Bolt Takes Break from Mariners for Overseas Commitment Reuters | Sydney
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 20 Brazil cruise over USA AFP | East Rutherford, United States to qualify for the World Cup. The opening goal came after 11 min- Brazil glided through a one-sided utes, when Juventus winger Douglas oberto Firmino and Neymar first half, with the hosts paying the Costa found himself in space on the scored the goals as Brazil price for repeatedly squandering pos- right flank. We played one of the Neymar Rcruised to a 2-0 friendly victory session cheaply. British-born left-back Antonee Rob- best teams in the world. over an inexperienced United States. inson rushed in to close down Costa, We were a little nervy. Brazil, playing their first internation- but was left for dead as the Brazilian Probably should have al since a disappointing World Cup skipped past him all too easily before done a little better with and quarter-final exit, were in complete picking out Firmino with a pinpoint control throughout a low-key en- low cross. the ball, but that’s why counter at the MetLife Stadium in The Liverpool forward tapped in an you play these games. Roberto East Rutherford, New Jersey. easy finish past Columbus Crew goal- It wasn’t going to be an The South American giants had keeper Zack Steffen for 1-0. easy night when you won their previous 10 games against Costa had Robinson in trouble again play a team like Brazil Firmino the United States, whose lone victory after 31 minutes, going clear to whip in DAVE SARACHAN came way back in 1998. another low cross. This time however There was never much doubt that Neymar was unable to get on the end scoring charts. find goal in Brazil would extend their winning of it as the Americans cleared. Ronaldo has 62 goals, while Pele tops record to 11 consecutive wins as they In the 39th minute Steffen saved the charts with 77. dominated throughout smartly from Liverpool signing Brazil’s sense of superiority was against an American Fabinho as Brazil continued to exert underscored by the fact that Brazil 2-0 friendly team who are pressure. goalkeeper Alisson was not required rebuilding The South Americans doubled their to make a save until the 71st minute, after their lead three minutes from half-time turning around a low shot from Trapp. win shock when US captain Wil Trapp clipped US coach Dave Sarachan, who has fail- Fabinho in the penalty area. spent nearly a year as the team’s care- ure Paris Saint-Germain striker taker boss following the exit of Bruce Neymar stepped up to stroke Arena after the World Cup debacle, in his 58th international goal admitted his team had paid the price in his 91st game. for ceding possession too cheaply. Neymar, who was hand- “We played one of the best teams in ed the captain’s armband the world,” Sarachan said. by manager Tite for this “We were a little nervy. Probably game, is now only five should have done a little better with goals away from sur- the ball, but that’s why you play these passing Ronaldo in games. second place on “It wasn’t going to be an easy night Brazil’s all- when you play a team like Brazil.” time 5 Neymar is now only five goals away from surpassing Ronaldo in second place on Brazil’s all-time scoring charts. Ronaldo has 62 goals, while Pele tops the charts Neymar Jr with 77 Bolt takes break from Mariners for overseas commitment Reuters | Sydney lympic sprint champion Usain Bolt Owill put his efforts to carve out a football career on hold for a week to fulfil a “previously planned” overseas commitment, the A-League’s Central Coast Mariners said yesterday. The 32-year-old Jamaican has been trialling with the Mariners for the last three weeks in the hope of securing a professional con - tract for the 2018-19 A-League cam paign. The break, from Sept. 9-16, had been agreed before he joined Mike Mulvey’s team for training, the club said in a statement. Bolt made his debut for the Mari- ners on Aug. 31, coming off the bench for 18 minutes against a local amate ur side. The Mariners won the game 6-1 but Bolt looked well short of match fitness and lacked the touch on the ball of many of his team mates. Bolt himself said he would need at least four months to get up to speed. Bolt’s attempt to transform himself from the face of global athletics to pro- fessional football player has generat- ed huge publicity for the Mariners, who finished bottom of the 10-team A-League last season. It has also drawn scepticism, with Adelaide United coach Marco Kurz questioning Bolt’s open-ended trial, saying the A-League should focus on recruiting proven talents and improv- ing Australian youngsters. Central Coast Mariners’ Usain Bolt in action.