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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.