| sport round-up |
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Sports round-up
Updated: 23-Jan-2004
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David Seaman has announced his retirement from professional football.
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Portimonense – The Cup Runneth Over – Artur Jorge Vicente had the chance to put the Algarve side through into the quarter-finals in the 90th minute of Portimonense’s cup tie against Rio Ave. Racing onto a through ball, he had only keeper Candeias to beat, but fired straight into his arms. In an open game that saw scoring opportunities at both ends, Lino had put Portimão ahead in the 57th minute with a powerful right-foot drive. But 13 minutes later, Paulo Cesar broke down Portimonense’s defence and equalised off the inside post, leaving Toze stranded in goal. Then João Paulo hit the post and saw a header end up on the roof of the goal in the 80th minute. The game was eventually decided in controversial fashion in the third minute of injury time, following confusion in Portimão’s goalmouth area. Somehow, the ball crossed the line for the final 2-1 score line, despite claims from Portimão’s coaching staff that their goalkeeper had been fouled. Another cup-run was over, but good performances against several Superliga teams promise a strong second half in the Ligo da Honra.
Playing against third-placed Setubal on Sunday, Portimonense’s task was complicated by the absence due to injury of five regulars – keeper Toze, Marcio Theodoro, Garre, Augusto and Laranja. Paulo Teixeira missed training following the cup defeat, but was available for selection. New signing Ricardinho from Nacional did play, however, and made an impressive debut. In a balanced game, Portimonense’s agile players pitted their individual skills against a physically stronger, well-organised Setubal side. A 15th minute header, which glanced off the bar, heralded early Portimão pressure that resulted in Edmilson putting the home side into the lead with a well worked goal in the 25th minute. But it only took the visitors five minutes to get back on terms, with a clinical finish that left second choice keeper Marcio Ramos with no chance.
Just before half-time Artur Jorge Vincente turned onto a through ball deflected off a defender to put Portimonense 2-1 up. After the restart, Ricardinho scored a goal that was judged offside. Setubal pulled level once more after 59 minutes following sustained pressure down the left flank. Ricardinho was just kept out by a splendid save in the 65th minute, before the same player laid on the 3-2 lead for Edmilson. The fuming player missed scoring his hat trick a few minutes later and Portimão were content to let the clock tick away in front of almost 5,000 fans. Not so Setubal, who continued to pour forward and were rewarded with a superbly taken free kick a few minutes before the end to draw the match 3-3. Judging by this performance, the third promotion spot is still a distinct possibility for the Algarve club.
Seaman Sunk – Following a serious shoulder injury, David Seaman has announced his retirement from professional football. England keeper David James, who makes a return to Premiership football following a £1.75m move from West Ham, will take his place in Manchester City’s goal.
Seaman stands alongside Ray Clemence and Peter Shilton as one of England’s best goalkeepers of all time. He won the title three times with Arsenal and was capped by England on 75 occasions. Now the race is on to find the next rock that will continue the great English goal-keeping tradition started by Gordon Banks – in many people’s eyes, David James is merely the caretaker until that moment arrives. Strongest candidates at the moment are Leeds’ Paul Robinson and Liverpool’s Chris Kirkland, along with West Brom’s Russell Hoult.
“Sblattered” – Long-serving FIFA President Sepp Blatter has caused international uproar by proposing to ‘sex-up’ women’s football. The recently divorced head of world football is no stranger to controversy, having already been severely criticised for his ideas about downsizing European leagues and his belligerent involvement in the Rio Ferdinand affair. This time he has incurred the wrath of almost 30 million women footballers.
Almost a century after Emily Pankhurst chained herself to a lamp-post to further women’s rights, Blatter has suggested that women should wear volleyball type skimpy outfits consisting of hotpants and tight-fitting tops to create more media interest for the women’s game. “The girls are pretty and have different rules such as a lighter ball, so why not inject some sensuality?” he said.
Blatter’s comments have been met with incredulity by prominent players everywhere. “To start with, we don’t play with a lighter ball,” Pauline Cope, Charlton and England goalkeeper, fumed. “And to propose that we pander to male fantasies is simply ridiculous”, she continued. “It is completely irresponsible for a man in his position to make comments of this nature. They show what a chauvinist he is”.
TENNIS
Australian Open – Following the withdrawal of Serena Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles, Jelena Dokic and Mary Pierce, who have all announced that injury prevents them from taking part in the season’s first Grand Slam tournament, the participation of Kim Clijsters is also still in doubt. There are no major injury worries in the men’s half of the draw, with Andre Agassi displaying the kind of form that took him to the title last year in warm-up tournaments. But on a fast surface, World No1 Andy Roddick has to be the man to beat.
OLYMPICS 2012
London, Paris, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul and current favourites New York have launched their candidatures for holding the 2012 Olympics. The selection process will begin in June and the IOC will announce the winner in July 2005.
GOLF
Tigress on the Prowl – The next big thing in golf is six foot tall Michelle Wie. At only 14 years of age, she became the youngest female ever to play alongside the men in a PGA Tour event when competing in last week’s Hawaiian Open. Golf-obsessed father, BJ Wie moved the family from Korea to Hawaii to help improve his daughter’s game and make her into the best golfer in the world. Following the path pioneered by World No1 woman player, Annika Sorernstam, who competed against the men in last year’s Colonial Open, Wie has already shown that she can match her adult female competition by tying for ninth at the 2003 Nabisco Championship when still only 13 years old. She also won the US Women’s Public Links Championship, thus becoming the youngest tournament winner in the 108-year history of the US Golf Association. Seven-times PGA Tour winner John Huston believes that, “she is a great player and there’s no question she’ll probably be the best out there at some point”.
On her home course at Waialea last week, Michelle Wie missed the cut by just one stroke – surely enough to spread panic in the male-dominated clubhouses of the PGA Tour. Watch out for the new tigress!
A QUESTION OF FOOTBAL
Last week: Who are the reigning Olympic football champions? Answer: Cameroon
This week: Which international side was known as the ‘Wunderteam’ during the 1930s?
Answer: Next week
A QUESTION OF SPORT
Last week: Which American won the Tour de France in 1986, 1989 and 1990?
Answer: Greg Lemond
This week: In which three types of sport do competitors move backward in order to win?
(answer next week)
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