SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2014 SPORTS No playoff hangover as Derby make winning start

LONDON: Derby County showed no signs sales. Former Manchester City manager of a hangover from their agonising play-off Pearce was soon celebrating the first goal final defeat as the Championship promo- of his tenure as Antonio swept home in the tion contenders started the second tier 25th minute after Andy Reid’s shot hit a campaign with a 1-0 victory over post. Five minutes later it was 2-0 when Rotherham yesterday. Chris Burke cut in from the right side to hit Steve McClaren’s team saw their dreams a left-footed strike into the top corner. After of reaching the Premier League dashed in a turbulent pre-season, fallen giants Leeds heartbreaking fashion when Bobby Zamora suffered a nightmare start to the season punished a defensive blunder to score a with a 2-0 defeat at Millwall. last-minute winner for 10-man QPR at Eccentric Italian owner Massimo Cellino Wembley in May. But the Rams are among has infuriated the club’s long-suffering fans the bookmakers’ favorites to go up this with a series of bizarre decisions, including term, having kept the nucleus of their play- sacking highly-regarded manager Brian off team together. McDermott and replacing him with David And they made the perfect start to their Hockaday an unknown with no experience bid for redemption thanks to Republic of of Football League management. Ireland midfielder Jeff Hendrick, whose The highly superstitious Cellino has also cool finish eight minutes from full-time reportedly banned the number 17 and the finally broke the stubborn resistence of colour purple from Elland Road, but his newly-promoted Rotherham at the iPro team were still out of luck in south London Stadium. Derby’s local rivals Nottingham as Millwall cruised to victory thanks to Mark Forest also made a winning start, beating Beevers’ eighth minute strike and an 88th Blackpool 2-0, on the opening weekend of minute penalty from Shaun Williams. the new English season. Wigan, beaten in the play-off semi-finals Forest’s new manager Stuart Pearce was by QPR, are fancied to push for promotion afforded a rapturous reception on his again, but had to rely on a James McArthur return to the City Ground for his first game strike three minutes into stoppage-time to as permanent manager of the club where secure a 2-2 draw at home to Reading. Troy he earned legendary status as a tough- Deeney showed why a number of Premier tackling left-back. League clubs are keen to sign him with a Pearce, who had a brief spell as Forest’s clinical finish as Watford beat Bolton 3-0, caretaker manager in 1996, endured a diffi- with Matej Vydra and Fernando Forestieri LONDON: Arsenal’s Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez (left) almost collides with teammate Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey as they warm up dur- cult build-up to the opener when the club’s also getting on the scoresheet at Vicarage ing the first team training session at the Emirates Stadium. — AFP Kuwaiti owners sold promising youngsters Road. Middlesbrough began in fine style as Jamaal Lascelles and Karl Darlow to Spanish striker Kike, a £3.5 million signing Newcastle this week against his advice. from Real Murcia, scored on his debut in a Arsenal take on City with But Pearce was handed the majority of 2-0 defeat of Birmingham, with Daniel that cash to sign striker Britt Assombalonga Ayala also netting. Elsewhere, and winger Michail Antonio and both Bournemouth won 4-0 at Huddersfield, impressed on their debuts against a Sheffield Wednesday beat 10-man Brighton an eye on bigger prizes Blackpool team also under new manage- 1-0 and Brentford, playing in the second ment in Jose Riga, who could only name tier for the first time in 21 years, drew 1-1 at four substitutes due to a series of player home to Charlton. — AFP Community Shield face-off

LONDON: Vindicated by their FA Cup triumph, expecting to go far.” Caballero, the Argentine goalkeeper, and Arsenal approach today’s Community Shield Today’s encounter in the traditional curtain- Fernando, the Brazilian holding midfielder, could face-off with Manchester City buoyed by the raiser to the English season has been given an feature. Arsenal’s trio of German World Cup win- belief that they are now credible challengers for edge by Wenger’s decision to publicly query ners-Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Lukas the Premier League title. May’s 3-2 win over Hull City’s conduct during the close-season transfer Podolski-will not feature as they are also some City ended a long and painful nine-year trophy window. The Arsenal manager wondered aloud way short of fitness. Theo Walcott remains side- drought for the North London club, and as they if Frank Lampard’s arrival on loan from City’s sis- lined by a knee problem, but new signings return to Wembley Stadium, Arsenal are setting ter club New York City was an attempt by the Mathieu Debuchy, Calum Chambers and Alexis their sights on even bigger prizes. Premier League champions to contravene UEFA’s Sanchez could all play a part after making their Manchester City’s 6-3 win over Arsenal last Financial Fair Play rules. He then appeared to debuts in last weekend’s Emirates Cup pre-sea- term exposed the big-game frailties that were to suggest that City had illegally opened talks with son tournament. City face an exacting start to fatally undermine Arsene Wenger’s side’s title new signing Bacary Sagna, the French right- the season, with games against Liverpool, pursuit, but with a trophy under their belts at back, while he was still an Arsenal player. Arsenal and Chelsea in the campaign’s early last, there is renewed belief at the Emirates His comments were dismissed by City man- weeks, and midfielder Yaya Toure says that Stadium this season. ager Manuel Pellegrini, who said: “I think as man- Sunday’s game will provide a timely gauge of “There’s been a little bit of negative media agers, we have enough problems with our own their preparedness. “It’s a really interesting way (coverage) regarding Arsenal not winning things teams to be talking about other teams.” to start the season, the Community Shield, Emad Meteb over the years, but the whole way through that, against a top team like Arsenal at Wembley,” the since I’ve been at the club, we’ve always SANCHEZ IN CONTENTION Ivorian powerhouse told City’s official website. Goal-shy Ahly eye semis believed that it will happen soon,” midfielder In any case, neither Lampard nor Sagna will “Even though we have only just started to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain told journalists this be involved on Sunday, as they are among eight train together as a full squad, we will be ready. JOHANNESBURG: Veteran striker Emad with Ahly managing just three in three games week. “So the fact it did happen (winning the FA City players who are still working their way back “It’s not just the Community Shield either-our Meteb is ready to help goal-shy Egyptians Al- and relying heavily on a tight defence to keep Cup), I don’t know if it was a relief, but it was just to full fitness ahead of the start of the league first five or six games are looking really difficult Ahly reach the CAF Confederation Cup semi- them top of the table. Ahly have eight points a really nice reward for the hard work and the season on August 16. Sergio Aguero, Pablo for us, but that makes it exciting and it means finals this weekend. from four matches, former African champions togetherness that we’ve had to show for a little Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis, Fernandinho and that we have to hit the ground running and have The Cairo ‘Red Devils’ are away to Zambians Etoile five, Nkana four and win-less Ivorians while. “It does start winning momentum and captain Vincent Kompany are unavailable due to a strong start.” The game will see vanishing Nkana late yesterday and a draw will secure a Sewe San Pedro three. once you know you can win a competition like their involvement in the latter stages of the spray-deployed by referees to keep the defen- last-four place for the winners of a record 18 While former Villarreal and Real Betis boss that, it gives you confidence to go into games World Cup. Spanish striker Alvaro Negredo is sive wall 10 yards back at free-kicks-used in CAF titles. Ahly officials confirmed injury- Garrido marked his CAF debut with a 1-0 and into competitions thinking you can win and sidelined with an injury, but new arrivals Willy English football for the first time. — AFP plagued Meteb has recovered from a thigh home win over Sewe two weeks ago, Beston injury and available for the Group B matchday Chambeshi achieved a similar feat at Nkana. 5 clash in central city Kitwe. Chambeshi has replaced Masauso Mwale, Meteb is the last link with the all-conquer- killed in a car accident as he was preparing for Ibrahimovic brace earns ing Ahly teams of a decade ago that won three a home fixture against Sewe three months CAF Champions League finals in four seasons ago. And his CAF debut was memorable with and were runners-up in the other. Midfielder Nkana defeating Etoile 4-3 in a thriller to Hossam Ashour, another experienced African avenge a loss by the same score in Tunisia. campaigner, has overcome stomach soreness Both coaches displayed public confidence PSG 2-2 draw at Reims and is also available to recently appointed ahead of the match at the 5,000-seat Nkana Spanish coach Juan Carlos Garrido. Ahly tri- Stadium in the heart of the Zambian copper- umphed 2-0 at home against Nkana in match- producing region. “Nkana impressed against REIMS: Paris St Germain’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic struck the night, proved too strong for a Reims side ham- million) transfer fee in June. day 1 last May through goals from Amr Gamal Etoile, but I have total faith in the ability of my twice and missed a penalty in an enthralling 2-2 pered by losing last term’s top performer Gregorz Most of the Ligue 1 programme is scheduled for and Mohamed ‘Gedo’ Nagy. team to qualify for the semi-finals,” said draw at Stade de Reims as the French champions Krychowiak to Sevilla in the close season. Saturday, including Bastia hosting Olympique de ‘Gedo’ sprang to international prominence Garrido. Chambeshi said: “Spirits are high, we avoided an embarrassing defeat when the Ligue 1 PSG began their bid for a Ligue 1 title hat-trick Marseille (1900 GMT), while last season’s runners- by repeatedly coming off the bench to claim are a resilient team, and the players have season got underway on Friday. without the world’s most expensive defender, Luiz, up AS Monaco welcome FC Lorient on Sunday five goals and finish leading scorer in the 2010 worked hard to rectify defensive mistakes that PSG, without newly-signed Brazil defender who was unveiled to the media on Friday after when Olympique Lyonnais are at home to Stade Africa Cup of Nations won by Egypt. But he cost 10 goals in four CAF matches.” David Luiz, are favourites for a third straight title signing from Chelsea for a 50 million euros ($67.05 Rennes. — Reuters was seriously injured away to Tunisians Etoile Serb Dragan Cvetkovic, appointed Etoile but will be disappointed at not holding on to an Sahel and did not travel to Zambia. His coach when French veteran Roger Lemerre did early lead and allowing a physical but technically absence partly explains the paucity of goals not extend his contract, is hoping for a first weaker Reims to get in front before halftime. Confederation Cup victory when they host PSG’s Argentina midfielder Javier Pastore found Sewe Saturday. Wins for Ahly and Etoile would Ibrahimovic just inside the area in the seventh assure both of semi-finals places in the sec- minute, allowing the Sweden striker to slide the MATCH ond-tier competition offering a $660,000 ON TV ball through Reims keeper Johnny Placide’s legs for (500,l000 euros) first prize. Cameroonians his first goal of the season. Coton Sport hold a five-point Group A lead PSG then missed three easy chances to kill the FA Community Shield over Congolese visitors AC Leopards before a Saturday clash in Garoua and a draw will game in the first 20 minutes, with Ibrahimovic hit- assure the hosts of first place. Bottom-of-the- ting the post and then having a penalty saved by Arsenal v Man City 17:00 Placide. “It’s a waste. We gave away the game our- beIN SPORTS 1 HD table Ivorians ASEC Mimosas have home advantage over Malians Real Bamako Sunday selves, when we should have won it,” PSG coach beIN SPORTS 11 HD and each side needs maximum points to have Laurent Blanc was quoted as saying by French beIN SPORTS 13 HD a realistic chance of overtaking second-place media. “We gave Reims a stick to beat us with and Leopards. — AFP they took advantage and used it.” After looking overwhelmed, Reims capitalised on some sloppy defending when midfielder Prince Oniangue got on the end of a freekick to score in the 22nd before Antoine Devaux linked up with striker Gaetan Charbonnier to beat keeper Salvatore Sirigu. However, PSG regrouped at half- time and found their rhythm with Ibrahimovic’s chip from near the goalline in the 63rd slipping through Placide’s hands for his second of the game.

CAVANI FRUSTRATED PSG’s Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, who has been linked with a move to the English Premier League, was denied his wish to play up front instead of on the wing and looked frustrated throughout the game as Blanc kept Ibrahimovic, Ligue 1 top scorer for the past two seasons, in the number nine position. His counterpart at Reims, Jean-Luc Vasseur, in his first coaching job in France’s top division, nearly pulled off an astonish- ing display of lese-majeste as the reigning champi- ons were briefly humbled in the coronation place of French kings. His side, which finished 11th last season under Hubert Fournier, showed glimpses of what could be a promising season by exploiting gaps left by PSG’s attack-minded fullbacks. “Before the match we would have taken a draw, so we are not disappointed. It’s a not a bad start to LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s German midfielder Lewis Holtby (right) vies with the season,” said Reims’ second goalscorer Devaux. FRANCE: Paris Saint-Germain’s Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (left) celebrates next to his Schalke’s Turkish defender Kaan Ayhan (left) during the pre-season friendly football PSG’s midfield trio of Thiago Motta, Marco teammate Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani after scoring during the French League football match. — AFP Verratti and, Pastore, who gave the best display of match against Reims. — AFP