SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2015 SPORTS
Nicaragua stun Jamaica in World Cup qualifying
MANAGUA: Nicaragua scored a shock petition, raced out to a 3-0 lead with good job,” Duarte was quoted as saying or five (goals), but when the lads had Haiti also scored a comfortable 3-1 3-2 away win over Gold Cup runners- captain Manuel Rosas scoring from the in the Nicaraguan newspaper El Nuevo legs they played good football and away win over Grenada. Jean Eudes up Jamaica on Friday to open the third penalty spot in the fifth minute, Carlos Diaro (www.elnuevodiario.com.ni). made Jamaica look poor.” Maurice, Mechack Jerome and Duckens round of CONCACAF qualifying for the Chavarria finding the back of the net “It was a match with a very intense A total of 12 teams are contesting Nazon each had a goal for Haiti while 2018 World Cup. three minutes later and Luis Galeano rhythm and today Nicaragua were up six, two-legged series to determine the Anthony Straker scored from the “Today we stole the eagle’s eggs,” striking in the 48th minute. to it,” he said. A lack of fitness in his teams that will join the six seeded penalty spot for Grenada. In other Nicaragua’s Costa Rican coach Henry The Reggae Boyz, who had reached players allowed outright favourites sides in the next phase. action, Myles Weston’s 72nd minute Duarte said after his side put them- a new high meeting Mexico in July’s Jamaica, who reached the 1998 World Canada, who have only once quali- penalty earned Antigua and Barbuda a selves in a strong position to progress CONCACAF Gold Cup final, fought back Cup finals in France, to hit back, he fied for the World Cup in 1986, 1-0 win over Guatemala while Larin’s when the teams meet again in the sec- in the final 22 minutes with goals from said. thumped Belize 3-0 with Tosaint goal in the 12th minute stood up as ond leg in Managua on Tuesday. Darren Mattocks (68th) and Adrian “The problem wasn’t tactical but of Ricketts scoring on either side of the the winner as El Salvador beat Curacao Nicaragua, who won all four matches Mariappa (78) but it was not enough. conditioning. If we’d had more (fitness) break and Atiba Hutchinson adding an 1-0. Saint Vincent were a 2-0 winners in the opening two rounds of the com- “I was sure the lads would do a level we’d have won this match by four injury time goal. over Aruba. — Reuters France beat Portugal
LISBON: France’s late substitute Mathieu the 14th minute by Antoine Griezmann after Valbuena scored a rare free kick goal to earn a 1- sustaining a knee injury. “There is a problem 0 win away to Portugal in a friendly on Friday, with his knee ligaments,” said Deschamps. their 10th victory in a row against the Anthony Martial, who earlier this week joined Portuguese. Valbuena, who came on for Moussa Manchester United from Monaco for a reported Sissoko in the 80th minute, netted five minutes fee of up to 80 million euros ($89.22 million), from time, hid first goal for Les Bleus since 2007 started on the bench. Portugal, who lead their earning a much needed win after two straight Euro 2016 qualifying Group I, started with Pepe defeats. and Ricardo Carvalho in central defence. France Euro 2016 hosts France have now won all had the first big chance after half an hour when their matches against Portugal since their last Rui Patricio parried Blaise Matuidi’s low shot with defeat in 1975. It was a dull game otherwise at his left foot. the Jose Alvalade stadium, until France, who Five minutes from time, Cristiano Ronaldo, dominated possession but looked toothless, who produced a mediocre performance, forced found the back of the net. “We put the good Hugo Lloris into a fine save with one of his trade- ingredients in the game, we had chances, we mark free kicks. could have scored earlier,” said France coach Benzema, who was substituted for Martial in Didier Deschamps. “We controlled the game, the 75th minute, also had his chance with a sec- especially in the second half.” ond-half free kick but his fine effort was tipped Valbuena added: “It was tough but we dug away by Patricio. It was Valbuena who broke the deep, we were in a rare state of mind”. deadlock when he curled a free kick from over Deschamps fielded an untypical 4-4-2 formation 20 metres into the top corner. The last player to with Karim Benzema up front with Nabil Fekir, score with a direct free kick for France was the Olympique Lyonnais forward being handed Jerome Rothen in 2007 against the Faroe Islands. his first start. France next take on Serbia in a friendly in However, the in-form Fekir was replaced in Bordeaux tomorrow. — Reuters Russia edge Sweden 1-0
MOSCOW: New Russia coach Leonid Slutsky heeled the ball into the area to Igor Smolnikov, got off to a winning start with a 1-0 Euro 2016 who found the unmarked Dzyuba near the qualifying victory over Sweden which keeps penalty spot and he kept his cool to send the their hopes of the final alive with three ball into unguarded corner. After the interval games left. Sweden manager Erik Hamren boosted his HOUSTON: Argentina forward Lionel Messi (right) kicks the ball past Bolivia goalkeeper Daniel Vaca for a goal during the second Slutsky took over last month following the team’s attack bringing in Ola Toivonen in place half of a soccer match. — AP sacking of Italian Fabio Capello and a first-half of skipper Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who failed to Artem Dzyuba goal set Russia on their way to a shine in the first half. hard-fought win in Moscow. Russia stay third in Sweden started to get into the game pinning Group G but closed the gap on second-placed Russia back and in the 62nd minute the Rennes Argentina thump Bolivia Sweden to one point, with leaders Austria play- striker had a clear chance to level but Russian ing Moldova late yesterday. goalie Igor Akinfeyev parried his powerful close- HOUSTON: Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero struck Bolivian media reported. FBF president Carlos Mexico, held 3-3 by Trinidad & Tobago in Salt Lake Russia, spurred by a capacity 45,000 home range shot. Russia looked visibly tired late in the two goals apiece in Argentina’s 7-0 romp against Chavez signed the agreement for the match to go City. Mexico, under interim coach Ricardo Ferretti, crowd, started in a lively fashion and in the game but the Swedes failed to take advantage an out-of-sorts Bolivia while Mexico were held 3-3 ahead from prison, where he has been awaiting tri- are preparing to meet the United States in next eighth minute Spartak Moscow midfielder of their superior fitness. Emil Forsberg missed by Trinidad & Tobago in friendlies in the United al since his arrest in July, before the organisation month’s playoff for a berth at the 2017 Roman Shirokov sent the ball home but his goal Sweden’s last chance in stoppage time as his States on Friday. A largely second string side, with sacked him, elected new authorities and appointed Confederations Cup. was ruled off for offside. The home team domi- powerful low attempt from the edge of the area captain Lionel Messi coming on for the final 20 Baldivieso last week. Substitute Hector Herrera salvaged a draw nated and in the 38th minute Shirokov back- was cleared by Akinfeyev for a corner. — AFP minutes, took to 12 the number of goals Copa “I think the result was right given how seriously when he equalised four minutes from time with a America runners-up Argentina have put past and intensely we played with good performances long range shot into the top corner. Bolivia in two friendlies this year. by the debutants and kids who have played little in Striker Jozy Altidore scored twice in the second Ezequiel Lavezzi also scored two goals while the team,” Argentina coach Gerardo Martino said. half, his first from the rebound of his penalty saved Angel Correa Argentina struck Argentina’s seventh “The game was useful over and above the prob- by Pedro Gallese, as Juergen Klinsmann’s U.S. side on his debut against a Bolivia side under new lems our opponents had to put a team together recovered from a goal down to beat Peru 2-1 in coach Julio Cesar Baldivieso, who barely had time and comes in handy at least to impose our game- Washington. Uruguay, missing suspended strikers to prepare them for the match in Houston. plan,” he told Fox Sports. Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, beat Panama 1-0 Veteran Bolivia defender Ronald Raldes lent the in Panama City with an 82nd minute goal by squad $21,000 of his own money to cover the trav- MEXICO DRAW Cristhian Stuani in Panama City. el costs to the United States for the squad while the Top-ranked Argentina, warming up for the Honduras won 3-0 against Venezuela, another Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) is in turmoil over South American 2018 World Cup qualifiers, play team preparing for the South American World Cup corruption charges against leading officials, again on Tuesday in Dallas where they meet qualifiers that kick off on Oct. 5. — Reuters Altidore lifts US over Peru
WASHINGTON: Jozy Altidore scored twice within 10 1 in the 59th minute. He was on target again in the from the edge of the area deflected off US defender minutes Friday as the United States rallied for a 2-1 68th. After Andre Yedlin’s put through a dangerous Omar Gonzalez and arched forward into the goal, friendly win over Peru at RFK Stadium. ball that ended with a blocked shot, Gyasi Zardes out of reach of Guzan. It was part of a sluggish start It was a solid showing for the United States as sent the ball back across the goalmouth and an for the hosts, who were playing their first match they warm up for their Confederations Cup playoff unmarked Altidore fired it home for his 29th interna- since a fourth-place finish in the Gold Cup, where as with Gold Cup winners Mexico at the Rose Bowl on tional goal. defending champions they fell to Jamaica in the October 10. The winner of that match will go to the In between the goals, US goalkeeper Brad Guzan semi-finals then lost to Panama on penalties in the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia, the de facto made a determined save, diving to stop a free kick third-place playoff. test event for the 2018 World Cup. The United that had been nodded on then managing to hang They didn’t force Gallese into a save until the 38th States had shaken off a slow start and were press- onto the ball even as Renato Tapia tried repeatedly to minute, when a charging Jermaine Jones fired from ing forward when Altidore, making his return to boot it loose. Guzan got the start in goal despite the long range and the Peru keeper had to leap to tip the the national team after missing their disappointing recall of veteran Tim Howard after a year’s absence shot over the bar. The ensuing corner fell in front of Gold Cup campaign, was tripped up in the box to from international duty, with US manager Jurgen John Brooks, but he fired too high. Jurgen earn a penalty. Klinsmann saying he didn’t want to make significant Klinsmann’s men have one more tune-up before they His attempt from the spot was saved by Peru changes with the crucial Mexico match looming. face Mexico, taking on Brazil on Tuesday at Gillette keeper Pedro Gallese, but the rebound came right Daniel Chavez scored for Peru, recording his first Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts-home of the back to him and he belted it into the net to make it 1- international goal in the 20th minute when his shot NFL’s New England Patriots. — AFP
MOSCOW: Russia’s Sergei Ignashevich (left) and Sweden’s Isaac Kiese Thelin head the ball during the Euro 2016 qualifying Group G soccer match. — AP Ghana win, Nigeria draw in Africa Cup of Nations
JOHANNESBURG: Ghana snatched a 1-0 victory holders found Tanzania a revitalised side. in Rwanda and Nigeria were held 0-0 in Tanzania Super Eagles goalkeeper Carl Ikeme from yesterday as matchday 2 of Africa Cup of Nations English second-tier club Wolves made several qualifying continued. English Premier League excellent saves in Dar es Salaam on debut at 29. pair, Cheikhou Kouyate of West Ham and Sadio Ikeme started after first choice shot-stopper Mane of Southampton, netted as Senegal tri- and captain Vincent Enyeama pulled out in mid- umphed 2-0 in Namibia. Uganda were another week following the death of his mother. country to pocket three away points, shrugging The result was another feather in the cap for off a cash crisis to win 1-0 in the Comoros. caretaker coach Charles Boniface Mkwasa, who Four-time African champions Ghana left it ended a string of losses by the Taifa Stars with an late to succeed in Kigali with Russia-based African Nations Championship draw in Uganda. Mubarak Wakaso the 87th-minute match-winner. A point took Nigeria to the top of Group G, The Black Stars were awarded a free-kick just out- but record seven-time African champions Egypt side the box on a poor pitch and Wakaso curled will overtake them if they dodge defeat in Chad the ball past the wall and wide of goalkeeper today. Kouyate struck in the first half and Mane in Olivier Kwizeri into the corner. It was a cruel blow the second in Windhoek as Senegal maintained a for the Wasps, who fought gallantly before a perfect Group K start with a second win. near-capacity crowd and did not deserve to lose. Burundi are second, three points adrift, after a The last time Ghana visited Kigali for a Cup of 2-0 victory over Niger in Bujumbura thanks to Nations qualifier they suffered a stunning 1-0 loss goals from South Africa-based duo Fiston Abdul 12 years ago. Ghana, runners-up to Ivory Coast in Razak and Papy Faty. Uganda President Yoweri the 2015 Cup of Nations, lead Group H with six Museveni funded the $210,000 (190,000 euros) points, three more than Rwanda, while Mauritius travel costs of the Cranes to the Comoros islands and Mozambique are pointless ahead of their off the south-east coast. The cash-strapped Sunday clash. There was no dream debut for new national team triumphed 1-0 courtesy of a goal Nigeria coach and former midfield star Sunday midway through the first half from recalled Oliseh as the three-time Cup of Nations title- Iceland-based Tonny Mawejje. — AFP WASHINGTON: US midfielder Jermaine Jones (13), trips on Peru midfielder Josepmir Ballon’s foot (21) during the first half of anternational in friendly soccer match. — AP