Russia Undone by Brilliant Hamsik
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CRICKET | Page 5 GGOLFOLF | Page 6 Bumrah Day, Spieth grabs four as and McIlroy To Advertise here Zimbabwe set for US Open Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 crash showdown Thursday, June 16, 2016 EURO 2016 Ramadan 11, 1437 AH Bale and brawl GULF TIMES fears stalk England in Lens SPORT Page 2 SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Switzerland on the Russia undone by brink of last 16 aft er Romania draw Reuters brilliant Hamsik Paris ‘This has perhaps opened up the gates to the last 16’ witzerland were on the brink of the Euro 2016 last 16 yesterday after they salvaged a 1-1 draw against Romania in a lively SGroup A clash at the Parc des Princes. The Swiss, who owe their point to Admir Mehmedi’s second-half strike, have four points from two games while Romania have one after Bogdan Stancu opened the scoring in the fi rst half. Hosts France, on three points, will be the fi rst team to reach the knockout phase if they beat Albania, who have yet to get off the mark, in Marseille in a late last night match. Although the Swiss have a good chance to qualify, at least as one of the four best third-placed teams, they may regret missing several chances in a Romania’s forward Bogdan Stancu game that could have seen them move celebrates after scoring a penalty in into their fi rst European Champion- Paris yesterday. (AFP) ship knockout phase. Romania, instead, earned a lifeline Friday, became the fi rst Romanian ahead of their fi nal game against Al- player to score two goals at a European bania. After a 2-1 defeat in the tour- Championship. nament opener versus hosts France, Two minutes later, Tatarusanu Romania started cautiously, allowing tipped Fabian Schaer’s fi erce 20-me- their opponents to pick up momen- tre volley over the bar as the game got tum. In the seventh minute, Switzer- livelier. Romania had a huge opportu- land’s Haris Seferovic beat defender nity to double their tally but Cristian Vlad Chichires in the box but his right- Sapuranu’s shot went just wide. foot eff ort then went just wide. The Blerim Dzemaili’s header was off forward had another chance nine min- target as Switzerland missed yet an- utes later, only for goalkeeper Ciprian other chance before halftime. Tatarusanu to deny him with his left Romania defended well but there foot. Romania, however, scored with was nothing Tatarusanu could do in their fi rst chance. the 57th minute when Mehmedi drilled Switzerland captain Stephan Lich- a half-volley into the far side of the net. tsteiner grabbed Alexandru Chipciu’s Switzerland continued to push shirt in the area and Stancu converted hard and coach Vladimir Petkovic the resulting penalty, putting Roma- substituted Seferovic just past the hour nia ahead in the 18th minute against mark for 19-year-old Breel Embolo, the run of play. Stancu, who also net- who had no impact in a disappointing ted from the spot against France last performance. Slovakia’s midfielder Marek Hamsik (centre) kicks the ball between Russia’s defender Sergey Ignashevich (right) and midfielder Roman Neustaedter (second left) to score during the Euro 2016 Group B match at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Lille yesterday. (AFP) AFP There was a much calmer atmos- Lille, France phere inside the stands as the match was played with the stadium roof RUSSIA COACH SLUTSKI closed. Kozak made three changes to arek Hamsik set up the the Slovakia team beaten by Wales, opener and came up with including handing a start to Ondrej SHRUGS OFF TROUBLE a contender for goal of Duda, the young forward who had Mthe tournament as Slova- come off the bench to net in the open- Lille, France: Russia’s players have not been distracted by the fan violence kia beat Russia 2-1 in Lille yesterday to ing match. that has brought a threat of disqualification from Euro 2016, coach Leonid claim a fi rst European Championship After a slow start, Russia grew into Slutski said after another stuttering performance from his team yesterday. fi nals win. the game and their powerful centre- “It has had no eff ect on the team,” Slutski said after Russia’s 2-1 defeat by Hamsik’s pass released Vladimir forward Artem Dzyuba, of Zenit St Pe- Slovakia in Lille which leaves them now needing to beat Wales in their final Weiss to score in the 32nd minute tersburg, nearly caught out Slovakian Group B game to survive in the tournament. Worryingly, with the threat of at the Stade Pierre Mauroy and the ’keeper Matus Kovacik with a header expulsion from this tournament hanging over the 2018 World Cup hosts, a Napoli star doubled the lead in style after good play down the right by Igor flare went off among Russian fans after Denis Glushakov’s late strike gave right on the stroke of half-time. Rus- Smolnikov. them brief hope of salvaging a point. sia pushed in the second half but were Dzyuba then displayed his strength But Slutski insisted he did not see it and refused to say if he was worried left with too much to do, even if Denis to set up Fedor Smolov for a low shot about a repeat of the fan violence in Marseille that marred Saturday’s 1-1 Glushakov got one back in the 80th that fi zzed inches wide of the left post draw with England. minute to set up a grandstand fi nale. as the half-hour approached, but soon UEFA indicated that the flare incident did not constitute a “crowd distur- The result allowed Jan Kozak’s team after that Slovakia were in front. bance” that might trigger the suspended penalty hanging over the Russian to bounce back from the 2-1 defeat to Hamsik undid the Russia defence team since their supporters charged England fans at the Stade Velodrome. Wales with which they started their with a superb left-foot pass in behind Nonetheless, Russian fans were being monitored by a massive police Euro 2016 campaign and put pressure right-back Smolnikov. presence in Lille after the game for fear of new clashes with English and on their Group B rivals before England Weiss still had work to do though, as Welsh supporters crowding the city ahead of their clash in the same group in take on the Welsh in Lens today. “We he cut back onto his right foot and fi n- nearby Lens today. Slutski was clearly dissatisfied by another disjointed per- are very proud and happy with our ished with aplomb past Igor Akinfeev formance by his team and suggested that the line-up, unchanged from the fi rst win at a European Champion- into the far corner. Leonid Slutsky’s England game, might well be altered for Monday’s decisive clash with Wales ship,” said man of the match Hamsik. side were stunned but there was worse in Toulouse. “Changes are quite possible,” Slutski told reporters, though he “This has perhaps opened up the gates to come for them, and better from declined to criticise his misfiring forward trio of Aleksandr Kokorin, Artem to the last 16. I did well and am very Hamsik, as the interval approached. Dzyuba and Fedor Smolov. “We have plenty of time for analysis and to as- proud that I managed to score such a The Russian defence was still or- sess our playing resources.” goal. It was brilliant.” ganising itself when Weiss played a Slutski said Marek Hamsik’s goal that put Slovakia 2-0 ahead at halftime Russia prop up the group with one corner short to Hamsik. was down to his defence’s lack of concentration in injury time. point from two matches and will sure- Oleg Shatov came across in an Slovakia coach Jan Kozak said his side had worked on the short corner ly now need to beat Wales in their fi - attempt to block Hamsik but the routine specifically to target a Russian defensive weakness they had spotted. nal group game to keep their hopes of 28-year-old turned back onto his right With Russia still having the chance of picking up four points in their group, reaching the last 16 alive. The build- foot and curled a tremendous eff ort in Slutski said: “The situation in the group is pretty messy. Every team has a up to this match in far northern France off the far post. chance of reaching the knockout stage. The battle will go right to the end.” had been overshadowed by hooligan- It was arguably the goal of Euro ism fears with Russia having been told 2016 so far and it had the Slovakians at they would be thrown out of the com- that end of the ground in raptures. Golovin with Glushakov and Pavel 80th minute, heading home after petition if there was any repeat of the Slutsky changed his two central Mamaev. Shatov had played a one-two with Ro- crowd trouble at the end of their draw midfi elders at half-time, replacing It was Glushakov of Spartak Mos- man Shirokov and crossed from the Switzerland’s Admir Mehmedi (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring with England in Marseille. Roman Neustaedter and Aleksandr cow who reduced the arrears in the left byline. But Slovakia held on. against Romania in a Group A clash at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. (Reuters) Gulf Times 2 Thursday, June 16, 2016 EURO 2016 ENGLAND VS WALES, 4PM Rooney, Roy refuse to take Wales bait Lens, France: England captain on Hodgson’s men.