MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2015 SPORTS Germany, Brazil win again to top groups WELLINGTON: Germany and Brazil had emphat- ic wins to close the group stages of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup yesterday, leaving both atop their pools but with tricky assignments ahead in the second round. Germany beat Honduras 5-1 to finish Group F with three- straight wins - with 16 goals for and two against - while Brazil, also with three wins, topped Group E ahead of Nigeria after a 3-0 win over North Korea. The last day of group matches in the 24-team tournament confirmed matchups in the round of 16, which starts Wednesday. European champions Germany, which won the tournament in 1981, will meet Nigeria, which has never won the Under-20 title, despite DUBLIN: Republic of Ireland’s Daryl Murphy (right) clears the ball from England’s Phil twice finishing runners-up and winning the Jones during their international soccer friendly match at the Aviva stadium. —AP world under-17 title four times. Nigeria ended the group stage with a 2-0 win over Hungary which left it in second place in Group E, with two England and Ireland wins and a 4-2 loss to Brazil, forcing its early clash with Germany in the knockout rounds. draw blank in Dublin Brazil will face Uruguay in its round of 16 match on Thursday after Uruguay finished sec- DUBLIN: England’s winless run against neigh- during ‘God Save the Queen’, but it was ond in Group D behind Serbia, which will play bours the Republic of Ireland was extended Liverpool contract rebel Raheem Sterling, Hungary next round. Uzbekistan beat Fiji 3-0 to six matches yesterday following a torpid 0- English football’s new Public Enemy Number yesterday in the other match on the last day of 0 draw in a friendly game at Dublin’s Aviva One, who bore the brunt of their ire. Group play to set up a meeting with Austria. Stadium. Generally, though, the atmosphere was as flat In other matches in the next round, the It was the first time England had played in as a pancake, even after a moving pre-match United States will play Colombia, Ghana faces Dublin since rioting far-right hooligans moment when Jack Charlton-the former Mali, Ukraine play Senegal, and Portugal meet caused a friendly in February 1995 to be England defender and Ireland manager-was host New Zealand. South American champions abandoned after only 27 minutes, but while given a standing ovation by the whole and pre-tournament favorite Argentina failed to the reunion thankfully passed off without ground. qualify from Group B. incident off the pitch, there was precious little England’s probings, generally instigated Germany was impressive in its win Sunday to stir the blood on it. by midfield anchor Jack Wilshere, came to over Honduras, adding to is 8-1 win over Fiji and In the end, the game was chiefly notable nought, and it was Ireland who created what 3-0 win over Uzbekistan. Marc Stendera scored for its debutants-Jamie Vardy for England, few chances there were in the first half. Daryl the opening goal in the second minute, calmly Harry Arter for Ireland-but visiting manager Murphy jabbed fractionally wide from Jeff sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from the Roy Hodgson admitted it had been “way Hendrick’s flick-on, while David McGoldrick, spot after Carlos Moncada had crudely brought below” what his team had hoped to achieve. Murphy’s Ipswich Town team-mate, saw a down Levin Oztunali. Stendera then provided a CHRISTCHURCH: Brazil’s Malcom (right) kicks the ball away from North Korea’s Jang Kum Nam “All credit to Ireland, they caused us prob- shot deflected behind by Gary Cahill. brilliant through-ball in the 30th minute which during their U20 soccer World Cup match. —AP lems, particularly with balls to the front play- It was not until a minute before half-time Julian Brandt lofted over ‘keeper Roberto Lopez ers,” he said. “I think we needed this game and that England mustered an attempt at goal, and into the roof of the net. this level of competition. Going into the Adam Lallana cutting in from the left and Hany Mukhtar scored the third four minutes game against Slovenia, there’s a lot of things shooting over. into the second half when his free kick took a we want to improve on.” England captain Wayne Rooney was a vir- wicked deflection off Jose Escalante and Grischa Both teams will now switch their atten- tual bystander in the first half and when Proemel added the fourth 12 minutes later. tions to 2016 European Championship quali- Jordan Henderson’s pass gave him a clear run Nicklas Stark rounded out the scoring from a fiers next weekend, when Ireland host on goal early in the second, his touch corner in the 81st minute. Scotland in a key Group D fixture and betrayed him. “This was a difficult match because Honduras England look to extend their 100 percent The game began to open up a bit though, played very well, especially in one-on-one situa- record in Group E away to Slovenia. with England goalkeeper Joe Hart ferrying a tions,” Germany coach Frank Wormuth said. “But “It was exactly what we needed,” said Robbie Brady free-kick around his near post towards the end of the match they had to take Ireland manager Martin O’Neill. “Overall it was and parrying from substitute Jon Walters at more risks and that opened up more spaces for good for us and from a physical viewpoint, it one end, and Sterling shooting wide at the us. “I’m just glad that my team performed well couldn’t have been better timed.” other. A gaggle of Irish substitutions early in and managed to find a way to collect another The Football Association had written to the second half included a debut for three points. That is what makes me proud.” England’s 3,000 travelling fans warning them Bournemouth midfielder Arter, who replaced Brazil took 60 minutes to break down the not to repeat chants about Irish paramilitary Glenn Whelan. defense of North Korea, which had conceded group the IRA that had been aired during Leicester City striker Vardy entered the fray nine goals in its previous matches against recent away games against Scotland and with 16 minutes to play, replacing Rooney, to Nigeria and Hungary. North Korea’s defense sat Italy. But it was with wit, rather than vicious- complete a remarkable three-year ascent deep and, while they had 68 percent of posses- ness, that England’s fans goaded their hosts, from non-league to international football. sion, Brazil showed some impatience and mostly chanting “Sepp Blatter, he paid for your After Arter had drilled wide following a run tried to score from distance. ground!” in reference to this week’s revelation from deep, England substitute Andros The tactic finally paid off to some degree that FIFA paid the Football Association of Townsend took aim from distance, but Ireland when Jaja’s shot from 35 meters deflected wildly Ireland five million euros ($5.5 million) after goalkeeper Shay Given, who had replaced off Hyo Song giving goakeeper In Hak no Thierry Henry’s handball took France to the Keiren Westwood, got down well to keep the chance. Brazil then showed some of its real abili- 2010 World Cup at Ireland’s expense. visitors without a win in Ireland since a 3-1 ty in the 66th minute when Jean Carlos lit up a A small number of home fans whistled friendly success in May 1964. —AFP cold night in Christchurch, rolling his foot over the ball to beat one defender, jinking to his right to see off another, then slotting past the keeper with ease. Leo Pereira headed the third at the far Argentina, Uruguay impress post from a corner in the 81st minute. Taiwo Awoniyi secured a brace in Nigeria’s 2-0 win over in Copa America warm-ups Hungary, scoring in the 33rd and 54th minutes. He scored the first when he ghosted away from SAN JUAN: Uruguay handed Guatemala a 5-1 national matches in competition after biting his marker to volley in at the near post from roasting in a friendly on Saturday that augurs Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup. Saviour Godwin’s low cross. well for their defence of the Copa America in Despite missing Lionel Messi, Javier He added the second when Attila Osvath and the absence of suspended striker Luis Suarez. Mascherano and Carlos Tevez, all of whom Akos Cecskes, who had both gone up for the Argentina also impressed in the leadup to played in the Champions League final, same header, collided near halfway and left the the tournament in Chile, with Sergio Aguero Argentina found it just as easy against Bolivia. ball to Awoniyi who beat a defender and round- CHRISTCHURCH: Devron Garcia (right) of Honduras kicks the ball away from Germany’s Julian scoring a hat-trick and Angel Di Maria a brace Di Maria had the opener after 24 minutes ed goalkeeper Gyorgy Szekely before tucking Weigl during their U20 soccer World Cup match. —AP in their 5-0 demolition of Bolivia in San Juan. with an angled drive from the edge of the the ball into the net.—AP In other matches, Ecuador trounced box. Aguero got his first four minutes later Panama 4-0 with two goals from Fidel with a penalty kick and then added another Martinez in Guayaquil, while Radamel Falcao on the half-hour when he clipped home a Dozens of Brazil Cup works scored the winner in Colombia’s 1-0 victory cross at the near post.