Cavendish crashes Old foes meet as Kittel wins again in Tour stage Wimbledon final

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Loew relishing ‘beautiful’ semi-final against Page 19

BRASILIA: ’s forward Gonzalo Higuain (left) shoots to score during a quarter-final football match between Argentina and Belgium at the Mane Garrincha National Stadium. — AFP Higuain fires Argentina into semis

BRASILIA: Gonzalo Higuain smashed home an early goal as and all aspects of its game. “However, the injury to di Maria is a Belgium on the back foot. Messi was at the forefront, freeing Romero, headed narrowly wide from a Vertonghen Argentina dashed the World Cup dreams of much-fancied big blow.” for a low cross that hacked cross. Belgium coach pushed Belgium with a 1-0 win in the quarter-finals in Brasilia yesterday. Hours after Neymar was ruled out of the tournament due to clear and then playing a central role in Argentina’s opener with a further forward in the second half, but Argentina continued to Higuain struck in the eighth minute at the Mane Garrincha injury and James Rodriguez was eliminated with , pirouette and pass to Di Maria. threaten. National Stadium to send Argentina into the last four for the first gave further evidence to suggest the World Cup Di Maria’s subsequent pass was intended for the overlapping Higuain twice came close to claiming a second goal, first see- time since 1990 and thwart Belgian hopes of avenging their may yet belong to him. He illuminated Argentina’s play with his , but it flicked off ’s right foot and ing a shot deflected wide by and then neatly defeat in the 1986 semi-finals. ’s side will play trickery and incisive passing and although he failed to score, into the path of Higuain, who lashed in his first goal of the tour- nutmegging Kompany, only for his shot to clip the bar. either the Netherlands or Costa Rica, who face off in the fourth Higuain’s goal was enough to see off Belgium’s ‘golden genera- nament. Messi then produced a cleverly weighted pass to Di Wilmots reacted by introducing and Dries and final quarter-final late yesterday. tion’, for whom the occasion proved a step too far. Maria, who shifted the ball onto his left foot, only for Kompany to Mertens, before hooking the ineffective Hazard. Belgium began The only black mark for Argentina was an injury to influential A symbol of Belgium’s travails, star player was block. Though seemingly anodyne, it was a moment that could to apply pressure, with Fellaini heading a Vertonghen cross over Angel Di Maria that forced him off in the first half and booked for a crude challenge on and then replaced have lasting repercussions for Argentina. Di Maria injured himself the bar and De Bruyne having a shot deflected wide. Messi may yet deny him a chance to play in the semi-final. by Nacer Chadli with 15 minutes remaining. while shooting and had to trudge off in the 33rd minute, with should have made it 2-0 on the counter-attack in stoppage time, “It was our best game of the World Cup,” said Sabella. “It is a Showing three changes to the team that had laboured to beat Benfica’s Enzo Perez coming on. only for to rush out and save, but Argentina great joy for this team, for the people for my family and for every- Switzerland in the last 16 — Jose Maria Basanta, Martin Belgium seemed slightly inhibited, but after held on nonetheless to join Germany and eternal rivals Brazil in one. This was the best game for Argentina in terms of balance Demichelis and Biglia coming in- Argentina were quick to put saw a 25-yard shot boxed away by Argentina goalkeeper Sergio the last four. — AFP

Kvitova crowned Di Stefano in coma Wimbledon queen after heart attack MADRID: Real Madrid legend Alfredo di Stefano, one of the greatest players in history, is in a coma in hospital LONDON: Petra Kvitova stormed to her sec- and will rise to fourth in the world rankings after suffering a heart attack yesterday, officials said. ond Wimbledon title in the shortest women’s next week. Rescuers battled to revive the former player, who final since 1983 as the Czech sixth seed While Kvitova celebrated, Bouchard, the turned 88 on Friday, after his heart and breathing crushed Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-0 youngest finalist at a major since Caroline stopped while he was in central Madrid, said a source at yesterday. Wozniacki in 2009, was left to lick her wounds Madrid Emergency Kvitova, who first won Wimbledon in after a chastening defeat in her first Grand Services. 2011, took just 55 minutes to end her three- Slam final. “He had suffered a car- year wait for a second Grand Slam crown, The photogenic and fiercely competitive diorespiratory arrest. The leaving shell-shocked world number 13 Bouchard, named after Princess Eugenie by emergency services Bouchard helpless to repel a brutal barrage of her royalty-obsessed mother, has been wide- began resuscitation and 28 winners and four aces on Centre Court. ly compared to Maria Sharapova and this was after 18 minutes man- Playing in her first Grand Slam final since supposed to be her coronation as the queen aged to get him out of her maiden triumph at Wimbledon, the 24- of Wimbledon. Bu instead, with her regal the arrest and he was tak- year-old Kvitova produced a brilliant display namesake watching from the Royal Box, the en in a serious condition of power-hitting to secure the 12th career 20-year-old was swept away and now shares to the Gregorio Maranon title. with Sharapova the unwanted distinction of hospital,” the source told Fittingly, Kvitova’s breathtaking perform- being thrashed by Kvitova in a Wimbledon AFP. ance came in front of her childhood hero final. The Argentinian- Martina Navratilova, whose 54-minute win “It was really tough for me today but I am Spaniard is now lying in a Alfredo di Stefano against Andrea Jaeger 31 years ago was the proud of how I have played for these two coma in the cardiac ward of the hospital, a hospital last Wimbledon final to take less time than weeks,” Bouchard said. “I feel like it’s a step in spokesman said. “He suffered a heart attack and was tak- this ruthless demolition. “I had great tactics the right direction. I’m not sure I deserve all en to the cardiac unit of the Gregorio Maranon hospital,” from my coach, he always knows how I need your love today but I certainly appreciate it.” WIMBLEDON: Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic holds up the trophy after winning the he told AFP. to play,” Kvitova said. Kvitova was unloading some searing women’s singles final against Eugenie Bouchard of Canada at the All England Lawn Tennis “His status is that he is in a coma and we are keeping “All my team helped me a lot throughout groundstrokes and Bouchard, no slouch in Championships. — AP an eye on his progress.” Leading newspaper El Pais said the years to come back here and win the tro- the power stakes herself, was unable to the relentless barrage and the Czech, hitting Kvitova letting up in the second set and a Di Stefano had been eating with his family near the phy again. “I can’t say it’s more special but respond as a flashing forehand winner from with an unstoppable combination of aggres- crushing overhead left Bouchard almost Santiago Bernabeu stadium when he felt ill and sat after three years to be back here with the tro- the Czech secured the first break in the third sion and accuracy, broke again for a 5-2 lead. ducking for cover as it fizzed over her head. down on his wheelchair. phy is so special.” game. Kvitova’s onslaught left the bewildered As statements of intent go, it was a By the time an ambulance arrived he was in car- After struggling to cope with the fame Bouchard, bidding to become the Bouchard, who had grown used to bullying resounding success and Bouchard, rapidly diorespiratory arrest. According to the paper, Di Stefano and increased expectations that came with youngest Grand Slam winner since opponents into submission herself over the losing her stomach for the fight, tamely sur- had been hospitalised seven times for similar episodes, her first Wimbledon triumph, Kvitova has Sharapova in 2006 at the US Open, respond- last fortnight, shaking her head in frustration. rendered her serve in the second game. none of which were as serious as the latest attack. finally recaptured the thrilling form that ed by adding even more bite to her returns, The Canadian briefly stemmed the tide Kvitova had a vice-like grip on the trophy Di Stefano is one of Real Madrid’s most celebrated brought her that breakthrough success. but Kvitova had the answer to everything the with a break of her own in the next game, but now and she sprinted to the finish line with players, having represented the club for 11 seasons The left-hander dropped just one set in youngster could throw at her. Kvitova answered emphatically with another two more breaks to complete the most clini- between 1953 and 1964, winning five European Cups. her seven matches en route to lifting the The Canadian, playing in only her sixth sequence of sledgehammer winners to break cal final victory Wimbledon had seen for He now holds the title of honorary club president. —AFP Venus Rosewater dish for the second time Grand Slam tournament, was wilting under again and seal the set. There was no sign of decades. — AFP