SPORTS
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2013
Penalty save keeps Atletico Mineiro’s cup dream alive BUENOS AIRES: Atletico Mineiro goalkeeper Victor pulled off a stunning added-time penalty save to send the Libertadores Cup favorites into the semi-finals on the away goals rule after Tijuana had threatened to pull off a upset victory on Thursday. Ronaldinho’s team were 1-1 in the second leg and 3-3 on aggregate against their Mexican rivals when Tijuana midfielder Pablo Aguilar was brought down chasing a high ball into the penalty area two minutes into added time in Belo Horizonte. Victor dived to his right as Colombian Duvier Riascos blasted his spot kick down the middle but the goalkeeper stuck up his left foot and kicked the ball clear, saving the Brazilian side from a humiliating home defeat. “It was the most important save of my life, at a crucial moment,” Victor told reporters. “We didn’t play well today... so we must draw lessons from the game to seek the title we so desire.” The favorites never had it easy in the tie against the upstart tournament newcomers from the northwestern Mexican border town and ended up going through on the strength of their added-time equalizer in the 2-2 draw in last week’s first leg. The Mexican side went in front in the 25th minute at the Independencia when striker Riascos volleyed home defender Juan Carlos Nunez’s cross into the middle of the Atletico box. The home side equalized five minutes before halftime when the Tijuana defense failed to intercept Ronaldinho’s free kick from the right, leaving centre back Rever to tap in at the far post. Ronaldinho hit the woodwork three minutes later in an absorbing contest highlighted by end-to-end action with Tijuana, the better side on the night, needing a win or at least a 3-3 draw to advance. Tijuana had a good chance to regain the lead in the 69th minute but Victor blocked substitute Bruno Piceno’s effort with his feet after some good work by striker Fidel Martinez. As Tijuana pressed for the goal that would put them though in the final quarter of an hour, midfielder Fernando Arce thumped Victor’s bar with a free kick. At the other end, Tijuana goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo did well to keep out a close-range shot from substitute Luan in the 88th minute before the tie concluded in dramatic fashion with Victor’s late heroics. Rever was sent off at the final whistle for protesting. Atletico will meet Newell’s Old Boys of Argentina while Paraguayan three-times champions Olimpia face Independiente Santa Fe of Colombia in the other semi-final in July after a break for the Confederations Cup in Brazil. — Reuters
‘Want-away’ Suarez is not for sale: Liverpool LONDON: Liverpool released a statement yesterday asserting that star striker Luis Suarez is “not for sale”, after the Uruguay international told media in his homeland that he wanted to leave the club. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday evening, Suarez claimed he no longer felt “comfortable” at Liverpool due to harassment from paparazzi and the English media. However, Liverpool said he had not expressed a desire to leave the club and added that they expected him to see out the long-term contract that he signed at the beginning of the 2012-13 season. “Luis Suarez is not for sale-neither Luis or his representatives have communicated these feelings directly to Liverpool Football Club,” said the statement. “The club remains supportive of Luis and expect him to honor his contract. The club will not be making any further comment at this stage.” Suarez finished as Liverpool’s top scorer with 30 goals this season, but his campaign ended in disgrace after he was given a 10-match ban by the Football Association for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic. The 26-year-old claimed the media hysteria created by the incident had forced him to reconsider his future. “My reason for leaving is not the money. If it were the money, I would have left already,” he said during a media conference for the Uruguay national team. “My main reason is my family and my image. That is my priority now. “It is a difficult moment for me. The coach and my colleagues know that they (the English media) didn’t treat me well here. I don’t feel comfortable here anymore. They know it, so I think it is understandable that I leave.” He added: “Being persecuted by the paparazzi all the time, I couldn’t go to my garden or the supermarket. —AFP Luis Suarez
Photo of the day
LA ROCHELLE: Michal Navratil dives from the 27.5 meter platform on the Saint Nicolas Tower during the opening training session of the first stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, La Rochelle, France. —www.redbullcontentpool.com
Confedaration cup preview
Saints get another shot JOHANNESBURG: Saint George try again this weekend to become the first Ethiopian qualifiers for the group stage of a CAF club competition. The Addis Ababa outfit are away to Egyptian side ENPPI holding a 2-0 aggregate lead after the first leg two weeks ago of a Confederation Cup play-off. All the damage was inflicted during the first half by national team stars with midfielder Shimeles Bekele and defender Abebaw Butako scoring for the home team. Saint George had hopes of qualifying for the CAF Champions League group stage dashed early May when Cairo club Zamalek squeezed through on away goals. So the Ethiopians dropped to the second-tier Confederation Cup along with seven other losers from the final qualifiers for the Champions League. And success would be especially sweet if the Saints created history by ousting an Egyptian club having had their first attempt thwarted by a side from that country. Unbeaten in seven Champions League and Confederation Cup matches this year, Saint George owe much to the inspirational leadership of German Michael Kruger. The 59-year-old coach has already experienced success at international level, guiding Cairo-based Arab Contractors to the 1996 African Cup Winners Cup title. “Our two-goal first-leg lead is very important to the morale of the squad ahead of the visit to Egypt,” he told reporters in Addis Ababa. “The advantage will give my boys confidence to go forward and apply pressure on ENPPI. I am hopeful that we can create history this weekend.” Dribbling wizard Bekele shares the confidence of Kruger ahead of a return game to be staged behind closed doors due to postArab Spring security concerns. “We are well placed to make the group stage provided all of us rectify the mistakes made in the two draws against Zamalek,” he stressed. ENPPI are not the only
Egyptian side battling for survival as former African champions Ismaily must overcome a 3-0 deficit when they host CA Bizertin from Tunisia. Bizertin come from Bizerte-the most northern African city-and are another Champions League ‘drop out’ having lost 2-1 overall to title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt. Tunisia have three contenders for mini-league slots and new league champions CS Sfaxien must overtake a 1-0 defeat away to depleted Enugu Rangers of Nigeria. Ugonna Uzochukwu grabbed the winner three minutes from time for Enugu, who will sorely miss Sunday Mba as the star midfielder is on national team duty in the United States. Goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim is absent for the same reason, leaving the Nigerians with a tough task to hang on against the only club to successfully defend the Confederation Cup title. Etoile Sahel of Tunisia are in a good position to advance after clawing back twice to force a 2-2 draw at JSM Bejaia of Algeria with Malian Michailou Drame scoring the second equalizer. But Algeria should have a last-eight presence as experienced international campaigners Entente Setif appear capable of defending a 2-0 advantage against US Bitam in Gabon. The clash of Rabat clubs FAR and FUS is harder to predict with the latter taking a 1-0 lead into the second leg of the Moroccan derby through a Yassine El-Kordi own goal. Stade Malien of Mali and TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo are virtually assured of overall success having established convincing first-leg leads at home. Malien netted twice in stoppage time to crush Lydia Academic of Burundi 5-0 in Bamako while Mazembe scored at regular intervals in a 4-0 triumph over Liga Muculmana of Mozambique in Lubumbashi. — AFP