FOOTBALL | Page 3 TENNIS | Page 7 Cahill warns Serena England against Williams looking too seeded 25th at far ahead Wimbledon Thursday, June 28, 2018 FOOTBALL Shawwal 14, 1439 AH Brazil outclass GULF TIMES Serbia to set up clash with Mexico SPORT Page 2 REPORT KOR 2-0 GER Germany had made it past the REPORT MEX 0-3 SWE group stages at every World Cup since 1938. Not any more Swedes punish Reuters Loew sprung changes after the Kazan, Russia break, bringing on Mario Gomez and Thomas Mueller, who was Mexico but both dropped from the starting side, hampions Germany but a collective paralysis seemed crashed out of the World to have taken hold. Cup after suff ering a go through stunning 2-0 defeat by FREE HEADER Ca tenacious South Korea yester- Off ered a free header from close day that eliminated them in the in with minutes left on the clock, Reuters coach Janne Andersson said. opening round for the fi rst time Mats Hummels missed the ball Yekaterinburg, Russia For Mexico, the lacklustre in 80 years. completely, a perfect snapshot performance in Yekaterinburg Germany would have pro- of an afternoon of serial ineff ec- marked a reality check. gressed with a win at the Kazan tiveness going forward. wedish fans explod- “I have to say that we qualifi ed Arena but barely looked capable Toni Kroos, the hero in the 2-1 ing with joy as their because we beat Germany and of scoring against the Koreans, win over Sweden, tried desper- tall captain from the Korea, but nevertheless I am very let alone going on to successfully ately to spark his side in the sec- county of Scania hurt,” coach Juan Carlos Osorio defend the title they won in Bra- ond half but was denied by South Ssmashes home a penalty is a told reporters. “I wasn’t too happy zil four years ago. Korea’s Cho Hyun-woo in the familiar sight, but it is An- with the way we defended at all.” In the fi nal frantic minutes 88th minute, one of a number of dreas Granqvist and not Zla- After pressing hard for most of in front of 41,835 fl abbergasted fi ne saves by the keeper. tan Ibrahimovic they have the fi rst half and wasting numer- fans, Kim Young-gwon and Son Kim Young-gwon broke been cheering at the World ous chances, Sweden fi nally found Heung-min fi nished off Joachim the deadlock in Cup in Russia. the net when left back Ludwig Au- Loew’s Germany side with two added time Sweden sprang a surprise gustinsson charged up the fi eld in stoppage-time goals to condemn when he with a 3-0 thumping of the 50th minute and angled home them to fi nishing bottom of the found himself Mexico, breaking their op- a left-footed volley. group on three points. alone in front ponents’ resistance after a Twelve minutes later, captain The Germans, who have won of goal after a scoreless fi rst half and guar- Andreas Granqvist kept his con- four World Cups and fi nished corner and poked anteeing that both teams centration in the face of deafen- runners-up four times, entered the ball home from advance to the World Cup ing boos and whistles from the this year’s tournament heavily close range. last 16 at the expense of Mexican fans to blast a penalty backed to retain their title. The goal was defending champions into the top left corner after Hec- Instead, they will head home ruled out off side on Germany. tor Moreno had brought down after a scarcely believable fail- fi eld but confi rmed It marked a remarkable Marcus Berg. Mexico’s misery was ure, having been unable to break by use of the Video swing in Swedish fortunes after complete when the ball trickled in down the South Koreans and af- Assistant Referee. the crushing disappointment of off the leg of Edson Alvarez for a ter a shock 1-0 loss to Mexico in South Korean losing to a stoppage-time goal tame own goal on 74 minutes. their opening group match. celebrations went from Germany’s Toni Kroos four Loew struggled to explain it. up another notch days ago. “I cannot say why this was for when Son sprinted “I’m so incredibly proud, us,” he told reporters. “It was a to retrieve a long moved almost, by the thought bit of overconfi dence ahead of ball, and with of how we performed in the Mexico — that we can press the Germany’s cap- match. They were so disci- button and win. It turned sour. I tain and keeper plined, so loyal in every- must take responsibility for this. Manuel Neuer thing they did,” The entire German football lost, having gone up- the team lost.” fi eld to try to help The South Koreans, who had his side score, the Sweden’s Andreas no idea of the score in the other Tottenham forward Granqvist (left) match, rejoiced as if having won fi red a low shot into celebrates with his the tournament, while 11 German the net to wrap up teammates after players hoped the ground would the win and leave the they beat Mexico swallow them. Germans distraught. in Yekaterinburg, Sweden won the group after “We need to con- Russia, yesterday. thrashing Mexico 3-0 to also gratulate our oppo- (Reuters) deny South Korea a spot in the nents,” Loew said. knockout stages. “We didn’t deserve Once the Swedes had taken the to win the title again, lead in their concurrent match, the we didn’t deserve to Korean players thought Germany equation grew grim for Germany. get into the last 16.” win was enough to go through Coach Loew to consider position South Korea’s players were the result from Yekaterinburg. aft er Germany’s ‘deserved’ exit unaware they had been “We did not know (the Sweden eliminated from the World Cup score), it was only after the Germany coach Joachim “This is hard to say at this when the final whistle went game was over that we knew,” Loew said he would take time point, it’ll take a couple of after their remarkable 2-0 win Cho told a news conference. to consider his position after hours,” Loew said when asked over Germany which also sent “All the Korean players and the defending champions if he would be staying on. the champions crashing out of the head coach here, we were tumbled out of the World Cup “I’m shocked that we didn’t the tournament, goalkeeper playing for the Korean people. in the opening round for the manage to pull it off . I really Cho Hyun-woo said. It was only after the match was first time since 1938 yesterday. had the feeling that the team, The stoppage time goals from over that we knew the score, The 58-year-old, who took they really wanted to go Kim Young-gwon and Son He- that was why a lot of us cried.” over in 2006 and recently forward. I’m incredibly disap- ung-min which gave Korea their Korea coach Shin Tae-yong signed a contract extension pointed by this elimination first win in this World Cup after said he had mixed feelings through to 2022, said he was but I will think about it calmly.” Germany’s Mario Gomez, Mats two defeats sparked jubilant after the win over Germany taking responsibility for the Team manager Oliver Bierhoff Hummels, Joshua Kimmich and scenes among Korea’s players as it was not enough to take premature exit after losses to said, “Jogi signed a contract Thomas Muller react during the and Cho said he and his team- them through. “I feel great but Mexico and South Korea in the extension so I assume that will match against Korea in Kazan mates thought they were going at the same time I feel a little group stage. be the case.” yesterday. (Reuters) through until they learned of bit empty,” he said. Mexico qualify for the knockout stages for the seventh consecutive World Cup despite the loss to Sweden 2 Gulf Times Thursday, June 28, 2018 REPORT SRB 0-2 BRA FOCUS Thiago, Paulinho Shock and scorn as steer Brazil into KOs Germany As Group E winners, Brazil will now face Mexico in Samara on Monday make an exit AFP Moscow razil eased into the World Cup knockout stages after defeating Serbia 2-0 here yesterday, with superstar Neymar sparkling in a Bwin which sets up a last 16 clash against Mexico. Paulinho put Brazil ahead with a su- perb dinked fi nish on 36 minutes before Neymar swung in a cross for Thiago Silva to header the Selecao’s second goal with 22 minutes left in Moscow. Having opened his Russia 2018 account with the second of Brazil’s two late goals in Friday’s 2-0 win over Costa Rica, Ney- mar was again impressive. After the tearful emotion of Saint Pe- tersburg, Neymar cut a more joyful fi gure Germany fans react to the loss against South Korea in Berlin. (Reuters) after this win, blowing kisses to the crowd as the fi ve-time champions celebrated. AFP Germany had needed a clear As Group E winners, Brazil will now Berlin win to move into the last 16, but a face Mexico in Samara on Monday, with series of wasted chances saw the group runners-up Switzerland taking on team fi nish last in Group F. Sweden in St. Petersburg on Tuesday.