THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2015 SPORTS FIFA open disciplinary case against banned Kuwait SINGAPORE: Kuwait look set to be kicked out to Lebanon in a World Cup qualifier. They had governing body FIFA said in a statement. winners and four best runners-up will progress of World Cup qualifying after failing to resolve been scheduled to play Myanmar on Tuesday “The matter has been referred to the FIFA to the 2019 Asian Cup and third round of 2018 a case of government interference in their in their sixth fixture in Asian qualifying Group Disciplinary Committee for its consideration. World Cup qualifying in the continent. local football association before Tuesday’s G but the FIFA ban prevents them from taking Further information will follow in due Indonesia were also banned for government World Cup qualifier against Myanmar. part in international competition. course.” interference in the running of the local foot- The Kuwait Football Association were sus- “The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier Kuwait are currently second in Group G with ball association in May and immediately kicked pended from FIFA last month because of the between Myanmar and Kuwait, scheduled for 10 points, level with Lebanon and eight behind out of Group F of joint World Cup and Asian issue, three days after they drew 0-0 at home 17 November 2015, did not take place,” world leaders South Korea. Only the eight group Cup qualifying. — Reuters Germany game against Netherlands called off over bomb fears HANOVER: A soccer game between forced the decision. He said divulging Germany and Netherlands which details could undermine security at other German Chancellor Angel Merkel was events. due to attend in Hanover was called off “I am asking for an advance of trust two hours before its scheduled start on from the German people. We will have Tuesday over fears of a planned bomb- such cases in the future, maybe not ing. Hanover but somewhere else,” he said. The match was due to have been held After Friday’s attacks in Paris security four days after the deadly attacks in Paris measures in Hanover had been tight. In a on Friday, when suicide bombers target- show of solidarity, Merkel was set to ed the soccer stadium where Germany attend the soccer match with Vice were playing France. “We had received Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and several specific indications that an attack with government ministers. explosives was planned,” Hanover Police Interim German Football Association President Volker Kluwe told NDR state President Reinhard Rauball said he called broadcaster. “We took them seriously up the team in the bus some five kilome- and that is why we took the measures.” tres (3 miles) from the stadium, telling “We do not know if these people, who them the game was cancelled. had planned something for the stadium, Both the German and the Dutch had planned something else so we try to teams were then rushed to a secure have a presence throughout the city,” he undisclosed location before the hosts left said Police vans with loudspeakers individually for their homes and the visi- ordered fans to leave the Hanover stadi- tors for the airport. um and heavily armed officers posi- “That we would go through this twice tioned themselves outside the arena. in four days is not something I could Police also evacuated Hanover’s TUI imagine,” Rauball, visibly shaken, told multi-purpose arena where a concert reporters. “It is a sad day for Germany was about to start while officers checked and a sad day for German football.” cars and pedestrians in the city centre Two Dutch government ministers who and sniffer dogs were deployed. were due to attend the match - Defence A train on its way to southern Minister Jeanine Hennes and Health and Germany was also stopped at Hanover Sport Minister Edith Schippers - were LONDON: England’s Ross Barkley fights for the ball against France’s Lassana Diarra during the international friendly soccer match between station with police removing a suspicious also returning home. England and France at Wembley Stadium in London, Tuesday. France is playing England at Wembley on Tuesday after the countries decided the package before giving the all-clear for World champions Germany had not match should go ahead despite the deadly attacks in Paris last Friday night which killed scores of people. — AP the train to continue its journey. There initially wanted the game to go ahead were no arrests made and no explosives after having played in Paris on Friday as a England beat France 2-0 on were found, Lower Saxony Interior wave of attacks hit the city, killing 129 Minister Boris Pistorius said. Interior people. The contingent of 80 Germans, Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the including players, coaches and staff, threat was credible and cancelling the spent the night holed up in the changing night of solidarity at Wembley game was the right thing to do, but did rooms of the Stade de France stadium, not provide any details. before heading for the airport on LONDON: England beat France 2-0 in an emo- upper hand and took a grip with goals from man Yohan Cabaye of Crystal Palace, one of 13 play- Saturday morning. tional friendly at Wembley on Tuesday when of the match Dele Alli and Wayne Rooney either ers in the 23-man France squad who are playing, Trust The players, coaches and the national more than 70,000 fans paid tribute to the victims side of halftime. or have played, their club football in England. “I understand the question but I will football association decided to go ahead of the Paris attacks with English fans roaring out Understandably, after a traumatic few days, His seventh minute shot flew just over Joe Hart’s not answer it,” he told a hastily convened with the Hanover game in a gesture of a spine-tingling rendition of the visitors’ national France found the going tough on the Wembley crossbar. news conference when asked what had solidarity with France.— Reuters anthem. turf. “The performance was not easy for us. We The supporters of both teams also impecca- had a lack of aggression and concentration but I DIFFICULT NIGHT bly observed a minute’s silence to honour the think maybe it’s a bit normal,” Lloris said. The unusual nature of the occasion was clear victims ahead of a match that will be remem- during the game with the crowd applauding bered more for the symbolic nature of the occa- OUTSTANDING ALLI France substitutes Lassana Diarra and Antoine sion than for most of the action on the pitch. England midfielder Alli, 19, blasted the ball Griezmann when they came on in the second Played just four days after the Islamic State’s past his Tottenham Hotspur club goalkeeper half. A cousin of Diarra’s was killed in Friday’s assault in Paris left 129 people dead, the English Lloris into the top corner for his first internation- attacks, while Griezmann’s sister escaped unhurt fans, along with the away supporters, showed al goal after 39 minutes. from the Bataclan concert venue where 89 peo- remarkable dignity and respect. “He was almost faultless, he was outstanding,” ple lost their lives. The players were led on to the field by Prince Hodgson said of Alli, who was winning his fourth There was hardly a foul during the game and William and the team managers-England’s Roy cap on his first start.” Rooney, playing in what is afterwards the fans and the England team Hodgson and France’s Didier Deschamps-who becoming a more usual deep-lying role, doubled roundly applauded the France players. “It was a carried wreaths while fans waved the tricolour. England’s lead in the 48th minute after Alli, who difficult night for everyone, especially for the “It was a very poignant occasion and we started the move, found Raheem Sterling who French players and staff,” Rooney said. achieved all the things we wanted to achieve in crossed for Rooney to volley home his 51st inter- “I thought both teams handled it really well. the rememberance. An act of defiance was bet- national goal. I’m sure this will get shown round the world and ter than the other alternative,” said Hodgson. England striker Harry Kane twice went close show the togetherness and unity in ourselves France defender Laurent Koscielny, who plays to scoring, including a searing long-range drive and France and in football. for Arsenal, added: “It was important for every- in the second half which flew just wide. England, “As Didier Deschamps said, it’s not about reli- body that we played, for those who were watch- who played poorly in a 2-0 friendly defeat away gion, it’s not about race, it’s about togetherness. ZURICH: A combination made on October 29, 2015 shows two pictures showing ing us and for the victims. I know the English, to Spain on Friday, had not beaten France in six “Anyone can play the game of football and FIFA president president Sepp Blatter (L) on May 30, 2015 in Zurich, and UEFA they have a lot of respect for the French, we saw meetings since 1997, but the visitors never hopefully tonight shows whoever you are leader Michel Platini on May 28, 2015 in Zurich. A FIFA appeal committee yester- that tonight.” After kickoff, although France made it easy for the home side on what was around the world, you can come together. We day rejected a bid by long-time president Sepp Blatter and UEFA chief Michel appeared to settle first, almost relieved the pre- obviously a difficult evening for their players.