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GOA, Friday, 28 May, 2010
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Penalties will put players on the spot REUTERS LONDON, MAY 27
Two men face each other, knowing that a single kick is about to decide their teams' fate as more than 700 million viewers watch: it must be a World Cup penalty shootout. There is more than a 50 percent chance that the winners of the World Cup in South Africa, which kicks off on June 11, will have to sur vive a penalty shootout en route. Some of the world's top sportsmen will inevitably buckle under the pressure, consigning millions of fans to despair and a lifetime of muttering ''what if...?'' Derided as a lottery by critics, the penalty shootout is unsurpassed as the ultimate test of nerve to decide tied games. Despite its flaws, it makes compulsive viewing. The split-second moment can make a player a hero, or forever scar an otherwise unblemished career. ''It affected me for years,'' said Roberto Baggio, the Italian forward who was one of the best players of the 1994 tournament until he missed in a shootout defeat to Brazil in the final. ''It was the worst moment of my career. I still dream about it. If I could erase a moment it would be that one.'' England's Stuart Pearce shared that sentiment after missing in a 1990 semi-final defeat to Germany. ''My world collapsed. The
walk back to the centre circle was a nightmare as the first rush of tears pricked my eyes,'' Pearce said years later. Four of the last five winners of the world's biggest sports event have had to come through a shootout test of nerve during one of their four knockout games, including Italy and Brazil in the final games of 2006 and 1994. Since penalties were introduced in 1982, to decide matches that remained drawn after extra time, there have been 20 shootouts in seven tournaments. Five players from each side take a kick and if the scores are level a ''sudden-death'' process starts. Fifty-six, or 30 per ent, of the 186 spot kicks have been missed. Germany have proved most clinical, winning all four shootouts they have been involved in. German defender Uli Stielike was the first man to miss in a shootout in Spain 28 years ago but his team still won the semifinal. Not one of his countrymen has missed since, giving German players a 94 percent success rate. In contrast, England have lost all three of their World Cup shootouts, missing half of the 14 kicks they have taken. The Swiss, Mexicans, Romanians and Dutchmen have yet to win a shootout, while this year's favourites, Spain, may need to improve their record of one win from three.
‘Not a lottery’ “The shootout is clearly not a lottery because the statistics show how many Germany have scored and how many England and the Netherlands score”. Coaches going to South Africa will spend much time on research, trying to improve their chances, backed up by sports science and psychology experts who have spent hundreds of hours studying the art. Sixty per cent of shootouts are won by the team going first, so the captain who wins the coin toss can grab a clear advantage before a ball is kicked. From there, it gets more technical, but experts say the key is controlling the pressure. ''Penalty shootouts are really a psychological game,'' said Geir Jordet, associate professor at the Norwegian School of Sport Science in Oslo who has studied shootouts extensively. ''It's not so much about technique or skill, it's about players choking. Shootouts are not decided by great shots or spectacular penalties. They are decided by the one, two or three players who fail because the pressure gets to them.'' Jordet's research has highlighted several reasons why some players and countries fail. English, Spanish, Italian and Dutch players, for example, rank high in terms of ''star'' status, having enjoyed club success and great popularity at home, which
piles on more pressure. His research has shown English players take kicks quicker than players from any other country, reflecting their desire to get them over as soon as possible. Germany's clinical approach -- the team are said to have a database of more than 10,000 penalties and goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was seen studying a crib sheet tucked into his sock during a quarter-final shootout four years ago -- is being copied by others anxious to know which way opposition goalkeepers tend to dive and which way players prefer to aim. In the run-up to this year's tournament, all the top teams will practise their technique from the penalty spot. ''You can't replicate the exact emotions you're going to have but, as Tiger Woods does with putting, you can practise a skill to give you more chance when the pressure is on,'' said Loughborough University's Pain. The English, Swiss, Dutch and Mexicans can at least hope that if tested this time they can reverse their fortunes. Italy did so in style four years ago -- beating France in the final after losing their three previous shootouts. Baggio may have helped to inspire that victory. After his miss in 1994 he stepped up again four years later to score, albeit in another defeat against France.
Valbuena lifts France
France…2
Costa Rica…1
REUTERS LONDON, MAY 27
New blood and a change of formation paid dividends for France as debutant Mathieu Valbuena netted the winner in a 2-1 World Cup warm-up win over Costa Rica. With 16 days until the start of the tournament in South Africa, the Netherlands also secured a morale-boosting win as Robin van Persie scored twice in a 2-1 victory over Mexico. France, playing in a 4-3-3 formation instead of the usual 4-2-3-1 under coach Raymond Domenech, produced some neat football but looked shaky at the back. Midfielder Carlos Hernandez
put Costa Rica ahead early but an own goal restored parity and Valbuena struck seven minutes from time. The Dutch, without a number of regular starters including Arjen Robben, Mark van Bommel and Wesley Sneijder, followed England's example by overcoming Mexico. Van Persie proved his worth as central striker with two fine volleys to give Mexico coach Javier Aguirre some thinking to do after another inconsistent performance, following their 3-1 defeat by England at Wembley. Javier Hernandez headed a consolation for the Mexicans 16 minutes from time.
Roddick in 3rd round l
Ivanovic eliminated
AGENCIES PARIS, MAY 27
PARIS -- Andy Roddick is into the third round of the French Open for the second year in a row. The sixth-seeded American beat 112th-ranked Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 on Thursday in a match that started more than 4½ hours late because of rain. It was twice interrupted by showers. In other results, No. 25 Marcos Baghdatis rallied past Marcel Granollers 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-2. Ana Ivanovic hit another low Thursday in her slide since winning the French Open two years ago, losing 6-3, 6-0 to 28th-seeded Alisa Kleybanova in the second round. Four other matches were completed, all on the women’s side. No. 11-seeded Li Na and No. 17 Francesca Schiavone won, while 39-year-old Kimiko Date Krumm lost to Jarmila Groth 6-0, 6-3. Date Krumm became the oldest woman since 1985 to reach the second round when she upset former No. 1 Dinara Safina, the runner-up in 2008 and 2009.
Violence in Jamaica forces shift of ODI AGENCIES TRINIDAD, MAY 27
Portugal's national soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo attends a training session, in Covilha on Thursday.
The violent situation in Jamaica has led cricket authorities to move a One-day international and the first Test against South Africa to Trinidad, the West Indies Cricket Board said on Wednesday. The fifth One-Day International on June 3 and the opening test from June 10, both scheduled for Sabina Park in the Jamaican capital Kingston, will now be held at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Maradona to run naked if ...
Kartik scalps six to guide Somerset to win
AGENCIES BUENOS AIRES, MAY 27
Argentina are by many considered to be one of the favourites to win the 2010 World Cup, but this hasn't stopped head coach Diego Armando Maradona from making a rather obscure promise if the Argentinians indeed win the tournament. The flamboyant gaffer has promised that he'll run naked through the streets of Buenos Aires if the Albiceleste lift the tro phy
Sachin tweets and India responds
Trott strides to 175 as England make hay
PTI MUMBAI, MAY 27
AGENCIES LORDS, MAY 27
A simple message from Sachin Tendulkar on his twitter page is enough to raise Rs 1.25 crore in two weeks and the beneficiaries would be the children of the veteran batsman's project "Sachin's Crusade against Cancer in Children". "Sachin just tweeted once two weeks ago and overnight lakhs came in donations. Over Rs 125 lakhs have been collected," Dr P Jagannath of the "Crusade against Cancer Foundation" said at a press conference here today. "This is an astounding figure and is probably the highest that has been collected by a single celebrity in India for a single fund raising event," Dr Jagannath said, adding he had approached Tendulkar through his wife Anjali for the cause. "I approached Dr Anjali Tendulkar who is a paediatrician and known to me through some friends. She convinced Sachin for this cause," he said.
Jonathan Trott, fighting to preserve his place, anchored England's first innings on Thursday with a second consecutive home century on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at Lord's. Trott came to the crease after only 26 balls when Alastair Cook was dismissed for seven. He was still there at the end of the day with 175 beside his name after nearly six hours at the crease. At the close, England were 362 for four after being asked to bat on a day which began under dark cloud cover and ended in sunshine, which had sapped any early life and lift from the pitch. Trott scored 119 in the second innings of his Test debut at the Oval last year, a century which helped England regain the Ashes and earned him a spot on England's two off-season tours.
After a promising start in his native South Africa, the runs dried up and he subsequently struggled against the Bangladesh spinners in a twomatch series. England's decision to rest their successful Twenty20 captain Paul Collingwood to aid his recovery from an injured shoulder gave Trott a reprieve. He took full advantage with some handsome drives, reaching his century with his 12th four, before he became becalmed for 60 balls during which he failed to find the boundary. Andrew Strauss fell 17 short of a fifth Test century on the home ground of his county Middlesex after adding 181 for the second wicket with Trott. Earlier, Bangladesh batsman Imrul Kayes was forced to leave the field after he was struck on the helmet at short-leg by a fierce pull from Morgan.
in South Africa after the World Cup final on July 11. "If we win the World Cup, I'll get naked and run around the Obelisk in the centre of the city," Maradona was quoted as saying by reporters, according to AP. Maradona also revealed that he had to explain to Lionel Messi why the Barcelona star didn't play in the international friendly against Canada earlier this week. "If something would have happened to you in that match, I'd have been kicked. You can imagine where," said Maradona to his star player. A r gentina will have to deal with Nigeria, Greece and South Korea in the group phase of the 2010 World Cup.
AGENCIES TAUNTON, MAY 27
Out-of-favour Indian left-arm spinner Murali Kartik returned with magical figures of six for 61 to help his side Somerset beat Warwickshire by nine wickets in the County Division Championship at Taunton. Playing only his second championship match for Somerset, Kartik on Wednesday spun a web around Warwickshire batsmen in the second innings during his 29-over spell to bowl out the visitors for a lowly 207 on the penultimate day of the four-day match. Brief score: Somerset (290 & 45-1) bt Warwickshire (127 & 207) by 9 wkts.
No. 32-seeded Kateryna Bondarenko lost to Aleksandra Wozniak 6-4, 6-1. Na defeated Stephanie Cohen-Aloro 6-2, 62. Schiavone swept Sophie Ferguson 6-2, 6-2. Six singles matches were postponed, including those involving Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, meaning they won’t play their second-round matches until at least the sixth day of the tournament. Nadal faces Horacio Zeballos, and Williams plays Julia Goerges. Sixteen doubles matches also were postponed. Those still scheduled to take the court Thursday included four-time champion Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic.