SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2017 SPORTS Hiddink urges FIFA to pick best referees for World Cup ST PETERSBURG: FIFA should pick the best refer- said Hiddink, who led the Netherlands in 1998 and tling.” In other observations on the World Cup was not surprised that President Vladimir Putin ees for the World Cup and not limit its list to one co-host South Korea in 2002 to within a game of rehearsal tournament. urged players to impress the public at its home per nation, according to coaching great Guus the World Cup final. tournament. Hiddink. While Hiddink’s South Korea benefited from BEAUTIFUL GAME “Everybody is a national team manager,” said the Hiddink, a two-time World Cup semifinalist, told controversial referee decisions, his Australia team in Hiddink’s favorite from the first two rounds of coach who led Russia to a surprise semifinal place The Associated Press three or four referees should 2006 lost to a stoppage-time penalty against even- group games was Chile and Germany playing to at the 2008 European Championship. “From the be chosen from the same country if they were best tual winner Italy in the Round of 16. a 1-1 draw in Kazan. It was a “beautiful example” man in the street to the high-ranked bosses in the at a job getting more complex as video review is Hiddink likes the video review which FIFA hopes of trying to outplay an opponent from the first Kremlin. “They all have ideas about football as we tested. “It’s not a World Cup for referees, it’s a World will get fast-track approval for the 2018 World Cup, whistle. have ideas about politics. For me that is OK.” Cup for football teams,” the Dutch coach said in though with one concern. Trials are scheduled next Hiddink, whose last coaching job was with St Petersburg where he is analyzing season in only some national competitions world- Chelsea in 2016 after Jose Mourinho was fired, GOT TO GET AHEAD Confederations Cup games for American broad- wide. “Referees who are coming from, with all enjoys the fast pace of Champions League games. Hiddink sees a similarity in his two former teams caster Fox Sports. “We want to have the best teams respect, less developed countries regarding this “I don’t think the nature of the game is chang- at the Confederations Cup: Russia and Australia so we want to have the best referees as well. Not system, let them learn as soon as possible,” he said. ing,” the 70-year-old coach said. “The attitude and both seem to play better when trailing 1-0. necessarily European. Without looking to their Still, Hiddink supported the only African referee the intensity is how it was. There are some small “Then you can see the potential is there,” he said nationality, which are the best referees?” here, Bakary Gassama of Gambia, for handling a changes in the rules which are good and which of a Russia team that tends to be “too cautious, too At the 2014 World Cup, FIFA had 25 referees running melee involving New Zealand and Mexico have the intention to make it more fair.” careful sometimes.” “I know a lot of the mentality of from 25 different countries working in Brazil. “I players. “This referee was a little bit criticized but I the Aussies - they always react when there is a set- don’t think it’s a law that you have to have from will defend this man,” said Hiddink, describing a “far ADVICE FROM THE TOP back,” he said, hoping they could “think in a differ- every country or from every continent a referee,” over the top” incident with “15 or 16 players hus- As a former Russia national team coach, Hiddink ent way” by scoring first. — AP PREVIEW Loew set to add to Germany’s strong semi-finals record SOCHI: Joachim Loew can maintain his for the first hour in Sochi, then weathered a proud decade-long record of steering Socceroos fight back, while in Kazan Germany to the semi-finals at major tour- against Chile they showed guts in fighting naments with a draw against Cameroon back after conceding an early goal. today enough to reach the last four of the Loew opted to make no changes Confederations Cup. against Chile-the first time a German coach Since Loew took charge as head coach has done that in an international since after Germany finished third at the 2006 1995 — saying he wanted his team to World Cup on home soil, the team has “tough it out”. With first-choice shot-stop- always reached the semi-finals at either per Manuel Neuer recovering from foot European championships or World Cup surgery, Loew is expected to again rotate finals. The world champions take on his goalkeeper with Paris Saint-Germain’s Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions at Sochi’s Kevin Trapp set to start. Fisht Stadium on Sunday while Chile play Cameroon coach Hugo Broos fielded Australia in Moscow in the final round of the same starting line-up for both their Group B games. opening 2-0 defeat to Chile and Thursday’s Germany are second to Chile in the disappointing 1-1 draw with Australia. table only by a single goal with both teams The Belgian is expected to call up the on four points while Cameroon and same again against the world champions. Australia have a point each. While Germany need a point in Sochi, Cameroon must win SOCCEROOS’ BIG TEST by two clear goals to progress. Australia face Chile at Moscow’s Spartak “A draw would be enough for us to go Stadium with a draw good enough for the through, but it would be good to win the Copa America champions while the group so we’d play our semi-final in Sochi,” Socceroos need a win by three clear goals said Loew. “I’m planning a few changes in a to reach the last four. position or two, some will get a break to It would be the biggest result in the allow fresh faces to come in.” three-year tenure of Australia’s coach Ange Germany have won two of the three Postecoglou, regardless of the result. “Our TAUNTON: England’s Liam Livingstone watches the ball as he runs during the second T20 Blast match against South Africa at the Cooper previous meetings and there was a 2-2 game against Chile is another massive one Associates County Ground, Taunton, England, Friday. — AP draw when the teams last met in a pre- for us,” said Australia captain Mark Milligan. World Cup friendly in 2014. “We will not just be hoping, we will pre- CRICKET A year before the World Cup, Loew took pare to try to win. “Chile are a very good the gamble of leaving all of his World Cup- side, but they have weaknesses too.” Chile’s winning stars at home to blood fringe play- captain, Inter Milan defender Gary Medel, is ers. The move has paid off with forward set to miss out after picking up a leg injury Roy’s bizarre exit turns Lars Stindl scoring in both Monday’s 3-2 in the draw with Germany. win over Australia and Thursday’s 1-1 draw Having become Chile’s all-time top-scor- with Chile leaving him as the Confed Cup’s er by scoring early against Germany, top-scorer. Arsenal’s striker Alexis Sanchez will be look- 2nd T20 South Africa’s way Loew’s young side has so far been con- ing to add to his tally of 38 international vincing in Russia. They dominated Australia goals. — AFP TAUNTON: Jason Roy’s bizarre dismissal turned incoming throw from Phehlukwayo, which hit “Everyone in the changing room thought it the second Twenty20 international’s South him on the heel, and the stumps. South Africa could go either way, so it’s not massively contro- Africa’s way as the Proteas won by just three runs appealed and, after on-field umpires Rob Bailey versial,” Morgan told reporters. at Taunton on Friday. The narrow victory at and Michael Gough referred the decision, Roy “You can see why the umpires gave him out.” Somerset’s headquarters saw South Africa level was given out by TV umpire Tim Robinson, the But England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who was the three-match series at 1-1 as bounced back former England opening batsman. given out obstructing the field in a one-day inter- from a nine-wicket defeat by England at national against Australia at Lord’s two years ago Southampton two days earlier to set-up a win- ‘NOT CONTROVERSIAL’ when he reacted to a shy at the stumps from ner-takes-all clash in Cardiff today. Roy was clearly aghast but Morgan insisted it bowler, Mitchell Starc by sticking out a glove, was England were on course for an unbeatable 2-0 had been a “50-50 call”. unimpressed. — AFP lead while Roy (67) and Jonny Bairstow (47) shared a second-wicket stand of 110. But when Roy was given out obstructing the field-the first SCOREBOARD time this had happened in a T20 international- the innings fell away. TAUNTON, United Kingdom: Completed scoreboard in the second Twenty20 international between England’s cause was not helped by batting England and South Africa at Taunton on Friday. second under increasingly dark skies in a match that started at 1600 GMT despite a lack of flood- South Africa England lights on the ground, although home skipper J. Smuts c Plunkett b Dawson 45 J.