MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2016 SPORTS

Bremen give caretaker Modric faces month Ex-Man Utd striker coach Nouri until May out after knee surgery Herd dies aged 82

MADRID: Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric is set to be LONDON: Former Manchester United and Scotland striker David Herd has died BERLIN: Werder Bremen have given caretaker coach Alexander Nouri a full- sidelined for a month after undergoing surgery on a left knee at the age of 82, his old club announced yesterday. Herd played a key role in time contract until the end of the season with the 37-year-old charged with cartilage injury yesterday. “Modric has today undergone suc- United’s revival following the 1958 Munich air disaster and scored twice in their keeping them in Germany’s top flight. Having been in charge of the club’s cessful arthroscopic surgery in his left knee to remove a patel- 3-1 win over Leicester in the 1963 FA Cup final. He also helped under-23 side, Nouri was appointed head coach of the senior lar chondral fragment,” Madrid said in a statement. The club United win the English league title in 1965 and 1967. Herd, who team a fortnight ago when Viktor Skripnik was sacked with refused to state how long Modric will be sidelined, but various previously played for Arsenal, scored 145 goals for United. He left Bremen bottom of the table after four straight defeats. But Spanish media outlets reported the former Tottenham United for Stoke a month after they won the European Cup Nouri has been rewarded after picking up a win and a draw Hotspur playmaker faces a month out. Modric had already against Benfica in 1968, a success in which he played little part from his three games in charge to steer the club up to 15th- been ruled out of Sunday’s La Liga clash with Eibar, but is now having suffered a broken leg the year before. just above the relegation places. “He has shown in recent set to miss Croatia’s World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and United and Stoke were involved in a weeks that he can connect with the team and done an Finland. After the international break, Modric is also expected Premier League match yesterday, with excellent job,” said Bremen’s director of sport Frank Baumann. to sit out league meetings against Real Betis, Athletic Bilbao players from both clubs wearing black “We have come to the decision that he should get the and Alaves, as well as a Champions League clash with Legia armbands as a mark of respect to Herd. opportunity to continue the work he started.” But Warsaw. Modric’s stunning performances over the past two “Everybody at Manchester United is sad- Nouri is far from assured of remaining in charge years have made him one of Madrid’s most important players dened to hear of the passing of David Herd,” beyond next summer. “We have never made a alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. the club posted on manutd.com. “We can con- secret of the fact that in our requirements for However, coach Zinedine Zidane has a wealth of creative mid- firm that both United and Stoke will wear black the job description, experience plays an field options in Isco, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio to armbands this afternoon to pay tribute to David important role,” added Baumann.—AFP fill in during Modric’s absence. —AFP Herd, who played for both clubs.”—AFP

SEPANG: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain leaves his car after an engine failure during the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, yesterday. —AP Hamilton demands answers over Malaysian GP failure

SEPANG: A furious Lewis Hamilton demand- teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg - who answers because this is not acceptable. We are tions, which generated track temperatures more races this year.” Rosberg held onto third ed answers from his Mercedes team after an finished an impressive third - a 23-point lead fighting for the championship and only my that consistently topped 50 degrees (122 F). place despite incurring a ten-second penalty engine failure cost him victory in yesterday’s in the championship. Rosberg had to fight engines are failing. It does not sit right with “It’s been an interesting, I would say, two for an aggressive passing move on Ferrari’s Malaysian Grand Prix and severely dented his back from 21st place after lap one when he me. “Someone doesn’t want me to win this years since my last victory and it feels awe- Kimi Raikkonen on lap 38. Raikkonen finished chances of winning this year’s Formula One was the innocent party in a collision with year, but I won’t give up. I will keep pushing.” some for sure. I am so grateful for it,” he said. fourth, extending Ferrari’s winless streak this drivers’ championship. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. Red Bull and Ricciardo took a lucky victory, Ricciardo delighted many fans, and disgusted season. Williams driver Valtteri Bottas made a Hamilton was leading with 16 of 56 laps With five races left in the season, it will be given the circumstances that afflicted the quite a few others, by celebrating victory with one-pit stop strategy work to take fifth place, remaining at the Sepang International Circuit difficult for Hamilton to make up the deficit to Mercedes pair, but were in the right place to his newly adopted tradition of pouring the cel- as did Renault’s Jolyon Palmer who finished when his engine blew in spectacular style, the ultra-consistent Rosberg in the champi- capitalize and make up for the win the ebratory champagne into his sweaty race shoe tenth for his first ever points finish in F1. with flames shooting from the rear of the car. onship fight. The frustrated Briton felt victim- Australian felt robbed of in Monaco when a and then drinking it - something he calls the Force India’s Sergio Perez and Nico It handed the race lead to Red Bull’s Daniel ized by circumstances, and he hinted at per- team pit-stop misunderstanding cost him vic- ‘Shoey’. Not only that, he also convinced team Hulkenberg took sixth and eighth places Ricciardo, who went on to take his first race haps more than that. tory. “Told you I’d win one. Sometimes you just principal Christian Horner, plus Verstappen respectively, separated by McLaren’s Fernando victory since the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix, “My question is to Mercedes,” Hamilton need things to swing your way,” said Ricciardo, and Rosberg to also drink from the unconven- Alonso, who did well to finish seventh after leading a one-two finish with his teenage said. “We have so many engines made for driv- whose tears during the Australian anthem tional vessel. Asked to comment on the flavor, starting the race from last on the grid. Alonso’s teammate Max Verstappen. ers, but mine are the only ones failing this played after the race mixed freely with the Ricciardo said it had a fruity taste, but Rosberg teammate Jenson Button was ninth in his More painfully, it gave Hamilton’s Mercedes year. Someone needs to give me some copious sweat generated in the tropical condi- deadpanned: “I hope he does not win any 300th grand prix start. —AP

Palmer point a boost for Ricciardo wins Malaysian GP

his F1 future prospects SEPANG: Daniel Ricciardo led a Red Bull one- two as a distraught Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of SEPANG: Jolyon Palmer made a strong regulations. While the team had report- regaining the world championship lead went case to be retained by the Renault team edly chased Force India’s Sergio Perez, up in smoke at a dramatic, action-packed in 2017 as he scored his first ever the Mexican was expected to announce Malaysian Grand Prix yesterday. Formula One points by finishing tenth in in the coming week that he was staying Hamilton was leading with 15 laps to go yesterday’s Malaysian Grand Prix. put. That increased the likelihood that when his engine exploded at the Sepang The British driver was the only one to Renault will retain at least one of its cur- International Circuit. “No, no,” cried the start the race on the hardest-compound rent driver pairing: Palmer and Kevin Englishman as flames appeared at the back of tire and made the most of a one-pitstop Magnussen. his car, leaving Ricciardo to take the lead strategy to take the last points place. Magnussen finished in the points in ahead of teammate Max Verstappen. “It feels good, I’m really happy,” the previous race in Singapore and was Championship leader Nico Rosberg sur- Palmer said. “The race was really considered the more likely of the pair to vived a first-bend spin involving Sebastian smooth; I wish it was always so straight- be retained, but Renault team principal Vettel and a 10-second penalty to take third forward. “The car gave me everything I Fred Vasseur was impressed by Palmer’s place and extend the gap over Mercedes needed, we handled the tires well and performance yesterday. teammate Hamilton to 23 points with just five the team did a great job with strategy “After a disappointing qualifying yes- races remaining. Hamilton was almost in tears and pit stops. Finally everything came terday he got his head down and deliv- with his head in his hands after the dramatic together and we got it home to P10.” ered a very good race,” Vasseur said. “We end to his race which has dealt a severe blow Palmer’s future at Renault is in doubt, ran to an aggressive strategy and Jo did to his chances of securing a third drivers’ with the team chasing an experienced everything required to make this work championship in a row. driver in 2017 as it seeks to make a leap so a great effort from him and the team He had looked all set to snatch back the forward under the sport’s new design today.” —AP lead from Rosberg, who was relegated from second on the grid to 21st after he was hit by Vettel on the first bend. Vettel was forced to retire with a broken front suspension in the incident that also ’s Qiao Bin involved Verstappen. Hamilton had got away cleanly from pole position and sped off into the distance, clear of the trouble behind him. wins He looked to be heading for a comfortable win until his engine let go in the most spec- SEOUL: Rising Chinese star Qiao Bin won “It was a difficult match...but I am glad tacular fashion. SEPANG: Red Bull Racing’s Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo (L) and his teammate Max the final round of the men’s singles at the that I was able to finish my international An ecstatic Ricciardo celebrated his first Verstappen (R) celebrate with their trophies after the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix in World Federation Korea Open career with such a good game,” Lee said win of the season on the podium with a Sepang yesterday. — AFP Sunday after crushing South Korean veter- after the match. Lee, with 43 titles under “shoey”-drinking champagne from his driving an Son Wan-Ho. The 23-year-old unseeded his belt, is the second most successful boot. teenage Flying Dutchman. “We were pushing said the team had “let down” Hamilton. “I am player, currently world number 41 in men’s Superseries badminton player after “It was a race of challenges,” said Ricciardo. the whole race,” said Verstappen. The defen- really upset. We should not let him down with singles, defeated the sixth seed, world Malaysian legend Lee Chong Wei. The 28- “Lewis got the lead and had his problems. It sive move proved crucial as it gave Ricciardo an engine failure. It was a fairly new engine, it number eight Son 21-11, 21-23, 21-7. “I’m year-old multiple Olympic medallist, went the other way in Monaco, and I will take track position at the final pit stop under the was not old in the car,” Lauda told Sky Sports so thrilled. I have no words to express my including gold in mixed doubles at the this today,” said the Australian, referring to his virtual safety car caused by Hamilton’s demise. television. “What went wrong I do not know feelings,” Qiao said. “I have learned my 2008 Beijing Olympics, has been a poster botched final pit stop which handed Hamilton Ricciardo was then able to hold onto the lead and we will work to correct it. game by watching many of my seniors. boy of South Korean badminton and been victory in Monaco earlier in the season. comfortably till the end. “I am taking him to Japan tomorrow in my First of all, I should mention and widely popular in Asia. In the women’s Meanwhile Rosberg sliced his way back plane. I hope I can (cheer) him up. The champi- as my models,” he said, referring tournament, Japanese seventh seed Akane EMOTIONAL RICCIARDO through the field imperiously after the first onship is over when the last race is over, 23 to two top Chinese players. Yamaguchi defeated South Korea’s Sung Ji- “It has been two years since (my) last win, corner drama and was surprised to make the points is a lot but you never know.” Sunday’s game also saw South Korean Hyun 20-22, 21-15, 21-18. South Korea and it has been a bit emotional. I said two podium. “I thought the race was all over, so I Hamilton’s failure to finish and Rosberg’s superstar Lee Yong-Dae retire from interna- dominated the doubles games, with Jung weeks ago we would win one and we did.” am really happy to fight back all the way to third place mean that Mercedes missed a tional matches after winning the men’s Kyung-Eun and Shin Seung-Chan beating Verstappen, who turned 19 on Friday, cele- the podium,” Rosberg said. chance to clinch the constructors’ champi- doubles with Yoo Yeon-Seong. The duo China’s Luo Ying and 21-13, 21-11 in brated his podium finish and his birthday by “I wished for a better day but that is the onship in Sepang. They have 553 points but staged an upset against China’s women’s doubles. In mixed doubles, anoth- also drinking the sweaty cocktail. way it goes sometimes.” Red Bull, who picked up 43 points for the one- and -champions at last week’s er South Korean pair Ko Sung-Hyun and The Red Bull pair battled thrillingly wheel- Hamilton now has to pick himself up quick- two, have closed the gap to 194 points with a Yonex Open Japan — 16-21, 22-20, 21-18 in Kim Ha-Na defeated China’s to-wheel through six bends at one point, with ly ahead of next Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix. maximum of 215 up for grabs in the remaining a nail-biting 85-minute thriller. and 21-14, 21-19. —AFP Ricciardo just managing to hold off the Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda five races of the season.— AFP