MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014 SPORTS Japan receive dream Women’s World Cup draw

OTTAWA: Holders Japan set their group in style and for everyone to be American coach Jill Ellis insisted the September 2012. The former Sweden finishers from each group automatical- sights firmly on retaining their focused on going on to win the title games would be good preparation for international thought it “weird” that ly advancing to the last 16. Women’s World Cup after being hand- again.” the latter stages of the tournament in sixth-ranked Brazil, rather than fifth- Hosts Canada will open the tourna- ed a dream draw for the 2015 tourna- Japan stunned the United States in their quest for a third World Cup title, ranked Sweden, were seeded but ment in Edmonton on June 6 against ment, while the United States face a a penalty shootout in 2011 to become and first since 1999. Germany are the added, “I’m not the person who can do China, with New Zealand and the rocky road to the final. Japan’s the first Asian world title winners at only other two-time winners of the anything about it. You just accept it Netherlands rounding out Group A. ‘Nadeshiko’-named after a frilly pink any level, embodying the iron-willed event first played in 1991. and go with it.” Australia coach Alen The final takes place in Vancouver on carnation-will be expected to brush spirit of a nation battling to recover “It’s a good group to get us ready to Stajcic promised his ‘Matildas’ would July 5. Germany, who won in 2003 and aside Switzerland, Cameroon and from a deadly tsunami and resulting play,” Ellis said. “It’s probably the tough- fear nobody.”We can’t wait to play the 2007, could also breathe a sigh of relief Ecuador in Group C games that their nuclear crisis earlier that year. est group, but we’ve got a lot of depth number one team in the world in the at their draw in Group B, which coach Norio Sasaki said would serve as Sasaki’s side added the Asian Cup on our roster. That’s historically been first game,” he said of his side’s crunch includes 1995 champions Norway but useful practice as they look to bloom at earlier this year, having been pipped to the path the USA has taken, and we’re game against the United States in also inexperienced Ivory Coast and the business end of the competition in the gold by the US at the 2012 London obviously going to embrace it. You’ve Winnipeg on June 8. Thailand. Canada, which begins next June. Olympics. got to play good teams to win it. We’ll “You expect to play the best teams Brazil, led by five-time women’s “If you see the teams on paper, yes Their fierce American rivals were be ready.” at a World Cup and we certainly got world player of the year Marta, launch they do look like easy opponents,” drawn in a devilish Group D with that in our group. It’s no holds barred their bid for a first World Cup crown Sasaki told local media after Saturday’s Australia, ranked 10th in the world by SWEDISH INTRIGUE playing possibly the toughest teams in against South Korea, fast-improving draw, which pitted the Japanese FIFA, Nigeria and Sweden-a European Adding intrigue, Sweden’s coach Pia each pot.” Spain and Costa Rica in Group E while against three first-time qualifiers. powerhouse ranked fifth in the world Sundhage guided the Americans to The seventh edition of Women’s France, ranked fourth in the world, take “But we won’t disrespect any side. It and only unseeded for geographic rea- back-to-back Olympic titles before tak- World Cup will feature 24 teams for the on England, Colombia and Mexico in will be important to finish top of the sons. ing the helm in her native country in first time-up from 16 with the top two Group F. —AFP

Hutton sinks Leicester

was Leicester who made the breakthrough. Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan could not Aston Villa 2 gather a deflected shot from Riyad Mahrez and Ulloa pounced to touch home his first goal in 10 games. But the hosts equalised within four min- Leicester 1 utes, as Ashley Westwood curled a free-kick into the box from the left and Clark ghost- ed in to direct a deft header past Kasper Schmeichel. BIRMINGHAM: Alan Hutton scored his first In a physical end to the first half, Aston Villa goal as Paul Lambert’s side beat Westwood was stretchered off with a knee Leicester City 2-1 yesterday to move six injury after being clattered by Jamie Vardy, points clear of the Premier League relega- while Ulloa did not reappear for the second tion zone. half following a robust tackle on him from Scottish right-back Hutton, drafted back Clark. Villa laid siege to the Leicester goal in into the team this season after previously the second period, with Tom Cleverley blaz- being frozen out by Lambert, struck in the ing a shot over and Schmeichel obliged to 71st minute after Ciaran Clark had can- save from Kieran Richardson, Benteke and celled out Leonardo Ulloa’s opener for bot- Gabriel Agbonlahor. tom club Leicester. But after Guzan had clawed away a dip- It was a first home win since August for ping effort from Leicester substitute David Villa, who climb to 11th, while Nigel Nugent at the other end, Hutton put Villa Pearson’s Leicester, who had Paul ahead with a cool finish from Benteke’s left- Konchesky sent off, remain four points from to-right lofted pass. safety after a 10th consecutive game with- Konchesky was shown a straight red out victory. Villa were the first side to card following a shoving match with threaten at a half-full Villa Park, with Hutton, who was booked, but the 10 men Christian Benteke lashing a half-volley inch- almost snatched a point when Matt James’s es wide from 20 wide on the right, but it shot was deflected narrowly wide. —AFP

LONDON: West Ham’s James Tomkins (right) competes for the ball with Swansea’s Wilfried Bony during the English Premier League soccer match. —AP Carroll’s double fires West Ham to third spot

the ball back for Bony to steer home his seventh minute, eluding Swansea’s markers to meet goal of the campaign. Bony threatened to add to Downing’s drilled corner with a powerful header West Ham 3 Swansea’s lead with a potshot that whistled past that visiting midfielder Leon Britton could only the right-hand post, but after Fabianski had help into the roof of the net. Moments later, saved a header from Aaron Cresswell, the hosts Sakho was impeded by Fabianski, who had equalised in the 41st minute. come rushing out of his goal, and although the Swansea 1 After venturing forwards from right-back, Carl Senegalese striker managed to roll a shot Jenkinson whipped an inviting cross to the far against the post, referee Chris Foy elected to post and Carroll climbed highest to guide a fine send the Swansea goalkeeper off. BIRMINGHAM: Leicester City’s Danny Simpson ( left) and Aston Villa’s Gabriel header into the top-right corner. Swansea manager Garry Monk sent on Agbonlahor battle for the ball during their English Premier League soccer match at LONDON: Andy Carroll scored his first goals West Ham introduced fit-again top scorer reserve goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel in place of Villa Park. —AP since March as West Ham United came from Sakho at half-time and continued to boss pro- Britton. The German could only watch as Sakho behind to beat Swansea City 3-1 yesterday and ceedings, although Bony almost restored skipped past Ashley Williams and despatched a claim third place in the Premier League. Swansea’s lead on the hour with a vicious shot right-foot shot that clipped the left-hand Hamburg squeeze past Mainz Wilfried Bony put Swansea ahead against the that grazed the crossbar. The game was in the upright. run of play, but Carroll, who missed the first balance, but a two-minute spell mid-way But Sakho made no mistake three minutes three months of the season with an ankle injury, through the second period tipped the momen- from time when he gathered a flick-on from BERLIN: Hamburg moved out of the relega- spent four decades as a player and then as scored twice before teeing up substitute Diafra tum decisively in West Ham’s favour. Carroll before blasting past Tremmel to register tion zone in the Bundesliga yesterday with a coach, notably leading them to a league and Sakho to lash in a late third. Carroll put the hosts ahead in the 66th his seventh league goal of the season. —AFP 2-1 victory against Mainz, who have now cup double in 2004. Swansea finished the game with 10 men after gone six games without a win. But he and his current side showed no goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was shown a Josef Zinnbauer’s side claimed a third con- mercy, as Haris Seferovic, Stefan Aigner and straight red card for impeding Sakho shortly secutive home victory thanks to a first-half Marc Stendera added to Meier’s goals to EPL results/standings after Carroll’s second goal. goal from Brazilian defender Cleber Reis and secure a convincing Eintracht victory and Victory took Sam Allardyce’s side up to third Aston Villa 2 (Clark 17, Hutton 71) Leicester 1 (Ulloa 13); West Ham 3 (Carroll 41, 66, Sakho 87) Swansea 1 (Bony 19). a second-half Rafael van der Vaart penalty, leave Bremen second from bottom. place, their highest position since 1999, ahead of and move a point clear of the bottom three as On Saturday, Bayern Munich maintained fourth-place Southampton’s meeting with fifth- Playing today: a result. Mid-table Mainz, who grabbed a late their unbeaten record in the Bundesliga to Southampton v Manchester United place Manchester United at St Mary’s today. consolation through a Shinji Okazaki header, stay seven points clear of nearest challengers Swansea, who have gone 58 years without a are just one point better off than the north- Wolfsburg thanks to a 1-0 win over Bayer English Premier League table after yesterday’s matches (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): league win at Upton Park, remain eighth. West ern giants. Leverkusen as Franck Ribery scored his 100th Ham started with Carroll and Enner Valencia in Chelsea 15 11 3 1 34 13 36 Aston Villa 15 5 4 6 10 19 19 While his team struggles for form, 28-year- goal for the Bavarian giants. attack for the first time and they dominated the Man City 15 10 3 2 32 14 33 Everton 15 4 6 5 24 23 18 old Japan star Okazaki is now level with Wolfsburg won 3-2 away at Lower Saxony West Ham 15 8 3 4 26 18 27 Stoke 15 5 3 7 17 20 18 early stages, with Kevin Nolan obliging Fabianski Schalke’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on rivals Hanover 96, while Schalke thumped Southampton 14 8 2 4 24 10 26 Sunderland 15 2 9 4 13 23 15 to save from Stewart Downing’s clipped free- eight Bundesliga goals for the season. Stuttgart 4-0 away thanks to a Choupo- Man Utd 14 7 4 3 24 16 25 Crystal Palace 15 3 5 7 18 23 14 kick. Only Alexander Meier of Eintracht Moting hat-trick and there were also wins for Arsenal 15 6 5 4 24 18 23 West Brom 15 3 5 7 14 20 14 But Swansea struck from their first attack of Frankfurt has more after he scored twice in Borussia Moenchengladbach and Augsburg Newcastle 15 6 5 4 17 18 23 QPR 15 4 2 9 16 27 14 note in the 19th minute. Jefferson Montero Swansea 15 6 4 5 20 17 22 Hull 15 2 7 6 15 21 13 his side’s resounding 5-2 victory at home to and Paderborn shared the spoils with exchanged passes with Gylfi Sigurdsson and Liverpool 15 6 3 6 19 19 21 Burnley 15 2 6 7 10 24 12 struggling Werder Bremen on Sunday Freiburg in a 1-1 draw. motored to the byline on the left before pulling Tottenham 15 6 3 6 18 21 21 Leicester 15 2 4 9 15 26 10 evening. On Friday, Ilkay Gundogan’s goal secured a The game saw home coach Thomas much-needed 1-0 win for struggling Borussia Schaaf come up against the team where he Dortmund against Hoffenheim. —AFP Preview Preview United eye podium place at St Mary’s

LONDON: Louis van Gaal’s resurgent Manchester Liverpool, but Van Gaal has warned his players DELL MEMORIES United will have their eyes on third place in the not to get ahead of themselves. Of more pressing concern for Koeman is the Premier League table when they tackle Ronald “Southampton play better at this time and spate of injuries that has afflicted his side during Koeman’s sputtering Southampton at St Mary’s have more points at this moment than Liverpool, their three-game winless run. today. so I think it’s good that we have to play Midfielder Jack Cork has been ruled out for six After winning only three of their first seven Southampton now,” the United manager said. weeks after damaging ankle ligaments during league games, a run of four consecutive victories “I think they have a good squad, a lot of play- Wednesday’s 1-0 loss at Arsenal, while centre- has taken United to within touching distance of ers that I know and who were offered to us. I think back Toby Alderweireld is a doubt after being early-season surprise package Southampton. they are able to come in the top four, but that’s forced off by a hamstring problem in the same Koeman’s side shot up the table by winning also because I believe in the management of game. French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin is eight of their nine games between late August Ronald Koeman and his brother (Erwin).” also doubtful after injuring his right adductor and early November, but a draw at Aston Villa and Van Gaal’s relationship with his fellow muscle in Southampton’s 3-0 loss at home to City, losses to Manchester City and Arsenal extin- Dutchman Koeman provides one of the sub-plots but winger Dusan Tadic has overcome a knock. guished their momentum. for Monday’s game. Koeman, 51, successfully Koeman drew confidence from his side’s Victory for United will lift them above worked under 63-year-old Van Gaal at Barcelona, improved display at Arsenal, where they lost to an Southampton into third place and allow Van but the pair fell out at Ajax in 2004, when 89th-minute goal by Alexis Sanchez, but knows Gaal’s team to close to within eight points of lead- Koeman was coach and Van Gaal technical direc- that in United they are likely to face another stern ers Chelsea, who crashed to a 2-1 defeat at tor. Van Gaal described Koeman as “weak” in his examination. “It’s not an easy one because it’s Newcastle United on Saturday. It would also fur- autobiography, but the two men have refused to Manchester United-a big name with big players- ther galvanise United’s confidence ahead of next discuss their relationship in the build-up to the but it’s a challenge for us to try to win against GERMANY: Hamburg’s Ronny Marcos (top) and Mainz’ Daniel Brosinski challenge for weekend’s home game with arch enemies game, with both declaring the matter “private”. them,” he said.—AFP the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match. —AP