SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016 SPORTS

Ex-Costa Rican soccer chief Li pleads guilty in US bribery case

NEW YORK: A former Costa Rican soccer In court, Li said as president of Costa rocked FIFA. He was among seven soccer media and marketing rights for 2022 New Balance. New Balance said in a state- federation president charged in a US cor- Rica’s soccer federation, FEDEFUT, he officials arrested at a Zurich luxury hotel in World Cup qualifier matches. ment it plans to cooperate with authori- ruption probe involving the sport’s global accepted bribes to award contracts for May 2015. U.S. prosecutors allege Li and Li said he also agreed to accept a sepa- ties should they contact the company. governing body FIFA pleaded guilty on media and marketing rights for matches others engaged in schemes involving over rate $500,000 bribe, $230,000 of which he “New Balance has a long history of ethical Friday, admitting he took hundreds of and for sponsoring team uniforms. $200 million in bribes and kickbacks that received, from Panama-based intermedi- and fair play across all of our global busi- thousands of dollars in bribes. “I knew that it was wrong of me to were sought and received by soccer offi- aries in exchange for awarding a US com- ness operations and we do not tolerate Eduardo Li, also an ex-member of the accept such undisclosed payments,” Li cials for marketing and broadcasting pany a contract to be the Costa Rican any corrupt activities,” the company said. executive committee for the North and said through a Spanish interpreter. Li, who rights to tournaments and matches. national team’s uniform sponsor. Li said he also accepted bribes in con- Central American and Caribbean soccer prior to his indictment was a member- Seventeen people and two entities have Li added the intermediaries asked him nection with friendly matches a Florida- confederation, CONCACAF, pleaded guilty elect to FIFA’s executive committee, also pleaded guilty. In court on Friday, Li said to not tell the company about the bribes. based individual organized, and embez- in federal court in Brooklyn to charges agreed to forfeit $668,000. he negotiated a $500,000 bribe, of which While he did not name the company, the zled $90,000 FIFA sent FEDEFUT for the including wire fraud and racketeering Li, 57, is one of 42 individuals and enti- $300,000 he actually received, to award a deal matched the description of one 2014 Under 17 FIFA Women’s World Cup conspiracy. ties charged in a US investigation that has Miami-based unit of Brazil’s Traffic Group announced in 2015 with Boston-based soccer tournament in Costa Rica. —Reuters

China chief consoles players after shock Syria upset

BEIJING: The chief of China’s football asso- account Friday. “With you there, we can ciation has told the country’s players not to face every defeat, and we can overcome lose their confidence, after the team’s every setback. Keep your head up, we’ll embarrassing loss to war-torn Syria jeopar- continue the struggle!” dised hopes of qualifying for the 2018 China’s beleaguered fans have a well- World Cup. developed sense of humour about the tra- The national side’s 0-1 defeat Thursday vails of their national side, who are ranked before a home crowd of 40,000 in the a lowly 78th in the world and have failed to northern Chinese city of Xi’an had enraged qualify for the World Cup since their first fans, spurring many to call for the sacking and only appearance in 2002. of China’s football association president Cai In that outing China finished winless Zhenhua. and goalless, but under China’s president Xi But he has ignored the calls so far, and Jinping-an avowed football fan-the country sought to reassure Team Dragon players has set its sights on hosting, qualifying for, they “absolutely must not lose confidence and winning a World Cup. because of this loss,” the Xin Kuaibao news- Fans dryly noted that while China paid paper reported Saturday. players lavishly, the victorious 114th- “We still have seven games, you must ranked Syrian side had flown in on a com- bring out your fighting spirit. Especially at mercial jet with four layovers, paid their a times like this (after a loss), you mustn’t coach 2000 yuan ($300) per month, and give up.” The association told AFP it would lost many players who had fled the coun- not be making further comment on the try’s violence in the past five years. defeat. China’s national team wrote a mes- Others joked in an article circulated on sage after the Syria loss on their official WeChat social media that if fans had bet Weibo social media account thanking fans 1000 yuan against China every match since for their “unending cheers” and “fighting by 1990, they would now have 4.59 million our side”. yuan, better than investing in stocks or “You are our pride, and to all our fans bonds. Though the Syria loss hurt their who came out yesterday, we’d sincerely like chances, China remain in the running to to say we’re grateful we have you, thanks reach Russia 2018, and will face Uzbekistan for all your trouble,” it said on its official on October 11. — AFP CHICAGO: Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants slides into second base for a double in the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Serbia must contain Wrigley Field on Friday in Chicago, Illinois. —AFP Austria’s Arnautovic Chicago Cubs win duel, BELGRADE: Austria forward Marko winners guaranteed an automatic berth in Arnautovic poses the greatest threat to the 32-team tournament in Russia. Serbia’s hopes of keeping their 2018 World Georgia and Moldova are yet to earn a Jays and Indians up 2-0 Cup qualifying campaign on track, captain point. Ivanovic headed Serbia’s second goal Branislav Ivanovic said yesterday. in a 3-0 win at Moldova on Thursday while The sides clash in Group D at Red Star the Austrians twice came from behind to LOS ANGELES: Javier Baez blasted an eighth out double to Buster Posey in the ninth, but got seized a commanding lead in their best-of-five Belgrade’s stadium on Sunday and Chelsea salvage a 2-2 home draw against Wales inning solo home run as the Chicago Cubs won Hunter Pence to ground out to second baseman series. They will try to close things out at home defender Ivanovic said the outcome could thanks to an Arnautovic double. a pitching duel over the San Francisco Giants Baez to seal the win and earn a save. on Sunday. Troy Tulowitzki, Kevin Pillar, Ezequiel have a telling impact on Serbia’s bid to The towering 27-year old said he would with a 1-0 victory at Wrigley Field on Friday. The victory gave Chicago a 1-0 lead in the Carrera and Edwin Encarnacion all homered for reach their first major tournament since the refrain from celebrating if he scored against The solo shot by Baez came off Giants starter best-of-five National League Division Series Toronto off Japanese ace Darvish. 2010 World Cup. Serbia and defender Aleksandar Dragovic, Johnny Cueto and broke open a scoreless con- which resumed yesterday. Shortstop Tulowitzki set the tone when he Having played against Arnautovic sever- born to Serbian parents in Vienna, echoed test, allowing Cubs starter Jon Lester to take the Cubs starting pitchers topped the major smacked a two-run blast in the second inning to al times in the Premier League, the 32-year- his view. victory in game one of the Major League leagues this season with 81 victories and a 2.94 put Toronto up 2-0. The Rangers trimmed the old right back heaped praise on the Stoke “It would be unfair to the fans,” Baseball playoff series. “This guy was written off ERA. Friday was no different as left-hander Lester deficit to 2-1 in the fourth. City forward, who was born to a Serbian Arnautovic told reporters. “It will not be an as a hitter,” Lester said of Baez. “But at times this gave up five hits, struck out five and walked But Toronto centre fielder Pillar opened the father and an Austrian mother. easy night for me because there will be a year he has carried us on both offence and none in a precision 86-pitch outing. fifth with a solo homer to left. Carrera followed “I have the utmost respect for lot of emotions, but I will play my heart defence. “It was awesome playoff baseball. I am obvi- with a homer and Encarnacion ended the burst Arnautovic because he has matured in the out.” Dragovic added: “We are playing “Tonight with a big swing he got us on top 1- ously really happy to be on the winning side,” with another solo homer in the fifth that made it last year and a half or two,” Ivanovic told a against my parents’ country and most of 0.” In the other National League playoff contest, Lester said. 5-1. Texas scored twice in the eighth, one run news conference. “He has drawn a lot of my family will support Serbia, but I think Corey Seager and Justin Lester departed for pinch hitter Tommy La coming when Carlos Gomez lined a single that attention here because of his heritage and my grand-parents will cheer for me.” Turner hit home runs as the Los Angeles Stella with two out in the eighth. Cueto, who hit Jays pitcher Francisco Liriano in the back of in footballing terms, he has perhaps Ivanovic said his team needed to keep Dodgers beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 in took the loss, otherwise had a solid three-hit the neck. He departed the game, but was able to improved beyond the quality of the club he up their momentum. “The match against their series opener. In American League games performance. He struck out 10 while walking walk off under his own steam and was treated in plays for,” he added. Austria is incredibly important for both Friday, Cleveland and Toronto moved to within none. The Giants, who defeated the New York hospital before being released. “We have to close him down and if we teams as it could determine the entire one victory of advancing to the next round as Mets in the wild card game to reach the NL In Washington, Seager hit a solo homer in the do, we have a good chance of keeping a qualification process,” he said. “In the past the Indians routed the Boston Red Sox 6-0 and Division Series, are trying to stretch their run of first and Turner had a two-run shot in the third- clean sheet.” Wales, Serbia, Austria and few campaigns, we were pretty much out the Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers 5-3. even-year playoff magic, after winning World both off Max Scherzer-as Los Angeles defeated Ireland each have four points from two of contention after the opening two or The Cubs compiled the best regular season Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. the Nationals. games in what is shaping up to be a fiercely three games whereas the situation is record in the major leagues (103-58) in their Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw was also hit competitive section, with only the group entirely different now.” —Reuters quest for their first World Series title in more DARVISH GIVES UP 4 HOMERS hard as he allowed three runs and eight hits with than a century. In Arlington, Texas, the Blue Jays hit four seven strikeouts on 101 pitches over five Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman allowed a two- home runs off Texas pitcher Yu Darvish and innings.— AFP USA beat Cuba in historic friendly HAVANA: The United States warmed up for when was kicked in the head tion with a home match against Mexico in their looming World Cup qualifying clash with by a leaping Cuban player. He was treated on Columbus, Ohio, on November 11 before fac- Mexico with a 2-0 friendly victory over Cuba the field and was able to walk off under his ing 2014 World Cup quarter-finalists Costa on Friday, only the third time in history the own steam. Rica in San Jose four days later. They’ll play two nations have met on Cuban soil. Klinsmann’s men open their CONCACAF another tuneup friendly on Tuesday against in the 62nd minute and “Hexagonal” World Cup qualifying competi- New Zealand in Washington. —AFP Julian Green in the 71st scored for the United States. The match at the Estadio Pedro Marrero was the latest byproduct of the thaw in relations between the United States and Cuba, after more than half a century of bitter Cold War enmity. It is the first time the United States have played in Cuba since their World Cup qualify- ing clash in Havana in 2008, when the Americans won 1-0 courtesy of a goal. Aside from that, the only other meeting between the teams in Cuba came in 1947, when the hosts won 5-2. “Today we made his- tory,” said forward Jozy Altidore. “Thanks to Cuba for the hospitality and here’s to continu- ing to improve our relations in the future.” Yet while Friday’s game came loaded with political symbolism, for USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann the match was key preparation for World Cup qualifiers. After an hour of frustra- tion, San Jose Earthquakes striker Wondolowski, a halftime substitute, broke the scoreless deadlock, slamming in a rebound from a Green attempt saved by Cuban goal- keeper Sandy Sanchez. Less than 10 minutes later, it was Wondolowski’s low cross across the Cuban goal mouth that Bayern Munich winger Green-recalled for the first time since May-seized to slot home. The spirited Cubans had given the visitors a scare with two shots off the post before the United States took control in the second half. Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, making his US debut, made a save on Roberney Caballero’s shot in the 28th minute to keep the game VIENNA: Austria’s Marko Arnautovic and Wales’s Joe Allen, from left, challenge for scoreless, and minutes later thwarted an HAVANA: Danny Williams, of the US, left, and Cuba’s Duxney Alberto Espinosa, fight for control the ball during their World Cup Group D qualifying soccer match at the Ernst Happel attempt by Aricheel Hernandez. The US got a of the ball, during a friendly soccer match in the Pedro Marrero Stadium in Havana, Cuba, Stadium in Vienna, Austria. —AP fright of another kind in the 80th minute, Friday. The US won the match 2-0. — AP