THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014 SPORTS Russia blank Armenia in friendly KRASNODAR: Alexander Kokorin and Dmitry Kombarov AGRENTINA 0 ROMANIA 0 scored in the first half to lead Russia to a 2-0 victory over In Bucharest, Argentina didn’t do their tag as World Cup Armenia in a warm-up match ahead of the World Cup contenders much good yesterday as they labored to a 0-0 yesterday. draw against Romania in a friendly which also saw Lionel Kokorin opened the scoring with a low shot off Messi struggle with illness. Alexander Samedov’s cross from the right in the 21st Argentina-who are grouped with Iran, debutants Bosnia- minute. Kombarov doubled the lead by converting a Herzegovina and African champions Nigeria in Brazil-were penalty after Artak Yedigaryan fouled Samedov in the hindered by a clearly under the weather Messi, who played box in the 43rd. the whole of the match despite being physically sick seven Russia dominated from the start and came close to minutes in. scoring several times, only for Roman Berezovsky to Argentinian coach Alex Sabella started with pretty much deny Yuri Zhirkov’s attempt in the sixth minute and his first choice side with Messi in the playmaking role while block Kokorin’s low backheel shot four minutes later. At Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain were the strike force and the other end, Henrik Mkhitaryan tested Russia keeper other regulars such as Angel di Maria, Javier Mascherano and Igor Akinfeev with a low bouncing shot from outside the Pablo Zabaleta also featured. box midway through the first half. With Messi not at his best little of note was created in a Russia coach Fabio Capello substituted four starters first-half which saw few chances for either side. However, at the interval and made two more substitutions later Romanian midfielder Alexandre Maxim should have done on. Russia never looked as convincing as it did in the better when he was found unmarked in the 33rd minute but first half, and Akinfeev had to make a series of saves. he aimed his downward header straight at Monaco ‘keeper “The match was played at high speed and should have Sergio Romero who kept it out with his legs. helped our players to feel the rhythm of real football The Romanian midfielder thought he had atoned for that after a winter break,” Capello said. “All our players were miss when he fired home into the far corner five minutes later in different physical conditions, but generally I’m satis- but the linesman ruled that the ball had gone out when it was fied with the team’s presentation.” crossed into the box. Russia will next host Slovakia in a warm-up on May 21 The visitors had their best chance of the first-half a minute and faces South Korea in its World Cup Group H opener later as a piece of individual magic from Aguero saw him slip on June 17. past two defenders and into the box only to miss the target. EGYPT 2 BOSNIA 0 UKRAINE 2 UNITED STATES 0 In Innsbruck, Bosnia coach Safet Susic suffered a bad In Cyprus, Casting aside trouble at home, Ukraine comfort- start to his World Cup build-up after second-half goals KRASNODAR: Russia’s Denis Glushakov (right) competes for a ball with Armenia’s Karlen Mkrtchyan ably beat the United States 2-0 yesterday in a friendly held in by Gedo and Mohamed Salah gave Egypt a 2-0 win in a during an international friendly soccer match. —AP Cyprus against the backdrop of turmoil at home and tensions fast-paced friendly yesterday. with Russia. The Bosnians, in World Cup Group F alongside Andriy Yarmolenko opened the scoring after 12 minutes Argentina, Nigeria and Iran, were outplayed by crisp when Yevhen Konoplyanka drifted a beautiful ball over the one-touch passing from the Egyptians with Chelsea defence for Denys Harmash to beat the offside trap. winger Salah tormenting his markers all evening. US keeper Tim Howard saved the one-on-one but the Roared on by 10,000 fans in Innsbruck, the Bosnians rebound came back to Harmash who calmly squared it to could only muster two half-chances in the opening peri- Yarmolenko who had the simple task of slotting it into the od after Ahmed Fathi had volleyed just wide of the far open goal. post at the other end. Ukraine remained on the front foot and correctly had a Wing-back Senad Lulic fired over the bar for Bosnia in goal disallowed seven minutes later when centre-back the 30th minute before striker Vedad Ibisevic had a shot Oleksandr Kucher squared the ball to Yarmolenko who again blocked by a defender. The African side took the lead had the simple task of passing it into the net. shortly after the interval as Gedo raced clear of his mark- Ukraine’s pressing was effective and the US struggled to ers and steered a low shot past advancing keeper Asmir get near Andriy Pyatov’s goal with Clint Dempsey’s blocked Begovic into the far corner. A small band of Egyptian shot being the closest Juergen Klinsmann’s men came in the fans in the Tivoli stadium were in raptures shortly after first 20 minutes. the hour when Salah sprung the offside trap and capped Second-half substitute Marko Devic made a quick impact, a triangular passing blitz with a calm finish. doubling Ukraine’s lead at the second attempt after Howard Egypt looked the more likely side to score in the clos- had saved the Rubin Kazan forward’s first effort when put ing stages, when only desperate defending stopped through on goal. Salah from breaking through again as Bosnia threw men The game, scheduled to played in Kharkiv, was moved to forward. the Mediterranean island due to the unstable political situa- tion in Ukraine. —Agencies COLOMBIA 1 TUNISIA 1 In Barcelona, Colombia drew 1-1 with Tunisia in a pre-World Cup friendly yesterday as the South Americans’ lack of a cutting edge in the absence of star Hazard shuns striker Radamel Falcao was exposed. With Los Cafeteros’ World Cup opener against ‘Special’ advice Greece just over three months away, coach Jose Pekerman gave a number of his fringe players the LONDON: Eden Hazard is disputing Chelsea manager Jose chance to shine as Christian Zapata, Fredy Guarin, Mourinho’s assertion that the attacking midfielder is due a Jackson Martinez all started on the bench. ANKARA: Turkey’s Alper Potuk (right) vies with Sweden’s Jimmy Durmaz during their International rest, the 23-year-old insisting that he plays consistently better Falcao’s Monaco teammate James Rodriguez opened friendly soccer match. —AP when fed a steady diet of action. the scoring from the penalty spot after Tunisian keeper “I don’t need rest, as I’ve said before, I’m at my best if I can Farouk Ben Mustapha had felled Victor Ibarbo after 20 play a lot of matches. But I must be aware that I don’t let minutes. myself burn out,” the Belgian international told the country’s Tunisia responded well, though, and were level 15 daily Het Laatste Nieuws in an interview published yesterday. minutes later when Wahbi Khazri drilled home Yassin “I’m in a good rhythm, I’m getting a lot of game time. I did Mikari’s cross. Colombia, who will also face Ivory Coast feel a little down in the first half against Fulham but it went and Japan in the group stages of the World Cup, had much better in the second half,” he said of Saturday’s 3-1 win the lion’s share of possession after the break. in the London derby which saw Chelsea move four points However, without Falcao, who is struggling to make clear at the top of the Premier league. the World Cup after suffering knee ligament damage in Before the match, Mourinho had told reporters he was January, and Martinez they didn’t have the killer touch hoping Hazard would not play in the midweek international, to turn their domination of the ball into goals. a World Cup warm-up against the Ivory Coast in Brussels later Mustapha made amends for conceding the penalty on Wednesday. “He needs a rest,” the Chelsea manager said when he saved bravely from Fiorentina’s Juan last Friday. “It’d be perfect if his national coach did not play Cuadrado. Colombia were forced to see out the final 10 him. “He can not have a rest in the club. In the national team minutes with 10 men when Luis Perea saw a second he doesn’t have to play friendly matches. “He needs a rest yellow card for chopping down Fakhreddine Ben and they could give him a rest. It’s important for us and I pre- Youssef as he broke clear on goal. fer him on the pitch even if he’s tired because I know he can produce things.” Hazard would not start for Belgium against TURKEY 2 SWEDEN 1 the Ivorians but was expecting to come on from the bench, In Ankara, Turkey beat Sweden 2-1 with headers he said. “I spoke to the coach (Marc Wilmots) about it and we from Mevlut Erdinc and substitute Olcan Adin in a will see how long I will play. He understands the situation, friendly yesterday. he’s not stupid. He knows I’m playing a lot.” Erdinc powered his header into the low right corner Hazard told the Belgian daily he was in the best form of of the net after just two minutes when Gokhan Gonul his career.