P19.E$S 2 Layout 1
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 SPORTS Rooney sees off Estonia to spare England’s blushes TALLINN: Wayne Rooney spared Roy Hodgson’s blushes as the England captain’s fine free-kick secured a 1-0 win against 10-man Estonia in a hard-fought Euro 2016 qualifier in Tallinn yester- day. Hodgson had taken a significant gamble by leaving out Raheem Sterling after he com- plained of feeling tired in training and England looked impotent without the teenage Liverpool midfielder for long periods at the Le Coq Arena. Even after Estonia captain Ragnar Klavan was dismissed for a second booking early in the sec- ond half, Hodgson’s side still laboured to see off the Baltic minnows. But they finally made the breakthrough thanks to Manchester United striker Rooney, who curled home a free-kick with 17 minutes remaining to maintain England’s 100 percent record after three Group E matches. Rooney’s moment of inspiration took him to 43 international goals-within one of Jimmy Greaves and only six behind record holder Bobby Charlton’s tally of 49. “It was hard work. We played well in the first half without taking our chances and that meant there was an air of frustration setting in,” Hodgson told ITV. TALLINN: Estonia’s Karol Mets (left) and Igor Morozov fight for the ball with England’s Wayne “Everyone was aware that when you have Rooney (right) and Phil Jagielka during the Euro 2016 qualifying soccer match. —AP played well you have to take at least one chance. TERRITORIAL DOMINANCE and, with less than half an hour to go, Hodgson Luckily we did that in the second half. “It was a Hodgson’s team took a while to emerge from moved to break the impasse by sending on good free-kick from Wayne and it’s four wins in a their shell after that tentative opening, but they Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for row, which is not to be sniffed at.” went close when Rooney, winning his 99th cap, Delph and Sterling for Jordan Henderson. After winning their opening two qualifiers at met Jack Wilshere’s lofted pass with a volley that Hodgson was looking increasingly agitated a canter, Hodgson and his players had boldly flashed just over. and the England manager’s nerves were hardly declared their desire to win all 10 group match- He had a much easier chance moments later eased when, with the goal at his mercy, Oxlade- es. They remain on course to fulfil that ambition, when a Leighton Baines cross found him Chamberlain mistimed his attempted header but this was hardly the kind of dynamic display unmarked at the near post, but Rooney was left from Calum Chambers’ cross. But mounting Hodgson would have hoped for from his youth- holding his head in frustration after completely England anxiety at the potential for an embar- ful line-up. missing his kick. rassing result was finally quelled in the 73rd The part-timers from San Marino barely made Danny Welbeck’s cross-shot was scrambled minute. England break sweat in midweek, but Estonia, clear, Wilshere prodded into the side-netting Sterling won a free-kick on the left edge of ranked 81st in FIFA’s world rankings, represented and Rooney was off target with a header as the Estonia penalty area and Rooney stepped up a step up in class. Even so, Hodgson had insisted England’s lack of cutting edge ensured the first to score with a fine curling free-kick that goal- England could have no excuses for failing to half petered out. After a frustrating opening keeper Sergei Pareiko, despite getting both beat the unheralded hosts. period, Hodgson’s men received a welcome hands to the ball, could only push into the net That warning didn’t appear to have been boost three minutes into the second half when via a post. heeded as Estonia threatened with less than a Klavan was sent off following his second book- Rooney should have put a more flattering minute played when Sergei Zenjov saw his shot ing for a cynical block on Fabian Delph in central gloss on the scoreline in stoppage-time when he deflected into the side-netting before Henri midfield. Inevitably, Estonia responded to their went through on goal, yet his erratic perform- Anier blazed over from the resulting corner. skipper’s dismissal by defending even deeper ance was summed up by a tame finish. —AFP Nigeria suffer another Nations Cup setback DUBAI: Australian Xavier Doherty delivers the ball during the second one day inter- national match between Australia and Pakistan. —AP JOHANNESBURG: Holders Nigeria suffered another shock defeat in African Nations Cup qualifying on Saturday when a 1-0 loss to Sudan left them facing the possibility of missing Australia beat Pakistan by out on the chance to defend their title next year. Nigeria, who won the tournament in 2013, have only a sin- gle point at the halfway stage of qualifying and will need to one run for series sweep win their remaining three Group A games to stand any chance of playing at the finals in Morocco in January. ABU DHABI: Glenn Maxwell bowled a confidence. But left-arm spinner Xavier Babeker Bakri headed home in the 42nd minute in maiden final over and got two wickets to Doherty provided Australia with a break- Khartoum to hand Sudan their first points in the group and seal a thrilling one-run win for Australia through when he bowled Shahzad with leave Nigeria, who suffered their first home defeat in a com- in the third and final one-day interna- his first delivery. petitive qualifier for over 30 years at home to Congo last tional against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi yes- Pakistan lost two wickets at 80 with month, rooted to the foot of the standings. terday. Ahmed run out and Fawad Alam scoop- Zambia, the 2012 champions, are also in peril after being Chasing a modest 232-run target, ing a catch off a miscued sweep off held to draw away in Niger, leaving them with just two points Pakistan needed just two runs in the Doherty with slip fielder Smith running from three games in Group F. final over but Maxwell (2-41) kept his from slip to leg-slip to grab the ball. Algeria continued to live up to their billing as Africa’s top- cool dismissing Sohail Tanvir (10) with Shafiq and Sohaib Maqsood, one of ranked team and emerged from the weekend’s qualifiers as MOSCOW: Moldova’s Andrei Cojocari (foreground) fights for a ball with Russia’s the second ball of the 50th over and four changes in Pakistan side, added an the only remaining side with a 100 percent record from three Denis Glushakov during an Euro 2016 Group G qualifying round soccer match. —AP Mohammad Irfan (nought) with the final invaluable 74 for the fourth wicket games in Group B. Central defender Rafik Halliche headed ball to complete Australia’s 3-0 series before Pakistan lost three wickets in the home from a corner after 10 minutes and Djamel Mesbah whitewash. space of just 20 runs. added a late second in a 2-0 away win over Malawi in Blantyre Russia held by Moldova It was Australia’s third cleansweep Maqsood was caught off paceman that edged them closer to becoming the first team to secure a place at the finals. Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Cape Verde against Pakistan after a 3-0 win in Kane Richardson (2-36) who also had MOSCOW: Skipper Alexandru Epureanu’s the 15th minute but his shot from the cor- Pakistan in 1998 and a 5-0 triumph on Afridi (two) and Shafiq fell to James Islands and Congo all dropped points for the first time in their respective encounters. Gabon, with Pierre-Emerick equaliser earned Moldova a precious 1-1 ner of the six-yard box went slightly wide home ground four years ago. Faulkner. Aubameyang among the scorers, overcame Burkina 2-0 at Euro 2016 qualifier draw against Russia in off the left post. Pakistan once again lived up to their Umar Amin (19) and Anwar Ali (14) home in Libreville while Cameroon, after beating the powerful Moscow yesterday. Moldova, who sat back from the start reputation of throwing away a winning brought Pakistan close to the win but Ivory Coast in their last game, were held to an unexpected Epureanu scored in the 74th minute to and replied with rare and unimpressive position as they needed just 28 runs to both fell within four runs of each other, goalless draw by Sierra Leone. The match was moved to cancel out Artem Dzyuba’s opener allowing counter-attacks, also had a chance to score win with four wickets in hand at one leaving Pakistan at 208-8. Australia had Yaounde because of a ban on playing at home following the Moldova to chalk up their first qualifying four minutes before the break but midfield- stage. got off to a confident start of 48 before Ebola virus outbreak. Cape Verde, surprise quarter-finalists at point in Group G. Russia, who drew 1-1 er Aleksandr Gackan’s angled shot failed to Tanvir and Zulfiqar Babar (14 not out) Aaron Finch miscued a drive and was the last finals, had their winning run ended in a 2-0 defeat in with Sweden on Friday, are on five points find the target. took them to within two runs of the win caught at mid-off for 18. Mozambique while Congo were beaten 2-0 at home by a from three matches, two behind Austria, After the interval Russia continued test- but Australia staged a strong comeback.