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World Cup: Ten-man Costa Rica stun Greece in penalty shootout BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sports - New 2 Borneo

World Cup: Ten-man Costa Rica stun Greece in penalty shootout

Posted: 29 Jun 2014 04:49 PM PDT

RECIFE, Brazil: Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas claimed man-of-the match honours as his side sank Greece in a penalty shootout to reach the World Cup quarter finals for the first time and a clash with the Netherlands.

Reduced to 10 men in the second half, Costa Rica still seemed to be on course for an upset victory until Sokratis Papastathopoulos made the score 1-1 in injury time to extend the battle.

Navas blocked a string of shots in the game and made a superb one-handed save of Fanis Gekas's penalty in the shootout to set up the 5-3 victory.

Captain Bryan Ruiz scored in the 52nd minute to give the central Americans a 1-0 lead at Arena Pernambuco.

But defender Oscar Duarte was ordered off for a second bookable offence shortly after and Greece poured forward looking for an equaliser.

They provided the late drama when Papastathopoulos pounced on the rebound from Gekas's strike in the first minute of added-on time to slam it past Navas.

But it was the only shot the Costa Rica goalkeeper missed all night and he was overwhelmingly voted man of the match.

Greece spurned several chances to win the game in extra time against the tiring Costa Ricans. Those misses proved costly for Fernando Santos's men in the penalty shoot-out.

With Costa Rica leading 4-3 after Joel Campbell rolled the ball past Orestis Karnezis, Gekas saw his chance to pull the Greeks level pushed away by Navas.

Costa Rica secured their first ever appearance in the last eight on what is only their fourth finals appearance when Michael Umana stepped up to beat Karnezis from the spot.

The Costa Ricans claimed another European scalp with the win, having beaten Italy 1-0 and drawn with England 0-0 in Group D.

Costa Rica started brightly, but early offerings by Christian Bolanos and Ruiz, set up by Campbell after he had dispossessed a Greek defender, came to nothing.

The Central Americans came close just before the quarter-hour when Ruiz set up Bolanos to the left of goal but his drive rose above the hands of Karnezis.

Greece, appearing in the last 16 for the first time, spurned their best chance of the half on 37 minutes.

Dimitrios Salpingidis had ghosted in at the back post to connect with a cross that had been whipped in from the left, but his first-timer saw a flailing Navas to turn the ball to safety for a corner.

Greece's positive end to the half was in stark contrast to a terrible start to the second.

An innocuous-looking attack launched by Campbell on the left saw Bolanos set up Ruiz to sidefoot a low shot past the static Karnezis, whose view appeared blocked by Papastathopoulos.

Urgency was injected into the pace of the game immediately, but after Kostas Mitroglou replaced fellow striker Andreas Samaris, the Greeks were given a boost when Duarte was given a second yellow card for a wild lunge on Jose Cholevas.

Santos made a series of changes late in the game and the arrival of Gekas for Salpingidis would prove crucial.

In the first minute of injury time Gekas pounced on a loose ball in the area and when Navas blocked his shot on the turn Papastathopoulos slammed home the rebound home to send the Greeks wild.

Navas had to look smart two minutes later when Mitroglou's glancing header forced him into a spectacular one-handed save before the whistle blew to signal extra-time.

The leveller stunned an already tiring Costa Rica, who did well to survive a Greek onslaught in extra time.

Only the foot of Giancarlo Gonzalez denied Kostas Katsouranis to the left of goal, and then Navas was forced out to dive low and collect as Gekas ran on to a dangerous through ball. – AFP

World Cup: Huntelaar’s penalty sends Dutch into last eight

Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:31 AM PDT

FORTALEZA, Brazil: The Netherlands scored twice in the dying minutes through Wesley Sneijder and a Klaas Jan Huntelaar penalty to move into the quarter-finals of the World Cup with a 2-1 win over Mexico on Sunday.

In a match conditioned by the baking heat and humidity in Fortaleza, Giovani dos Santos looked to have Mexico on the way to their first quarter-final appearance on foreign soil when he opened the scoring three minutes into the second-half.

However, Sneijder levelled with a thumping volley from the edge of the area two minutes from time before Huntelaar converted from the spot in stoppage time after Rafael Marquez had upended Arjen Robben.

Louis van Gaal's men will now face Costa Rica or Greece in the last eight in Salvador on Saturday.

The Netherlands had been disrupted by an early injury to Nigel de Jong as he hobbled off to be replaced by Bruno Martins Indi.

Mexico's Hector Herrera then had the clearest opening of the first 45 minutes as he collected Oribe Peralta's pass on the edge of the area and cut inside before dragging a right-foot shot inches wide.

Dutch keeper Jasper Cillessen was then forced into his first save of the afternoon by a long-range effort from Carlos Salcido.

The Netherlands didn't register an effort on target until the 26th minute when Robin van Persie skewed wide form a narrow angle after collecting Stefan de Vrij's pass inside the area.

Both sides were then handed the chance to cool off for three minutes at the half-hour mark for the first time at a World Cup due to the searing temperatures.

Cillessen then made a fine stop to prevent dos Santos opening the scoring with a low effort.

However, the Netherlands were left aggrieved just a minute before the break when Robben appeared to have been clipped by Hector Moreno inside the area.

Mexico got off to a flying start in the second-half as Dos Santos held off a challenge from Daley Blind to thump home his first international goal in a competitive match for two years from 25 yards.

Oribe Peralta nearly made it 2-0 eight minutes later with a curling effort that Cillessen did well to claim at the first attempt.

Moments later it was Guillermo Ochoa who made an incredible stop to prevent Stefan de Vrij levelling as he turned the defender's volley onto the post from point-blank range.

Sneijder then saw a deflected effort fly inches past as the Netherlands went in search of an equaliser.

Ochoa had to come to his side's rescue again 17 minutes from time when Robben escaped the clutches of Marquez but saw his low effort turned behind by the Mexican stopper.

Dutch boss Louis van Gaal then surprisingly replaced captain Van Persie with Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

However, his decision was to prove inspired as firstly Huntelaar turned Robben's corner in the direction of the lurking Sneijder to power home from the edge of the box on.

And after Robben was adjudged by Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca to have been clipped by Marquez in the fourth minute of stoppage time, the Schalke striker coolly stroked home the resulting penalty to eliminate Mexico at the last 16 stage for a sixth consecutive World Cup. - AFP

Lin Dan, Nehwal win Australian Open finals

Posted: 29 Jun 2014 09:07 AM PDT

SYDNEY: Chinese superstar Lin Dan fought back from dropping the opening game to overhaul Simon Santoso and win the World Superseries Australian Badminton Open in Sydney on Sunday.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist and five-time world champion downed the 18th-ranked Indonesian, 22-24, 21-16, 21-7 in 75 minutes.

It was Lin's first World Superseries final in over two years and he took charge from the second game.

Lin, 30, considered the greatest badminton player of all time, had to qualify for the Sydney event after his ranking dropped to 104 following a seven-month sabbatical from the sport.

He went into the final ranked 22 and is expected to climb further in the world rankings following his Sydney victory.

Santoso had lost 10 of his previous 11 encounters with Lin, but looked on course for an upset when he shocked the Chinese star in the first game.

India's Saina Nehwal won the women's singles final in straight games against Spain's Carolina Marin.

The eighth-ranked Nehwal overcome early resistance to defeat Marin, ranked three spots below her, 21-18, 21-11 in 43 minutes.

It was Nehwal's first World Superseries final in 20 months and she got there by eliminating Chinese top seed Wang Shixian in three games in Saturday's semi.

The South Korean combination of Lee Yong-Dae and Yoo Yeon-Seong won the men's doubles final from Taipei's Lee Sheng-Mu and Tsai Chia-hsin 21-14, 21-18.

Chinese duo Qing Tian and Zhao Yunlei took the women's doubles from Japan's Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi 21-15, 21-9.

Koreans Ko Sung-Hyan and Kim Ha-Na captured the mixed doubles final from German pair Michael Fuchs and Birgit Michels 21-16, 21-17.

The next Superseries event is scheduled for Denmark from October 14-19. — AFP

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KRFC appeal for more donors and sponsors

Posted: 29 Jun 2014 09:07 AM PDT

by Ting Tieng Hee reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on June 30, 2014, Monday

KUCHING: Kuching Rugby Football Club (KRFC) are in need of more funds to run its activities and would like to have the corporate sector and individuals coming forward as donors and sponsors.

Its president Azlan Borhan Mohamad said yesterday that the club, which is one of the most active in Sarawak, are seeking more funds for its long-term development and training programme for junior players and sending them to Semenanjung Malaysia or overseas for exposure.

"While major companies are carrying out their corporate social responsibility by chipping in to education, welfare and community projects, they can also support sports development," he said.

Azlan said although KRFC receive grant from the Social Development Ministry and CIMB as well donations from individuals like its patron Datuk Talib Zulpilip who is Assistant Minister of Tourism, Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof, Assistant Minister of Youth Development cum Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Dona Dhurry, Frank Gaffney and Simon Louis Peter, the funds are still not enough to run its annual activities.

"Those wishing to make donations to KRFC can do so through the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) where they will be issued with receipts for tax exemption purpose," said Azlan.

He took the opportunity to thank all parties who have helped in one way or another to support rugby development in Kuching and in the state.

Tournaments under the KRFC calendar this year include Frank Gaffney Memorial Cup in January, Kuching Rugby League in March, Don Dhurry Cup in May, CIMB-Cobra-KRFC School Sevens in June, BandarRaya Cup in July, KRFC Inter-Club Sevens in October, Louis Simon Peter Cup and CIMB 15-a-side Inter-School League in September/October.

"We have organised a rugby clinic in Sadong Jaya in February and one in Bintulu in March followed with a Bintulu Sevens competition under the CIMB Foundation programme," added Azlan.

He said the club are keen to promote and expand rugby to rural schools, and those needing assistance can contact KRFC.

"KRFC provides a venue for those schools who are developing their rugby and organises tournaments to gauge their standard," said Azlan.

For enquiries and information, call Azlan at 082-411642, fax 082-426029, Abdul Ghafar Arshad at 019-8874500 and Wan Ahmad Ramzy at 010-9704001.

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