27-06-2021

SUNDAY, JUNE 27, 2021
9
Patrik Schick unleashes his long-ranger for Czech Republic vs Scotland (UEFA).
Photo: AP
Long-range goals in European Championships
shoot into footballing folklore
SPORTS DESK
It took exactly 4.6 seconds for
Czech Republic striker Patrik
Schick to achieve cult status
in European Championship
folklore. The time between
him receiving the ball inside
his own half, rushing towards
the half-line and hoofing the
ball across 49.7 yards over a
frantically back-pedalling
Scotland goalkeeper David
Marshall, who ended up
comically tangled in the
mesh, like a captured tiger. It
was in a metaphorical sense,
his shot to glory, reports
UNB.
From an anonymous striker
in the Bundesliga, rejected
numerous times by the
heavyweights, the goal
instantly made Schick the
rising star of Europe,
inundated with suitors
queuing up and willing to
expend any incredulous sum
Tim Paine apologises
to New Zealand
for picking India
to win WTC final
SPORTS DESK
Australia test captain Tim
Paine has apologised to New
Zealand for writing the
Black Caps off before their
World Test Championship
(WTC) triumph against
India, reports UNB.
Paine had predicted India
would "comfortably" beat
Kane Williamson's side in
the WTC final, only to be
ridiculed on social media
after New Zealand
completed an eight-wicket
win in Southampton this
week. "We all get some
wrong. I copped a bit from
the Kiwi fans, so I thought
I'd come on air and eat some
humble pie," Paine told New
Zealand radio station
Newstalk ZB."I thought the
New Zealanders played
outstandingly.
It's always a pleasure to
watch the way they go about
it."For such a small nation -
I'm from Tasmania.
his current employers, Bayer
Leverkusen, demand in
exchange for his signature.
Even before the Euros has
rolled into the knockout
stage, Schick strike, the
longest-ranger in the history
of the continental
championships, is being
hailed as the goal of the
tournament. It's unlikely that
the distance he covered
would be replicated in this
tournament, by even Schick
himself. It is hard to attain
perfection once, let alone
twice. The technical demands
involved in such goals are
stratospheric. For this precise
reason, it's improbable that
such long-rangers would turn
out to be fashionable in the
tournament, even if there is a
sudden surge in shies and
goals from outside the box, as
a shock weapon to catch
defending teams off guard.
Since that game, there have
been 41 efforts from outside
the box in 29 games, of which
12 pierced the nets. The low
hitting and conversion rates
probably explain why there
are fewer shots on goals from
outside the box as well as why
a minority of the attempts
indeed result in a goal. Outof-the-box
hits are rare, outof-the-box
hits that result in
goals are rarer. Apart from
supreme technique, power,
accuracy and split-second
decision-making, one needs
confidence and ambition too.
Fewer goals though provide
as much spontaneous thrill as
those from the distance. A
dribbler winkling past a maze
of legs could bewitch you; a
winger's welting run from the
half-line to the six-yard box
could confiscate your breath
and give lung spasms; a
poacher's strike has a
calculated inevitability about
it, but long-rangers could
make your spine shiver and
the hair on the back of the
neck do a little dance even
when watching it on a loop. A
double surge of adrenalin.
The best from downtown
Not just the Schick goal, but
those from Luka Modric, the
high priest of long-rangers,
Ukraine's AndriyYarmolenko
against the Dutch, or
Denmark's
MikkelDamsgaard against
the Russians - to name but a
few of the pearlers. They go
by different names, but
adhering to strict rhyme
patterns -pearlers (usually
volleys and involving
acrobatics), screamers
(powerful and slamming into
the top corner), pile-drivers
(flat and straight), daisycutters
(all along the ground),
curlers (those with wicked
swerve) or hoofers (ultralong-range
ones that are hit
high).
Relentless Ronaldo makes Portugal
believe again before Belgium
SPORTS DESK
Portugal felt the full range of emotions
during the Euro 2020 group stage and with
Cristiano Ronaldo in the groove again, they
can really begin to believe, reports BSS.
After scoring three late goals to beat
Hungary, Portugal were shaken by a 4-2 loss
to Germany, only for a 2-2 draw against
France to restore morale and ensure they
snuck out of Group F in third place.
The result is a last-16 clash with Belgium in
Seville on Sunday, when one of the
tournament favourites will bow out in what
is surely the blockbuster tie of the round.
One of the frontrunners for the Golden
Boot will fall too, with Ronaldo and
Belgium's RomeluLukaku both in
contention. Ronaldo leads the scoring charts
on five goals with Lukaku not far behind on
three.
Portugal may have taken only a point from
a sweaty contest with France at the Puskas
Arena in Budapest but the belief and
confidence gained from going toe-to-toe with
the world champions could be pivotal for the
rest of their tournament.
After chaos against Germany came
concentration against the French, a
committed, organised and aggressive
performance which was a reminder of what
carried Portugal to success at Euro 2016 and
in the Nations League three years later.
"We were strong and consistent. The
players helped each other, we had
possession, we attacked well. We improved a
lot from the game against Germany," said
Portugal's coach Fernando Santos
afterwards.
Santos had responded too, reacting to
criticism by reverting to his traditional 4-3-3
system of the past two years and making
some bold changes to his starting line-up.
'We can beat anyone' -
William Carvalho and Bruno Fernandes,
who both struggled in the first two games,
made way for the young Renato Sanches and
the veteran Joao Moutinho, who both rose to
the challenge against Paul Pogba and
N'GoloKante.
Sanches brought some much-needed
dynamism to the team while the 34-year-old
Moutinho's surgical passing gave Portugal
the guile and direction they had lacked
against Germany.
"We can fight against the best teams," said
Santos. "Either we believe or we don't
because we can beat anyone and I'll keep
saying it-no team thinks they will have an
easy time against Portugal."
New Zealand's captain Kane Williamson holds the winner's trophy as he celebrates with his
teammates after their win in the World Test Championship final cricket match against India, at
the Rose Bowl in Southampton, England, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. New Zealand won the
match by eight wickets.
Photo: AP
Mo Farah missing
Olympics after failing
to qualify in 10K
SPORTS DESK
Mo Farah failed to qualify
for the Tokyo Olympics and
will not defend his 10,000-
meter title, reports UNB.
The four-time Olympic
champion missed the
qualifying time in an
invitational 10,000 at the
British
athletics
championships in
Manchester.
Farah needed to go under
27 minutes, 28 seconds to
earn his place on the plane to
Tokyo ahead of Sunday's
deadline but he clocked 27
minutes, 47.04 seconds, and
will not defend the 10,000
title he won in 2012 and
2016.
"You go out there and give
it all and that's all you have,"
he said. "It's quite windy. I
tried to push and push and I
ran my lungs out.
"I've had a wonderful
career. I'm very grateful.
That's all I had today. It's a
tough one. I've always said if
I can't compete with the
best, I'm not going to be in a
final. Tonight wasn't good
enough."
The invitational race was
hastily arranged after Farah
failed to qualify during the
10,000 trials in Birmingham
this month.
He was the second Brit
home in eighth on that
occasion, taking 27 minutes,
50.54 seconds, and blamed
an ankle problem for
hampering his attempt.
It was the first time he had
lost a 10,000 race in a
decade having decided to
return to the track after
focusing on the marathon
since 2017.
Farah was also a double
Olympic champion in the
5,000.
Maradona
psychiatrist
denies blame
in star's death
SPORTS DESK
The psychiatrist who was
treating Diego Maradona
when he died last November
denies any responsibility for
his demise, which an expert
panel has blamed on neglect,
her lawyer said Friday,
reports BSS.
Agustina Cosachov, 36,
will tell investigators the
footballer "died of a
coronary issue that in no
way related to the
psychiatric issues she was
attending to," her lawyer
Vadim Mischanchuk said as
his client arrived to be
questioned by prosecutors.
"She was a psychiatric
doctor, she had nothing to
do with the clinical
management of the patient,"
the lawyer said.
Cosachov, an addiction
specialist, is one of seven
medical professionals under
investigation
for
manslaughter over
Maradona's death in a case
that has gripped Argentina.
According to the
investigation record,
Cosachov and neurosurgeon
Leopoldo Luque, 39, were
the key personnel in charge
of Maradona's care.
The 1986 World Cupwinning
captain died of a
heart attack at the age of 60,
weeks after undergoing
brain surgery for a blood
clot.
Cosachov
and
psychologist Carlos Diaz, 29,
found Maradona dead in
bed in a rented house in an
exclusive Buenos Aires
neighborhood where he was
receiving home care.
'They killed Diego' -
Prosecutors opened an
investigation after a board of
experts looking into the
footballer's death found he
had received inadequate
care and was abandoned to
his fate.
Last week, a lawyer for coaccused
nurse Dahiana
Madrid, 36, told prosecutors
the doctors in charge had
"killed Diego."
Italy ready for last 16 as Wales
face Denmark at Euro 2020
SPORTS DESK
Italy could break an 82-year
national record when they
take on Austria in the last 16
at Euro 2020 on Saturday,
while Wales must find a way
to stop neutrals'favourites
Denmark, reports BSS.
Roberto Mancini, who
took over after Italy's failure
to qualify for the 2018 World
Cup, has rebuilt the Azzurri
into contenders, overseeing
a 30-match unbeaten run to
equal the mark set under
two-time World Cupwinning
coach Vittorio
Pozzo in the 1930s.
Italy breezed through the
group stage and have won
their last 11 matches without
conceding a goal. They will
be heavy favourites against
an Austria side through to
the knockout stages of the
tournament for the first
time.
"Playing at Wembley
really should be a pleasure
because... well, sometimes
players never get a chance to
play there in their lives," said
former Manchester City
boss Mancini.
"It's such a spectacular
stadium and I want us to go
out there and play well
because, well the stadium
kind of deserves that."
Austria advanced as
runners-up from Group C,
recovering from a 2-0 loss to
Netherlands by beating
Ukraine 1-0 in their final
game.
"We know we're the
underdogs and it's difficult
to judge our realistic chances
but even with 10 percent you
can achieve a lot," said
Austria coach Franco Foda.
"This team has already
achieved something
spectacular but now we're
focused on taking the next
step to make it to Munich."
Momentum with
Denmark -Gareth Bale and
Wales play Denmark in
Amsterdam, dreaming of a
repeat of their run to the
Euro 2016 semi-finals after
advancing as runners-up of
Group A behind Italy.
Denmark overcame the
shock and trauma of
Christian Eriksen's cardiac
arrest during their opening
game against Finland to
qualify for the knockout
phase as the second-placed
team in Group B despite
losing their first two
matches.
After being revived on the
pitch in Copenhagen,
Eriksen spent six days in
hospital after his collapse,
undergoing surgery to have
a defibrillator implanted.
"We dealt with a very
traumatic experience and
the same night we kept
playing. We played one of
the best teams in the world
(Belgium) a couple of days
later and we beat Russia
playing very intensely," said
coach Kasper Hjulmand.
"It shows the power we
possess, both physical and
mental."
The Danes are aiming to
win a knockout tie at the
European Championship for
the first time since they
stunned the continent to win
the trophy itself in 1992.
It is exactly 29 years since
Denmark defeated Germany
in the final in Gothenburg
having famously only
qualified because war-torn
Yugoslavia disintegrated.
Wales will be denied a
proper travelling support in
Amsterdam with fans barred
from entering the
Netherlands from the
United Kingdom.
Italy made an impressive start to Euro 2020 and won all three of their
games in Group A.
Photo: AP
All smiles for Simone
Biles, as Tokyo comes
into focus at US trials
SPORTS DESK
Four-time Olympic gold
medallist Simone Biles
backed up her reputation as
the world's greatest gymnast
on Friday, dominating the
first day of the women's
competition at the U.S.
Olympic gymnastics trials,
less than a month before the
Tokyo Games, reports UNB.
While Biles can boast one
of the most decorated
careers in the history of the
sport, the 25-time world
medallist must earn her
ticket to Tokyo this weekend
in St. Louis, as Olympic
hopefuls vie for a spot on
Team USA.
She made clear that would
be no problem. Competing
in front of a packed crowd at
the Dome at America's
Center, the 24-year-old put
on a show in her floor
routine, unleashing her
signature triple-twisting
double back maneuver to
pick up a top score of 15.366
- an improvement over her
best of 14.95 at nationals -
with a 6.800 difficulty.
"Going into this one, I
know exactly what to
expect," said Biles, a seventimes
all-around national
champion, reflecting on the
five years since her previous
trials. "I'm a lot more
emotional this time around
which is so crazy. Even
walking out I was tearing up
and crying."
By the end of the night she
had topped the field with a
total score of 60.565,
followed by Sunisa Lee and
Jordan Chiles, who finished
2.899 and 3.422 points off
the
lead,
respectively.MyKayla
Skinner (56.598), 24, an
alternate at the 2016
Olympics, finished the
evening fourth in the
standings, months after
recovering from pneumonia
and a COVID-19 diagnosis.
The top two finishers will
earn spots on the team,
while two members will be
determined by a selection
committee with one more
individual quota spot to be
filled.Lee, 18, widely
considered a frontrunner to
make the team after a strong
performance at the U.S.
national championships last
month, put up the top score
on the uneven bars (15.300),
after picking up bronze in
the event at the 2019 World
Championships.The women
will return to the dome
Sunday for the second and
final night of their
competition, as the men
wrap up their competition
on Saturday.
Swimming Australia says bad
treatment a decades-long issu
SPORTS DESK
Swimming Australia says unacceptable
treatment of some swimmers is a decades-long
problem amid media reports that six former
elite athletes will soon make public their
experiences of abuse in the sport, reports
UNB.Swimming Australia said in a statement
Saturday that it is "deeply concerned and
understands the gravity" of fresh claims of abuse
within the sport after meeting with former
Olympic swimmer Maddie Groves.
"We acknowledge some members of the
swimming community have experienced
unacceptable behavior, some of this dates back
decades," SA said.
The swimming association said it was
unaware of the nature of the claims from the six
swimmers. Local media said the swimmers will
come forward amid a controversy initiated by
two-time Olympic silver medalist Groves in a
series of social media posts.
Groves withdrew from Australia's Olympic
swim trials which finished in Adelaide nine days
ago, claiming there were "misogynistic perverts
in sport." Groves on Friday met with Swimming
Australia president Kieren Perkins and chief
executive officer Alex Baumann to detail her
concerns. Perkins and Baumann are both
former Olympic gold medallists in swimming.