DURBAN, Dec 19 — Ernie Els fired a second consecutive round of seven-under-par 65 to take a two-shot lead after the second round of the rain-hit South African Open at the Durban Country Club yesterday.

South African Els, who began the day trailing overnight leaders Retief Goosen and Alex Cejka by one stroke, moved clear after a bogey-free round.

Els will head into a marathon 36 holes today at 14-under-par while Goosen, who signed for a second round four-under-par 68 moved to 12-under-par for the tournament.

The South African veterans will be joined in the final third round grouping by 19-year-old French rookie Romain Wattel who followed up his five-under-par in the first round with a six-under par second round 66 for a total of 133.

British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen struck four birdies and an eagle after the turn for a 67 and is a shot further back on 10 under along with fellow South African Charl Schwartzel.

Goosen made a steady start to his round with seven consecutive pars then made his move around the turn with three birdies before closing with a birdie on the short par four 18th.

Wattel, playing in his first European Tour event, enjoyed a solid front nine which saw him fire three birdies and an eagle on the 501-yard par-five eighth hole after he chipped in after his second shot found the fringe of the green.

With the wind once again refusing to blow on the coastal course Els took full advantage of his early tee-time to set himself up perfectly in his quest for a fifth SA Open title.

"I've been quite patient this week and played within myself. I would like to do that tomorrow because if you hit one bad shot on this course it can turn into a double-bogey pretty quickly," Els, the three-times winner told reporters.

The 41-year-old, who has had trouble with his putting in recent times, holed three birdies on his front nine before picking up four more shots on the way in.

"I feel like I'm hitting the ball nicely so it gives me a bit of confidence on the tees and my second shots," he said. "For a while I haven't felt very comfortable with my putting and it bothers you.

But I feel more at ease with myself and my game this week."

Only two-and-a-half hours play were possible on the first day of the tournament on Thursday because of torrential rain and players face two rounds today to complete the tournament.

Goosen said it would be no easy task.

"It's going to be a long walk. It is quite a hilly course and the first 18 holes should be okay but it will be the survival of the fittest when we go out again," he explained.

The organisers' decision to move the cut line to 50 plus ties instead of 65 plus ties in an attempt to complete two rounds on the final day meant that the mark was set relatively low at three-under. — Reuters

 

LONDON, Dec 19 — Sunderland took full advantage of beating the freeze as they battled to a 1-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers yesterday to climb to sixth in the Premier League.

In the only other top-flight game to survive the Arctic weather, managerless Blackburn Rovers drew 1-1 at home with bottom club West Ham United.

Heavy snowfall and sub-zero temperatures put paid to the rest of yesterday's and today's games, including the Stamford Bridge showdown between champions Chelsea and league leaders Manchester United.

United have 34 points to the 32 of Arsenal and Manchester City, who will go top if they beat Everton at home on Monday.

Chelsea have 31 points with Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland both on 27. Bolton slip to seventh on 26.

Sunderland, along with Manchester United the only teams with an unbeaten home record, have now won five and drawn four of their nine games at the Stadium of Light.

They got their goal yesterday after 32 minutes when Darren Bent did well to control a deep cross and after his shot was parried by Jussi Jaaskelainen Danny Welbeck threw himself at the rebound to head his fifth goal in six games.

Sunderland had Craig Gordon to thank for keeping them ahead when their goalkeeper brought back memories of one of the club's most famous moments — Jim Montgomery's amazing save in the 1973 FA Cup final upset win over Leeds United.

After a corner was nodded back across the six-yard box Zat Knight shot goalwards from point-blank range only for Gordon to somehow get a hand to the ball, which was almost past him, and divert it up and over the bar.

Bolton pressed hard for the equaliser in the second half and Ivan Klasnic had two great chances in the dying moments but failed to connect properly on both occasions.

"If at the start of the season you'd offered me sixth place at Christmas I would have been pretty happy to take it," said Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, who was forced to apologise to the club's fans following a 5-1 thrashing by local rivals Newcastle United two months ago.

"We have a bit of spirit, some hard work and we have some good players too."

Blackburn, who sacked manager Sam Allardyce on Monday, led at Ewood Park with a scrambled effort by Ryan Nelson early in the second half.

West Ham, so hard-hit by injuries that they had to give a debut to fourth-choice goalkeeper Ruud Boffin, earned a desperately-needed point through Junior Stanislas 12 minutes from time to ease the pressure on manager Avram Grant for a few days at least. — Reuters

 

VAL D'ISERE, France (AP): American skier Lindsey Vonn won her first downhill race of the season at Val d'Isere on Saturday to close the gap on overall World Cup leader Maria Riesch.

Vonn, the three-time defending World Cup champion and reigning Olympic downhill champion, had finished second behind her German rival in both downhills at Lake Louise two weeks ago.

Despite a small wobble near the top section of the 2.8-kilometer (1.7-mile) Oreiller-Killy course, Vonn finished in a provisional time of 1 minute, 51.42 seconds.

Swiss pair Nadja Kamer and Lara Gut were second and third respectively.

Vonn was .001 down on Kamer at the second time split, but picked up speed on the second part of the course to beat her by .68 seconds, and the 19-year-old Gut by .80.

Riesch started poorly in soft conditions and kept losing more time to Vonn, finishing 2.28 seconds adrift in a lowly 24th place.

Vonn's win moves her top of the downhill standings ahead of Riesch.

The clear blue skies and bright sunshine were a stark contrast to Friday's weather when the super-G race - already postponed last weekend at the Swiss resort of St. Moritz - was called off again because of heavy snowfall and almost no visibility.

Elisabeth Goergl of Austria finished in fourth place on Saturday, with French veteran Ingrid Jacquemod tied for fifth with Italy's Johanna Schnarf, who was the first to start.

Riesch's run, meanwhile, went from bad to worse.

She was 1.09 behind Vonn on the first time split, then 1.10 and 1.95.

Moments after crossing the line, Riesch looked startled, shrugged her shoulders and then bowed her head.

Andrea Dettling was one of the first down on Saturday and crashed near the top section, flying sideways into the netting.

But the Swiss skier got back up on her feet after a few seconds without any assistance and appeared unharmed.

KUALA LUMPUR: Defending overall champions Tenaga Nasional scored a goal in each half to beat fancied Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) 2-0 to retain the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Charity Shield at the Tun Razak Stadium here last night.

National defender Mohd Amin Rahim converted a penalty corner in the 33rd minute and pint-sized 18-year-old Faiz Helmi Jali scored a field goal in the 69th minute.

In the season-opener last year, Tenaga defeated Sapura 4-3 in a penalty shootout after both teams failed to score in the regulation and extra time.

Tenaga coach Nor Saiful Zaini was delighted that his boys took their chances well to down KLHC.

"My boys did well playing in heavy conditions caused by rain since late afternoon. It was a good start for us, earning full points as well in our opening match (in the Premier League," he said.

KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj was disappointed over the performance of the forwards.

"We also failed to make use of three penalty corners we earned the match. Our game was also affected by rain," he said.

KLHC had seven internationals in their ranks but failed to make an impact in the match.

And Tenaga took the lead off their second penalty corner with Amin sounding the board with a low flick.

Tenaga, who are most successful team in the MHL with a total of 12 titles, earned two more penalty corners in the 49th and 50th minute but Amin, who is country's top penalty corner flicker, failed to make them count.

KLHC pushed their forwards in search for the equalising goal but goalkeeper S. Kumar kept them at bay.

Tenaga sealed the match in the 69th minute when Faiz received a through pass from national forward Faizal Saari before slamming the ball past goalkeeper Khairulnizam Ibrahim.

IT has been 14 years since Malaysia last appeared in the final of the AFF tournament and today K. Rajagobal's young guns are a mere 90 minutes away from rewriting history in Hanoi.

Never mind that Vietnam's coach Henrique Calisto went on the offensive yesterday when he said Malaysia's first leg win was earned through unfair means and hope to teach the national side a lesson today.

Calisto blamed the 50,000 Malaysian fans who turned out in Bukit Jalil on Wednesday for distracting his team by aiming laser pointers at the Vietnam players, although the claim remains unsubstantiated.

The Portuguese did not mention the laser pointers in the post-match press conference on Wednesday but instead chose yesterday's meeting in Hanoi to make his accusation besides putting pressure on the match officials to favour the home team.

"Malaysia won (on Wednesday) without fair play. They won because of laser in my players' eyes. The referee too must play an important role and not let what happened in Malaysia happen again," said Calisto, who on Wednesday faulted China's Sun Baojie for favouring Malaysia in the first leg.

Calisto's comments may have been prompted by pressure he is facing to save his job should the defending champions be eliminated at the semi-final stage.

If anything, Calisto's blase accusations should only serve to fire up a young Malaysian side set to write themselves into the history books with a first final appearance since 1996.

Malaysia's last achievement at senior level in Southeast Asia remains the 1989 Sea Games gold medal won in Kuala Lumpur at the famed Merdeka Stadium.

Discounting last year's Sea Games triumph in Vientiane, which was an Under-23 tournament, and Merdeka Tournament titles in 1993 and 2007 against mediocre opposition, it has been 21 years since success-starved Malaysian fans have had a real reason to celebrate.

While not wanting to look any further than the semi-final second leg at the My Dinh Stadium, where Malaysia will defend a 2-0 first leg lead, Rajagobal briefly entertained thoughts of making the final again for the first time since 1996.

"Now that we are here, we are only one step away from the final. I know I said before 2012 was our target but we have an opportunity to make it happen now.

"We won't have a better chance and we want to push our way through," said Rajagobal at the pre-match press conference yesterday.

Safee Sali, Malaysia's two-goal hero on Wednesday, will be looking to add to his tally along with strike partner Norshahrul Idlan Talaha.

The only change is likely to be at right-back where Sabre Mat Abu should start in place of the erratic Mahalli Jasuli.

"The players need to believe in themselves. We have a two-goal cushion and we have to be at our best," added Rajagobal.

TENAGA Nasional Berhad (TNB) retained their Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) Charity Shield title by defeating Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) 2-0 at the Tun Razak Stadium in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

It was a scrappy match as the heavy downpour since late afternoon made it difficult for both teams to produce a high quality performance on the soggy pitch.

TNB coach Nor Saiful Zaini hopes the victory would spur his players to regain the MHL title.

"It was a difficult match due to the rain but we won because my players kept their focus on their game," said Nor Saiful at the Tun Razak Stadium in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

"Although, we won today (yesterday), I am not too happy with my players' performance. But I am confident they will do better after a few matches."

TNB earned their first penalty corner of the match after 15 minutes but Amin Rahim's powerful trademark drag flick was brilliantly padded away by KLHC goalkeeper Kairulnizam Ibrahim.

Five minutes later, KLHC midfielder Shahrun Nabil Abdullah managed to dribble past several TNB defenders inside the semi-circle but his attempt was deflected off the stick of Amin.

KLHC, the last year's MHL champions, earned a penalty corner in the 30th minute but the attempt from Razie Abd Rahim sailed wide.

A foul in the semi-circle earned TNB their second penalty corner and Amin, this time, made no mistake by sounding the board with a low flick two minutes before halftime.

In the opening minutes of the second half, KLHC came charging into their opponents' half but were let down by poor passing.

In the 40th minute, KLHC forced a penalty corner but Razie again failed to convert by flicking the ball wide.

TNB forwards, led by Faizal Saari, were creating a lot of space for themselves in their opponents' half but couldn't find the opening.

However, they earned back-to-back penalty corners in the 49th minute but Amin failed to make it count.

KLHC pressed hard and had a couple of good chances to level proceedings but forwards Ismail Abu and Azlan Misron failed to capitalise on them..

In the 64th minute, KLHC's attempt from a penalty corner through Baljit Singh failed to beat goalkeeper S. Kumar.

TNB increased their lead through Faiz Helmi Jali, who latched onto a pass from Faizal, before sounding board past goalkeeper Khairulnizam in the 69th minute.

Sukan

Rajagobal harap anak buah bermain seperti biasa, elak kesilapan

K RAJAGOBAL tetap optimis dengan peluang anak buahnya untuk mara ke final walaupun lawan, Vietnam kembali mendapat khidmat tiga tonggaknya yang tidak beraksi pada separuh akhir pertama di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil, Rabu lalu.

"Sebagai jurulatih saya perlu optimistik dengan keupayaan skuad negara," kata Rajagobal dalam sidang media di Hanoi semalam menjelang aksi separuh akhir kedua di Stadium My Dinh malam ini. "Tiada yang mustahil jika pemain mempamerkan permainan konsisten seperti ditunjukkan sebelum ini.

"Walaupun ada tiga pemain yang sebelum ini tidak dapat beraksi kerana digantung dan mengalami kecederaan kembali beraksi, itu tidak mengubah corak persiapan kami untuk menghadapi Vietnam." Ketika sesi latihan pertama di Kuala Lumpur, Rajagobal memberi tumpuan terhadap corak kesebelasan utama Henrique Calisto tanpa mengetepikan pemain lawan yang tidak beraksi. "Saya rasa pemain sudah bersedia menangani skuad utama Vietnam," kata Rajagobal.

Pada pertemuan Rabu lalu, pemain tengah Nguyen Trong Hoang digantung tetapi dijangka kembali diturunkan manakala Doan Viet Cuong dan Phan Van Tai Em turut diramal membarisi kesebelasan utama Calisto malam ini.

"Tidak ada apa yang perlu ditakutkan," kata Rajagobal. "Mereka hanya perlu bermain seperti biasa dan mengelak daripada sebarang kesilapan. Kita akan cuba mempertahankan kelebihan gol dan mencari gol tambahan bagi melebarkan peluang ke final."

Vietnam perlu menjaringkan tiga gol untuk mengatasi dua gol Malaysia secara agregat, tetapi jika Malaysia menambah satu gol, skuad Calisto perlu membolosi Khairul Fahmi Che Mat lebih empat kali untuk menjamin tiket ke final.
Rajagobal dijangka menurunkan barisan sama seperti di Bukit Jalil tetapi keutamaan kali ini diberikan untuk memperkuatkan benteng pertahanan.

Sukan

MANCHESTER United mempunyai dua misi besar apabila bertandang ke Stamford Bridge bagi perlawanan Liga Perdana Inggeris (EPL), malam esok.

Selain mahu mengukuhkan cengkaman di persada liga dan terus berada di depan juara bertahan itu, barisan Alex Ferguson juga mahu menamatkan kemarau lapan tahun kemenangan di gelanggang lawan itu.

Sejak April 2002, United tidak pernah menang di gelanggang Chelsea itu tetapi kemenangan kali ini, bukan saja meletakkan mereka enam mata di depan Blues, tetapi juga mengukuhkan lagi kedudukan kerana masih berbaki satu perlawanan. Dengan rekod bersih tanpa tewas selepas 16 perlawanan musim ini, Red Devils juga sedang bersemangat ekoran kemenangan ke atas pencabar terdekat Arsenal di Old Trafford, Isnin lalu dan satu lagi kemenangan ke atas pasukan kelompok empat teratas, pasti mencerahkan peluang untuk mencatat rekod baru juara liga sebanyak 19 kali.

"Perlawanan Ahad ini (esok) adalah satu perlawanan besar. Ia juga perlawanan yang mungkin menentukan corak saingan di kelompok atas liga.

"Kami masih tidak tewas selepas 16 perlawanan dan kami mahu menjadikannya 17," kata Ferguson yang percaya anak buahnya mula menemui rentak selepas bermula agak perlahan musim ini.

Berbeza pula di kem Chelsea, barisan Carlo Ancelotti gagal mencatat kemenangan dalam enam perlawanan sejak awal November lalu tetapi pengurus kelahiran Itali itu percaya, tempoh hitam kelab itu sudah berlalu.
Kehadiran semula Frank Lampard yang diturunkan seketika ketika seri 1-1 dengan Tottenham Hotspur minggu lalu, memberi sebab buat jurulatih itu untuk berasa yakin menghadapi perlawanan penting esok. – AFP

"MAIN mati-matian." Ingatan itu disuarakan penjaga gol kebangsaan, Khairul Fahmi Che Mat kepada rakan sepasukan apabila turun menentang Vietnam di Stadium Nasional, MyDinh, malam ini.

"Semua kena bermain mati-matian untuk memastikan tempat ke perlawanan akhir terjamin namun kami juga perlu fokus sepenuhnya kepada perlawanan tanpa sebarang gangguan.

"Selain itu kerja keras, semangat berpasukan dan usaha membaiki kelemahan perlu bagi mengharungi baki 90 minit perlawanan separuh akhir kedua ini," katanya.

Selain mengharapkan kesungguhan rakan sepasukan lain, penjaga gol berusia 21 tahun itu turut sedar tanggungjawab besar dirinya sebagai benteng terakhir menjaga gawang skuad kebangsaan.

Kecekapan dan ketangkasan dipamer pada tiga perlawanan Piala Suzuki AFF sebelum ini perlu diteruskan bagi memastikan kelebihan dua gol mampu dipertahankan untuk membawa skuad bimbingan ketua jurulatih kebangsaan K Rajagobal beraksi di pentas akhir sejak kali terakhir melakukannya pada 1996.

"Saya sudah sedia. Saya jangka mereka akan serang bertali-arus seawal minit pertama bagi mencari gol awal untuk meniup semangat.

"Saya kini makin yakin terutama keampuhan barisan pertahanan negara pada separuh akhir pertama Rabu lalu apabila mereka berjaya mengekang asakan pemain berpengalaman Vietnam," tambahnya.

Benteng pertahanan negara diketuai Mohd Muslim Ahmad dan Mohd Fadhli Shas di bahagian tengah dilihat kental bertahan pada perlawanan di Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil itu walaupun diasak bertubi-tubi sambil dibantu Mohd Asraruddin Putra Omar dan Mahalli Jasuli.

Malaysia yang belum pernah menjuarai kejohanan ini berada di landasan terbaik ke pentas akhir apabila mencatatkan kemenangan 2-0 pada separuh akhir pertama itu menerusi jaringan Mohd Safee Sali pada babak kedua.

MALAM ini, Malaysia memburu tempat di perlawanan akhir saingan Piala Suzuki AFF 2010 dan satu-satunya perkara yang boleh menafikan impian itu ialah andai skuad bimbingan ketua jurulatih K Rajagobal itu tewas kepada tuan rumah, Vietnam dengan jumlah jaringan sekurang-kurangnya 3-0.

Jumlah jaringan sebesar itu mungkin dilihat terlalu besar dilepaskan pemain kebangsaan tetapi di Stadium Nasional MyDinh, Hanoi, tidak mustahil dilakukan Vietnam yang pastinya mendapat sokongan padu penonton tempatan.

Bekalan dua gol hasil kemenangan 2-0 di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil boleh dianggap cukup tetapi Vietnam yang juga juara bertahan kejohanan, bukanlah pasukan yang boleh dipandang mudah tambahan pula mereka akan kembali mendapat khidmat pemain tengah, Nguyen Trong Hoang yang sebelum ini menjalani hukuman penggantungan.

Dua pemain yang tidak diturunkan ketika separuh akhir pertama di Bukit Jalil lalu akibat kecederaan, Doan Viet Cuong dan Phan Van Tai Em juga sudah boleh bermain dan ketua pengendali, Henrique Calisto boleh mengharapkan sesuatu yang positif daripada kehadiran ketiga-tiga pemain tonggaknya itu.

"Tidak mustahil kami melenyapkan kelebihan lawan di Hanoi. Kami perlu percaya pada diri sendiri meskipun tidak mudah melakukannya," kata Calisto.

Rajagobal pula menggesa anak buahnya menggunakan kelebihan bagi merealisasikan impian ke perlawanan akhir buat kali pertama sejak edisi pertama Piala Suzuki AFF iaitu pada 1996. Pada perlawanan itu, Malaysia tewas 1-0 kepada Thailand hasil jaringan Kiatisuk Senamuang.

"Masih ada 90 minit lagi dan ia bukanlah mudah. Saya perlu menyediakan pelan yang betul.

"Semua pemain sedar inilah saat terbaik untuk layak ke akhir. Mereka perlu mengambil kesempatan ini. Kami hormati Vietnam kerana selain beraksi di tempat mereka, suasana perlawanan juga tidak sama dengan Bukit Jalil," katanya.

Apa yang penting, katanya, pemain perlu bangkit daripada rasa selesa dan melupakan seketika kejayaan di Bukit Jalil.

"Tugas kami belum selesai. Pemain tidak boleh leka dan perlu segera menumpukan perhatian kepada perlawanan," katanya.