THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017 SPORTS Windies face tough World Cup challenge after washout BELFAST: West Indies will need to smash hosts will qualify directly for the 50-over showpiece event in play in the qualifiers. We are where we are and if we do umpires’ decision. “Very disappointed. It was set to be a England in the upcoming one-day international series 2019. Teams that do not gain direct entry will get have to play in them, we will take it one step at a time.” good occasion for Irish cricket and it’s great to be here, to avoid the ignominy of being forced to qualify for the another shot through a qualifying tournament. The West Indies, who lost the recent Test series against albeit it’s very, very cold,” he said. World Cup after a washout against Ireland yesterday. West Indies captain Jason Holder said qualifying England 2-1, have been boosted by the return of Chris “It’s just unfortunate the weather intervened but it The game at Stormont was scrapped without a ball automatically would be a tough task but he is looking Gayle while Marlon Samuels will join up with the was very wet out there and the last shower settled it.” being bowled after fresh rain followed an overnight forward to the series, which starts in Manchester next squad after a family bereavement. The abandonment means Ireland are still waiting to soaking for the pitch, leaving the umpires with no week. “England are a quality cricket side and they are “We are still a work in progress and hopefully more play their first match against a Test-playing side since choice. It means the 1975 and 1979 World Cup winners playing at home,” said the skipper. players are coming back,” said Holder. “Meantime, we being granted full member status by the International will have to beat England 5-0 or 4-0 with either a tie or “We’re at the stage where we are looking to turn a have a young group of players challenging for places Cricket Council in June. a no-result in order to qualify ahead of eighth-placed corner and qualify for the World Cup, whether we have and hopefully they can come in and make their pres- West Indies fly to England on Thursday ahead of a Sri Lanka, who are eight points ahead in the rankings. to go through the qualifiers or qualify automatically. ence felt and feel more comfortable in the internation- one-off Twenty20 international at Chester-le-Street on Only the top seven ODI sides, apart from hosts We’re excited for the series and hopefully we can play al arena.” Holder was disappointed at missing out on Saturday. The ODI series starts at Old Trafford on England, currently ranked fourth, as of September 30 some good cricket. “It won’t be an embarrassment to playing yesterday but could not disagree with the September 19. — AFP Infantino opposed blocking Mutko LONDON: A fired FIFA official testified yes- Mutko) on the World Cup,” Maduro said. “He terday that he banned Vitaly Mutko from was very clear about that.” soccer’s ruling council after resisting strong FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura pressure from the FIFA leadership, which went further to Maduro. “The secretary warned the World Cup in Russia would be a general made it clear to me that it was “disaster” and Gianni Infantino’s presidency extremely problematic,” Maduro said. could be jeopardized. Miguel Maduro pro- “More than that, she said we needed to vided an account to British legislators of find a solution to declare Mr. Mutko eligi- the pressures he endured from the FIFA ble because otherwise the presidency hierarchy during less than a year chairing itself would be in question, the World Cup the governance committee before being would be a disaster, that was her view, abruptly removed from his post in May. and the continued presidency of Mr. The biggest call of Maduro’s tenure was Infantino would also be in question.” to prevent Mutko, a Russian deputy prime Mutko’s continued position of power minister who is also head of the 2018 World within FIFA was also under scrutiny after Cup organizing committee, from seeking he was directly implicated in the state- re-election to the FIFA Council on grounds sponsored doping scandal in Russia. of political interference. Maduro said Infantino believes there is “With the exception of that case in gen- “no evidence” Mutko is involved in the eral, the president did not try to influence Russian doping scandal. our decisions,” Maduro told the sports com- The hearing at the British parliament mittee at the House of Commons. “He began with committee chairman Damian would transit to me sometimes those deci- Collins disclosing correspondence from sions were not well accepted but in that FIFA blocking ousted investigator Cornel case there was an attempt to influence that Borbely from taking questions from legis- decision.” lators. It came in March just as Russia was Samoura wrote to Collins warning that preparing to host a World Cup warm-up Borbely is prevented from appearing at tournament, where Infantino met with the digital, culture, media and sport com- Mutko and Russian President Vladimir mittee because he is still bound by the Putin. “(Infantino) expressed concerns FIFA ethics code and Swiss civil and crimi- about the impact of the decision (to ban nal law. — AP Reds stun Kawasaki to reach Asian final SAITAMA: Urawa Reds scored three goals playing football, while several shots were in a 15-minute blitz to floor Japanese rivals more of a threat to low-flying aircraft than Kawasaki Frontale 4-1 in a fiery encounter the goalkeepers. But when substitute yesterday and reach the Asian Champions Ljubijankic headed Urawa’s second of the League semi-finals. Slovenian Zlatan night to make it 4-3 on aggregate, Ljubijankic, Brazilian Rafael Silva and Kawasaki began to look frayed and a Rafael Toshiyuki Takagi all scored late goals Silva bullet levelled the tie on 83 minutes. against 10-man Kawasaki as the home side As Kawasaki wilted in the humid condi- MUNICH: Bayern Munich’s German midfielder Joshua Kimmich (L) scores the third goal past Anderlecht’s Belgian goalkeeper Matz Sels during overturned a two-goal deficit to win 5-4 on tions, Takagi’s shin connected with an the Champions League group B match between Bayern Munich and RSC Anderlecht in Munich, southern Germany, on Tuesday. — AFP aggregate. The Reds, who won Asia’s pre- attempted left-foot volley two minutes lat- mier club competition in 2007, will face er and the ball looped over goalkeeper SOCCER China’s Shanghai SIPG in the last four after Jung Sung-Ryong for a dramatic winner. a see-saw struggle. “To be honest, that goal wasn’t 100 percent Brazilian Elsinho put Kawasaki in front how I planned to hit it but it went in so I’ll Thiago strike helps Bayern after 19 minutes, flicking the ball home take it,” said Takagi sheepishly. “We’ve come after a comic error from goalkeeper this far so we have to make sure we reach Shusaku Nishikawa to stretch their lead to the final now.” three goals after winning the first leg 3-1. Urawa, currently eighth in the J-League past 10-man Anderlecht But Shinzo Koroki pulled one back for table, face Andre Villas-Boas’s Shanghai Urawa in the 35th minute before the tie side away on September 27 in the first leg MUNICH: Thiago Alcantara’s second-half strike in a fortnight. The Bayern-PSG tie at the Parc de unchecked down the wing. Another great took a dramatic twist moments later when of their semi-final. The return fixture will be helped an underwhelming Bayern Munich see Princes is likely to set the tone in Group B. chance fell to the Belgians early in the second Frontale defender Shintaro Kurumaya was played on October 18. Japanese sides have off 10-man Anderlecht 3-0 in their opening Head coach Carlo Ancelotti reacted to half when striker Lukasz Teodorczyk opened up sent off for a high boot that caught Koroki struggled in the Asian Champions League Champions League group match on Tuesday. Bayern’s shock 2-0 defeat at Hoffenheim by space for right-back Alexandru Chipciu, who hit in the face. since Urawa’s victory in 2007 and Gamba After Robert Lewandowski converted an early dropping Thomas Mueller and giving new sign- the post. Robben then forced Sels into a good At times it appeared that both teams Osaka’s triumph a year later, and Shanghai penalty, Thiago turned the tie decisively Bayern’s ing James Rodriguez his first start in the attack- save as Bayern applied some pressure. The sec- were more interested in fisticuffs and SIPG will go into the semi-final as firm way before Joshua Kimmich grabbed a late third ing midfielder role. Veteran wingers Robben and ond goal arrived when Kimmich’s cross from the rolling on the ground in mock agony than favourites. — AFP at a sold-out Allianz Arena. Franck Ribery, who both started on the bench in right was met by Thiago in the middle, who fired However, despite playing nearly 80 minutes Hoffenheim, returned to the starting line-up. past Sels on 65 minutes. with the numerical advantage following Sven Thiago moved back into defensive midfield Bayern centre-back Niklas Suele headed into Kums’s early dismissal, this was not a convincing alongside France international Corentin Tolisso. the Anderlecht net two minutes later, but display by Bayern against a limited Anderlecht Bayern seized the initiative after just 12 minutes Tagliavento disallowed the goal after spotting a side.