WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016 SPORTS Brazil teen striker Gabriel Jesus aims high at Rio Olympics RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil football fans are more Neymar. “To play with Neymar at the Olympics America, and faces Haiti today in its second match Olympic Games are finished. excited by the country’s young Olympic team than will be another dream come true,” Jesus told in Group B. Since January, Jesus has scored 12 goals, with the squad playing now at Copa America The Associated Press. “He is a mirror to all of That Jesus didn’t have documents to travel is a including three in the first six rounds of the Centenario in the United States. us. If I ever play with him, it would be great for surprise for a player already drawing interest from Brazilian Championship. The striker has also One reason is that Barcelona star Neymar will my career. I hope to win gold with him on my giants like Juventus and Arsenal and others. But enhanced his defensive role, according to his be playing in the Olympics. He’s not in the Copa side and make history with him wearing the he says he isn’t thinking of moving overseas yet. Palmeiras coach Alexi Stival, known as Cuca. America. But the main reason is 19-year-old Brazil shirt.” “I only want to think about Palmeiras now, they “He still has a lot to mature, but Gabriel is Gabriel Jesus, a striker at Sao Paulo club Palmeiras, Brazil coach Dunga, who handles both the gave me everything and I want to become a refer- undoubtedly a gem,” Cuca said. who may wind up being the star in the Olympics Copa America and Olympic team, wanted Jesus ence here,” he said. “But playing in Europe is surely Two-time world Cup winner and three-time as Brazil shoots for its first soccer gold medal. for the Copa America, but the youngster didn’t in my plans. I have no preference for a specific FIFA world player of the year Ronaldo also has He’s also absent from the Copa. In the have the documents to travel. He could have country or a club.” high hopes for Jesus and Brazil. “I am betting on Olympics, where squads are only allowed three replaced Bayern Munich’s Douglas Costa, Brazil’s Website Transfermarkt ranked Jesus as one of two great talents that are still developing but players aged over 23, Jesus is expected to play injured goal-scoring winger. the top young players in Brazil, valued at 8 million already show a lot of skill: Santos’ Gabigol and alongside the country’s other upcoming star Brazil played a lackluster 0-0 draw against euros. Palmeiras officials have expressed concern Palmeiras’ Gabriel Jesus. And they haven’t even Gabriel Barbosa - nicknamed Gabigol - and Ecuador in its opening match in the Copa about losing their young star as soon as the turned 20 yet,” Ronaldo said. — AP Danger awaits reigning champions Spain at Euro PARIS: Spain are bidding to win a third con- STRENGTH IN DEPTH secutive European Championship but a dif- Ante Cacic’s men represent a small nation ficult draw awaits a team whose coach but their strength in depth is impressive and Vicente del Bosque admits are in transition. Spain know all about Real Madrid’s Luka The 2008 and 2012 champions are look- Modric and his fellow midfielder Ivan Rakitic, ing to avoid a repeat of their disastrous of Barcelona. showing at the World Cup in Brazil two Mateo Kovacic of Real Madrid and years ago and they come up against Juventus centre-forward Mario Mandzukic Croatia, Turkey and the Czech Republic in are also involved for a side who arrive in Group D. France as dangerous dark horses, even if “We go there with the maximum objec- Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren will not fea- tive. And that is to defend the title we won ture. “Our group is challenging. But, never- four years ago,” Del Bosque told sports daily theless, I believe that we can pass the first Marca before La Roja departed for their round, and then in the knockout stage every- base camp on the delightful Ile de Re off thing depends on the opponent in front of France’s Atlantic coast. us,” Cacic told World Soccer magazine. “It is the same situation as in 2012, but “You need to have the best morale and with a bit more responsibility because we harmony. We have those ingredients.” are defending two consecutive titles. The Czech Republic travel with an excel- “But we must differentiate between lent past record in European Championships what is an objective and what is an obliga- but a squad lacking the star quality of their tion. Winning the title cannot be an obliga- rivals. Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech, the tion.” Del Bosque, 65, says that because his country’s most-capped player, remains the squad has changed significantly since 2012. biggest name at Pavel Vrba’s disposal. Perhaps six of those who played in the 4- Veteran midfielder Tomas Rosicky, now 35, is 0 final win against Italy in Kiev will start still around despite hardly playing at club lev- against the Czech Republic in Toulouse next el for Arsenal in recent times. Monday. But this could be the time for the The Euro 96 runners-up topped their qual- likes of Koke, Alvaro Morata and Lucas ifying group after beating the Netherlands Vazquez to shine. “We need to make the home and away and defeating Turkey away. most of the players we have,” Del Bosque They will face the Turks again in their last said, signalling a possible move away from Group D game in Lens, one that could prove the ‘tiki-taka’ style of past tournaments. decisive for both teams. Turkey, under ORLANDO: Blas Perez #7 of Panama and Ronald Eguino #21 of Bolivia fight for the ball during a match during the 2016 Copa America Group D “Lucas Vazquez has pace and can trouble ‘Emperor’ Fatih Terim in his third stint as at Camping World Stadium on Monday in Orlando, Florida. — AFP defences, while you can’t argue with Aritz coach, recovered from a dreadful start in Aduriz’s statistics. If in three touches we qualifying to advance as the best third- manage to get to the opposition goal then placed team. that is also great.” Finishing top of the group Their squad contains plenty of young tal- Globe-trotting Perez has to be the aim, with Belgium or Italy ent supplemented by Bayer Leverkusen’s potential last-16 opponents for the Group D Hakan Calhanoglu, a brilliant free-kick taker, runners-up. If any team goes through in and skipper Arda Turan of Barcelona. “We have third France could lie in wait. a young squad who wants to prove itself. And shines for Panama Spain will hope to have their last-16 everybody knows hungry people are danger- berth sewn up before they face a danger- ous,” Turan told World Soccer. “Our coach tells ous Croatia side in Bordeaux in their last us that if we fight, we can make a big surprise. ORLANDO: Panama striker Blas Perez has cer- career tally for his country to 41 goals in 106 share of heaven and hell but again, he was out group match. I tell you, we’re going to fight!” — AFP tainly seen his share of the world, playing in appearances and will have surely ended any there demonstrating his qualities for 90 minutes, eight different countries in his career, but some- debate over whether coach Hernan Dario running and fighting. how he always seems to save his best for his Gomez was right to stick with the forward “He scored two very important goals tonight. homeland. despite his age. This group loves him and he transmits a lot of Goals in each half from the 35-year-old gave “Blas works so hard, does so much running important things to the group. We have support- Panama a 2-1 over Bolivia in the Copa American and he knows how to score,” Panama keeper ed him, even through his difficult times,” Gomez Centenario on Monday-a win hailed as “historic” Jaime Penedo told AFP. added. “He has great experience, he is a great by Panamanians given they had never faced “He is also a great guy, a real leader in the man and Panama loves him.” Panama has never South American opponents in a competitive dressing room,” he added. Perez has seen plenty reached a World Cup final and while the improv- match before. of different dressing rooms having played for 16 ing nation certainly has a chance for Russia 2018 Certainly, judging by the reaction of Perez, clubs in eight countries. that may come too late for Perez. who collapsed to the ground and was mobbed After debuting in his homeland, he has per- That will make the upcoming two games in by his team-mates after striking the 87th minute formed in Uruguay, Mexico, Colombia, Spain, the Group D, against Argentina and Chile, even winner, the victory was more than just a good United Arab Emirates, the United States and more special for the Panama City born forward. start to their Group D campaign. Canada where he currently plays for Major “Argentina will be hard, Chile too,” Perez said. “We are enjoying this one,” Perez told League Soccer’s Vancouver Whitecaps. “But our coach just told us-now go and enjoy reporters after the game. “It is our first time in “He is a man that represents a lot of things on this Cup.” Judging by the smile on his face, Perez the Copa and it is a joy.” The brace took Perez’s and off the field,” Gomez said.