Camerooninvestigate spat
Rio De Janeiro: Cameroon’s football federation is investigating what it calls “disgraceful behavior” by some of its players in the 4-0 loss to Croatia at the World Cup, when defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto head-butted a teammate. FECAFOOT said players could be punished through the internal investigation ahead of Cameroon’s final Group A game against Brazil on Monday. Cameroon is already eliminated after two poor performances in losses to Mexico and Croatia. Toward the end of the game against the Croatians in Manaus on Wednesday, Assou-Ekotto thrust his head into the face of Benjamin Moukandjo and the pair scuffled in front of their goal before being separated by another Cameroon player. Midfielder Alex Song was earlier sent off for elbowing Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic in the back in an off-the-ball incident. “The recent acts of violence that took place during the match against Croatia do not reflect the values of fair play and respect as promoted by our federation,” FECAFOOT said. The “disgraceful behavior is being further investigated internally.”
‘Implement water breaks’
Teresopolis: A Brazilian court ordered FIFA to introduce mandatory water breaks in World Cup matches when temperatures reach 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit). A labor court in the capital of Brasilia issued a temporary injunction saying the breaks are required near the 30th minute of each half so players can get hydrated. FIFA had said it would only implement the breaks when its medical staff considered them necessary. The court said in a statement that the ruling was made after nearly two hours of failed negotiations involving FIFA and local prosecutors in an audience on Friday. Brazil’s players’ union recently took legal action against FIFA to try to change the start times of more than a third of World Cup matches because of heat and humidity.
Von Bergen out
Salvador: Switzerland central defender Steve von Bergen is out of the World Cup after breaking a facial bone in his team’s 5-2 loss to France. Von Bergen was kicked in the face by France striker Olivier Giroud as they challenged for the ball in the seventh minute of Friday’s match in Salvador in Group E. The Swiss Football Federation says von Bergen was examined in a Salvador hospital after the match and was diagnosed with a broken left orbita floor. Von Bergen will be returning home as soon as possible with one of the team’s doctors to be treated by specialists.
‘Dzeko’s our Messi’
Cuiaba: Just a few weeks ago, Edin Dzeko was being heralded as the best player in the English Premier league by no less an esteemed judge as Jose Mourinho. On Friday, the Bosnia-Herzegovina striker was being compared with probably the three best players in the world. “He is equally important to us as Cristiano Ronaldo is for Portugal, as Neymar is to Brazil, as Messi to Argentina,” Bosnia-Herzegovina coach Safet Susic said. “That is how important he is to us.” The Manchester City star has quite a billing to live up to at the World Cup but he started off slowly, well contained in the team’s 2-1 loss to Argentina in their Group F opener. With the Bosnia-Herzegovina team’s future in Brazil already on the line, the pressure is on Dzeko to deliver goals against Nigeria in Cuiaba on Saturday to keep the newcomers alive in the tournament and add to his national-record tally for his country of 35. “We are in the most uncomfortable position of all teams,” Susic said. “If we lose, we can pack our bags and head home.”
Rooney says sorry
Rio de Janeiro: Wayne Rooney today apologised to England fans for the country’s disastrous exit from the World Cup after two defeats. The 28-year-old Manchester United striker said on his Facebook page that he was “absolutely devastated” and “gutted” by the losses to Italy and Uruguay in Group D. “Sorry to all the fans that travelled and at home that we haven’t done better,” said Rooney. “Going into each game we had great belief in ourselves but unfortunately it hasn’t worked out,” he added. Midfielder Jack Wilshere sent the same message to England fans. “Gutted doesn’t come close to how I am feeling right now. Sorry to all the fans who came out and supported us, and everyone back home,” he said.