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42 Friday Sports Friday, July 6, 2018 Federer hits out at ‘lethargic’ Swiss team after tame loss ‘I was disappointed. I expected more from the team’ LONDON: The FIFA rankings state Switzerland are the sixth best soccer team in the world but Too late for pep talk Roger Federer said his “lethargic” countrymen As Switzerland’s most famous sporting ex- got what they deserved at the World Cup after port, did Federer wish he could have given them they were beaten 1-0 by Sweden in the Round a pep talk? “Now the pep talk is too late any- of 16. Vladimir Petkovic’s men had been ex- way,” said the 36-year-old, who is five wins pected to emerge triumphant from Tuesday’s away from claiming a record ninth Wimbledon showdown with 24th-ranked Sweden in Russia, title. “It’s important that they understand you’ve but a lack of cohesiveness on the pitch left Fed- got to bring the energy every single day. It’s erer and his eight million fellow Swiss dejected throughout the year. It’s not just in the World after the final whistle. Cup, last 16 or quarters. That’s why you need to “I was disappointed yesterday. I expected bring it every single day. more from the team,” Federer, who has given “When you step out on the pitch, or on the Switzerland plenty to cheer about as he col- court in tennis, in practice, in the match, you have lected 20 Grand Slam titles over the past 15 to always try to be able to perform as high as years, told reporters at Wimbledon on Wednes- possible. Then it’s actually not a big deal to bring day. “That’s the thing with knockout. You have to it also in a match like yesterday.” Federer’s dis- bring it like it was the finals every match, it’s 11 ciplined training regime has helped him to pro- guys at the same time. It can’t just be three guys, long his career well into his 30s and as he eight guys. It needs to be everybody at the same approaches his 37th birthday, he remains the time doing the same thing. man to beat at Wimbledon. “I felt it’s an opportunity missed. We didn’t It is a doctrine he feels the country’s soccer create enough chances. We deserved what we team should follow. “What I know from knockout got.” Beaten only once since Euro 2016, play throughout the course of my career is (that) Switzerland appeared to have enough talent to you can’t afford to come in lethargic,” Federer end Sweden’s surprise run in the tournament said. “You just think it’s going to happen by it- and reach the quarter-finals for the first time self, just because you play one good match the since 1954 but instead gave a soulless display in day before. You’re only as good as your next SAINT PETERSBURG: Switzerland’s players look dejected at the end of the Russia 2018 World Cup round of 16 St Petersburg. performance really.” —Reuters football match between Sweden and Switzerland at the Saint Petersburg Stadium. —AFP of competing World Cup teams stuck in the tional comments and insinuations made as being China mourns ground behind them. Baidian’er correctly pre- FIFA rebukes entirely inappropriate and completely un- dicted the results of six World Cup games. He founded.” achieved such fame that the Palace Museum Maradona over England won the round of 16 match on penal- its ‘psychic’ even set up an account for him on China’s ties following 120 minutes marred by squabbling, Weibo, a popular Twitter-like platform. ‘robbery’ comments protests to the referee, play-acting and feigning World Cup cat Unfortunately, Baidian’er’s correct pre- injury. FIFA said it was “doing everything within diction of an Argentinian win against Nigeria MOSCOW: FIFA says it “strongly rebukes” Ar- its power to ensure principles of fair play, in- BEIJING: A “psychic” cat in China that cor- turned out to be his last. The museum said gentina great Diego Maradona’s comments that tegrity and respect are at the forefront of this rectly predicted the outcome of six World Cup the cat fell ill and finally announced its death England’s win over Colombia was a robbery and World Cup and how the organization is now games has met an untimely end, prompting on Monday, sparking almost 10,000 com- that referee Mark Geiger was not up to the task. run.” In that context, FIFA said it was “extremely thousands to pour out their grief on Chinese ments on Weibo. “Every time I go to the For- “Following comments made by Diego Armando sorry to read such declarations from a player social media. The orange-furred tabby, named bidden City, I have to go see Baidian’er, take Maradona...FIFA strongly rebukes the criticism who has written the history of our game.” “Baidian’er”, which means “white spot” in Chi- a photo, play for a while, see him sleep on the of the performance of the match officials which Maradona said England’s win was a “monumen- nese, was a stray that prowled around the grass in the sun,” wrote one distraught user. it considers to have been positive in a tough and tal robbery” and that Geiger “shouldn’t be given Palace Museum in Beijing’s Forbidden City. He “Go on living a happy life in Cat Heaven, I’ll highly emotional match,” said the global soccer a match of this magnitude.” He added: “Geiger, was offered two bowls of food, with the flags see you again.” —AFP body in a statement. “It also considers the addi- an American, what a coincidence.” —AFP.

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