National football camp shifted to islamabad

Coach Tariq Lutfi said on Thursday the national camp for the World Cup football qualifiers was being shifted from Lahore to Islamabad from Friday to give the squad some match practice after no international fixture could be finalised for the Pakistan side.

Talking to Dawn, Tariq said the national squad would leave for Islamabad on Friday after undergoing the last training session at the Model Town Ground here in the morning.

“As the Pakistan Football Federation’s (PFF) efforts to arrange a series against the UAE or Qatar could not succeed and some departmental teams are training in Islamabad for the upcoming Pakistan Premier League matches, we decided to shift [to Islamabad] to play some friendly matches,” Tariq stated.

Pakistan are scheduled to face Bangladesh in Bangladesh on June 29 in the first leg of the qualifiers. In return, Bangladesh will come to Pakistan for the second leg on July 3, to be held most probably in Lahore.

“The PFF is still trying to arrange a two-match series against Nepal before reaching Bangladesh but the situation is not yet clear in this regard,” Tariq remarked.

Tariq said his team had shaped well, hoping the players would deliver in the qualifiers.

However, had Pakistan featured in a few more international matches, they would have posed a tougher challenge for Bangladesh.

The PFF efforts to arrange a friendly series against India in England next month are also in the doldrums as the Indian government has not yet issued NOC to its football federation for the said contest.

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Iranian football team bannd for wearing islamic dress

Iran will complain to world soccer’s governing body FIFA after its women’s team were banned from a qualifying game for next year’s Olympics due to their Islamic dress, the ISNA news agency reported on Sunday.

The Iranian team were banned from a match against Jordan shortly before the game was due to start in Amman on Friday, Iran’s state-run Press TV reported.

Jordan were awarded a 3-0 win in the second-round qualifying match.

“We will file a complaint to FIFA against the official in charge of the matches,” Ali Kafashian, head of Iran’s football federation, was quoted as saying by the student news agency ISNA.

The row over what Iran’s women players are allowed to wear has been brewing for more than a year. FIFA banned the team last April due to their plan to wear headscarves, in accordance with the Islamic dress code which requires all women in Iran to cover their hair in public.

The Iranian federation made changes to the kit and believed it had reached an acceptable compromise.

A photograph on Press TV’s website (http://www.presstv.ir/) showed players at Friday’s match in white tracksuits and head coverings that concealed their hair and ears, kneeling around the Iranian flag on the pitch.

“Although it has been said in FIFA’s regulations that no country can play with Islamic dress, we had necessary negotiations with FIFA officials,” Kafashian said.

“Unfortunately, I do not know why the Bahraini official in charge of the matches refused to let our team play.”

News reports in Iran stressed the Bahraini nationality of the official. Iran has been a vocal critic of the Sunni Muslim Bahraini monarchy’s violent crackdown on democracy protestors from the Shi’ite majority in recent months.

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Swiss hold England, Russia striker hits treble

Stuttering England were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Switzerland in their Euro 2012 qualifier on Saturday while Russia’s stand-in striker Roman Pavlyuchenko grabbed a hat-trick to secure a 3-1 win against Armenia.

Portugal beat Norway 1-0 to move top of Group H level on points with their opponents and Denmark who won 2-0 in Iceland.

England were only spared the indignity of losing top spot in Group G to Montenegro because the team from the tiny Balkan state also had to settle for a home draw, 1-1 against Bulgaria, after conceding their first goal in the group.

A routine 3-1 win over Malta kept Greece top of Group F while Israel stayed in the hunt by beating Latvia for the second time in three months, this time winning 2-1 away.

Pavlyuchenko, who last month criticised Russia coach Dick Advocaat’s team selection, was only in the starting lineup after leading scorer Alexander Kerzhakov suffered a knee injury.

Armenia, who had held Russia 0-0 at home, took a shock lead through Brazilian-born striker Marcos Pizzelli in the 25th minute to stun the St Petersburg crowd.

But Pavlyuchenko volleyed Russia level within a minute to steady their nerves, made it 2-1 just before the hour and sealed the points with a 73rd minute penalty.

“Of course, I’m quite happy with the outcome but not how we played,” said Advocaat.

“We had no margin for error in this match as we could not afford to lose any points. This made us look nervous.”

TOP TRIO

Russia are among three teams in the group on 13 points from six matches after Ireland beat Macedonia 2-0 with a Robbie Keane double – his 50th and 51st goals for his country – and Slovakia scraped a 1-0 win at home to bottom team Andorra.

Defender Miroslav Karhan, Slovakia’s most capped player with 103 appearances, volleyed home in the second half to give his side their fourth 1-0 win in the campaign.

At Wembley, Tranquillo Barnetta scored twice against England direct from freekicks in the space of three minutes just after the half hour, helped by woeful goalkeeping from Joe Hart and equally poor defending by the home side.

Frank Lampard pulled one back with a 37th minute penalty, substitute Ashley Young levelled six minutes into the second half and England missed several good chances to win the game.

“I am disappointed we didn’t win after being 2-0 up but I will not reprimand the team,” said Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld following the first game since the international retirement of record scorer Alexander Frei.

“I was pleased with the result in the end.

England have 11 points from five games, ahead of Montenegro on goal difference, with Switzerland and Bulgaria six points adrift.

SUPERB GOAL

Montenegro, who failed to win a game in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, looked set to go top when Radomir Djalovic volleyed them in front in the 53rd minute in Podgorica but Bulgaria striker Ivelin Popov equalised midway through the second half.

A superbly-taken goal by Helder Postiga, sweeping home Nani’s cross with a first-time shot on the turn in the 53rd minute, gave Portugal their third successive win in Group H as they continued their recovery from a poor start.

Portugal, beaten 1-0 by Norway in September, dominated but struggled to break down the visitors’ defence with all-time La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo unable to make his mark.

Second-half goals from Lasse Schone and Christian Eriksen gave Denmark a 2-0 win in Iceland to leave them on 10 points with leaders Portugal and third-placed Norway after five games.

Forward Giannis Fetfatzidis, 20, scored twice for Greece and 19-year-old Kyriakos Papadopoulos, making his debut, notched the other to leave them on 14 points from six games, one more than Croatia and Israel who both won their weekend matches 2-

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Germany, italy surge on as france are frustrated

Germany broke Austrian hearts with a last-gasp win in Vienna on Friday, extending their perfect start to Euro 2012 qualifying on a night of far more serene progress for Italy and frustration for France.

Germany returned to the scene of their reverse in the Euro 2008 final to dole out their customary defeat to Austria but only just, Mario Gomez scoring his second goal in the dying seconds to make it 2-1 and secure a sixth win from six Group A games.

Italy produced less drama in a fluent 3-0 win over Estonia, goals from Giuseppe Rossi, Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini keeping the Group C leaders five points clear of Slovenia, who were similarly untroubled in a 2-0 triumph over Faroe Islands.

The heavyweights from those two sections are well on their way to securing qualification as group winners, as are France despite being held 1-1 by Belarus in Minsk.

France went into the game seeking revenge for a 1-0 defeat in their opening qualifier in Belarus but Eric Abidal, who lifted the Champions League trophy for Barcelona on Saturday, came back to earth by scoring an own goal.

Despite an equaliser that came almost immediately through Florent Malouda, the twice former champions could not complete a comeback victory.

As it is, France remain four points clear of Belarus at the top of Group D. Romania are up to third on eight points thanks to a 3-0 win over Bosnia, Ciprian Marica getting two of the goals.

If any side can be relied upon to rouse themselves for an heroic effort after the domestic season is over it is Germany who made it six successive wins over neighbours Austria on their return to the Ernst Happel Stadium.

The German goals came at the end of each half, with Gomez scrambling the ball in from a corner in the 44th minute and sending in a bullet header for the second after an Arne Friedrich own-goal had looked like giving the Austrians a point.

Germany are almost certain to win the group but second spot, and a chance of reaching the finals in Poland and Ukraine via the playoffs, is wide open.

Belgium held on to second position as they ground out a 1-1 draw with Turkey who are a point behind them in third.

The hosts opened the scoring after four minutes, Marvin Ogunjimi grabbing his fourth goal in six matches, before a Turkey side managed by Guus Hiddink hit back midway through the first half through a Burak Yilmaz tap-in.

ELMANDER DOUBLE

Sweden gave their chances of taking second place in Group E a huge boost as they won 4-1 in Moldova, with two goals from Johan Elmander helping them on their way.

The Dutch lead that group with a perfect 18 points from six matches, with Sweden second on a healthy 12 points from five games.

Lower down the table Finland won 1-0 at San Marino to move up to six points from five games, still in with an outside chance of joining the battle for second.

Croatia went top of Group F with 13 points from six matches, a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Georgia in Split ending a 16-year wait for a victory at the Poljud stadium.

Nikola Kalinic, a local favourite after coming through the ranks at Hajduk Split, sent the crowd into raptures when he turned in Eduardo’s low cross for the winner 12 minutes from time.

Greece, who entertain Malta on Saturday, are second with 11 points from five games while Israel occupy third spot on 10 points from six matches pending their visit to Latvia on Saturday.

A total of nine qualifiers are being played on Saturday, with the Group H clash between second-placed Portugal and leaders Norway among the highlights.

Group G leaders England play Switzerland at Wembley and in a tight Group B leaders Ireland travel to Macedonia while second-placed Russia host Armenia and third-placed Slovakia are at home to Andorra.

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Zidane to be Real's news report director-- report

Real Madrid will appoint French great Zinedine Zidane, who currently works as an advisor the the club’s president on first-team affairs, as its new sports director, a newspaper reported on Thursday.

Real president Florentino Perez announced on Wednesday that the club’s management would be restructured following the dismissal of director general Jorge Valdano, who had clashed repeatedly with coach Jose Mourinho.

“There were two people with a strong sports character and the harmony that needs to exist was lacking. You were all witnesses of this over the past season. There was a clear dysfunction that needed to be resolved,” he said.

Perez said the restructuring would give the club a more “English” style that would grant Mourinho more autonomy over decision-making as the Portuguese coach has long demanded.

Zidane, who played for Real for five years between 2001 and 2006, has been a special advisor to Perez since November 2010.

The three-time FIFA World Player of the Year will now inherit the post of sports director, sports daily Marca, which is close to Real, reported.

Former Real forward Miguel Pardeza occupied the post at Real last season

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