Sports

AMMAN — The men’s Olympic team hosts its English counterpart on Tuesday in a friendly that comes as part of its training agenda for the 2016 Olympic qualifiers starting in June.

The 5pm match at the King Abdullah Stadium is a historic first for the team, which has five players absent, including two with the national team readying to face Syria on March 5 in their final Asian Cup qualifier, as well as three on the injury list.

Jordan’s squad played a series of local friendlies, drawing with Jazira 1-1 and losing to Wihdat 1-0, as the team regrouped at the begging of the year before coaches name a final line-up ahead of training camps abroad.

England C coach Paul Fairclough’s squad is preparing for May’s International Challenge Trophy and the English C team held its Czech counterpart 2-2 in its last match.

“We do not know what to expect in terms of style and method, but that is not new for the England C team. It will be perfect in assisting me with preparation for our all-important International Challenge Trophy clash against Slovakia in May,” Fairclough was quoted by the English Football Association website as saying.

“Football has a universal language and the fixture will be played with enthusiasm and respect. This is yet another fantastic opportunity for the players and staff to experience a different culture,” said Fairclough.

In 2013, Jordan’s U-19 team was eliminated from Group B Asian Football Confederation U-19 Championship 2014 qualifiers, after the squad managed to beat Afghanistan 2-1, held 0-0 with the Maldives and lost to Yemen 2-1 and the UAE 2-0.

Previously, the Kingdom reached the AFC U-19 Championship four times. In 2006, the team achieved the country’s biggest football sporting success when it finished fourth at the Championship and qualified to the 2007 FIFA Youth World Cup in Canada.

LONDON — World Cup contenders will hope to find out this week if they are better prepared for the tournament than some of the Brazilian stadiums they will be playing in.

The 32 finalists will mark 99 days until the opening match in Brazil by playing friendlies on Wednesday, the last chance for many coaches to test players before naming their World Cup squads.

Eighteen of the qualified nations will face-off against each other, with the most eye-catching game seeing world champion Spain taking Italy. 

Diego Costa’s Spain debut

This is more than just a friendly for Diego Costa. It’s a chance for the Brazilian-born striker to make his long-awaited debut for Spain.

The naturalised Spanish citizen brings a more physical, tenacious forward to the squad, with coach Vicente del Bosque dropping Fernando Torres and David Villa, key players from successful World Cup and European Championship campaigns.

It’s not hard to see why. Diego Costa has 21 goals for Atletico Madrid this season — second only to Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo in Spain.

“He’s done enough to merit being here,” Spain defender Sergio Ramos said. “He can bring a lot of positive qualities.”

Diego Costa will collect make his first appearance on familiar territory: Atletico’s Vicente Calderon Stadium.

The focus is on the strike force for Italy, too.

Mario Balotelli is out injured and Daniele De Rossi was dropped for breaking Cesare Prandelli’s code of ethics while playing for Roma. 

So Torino forward Ciro Immobile has been called for up the first time after scoring 13 goals this season.

French redemption 

Behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa, third place in the Spanish league scoring chart is held by Antoine Griezmann with 15 goals. 

And the Real Sociedad forward could now make his France debut against the Netherlands.

Griezmann was previously banned from representing France until the end of 2013 for going to a nightclub in 2012 during the play-offs for the 2013 Under-21 European Championship.

New faces for Germany 

With several long-term injured players, including Sami Khedira and Ilkay Gundogan, Germany coach Joachim Loew is testing other options before the World Cup.

It was still a surprise move putting four newcomers in the squad to face Chile — especially Sampdoria defender Shkodran Mustafi. 

Although Mustafi has played for all German junior teams, his club football has been mainly abroad and he is hardly known in Germany.

Apart from the injured Thomas Mueller and Sven Bender, Loew also left out Mario Gomez, Mats Hummels, Marco Reus, Julian Draxler and Benedikt Hoewedes, who all only recently returned to action. 

Forward Max Kruse and goalkeeper Rene Adler have been in poor form and were also dropped.

SAO PAULO — Brazil is running out of time.

World Cup organisers will mark 100 days to go on Tuesday with a lot of work still to be done on stadiums and infrastructure in the 12 host cities.

As national teams enter their final phase of preparations — a series of warm-up matches are scheduled for this week — the Brazilian government is trying to ensure the country will be ready to host the tournament in June.

Although Brazil had nearly seven years to prepare after winning the bid to host the tournament in 2007, there are four stadiums still under construction and work outside many of the venues is far from completed.

Doubts also remain about whether the cities will be able to host the fanfests required by FIFA. Airports likely won’t have all the work completed either, and many of the urban projects initially expected to be ready for the World Cup won’t be finalised until after the event.

There will be a few events marking the 100-day point across Brazil on Tuesday, with some of the host cities lighting up traditional buildings in the colours of the Brazilian flag to commemorate the date.

But work will continue as officials admit there is no time to waste.

Brazil promised all 12 stadiums would be ready by the end of last year, but only six were completed by that deadline. 

Two may be ready less than a month before the World Cup begins, including the one hosting the opener between Brazil and Croatia in Sao Paulo.

FIFA expected the Itaquerao to be ready in mid-April, but FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said last week the venue would not be ready “before May 15”.

The other venue with a tight schedule is in the southern city of Curitiba, which until a few weeks ago was in danger of being dropped from the tournament. Local organisers said they believe the stadium will be ready by the end of April, but FIFA expects it to be finalised only in mid-May.

There is also concern with the wetlands city of Cuiaba, where the stadium is not ready and work outside the venue seems far from complete.

Infrastructure work in the surroundings of nearly all the stadiums is also a reason for concern. Even where the stadium has already been finalised, it is common to find construction sites filled with workers rushing to finish sidewalks, pave access roads and install lighting posts.

“We have to work in conditions where the cement is not even dry [and] we already put things in place,” Valcke said. “There is no criticism, there is just a challenge. For sure the stadiums are beautiful. It will work and you will have what you expected.”

Equipping a stadium to World Cup working standards requires 90 days, so FIFA and local organisers will have to start installing temporary structures needed for media and sponsors while construction work continues outside the venues.

Another FIFA concern is with the fanfests, which allows fans without tickets to watch matches on large screens in public areas. 

The events are required by FIFA, but some host cities have yet to confirm whether they will organise the street parties. FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil said this month that football’s governing body could sue the venues that breach contract.

The northeastern city of Recife announced recently that it will not spend public money on the event and is currently scrambling to find private partners. Rio de Janeiro officials also say they need to find sponsors to make sure they can organise the event.

A recent poll has shown there has never been less support than now among Brazilians for hosting this year’s World Cup. Many are frustrated with the billions spent to host the tournament, money they would rather see spent to improve hospitals, schools and infrastructure.

MADRID — Cristiano Ronaldo scored a late equaliser to earn Real Madrid a 2-2 draw at Spanish title rival Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Ronaldo pounced on a loose ball inside the area to net the 82nd-minute equaliser — his 23rd goal of the season for the league leaders.

Karim Benzema put Madrid ahead at the Vicente Calderon Stadium after three minutes but, instead of wilting, Atletico hit back with two goals to take the lead by halftime.

Koke smashed a low shot beyond Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez, who then watched Gabi Fernandez’s swerving effort from 30 metres fly past him just before the break.

Madrid stayed three points ahead of Atletico.

The fifth meeting between the cross-town rivals since Atletico beat Madrid in the Copa del Rey final last May kept its trademark liveliness and aggression, with Madrid having won the last two encounters.

Atletico’s defence played Benzema onside for the France striker to score his 15th of the season, leaving him alone to guide Angel Di Maria’s cross into the box past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Ugly confrontations followed as both teams used gamesmanship to try and gain an edge, with Arda Turan booked for protesting in the 11th minute after Sergio Ramos tripped Diego Costa inside the area with no penalty awarded.

But Atletico’s pressure paid off in the 28th minute when Turan spotted Koke inside the area to smash a low shot past Lopez into the far corner.

Diego Costa, who will play at the Calderon for Spain in three days, was a physical presence and troubled Madrid throughout. The Atletico striker tested Lopez constantly, including in the 43rd minute when the keeper rushed out to block a clear chance after a smart drag by Diego Costa.

Atletico took the lead in first-half stoppage time when Gabi’s powerful drive beat the slow-footed Lopez.

In the second half, Lopez rebounded in the second half to make stops on Diego Costa and Raul Garcia as Atletico found space on the counter with Madrid pressing for an equaliser.

Atletico assistant coach German Burgos was sent off for protesting with both teams knowing the importance of the match towards the championship.

But Madrid’s attack could not be contained despite Gareth Bale failing to control a cross inside the area, with the ball falling to Ronaldo to extend Madrid’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 28 games.

Madrid also stretched their unbeaten run at the Calderon to 15 games, dating to June 1999.

Earlier, Ruben Castro’s late goal gave bottom side Real Betis a 1-1 draw at 10-man Villarreal, who slipped six points from fourth and the final Champions League spot. Betis were left 11 points from safety.

Villarreal appeared to be in control after Bruno Soriano converted a penalty in the 71st minute following Francisco Chica’s foul on Ikechukwu Uche in the area.

But Uche was dismissed with his second booking in the 85th minute, and five minutes later Castro headed home Didac Vila’s cross to level.

LONDON — Two moments of magic inside two second-half minutes helped Manchester City avoid a second successive Wembley meltdown on Sunday as they landed the season’s first silverware with a 3-1 victory over Sunderland in the English League Cup final.

Memories of last season’s FA Cup final defeat by relegation-bound Wigan Athletic were re-surfacing as Manuel Pellegrini’s side trailed to Fabio Borini’s clinical 10th-minute strike.

This time, however, City’s slickers showed their pedigree with Yaya Toure’s spectacular curling shot and Samir Nasri’s pile-driver turning the final on its head.

Relegation-threatened Sunderland continued to dream of a first piece of silverware since their epic 1973 FA Cup final defeat of Leeds United with an impressive response before Jesus Navas finished them off in the 90th minute.

It was City’s first League Cup title since 1976 and keeps alive their hopes of an unprecedented domestic treble in Pellegrini’s first season — but it was never straightforward.

“Maybe what happened last year at Wembley was in their minds in the first half,” Chilean Pellegrini, who picked up his first major trophy as a European coach after a lengthy but fruitless spell in Spain, told reporters.

“But the important thing was to calm the players and let them trust in what they can do.”

With City in the last eight of the FA Cup and six points off the top of the Premier League with two games in hand, Pellegrini said capturing the League Cup could prove pivotal.

“This gives us a lot of confidence to go forward,” he said.

“If you have a chance to win a title and don’t, it affects you. We are the only club to have the chance to win all the trophies and for a big club, one trophy is never enough.”

Sunderland Manager Gus Poyet shrugged off the defeat, saying there was little his team could have done.

“I’m sad, I hate it, but I’m proud of them,” the Uruguayan said. “We were more than decent for 45 minutes — then bang, bang. From the football side we couldn’t do better but in the end the quality decided the game.”

Sunderland spent the opening minutes deep inside their own half as City zipped the ball around on the lush Wembley turf but, after knocking out Chelsea and Manchester United to reach the showpiece, they soon showed some attacking intent.

City were jittery at the back and, after Sunderland had a goal rightly flagged offside, they fell behind after an uncharacteristic mistake by skipper Vincent Kompany.

He was caught in two minds as Borini closed him down and instead of booting the ball clear he was dispossessed and Borini raced into the box to thump a shot with the outside of his right boot past Costel Pantilimon.

City dominated possession for the rest of the half without ever carving open a Sunderland rearguard well-marshalled by former Manchester United stalwarts Wes Brown and John O’Shea.

Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone was never seriously tested and it was Sunderland who could have doubled their lead when Borini ran through on goal from a suspiciously offside position.

This time Kompany rescued his side with a timely intervention just as the Italian cocked his leg to shoot.

A City onslaught was expected at the start of the second half but again, it was Poyet’s Sunderland who impressed.

Ki Sung-yueng, part of the Swansea City side that lifted the trophy last season, let fly from 30 metres, forcing Pantilimon to tip his dipping strike over the crossbar.

Then the wheels fell off Sunderland’s bandwagon.

One nonchalant swing of Toure’s right leg sent a curling 30-metre shot beyond the fingertips of Mannone after 55 minutes and two minutes later Nasri met Aleksandar Kolarov’s half-cleared cross with an unstoppable shot.

It was cruel on Sunderland but they refused to capitulate and once their heads had cleared from the shock of two lightning bolts they began to pose some serious questions of a City defence that still looked vulnerable.

With Sunderland throwing men forward substitute Steven Fletcher hit a shot straight at Pantilimon and they battled gamely until the end to no avail.

Substitute Navas made absolutely sure there was no way back for Sunderland with a clinical third on the stroke of full time.

AMMAN — The country’s Premier Basketball League has concluded with Applied Science University (ASU) winning the title for the second consecutive and fourth time in their history.

ASU beat Ittihad 3-1 in the best-of-five finals (78-65, 87-80 and 97-72) and dropped one match (80-66).

Riyadi won third place after beating Kulieh 2-0 in the best-of-three play-off (91-87 and 80-75). Orthodoxi finished fifth.

No import players were allowed this season while observers noted a gap in competitive levels of clubs and lack of fans, which has cast a negative impact on the second most popular game in Jordan.

Jordan Basketball Federation League Commissioner Mudar Majdoub told The Jordan Times in an interview that many aspects need revision, noting that clubs had agreed “not to hold the Jordan Cup nor enlist import players until new criteria is put in place”.

In the 2012 season, ASU won the league for the third time, Ittihad schools were runner-up as Riyadi took third and Kulieh fourth. Former champs Orthodoxi pulled out of the event, citing result and technicalities that allowed Kulieh to advance to Round 2.

In 2011, Orthodoxi ended a 10-year drought and won their record 22nd title when they beat titleholders ASU. Kufr Youba beat Riyadi for third place.

Established in 2007, ASU were crowned First Division champs in 2007 and were promoted to Premier Basketball League in the 2008/09 season, finishing runner-up before winning the league four times so far. 

They finished fourth at the 21st Asian Champions Cup and were third at the 22nd Arab Clubs Basketball Championship in 2009 when Zain conceded their Arab title.

ZURICH — FIFA has been left with a huge challenge following Brazilian delays in building stadiums for the 2014 World Cup, Secretary General Jerome Valcke said Saturday.

“We are working in conditions where the cement is not even dry,” Valcke told reporters as Tuesday’s 100 days to kickoff  milestone approaches.

“We still have to install all the IT solutions for the media. Without IT and without the telecommunications in place in the stadium you will say we are the worst organisers and it was the worst event,” he said.

“But to install the IT in a stadium, it needs at least 90 days and we have to work for all the people who have an interest, our commercial partners, our media partners, hospitality...” 

“The ball starts rolling on June 12 until
July 13 and I think things will work well then, but it is also true that whenever you receive something late, it becomes a challenge to make it ready in time,” Valcke added.

“I am not a World Cup specialist but I will say this has not been easy for sure,” he told reporters gathered after a meeting of the annual International Football Association Board, the game’s law-making meeting.

“We are almost at 100 days before the first game starts in a stadium in Sao Paulo which is still not ready and won’t be ready until May 15.

“And as you know another two stadiums [in Curitiba and Manaus] are quite late.”

Backside kick

Two years ago this weekend Valcke delivered his famous “Brazil needs a kick up the backside” line which incensed the local organising committee, but certainly had something of the desired impact.

Asked if the Brazilians now needed another kick up the backside, Valcke deflected the question.

“Ask me that when the World Cup is over,” he replied.

“We have already had to put things in place and it is very last minute work, but it will work at the end. It will work, and you will have what you expect and the teams will have the best,” Valcke said.

“For sure, the stadiums are beautiful but now it is a challenge for the organisers. And that is not a criticism. It is just a challenge. We have to find the solutions.”

MADRID — Spain coach Vicente del Bosque’s squad list for the upcoming friendly against Italy will give the clearest indication yet of the team that will go to Brazil to defend their World Cup title.

Most of the speculation centres on whether Brazilian-born Diego Costa, a Spanish naturalised citizen, will be there when Del Bosque announces his 23-man squad on Friday.

Del Bosque called up Diego Costa for a pair of November friendlies but injury kept the Atletico Madrid striker sidelined.

“No one, I mean absolutely no one, has seen their chances of going to Brazil written off,” Del Bosque said. “Diego Costa’s style of play and goals lend voice to his qualities.”

There are questions over whether Diego Costa can fit in with a team whose nucleus in the World Cup win and back-to-back European Championships contains so many Real Madrid players, with whom the striker has had his share of skirmishes. Del Bosque criticised players from both teams for their actions following a recent Copa del Rey series.

“That’s just my way of playing. I’m no saint,” Diego Costa said.

Spain’s choice of forwards has left Del Bosque in a difficult spot, with Alvaro Negredo, Fernando Torres and Fernando Llorente among the choices. David Villa’s chances may be slipping away, while Real Madrid forward Jese Rodriguez is being pushed into the conversation.

Diego Costa has not played a competitive match for Spain so he could still opt for Brazil, which has just strikers Fred and Jo to choose from.

Del Bosque will be hard-pressed to overlook Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara for the June 12-July 13 tournament. His inclusion could see Madrid’s Francisco “Isco” Alarcon or Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata being left out.

Also on Thursday, Spain announced it would play Bolivia at Sevilla’s Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on May 30 in an international friendly.

MADRID –– When Real Madrid president Florentino Perez showed Vicente Del Bosque the door in 2003 he could scarcely have imagined he would still be chasing a 10th European crown more than a decade later.

During two stints at the helm of the world’s richest club, construction magnate Perez has been through seven coaches since Del Bosque was discarded but in Carlo Ancelotti he may finally have found the man who can secure the “decima” that has eluded Real since their last Champions League triumph in 2002.

They began the season shakily under the Italian, who replaced Portuguese Jose Mourinho at the end of last term, but he has gradually moulded his expensively assembled squad into a formidable force with a mean defence and one of the most lethal attacks in football.

Wednesday’s 6-1 romp at Schalke 04 showcased the talents of the forward trio known collectively as “BBC” — Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo — with each scoring twice as Real totally overwhelmed the hapless Bundesliga side to practically ensure their place in the quarter-finals.

“It was the perfect match,” Ancelotti, who won the Champions League with AC Milan twice as a player and twice as a coach, said at a news conference after the last 16, first leg in Gelsenkirchen.

“We played a very good game as we scored two early goals and then things opened up for us,” the 54-year-old added.

“We made the most of the counterattack and the speed of our forwards.”

Returning to action after serving a three-match ban in La Liga, Ronaldo took his goals tally in Europe’s elite club competition this season to 11.

With the Portugal forward and FIFA Ballon d’Or winner on such scintillating form and ably supported by Wales winger Bale and France striker Benzema it is hard to see how any team can stop Real from scoring.

“The three forwards scored and helped the team a lot, they are very dangerous in attack,” Ancelotti said.

“Cristiano doesn’t surprise me. He was really up for the game following his ban. He prepared very well for this game and played very well.

“Benzema’s performance was very good, not only for the goals but because he helped the team in holding on to the ball and also made assists.

“It could have been Bale’s best game of the season because he had more confidence and attacked very well in the deep areas.”

Real have a few days rest before they take on Atletico Madrid in Sunday’s La Liga derby and victory would put them six points clear of their city rivals with 12 games left.

Champions Barcelona are also three points behind leaders Real and host promoted Almeria in Sunday’s late game. Real’s return match at home to Schalke is on March 18.

BARCELONA — As if the off-field saga surrounding Neymar’s transfer wasn’t providing enough of a distraction, now even Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino is being questioned.

Catalan sports daily Sport reports Barcelona is already looking to replace the Argentine coach before next season despite a generally positive start with the Spanish champions, who trail leader Real Madrid by three points.

Barcelona’s play has been irregular at times, especially in the 3-1 loss at Real Sociedad on Saturday when Martino’s tactics were exposed. His frustration boiled over as he was sent from the touchline and, on Wednesday, he was banned for the upcoming league game against Almeria.

Even Xavi Hernandez had to contain his frustration after being left on the bench against Sociedad, when the team looked as if it could use the captain’s direction.

“I’m angry that I couldn’t participate and I hate not being on the field of play. But you can never be above the coach,” Xavi said on Wednesday.

“Everyone is making the coach to be 100 per cent at fault. That’s not fair. We’re all guilty, in victory or defeat. We all made mistakes.”

Martino deployed holding midfielder Alex Song in place of Xavi, and the Cameroon international scored an own-goal as Barcelona failed to match Sociedad’s game plan. After the match, Martino admitted to poorly reading the game.

“We’ve never, ever, doubted Martino,” Xavi said. “Now we just have to turn the page.”

Barcelona have been looking to turn the page more often than not of late after being charged with tax fraud over their signing of Brazil forward Neymar from Santos, with that transfer costing president Sandro Rosell his job and the club 100 million euros after originally stating the deal was worth 57.1 million euros.

Sport reported that Jurgen Klopp, Diego Simeone, Ernesto Valverde, Luis Enrique, and Andre Villas-Boas were on the short-list of candidates to fill in for Martino, who has one season remaining on his deal.