27 Sports Thursday, November 22, 2018 Portugal held by Poland, Sweden promoted in Nations League ‘It’s always good to have Ronaldo in the line-up’ PARIS: Portugal finished off their successful Nations The Napoli striker picked himself up to slot the ball League group campaign with a 1-1 draw against Poland past Beto in the Portugal goal and level for the visitors in Guimaraes on Tuesday, while Sweden earned promo- with quarter of the match still remaining. Poland have tion to the top division. Hosts Portugal had already struggled since a disappointing World Cup group- qualified for June’s inaugural Nations League finals stage exit, failing to win in the Nations League, and alongside England, the Netherlands and Switzerland, they wasted late chances, with Piotr Zielinski being while Poland could not avoid relegation. denied by Beto and Damian Kadzior firing wide as the Fernando Santos’ side finished three points clear of 10 men held on. Italy at the top of Group A3, after an unbeaten cam- “I thought the double red card and penalty call was paign despite the absence of star forward and captain harsh, from my point of view it didn’t exist,” bemaoned Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal coach Santos. “The referee could whistle for a “It’s always good to have Cristiano Ronaldo in the penalty and not give a red card. In spite of that I’m line-up, but we’ve proven that we have other quality proud of the players.” players besides him,” centre-back Pepe told television Elsewhere, Sweden pipped Russia to promotion to channel RTP. League A as a 2-0 victory over the 2018 World Cup “The spirit of these players has been very positive. hosts in Stockholm saw Janne Andersson’s men finish Now we have to be humble and respect the other teams top of Group B2. Manchester United centre-back in the final four and show our qualities.” Renato Victor Lindelof smashed home a loose ball to put the Sanches started brightly for Portugal and saw an early hosts in front shortly before half-time, and Marcus Berg effort blocked, and the 21-year-old Bayern Munich mid- wrapped up the win with 18 minutes to play by tapping fielder created the opening goal as his 34th-minute in after Sebastian Larsson’s shot was saved by Russia corner was headed in at the near post by Andre Silva. goalkeeper Andrey Lunev. The European champions appeared to be in control, Fulham forward Aleksandar Mitrovic and Besiktas but the game changed when Danilo Pereira was harshly midfielder Adem Llajic both scored for the second con- sent off and Poland were awarded a penalty. The refer- secutive game as Serbia brushed aside Lithuania 4-1 in ee gave the Porto midfielder his marching orders after Belgrade. That saw them promoted from Group C4 GUIMARAES: Poland’s defender Tomasz Kedziora (L) vies with Portugal’s forward Bruma during the international UEFA Arkadiusz Milik tumbled to the floor under his chal- despite closest challengers Romania’s 1-0 win in Nations League football match between Portugal and Poland at the Dom Alfonso Henriques stadium in Guimaraes on lenge, despite appearing to win the ball cleanly. Montenegro. — AFP Tuesday. — AFP games following the meeting in Bacolod and remain one of Thai goalkeeper Chatchai Budrom, while Supachai Late goal earns point point ahead of group B rivals Singapore, who closed made no mistake at the other end when he coolly slot- the gap on the top two to a point with a 6-1 thrashing ted past Michael Falkesgaard. of East Timor. Defending champions Thailand will seal The Philippines, though, claimed a deserved leveller for Philippines their place in the last four on Sunday with a draw with just nine minutes remaining when Bedic’s shot Mbappe injured against the Singaporeans while the Philippines will go from outside the area was deflected onto the post through even if they lose to already-eliminated before rolling across the face of goal and directed over KUALA LUMPUR: Jovin Bedic scored a lucky late Indonesia and the Singaporeans lose to the Thais. the line by the diving Chatchai. as France see equaliser to secure a deserved 1-1 draw for Sven- The Philippines looked set to go down to an unde- Singapore’s hopes of a place in the next round were Goran Eriksson’s Philippines against champions served defeat when Supachai Jaided put the Thais in enhanced as Safuwan Baharudin claimed a hat-trick in off Uruguay Thailand yesterday evening in the Asean Football front in the 56th minute, just five minutes after Azkals a comfortable win over East Timor, and victory over Federation Championship that keeps Azkal hopes of a captain Phil Younghusband missed the best chance of Milovan Rajevac’s side in Bangkok on Sunday would semi-final place alive. the game. Younghusband was unmarked and in space take them through to the semi-finals for the first time Both teams move on to seven points from three just six yards from goal when his effort found the arms since 2012. — Reuters PARIS: A shoulder injury to Kylian Mbappe over- shadowed France’s 1-0 friendly win over Uruguay at the Stade de France on Tuesday as Didier Deschamps’ world champions ended the year on a high note. International Arbitration Centre. Mancini nurturing green Mbappe had to be replaced in the first half after FIFA Ethics Cheow said the Malaysian Anti- a nasty fall, continuing a miserable night for his Corruption Commission (MACC) had shoots of Italy recovery Paris Saint-Germain coach Thomas Tuchel after applied to hold him for seven days as the German had already seen Neymar hobble off Committee “they wanted to question him regard- injured early in Brazil’s friendly with Cameroon in ing a corruption allegation”. ROME: Twelve months after a humiliat- against Portugal on Saturday was only Milton Keynes. judge held Rajoo has been accused of using ing 0-0 draw in a playoff against Sweden good enough to seal second place in PSG face Liverpool in a crucial Champions his position to gain financial favours, ensured Italy would miss the World Cup their UEFA Nations League group, how- League clash at the Parc des Princes on November reports said. Local media reported for the first time in 60 years, a repeat of ever, and afterwards Mancini described 28. When asked if he could give “reassuring news” Kuala Lumpur: A FIFA Ethics that he has now given up his position that scoreline against Portugal at the the task ahead of him. about Mbappe in his press conference, France Committee judge was arrested on at the arbitration centre. “My client weekend was greeted with far more pos- “There’s a long way to go and we are coach Deschamps said: “Not necessarily reassur- suspicion of corruption in his native has offered assurances that he will itivity by the local media. A year ago, the working, trying to renovate the national ing, but not worrying either. Malaysia and has resigned as director extend the full cooperation to Corriere dello Sport said the 1-0 aggre- side with young players and a different “He had some shoulder pain after his fall and he of an arbitration service, his lawyer MACC regarding the investigation,” gate defeat to the Swedes was “an intol- tactical approach,” he said. The new has to have tests tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, and reports said yesterday. his lawyer said, but added that erable footballing shame” while the tournament was his team’s first competi- but there is no serious concern.” After the disap- Sundra Rajoo was detained late authorities could not arrest him. Corriere della Sera warned: “Italian foot- tive test and while results have not blown pointment of seeing the Netherlands pip them to a Tuesday by anti-graft investigators Rajoo was appointed last year as ball is about to be battered by an anyone away, the performances have place at the Nations League finals with a late unprecedented storm”. been encouraging as Italy avoided rele- after flying in from Zurich, where one of two deputy chairmen of the Virgil van Dijk goal in Germany on Monday, The failure to reach Russia cost coach gation to the second tier by finishing FIFA has its headquarters, to assist in Ethics Committee’s adjudicatory Olivier Giroud’s 52nd-minute penalty gave France Gian Piero Ventura his job and it was left ahead of Poland in the three-nation pool. a corruption probe. He was held chamber, which has slapped lifetime victory in a repeat of the two teams’ World Cup to Roberto Mancini to navigate Italy Scoring goals has been the main problem quarter-final meeting in Russia. overnight, but released after a court bans on several football executives though that storm and salvage something but not for a lack of trying, and in four accepted his representatives’ argu- named in a sprawling US Justice “It was important to finish on a positive note, from the wreck of a failed World Cup games against Portugal and Poland, the even in the last defeat (by the Netherlands) saw us ments that he effectively has diplo- Department probe into football cor- campaign. Azzurri hit 53 shots, 12 on target, but matic immunity due to his high-pro- ruption. miss out on the (Nations League) semi-finals,” Since taking over in May, the former managed to score just three times. Deschamps told M6. Roared on by a large crowd file legal roles, lawyer Cheow Wee The adjudicatory chamber was Manchester City, Lazio and Inter Milan During Tuesday’s 1-0 friendly win over in Paris, France opened up the Uruguay defence in told AFP.