Ashwin stars as Wilder retains India Bangladesh WBC Test drawn heavyweight title

MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 17 18

Mali, Senegal lead African charge at Under-20 WCup Page 19

LJUBLJANA: England’s Wayne Rooney celebrates his goal during the Euro 2016 Group E qualifying soccer match between Slovenia and England. — AP Rooney strike sees off Slovenia Euro 2016 qualifier LJUBLJANA: Wayne Rooney moved to within one goal fying games, sending them provisionally nine points The 20-year-old also sent a cross skidding across the Rooney then squandered two gilt-edged chances to of England’s all-time scoring record with an 86th- clear at the Group E summit, as they finished a season face of goal, while Rooney drew a finger-tip save from put England in front, with Sterling the creator on both minute winner as his side edged Slovenia 3-2 in a topsy- unbeaten for the first time in 24 years. Samir Handanovic with a left-foot shot. occasions, first leaning back and shooting over with his turvy Euro 2016 qualifier yesterday. The display also allowed Roy Hodgson’s men to There was crispness to England’s passing and pur- right foot and then spooning over with his left. But Milivoje Novakovic gave Slovenia the lead against answer some of their critics after they were lambasted pose to their attacking forays, but eight minutes before Wilshere spared the Manchester United striker’s blushes the run of play in the 37th minute at the Stozice for an anaemic goalless draw against the Republic of half-time a succession of mistakes allowed the home in the 73rd with a goal that will live long in the memory. Stadium, before Jack Wilshere broke his international Ireland in their previous outing. side to land a sucker-punch. After a high-speed one-two with Townsend, duck with a pair of brilliant, almost identical second-half “It’s a good achievement. Having a complete season Phil Jones’s loose throw-in gifted possession to Henderson stroked the ball infield to Lallana, who deftly goals to put England ahead. (unbeaten), with eight wins and two draws, has not Slovenia and when Josip Ilicic played the ball behind back-heeled it into Wilshere’s path, and the Arsenal man Slovenia substitute Nejc Pecnik appeared to have been done for well over 20 years,” Hodgson said. “I think the England defence, Gary Cahill misjudged his attempt took one touch before slamming a glorious shot into rescued a point with an 84th-minute equaliser, but the players deserve a great deal of credit for that. Now to play offside and Novakovic ran through to score his the top-left corner. moments later Rooney atoned for two glaring earlier we just need to keep building on it.” 30th international goal. Pecnik looked to have spoilt England’s end-of-season misses by scoring his 48th England goal, taking him lev- Hodgson made three changes to the team that had Hodgson made a change at half-time, sending on send-off when he rose to head home a left-wing cross el with Gary Lineker and leaving him one goal behind started in Dublin, with Kieran Gibbs, Fabian Delph and Adam Lallana for Jones and asking Jordan Henderson to from Bojan Jokic, but within seconds, Jokic’s sliding Bobby Charlton. Andros Townsend coming in, but it was a player whose fill in at right-back, and although it seemed a puzzling challenge on Theo Walcott sent the ball into Rooney’s “It’s great to score the winner, but it was a great team place was thought to have been under threat, Raheem switch, his side drew level in the 57th minute. path and the captain rolled home the winner. performance,” Rooney told ITV. “We came out on the Sterling, who provided the hosts’ spark. Sterling’s pacy pass into the box was neatly gathered “The England team showed their class,” said Slovenia front foot for the second half and Jack Wilshere scored Twice Rooney freed Sterling to run at goal in the ear- by Lallana and while the former Southampton captain coach Srecko Katanec. “I’m mostly sorry we came within two great goals.” ly stages, but after side-footing his first attempt over could not get a shot away, the loose ball was crashed five minutes of winning before conceding in such a Rooney’s strike gave England a sixth win in six quali- the bar, he then saw a low shot deflected behind. into the net by Wilshere from just outside the box. naive way.” — AFP Austria damages Paraguay hold Argentina

RANCAGUA: Argentina conceded a last- eral opportunities until finally equalizing Russia Euro hopes minute equalizer to open its Copa with Barrios. America participation with a disappoint- “We had the match under control,” ing 2-2 draw with Paraguay on Saturday. Argentina coach Gerardo Martino said. MOSCOW: Russia’s hopes of qualifying for The 2018 World Cup host have won only Substitute striker Lucas Barrios scored “But we made too many mistakes in the Euro 2016 were dealt a blow yesterday as one game in their qualifying campaign so far, in the 90th-minute to cap Paraguay’s second half.” Fabio Capello’s side slumped to a 1-0 defeat at at home to Liechtenstein last September. comeback after Argentina had opened a Argentina, trying to end a 22-year title home to Austria. They were also awarded a 3-0 win over two-goal lead in the first half. drought, missed a chance to reach the Giant striker Marc Janko scored the only Montenegro after the game in Podogorica in Sergio Aguero opened the scoring for top of Group B along with Uruguay, which goal of the game for the Austrians with a spec- March was abandoned due to crowd trouble Argentina in the 29th after intercepting a earlier Saturday defeated Jamaica 1-0 in tacular overhead kick in the 33rd minute at with the score goalless midway through the bad pass by Paraguayan defender Miguel Antofagasta. Spartak Moscow’s Otkrytie Arena as they second half. Samudio, and Lionel Messi added to the With a team that also includes stars extended their lead at the top of qualifying Austria, who beat Russia 1-0 in Vienna in lead by converting a 36th-minute penalty such as Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain Group G. November, came to Moscow without injured after Samudio was called for a foul on and Ezequiel Lavezzi, Argentina is one of Angel Di Maria. the main favorites to win the South After six games, unbeaten Austria are top Bayern Munich star David Alaba but their Paraguay scored its first goal with American tournament. “It’s upsetting to with 16 points, seven points clear of Sweden recent improvement continued as they closed Nelson Valdez’s shot from the top of the end up with the draw after being up 2-0,” before their match at home to Montenegro in on qualifying for a major tournament for the area in the 60th, and Barrios equalized Messi said. late yesterday. first time since they co-hosted Euro 2008. with a left-footed shot after a long cross Aguero put Argentina ahead after “We played really well in the first half,” Janko, who plays his club football in into the area. The ball was deflected back Samudio’s pass back to goalkeeper Austria’s manager Marcel Koller said. “We Australia for Sydney FC, pounced on Russia’s toward Barrios and he quickly fired his Antony Silva was short, allowing the strik- scored a goal and had chances to score more inability to clear their lines inside the penalty shot low into the back of the net as er to enter the area free from any defend- but unfortunately missed them. “After the box with a remarkable overhead effort past Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero ers and in great position to score. He easi- break Russia put more pressure on us but we Igor Akinfeev. could only watch. ly cleared the goalkeeper before finding managed to cope with it and won deservedly.” That goal proved enough, although Julian “We showed that we are a strong the open net with a right-footed shot. Russia, meanwhile, are third with eight Baumgartlinger missed a great chance to dou- team,” said the Argentine-born Barrios, Messi converted the penalty with a points, three points better off than ble the visitors’ lead. Russia’s next qualifier is a who celebrated by taking off his jersey firm low shot into the corner, scoring his Montenegro and Liechtenstein. With only the potentially decisive fixture at home to Sweden and running toward his teammates. 46th goal in 98 matches with the national best third-placed side from the nine groups in September. Argentina dominated most of the team. Paraguayan players complained match at the La Portada Stadium and with Colombian referee Wilmar Roldan, qualifying along with the top two sides from “We ruined everything in the first half,” MOSCOW: Russia’s Aleksandr Kokorin (top) each section, and the rest going into play-offs, Russia’s skipper Roman Shirokov said.”In the seemed headed to an easy victory in its saying Samudio made a clean challenge jumps for a ball as Austria’s Florian Klein opener, but Paraguay surged forward on Di Maria in the play that prompted the Russia’s place at the expanded finals in France second half we had chances to level but we (behind him) follows him during the Euro after scoring its first goal and created sev- penalty. — AP next year is far from secure. failed to capitalise on them.” — AFP 2016 qualifying soccer match. —AP