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Cavs bring Klitschko KO’s down Hawks Pulev to retain IBF crown MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 18 19 S Africa win second ODI against Australia Page 17 AMSTERDAM: Latvia’s Aleksandrs Fertovs (left) vies with Dutch player Arjen Robben (center) during the Euro 2016 qualifying round football match between the Netherlands and Latvia. — AFP Dutch outclass Latvia, Wales hold Belgium AMSTERDAM: Under-pressure coach Guus Hiddink breathed a friendly defeat to Mexico at the same venue in midweek and sent Bayern Munich winger Robben cut in from the right and Having already been beaten in the Czech Republic and in sigh of relief yesterday as the Netherlands outclassed Latvia 6-0 out a team with fearsome attacking potential. exchanged passes with van Persie before beating Kolinko with a Iceland, Hiddink’s side still have some catching up to do but this in Amsterdam to give their Euro 2016 qualifying bid a shot in the Ibrahim Afellay, the Barcelona player on loan at Greek cham- superb curling strike from 25 yards. result takes some of the pressure off with their next qualifier, at arm. The outstanding Arjen Robben and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar pions Olympiakos, fired the first warning shot with an effort that Huntelaar joined in the scoring three minutes prior to half- home to struggling Turkey, not until the end of March. both scored twice with captain Robin van Persie and Jeffrey hit the post just two minutes in, and the opening goal arrived time, stabbing home a low Afellay cross from close range to In Brussels, Wales survived a late onslaught to force a goalless Bruma also on target as the Oranje claimed just their second win four minutes later. equal the great Marco van Basten on 16 European Championship draw against Belgium in their Euro 2016 qualifying match in in four games in Group A. Hiddink, in his second spell as Dutch A neat move ended with Robben’s left-footed cross from the goals. The traffic remained one-way in the second half and Brussels yesterday, with their key man Gareth Bale making a coach, had indicated that he would resign if his side suffered right flank for van Persie to head past Latvia’s veteran goalkeeper Robben hit the bar from a free-kick before Wesley Sneidjer’s left- game-saving intervention in the dying seconds. another disappointing result after suffering four defeats in their Aleksandrs Kolinko and score his 49th goal for his country. wing corner in the 78th minute was headed on at the near post The Real Madrid star Bale, who had earlier come close to earn- five games since finishing third at the World Cup in Brazil under There was a brief scare for the hosts when Valerijs Sabala was by van Persie for PSV Eindhoven defender Bruma to finish into an ing Wales a winner, cleared a header from Christian Benteke off his predecessor Louis van Gaal. left unmarked in the penalty box but could only head wide, empty net. the line in the sixth minute of added time. Belgium were left to However, Latvia had mustered just two points and scored before Manchester United midfielder Daley Blind hurt his knee Robben, the best player on the field, then got his second of rue wasted chances in the first half, the best of which saw Nicolas only one goal in their opening three qualifiers for the finals in and was forced off to be replaced by Jordy Clasie. the evening with a left-footed strike from just inside the area Lombaerts hit the post, but stubborn Welsh resistance and a France and an upset never looked on the cards in a one-sided However, Holland continued to create chances and they dou- eight minutes from the end. And Schalke striker Huntelaar put touch of luck made the underdogs well worth a point. Wales are encounter at the Amsterdam ArenA. bled their lead 10 minutes before the interval as Robben and van the seal on the win a minute from time, collecting a Clasie pass unbeaten after four games and top the group at least until Israel Hiddink made five changes to the side that started the 3-2 Persie combined once again. before smashing in a low shot on the turn. were playing Bosnia later. — Reuters Charisma king Ashour targets third world title DOHA: Ramy Ashour’s thunderous performance in was “almost healed” when he started his preparations reaching the third round of the World Open has fuelled three-and-a-half weeks ago. Whether or not that hopes that squash’s most charismatic player may at last means he has started again too early may be better be making a long-term rescue of his injury-ravaged judged when he plays a last 16 match against Miguel career. Ashour’s brilliant changes of direction and noto- Angel Rodriguez, the speedy 12th seeded Columbian, riously well-masked kills were all in evidence during an on Tuesday. 11-6, 11-5, 11-9 win over Adrian Grant, the in-form for- Meanwhile Ashour, who is seeded fourth is content mer top ten Englishman. to revel in reborn hopes. “Of course I would like to win More encouraging however was the Egyptian’s rela- the tournament,” he said. “But for me at the moment to tive freedom of movement, which raised hopes that come out of the court without limping is success. even after six months on the side-lines with chronic “Winning is a dream for anyone. But for me success hamstring problems the sport’s biggest draw might is to end up without limping. I’m just trying to stay pos- still make a challenge for his third world title. itive. Every time (I have treatment) I say it’s the last time. “Yes I’ve rescued my career several times. But this So I really hope this time it is. It’s done the job so far.” time I hope it may be the last time, that this time it will If he continues to play like this Ashour could go on really work,” said 27-year-old Ashour, referring to the to a quarter-final with either Fares Dessouki, his 20- treatment he received at Delaware, followed by rehab year-old Egyptian compatriot whom some say is a in New York. future world number one, or Borja Golan, the sixth- This involved plasma rich platelet injections which seeded Spaniard who won 8-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 began the repairs on a hamstring which, according to against Greg Lobban, the steadily improving Scottish Ashour, had a tear fully 30 centimetres long. qualifier. Another who looked to be moving better was LLANDUDNO: French world champion rally driver 2014 Sebastien Ogier (left) and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia (right) of Volkswagen Motorsport This was hard to believe after seeing the way he Gregory Gaultier, the top-seeded Frenchman, who also celebrate winning the 2014 Wales GB Rally in the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship. —AFP responded to the pressure Grant applied in the third struck the ball with more customary flair during a 11-4, game, mixing velvety drops with fierce drives which 11-7, 11-3 win over Mohamed Nafiiazwan Adnan of helped him to leads of 7-6, 8-7, and 9-8. Malaysia. Ogier ends season in style Prolonging a match against a man who has not Gone were the heavy-legged struggles which saw competed since the British Open in May might have him go two games down against Andrew Wagih, an DEESIDE: France’s freshly-crowned world ment after a 13 season career. The 34-year-old my career. It was an amazing weekend and I’m opened an inviting door for Grant, and Ashour was Egyptian qualifier, in the first round , to be replaced by champion Sebastien Ogier rounded off the sea- bows out with 15 wins and 69 podium finishes. looking forward to keeping all my memories concerned to slam it shut. a strident, confident player who still looks capable- son in style yesterday with back-to-back wins in He came in fourth in the overall standings, from the last 13 years and taking them home A disguised kill got him to 9-9, a fast angled boast despite four times having lost in the final-of winning the Wales Rally GB. on 126 points, with Ogier champion again on with me.” got him to match point, and a forehand drive which the world title aged almost 32. The man from Aix-en- The VW Polo driver, who defended his world 267 from Jari-Matti Latvala on 218 and Andreas In third in Wales, over a minute adrift, came took a deep sidewall nick, closed the match out. “The Provence now takes on Omar Mosaad, yet another rally championship title in Spain last month, Mikkelsen of Norway on 150. Mikkelson’s compatriot Mads Ostberg. This was body feels good, and it’s mostly mental at this stage,” Egyptian, who seeded nine, in what will be Gaultier’s saw off Mikko Hirvonen in a Ford Fiesta by “I couldn’t have planned a better way to end Ogier’s 24th career success and the eighth of Ashour said. 50th match in the World Open since his debut in almost 40 seconds. This was Finnish rally star my career,” said Hirvonen. “It was a fantastic the season. “It’s the best way to finish the sea- But he admitted that he had been told the injury 2002. — AFP Hirvonen’s 193rd and final rally before retire- fight all weekend, one of the most enjoyable of son and it was my target,” said Ogier.