THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2017 SPORTS

World Cup finalists England yet to hit peak form: Knight

BRISTOL: Heather Knight India at Derby today. “We haven’t put put our perfect performance in then I’ll from the game. But Knight admitted in the last 18 months has been said England are yet to reach their in the perfect performance together,” be a very happy captain.” Set 219 to book England could now allow themselves towards that.” best in the Women’s World Cup, Knight said afterwards, acknowledg- a place in the showpiece finale, England to think about playing at the ‘home of Although defeated, South Africa despite beating South Africa by two ing there were areas England needed made hard work of completing the chase ’. “It’s special,” Knight added, captain heralded wickets at Bristol on Tuesday to reach to improve in ahead of the final. after losing six wickets for 78 runs. reflecting on England reaching their her team’s effort, as they competed in the final. Sarah Taylor top-scored for “The wicket was used and quite But they kept their cool in a nervy seventh World Cup final. their first World Cup semi-final since England with a crucial 76-ball 54 as tired, so we were quite smart with our final over as - with two “We’ve known that the final is at 2000, and hoped reaching the knock- South Africa fought back hard in the bowling. “Potentially in the field runs required from three balls - hit her Lord’s for a long time now and, trying out round will inspire a new genera- latter stages to take the semi-final there’s a few extra runs in a close first delivery for four to secure victory. not to think about it too much, it’s tion of players back home. down to the clsoing over in their match like that that plays on your That England were in a position to win been at the forefront of our minds. It’s “After this tournament and the per- attempt of defending 218. mind as it gets close. It’s not ideal that the match after such a collapse was hard not to think about it. “A final at formances our team have put in, you Two-time World Cup winners one of the top five didn’t bat through thanks to the third-wicket partnership Lord’s at a home World Cup, sold out, know, a lot of girls get a bit more England will find out who they play in and be there at the end. It would have of 78 from Knight and Taylor, who there’s nothing better than that for interested in the game and try and Sunday’s sold-out final at Lord’s when made it a lot easier. returned to the England fold for this me. “We set out to try and sing that play it and hopefully get excited for reigning champions Australia take on “There’s still one game to go and if we tournament after a year-long break song at Lord’s, everything we’ve done the game,” she said. —AFP Mourinho ‘ready for 15 years’ at Old Trafford

LOS ANGELES: Manchester United man- ple say-that we have to win, but in reality ager Jose Mourinho has revealed he is tar- only one can win and every year it is get- geting a 15-year stay at Old Trafford, telling ting more difficult. ESPN in an interview on Tuesday he wants “This club, for so many years, was Sir to restore the stability of the Alex Ferguson Alex. People got used to it; people under- era. Mourinho, who took over the Premier stood the great consequences of that sta- League giants last year, told the network’s bility. “After David [Moyes] and Mr. [Louis] website that he is desperate to deliver sus- Van Gaal, I come to my second year and tained success over a long-term period just hopefully I can stay and give that stability as Ferguson did over nearly three decades. that the club wants. I will try, but again, I United have not won the Premier League will have to try to deserve that, but that’s title since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, what I try every day that I work.” with the club struggling to rediscover its Mourinho believes Ferguson’s 27-year dominance under David Moyes and Louis reign at United will never be emulated in van Gaal. the modern game. “I think Sir Alex’s career Mourinho has never spent longer than is unique,” Mourinho said. “I don’t think it is three years as manager of a club during his possible to emulate. “Nobody is going to be trophy-laden career. But the 54-year-old, in the same club for so many years, be in speaking as his team prepare to face the same league for so many years. I think Manchester City in Houston today in the [Arsenal manager Arsene] Wenger will be latest leg of their US tour, insisted he saw the last with a similar story in terms of stay- United as a long-term project. ing at a club for so many years. “I am ready for this,” Mourinho told “But I what I try to do in modern foot- ESPN. “I am ready for the next 15, I would ball nowadays is to try to deserve to stay in say. Here? Yes, why not? “I have to admit the club, because in this moment, it is that it is very difficult because of the pres- about success. You have success, you stay sure around our jobs, everybody putting in the club. You don’t have success, you pressure on managers and things that peo- don’t stay.” — AFP Arsenal stun Bayern on

TILBURG: France’s forward Eugenie Le Sommer celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 football match between France and penalties in Shanghai Iceland at Stadium Koning Wilhelm II in Tilburg on Tuesday. — AFP

SHANGHAI: Arsenal were outplayed for Wenger had his arms outstretched in frustra- SOCCER long periods by Bayern Munich before sal- tion. And at the end of a first half in which vaging a last-gasp draw and then winning Bayern could have scored another five times 3-2 on penalties in a Shanghai friendly yes- but for goalkeeper Petr Cech, Arsenal play- terday. Reserve goalkeeper Emiliano maker Mesut Ozil booted the ball high into Martinez was the unlikely hero for the the air in anger. The future of the German France edge Iceland Premier League side, saving Juan Bernat’s international, and that of Chilean star Alexis soft spot kick after Arsenal substitute Alex Sanchez, is in major doubt with both stalling Iwobi made it 1-1 right at the end of nor- over new contracts. mal time. Sanchez is enjoying extra time off and is It may only have been a friendly and not in China after his involvement in the 1-0 at women’s Euro Arsenal emerged victorious, but it made for Confederations Cup. But he may not have painful viewing at times for manager made a difference against Carlo Ancelotti’s Arsene Wenger, whose side suffered a 10-2 side, who took the lead after Ainsley DEVENTER: Eugenie Le Sommer converted a aggregate drubbing to Bayern in last sea- Maitland-Niles had brought down Bernat in late penalty to lift France past diehard Iceland son’s Champions League. Robert the box and Lewandowski did the rest. Lewandowski needed just nine minutes to Iwobi’s injury-time leveller sent the 1-0 while ’s early goal gave Austria Arrested Spanish federation fire Bayern ahead from the penalty spot as game straight to penalties. Both sides field- an equally slim win over 10-player Switzerland the German champions dominated before ed a mixture of first-team regulars and at the women’s Euro on Tuesday. Iwobi headed in at the death. reserves, with new Bayern signing James In Tilburg, Le Sommer sent Iceland’s keeper chief faces bleak future There will be no Champions League for Rodriguez and new Arsenal striker Gudbjerg Gunnarsdottir the wrong way to Arsenal this term and a gulf in class was evi- Alexandre Lacazette starting. Arsenal face score from the spot on 86 minutes after sub- MADRID: Angel Maria Villar’s future as the should be a “first step for a reform and dent. At one point in the opening period at Chelsea in Beijing in their next warm-up stitute striker Elin Metta Jensen had brought head of the Spanish football federation complete regeneration of football institu- Shanghai Stadium, where temperatures game at the weekend, while Bayern play AC down in the box. In the was in serious doubt yesterday following tions.” “For Villar, the eternal president, this hovered around 36 degrees Celsius (97F), Milan in Shenzhen, southern China. —AFP Group C opener in Deventer earlier on his arrest as part of a vast anti-corruption is the end. It should have happened earli- Tuesday, Austrian captain Burger scored 15 probe. Villar, his son Gorka Villar, and sev- er,” the newspaper added in its editorial. minutes in with a clinical right-foot finish after eral Spanish Villar, a former a pass from in a clash of Euro federation acting presi- newcomers. executives dent and cur- Switzerland were reduced to 10 players were detained rent vice presi- after Rahel Kiwic was sent off for bringing by police in a dent of down Burger just outside the box with half an series of early European foot- hour to go. France had won seven of their morning raids ball governing previous nine encounters with Iceland, but on Tuesday on body UEFA, they struggled against the diehard defence suspicion of spent the night on Tuesday. French midfielder Clarisse Le embezzle- in prison while Bihan sent her shot wide and Dagny ment, fraud he waits to be Brynjarsdottir headed over the crossbar at the and collusion. questioned by other end in the first half. In the second, The investi- a judge, most France stepped up their pressure and gation focuses likely today. Iceland’s defence had a hard time stopping a on allegations The investi- ball flicked by captain from that profits gation focuses ’s free kick. from interna- Angel Maria on ten friendly Moments later, Renard’s header hit the tional matches matches which crossbar after a corner, but then the were skimmed. Investigators were also the Spanish national team played between SHANGHAI: Bayern Munich’s midfielder James Rodriguez (R) and Arsenal midfielder defence collapsed as Jensen, who had been probing whether national federation funds 2010 and 2013 after it won the World Cup in Granit Xhaka vie for the ball during the International Champions Cup football match on the pitch for just three minutes, brought had been used to bribe regional officials to South Africa when its cache was highest, between Bayern Munich and Arsenal in Shanghai yesterday. — AFP down Henry. France coach Olivier Echouafni vote for Villar as federation president, sports daily AS reported. The probe is also said: “We have the win, that’s the most according to Spanish media reports. reportedly looking into whether there had important thing. “The list of accusations...really surprises been any improper channelling of foot- “We have to be effective. I love these me,” the head of Spain’s government ball-related business to Gorka Villar, a Manager Conte signs games because the girls were in difficulty, but sports council, Jose Ramon Lete, said dur- lawyer specialising in sports law. Cadena they were patient. They have been rewarded. ing an interview with news radio Cadena Ser said police were also investigating improved Chelsea deal Everyone did well.” Austria had lost six of their Ser. Spain’s Court of Sport (TAD) could “possible cases of ticket re-sales” for previous eight encounters with Switzerland, open a disciplinary proceeding against Spanish national team matches. The scan- but they were the more aggressive team in Villar, who was re-elected unopposed in dal “has done extraordinary damage to LONDON: Chelsea manager Antonio Conte results both domestically and as we return the first half. Solid throughout, the Austrian May to his eighth four-year mandate, he the image of Spanish football,” said Ramon signed a new two-year deal with the to European competition in the Champions defence all but eliminated Switzerland star added. The sports council “through its Lete, the head of Spain’s government Premier League giants yesterday as the club League,” Granovskaia said in a statement. president or a commission” could then sports council. Villar, a former Athletic moved to quell reports of a rift with the “Since arriving in west London, the 47- of Chelsea. request that Villar be suspended from his Bilbao midfielder who was capped 22 Italian. The deal was confirmed as Conte, year-old Italian’s passion, tactical acumen After the break, Kiwic saw her header who guided Chelsea to the title in his first and winning mentality have endeared him cleared off the goal line by Sarah Puntigam. post, he added. Villar, 67, a senior vice times for Spain, has been dogged by ethi- season last year, prepares to take his squad to Chelsea supporters all over the world Puntigam then almost punished Kiwic for her president of FIFA, has headed the Spanish cal issues over the years. He has been on a pre-season tour of Asia. and we look forward to further triumphs foul on Burger, but her free-kick was kept out federation since 1988. under investigation after the federation “I am very happy to have signed a new with Antonio at the helm.” by Gaelle Thalmann in the Swiss goal. Under his watch Spain became one of received a 1.2 million euros ($1.4 million) contract with Chelsea,” he said in a state- Conte’s coaching staff has been aug- Austrian keeper then the dominant forces in world football, win- subsidy to set up a football academy in ment on Chelsea’s official website. “We mented by the arrival of two more Italians, diverted a long-range shot by Swiss substitute ning two European championships and Haiti that was never built. worked extremely hard in our first year to with Paolo Vanoli joining as an assistant to to safety. the 2010 World Cup. But his critics say his The federation returned the money but achieve something amazing, which I am the first team head coach and Davide Ten minutes from the end, Bachmann saw period in charge has also been under- the plan is still the subject of court pro- very proud of. Now we must work even Mazzotta working as assistant/player analy- her shot deflected by the Austrian defence mined by ethical questions and an auto- ceedings. Villar was fined 25,000 Swiss harder to stay at the top.” sis. The contract boost for Conte comes just over the crossbar as Austria hung on, cratic management style. Three major francs ($25,700) by FIFA’s ethics committee No terms of the deal were disclosed. amid reports that the Italian has grown although Thalmann prevented Viktoria Spanish newspapers published editorials in 2015 for failing to cooperate during an English press reports said the new contract frustrated with Chelsea’s inability to rein- Pinther from scoring a second. yesterday calling for term limits to be investigation into the awarding of the improved the terms of the remaining two force their title-winning squad. Chelsea had “Our first-ever Euro game and a victory, that placed on the presidency of the football 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and years left on the three-year deal Conte long been linked to a move for Everton makes us very proud,” said Austria coach federation. “Twenty-nine years exercising Qatar respectively. signed when he joined the club last year. striker Romelu Lukaku but saw the Belgian . “It was a very good per- absolute control over an organisation are The federation said it would push back Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia international join Manchester United formance, tactically and physically too. We too much and it creates a toxic atmos- a draw for the upcoming football league said the contract rewarded the “incredible instead. Conte had also reportedly been controlled the game most of the time.” “It’s def- phere where there is a high risk of contam- calendar until Friday in the wake of the success” Chelsea had enjoyed in Conte’s keen on Juventus duo Leonardo Bonucci initely not what we wanted,” said Switzerland ination by corruption,” conservative ABC arrests. It had been scheduled to take first season. “This new contract reflects our and Alex Sandro, but neither came to wrote. Center-left El Pais said the arrests place today. — AFP belief that he can continue to deliver fruition. — AFP coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, blaming nerves and pass quality for the loss. —AFP