TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 SPORTS FIFA to study Israel-Palestinians dispute on election day

GENEVA: A move to consider suspend- for restrictions imposed by security forces international matches and meetings, and President Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of to the 2014 World Cup. They will also ing Israel from world football will be put which limit movement of players, oppos- block FIFA funding. The FIFA election is Jordan, Netherlands federation head elect replacement officials for FIFA judicial to FIFA’s 209 member federations just ing teams and equipment. the final main item of business on the Michael van Praag and Luis Figo, the for- bodies. After former United States federal before they elect their president this Earlier in the meeting in Zurich, Blatter annual congress agenda. Blatter is strong- mer Portugal, Barcelona and Real Madrid prosecutor Michael Garcia resigned in month. - who met several times in recent weeks ly favored to win and extend his 17-year playmaker. FIFA election rules allow each protest last December as head of FIFA FIFA published an agenda yesterday with Palestinian football leader Jibril presidential reign at the age of 79. In a candidate to “speak for 15 minutes to ethics investigations, his Swiss deputy for its election congress on May 29, Rajoub - is scheduled to update on his note to the agenda, Blatter wrote “there is present their program to the congress.” Cornel Borbely should formally be elect- including a late proposal by Palestinian mediation between the two federations. always much work to do in maintaining Other congress business includes approv- ed into a position he has held on an inter- football officials to suspend Israel. Talks began in 2013. and further raising the level of the game: ing the 2014 financial report. FIFA made a im basis. FIFA also proposes extending It is unlikely to succeed after FIFA Blatter said ahead of meeting Rajoub the ball never stops rolling and there is $140.7 million surplus last year and the co-opted terms of two women President Sepp Blatter said last month he in Cairo last month that suspending a always new ground to cover.” “I am look- added $91 million to its reserves, which members of the Blatter-led executive opposed the move, which needs three- member “is always something which ing forward to meeting these future chal- now stand at $1.523 billion. committee. Moya Dodd of Australia and quarters of votes to pass if a ballot is harms the whole organization.” lenges,” the Swiss official wrote. The other FIFA member federations each got Sonia Bien-Aime of Turks and Caicos allowed. Palestinian officials insist Israel’s FIFA suspensions prevent a member’s candidates, all supported by European $1.05 million in bonus payments from Islands have been given yearly man- football federation should be punished national and club teams taking part in governing body UEFA, are: FIFA Vice better than expected financial results tied dates since 2013. — AP Valencia ease to victory as Granada grab lifeline BARCELONA: Valencia eased to a 3-1 win 14th after Naldo used his arm to block at home over Eibar on Sunday to strength- Francisco “Piti” Medina’s cross. Pedro Leon en its hold on Spain’s last Champions leveled for the hosts just before halftime, League berth. but El Arabi headed home Piti’s precise Granada striker Youssef El Arabi also pass for the 59th-minute winner. scored twice to secure a 2-1 win at Getafe, Granada’s first win in nine rounds left it as the struggling club tried to mount a late- three points from safety with another three season surge to avoid relegation from the rounds to play. “At halftime I let them think Spanish league. for five minutes and then told that we had Ten-man Elche sealed its spot in the top to win this one way or another. They knew flight for next season with an impressive 2- that if we did things like we had in the first 1 win over Malaga, while Espanyol salvaged half we would win,” Sandoval said. “If we a point in an ill-tempered 1-1 draw against win the last three games the team will be Rayo Vallecano to keep both sides in the saved.” Elche striker Jonathas netted his middle of the standings. 12th goal of the campaign by sprinting to Valencia’s 10th win in its last 11 matches score Victor Rodriguez’s cross in the 29th, at Mestalla Stadium kept it in fourth place, capping a counterattack started by Faycal three points above Sevilla as the two vie for Fajr. Malaga’s Sergio “Duda” Barbosa missed a top-four finish. a penalty in the 75th after Elche goalkeeper Center back Nicolas Otamendi was left Przemyslaw Tyton was sent off with a direct unmarked to thump in Jose Gaya’s cross to red card for fouling Javi Guerra. put Valencia on its way in the 25th minute. Jonathas set up Mario Pasalic for Elche’s Seconds after teammate Rodrigo de second goal in 89th. But Guerra halved the Paul hit the crossbar, Dani Parejo’s deflect- difference in injury time, and substitute ed strike found the net to make it 2-0 in the goalie Manu Herrera had to make three late 56th. Parejo was next to be hit the wood- saves to protect Elche’s important win. work with a free kick in the 71st, but the Espanyol almost scored in the 15th when rebound fell for Paco Alcacer to tap in and Anaitz Arbilla’s free kick struck the bar but secure the three points. went behind when Rayo left back Emiliano Mikel Arruabarrena scored Eibar’s goal Insua netted for the visitors in the 29th six minutes from time. Eibar’s ninth away after a one-two exchange with Alberto game without a win left it one point above Bueno. the drop zone. The second half started with Espanyol “This will be decided at the very end,” striker Felipe Caicedo needing to be carried Valencia coach Nuno Espirito Santo said. off after receiving a knock on the head. “Nothing is guaranteed, but you can’t deny More scuffles and fouls followed until that we have the possibility to go even Espanyol defender Hector Moreno equal- higher.” Granada’s much-needed win came ized in the 80th when his cross landed in in the debut of coach Jose Sandoval, the net. Espanyol lost midfielder Jose Canas RIO DE JANEIRO: Vasco’s Lucas holds up the Rio de Janeiro state championship trophy as he celebrates with teammates after their team defeat- Granada’s third manager of the season, to back-to-back yellow cards for continued ed Botafogo 2-1 during the final soccer match at the Maracana stadium. — AP who was hired on Friday for the last month protests in stoppage time. Barcelona leads of the season to replace the fired Abel Real Madrid by two points at the top of Resino. El Arabi converted a penalty in the table after both won on Saturday. — AP Vasco da Gama win Rio state title

SAO PAULO: Striker Gilberto scored in second-half ending in December. Rafael Silva opened the scor- injury. He set up defender David Braz for Santos’ injury time to help Vasco da Gama defeat Botafogo ing late in the first half for Vasco da Gama in front first goal in the 30th, and striker Ricardo Oliveira, 2-1 to win its first Rio de Janeiro state title in 12 of nearly 60,000 fans at the Maracana. Botafogo voted the tournament’s most valuable player, years on Sunday. Vasco won 3-1 on aggregate after equalized through Diego Jardel in the 75th before added the second in the 44th. a 1-0 victory in the first leg last week at Maracana Gilberto sealed Vasco’s victory with a shot from Lucas pulled one back for Palmeiras after a pass Stadium. inside the area. Vasco’s first-leg win also came with by Chilean playmaker Jorge Valdivia, who also In Sao Paulo, Santos defeated Palmeiras 4-2 in a an injury-time goal. Vasco, which played in the sec- missed the first leg because of an injury. penalty shootout to win its fourth regional trophy ond division of the Brazilian league last season, Palmeiras, which had eliminated rival in the last six years, and in northeastern Brazil, vio- hadn’t won the traditional regional tournament Corinthians on penalties in the semifinals, had an lence erupted after Fortaleza clinched the Ceara since 2003. Botafogo last lifted the state trophy in 87th-minute goal disallowed for offside. Both state championship. Dozens of fans from the rival 2013. Santos was playing in its seventh straight teams had players sent off just before halftime, and clubs attacked each other with broken chairs, bill- final in Sao Paulo, while Palmeiras, the team made Palmeiras defender Victor Ramos was red-carded in boards and pieces of wood after Fortaleza support- famous by Pele in the 1960s, was trying to win the the 75th minute for a hard foul. ers ran onto the field to celebrate the win at the regional tournament for the first time since 2008. In the Rio Grande do Sul state championship, Castelao, one of the stadiums that hosted World Palmeiras won 2-1 in regulation to offset the 1-0 Internacional defeated Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Gremio Cup matches last year. Riot police eventually first-leg loss at home last week, but missed two 2-1 to clinch its fifth-straight state title. After the restored order by firing rubber bullets and stun penalties in the shootout to lose the championship match, upset Gremio fans threw broken chairs at bombs to force the crowd back into the stands. at Vila Belmiro Stadium in Santos. rival supporters at Beira-Rio Stadium, which also There were no reports of serious injuries. “Not everybody believed in us but we came hosted World Cup matches last year. The matches were a few of many state finals through,” said the 31-year-old Robinho, who is In Minas Gerais, Atletico Mineiro defeated across Brazil on Sunday. Regional championships playing for Santos on a loan from AC Milan. Caldense 2-1 to secure the title. Jo, Brazil’s reserve are played in the first few months of the season, A starter for Brazil in the 2010 World Cup, striker in last year’s World Cup, scored for the first with the Brazilian league beginning next week and Robinho did not play in the first leg because of an time in more than a year. — AP Boca grab derby win over River

BUENOS AIRES: Boca Juniors scored twice in the final six minutes to beat River Plate 2-0 in an enthralling Argentine “superclasico” and SPAIN: Valencia’s midfielder Dani Parejo (left) vies with Eibar’s midfielder Saul Berjon open a three-point lead in the championship during the Spanish League football match. — AFP standings on Sunday. Teenage striker Cristian Pavon broke the deadlock in the 84th minute, tucking a shot from the left between goal- India sees role models keeper Marcelo Barovero and the post. Two minutes later, fellow substitute Pablo break through abroad Perez made sure of the victory when he scored from the rebound after Barovero had NEW DELHI: Although cricket retains its who primarily features as a winger. parried midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro’s effort. hallowed status as the country’s number His appearance comes in a season “That’s the loveliest thing that’s happened one sport India’s footballing authorities which has also seen Gurpreet Singh to me since I got to Boca,” the 19-year-old yesterday saluted the latest in a series of Sandhu make a first start for Norwegian Pavon told Futbol Para Todos, while Boca footballing breakthroughs after Romeo side Stabaek, whom he joined last year coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena praised the Fernandes made his debut in Brazil. from East Bengal, thereby becoming the teenager’s initiative. Fernandes, a 22-year-old from first Indian to play a professional match “Cristian’s goal came from the opposite Assolna in Goa state, enjoyed a success- for a top flight European outfit. wing to which I’d asked him to play, that’s the ful debut as a second half substitute in “Indian Football is going through a player’s intelligence,” he told reporters. Boca transition. Both Romeo and Gurpreet are have 27 points from 11 matches, three points role models and will inspire the younger more than River and San Lorenzo, who beat generation further,” All India Football Federation media manager Nilanjan Velez Sarsfield 1-0 on Saturday. Datta told AFP, saluting the growing Belgrano had the chance to go second but BUENOS AIRES: Daniel Osvaldo of Boca Juniors reacts during a local tournament soccer match “plethora of talent on display” in India. were held 1-1 at Union in Santa Fe and remain against River Plate. — AP Despite Britain’s strong Asian com- fourth with 23 points. Sunday’s “superclasico” point River coach Marcelo Gallardo could be Gutierrez’s square pass with the outside of his munity, barely a handful of aspiring foot- league clash was an hors d’oeuvre to the heard screaming at his players: “Lets play a right foot only to see the ball come back off ballers have made the professional meeting of the bitter rivals in the last 16 of the bit!” Two minutes later, River almost took the the bar. “In three minutes we lost a match we grade to date. South American Libertadores Cup, which lead with their best move of the first half had under control ... They hadn’t been creat- British-born Pakistani Zesh Rehman begins with the first leg at River on Thursday. when winger Carlos Sanchez met striker Teo ing danger,” Gallardo added. — Reuters played briefly in the top flight with River had their chances too and striker Fulham, becoming the first British Asian Rodrigo Mora forced goalkeeper Agustin to play in the Premier League when he Orion into a reflex save to tip over his looping debuted at Anfield in 2004 but has to volley from the right edge of the box early in Porto keep alive title race Romeo Fernandes date been the exception to prove the the second half. Mora also hit the angle of LISBON: Porto kept the Portuguese league Martinez took his time before scoring with a rule. post and bar with another effort from the left title race alive when they won 2-0 at Vitoria shot between the goalkeeper and near post to his club Atletico Paranaense’s 5-0 week- Indian footballing authorities have on the hour mark as River took the game to Setubal on Sunday to stay three points behind take his tally to 18. end thrashing of Nacional to become been stepping up efforts to raise the Boca after the interval. The match began with leaders and title holders Benfica. “We’re going to keep on fighting as long as the first Indian player ever to appear in a sport’s professional profile and have Boca pushing River into their own half and Yacine Brahimi opened the scoring for the there is a chance,” Martinez told reporters. With Brazilian league encounter. been deepening links with clubs in forcing the visitors to play on the counter- Dragons after a quarter of an hour with a low three games each to play, Benfica have 78 It was a loan spell away from parent England. Last week, an Indian Super attack, not their preferred game. shot at the far post after the ball had eluded points and Porto 75. Benfica need only another club Dempo Sports Club in Goa under league delegation made a five-day visit Boca’s Dani Osvaldo hit the bar with a vol- several players in the Vitoria area. six points as they have the better head-to- the watchful eye of former Brazil star to several Premier League clubs, includ- Jackson Martinez, the league’s leading scor- head record against Porto. The Eagles play bot- Zico which alerted the Brazilians to the ing Arsenal, to discuss issues such as ley in the 10th minute and fellow striker Andres Chavez narrowly missed the target on er, completed the win in the 90th minute. tom club Penafiel and midtable Maritimo at talents of the under-23 international governance, youth development and Hector Herrera picked out the Colombian with home and have a tricky match at fifth-placed who has broken into the full squad and branding. — AFP the half hour after the Italy striker stepped over Federico Carizzo’s right cross. At that a delightful chipped pass over the defence and Vitoria Guimaraes. — Reuters