12 Tuesday, June 23, 2020 Sports Mourinho insists Kane will thrive on his watch AFP Mourinho’s tactics were reeled off a list of statistics de- when is fresh, when he has Lucas Moura injured. LONDON again in the spotlight as Spurs tailing the scoring rates of Did- routines of playing that’s my Alli and Lucas will be avail- tried to hold onto a 1-0 lead for ier Drogba, Cristiano Ronaldo, message to somebody.” able for selection against West JOSE Mourinho strongly de- most of the second half before Karim Benzema, Diego Milito Mourinho was also criti- Ham and Mourinho is looking fended his record of getting Bruno Fernandes’s penalty se- and Zlatan Ibrahimovic during cised for leaving a visibly tiring forward to having six attacking the best from top strikers on cured a point for United. his time in charge of Chelsea, Kane on the field for the full 90 players to choose from for the Monday after criticism the Former Arsenal midfield- Real Madrid and Inter Milan. minutes last week. first time as Tottenham boss. Portuguese manager’s style er Paul Merson said he “wor- Kane scored seven goals Spurs wilted in the final “(Steven) Bergwijn and could see Harry Kane look for ried” for Kane under Mour- in 10 games following Mour- quarter as Mourinho made (Erik) Lamela, Lucas and pastures new. inho and a lack of trophies inho’s appointment before just two of five allotted substi- Son (Heung-min), Dele and Kane played his first game could also force the England tearing his hamstring on New tution compared with United’s Harry, six attacking players, for six months in Tottenham’s captain to move on. Year’s Day. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who all different, all very good Tottenham Hotspur’s English striker Harry Kane (centre) controls 1-1 draw against Manchester Mourinho addressed Mer- “Harry Kane has no prob- used his full complement. and it is the first time I have the ball during the English Premier League football match between United on Friday, but failed to son personally during a video- lems at all to score goals in my Mourinho bemoaned his all of them available, which is Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur get a single touch in the oppo- conference ahead of Tuesday’s team,” said Mourinho. lack of options from the bench, the kind of problem which we Stadium in London last Friday. (AFP) sition box. clash with West Ham and “Especially when he is fit, with Dele Alli suspended and coaches love.” LA LIGA TITLE RACE Momentum back with Madrid as Barcelona become chasers AFP next weekend for a match that MADRID Tuesday’s Fixtures looked simpler before Celta The FIFA executive committee will choose on Thursday between a Levante v Atletico Madrid; Real Valladolid v Getafe (both trounced Alaves 6-0 on Sunday. combined Australia/New Zealand bid, widely seen as favourite, and REAL Madrid and Barcelona Then Barca have Atletico Colombia for the newly expanded 32-nation event. may be neck-and-neck on 8.30pm Doha Time), Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao (11pm). Madrid at home and Villar- points at the top of La Liga but real away, two resurgent teams, the pendulum has swung back both in the hunt for the top four, in Madrid’s favour. before a kinder finish kicks in. Japan pulls out Kind fixtures allowed Yet they cannot afford to Spain’s top two to ease into the give Real Madrid a lead to cling resumption of Europe’s closest onto, meaning Setien needs to of running to host title race but a testing few days find solutions despite the lack of has delivered a more accurate time for training. gauge of form and fitness. Antoine Griezmann has Women’s World Barca stumbled at Sevilla looked lost, the Frenchman giv- on Friday night, a goalless draw ing way to Martin Braithwaite at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan against Sevilla, in what ap- Cup in 2023 coming between impressive peared to be Setien’s favoured Madrid victories, 3-0 at home line-up. to Valencia and then 2-1 away at Frenkie de Jong is expected AFC president backs Australia/NZ bid Real Sociedad on Sunday. to miss most of the upcoming A despondent Gerard Pique difficult period with a calf in- DPA support and investment from said Madrid might even prove jury. BERLIN local stakeholders would be uncatchable, an assessment But Madrid have problems forthcoming. many believed to have been too after Sergio Ramos went off JAPAN has withdrawn its bid Asian football confed- more of a jibe at referees than a with an injured left knee against to host the 2023 Women’s eration (AFC) president compliment to his rivals. Real Sociedad while Casemiro World Cup just three days be- Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim “It’s just frustration,” said will be suspended against Mal- fore world football governing Al Khalifa announced his re- Barcelona coach Quique Setien. lorca on Wednesday. body FIFA is due to make a gion’s backing for Australia/ “I am still optimistic.” Real Madrid’s French forward Karim Benzema (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring during Madrid should survive decision on the venue. New Zealand after Japan’s Madrid had certainly ben- the Spanish League match against Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena-Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian against Mallorca but any ex- FIFA confirmed Monday withdrawal. efited from Rodrigo Moreno’s on Sunday. (AFP) tended absence for Ramos that the Japanese football “On behalf of the AFC - goal for Valencia being ruled will destabilise a defence that federation had pulled out of and the Asian football fam- out the night before and would Sevilla & Villarreal share points, remain on course for Europe has been the foundation of the the running due to the Tokyo ily - I will be supporting the see three tight decisions go their team’s success. 2020 Games being delayed a Australia/New Zealand bid to way against Real Sociedad too. BARCELONA: Villarreal and Sevilla consolidated changes at the break, and one of those to come “He’s the best defender in year to 2021 and the impact of host the FIFA Women’s World But they were able to use a their European places with a 2-2 draw in La Liga on, Munir El Hadaddi got the equaliser on 63 the world,” said Zinedine Zi- the coronavirus crisis. Cup in 2023 - and am sure superior head-to-head record to on Monday night. minutes finishing brilliantly from Jesus Navas’ dane on Sunday. The FIFA executive com- that I will be supported by all return to the top of La Liga be- The home side took the lead on 18 minutes cross. Eden Hazard sat out Sun- mittee will therefore choose the AFC’s FIFA council mem- cause Barcelona handed them through Paco Alcacer. Their fine run of form Both sides ended up happy. Sevilla move day’s match, perhaps rested on Thursday between a com- bers,” he said. an opportunity, which they since the restart has catapulted them up the up to third, one small step closer to Champions or perhaps recovering from a bined Australia/New Zealand “Not only is this a historic took. table and they looked on course for another League qualification. knock he took to his trouble- bid, widely seen as favourite, (first) cross-Confederation Setien’s side became la- victory. Villarreal were outsiders for the European some ankle against Valencia. and Colombia for the newly bid, with our close friends and boured against Sevilla and, in Sevilla responded with Sergio Escudero spots at the restart but are now comfortably in This is also not the first expanded 32-nation event. neighbours from Oceania, but truth, never really made them scoring from Fernando’s assist on 39 minutes sixth place. time Madrid have appeared to Australia/New Zealand of- most importantly, this is the feel uncomfortable. Neither but Villarreal were back in front when Pau Torres Happiest of all was Villarreal midfielder snatch the momentum from fers good options in sporting most technically impressive team created enough to deserve scored just before half time from Santi Cazorla’s Bruno Soriano who came on in the second half Barcelona. and general infrastructure, of the bids that the Council to win the game and with Lionel cross. after 1,128 days out injured for his first appear- STANDINGS (TOP 8) said FIFA in previously eval- must choose from on June 25 Messi quiet in his third 90 min- Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui made three ance since May 2017. CLUB P W D L GF GA GD PTS uating the bids, and “would and we must be guided by the 1. REAL MADRID 30 19 8 3 57 21 36 65 utes in nine days, Barca lacked 2. BARCELONA 30 20 5 5 69 31 38 65 also appear to present the experts.” Brazil also withdrew ideas and inspiration. 3. SEVILLA 31 14 11 6 44 32 12 53 most favourable commercial a bid just before the deadline “We will keep going and will on Monday. them too. They can’t make any On Tuesday, Barcelona 4. ATLETICO 30 13 13 4 38 22 16 52 proposition.” Colombia’s bid for final submissions. try to maintain that hope be- Of the tight battle with Ma- mistakes either. We have seen host Athletic Bilbao, who are 5. GETAFE 30 13 9 8 39 28 11 48 met minimum requirements The United States won 6. VILLAREAL 31 14 5 11 47 38 9 47 cause we are convinced we can drid, he added: “Everything that many leagues decided on the undefeated since the restart, 7.