D8 WORLD CUP NOTEBOOK Injury bug bites Associated Press
The injuries just keep coming and plenty of big-name players are being affected with the World Cup less than a week away.
A day after Ivory Coast strik- er Didier Drogba and England captain Rio Ferdinand were hurt, Netherlands winger Arjen Robben limped off the field with a left hamstring injury and Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel was ruled out of the tour- nament in South Africa because of his ailing knee. Robben scored two goals be- fore being hurt in the Dutch team’s 6-1 win over Hungary in Amsterdam.
“I thought to myself, ‘This
can’t be true,’ ” Netherlands Coach Bert van Marwijk said Saturday. “He made an unnatu- ral movement and injured his hamstring.”
Robben came on as a second- half substitute against Hungary before leaving the game in the 85th minute. “He felt a sharp pain. That
can’t be good,” Van Marwijk said. “Treatment for these in- juries has improved hugely, so I’m not giving up hope yet.” The Dutch have another in-
jury concern in center back John Heitinga. He was substi- tuted after about an hour against the Hungarians and his ankle was immediately wrapped in ice. Nigeria’s Mikel will miss the
World Cup because he has not recovered from knee surgery. He will be replaced by Ideye Brown, Nigeria Football Feder- ation spokesman Ademola Ola- jire said. Slovakia defender Martin
Skrtel was also hurt Saturday. The central defender, who plays club soccer for England’s Liver- pool, injured his ankle in the 13th minute of Slovakia’s 3-0 win over Costa Rica, but he is expected to travel with the team to South Africa. The World Cup opens next Friday, but many of the world’s
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KLMNO SOCCER
SUNDAY, JUNE 6, 2010
more star players Dutch winger Robben hurts hamstring, could miss tournament
most famous players will be missing. Former England captain Da- vid Beckham, perhaps the most recognizable athlete in the world, was ruled out of the tournament in March when he tore his Achilles’ tendon while playing for Italian club AC Mi- lan. Germany captain Michael Ballack soon followed with an ankle injury in May, and Ghana midfielder Michael Essien was ruled out last week after failing to recover from a knee injury. Others suffering injuries in- clude Mexico forward Guiller- mo Franco, Italy playmaker An- drea Pirlo, Chile striker Hum- berto Suazo and U.S. striker Jozy Altidore. Germany has also lost goalkeeper Rene Adler and midfielder Simon Rolfes to in- jury. Under FIFA rules, teams can replace injured players up to a day before their opening match.
North Korea still quiet
The North Korean World Cup squad has held its fourth train- ing session in South Africa with foreign media yet to be allowed in.
The media-shy North Ko- reans are making their second World Cup appearance and first since 1966. They worked out Saturday at the Makhulong Sta- dium in the township of Tembi- sa, near Johannesburg. Access was granted to only a
North Korean TV crew and FI- FA’s TV unit as Kim Jong Hun’s squad prepared for an exhibi- tion against Nigeria at Mak- hulong on Sunday. The secre- tive communist country is re- quired to give journalists access five days before its first match, which is against Brazil June 15.
Match referees selected
Uzbek referee Ravshan Irma- tov will work Friday’s opening World Cup match between Mexico and South Africa, which kicks off at 10 a.m. Eastern time. Brazil’s Carlos Simon got the high-profile United States- England game Saturday. An international ref since
2003, Irmatov is the only Uzbek referee to have officiated in the final stages of a FIFA tourna- ment. He is currently rated as the Asian confederation’s top referee.
KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/GETTY IMAGES Edson Buddle, right, is all smiles after his second goal for the United States. Robbie Findley, left, and Australia’s Craig Moore, center, look on. Buddle scores twice to lead U.S.
Lineup rounding into shape heading into World Cup opener
by Steven Goff
roodepoort, south africa — The U.S. national team’s final tuneup for the World Cup was played on Saturday amid a ca- cophony of honking vuvuzelas at Ruimsig Stadium. The most eminent clamor,
however, was provided by Edson Buddle, who, in just his third ap- pearance, scored twice in a 3-1 victory over Australia to strengthen his bid for a starting assignment against England next weekend in the Group C opener. Buddle, the Los Angeles Gal- axy marksman who leads MLS in goals, scored from a step inside the penalty area in the fourth minute and converted a go-ahead header in the 31st for his first ca- reer U.S. goals. Reserve Herculez Gomez, an- other forward with limited inter- national experience but round- ing into form at the model time, added a late goal.
“Edson continues to get more
comfortable within the group,” Coach Bob Bradley said. “Today you saw really the things that have highlighted his MLS season so far: taking chances well, good finishing, scoring a goal off a di- rect hard shot and scoring a goal with his head. Good things.” Bradley declined to discuss
Buddle’s outlook for starting next Saturday, but with prime target Jozy Altidore recovering from a sprained ankle and Landon Don- ovan and Clint Dempsey becom- ing comfortable on the midfield flanks, Buddle might have emerged as the best option. Asked if his performance will
PETER DEJONG/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Netherlands’ Arjen Robben, left, suffered a hamstring injury against Hungary that could keep him out of the World Cup.
MLS United has opportunities, but again is unable to finish
King misses chance in 0-0 draw with Real Salt Lake; Perkins solid
by Paul Tenorio There were several positives to
take away from D.C. United’s 0-0 draw with defending MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake on Sat- urday night: The continued confi- dent play of teenager Andy Najar, the one shot on goal allowed by its defense, the team’s first shut- out of the season and the number of solid opportunities created go- ing forward. In the end, though United was unable to capitalize on its chanc- es and expand its three-game win streak in front of 15,328 at RFK Stadium, it maintained a run of four straight games without a loss and could walk away still feeling positive about its direction — es- pecially considering the club’s trajectory just a few weeks ago. United enjoyed nearly all of the
quality chances throughout the match — goalkeeper Troy Perkins did not have to make a save until injury time — and D.C. looked dangerous for substantial stretch- es in both the first and second halves. Somehow, though, United could not find the back of the net. The best opportunities for ei- ther team came on the foot of D.C.
midfielder Stephen King, but the midfielder was unable to finish ei- ther. In the 53rd minute, King dis- possessed Real Salt Lake defend- er Jamison Olave 12 yards from net but completely missed the frame with his gift-wrapped op- portunity. Then in the 58th, Najar did well to beat his defender on an overlap of Simms, then cut back and served a ball across the box. Chris Pontius’s shot was blocked, but the rebound fell alone to King, who again missed the target — this time blasting the ball just over the crossbar. United Coach Curt Onalfo made some surprise decisions in the lineup, starting the veteran Perkins over 19-year-old Bill Ha- mid, and re-inserting Dejan Ja- kovic into the lineup. Jakovic had not played since April 10 due to a broken collarbone. Perkins was solid in United’s win over Real Salt Lake in its mid- week U.S. Open Cup qualifier and after Hamid had allowed two shaky goals last Saturday in a win over Chivas USA, Onalfo opted to go with the veteran in the impor- tant league game. For much of the match there
was little matter about who mind- ed the net, as Perkins wasn’t called upon at all besides hauling in crosses. United was dangerous in the early goings, mostly through 17-
ler scored in the 27th minute and the New York Red Bulls went into the World Cup break with their second consecutive win, 1-0 over Chivas USA.
Stammler scored his second
goal of the season after the Chivas defense cleared the ball out about 30 yards in front of the goal. Stammler fired a low shot that easily beat diving goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to right post. The Red Bulls (7-5-0) appeared
LUIS ALVAREZ/ASSOCIATED PRESS
year-old Najar, whose confidence on the ball was on display, show- casing what makes the teenager such a dynamic threat on the out- side. Najar went at defenders in the third and fourth minutes with runs that nearly resulted in goals. First, he took possession on the right wing and cut inside before laying it off to overlapping de- fender Jordan Graye, whose cross was nearly put into the net by Real Salt Lake defender Nat Borchers’s whiffed attempt at a
Real Salt Lake’s Tony Beltran, front, and D.C. United’s Daniel Allsopp go for a header at RFK Stadium. United notes: United defender
clearance. A minute later Najar again showed his class, dispossessing a Salt Lake player and taking two defenders on before cutting back and laying the ball off to Clyde Simms, who ripped a shot just wide of the post. It was Najar again facilitating
an attack in the 16th minute, this time sliding a ball back to King, who dribbled through traffic and hit a blistering shot that Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando could only parry away.
Rodney Wallace left in the 24th minute after being kicked by Al- varo Saborio while blocking a shot. The team announced Wal- lace had a bone bruise and the de- fender was taken for X-rays. . . . United forward Jaime Moreno, who was left out of the 18, was in the fan section drumming and singing along with fans at one point during the match.
Red Bulls top Chivas USA In Harrison, N.J., Seth Stamm-
to have a second goal in the 81st minute as Juan Pablo Angel slid into a crossing pass from Joel Lindpere, but was ruled offside. WIZARDS 0, TORONTO FC 0: Toronto FC extended its unbeaten streak to five games after a draw against visiting Kansas City. Toronto (5-4-2) missed a chance to move ahead of second- place New York in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards (2-5-3) stretched their winless streak to eight games.
tenoriop@washpost.com —From news services
Real Salt Lake........................... 0 0 — 0 D.C. United................................ 0 0 — 0
First half: None. Second half: None.
Lineups
Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando [GK], Tony Beltran, Robbie Russell, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Col- len Warner (Andy Williams, 61st), Will Johnson, Javier Morales, Jean Alexandre (Ned Grabavoy, 45th), Alvaro Saborio (Pablo Campos, 84th), Fabi- an Espindola. D.C. United: Troy Perkins [GK] , Jordan Graye, De- jan Jakovic, Juan Manuel Pena (Julius James, 62nd), Rodney Wallace (Devon McTavish, 24th), Andy Najar, Clyde Simms, Stephen King, Danny Allsopp (Adam Cristman, 81st), Santino Quaran- ta, Chris Pontius.
make it more difficult for Bradley to select his frontline starters, Buddle said: “I’ve given him a bit
ing touch was woeful. Findley pressured Vincenzo Grella into a giveaway, allowing Buddle to take possession and rip a 17-yard shot into the right side. “My first option was to go to
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
Reserve HerculezGomez scores a late goal in the U.S.’s 3-1 victory over Australia, the team’s final tuneup before the World Cup.
of a headache probably, but it’s a good headache.”
Another mounting headache is Oguchi Onyewu, the towering center back from Olney who did not play the full 90 minutes in any of the three friendlies lead- ing to the World Cup after recov- ering from a knee injury that sidelined him for about seven months. Is he ready for the sport’s ulti-
mate test and to face the likes of England superstar Wayne Roo- ney? “We’ll see,” Bradley said. Against Australia, Onyewu en- tered in the 61st minute for Clar- ence Goodson, the Springfield native who started all three tune- ups.
“I don’t think I’ve shown in the
last two games any signs of weak- ness in my game,” said Onyewu.
“So I just have to wait till next Saturday and see what comes.” Most of the assignments seem
set: Tim Howard in goal, Steve Cherundolo at right back, cap- tain Carlos Bocanegra at left back and Jay DeMerit in the mid- dle alongside Onyewu or Good- son. Michael Bradley is certain in central midfield with Maurice Edu or Ricardo Clark, who start- ed Saturday. José Torres and Stuart Holden, neither of whom played after good showings in the earlier friendlies, remain in contention. The frontline, however, re- mains unsettled, though Buddle made a strong case for a starting assignment while Robbie Findley took a step back. Findley’s speed and partnership with Buddle troubled Australia but his finish-
[Findley], and everyone over- committed and it freed me up and I got a good strike on goal,” Buddle said. Findley did not do as well, run- ning clear and rounding goal- keeper Mark Schwarzer before missing an open net. The Soc- ceroos drew even in the 19th when Tim Cahill eluded two de- fenders on a corner kick and beat Howard, his teammate at English club Everton, with a low volley. Despite showing marked im- provement on defense over their first two friendlies, Americans remained susceptible to set pieces and crosses. “The area that I would look at the most,” Bob Bradley said, “is just some of the poor clearances.” Buddle struck again in the 31st minute, the recipient of Cherun- dolo’s outstanding cross from the right corner. Inside the six-yard box, Buddle neatly headed it home. “He has carried his league form over here and everything he touches seems to go in,” Howard said. “Strikers are streaky, and he seems to be on that streak.”
goffs@washpost.com
United States ........................... 2 1 — 3 Australia.................................... 1 0 — 1
First half: 1, USA, Buddle, 4th minute. 2, Australia, Cahill (Wilkshire), 19th. 3, USA, Buddle (Cherundolo), 31st. Second half: 4, USA, Gomez (Donovan), 90th. Yellow Cards
Dempsey, US, 37th;
Moore, Aus, 37th; Grella, Aus, 76th. Lineups
United States: Tim Howard (Marcus Hahnemann, 46) [GK]; Steve Cherundolo, Jay DeMerit, Clar- ence Goodson (Oguchi Onyewu, 61), Carlos Boca- negra (Jonathan Bornstein, 55); Landon Donovan, Ricardo Clark, Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey (Herculez Gomez, 82); Robbie Findley, Edson Bud- dle (DaMarcus Beasley, 78). Australia: Mark Schwarzer [GK]; Luke Wilkshire, Lucas Neill, Craig Moore, Scott Chipperfield; Rich- ard Garcia, Vince Grella, Tim Cahill (Carl Valeri, 46), Jason Culina (Dario Vidosic, 61), Mark Bre- sciano; Josh Kennedy (Nikita Rukavytsya, 71). Referee: Addul Ebrahim, South Africa. Linesmen: Luyanda Somi, Andrew Reezers (RSA), South Africa. A: NA.
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