India thump Drogba fires Bangladesh in up Ivory Coast rain-hit first ODI as Japan falter

MONDAY, JUNE 16, 201417 19 Cool Italy outwit England to win 2-1 in the heat Page 19

PORTO ALEGRE: Honduras’ midfielder Roger Espinoza (left) holds back France’s forward Karim Benzema (center) during a Group E football match between France and Honduras at the Beira-Rio Stadium yesterday. — AFP France overpower Honduras 3-0 Goal-line technology makes history

PORTO ALEGRE: France beat 10-man Honduras 3-0 in Antoine Griezmann was then also denied by the cross- a bruising World Cup clash yesterday where goal-line bar for Les Bleus as he rose highest to meet Patrice technology awarded the first international goal in his- Evra’s cross but his header clipped the woodwork on its tory. Three minutes into the second period, the way over. Benzema saw another good opportunity fly German-manufactured GoalControl system was called over moments later as he headed off target after a fine into action when a volley from Karim Benzema, who counter-attack involving Matuidi, Griezmann and ended the night with two goals, came back off the Valbuena. Ricci had a big call to make midway through post. The ball bounced back into the area before hitting the half when Pogba clashed with Palacios. Honduras goalkeeper Noel Valladares. He then tried to The Juventus midfielder lashed out at Palacios after scoop the ball to safety, but Brazilian referee Sandro appearing to be stamped on, but Ricci showed only Ricci awarded the goal-classed as an own-goal-after yellow cards to both.Palacios was only to last another consulting the instant technology. Benzema was the 16 minutes in any case as he stupidly bundled Pogba star man as he opened the scoring from the penalty over inside the area a minute before half-time and was spot after Wilson Palacios had been sent-off for two shown his second yellow card. Benzema stepped up to bookable offences on Paul Pogba. convert the resulting spot-kick to register his seventh Benzema then played a major role in his side’s his- goal in as many games for France and his first in a toric second goal and the Real Madrid striker rounded World Cup. The 26-year-old was heavily involved again off a fine afternoon with an emphatic finish 18 minutes as France doubled their advantage within three min- from time. Victory moves Didier Deschamps’ men utes of the second-half courtesy of the goal line tech- above Switzerland on goal difference in Group E after nology. the Swiss beat Ecuador 2-1 earlier in the day with the However, there was still confusion as replays inside two European sides set to meet next on Friday in the stadium first showed Benzema’s initial shot hadn’t Salvador.The game had begun in bizarre circumstances gone in before confirming the ball had indeed crossed as neither sides’ national anthem was sung before kick- the line via the hand of Valladares. Benzema should off, but normality was restored once proceedings got have added to his tally moments later when he was underway as France dominated from the off. picked out by a fine low cross from Griezmann but Blaise Matuidi had the first clear chance on 15 min- could only fire straight at Valladares. However, he utes when Mathieu Valbuena’s free-kick was only par- wasn’t to be denied 18 minutes from time when he tially cleared and the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder’s fired expertly high past Valladares from a narrow angle PORTO ALEGRE: France’s Karim Benzema (third right) scores his side’s 3rd goal during the group E World Cup soccer match between France and effort was brilliantly turned onto the bar by Valladares. to seal the three points. — AFP Honduras at the Estadio Beira-Rio yesterday. — AP Dramatic Swiss down Ecuador

BRASILIA: Substitute Haris Seferovic finished off a goal which took the draw away from us,” he told reach the knockout stages, thought they had taken breathtaking box-to-box stoppage time counter- reporters. The Swiss had bossed possession for long the lead when Josip Drmic poked home from close attack to hand Switzerland a thrilling 2-1 win over periods at the Brasilia national stadium, where range with 20 minutes left but the strike was Ecuador in their World Cup Group E opener yester- many thousands of fans missed the kick-off as the wrongly ruled out for offside. Both sides continued day. A brilliant block tackle by Valon Behrami in his negotiated the lengthy security queues, but fell to press forward with Swiss goalkeeper Benaglio own area instigated the break, which was allowed behind in the 22nd minute after pre-match con- showing his best and worst form. The keeper to continue by an excellent decision by Uzbekistan cerns about their soft centre proved true. rushed out and failed to deal with a ball over the referee Ravshan Irmatov after the midfielder was Ecuador striker Enner Valencia easily stepped top to leave defender Steve Von Bergen to hack body-checked. away from Johan Djourou to meet Walter Ayovi’s away under pressure from Enner Valencia, while The move continued with Ricardo Rodriguez free kick from the right with Swiss goalkeeper swift repositioning allowed him to palm away a crossing for Seferovic to finish in the 93rd minute, Diego Benaglio stuck on his line as the ball fizzed deflected free kick from Michael Arroyo. sending the Swiss fans into raptures and deflating into his six yard box. The Swiss struggled to break The Ecuadorian substitute was then guilty of the South Americans, who had played their part in down the South Americans and were restricted to dawdling in possession after trying to take an extra another World Cup attack fest, albeit lacking the long shots for the remainder of the half with Swiss touch in the penalty area when he should have quality seen in earlier encounters. “We could have coach Ottmar Hitzfeld opting to introduce Admir shot, allowing Behrami, who was guilty of giving gone 2-1 behind but we managed to make a very Mehmedi at the break to help find a way through. away the ball cheaply throughout the match, to good save and then scored up the other end,” said The forward needed just three minutes to make an block his effort in the dying seconds. The Swiss, man of the match Xherdan Shaqiri. “After halftime impact as he beat Carlos Gruezo to head home a who promised a more attacking display after dour, we played a lot of simpler passes and we let the ball corner to level the scores. The goal opened up the defensive displays in the last two World Cups, then do the work and that created chances scrappy contest as the play flowed end to end but flowed forward with ambition as the South Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda lamented “a both teams lacked calmness and quality in the Americans, looking out on their feet, struggled to BRASILIA: Switzerland’s defender Ricardo Rodriguez (left) and Ecuador’s forward Felipe moment of naivety” that cost his side the game. “We final third. track back. Rodriguez allowed time and space down Caicedo vie for the ball during a Group E football match between Switzerland and Ecuador at lost our organization at the end, we were somewhat The Swiss, who beat Spain in their opening the left to roll his cross into the area for Seferovic to the Mane Garrincha National Stadium in Brasilia yesterday. — AFP betrayed by our emotion and this provoked the match in South Africa four years ago but failed to smash into the roof of the net. — Reuters