TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2015 SPORTS Constantine back to wake up ‘sleeping giant’ India NEW DELHI: Stephen Constantine has the first edition of the franchise-based said. “I had invested three years of my country of 1.2 billion, with a rich soccer to take footballing decisions.” first hand knowledge of how difficult it Indian Super League proved a resound- life in India and had enjoyed the time history to boot, has not featured in Since he took over, India beat Nepal is to wake up India from its soccer slum- ing success last year. The AIFF has and working with the Indian players.” World Cups yet but Constantine has a earlier this month to progress to the ber but the Englishman insists he can brought back Constantine for a second theory. second round of the combined 2018 make a difference at his second attempt stint with the national team after he INDIA RIDDLE “It’s not a riddle for me. The state World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup quali- or he would not have accepted the guided Rwanda to their highest ever Having renewed his Indian ties, associations don’t do enough to devel- fiers. The draw for the second round offer. India rank a dismal 147 in the lat- FIFA ranking of 64. Constantine saw no reasons why he op the game and the clubs don’t do involving 40 teams takes place on est rankings, reflecting soccer’s struggle In an interview with Reuters, the could not repeat his Rwanda success anywhere near what they should be Tuesday and the coach admitted it for growth in the cricket-obsessed Briton explained what prompted him to and guide the world’s second most pop- doing in terms of the development of would not be easy to finish among the nation and prompting FIFA president return as the head coach of a nation he ulous nation back into the top 100 in youth. top 12 who proceed to the next round. Sepp Blatter to term the country a first coached between 2002 and 2005. FIFA rankings. “If I didn’t think I “The club licensing criteria need to “It’s difficult to say before the draw “sleeping giant”. “The belief I could make a difference could...wouldn’t have taken up the job, be implemented to the full. You need to but whoever we get in our group, all the Since then, FIFA has partnered the All and that there was the willingness from 64th in the FIFA ladder is a good place look at the MLS (Major League Soccer) games will be tough, especially after the India Football Federation (AIFF) to the AIFF to give me a free hand and to be.” in the US to see how with discipline and last few years we have had, there are no develop the game in the country and allow me to do what I feel is needed,” he It remains a mystery for many why a a vision you can have success. We need easy games for us.” —Reuters Villarreal held by Getafe BARCELONA: Villarreal’s slide continued as a Diego Castro header gave Getafe a 1-1 draw in La Liga on Sunday but the match was over- shadowed by a serious injury to Mateo Musacchio. The Villarreal defender was carried off on a stretcher with 13 minutes to go after his ankle buckled when he was running for the ball. He has since been successfully operated on in hos- pital after suffering a dislocation and break. “The game comes second. I didn’t think it was so serious but when I saw the blood I was shocked,” Villarreal coach Marcelino told reporters. “It is a serious injury and we will have to see what happens next. It really is terrible what has happened.” An Ikechukwu Uche penalty, after he himself was fouled by Medhi Lacen with 52 minutes played, was Villarreal’s first goal in five league games but it was not enough to give them their first La Liga away win of the year. In a scrappy game Getafe deservedly drew level with a fine header from Castro after 64 minutes and Pedro Leon had the chance to win the game but his shot following a breakaway was parried by Villarreal keeper Sergio Asenjo. Villarreal have failed to win in seven games in all competitions and are sixth on 51 points. Getafe are 13th on 36 points. “We looked strong after going ahead but then Getafe scored during their best spell. After that we once again looked strong but the injury to Mateo made it more difficult for us as we were left with 10,” added Marcelino. An 18-match unbeaten run up until February saw Villarreal alive on three fronts but in the last couple of months the wheels have Marco Fabian celebrates in this file photo. come off. They were knocked out of the King’s Cup and the Europa League while their dreams of a Guadalajara win over Leon Champions League spot have faded. Injuries have taken their toll with Bruno MEXICO CITY: Guadalajara beat Leon 1-0 championship for which the top eight qual- Soriano and Denis Cheryshev among the key on Sunday to go top of the Mexican league ify. However they still remain two places players that have missed games and now the championship while the threat of relega- from bottom of the relegation table based loss of Musacchio, who also spent a lengthy tion still hangs over their heads. on teams’ average points over three sea- spell in the treatment room earlier in the sea- Mexico forward Marco Fabian scored sons. son, will be a big blow. one minute from time when his volley from A factor in Guadalajara’s improvement Elsewhere, Sergio Garcia gave Espanyol a 1- a sliced clearance by Jonny Magallon went appears to be owner Jorge Vergara’s realisa- 0 home victory over Athletic Bilbao that moved between a defender’s legs and inside the tion his wife Angelica Fuentes, who got them up to eighth and Real Sociedad could bottom corner. through 13 changes of coach in five years only draw 2-2 at home with struggling “You’ve got to try everything and thank as managing director, had not been run- Deportivo la Coruna. God it came off. There’s the Chivas every- ning the club well and sacked her at the Sociedad twice went ahead but the one wants to see,” Fabian told reporters. beginning of April. Galician side fought back with goals from The victory confirms the Chivas’ “We didn’t seek the same objective. I’ve improvement this year under former always said I seek results and not money Lucas Perez and Toche. Enzo Roco and Mario Pasalic scored as Elche won 2-0 at bottom Mexico coach Juan Manuel de la Torre after and she sought money and not results,” Diego Castro in action in this file photo. several seasons struggling for form that has Vergara was quoted as saying by the sports side Cordoba. —Reuters brought them to edge of relegation. daily Record (www.record.com.mx). Guadalajara have 24 points from 13 “I was blind for five years and that matches, a lead of five points over eighth- allowed for many mistakes. Our vocation is placed city rivals Atlas with four matches to to look after our own people and what we River join four-team logjam go to the knockout phase of the Clausura didn’t do was look after them.”—Reuters BUENOS AIRES: Four teams were level on points at the top of the Argentine championship after River Plate’s 2-1 victory at Argentinos Juniors on NZ eye World Cup joint Sunday. River joined San Lorenzo, Boca Juniors and Rosario Central on 21 points from nine host bid with Australia matches almost a third of the way through the season. Veteran striker Fernando Cavenaghi put River ahead when he beat the offside trap to a WELLINGTON: A potential bid from New wait too long and aren’t aspirational then through ball and raced into the box to beat goal- Zealand to co-host the FIFA World Cup in that will dissipate.” keeper Luis Ojeda after half an hour. 2026 or 2030 could prove “a pipe dream” Argentinos equalised with Lautaro Rinaldi’s but the ambitious country are pressing on SURPRISED overhead kick from a throw in the second half, with the bold plans, Martin Snedden told A potential bid had been broached with less than two minutes after he had come on as a Reuters. central government, New Zealand Football substitute. River snatched the points in the 66th The former New Zealand cricketer, who and Sports New Zealand, but they were yet when teenage striker Lucas Boye chested down headed the highly successful 2011 rugby to approach Australia, he added. Camilo Mayada’s cross and scored with a low World Cup in the country, floated the possi- He envisaged if a joint bid went ahead, right-footed shot past Ojeda into the far bottom bility of staging soccer’s global showpiece Australia would host 70 percent of the tour- corner. with Australia yesterday. nament, with two or three of the eight “They are a tough team to play against on an Snedden said the suggestion was still pools in New Zealand, with the four main always difficult, small pitch, I saw some good very much in its embryonic stages, but he centres of Auckland, Wellington, things,” River coach Marcelo Gallardo told Futbol felt it was imperative the country capi- Christchurch and Dunedin earmarked as Para Todos.