TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014 SPORTS Ten in Texas for Hamilton, Mercedes equals record

AUSTIN: Lewis Hamilton took a big step winner. Hamilton’s second victory in Austin towards a second Formula One world cham- came six years to the day since he won his pionship on Sunday with his 10th win of the first world title in Brazil in 2008 but he will season in a US Grand Prix that saw Mercedes have to wait until Nov. 23 now to know if he is equal the record for one-two finishes. The to be champion again thanks to the novelty Briton stretched his lead over team mate Nico of double points for the final race. Rosberg to 24 points with two races and a Australian Daniel Ricciardo finished third maximum of 75 points remaining, a gap that for Red Bull in a result that mathematically guarantees the title chase will go down to the ruled him out of a title battle that is now a final round in Abu Dhabi whatever happens straight duel between the Mercedes drivers in Brazil. and guarantees their team both titles. “It’s been an incredible run. This whole Hamilton has 316 points to Rosberg’s 292. season has been incredible really,” said Behind the top three, Williams pulled fur- Hamilton after his fifth win in succession. ther away from Ferrari in the constructors’ Rosberg led from pole position but Hamilton championship already won by Mercedes with saw his chance and grabbed it when the fourth and fifth places for Brazilian Felipe German went wide into turn 12 on the 24th Massa and Finland’s Valtteri Bottas respective- of 56 laps. ly. Hamilton went through on the inside, Without a slow pitstop, that allowed forcing his team mate onto the runoff on the Ricciardo to get ahead, Massa might have exit in an emphatic move that left no room been on the podium. Ferrari’s Fernando for reply and summed up the confidence and Alonso was sixth and Red Bull’s Vettel, the momentum he carried into the race. “I was quadruple champion and last year’s winner quite a bit back but I felt very confident, there who started from the pit lane due to an was a big headwind into 12, and I just felt like engine penalty, took seventh after making up I was waiting for the moment really, to just be seven places in the last seven laps. just close enough to throw it up the inside,” McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen was eighth. said Hamilton. “And that’s what I did.” Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne finished ninth A dejected Rosberg told former champion for Toro Rosso but was demoted to 10th after Mario Andretti in a podium interview, with a a five second penalty was applied for forcing sea of fans spilling onto the track below in the Lotus’s Romain Grosjean off the road. Texas sunshine, that losing again to his team That elevated Venezuelan Pastor mate “kind of sucks”. Maldonado to ninth for Lotus, his first points “It took too long for me to find my rhythm. of the season. Sauber’s hopes of a first point Once Lewis got by I found my rhythm but it of a nightmare season, after Adrian Sutil had AUSTIN: Race winner Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, of Britain, holds up his trophy as teammate and second place finisher Nico osberg,R of was too late,” he said. The pair finished 4.3 qualified 10th, disappeared when the Germany (left) and third place finisher Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo, of Australia (right) join him on the podium after the Formula One US seconds apart to equal McLaren’s 1988 German was shunted out on the first lap by Grand Prix. — AP record, set by Alain Prost and the late Ayrton Force India’s Sergio Perez, who also hit Kimi Senna, of 10 one-two finishes in a season- Raikkonen’s Ferrari. even if there were fewer races back in those The incident, with the wrecked Sauber Cruzeiro defeat Botafogo days. Hamilton is only the third driver and left stranded and thousands of Mexican fans first non-German, after Michael Schumacher disappointed to see Perez retire, brought out and Sebastian Vettel, to win 10 races in a sin- the safety car for two laps as marshals gle season. cleared debris strewn across the track. It was to maintain lead in Brazil He is the third Briton, after Jim Clark and also an ironic outcome for both, given that Nigel Mansell, to win five in a row and is now much of the build-up had been overshad- also his country’s most successful in terms of owed by talk of a possible boycott by Sauber SAO PAULO: Cruzeiro scored twice in the first 15 min- Brazilian champion in 2010 and 2012. Sixth-place forward Nixon. Palmeiras moved five points clear from wins with 32. and Force India as a protest against the utes and held on to defeat Botafogo 2-1 in the Gremio edged Vitoria 1-0 at the Arena Gremio in Porto relegation zone thanks to a 1-0 win over second-to- unequal division of revenues and lack of Brazilian league on Sunday, maintaining a five-point Alegre, while seventh-place Corinthians missed a last place Bahia. Striker Mazinho scored after a set up PRIVILEGE support. Only nine teams took part in the lead over second-place Sao Paulo going into the com- chance to move closer after a 2-2 home draw with by Chile playmaker Jorge Valdivia, ending the team’s “It is such a privilege to represent my race, the lowest number since 2005, due to petition’s final rounds. Coritiba. Corinthians was losing 2-0 at halftime and three-match winless streak. Also Saturday, a fourth- country and to be top of the drivers’ stand- Caterham and Marussia going into adminis- Sao Paulo stayed within range with six matches only equalized in the last minute of injury time. division match in southern Brazil was interrupted for ings. The car was great today,” said the race tration. — Reuters remaining thanks to a late 2-1 victory at last-place Former Brazil and Fenerbahce playmaker Alex scored nearly half an hour because of a brawl involving play- Criciuma. Third-place Internacional remained eight one of the goals for Coritiba, which remains in relega- ers from clubs Londrina and Brasil de Pelotas. Four points back from the lead by beating Santos 2-1 with tion zone. players were taken to a police station for interrogation both goals by Chile Charles Aranguiz at the In a late match, fifth-place Atletico Mineiro missed after the altercation. Local media said some were offi- Walcott return a Vila Belmiro Stadium in Santos. a chance to move within seven points of Cruzeiro after cially accused for their involvement. A cameraman Four teams are 10 points back - Fluminense, a 1-0 loss to Atletico Paranaense in Curitiba, while and a staff member for one of the clubs sustained Atletico Mineiro, Gremio and Corinthians. Forward Flamengo routed Chapecoense 3-0 with two goals by minor injuries in the incident. — AP boost for Arsenal Marquinhos opened the scoring for Cruzeiro just five minutes into the match at the Mineirao Stadium in LONDON: Arsenal got more than three points go and practise and maybe get a few min- Belo Horizonte, and left back Egidio added to the lead and three goals in their 3-0 utes,” Wenger said. “Mentally, it will help him. with a 15th-minute free kick. win over Burnley on Saturday-they also got “Is he completely ready? I think it is a bit ear- Botafogo, which stayed in relegation zone with the Theo Walcott back after 10 months out with a ly but to be in the squad will be good for loss, scored its lone goal in second-half injury time. cruciate ligament injury. The England winger him.” Wenger will take a cautious approach Cruzeiro reached 64 points from 32 matches with the came on for the last 10 minutes for his first to the winger’s re-introduction to the first victory, its 19th in the competition. The defending appearance since damaging his knee in the team and hinted he would not start against champion had drawn twice in a row entering the FA Cup win over arch-rivals Tottenham the Belgium champions, who were just min- weekend. “We have to find a way to keep this same Hotspur on Jan. 4 and is now likely to be in utes away from beating Arsenal in Brussels pace until the end to keep this lead and lift the trophy the squad for today’s Champions League two weeks ago before the visitors won 2-1 again,” Cruzeiro forward Everton Ribeiro said. Sao match against Anderlecht. with two late goals. Paulo striker Alan Kardec scored with a header in the Walcott is likely to be among the substi- “I am not ruling it out but I don’t want to 83rd minute to give his club the victory at the tutes for the Group D match at the Emirates make a mistake,” he added. Borussia Heriberto Hulse Stadium in Criciuma, leaving the and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is Dortmund top the group with nine points home team last in the 20-team standings with 20 delighted he is available again. from three games, followed by Arsenal on six points. Internacional picked up its first ever win at the “It’s good to have Theo back. Hopefully he and Anderlecht and Galatasaray on one. Vila Belmiro Stadium on Sunday. One of Aranguiz’s will come on and have no setbacks,” Wenger Arsenal will definitely finish in the top two goals came after a pass from Argentine playmaker told reporters. “After nine or 10 months out and qualify for the last 16 if they win and Andres D’Alessandro. you have ups and down, so I will have to man- Galatasaray fail to beat Borussia in the other On Saturday, striker Fred and Argentine midfielder age that well as I do not want to make a big game. In the Premier League, Arsenal beat Dario Conca scored a goal each to help Fluminense beat Goias 2-0 and reach fourth place in the stand- mistake with him.” Burnley with two goals from Alexis Sanchez Charles Aranguiz of Cruzeiro celebrates in this file photo. Wenger also had a message for England and one from Calum Chambers, the defend- ings. It was the fourth win in a row for Fluminense, the manager ahead of their Euro er’s first for Arsenal since his move from 2016 qualifier against Slovenia on Nov. 15 and Southampton in the summer. “It’s great to their friendly against Scotland in Glasgow have Theo back,” Chambers said of fellow ex- Morocco given ultimatum three days later. Saint Walcott afterwards. “Everyone is just so “If Theo wants to go, I’m happy for him to pleased he is fit again.” — Reuters over Africa Cup of Nations

RABAT: Morocco have until November 8 to are bottom of four-team groups with two rounds defending champions did not compete. decide whether to host the Africa Cup of Nations left. Should Sierra Leone lose in Ivory Coast on The other Africa Cup that went ahead one after a meeting yesterday with the November 14 and Guinea in Togo a day later, team short was that hosted by Angola in 2010 Confederation of African Football (CAF) to dis- both will be eliminated from the qualifying race. with Togo withdrawing after an official and a cuss a postponement of the tournament Only hosts Sudan, winners Egypt and footballer were gunned down by separatists in a because of the Ebola epidemic. Ethiopia took part in the first Cup of Nations 57 Cabinda ambush. Togo were crossing the border Morocco have called for the January 17- years ago, but its popularity grew rapidly with into northern Angola by road after training in February 8 event to be pushed back because of qualifying introduced ahead of the 1968 tourna- Congo Brazzaville when tragedy struck, creating fears that an influx of several hundred thousand ment. Cameroon 800-metre athlete Issa Hayatou the darkest day in Cup of Nations history. supporters could spread the virus which has inherited an eight-team Cup when elected CAF As the African football showcase expanded killed more than 4,950 people in West Africa. president in 1988 and set about expanding it. into a tournament attracting a global TV audi- But CAF media director Junior Binyam said There were 12 teams by 1992 and the number ence, so did its appeal to marketing companies. after meeting with Moroccan officials that there was supposed to rise to 16 in South Africa four A $5.5 million (4.4 million euros) TV and mar- would be no postponement. “CAF confirms the years later. But strained political relations keting rights price tag per tournament before dates of the tournament,” Binyam said, adding between the host nation and Nigeria over the 2010 more than doubled to the current $11.7 that a second meeting was slated for November execution of activist Ken Saro-Wiwa meant the (9.4 million euros). — AFP 11 in CAF’s Cairo headquarters to “take the nec- essary decisions”. Morocco now have until Saturday to officially Van Gaal must stop history respond to CAF, Moroccan football federation spokesman Mohamed Makrouf said. The options are: Morocco hosting the tournament as repeating itself at United planned, holding the tournament in another LONDON: The year was 1986 and with just form the club’s fortunes in such a short space country, or cancelling it, he said. three league wins to their name by the first of time. While failed to win the BUENOS AIRES: River Plate’s Leonardo Pisculichi (top) fights for the ball with Boca “Any change of dates would be to the detri- Juniors’ Nicolas Colazo during an Argentine League soccer match. — AP weekend of November, Manchester United support of the club’s fans or board during his ment of the CAF calendar, which must follow dismissed Ron Atkinson as manager and ill-fated 10 months in charge, Van Gaal has FIFA’s international calendar,” CAF’s Binyam appointed . been backed heavily in the transfer market San Lorenzo end winless run insisted. Binyam added that the “health system” The rest, as they say, is history as Ferguson and spent over 150 million pounds ($240.05 set up by Morocco to prevent the spread of won 38 trophies-including 13 Premier League million) on new recruits including Real BUENOS AIRES: San Lorenzo, seeded to “The most important thing was the players’ Ebola was “more than able to cope with the lim- titles-during his 26 success-laden seasons at Madrid’s Angel Di Maria. meet Real Madrid in the Club World Cup attitude,” he told reporters. “Especially ited flow” of supporters during the tournament. . Fast forward 28 years and there is But against City at the Etihad Stadium on final next month, ended a four-match win- good, apart from the result, was keeping a When Morocco said last month that they a sense of deja vu in Manchester. After losing Sunday, United’s expensively assembled less run with a 2-0 home victory over Boca clean sheet. The team resolved things wanted the tournament postponed, CAF report- to fierce rivals Manchester City on Sunday, squad did little to justify their hefty price tags, Juniors at the Nuevo Gasometro. defensively pretty well.” edly approached seven countries to know if they United, under the guidance of , slipping to their third league defeat of the The South American champions have Midfielder Gonzalo Veron had a fine would take over as 2015 hosts at short notice. have won three times in the league by the season and forcing Van Gaal to admit his side been in poor form in the league with game, laying on the opening goal for Algeria, Egypt, South Africa and Sudan first weekend in November. have work to do. Sunday’s match only their fifth win in 14 Uruguayan striker Martin Cauteruccio with declined, Ghana and Nigeria have not publicly But while Atkinson’s reign came to an end “The fans know the boys are willing to give league matches in the build-up to the Dec. a precise through ball in the 52nd minute responded, and the identity of the seventh after a slow start to that season which saw everything for the shirt of the club,” Van Gaal 10-20 tournament in Morocco. and scoring the second himself five min- country is unknown. The Ebola epidemic first them win three, draw four and lose six of their told the club’s website (www.manutd.com) Boca, however, presented the perfect utes later. Bauza is looking to take a team impacted the Cup of Nations last August when opening 13 matches in the old First Division, after the defeat. opponents for a revival as the only team to the Club World Cup final for the second Seychelles forfeited a qualifying tie rather than there have been no calls for fiery Dutchman “We have 13 points out of 10 matches and with a minus head-to-head record against time having reached that stage with LDU host a return match against Sierra Leone. Van Gaal to be given the boot despite Chelsea have a lot more, as do Manchester San Lorenzo, who imposed their ‘paternity’, Quito of Ecuador before losing the final to As the death toll mounted dramatically in United’s early season struggles. City so we have a problem. “We need to in local parlance, over them. The Saints Manchester United in 2008. San Lorenzo Sierra Leone and fellow-west African state When Van Gaal took charge at Old Trafford improve and prove that we are not close but have now won 72 and lost 62 in 183 der- make their bow in the Dec. 17 semi-final in Guinea, CAF barred both countries from hosting after leading the Netherlands to the semi- better. We will improve, that I promise.” bies. True to another of their nicknames, El Marrakesh against the winners of a quarter- group games. Morocco agreed to accommodate finals of this year’s World Cup he asked to be Despite City’s fourth consecutive derby win Ciclon (cyclone) blew Boca aside with a final that will feature African champions ES Guinea, but Sierra Leone could not secure a neu- judged after three months in the job. over United, the first time they have achieved performance that recalled their better Setif of Algeria and either host team tral venue and have had to play home fixtures at Those three months have come and gone that since 1970, captain Wayne Rooney is pos- matches in winning the Libertadores Cup Mohgreb Tetouan or Auckland City. opponents Democratic Republic of Congo and and with United languishing in 10th place, 13 itive his team mates can turn things around earlier in the year. Championship leaders River Plate’s home Cameroon. Not being able to perform before points adrift of leaders Chelsea, Van Gaal has once they have adjusted to Van Gaal’s style of “We owed ourselves a performance like match against Estudiantes was postponed their supporters had an inevitable negative admitted it was “stupid” to be able to trans- play. —Reuters that,” said delighted coach Edgardo Bauza. due to torrential rain. —Reuters effect on results and Guinea and Sierra Leone