Schwartzel idam juara, Kaymer mahu bangkit

Oleh Norzie Mohd. Khasbi
sukan@utusan.com.my

Charl Schwartzel

KUALA LUMPUR - Hanya tiga hari selepas menjuarai kejohanan Masters minggu lalu, Charl Schwartzel tiba di Kuala Lumpur dengan membawa misi memburu kejuaraan kedua berturut-turut pada kejohanan golf Maybank Terbuka Malaysia yang bermula hari ini.

Pemain No. 1 dunia, Martin Kaymer pula berazam untuk menebus imej yang tercalar, gara-gara gagal melepasi kelayakan pada saingan Masters.

Biarpun terpaksa mengharungi perjalanan hampir 24 jam di atas penerbangan dari Amerika Syarikat ke Kuala Lumpur dan tiba tanpa peralatan golf, jaguh Afrika Selatan itu tetap bersemangat mencari kejuaraan di Malaysia dan melengkapkan bulan paling menakjubkan dalam kariernya.

Sedar, saingan yang bakal dihadapi cukup sengit dengan kehadiran pemain No. 1 dunia, Kaymer, juara Terbuka Britain, Louis Oosthuizen dan bintang muda sensasi Ireland, yang juga pemain No. 9 dunia, Rory Mcllroy, Schwartzel yakin dengan prospek kejuaraan kedua berturut-turut dalam masa dua minggu.

"Terbuka Malaysia menampilkan cabaran paling sengit dalam sejarah kejohanan, tetapi saya cukup bersedia untuk mengharungi saingan sepanjang minggu ini. Setiap kali memasuki pertandingan, hanya ada satu perkara bermain di fikiran, memberikan yang terbaik dan cuba merangkul kejuaraan,'' kata pemain berusia 26 tahun itu.

Pada saingan di Kelab Golf & Country Kuala Lumpur (KLGCC), Schwartzel bukan saja bakal berdepan jaguh-jaguh dari barat, malah bintang Jelajah Asia yang selama ini cemerlang pada Terbuka Malaysia, termasuk penyandang juara, Noh Seung-yul dari Korea Selatan. Turut membawa cabaran Asia pastinya juara dua kali, Thongchai Jaidee dari Thailand dan Arjun Atwal dari India, selain pendahulu Order of Merit Jelajah Asia, S.S.P. Chowrasia, juga dari India.

Schwartzel, pemain No. 11 dunia, tiba di Kuala Lumpur semalam selepas mengharungi 20 jam perjalanan yang meletihkan. Dia perlu segera mengatasi masalah keletihan dan jetlag. "Sekarang saya duduk sini dan saya tidak tahu apakah ia pagi atau malam. Saya berada dalam perbezaan waktu 12 jam (dari Amerika Syarikat) dan telah berada dalam kapal terbang selama 24 jam.

"Saya sebenarnya agak kecewa kerana set club saya masih belum tiba, jadi saya tidak dapat menjalani latihan hari ini, apa pun, itu tidak langsung mematahkan semangat saya untuk mengharungi cabaran minggu ini,'' katanya lagi.

Sementara itu bagi Kaymer, dia mahu melupakan kekecewaan di kejohanan Masters dengan merangkul kejuaraan Jelajah Eropah ke-10. Terbuka Malaysia merupakan kejohanan yang diiktiraf bersama oleh Jelajah Asia dan Jelajah Eropah.

"Saya tidak mahu memikirkan tentang Augusta. Saya hanya mahu memikirkan tentang Terbuka Malaysia, itu yang paling penting buat saya sekarang. Minggu ini adalah minggu paling besar dan saya tidak boleh terbawa-bawa kegagalan minggu lalu di sini,'' katanya.

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Peluang pemain kita menyerlah

Oleh NORZIE MOHD. KHASBI
norzie.khasbi@utusan.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR - Kehadiran nama-nama besar seperti pemain No. 1 dunia, Martin Kaymer, juara baru Masters, Charl Schwartzel, juara Terbuka Britain, Louis Oosthuizen dan bintang muda Ireland, Rory Mcllroy menjadikan edisi ke-50 Maybank Terbuka Malaysia yang bermula hari ini sebagai yang terhebat dalam sejarah kejohanan.

Itu belum lagi menyebut nama bintang-bintang Jelajah Asia sendiri seperti juara dua kali, Thongchai Jaidee dari Thailand dan Arjun Atwal dari India, selain penyandang juara, Noh Seung-yul dari Korea Selatan.

Malah, legenda golf Australia, Peter Thomson, antara pengasas Terbuka Malaysia mengakui kejohanan ini sudah jauh berkembang sejak diperkenalkan buat kali pertama pada 1962, sekali gus memberi gambaran betapa sebarang usaha pemain tempatan untuk melakar kejutan di Kelab Golf & Country Kuala Lumpur (KLGCC) menjadi semakin sukar.

Tiada seorangpun pemain Malaysia pernah merangkul kejuaraan pada kejohanan ini dan kejayaan P. Gunasegaran muncul naib juara 1994 kekal sebagai pencapaian terbaik kita.

Justeru, apakah kemunculan bintang dunia akan menjadi motivasi tambahan kepada pemain negara untuk mencuri tumpuan atau hanya menjadikan mereka lebih tenggelam?

Ia persoalan paling menarik untuk diikuti peminat golf tempatan sepanjang 14-17 April ini.

"Senarai penyertaan Terbuka Malaysia tahun ini amat hebat. Charl Schwartzel datang selepas menjuarai Masters di Augusta, sudah tentu dia menjadikan cabaran lebih kompetitif.

"Malaysia sendiri memiliki 22 pemain di lapangan, ini adalah situasi yang jarang sekali dapat anda lihat," ujar Thomson, yang didatangkan khas ke Malaysia sempena ulang tahun ke-50 kejohanan.

Kata Thompson, yang kini berusia 81 tahun, Terbuka Malaysia 2011 yang menawarkan AS$2.5 juta (RM8 juta) sudah menjadi kejohanan premier dalam Jelajah Asia dan gelaran yang diinginkan oleh kebanyakan pemain ternama.

Mengenai tiadanya pemain tempatan yang pernah merangkul kejohanan, Thompon, juara Terbuka Britain lima kali mempunyai pengalaman tersendiri mengenai Terbuka Malaysia yang boleh dikongsi bersama pemain negara.

Biarpun, dia antara pengasas kejohanan dan pemilik banyak kejuaraan utama, namun hakikatnya, legenda veteran itu sendiri tidak pernah menjuarai Terbuka Malaysia.

"Tetapi saya berjaya menjuarai Terbuka India, Hong Kong dan Filipina dan Terbuka Britain pada 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958 dan 1965."

Mengetuai cabaran 22 pemain tempatan pada kejohanan kali ini adalah jaguh No. 1 negara dan duta Maybank, Danny Chia, yang layak menerusi Order of Merit Jelajah Asia.

Bergelar profesional sejak 1998, pemain berusia 39 tahun ini, yang baru pulih daripada kecederaan pergelangan tangan berkongsi sentimen mengenai cabaran hebat yang menanti Terbuka Malaysia tahun ini.

"Ia membariskan cabaran terkuat dalam sejarah. Kehadiran pemain No. 1 dunia, Martin Kaymar, Rory Mcllroy, Charl Schwartzel dan Louis Oosthuizen menjadikan persaingan amat kompetitif dan menarik dibandingkan tahun sebelumnya. Saya sendiri teruja untuk melihat keputusan kejohanan," kata Danny.

Danny mengakui, laluan semakin berliku buat pemain tempatan untuk mencipta sejarah, namun peluang tidak pernah tertutup.

Malah, dia percaya pemain muda seperti Gavin Kyle Green harus diberi tumpuan, meskipun kurang pengalaman dan sekadar berstatus amatur.

Daripada 22 pemain negara yang mengambil bahagian, enam daripadanya adalah amatur.

Selain Danny, harapan peminat tempatan juga bergantung kepada pemain yang dalam prestasi terbaik, Shaaban Hussin dan Ben Leong.

Malaysia akan diwakili oleh 16 pemain profesional dan enam amatur.

Selain Danny, Ben dan Shaaban, cabaran profesional negara turut dipikul Iain Steel, Rashid Ismail, R. Nachimuthu, A. Sasar, Mohamad Hanafiah Mohd. Jamil, Akmal Tarmizee Nazari, M. Sasidaran, S. Sivachandran, Airil Rizman Zahari, Khor Kheng Hwai, Sukree Othman, Nicholas Fung dan Shaifubari Muda.

Saingan amatur diketuai Gavin, Mohd. Azman Basharudin, Kenneth de Silva, Mohd. Hisyam Majid, Jeremiah Kim dan Chan Tuck Soon.

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LONDON, April 14 — Manchester City would ease some of the hurt inflicted on them over the past four decades by Manchester United if they were to win their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and end United's treble hopes.

Whoever does come through will start as favourites to win the FA Cup itself on May 14 when they will face the winners of Sunday's other semi-final between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City.

For different reasons, both matches have excited the imagination of fans beyond just the teams involved — Saturday's because of the intense rivalry and significance of the tie to both Manchester clubs, and Sunday's because Bolton and Stoke rarely come so close to glory.

United have won their past seven matches in all competitions and are on a high after beating Chelsea 2-1 on Tuesday for a 3-1 aggregate success to secure a place in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

United are also seven points clear of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and there is a possibility they could repeat their Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble of 1999 as they have hit form at just the right time.

Although they will be without the suspended Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, 37, has been outstanding in their recent run of victories.

"Our confidence is really high and players are coming back from injury and that's what you want at this stage of the season as there are games every three days," said Giggs.

"The manager will chop and change the team . . . but we've got 20 players probably competing for 11 places."

Unfortunately for United, Rooney, who has returned to form with 10 goals since February 1, is unavailable following his swearing incident at West Ham United two weeks ago.

City may also have to make do without the services of former United striker Carlos Tevez, who picked up a hamstring injury on Monday.

His absence could dent their chances of reaching the final for the first time since 1981. Thirty years ago they lost 3-2 to Tottenham Hotspur in a replay while their last FA Cup success was in 1969 when they beat Leicester City.

Although owner Sheikh Mansour has invested hundreds of millions into the club, City have yet to end their 35-year wait for a major trophy and will have to show a dramatic improvement on their abject display in Monday's 3-0 loss at Liverpool to prevent United rubbing their noses in the dirt again.

Even longer

While City's wait for major honours has lasted since 1976 when they won the League Cup, Bolton and Stoke have gone even longer without collecting a major piece of silverware.

Stoke, who have been playing in the FA Cup since 1883, have never reached the final. They last reached the semis in 1972 when they lost to Arsenal. That was also the year they won their only major trophy beating Chelsea in the League Cup final.

Bolton have won the FA Cup four times, the last of those triumphs coming in 1958 when Nat Lofthouse, their greatest ever player who died earlier this year, scored both goals when they beat Manchester United 2-0 at Wembley.

Both sides, sitting comfortably in mid-table, have beaten each other in the Premier League this season, and Bolton manager Owen Coyle says the idea of winning the Cup as a tribute to Lofthouse, has taken hold in the town.

"It would be nice if that comes to fruition but I think there's a lot of tough obstacles in the way for that to happen," he told Reuters.

"We're more than up for the challenge and we will do everything we can to reach the final against a very good Stoke side."

Stoke manager Tony Pulis told reporters: "It's a great achievement that we have got this far but we are not getting carried away with the idea we have had any sort of success. We have done well in the League and reaching the Cup final would show we are definitely moving in the right direction." — Reuters

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LONDON, April 14 — Jose Mourinho stayed on course to become the first coach to win the Champions League with three different clubs when Real Madrid beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 yesterday to seal a 5-0 aggregate rout in the quarter-finals.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored one of the softest goals of his career as Mourinho's team set up a titanic semi-final confrontation with arch-rivals Barcelona on April 27 and May 3.

Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes allowed a long-range Ronaldo shot to bounce out of his hands in the 50th minute and failed to retrieve the ball as it bounced agonisingly over the line at White Hart Lane.

Real will now meet Barcelona four times in an epic 17-day spell, starting with Saturday's top of the table La Liga clash and next week's King's Cup final.

"The semi-final is a semi-final, anything can happen," said Mourinho who lifted the Champions League trophy with Inter Milan last season and with Porto in 2004.

"We have two matches against Barcelona before the semis and there is no time to think. If Spurs had scored in the first half . . . it could have been difficult but when Cristiano scored it was all over," the Portuguese told ITV Sport.

Real, 4-0 up from last week's first leg, were never in danger of suffering what would have been the biggest reversal since European club competition began in 1955 as they recorded their first away win in the knockout stages for nine years.

The closest Champions League debutants Spurs came to scoring was when Gareth Bale had a first-half goal ruled out because Luka Modric was offside.

Spurs, at the start, set about their virtually impossible task with Bale and Aaron Lennon outpacing Alvaro Arbeloa and Sergio Ramos at will on the flanks before whipping in balls that put Real under pressure.

One run by Bale, when he blazed past Ramos, brought an astonished look to the face of Mourinho, but it was Lennon who created a good chance after 27 minutes.

Penalty appeals

Lennon left Arbeloa in his wake again only for Roman Pavlyuchenko to blast the ball into the upper tier of the stands.

Spurs also had three penalty appeals turned down as they continued to go forward, Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli waving away claims after Bale, Modric and Pavlyuchenko all went down under challenges.

Real, naturally enough, were content to sit back and only gave the home defence one moment of real concern in the first half when Ramos forced Gomes to make a fine save from a header and Emmanuel Adebayor lashed the follow-up wide.

The second half lacked the intensity of the first after Ronaldo's goal as Real cruised into the last four, maintaining their challenge for a 10th European Cup title ahead of the final at Wembley Stadium on May 28.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp was in philosophical mood after his team's defeat.

"The goal was disappointing but the goalkeeper has been great for us and he has made saves in the past that he had no right to make," said Redknapp.

"He made a rare mistake but that's how it goes." — Reuters

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REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,JAKARTA - Kementerian Pemuda dan Olahraga (Kemenpora) menegaskan dukungannya pada pembinaan bibit-bibit muda sepakbola Tanah Air. Deputi Menteri Bidang Pembudayaan Olahraga, James Tangkudung, mengungkapkan bahwa  pembinaan bibit-bibit muda sebagai generasi penerus bangsa merupakan kewajiban Pemerintah yang sangat memerlukan peran aktif masyarakat.

"Pemerintah sejauh ini telah melaksanakan program pembangunan 1000 lapangan bola di 550 kabupaten di Indonesia," ujar James dalam acara peresmian Aqua-Danone Nations Cup (Aqua-DNC) 2011, di Jakarta, Rabu (13/4).

Sejak program ini diresmikan, setidaknya Pemerintah telah menerima ratusan proposal pembangunan lapangan di berbagai daerah. Beberapa proposal juga telah mulai dibangun oleh Pemerintah.

Meskipun banyak mendapat respon positif dari berbagai daerah di Indonesia, bukan berarti upaya Pemerintah mengembangkan minat dan bakat para pemain muda selama ini tidak menemui kendala berarti. Kurangnya dukungan dari Pemerintah daerah yang lebih banyak fokus pada pencapaian prestasi atlet dewasa, disebut James, sebagai salah satu kendala yang paling banyak dialami pihak Kemenpora.

"Dengan atlet yang langsung berkompetisi, penggunaan anggaran pembangunan daerah (APBD) tentu dapat langsung dimanfaatkan. Tapi, tidak demikian halnya dengan membina bibit muda," cetus James.

Lamanya memperoleh hasil dari proses pembinaan bibit muda membuat banyak Pemerintah Daerah enggan memperhatikan pengembangan bakat anak-anak di daerahnya. "Oleh karena itu, sikap pro aktif masyarakat dan dukungan dari daerah berperan penting dalam mencapai tujuan jangka panjang Indonesia yang ingin meraih prestasi," kata James menegaskan.

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REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,BANDUNG - Atlet pelatnas Program Indonesia Emas (PRIMA) yang menjalani Diklat Pembentukan Karakter di Pusdikpassus Batujajar, Bandung, mendapatkan penyuluhan pentingnya membayar pajak. Penyuluhan yang baru pertama kali dilaksanakan itu dilakukan langsung oleh Direktur Penyuluhan, Pelayanan dan Humas Ditjen Pajak, Neng Euis Fatimah.

"Saya bangga sekali bisa langsung berhadapan dengan atlet-atlet yang akan turun di SEA Games nanti. Apalagi, saya sekaligus bisa melaksanakan tugas saya mensosialisasikan pentingnya membayar pajak," kata Neng Euis di Batujajar, Bandung, Selasa (13/4).

Neng Euis mengatakan bahwa semua warga Indonesia dengan berbagai ketentuan itu wajib memiliki Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak (NPWP). Tida terkecuali atlet-atlet yang saat ini menjalani pemusatan latihan sebelum turun di SEA Games 2011.

Atlet, kata dia, mendapatkan perlakukan khusus dibandingkan dengan wajib pajak lainnya. Besaran pajak yang harus dibayar oleh atlet itu lebih kecil jika dibandingkan besaran pada umumnya. "Atlet dikenakan pajak progresif. Jadi, mereka bukan PPN atau pajak lainnya," katanya menambahkan.

Jika atlet memiliki gaji dalam satu tahun antara Rp 1-50 juta, maka pajak yang harus dibayar itu sekitar lima persen. Untuk gaji antara Rp 50-250 juta, pajak yang harus dibayarkan itu sebesar 15 persen. Gaji Rp 250-500 juta sebesar 25 persen dan Rp 500 juta ke atas besaran pajaknya sebesar 30 persen.

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LONDON: Manchester United veteran midfielder Ryan Giggs admitted Park Ji-sung's goal "knocked the stuffing" out of 10-man Chelsea in the 2-1 win in the second-leg quarterfinal at Old Trafford this morning for a place in the last four.

With United holding a 1-0 lead from the firstleg at Stamford Bridge, Mexican striker Javier Hernandez crashed home the opening goal just before halftime from Giggs' cross.

When Chelsea midfielder Ramires was dismissed in the 70th minute after receiving his second yellow card, their hopes seemed allbut over.

However, substitute striker Didier Drogba reduced the deficit in the 77th minute before Park immediately went up the other end to reclaim United's two-goal cushion and end the contest as the Red Devils won 3-1 on aggregate.

"Chelsea gave us a great game but you're always pleased to get into the semifinals," Giggs told Sky Sports.

"We expected them to come at us, they needed to score, we knew we needed to try to score too, to take the pressure off us. I think we deserved it, we played well down there, had a good gameplan and stuck to it and tonight got a couple of great goals.

"The second goal came at exactly the right time, they had just scored, so us scoring so quickly knocked the stuffing out of them, really," said Giggs, who had a great game as well.

United manager Alex Ferguson said they played very well against a very good team.

"Chelsea played a big part in the game. I thought we were the better team on the night. In a team game we had some fantastic performances, Park, Chicharito (Hernandez), all over, noone let us down."

Ferguson admitted his side were lucky to score so quickly after Chelsea's equaliser.

"That was the break we got in the game, to be honest, I thought it was a cheap goal to lose," he said.

Ferguson also hailed the enduring brilliance of Giggs, who set up both goals as United — likely to meet Schalke in the last four — set their sights on the final at Wembley on May 28.

"It's been said so many times about Giggs, but he's incredible, a unique person and player. His contribution was big because in terms of the part he played in the goal in the first-leg and in the goals tonight.

"His experience and composure were vital. But like I had said the whole team played with great credit."

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DONETSK: Barcelona striker David Villa (pic) is looking forward to playing bitter rivals Real Madrid four times in the space of just 18 days in three different competitions.

The Spanish champions qualified for the semifinals of the Champions League this morning after defeating Shakhtar Donetsk 6-1 on aggregate in the last eight.

Real themselves are on course to making it through to the last four as they lead Tottenham 4-0 in their quarter- final tie, and should they progress then they will meet Barca for a place in the final.

That will set up two El Clasicos in the Champions League and will be augmented by their meeting in the Primera Liga on Saturday and then in the final of the Copa del Rey next week.

However, Villa is relishing the chance to play four times against Jose Mourinho's team.

"Real have a favourable result (against Spurs) and if we play four times against them, then there is nothing better for a spectacle. Our fans are happy and we must prepare for a party now."

Villa has failed to score in a competitive game for the Catalans since the end of February but is confident he can find the target soon.

"The goal will come," said the 29-year-old Spain international.

"The team are winning and that is important."

Villa joined Barca from Valencia in the summer of last year and has scored 17 goals in 30 appearances in Primera Liga and three in nine matches in the Champions League.

Teammate Sergio Busquets believes now is the time to start looking toward Saturday's highly-anticipated clash which he believes will decide the title.

"Now we can start thinking about El Clasico. It will be a tough game but if we win, it could decide the league."

Busquets once again started the game against Shakhtar in the heart of defence, a role he has occupied regularly since Carles Puyol and Eric Abidal were ruled out with injury and illness respectively.

"For me it's best to play midfield but if the team need it, I can play anywhere," said the versatile defensive player.

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SHANGHAI (AP): Sebastian Vettel will attempt to become the first driver in seven years to start the Formula One season with three straight wins as the racing series moves to the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend.

The Red Bull driver won back-to-back races from the pole position in Australia and Malaysia to start the year, although his margin of victory was slimmer last weekend in Sepang than it was in Melbourne.

The last driver to win three straight races to open the season was Michael Schumacher in 2004.

There's only a seven-day break between Malaysia and China, which should give Vettel an advantage as his rival teams will largely have the same parts as they had in the first two races.

But Red Bull's strong start hasn't been completely flawless, with its KERS energy boost system malfunctioning in both Australia and Malaysia.

In Melbourne, the team ditched it entirely for both qualifying and the race. At Sepang, Vettel's system was inoperable for the middle part of the race, while teammate Mark Webber's device didn't work at all during Sunday's race.

The Shanghai circuit has the longest straightaway of any track on the F1 calendar, meaning Red Bull will be eager to diagnose the problem with the KERS system and get it fixed.

The long straight will also put a premium on good usage of the adjustable rear wing - an innovation that worked just as intended in Malaysia to help overtaking on the main straight and should create plenty of passing in China, too.

The adjustable rear wing is set by the push of a button from inside the cockpit, which lowers a flap that increases straight-line speed and makes it easier to pass.

The rear wing malfunctioned on Fernando Alonso's Ferrari in Malaysia, leading to a collision with his old rival, Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari. Had it worked, Alonso would have comfortably passed Hamilton, but instead he had to try to pass the old-fashioned way and ended up clipping Hamilton's rear tire, forcing a pitstop to repair the damage.

Both drivers were assessed with 20-second time penalties after the race - Alonso for causing the collision and Hamilton for changing position more than once to try to block him.

While the penalty didn't affect Alonso's sixth-place finish, the extra time dropped Hamilton from seventh to eighth, providing more fodder for the long-running antagonism between the drivers and their teams.

Hamilton had been in second place for much of the race in Malaysia, and was less than four seconds behind Vettel at the midpoint.

But in the second half of the race, he began to struggle with tire wear and was forced into what appeared to be an unplanned stop with just four laps to go as the team tried to stop his slide back through the field.

The Pirelli tires introduced this season were designed to degrade more quickly than the hardier Bridgestones, which caused Hamilton problems, as his tire management is often less than prudent.

By contrast, his teammate Jenson Button is famous for his ability to nurse his tires, and that helped him in Malaysia, where he finished second, only three seconds behind Vettel.

The Pirelli degradation is likely to be even more pronounced in Shanghai, as preseason testing showed that they wear more quickly in cool conditions.

Temperatures are forecast to reach highs of about 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit) this weekend in Shanghai, much cooler than the tropical heat of Malaysia.

The degradation of the tires was evident in Malaysia, where the track was carpeted in "marbles" - the small balls of rubber that come off the tires - by the end of the race, with only the racing line clear.

Renault's Vitaly Petrov blamed the marbles for contributing to his spectacular crash last weekend, when he ran off the track and hit a drainage ditch that launched him through the air, across the track and into a brake distance marker.

That put the Russian, who finished third in Melbourne, out of the race, although his teammate Nick Heidfeld managed to take third to give the team back-to-back podiums.

The Renault is a strong car, albeit a bit down on speed, and the team can only wonder what results it might be seeing if it had its top driver Robert Kubica, who is likely out for the season with injuries sustained in a rally crash.

The Shanghai race could be won in the garages. If Red Bull can fix its KERS problems, it will be even harder to beat.

If Ferrari can solve its rear-wing issues and find some more speed in qualifying, it may be a genuine challenger.

And if McLaren can take another forward step like it did in Australia and Malaysia following a troubled offseason, it may be good enough to win the race.

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PETALING JAYA: Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) midfielder Mohd Azri Hassan is confident of hitting form soon in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MHJL).

The Penangite has yet to get on the scoresheet even though UniKl have won matches by big goal margins.

UniKL lead the Division One standings and they have scored 37 goals from six matches. They have potent penalty corner batteries and are now even more formidable as they are striking from field attempts as well.

The 19-year-old Azri, who trains with national training squad after an impressive display in the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL), believes that training with two different set-ups is not affecting his game.

"I don't think the amount of training is affecting my game at all. My role in the team is not to score goals, so it doesn't really concern me when I don't score," said the Butterworth lad.

"The first week was a bit tiring but I managed adapt to it fast. I train with the senior team on the first three days of the week and I'll return to UniKL on Wednesday and Thursday to prepare for MHJL matches.

"I'm happy that the team have been winning with big scores in our last three games. I haven't peaked yet and I reckon that my best performance is just around the corner."

UniKL free-scoring form will be on a stiff test when they play against former champions Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) on Friday. Their other match this weekend is against Bandar Penawar Sports School (BPSS) Juniors on Sunday.

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MILAN - Bek veteran AC Milan Alessandro Nesta membantah keras isu yang menyebutnya bakal pensiun di akhir musim ini. Nesta malah mengaku masih berharap manajemen klub memberikannya perpanjangan kontrak.

Belakangan ini, Nesta memang ramai dikabarkan bakal pensiun di akhir musim ini, menyusul kondisi fisiknya yang tidak lagi ideal -rentan cedera-. Kondisi tersebut diperkuat dengan lambatnya proses perpanjangan kontraknya bersama Milan. Hingga kini, pihak Milan memang belum memberikannya tawaran perpanjangan kontrak yang akan berakhir pada akhir musim ini.

Nesta sendiri menyadari, usianya yang telah mencapai 35 tahun, membuatnya tidak lagi bisa tampil dalam performa terbaiknya. Meski begitu, Nesta berharap masih mendapat kepercayaan dari klub minimal untuk setahun ke depan.

"Itu tidak benar bahwa saya akan pensiun musim depan, kabar yang mengatakan saya memiliki masalah dengan manajemen juga tidak benar. Faktanya, hingga kini saya memang belum berbicara dengan klub (soal kontrak)," ujar Nesta dikutip Sky Sport Italia, Kamis (14/4/2011).

"Saya menyadari, waktu terus berjalan dan saya juga tahu bahwa saya tidak lagi bisa berharap mendapat uang seperti yang saya dapat saat ini," sambungnya mengisyaratkan kesiapannya mendapat potongan gaji, asal kontraknya diperpanjang.

"Masih ada sedikit keraguan, apakah saya akan bertahan setahun ke depan. Jelas, skuad (Milan) membutuhkan penyegaran dan perlahan, para pemain veteran akan terpinggirkan, Tapi, memang itulah yang harus terjadi. Milan bisa rileks, karena sudah memiliki salah satu bek terbaik dunia dalam diri Thiago Silva," tambah mantan bintang Lazio ini.

Selain karena faktor cedera, keengganan manajemen Milan memberikan perpanjangan kontrak kepada Nesta tidak lepas dari bakal hadirnya Philippe Mexes di akhir musim dengan status bebas transfer. Bek tangguh AS Roma tersebut kabarnya akan mengisi pos Nesta untuk berduet dengan Thiago Silva.

Saat ini, Nesta diketahui masih dibekap cedera lutut yang memaksanya absen saat Milan menang 2-1 atas Fiorentina, akhir pekan kemarin. Namun, mantan bek andalan timnas Italia ini mengatakan cederanya tidak serius dan siap tampi di laga berikutnya demi memberikan kontribusinya untuk Milan yang kini tengah berjuang memburu scudetto.

"Saya punya dokter yang bagus di Jerman. Kondisi lutut saya cukup baik. Masalah yang saya alami kali ini berada di luar area lutut. Jadi, saya siap kembali tampil saat berhadapan dengan Sampdoria (Minggu, dini hari WIB). Saya bersemangat untuk membantu Milan hingga akhir musim," tutupnya menegaskan loyalitasnya kepada klub yang telah dibelanya sejak sembilan tahun lalu. (acf)

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MALANG - Ada yang menarik dari tim Persema Malang belakangan ini. Sebelumnya, anak asuh Timo Scheunemann sangat percaya diri dengan tampilan di luar kandang karena terbukti pernah menggebuk Solo FC dan Cendrawasih Papua 1-5.

Tapi dalam sepekan kondisi itu berbalik, terutama setelah merasakan kekalahan perdana di kandang Atjeh United. Kini Persema justru sangat waspada saat tampil di luar kandang. Persiapan pun dilakukan secara khusus sebelum lawatan ke kandang Manado United, Minggu (17/4/2011).

Sektor pertahanan menjadi perhatian utama karena menjadi aktor penting atas kekalahan di Bumi Rencong. Timo mewanti-wanti agar pemain bertahan tidak lengah sedikit pun di Manado nanti. "Problem utama kita sekarang memang di pertahanan. Butuh perbaikan," beber Timo.

Kekalahan di Banda Aceh berlanjut hingga partai kandang menjamu Real Mataram. Kendati mampu melesakkan bola sebanyak lima kali, namun jala Sukarto Efendo juga bolong dua kali. Dari dua laga itu jelas ada masalah dengan lini pertahanan Laskar Ken Arok.

Defender Benoit Lang yang diharapkan bisa menjadi tandem sejati Seme Patrick, masih jauh dari harapan. Belum lagi ia lebih disibukkan dengan cedera sehingga tak bisa tampil optimal sejak berkostum Persema. Bahkan di Manado nanti pemain asal Luxemburg ini belum tentu dipasang.

Yang pasti, dalam tiga hari ke depan Timo bakal terus mencari formula yang pas untuk benteng pertahanan. "Kita masih menunggu kondisi Benoit karena lututnya belum pulih benar. Soal siapa yang diturunkan, kita masih melihat bagaimana perkembangan tim," kata Timo.

Sementara itu, dari Bojonegoro, tim Persibo berharap kemenangan besar di kandang kala menjamu Medan Chiefs kembali terulang. Pada Sabtu (16/4/2011) ini tim asuhan Sartono Anwar bakal menuju Jakarta untuk menghadapi tuan rumah Jakarta 1928.

"Permainan saat menghadapi Medan Chiefs memang cukup memuaskan dan kita ingin itu menjadi permainan minimal Persibo. Jika bisa bermain seperti itu lagi, saya yakin bisa mendapat poin," kata Ketua Umum Persibo Taufik Riesnendar.

Kendati berstatus sebagai tim jebolan Indonesia Super League (ISL), prestasi Persibo masih simpang siur. Pelatih Sartono Anwar belum mampu menjaga stabilitas penampilan. Di satu laga menang di kandang lawan, bisa jadi di pertandingan berikutnya kalah di kandang. (acf)

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Rabu, 13/04/2011 23:20 WIB

Cech Bidik Finis Runner-up
Okdwitya Karina Sari - detiksport

Jakarta - Dengan lebarnya jarak dengan Mancester United, Chelsea jelas tak punya peluang lagi untuk meraih gelar juara. Petr Cech kini mengalihkan fokus untuk finis runner-up di akhir musim.

Tersingkirnya Chelsea dari ajang Liga Champions memastikan Frank Lampard dkk. mengakhiri musim dengan tangan hampa.

Sebelumnya "Si Biru" sudah terdepak dari ajang Piala FA. Sedangkan untuk menjuarai Premier League hampir dipastikan mustahil karena si pemuncak klasemen MU memiliki jarak yang terlampau jauh dengan Chelsea yang ada di peringkat tiga (11 poin).

Cech menyerukan supaya timnya memanfaatkan tujuh laga yang tersisa demi menyelamatkan harga diri sang juara bertahan.

"Ini adalah tahun untuk belajar dan membangkitkan diri tim dan finis di akhir musim dengan kuat karena masi ada banyak kesempatan untuk berkompetisi," sahut Cech dikutip Mirror.

"Kami ingin finis sebaik mungkin di liga. Kami hraus bangkit dan siap untuk menjalani musim depan. Jika kami banyak menang di laga sisa, kami bisa finis kedua," harap kiper asal Republik Ceko itu.

Chelsea berpeluang untuk memenuhi targetnya itu. Mengingat dalam tujuh laga ke depannya cuma mereka cuma terhadang MU sebagai lawan tangguh yang akan dihadapinya pada 8 Mei di Old Trafford.

( rin / nar )

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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Rabu, 13/04/2011 22:50 WIB

GH Sutejo Jadi yang Pertama Dicalonkan
Narayana Mahendra Prastya - detiksport

Jakarta - Nama GH Sutejo menjadi yang pertama dicalonkan untuk posisi wakil ketua umum dan anggota komite eksekutif PSSI. Pemilik suara yang mengajukan GH Sutejo adalah dari klub Divisi I PS Jakarta TImur.

Dilansir dari situs resmi PSSI, Klub Divisi I PS Jakarta Timur menjadi anggota PSSI pertama yang mengembalikan formulir pendaftaran calon Ketua Umum, Wakil Ketua Umum dan anggota Komite Ekekutif PSSI. Berkas pencalonan tersebut diserahkan oleh Munajat Cader, Sekretaris klub PS Jakarta Timur, Rabu (13/4) pukul 15:30 WIB.

Dalam berkas pencalonan yang diserahkan kepada panitia, PS Jakarta Timur hanya mengajukan nama calon untuk posisi wakil ketua umum dan anggota komite eksekutif PSSI. Untuk kedua posisi tersebut PS Jakarta Timur mengajukan nama yang sama yakni, H. Gatot Hariyo. Sutejo SH, MH.

"Kami memang baru mengusulkan nama untuk dua posisi tersebut. Untuk calon Ketua Umum, PS Jakarta Timur masih belum bisa memutuskan sekarang. Akan kami susulkan kemudian," ungkap Munajat Cader.

GH Sutejo sendiri merupakan Ketua Umum klub PS Jakarta Timur sekaligus ketua Pengcab PSSI Jakarta Timur. Pria kelahiran Jakarta, 4 Agustus 1961 ini adalah mantan pemain PSSI Binatama yang berlatih di Brasil pada tahun 1979-1980. Di level kepengurusan klub, GH Sutejo pernah juga menjabat sebagai bendahara, sekretaris, manajer hingga menjadi ketua umum Persija Timur periode 2003-2005.

Pada tataran nasional, GH Sutejo sempat menjabat sebagai Ketua Departemen Kompetisi PSSI periode 2003-2005 dan manajer Timnas U16 tahun 2003.

Ada pun hari Rabu (13/4/2011) ini merupakan hari kedua pendaftaran calon ketua umum, wakil ketua umum, dan anggota Exco PSSI. Pendaftaran dibuka hingga 17 April.

( nar / arp )

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Sentuhan Giggs masih berbisa

HERNANDEZ (kiri) dan Ji-sung (dua dari kiri) muncul sebagai penjaring United ketika pasukan itu menewaskan Chelsea 2-1 pada aksi suku akhir kedua Liga Juara-Juara di Old Trafford awal pagi semalam.

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MANCHESTER – Alex Ferguson memuji persembahan Ryan Giggs ketika membantu Manchester United menewaskan Chelsea 2-1 pada suku akhir kedua Liga Juara-Juara di Old Trafford awal pagi semalam.

United mengesahkan slot ke separuh akhir dengan agregat 3-1 selepas mencatat kemenangan tipis 1-0 pada aksi suku akhir pertama di Stamford Bridge minggu lalu.

Selepas menjadi penggerak utama di atas jaringan yang dilakukan Wayne Rooney minggu lalu, Giggs, 37, sekali lagi membuktikan bahawa sentuhannya masih boleh diharap.

Biarpun tidak menjaringkan gol, beberapa gerakan menarik yang dilakukan pemain sayap vateran United itu sudah cukup untuk memikat hati Ferguson.

Giggs menjadi tulang belakang di atas dua jaringan yang dihasilkan skuad The Red Devils menerusi bintang muda pasukan itu, Javier Hernandez dan perancang Korea Selatan, Park Ji-Sung.

GIGGS (kiri) menjadi pemain penting yang membantu United menewaskan Chelsea pada aksi suku akhir Liga Juara-Juara.

Kedua-dua pemain tersebut menjaringkan satu gol masing-masing pada minit ke-43 dan 77 manakala gol sagu hati Chelsea diperoleh menerusi penyerang Ivory Coast, Didier Drogba.

"Kita telah banyak kali bercakap mengenai perkara ini. Apa yang saya boleh katakan adalah dia (Giggs) dianggap sebagai nadi utama pasukan kami (United).

"Aksi yang dipamerkan Giggs sungguh menakjubkan dan dia seorang pemain yang begitu unik sekali.

"Sumbangan kepada pasukan sungguh besar. Lihat sahaja sumbangannya pada jaringan Rooney minggu lalu dan dua gol yang kami hasilkan hari ini (awal pagi semalam).

"Ia merupakan sumbangan yang besar. Semua itu berjaya dilakukan kerana pengalaman yang luas dan aksi yang sentiasa tenang setiap kali berdepan pemain lawan," kata Ferguson. - AFP

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PSV tetap mengintai peluang

LONDON - Lapan pasukan masih mengintai peluang untuk menempah slot ke saingan separuh akhir Liga Europa menjelang aksi suku akhir kedua awal pagi esok.

Begitupun, tiga kelab iaitu Benfica, FC Porto dan Villareal dilihat memiliki peluang yang lebih cerah untuk mara peringkat seterusnya setelah mencatat kemenangan selesa ke atas lawan masing-masing pada aksi suku akhir pertama minggu lalu.

Pada pertemuan tersebut, Benfica tampil cemerlang apabila menewaskan PSV Eindhoven 4-1, Porto mencatat kemenangan mudah ke atas Spartak Moscow 5-1 dan Villareal turut membelasah Twente Enschede 5-1.

Manakala dalam satu lagi pertemuan suku akhir, peluang Dynamo Kiev dan Braga masih lagi terbuka setelah kedua-dua kelab sekadar seri 1-1.

Meskipun dilihat sukar untuk kembali bangkit setelah tewas pada aksi suku akhir pertama, jurulatih PSV, Fred Rutten tetap optimis dengan peluang anak-anak buahnya.

"Kami (PSV) akan terus bersaing tetapi itu sahaja tidak cukup bagi menjamin tempat kami ke peringkat separuh akhir.

"Kami perlu beraksi dengan corak permainan yang sempurna bagi memastikan kemenangan memihak kepada kami malah kami perlu juga menjaringkan gol dengan banyak.

"Namun, Benfica pastinya tidak akan memberi laluan mudah buat kami mencapai hajat kami itu kerana mereka juga mahu mencatat kemenangan. Kami sangat menghormati Benfica," jelas Rutten.

Menyukarkan lagi situasi PSV ketika ini, mereka akan turun tanpa kelibat penyerang Sweden, Ola Toivonen yang mengalami masalah kecederaan.

Kecederaan Toivonen itu dialaminya ketika PSV seri 2-2 dengan Heerenveen dalam saingan Liga Jerman Ahad lalu. - Agensi

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Azman: Pemain tak berfungsi dengan baik

Oleh KHAIRI MOHAMAD
khairi.mohamad@kosmo.com.my

PEMAIN Kelantan (jersi putih) tidak beraksi pada tahap terbaik sehingga mudah dibelasah Perak pada perlawanan di Ipoh malam kelmarin.

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SEMUA pemain gagal berfungsi dan kualiti permainan sangat teruk.

Itu komen pengurus pasukan Kelantan, Azman Ibrahim, ekoran kekalahan memalukan pasukannya yang dibenam Perak 4-0 dalam perlawanan Liga Super di Stadium Perak, Ipoh, malam kelmarin.

Tanpa menyembunyikan kekecewaan tersebut, beliau memberitahu bahawa satu post-mortem akan dilakukan untuk mengetahui punca sebenar kekalahan tersebut yang disifatkan paling buruk dalam tempoh empat tahun.

"Saya pun tidak tahu apa yang berlaku malam semalam. Kita seperti membiarkan Perak bermain dan kita gagal membuat sesuatu untuk menyekat kemaraan mereka. Hasilnya, ia cukup mengecewakan.

"Ini adalah persembahan paling buruk setakat ini dan kita perlu melakukan sesuatu untuk memulihkan semula moral pemain dan penyokong. Ia perlu dilakukan dengan segera kerana kita tidak mempunyai banyak masa, jadual perlawanan kita cukup padat," katanya ketika dihubungi semalam.

Tambahnya, ini bukan masa yang sesuai untuk menuding jari mencari kesalahan pemain atau jurulatih tetapi ini adalah pengalaman pahit yang cukup berguna sebagai pengajaran dalam mengharungi baki saingan liga.

Jelasnya, beliau tidak menafikan kemenangan besar ketika mengatasi Felda United, Sabtu lalu membuatkan para pemainnya terlena seketika dan terlalu yakin tanpa menyedari kekuatan pasukan lawan.

"Rekod perlawanan di tempat lawan kita musim ini tidak begitu baik. Selepas menang perlawanan Piala Sumbangsih menentang Selangor, rekod kita tidak bagus, hanya seri termasuk kalah kepada Pahang dan T-Team.

"Menentang Sabah di Kota Bharu Sabtu ini adalah masa yang terbaik untuk semua pemain membuktikan mereka adalah sebuah pasukan yang baik dan memulihkan semua semangat seluruh penyokong setia mereka," ujarnya.

Katanya, semua pemain, pengurusan dan penyokong tidak perlu panik dengan situasi ini kerana Kelantan masih berpeluang untuk melakukan sesuatu ketika jadual perlawanan masih panjang selain perbezaan mata juga tidak begitu ketara.

Ketika ditanya mengenai situasi 'bilik persalinan' Kelantan ekoran beberapa spekulasi kononnya ada perselisihan antara pemain, Azman menjawab:

"Semuanya tenang, tidak ada apa yang berlaku. Spekulasi ini hanya bertujuan untuk merosakkan pasukan dan saya percaya seluruh pasukan berada dalam keadaan terbaik untuk terus memberi saingan dalam liga," jelasnya.

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HEADING for the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai this weekend, Team Lotus look to build on pace before they believe they can make an impact.

Half a second behind the established teams like Toro Rosso, Force India, Williams and Sauber, the Malaysian outfit will pin their hopes on updates prior to the Spanish GP in Barcelona on May 20-22 to push them right into the mix.

That will be five rounds after they began with the current spec on the T128s which have shown promise, but still leave Team Lotus in the position they were at the end of last season, above Virgin Racing and HRT, but still clearly behind the rest.

The opening two rounds saw Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen suffer a retirement each, while Trulli produced a 13th place finish at the Australian GP and Kovalainen, the sole Team Lotus finisher at 15th in their home race, the Malaysian GP last weekend.

"We head to China after taking a good step forward in Malaysia, but we are all focused on the reality of where we are now and know that we have a lot of work ahead of us," said team principal Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes.

"The main aim for me now is to improve our reliability and make sure both cars cross the finish line on Sunday.

"We have shown there is pace in the car, and there will be more to come when we start putting the updates on in Europe.

"But now we have to make sure we give the drivers the time they need on track to optimise the setup and the only way to do that is to avoid reliability issues."

Chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne confirmed that test drivers, Luiz Razia of Brazil and Davide Valsecchi of Italy, both from Team Lotus sister outfit in GP2, Team AirAsia, will be taking on duties onboard both cars in the first practice session on Friday.

"I think Shanghai will be another interesting weekend for us, especially as we have had two races so far in such different conditions," said Gascoyne.

"In Melbourne the tyres lasted longer than I think everyone expected and then in Malaysia there was much higher drop-off and multiple stops as a result.

"In China we will all be in slightly unknown territory with the tyres and the cooler temperatures will mean the most important goal for us will be to maximise our track time on Friday and Saturday morning, getting the cars set up properly for qualifying and bridging the gap to make it into Q2."

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SOUTH Korea's defending champion Noh Seung Yul will be in the company of US Masters champions Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, both of South Africa, for the first two rounds of the Maybank Malaysian Open starting tomorrow at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

The 19-year-old, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit last year, faces a tough challenge in his title defence with Schwartzel starting as firm favourite after his stunning victory at the US Masters on Sunday.

Oosthuizen, who claimed his first major at the British Open at St Andrews last year, is expected to be in contention come Sunday.

The trio will tee off the first round at 8.10am tomorrow and the second round at 1pm on Friday.

Two-time Maybank Malaysian Open champion Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand will play his opening two rounds with World No 1 and PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer of Germany and Irish star Rory McIlroy, the World No 9.

Kaymer will be eager to bounce back from missing the halfway cut at Augusta National last week while McIlroy will be on a mission to erase the bitter memory of losing the US Masters with a closing 80 after leading the event for three rounds.

Thongchai, Kaymer and McIlroy will tee off at 1pm tomorrow and 8.10am on Friday.

India's Jeev Milkha Singh, a two-time Asian Tour No 1, talented Italian Matteo Manassero and big-hitting Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who recently won the SAIL Open in India on March 25 for his first Asian Tour win, will be another trio to follow.

They will play the first round at 8.20am tomorrow and Friday's second round at 1.10pm.

Malaysia's Danny Chia, seen as the best local hope to end the host's title drought, will tee off the first two rounds with Welshman Rhys Davies and South African James Kingston at 8.20am tomorrow and 1.20pm on Friday.

The Maybank Malaysian Open is celebrating its 50th edition this week.

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