TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2015 SPORTS Gamba still believe despite first-leg deficit SINGAPORE: Gamba Osaka coach the Emperor’s Cup final. Kenta Hasegawa will be looking for his The club’s brinkmanship contin- team to stage another famous come- ued into this season’s Champions back when they take on Guangzhou League. Facing three must-win Evergrande this week for a spot in the matches after picking up just one AFC Champions League final. point from their first three group The Japanese champions have games, Gamba came from behind pulled back from the brink on three against Thailand’s Buriram United and occasions during their run to this South Korea’s Seongnam-with late year’s last four, and in Wednesday’s goals in both games securing 2-1 vic- semi-final second leg they must over- tories and a place in the knockout turn a 2-1 deficit following defeat in stage. Gamba, who won the tourna- Guangzhou three weeks ago. ment in 2008, averted disaster again But the resilient attitude that in the quarter-finals when Koki helped Gamba claim a domestic tre- Yonekura struck deep into stoppage ble last season, together with an all- time to earn them a 3-2 win over important away goal from the first South Korean champions Jeonbuk leg, should give them confidence Hyundai Motors. before the match at Osaka Expo ‘70 Guangzhou are eyeing a second Stadium. “It’s a difficult opponent, but AFC Champions League title in three we have to try hard and work togeth- seasons and have been unbeaten in er to advance to the final,” said 18 competitive matches since Luiz Hasegawa, who took charge of Felipe Scolari took charge of the club Gamba in 2013 after they were rele- in May. But the World Cup-winning gated to Japan’s second division. Brazilian coach is wary of their “This time we are playing at home Japanese opponents after a hard- and the most important thing is the fought first leg. motivation of the players. The key is “Gamba Osaka is certainly the how well we can do in terms of moti- best team I have encountered since vation and desire. taking over as coach of Guangzhou. “We need to believe in ourselves, Their team has experience and abili- our ability to play as a team, and that ty,” Scolari said. we are capable of winning. We have “But my players did well in the to show everything on the pitch,” he first leg and I was pleased with them. added. And I believe they will play well in the Under Hasegawa Gamba won second leg. Our team has one goal: promotion in 2013 before completing win the game.” a clean sweep of Japanese titles last The winners of the match will face year as they won 15 of their last 20 either Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia or Al games to lift the J.League champi- Ahli of the United Arab Emirates in FRANCE: Rennes’ Portuguese defender Pedro Teodosio Mendes (left) vies with Nice’s Brazilian midfielder Wallyson during the French L1 football match. — AFP onship. They came from two goals the final. The two Middle Eastern down to beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3- sides meet in Dubai today following a 2 in the J.League Cup final, and 1-1 draw in the first leg in Riyadh last defeated Montedio Yamagata 3-1 in month. — AFP Marseille stutter again as Nice thump Rennes FRANCE: Olympique Marseille remain mired near were booed off the pitch after being held by Lorient zone, after avoiding defeat for just the third time this the bottom of Ligue 1 after being held 1-1 at home as the nine-times champions’ dismal campaign con- season. by FC Lorient on Sunday, while Bordeaux and tinued. Michel’s Marseille went ahead through Nice, the league’s top scorers, beat Rennes away Montpellier were goalless and Hatem Ben Arfa Batshuayi’s spot kick but Moukandjo levelled in the for their fourth straight victory. They took the lead inspired Nice to a 4-1 win at Stade Rennes. 37th minute at Stade Velodrome. after 14 minutes through Mathieu Bodmer, before Marseille took the lead through a Michy Batshuayi Marseille have failed to win in their past six match- Ben Arfa continued his excellent run of form with a penalty in the 21st minute, but Benjamin Moukandjo es in all competitions and stand five points above the sensational strike in the 53rd. beat goalkeeper Steve Mandanda to equalise 16 min- relegation zone, 17 points behind league leaders Picking up a long ball from Jean Seri, Ben Arfa utes later. Paris Saint-Germain. dribbled towards goal and shrugged off Sylvain Marseille are stuck in 16th place with nine points “We are in an emergency situation,” said Armand with a change of pace before finding the net from 10 games. Lorient are ninth, with 15 points. Cameroon defender Nicolas Nkoulou. “We needed from just outside the six-yard box. Bordeaux’s underwhelming start to the season con- the three points, obviously we are disappointed.” In a Mahamane Traore made it 3-0 after 75 minutes tinued with a 0-0 draw against struggling visitors game low on quality, Bordeaux managed only three before Said Benrahma added a magnificent fourth ZURICH: In this May 28, 2015 file photo President of UEFA Michel Platini Montpellier in a game dedicated to the home side’s shots on target at home to injury-ravaged from outside the area five minutes later. Kamil grimaces during a press conference following a meeting of the UEFA former keeper Dominique Dropsy who died aged 63 Montpellier, who had none. Grosicki pulled one back for Rennes. The victory board ahead of the FIFA congress in a hotel in Zurich. — AP on Oct. 7. Nice secured a thumping victory at Rennes The 0-0 draw left Willy Sagnol’s side in 14th place, takes Nice to fifth place on 17 points above Rennes, Platini hits back over with Ben Arfa scoring the pick of the goals. Marseille while Montpellier are 18th, one point above the drop who drop to seventh a point behind. — Reuters FIFA payment row League limbo leaves Togo’s PARIS: UEFA chief Michel Platini want, rubles, pounds, dollars.” yesterday admitted he had no He said Blatter agreed to pay a written contract for a $2.0 million million Swiss francs per year footballers frustrated payment from FIFA president (around $770,000 at the time). Sepp Blatter as his chances of Platini added: “I am not a money replacing the Swiss veteran as man” and said he told Blatter to LOME: Togo’s footballers are in limbo, with no end in head of the world body nose- “choose what you want to pay sight to a suspension of league competitions and dived ahead of a key FIFA council me”, saying he had full trust in fears growing about the impact of the 11-month sus- meeting in Zurich today. FIFA. Blatter was duly elected to pension on the national side. In his first interview since head FIFA and Platini said: “I start- No ball has been kicked in the country’s top two being handed a 90-day suspen- ed working in the September.” He domestic leagues for nearly a year, leaving the 2014- sion from all football-related said several months passed with 15 season unfinished after deadlines for the resump- activities by FIFA, the former star no payments to him and he tion of fixtures were missed. player for France and Juventus asked at the time if there was a The situation is frustrating the likes of Blaise told Le Monde that, although he problem. Blatter said that it was Kouma, who captains second division side Etoile had nothing in writing, he had difficult to pay him three times Filante, based in Togo’s capital, Lome. made a “man to man” agreement the 300,000 Swiss francs that “We’re lacking competition and going backwards. with Blatter over the contested FIFA’s secretary general was earn- It’s bad for Togo. We’re a great footballing nation,” he remuneration. Platini added that, ing at the time. told AFP. Tom Saintfiet, the Belgian coach of the as he understood it, under Swiss Quoting Blatter, Platini said: national side ‘Les Eperviers’ (The Sparrowhawks), law “an oral contract is worth a “‘So we will draw up a contract for agreed. “It’s a real shame. No competitive football for written contract”. FIFA is based in 300,000 Swiss francs and give you months. I’m having to do the rounds of small grounds Zurich and is subject to Swiss law. the balance later.’ in Lome to watch matches when there’s talent else- FIFA chief Blatter, who is also “But later never came.” FIFA’s where in the country,” he said. “It’s not easy in this sit- serving a 90-day suspension congress is due to meet on uation to spot new players.” amid a huge corruption scandal February 26 to elect a new presi- The restart of the leagues was first due on March engulfing the game, said last dent, but Platini’s chances of suc- 15 and the last on September 12 — but both dates week that the payment made to ceeding Blatter have been badly came and went. Most clubs decided to boycott the Platini in 2011 for consultancy hit by the payment row. competitions in protest at the so-called “normalisa- work carried out years previously, The Frenchman’s comments to tion committee” headed by former sports minister was “a gentleman’s agreement”.