Arjen Robben Haunted By Missed Opportunity In The Final
July 14, 2010
Netherlands winger Arjen Robben is pained after missing great opportunity to put his country ahead against Spain in this past Sunday’s World Cup final.
A through-ball from Inter Milan star Wesley Sneijder sent Robben on goal where he only had Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas to beat to give the Dutch the lead.
However, the Bayern Munich winger’s shot deflected off the leg of Casillas and wide for a corner.
It was the best chance of the game for either side until Andres Iniesta’s strike gave Spain the win five minutes prior to penalty kicks being necessary to decide matters.
The Netherlands are now lost all three of their World Cup finals, also losing in 1974 and 1978, and Robben is still plagued with disappointment.
“On a day like today, I think about it a lot,” Robben told Sky Sports.
“It hurts to miss such a chance.”
Dutch manager Bert van Marwijk, who was knighted for his role in the Netherland’s run to the final in South Africa, is also ruing his teams missed opportunities.
“It is increasingly going through my head, we were so close. We had to win,” van Marwijk said.
Cesc senior dismisses gaffe
July 14, 2010
Cesc Fabregas’ father is adamant nothing was meant by his son wearing a Barcelona shirt amid Spain’s World Cup celebrations.
Arsenal captain Fabregas, who joined the Emirates club in 2003, expressed his desire to return to boyhood side Barca at the end of last season.
The Camp Nou outfit have since had a £30million bid rejected by the Gunners, but maintain their pursuit of the 23-year-old midfielder.
Spain internationals Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, who both play for the Primera Division champions, added weight to speculation of a possible move by forcing a Barca jersey on Fabregas upon the squad’s victorious arrival home from South Africa on Monday.
But the player’s father insists nothing should be read into the incident, and promised no offence had been meant towards Arsenal by his son.
Injured Ronaldo included in Portugal squad
November 9, 2009
Cristiano Ronaldo has been included in the Portugal squad for their World Cup play-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The Real Madrid forward faces a race to be fit for the two games on November 14 and 18 as he has an ankle injury.
Medical reports from the Primera Division side yesterday confirmed he would be out of action for at least two more weeks.
Ronaldo has missed Madrid’s last eight matches after suffering an injury to his right ankle during the Champions League match with Marseille on September 30, and then aggravating it while playing for Portugal in their World Cup qualifier against Hungary on October 10.
The world’s most expensive player on Thursday met with Dutch specialist Professor Niek van Dijk in Amsterdam after tests conducted by Madrid on Wednesday revealed that no improvement had been made on Ronaldo’s injury since undergoing an MRI scan a week before.
Van Dijk, who operated on the 24-year-old’s right ankle in the summer of 2008, advised Ronaldo to continue his treatment before returning for a fresh evaluation in two weeks’ time.
Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz revealed yesterday, however, that the injury would not stop him from naming Ronaldo in his 23-man squad, so important is the former Manchester United man to his country.
Valencia full-back Miguel, Wolfsburg centre-back Ricardo Costa and Werder Bremen striker Hugo Almeida returned to the squad.
Portugal take on Bosnia-Herzegovina in Lisbon on Saturday with the return leg in Zenica four days later.
