Kelebihan memihak Malaysia

Oleh MUHAMMAD DAYNE AZMIN
dayne.ghazali@utusan.com.my

PENJARING gol pasukan negara pada perlawanan pertama, Wan Zaharulnizam atau Kecik menjadi antara pemain pilihan Ong Kim Swee pada aksi kedua kelayakan Olimpik menentang Pakistan di Lahore, hari ini.

KUALA LUMPUR – Jika prestasi perlawanan pertama di Shah Alam dijadikan penilaian, skuad negara memiliki segala ramuan yang diperlukan untuk memenangi perlawanan kedua kelayakan Olimpik menentang Pakistan di Lahore, hari ini.

Kualiti teknikal yang ada pada pemain dan kepantasan melakukan serangan balas merupakan dua senjata utama yang boleh memadamkan keazaman tinggi Pakistan yang berhajat memadam defisit dua gol yang dibawa Malaysia ke Lahore.

Cuma suhu sejuk di Lahore mungkin merencatkan sedikit gerakan anak-anak buah Ong Kim Swee serta keadaan permukaan padang di stadium yang masih menjadi tanda tanya.

Namun, masalah itu pantas dinafikan oleh jurulatih berasal dari Melaka itu.

"Pemain saya boleh membiasakan diri dalam apa jua keadaan cuaca kerana hampir mereka semua pernah beraksi di Slovakia, yang suhunya jauh lebih sejuk, cuaca sejuk di Lahore bukan masalah.

"Mengenai permukaan padang, saya masih belum pasti kerana belum berpeluang melakukan tinjauan kerana jadual latihan agak lewat iaitu pada pukul 8 malam (11 malam waktu Malaysia), tetapi saya bersedia menerima apa jua kemungkinan.

''Selain itu, walaupun berdepan kawalan keselamatan yang ketat di sini sehingga tidak dibenarkan keluar secara bersendirian, ia tidak mengganggu tumpuan serta mental para pemain bagi menghadapi perlawanan esok,'' katanya ketika dihubungi semalam.

Malaysia yang mendahului 2-0 secara agregat melalui jaringan Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria dan Mohd. Irfan Fazail pada perlawanan pertama, kemungkinan akan menyandarkan harapan kepada Ahmad Fakri Saarani sebagai penyerang tunggal dengan Kim Swee meletakkan lima pemain di bahagian tengah dengan formasi 4-2-3-1.

Irfan kemungkinan akan menjadi pembantu penyerang kepada Fakri sambil dibantu Mohd. Fandi Othman atau Syahrul Azwari dan Wan Zaharulnizam yang lebih dikenali sebagai Kecik di bahagian sayap manakala K. Gurusamy dan S. Sivanesan mengemudi bahagian tengah.

Sementara itu, buat para pemain muda negara, kata-kata semangat Timbalan Presiden FAM, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah harus dijadikan panduan yang mahukan skuad Olimpik Malaysia mara ke pusingan kedua.

''Kita sebenarnya bermain dengan baik semasa di sini cuma nasib sahaja yang tidak menyebelahi kita. Saya yakin kita mampu menang di Pakistan dan mara ke pusingan seterusnya, " ujarnya.

Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek pula berharap para pemain menjaringkan gol awal bagi menutup ruang kepada lawan untuk bangkit sebagaimana ditunjukkan oleh pasukan senior pada Piala AFF ketika berdepan Indonesia pada perlawanan akhir timbal balik kedua di Jakarta.

Kim Swee latih skuad Sukan SEA

PETALING JAYA – Tiada lagi persoalan. Segala-galanya sudah terjawab apabila Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM) memutuskan jurulatih Olimpik dan Harimau Muda A, Ong Kim Swee bakal membawa cabaran negara mempertahankan pingat emas bola sepak pada Sukan Sea 2011.

Dalam masa yang sama, jurulatih skuad kebangsaan, K. Rajagobal akan memberikan bantuan kepada Kim Swee daripada segi teknikal berdasarkan pengalamannya ketika mengemudi skuad negara pada Sukan SEA di Laos, dua tahun lalu.

Keputusan itu diumumkan oleh Timbalan Presiden FAM, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah pada sidang media selepas mempengerusikan mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Teknikal dan Pembangunan Belia di Wisma FAM.

"Mesyuarat hari ini memutuskan untuk menyerahkan tanggungjawab kepada Ong Kim Swee melatih skuad bola sepak ke Sukan Sea 2011.

"Kami berpendapat sudah sampai masanya memberikan peluang kepada jurulatih pelapis mendapatkan pendedahan di peringkat antarabangsa.

"Skuad Bawah 19 akan dikendalikan oleh Ismail Ibrahim manakala Aminuddin Hussin dilantik sebagai jurulatih skuad Bawah 18.

"Keputusan ini tidak bermakna khidmat Rajagobal tidak diperlukan lagi, tetapi dia mempunyai misi lebih penting dalam membawa Malaysia layak ke Piala Asia 2015 dan kelayakan Piala Dunia 2012, " katanya.

Tetap dalam misi mahu mempertahankan pingat emas yang dimenangi pada Sukan Sea Laos 2009, Tengku Abdullah berkata, FAM yakin sasaran itu mampu dicapai.

"Sasaran kita tidak berubah iaitu mahu meraih sekali lagi pingat emas pada Sukan SEA di Indonesia dan saya harap Kim Swee mampu melakukannya, " jelasnya.

Mengenai penubuhan akademi bola sepak yang diuar-uarkan sebelum ini, Tengku Abdullah berkata pihaknya mensasarkan selewat-lewatnya pada penghujung tahun ini ia akan mula dibina dengan lokasinya telah dikenal pasti di Gambang, Kuantan.

"Mengikut perancangan, sebanyak 11 padang akan dibina dan satu daripadanya melibatkan stadium mini manakala semua padang akan mempunyai kualiti 'rumput Bermuda' (Bermuda Grass) yang mempunyai standard tinggi.

"Kemungkinan besar semua padang ini akan dapat disiapkan sebelum Sukan Malaysia 2012 berlangsung di Pahang, " ujarnya.

Dengan kos anggaran sebanyak 20 juta dan berkeluasan 30 hektar, penubuhan akademi bola sepak itu diumumkan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak dalam pembentangan Bajet pada 15 Oktober tahun lalu.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) drives towards the basket against Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford in the first half of their NBA basketball game in Atlanta, Georgia March 8, 2011. — Reuters pic

Bryant made a free throw late in the first half to notch the 13th point he needed to move past Hall of Fame player Moses Malone and into sixth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list before he finished with 26 points and on 27,423 for his career.

The All-Star guard was aided by Andrew Bynum, who had another strong performance inside with 16 points and 16 rebounds, and Pau Gasol's 14 points and 11 rebounds, as the Lakers look to have rediscovered their top form and like the team that won the last two NBA titles.

"We're just better. We're locked in and everyone is a little moody right now, a little on edge and it's a good thing," Bryant told reporters.

Following a three-game losing streak just before the All-Star break, Los Angeles (46-19) have rediscovered top form and had some impressive performances including Sunday's 99-83 rout of the NBA-best San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers opened up a 22-point lead over Atlanta in the third quarter then put the game away after the home team cut the deficit to eight.

Al Horford finished with 17 points and nine rebounds and Josh Smith added 16 points for the Hawks (37-27) who lost their third in a row. Atlanta managed just under 40 percent shooting from the field and trailed for most of the game.

The loss dropped the fifth-place Hawks three games behind the Orlando Magic for fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Los Angeles, however, matched their season-opening winning sequence when the team started the campaign 8-0 and the latest run has been aided by the inside play of Bynum who has collected 50 rebounds in his last three games.

"He's pursuing the ball," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Bynum's post play.

"His hand strength and arm strength are dominant enough that even when challenged on rebounds he comes away with them." — Reuters  

Tottenham Hotspur's coach Harry Redknapp answers questions from journalists during a news conference at San Siro stadium in Milan, February 14, 2011. — Reuters pic

Spurs take on AC Milan at White Hart Lane today with a place in the quarter-finals tantalisingly close as they lead 1-0 after a superb first leg display in the San Siro last month.

Peter Crouch's well-taken goal after a lightning break by Aaron Lennon capped a terrific performance which put the Londoners, making their Champions League debut this season, in the driving seat.

"We all want to continue in the competition, it's a fantastic competition and once you've played in it you want more," Redknapp told a news conference yesterday.

"It's wide open to win this year and we're still in it but we still have to beat Milan. They are a strong team but my message to the players will be, 'let's get after them and try to score again'.

"We're not going to change our style of play, try to sit back and defend that away goal, that wouldn't be right for us," added Redknapp.

"We do score goals and sometimes have difficulty stopping them but we pick an open team and we'll have a go tomorrow.

FANTASTIC GAME

"They are coming here to win, they have to, and we're taking the same approach, so it's set up to be a fantastic game."

Redknapp says attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart is fit after a calf injury and is again likely to link up with Crouch in a combination that has proved so fruitful this season.

The Spurs manager was less confident though about Gareth Bale who made his first appearance after six weeks out with a back injury when playing for 20 minutes against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

"He trained this morning, his back was okay but he felt a little stiff in his legs so we will wait until tomorrow to see how he is," Redknapp said of the wide man who proved such a thorn in the side of Inter Milan in the group stage.

"It's touch and go. At the moment it would be doubtful whether he would be fit to start.

"He's desperate to play but won't if he's not 100 percent."

There could be a surprise return for Vedran Corluka who has made a faster-than-expected recovery from the ankle injury sustained in an horrific tackle by Mathieu Flamini in the first leg.

"It looked bad but he's recovered well and is available," Redknapp said of the Croatia full back. — Reuters 

BARCELONA: Skipper and midfielder Cesc Fabregas is only interested in winning for Arsenal when he faces Barcelona in their last-16 return-leg match at Nou Camp tomorrow (3.45am).

Cesc Fabregas

However, after battling back to fitness from a hamstring injury to play tomorrow, he insists delivering a performance for the Gunners is his only focus.

"I am not here to shut up comments or to beat anyone specifically or whatever. I am just here to win for Arsenal Football Club," said Fabregas.

"Sometimes I don't understand these reactions or comments about people saying I want this or I feel this. I want to win for Arsenal and that's it. That's easy for me.

"I don't put anything extra in my head because I play against Barca at Nou Camp.

"It is a special game for everyone because it is a special stadium and we play against a good team and that's it. Its one more game that we want to win. We want to do well for the club and we want to get through to the next stage of the Champions League.

"There is nothing more to it than that — we just want to go through and get to the last eight."

However, Fabregas revealed the prospect of having to miss another chance to face his old club was a difficult period.

"Over the last few weeks I have suffered a bit because I was a bit upset because I did not know whether I was going to make it, but I have great feelings now," he said.

"Sometimes you can't take a big gamble to come back quicker. I have a lot of experience in that so I prefer to be safe."

Fabregas insists, despite critics claiming otherwise in the wake of their shock League Cup final 2-1 defeat to Birmingham, that Arsenal do have the spirit needed to deliver some long-overdue silverware this season.

"We have played so many games where we've shown we have character, we have potential and that we are the present," he said.

"We want to win things for the club and tomorrow is obviously a fantastic test for all of us as a team and individually. We want to show how good we are and it's a fantastic opportunity for the team to have a great game."

Fabregas missed last season's quarterfinal encounter at Nou Camp after suffering a broken leg in the first tie in London.

He knows full well that his side, boosted by the possible return of leading scorer Robin van Persie, cannot allow Lionel Messi to run riot again — the Argentine ace having scored all four goals against them last April.

"We know you can't give space to Messi because he scored four goals and was outstanding," said Fabregas.

"For the rest, we showed what we have to do in the first leg a couple of weeks ago and we played some good football.

"We have to play our game as well — we cannot always be focussed on thinking what are they going to do or just defending. We are Arsenal and we have to make ourselves respected as well and we have to play our game as well as we can."

BARCELONA: Creative Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta admitted their clash with Arsenal in the last-16 return-leg at Nou Camp tomorrow (3.45am) is like a final.

The Spanish champions trail 2-1 from their first leg at Emirates Stadium last month and need to win to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Barca have a strong record at home and defeated the Gunners 4-1 in front of their own supporters in the second leg of their last-eight tie last season, but Iniesta admits that it will be tough this time around.

"For us there are no doubts," said the Spain international. "This is the first final of this season and we can't fail at home and with the support of our fans."

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has recovered from his injury and will feature but Iniesta believes they cannot focus on just one player.

"We have analysed Arsenal and Fabregas is not exclusively the key man," said the 26-year-old. "Jack Wilshere is also very important for them. He is still young, but could go far and be the chief in the team."

Another Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets is at pains to stress the importance of the contest. He believes it is the most important game of the Catalans' season as their European hopes ride on it.

Busquets is leading the charge as Barca cope without the injured Carles Puyol, and suspended Gerard Pique at the heart of defence.

"We have some key players missing, but this was the same last year and things went well for us then," said the Spain international.

"It's the most important game of the season, and we want the advantage of playing at home to count. It will be a different game to last year. The 4-1 may have looked easy, but it wasn't.

"Arsenal? They have a young team, but they also have the experience of having played in finals. I think Fabregas is their most important player as he brings tranquility to them."

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh (AP): Eoin Morgan's arrival into England's World Cup squad as an emergency replacement for the injured Kevin Pietersen looks set to herald another reshuffle in the batting lineup by coach Andy Flower.

Pietersen played just four matches at opener after replacing Matt Prior in the role but is returning to Britain to have hernia surgery.

Flower said that Morgan could come straight into the team for Friday's Group B match against tournament co-host Bangladesh. With the coach highlighting Morgan's past contributions at No. 5, Ravi Bopara may move up from the position to open alongside captain Andrew Strauss.

Morgan will only arrive in Chittagong on Tuesday but Flower said the former Ireland batsman will be ready to play after recovering from the broken finger that caused him to be replaced by Bopara in the original 15-man squad.

"We'll get him straight into the nets," Flower said. "He's a very skillful player and a pretty no-nonsense guy. I can envisage him playing straight away. He's 100 percent fit."

Speaking en route between India and Bangladesh, Flower said Morgan was a good alternative to the ultimately irreplaceable Pietersen.

"They're both world-class performers," Flower said. "Certainly Morgan's contributions to England's limited-overs wins have been significant, most especially since he's batted No. 5 for us.

"One door closes and another opens." Flower would not confirm which of Bopara, Prior or Ian Bell would open against Bangladesh, which is desperate for victory after losing two of its first three matches, but acknowledged that those were his options.

"We've got a clear idea of who we want for the game against Bangladesh," Flower said. "I don't think it does have to be the same for the rest of the tournament.

Because opening against Bangladesh requires a different set of skills from opening against Australia."

The left-handed Morgan was initially told he needed surgery on the finger he broke in a one-day international in Adelaide but the injury healed quicker than expected. He follows Australia's Mike Hussey in making it to the tournament as an injury replacement after being originally ruled out injured.

Morgan did not play in the Ashes and then averaged just 17.66 from six innings with a top score of 30 in the one-day series loss to Australia that preceded the World Cup.

But his quick improvisation and ability to change the pace of an innings still make him arguably England's best one-day batsman.

"As the tour wore on, they're quite tricky situations for batsmen who aren't getting a go," Flower said. "You're not in the hurly burly of competition that's keeping you sharp. Then you're thrown into the pressure situation of one-day games and you get a couple of reasonable balls, maybe make a couple of mistakes, and all of a sudden you're in terrible form - or it's perceived as terrible form.

"I think he's a very skillful player. He keeps things very simple in his own head and I trust him to be OK."

Flower said England had been forced to call upon Morgan after Pietersen felt the pain from his hernia worsen after playing in Sunday's six-run win over South Africa.

Team medics had hoped to manage the injury and postpone surgery until after the tournament.

Pietersen faced just three balls and scored two runs before becoming the second opener to fall inside the first over, but bowled eight overs on a spin-friendly pitch to help England successfully defend 171.

Pietersen will be unable to play for the Deccan Chargers despite the team having paid $650,000 for him in the Twenty20 IPL auction, but is scheduled to be fit for England's first summer test against Sri Lanka starting May 26.

The IPL begins April 8, six days after the World Cup final.

"The IPL will be too soon for him," Flower said. "The guy's got a hernia. I've seen the scan myself and it's very obvious he's got a problem and needs to sort it out. The timing is not ideal."

In his hotel room the morning after, Muhammad Ali nursed a swollen jaw as the room service waiter arrived with breakfast and good wishes for the man he called champ. "I'm not the champ," Ali corrected him. "Joe Frazier is the champ."

Indeed he was, and if anyone needed a reminder the morning papers provided it with a picture as shocking to Ali's adoring fans as his defeat the night before. There was Ali glassy-eyed and struggling to get up from the canvas in the 15th round as Frazier walked to a neutral corner more certain than ever of victory.

"There were a couple of knockdowns really," Frazier said, chuckling at the thought. "They called the first one a slip. But it was the left hook that made him slip."

It was 40 years ago Tuesday that Ali and Frazier met at Madison Square Garden in a fight so big it was simply referred to as The Fight. It was Frazier's heavyweight title that was on the line, but a lot of boxing fans still considered Ali the champion because he was stripped of the title and sent into boxing exile for refusing to be drafted.

Frazier was undefeated and in his prime, a relentless aggressor with a vicious left hook. Ali, in just his third fight since the 3{-year layoff, was a polarizing figure who was hated by some just as much as he was loved by others.

"A lot of 'em want me whipped because of the draft," Ali said before the fight. "A lot of 'em want me whipped because of religion. A lot of 'em want me whipped because I'm black ... and for other reasons that I might not even know about."

They would go on to meet two more times, including the memorable Thrilla in Manilla.

But nothing could match the stakes that March night at the Garden, where Frank Sinatra shot pictures at ringside, celebrities jockeyed for prime seats, and almost as many men as women wore full-length fur coats.

Prime seats were $150 - an astonishing sum at the time - and they could have sold them for twice that price. Tickets were so scarce that Frank Costello, reputed boss of the Luciano crime family and a fight regular, could only get two seats instead of his usual four.

There seemed no way the fight could live up to the hype. But Ali and Frazier made sure it did.

Frazier was on the attack the whole night, stalking Ali and hitting him with left hooks anytime he got close. Ali clowned at times, but his jab kept finding the mark and he landed some right hands to the head that would have dropped other fighters.

Frazier, though, was not going to be denied. He hurt Ali badly in the 11th round - the same round Ali slipped on a wet spot and went to the canvas - and landed a crushing left hook 25 seconds into the 15th round that put Ali down for real. Ali got up and finished the fight, but his jaw was swollen like a grapefruit and, when the scorecards were announced, Frazier had won a unanimous decision.

"Ali lost but it was still one of his greatest moments," said retired Associated Press boxing writer Ed Schuyler Jr., who was ringside. "He had fought only twice after coming back from more than three years off and he went 15 rounds with a guy at the top of his game."

That Ali wasn't quite the fighter he was before his layoff may not have made a difference. Ali still had the skills to beat almost every other fighter, but he couldn't overcome Frazier's sheer determination.

"If Joe Frazier would have fought King Kong he would have knocked him out that night," said Gene Kilroy, who was a friend of both men and later became Ali's business manager. "Nothing was going to stop Joe Frazier."

Ali is 69 now, living in Arizona and suffering from the debilitating effects of Parkinson's syndrome, a movement disorder causing tremors of the hands, arms and legs and stiffness. Frazier, who slurs his words at times, is 67 and lives in Philadelphia, where, on a recent day, he answered the phone after doing 25 minutes on an exercise bicycle.

Frazier said he planned to go to parties in New York and Philadelphia to celebrate the night that still defines his life today.

"I can't go nowhere where it's not mentioned," Frazier said. "That was the greatest thing that ever happened in my life."

Not that all his moments with The Greatest were all that great. Frazier was bitter over things Ali said about him while promoting their fights, and he carried a grudge for many years.

But he says he's moved on.

"I forgive him," Frazier said. "He's in a bad way."

Asked what they would talk about if they met, Frazier just laughed. They would, of course, talk about the same thing everyone wants to talk to Joe Frazier about.

The greatest night of his life.

And a fight so great it remains The Fight.

MILAN – Cesare Prandelli menyambut hangat langkah Inter Milan untuk mengembangkan tunas muda Italia yang digembleng di Akademi Inter. Bagi mantan pelatih Fiorentina ini, Gli Azzuri bakal mendapatkan keuntungan besar dari manuver Inter menempa sejumlah pemain muda.
 
Dalam sebuah turnamen antar klub yunior bernama Viareggio Tournament yang diikuti klub-klub yunior dari belahan dunia, tunas belia Inter keluar sebagai juara setelah mengalahkan Fiorentina dengan skor 2-0. Cemerlangnya, ini gelar ke enam yang didapat tim Akademi Inter di turnamen yang diselenggarakan di Viareggio, Tuscany.
 
"Nerazzurri telah bekerja sangat baik di sektor pemain muda," kata Prandelli di Sportal, Rabu (8/3/2011) "Ini mendatangkan keselamatan bagi kami dengan investasi pemain muda," sambung Prandelli memberi atensi besar atas upaya yang ditempuh Inter dalam membangun fondasi pemain muda.
 
Prandelli juga menyarankan agar pemain muda tersebut terus menggali bakat dan talentanya. Tidak masalah meski mereka harus bermain di luar Italia."Pemain kami telah menunjukkan bahwa pada waktunya, mereka dapat mencapai tujuan tertentu. Saya berharap, mereka terus melanjutkan perjalanannya di Eropa, tapi di masa sulit ini, yang terbaik adalah keluar dari Italia," sambungnya.
 
"Inter telah melakukan investasi dengan baik mendatangkan pemain Italia seperti (Andrea) Ranocchia, (Emiliano) Viviano (kini sedang dipinjamkan ke Bologna) dan Giampaolo Pazzini," tukas Prandelli memberi jempol terhadap ekspektasi tinggi Inter terhadap darah muda Italia.
(edo)

MILAN – Wakil Presiden AC Milan, Adriano Galliani melontarkaan kritik pedas terhadap pencapaian besar Inter Milan di musim lalu. Menurut Galliani, gelar Treble Winner Inter tidak lengkap tanpa gelar Super Eropa.Mengurut cerita musim lalu, Inter memang gagal melengkapi almari trofinya dengan Piala Super Eropa. Inter yang kala itu masih ditukangi Rafael Benitez gagal memetik kemenangan saat berhadapan dengan Atletico Madrid.

Saat itu, Inter kalah dua gol tanpa balas saat bentrok dengan kampiun Europa League tersebut di Stade Louis II, di Monaco, Prancis, 27 Agustus 2010 silam. Bandingkan dengan Milan yang berstatus sebagai klub tersukses di pertandingan yang mempertemukan juara Liga Champions dan Europa League tersebut. Hingga saat ini, Milan telah mengkoleksi lima gelar Piala Super Eropa.

"Dalam opini saya, Anda harus memenangkan Liga Champions, Piala Super Eropa dan Piala Dunia Antarklub untuk menyebut pemenang gelar treble winner sejati. Maksud saya, seberapa pentingnya Coppa Italia, benar?," sindir Galliani di Goal, Rabu (8/3/2011)

Beralih ke persoalan lain, Galliani juga menyempatkan diri memberikan komentar seputar keputusan Leonardo Araujo yang beralih melatih Inter. "Dia (Leonardo) sudah bersama kami selama 13 tahun dan kami tidak akan pernah melupakannya. Kami memiliki hubungan khusus dengannya. Dia mengawali kariernya di klub ini dia pernah bekerja sebagai Direktur Olahraga dan pelatih," kata pria berkepala plontos ini.

"Gaya permainan Inter sekarang persis dengan tipikal permainan Milan saat Leonardo masih bertugas di sini. Filsafat sepakbolanya sangat baik dan kami sering berbicara dengannya," tukas Galliani, sekilas mendeskripsikan karakter arsitek asal Brasil tersebut.
(edo)

Gelandang berusia 28 tahun itu menjalani operasi lutut kirinya pada 5 Agustus dan baru kembali berlatih pada Desember.

Dia merasakan sakit pada lutut kirinya dalam pertandingan Real yang berakhir tanpa gol melawan Deportivo Coruna pada 26 Februari dan dokter kemudian mendiagnosa dia mengalami cedera yang biasa dialami oleh orang-orang yang biasa berlari pelan (jogging).

"Perawatannya termasuk latihan kebugaran di gimnasium dan di lapangan, dan juga fisioterapi pelengkap. Pemain diperkirakan tidak akan bisa bermain selama 15 hari dan perkembangannya akan dimonitor," tambahnya.

Dengan cederanya itu, Kaka tidak akan bisa memperkuat Real pada pertandingan liga melawan tuan rumah Hercules, dan juga pertandingan kedua putaran 16 besar Liga Champions melawan Lyon pekan depan.
(I015/Z002)

Editor: Aditia Maruli
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Menurut hasil babak kualifikasi yang disiarkan laman resmi turnamen, Adriyanti Firdasari langsung menyerah kepada pemain Singapura Gu Juan dengan kekalahan dua game langsung 12-21, 12-21.

Sedangkan dua pemain lainnya, kalah dalam tiga game saat Aprilia Yuswandari kalah oleh pemain Singapura Fu Mingtian 21-12, 16-21, 15-21, dan Lindaweni Fanetri ditundukkan Chen Hsiao Huan dari Taiwan 18-21, 21-11, 13-21.

Kekalahan ketiga pebulu tangkis tersebut membuat Indonesia tidak mempunyai wakil tunggal putri saat babak utama turnamen Super Series Premier berhadiah 350 ribu dolar AS tersebut dimulai Rabu waktu setempat.

Kegagalan para pemain tunggal putri tersebut terjadi hanya beberapa hari setelah pelatih tunggal putri di Pelatnas Cipayung, Marleve Mainaky mengundurkan diri.

Marleve yang mengambil alih tunggal putri sejak menjelang Olimpiade 2008 dari tangan Hendrawan itu, menyampaikan surat pengunduran dirinya pekan lalu.

Kekalahan pada babak kualifikasi juga diderita ganda putra Rendy Sugiarto/Afiat Yuris wirawan yang dikalahkan oleh pasangan Rusia Vitalij Durkin/Alexandr Nikolaenko 17-21, 15-21.(*)

(T.F005/I015)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
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Rabu, 09/03/2011 02:06 WIB

Diiringi Jamuan Kecil, FIFA Tegas Tolak Nurdin Halid
Meylan Fredy Ismawan - detiksport

Dari penggambaran dan pemaparan suasana di atas, terlihat bahwa atmosfer dalam perbincangan tersebut cukup santai, dan memang demikian seperti yang diungkapkan oleh Djoko. Pertemuan itu sendiri sempat tertunda beberapa saat lantaran Blatter memiliki tamu lain.

"Jadi, saya tadi rencana semula diterima 10.30 (waktu setempat, red). Tapi karena Sepp Blatter ada tamu lain, jadi agak molor. Jadi baru bisa ketemu jam 11.45," ungkap Djoko kepada detikSport. Pada pertemuan tersebut Blatter didampingi Alexander Koch (Manajer PR FIFA) dan Thierry Regenass (Direktur Keanggotaan dan Pengembangan Asosiasi FIFA).

"Suasana akrab, ramah, kita bertemu sekitar satu jam, kita disuguhi cemilan. Pak Blatter santai, akrab dengan kita. Dia bahkan sangat kagum dengan potensi sepakbola di Indonesia," lanjutnya.

Tapi apa yang menjadi topik pembicaraan bisa dibilang bukan sesuatu yang santai atau bisa dianggap mudah-mudah saja. Bagi mereka yang memperhatikan atau ikut dalam pergolakan sepakbola nasional, hasil dari perbincangan ini adalah sesuatu yang ditunggu-tunggu.

Masalah yang dibahas adalah soal pencalonan kembali Nurdin sebagai Ketua Umum PSSI. Seperti sudah diketahui, Indonesia memang tengah menunggu sikap tegas FIFA terkait pencalonan tersebut.

Seperti diketahui, FIFA telah menyebutkan bahwa siapa pun yang pernah tersandung kasus hukum, tidak boleh menjadi Anggota Komite Eksekutif, yang di dalamnya termasuk Ketua Umum federasi sepakbola sebuah negara.

"Anggota Komite Eksekutif tidak boleh lebih tua dari ... (usia diisi oleh Asosiasi bersangkutan) dan tidak boleh lebih muda dari ... (usia diisi oleh Asosiasi bersangkutan). Mereka harus sudah aktif dalam dunia sepakbola, tidak boleh dinyatakan bersalah atas sebuah tindak kriminal sebelumnya serta berdomisili di wilayah negara X," sebut Statuta FIFA pasal 32 ayat 4.

Tapi, dari sikap PSSI, yang tercermin adalah mereka keukeuh bahwa Nurdin masih layak untuk menjadi Ketua Umum. Usaha ini kemudian gagal setelah Komite Banding membatalkan pencalonan Nurdin bersama tiga calon lainnya, Nirwan Bakrie, George Toisutta dan Arifin Panigoro.

Pada akhirnya, Djoko kemudian membeberkan sikap FIFA terhadap kasus ini. Nurdin tidak boleh mencalonkan diri lagi.

"Nurdin Halid tidak boleh mencalonkan diri lagi. Kami harus menjunjung tinggi kode etik Statuta FIFA. Seseorang yang pernah tersangkut pidaana tidak boleh mencalonkan diri menjadi Ketua Asosiasi sepakbola," tegas Djoko.

Menyusul statemen tersebut, pertemuan selama satu jam itu pun selesai. Blatter mengajak Djoko untuk melakukan tos wine, namun sang Dubes memilih minuman yang lebih ringan.

"Kita sempat tos. Dia wine, saya orange juice. Untuk menandai kegembiraan atas selesainya persoalan Nurdin Halid," ucap Djoko.

( roz / roz )

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Rabu, 09/03/2011 02:03 WIB

Sheringham: MU Krisis Pemimpin
Meylan Fredy Ismawan - detiksport

The Red Devils menelan tiga kekalahan dalam lima laga terakhirnya di Premier League. Terakhir, mereka takluk 1-3 dalam lawatannya ke markas Liverpool.

Sheringham mensinyalir serangkaian kekalahan tersebut disebabkan 'Setan Merah' tak punya pemain berjiwa pemimpin. Dia membandingkan kondisi MU sekarang dengan MU saat dikapteni oleh Roy Keane.

"Saat Anda jadi tim papan atas, Anda harus punya pemimpin," tegas bintang MU di tahun 1997–2001 tersebut, seperti dikutip Soccernet.

"Dalam hari-hari saya, itu selalu Roy Keane," ujarnya.

"Wayne Rooney jadi andalan kalau dia sedang dalam performa puncak, tapi dia sudah tak dalam kondisi tersebut dalam enam bulan terakhir. Saat andalan utama Anda sedang tidak bagus dan tidak memimpin Anda, maka para pemain lain butuh orang lain untuk merespon," imbuh pria 44 tahun ini.

"Orang lain harus mengambil alih. Dimitar Berbatov melakukannya beberapa kali, tapi dia tidak benar-benar punya karakter itu. Anda butuh pemimpin untuk tim besar," tuntasnya.

( rin / roz )

MMS eksklusif dari Old Trafford, Mau?? ketik Reg REDVIEW kirim ke 333 (khusus pelanggan tri) www.tri.co.id/MU

Dapatkan info Bola harian dari HP-mu. ketik REG DB kirim ke 3845. cuma Rp.2000/minggu (khusus pelanggan Telkomsel)

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Skuad kebangsaan dikawal ketat

Oleh WAN FAKHRUL BAKAR
fakhrul@kosmo.com.my

SKUAD Olimpik kebangsaan lega kerana dapat memberi tumpuan penuh menjelang aksi kedua pusingan pertama Kelayakan Olimpik 2012 bertemu Pakistan di Stadium Punjab, Lahore malam ini.

Ini kerana, sebaik tiba di Lahore awal pagi semalam, barisan 18 pemain negara berserta 10 pegawai telah diberi kawalan ketat.

Ia termasuklah kawalan oleh anggota keselamatan yang lengkap dengan senapang AK-47 di sekeliling hotel penginapan mereka, Hotel Park Plaza.

Jurulatih skuad Olimpik kebangsaan, Ong Kim Swee berkata, semua pemain tidak dibe- narkan keluar dari hotel terbabit oleh pihak keselamatan bagi mengelak sebarang kejadian tidak diingini berlaku.

"Tiada masalah sangat sepanjang perjalanan ke sini (Lahore). Semuanya berjalan lancar. Cuma kawalan keselamatan agak ketat dengan pemain tidak dibenarkan berada di luar kawasan hotel.

"Selain itu, seramai 10 hingga 15 anggota keselamatan dilihat berkawal sepanjang masa sambil memegang AK-47 di sekeliling kawasan hotel," katanya ketika dihubungi Kosmo! di Lahore petang semalam.

Setelah menjalani latihan ringan berhampiran kolam renang di hotel pada sebelah pagi semalam, skuad negara mengadakan latihan bagi menguji padang di Stadium Punjab malam tadi.

"Semua pemain nampaknya mendapat cukup rehat sepanjang hari ini (semalam). Saya percaya para pemain sudah bersedia untuk turun menghadapi Pakistan esok (malam ini) tanpa sebarang masalah," jelas Kim Swee.

Malaysia menang 2-0 ke atas Pakistan pada aksi pertama di Stadium Shah Alam, 23 Februari lalu menerusi jaringan Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria dan Irfan Fazail.

Bagi mengukuhkan kedudukan, Malaysia perlu mencari gol awal malam ini dan jika berjaya mendahului 1-0, Pakistan pasti lebih tertekan kerana mereka perlu membalas empat gol berdasarkan peraturan kelebihan gol di tempat lawan.

KESEBELASAN KEMUNGKINAN MALAYSIA:

Khairul Fahmi Che Mat (kapten), Mahali Jasuli, Muslim Ahmad, Fadhli Shas, Affize Faisal Mamat, Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria, K. Gurusamy, Gary Steven Robbat, Fandi Othman, Irfan Fazail, Ahmad Fakri Saarani.

Kim Swee dipilih bukan Rajagobal

Oleh WAN FAKHRUL BAKAR
fakhrul@kosmo.com.my

JURULATIH skuad Olimpik kebangsaan, Ong Kim Swee (gambar) semalam sah dilantik sebagai jurulatih skuad bola sepak negara untuk saingan Sukan SEA 2011 di Indonesia, November depan.

Ia sekali gus menamatkan desas-desus bahawa juru- latih kebangsaan, K. Rajagobal akan dipilih untuk membimbing skuad B-23 kebangsaan dalam usaha mempertahankan pingat emas yang dimenangi di Laos pada 2009.

Timbalan Presiden Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM), Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah berkata, pendedahan perlu diberikan kepada jurulatih baru memandangkan Rajagobal turut mempunyai tugasan hakikinya sebagai jurulatih kebangsaan.

"Bukan khidmat Rajagobal tidak diperlukan untuk Sukan SEA 2011 tetapi beliau mempunyai misi lain iaitu Kelayakan Piala Dunia 2014, Kelayakan Piala Asia 2015 dan misi mempertahankan kejuaraan pada Piala Suzuki AFF 2012.

"Apa pun kita tetap perlu mempertahankan kejuaraan Sukan SEA. Ia tanggungjawab besar buat Kim Swee dan beliau masih boleh merujuk kepada Rajagobal sebagai penasihat tidak rasmi," katanya pada sidang media di Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya semalam.

Pada Sukan SEA 2009 di Laos, skuad B-23 kebangsaan bimbingan Rajagobal berjaya menamatkan kemarau 20 tahun pingat emas setelah menundukkan Vietnam 1-0 pada aksi final.

Sementara itu, Kim Swee yang juga jurulatih skuad Harimau Muda A berkata, beliau mahu menumpukan terlebih dahulu misi skuad Olimpik kebangsaan layak ke pusingan kedua apabila berdepan Pakistan malam ini.

"Ini merupakan satu kepercayaan yang amat tinggi daripada pengurusan tertinggi FAM terhadap barisan kejurulatihan saya.

"Tetapi biarlah saya selesaikan dahulu tugas bertemu Pakistan ini sebelum mengulas lebih lanjut," kata Kim Swee ketika dihubungi Kosmo! di Lahore semalam.

Dalam perkembangan lain, lawan skuad kebangsaan untuk aksi persahabatan antarabangsa pada 25 Mac ini masih belum disahkan dengan skuad Rajagobal itu kemungkinan akan bertemu Iran, Oman atau Sri Lanka.

"Jordan sudah menolak kerana mereka mahu bertemu Kuwait. Manakala India dan Taiwan juga menolak kerana mereka beraksi pada kelayakan Piala Cabaran AFC 2012.

"Iran akan beri jawapan minggu ini. Oman masih belum beri jawa- pan manakala Sri Lanka baru menghubungi saya pagi tadi (semalam) untuk menyatakan hasrat," kata Setiausaha Agung FAM, Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad semalam.

Mehdi memukau

Oleh SHAHRIL NIZAM ABDULLAH
shahril@kosmo.com.my

SAINGAN hari pertama kejohanan lumba basikal Jela- jah Malaysia (JM) 2011 menjadi milik Mehdi Sohrabi selepas pelumba pasukan Tabriz Petrochemical itu memenangi peringkat pembukaan dari Kota Iskandar ke Bandar Penawar sejauh 162.5 kilometer (km) semalam.

Kayuhan Mehdi jelas sekali sukar digugat apabila pelumba dari Iran itu melakukan pecutan pada 10 meter terakhir untuk mele- pasi garisan penamat dengan catatan masa 3 jam 39 minit 34 saat.

Strategi pelumba berusia 30 tahun itu yang melakukan breakaway pada jarak 63km terakhir ternyata memberi kelebihan buatnya untuk meninggalkan pencabar lain termasuk juara bertahan, David Mc Cann, sekali gus di- tabalkan selaku penyarung Jersi Kuning (pendahulu keseluruhan) JM2011.

Tempat kedua pula menjadi milik Mart Ojavee dari pasukan Champion System (3'39:36), diikuti pelumba Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG), Mohd. Hariff Salleh (3'39:38).

Meskipun memenangi peringkat pertama, Mehdi tidak mahu terlalu yakin akan pelu- angnya untuk mempertahankan Jersi Kuning kerana mengakui saingan pada JM edisi ke-48 kali ini amat sengit dengan kehadiran pelumba-pelumba handalan lain.

"Perebutan Jersi Kuning bagi gelaran keseluruhan masih belum lagi berakhir, sebaliknya ia baru saja bermula," kata Mehdi.

"Ini baru hari pertama, ada lagi lima hari untuk saya mempertahankan jersi ini kalau boleh. Tetapi saya rasa peluang untuk melakukannya esok (hari ini) agak sukar kerana ramai pelumba lain yang turut memburu gelaran keseluruhan ini.

"JM2011 menyaksikan ramai pelumba yang bagus- bagus dan sebab itu, saya tidak berani jamin dapat mengekalkannya lagi pada saingan esok (hari ini)."

Sementara itu, hajat untuk melihat pelumba Malay- sia menaiki podium semalam turut tercapai apabila Hariff berjaya memberi cabaran sengit kepada Mehdi di garisan terakhir sebelum berpuas hati menduduki tempat ketiga.

Namun, Harrif tetap boleh berbangga kerana berjaya menyarung Jersi Hijau selaku pendahulu gelaran Raja Pecut apabila mengumpul 16 mata.

Kejayaan Hariff, 23, yang menamatkan saingan di tempat ketiga semalam juga menyaksikan dia muncul pelumba terbaik Malaysia, sekali gus menyarung Jersi Putih 100PLUS.

Penyarung Jersi Merah bagi gelaran Raja Bukit pula menjadi milik pelumba pasukan Eddy Merckx - Indeland, Daniel Westmahelmann.

Bagi gelaran pelumba terbaik Asia (Jersi Biru) pula dimenangi Sohrabi diikuti Hariff dan seorang lagi pelumba TSG, Anuar Manan.

Bagi kedudukan pasukan pula, skuad kebangsaan Malaysia menduduki tempat ketiga manakala pendahulu keseluruhan pula menjadi milik Tabriz Petrochemical diikuti Champion System di tempat kedua.

Hari ini peringkat kedua JM2011 akan bermula dari Bandar Penawar ke Kluang sejauh 204.4km melibatkan tiga zon pecutan iaitu di Sekolah Kebangsaan Gembut (zon pertama), Dataran Kota Tinggi (zon kedua) dan Bandar Tenggara manakala satu zon pendakian pula di Ulu Belitong.

LONDON, KOMPAS.com - Bek kiri Arsenal, Gael Clichy, mengaku tak terlalu memikirkan masa depannya di Arsenal. Baginya, masih banyak waktu sebelum memutuskan apakah bertahan di Emirates atau mencari pertualangan baru di klub lain. Yang terpenting saat ini, katanya, fokus memberikan gelar untuk "The Gunners".

Kontrak Clichy sendiri akan berakhir pada tahun 2012. Selama di Arsenal ia sudah tampil di 250 pertandingan dan memberi kontribusi penting dengan menyumbangkan satu gelar Premier League, Piala FA, dan Comunnity Shield. Tampil di sektor kiri, Clichy tak hanya piawai dalam bertahan, tapi juga aktif dalam membantu serangan.

Penampilan ciamiknya inilah yang membuat Arsenal ngotot untuk memperpanjang kontraknya. Apalagi banyak tim besar Eropa, salah satunya Juventus, yang tertarik untuk merekrutnya.

"Apakah aku akan memperpanjang kontrakku? Aku tidak tahu dan aku tak memikirkan hal itu," ujar Clichy kepada L'Equipe.

"Musim masih panjang. Aku masih punya waktu untuk memikirkan hal itu di musim panas," tambahnya.

MADRID, KOMPAS.com - Real Madrid mendapat kabar baik jelang laga "El Clasico" melawan Barcelona, 16 April 2011. Kemungkinan besar, striker andalan mereka Gonzalo Higuain siap tampil dalam laga tersebut. Higuain juga diberitakan siap tampil saat Madrid bertemu Barcelona di final Copa del Rey, 20 April mendatang.

Sebelumnya, Higuain diprediksi tak akan bisa bermain lagi musim ini setelah menjalani operasi punggung pada bulan Januari. Bahkan, Madrid sudah mendatangkan penggantinya, striker pinjaman dari Manchester City, Emmanuel Adebayor.

Higuain sendiri enggan membicarakan kemungkinan dirinya tampil kembali untuk Madrid. Namun, ia mengakui dirinya punya target untuk kembali ke lapangan hijau secepatnya.

"Di suatu hari seseorang mengatakan kepadaku bahwa masa penyembuhan akan jadi lebih cepat jika Anda punya target," kata Higuain kepada Real Madrid TV.

"Bermimpi tentang kembali (bermain), bagaimana untuk menandainya? Bagaimana untuk merayakannya? Itu akan meningkatkan pemain baik secara fisik maupun emosi," ujarnya.