Tiger Woods walked away from the lucrative Players Championship in Florida on Thursday, citing knee injury. Attempting to play after injuring his left knee and Achilles at the Masters, Woods said he was having difficulty walking by the end of the nine and that he first felt it on the first tee, where he hit his drive left. Woods shot a 42 on the front nine, walking some 20 yards behind his playing partners and with a limp that became more noticeable with each hole he played. Sub-par performance After bogeying the first hole, Woods found water twice at the par-four fourth where he ended with a triple bogey. Further bogeys came on the fifth and ninth holes for the former world number one. He handed his card to PGA champion Martin Kaymer, then walked back to inform Matt Kuchar that he was leaving early for the second straight year. "I'm having a hard time walking,'' Woods said. It was his first competition since the Masters, where Woods hurt his left knee and Achilles while hitting from pine straw in the third round. He skipped the tournament last week to give his leg time to heal, and said on Tuesday that it was better. But from the opening tee shot at the TPC Sawgrass, he looked as bad as he ever has. "The knee acted up and then the Achilles followed after that, and then the calf started cramping up,'' Woods said. "Everything started getting tight, so it's just a whole chain reaction.'' Woods had looked in good form when he played nine holes of practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, and said after the second day of practice that he had only "minimal'' swelling. This is the second straight year Woods has withdrawn in the middle of the round at the Players Championship. He stopped on the seventh hole of the final round last year with what turned out to be a neck injury. Woods already has had four operations on his left knee. |
Source: Agencies |
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Tiger Woods withdraws from Players
'If they want it, they will have it'
Exclusive footage as FIFA President Sepp Blatter tells Al Jazeera's sports correspondent that he thinks goalline technology will be introduced by the next World Cup in Brazil.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) will meet after the 2011/12 European football season to decide on the implementation of technology.
Blatter says he is confident such technology will be available to help avoid the "blatant injustice" of disallowed goals like Frank Lampard's World Cup effort for England against Germany in South Africa last year.
United: Champions once more
A late Rooney penalty gave Manchester United the point that sealed their 19th title win and put the team ahead of Liverpool in the history books.
Manchester United only needed a point and got just that with their 1-1 draw at Blackburn on Saturday.
The title is now out of reach of reigning champions Chelsea and United can focus on their Champions League final clash with Barcelona on May 28.
Fergie's final word
Ferguson looked like the winner of his first title – not 12th – as he joyously chased members of his championship winning team around the pitch.
Despite coming under fire from the FA this season for his comments about referees, Ferguson proved that when it comes to winning titles he is the best manager in the Premier League.
"It was a fantastic performance by the lads and the supporters and for everybody connected with the club it's a great day," Ferguson told Sky Sports.
"It wasn't an easy game, we went 1-0 down having given them a bad goal but we kept on and we don't give in."
While it was Javier Hernandez’ first title win with United, the Duracell-charged Ryan Giggs now has a remarkable 12 title wins under his belt with the club.
"Twenty years ago we were nowhere near Liverpool," Giggs said.
"It's great credit to the club, the manager and the players and it's a good feeling to be ahead of our greatest rivals."
Midfielder Paul Scholes was also on the pitch to collect his tenth title. Both players are nearing the end of their professional careers and will be near impossible for Ferguson to replace.
Coming from behind, again
It was a nervy start for the Manchester side who were playing a fired up Blackburn team still fighting for Premier League survival. Their push for a point was not helped by Tomasz Kuszczak in goal who made a number of shaky stops to give Blackburn the confidence to get forward.
It looked like United might have to put the champagne on ice when Australian Brett Emerton scored for Rovers after 20 minutes.
However, Paul Robinson gave United the chance to claim that priceless point when he failed to get his hands out of the way of Hernandez who raced into the penalty spot.
It was fitting that the Mexican played a part in United’s equaliser after scoring over 20 goals in his debut season and being an invaluable source of inspiration for his teammates.
After conferring with the linesman Phil Dowd awarded the penalty and when Wayne Rooney stepped up to take it the writing was on the wall.
Rooney finished his tumultuous season on a high when he confidently stroked the ball past a helpless Paul Robinson.
"I was terrified, the ref took a long time to give it," Rooney said.
"I had to compose myself. I'd been practicing all week."
All that was left to do was for United to hold the ball up for the remaining 15 minutes. Blackburn were happy for them to do so with a crucial point giving them a strong chance of avoiding relegation going into their last match of the season against Wolves.
Relegation rivalry
At the bottom of the table, Wolves climbed a point clear of the drop zone with an emphatic 3-1 away victory at Sunderland.
Blackpool kept the pressure on Wolves and continued their dogged fight for survival with a 4-3 win against Bolton in a thrilling encounter at Bloomfield Road.
Blackpool who remain in the bottom three travel to Old Trafford for their final game of the season.
Saturday's other match saw West Brom beat Everton 1-0, Youssouf Mulumbu scoring the only goal of the game at The Hawthorns in the 10th minute before the Toffees' Russian substitute, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, was sent-off.
Drama till the end
After wins for Blackpool and Wolves, the pressure firmly remains on relegation contenders Birmingham, Wigan and West Ham. Birmingham find themselves perched just on top of the relegation zone with 39 points, ahead of Blackpool on goal difference. They can move clear of the drop by gaining a point against Fulham on Sunday.
The future remains very bleak for West Ham who now lie six points from safety. The Hammers must record a win in their match with Wigan on Sunday to have any hope of survival. However, Wigan will not be easy opponents as they also need a point to cling on to their survival hopes.
Liverpool and Tottenham battle for fifth position and qualification for European football on Sunday in their match at Anfield. However, whatever the result, Liverpool fans are unlikely to be in jubilant mood this weekend after United’s most recent title win overhauls Liverpool’s legacy as the most successful team in English league history.
Despite the historic achievement, Manchester United have been criticised by many as a team lacking the quality of Ferguson’s previous title winning sides.
"We're champions and in the Champions League - we're rubbish aren't we?'' said Giggs.
If they can beat Barcelona, they will be anything but.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Cricket World cup-Final thoughts
India is still in a state of euphoria following their World Cup win. It was the prefect end to a tournament for both the fans and the organisers, mindful of the TV ratings disaster that accompanied India's early exit from the tournament in 2007 at the group stage.
This time around, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men followed the script to the letter, meaning sales of widescreen televisions went through the roof, Indian TV ratings soared and the games governing body, the ICC, rubbed its hands at the prospect of a bumper pay day.
The cricket wasn't bad either.The best final since 1992 was preceded by the organisers dream semifinal of India v Pakistan, and three exciting quarterfinals (sorry, Pakistan v West indies wasn't a match, it was a joke).
Even the much-maligned group stages had their moments - mainly thanks to England, who recorded a tie against India beat South Africa and the Windies yet managed to lose to Ireland and Bangladesh and scrape through against the Netherlands.
There were some black marks: the chaotic ticketing system led to angry and frustrated fans experiencing the Indian police's idea of crowd control. The lead up to India's games against England and Pakistan were both marred by clashes. The fact that most ordinary cricket fans didn't get a chance to watch either game left a bad taste.
The cult of the VIP and VVIP was another feature of the World Cup. I spoke to several fans during the final at the Wankehede stadium in Mumbai. All of them had either got free tickets because a relative had connections or they were rich enough to buy a black market ticket at an exorbitant price.
I know its rich coming from a journalist who got to watch the final from the comfort of the press box for free, but still.
As for the players, Tilakeratne Dilshan and Shahid Afridi topped the batting and bowling charts respectively. But special mention must go to Ireland's Kevin O'Brien, who despite smacking the quickest hundred in World Cup history probably will never appear in another tournament.
The ICC confirmed that the next two World Cups will be 10-team affairs, meaning the likes of Ireland and the Netherlands will miss out. I find it hard to believe that either side are less deserving of a World Cup place than Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. But the ICC say that T20 is the best format for those countries, and as a result the World Twenty20 has been expanded to 16 teams, giving six Associate or Affliate members the chance to play in a major event.
But as for the 50-over game, the World Cup has given it a timely boost. The next edition is due to be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2015, if its half as good as this one, I, for one, can hardly wait.
Mourinho prepares Barca battleground
It's the business end of the European football season as the first leg of the European Champions League semifinals takes place this week.
On Tuesday, Manchester United visit Schalke 04, and on Wednesday in the third of four clashes in 18 days, Real Madrid host Barcelona in an all-Spanish semifinal.
Jose Mourinho's Real have the psychological edge, having beaten a Pep Guardiola-coached Barcelona side for the first time to earn their first domestic cup in 18 years, the Copa del Rey, last week.
The final went down to the wire with a header from Ronaldo giving Real an extra-time victory. But the pressure is on for Mourinho to repeat last year's achievement when his Inter Milan knocked out the Catalans to reach the Champions League final, which they went on to win.
The question is, can Mourinho steer the power-shift in Spanish football away from Catalunya and back to Madrid or are Guardiola's Barcelona too strong?
Lucky three
The King's Cup was Jose Mourinho's first trophy as Madrid manager and now the Portuguese coach has his eye on delivering a 10th European Cup to Real as he bids to become the first coach to win the Champions League with three different clubs.
The Portuguese coach is no stranger to playing against Barca, where he spent some of his formative years as an assistant to Bobby Robson in the 1990s. Mourinho also met Barca three times during his spell at English side Chelsea, twice bettering them over a 'two-match series'.
His ability to rile the Catalan team knows no end and he has outwitted them so far in the 'four-match series' between the world's two richest and highest-profile clubs.
Mourinho was humiliated in a 5-0 drubbing by Barcelona in the league back in November, but Real are now on the up with a recent 1-1 league home draw against Barca followed by the Cup win.
"We can take them on over two games; we have just done that," said Mourinho."There is no reason we can't beat them in the Champions League because we have just drawn once against them and then beaten them."
History is on Madrid's side with Real getting the better of Barcelona in their two previous semifinal meetings in the 1960 European Cup and most recently the last four of the 2002 Champions League with Real going on to be crowned champions on both occasions.
Barcelona have reached the Champions League semifinals for four successive seasons and coach Pep Guardiola will hope to fare better than last season when he was outfoxed by Mourinho's Inter Milan.
Eyes on the prize
The Primera Division league title is all but wrapped up for Barcelona after a 2-0 win against Osasuna on Saturday put them eight points clear at the top of the table, but the real prize is European glory.
Barca defender Gerard Pique refused to be drawn on the hot topics of debate after the first two 'Clasicos' such as the quality of the refereeing, the length of the grass at the Bernabeu and Real's aggressive, 'negative' approach.
"The grass is long but I'm not going to cry about it," the Spanish World Cup winner told daily El Pais of the pitch at Wednesday's Bernabeu venue.
"It's normal for them to take particular care over their defence and that they try to stop our passing game. Mourinho will use everything available to him.
"At the end of the day they are a powerful team with very good forwards," added Pique.
Messi form
Lionel Messi notched his 50th goal of the season in the Osasuna win and has scored on each of his last three visits to the Bernabeu.The form of Messi and David Villa's goal at the weekend, ending an 11-game drought in all competitions, is a boon for Barca but an injury to Brazilian Adriano is their latest defensive concern.
Full back Adriano could miss the rest of the season with a thigh injury so Guardiola is stretched at the back with captain Carles Puyol struggling with muscular problems and Frenchman Eric Abidal recovering from surgery on a liver tumour.
Real have packed the centre of the pitch with three holding players led by centre-back turned midfield-enforcer Pepe, denying Barca's playmakers time and space while looking to break quickly.
Sami Khedira's injury means Lassana Diarra will probably replace him in midfield while Mourinho may opt to play without a recognised number nine again as he did in the King's Cup final.
At the back Ricardo Carvalho is suspended. Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuain and Brazilian playmaker Kaka are back to their best after long lay-offs.
Higuain scored a hat-trick and Kaka grabbed a brace in Real's 6-3 win at Valencia on Saturday to throw their hats into the ring for a starting place against Barca.
"He (Kaka) had a fantastic game in a position I like a lot," said Mourinho.
"It is fantastic for his confidence."
The two clubs are the competition's top scorers with 24 goals each but the previous two 'Clasicos' have been tense tussles with few sights of goal.
Any change in Barca's standard 4-3-3 formation would probably be read as an acknowledgement that Real have worked out the way to play against Guardiola's three magicians - Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Former Milan boss Leonardo named Inter coach
The Brazilian succeeds Rafael Benitez, who left the world, European and Italian champions on Thursday after just six months in charge following a poor domestic spell and his public attack on Inter for not investing in new players.
"Welcome, Leonardo is the coach of Inter," a statement said on Inter's website (www.inter.it) just hours after president Massimo Moratti had said there would be no announcement until Dec. 27 at the earliest.
"A few minutes ago an agreement was signed which will tie him to the club until June 30, 2012."
Leonardo failed to shine in his only season in management with Milan last term, leading the Rossoneri to third place in Serie A and the Champions League last 16.
The 41-year-old also played for Milan before becoming technical director there and has no prior links to Inter, making the decision to appoint him all the more strange to the hordes of baffled Tweeters and newspaper columnists.
"Unbelievable", "traitor" and "downright weird" were just some of the terms used on Twitter to describe the move.
BIG GAMBLE
Players and coaches switching allegiances between big rivals is nothing new in Italy, even if the idea of Arsenal's Arsene Wenger succeeding Manchester United's Alex Ferguson would bring howls of derision in England.
Spain is more similar to Italy with former Barcelona assistant coach Jose Mourinho now the Real Madrid boss while Portugal's Luis Figo signed for Real from Barca in 2000.
Giovanni Trapattoni famously managed Milan, Inter and the third Italian giant Juventus while Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has played for all three.
Indeed Milan have been the side most guilty of signing ex-Inter names with Ibrahimovic, Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo and former forward Ronaldo all having previously turned out for the Nerazzurri among others.
Moratti, whose side won an unprecedented treble last term under Jose Mourinho, is still taking a big gamble by naming Leonardo with fans likely to give him a little lukewarm reception at first.
Given Leonardo left Milan after a bust-up with owner Silvio Berlusconi, hands-on Moratti risks similar issues if Inter do not quickly start rising up from seventh in Serie A and lose to Bayern Munich in their Champions League first knockout round.
The appointment of Marcello Lippi in 1999 just after he had left rivals Juve was also disastrous for Inter and will prey on some fans' minds while Leonardo himself had indicated he wanted some time away from game to be with his family in Brazil.
On the other hand, pundits such as Gabriele Marcotti have argued that choosing Leonardo is a masterstroke from Moratti given he has had a season to hone his management skills, knows current league leaders Milan inside out and will have good relations with Inter's large contingent of South Americans.
Benitez's outburst means he will not get the chance but Leonardo may have some new signings on board for when Inter host second-placed Napoli on Jan. 6 as Serie A resumes after a mid-season break.
Inter are interested in Genoa centre back Andrea Ranocchia with Walter Samuel out for the season but few other rumours have leaked out about Moratti's targets.
2 million request tickets for London 2012 Olympics
When tickets go on sale in March, 8.8 million seats will be available at prices ranging from 20 pounds ($31) for standard events to a symbolic 2,012 pounds ($3,105) for the top-priced seats at the opening ceremony.
Organizers are trying to raise about 440 million pounds from ticket sales, a quarter of their operating budget.
London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton says data from the two million registered people so far shows that "by and large more females than males" have signed up and many are opting to try to see several events.
Deighton expects another 500,000 people to have registered an interest in buying tickets by March.
PCB want Pakistan players to take part in IPL
Pakistani players have not participated in the last two editions of the IPL due to political tensions between the two countries although in the inaugural edition in 2008 over a dozen Pakistanis played for different franchises in the T20 league that attracts players from every cricketing nation.
Last year the Indian franchises did not bid for any Pakistani cricketer at the players' auction although the PCB had sent names of around 10 players after giving them clearance.
PCB chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed told reporters on Saturday that the board had contacted the Indian Cricket Board on the issue.
"We have written to the Indian board that we are willing to provide any clearance to our players for the IPL," Ahmed said.
"We want Pakistani participation in the IPL, that is our official stand but obviously we need for the Indian board to talk to us."
Ahmed said that under new rules framed by the IPL no Pakistani player could take part in the league for any franchise before getting clearance from both boards.
"No player can individually be approached or can approach any franchise now for a contract," he said.
The Indian government has not encouraged bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan since the militant attacks in Mumbai in 2008.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
My Dream is to Coach Super Eagles to Win World Cup in Brazil
Kaduna United, at the beginning of the week, made history as the first team from Kaduna State to win the Federation Cup when they defeated Enyimba of Aba 3-2 on penalties after a the final match ended 3-3 in both regulation and overtime. The feat was so great for the people of the ancient town for the fact that not team from the the town or the state have had success in the series; the closest being the effort of Ranch Bees in 1987 against the now defunct Abiola Babes.
The run to success could be said to have been made possible by the old man of Africa in football clubs’ managerial affairs; Belgian Maurice Cooreman. The man puts everything down to the hard work and determination of the players and the technical team. He even singled out one of his assistants on the bench, the goalkeeper’s trainer, John Obida, for praise.
Cooreman said Obida went a whole length to train Agwu specifically in the art of catching penalties and that the latter became like the saviour of the team in the series up to the final day. On the final day particularly, after he was brought in because shootout became imminent.
Cooreman said: “I think my young United players showed a lot of class right from the preliminary stage up to the final, to eventually win the cup for Kaduna people and the governor of the state; Ibrahim Yakowa. I groomed these young boys from nowhere and today they have made Kaduna people and the country proud for their outstanding performance in the Federation Cup series.
“We had loads of encouragement and support from the state governor, but in the final analysis, it was up to them to put up a brave spirit. They showed a lot of that. Now, personally, I think my next frontier is Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles.
I have handled many teams in Nigeria and my record here shows I have achieved many milestones, from NPA to Gabros International, to Lobi Stars, Ocean Boys, Bendel Insurance and Enyimba, I have shown I have what it takes. And as I had always have a vision for the place the international game of Nigeria should be at the global arena, I believe it is time I got that chance to help with tinkering the Super Eagles.
Cooreman, in revealing his dream for Nigeria, expresses his surprise that the Super Eagles continually fail to live up to their global billing. He said with the kind of abundance in quality materials that he has seen and worked with in the country since the past decade that he has been around, he finds it queer that the team are not pulling their weight in silverwares.
He said so many talents are still untapped among the home-based players and that he would like very much to be in position to change this.
“I think the only reason we are in this sorry state as far as the Super Eagles are concerned is that we have no proper planning to groom the boys into a formidable team that can conquer the world. I have been in this country for 11 years, and I married an Igbo lady. So, when I talk about the failure of the country, I think I am talking as a Nigerian and as a man who has been in the system for over a decade and know exactly what is wrong. Besides, I have a passion for this country that is so high I am ready to die for her.
“If I get to tinker the Super Eagles, my promise is that the team will be in the final stages of the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. By final stages, I am talking of the semi finals at the very least. And this is not a boast or empty talk.
“I coached Jasper United and so many other teams to success in this country and I understand Nigerian football and know that Nigerian players are very talented. In most countries of the world that have made global impact in the game, handling to success such young teams as Kaduna United from the developmental stage and successes with other teams across the country, like I have had, are some of the criteria used in selecting who to handle the national teams. It should be part of the consideration here too. Besides, I understand the Nigerian game and the Nigerian players’ mentality so well now that there can hardly be a better candidate than I make for the post,” says Cooreman.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Nigeria, 15 others Confirm Participation
About 16 countries have confirmed their participation in the forthcoming Commonwealth Intercontinental Under-17 Handball Championship scheduled to take place in Cameroon from August 25th to September 5th. According to a statement released from the headquarters of the continental game in Abuja, the countries that have confirmed participation include the host Cameroon, Nigeria, India, Ghana, Pakistan, Cyprus, Australia, England, Bangladesh and Kenya. This will also involve six other countries that will participate with their female teams.
While speaking on the preparation of the secretariat for the championship, the Executive Director of Commonwealth Handball Association Mallam Attahiru Garba who just returned from Cameroon on an inspection tour said he was satisfied with the facilities he saw on ground. He added that the 16 nations that will come to the championship would have a good story to tell at the end of the day.
“Cameroon is set, going by what I saw on ground there. The championship, which will be the first in recent time, is the spark we need to reunite the handball families that are under the Commonwealth umbrella.”
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Nigeria will provide two pairs of referees to the championship. They are Bosede Momoh and Ngozi Ezeh for female while Sikiru Ahmed and James Ahmadu would referee in the male categories of the tournament.
This is making history for the country in the sport, because, since after the era of Gen. Ishola William (Rtd) as the President of Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Nigeria has not provided two pairs of referees in a major International handball competition.
Arrangements for the tournament include the President of World Handball Federation, (International Handball Federation) Dr. Hassan Moustapha and President of Confederation of African Handball (CAHB) being special guests at the opening ceremony while His Excellency, the President of Cameroon, Paul Biya, would be declaring the championships open. The President of Commonwealth Games Federation (CFG) Mr. Mike Finnel has been slated for the closing ceremony.
Also, it has been confirmed that 1st, 2nd and 3rd position teams would be taking home prize money of $10,000, $7,000, and $3,000 in both the boys and girls category. The screening of teams to ascertain players’ age would be through the MRI. The Medical Committee/Screening Committee is to be chaired by Dr. Lanre Glover who is the 1st Vice President of Confederation of African Handball (CAHB).
Pillars’ bad boys get the rod for attempting to put the beautiful game into disrepute
The Nigeria Premier League has made a precedence of an insolence act by going down hard on Kano Pillars Football Club over the team’s behaviour in the last match of the Super Four tournament on the last day. The incidence took place in the match against Enyimba at the Ijebu-Ode venue of the competition on Sunday. As punishment, some members of the team has been given various, heavy-handed punishment that the League believes would serve as warning to others and a deterrent to the offenders in future.
According to the League last night, a Kano Pillars official, Ali Adamu, is banned from all NPL activities for three years for jumping out of the substitute bench to attack the referee and assistant referee in the match against Enyimba during the match.
The Acting Executive Secretary of NPL, Tunji Babalola, disclosed last night that the punishment also revealed that Sani Haliru, who was in goal for the Kano side also stand banned from football for six months for acts that are not in line with the ethics, rules of the game.
He added: “Kano Pillars will also have to pay a fine of N500, 000 before they are registered for the in-coming season. The team will also be warned to make sure their officials conform to the rules of the game or face further sanctions.
“The vision of the new board of NPL is to stop every act that has the potential to hurt the game. Towards this, no stone will be left unturned to make sure that sanity prevails in the system.”
The ugly scenario occurred, after the winning goal was scored by the Aba side towards the end of the match. Feeling that something was wrong with the way the goal had been scored, Pillars’ players protested to the referee asking that the goal be ruled as coming from offside play, but their plea was turned down.
Rather than continued with the match after their protest had been turned down; as it is expected of a disciplined team in the game, some members of the team went wild. Taking laws into their own hands, they encroached on the field of play and in the process; the Pillars official assaulted the referee.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
At the United Nations, time to watch the World Cup
The world stops for the World Cup, and the United Nations is no exception.
Diplomats and staffers gathered Wednesday in a small viewing area at U.N. headquarters in New York City to watch Spain beat Germany in a World Cup semifinal match, earning the right to face The Netherlands in Sunday's championship.
For almost a month, World Cup viewing has become a staple of U.N. life.
Unlike bars and restaurants that likely have specific country affiliations, the U.N. audience encompasses a broad base of nationalities and allegiances.
To Holmen Bengt, who works for the Norwegian Mission to the United Nations, it is the ideal place to experience what many consider to be the premier global sports event.
"It adds a very nice flavor to it because you have the world here, and it's the World Cup," Bengt said.
South Africa is hosting the World Cup, the first time the tournament has been held in Africa, and the South African government paid for the U.N. viewing area. It might have underestimated the popularity.
About 60 people crammed into the viewing area Wednesday, most of them standing to watch a large flat-screen television. Another dozen or so tried to catch a glimpse over the area's temporary walls by standing on chairs. An equally-packed overflow room down the hall held another 70 people.
Watching the game at the United Nations required multitasking ability. During breaks in play, men and women in suits checked their BlackBerrys, but when a goal was scored, the audience was on its feet, yelling and slapping hands as if they were at the stadium.
Wednesday's match took place during a Security Council debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. The day before, several soccer fans skipped attending the Queen of England's first address to the General Assembly in more than 50 years. It was unclear how many would have attended if England, eliminated in the round of 16, had still been playing.
Mococha Tembele, from the Tanzanian U.N. Mission, said the viewing area provided an opportunity to both work and watch, due to its proximity.
"I'm watching games here because I'm attending meetings," Tembele said. "This is the only convenient place for me to come."
Throughout the game, everyone from custodians to security guards to dapper diplomats bounded up the stairs to check the score, while a contingent of die-hards stuck it out for the whole match.
Teresa Lopez, a beaming Spanish national and one of the few wearing her country's jersey, said she was on her day off, but she defended some of the other viewers.
"As long as they fulfill their responsibilities and go back to work after the match is over, and they finish their job, I think they're fine," Lopez said. "I think if it's their national team, there may be a little understanding."
Soccer City to host rugby international
Soccer City, once the venue of South Africa's most significant black freedom rallies, will next month host a sport that was open only to whites in the country's apartheid-rule era.
Rugby officials announced on Wednesday that South Africa's Springboks will take on New Zealand's All Blacks at the Johannesburg soccer stadium, which stages the 2010 World Cup final this weekend.
The rebuilt ground, scene of Nelson Mandela's first speech in the city after his release from prison in 1990, is situated near the predominantly black township of Soweto.
"This is an historic day and one in which the whole of South Africa can celebrate," South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins said in a statement on the ruling body's website.While South African rugby was once dominated by whites, the game has become more mixed there -- especially since hosting the 1995 World Cup -- and players such as Chester Williams and Bryan Habana have become household names.The Blue Bulls rugby team also played a Super 14 match at Soweto's Orlando Stadium in May this year as their home venue in Pretoria was unavailable due to the World Cup.
The August 21 fixture will be South Africa's first home match of the 2010 Tri-Nations tournament, which also features Australia.
Soccer City, which is also known as National Stadium, has a capacity of 88,791.
The SARU has made some tickets available at reduced prices in order to get near the previous best crowd for a home rugby international -- 95,000 at Johannesburg's Ellis Park when the British Lions visited in 1955.
More than 9,000 of the available tickets will be sold at 350 Rand ($45) and 5,000 for just 100 rand ($13).
The match had originally been scheduled for Ellis Park, but host province Golden Lions agreed to make the switch.
"The only thing that surprised us was the near unanimity of our stakeholders in embracing this decision," Lions chairman Kevin De Klerk said.
"The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive and as much as we love Ellis Park, there was widespread agreement that we must take such a significant rugby match to one of the best stadiums not just in South Africa but in the world.
"I'd particularly like to thank [our] key sponsors ... They have had to make major sacrifices on some of their contractual rights but the way they have supported us in recognizing the potential benefits of this move -- not just for rugby, but for South Africa -- has been magnificent."
The Springboks will begin the defense of their Tri-Nations crown in New Zealand on Saturday, the first of two clashes with the Kiwis before heading to Australia for a match in Brisbane on July 24.
Spain beat Germany to book first ever World Cup final slot
The World Cup will have a new winner on Sunday after Spain beat Germany 1-0 to set up a mouthwatering clash with the Netherlands.
Spain's hero was Barcelona defender Carles Puyol as his 73rd minute header secured his country's first ever World Cup final.
Puyol rose highest to power Xavi's corner into the net and hand Spain a deserved victory.
Vicente del Bosque's team dominated possession against their opponents and should have won by a more convincing score line but they couldn't convert their chances.
Germany only created a handful of opportunities as they attempted to avenge their defeat to Spain in the European Championships final of 2008 but they failed to regularly test Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas.Spain will now face Netherlands at Soccer City in Johannesburg on Sunday after they beat Uruguay 3-2 in the other semifinal on Tuesday night.Liverpool striker Fernando Torres was dropped in favor of Pedro Rodriguez as Spain made one change from their quarterfinal team. Germany drafted in Piotr Trochowski in place of the suspended Thomas Muller.
It was Barcelona striker David Villa who had the first chance of the game but his effort was smothered by Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Puyol was the next to go close for Spain after he headed Andres Iniesta's powerful cross over the bar.
Lukas Podolski registered Germany's first effort on goal just after the half hour mark as Spain keeper Iker Casillas turned his shot round the post.
Just before the break Mesut Özil went down under a challenge from Sergio Ramos but the referee waved away his appeal for a penalty.
Spain stepped it up a gear after halftime and Xabi Alonso came close with a fierce shot from the edge of the area that flashed past the post.
Pedro was next to shoot but Neuer blocked his effort before Iniesta rolled a pass across the goal line with Villa agonizingly close to tapping home.
Substitute Toni Kroos nearly scored with his first touch for Germany as he was found by a Podolski cross but Casillas parried his volley.
But just four minutes later Spain were in front. Xavi's corner was met by Puyol, and his header sped past Neuer.
In Madrid, relief and rejoicing intertwine
As Germany tried to force an equalizer Spain should have made the game safe but Pedro failed to tee up Torres when the striker had a clear run on goal.
Spain held on to record another one goal victory and seal a first ever World Cup final appearance. Neither they, nor opponents Netherlands, have ever won world football's most prestigious trophy but one team will make history on Sunday.
U.S. first as Kerr tops women's rankings
Cristie Kerr is the first player from the United States to top the women's world rankings after her runaway victory in the LPGA Championship at Locust Hill Country Club in New York.
Kerr carded a six-under final round 66 for a 19-under 269 total, leaving her 12 shots clear of the best in women's golf.
It was a record victory margin in the LPGA Championship, beating the 11-shot win for fellow American Betsy King in 1992.
Kerr was claiming her 14th career victory on the LPGA Tour and winning her second major after the 2007 U.S. Open.
She led from start to finish as rounds of 68, 66 and 69 left her eight shots clear going into Sunday's final round.
"It's a dream performance," Kerr told the official LPGA Tour website.
"It's like you wake up or you dream -- I can't even speak right now. Winning by two or three is great, but winning by 12 shots is ridiculous. It's obscene."
Kerr made sure of her victory by following six straight pars with three birdies in four holes around the turn.South Korea's Kim Song-Hee finished second with Japan's Ai Miyazato tied for third with South Korea's Shin Jiyai.
Miyazato still leads the official money list after winning four times this season, but Kerr has overtaken her at the top of the official world rankings.
She went into the major in fifth spot.
Miyazato, who needed to finish in second place to keep top spot was impressed with Kerr's performance.
"That's almost too good," Miyazato said. "She's just amazing. I played really good, too, but she is just better than me."
The close race for world number one will continue at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in Ohio next weekend, but Kerr will skip the tournament to rest ahead of the U.S. Women's Open on July 8.
Kerr is fully aware she will now come under pressure for the top ranking.
"I'm there now, but I have to prove that I deserve to be there," Kerr said. "So there is still a lot of work ahead. But it feels awfully good right now."
Alonso vows to fight back after Euro GP disappointment
Fernando Alonso insists Ferrari will bounce back from Sunday's controversial European Grand Prix.
Events in Valencia saw Red Bull's Mark Webber suffer a high-speed crash on lap ten, forcing the safety car to appear.
Alonso claimed the race had been "manipulated" after his title rival Lewis Hamilton, of McLaren, overtook the safety car but still managed to finish second despite being hit with a 20-second drive-through penalty.
The Spaniard left Valencia's street circuit frustrated after finishing in eighth place, securing only one point, and he later blamed the safety car incident for his poor finish calling the race "unfair" for those who "respected the rules and didn't overtake the yellow flag".
Alonso says he now regrets reacting "emotionally" and for saying things that "can be interpreted wrongly"."I was very angry about everything that happened, " he told Ferrari's official website. "But now that anger has been transformed into positive energy driving a desire to fight back.
"What I meant was that those drivers who, like us, respected the regulations, unfortunately, in this situation, suffered much more than those who broke them, even though they were given a penalty," he added.
"And I am not referring to any of the drivers in particular. I was pleased to hear that the FIA has reacted promptly, calling an extraordinary meeting of the Sporting Working Group.
"I am confident, certain even, that all the points up for discussion will be cleared up in a comprehensive fashion."
Alonso now insists he has put the disappointment behind him and is now keen to get back to winning ways at the British Grand Prix on July 11.
"Right from Tuesday morning, my mind was already focused on the next Grand Prix at Silverstone, where we will try and channel all that accumulated energy into the car to try and make up for what escaped us, for one reason or another, in Valencia."
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Paul Collingwood: Beating Australia no longer enough to satisfy England
Paul Collingwood, who became England’s leading one-day run-scorer during the win against Australia in Cardiff on Thursday, believes that the side now hold supremacy over their oldest rivals and can beat any team in the world.
Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, claimed that “bragging rights” remained with the touring team despite conceding the Ashes to England last year and losing the World Twenty20 final in May. England also hold a 2-0 lead in the NatWest Series going into the third game at Old Trafford tomorrow.
It is a sign of England’s rise that beating Australia is no longer enough, according to Collingwood, who said: “If you look at their record over the past year or so they still have that air of invincibility because they have not lost many games, but we are the better side at the moment.
“We are in a great position to win this series, but we would not just be happy with that. We want to be the best one-day side in the world and win the World Cup next year. We are confident we can beat any team in one-day cricket, not just Australia.”
Collingwood was taken unawares during his innings of 48 at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff, when the public address man told the crowd that Alec Stewart’s aggregate of 4,677 runs had been overtaken. “A few Australians were even more surprised than me,” Collingwood said. “Going past Alec’s runs . . . it is all a bit surreal at times.
“I went into that match thinking, ‘I need to start playing well again. I need a bit of confidence.’ Then came that announcement and I thought to myself, ‘Why do you worry so much?’ It is always a battle. What goes on in your head is far more important than anything with your technique.”
That no England batsman has yet hit 5,000 runs when a total of 57 players from other countries have reached the landmark is testament to the relatively low status that the one-day game has carried in this country and the volume of matches elsewhere. Even Andy Flower, the team director, scored 6,786 runs for Zimbabwe.
Collingwood was chatting to Graham Gooch, the part-time batting coach, about this broad issue recently. “In Graham’s day they played three one-day internationals each summer,” Collingwood said. “Now we play three in a week.” This season, England are committed to as many as 13 50-over matches.
Only if Twenty20 squeezes out the longer one-day game will Collingwood’s guess that a good number of England batsmen will overtake his aggregate prove incorrect. Perhaps in a decade’s time, Eoin Morgan will be saying: “In Colly’s era they only played a couple of Twenty20s a year — now we play two a day.”
Collingwood revealed that he underwent two injections in his left shoulder during his rest from the Test series against Bangladesh. He has suffered intermittent pain since dislocating the joint in 2003, but said that he is fit to bowl, even though Andrew Strauss has yet to call upon him in the series.
Source:The Times
Daring Lleyton Hewitt not ready to be the forgotten man
Asked last week to nominate the young British player who most epitomised the attitude required to succeed, Andy Murray said Liam Broady, of Stockport.
The 16-year-old was asked if he would mind hitting for an hour yesterday with Rafael Nadal, the world No 1. “Awesome,” was young Broady’s reaction to the tutorial. John McEnroe has also been trading leftie blows with him this week, offering coaching tips into the bargain.
Broady bears the appearance of a young Lleyton Hewitt, the blond hair, the cap worn backwards and the look in the eye that suggests he is going to make the most of all that he has in the desire to succeed as a professional.
That he was born in the same town as Fred Perry adds to the fascination of the story. That his family does not conform to the strictures preferred of the LTA gentry stirs more piquancy into the pot.
Hewitt has never been a conformist. He has got to this stage of his career by staying loyal to his reactionary roots, a tough-as-old-boots kid whose parents brooked no argument and who still plays every match as if his life depends upon it. He sets Tennis Australia folk on edge, but where would tennis in Australia have been without him to keep it in the mind’s eye this past decade?
On Centre Court yesterday, Hewitt defeated Gaël Monfils, of France, 6-3, 7-6, 6-4, a match defined by the 2002 champion’s refusal to let one of the more volatile characters in the game break the levels of concentration that are his hallmark.
For two sets, Hewitt served out of his skin, dropping just six points before the second-set tie-break, from which he extricated himself after netting three forehands. The Frenchman then became ragged himself. Hewitt took the set with a delightful backhand volley that must have tested his dodgy hips to the utmost.
Before he played in this year’s Australian Open, where he lost in the fourth round to Roger Federer, Hewitt knew that he had to go into hospital for a second hip operation, something he kept from everyone except those nearest and dearest. Typical Hewitt, that.
He did not last more than a couple of rounds in any tournament between then and the French Open, where he took ten games in three sets against Nadal — and that takes some doing. That belief was endorsed in Halle, Germany, the week before last, when he became only the second man in eight years to defeat Federer on grass.
Roger Rasheed, who coached Hewitt for three years before they had a falling-out and is now trying to get the best from Monfils, bore the look of a worried man before the match. He recounted that every time Hewitt came back through the gates of the All England Club, he “was like a kid in a candy store”. And where better than Centre Court to counter someone whose play varies from pearl drop one minute to marshmallow the next.
Source:The Times
Highclere dream factory scales heights
If your business is selling a dream, a little evidence can be persuasive. Harry Herbert had all such material to hand this week, as he launched seven new Highclere Thoroughbred syndicates on the back of an unprecedented three winners at Royal Ascot.
Herbert has managed the prestigious Highclere brand since its inception in 1992 but these are heady days. “We took 50 people into the Ascot winner’s enclosure last week and you can’t buy that experience,” he said.
Plans for the winning horses are taking shape, with Harbinger set to run in the King George, Approve in the Gimcrack and Memory at Newmarket’s July meeting. But Herbert is now selling shares in the yearlings he will seek to buy at the upcoming autumn sales and dispatch to some of the ten trainers on the Highclere roster.
“It’s not easy to keep attracting new owners,” he said. “That’s why success at Ascot was so important. It’s a very public thing — if you have a share in a runner there, all your friends and family will know about it, good or bad.
“We’ve had some amazing times, notably with Lake Coniston and Petrushka. A couple of years ago, we had an Ascot double with Collection and Colony but this year was better.”
Herbert fronts a slick operation that appeals to a surprisingly wide range. “With Highclere, our celebrity element does help. When people see Liz Hurley and Sir Alex Ferguson involved, they might look at us more closely,” he said.
Such inspection reveals that this is not the exclusive enclave of the wealthy that many imagine. Twenty shares in the Masquerade syndicate, which owns Memory and another horse, cost less than £12,000, all training fees included. “We probably created the image ourselves, because we are a luxury goods product,” Herbert admitted. “There are still people who think it’s a private club for the posh but we’re getting over that now. We have a terrific cross-section and horses bond people together.”
Mike Tindall, the England rugby international, has a share in Theology and was on the phone from Australia after his run in the Queen’s Vase at Ascot. “I had to tell him he’d been beaten a nose,” Herbert said. “But he’s keen and calls a lot when he’s away on tour.”
Jeremy Noseda, trainer of Theology, has been chosen to handle a horse in a new Highclere syndicate — 20 shares in a single horse at £6,950 each. Though it is called The Starter syndicate, it is not entirely for newcomers — the name relates to a Spy cartoon hanging in the Jockey Club Rooms, the base for fortnightly Highclere dinners through the spring.
With 19 wins and £369,000 in prize money banked, Highclere are heading for a record season. That would be assured if Harbinger repels Workforce, his Derby-winning stablemate, in the King George. “I’m about to chat it through with Sir Michael Stoute,” Herbert said. “Unless he has a compelling reason not to run, we will go there — it’s the sort of race we are all in this for.”
Source:The Times
Michael Schumacher’s return heads for dead end
Michael Schumacher’s much-heralded return to Formula One could end after only a year, according to reports in Valencia in the build-up to tomorrow’s European Grand Prix.
Although Mercedes GP said last night that there was “absolutely no truth” in the report that dissatisfaction with — and criticism of — the seven-times world champion’s performances had culminated in the team apparently courting Robert Kubica from Renault, an Italian website said that the Pole, 25, had been offered a three-year retainer from 2011, with an option for a further two years.
While rumours and gossip are part and parcel of pitlane life, speculation about Schumacher’s future has been rife and the 41-year-old is an increasingly forlorn figure. He returned to the sport on a three-year contract this season, having delayed his initial comeback because of a neck injury.
Schumacher’s frustration, however, has become increasingly evident. He has not made the podium and his best position has been fourth in both the Spanish and Turkish Grands Prix. It was in Canada two weeks ago that the professional criticisms started.
Increasingly, he has the look and manner of a champion who cannot understand his inability to recapture his glory days. This week he railed at suggestions that he is not the force of old. “I don’t think there are many guys around the world who, at 41, come back after a three-year break and compete at this high a level,” he said.
“I’ve not lost my knowledge of driving. I know what I’m doing and I think I do it to the best I can. When I won 91 grands prix and seven championships, I was thinking then about how I can improve, as I’m doing now.”
Nico Rosberg, who was quickest in yesterday’s first practice session, defended his team-mate, as did Nick Fry, the Mercedes chief executive.
“From inside the team we see things in a totally different perspective,” Fry said. “We’re very comfortable with Michael’s performance and I can’t see any reason why he won’t come good.”
But Lewis Hamilton, the McLaren driver who leads the drivers’ championship by three points and is going for a hat-trick of wins, has suggested that time has moved on more quickly than Schumacher, who was only eleventh- quickest after the second practice session, may have appreciated.
“His commitment is the same as always,” Hamilton said. “But it is so challenging, so close, it is very difficult to outdo the youngsters that have the hunger that he had when he started.”
