P14 2 Layout 1

14 Established 1961 Sports Thursday, October 12, 2017 Another win for Belgium, Greece heads for World Cup playoffs Belgium chasing European record of 43 goals in qualifying competition ATHENS: Eden Hazard fired Belgium to its fifth important,” said Belgium coach Roberto straight World Cup qualifying victory, scoring Martinez, who rested several key players before twice for a 4-0 win in Cyprus on Tuesday, while ending the 10-game qualification run with 28 Greece also beat Gibraltar 4-0 to edge Bosnia out of the possible 30 points. “We saw was a and Herzegovina for a place in the playoffs. willingness to work hard and play well,” he said. Hazard raised Belgium’s goal tally further, opening the scoring in the 12th minute after GREECE REACHES PLAYOFFS teammate Youri Tielemans poached the ball off Greece initially displayed weakness in attack, defenders. It was a night for the Chelsea star’s but Gibraltar eventually tired and conceded family to shine. He scored a penalty in the sec- three times in the second half for the 4-0 loss, ond half, and brother Thorgan also found the finishing with no points after 10 games in Group net, celebrating his first goal for Belgium when H. “We have rebounded from a bad spell and we he was able to tap in a rebound. are back in form,” said Greece captain Vassilis Belgium was chas- Torosidis, who ing the European opened the scoring in record of 43 for most the 32nd minute, goals in a qualifying meeting a cross from competition, either We have Carlos Zeca with an for a World Cup or athletic header. European rebounded Kostas Mitroglou Championship, which scored twice in the Germany had just set from a bad spell second half, striking in its qualifying and back in form within two minutes, group. In the 78th and Ioannis minute Romelu Gianniotas added the Lukaku - returning fourth. Bosnia could from injury - equaled only hope for a group the mark when he ran on to a long ball, upset, but stayed behind Greece despite a 2-1 shrugged off a hapless defender and scored win in Estonia. with a low drive, his 11th goal in qualifying. Before the start of the match Tallinn’s Le Coq Captain Jan Vertonghen appeared in his 97th Arena was littered with flares near the away-fan international to become the most-capped enclosure, setting the atmosphere for a tense Belgian international, with previous record game. The Bosnians pressed hard despite the holder Jan Ceulemans applauding from the dwindling odds of qualification. Izet Hajrovic stands. got both goals for Bosnia, while Ilja Antonov PIRAEUS PORT: Greece’s Kyriakos Papadopoulos heads the ball during the World Cup Group H quali- “It was a good game for us. We could have scored for the hosts. Casert reported from fying soccer match between Greece and Gibraltar at Georgios Karaskaikis stadium in Piraeus port, scored five or six, but the score isn’t really that Brussels, Belgium. — AP near Athens.— AP Australia coach Man Utd better refuses to deny than last year, quit reports SYDNEY: Australia coach Ange Postecoglou failed to says Mourinho confirm or deny reports he’s about to quit yesterday, raising speculation he’ll walk away even if they qualify for the World Cup. Football Federation Australia chief LONDON: Jose Mourinho says his Manchester executive David Gallop also hinted at possible changes United team are better than they were last year, when he said the Socceroos needed to “lock in our set- playing down injury concerns as he prepares for up” after next month’s play-off with Honduras. a blockbuster Premier League clash against Gallop said he had discussed the matter with Liverpool. High-flying United travel to face their Postecoglou after rival media groups News Ltd and fierce rivals at Anfield on Saturday looking to Fairfax said the coach would quit regardless of whether maintain a rich vein of form that leaves them Australia qualify for Russia 2018. trailing Manchester City only on goal difference The Asian champions, who have reached the last at the top of the table. Mourinho had a mixed three World Cups, needed extra time in Sydney on first season at Old Trafford, finishing a disap- Tuesday to beat Syria 3-2 on aggregate and reach the pointing sixth in the League but winning the final, two-legged play-off with Honduras. Europa League and League Cup. But big-mon- “I am aware of reports today suggesting that I will ey summer signings Romelu Lukaku and step down as head coach of the Socceroos next Nemanja Matic have impressed in the early month,” Postecoglou said in an FFA statement. “My weeks of the season, enabling United to keep sole focus is on preparing the team for our final two Australia’s soccer head coach Ange Postecoglou (left). pace with free-scoring City. qualifying matches. I will not let anything compromise “I think we are a better team (than we were),” the team’s journey on getting to a fourth consecutive Mourinho told Sky Sports. “You can say, like FIFA World Cup.” ‘FLYING BLIND’ he wants to do the same for Australian coaches.” Under some people do, we have not played one of the Gallop also said he wanted to keep the focus on the The former Brisbane Roar coach took over the Postecoglou, Australia exited the 2014 World Cup at top five teams but last season we did not beat play-off games in November, whose dates are yet to be Socceroos after Holger Osieck’s sacking in 2013, and the group stage but then lifted the Asian Cup the fol- West Ham at home, last season we did not beat confirmed by world body FIFA, rather than signed a five-year contract that is due to expire after lowing year, their first major trophy. The former Everton at home or Southampton away. Postecoglou’s future. next year’s World Cup. Brisbane Roar and Young Socceroos coach gave few “I think it would be unfair to say (Romelu) “We have every confidence that Ange and the play- “He hasn’t got a job lined up, he would be flying signs that his departure may be imminent after yester- Lukaku and (Nemanja) Matic did not make an ers can get the job done,” Gallop said, referring to the blind,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted a source as day’s tense victory over Syria in Sydney. “I’ve had impact. We have to admit that and give them play-off. “Beyond that, should we qualify, there is a saying. “It’s simply the fact he has been in this job for confidence all the way. The nature of this qualifying what they deserve. “But also the team give period of some months until the World Cup and we more than four years, he has been to a World Cup, he process is we’ve done things in a difficult way the Matic and Lukaku the conditions to arrive the agreed that we will need to lock in our set-up as soon has helped raise the standard of the Australian game. whole time,” Postecoglou told reporters. way they have. as possible to maximise our preparation time,” he He has brought the country its first major silverware “Maybe it’s not a bad thing. I’ve got full faith in these “Globally we are a better team. Does that mean added. News Ltd’s Herald Sun said Postecoglou was with the Asian Cup win. guys. “Whenever it’s needed, they keep delivering and we are going to be as successful as last season, irritated by criticism during Australia’s laboured quali- “He now wants to return to the day-to-day involve- keep believing and working hard. I’ve got no doubt winning two titles? I don’t know. But we are bet- fying campaign, while the Sydney Morning Herald said ment at club level overseas. He feels he has raised the come those two games in November, they’ll do what’s ter.” Mourinho, already without France midfielder he wanted to join a club overseas. reputation of Australian players on the pitch and now needed again.” — AFP Paul Pogba, shrugged off the loss of muscular midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who suffered a knee injury while on international duty for Belgium. Asked about the Fellaini injury, Mourinho told Valcke, a French former TV presenter, denies wrong- Sky Sports: “No blow, no problem. We don’t cry doing and is also under criminal investigation by European 2018 World with injuries. We may cry with the process that Switzerland’s attorney general. Proceedings were Cup qualifying tables leads to the injuries but we don’t cry with the Former FIFA official opened against Valcke in March 2016 “on suspicion of injuries. We just trust the players that are going various acts of criminal mismanagement.” to play.” A separate FIFA ethics case was opened in PARIS: Final 2018 World Cup qualifying European zone Groups A, United have also had concerns over the fitness Valcke testifies in September 2016 to investigate Valcke, Blatter and for- B and H standings after Tuesday’s matches (played, won, drawn, of striker Lukaku, who has netted 11 times since mer FIFA finance director Markus Kattner over con- lost, goals for, goals against, points): his move from Everton, but he came off the bench tracted bonuses. Some World Cup bonuses over $10 soccer ban appeal Group A and scored in Belgium’s 4-0 win over Cyprus on million were due to be paid, and had been signed off by other FIFA officials. France 10 7 2 1 18 6 23 - qualified Tuesday.

Load more