WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2014

FAN FERVOR Iran chase goals to reach last 16

SALVADOR: Ashkan Dejagah is confident Iran can sides will finish with four points leaving goal differ- 0 to on Saturday, but Safet Susic’s side want end their goal-drought by beating Bosnia today to ence to decide who goes through to the last 16 clash to bow out with heads high. reach the World Cup last 16. in Brasilia next Monday against the Group E winners. The defeat ended Bosnia’s first World Cup cam- Iran are third in Group F with one point after a Fulham’s Dejagah says his side must bounce back paign in the group stages, but striker Edin Dzeko goalless draw with Nigeria and the heartbreak of from the disappointment of their Argentinian defeat wants to sign off in style. Dzeko was left fuming after their 1-0 defeat to Argentina when Lionel Messi with a win. “We still have a chance to go through and the defeat to Nigeria when he was denied an early scored in added time. who would have thought our World Cup would last goal by the linesman’s flag, but replays showed the In Salvador, the Iranians must beat Bosnia, who longer than England and Spain,” Dejagah said. player was clearly onside. are already out, while hoping Nigeria fail to pick up a “We had such a bad feeling after the match The Bosnians claimed New Zealand referee Peter point against Argentina in Porto Alegre. against Argentina because of the way it ended. “We O’Leary then missed a foul on Emir Spahic in the Salvador’s Arena Fonte Nova has seen 17 goals in tried to make it tough for them and with a little bit of build-up to ’s 29th-minute winner. three games after the Netherlands 5-1 romp over luck we would have won this game or even got a “We should have won the game, but the referee Spain, Germany’s 4-0 hammering of Portugal and draw. was shameful,” said Manchester City’s Dzeko said. “We France’s 5-2 rout of the Swiss. “I hope we have showed the world that Iran can know that we are not going into the next round, but Iran can now do with scoring a few of their own at play football.” The Bosnians are on their way home we will try to do our best in the next game,” pledged the same venue. If they win and Nigeria loses, both after losing their opener 2-1 to Argentina and then 1- Dzeko.—AFP France vow no let up against Ecuador

RIO DE JANEIRO: France are vowing no let up of their thrilling attacking style as they seek to storm into the last 16 of the World Cup against Ecuador today. Didier Deschamps’ side have been one of the revelations of the tournament so far, bagging eight goals in two games to all but seal qualification from Group E. A draw in today’s game at the Maracana Stadium would be enough to clinch first place and avoid a probable meeting with Argentina in the last 16. But France full-back Mathieu Debuchy says his team-mates will aim to finish with a flourish to maintain momentum. “We need to avoid taking our foot off the gas even if there is not a huge amount at stake,” Debuchy said. PORTO ALEGRE: Nigeria’s forward balances a ball on his head “We want to win this match and maintain our positive during a training session at the Beira-Rio Stadium on the eve of a Group F football dynamic in order to prepare well for what is to come.” France’s match against Argentina. —AFP huge goal difference of plus six also means they could even lose to Ecuador and still win the group. Switzerland, level with Ecuador on three points but trailing on goal difference, would Nigeria face Argentina then need to win big against Honduras to have any chance of advancing. with last 16 within grasp France’s comfortable position means Deschamps can shrug off the loss of suspended midfielder Yohan Cabaye, PORTO ALEGRE: Nigeria face Lionel Messi’s in their opening forays but Messi predicts the with Lille’s Rio Mavuba set to come in. already qualified Argentina in Porto Alegre Argentine pot is slowly coming to the boil. Deschamps can also contemplate replacing centre-back today with a first appearance in the last 16 “We are not showing what we can do, but Mamadou Sakho-who came off against the Swiss with a thigh since 1998 tantalisingly within the African with a run of games I think we will get there,” problem-with Laurent Koscielny. Eliaquim Mangala is also on champions’ grasp. said Barcelona’s four time World Player of the standby as Raphael Varane has been laid low by a stomach Tens of thousands of Messi fans are Year. Messi’s priceless influence was noted yet bug. expected to make the trip up from Argentina again by coach Alejandro Sabella after his late Debuchy meanwhile praised the spirit of unity in the to this southern port city for the closing coup de grace against Iran. “All the players French squad, a stark contrast to the divisions and acrimony Group F clash where a draw would secure the contributed to the victory but of course we that torpedoed their 2010 campaign in South Africa. Nigerians the all important runners-up spot have a genius who is called Messi. Fortunately “Honestly, it is great to play in this side. We feel great and I after Peter Odemwingie’s goal against Bosnia- he is Argentine-everyone would like to have Hercegovina in Cuiaba on Saturday ended Messi but it is us who have him. love the attacking football,” he said. “I might be a defender, the west Africans’ nine-match World Cup win- “Iran made life hard for us but with Messi, but I like it when everyone plays together as a team.” less run. Defeat to Argentina, who sit top with everything is possible.” As Nigeria are surely With Ecuador favoring a direct approach, Wednesday’s wins over Iran and Bosnia, could still see about to discover. Today’s rivals have met on game could well be a high-scoring encounter. Wingers ’s men prolong their stay in three previous occasions at the World Cup, Antonio Valencia and Jefferson Montero will provide the Brazil, if Iran fail to beat Bosnia up in Salvador. with the Argentines prevailing each time, but ammunition for Felipe Caicedo and the in-form Enner And FIFA might even have to get out their Odemwingie says his team can cause Messi Valencia, who has three goals so far. straws for the drawing of lots should Iran win and company problems in the Beira-Rio stadi- Reinaldo Rueda’s Ecuador only need to match the Swiss 1-0 and Nigeria lose by the same score, leav- um. Odemwingie recounted a chat with a result in the other game to reach the last 16 for the first time ing the sides inseparable on points, goal dif- Brazilian fan on the street who told him that since Germany in 2006. ference, number of goals and head-to-head. Nigeria would face Brazil in the final. “I told Enner Valencia said Ecuador were wary of the threat posed Argentina approach the game with their this guy ‘sure, why not? We’ve got brilliant by France’s attack, led by Karim Benzema, who also has three noses put out of joint by media criticism of players, we haven’t reached our full potential goals to his name. their performances so far, with only Messi’s yet’.” The Stoke City player added: “We have a “They’re going to be very difficult opponents, we know goals against Bosnia and Iran saving their resilient defence, a creative midfield, and with blushes. “Obviously it hurts when you hear our attack line we could bring problems to France’s strengths but we’re going to have to take care if we people saying that they don’t like you, when any defence in the world,” want to hurt them,” said Enner Valencia, 24, whose brace people say different things to us,” Real Madrid Veteran centre-back , who will secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Honduras in Curitiba last forward Angel Di Maria said at the weekend. earn his 100th cap if selected again, hailed Friday. Messi, who turns 27 on Tuesday, and his Messi as “a legend” before quickly adding “but The veteran Edison Mendez added: “They have played very teammates have a significant incentive to he’s only human” something Albiceleste sup- well in their two matches so far, collectively they are doing notch up their third win here and top the porters might argue with. After Nigeria’s well and they are getting into the box a lot, so it is going to be table as that would mean likely avoiding much-maligned goalless draw with Iran the a totally different game for us. Didier Deschamps’s impressive France for a media knives were out back in but “But to know that we have a chance of going through to second round date instead with Group E’s Keshi said he’d never doubted his team. “I the last 16 means that we will take to the field feeling confi- runners-up, likely to Ecuador or Switzerland, never thought that we wouldn’t make the dent and strong.” Should Honduras win and Ecuador lose, the although Honduras could still snatch that Round of 16,” he stated. On facing the South calculators would need to come out to work out who joins honour. Americans he added: “We need to work hard France in the last 16.—AFP The two-time former champions may have for the game against Argentina. I have the failed to set the 2014 World Cup stage alight players.”—AFP Honduras aiming for Swiss miss MANAUS: Switzerland have a chance they scored their early goals.” made it out of the group stage in two when Honduras last scored at a World to put right their dramatic failure of Switzerland needed a late winner previous attempts, still have a slim Cup. Their previous goal was in 1982, 2010 today when they again face to beat Ecuador 2-1 in their first game, chance of qualifying despite their 3-0 when Costly’s father Allan represent- bogey team Honduras for a place in and then they were swamped by and 2-1 defeats to France and Ecuador ed Honduras and Eduardo Laing net- the World Cup knock-outs. France before responding with two respectively. ted in a 1-1 draw with Northern The situation is eerily similar to goals of their own in the final min- Los Catrachos will need an ava- Ireland. four years ago, when the Swiss were utes. Switzerland currently trail lanche of goals against the Swiss, and “I was so happy when I scored that in contention for the last 16 but Ecuador on goal difference. If France hope that France beat Ecuador in goal, because 32 years is a long time missed out when they drew their last beat Ecuador, Switzerland need only a Group E’s other final game, to make it and a difficult barrier to overcome,” group game with the Central point from Honduras to qualify. to the knock-outs. Costly, 31, told the FIFA website. “That American minnows. But if Ecuador win Switzerland But they have been buoyed by lift- myth, that curse which has been This time around, having scaled must better their rivals result to ing their goal “curse” courtesy of strik- hanging over us for so long, has been the FIFA rankings to a dizzying sixth advance. Honduras, who have not er Carlos Costly-who wasn’t even born laid to rest now.”—AFP place, expectations are high for Ottmar Hitzfeld’s respected side.But confidence was hit in last week’s 5-2 rout by France. Meanwhile, Honduras broke a 32- year World Cup finals goal drought in their 2-1 loss to Ecuador. Midfielder Blerim Dzemaili said Switzerland would be taking nothing for granted when they face the Central Americans in steamy Manaus. “Everyone can nurture big dreams, but first we have to do a little home- work and that is to beat Honduras,” said the 28-year-old. “We have seen that the big teams just relying on individuals are quickly eliminated, which little Switzerland can’t afford. “We have to give our all together, like we did against France, but we also had some bad luck after BRAZIL: Honduras’ national team players run during a training session of the Honduran national soccer team. —AP