THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2014 SPORTS Golden boy Kewell leaves Aussies seeking new stars : The end of ’s injury-blighted eventual winners Italy on a disputed late penalty. players at both the 2006 and 2010 Such a feat would eclipse even the “golden gen- career has given another reminder of the contrast Now only Cahill, 34, is sure to board the plane to World Cups, now Postecoglou has only one EPL reg- eration”, who reached the 2011 Asian final but were between ’s “” and the with ’s Socceroos drawn ular, Crystal Palace . narrowly beaten 1-0 by Japan in extra time. more modest current squad as they head towards mainly from various European and Asian leagues, as Instead, the home-based contingent will be aug- “The end of the road for what was left of the the World Cup. well as Australia’s A-League. mented by players such as Mat Ryan (Club Brugge), Golden Generation should have been the final of The gifted Kewell, 35, made an emotional Postecoglou, brought in after was Mitch Langerak (), Rhys Williams the 2011 Asian Cup,” wrote Sydney Morning Herald farewell on Saturday in front of 10,000 fans at sacked in October, is putting the emphasis firmly on (Middlesbrough), Curtis Good (on loan at Dundee columnist Mike Cockerill last month. Heart’s final game of the season, ending the future as he prepares to tackle Chile, the United), (), Robbie “That was when they should have ridden into a career which also took him to Leeds, Liverpool Netherlands and holders Spain in a seemingly Kruse (Bayer Leverkusen), Matthew Leckie (FSV the sunset, the warm glow of the praise from grate- and Turkish side Galatasaray. As well as a relatively inescapable Group B. “The time has come for us to Frankfurt) and (FC Utrecht). ful nation comforting them in retirement.” low-key finish for the man acclaimed as Australia’s look to this World Cup and the next World Cup and Many of the country’s hopes for a footballing Kewell played the 2011 final, one of the high- best ever player, it evoked memories of the not-so- try and build a new golden generation of foot- regeneration centre on prodigiously talented mid- points of a career which also took the highly talent- distant days when Socceroos dotted the English ballers,” Postecoglou said in February. “We need to fielder Tommy Rogic, on loan from Celtic ed forward to two Champions League deciders with Premier League. Kewell, , , make some hard decisions. When you look at our to Melbourne Victory. Cahill is playing for the New Liverpool. But injuries curtailed his performances , , , experienced players, there aren’t many of them who York Red Bulls, while long-time skipper Neill is on for Liverpool and as his career trajectory turned and are all veterans of ’s top are playing at the highest level, if any,” he added. “It loan at English second-tier side Doncaster Rovers in downwards, he left behind a nagging sense of flight, and they were also behind Australia’s best makes sense to me to start looking at building a a desperate bid to win a recall by Postecoglou. promise unfulfilled. World Cup performance in 2006. new core in the team.” But for the transitional team, the greater goal is “Kewell is Australia’s first pop star; reluctant at That year in , ending a World Cup not Brazil but next January’s Asian Cup, where hosts first and then, once addicted to the limelight, frus- absence of 32 years, ’s side turned TRANSITIONAL TEAM Australia will hope to win the tournament for the trated as the stream of acclaim dried up,” wrote the heads by reaching the last 16, where they lost to While Australia could call on several English first time. Herald’s Sebastian Hassett. —AFP Gunners back in top four

Arsenal 3

West Ham 1

LONDON: Arsene Wenger believes Olivier Giroud’s decisive contribution to Arsenal’s vital 3-1 win over West Ham is a sign the France striker is back to his best in time to fire his side into the Champions League. Wenger’s team climbed back above Everton into fourth place in the Premier League thanks to Giroud’s inspired strike and a brace from Lukas Podolski at the on Tuesday. The Gunners had fallen behind to Matthew Jarvis’s first half header, but Podolski equalised and Giroud then produced a brilliant first touch and GERMANY: Wolfsburg’s Croatian striker Ivica Olic (right) Dortmund’s goalkeeper lethal finish to put the hosts ahead soon after the Roman Weidenfeller and Dortmund’s defender Mats Hummels (center) vie for the break. Giroud’s majestic piece of control was remi- ball during the German Cup semi-final football match. —AFP niscent of Arsenal legend at his best and Wenger hopes the forward’s performance bodes well for the final four games of the season. Dortmund’s winning run Arsenal have no margin for error as they try to pip Everton in the race for a top-four finish and Wenger earns them Cup final spot desperately needs a dominant period from Giroud, : Arsenal’s French defender Bacary Sagna (left) vies with West Ham United’s English who had fallen out of favour with the Gunners midfielder Matt Jarvis (right) during the English Premier League football match. — AFP manager earlier in the season after lurid reports BERLIN: In-form Borussia Dortmund kept recover but they came agonisingly close about his private life contributed to a poor run of first half threatened to make a mockery of confidence of the team and we have one advan- up their hopes of a trophy this season, eas- four minutes before the break with Junior form. Wenger even decided to start raw youngster Wenger’s selection gamble. tage; the picture is very clear in front of us,” said ing past VfL Wolfsburg 2-0 on Tuesday with Malanda’s header hitting the base of the Yaya Sanogo ahead of Giroud in two of the club’s Leaving the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Alex Wenger, who revealed Germany midfielder Mesut goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Robert post and fellow Belgium international most important games of the season-the Oxlade-Chamberlain on the bench, Wenger fielded Ozil is set to return from injury at Hull on Sunday. Lewandowski to reach the German Cup Kevin De Bruyne’s shot whizzing narrowly Champions League last 16 first leg tie against his oldest starting eleven in the Premier League “It doesn’t depend just on us but if we win all our final. Three-times winners Dortmund, who wide. But it was Dortmund who scored Bayern Munich and Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final since May 2003. games there is a chance of course. last lifted the trophy in 2012, could face again two minutes later with inter- win over Wigan. Yet, despite that average age of 29 years 188 “We know we need Everton to slip up and we holders and rivals Bayern Munich, who national Lewandowski, left unmarked in But he said: “Olivier is a great guy with a great days, Arsenal were still going strong at the end and have to win all our games. Lets not focus on play second division’s Kaiserslautern in the the box, drilling in a Marco Reus cutback mentality. He has gone through a difficult period as Wenger hopes they can replicate that desire and Everton, we just have to concentrate on ourselves.” last four late yesterday, in the final on May for his 100th goal for the club in all compe- you know. “I think it affected his confidence but energy for the final four matches of the tense run- West Ham manager was vexed 17 in Berlin. titions. you could see he is refreshed now. in. “It was a gamble. I said before the game that it his side failed to press home their advantage, with “For us today it was kind of a reward for It will be his last chance to win another “At half-time he came in very down because he was one of the oldest teams I’ve ever played at Jarvis’s decision to stay on his feet when fouled by all our efforts in the past few weeks,” title with Dortmund, who also beat Real missed a chance, but he is mentally strong and Arsenal but I trusted the experience. That experi- Bacary Sagna in the penalty area another source of Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp, whose Madrid 2-0 last week but were eliminated made up for it. “It was a perfect first touch. You ence helps when your back is against the wall,” he frustration. “We shot ourselves in the foot with the team beat both Real Madrid and Bayern 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions need that if you want to score. “What I like is he said. Wenger remains hopeful about Arsenal’s first two goals,” he said. “The facts are that referees Munich last week, told reporters. League quarter-finals, before joining used his upper body to make some space and after European challenge, but he acknowledged Everton don’t give penalties when you stay on your feet. “We did a lot things well but we had an Bayern next season. Talented 19-year-old that he still had to finish it.” remain in pole position as a draw or win at home to For honesty there is no reward. “You have to make opponent who was fresh and played great Malanda should have scored for Wolfsburg Giroud’s goal was the highlight of a much- Crystal Palace on Wednesday takes them back the referee’s mind up. You should go down if there football. We had to do a lot of running to when he was in front of goal but ended up needed comeback from Arsenal after a lethargic above the Gunners into fourth. “It improves the is contact.” — AFP close the spaces and it was hard.” volleying over the bar late in the game Fired up by a ear-splittingly loud 80,000 before being taken off with a knee injury in strong crowd, the hosts, who beat champi- a further blow to the visitors. “You could ons Bayern 3-0 in the league on Saturday, see the difference between us and Rennes edge past Angers grabbed a well-deserved 13th minute lead Dortmund and how cold blooded they when Armenian Mkhitaryan rifled in after a were in front of goal,” Wolfsburg coach fine solo effort. Dieter Hecking said. “We had several great PARIS: Two-time French Cup winners Rennes It took some time for the visitors to chances and did not use them.”— Reuters reached the final of this season’s competition with a nervy 3-2 win over Ligue 2 side Angers on Tuesday. Al-Ahly begin another Rennes, who won the Cup in 1965 and 1971, will hope for better luck in the final on May 3 than their last visit to the Stade de CAF trophy campaign France in last season’s League Cup final where they lost 1-0 against Saint-Etienne. Rennes- JOHANNESBURG: Deposed African club trick in 88 Confederation Cup matches who are in a lowly 14th position in — football champions Al-Ahly from Egypt this season. came from a goal down early on to lead 3-1 begin another CAF trophy-seeking cam- His treble at home to Gambians paign this weekend by hosting Gamtel followed a first-leg brace and but a penalty a minute from time by Moroccans Difaa El-Jadidi in the those five goals make him the joint sec- Mohammed Yattara, who had also scored Confederation Cup. ond highest scorer in the 2014 competi- their opener, made it a nervous last few min- Ahly are among seven African title tion. A now common handicap for Ahly utes for the Brittany-region hosts. winners involved in the two-leg play-offs will be the absence of spectators when However, they safely negotiated the dying which pit Champions League second they host the first leg at the Air Defence stages to deprive Angers of what would have round losers against Confederation Cup Stadium in the Egyptian capital. been their second ever appearance in the second round winners. Ahly fans clashed with police after the final, the first occasion being in 1957 when Congolese AC Leopards and Tunisians CAF Super Cup victory over Tunisians CS they were beaten 6-3 by Toulouse. Angers- Etoile Sahel have lifted the second-tier Sfaxien two months ago, leading to a who are in the mix for promotion to Ligue 1 Confederation Cup, which replaced the renewal of a ban on supporters. — got off to a fantastic start as Yattara put African Cup Winners and CAF Cup com- Kaizer Chiefs have been forced to them ahead in the third minute. petitions 10 years ago. move the clash with ASEC Mimosas from However, the hosts levelled on the quarter Ivorians ASEC Mimosas have won the Soccer City stadium to another Soweto hour mark as Swedish international midfielder Champions League and South Africans venue, Dobsonville Stadium. The 95,000- netted with his seventh goal Kaizer Chiefs, Guineans Horoya and seat national football stadium is being since he arrived from PSV Eindhoven for FRANCE: Rennes’ French forward Romain Alessandrini (left) vies with Angers’ French midfield- Tunisians CA Bizertin lifted the Cup reseeded because of fungus and also has 2.5million euros in the January transfer win- er Ludovic Gamboa during the French Cup semifinal football match. — AFP Winners Cup. Once Ahly were eliminated to be readied for a major pre-election ral- dow. Two further goals from Polish midfielder who has found life difficult in his first season “It is good to be in the final but the cham- from the Champions League after surpris- ly by the ruling African National Congress. Kamil Grosicki and Cameroon veteran Jean II since joining from Spanish side Real Sociedad pionship is our main preoccupation,” said 49- ing home and away losses to Libyans Al- While Chiefs lost narrowly to Makoun put Rennes firmly in control and where he had been named La Liga coach of year-old Montanier. “If we can quickly assure Ahly Benghazi they were installed as Democratic Republic of Congo outfit Vita the year-will play the winners of the second ourselves of staying up and win the French Confederation Cup favourites. in the Champions League, ASEC slammed apart from Yattara’s late penalty they were Multi medal-winning defender Wael six goals past Algerians CS Constantine in rarely troubled by Angers down the stretch. semi-final between Ligue 1 title contenders Cup that will be a good result for a transitional Gomaa, who intends hanging up his the Confederation Cup. Rennes-coached by Philippe Montanier Monaco and struggling Guingamp. season.” — AFP boots permanently later this year at the Tunisian clubs have dominated the 10- age of 38, believes the Cairo ‘Red Devils’ year second-tier competition, producing can bounce back. four winners and three runners-up, and Pohang in Asia’s last 16 “Ahly can recover quickly,” he assured Etoile Sahel and Bizertin play away this the Egyptian media. “The defeats by weekend. Benghazi are history-you win some foot- Etoile visit Horoya, whose Champions OSAKA: Pohang Steelers became the first East Beijing Guoan scored twice in five second- “The first thing we’ll do when we walk into ball matches and lose others.” League ambitions were ended by another Asian team to reach the AFC Champions League half minutes against Hiroshima, but then Naoki the dressing room is put our arms around ‘Hutch’ The ‘Red Devils’ are a team in transition Tunisian club, CS Sfaxien, and Bizertin last 16 yesterday as an upset and a late own goal Ishihara outdid them with a brace in just three and pick him up,” said Mariners coach Phil Moss with veteran midfield stars Mohamed confront Nkana in Kitwe on the Zambian elsewhere set up a tense final round of group minutes to earn a pulsating 2-2 draw in the after the 1-0 defeat. Abou Trika and Mohamed Barakat leaving copperbelt. Bayelsa United, the last games. Chinese capital. “He’s a fantastic Mariner on and off the field large gaps when they retired last year. Nigerian challengers for a CAF club title The 2009 winners from South Korea beat And ’s Buriram United shocked and he doesn’t deserve that.” Beijing went ahead Another blow is that striker Emad this year, visit Ivorians Sewe San Pedro Uruguay star Diego Forlan’s Cerezo Osaka 2-0 Shandong Luneng 1-0 to score their first win of against Hiroshima in dubious circumstances Moteab, a survivor from the squad that and Leopards host Ghanaians Medeama. away to clamber into the knock-out stages, leav- the competition and draw level with the Chinese when Peter Utaka’s shot appeared to come off reached four consecutive Champions An all-Mali clash between Real ing their Group E rivals all locked on five points team and Cerezo on five points in Group E. ’s arm and crept over the line in a goal League finals from 2005 and won three, Bamako and Djoliba and Cameroonians each. Defending champions Guangzhou Lee Myung-Joo and Kim Seung-Dae scored credited to the Chinese international. constantly suffers injuries. Coton Sport against Angolans Petro Evergrande missed their chance to reach the either side of half-time for Pohang to earn their Shao then turned creator with a glorious no- And quicksilver strikers have exposed Atletico in cotton city Garoua complete eliminators on Tuesday, meaning it will be all to third win of the competition and establish an look flick to set up explosive Ecuadorian Joffre the understandable loss of pace by cen- the eight-fixture line-up. Return match- play for in the East Asian zone as the group unbridgeable six-point gap at the top of the Guerron for Beijing’s second, in what appeared tre-back Gomaa at club and national- es are scheduled for the weekend of stage wraps up next week. group. In Gosford, the Mariners doggedly enough for victory. But bleach-blond forward team levels. Gomaa and other Ahly April 25-27 and a draw in Cairo on April Australia’s Central Coast Mariners were cruelly repulsed last year’s runners-up FC Seoul, but Ishihara had other ideas and fired two similar defenders know that Ayoub Nanah of 29 will split the eight qualifiers into two felled by a stoppage-time own goal as they slid their rearguard action was undone a minute into goals, both from poorly defended crosses from Jadidi is the only player to score a hat- groups. —AFP off the top of Group F to lie level with Beijing injury time when skipper John Hutchinson the left, within three minutes to earn a vital Guoan and Sanfrecce Hiroshima with six points. turned a cross into his own net. point for Hiroshima. — AFP