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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014 SPORTS Shock over Bianchi reports UAE coach slams fans ‘MNS’ and ‘BBC’ in Spain LONDON: Marussia expressed shock and anger yesterday at media DUBAI: United Arab Emirates boss Mahdi Ali hammered stay away fans and BARCELONA: While Real Madrid’s fearsome attacking trio of Cristiano allegations that French driver Jules Bianchi had ignored warning flags bemoaned losing out in a club-versus-country row as his side’s three-year Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema has become known collectively and been told to go faster by the Formula One team before he crashed unbeaten home run ended with an emphatic 4-0 defeat by fellow Asian Cup as “BBC” in Spain, Barcelona are confident “MNS” can be at least as lethal. and suffered critical head injuries in Japan. finalists Uzbekistan. Ali made five changes to the side that had drawn 0-0 with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez could play a competitive game The British-based team issued a statement rejecting what it referred Asian Cup hosts Australia on Friday for the friendly in Dubai on Tuesday but his together for the first time in the La Liga ‘Clasico’ at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu to as ‘entirely false’ reports about events at Suzuka 10 days ago. replacements fell way short of the mark. stadium on Oct. 25, the day after Suarez’s four-month ban for biting an “The Marussia F1 Team is shocked and angered by these allegations,” it The former UAE international, not known for making so many changes, said opponent at the World Cup expires. said. “At a time when its driver is critically ill in hospital, and the team his lineup had been influenced by local clubs. “The players are under pressure Messi and Neymar have been unable to keep up has made clear that its highest priority is consideration from their clubs because the league resumes in three days and they are think- with Ronaldo’s incredible haul of 13 goals in six La for Jules and his family, it is distressed to have to ing of those matches more than the national team’s friendly,” the coach was Liga outings this term but have the same number respond to deeply upsetting rumours and inaccura- quoted as saying by local media. cies.” Marussia said Bianchi had slowed when the between them and the return of Suarez should “It is also shameful the national team doesn’t have any home support from boost Barca’s already formidable scoring rate yellow warning flags, which tell drivers to be pre- the fans for home games. When we arrive at the stadium, we find a few fans even further. The exploits of the three South pared to stop, were waved by track marshals follow- and that gives the feeling that we are in a strange country. “There is no support Americans on international duty this week ing an earlier accident in the same location involving from our own fans, so how will the players be motivated? The other day, the prompted crowing headlines in the Barcelona- Adrian Sutil’s Sauber. Australians had more support than us in the stadium. I’d rather not play any The team said International Automobile games at home but outside the country. It is really disappointing.” based sports papers, who suggested Messi, Federation (FIA) safety delegate and race The loss was just the third of Ali’s reign, which began in 2012 after he led Neymar and Suarez were shifting into top gear at director Charlie Whiting had confirmed, from the under-23 team at the London Olympics, and first for the UAE at home since exactly the right time. Messi struck twice for Argentina as telemetry data provided by the team, at a a 2-0 defeat by South Korea in a World Cup qualifier in 2011. Timur Kapadze, a second-half substitute against Hong Kong, Suarez net- subsequent news conference in Russia that Server Djeparov and substitute Navruz Alimov scored the goals for the Uzbeks ted a double for Uruguay against Oman and Neymar this was the case. —Reuters with a Mohammed Ahmed Gharib own goal completing the rout. —Reuters cracked four goals past Japan. —Reuters Giants defeat Cardinals SAN FRANCISCO: Bruce Bochy sat back in in Game 4 against St. Louis and Shelby Miller. his chair, took a deep breath and pondered “We want to try and win them all here, and another wacky October win for his San finish this thing up,” Vogelsong said. Francisco Giants. A wild pitch, a wide throw and an 18- The wild-card Giants finally got a bunt inning marathon. That’s how these playoff- down, and then the baserunning became a tested Giants have done it so far. breeze. Because come postseason, this “Everybody’s saying: ‘How are the Giants bunch sure finds a way. Pretty? Hardly. And doing it? How are the Giants winning they don’t care about style points. games?’” Blanco said. “We just really believe An errant throw by reliever Randy Choate in each other.” on Gregor Blanco’s bunt allowed Brandon This San Francisco walkoff win came 12 Crawford to score the winning run in the years to the day after Kenny Lofton’s single in 10th inning, lifting the Giants over the St. the ninth inning ended the 2002 NLCS Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Tuesday for a 2-1 lead against the Cardinals and sent the Giants to in the NL Championship Series. “Is this a rule the World Series. we can’t hit a home run?” Bochy joked of his It also came on a day Hall of Famer Willie club’s non-conventional ways to win. McCovey surprised players with his return to “We can score runs without hits, we’ve the ballpark after a long stint in the hospital proven that,” third base coach Tim Flannery nursing an infection. “How great is that? said, hours after singing the national anthem Huge. He really wanted to be here,” CEO Larry with the Grateful Dead. “I call us the nitty- Baer said. In the Division Series clincher only gritty dirtbags.” Crawford drew an eight-pitch a week earlier against Washington, Joe Panik walk from Choate to begin the inning, end- scored the go-ahead run in a 3-2 win on ing a stretch of 16 straight Giants retired Aaron Barrett’s bases-loaded wild pitch. That since Tim Hudson’s two-out single in the came after winning Game 2 by a 2-1 score in fourth. After failing on two sacrifice attempts, 18 innings. The Giants also scored the tying Juan Perez singled to bring up Blanco. run in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 5-4 Game Blanco fouled off a bunt try, too, but then 2 loss on a wild pitch. “We are finding ways to pushed one to the left side of the mound do it. We play interesting baseball, especially and the left-handed Choate’s sidearmed late in games,” said Jeremy Affeldt, who throw sailed past lunging second baseman pitched 1 2-3 innings in relief of Hudson. Kolten Wong, who was covering first. “We Playing without injured catcher Yadier had trouble getting the bunt down,” Molina, the Cardinals had their chances. They Crawford said. “So I was happy he got it squandered Wong’s double in the second down. He put it in a great spot and made before he delivered a wind-aided, two-run those guys make a play, and fortunately (we) triple in the fourth. saw the throw go wide.” Choate blamed him- AJ Pierzynski went hitless in four at-bats self. He has done pitcher fielding practice for starting as Molina nursed a strained left decades. “That’s the stuff you dream about oblique. St. Louis returned to AT&T Park in the SAN FRANCISCO: Kolten Wong No. 16 of the St. Louis Cardinals is unable to catch an errant throw by Randy Choate No. 36 allowing the San when you’re a kid, besides hitting the homer,” postseason for the first time since losing Francisco Giants the game-winning run as the Giants win 5-4 in the 10th inning during Game Three of the National League Championship Choate said. “Being out on the mound in a Games 6 and 7 of the 2012 NLCS, which it had Series. — AFP game like that with a crowd like that on the led 3-1. Javier Lopez got the first two outs of road, those are the kinds of challenges I look the 10th before Jon Jay’s single, just the third forward to. I love being out there for that. hit by a left-handed batter against Lopez That’s just what makes that all the more dis- since he joined San Francisco in 2010. Two of Royals edge Orioles appointing, is that ball would get away from those are by Jay this series. Sergio Romo me like that.” entered and retired Matt Holliday on a full- The Giants had a 4-3 lead before Randal count grounder to third that Pablo Sandoval Grichuk hit a tying homer with one out in the snared and fired to first. “We don’t do any- seventh, chasing Hudson. Right-hander Ryan thing easy,” Bochy said. “We might have got a to take lead in ALCS Vogelsong, unbeaten in five career postsea- little lucky there with Perez when he couldn’t son starts, tries to pitch San Francisco to a 3-1 get a bunt down and he gets a base hit. But lead when he takes the ball Wednesday night Blanco laid down a beauty.” — AP KANSAS CITY: Mike Moustakas had his eye runners on the corners, and Orioles manager It happened in the second inning, when on the ball from the moment it left Adam Buck Showalter brought in hard-throwing Pearce and J.J.