Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014

Next Women’s World Cup a big chance for US soccer

NEW YORK: The chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” can rev up again next sum- mer. And this time, they won’t conflict with the workday. A year after the World Cup transformed millions of Americans into red-white- and-blue-wearing soccer fanatics, another chance to cheer for a national team will arrive. The Women’s World Cup kicks off in Canada in June - and if the favored US advances far, expect some more massive TV audiences. “Any time you get to wrap yourself in the flag and root with other Americans, it doesn’t really matter if you know what offsides is,” Fox Sports President Eric Shanks said. The biggest games will air in prime time in the US, unlike this year’s men’s tournament. While Brazil’s time zones also were favor- able, matches took place in the afternoon to ensure that they ended before bedtime in European markets. But for the women’s event, the US market is the most valuable. American fans were going crazy for their women’s team long before they jumped on the bandwagon for the men. The 1999 Women’s World Cup final remains the highest-rated soccer game ever on U.S. English-language TV. When the United States beat China on penalty kicks at the Rose Bowl - and Brandi Chastain ripped off her jersey to celebrate - the ABC broadcast was watched in 11.4 percent of American homes with televisions. This year’s US-Portugal group-stage match on ESPN, which broke another record with 18.2 million viewers, was on in 9.6 percent. The last Women’s World Cup final, when the Americans lost to Japan on penalty kicks in Germany in 2011, was watched by nearly 13.5 million people on ESPN on a Sunday afternoon. At the time, it was the highest-rated soccer telecast on the network. A year later, the US and Japan met again for the 2012 Olympic gold medal in London. In the middle of a workday in the US, the match was seen by almost 4.4 million viewers on NBCSN, then the largest audience in the cable network’s history - bigger than any of its prime-time Stanley Cup Final games. Many sports fans may be able to name more players on the women’s team than they could for the men before last summer’s World Cup. Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux all appear in prominent commercials. On top of SPAIN: A combination of two file pictures taken on October 7, 2012 shows Barcelona’s Argentinian forward all that, next summer’s story lines are especially intriguing. (left) and Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward reacting after scoring. — AFP • The domestic violence case against goalkeeper Hope Solo has been much-discussed in the context of NFL star Ray Rice’s punish- ment. • Star players are suing to compel organizers to install grass at all Real, Barcelona set for the stadiums, saying the plan to use turf is discriminatory because the men don’t play World Cups on artificial surfaces. • A testy rivalry is simmering between the top-ranked Americans and host Canadians, who are still rankled by calls that went against titanic ‘Clasico’ battle them in their Olympic semifinal overtime loss. Fans north of the bor- der have booed the Canadian-born Leroux for her choice to play for MADRID: Clashes between Real Madrid and Barcelona are record of 251, set six decades ago by Telmo Zarra, and the the U.S. • Wambach, the top scorer in the history of women’s soccer, has rarely short on drama and tomorrow’s ‘Clasico’ may 27-year-old Argentina captain is the leading scorer in yet to win a World Cup. Hard to believe considering all of the have more than its usual share with Luis Suarez poised to ‘Clasicos’ with 21 goals in all competitions, two more than Americans’ success, but they haven’t raised the trophy since that return from a biting ban and Barca team mate Lionel Messi Di Stefano. Barca midfielder Ivan Rakitic, who joined from 1999 run. on the brink of equalling the top-flight scoring record. Sevilla in the close season and could feature in his first “The planets are aligned perfectly,” said David Neal, the executive Watched by millions around the world, meetings Real-Barca game, summed up what taking part in a producer for Fox’s World Cup coverage. Fox has little experience air- between the European heavyweights have, over the years, ‘Clasico’ means to a player. ing women’s sports in the United States, so there’s little precedent to showcased the spectacular talents of the game’s best, “I dreamed about it as a child but now I don’t want to predict the tone and vigor it will use in its coverage. Neal produced while occasionally being marred by ugly controversy. The dream about it I want to experience it,” Rakitic said in an nine Olympics in his three decades at NBC. —AP matches are also played out against the background of interview with Spanish television broadcaster Gol national politics and the latest edition has an added edge Television this week. given the ongoing battle between the central government “I used to watch them at home with my wife as a foot- in Madrid and the Catalan administration in Barcelona over ball fan because it’s a match in which the world’s best play- the region’s independence drive. ers clash,” added the Croatia international. “Hopefully I It is not for nothing that a recent book chronicling the won’t have to watch it on TV again because I want to expe- Real-Barca rivalry by Spanish soccer specialist Sid Lowe was rience it on the pitch.” entitled ‘Fear and Loathing in La Liga’. Those who have graced the ‘Clasico’ over the years EARLY-SEASON WOBBLE include Real greats Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and After an early-season wobble, Real have been on scintil- Raul and Barca legends Ladislao Kubala, Cesar Rodriguez lating form in recent weeks and Ronaldo has netted a jaw- and Diego Maradona, while the current crop of players dropping 15 goals in seven La Liga outings. boasts multiple Ballon d’Or winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi and Neymar have also been typically prolific, with Messi. the Argentine on seven goals and the Brazilian on eight. A The unseemly side of one of the biggest fixtures in club win for leaders Barca, who have yet to concede a goal in soccer has seen Barca fans toss the head of a suckling pig eight La Liga matches this term and won both fixtures last at Real midfielder Figo-who left Barca to join their arch season, would stretch their advantage over third-placed rivals-and his Portuguese compatriot Jose Mourinho, at the Real to seven points. time in charge at Real, poking Barca assistant coach Tito Real are likely to be without Wales winger and record Vilanova in the eye during a mass brawl. signing Gareth Bale, who has a buttock muscle strain and Tomorrow’s game at the Bernabeu, the 169th La Liga missed the Liverpool game, while Spain centre back Sergio meeting between the world’s richest clubs by income, is Ramos has been sidelined by a calf injury. “We’re in good unlikely to produce incidents of similar magnitude and form and in good shape, focused and playing really well,” Barca will be hoping Suarez and Messi make headlines for Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said after Wednesday’s 3-0 the right reasons. Suarez’s four-month ban for biting an Champions League success at Liverpool. “We go into the PASADENA: In this July 10, 1999, file photo, United States’ opponent at the World Cup expires on Friday and the Clasico in great shape and Barcelona also go into the Brandi Chastain celebrates after kicking the game-win- Uruguay forward could make his official Barca debut in a match in ideal condition.” The stage is set then for another ning overtime penalty shootout goal against China during formidable three-pronged attack with Messi and Neymar. titanic battle when there will be far more than a mere three the Women’s World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl. — AP Messi, meanwhile, is one goal short of the Liga scoring points in the La Liga title race at stake. — Reuters