p16 2_Layout 1 7/12/14 9:45 PM Page 1 SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2014 SPORTS ‘Golden Ball’ contenders Rizzoli to referee final ‘I can learn from Wenger’ RIO DE JANEIRO: Four Germans, three Argentines, and one player each from Brazil, RIO DE JANEIRO: Italian Nicola Rizzoli will ref- LONDON: New Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez has stressed the influence that manager Colombia and the Netherlands were short-listed on Friday for the “Golden Ball” award eree today’s World Cup final between Germany Arsene Wenger had on his decision to join the FA Cup winners from Barcelona. “I feel hap- to the World Cup’s best player. The top ten list included World Cup finalists Germany’s and Argentina at the Maracana, Massimo py to be here. I know this club has a manager who looks after his players, really takes care defender Mats Hummels, right back Philipp Lahm, midfielder Toni Kroos and forward Busacca, FIFA’s head of refereeing told Reuters of them,” the Chile international told the club website (www.arsenal.com) on Friday. Thomas Mueller who has scored five goals. “He is a manager you can learn a lot with. He wants to achieve great things in football on Friday before the official announcement. For their opponents in today’s final, Argentina, winger Angel Di Maria, midfielder and that helped me make the decision to sign. Javier Mascherano and - inevitably - four-goal striker and captain Lionel Messi made Rizzoli, 42, took charge of the all-German “Arsene Wenger’s style of play is a little bit like that of the Chilean national team. the list. Champions League final between Bayern Therefore I’m used to it. Arsenal play well, they play good football and that fits with my Also included was Colombia’s attacking midfielder James Rodriguez, Munich and Borussia Dortmund at Wembley style and that’s why I moved here.” According to media reports, Arsenal have paid Barca widely considered to be the revelation of the tournament and top scorer last year. around 35 million pounds ($59.56 million) for the 25-year-old. so far with six goals in his team’s run to the quarter-final where they Among the other games he has refereed at Sanchez was a key member of the Chile team that reached the last 16 of the were beaten by Brazil. the finals in Brazil are the extraordinary Group 2014 World Cup before losing to hosts Brazil on penalties. He scored two The other two players short-listed were Dutch forward Arjen Robben A match between champions Spain and the goals in four appearances at the finals. “The Arsenal squad is strong so I’m who tormented defences throughout and scored three in the Netherlands on June 13 which the Dutch won looking to win silverware this season. I’m here to win the (Premier) League, Netherlands’ progress to the semi-final, and Brazil’s Neymar who had 5-1. Last season he was involved in an extraor- the Champions League, in fact every title at stake,” he said. “I’m looking for- ward to showing the fans what I can do and why I’m here.” played superbly and bagged four goals before being injured. dinary incident when he awarded a penalty and Arsenal’s lack of striking prowess has been blamed for their failure World governing body FIFA will announce the winner after Sunday’s then changed his mind after five minutes of to challenge for the Premier League title since the departure of Robin final. Uruguay striker Diego Forlan was named best player of the South angry protests during a Serie A match between van Persie to Manchester United in 2012. Their total of 68 goals in 38 African tournament four years ago.—Reuters AS Roma and Sassuolo. —Reuters matches was the lowest of the top four last season.—Reuters Angels down Rangers ARLINGTON: Garrett Richards allowed five Star break for the first time in his career, get- Francisco Rodriguez, completing St. Louis’ hits over seven innings to extend his personal ting nicked for two early runs and then shut- comeback from a six-run deficit. winning streak to seven decisions as the Los ting down the AL West-leading A’s the rest of Milwaukee has lost six straight and 10 of 11 Angeles Angels handed the Texas Rangers the night. games. Holliday sent the first-pitch changeup their sixth consecutive loss, 3-0 on Friday Hernandez made his 11th straight start from Rodriguez (3-3) into the left-field seats to night. Mike Trout provided Richards all the run going at least seven innings and giving up two break the tie. The Cardinals hit four homers support he needed with a solo home run in earned runs or less. It’s the longest streak for and cut the sliding Brewers’ lead in the NL the fourth inning, his 22nd of the season. an American League pitcher since Gaylord Central to one game. Richards (11-2) is unbeaten with a 1.27 ERA in Perry had 11 straight for Cleveland in 1974. Trevor Rosenthal wrapped up six shutout his last eight starts. innings for the St. Louis bullpen with his 28th Albert Pujols and Erick Aybar had two hits GIANTS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 0 save, getting two strikeouts after allowing a each for Los Angeles, and Alex Rios had two Tim Lincecum and two relievers combined leadoff single to Aramis Ramirez in the bottom for Texas. Texas right-hander Nick Tepesch (3- on a five-hitter, and Lincecum drove in a run of the ninth. All-Star setup man Pat Neshek (4- 5) retired the first 10 batters he faced before with a safety squeeze, helping San Francisco 0) tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Trout sent a 1-0 sinker 418 feet to center field shut out Arizona. for the game’s first run. Tepesch allowed two Pablo Sandoval homered and drove in RED SOX 8, ASTROS 3 runs in the seventh. The Rangers left eight three runs to break out of a slump that started Rookie Christian Vazquez got his first three men on base, including runners in scoring in late June. The Giants third baseman, hitting major league hits and drove in three runs, position in six innings. just .222 over his previous 16 games, also had while David Ortiz had three RBIs to break open an RBI-double and an infield single. Lincecum the game in the sixth inning for Boston. MARINERS 3, ATHLETICS 2 (9-5) allowed three hits over seven innings and Vasquez, who was playing in his second major Felix Hernandez outpitched Jeff Samardzija fanned Gerado Parra to end a two-on, two-out league game, singled in the third inning, had and Robinson Cano hit a go-ahead double to jam in the seventh. The two-time NL Cy Young an RBI double in the fourth and drove home propel Seattle past Oakland. Fernando Rodney Award winner, owner of a no-hitter this sea- two more with a double in Boston’s five-run got his 27th save, getting Nick Punto on a son, struck out six and walked two. sixth. Ortiz drove in three runs with a double called strike three to end it with a runner on Even longtime nemesis Paul Goldschmidt in the sixth to make it 8-1. John Lackey (10-6) third. Punto slammed his batting helmet to struggled against Lincecum. The Arizona first rebounded from a tough stretch to allow four ARLINGTON: Los Angeles Angels’ Erick Aybar connects for a run-scoring single as Texas the ground with both hands and argued with baseman went hitless in three plate appear- hits and two runs with a season-high five Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos watches in the seventh inning of a baseball game. —AP plate umpire James Hoye, and A’s manager ances against the right-hander. walks in six innings. He had allowed five or Bob Melvin joined in, saying the full-count more runs in each of his previous three starts. METS 7, MARLINS 1 Aaron Loup (3-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless pitch missed the strike zone. CARDINALS 7, ASTROS 6 Scott Feldman (4-6) allowed seven runs and David Wright went 4 for 4 with a mammoth innings to get the win. Casey Janssen worked Hernandez (11-2) threw eight strong Matt Holliday hit a solo homer with two tied a season-high with 11 hits in 5 1-3 homer, Lucas Duda also hit a long two-run a perfect ninth for his 14th save. Toronto’s innings. He reached 11 victories before the All- outs in the ninth inning off Milwaukee closer innings. shot and New York rocked recent nemesis Mark Buehrle labored five innings in pursuit of Henderson Alvarez in a victory over Miami. his elusive 11th victory, departing with a 5-2 PHILLIES 6, NATIONALS 2 Zack Wheeler shut down Miami again and lead that the Blue Jays bullpen couldn’t hold. MLB results/standings Jimmy Rollins homered twice and A.J. Juan Lagares had three hits as the Mets He is 0-5 over seven starts since last winning Burnett pitched 7 2-3 strong innings to lead improved to 6-2 on a 10-game homestand on June 1. that takes them into the All-Star break. Chicago Cubs 5, Atlanta 4; Baltimore 3, NY Yankees 2 (10 Innings); Cleveland 7, Chicago White Sox 4; Philadelphia Philadelphia to its fifth straight victory 6, Washington 2; Cincinnati 6, Pittsburgh 5; NY Mets 7, Miami 1; Toronto 8, Tampa Bay 5; LA Angels 3, Texas 0; Domonic Brown doubled and drove in two Wheeler (5-8) pitched 6 2-3 strong innings REDS 6, PIRATES 5 Detroit 2, Kansas City 1.