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MONDAY, MARCH 27, 2017 SPORTS Cahill urges calm ahead of Australia’s crunch UAE qualifier SYDNEY: Tim Cahill remains confident home to the United Arab Emirates two and drawn six of their matches so qualifier in 56 matches dating back to them and that’s life. “(But the home that Australia will qualify for next year’s tomorrow. The UAE are just a point adrift far, and have a formidable home record. 1981, a 1-0 defeat to China in a dead record) means nothing. All that matters World Cup in Russia despite a run of four of their Sydney hosts heading into the “We went months and months with- rubber nine years ago, a record that fills is this week.” Cahill scored the winner off straight draws that has seen the side fall encounter and a win for the visitors out winning a game before we lifted the the former Millwall and Everton player the bench in the reverse fixture in Abu three points behind the leaders in their would see them leapfrog Australia and 2015 Asian Cup,” Cahill told reporters. with plenty of belief. Dhabi last September and he has no final round group. move into the third place spot that “I understand the process a bit better “The way we play and the damage issues with the likely prospect of starting Australia are on 10 points from six offers a route to the finals via two playoff than some people. I’m a lot more edu- we’ve caused teams in the past... we’re next week’s fixture among Ange matches, three behind Saudi Arabia and rounds. Cahill, however, has urged cated as a player and as a person. I’m really going to put them under a lot of Postecoglou’s substitutes once more. Japan, and with only two teams advanc- Australia supporters to remain calm with quite calm. We’re undefeated and I pressure,” he said. “When asked, I’m always ready to ing automatically to the finals, the the 37-year-old attacking midfielder won’t be flinching much now.” “It’s a very intimidating place for contribute,” he added. “The boss knows Socceroos can ill afford to slip up at keen to point out that the side have won Australia have lost just one home them to come. It will be difficult for what’s right for us.” — Reuters 2018 World Cup qualifying tables - European zone PARIS: 2018 World Cup qualifying European zone tables after Saturday’s games (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Group A Armenia 4 1 0 3 4 10 3 France 5 4 1 0 10 3 13 Kazakhstan 4 0 2 2 3 11 2 Sweden 5 3 1 1 10 3 10 Bulgaria 5 3 0 2 8 10 9 Group F Netherlands 5 2 1 2 8 6 7 England 4 3 1 0 6 0 10 Belarus 5 0 2 3 2 10 2 Slovenia 4 2 2 0 4 2 8 Luxembourg 5 0 1 4 6 12 1 Slovakia 4 2 0 2 7 2 6 Lithuania 4 1 2 1 5 7 5 Group B Scotland 4 1 1 2 6 8 4 Switzerland 5 5 0 0 10 3 15 Malta 4 0 0 4 1 10 0 Portugal 5 4 0 1 19 3 12 Hungary 5 2 1 2 8 6 7 Group G Faroes 5 1 2 2 2 8 5 Spain 5 4 1 0 19 2 13 Latvia 5 1 0 4 2 9 3 Italy 5 4 1 0 13 4 13 Andorra 5 0 1 4 1 13 1 Israel 5 3 0 2 9 9 9 Albania 5 2 0 3 4 8 6 Group C Macedonia 5 1 0 4 7 11 3 Germany 4 4 0 0 16 0 12 Liechtenstein 5 0 0 5 1 19 0 Northern Ireland4 2 1 1 8 2 7 Azerbaijan 4 2 1 1 2 4 7 Group H Czech Republic 4 1 2 1 2 4 5 Belgium 5 4 1 0 22 2 13 Norway 4 1 0 3 5 7 3 Greece 5 3 2 0 10 3 11 San Marino 4 0 0 4 1 17 0 Bosnia-Herzegovina 5 3 1 1 13 5 10 Cyprus 5 1 1 3 3 8 4 Group D Estonia 5 1 1 3 5 15 4 Serbia 5 3 2 0 12 6 11 Gibraltar 5 0 0 5 2 22 0 Ireland 5 3 2 0 7 3 11 Wales 5 1 4 0 8 4 7 Group I Austria 5 2 1 2 8 7 7 Croatia 5 4 1 0 11 1 13 Georgia 5 0 2 3 4 8 2 Iceland 5 3 1 1 8 6 10 Moldova 5 0 1 4 2 13 1 Ukraine 5 2 2 1 7 4 8 Turkey 5 2 2 1 7 5 8 Group E Finland 5 0 1 4 3 8 1 Poland 4 3 1 0 10 5 10 Kosovo 5 0 1 4 2 14 1 Montenegro 4 2 1 2 9 4 7 Note: Nine group winners qualify for the 2018 Denmark 4 2 0 2 7 5 6 finals in Russia; eight best runners-up play-off Romania 4 1 2 1 6 4 5 with four winners qualifying for the finals. LISBON: Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo (L) vies with Hungary’s midfielder Adam Nagy (R) during the WC 2018 group B football qualifing match Portugal vs Hungary at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on Saturday. —AFP Ousted Honda relishing SOCCER fight for place in Japan Dutch suffer World Cup shock, TOKYO: Japan midfielder Keisuke Honda 12 minute cameo and is likely to be a sub- has vowed to win back his starting place in stitute again on Tuesday when second- Ronaldo in 70-goal landmark the national side after a lack of playing time placed Japan host Thailand, who are last in at AC Milan saw him lose his spot to the in- Group B, at Saitama Stadium. form Yuya Kubo. “I think everyone wants to know how I’ll PARIS: The Netherlands’ hopes of reaching the to fire home his third goal of the qualifying cam- ent we have at our disposal, we have to show Gent midfielder Kubo started on the play if I set foot on the pitch right now,” World Cup finals suffered a major setback on paign. Greece were reduced to 10 men after 65 more,” said Martinez. Earlier on Saturday, right wing in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier Honda added. Saturday when the three-time runners-up minutes when Panagiotis Tachtsidis was red Sweden crushed Belarus 4-0 to move to 10 against the United Arab Emirates and put “That’s what it comes down to. If I can slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria. The carded for a crude lunge on defender Toby points in Group A, three behind France, with on an accomplished display in winning his show that I can still play, that I can score, loss left the Dutch six points behind Group A Alderweireld. Everton striker Lukaku drove Emil Forsberg scoring twice. third cap, scoring the first and assisting on then people will have an idea of what I can leaders France, who beat Luxembourg 3-1, and home from close range in the 89th minute to In Group H, Bosnia-Herzegovina also went on the second in a 2-0 victory at Al Ain. do and the opportunities will increase for down in fourth spot, three back from Sweden grab a share of the spoils before Georgios a goal spree with a 5-0 win over minnows Honda said the competition for places me.” Japan are three points clear of third- and two off Bulgaria with just the group winners Tzavelas was sent-off in injury time. “I feel a lot Gibraltar, who have now conceded 22 goals in proved how strong the Japan team is. placed Australia in the race for two auto- guaranteed a place in the 2018 finals in Russia. of frustration. With the amount of individual tal- five games. —AFP “This is what football is about, there’s matic qualifying spots from their pool with “What can I tell you? We came here with good nothing weird about it,” Honda was quoted four rounds remaining. Honda said Japan intentions, but it has become a nightmare,” as saying by Kyodo News on Sunday. “This would not take Thailand lightly in a game Dutch skipper Arjen Robben said. Bale could have broken is just about me having lost my place in the they should win comfortably. Elsewhere, Cristiano Ronaldo took his inter- first team here and back in Milan-which “It’s a dangerous sign. We need to sharp- national tally to 70 goals as European champi- hasn’t happened before. en up and go into the game thinking it will ons Portugal beat Hungary 3-0 to stay in second my leg, says O’Shea “But it happens and says how competi- be a more difficult game than we think,” he spot behind Switzerland in Group B. tive things are on the national team now. If said. “They’ll sit back and the way we play Belgium needed a goal two minutes from DUBLIN: Republic of Ireland veteran John attack the ball.” O’Shea, 35, said the rivalry I come and win the job back, it’ll make us now, we’re probably better when oppo- time by Romelu Lukaku to salvage a 1-1 draw O’Shea believes he was fortunate to avoid a between Wales and Ireland, Celtic cousins even better.” nents take the game to us.

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