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Home , Alessandro Florenzi, Diego Tardelli, Leonardo Bonucci, Radamel Falcao, Sebastian Giovinco

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12,17 2014 18 Is end in sight of forgiveness for dopers? Page 17

BEIJING: Brazil’s , 10, drives between Argentina’s (from left) Lamela, 18, Messi, 10, and Pereyra, 23, during the second half of their friendly match in Beijing. — AP Brazil win ‘superclasico’ friendly

BEIJING: missed a first-half penalty as “Brazil are the best team in the world with a in the Chinese capital. judged to have fouled Di Maria in the box, prompt- chances at either end as the second half started Brazil beat Argentina 2-0 in a fiercely contested great tradition,” beamed their coach , who is Argentina were on top early in the match and ing angry Brazilian players to surround Chinese ref- energetically, and Oscar went close with a free kick “Superclasico” friendly in Beijing yesterday. rebuilding following the 7-1 World Cup semi-final Sergio Aguero fired an inviting chance over the bar eree Fan Qi. after Martin Demichelis chopped down Neymar. Journeyman Diego Tardelli was the unlikely defeat to Germany. “We have no big players, we before Angel Di Maria threatened with a drive Messi looked certain to bury the spot-kick but But again Tardelli was in the right place at the hero with his first two goals for Brazil as Messi are now acting as one team... The whole team is from distance. the four-time world player of the year shot too right time as he nodded in Oscar’s cross at the fluffed his lines with a tame spot-kick at the Bird’s evolving, including me.” But it was Tardelli who broke the deadlock close to Brazilian ‘keeper Jefferson, who dived to back post to give Brazil breathing space on 64 min- Nest stadium. Dunga brought on former national hero Kaka when he pounced on a loose ball and volleyed his right for a simple stop. utes. Atletico Mineiro striker Tardelli, 29, put Brazil for a late cameo and he indicated the Sao Paulo FC past Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero on 28 It was the Barcelona icon’s second penalty miss Tardelli was eventually replaced by Kaka, who ahead on 28 minutes, before Messi curled his soft could be set for a more regular role after minutes. in two weeks after he also miscued one for his club drew a huge roar when he came on in the final penalty attempt close to goalkeeper Jefferson just 18 months on the sidelines. Brazil superstar Neymar should have made it 2- last month against Levante. minutes to end his prolonged spell in the interna- before half-time. “We need Kaka’s speed and control, he is an 0 shortly afterwards but after wriggling his way “We always try to win but today we couldn’t. It tional wilderness. Tardelli was on target again in the second half important part of our team,” he said. Smog cleared free on goal, he made a hash of his shot and the was a match defined by our two mistakes,” said And there was time for Neymar to twice go as Brazil restored pride after the World Cup, when - Fears over Beijing’s choking smog had dominated ball rolled harmlessly wide. Messi. “The error for the first goal and the penalty close before Brazil were able to celebrate their win the hosts were hammered in the semis while the build-up but in a relief to players and organis- The game had come alive and Argentina got a were crucial. If I had converted, it could have in front of more than 50,000 fans at the 2008 Argentina reached the final. ers, air quality and visibility lifted on a breezy day golden chance to equalise when Danilo was changed the game.” Filipe Luis and Di Maria had . — AFP Chiellini defeat Azerbaijan

MILAN: Juventus defender Giorgio hadn’t won tonight,” Chiellini told Rai. ’s long-range effort was Chiellini struck three times, including a “We all showed what we’re capable of deflected by and forced late own-goal, as survived a nervous and I think the public appreciated our Agayev to parry. Bonucci saw a diving finish to claim a precious 2-1 Euro 2016 performance. header saved by the ‘keeper from Andrea qualifying win over Group H rivals “This is a win that will serve us well for Pirlo’s corner and the Juve defender came Azerbaijan in Palermo on Friday. the future.” Italy now have two wins from close again after sliding in to meet The Stadio Barbera had yet to see a two after their 2-0 opening win over Immobile cross. win this season amid promoted Palermo’s Norway in Oslo last month and lead the Inter centre-back poor start in , and it looked like lit- group. “The lads put in a good perform- then headed over from Pirlo’s free kick, tle would change after Chiellini turned ance but we have to be more clinical,” but Italy took a welcome lead on the into his own net in the 77th minute hav- Conte told Rai after the game. “There was stroke of half time. ing given Italy a 44th minute lead. little else they could have improved on.” Agayev misjudged a Pirlo corner to However Italy coach Azerbaijan coach Berti Vogts had to do allow Chiellini, who was the victim of the made a number of late changes as the without a number of key players due to notorious Luis Suarez biting incident at match drew to a close and a late burst of injury, and the visitors suffered through- the World Cup, to power a header home pace in the closing 10 minutes saw out a one-sided opening half in which from six yards. Chiellini power a fine header past Kamran Italy consistently piled on the pressure. Azerbaijan had lost 2-1 to Bulgaria in Agayev in the 82nd minute to wrap up was set up nicely by their opener and looked to be heading the points. in the opening minutes for certain defeat as the Azzurri “It would have been a great pity if we but fired over from close range while resumed in positive fashion after the half-time interval. But again, chances went a begging with Zaza notably going close with a stunning overhead kick from just inside the area. HARRISON: Colombia’s Falcao Garcia (center) kicks the ball as El Salvador goalkeeper Henry Hernandez (right) and Alexander Pirlo, and then Mendoza (back) defend during the second half of an international soccer friendly match. — AP made way for , and respectively, and the changes added the required injection of pace. Colombia blank El Salvador But just as Italy upped the momen- tum, disaster struck when Chiellini HARRISON: Radamel Falcao’s first interna- Soccer’s . the first opportunity, but Colombia keeper turned the ball into his own net on the tional goal in nearly a year and a quickfire Falcao missed Colombia’s run to the was able to deny a blast goalline after failed to brace gave Colombia a 3-0 World Cup quarter-finals recovering from a from Alexander Larin. get his hands on a corner whipped in victory over El Salvador on Friday in a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his Colombia responded immediately, and from the left. friendly in the US. left knee. three minutes later Arias’s cross was Italy pushed forward and were Falcao, currently on loan to Manchester He had made his international return immaculately headed home by Falcao. rewarded eight minutes from time United from , opened the scoring as a late substitute in a 1-0 friendly defeat Each team will play another friendly in when Chiellini fired a glancing header in the seventh minute with a blistering to Brazil last month. Bacca scored twice in the United States next Tuesday. El from Giovinco’s cross past a rooted header from a cross by . the space of three minutes in the second Salvador face Ecuador-who played to a 1-1 Agayev. Giovinco should have made it It was his first goal for Colombia since half, in the 48th and 51st minutes, to give friendly draw with the United States in PALERMO: Italy’s (right) challenges for the ball with Azerbaijan’s 3-0 but saw his looping drive from November 2013 and was greeted with Colombia a comfortable lead. Connecticut on Friday-and Colombia play Rasim Ramaldanov (left) and Azerbaijan’s Badavi Guseynov during the Euro 2016 Marchisio’s through ball smack off the rapture by the largely pro-Colombia crowd Although Colombia pressed from the Canada in a double-header at Red Bull qualifying soccer match. — AP crossbar. —AFP at Red Bull Arena, home of Major League first, it was El Salvador that manufactured Arena. — AFP