SPORTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2016 Dutch woes to continue as Greece take scalp EINDHOVEN: The Netherlands suffered a fifth suc- crisis after this debacle. They have not won at home seemed in control until Kostas Mitroglou was left cessive home defeat as their miserable form contin- since defeating Spain, at the time the European unmarked to head home on 29 minutes. Greece ued with a 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Greece in champions, 2-0 in March 2015. Although they came were organized in a rugged defensive display and Eindhoven on Thursday. Both sides were top seeds into this match on the back of wins against Austria waited for their opportunities on the counter-attack. for Euro 2016 qualifying but neither managed to (2-0) and Poland (2-1) on their travels, the Dutch are When one came on 73 minutes, they struck as make it to the French showpiece as the Netherlands suffering from a deficiency of confidence at home. Giannis Gianniotas lashed home on the volley after a finished fourth in their group while Greece managed Liverpool forward Georginio Wijnaldum opened the mistake from goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet. Blind will be to come bottom of a pool including the Faroe scoring for the hosts on 13 minutes, converting a hoping for more backbone from his side when they Islands. cross from Vincent Janssen, but for the most part he begin their qualifying campaign away to Sweden on Just five days before opening their World Cup was isolated on his own up front. Tuesday, while Greece are buoyed going into their qualifying campaign, Danny Blind’s Oranje remain in Captained by Wesley Sneijder, the Netherlands trip to minnows Gibraltar the same day. — AFP Silva double blasts Spain past Belgium BRUSSELS: Spain earned a World Cup qualifying boost by beating Belgium 2-0 in an international friendly on Thursday thanks to a David Silva double. Both sides were on the rebound from disappointing Euro 2016 campaigns with new coaches Roberto Martinez for Belgium and Basque Jolen Lopotegui for Spain. Chelsea’s Diego Costa teed up Silva to fire home confidently from the left of the penalty area on 34 minutes before the lively Manchester City midfielder converted a penalty on the hour. The Brussels crowd booed the home side as Spain out- passed them and as Belgium resorted to defending deep, a section of the crowd even chanted the name of former coach Marc Wilmots. On his first outing in the Belgium hotseat, former Everton boss Martinez asked for patience from the fans. “You can’t expect major change in just three days and this result has no real meaning. What I do want to see, though, is passion and pride in wearing the national team jersey,” he said. However, his side had produced just one shot on tar- get during the 90 minutes and looked a pale imitation of even the team that fell to Wales in the Euro quarter-finals. “Spain were much better than us. We lacked concentra- tion and intensity,” moaned Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who plies his club trade for Chelsea. “We were starved of the ball and played too many poor passes. And when it comes to mentality, it wasn’t great. “We need to play a lot better.” For Spain, who played without injured playmaker Andres Iniesta, Costa linked up well with BARI: France midfielder Blaise Matuidi (R) vies for the ball with Italy’s defender Andrea Barzagli during the friendly Sevilla left winger Vitolo, who played in the cross that set football match between Italy and France on September 1, 2016 at the San Nicola stadium. — AFP up Spain’s opener. And such was the domination of the Spaniards that Belgium’s own playmaker Eden Hazard was pulled into his side’s deep defensive play. Spain Donnarumma debuts as Ventura begin their World Cup qualifiers against Lichtenstein on Monday while Belgium travel to Cyprus for their own begins reign with France defeat opener. — AFP MILAN: Italy coach Giampiero Ventura fied” with his side’s performance given he Yet Italy hit back almost immediately, handed teenaged AC Milan goalkeeper had spent “only three days working with Inter Milan striker Eder flying past N’Golo Gianluigi Donnarumma his debut but the squad”. He also gave Donnarumma a Kante down the right to deliver for Pelle to began his reign with a 3-1 defeat to France gentle hint that he could be well on the spin around Raphael Varane and beat root- in Bari on Thursday. Ventura replaced way to replacing Buffon in the near future. ed keeper Steve Mandanda on 21 minutes. Antonio Conte last month and pledged to “He’s a player with huge potential. I wasn’t The goal, Pelle’s fourth in his last seven carry on the good work of the current going to bring him with us just to sit on the Azzurri appearances, must have calmed his Chelsea manager following the Azzurri’s bench,” said the 68-year-old coach. “He’s fears that a recent move to the Chinese impressive march to the quarter-finals of young, but full of talent and it’s only right Super League would harm his Italy chances. Euro 2016. But goals from Manchester he gets to experience the Italy dressing But France were soon back in front, Chiellini United striker Anthony Martial, his first for room.” losing sight of Giroud on a corner for the his country, and Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud Gunners marksman to beat Buffon with a either side of Graziano Pelle’s 21st minute ‘Can do better’ well-taken volley. strike gave France a 2-1 half-time lead. It was France’s first outing since Les Donnarumma became the youngest After Donnarumma replaced Juventus Bleus lost the Euro 2016 final on home soil ever goalkeeper for Italy and the youngest legend Gianluigi Buffon for the second to Portugal. And coach Didier Deschamps Azzurri player since 1911 when he replaced period, the 17-year-old made one impres- said: “I’m happy, we can always do better Buffon at half-time, and didn’t have to wait sive stop before making his first major error but it’s not too bad when you put three long to be called into action. Donnarumma for the national side. Barely 10 minutes (goals) past an Italy side that gives little was quickly down to smother a Dimitri before the final whistle, Donnarumma away.” Italy, ousted at the quarter-final Payet effort that bounced in front of him. came off his line at his near post to antici- stage of Euro 2016, begin their 2018 World Ventura then introduced Marco Verratti, pate a Layvin Kurzawa drive across the Cup qualifying campaign on Monday away the PSG midfield star making his first Italian goalmouth, only for the Paris Saint- to Israel in Haifa. They looked comfortable Azzurri appearance since qualifying for BRUSSELS: Spain’s Luca Vazquez (L) vies with Germain left-back’s strike to spin into the in the early stages but a defensive mix-up Euro 2016, which he missed through injury. Belgium’s Jan Vertonghen (up) during the friendly far corner of the net for his first internation- between Juventus pair Andrea Barzagli and But his arrival failed to produce the desired football match between Belgium and Spain, at the al goal. Giorgio Chiellini allowed Martial to pounce effect as Pelle nodded Antonio Candreva’s King Baudouin Stadium. — AFP Ventura admitted he was “fairly satis- on the gift and beat Buffon one-on-one. cross over the bar. — AFP .