0 defeat by Uruguay.

A near miracle will be required for them to avoid the shame of being the first hosts eliminated in the first round.

Argentina's victory, with World Player of the Year Lionel Messi orchestrating countless attacks and Gonzalo Higuain banging in a hat trick, brought them close to qualification for the second round and hoisted their status to one of the favourites.

They could have scored even more without the heroics of Korean goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong.

Argentina's first goal was put into his own net by Korean defender Park Chu-young. The Asian side fought until the end, pulling one back just before halftime, but were outclassed by Argentina's mobility and skill.

There was more trouble between police and stadium guards who have been removed from duty in a wage dispute. Police fired rubber bullets and a stun grenade to disperse stewards protesting outside the offices of their employers, a local security firm, in Cape Town.

Police and guards previously clashed early on Monday in Durban.

OPTIMISM QUASHED

South African optimism over qualifying for the second round was crushed by a 3-0 drubbing on Wednesday night which gives them only an unlikely chance of qualifying -- depending on what one commentator called a "fairytale" sequence of other results.

In Thursday's other two games, France need their misfiring strikers to finally show their worth against the neat-passing Mexicans while one of Africa's main hopes, Nigeria, hope to revive their continent's chances against a weak Greek side.

Nigeria, who held Argentina to a 1-0 defeat in their first match, brought on Peter Odemwingie and Kala Uche as a fresh strike force to try to defeat Greece, so far one of the tournament's weakest teams, and stick close to Argentina at the top of group B.

If the Greeks fail to win, Argentina will qualify.

Only a major upset win against 1998 winners and 2006 runners-up France, plus other favourable results, can get South Africa through to the second round.

"The sangomas (witch doctors) did not work," one woman screamed in the crowd in Pretoria after the local Bafana Bafana side misfired in midfield and showed no punch in attack to end an unbeaten run of 13 matches. Many fans left early, their vuvuzelas tucked under their arms.

Until now, cautious play and low scores have characterised the 32 teams' first games of the tournament and Argentina's performance was a breath of fresh air for fans desperate for more goals as sides step up a gear to win the points they need to reach the last 16 of Africa's first World Cup.

Marksmen from Cristiano Ronaldo to Fernando Torres to Wayne Rooney have disappointed so far, and will want to follow Argentina's example.

Off the field, labour unions are threatening to embarrass the South African government by interrupting power, transport and security operations if their wage demands are not met. Police have had to take over security at five stadiums because of various disputes with stewards.

Hooliganism has been avoided however, with potential troublemakers from England blocked from entering, and another 17 "undesirable" Argentines deported on Wednesday.

South Africa's glowing pride will not disappear even if Bafana Bafana are eliminated.

They have so far earned huge kudos by successfully staging Africa's first World Cup, confounding pessimists at home and abroad who predicted for years that it would be a disaster scarred by major crime.

But there was also a reminder on Thursday of a tragedy which marred the start of the World Cup, when Nelson Mandela attended the funeral of his 13-year-old great-granddaughter Zenani, killed in a car accident on the eve of the opening ceremony. Mandela, father of the post-apartheid nation, withdrew from the ceremony because of the tragedy.

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Dunga's way, more sombre than Samba

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 08:47 PM

Dunga is the Portuguese name for Dopey, the smallest of Snow White's seven dwarfs, but for many people it would have been more appropriate if Brazil's coach had been named after Grumpy.

Real name Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri, Dunga often seems as if he would be more at home with a dour European team rather than the flamboyant five-times champions, who many neutrals look to for World Cup inspiration.

Dunga, who snarled his way through three World Cups as a hard-tackling midfielder, has won the Copa America and Confederations Cup in his three-and-a-half years as coach but many feel he has taken the fun out of Brazil.

He has famously labelled Brazil's 1982 team, who played some of the best attacking football ever seen at a World Cup but failed to win the trophy, as "specialists in losing".

After seeing his team splutter to a 2-1 win over rank outsiders North Korea, Dunga praised his team for their efficiency -- a word which, in the context of Brazilian football, sounds almost blasphemous.

"It's all about efficiency," he said. "Everyone has to be efficient, in attack and defence. Without that you don't get anywhere."

Dunga has never had much time for the concept of the "Jogo Bonito" (Beautiful Game), as Brazilian football is often called, and has turned them into a team who play on the counter-attack and score a large percentage of goals from set pieces.

His 23-man squad includes only four strikers and he regularly packs his midfield with spoilers.

WORKS WELL

It works very well against teams who attack Brazil, but his side often look at a loss when faced with a packed defence.

Before the North Korea match, Dunga pointed out that Brazil had won the World Cup twice and the Copa America five times since adopting a more physical, less attractive game in the late 1980s.

"Everyone has his taste and is entitled to express how he wants the team to play. I like to win," he said.

Dunga has been a prominent figure in the change to a more pragmatic style.

As a player, his approach, based on tough tackling, work rate and functional passing, was seen as symbolic of the metamorphosis.

When Brazil went down to a second-round defeat at the 1990 World Cup, he was made the scapegoat and the failure was baptised "The Dunga Era."

But he was not to be beaten, fought his way back into the side and captained the team which won Brazil's fourth World Cup title four years later -- ending a 24-year wait.

Four years later, he captained them to the runners-up spot in France.

The 46-year-old is known to have a soft centre and says that, in private, he is a jovial person. But the public rarely see that side of him,

Dunga spent the Beijing Olympics complaining about the food, the pitch and even around the number of volunteers.

He blamed delays in the customs at Bogota airport for a goalless World Cup qualifying draw in Colombia and, after seeing his team win 4-0 in Venezuela, complained that "nothing works in this country".

When Portugal were drawn in the same World Cup group, he could not resist a truculent aside about the number of Brazilian-born players in their team.

"We're playing Brazil's B," he sneered.

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Karnataka, Uttarakhand win in Junior National Football

Published Thu, Jun 17 10 08:37 PM

Kolkata, June 17 (PTI) Reigning champions Karnataka and Uttarakhand won their respective matches in the quarterfinal league in the Junior National Football Championship for Dr BC Roy Trophy here today. Karnataka began the proceedings in an aggressive manner with Amos giving the lead in the 11th minute at the Mohun Bagan ground in their 3-0 drubbing over Goa. Prakash Majumdar made it 2-0 in the 30th minute as the last year''s champions enjoyed a comfortable lead at halftime. Karnataka defence held on without giving their Goan opponents any chance as Nagraj made it 3-0 in the second minute of the injury time. Uttarakhand registered a 2-1 win over Meghalaya in another match of the quarterfinal league at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan. Harish (11th) and Manoj (18th) gave Uttarakhand a flying start before Meghalaya pulled one back through M Dennis in the 68th minute.

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Itinerary for Test series against Lanka and Tri-series changed

Published Thu, Jun 17 10 08:23 PM

Dambulla, June 17 (PTI) India''s three-match Test series against Sri Lanka have been pushed back by eight days from original July 10 start to accommodate the team management''s request for a three-day practice game. Subsequently, the dates for the tri-series, involving India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, have also been changed with the first match starting on August 10 instead of August 2. Instead of playing the first Test from July 10 to 14, India now play Sri Lanka from July 18 to 22 at the Galle International stadium. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men will arrive in Colombo on July 10 and play a three-day game against the Sri Lankan Board President''s before heading to Galle on July 15. The revised itinerary: July 12-14: Three-day match. July 18-22: First Test at Galle International Stadium. July 26-July 30: Second Test at Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. August 3-7: Third Test at P Sara Oval in Colombo. Tri-series: Aug 10-28 at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.

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Yusuf will return to Indian team soon: Irfan

Published Thu, Jun 17 10 07:53 PM

Mumbai, Jun 17 (PTI) Big-hitting all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, omitted from the squad for the ongoing Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, today got the backing of his younger brother Irfan who said his elder sibling will return to the Indian team sooner than later. "We are not disappointed (over Yusuf''s omission). A player of his caliber will return to the Indian squad soon," Irfan told PTI here. Irfan said his brother was an asset in the Indian team as he gives the final flourish while batting with his big hits and also chips in with right-arm off-spin. "Yusuf may not have made too many big scores but he has a different role (to play) in the team. He bats at number seven where he does not get too many opportunities to score big. His role is to score faster and provide a flourish towards the end and his strike rate is always at the higher end," Irfan said. "Besides, he also bowls. He is an asset for whichever team he plays for," said the 25-year-old Irfan at the sidelines of a promotional programme for sportswear brand Reebok. (More) PTI VKV SSR AMA PDS

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Higuain hat-trick gives Argentina victory

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 07:47 PM

Gonzalo Higuain scored the first hat-trick of this World Cup as Argentina took a huge step towards the second round when they thrashed South Korea 4-1 in their Group B match at Soccer City on Thursday.

Diego Maradona's confident side went ahead when Park Chu-young put through his own net after 17 minutes. They doubled their advantage when Higuain stayed onside after eluding the defence to pick his spot with a header 16 minutes later.

Higuain made it 3-1 with a tap-in after 76 minutes and got completed hat-trick with another header in the 80th.

South Korea had pulled a goal back at the end of the first half with the score at 2-0 when Argentina defender Martin Demichelis failed to control a simple ball and Lee Chung-yong robbed him and fired past Sergio Romero.

The result left Argentina top of the group with six points from their opening two matches followed by South Korea with three from their first two games.

Nigeria and Greece, who meet at Bloemfontein (1400 GMT), are looking for their first points. If the Greeks fail to win Argentina will be the first team to qualify for the knockout stages.

Argentina played some of the best approach work seen at the tournament so far and World Player of the Year Messi, Carlos Tevez and Angel Di Maria were outstanding in attack.

Messi went close to scoring what would probably have been the goal of the finals in the first half when he swapped passes with Tevez and breezed past three defenders but then saw his chip over goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong go narrowly wide.

Tevez, Messi and Higuain combined early in the second half with a sweeping move before the latter's shot was saved by Jung.

Korea's goal from the last kick of the first half raised their spirits but, while they played far better after the break and should have equalised through Yeom Ki-hun just before the hour, Argentina never lost control and ran out easy winners.

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Higuan hat-trick seals Argentina''s 4-1 win over South Korea

Published Thu, Jun 17 10 07:38 PM

Johannesburg, June 17 (PTI) Gonzalo Higuain struck the first hat-trick of the FIFA World Cup as Argentina spanked South Korea 4-1 in a Group B match to seal a berth in the knock-out round here today. Two-time champions Argentina produced another dominating performance after their 1-0 victory over Nigeria in their campaign opener to book a place in the round of 16 though Lionel Messi was still in search of his first goal in the mega event. Real Madrid striker Higuain struck in the 33rd, 76th and 80th minutes after South Korean Park Chu-Young gave the South Americans the lead with an own goal in the 17th minute. Lee Chung-Yong took advantage of a mistake in the Argentine defence to score for South Korea in the one minute added time in the first half. With the win, Argentina topped Group B with two wins while South Korea will have to beat Nigeria in their last group match on June 26 in Durban if they have to qualify for the knockout phase. Argentina made one change from their squad which beat Nigeria 1-0 by drafting in Liverpool midfielder Maxi Rodrigues in place of Juan Sebastian Veron and they dictated terms on the South Koreans with overwhelming ball possession. Diego Maradona''s boys kept the ball in the South Korean half for most part of the match with strikers Carlos Tevez and Higuain, and Messi playing behind the duo creating havoc at the South Korean defence time and again. To the credit of the ''Taegeuk Warriors'' under former World Cupper Huh Jung-moo, they did not concede too many openings to the ''La Albiceleste'' in the first 45 minutes at the packed Soccer City Stadium. .

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Confident of comeback, Irfan says he has time on his side

Published Thu, Jun 17 10 07:21 PM

Mumbai, Jun 17 (PTI) The time spent in the wilderness has not eroded Irfan Pathan''s self-belief and the left-arm seamer said he has time on his side to make a comeback to the Indian team. "I came into international cricket at a pretty early age. I started playing at 19 and am still only 25. Time is with me and I have no doubt that I will make a comeback into the team soon," Irfan told PTI in an interview here today. Irfan said he was under added pressure once he improved his batting after starting his career as a new ball bowler. But the Baroda player insisted he has confidence in his abilities to make a comeback into the Indian squad. "My role in the team changed and things changed. I started with the new ball, then bowled first change. Besides, I started batting as well. That added to the pressure. I have faith in my abilities and am confident of making a comeback," said the player who played his last ODI in February last year against Sri Lanka in Colombo. "I was hoping to return (to the team) soon. But unfortunately there are not many matches. I will play in the Corporate Trophy which will begin in some days. I will also participate in the state level matches," said Irfan who has not played a Test match since 2008. Irfan failed to find a place in the second string India squad that toured Zimbabwe recently despite having scored 397 runs at an average of nearly 50 and taken 22 wickets, at an average of 18.54 in six Ranji Trophy games while leading Baroda last season. More PTI VKV SSR AMA AY

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Greece v Nigeria - teams

Published Thu, Jun 17 10 07:14 PM

Teams for Thursday's World Cup Group B match between Greece and Nigeria at Free State Stadium.

Greece: 12-Alexandros Tzorvas; 11-Loukas Vyntra, 16-Sotiris Kyrgiakos, 15-Vassilis Torosidis, 6-Alexandros Tziolis, 8-Avraam Papadopoulos, 19-Socratis Papastathopoulos, 10-Giorgos Karagounis, 21-Kostas Katsouranis; 14-Dimitris Salpingidis, 17-Fanis Gekas.

Nigeria: 1-Vincent Enyeama; 17-Chidi Odiah, 6-Danny Shittu, 2-Joseph Yobo, 3-Taye Taiwo, 12-Kalu Uche, 20-Dickson Etuhu, 15-Haruna Lukman, 14-Sani Kaita, 8-Yakubu Aiyegbeni, 11-Peter Odemwingie.

Referee: Oscar Ruiz (Colombia)

Follow all matches live at http://live.reuters.com/Event/World_Cup_2010

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Uruguay can win World Cup, says coach Tabarez

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 02:11 PM

Pretoria, June 17 (DPA) Uruguay can go all the way and win the 2010 World Cup, coach Oscar Tabarez said after seeing his team achieve its best finals result in 56 years by outclassing host nation South Africa 3-0 in Pretoria.

The South Americans last managed such an emphatic win at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland when defeating Scotland 7-0 and Tabarez Wednesday said he feels two-time champions Uruguay are finally awakening from a slumber that has seen them in the doldrums for decades.

A fourth place finish at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico was the last time Uruguay managed to make it to the semi-final stages while they last made it past the group stages in 1990 and the country failed to qualify for four of the last five tournaments.

'We came to this World Cup in the hope that we would do something different to what Uruguay has done since the 1970s. We've never come close to third or fourth place,' said Tabarez, who took over the helm in February 2006.

'We are convinced that we can win the World Cup. There might be teams that are better than us but we are convinced that we can be a tough rival for any team.'

The 63-year-old also dismissed claims by South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreirra that Swiss referee Massimo Busacca's decision to send of Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune and award a penalty with 14 minutes remaining was the turning point in the tie.

'I certainly can't agree,' said Tabarez. 'I even laugh at the suggestion that Uruguay won this game on account of the referee because we dominated the game. Uruguay deserved to win this match.'

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Westwood, 3 pals guzzle 48 bottles of beer on 3 hr flight to celebrate St Jude Classic win

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 02:00 PM

London, Jun 17 (ANI): England's ace golfer Lee Westwood along with his three friends drank 48 bottles of beer on a three-hour flight from Memphis to Pebble Beach to celebrate his St Jude Classic win.

Westwood received a boost ahead of the US Open, which starts on Thursday, by winning the St Jude Classic in Memphis.

He said that it would be champagne all the way home if he follows up Sunday's St Jude Classic triumph by finally winning the US Open.

"Mind you, it may not be so good for your liver, because we loaded two 24 packs of beer onto the private jet from Memphis and downed the lot in just over three hours. There were eight of us on the flight, but that includes the pilot and co-pilot and two others weren't drinking either - so you do the maths.

"It was straight back to a strict diet and fitness regime but if I can follow up here, it won't be beer on the flight back to Worksop. It will be champagne and plenty of it," he added.

He finished second, third, and third in the last three Majors and was just a shot away from making a play-off at the 2008 US Open.

The world No. 3 dismissed the notion it is harder to follow up a victory by winning again the following week, even though he will have to make history to claim his first Major title, The Sun reports.

The US Open, which was first played 115 years ago, is the only Major that has not yielded a win double.

Westwood said: "I don't care what the record books say - it's absolute nonsense to say winning last week will harm my chances. Playing good golf and beating a world-class field can only help. It is great for your state of mind." (ANI)

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Old foes Maradona and Huh renew battle

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 01:47 PM

Argentina coach Diego Maradona will see a familiar foe in the opposing dugout when his side face South Korea in their second Group B match at Soccer City on Thursday.

South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo was the man assigned to stop Maradona when the countries met in their opening match of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, a game long-remembered in Buenos Aires for the Koreans' strong-arm tactics against their skipper.

"I remember Huh very well," Maradona said after the draw pairing the sides together was made in December.

"In 1986 the Koreans played taekwondo, not football, against us."

Maradona went into that game in Mexico City nursing a long-standing injury, and the Koreans tactics were to do anything they could to stop him.

Ultimately they failed as Maradona had a brilliant game leading his side to a 3-1 victory, setting off on the path that led to victory in the World Cup final against West Germany.

Argentina and South Korea, who have only played each other once since then, go into Thursday's match buoyed by victory in their opening games last Saturday with the Argentines beating Nigeria 1-0 and the Koreans ovecoming Greece 2-0.

VERON OUT

Midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron will miss the match against South Korea at Soccer City with a minor leg muscle injury.

Maradona, who confirmed an otherwise unchanged team, said he did not want to run the risk of Veron aggravating his right calf muscle strain and losing the player for the rest of the tournament.

Veron, like Maradona, would have been keen to beat the Koreans after suffering some rough treatment from Pohang Steelers when his Estudiantes side played them at the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi in December with three Steelers players sent off.

South Korea, who need to raise their game another notch to compete with Argentina, have no fresh injury worries.

Huh could also welcome striker Lee Dong-guk back into the lineup following his recovery from a thigh injury.

Huh has previously hinted he could employ a more conservative 4-5-1 formation against Argentina, which could see Lee at its apex with forward Park Chu-young pushed out wide.

Jung Song-ryong is likely to remain in goal after Huh's startling decision to axe Lee Woon-jae against Greece.

Jung had a solid start but was rarely tested and will undoubtedly be the busier of the two keepers on Thursday.

Source: Web Search

Premature debut in international cricket does more harm than good: Imran Nazir

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 01:23 PM

Lahore, Jun.17 (ANI): While Pakistan cricket coach Waqar Younis and the selectors have been supporting the idea of injecting more young blood in the national squad, opening batsman Imran Nazir believes that early exposure to international cricket has done him more harm than good.

Nazir, who made his debut for Pakistan in 1999 at the age of 17, admitted that he was not ready for the big stage when he was given the break.

"The truth is I was not ready for international cricket at that time, my technique was faulty and I didn't have the mental strength or understanding of the game," said Nazir, who was ignored for both the ICC T20 World Cup and the ongoing Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.

"Now that I have began to understand how international cricket needs to be played I have been dropped from the national team," The News quoted the right hand batsman, as saying.

Nazir is known for his electrifying batting style, but he reckons that his aggression has cost him a place in the national squad.

"I am a more mature batsman now and if I get a chance to play again for Pakistan I will play in sensible fashion and cement my place in the team. You must have the patience to wait for the bad ball to hit, not try slogging every ball as I used to do previously. I am ready to curb my natural instincts to play again for Pakistan," he said.

Referring to the tradition of Pakistani selectors of inducting young guns in the national squad early in their careers, Nazir, who last played a Test match in 2002, said that youngsters should be given time to prove themselves at the domestic level before the gates of international cricket are opened.

"I would say a player must be given time in domestic cricket before he is blooded in international cricket. Give him time to adjust and understand the game," he said. (ANI)

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World Cup unites Africans studying in Delhi

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 01:17 PM

New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) The 1,500- strong African student community here may be thousands of miles away as the FIFA World Cup unfolds in their continent for the first time, but they are together as they cheer for Africa, vuvuzela or no vuvuzela.

'I wish I could go to South Africa to see the matches live,' Montaser Nesrelbeen, a 24-year-old Sudanese student at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), told IANS.

An ardent football fan, Nesrelbeen played for his school team back home. But his busy schedule in JNU, where he is studying Spanish, means he can't fulfil his wish.

He has, of course, been watching the live telecasts since June 11 when the World Cup began. 'I try not to miss any game. All my friends visit the Ghana embassy to watch the matches as we like the ambience there,' he added.

Similar were the reactions of many African students studying in the capital's various universities.

Football is a religion for the community here and interestingly, irrespective of their nationality, they are backing all the African nations. 'Although I am from Sudan, I want Ghana to win,' Nesrelbeen added. Sudan is not in the World Cup, but Ghana is.

Nigerian student Aminu Jabbi, 31, who is pursuing a masters in bioscience from Jamia Millia Islamia is supporting Nigeria as well as Ghana.

'I am supporting all the African teams. The best team should win and being a Nigerian, I wish my country lifts the cup,' he said.

Thirty-five-year-old Joseph Gitonga, who hails from Kenya and has just completed his MA in education from Jamia, said: 'It's in my blood to support all African countries. But my favourite team is Ivory Coast.'

The various lounges and pubs across the capital that have set up big screens with attractive offers for football fans have not really been able to draw the African student community.

For instance, Abidi Karaga, a JNU student hailing from Congo, prefers the company of his friends and watches the matches in the hostel. 'As the people in Delhi are not so crazy about football, it is not much fun outside,' he said.

'My Indian friends, especially from the northeast and Kerala, get together to watch the games on the weekends. We prefer the comfort of our hostel over the lounges,' he said.

He wants Brazil or Ghana to win the cup and Brazilian midfielder Kaka is his idol.

As the limelight is on Africa, many are confident that such attention will be beneficial for the continent. 'The World Cup will surely bring along lots of development to the region,' Abidi told IANS.

The students remain divided on the controversy over vuvuzelas - the long South African trumpets that are being blamed for drowning the sound of football games and spoiling the concentration of players.

Some were all for the vuvuzela. 'They are great fun and should not be banned,' said Nesrelbeen while others like Abidi Karaga argued they were a nuisance and should be done away with.

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Lanka set sights on final as they take on Bangladesh

Published Thu, Jun 17 10 01:07 PM

Joseph Hoover Dambulla, June 17 (PTI) Defending champions Sri Lanka will look to crush a beleaguered Bangladesh and enhance their chances of making the Asia Cup final when the two sides clash here tomorrow. Four-time champions Lanka, who defeated Pakistan by 16 runs in their first outing on Tuesday, need one more victory to virtually qualify for the June 24 summit clash. For Bangladesh, tomorrow''s clash has become a do-or-die contest as they are coming into the match after a six-wicket defeat against India and one more drubbing would be enough to spell their ouster. Given their potential and the advantage of playing in home conditions, Sri Lanka are not likely to be troubled by Shakib Al Hasan''s team. Their bowlers, especially paceman Lasith Malinga are in superb form and a formidable batting line up makes them an outright favourite against the Asian minnows. Considering that they are in the process of building the nucleus of their side for the 2011 World Cup, the defending champions would be tempted to play Suraj Randiv instead of the wily Muttiah Muralitharan, who was savaged by Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi the other day. Muralitharan bled 71 runs from his 10 overs, conceding as many as five sixes to Afridi, who made a blistering 76-ball 109, his first ODI century in four years. Lanka could also possibly seek a change for Farveez Maharoof who looked far from impressive on his comeback. He failed with both ball and bat, apart from struggling to come down on the ball in the outfield. While Kumar Sangakarra has only these aspects to look into, his Bangladesh counterpart has far too many issues to address. Not surprisingly Shakib Al Hasan has called on his boys to perform as a unit. "We played well as individuals but not as a team. That is an area we need to improve on a lot," Shakib had said after Bangladesh''s six-wicket defeat against India. Emphasising on the need to unite and perform as a team, a visibly perturbed Shakib said, "We need to climb one step ahead and put team performances together, only then can we win some games. That is the main area we have to concentrate on." Shakib was happy with the performance of his openers, but was dissatisfied with the middle order batsmen who struggled against the Indian spinners. He was hoping that this could be sorted out at the team meeting before the match against Sri Lanka.

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Maradona's latest verbal volley: asks Pele to 'go back to museum'

Published>Thu, Jun 17 10 12:53 PM

London, Jun 17 (ANI): The verbal dual between two best footballers in the world shows no signs of an early end, with Argentinean legend Diego Maradona asking Brazilian great Pele to "go back to the museum".

In recent times, Maradona has made a number of shocking outbursts since taking charge as coach of Argentina.

Both Pele and UEFA boss Michel Platini have questioned his suitability, with the Brazilian idol suggesting he only took the job for the money.

"Pele should go back to the museum and stay there. As for Platini, he is French and we all know what French people are like. It is something if they even say hello and goodbye," the Sun quoted Maradon, as saying. .

Meanwhile Maradona said that South Koreans should get on the first plane back to Seoul if they are only thinking about stopping Argentina playing, and targeting their ace, Lionel Messi.

"We are here to play football and anyone who doesn't want to do that should go home. They are quick as lightning and strong at set-pieces. I hope the ref uses the full sanctions at his disposal if the Koreans go for Messi. Lionel should not have to fear their tactics." (ANI)

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