NST Online: Sports

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 10:44 AM PDT

2011/06/30
Devinder Singh
devinder@nst.com.my

SAFEE Sali's likely absence from Malaysia's Asian World Cup qualifier first round return leg against Taiwan in Taipeh on Sunday could leave the national team struggling for goals.

The Pelita Jaya striker's consistency and experience were key factors in Malaysia winning the AFF Cup last December and with several strikers in the team either having just recovered or still struggling with injury, progress to a second round clash with Singapore is far from assured.
Safee will be greatly missed at the Taipeh Municipal Stadium but national coach K. Rajagobal believes there is enough firepower in the squad to overcome Taiwan after Wednesday's 2-1 win in Bukit Jalil gave Malaysia a narrow advantage in the tie.
"Safee suffered an injury to the back of his knee and he won't play against Taiwan (on Sunday). Baddrol (Bakhtiar) missed a golden opportunity in the second half and we are very concerned with some players just having recovered from injury like Ahmad Fakri (Saarani) and Hadi (Yahya).

"Norshahrul (Idlan Talaha) is also not yet ready so we will have to see what we can do. Hadi did well to hold the ball when I was forced to make a tactical change because we needed a goal badly at the time," said Rajagobal after the game.
Hadi made an instant impact a minute after he came on as he put S. Kunanlan through to cross for Safiq Rahim to ram home the opening goal.
Safee was then withdrawn at half-time after a knee injury suffered in training on Monday flared up during the match in which the former Selangor forward made little impact.

It led to a merry-go-round in the forward line with Hadi having come on midway through the first half as Baddrol was shunted to the left wing before Fakri appeared as Safee's replacement.
However, none of the four forwards scored with Malaysia's goals coming from skipper Safiq and defender Aidil Zafuan Radzak before Chen Po Liang ensured the tie was far from dead ahead of Sunday's second leg.
"I'm very disappointed with the manner in which we conceded the goal. I told the players before the game Taiwan are a committed team and we needed to be organised to guard against their counter-attacks.

"But the defence just when to sleep. They lost their concentration and the goal gave Taiwan the energy to come at us. Our defenders will have to be more focused and disciplined in the next game," said Rajagobal.
Rajagobal's ire was directed in particular at Amirulhadi Zainal, who had dropped into the right-back position after Helmi Remeli was taken off for Hadi.
But Amirul was caught napping after a quick throw-in allowed Wu Chun-Ching to slip behind the Malaysian defence and pull the ball back from the byline and into the box for Po Liang to side-step into goal past Sharbinee Allawee Ramli.
"We did not have much penetration from the flanks and I wanted to change both players on the right but to make two changes was a risk.
"But we just did not play well and we have no excuses. We started sloppily and were not as aggressive as normal. We'll just have to do better in the second leg," added Rajagobal.

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Brazil, Norway pushed hard for wins

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 08:45 AM PDT

MOENCHENGLADBACH: Brazil and Norway lived up to their status as Group D favourites when they both opened their Women's World Cup campaigns with 1-0 wins on Wednesday.

But the footballing heavyweights were pushed hard by rivals Australia and debutantes Equatorial Guinea respectively in ties which wrapped up the first round of group matches.

Brazil, the 2007 runners-up, needed a 54th-minute goal from Rosana to get past a young Australian side in Moenchengladbach, while earlier in Augsburg Emelie Haavi's late goal ensured all three points for 1995 champions Norway.

"I knew coming here that we were going to play the toughest competition ever," said Brazilian coach Kleiton Lima. "Women's football has come a long way in the last four years and we knew we would play very hard matches."

Despite boasting five-time World Player of the Year Marta in their ranks the Brazilians showed signs of early nerves. The much-anticipated clash had failed to warm the crowd early on with Marta far from her usual inspirational form as the young Matildas proved more than a match for the World No 3 team.

Australian coach Tom Sermanni fielded a new line-up including teenagers Emily van Egmond, 17, and Caitlin Foord, 16, and admitted he was proud of how they helped contain 25-year-old Marta.

Both sides missed chances to score in the first half in front of the 27,258 spectators but Brazil came out firing after the break with Rosana finally lifting spirits after she picked up a short pass from Cristiane.

Lisa De Vanna missed one of Australia's last chances to grab a point when she broke free three minutes from time only to fire wide as an injury-time corner from Collette McCallum gave hope of an equaliser before being cleared.

"It was a tough, really difficult match," said Kleiton.

"When you're at a World Cup players might be experienced but they get nervous and this can get in the way. After the break the team gained more confidence and played a bit more organised football."

It was a similar case in Augsburg, with Norway having the run of play early in the second half before finally breaking through in the 84th minute.

Leni Larsen Kaurin crossed from the right side to Emelie, who struck into the upper netting from left of goal for the Norwegians.

"I had a feeling it would be a tough game. The main thing is that we have three points. And now we can focus on getting three more points," said Norway coach Eli Landsem.

"We had a lot of chances and actually we were hoping to score even more goals."

The second round of Group D matches will take place on Sunday with Brazil taking on Norway in Wolfsburg, while Australia play Equatorial Guinea in Bochum. -- AFP

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Khamis, 30 Jun 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

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