TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2014 SPORTS We’re slipping and tired - Brazil’s Neymar RIO DE JANEIRO: Sifting through the there were simply things that could not quarter-final with Colombia. Neymar insisted the team were sharp say to switch it onto my right foot to kick ruins of Brazil’s World Cup campaign, be explained. “We cried because it was In that game, he was clattered in the from training. “We always trained,” he as I am right-handed. star player Neymar says his team strove our childhood dream (to win it) and had back by Juan Camilo Zuniga in a “move said. “We gave our all.” He did indicate, “So then my father corrected that and hard for glory, but other countries have fought hard to get to where we were.” that had nothing to do with football,” however, that the intensity of training in said, no, if the ball coes to your left leg moved ahead and they must catch up. He added he believed he would have though he accepted the Colombian’s lat- Brazil could be lower than in Europe. then you hit it with your left.” Neymar While refusing to pin the blame on chosen the same 23 players as Scolari for er apology. Forced onto the sidelines, “You train more, but sometimes you said he would seek to fulfill his World former handler Luiz Felipe Scolari, the roster-but insisted Brazil must realize Neymar said there was no particular rea- train with less determination. That’s how Cup dream in four years time in Russia. Neymar also warned young players to it has fallen down the pecking order and son why Brazil’s campaign suddenly Brazilians are.” Neymar revealed he felt Already a father from a previous rela- beware the damage some coaches has no automatic right to success. crashed around them. “There was no some coaching of youngsters in the tionship, Neymar claimed that, at 22, it could do to young players’ develop- “I think Brazilian football is behind. particular mistake made by the Selecao. game was harmful, such as when they was too early to be thinking of marrying ment. In an exclusive interview with It’s behind Germany and Spain. We’ve I am not someone who understands a are told on occasion to get the ball onto his 18-year-old flame, actress Bruna Globo television broadcast Sunday, the slipped behind and we have to be man huge amount about tactics,” he said. their stronger foot. Marquezine. Brazil are now looking to 22-year-old said Brazil deserved at best enough to admit it.” And he refused to blame Scolari, “The information passed onto a play- revamp their footballing structures, and seven out of ten for a Cup showing The Barcelona star was forced to Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning coach er is important-you have to ask why a are Tuesday set to re-appoint former which ended with a 7-1 semi-final maul- watch the semi-final from his coastal who resigned after the tournament. “I player did (something in error). “I almost coach Dunga to prepare for the ing by champions Germany. home in Sao Paulo state after he suf- had a leader (who was) one of the best learned things wrongly. The ball would Selecao’s next tournament, the 2015 Asked why Brazil failed Neymar said fered a fractured vertebrae during the Brazilian coaches I’ve had,” he said. come to my left leg. The coach would Copa America in Chile.—AFP Fans attack Flamengo player after 4-0 defeat SAO PAULO: Flamengo’s season went from bad to worse on Sunday when defender Andre Santos was punched and kicked by the club’s fans as he left the stadium after a 4-0 defeat by Internacional that left the Rio club bottom of the Brazilian first division. Local media reported that the left back was hit in the face as he left Beira-rio stadium in Porto Alegre. Angry fans also kicked him as he sought refuge in the van that was picking him up outside the dressing rooms, according to the reports. The former Brazil and Arsenal defender has failed to impress since signing for Flamengo in July last year and has been a constant target of fans. That anger boiled over on Sunday as Flamengo lost again to find themselves rooted to the bottom of the league with just seven points from 11 games. The Rio club had Chicao sent off in the first half and were no match for an Internacional side who are now one of five clubs with 19 points, six behind leaders Cruzeiro. Corinthians are in sec- Andre Santos ond on 20 after getting a point in a drab 0-0 draw away at Vitoria. Ricardo Goulart got a goal after seven min- The other big winners were newly promoted Cruzeiro are the only team in the top half of utes and Manuel headed home another three Chapecoense, who came to Sao Paulo on the table to win both their games since the minutes later. Palmeiras got one back after eight Saturday and beat the home side 1-0 in front of World Cup break and their 2-1 victory at minutes of the second period through Tobio but 43,075 fans, the biggest crowd of the weekend. Palmeiras on Sunday meant they extended their could not grab what would have been a Gremio, Botafogo, Fluminense and Atletico lead at the top of the table to five points. deserved equaliser. Paranaense also won.—Reuters Juventus sign Frenchman Evra from Man United ITALY: French left back Patrice Evra is leaving Manchester United after eight-and-a-half sea- MEXICO: Rubens Sambueza (right) of America vies for the ball with Jonny Magallon sons to join Serie A champions Juventus, the (left) of Leon, during their Mexican Apertura 2014 tournament football match. —AFP Italian club said yesterday. Juve confirmed that they had agreed a 1.2 million-pound ($2.05 million) fee for the 33-year- Chivas, Chiapas draw 1-1 old, who signed a two-year contract. Juventus will pay a further 300,000 pounds to United if MEXICO CITY: Relegation-threatened opportunity from the spot into the net in they qualify for the 2015-16 Champions League. Chivas drew 1-1 with Chiapas on Sunday in the 84th. The move means the chance of Champions the first round of Mexico’s Apertura football Humberto Suazo, Cesar Delgado and League football this season for Evra, who would tournament. Dorlan Pabon scored for Monterrey, with have missed out on Europe’s top club competi- On Saturday, reigning champion Leon Andres Rios earning the loan goal for tion had he stayed at Old Trafford after their sev- fell 2-1 to America, while Monterrey defeat- Leones Negros . enth-place finish in the Premier League. ed newly promoted Leones Negros 3-1. Ismael Sosa scored twice in the first half “After a great deal of thought I have decided In other weekend results, Pumas defeat- for Pumas and Daniel Luduena extended the time is right for me to leave Manchester ed Queretaro 3-1, Puebla won 1-0 over the lead after the break with a free-kick. United,” Evra told United’s website Tijuana, Pachuca overcame Cruz Azul 1-0, Angel Sepulveda scoring in second half (manutd.com). “It is the biggest decision of my Atlas drew 0-0 with Tigres, Santos Laguna injury time for Queretaro. career as this club is, and will always remain, in secured a 1-0 victory over Veracruz, and Luis Lorona scored Puebla’s only goal in my heart. Toluca and Morelia drew 0-0. the 9th minute with a shot into the corner “This club is steeped in history and I feel privi- Fernando Arce put Chivas ahead with a from just inside the penalty area, with leged to have become a part of that ... An free kick from 25 yards (meters) that Puebla holding on after it went down to immense thank you to Sir Alex Ferguson for deceived keeper Cesar Lozano, before ten men in the 67th when TV replays making it all possible, for giving me the privilege Chiapas equalized via Julio Nava in the showed defender Efrain Cortes spat in the to be a captain, to be inspired by the legend of 67th. face of Dario Benedetto. Jorge Hernandez Manchester United and to understand that Patrice Evra Two first half goals from Osvaldo was shown a red card in the 71st and nobody is bigger than the club.” Born in Senegal also moved to Serie A, joining Inter Milan. 2011 but was sacked midway through last sea- Martinez sent America into a 2-0 halftime Daniel Arreola six minutes later as Pachuca and raised in France, Evra began his professional Evra’s move has come at an uncertain time for son after a dreadful start that left them languish- lead, with Leon goalkeeper William went down to nine players against Cruz career in Italy when he signed for Serie C side Juventus following last week’s shock resignation ing in mid-table. Yarbrough losing balance and unintention- Azul, but it held on to win via Matias Massara as a 17-year-old in 1998. of coach Antonio Conte, who won three succes- Last week, Juventus confirmed they had ally carrying the ball over his own line for Alustiza’s goal in the 13th. Colombia’s He moved to Monza in Serie B the following sive Serie A titles in as many seasons in charge. signed Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata for 20 the second.