WADA’s Reedie Costa Rica routs under fire from US as Americans Olympic16 committees drop19 to 0-2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016

In Mexico, football or ‘futbol americano’ is a passion Page 17

SAN JUAN: Argentina’s (3-L) and Colombia’s Carlos Sanchez (L), James Rodriguez (2-L) and Daniel Torres eye the ball during their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier football match in San Juan, Argentina, on Tuesday. — AFP Messi lifts Argentina, Sanchez saves Chile

SAO PAULO: The return of Lionel Messi to an under- World Cup champions. was disappointed with Argentina’s performance, and ish in front of Muslera. Uruguay had a chance to make it pressure Argentina team has finally paid off. After a Elsewhere, third-placed Ecuador beat bottom-of-the used an expletive to say the team needed to improve to 3-2, but Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo stopped a lackluster performance last week against Brazil last -group Venezuela 3-0 at home and now has 20 points. qualify for Russia 2018. On Tuesday, with an increased penalty taken by striker Luis Suarez. week, the five-time FIFA player of the year winner Venezuela was stuck on five. Ninth-placed Bolivia had a box-to-box awareness throughout the match, Messi led Chile and Uruguay will each carry a major problem inspired a 3-0 victory over Colombia for the South 1-0 victory over seventh place Paraguay and now has by example rather than words. for their next match in South American qualifiers, which American World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday. He scored seven points. Paraguay is on 15. The 13th round of Words were also in short supply after the game. On could be critical to both. Chile will not have midfielder the first with a breathtaking free kick, gave two assists, South American World Cup qualifiers will be played in behalf of the whole team, Messi said no players would Arturo Vidal against Argentina and Uruguay will miss dribbled through Colombia’s defense several times and March 2017. speak to the press, in response to a wave of criticism in Suarez against Brazil. coordinated his teammates on the pitch. Messi opened the score with a perfect free kick to Argentinian media. Argentina is now in fifth position with 19 points after the left of Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina, on 9 PERU 0-2 BRAZIL 12 games, with six games to go. Colombia dropped to minutes. Only 13 minutes later, Messi managed to drib- CHILE 3-1 URUGUAY Brazil did not need to be at its best in securing a 2-0 sixth with 18 points. The first four in South American ble through the Colombian defense and cross to striker Uruguay scored first against Chile, through South victory over Peru in Lima; the sixth in a row for the lead- qualifiers have automatic qualifying positions for the Lucas Pratto, a contentious choice by coach Bauza American qualifiers top goalscorer Edinson Cavani, at 16 ers of the South American qualifiers under new coach next World Cup and the fifth will be in an international ahead of Juventus targetman Gonzalo Higuain. minutes. Tite. After a lackluster first half, Brazil went ahead in the playoff for a spot. Argentina could have scored many more goals in the But Chile, the Copa America champions, responded 57th minute when Peru’s defense gave the ball away The home victory eased some of the pressure on second half, with Messi still leading the efforts. The third to pull one of their best wins in the tournament so far. inside the penalty box to 19-year-old Gabriel Jesus, who coach Edgardo Bauza, who received the dreaded vote only came at 83 minutes after the Barcelona star began That was largely thanks to a superb performance by made an easy and calm finish. In the 77th minute, the of support from Argentina’s football association during a play with a backheel kick. Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez, who returned from Peruvian defense again was at fault, allowing Jesus to set the week. In Santiago, Alexis Sanchez scored twice after Seconds later he stole the ball from a Colombia injury, scored a brace and is now just one short of up midfielder Renato Augusto for another simple finish. returning from injury to give Chile a 3-1 win over defender, cut into the penalty area and put in a smooth Marcelo Salas as the top goalscorer ever for La Roja. Brazil ends the year with 27 points, which was Uruguay. Chile is now fourth, with 20 points, and low cross he found Angel Di Maria, who effortlessly The beginning of the turnaround began with striker enough to qualify in other editions of the South Uruguay remained second with 23. scored. Eduardo Vargas nodding a cross from the left to level American qualifiers. Only months ago it was lagging Leaders Brazil beat eighth place Peru 2-0 in Lima to Colombia’s coach Jose Pekerman said his team clear- the score in the dying moments of the first half. At 60 sixth under previous coach Dunga. Peru, who started move closer to securing a spot at Russia 2018. Teenage ly felt the absence of two key defenders: suspended minutes Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera dreaming of going to their first World Cup in 32 years striker Gabriel Jesus, who will soon move to Manchester Oscar Murillo and injured Yerry Mina. failed to save a powerful shot by Sanchez from the edge after a 4-1 victory at Paraguay last week, will stay at City, scored his fifth goal in six games for the five-time After the defeat against Brazil, Messi openly said he of the box. At 75, Sanchez scored again, in a smooth fin- eighth position with 14 points. — AP Aspas, deny Saudi royal sees sport fund at more than $600m England victory RIYADH: Saudi Arabia plans to develop its sports sector with a fund worth more than $600 million helped by the privatisa- : Substitute Isco struck deep in showed our character and never-say-die tion of football teams, a senior official said yesterday. “The stoppage time to earn Spain a 2-2 draw spirit. “To pull a draw out of the fire with fund will be no less than 2.5 billion riyals ($666 million),” and deprive Gareth Southgate of victory in two goals at the end was great. It showed Princess Reema Bint Bandar al-Saud told the MISK Global his final game as England interim manager we never give up.” Vardy won the penalty Forum. On Monday the kingdom’s main economic coordinat- on Tuesday. that yielded England’s opening goal in the ing body, the Council of Economic Affairs and Development, Goals from Adam Lallana and Jamie ninth minute, but he was perhaps fortu- called for creation of the fund within three months. Vardy had set England up for an impres- nate to still be on the pitch. It aims to “support different sports, development and sive win, but Spain debutant Iago Aspas With less than five minutes on the investment in the relevant areas,” while contributing to privati- reduced the arrears in the 89th minute clock, the Leicester City star followed sation of sports clubs and the establishment and funding of before Isco levelled with practically the last through after clearing the ball downfield amateur sports programmes, the official Saudi Press Agency kick. Southgate, who lost Lallana to injury and caught Cesar Azpilicueta high on the said. in the first half, cursed his luck on the Chelsea defender’s right shin. Most professional football clubs in Saudi Arabia are report- touchline, but having gone four games edly government owned. Saud, named three months ago as unbeaten since replacing Sam Allardyce, VARDY DOES THE MANNEQUIN LONDON: Spain’s Iago Aspas, left, scores his side’s first goal during the Vice President for Women’s Affairs at the General Authority for the job is still expected to be his full-time. But Romanian referee Ovidiu Alin international friendly soccer match between England and Spain at Sports, said privatisation of football would provide “the seed “The players over the period of the four Hategan kept his cards in his pocket and in London, Tuesday. — AP capital of our future”. matches couldn’t have given any more,” within four minutes he was pointing to Her agency is trying to boost the kingdom’s international his initial 3-5-1-1 system for a more con- Reina saving one-handed from Walcott Southgate said. “It feels like a defeat for the Spain’s penalty spot. competitiveness and to get more Saudis exercising. She said players, but I couldn’t be more proud of After Jesse Lingard robbed Thiago ventional 4-1-4-1. and Nacho clearing off the line from her own focus is on promoting healthy lifestyles, which would what they’ve done. It was a healthy, posi- Alcantara, Lallana curved a gorgeous pass But the traffic remained one-way in the Lingard. When Spain did threaten, England tive performance.” into the box from the right and despite a second half and after Walcott had seen a substitute goalkeeper Tom Heaton denied also have economic benefits in the conservative kingdom While victory eluded England at the loose first touch, Vardy succeeded in draw- shot deflected into the side-netting, and substitute Alvaro Morara, where sport opportunities, particularly for women, are limit- last, the vibrant nature of their perform- ing a foul from goalkeeper . England made it 2-0 in the 48th minute. with Aspas putting the rebound over the ed. ance at Wembley will help to erase linger- Reina went the right way from the Stand-in captain Jordan Henderson’s bar in the first instance. “Today, the value of sports as a sector could equal, unbe- ing memories of their Euro 2016 humilia- penalty, to his left, but Lallana put enough cross from the right was met with a bril- West Ham United left-back Aaron lievably, 250,000 jobs for women over the next two years,” she tion by Iceland. Isco’s 96th-minute strike height on the ball to register his third goal liant diving header from Vardy, who had Cresswell won his first England as a told the forum which linked business leaders with young extended ’s unbeaten in three England outings. previously gone 14 games without scoring late substitute, but was upstaged by Celta Saudis in a bid to inspire them to help diversify the oil-depen- record to six games since he succeeded The fates were to conspire against the for club and country. Vigo forward Aspas and Real mid- dent economy. as Spain coach in the Liverpool midfielder midway through the He celebrated by freezing stockstill in fielder Isco, his fellow entrants. She said she wants to encourage young people to walk aftermath of their Euro 2016 exit at Italy’s first half, however, as injury forced him off, the manner of the ‘Mannequin Challenge’ Aspas halved the deficit, drifting in more and to ride bicycles, but in the Saudi capital there are hands. “In the first half England were bet- with Theo Walcott coming on in his place. social media fad, with Walcott and Sterling from the right and curling home, before only about two shops selling bikes for serious adult riders. ter than us. They started really sharply,” Shy of a mishit Vitolo shot, Spain had joining in. Lopetegui awarded senior Isco atoned for an earlier miss by chesting Saud urged young entrepreneurs to take advantage of said Lopetegui. “Things got even tougher failed to trouble England and Lopetegui debuts to Ander Herrera and Aspas in the down ’s pass and squeezing a such market potential. — AFP in the second half, but that’s when we changed tack on the half-hour, ditching second half, yet still the hosts advanced, shot between Heaton’s legs. — AFP