WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015 SPORTS

Female football chief says FIFA not ready for a women head LONDON: Touted as the possible first female “If I can successfully accomplish the things I ’s most famous clubs, East End Lions sport dominated by men and in a country where leader of world soccer body FIFA, Sierra Leone’s want to do I can see no reason why I would not FC, and with two sports mad brothers. sexism is rife. Her 18-year-old son has had to Isha Johansen said the time was not right for her want to go for the top job eventually,” Johansen She is now owner and CEO of Sierra Leone endure similar abuse on social media, she said. to aim for the top job now but she would not rule said in an interview yesterday. National club, her country’s top But Johansen said this had not deterred her out a shot at the presidency in the future. “Women definitely should try to aspire to high professional football league. She is also the from her task of leading football in Sierra Leone FIFA was thrown into turmoil in May by US places ... but I was too new in my role to consider founder of football club FC Johansen that she set where she has tried to tackle mismanagement indictments of 14 football officials for alleged this now,” she added, speaking on the sidelines of up as a humanitarian project in 2004 to inspire and corruption head on. corruption and President Sepp Blatter has been the Trust Women conference on women’s rights young footballers and is now in the premier “Sexism plays a large part but it is good gover- suspended ahead of February elections when five run by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. league. Johansen said the success of FC Johansen nance that I am driving and it makes it hard work candidates will vie for the leadership and to clean Studies have repeatedly shown that increasing gave her the confidence to run for president of being a woman,” she said. Johansen said she up the game. the percentage of women on corporate boards the Sierra Leone Football Association in 2013, hoped getting more women into leadership roles Johansen, 51, president of the Sierra Leone can improve financial performance, corporate winning the post and vowing to bring discipline, in public and private sectors would inspire a new Football Association, is one of only a handful of social responsibility, and increase the number of sanity and integrity to football in her country. generation of women and that she personally women to ever head football associations among women in other high-level positions. “(Football) was never a career option,” would be a role model for other women to go FIFA’s 209 member countries. Johansen said. “I didn’t see myself coming and a into football administration. She said it was a shame that no women were Never a career option lot of people didn’t see me coming .. and those “The power of football to break barriers is enor- in the running for the FIFA presidency next year Johansen said she had not set out for a career that did thought it was a big joke.” mous,” she said. “We have to try to elevate our but she said this could change in the future as in football but fell into the role as the daughter of Over the years she has faced verbal and physi- young girls to a status both mentally and physi- women took a greater role in the sport. a professional banker who co-founded one of cal abuse for taking such a high profile role in a cally through the power of football.” — Reuters Bengals slump to first defeat against Texans

LOS ANGELES: Relief quarterback T.J. Yates team win.” The game featured a sloppy first tossed the game-winning touchdown pass half in which there were six punts, nine to DeAndre Hopkins in the fourth quarter penalties and both quarterbacks led their as the Houston Texans handed the teams in rushing. The second half was not their first loss of the sea- much better. Early in the third quarter, son with a sloppy 10-6 road victory on Dalton’s deep ball intended for receiver Monday. Marvin Jones was tipped and intercepted Cincinnati (8-1) could not overcome by Texans cornerback . numerous errors, with tight end Tyler Eifert Joseph, a former Bengal, has intercepted suffering three key drops and quarterback Dalton in four consecutive games between struggling to find his rhythm the teams. Hoyer was escorted to the lock- against relentless Texans pressure at Paul er with the Texans trailing 6-3 late in the Brown Stadium. “This was a big game for third quarter. Yates subsequently orches- us, especially when you beat a team like trated a nine-play, 79-yard drive, with his Cincinnati,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien told 22-yard pass to Hopkins putting Houston reporters. “Those guys in that locker room ahead for good. understand what we can do.” Houston (4-5) Hopkins managed to get two feet down lost starting quarterback Brian Hoyer late in inbounds while falling backwards to make the third quarter due to a possible concus- the score 10-6.”Hop’s a go-to guy for us,” sion and Yates came in to complete 5-of-11 O’Brien said. “That was a great catch and passes for 69 yards. Cincinnati had one last throw.” Dalton had another rough night chance when it took over at its own 19-yard under the prime-time lights, going 22-of- line with 3:54 remaining. 38 for 197 yards and an . Dalton converted a third-and-18 on a Punter Shane Lechler was a weapon for the pass to receiver A.J. Green to keep the Texans, helping them flip field position on drive alive. Then, on fourth-and-six, Green several occasions. Lechler averaged 46.8 appeared to make a first-down catch but yards on eight punts, including one 64- fumbled and the ball was recovered by yarder. “We’ve got to clean those things Texans safety Quintin Demps. “You play all up,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. “A.J. the way to the whistle,” said Texans defen- won’t fumble the ball and Tyler Eifert won’t sive end J.J. Watt, who had two tackles and drop balls (like he did tonight). We’ll make a sack. “That’s the way you have to play plays and catches like we have been and against an 8-0 team. This was an incredible continue to get better at it.” — Reuters

DHAKA: Australia’s captain (2L) vies for the ball with Bangladesh football player Mohammad Ziban (C) during the Asia Group B FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying football match between Bangladesh and Australia at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka yesterday. — AFP Cahill scores hat-trick as Australia thump Bangladesh

DHAKA: Veteran forward scored his Australian football officials also flagged half we were a little scrappy. In the end I was second international hat-trick as Australia set their concerns to world football governing happy with the performance with the players, aside security worries to thrash Bangladesh 4- body FIFA and the Asian Football three points for us and with it we go home,” 0 yesterday in a one-sided World Cup qualify- Confederation. The match was given the go- he added. Cahill who turns 36 next month ing match in Dhaka. ahead after Bangladesh assured the visitors of won a second consecutive start. He opened Cahill completed his hat-trick inside 37 “unprecedented” security. the score in the sixth minute with a neat minutes after the start and captain Mile Ahead of the match, all the shops and mar- header and then completed the hat-trick with Jedinak scored the other goal as the visitors kets at and around the stadium were shut a scrappy goal in the 33rd minute and a tap in sealed victory in the first half in front of a bois- down, traffic was halted on key roads and the near post in the 37th minute. The three terous near-packed crowd at the each of about 20,000 spectators were body- goals took his record Socceroos’ goal tally to Bangabandhu National Stadium. searched before they were allowed to enter 45. He also scored in the team’s 3-0 win The build-up to the match was overshad- the stadium. against Kyrgyzstan in Canberra last Thursday. owed by security concerns after Western Captain Mile Jedinak made the score 4-0 nations alerted their citizens about a terrorist Much needed victory with a simple header into an empty net from strike in the Muslim majority nation, prompt- The victory was much needed for Australia close range in the 43rd minute. ing the Australian cricket team to postpone a who started the match one behind group Australia rested brilliant Aaron Mooy and CINCINNATI: Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) sacks Cincinnati Bengals two-match Test series in October. leader Jordan. Forfeiting the match due to in the second half, allowing quarterback Andy Dalton (14) in the second half of an NFL football game in Tensions also rose after a spate of killings security concerns would have cost the Bangladesh some space in the midfield and Cincinnati, Monday. The Texans won 10-6. — AP of foreigners, policemen and a blast at a Shiite Socceroos three crucial points. the hosts made good use of it to avoid con- shrine that left two people dead-attacks “We came here to win the game. It was dif- ceding further goals. claimed by Islamic state group. The govern- ficult conditions for us tonight,” Australia With the defeat, Bangladesh remained at VIVA announces campaign to win ment said the group does not have any pres- coach said after the match. the bottom of their group with just one point tickets for Man Utd vs Chelsea ence in Bangladesh. “In the first half it was good but the second from seven matches. — AFP KUWAIT: VIVA, Kuwait’s fastest-growing draw, please visit VIVA’s website and fill in and most developed telecom operator, the following information: full name, civil ID announces its Manchester United draw number and mobile number. Draw will be Cameron joins fans for campaign, which started on 10 November held in presence of a representative from and will end on 12 December 2015. the ministry of commerce and industry. This golden opportunity allows soccer To find out more about VIVA’s new pre- fans to enter the draw and win one of the paid packages, or any of its other competi- French anthem rendition three tickets to watch the upcoming match tive promotions, products and packages, between Manchester United vs Chelsea live visit one of the 70 VIVA branches, or the from Old Trafford stadium in Manchester VIVA website at www.viva.com.kw, or call LONDON: British Prime Minister David Thierry Henry said: “Tonight at Wembley, the before kick-off to encourage fans to observe city, on 28 December 2015. To enter this VIVA’s 24 hour call center on 102. Cameron will join football fans singing the whole world will be French.” tributes including a minute’s silence, the lay- French national anthem as they pay tribute to Suicide bombers targeted Paris’s Stade de ing of flowers by team captains Wayne the victims of the Paris attacks prior to France during France’s 2-0 victory over Rooney and Hugo Lloris and the singing of ‘La England-France friendly. The words to ‘La Germany on Friday, leaving four people dead Marseillaise’. Breaking with convention, the Marseillaise’ will be shown on the big screens including three attackers. Diarra’s cousin, Asta French anthem will be played after ‘God Save inside London’s Wembley Stadium as support- Diakite, died in a shooting on Paris’s rue the Queen’ in order to create a stand-alone ers unite in solidarity after Friday’s attacks, Bichat, while the sister of Diarra’s France team- moment of solidarity. England’s fans sitting in which left 129 people dead and over 350 mate Antoine Griezmann escaped unhurt the ground’s east stand will be provided with injured. Cameron had not been scheduled to from the assault on the Bataclan concert hall. materials to form a mosaic of the Tricolore attend the game, but a source said that he France and England’s football associations during the French anthem. Players from both had changed his mind in light of the horror decided that Tuesday’s game should go teams will wear black armbands. The minute’s that struck the French capital while France ahead, prompting an unprecedented security silence before Ireland’s Euro 2016 play-off win played a friendly game against Germany. operation involving armed police patrols and over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Dublin on Asked if the British leader would join England “extensive searches”. Monday was marred by shouts from some vis- fans in singing the anthem, his spokesman Fans have been encouraged to arrive early iting fans, but England manager Roy Hodgson said: “The prime minister will take part in any and not to bring bags with them. There will be does not expect a repeat at Wembley. “We tributes.” France’s players, including Lassana no tickets on sale at the stadium. Football hope the ceremonies will be respected,” he Diarra, who lost a cousin in the attacks, were Association president Prince William, who ini- said. “If there’s one thing that I truly wish for, escorted by armed police as they took a walk tially had no plans to go to the game, will now it is that we show the respect I’d expect every around Wembley beneath grey skies on the attend to show “solidarity to the people of single Englishman to show.” afternoon of the game. The players had France”. The FA has confirmed that the giant arch trained inside the stadium on Monday over Wembley will continue to be lit in the evening, when armed police were again in Tricolore mosaic red, white and blue of the French Tricolore attendance. FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin al leading up to the match. France’s motto- English fans awoke to find the words to ‘La Hussein of Jordan also revealed that he will ’Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite’-is being shown on Marseillaise’ plastered across their newspa- attend. “I am continuing with my plans to screens outside the ground. pers, with tabloids The Sun and The Daily attend the match, which were set some weeks An online petition calling for the proceeds Mirror-normally bastions of footballing patri- ago, and to show solidarity with the people of from the game to be donated to the charity otism-printing them on their back pages. The France and the victims of terror everywhere,” Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Sun instructed readers to “sing for France”, he said in a statement. Borders) had garnered more than 145,000 sig- while inside, France’s record goal-scorer Wembley’s bars will shut five minutes natures by today. — AFP