WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015 SPORTS Germany, US set for ‘very heated’ semis MONTREAL: The German juggernaut will run into the United States wall when the top-ranked nations clash late yesterday at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium with a spot in the Women’s World Cup final on the line. Top-ranked Germany and the world number two U.S. team bring con- trasting styles to a semi-final with all the mak- ings of a classic as each powerhouse looks to move one step closer to capturing their third World Cup. “Of course it is exciting the first and second best team playing against each other,” Germany coach Silvia Neid said during a news conference. “I know the United States would like to be num- ber one but we are still number one and we will try to show tomorrow that it is our position to keep. “Both teams will want to make it to the final GERMANY: Former players of German football club FC Bayern Munich, (left-right) that is why I expect a very heated match.” After Peter Kupferschmidt, Rudolf Grosser, Dieter Brenninger and Jakob Drescher pose losing in the quarter-finals at the 2011 World during an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the club’s promotion on Cup staged on home soil, Germany have played June 26, 1965 to the German first division. —AFP like a team on a mission in Canada. They enter the game boasting a tournament-best 20 goals after easing through the group phase before a Bayern start pre-season convincing win over Sweden in the round of 16 and a penalty shootout win over France in the BERLIN: Bayern Munich begin their pre- presented on July 11, the day before they quarters. season preparations today with Pep play a tournament in Borussia The Americans, who lost the 2011 final to Guardiola planning some poetic licence to Moenchengladbach with Hamburg and Japan, have also been playing with a chip on kick off their bid to win an historic fourth Augsburg also taking part. their shoulders, emerging from the a group that straight German league title. The squad needs to be finalised with included three top-10 ranked teams and have Guardiola planned to take part in a pub- Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger since picked up momentum with knockout wins ONTARIO: United States’ Carli Lloyd (10) looks toward fans in this file photo. —AP lic event on Tuesday in Munich to read love having been linked to Manchester United over Colombia and China. poetry by the Catalan composer Marti i Pol with a year left on his contract, but the 30- Since allowing a goal in the 27th minute of a laser focus put to the test by Celia Sasic and Anja that day comes tomorrow and we will be ready.” in an event entitled “The Poet and the year-old recently said he wants to help 3-1 tournament-opening win over Australia, the Mittag, who have been the danger women for One area the United States can expect to see Playmaker”. Bayern return to their previous glories. United States have not conceded another as Germany, scoring six and five goals respectively. a decided advantage will be in support as they And the 44-year-old Bayern boss will “We have been German champions controversial keeper Hope Solo put up four “It is almost like a final in itself,” said US for- have played in front of raucous full houses want to see plenty of creativity on the pitch three times in succession and I believe no clean sheets. ward Alex Morgan. “We have been watching throughout the tournament and can expect the when his team gets down to training. The team has managed to do it four times-that Solo, who has been dogged by new allega- Germany a lot this tournament knowing we same in Montreal with fans pouring across the previous campaign is fresh in the memory, is our motivation,” said Schweinsteiger. tions about a domestic abuse case, will have her could very well see them in the semi-final and border.—Reuters but Guardiola’s Bayern start their pre-sea- Bayern are also reported to be negotiat- son with the goal of becoming the first ing with Shakhtar Donetsk to bring team to win the German league title four Brazilian forward Douglas Costa to Munich, times in a row. for around 30 million euros, as a possible Having won the Bundesliga in both of replacement for Franck Ribery, who his two seasons in charge, the head coach remains blighted by an ankle injury. begins the third-and final-season of his Guardiola will also be without knee- contract also aiming to steer the title-hun- injury victim Holger Badstuber, but wel- gry Bavarians to the Champions League comes back Dutch winger Arjen Robben title having only reached the semi-finals in and David Alaba, who both missed most of the previous two seasons. the second half of the season with injury. The southern Germans are desperate to Additions to the squad include Danish repeat their treble of Champions League, international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, back Bundesliga and German Cup titles from the from a loan spell at Augsburg, plus new 2013 season. signings Joshua Kimmich, a Germany And Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Under-21 midfielder, and goalkeeper Sven Rummenigge has made no secret of his Ulreich. “I am really looking forward to desire to see Guardiola extend his stay, working with the whole team and every- especially after the Spaniard was heavily thing new which comes with it,” said linked to Manchester City to replace Ulreich, who will be Manuel Neuer’s under- Manuel Pellegrini as head coach. study. The likes of captain Philipp Lahm, Xabi Bayern start their German league cam- Alonso, Javi Martinez and Thiago Alcantara paign on August 14 against Hamburg and will report for training on Wednesday face nine games in the meantime with sev- morning. en friendlies, the German Super Cup final Guardiola will be minus his Germany against Wolfsburg on August 1 and the internationals, who are only set to return German Cup first round against minnows from holiday before the team is officially FC Noettingen the weekend before. —AFP We did not block FIFA reforms - UEFA PRAGUE: UEFA has hit back at sugges- at any time, make all the checks that they tions that it and other continental confed- want to any person they want. VANCOUVER: England goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain dives to keep the ball out of the net in this file photo. —AP erations have been responsible for block- “I don’t think this is a real issue, it’s ing reforms aimed at cleaning up soccer’s more a communication issue. The real scandal-plagued world governing body instruments are there, they just have to be Japan face England threat FIFA. UEFA general secretary Gianni applied.” FIFA was embroiled in scandal Infantino said there were enough mecha- when a U.S. probe led to the criminal nisms in place to ensure that only officials indictment on May 27 of nine current and EDMONTON: Champions Japan face a real the 2011 World Cup, winning 2-0 before the Rooney. with a clean past were elected on to FIFA former FIFA officials and five executives in threat from England as the Asian giants look to Asian side went on to claim the title. They also Kelly Simmons, FA director of women’s foot- committees. sports marketing and broadcasting on keep their Women’s World Cup title defence on played out a 2-2 draw in 2007 tournament. ball, told BBC Sport: “It feels like the nation has His comments came after Domenico bribery, money-laundering and wire fraud track in Wednesday’s semi-final in Edmonton. “I’m not sure there are underdogs anymore,” fallen in love with the Lionesses. “It’s a tipping Scala, who is overseeing FIFA reforms, charges. Meanwhile, Swiss authorities are Japan’s ‘Nadeshiko’ are the only unbeaten said Sampson. “They’ve been one of the most point as many millions have got behind them.” demanded that an independent commit- investigating the decision by FIFA’s execu- team left after opening their campaign with a 1- exciting teams to watch, they haven’t scored “Awareness levels have never been higher tee be created to carry out integrity tive committee to award the 2018 and 0 win over Switzerland three weeks ago in the many goals but they havent conceded many, surrounding the quality of women’s football and checks on executive committee members 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar sunshine of Vancouver’s west coast. we’re playing the current world champions, it’s all the work that has gone into helping them get England by contrast started their quest for a going to be a huge challenge.” where they are now - which is competing at the before they could be allowed to take respectively. FIFA president Sepp Blatter maiden title with a 1-0 loss to France in windy Japan coach Norio Sasaki brushed aside talk very top.” office. Scala said confederations had said on June 2 he would step down and and wet conditions on the east in Moncton. of past results. “We will not think of negative And the Japan coach also said expectations blocked these reforms and said their call a new presidential election in which But England’s ‘Lionesses’ have been gaining past results just focus on those on front of us,” he of delivering back-to-back titles were high at “actions must be consistent with their he would not be a candidate.