THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016 SPORTS warm-up for English series action

DUBLIN: Sri Lanka return to one-day Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Niroshan The experienced Maharoof, who has abandoned without a ball bowled. bowler on view with figures of four for international action, for the first time Dickwella and Dilruwan Perera, along played 104 ODIs, has been rewarded for Ireland could have up to eight survivors 46. Long gone are the days when touring since the beginning of January, in Dublin with who has retired his performances in Sri Lanka’s List A from the team that lost the first game by teams arrived in Ireland looking forward this week with two games against from the 50-over format. Siriwardana, competition this season when he took 16 79 runs, but will be without leading bats- to the famous hospitality more than the Ireland, preceding the five-match series with the help of 66 in the first match in five games. man and -keeper Niall O’Brien, match action. with England, starting next Tuesday. The against New Zealand at the end of last Off spinner Randiv is in line to make who tore a calf muscle in a county game The games Thursday and Saturday squad will be encouraged by the year, finished as the top Sri Lanka bats- his first appearance for his country since for Leicestershire last week. promise to be a searching examination improvement shown during the Test man in the ODI series and the second November 2014. He was the leading They will come up against Boyd for this Sri Lanka team, who were very series against England but the selectors most successful bowler but recent form wicket-taker for his club in the same Rankin, the 6ft 8in Warwickshire pace much second best in New Zealand when have made five changes for the one-day has counted against him. The new faces competition this season. It is a quick bowler whose only previous game at losing that series 3-1 and still getting games with all-rounder Milinda for the seven ODIs are Farveez Maharoof, return to Ireland for Sri Lanka-they Malahide was in an England shirt-he used to life without Siriwardana the most notable omission. , Seekkuge Prasanna, played a two-match series in Dublin in made his ODI debut for them against and -and now Also heading home are Dimuth Danushka Gunathilaka and Suraj Randiv. 2014, although the second game was Ireland there in 2013, and was the best Herath.— AFP Five eye-catching English Premier League fixtures

LONDON: Five of the most eye-catching Man United v Leicester, Sept 24 matches for the opening half of the Mourinho welcomes old foe Ranieri- No 2016/17 English Premier League season sooner has Mourinho hosted one of his after the fixtures were unveiled yesterday: many betes noires than he welcomes another whose character he derided eight Leicester v Arsenal, August 20 years ago, Leicester’s Claudio Ranieri. The Vardy plans could prove decisive fac- latter was classified as a failure in 2008 by tor- Leicester will host Arsenal hoping Mourinho, who castigated him for not they still have leading scorer Jamie Vardy being able to change his style and having in their ranks and not facing them follow- won only minor trophies. ing the Gunners’ offer before Euro 2016. Thus it must have been rather galling One Arsenal fan tweeted rather desperate- for Mourinho to watch from the sidelines as ly after Leicester clinched the title that the Ranieri guided the Foxes to the unlikeliest Gunners deserved it instead because they of titles last term. “I am not like Mourinho, I beat them twice last season (5-2 away and don’t have to win things to be sure of 2-1 at home). That is of little consolation myself,” said Ranieri back in 2008 in to Arsene Wenger but should his side beat response to the remarks. A win for Leicester Leicester, having also come off best in a match between two former Chelsea against Liverpool on the opening week- bosses would be an unwelcome early end, it will give them considerable early reverse for Mourinho. season momentum. However, there have been many false dawns such as that in his Man United v Chelsea, October 22 long reign. Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge- Mourinho’s mood on his return to the club Man United v Man City, Sept 10 that unceremoniously ditched him last season ‘Special One’ looks for early Pep-up The will depend largely on how early season bitter ‘El Clasicos’ of yesteryear transfer to results have gone. The fans will welcome him the Manchester derby. - Ex-Real Madrid back warmly as he retains heroic status there boss Jose Mourinho’s United host City despite his many spats. The Chelsea board will SEATTLE: Argentina’s Erik Lamela (18) takes a free kick to score after a rebound on Bolivia’s Yasmani Duk (9) during their Copa America coached by his bitter sparring rival at hope Antonio Conte has settled in well after Centenario football tournament match in Seattle, Washington, United States, on Tuesday. — AFP Barcelona, Pep Guardiola. “The grudge leading Italy at the Euro championships and match arrives in Manchester” was the head- begun to win over the crowd. Mourinho’s line in Madrid-based newspaper Marca mind games will have little effect on the for- Argentina stroll as Chile when Mourinho’s appointment at United mer Juventus and Italy no-nonsense midfield- was confirmed. er, who has proven equally tough in the They will have already met in a “friendly” dugout. Given the playing style of their previ- tournament in China but this match will ous clubs this game is likely to be more a war advance at Copa America allow the winner early bragging rights. of attrition than a crowd pleaser. Mourinho relishes the latter more than Guardiola, who generally prefers to keep Liverpool v Man City, Dec 31 SEATTLE: Argentina maintained their 100 per- his own counsel. Mourinho though has a Happy New Year? Klopp’s reunion with cent start to the Copa America Centenario with lot to prove as Guardiola not only got the Guardiola - Liverpool hosting Manchester City an easy win over Bolivia, as holders Chile booked Barcelona job ahead of him but also came is a mouthwatering clash to take the Premier their place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday. The off best during the often unhappy spell at League into the New Year. Guardiola and tournament favorites, already assured of a quar- Real for “The Special One”. Klopp-both charismatic men with glittering ter-final berth after wins over Chile and , Mourinho claims he will be different in CVs-ended up with honours even in their wrapped up their Group D campaign with one- the Second Act of their rivalry. “In the eight meetings between Bayern Munich and sided win at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field. English league, if I focus on him and on Borussia Dortmund in all competitions in the The victory sees Argentina reach the last Manchester City and if he focuses on Bundesliga. Guardiola described Klopp’s eight as group winners, handing them what in United, someone else will be the champi- appointment as Liverpool boss last year as “a theory should be a straightforward assignment on,” the Portuguese said in May. This early good fit”. He will hope it is not such a good fit against Venezuela in Foxborough on Saturday. date will sorely test that statement. that he and City suffer bloody noses. — AFP The two-time world champions are determined to end a 23-year wait for a major title after suffer- ing agonizing defeats in the finals of the 2014 World Cup and last year’s Copa America. Champions Leicester Argentina coach Gerardo Martino elected to rest Lionel Messi after his devastating hat- begin title defense trick performance against Panama. But the Argentines were still far too strong for a feeble at promoted Hull City Bolivian team who were overwhelmed in a dev- astating opening period. LONDON: Champions Leicester City will with the first Manchester derby being held The match was effectively settled within the begin their Premier League title defense at Old Trafford on Sept 10. The drastic man- first quarter of an hour, with Tottenham Hotspur with a trip to newly-promoted Hull City and agerial shake-up in the Premier League winger Erik Lamela opening the scoring with a PHILADELPHIA: Chile’s Alexis Sanchez (7) jumps over Panama’s (3) during the Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United reign means Chelsea also venture into a new era deflected free-kick in the 13th minute. Two min- second half of a Copa America Group D soccer match, Tuesday, in Philadelphia. Chile won 4-2. — AP kicks off at Bournemouth. with Antonio Conte, currently in charge of utes later China-based forward Ezequiel Lavezzi an early lead. Chile defender Gonzalo Jara was before the break, Chile took the lead, Vargas The release of the fixtures on Italy at Euro 2016, at the helm. marked his comeback from injury with a goal, the culprit, giving away possession with a lazy heading in a cross from the left for 2-1. Five min- Wednesday threw up some meaty first-day His first assignment in English football volleying home from close range after Gonzalo pass out of defense that allowed Panama to utes into the second half, it was 3-1. Vargas picked tussles with last season’s runners-up will be a feisty London derby against West Higuain’s downward header. Central defender pounce.The ball arrived at Camargo’s feet and out Sanchez with a lofted pass from one side of Arsenal hosting Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool. Ham United at Stamford Bridge. Victor Cuesta made it 3-0 just after the half-hour, the midfielder let fly with a venomous low shot the penalty area to the other and the Arsenal star The 2016-17 season kicks off earlier than West Ham’s first match at their new diverting home Lavezzi’s low cross in the 32nd which Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo failed showed great technique to lash a volley into the usual on Aug 13. Olympic Stadium home is against minute. With Messi coming on as a substitute at to grasp to leave Panama 1-0 up. roof of the net. —Chile were jolted by a second Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester, who stunned Bournemouth on Aug 20. half-time, the game became a question of when Chile hit back quickly however, leveling Panama goal on 75 minutes, when the football world by claiming the Premier Mourinho will return to his old stomping or if the Barcelona superstar could grab a 54th through Vargas, who tapped in from close range headed in a free-kick from to League title last season at pre-season odds ground when Chelsea host Manchester international goal to equal Gabriel Batistuta’s after Panama goalkeeper could make it 3-2 but finished on top to seal the win of 5000-1, have a testing opening six weeks United on Oct. 22, a week after the longstanding scoring record. However despite only half block a Sanchez shot. Two minutes when Sanchez added his second. — AFP with Arsenal visiting them before away Portuguese’s former club host Leicester City. Argentina’s dominance of possession-which trips to Liverpool and Manchester United. Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur, reached 87 percent at one point-Messi was Leicester are listed as 25-1 seventh favorites who pushed Leicester for the title before unable to add to his tally. Copa America Centenario standings to retain the title. finishing third, begin at Everton, who Pep Guardiola will make his league named Ronald Koeman as their manager on Sanchez at the double debut as Manchester City manager when Tuesday. Arsenal will host Tottenham in the In Tuesday’s other game, Alexis Sanchez and LOS ANGELES: Copa America Centenario standings after completion of first round on Tuesday his team, already marked out as favourites first north London derby on Nov 5 while the Eduardo Vargas both scored twice as Chile (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, against, points): for the title, host Sunderland. other eagerly anticipated derby clash, advanced with a 4-2 victory over Panama. Chile Group A Group C Mourinho, who replaced Louis van Gaal between Merseyside clubs Liverpool and recovered from the shock of falling behind to a United States 3 2 0 1 5 2 6 Mexico 3 2 1 0 6 2 7 as United manager last month, will be aim- Everton, takes place at Goodison Park on goal after only five minutes, Colombia 3 2 0 1 6 4 6 Venezuela 3 2 1 0 3 1 7 ing to maintain his record of never having Dec 17. Burnley mark their return to with Vargas scoring twice before Arsenal’s Costa Rica 3 1 1 1 3 6 4 Uruguay 3 1 0 2 4 4 3 lost any of his seven opening-day fixtures England’s top-flight by welcoming Swansea Sanchez grabbed a third in the Group D game. Paraguay 3 0 1 2 1 3 1 Jamaica 3 0 0 3 0 6 0 in England. He will not have to wait long to City, while Middlesbrough, who were also Sanchez added his second in the 89th minute to renew his old rivalry with Guardiola either, promoted, host Stoke City. — Reuters complete the scoring. Chile will now face Mexico Group B Group D in the pick of the quarter-finals on Saturday. Peru 3 2 1 0 4 2 7 Argentina 3 3 0 0 10 1 9 However they will be keen to iron out kinks in Ecuador 3 1 2 0 6 2 5 Chile 3 2 0 1 7 5 6 their defensive display which saw them concede Brazil 3 1 1 1 7 2 4 Panama 3 1 0 2 4 9 3 two cheap goals. The Chileans were given a scare Haiti 3 0 0 3 1 12 0 Bolivia 3 0 0 3 2 7 0 early on when Camargo gave the Panamanians US aim to end ‘underdog’ tag in Copa quarterfinals

SEATTLE: United States manager Jurgen aggressive approach at Seattle’s CenturyLink Cup. Even before the US’s must-win group match Klinsmann wants his team to shed their “under- Field. “What we’d love to see is that we are more against Costa Rica, the head of the US Soccer dog” mentality as they prepare for a Copa confident and courageous against the big Federation, Sunil Gulati, briefed journalists America Centenario quarter-final showdown teams,” Klinsmann said after his team had sealed about Klinsmann’s future, ominously declaring with Ecuador here today. Klinsmann’s side upset their place in the last eight with a battling 1-0 that “no-one has ironclad job security.” the form book by qualifying as winners of Group win over Paraguay. “Not just playing counter- Klinsmann’s team has mostly done its talking on A, topping a pool that included World Cup quar- break football. That we really go and push it the pitch, showing signs of increasing maturity ter-finalists Colombia and Costa Rica and last higher up. The whole old story is the underdog by digging deep for the win over Paraguay on year’s Copa America semi-finalists Paraguay. It story and I cannot hear that story any more. I Saturday despite playing almost an entire half has left the Americans buoyed by confidence as want to see the guys risk things, let’s go for it.” with only 10 men. they kick-off the knockout rounds against oppo- That mental durability will be crucial in the nents they defeated 1-0 in a pre-tournament MENTAL DURABILITY knockout phase, Klinsmann believes. “This is do friendly just over three weeks ago. Klinsmann’s position as US coach has been or die,” he said. “Knockout games are about the While Ecuador appear to be hitting form at the subject of ongoing speculation following a mental side of your game. You really have to be the right time, with the likes of West Ham’s Enner series of setbacks over the past 12 months, on top of yourself. You have to be ready to suffer. SEATTLE: A fan looks on prior to the 2016 Copa America Centenario Group D match Valencia and Manchester United namesake which included a disappointing semi-final exit at There will be moments when things go bad, between Argentina and Bolivia at CenturyLink Field on Tuesday in Seattle, Antonio impressing in the group stage, the Gold Cup and defeat to Mexico in a one-off maybe you concede a goal. “You’ve got to push Washington. — AFP Klinsmann wants to see the Americans adopt an playoff for a place in the 2017 Confederations through that and grind it out. — AFP