COPA AMERICA | Page 5 SWIMMING | Page 10 Colombia Phelps down US to ready for To Advertise here grab Copa fi nal races Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 third spot in America Monday, June 27, 2016 EURO Ramadan 22, 1437 AH Luck of the draw GULF TIMES gives Ronaldo cause to believe SPORT Page 4 FRANCE 2 IRELAND 1 Griezmann brace breaks Irish hearts, puts France in quarters ‘It was diff icult for us, because there was a penalty at the start which was a bit of a shock. We really only woke up after 15 minutes and now we’re going to enjoy watching to see who our next opponents will be’ AFP from fi nishing with a hat-trick. “It was Lyon stormy,” said Atletico Madrid striker Griezmann after the match. “In the second half, we were more like a team ntoine Griezmann scored which wanted to fi ght until the end.” twice in four minutes as Euro “I can raise my voice at half-time,” 2016 hosts France came from said French coach Deschamps. “We behind to claim a 2-1 win over needed to keep things calm, but also Aten-man Republic of Ireland yesterday. shake things up a bit. The players all got The goal hero said tough words were involved in the break, some of whom exchanged at half-time to lay on the last were on the pitch, they had their part to 16 victory that means France face Eng- say in what was said.” land or Iceland in the Stade de France Griezmann said the penalty, the sec- quarter-fi nal next Sunday. ond quickest goal in Euro history, had Paul Pogba brought Shane Long down shaken France. “We were all shouting within seconds of kickoff and Robbie each other on after the penalty and we Brady converted the penalty to put the knew we had to improve,” he said. Irish ahead with just two minutes gone. Griezmann’s strike partner Olivier But Griezmann underlined a superb per- Giroud said France had had to throw formance as the main strike threat with caution to the wind in the second half. two knockout goals in the second half as “The match was going in their favour the hosts fl oored the Irish. (Ireland’s) so we told each other that we It was “annoying” to go behind, mustn’t have any regrets and that we Griezmann said. “In the dressing had to lift our game,” the Arsenal for- rooms, we had words and that brought ward said. out a diff erent French team,” he added. Deschamps said France got better “It was diffi cult for us, because there when they shook off the early tension was a penalty at the start which was a and went “a bit crazy”. bit of a shock,” French coach Didier De- “Sometimes it’s diffi cult. When schamps said, expressing relief at the you concede a penalty at the start of a fi ghtback as French fans celebrated. “We match it made us tense and the Irish can really only woke up after 15 minutes and play a bit,” Deschamps said. now we’re going to enjoy watching to see Deschamps said the three tight last- who our quarter-fi nal opponents will be.” 16 matches on Saturday, two of which Ireland’s problems were compounded went to extra-time, showed there are Antoine Griezmann (left) celebrates with by playing the last 25 minutes with ten no easy games in the tournament. strike partner Olivier Giroud after scoring men. Centre-back Shane Duff y was sent “It was hard for us too, but mission his second goal against Ireland in their Euro off on 66 minutes for bringing down accomplished,” he said. “You shouldn’t Round of 16 match in Lyon yesterday. (AFP) Griezmann, who was through on goal. be too calculated. The players need France’s win came at a cost though, discipline but sometimes we’re bet- as both midfi elder N’Golo Kante and de- of the traps in Lyon. A long ball caused after 67 seconds against Greece in 2004. cards dished out in the fi rst half. Des- only for the back of the net. ter when we go a bit crazy. We really fender Adil Rami are suspended for the the French all manner of problems and Celebrations erupted amongst the small champs then injected some pace after the Griezmann struck again in the 61st speeded things up and that’s when we quarter-fi nal after picking up bookings. when Southampton striker Long tried band lucky enough to get one of the pal- break by bringing on fl eet-footed winger minute when Giroud headed down into are most dangerous.” Defeat means more heartache for the to turn and shoot, Pogba made contact. try 4,500 tickets allocated to Irish fans at Kingsley Coman for N’Golo Kante. the Atletico Madrid winger’s path to A lot of that speed was added by Irish in their fi rst meeting with France With just 70 seconds played, referee the 59,000-capacity stadium. The French played at a much higher slam his shot past Randolph. Coman, who was introduced at half- since a controversial World Cup play- Nicola Rizzoli pointed straight to the The hosts responded by laying siege tempo and Randolph was thoroughly With France in top gear, Duff y’s des- time, and Griezmann said he was de- off in November 2009. Thierry Henry’s spot. Brady was again the darling of the to the Irish goal. Griezmann, twice, and tested by Blaise Matuidi’s shot from perate lunge clipped Griezmann’s ankle lighted with the tactical change. “The infamous handball, dubbed ‘Le Hand of travelling ‘Green Army’ as the Norwich Olivier Giroud both tested Irish goal- just outside the box on 55 minutes. The on the edge of the area and Rizzoli had manager brought Kingsley Coman on God’, helped seal a 2-1 aggregate victory City winger put the Irish ahead with a keeper Darren Randolph, as did Pogba hosts drew level when Griezmann rose to show the Irishman the red card on 66 and he caused some damage. I was clos- to send France to South Africa 2010 at shot that rebounded off a post. with a long-range free-kick. highest to meet Sagna’s pin-point cross minutes. er to the striker and the penalty area,” Ireland’s expense. It was the fastest goal at a Euro fi nals No quarter was asked or given as things on 58 minutes. Randolph got a glove on Only Irish determination, and a lack Griezmann said. “I hope we continue Yesterday, the Irish came fl ying out since Russia’s Dimitri Kirichenko scored got heated on the pitch with four yellow the bullet header, but it was destined of a fi nal touch, prevented Griezmann that way.” GERMANY 3 SLOVAKIA 0 Germany blast three past hapless Slovakia AFP Slovakia have a recent history of pulling alty missed by a German player in a European Lille, France off surprise results, from their defeat of Spain Championship fi nals match. in qualifying to the recent friendly victory in The miss did nothing to halt Germany’s mo- Germany and the goalless draw with England mentum, though, and it remained one-way erome Boateng scored his fi rst interna- that saw them progress from the group stage. traffi c after that with Ozil fi zzing a half-volley tional goal to set Germany on their way But their hopes of another day to remember inches past as the ball dropped after Gomez and to a 3-0 win against Slovakia at Euro were rapidly nipped in the bud by the world Jan Durica had gone up to contest another cross 2016 yesterday as the world champions champions, who underlined their credentials into the area. Draxler shot wide on the turn from Jcruised into the quarter-fi nals. and sent a clear message to their Euro rivals. 18 yards before Jan Kozak’s side fi nally worked Boateng opened his account eight min- Sami Khedira was fi rst to threaten with a Manuel Neuer four minutes prior to the break. utes into his 63rd international appearance header from a Toni Kroos free-kick that was Peter Pekarik’s cross from the right found and Joachim Loew’s side never looked back tipped over by Slovakian ‘keeper Matus Koza- AC Milan midfi elder Juraj Kucka six yards against outclassed opponents. cik, and from the corner that followed Ger- from goal but his header was tipped over the Mesut Ozil had a penalty saved soon after many were in front. bar by the Germany captain. but Julian Draxler set up Mario Gomez to dou- Kroos’ delivery from the German left was And Germany went on to increase their ble the lead two minutes before half time and headed out by Milan Skriniar but the ball fell lead two minutes after that as Draxler com- the impressive Draxler then completed the for Boateng on the edge of the box and the bined with Jonas Hector down the left before scoring just after the hour mark. Bayern Munich stopper met it on the volley, heading for the byline and cutting the ball There was never any threat of a repeat of Slo- fi nding the bottom-left corner with the aid of back for Gomez to fi nish at the near post. vakia’s 3-1 win when the teams met in a friendly a small defl ection off the unfortunate Skriniar. Any hope of a contest in the second half just four weeks ago and Germany move on to a Slovakia were overwhelmed and they con- depended on Slovakia quickly pulling a goal last-eight tie against either reigning champi- ceded a penalty in the 13th minute when skip- back but a neat 49th-minute move ended ons Spain or old rivals Italy next weekend.