Argentina players train in Shanghai on Saturday. Argentina face Ivory Coast in their Group A opening match tomorrow. — APpic

BEIJING: The Olympic men’s football competition, which kicks off tomorrow under a pall of legal action, shapes as a South American extravaganza featuring Argentina and Brazil — but not in the final.

Brazil striker Alexandre Pato.

As football celebrates 100 years as an Olympic sport, the South American powerhouses are drawn to meet in the semi-finals, if both win their group and quarter-final matches, leaving the other finals berths wide open.

The Netherlands have the strongest European claim ahead of Italy, and the United States also command respect in the 16-nation tournament, but none holds the same aura as defending champions Argentina and their neighbours Brazil.

Less than 48-hours before their opening matches, however, the South Americans were still in the dark about their line-ups.

European clubs Barcelona, Werder Bremen and Schalke are fighting to keep their young stars — Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Diego and Rafinha — out of the Games which clash with their own season.

Wayne Rooney is confident Carlos Tevez will pledge his long-term future to Manchester United.

The Argentina international has indicated he would be keen to stay on at Old Trafford when his loan deal expires next year.

‘I don’t see why that shouldn’t happen,’ said Rooney. ‘Carlos enjoys playing his football here.

‘He’s got his wife and child with him, who don’t live too far away from me.

‘He’s a nice quiet lad who gets on with his job and he’s enjoying his life.’

In the space of 12 months Tevez has gone from saving West Ham from relegation to winning a Barclays Premier League title with United.

He has formed a good understanding with Rooney and the respect is mutual ahead of the Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow on Wednesday.

‘Carlos is a great player and works really hard for the team. I had no doubts at all we could play together,’ said the England striker.

‘From his first day in training with us, you could see the qualities he had.

‘I couldn’t wait to play alongside him. He’s been brilliant, he’s a battler, he works so hard for the team - it’s been unbelievable.’

It is a big time in Rooney’s life, both professionally and personally as he is due to marry Coleen McLoughlin next month.

Beating Chelsea and getting a winners’ medal would be a perfect early gift, he admits.

‘Yes, it will make the wedding a bit better,’ said Rooney. ‘Of course, I’ll enjoy the summer more if I win.

‘However it wouldn’t be unbearable if we lost because you have your football and your family life.

‘They are two different things and you can’t really let it upset you too much.

‘You’ve still got people there around you and you don’t want to be sitting around grumpy.

‘When I am with my family, football doesn’t get mentioned that much.’

United retained their Premier League title on the last day and edged out Chelsea by two points.

Rooney is well aware of the threat posed by their league rivals, especially when it comes to striker Didier Drogba.

‘He’s big, strong, he scores goals - left foot, right foot, headers - at times he is unplayable,’ said Rooney.

‘Sometimes it seems as if his head’s not quite right but when he’s at his best he’s an unbelievable player.

‘I hope it’s like a Premier League game, an open game and end to end.

‘If Chelsea go one up it is very difficult to get back at them as they are more defensive than us.

‘If we go one up, we’d keep trying to get a second goal. That’s the main difference between the teams.

‘To win the Champions League on the back of winning the league would be a great achievement - we just have to go there to enjoy it.’

Article source:

ESPNSoccernet

NEW Zealand have always been a bogey team for Malaysia but coach Sarjit Singh aims to break the jinx today at the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh.

New Zealand beat Malaysia 1-0 in the Madrid Olympic Qualifier in 2004, and then 4-1 in the China Olympic Qualifier in 2006.

“This is the first time we will be playing New Zealand since I became national coach, and from what I saw in the NZ-India match (which NZ won 4-3), and NZ-Pakistan clash (which Pakistan won 6-3), they (New Zealand) have a formidable side. We will have to play well above our normal capabilities to beat them,” said Sarjit yesterday.

Malaysia were impressive against Pakistan on Thursday (though losing 4-3), and today’s match will show if the hosts have consistency. And then there is Hayden Shaw, the NZ penalty corner flicker who has always been a thorn in Malaysia’s side. He was instrumental in Malaysia’s defeats in both Qualifiers.

“We will have to stop Shaw for sure as he is a very consistent penalty corner flicker,” Sarjit said. “The priority will be to minimise penalty corner giveaways, and when we do, the first runner will have to work extra hard to stop Shaw.”
New Zealand, Canada, Pakistan and Belgium have already qualified for the Beijing Olympics, while India, Malaysia and Argentina missed the cut and are on a morale re-building campaign. “For me, not only do I want a good finish in the Azlan Shah Cup but I also want to see the players improve from the Japan Qualifier. I will use this tournament as an appraisal and those who choose to remain in the shadows will find themselves left out from the next tournament,” Sarjit warned.

To date, Argentina and Pakistan have been the impressive sides and will clash in today’s late match.

India have been a letdown but that was expected as the team selection was done at the eleventh hour due to turmoil within the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) which saw the removal of its president K.P.S. Gill and secretary Jothi Kumaran by the Indian Olympic Council.

Article source:

The New Straits Times 

KUALA LUMPUR: Forward S. Selvaraju will get the chance to get his scoring act right again in the Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament, which begins tomorrow in Ipoh.

The Perak-born player has given inconsistent performances in previous tournaments. He scored three goals in the Champions Trophy in Kuala Lumpur last December and expectations were high on him to deliver the goods in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Japan last month. But he fired blanks.

Coach Sarjit said that he was disappointed with Selvaraju’s performance in Japan but has decided to give him a chance to bounce back on the goal-scoring trail.

“I have included him in the team because he is an experienced player and I hope he will be sharp in the tournament in Ipoh,” said Sarjit.

Off target: Selvaraju failed to score during the Olympic qualifying tournament in Japan last month.

Selvaraju thanked Sarjit for keeping faith in him.

“I was really disappointed with my game in Japan and I promise to play much better and deliver the goals in the Sultan Azlan tournament,” he said.

Selvaraju made his national senior team debut in the tournament in Ipoh last year but failed to put his name on the score sheet.

The Tenaga Nasional employee said that he would definitely go all out to end his goal drought in the tournament.

“I will be playing in my home state and the pressure will be on me to perform. My only fear is aggravating my hamstring injury, which I suffered early last year,” said Selvaraju, who has 27 international caps to his credit.

The other forwards in the team are Chua Boon Huat, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin, Ismail Abu and Mohd Amirullah Abdul Aziz.

The national team will have two days of training in Ipoh before they take on Pakistan in the opening match tomorrow.

The other teams in the fray are Argentina, Canada, Belgium, India and New Zealand. Four of them – Pakistan, Canada, Belgium and New Zealand – will feature in the Beijing Olympics in August.

In last year’s tournament, Malaysia were beaten 1-3 by Australia in the final. The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have set a target for the team to reach the final again.

Article Source:

http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2008/5/7/sports/21169071&sec=sports