THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 SPORTS Germany’s Tah earns Euro call to replace injured Ruediger EVIAN: Defender Jonathan Tah was Mats Hummels, as the world champions their first training session in France on squad I had imagined a few months ago. where we want to go and this target called up for Germany in place of injured eye their first continental crown in 20 Tuesday, only hours after the team’s But that is not the case,” said the coach. will not shift.” Hummels was also mak- Antonio Ruediger yesterday, two days years. arrival. Loew’s men, who are chasing their ing progress, recovering gradually from before the start of Euro 2016, with coach “I wanted a one-on-one replacement “Players who were a key part of my fourth European Championship trophy a muscle injury, Loew said. “Hummels Joachim Loew keeping his sights on the for Ruediger, someone who can play a plans a few months ago are now miss- but their first since 1996, play Ukraine, shows very positive development,” title despite the mounting injury woes. centre-back role,” Loew said, praising ing,” Loew told reporters in his first news Northern Ireland and Poland in the Loew said. “We are now going day by Loew has turned to the 20-year-old Tah’s individual fitness regime of the past conference at their tournament base. group stage of the competition that day and will increase his training pro- Bayer Leverkusen player after he enjoyed three weeks despite not being called up “Marco Reus, Ilkay Guendogan and starts on Friday. gramme.” But he still trained alone yes- a good Bundesliga season, hoping he in the preliminary squad last month. now Ruediger. Bastian Schweinsteiger “But we won’t be complaining. What terday, looking unlikely to be fit in time can provide solutions to his injury-ridden Tah, who has won one senior cap, and Mats Hummels are nursing injuries. is important is to find solutions and we for the first match, against Ukraine on backline that also includes centre-back replaces Ruediger who was injured in Obviously I would have liked to have the are not lowering our target. We know June 12. — Reuters Portugal seek support for Ronaldo’s genius at Euro PARIS: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal tower but I would never leave out a Cristiano at above their rivals and should ease into the 80 percent.” knockout stages at Euro 2016, but the illus- Austria flew under the radar as they trious team cannot underestimate a blos- topped their qualifying section ahead of soming Austria side. Russia and Sweden, with Marcel Koller’s Ranked eighth in the world, Portugal men participating at the finals for just the cruised towards a sixth straight appearance second time having co-hosted the 2008 at the finals-in Group F against Austria, event. Austria broke into the world top 10 Hungary and Iceland-by reeling off seven for the first time in November and in versa- straight qualifying wins after an opening tile Bayern Munich star David Alaba they defeat to Albania. possess one of Europe’s most coveted play- But 12 years after the losing the final to ers. But the 23-year-old also has the likes of Greece on home soil, Ronaldo’s hopes of Marko Arnautovic, Zlatko Junuzovic and landing an international title appear skipper Christian Fuchs to help ease the remote unless his supporting cast can burden. Austria, ranked above England, deliver where they have failed in the past. Italy and France, has the potential to finish Portugal lost on penalties to Spain in far higher than the one that exited with just the semi-finals at Euro 2012 and then a single point on their debut appearance. crashed out in the group stage of the World “We did very well in qualifying and Cup in Brazil. Ronaldo, slowed by a knee we’ve been enjoying more and more suc- injury, was then a shadow of the player cess in recent years and have constantly who won that year’s Ballon d’Or. improved,” Alaba told bundesliga.com. “If he is so important in Madrid, just “Our biggest strength, though, is the imagine he’s the same if not more so with collective and it’s this which sets us apart. Portugal,” coach Fernando Santos told We want to get even better and we certain- Spanish sports daily Marca. ly are no longer a team who need to have “When you have a player who scores 50 any fear.” Iceland-with a population of or 60 goals a season, and can always score, 330,000 — became the smallest nation to they are vitally important. qualify for the finals after twice beating 1988 European champions the Netherlands UNDERRATED AUSTRIANS as well as Czech Republic and Turkey. “But Cristiano can’t win alone. No one Swansea City midfielder Gylfi can win matches on their own. He needs Sigurdsson supplied a team-leading six help from the others. But, for sure, he’s goals and the Nordic side will use the expe- more important for us than he is for rience of former Sweden coach Lars Madrid.” The Portuguese have never failed Lagerback and ex-Chelsea and Barcelona to advance beyond the group stage at a striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, now 37, as they European Championship and Ronaldo will plot further surprises. fancy his chances of becoming the first Hungary returned to the finals of a player to score at four editions. major tournament for the first time since But Santos admitted Ronaldo, who net- the 1986 World Cup after beating Norway BORDEAUX: (L-R) Belgium’s forward Michy Batshuayi, Belgium’s defender Laurent Ciman, Belgium’s midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Belgium’s ted Real’s winning penalty in the 3-1 on aggregate in the play-offs, but the midfielder Radja Nianggolan take part in a public training session during the Euro 2016 football tournament at the Chaban-Delmas Stadium in Champions League final against Atletico current generation is a far cry from the Bordeaux, yesterday. — AFP Madrid having laboured through 120 min- Ferenc Puskas-inspired Magical Magyars of utes in Milan, is unlikely to be fully fit in the 1950s. The Hungarians lack genuine France although he shrugged off any gen- star quality but goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly, 40, uine concerns about his skipper. is poised to become the oldest player in Star-studded Belgium “Look, they always took about players tournament history-eclipsing the record set having to arrive at 100%, but it’s never the by Germany’s Lothar Matthaus, who reality,” said Santos. “Obviously, the ideal appeared aged 39 years and 91 days at thing would be for him to be at his best, Euro 2000. — AFP think ‘big’ at Euro PARIS: Marc Wilmots’ Belgium are aiming to too high a hurdle for what Wilmots called “easily Euro 2012. At that tournament Italy cruised to topple the established favourites at Euro 2016 the youngest of the quarter-finalists”. a 2-0 win over Ireland and will expect a similar and with stars like Eden Hazard and Kevin de Two years on, high home expectations are outcome when they meet in Lille on June 22. Bruyne have the weapons to so. matched by a sense the time has arrived for the Ireland’s boisterous fans have called their Belgium have qualified for the European team to justify its world ranking. draw the Group of Death, but will travel Championship finals for the first time since co- “People will be waiting for Belgium and wait- undaunted in hope of a better campaign than hosting the 2000 tournament. They are in a ing for me (to deliver) but we’ll give our utmost,” Euro 2012 when they crashed to defeats by tough Group E with Italy, Sweden and Irish said skipper Eden Hazard. Belgium’s first Group Croatia and Spain. Republic but Wilmots is eager for succeess. E match is on June 13 in Lyon against Italy who It is 14 years since the “Boys in Green” last “There’s no doubt that we have big ambi- they swept aside 3-1 in Brussels in November. won a match at a major tournament, a 3-0 win tions; our aim must always be to reach the final,” Italy are always a force to be reckoned with over Saudi Arabia at the 2002 World Cup. coach Marc Wilmots told FIFA.com. Thanks to a though and are expected to at least progress Record goal scorer Robbie Keane was Ireland’s golden generation that has produced stars like from the group, even if coach Antonio Conte star then but is now 35 and has fitness issues skipper Hazard, De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and might be distracted by his impending move to that had put his selection for the squad in Thibaut Courtois, the ‘Red Devils’ have risen to Chelsea following Euro 2016. Italy announced doubt. Ireland’s first major tournament since number two in the world rankings behind on Tuesday that Giampiero Ventura of Torino Martin O’Neill took over as coach in 2013, a pro- Argentina. “Favourites, no,” Wilmots cautioned. will take over as national coach on July 11. longed stay in France will depend on players “France are playing at home, Spain, Germany Conte has played down the Azzurri’s chances like Shane Long and Robbie Brady proving that and then maybe we’re just behind”. after ending preparations with a patchy 1-0 win they have Keane’s star quality. The opener Loaded with attacking talent they have been over Scotland and a 2-0 win over Finland.