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THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2014 FAN FERVOR Muslim players face Ramadan decision RECIFE: With the knockout rounds of the World Cup physical condition. with English soccer club Blackburn Rovers. coinciding with the beginning of Ramadan, Muslim “We have made extensive studies of players during “There is research to show that there are cognitive players must decide whether to observe the month- Ramadan, and the conclusion was that if Ramadan is benefits, it makes them feel like they’re drinking. long religious fast which begins this weekend. followed appropriately, there will be no reduction in Otherwise you can use things like cold towels to help France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Algeria and the physical performances of players,” Dvorak told them cool down.” Nigeria are among the teams that have Muslim players reporters. Dehydration can have a negative effect on perform- whomay choose to observe the 30-day period of fast- ance, with a loss of one to two percent of body fluids ing and reflection. OZIL SAYS CANNOT FAST by weight leading to problems with concentration. During Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month in All healthy adult Muslims are expected to observe However, the nutritionist said that the best way to the Islamic calendar, all healthy adult Muslims are the month-long fast, although exceptions can be help fasting players was to consult with their coaches expected to refrain from eating and drinking during made and the fast postponed. One player who has to ensure that their physical activity and recovery were daylight hours. made up his mind is Germany’s Mesut Ozil. properly planned, recommending they train only once Such a scenario could play havoc with the tightly- “Ramadan starts on Saturday, but I will not take part a day. controlled diets of elite professional athletes, especially because I am working,” he told a press conference yes- “Ideally, from looking into research, the best time in the hot, humid conditions in which some World Cup terday. for athletes who are partaking in Ramadan to train is games in Brazil are being played. Nutritionist Gardner has previously worked with a either early in the morning or late at night, as near to a “The challenge is mainly trying to maintain hydra- player from the British hockey team who fasted during time when they can hydrate and eat.” tion on a daily basis, and secondly trying to maintain a major tournament. She describes her experience Refuelling the body under such circumstances is energy levels,” Emma Gardner, performance nutritionist with the athlete as being “a case study” in how to han- not easy, as a whole day’s intake has to be made up at the English Institute of Sport, told Reuters. dle the issue. during the hours of darkness. “Muscle mass is also an issue. Research suggests “For players observing the fast during the World “I found at the break of the fast, to get back to a that people can lose muscle mass through the period Cup, the optimal timing for games would be evening hydrated state the athlete had to drink around six litres of Ramadan, although it tends to be during the early kickoffs, as its closest to the time when they can of fluid,” Gardner said. “Standard guidelines say two period,” she said. replenish and rehydrate,” she said, explaining strategies and a half to three litres of fluid a day, so many people Gardner’s comments appear to be at odds with to offset the impact of fasting. are surprised when they hear six. those of Jiri Dvorak, FIFA’s chief medical officer, who “Some athletes choose to use mouth rinsing, where “On its own, that amount of water can have a told a media briefing on Monday that players observ- they basically rinse their mouth with water but don’t diuretic effect, so we had to make sure there was some ing the fast should not suffer any deterioration in their ingest any,” said Gardner, who has previously worked sodium or that it was consumed with food.”— Reuters Swiss beat Honduras to set up Messi date MANAUS: Switzerland’s Xherdan Benaglio’s goal and just after the Shaqiri erased his side’s lingering half-hour the Swiss doubled their World Cup pain in Manaus yester- lead following a swift counter- day, scoring a hat-trick to see off attack. Honduras 3-0 and secure a daunt- Victor Bernardez made a mis- ing last-16 tie against Lionel take in midfield and Drmic raced Messi’s Argentina. forward before playing in Shaqiri, Four years ago the Central who kept his composure with just Americans denied Switzerland a the goalkeeper to beat, slotting place in the knockout rounds by the ball to his left. He became the holding out for a 0-0 draw but two first Swiss player to score multiple first-half goals from the impressive goals in a World Cup match since Bayern Munich player gave 1954. Honduras a mountain to climb. Honduras came out of the Coach Luis Suarez’s team blocks impressively after the half- fought hard to get back into the time break and Jerry Bengtson game even though they had no nearly pulled one back with an chance of progressing but a third attempt at a diving header but goal from the midfielder killed failed to make contact. their hopes. Swiss defender Ricardo Ottmar Hitzfeld’s team, sixth in Rodriguez was then forced into a the FIFA rankings, came into the goal-line clearance after Bengtson game level on points with Ecuador beat the Swiss keeper and about in Group E, three points off leaders 15 minutes later Fabian Schaer France, knowing a victory would also had to clear off the line. likely see them progress. But Switzerland killed the game They went close to scoring with 20 minutes from time. Drmic, their first attack of the game, when enjoying his role on the left, beat young forward Josip Drmic burst Bernardez and again found forward and centred for Shaqiri Shaqiri, who was unerring in his but goalkeepr Noel Valladares finish. blocked his shot. Despite their lofty current rank- In just the sixth minute Bayern ing the Swiss, playing their 10th Munich midfielder Shaqiri found World Cup finals, last reached the the target with an unstoppable quarter-finals in 1954 when the left-footed strike from just outside tournament was held on home the area that flew past a helpless soil. They will meet Argentina in Valladares and into the top corner. Sao Paulo on Tuesday while Honduras, who came into France, who topped the group game on the back of two defeats, after a 0-0 draw with Ecuador, will enjoyed long spells of possession play Nigeria in Brasilia the previous MANAUS: Honduras’ goalkeeper Noel Valladares defends against Switzerland’s Josip but did not threaten Diego day. — AFP Drmic during the Group E World Cup soccer match. — AP France held by 10-man Ecuador RIO DE JANEIRO: Ten-man Ecuador bravely was stood before an open goal. Dominguez held France to a 0-0 draw at Rio’s Maracana sta- also made a desperate stretch to keep out a dium yesterday but the European favorites still Paul Pogba header. Zaccheroni quits topped Group E to gain an easier second round Ecuador midfielder Christian Noboa was less tie. France, who had scored eight goals in their lucky when he suffered a head wounded in an after WCup flop two previous games, powered forward from the aerial skirmish. Blood seeped through the TOKYO: Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni announced his start. bandage he wore through the game. resignation yesterday and said he took “full responsibility” But through luck, determination, bad finish- Almost straight from the restart, Bakary for the Asian champions’ winless exit from the World Cup. ing and brilliant goalkeeping by Alexander Sagna fired the ball into the penalty area and Zaccheroni, 61, brought a squad full of optimism to Dominguez, Ecuador resisted even after cap- Antoine Griezmann deftly directed it towards Brazil but the Blue Samurai suffered a brutal reality check tain and Manchester United winger Antonio the goal. Dominguez’s reflex save pushed the culminating in Tuesday’s 4-1 rout by Colombia. Valencia was ordered off early in the second ball onto the post and away to safety. “I am disappointed and not satisfied with the results,” the half for a studs up challenge on Lucas Digne. Valencia then lunged in clumsily on Paris St Italian told a press conference at the team’s base camp in The South Americans had chances to steal Germain defender Digne and scraped his studs Itu, Brazil, according to Kyodo news agency. the game from the French, but bowed out of up and down the Frenchman’s leg. “I really wanted to take us forward and qualify for the the World Cup as Switzerland beat Honduras 3- Ecuador still held the French attack at bay. second round and I am so disappointed. But I picked the 0 to grab second place in Group E. Blaise Matuidi fired straight at Dominguez from team, decided on the tactics and how we play and I want to take full responsibility.” Dominguez was constantly in the thick of point blank and Benzema saw a shot deflected Zaccheroni becomes the third coach to quit in recent the action. He parried away one cross that just wide. France will play Nigeria in the second days after Italy’s Cesare Prandelli and Sabri Lamouchi of kept the ball away from Karim Benzema who round. — AFP Ivory Coast both fell on their swords after World Cup failures. Zaccheroni’s contract was due to expire after the tourna- ment but his resignation leaves Japan needing to bed in a WCup results/standings new coach quickly before their Asian Cup defence in Standings P W D L F A Pts Group E January.