TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2015 SPORTS Juanmi gets Spain call Totti hails Rossi’s role Milne out of World Cup MADRID: Spain have called up Malaga forward Juanmi as cover for the ROME: AS Roma showed they still have an appetite for the fight in a hard- AUCKLAND: New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne has been ruled out of the remain- injured Diego Costa for the Euro 2016 qualifier at home to Ukraine, the fought 1-0 win at Cesena, their first victory in over a month, in a match decided der of the cricket World Cup after suffering pain in his heel and has been replaced in by a goal from “capitan futuro” Daniele De Rossi. the squad by Matt Henry, the team said yesterday. Spanish federation (RFEF) said yesterday. The club’s “captain of the future” was praised by current skipper and Roma Brazil-born Costa, who missed Spain’s last two games due to injury, The 22-year-old had been suffering pain in his left heel for the last two weeks, stalwart Francesco Totti. “I’m proud of my team mates,” Totti, who missed the coach Mike Hesson said. While he was pain-free before the quarter-final against West scored in Chelsea’s 3-2 Premier League victory at Hull City on Sunday but game due to injury, wrote on his personal blog (http://www.francescototti.com). Indies, it had ‘flared up again’. “It’s to a point now where he wasn’t able to bowl so he’s had to come off with about 15 minutes left due to a hamstring injury. “Costa “But I especially embrace Daniele. His goal allowed us to win at a difficult unable to bowl and he’s in a lot of pain when he bowls,” Hesson told reporters at Eden will undergo tests on Monday in London and the results will be available to time for us and for him.” Roma have won only three games since the Christmas Park. “He’s fine walking in a straight line but unfortunately when he bowls it’s become Spain’s medical staff for their evaluation,” the RFEF said in a statement. break and a one-point gap on leaders Juventus has turned into a 14-point increasingly uncomfortable to a point where he’s unable to carry on.” Juanmi will compete for a place up front against Ukraine deficit which, with 10 league games remaining, has all but ended any realistic Milne’s injury has created a selection dilemma, with virtually the same side picked on Friday with Alvaro Morata of Juventus and Barcelona’s title hopes for Rudy Garcia’s men. “Finishing in second place is our goal,” mid- for all of New Zealand’s World Cup matches. Pedro. Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas was also named in fielder Radja Nainggolan told reporters. “We have 10 games left and we have to Hesson was loathe to confirm whether Henry, whose inclusion was yet to be rati- try to grab as many points as we can.” Holding on to second place, which guar- coach Vicente del Bosque’s squad And could be deployed as a fied by the governing International Cricket Council, would come into antees a spot in next season’s Champions League, will not be easy, however, the side as a ‘like-for-like’ pick. “Once we get to the ground tomorrow forward. With four matches played, Spain are second in with surging Lazio have narrowed the gap to one point after winning their sixth we’ll look at whoever is available in the squad and we’ll look at the Group C on nine points, three behind leaders Slovakia, who successive game against Verona. The outcome could be decided in the second- wicket again and we’ll pick what we deem to be the best squad beat them 2-1 in Zilina in October, and level with last fixture of the season when the Roman sides meet in the most anticipated tomorrow,” he said. Swing bowler Kyle Mills and left-armer Mitchell Ukraine. derby since the 2013 Coppa Italia final which Lazio won 1-0. McClenaghan are also available, though Mills often opens the bowl- They also play a friendly against the After being torn apart at home by Fiorentina in Thursday’s Europa League ing and it would be a difficult decision to split the new ball pairing Netherlands in Amsterdam on March 31, a repeat game Garcia had promised that he would make changes and only use players of Trent Boult and Tim Southee. Unlike Mills, McClenaghan of the 2010 World Cup final and the first time who were ready to battle. The French coach was true to his word against Cesena bowled in the tournament when he replaced Milne in the the teams will have met since Netherlands as 21-year old Salih Ucan was in the starting line-up for the first time this season final pool game against Bangladesh but he struggled for and was replaced by youth-team midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini. —Reuters line and length and was expensive. —Reuters Marquez the man to keep Honda happy LONDON: Honda were way off the pace on their results. So I know who my rivals are and who I return to Formula One with McLaren but they have to keep a close eye on.” are sure to be on it in MotoGP when Marc Marquez starts his bid for a third successive THE PODIUM crown with Sunday’s season-opener in Qatar. Ducati’s Italian Andrea Dovizioso and team The 22-year-old Spaniard will be favorite again mate Andrea Iannone reckon they still have the in a gang of four main contenders that includes equipment to make life difficult for Marquez. compatriots Jorge Lorenzo and Dani Pedrosa as “We go to Qatar to get on the podium,” well as 36-year-old Italian great Valentino Rossi. Dovizioso told the Gazzetta dello Sport. Injury- But the landscape looks different to last year, prone Pedrosa, 29, has been eclipsed by team when Marquez chalked up a record 13 wins for mate Marquez since the younger Spaniard’s sen- his Repsol Honda team, with the field looking sational debut and will want to show that closer and Ducati making a strong comeback. At Honda were right to renew his contract for two last week’s final test at Qatar’s floodlit Losail cir- more years. Double champion Lorenzo has cuit, the top 14 riders were separated by less trained hard after a disappointing 2014 and was than one second. While Lorenzo’s Yamaha team more comfortable on the Yamaha in testing. are looking to mount more of a challenge, “Overall the pre-season was good for us,” he Ducati have impressed with a Desmosedici GP15 said. “We have a good bike, especially compared bike that looks set to end the Italian manufac- to last year and we gained something with the turer’s five-year winless streak. Because of their new gearbox... we think we have a big margin to lack of recent success, and decision to switch improve while developing.” from factory to open category, Ducati have a Aprilia and Suzuki, the latter returning after a range of allowances including a softer tyre three-year MotoGP absence with rising Spanish option than the works Honda and Yamaha prospect Maverick Vinales making his debut, are teams. However they will lose those once they back with works teams. Australian Jack Miller, have chalked up three wins in a season. “At the arriving direct from Moto3 and billed as a star of end of the day, it’s clear that our rivals are the the future, will be a youngster to watch at Honda Yamaha riders and Dani-they are our rivals for LCR as he follows in the tracks of now-retired the championship,” Marquez, last year’s winner champion compatriot Casey Stoner. While in Qatar, told the motogp.com website. “At some Formula One was left with a shrunken starting specific point, the Ducati will be there at the grid of 15 cars at its Australian opener two weeks front but they have this ‘handicap’ of losing ago, the number of riders entered in the MotoGP some of their advantages if they get good class has now risen to 25. — Reuters Marc Marquez in action in this file photo. TSC Together hosts cricket tournament KUWAIT: As part of its Employee Mangaf Store received the runner-up prize. Engagement Programme, The Sultan Center Antoinette Sullivan, Director of Human NEW YORK: Anaheim Ducks’ Jakob Silfverberg (right) skates away as New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider reacts after scoring during the first period (TSC) recently established a Sports and Resources at TSC, commented on the 2015 of the NHL hockey game. — AP Social Committee - TSC Together. TSC Cricket Tournament, saying: “We are very Together, is managed by TSC employees pleased that so many teams took part in and aims at fostering team spirit, providing this competition and noted that TSC Rangers and Lightning excel employees with an opportunity to share Together members worked very hard to common activities and to generally have deliver a top-class event, for all TSC employ- some fun together, through organizing ees. As a company, we realize the impor- NEW YORK: Derek Stepan broke out of a seconds into overtime lifted the Detroit Red and bounced off goaltender Mike Smith’s employee chosen events. tance of maintaining an active and healthy long slump with two goals and an assist, and Wings over the St. Louis Blues. The teams back and in with 3:13 left to snap a tie for A recent event organized was a Cricket lifestyle.