SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2016 SPORTS Colombia shatter American dream in Copa opener

SANTA CLARA: Colombia wrecked the our second game now,” Klinsmann said. ing effort whistled just past Arsenal goal- United States’ hopes of a winning start to “We have our backs against the wall and keeper David Ospina’s upright. But within the Copa America Centenario as goals we need three points against Costa Rica. minutes of that fleeting US opportunity, from James Rodriguez and Cristian But there’s a lot of positives.” the hosts were dealt a killer blow when Zapata gave the South Americans a com- Yedlin was adjudged to have flicked a fortable 2-0 victory here Friday. AC Milan’s First half woe hand out to block Farid Diaz’s cross. Zapata and Real Madrid star Rodriguez A disastrous first half for the host America’s players protested but struck in the first half before a sell-out nation saw Colombia take a vice-like grip Mexican referee Roberto Garcia was in no 67,439 crowd at the Levi’s Stadium in on the contest. The Colombians took the doubt and pointed to the spot. Rodriguez northern California to puncture American lead after only eight minutes, when poor duly stepped up to stroke home the spot- hopes of emerging from a difficult Group marking at a set-piece gifted a chance to kick and Colombia were in total control. A. US coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s side had the Italy-based Zapata. Stoke City defend- Colombia threatened again early in the hoped to score an upset victory to emu- er Geoff Cameron was caught ball-watch- first half, with Cardona testing Guzan late the Americans’ famous defeat of ing as Edwin Cardona’s corner was curled once more with a fierce shot on 50 min- Colombia at the 1994 World Cup in the in, and Zapata stole in front of his man to utes. It started to look ominous for the United States. thunder home the finish. The USA strug- hosts soon after, with Colombia passing But for long periods here Friday gled to build any sort of momentum after the ball between themselves to draw Klinsmann’s men were chasing shadows that, with Colombia flooding midfield and cheers of “Ole” from their large contingent as the skilful 2014 World Cup quarter- pressing the Americans relentlessly. of noisy fans. But home hopes were raised finalists delivered a stinging reality check. Colombia dominated territory and when Dempsey saw his header from a Klinsmann sought to put a positive spin possession and carved out the better Michael Bradley corner cleared off the line on the game, insisting his team had com- chances with Sebastian Perez forcing a by Perez. peted as equals. “For our players it’s really diving save from Aston Villa’s Brad Guzan Dempsey went close again on 64 min- SANTA CLARA: Sebastian Perez #13 of Colombia controls the ball in front of important that they can see we can beat in the 16th minute with a rasping drive. utes, his curling free-kick parried clear by Geoff Cameron #20 of United States during the 2016 Copa America Centenario them,” Klinsmann said. “The end result is Monterrey’s Cardona proved to be a men- Ospina diving to his left. Yet the American Group match between the United States and Colombia at Levi’s Stadium on 2-0. But the players will take a lot out of ace to the USA back four throughout, tor- fightback was shortlived and it was June 3, 2016. — AFP this game.” Klinsmann admitted the menting Cameron and DeAndre Yedlin in Colombia who came closest to scoring defeat left his team with little margin for quick succession midway through the half next when AC Milan’s Carlos Bacca broke star Christian Pulisic and Darlington now regroup in time for their second error in their remaining group games before shooting on goal. The only USA clear and crashed a shot against the Nagbe was unable to turn the tide for match against World Cup quarter-finalists against Costa Rica and Paraguay. chance of note was a 36th-minute run underside of the crossbar with Guzan Klinsmann’s men as Colombia coasted Costa Rica on Tuesday. Colombia will play “Obviously we have even more hunger in and shot from Clint Dempsey, whose curl- beaten. The introduction of rising teenage home to victory. The United States must Paraguay in their next match.— AFP Warts and all, France will be tested by the Euro 2016

PARIS: As with all modern sporting mega-events and their hosts, Euro 2016 will be a mirror for contemporary France: The reflection could be beautiful, ugly, or - most likely - a mix of both. Befitting the world’s sixth-largest economy, the bricks and mortar for a successful tournament have been ready for months. New, refurbished or already magnificent stadiums in 10 host cities stand as advertisements for French engineering and savoir faire. The same is true of the high-speed rail net- work and cross-country web of “autoroute” high- ways that should make it a breeze for fans to travel to the 51 matches, soaking up the coun- try’s natural beauty in between. No more sleep- ing rough on airport floors for overpriced red- eye flights like in World Cup hosts Brazil in 2014 and South Africa in 2010, and Euro 2012 co- hosts Poland and Ukraine. Indeed, these relative- ly compact Euros will be the last fan-friendly soc- cer tournament for a while. The 2018 World Cup, spread across Russia’s vast expanses, and Euro 2020, dispersed confetti like across 12 countries from Azerbaijan to Ireland, will be made for television (and, by PARIS: Italy’s player Simone Zaza warms up during a training session of the Italian national extension, advertisers), with too many geo- soccer team at the Coverciano training center, near Florence, Italy. Italy is in one of the tough- graphic and bureaucratic obstacles to enable est groups at Euro 2016. — AP herds of fans to easily migrate from one match to another, as they will in France, wining and just French society, that must learn to live with people will rally behind players if they don’t mis- dining as they go. “Un autre verre, si’il vous the threat of terrorism and limit it as much as behave and do something ridiculous like go on plait?” - another glass, please? - should be the possible.” strike, as they did in South Africa. A thrilling run only French phrase many of them need from Ultimately, whether France puts on a memo- by the host nation can be a key ingredient for a June 10-July 10, if all goes well. rable party or poops on it might depend on its memorable tournament: Remember the frenzy Because in France, there is almost always a team. Packed with talent in attack and midfield , generated by South Korea’s push to the semifi- but, a “oui, mais” - complications that derive from Les Bleus could go deep into the tournament, nals at the 2002 World Cup it co-hosted with the fact that despite its generous love of simple despite their shaky-looking defense. France isn’t Japan. At the end, all everyone will want is to get SAN JOSE: Lionel Messi practices during a training session of Argentina’s National pleasures, France is also a complex and quarrel- a football-mad country like England or Italy, home safe, on transport that works, and with a football team at San Jose State University in preparation for the Copa America 2016 some place, with social, economic and racial especially down south in rugby territory, but head full of pleasant memories.— AP in San Jose, California. —AFP fault lines that often spill into the streets. As ill- luck would have it, the 552 players on 24 teams and their supporters are walking into the latest French fisticuffs. This one, like many before it, is Messi in US for Copa essentially a dispute over the French way of life. Paraguay ready to It again pits the government - socialist, this time SAN JOSE: Lionel Messi touched down in want him to be fit,” Atletico Madrid mid- - against unions opposed to efforts to weaken California on Friday as Argentina prepared fielder Fernandez said, adding that he was them and liberalize workplaces. defy FIFA rankings for the possibility that the injured confident the squad would cope against Like their parents and grandparents before Barcelona superstar may not be fit for next the Chileans if Messi was ruled out. “When them, a new generation of malcontents is using ORLANDO: Paraguay’s veteran goalkeeper “In the Copa, the favorites are always week’s Copa America Centenario show- you have moments of adversity that’s when the opportunity to cut its teeth in the art of Justo Villar says FIFA’s rankings undervalue Brazil and Argentina but we have shown down with Chile. Messi arrived in the early the team has to step up,” Fernandez told a protest, talking politics through the night, hurl- his team and believes they can defy expec- we can get in there as well. It is a short hours from Barcelona, where on Thursday press conference. ing paving stones and inhaling first whiffs of tations and once again make a real impact tournament, resting and good planning, he had appeared in court to give evidence Guzman said he hoped Messi could police tear gas. So far, transport strikes and gas in the Copa America Centenario tourna- can help us to get through to the next in his tax fraud trial which has also recover, but admitted he had been surprised shortages over the government’s labor reforms ment. Paraguay have the lowest FIFA rank- phase - we have really good players,” he embroiled his father. Messi, who suffered a by the Argentina captain’s decision to make a have been disruptive rather than crippling. Their back injury in a friendly victory against grueling round trip from Spain just to appear ing of the four teams in Group A, sitting added. In the 2015 Copa America, impact on Euro 2016 will only become clear as behind third-ranked Colombia, Costa Rica Paraguay beat Brazil on penalties in the Honduras last week, is uncertain to be fit in the Honduras friendly. “It is shocking at the tournament unfolds and could depend on and the United States. But Villar, about to quarter-final before being crushed 6-1 by for Monday’s crucial Group D game against some point because it is the captain, it’s Leo. whether the opposing sides compromise or Chile at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. He came to play this game, perhaps without harden their positions. play in his seventh Copa America tourna- Argentina in the semi-final. Four years ear- The 28-year-old playmaker later took to the much obligation or necessity, and he ends Despite their centuries of interaction with the ment, believes that the rankings don’t give lier La Albirroja finished runners-up after field during training near Argentina’s San up getting injured,” the Mexico-based world and long colonial history, their pioneering an accurate reflection of his team’s ability. losing to Uruguay in the final. Paraguay’s Jose base. Messi trained separately from reserve goalkeeper said. Tomorrow’s game is role in the construction of the European Union “If we are the worst ranked ... well, we have Argentine coach Ramon Diaz has brought the rest of the squad along with another likely to determine the winner of Group D, and the millions of immigrants from Africa and to show that the rankings are wrong,” said a squad with plenty of young players and a injured player Lucas Biglia. with Argentina facing further games against elsewhere who have put down deep and fruitful the Paraguay keeper, who made his debut smattering of experienced campaigners Meanwhile team-mates Augusto Panama and Bolivia. Messi is bidding to end roots in France, the French can also be distrustful for his country in 1999. and he also reads little into the rankings. Fernandez and Nahuel Guzman admitted Argentina’s 23-year trophy drought after a of outsiders. Not all of them, of course, but “Argentina and Brazil are seen as the Friday that Argentina were facing up to the series of agonizing near-misses in recent enough that 6.8 million voted for the extreme- best teams with the best players, but from possibility of Messi’s absence against the years which saw the Albiceleste beaten in right, anti-European and anti-immigration our side we see ourselves as a good team Chileans. “It is logical that being the best both the 2014 World Cup final and 2015 National Front when France last went to the who are growing. The last Copa we weren’t player in the world it is clear that we all Copa America final.—AFP polls, in December for regional administrators. considered as a factor but we get to the The loved-up outpouring of national unity semis and were super-competitive,” he behind France’s multi-colored team of “blacks, said. “Colombia is a great team, USA has blancs, beurs” - blacks, whites and Arabs - that grown a great deal, Mexico look good too, Women footballers cannot won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 proved its a pretty open tournament. It’s all about short-lived, exposed as veneer by rioting in go on strike, US Judge rules immigrant neighborhoods in 2005 and the war getting off to a good start,” he said. now being waged on France by homegrown Paraguay won the tournament in 1953 and CHICAGO: USA Soccer welcomed a court provision,” USA Soccer said in a statement. Islamic terrorists. 1979 and while that looks a remote ruling on Friday that women’s national “We are pleased with the Court’s decision For spectators, the biggest headache could prospect this time, Diaz is happy to have team members cannot go on strike over a and remain committed to negotiating a be unprecedented security. Patience, good the chance of working with his young pay dispute that had top players saying new CBA to take effect at the beginning of humor and common sense will be necessary squad in a tournament setting. they would consider boycotting the Rio de next year.” Friday’s decision doesn’t affect a when navigating multiple rings of body, bag and “We hope the team keeps growing, Janeiro Olympics. Friday’s decision from separate federal wage discrimination com- ticket checks at stadiums. No-fly zones will be in developing our ideas and mindset. This Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman in federal plaint filed by five top players earlier this force above venues. Detectors will sniff the air to gives me a chance to work with a team court in Chicago found that the players, year with the Equal Employment sound the alarm in case of attack with chemical that is growing, I love the players we have represented by the Women’s National Team Opportunity Commission, arguing they are weapons. Anti-drone technology is available to and how they are working,” he said. But the Players Association, remained bound by a unfairly compensated compared to men’s disable airborne intruders. “Nothing has been intense schedule, including long distances collective bargaining agreement that national team players. The complaint notes left to chance,” the tournament’s security direc- between venues, offers a particular chal- includes a no-strike clause, even though that the women earned $2 million for win- tor, Ziad Khoury, says. lenge says the 56-year-old Diaz. After the Seemingly, the only thing organizers haven’t the deal had expired in 2012. ning the 2015 World Cup, while the men game Paraguay will fly to the West Coast to The federation had argued that the shared $9 million after they were eliminat- seriously considered since the Nov 13 terror prepare for Tuesday’s game with Colombia terms of the agreement remained effective ed from the 2014 World Cup. “The US men’s attacks in Paris that killed 130 people is calling under a memorandum of understanding national team get paid more just to show the whole thing off. They argue that heightened in Pasadena, California. Four days later they signed by both parties in 2013. The deci- up than we get paid to win major champi- security is something we all must become accus- are back in action against the USA in sion comes two months before the US onships,” goalkeeper Hope Solo said in tomed to: the unfortunate new normal in a dan- Philadelphia. “It’s a very difficult tourna- women are to defend their Olympic title in March. The women players have also com- gerous world. “There was never any question of ment - the trips are really long, we play Rio. “Today, Judge Coleman ruled in favor plained about other conditions, such as cancelling the Euros,” Khoury said in an three games in a week and it will be diffi- of US Soccer and affirmed that the existing having to play on artificial turf. In April, Associated Press interview. “Canceling big ORLANDO: Members of the Costa Rican cult for trainers and players. The plan is in CBA with the US Women’s National Team national team member Becky Sauerbrunn events doesn’t cancel the risk of terrorism ... It’s soccer team train at the Camping World place, but it will tiring and there will be Players Association is valid through the end told ESPN that players hadn’t ruled out more of a signal of defeat if you do that.” He Stadium in Orlando, Florida. — AFP wear and tear,” he said.— AFP of 2016, including the no-strike, no lockout boycotting Rio over the matter.— AFP added: “It’s the whole of democratic society, not