MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2014 SPORTS ISL gets off to strong start with FIFA endorsement NEW DELHI: The jury is still out on whether the chise play out a goalless draw against David but I think India is big enough to have a second eventually. I think it’s a good beginning.” Indian Super League (ISL) can wake the world’s sec- Trezeguet’s Pune on Tuesday and he liked the level sport and football is strong enough to become the Co-owned by La Liga champions Atletico ond most populous nation from its football slumber of enthusiasm. “What was nice last night is the second sport in India,” Valcke said. Madrid, the Kolkata team, with Spaniard Luis Garcia but the first week of the eight-team competition sound, it was amazing,” Valcke later said of his expe- Bankrolled by India’s Reliance Industries, Rupert as their marquee player, currently top the table hav- has at least made people sit up and take notice. rience at the capital’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Murdoch’s Star India and sports management ing won both their games so far. Some 70,000 fans thronged the Salt Lake “(I witnessed) How strong was the support of the group IMG, the ISL has welcomed former cricket The demand for ISL tickets is in stark contrast to Stadium in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata for last fans in the stadium, how they supported the teams, greats Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, as the I-League and Arthur Papas, deputy coach of the Sunday’s spectacular opening ceremony and the how they supported whenever there was a change well as current captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Goa franchise, had no hesitation in admitting it hav- social media has been abuzz with discussions about of player, how they supported Del Piero when he among the team owners. The league’s strong start ing been involved in both. “I’ve been in this country the league with celebrity owners, experienced for- came in. “That’s football. That’s when you feel yes, has fuelled fears that it might eclipse the national for two and a half years playing in national leagues eign managers and a sprinkling of high-profile play- football has its place in India. Yesterday you saw a league but the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and I-League, but I haven’t felt this sense of excite- ers. Not a bad start in a cricket-obsessed country of culture of football here.” The first week of the tour- president Praful Patel assured I-League will remain ment about a competition before,” said the 1.2 billion, which ranks an embarrassing 158th and nament has also seen packed stadiums at other the country’s only league. “I-Legaue is the league of Australian who coaches Dempo in the I-League. was described as football’s ‘sleeping giant’ by FIFA venues and the trend is expected to continue after India. This (ISL) is a tournament which brings more “That’s probably what is lacking at the I-League... president Sepp Blatter. the West Indies cricket team abruptly called off their attention and extra popularity, it’s like a booster A packed stadium will improve the product you see FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke was at tour of India on Friday following their internal dis- dose,” Patel said. “I can assure you that a number of on TV all around the world, not just in India,” he hand to watch Alessandro Del Piero’s Delhi fran- pute. “It’s not a question of competing with cricket ISL clubs would also like to progress into I-League added. — Reuters Valencia stumble, Atletico grab win MADRID: Valencia’s unbeaten start to the sea- son came crashing to an end as they were beat- en 3-0 away at struggling Deportivo la Coruna yesterday. Los Che are now tied with Atletico Madrid in fourth place after the champions beat Espanyol earlier in the day thanks to goals from Tiago and Mario Suarez. Valencia had started the weekend just two points adrift of leaders Barcelona, but never got going against a Depor side that had won just one of their first seven league games on their return to the top flight. The hosts opener came in controversial cir- cumstances, however, as Shkodran Mustafi inad- vertently turned a corner towards his own goal and despite Jose Gaya’s attempts to clear off the line the goal was given, although replays sug- gested the whole ball hadn’t crossed the line. German international Mustafi was at fault again as Depor doubled their lead six minutes later, misjudging a header as Lucas Perez scam- GERMANY: Hamburg midfielder Nicolai Muller (left) and Hoffenheim’s Norwegian pered in behind the Valencia defence before fir- midfielder Tarik Elyounoussi vie for the ball during the German First division. —AFP ing in off the far post. Valencia pushed for an equaliser after the break, but despite starting with Spanish internationals Paco Alcacer and Hoffenheim miss out on Rodrigo up front, the closest they came to get- ting back into the game was when Alcacer second spot in Hamburg struck the outside of the post 13 minutes from time. However, within a minute, Deportivo had BERLIN: Hoffenheim missed out on reclaim- midfield and scored the first double of his extended their lead as Toche took advantage of the huge space in behind the Valencia defence SPAIN: Espanyol’s JA Canas (left) and Lucas (right) duel for the ball with Atletico’s Koke during ing second place in the Bundesliga after yes- career while Germany star Mario Geotze also a Spanish La Liga soccer match. — AP terday’s 1-1 draw at strugglers Hamburg netted twice. to gallop clear on goal and slot past Yoel while leaders Bayern Munich finished the Ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Rodriguez. weekend four points clear after hammering Xabi Alonso scored the first goal of his Bayern Earlier, Atletico moved back to within five Werder Bremen. career when he drove his free-kick under the points of Barcelona thanks to goals either side of Spanish league results/standings Hoffenheim took an early lead when strik- Bremen wall on 27 minutes after Lahm gave half-time. Tiago opened the scoring with a won- er Anthony Modeste coolly slotted home in the hosts an early lead. derful looping header into the far corner from Atletico Madrid 2 (Tiago 43, Suarez 70) Espanyol 0; Deportivo la Coruna 3 (Gaya 36-og, Perez 42, the 15th minute, but hosts Hamburg, who are Thomas Mueller put the hosts 3-0 up Gabi’s cross two minutes before half-time to set- Toche 79) Valencia 0. Playing later: Elche v Sevilla, Villarreal v Almeria Playing today: Real third from bottom, hit back when Pierre- when he converted a penalty and Goetze tle the hosts’ nerves. Sociedad v Getafe Michel Lasogga showed superb finishing on made it 4-0 at the break before both he and The Portuguese midfielder then limped off 34 minutes. Lahm added second-half goals. early in the second half, making him a doubt for Spanish La Liga table after yesterday’s two early matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, Atletico’s Champions League game against The former Germany Under-21 interna- Roberto di Matteo got off to a winning goals against, points): Malmo in midweek. tional had several chances in the second-half start as Schalke 04 coach when the Royal However, his replacement Suarez had the Barcelona 8 7 1 0 22 0 22 Espanyol 8 2 3 3 9 10 9 and clipped the crossbar with 10 minutes left Blues picked up only their third win of the easy task of tapping home the second from Jose Real Madrid 8 6 0 2 30 9 18 Eibar 8 2 3 3 8 10 9 to leave Hoffenheim, Bayern, Mainz and season with a 2-0 victory at home to Hertha Gimenez’s header 20 minutes from time. Valencia 8 5 2 1 17 7 17 Granada 8 2 2 4 5 12 8 Moenchengladbach as the league’s only Berlin. “The team played the way they had to,” said Atletico Madrid 8 5 2 1 14 7 17 Getafe 7 2 1 4 4 11 7 unbeaten teams. The 44-year-old, who won the 2012 Atletico boss Diego Simeone. “We played with a Sevilla 7 5 1 1 13 8 16 Deportivo 8 2 1 5 11 19 7 The point lifts Hamburg up to 16th, while Champions League title during his eight- good tempo and with patience until the first Celta Vigo 8 3 4 1 13 11 13 Sociedad 7 1 2 4 8 11 5 Hoffenheim are third after Borussia month reign at Chelsea, is looking for his sec- goal arrived. Then, in the second half, we con- Malaga 8 3 3 2 7 8 12 Bilbao 8 1 2 5 5 12 5 Moenchengladbach moved up to second ond win when Schalke host Sporting Lisbon trolled the game.” Villarreal 7 3 2 2 10 7 11 Elche 7 1 2 4 7 16 5 on Tuesday in Europe. Simeone’s men had been beaten by an early Rayo Vallecano 8 3 2 3 11 12 11 Levante 8 1 2 5 4 20 5 Netherlands striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar three-goal blitz at Valencia last time out and Almeria 7 2 3 2 7 7 9 Cordoba 8 0 4 4 5 13 4 put Schalke ahead with a long-range header they set out to make amends early on as Kiko MATCHES ON TV on 19 minutes before Germany midfielder Casilla denied Arda Turan from point-blank breakthrough just before half-time when Gabi’s penalty waved away 25 minutes from time when Julian Draxler made it 2-0 with a well-taken range before the Turkish midfielder had a goal cross to the far post was looped back across goal Christian Stuani tumbled under pressure from goal on 65 minutes.