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Robin van Persie looks on during the Netherlands training session Tuesday.
Van Persie May Miss Semifinal World Cup Dutch captain and all-time top scorer Robin van Persie is in doubt for the World Cup semifinal against Argentina after succumbing to a stomach problem. Van Persie trained separately on Tuesday with defender Daryl Jan4 PM
Germany makes final after an astonishing 7-1 victory in semis
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Goals scored by Germany’s Miroslav Klose in four World Cups after scoring against Brazil on Tuesday, breaking the mark of 15 goals he shared with Brazil’s retired star Ronaldo.
World Cup Germany poured in the goals Tuesday to hand Brazil its heaviest World Cup loss ever with an astounding 7-1 rout in the semifinals that stunned the host nation. Miroslav Klose scored a recordsetting 16th career World Cup goal in a five-goal spurt in the first half as Brazil’s defense was torn apart. The Germans reached their eighth final and will face either Argentina or the Netherlands on Sunday at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Previously, Brazil’s biggest World Cup loss was 3-0 to France in the 1998 final. This matched their biggest ever margin of defeat in any competition, equaling a 6-0 loss to Uruguay in 1920 in the South American championship, the predecessor of the
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ROBERT CIANFLONE (GETTY IMAGES)
DEAN MOUHTAROPOULOS (GETTY IMAGES)
A Host of Problems for Brazil
Germany handed Brazil its first loss in a competitive match on home soil since 1975.
Copa America. “We wanted to make the people happy … unfortunately we couldn’t,” defender David Luiz said. “We apologize to all Brazilians.”
It’s also Brazil’s first loss in a competitive match on home soil since 1975, when Peru won 3-1 at the very same Mineirao Stadium in the Copa America. Its last loss
at home came in a friendly with Paraguay in 2002. Brazil’s attack was weakened by the loss of Neymar, who fractured a vertebra after getting kneed in the back in the quarterfinal win over Colombia. But it was Brazil’s porous defense that was the biggest problem in the first half as the host also sorely missed suspended captain Thiago Silva. On Tuesday, with Bernard playing as the third striker, Brazil attacked from the start. But they failed to get any solid chances, and it wasn’t long before the Germans opened up the defense and started the rout. Toni Kroos and Andre Schuerrle scored two goals each, while K lose, T homa s Muel ler a nd Sami Khedira added the others. CHRIS LEHOURITES (AP)
Today | ESPN
From Down Under to Caps Prospect Camp Capitals It was 2 a.m. in Australia when Capitals prospect Nathan Walker received a long-awaited phone call last month. Washington had traded up into the third round to select the forward with the 89th overall pick in his third and final year of draft eligibility. “From there on,” Walker said, “the roof on the house pretty much blew off.” At that moment, Walker became the first Australian ever drafted into the NHL. The 20-year-old, whose initial interest in hockey derived from the “Mighty Ducks” movies, is one of several players hoping to further their development at the
Capitals’ annual prospect camp. “The main goal is to play and stay in the NHL,” Walker said Monday. “Obviously, it doesn’t happen overnight or in one year.” In a rather unique situation, Walker was a regular participant in Washington camps prior to being drafted. He was an unsigned invitee to training camp last season, parlaying an impressive preseason into an AHL contract. “It was really valuable. I spent two weeks at [training] camp and the amount of stuff that I learned was just outrageous,” said Walker, who left home at 13 to play hockey in the Czech Republic. “I came out from that camp knowing a lot more and being a lot better — not
KATHERINE FREY (THE WASHINGTON POST)
maat. Coach Louis van Gaal said both were suffering “stomach and intestinal problems.” Van Gaal said he would not rush into deciding whether Van Persie is fit to play at Sao Paulo’s Itaquerao Stadium against the Lionel Messi-led Argentina. “I have to make a decision tomorrow. I’m not going to do that today. We have more than a day,” Van Gaal said Tuesday. “Van Persie is a very important player for us.” Van Persie scored three times in the first two Dutch matches of the World Cup. But the Manchester United striker has struggled to hit the same rich vein of form since being suspended for the Netherlands’ last Group B match after picking up two yellow cards. MIKE CORDER (AP)
Hershey Bears coach Troy Mann, left, talks with Nathan Walker during camp.
only as a player, but also as an individual as well.” With Washington’s minor-league affiliate in Hershey, Pa., Walker
scored five goals and 11 points in 43 games. The Capitals’ scouting staff had seen enough to officially make him a member of the organization. “We’ve been following Nathan for a few years,” assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said at the draft. “He’s obviously ahead of some of the other players … because he has been playing with men.” Walker’s unusual journey toward his NHL dream has taken him worldwide. Now that he is closer than ever, he plans to take his time. “I’m prepared that I’m going to be in Hershey for another couple years developing,” he said. “We’ll just take it from there.” ADAM VINGAN (FOR E XPRESS)