SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2015 SPORTS Brazil wary ahead of Paraguay Copa rematch

CONCEPCION: Brazil are determined that Nelson Valdez, and a formidable mental lightning will not strike twice in their Copa toughness. “They haven’t lost a single America quarter-final clash with Paraguay game, they have real quality with some late yesterday, four years after crashing out very good players,” Brazil Willian to “La Albirroja” in the last eight. The five- warned. time world champions have lost only one “We’re going to have to concentrate game to Paraguay in 11 meetings at the against them for 90 minutes-we cannot Copa America, but that sole defeat in 2011 afford to switch off at any stage,” the has left Brazil wary as they head into Chelsea star added. Saturday’s quarter-final. For many, Brazil head into late yesterday’s game Paraguay’s 2015 Copa America campaign is after a rollercoaster route through the first starting to carry an ominous echo of 2011, round dominated by the dramatic, tourna- when they reached the final in ment-ending ban handed out to captain without winning a single game in normal after defeat to Colombia in their time. In Chile, Paraguay have been similarly second match. obstinate, clawing their way back from 2-0 Brazil failed to impress in a labored win down to force a 2-2 draw with Argentina in over Peru in their first match, but looked their opening game, squeezing a narrow more balanced in a 2-1 victory over win over Jamaica and grinding out a 1-1 Venezuela on Sunday. draw with Uruguay. Attacking midfielder Roberto Firmino, “Everyone remembers what happened who sealed a transfer to English Premier in the Copa four years ago-Paraguay ended League side Liverpool this week, said Brazil up in the final and we were out in the quar- had recovered from the shock of losing ters,” Brazil defender Thiago Silva reflected. Neymar and were focused on the road “We’re not thinking about revenge, but ahead. “Obviously we’re sad he is no longer obviously for us to be facing Paraguay with us, but our objective has not changed, again at the same stage of the competition and that is to win every match,” Firmino is special.” Brazil bowed out to Paraguay said. “The match against Paraguay is going four years ago after dominating a one- to be very hard, and tight.” With Neymar sided game but failing to score. absent, Brazil coach Dunga is likely to hand The Brazilians then produced arguably a starting place to veteran striker , CHILE: Argentina’s Carlos Tevez (left) scores the winning goal past Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina during a penalty shoot out at the end of a the worst penalty shoot-out performance who impressed against Venezuela before Copa America quarterfinal soccer match. —AP in their history, missing four of their spot- fading. kicks, as Paraguay prevailed 2-0 to advance. Paraguay’s Brazil-based midfielder Victor They later reached the final after anoth- Caceres meanwhile believes his team may er 0-0 draw, against Venezuela in the semi- carry a vital mental edge into the quarter- Argentina down Colombia finals, followed by victory on penalties. final. “Brazil are the favourites but we will Paraguay’s class of 2015 has relied on have a chance if we play a perfect match,” SANTIAGO: Carlos Tevez’s moment, shaking the Like ’s side at last year’s bly their key player. It was unfair that we had to the same formula as their predecessors, the Flamengo player said. “We can’t give elephant off his back to score the decisive penal- World Cup, Argentina are making hard work of go to penalties but that’s how it was,” Martino combining a rugged physicality with the them any space. Our mental superiority ty in Argentina’s shootout win over Colombia, their progress due to a dearth of finishing said. Colombia also came to the tournament cutting edge of strikers and could make the difference.”—AFP could signal a lift-off for ’s team despite boasting and Sergio Aguero among the favourites but go home having at the Copa America. Argentina dominated pos- in their attack. scored one goal in four matches-and that from a session and did most of the running but could The first objective in 2014 was to breach the central defender. not score in open play in a 0-0 quarter-final draw last-eight barrier at a World Cup for the first time Combative Argentine midfielder Javier with Colombia, thanks largely to a string of saves since 1990 and then make it into the semis Mascherano, who won his 115th cap, had no by David Ospina. which is what they have also done in Chile. doubts they had faced a quality side, suggesting Tevez then stepped forward to beat Ospina Martino must be hoping for a liberating Colombia were a yardstick for how good from the spot in the 5-4 shootout win and effect after making the semi-finals where they Argentina are. redeem himself for the miss that put Argentina will play either Paraguay, whom they drew 2-2 “The quality of the rivals is there (for all to out of the 2011 tournament at the same stage. with in their opening group match, or Brazil, see)this same Colombia team 12 months ago “I can’t imagine what it would be like talking their arch-rivals who beat them in the 2004 and played a World Cup quarter-final,” he said. “And to you now if we’d have lost. It would have been 2007 finals. yet we controlled our game and influenced the very unfair,” Martino told reporters. “I hope we “We controlled the entire 90 minutes. They rivals’ gameToday we feel fortified by our game.” can play in the same way (in the later matches) had one header that was their most dangerous But Argentina must sharpen their aim and back but score more goals,” he said. chance and their goalkeeper Ospina was proba- up their creative play with goals.—Reuters England ready to take on ‘aggressive’ Canada

VANCOUVER: England coach Mark Sampson matches compared to the 55 fouls and four yel- lose a game but did not win any style points expects his players to bring their best to their lows awarded to the opposition. either. The Canadian defence has been air-tight Women’s World Cup quarter-final against But Sampson told the Guardian newspaper in conceding just one goal in four contests, but Canada and challenged officials to do the same that according to an official the England team their play on the attack has been uninspiring, on Friday. have on staff, Canada could have had four times scoring just twice in regulation time. With a raucous capacity crowd of close to as many fouls. Instead Canada has relied on its grit and 55,000 expected to fill BC Place for late yester- Canadian coach John Herdman was not mak- home support to help make up for some glaring day’s clash, Sampson put down an early marker ing any apologies for his squad’s rough-and- shortcomings. Sampson described Canada as urging the game officials not to swayed or intim- tumble style which at times has been compared the most aggressive side in the tournament but idated. He also said that Canada had already to the grinding, hard-hitting approach Canada made it clear England was prepared to give as benefited from some home cooking so far in the employs on the ice hockey rinks. good as it gets. tournament. “We will be going out there as physical as we “We’re aware of what type of team we are “The facts are that in the group stage Canada can and just doing what Canadians do, seeing going to face, we’re aware of the potential cir- have been awarded more fouls than their oppo- that Canadian grit,” said Herdman. “We will be cumstances, whatever cards we’ve been dealt nents in every game,” Sampson told reporters. “It the typical Canadian team you’ve seen over the we have to play our best,” said Sampson. is going to be difficult for the officials, a very last few years. We know that Canada is known “Canada are an aggressive team but so is my intimidating environment.” Canada has been for its grit and its aggressive DNA.” England team. We are certainly willing to put our called for 47 fouls and five yellow cards in its four In getting to the last eight Canada did not foot in when we need to.” —Reuters US too strong for China

OTTAWA: The United States maintained their record of having reached every semi-final of the MONTREAL: ’s Claire Lavogez kicks the ball during the second half against women’s World Cup after their 1-0 win over China in a quarterfinal match in the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer tournament, on Friday set up a last four encounter with Friday. —AP Germany. The Americans came into the quarter- final in Ottawa missing two key players through suspension but proved far too strong for a young, defensively-minded Chinese side, who seemed Germany break more and more intimidated as the game went on. Captain Carli Lloyd scored the winner in the 51st minute, jumping high to head home a long French hearts looping cross from defender Julie Johnston. Ali Krieger also hit the post with a drive in the 73rd minute. MONTREAL: Germany beat France in a when Necib put wide from a glorious posi- The win earned the Americans a semi-final slot penalty shootout after their thrilling tion at the back post. next Tuesday in Montreal against Germany, who Women’s World Cup quarter-final ended 1- earlier beat France on penalties after their game 1 after extra-time on Friday. KEY SWITCH finished 1-1 after extra time. The Germans triumphed 5-4 in the Germany coach made a key “I think it was a very good performance shootout after Claire Levogez, chosen as switch at the break bringing in Dsenifer tonight ... the players have a good feeling leaving the fifth kicker for France, saw her low shot Marozsan for and the move the field and that will help buoy us going into the saved by Germany goalkeeper Nadine paid off significantly. Germany game,” said coach Jill Ellis. Angerer. Marozsan brought the German attack to After being criticised for sluggish play earlier in Louisa Necib had put France ahead in life, forcing a good save out of Sarah the tournament, the United States looked much the 64th minute but Germany equalised in Bouhaddi shortly after Sasic had tested her sharper and pressured the Chinese from the start, the 84th when Celia Sasic converted a with a low drive. with only some wayward finishing preventing penalty after handled inside the But it was the French who grabbed the them from scoring several goals. box. Germany will face the winners of lead when Necib pounced on a poor clear- World Cup winners in 1991 and 1999, the Friday’s other quarter-final between the ance and her shot deflected off German Americans showed no signs of being hampered United States and China. The clash defender Annike Krahn and curled into the by the suspensions of first-choice between the top-ranked Germans and a corner. Lauren Holiday and Megan Rapinoe. French team placed third in the world was France looked to be on their way into “We wanted to come out hard and strong from expected to be a memorable encounter the last four but with six minutes of normal the start ... the more pressure we put China and it more than lived up to the billing. time remaining, Leonie Majer drove a cross under the more they coughed the ball up,” said With the quality of the two teams it into the box which struck Majri on the Lloyd. “I think we’re going to be flying next game.” could easily have been the tournament upper-arm and Sasic confidently slotted Tuesday’s match will be a repeat of the 2003 final and the French will head home feeling home her sixth goal of the tournament. semi-final, which Germany won 3-0.Ellis dis- they have missed out on a real chance to Both teams tired in extra-time and there missed the suggestion her team might be fresher win their first World Cup. were few chances created until three min- than Germany, who had to play 120 minutes on “We are very disappointed because the utes from the end of the second period Friday. “I don’t think it impacts the players at this objective was to be on the podium here. when Gaetane Thiney was found unmarked level,” she said, noting her side had had two days We weren’t able to take our opportunities,” at the back-post but she somehow put the fewer than China to prepare for the quarter-final. said France coach . ball wide from close range. The extra rest did not help a Chinese team They certainly looked like champions The Germans scored all five of their with an average age of 24. They had scored four during a first half in which they dominated spot-kicks before goalkeeper Angerer got goals coming into the game and never troubled large sections of play, with some flowing down well to keep out Lavogez’s weak US goalkeeper Hope Solo. Chinese coach Hao Wei attacking football that produced several attempt. “I think the team showed their blamed himself, saying he had chosen the wrong good openings. character by the way they turned the tactics. “We lost the game because of me,” he said, The best chance of the opening 45 min- switch in the second half,” said Germany adding that he had set his team the goal of reach- ONTARIO: China’s Pang Fengyue (3) chases United States’ Carli Lloyd (10) during the second utes came almost straight from kick-off coach Neid. —Reuters ing the semi-finals. —Reuters half of a quarterfinal match in the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer tournament. —AP