Jittery Brazil faces pressure to perform on home ground |
- Jittery Brazil faces pressure to perform on home ground
- Asian Currencies Gain This Week on Growth Outlook; Rupiah Drops
- Berydch fumes as Hawk-Eye goes blind in dark
- Japan reigns supreme at Asia-Pacific finals of real life ‘Iron Chef’
- MMEA: Security at Tanjung Datu under control
- Defence headaches mount for Wilmots as Vanden Borre is out
| Jittery Brazil faces pressure to perform on home ground Posted: 27 Jun 2014 05:49 PM PDT
The 16 remaining World Cup teams have still not recovered from their group battles, but the second round quickly gets underway with the Brazil-Chile game in Belo Horizonte at 1600 GMT and Colombia-Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro at 2000 GMT. Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari acknowledged the mounting pressure to perform on home territory. "It is understandable that one should feel uncomfortable and anxious, especially when you get to the knockout stage. We can't afford to make a mistake," Scolari said. "There is a bit more anxiety, more nerves. But that is normal in any competition, not just because we are in Brazil. When I am on my own and I start to think, I do get a bit nervous." Brazil captain Thiago Silva, 29, said the pressure started in their opening 3-1 victory against Croatia in particular. "We have to control our anxiety as much as possible. In the first game, I wasn't myself. I wondered if I had forgotten how to play," said Silva. Brazil have beaten Chile in all three of their World Cup meetings, including 3-0 in the last 16 of the 2010 tournament. They have probably never played such a strong Chilean team though. Alexis Sanchez and Artur Vidal have given the Andes nation added class as they showed in their win over Spain in Group B. And coach Jorge Sampaoli is continually pressing his team to attack. Sanchez says he believes his side will win "We came here to make history," he insisted. Brazil have a doubt about centre-back David Luiz and Bayern Munich's Dante could be drafted in. Juventus midfielder Vidal, who is not 100 per cent fit, should return for Chile after being rested for the 2-0 defeat to Netherlands. Sampaoli is worried about defender Gary Medel, who picked up an ankle knock in training. The winners will play Colombia or Uruguay in the quarter-final. Uruguay without Suarez And the world will find out in Rio just how badly the four-month ban imposed on Suarez for biting an Italian opponent this week has affected Uruguay. "We know the ability that Uruguay have and in each match they give every last drop of sweat. It will be a highly emotional match, where Uruguay will want to do things correctly," said Colombia's goalkeeper David Ospina, who is based in France. Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez made light of Suarez's absence. "We've already played lots of matches without Suarez," he said. "We've won some, and we've lost some, and he wasn't there against Costa Rica either." With Colombia also missing the injured Radamel Falcao, the Rio match could turn into a duel between stand-ins Edinson Cavani for Uruguay and James Rodriguez for Colombia who was rested for his side's 4-1 demolition of Japan on Wednesday. Tomorrow's game will be the first time that Uruguay have played a World Cup match at the Maracana since stunning Brazil 2-1 in the deciding fixture of the 1950 tournament. It is also a chance for Colombia to make history as they have never reached the World Cup quarter finals. — AFP  |
| Asian Currencies Gain This Week on Growth Outlook; Rupiah Drops Posted: 27 Jun 2014 05:48 PM PDT
Manufacturing in China rose at the fastest pace in seven months, South Korea's current-account surplus widened and Taiwan's factory output grew more than estimated, reports showed this week. Global investors pumped more than US$5 billion (RM16 billion) this month into six Asian emerging stock markets tracked by Bloomberg. The Bloomberg-JPMorgan Asia Dollar Index, which tracks the region's 10 most-active currencies excluding the yen, rose 0.15 per cent in the past five days and 0.6 per cent this quarter. The won strengthened 0.7 per cent since June 20 to 1,013.60 per dollar in Seoul, while Taiwan's dollar and the Malaysian ringgit gained 0.3 per cent to RM29.962 and 3.2135, respectively, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. "The Korean won has done well and that's a continuing story of current-account surplus," said Mirza Baig, BNP Paribas SA's Singapore-based head of Asia currency and rates strategy. "There have been massive inflows into Taiwan's stock market. There's some fundamental support for these North Asian currencies." The won recorded its biggest five-day advance in eight weeks and reached 1,013.25 yesterday, the strongest level since August 2008. South Korea's current-account surplus widened to US$9.3 billion in May from US$7.1 billion in April, central bank data showed yesterday. The nation attracted US$10.07 billion of foreign direct investment in the first half, up from US$8 billion a year earlier, according to a government report. Taiwan's industrial output rose 5.19 per cent from a year earlier in May, exceeding the median estimate of economists for a 2.75 per cent gain, a June 23 report showed. The island's central bank held its key interest rate at 1.875 per cent at a meeting June 26 while expanding mortgage restrictions. The rupiah retreated 0.2 per cent in the past five days to 11,995 per dollar and reached a four-month low of 12,110 yesterday, according to prices from local banks. Bank Indonesia has allowed the currency to become temporarily undervalued to increase competitiveness of exports while reducing imports, Senior Deputy Governor Mirza Adityaswara told reporters in Jakarta June 24. Southeast Asia's largest economy had a trade deficit of US$1.96 billion in April, the biggest since July, as exports dropped 3.16 per cent, official figures showed this month. The central bank held its key interest rate at 7.5 per cent on June 12 after data in May showed the current-account shortfall narrowed to US$4.19 billion in the first quarter from US$4.31 billion the previous three months. "Indonesia can't depend only on monetary policy to address the current-account deficit, but it also needs to revive exports," said Mika Martumpal, treasury research and strategy head at PT Bank CIMB Niaga in Jakarta. Elsewhere in Asia, India's rupee climbed 0.2 per cent this week to 60.0850 per dollar and China's yuan strengthened 0.13 per cent to 6.2181. The Philippine peso rose 0.1 per cent to 43.753, Thailand's baht was little changed at 32.471, while Vietnam's dong slipped 0.1 per cent to 21,330. — Bloomberg |
| Berydch fumes as Hawk-Eye goes blind in dark Posted: 27 Jun 2014 05:46 PM PDT
Berdych, the 2010 finalist and sixth seed, went down to a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) defeat on Court 3 in a match which ended at 21:40 local time (22:40GMT), the latest finish for a tie on an outside court in the tournament's history. But the sophisticated Hawk-Eye technology cannot function when it gets too dark and Berdych fumed over the decision to play on despite the unavailability of the system used by players to challenge calls. "If I start the match on a court where we don't have Hawk-Eye, it's how it is since the beginning. But if somebody tells me that some machine doesn't work just because of the light, and that we don't have enough, so why we have to play?," he asked. "Everybody is saying that the machine is always correct, it's always the best way and we cannot argue with that. "We can try to tell to the football guys that after 90 minutes they don't have the video of the goal line technology because it (lasts just for) 90 minutes." Berdych believes he was on the wrong end of a series of calls which, had there been the access to a challenge, would have been over-turned. The big Czech found some sympathy from defending champion Andy Murray who is in the same half of the draw as Berdych and Cilic. "I'm not sure exactly what time Hawk-Eye stops. From a player's perspective, when the light starts to go, it's tough to play good tennis, to play properly," said Murray. "I don't think you want matches to be decided on someone shanking a ball because they can't see it. You want players to be able to play their best tennis for as long as possible. If it was too dark to see, then they should have stopped." — AFP |
| Japan reigns supreme at Asia-Pacific finals of real life ‘Iron Chef’ Posted: 27 Jun 2014 05:37 PM PDT
After two days of battling it out in the pressure cooker that is Bocuse d'Or Asia-Pacific, chef Hideki Takayama of Japan took first place, cementing the country's reputation as one to watch when the finals take place in Lyon next January. At the previous Bocuse d'Or in 2013 — also known as the culinary Olympics — Japan placed third. "The level has been rising consistently over the years, and the jury was impressed by the overall high standards and level of professionalism," said jury president Jerome Bocuse in a statement. Coming in second place was Singapore. Malaysia placed third. In addition to the three finalists, Australia and South Korea will also get the chance to compete next year. The real life Iron Chef cooking stadium required chefs from participating countries to prepare two dishes — one a fish dish, the other meat — in 5 hours and 35 minutes. Chefs competed under the same constraints as the grand finale in Lyon, which takes place January 27-29 in 2015. — Afp-Relaxnews |
| MMEA: Security at Tanjung Datu under control Posted: 27 Jun 2014 05:36 PM PDT
Kuching Maritime District (DM11) enforcement chief, Maritime Commander Hariani Mahmod said there were no threats encountered during the patrols nor was there any untoward incident. "Sarawak MMEA is giving the assurance that the area is safe but we are still placing several assets in the area for monitoring purpose," she said at a press conference at the Tun Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex (Komtas), in Muara Tebas yesterday. She was commenting on the situation in late May when Indonesia claimed that Malaysia had trespassed its waters by one nautical mile by building a beacon in Tanjung Datu, which borders the waters of both countries. — Bernama |
| Defence headaches mount for Wilmots as Vanden Borre is out Posted: 27 Jun 2014 05:35 PM PDT
Vanden Borre suffered a fracture to his fibula during Friday's 1-0 win over South Korea. "Anthony wont play again at this World Cup but will stay with our team," said Wilmots on his Twitter account. Vanden Borre underwent test at a hospital in Sao Paulo following the game as his ankle was badly swollen. He originally thought it was merely a twisted ankle but the results showed he had a fracture. The 26-year-old, who finished the game limping, is not Wilmots' first choice right-back and was only playing against the Koreans as Toby Alderweireld was rested, along with several other regular starters. Ahead of Belgium's last 16 clash with the United States in Salvador on Wednesday, the Red Devils also have concerns over captain Vincent Kompany, who has not trained since Thursday due to a groin problem. Arsenal centre-back Thomas Vermaelen is also a doubt having injured his thigh against Russia five days ago, although he started running again yesterday. Another defender, Laurent Ciman, had an injection in his groin and is yet another doubt. "I hope to have these three players back. We'll see on Tuesday, the day before the match," said Wilmots. — AFP |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malay Mail Online | All To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
