SUN DAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016 SPORTS

Top 10 debut for Konta with Open semi win

BEIJING: Johanna Konta became the demanded seven set points from Keys will be the first British woman to break qualify for the first time for the eight- in the evening... I rolled over my ankle, first British woman in 32 years to break for the second set and then stepped up into the top 10 since Jo Durie in 1984 player season finale in Singapore. Konta obviously caused it some level of a into the top 10, after she beat Madison her game in the third, keeping the when the new rankings are released moves into eighth spot with the semi- sprain,” Raonic told reporters. The sixth- Keys to reach the final of the China American on the defensive to take her a Monday. final win, while Keys remains in seventh ranked 25-year-old has been stalked by Open yesterday. step closer to her second season-and position, but with two weeks to go injuries all season, costing him the Andy Murray is also through to the career-title. “I don’t think she made a lot SMASHING RECORDS before the tournament both could be chance to bag his first title. final in -his ninth final of the sea- of unforced errors or gave me a lot of Durie, who reached a career high of nudged out. He was two sets up to Murray in the son-after downing Spaniard David balls to be able to get on the offense,” five, tweeted her congratulations after Konta will face third-ranked Australian Open semis when he suffered Ferrer 6-2, 6-3. The Scot will face Grigor Keys told reporters after the match. the match: “Congrats to @JoKonta91 a Agnieszka Radwanska in Sunday’s final, a thigh injury, eventually losing in five. Dimitrov, who got a free pass when Konta, 25, burst onto the scene at last fantastic year & thoroughly deserves the after she beat Ukrainian Elina Svitolina The big-serving Canadian was also Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic year’s US Open where she reached the Top Ten ranking. More to come I’m sure.” 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 in the semis. tipped to make a run for the crown at withdrew from their semi-final match round of 16, claiming two top 20 scalps Although typically focused Konta Svitolina-who upset world number Flushing Meadows, but fell in the sec- with an ankle injury. along the way. She has gone up anoth- was quick to put aside thoughts of her one Angelique Kerber in the third round ond round after again injuring himself Konta put in a solid performance to er gear this season, becoming the first top 10 achievement, she admitted that — recovered from 3-0 in the second set on court. advance to the biggest final of her British woman to reach a Grand Slam breaking another of Durie’s records felt but was unable to close the gap on the Murray made quick work of Ferrer for career, beating eighth-ranked Keys 7-6 semi-final in 33 years at the Australian good. “I know I’ve achieved something 2011 champion. a place in the finals. The Spaniard had (7/1), 4-6, 6-4. After a tight first set, Keys’ Open and reaching the quarter-finals at good whenever I’m mentioned in the Meanwhile Raonic pulled out of his lost his previous six matches against serve let her down in the tiebreaker but the Rio Olympics. same sentence as her (Durie),” Konta semi-final match a few hours before it Murray and failed to get a look in after she rallied in the second despite contin- The win in the Chinese capital is yet said. There was a lot on the line for both was due to start. the Scot went two breaks up in the first ued pressure from the Briton. Konta another one for the record books: she Konta and Keys as they chase points to “Yesterday during my second match set. —AFP Swiss win five-goal thriller in Hungary

BUDAPEST: Substitute Valentin Stocker was saved by Peter Gulacsi. scored in the last minute to give Szalai equalised two minutes later, also Switzerland a 3-2 win away to Hungary on from a rebound after his own shot hit the Friday after Adam Szalai had twice post. Left back Ricardo Rodriguez put equalised for the hosts in a thrilling World Switzerland back in front in the 67th Cup qualifier. minute, volleying home from Valon The Swiss went top of Group B with six Behrami’s lofted cross for his first interna- points from two matches following a game tional goal, only for Szalai to again equalise in which all five goals were scored after four minutes later. halftime, while Hungary were left with one Switzerland were not to be denied, how- point and already look unlikely to make a ever, and snatched the points when a long first World Cup appearance since 1986. thrown-in was twice headed on and The Faroe Islands are second with four Stocker scored at the far post. points after their shock 2-0 win in Latvia, “Hungary applied lots of pressure on us while Portugal and Latvia have three and during the game which was intense and Andorra none. entertaining. Hungary came back at us Switzerland struggled to get going in twice, but we showed character at end,” the first half without the suspended Granit Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic told Xhaka, who usually dictates the rhythm in reporters. His Hungarian counterpart Bernd midfield. Storck added: “It was a dynamic and good But striker Haris Seferovic, widely criti- game, both teams gave all they had. We are cised for his performances at Euro 2016 very disappointed because came back when he failed to score a goal, put them in twice against a top team, but we made too front six minutes after halftime, scoring many mistakes and they made us pay for from a rebound after Xherdan Shaqiri’s shot them.” — Reuters Southgate caught up in tax avoidance dispute LONDON: England interim manager when the case was resolved. Gareth Southgate is among hundreds of But the timing is embarrassing for the rich clients caught up in a multi-million- 46-year-old and for the Football pound tax avoidance dispute with British Association, the English game’s governing authorities, a newspaper reported Friday, body, as they hope to draw a line under for- on the eve of his first match in charge. mer manager Sam Allardyce’s controversial Southgate invested in two partnerships exit. Southgate takes charge of England for set up by a film investment fund, the first time in Saturday’s World Cup quali- AVEIRO: Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo challenges Andorra’s Victor Rodriguez, left, during their World Cup Group B qualifying soccer match at the Ingenious, which is accused by Her fier against Malta, barely a fortnight after Municipal Stadium in Aveiro, Portugal on Friday. Ronaldo scored four goals in Portugal’s 6-0 victory. — AP his predecessor quit in disgrace after just 67 days and one game at the helm. Allardyce, 61, was secretly filmed by Ruthless Ronaldo hits four, undercover reporters giving advice on how to circumnavigate transfer rules and mock- ing England predecessor Roy Hodgson. Appointed England manager on a £3 and Dutch run riot million-a-year contract ($3.9 million, 3.3 million euros), Allardyce also agreed to PARIS: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in the Andre Silva sealed the punishment four min- travel to Singapore and Hong Kong as an opening four minutes on the way to a four-goal utes from time. “We know that Switzerland and ambassador for their fictitious firm for a fee haul as European champions Portugal smashed the Faroes won tonight and it will be necessary of £400,000. Andorra 6-0 in World Cup qualifying on Friday, for us to beat them during qualification,” said Matches on TV According to the Daily Mirror, Southgate while France recovered from a goal down to Ronaldo who now has 65 international goals. (Local Timings) is one of about 400 rich clients of thrash Bulgaria. “There are eight games left and we want to Ingenious, a movie financing firm that has The Real Madrid superstar was making his win them all to reach the World Cup finals.” WORLD CUP 2018 backed films such as Avatar but which is first appearance for Portugal since he was accused of creating artificial losses to help stretchered off injured and in tears from the final GAMEIRO AT THE DOUBLE EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS investors avoid tax. of Euro 2016 and he wasted no time in making France, agonisingly beaten by Portugal in Following a tribunal ruling earlier this up for his three-month absence from interna- Paris in the Euro final in July, returned to the year, investors are facing a bill for £434 mil- tional football. scene of that heartbreak and got off to the worst Finland v Croatia 19:00 lion (482 million euros, $540 million) in The 31-year-old took just 73 seconds to make possible start when they conceded after just six Abu Dhabi SPORTS 3 HD unpaid tax, plus interest and legal fees, his mark. He was wrestled to the floor at a corner minutes at the Stade de France. Mihail v Kosovo 19:00 according to the Mirror. but then jumped up to volley in left footed from Aleksandrov stroked home from the penalty Ingenious denies it operated as a tax around the penalty spot after the Andorra goal- spot to give the Bulgarians a shock lead in a very Abu Dhabi SPORTS 5 HD avoidance scheme. A spokesman for the FA keeper could only parry a Portugal header. competitive-looking Group A. But the French Albania v 21:45 Gareth Southgate told AFP: “This is a private matter.” Ronaldo, who has struggled to get back to his stormed back with two goals from Kevin Abu Dhabi SPORTS 3 HD Meanwhile, The Times newspaper reported brilliant best for Real since returning from his Gameiro-making his first international start in Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of that England captain Wayne Rooney is fac- knee trouble, was at it again two minutes later almost five years-in a convincing 4-1 win. “It was Macedonia v 21:45 being part of an elaborate scheme to avoid ing a £3.5 million tax bill after a separate when he was left totally unmarked on the six- a perfect evening. We reacted well and then ran Abu Dhabi SPORTS 4 HD paying tax, the Daily Mirror said. film investment partnership in which he put yard box to rise and head in. It was only a matter away with it,” Gameiro, back in favour at the age Moldova v Ireland 21:45 A source close to the former England his money was also accused of tax avoid- of how many for the home side after that, as of 29, told TF1. “I felt enormously proud and player told AFP he made the investments in ance. “Wayne’s tax affairs have always been Portugal belatedly got three points on the board especially full of desire. Hard work pays off.” The Abu Dhabi SPORTS 2 HD 2004 in good faith and would not chal- conducted in full compliance with the law,” in Group B, after losing in Switzerland in the Netherlands, who failed to make it to the Euros, lenge any tax demand that might arise a spokesman told the newspaper. —AFP opening group matches. top the group after they defeated 4-1 in WC2018 AFRICAN QUALIFIERS Ronaldo made it the perfect hat-trick just 90 Rotterdam. Quincy Promes grabbed a first-half seconds after the break, grabbing his third- brace for the Dutch. Portugal’s fourth-with a sweet right-footed vol- France travel to Amsterdam tomorrow for a Zambia v Nigeria 15:30 ley. Andorra’s nightmare evening got that bit mouthwatering clash with the Netherlands. beIN SPORTS 5 HD worse just after the hour when they went down Under-achieving Belgium also enjoyed a fine to 10 men, Jordi Rubio receiving a second yellow home win, Eden Hazard scoring a beauty in the Congo v Egypt 17:30 card for clattering late and hard into Ronaldo, first period as they defeated Bosnia and beIN SPORTS 1 HD who punished the away side soon after with Herzegovina 4-0 to go top of Group H. Tunisia v Guinea 20:00 another fine half-volley for 5-0. European World Cup qualifying continues, Cynical and increasingly desperate Andorra when England host minnows Malta at Wembley beIN SPORTS 5 HD saw red again when Marc Rebes was the next to for interim manager Gareth Southgate’s first Algeria v Cameroon 22:30 get sent off, again for cutting down the man of game in charge after the departure in disgrace beIN SPORTS 1 HD the moment Ronaldo. of Sam Allardyce. — AFP West Ham count cost as relocation sparks turf war

LONDON: While historic Upton Park is being son. West Ham’s number of season-ticket holders elements, the cheap tickets and larger stadium reduced to rubble by demolition workers, just doubled to over 50,000, close to stadium capaci- have allowed a way back in for some of the club’s across east London the price of progress seems ty, but while co-owners David Sullivan and David more volatile followers and a new breed keen to painfully high to the West Ham fans engaged in a Gold counted the cash, the streets around their follow in their violent footsteps. struggle for their club’s soul. new home have become paved with blood Adding to the explosive mix, fans who stood Just five months ago West Ham waved rather than gold. throughout matches at Upton Park have quickly farewell to Upton Park, their home for 112 years, Traditionally drawing their support from the become frustrated by the club and local council’s and headed into a bright and lucrative future in working-classes who grew up in the tough dis- desire to ensure they stay sitting in their new their new and bigger London Stadium. tricts around Upton Park, West Ham’s change of abode. Continuing to flout the rule, those sup- Becoming the main tenants at the former address was expected to repeat the trend of porters have turned violent when confronted by Olympic Stadium had been a gruelling process, crowd gentrification seen at Arsenal and Chelsea. stewards or other fans, often those with children but West Ham’s hierarchy felt the politicking and Once feared in the 1980s for their large number whose view of the match is impeded by the legal wrangles would be worthwhile if the of hooligans, Chelsea’s fanbase underwent a standing. increased revenue helped transform their under- remarkable change when higher ticket prices Compounding the problem is a security deba- achieving club into a major force. Determined to saw many old-school supporters usurped by the cle which means police are only on duty outside fill the stadium, season-ticket prices were slashed middle classes, who saw the modern game as a because there isn’t a radio system in the stadium YPANE: Paraguayan national football team player Oscar Romero (C) controls the ball to a cheapest mark of £289 ($359, 320 euros) for fashionable addition to their lifestyle. which would allow officers to communicate. during a training session at the Complejo Albiroga training centre in Ypane, near adults, in comparison to Upton Park’s lowest West Ham had serious problems with their West Ham have pushed for a police presence Asuncion, on Friday ahead of their Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier match against range of £600, and business was booming at the “Inter-City Firm” of hooligans for many years as inside the ground but it is the responsibility of Argentina. — AFP box office ahead of the new Premier League sea- well, but rather than keep out the undesirable stadium owners E20 to meet the cost.— AFP