Schumi: The best my car could achieve

The seven-time World Champion failed, for the fourth successive grand prix, to make it through to the qualifying shoot-out, finishing up in 12th place.

Schumacher, though, reckons that's the best he could have achieved as he struggled with the balance of his W01 throughout the weekend.

"I am obviously not very happy with our qualifying today but my position is probably what my car was giving me," Schumacher said.

"We did not have a perfect balance, especially in some corners where the car was a bit loose, but then we did not come here expecting to achieve a great performance.

"However the race will be long tomorrow and having been welcomed so nicely by all of my Italian fans, I obviously wish to at least grab some points for them."

His team-mate Nico Rosberg had a better afternoon as he qualified in seventh place, a second off the pace of the leading Ferrari of Fernando Aloonso.

"Seventh place is definitely the best performance that was possible for us today so both I and the team can be pleased with that. However we obviously want to be further up the grid so we shouldn't get too used to being happy with such results.

"In race trim, we are probably a little stronger than in qualifying, so I can hopefully gain a place or two tomorrow if something happens amongst the top six guys, and look to achieve some good points."

Read More

England Insists Rooney Scandal Is No Distraction

Paris - England was among a number of fancied sides which began the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with handsome wins, but its trip to Switzerland on Monday came amid a tabloid storm surrounding Wayne Rooney.

The Manchester United striker played a key role in England’s 4-0 win at home to Bulgaria on Friday, but damaging newspaper revelations on Sunday alleged he frequented a prostitute while his wife, Coleen, was pregnant.

It comes at an inopportune time for coach Fabio Capello, who is trying to right the England ship after a disappointing World Cup, but James Milner says Rooney will not be affected by the scandal.

“I think you want the best players out on the field and he’s obviously one of them. He showed that the other night,” said the Manchester City midfielder. “He’s a top, top player and you want to put out the strongest team possible.”

England looked close to its impressive pre-World Cup form as it picked apart Bulgaria, but in Switzerland Capello and company face a team that has qualified for the last four major tournaments in succession.

There were few hiccups for the continent’s heavyweights, as the qualifying competition for the tournament to be jointly hosted by Ukraine and Poland began in earnest on Friday.

Spain won 4-0 in Liechtenstein, beaten World Cup finalist the Netherlands put five unanswered goals past San Marino, and Italy came from a goal down to defeat Estonia 2-1 in Tallinn.

Italy will expect to take maximum points from its game with habitual minnow the Faroe Islands in Florence. The 2006 world champion was not at its best against Estonia, but new coach Cesare Prandelli says he saw plenty of encouraging signs.

“Without a good footing you can’t go very far but it was more than just [Andrea] Pirlo and [Antonio] Cassano that pleased me — we’re becoming a team,” he said. “We’ve rediscovered the ability to play football with courage.”

The Netherlands, for whom new Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored a hat-trick against San Marino, takes on Finland in Rotterdam in Group E.

One high-profile side that failed to impress in its opening qualifying fixture was France, which fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Belarus in the absence of several key players through injury and suspension.

Les Bleus, European champions in 2000, now face a daunting trip to face Bosnia-Herzegovina and coach Laurent Blanc says his young side must not shirk the physical battles that are sure to await them in Sarajevo.

“We’ll have to increase our physical play,” Blanc said. “We’re still a bit tender, the Bosnians will intimidate us and we’ll need to have weapons to respond.”

Belarus has never qualified for a major tournament but it could go clear at the top of Group D if its defeats Romania, which was held to a 1-1 draw in Albania in their group opener. Portugal, which fell to Spain in the last 16 at the World Cup, visits Norway.

The Euro 2004 finalists shipped four goals in an extraordinary 4-4 draw at home to Cyprus on Friday, prompting center-back Ricardo Carvalho to urge his team to tighten up defensively for the trip to Oslo. “We have to be more compact, especially at the back,” the Real Madrid defender told the UEFA Web site.

With reigning world and European champion Spain playing Argentina in a friendly in Buenos Aires, Scotland can go top of Group I if it beats Liechtenstein in Glasgow and Lithuania fails to win in the Czech Republic. (Tom Williams)

Agence France-Presse

Read More

PSSI Treasurer Sentenced To 5 Years for Slaying Wife

Jakarta - An official of the Indonesian Football Association has been found guilty of killing his wife and was sentenced to five years in prison by the South Jakarta District Court.

Prosecutors had sought a three-year sentence for Yosep Revo, treasurer for the association, also known as PSSI,

However, Judge Artha Theresia on Monday tacked on an additional two years, citing Yosep’s brutal resolution of a dispute with his spouse.

Prosecutors said that on Feb. 10, Yosep’s wife, Maria Imakulata Reni Widowati, came home and had an argument with Yosep, who had accused his wife of having an affair.

In a fit of anger, Yosep then beat his wife to death with a laptop computer, prosecutors said.

Artha was quoted by news portal Detik.com as saying Yosep had only received five years behind bars because he was the family’s breadwinner, had no prior convictions and had admitted guilt. Peace between the families of Yosep and the victim was also a mitigating factor.

Yosep looked away from the judges as the decision was read, Detik reported.

Casmus Refra, a lawyer for Yosep, said he would appeal the verdict, pointing to the need for his client to be with his children.

The PSSI had earlier said it would wait until after the verdict was delivered before deciding whether Yosep would be dismissed from his post.

Yosep was elected to the PSSI executive committee in April 2009 to replace Hamka Yandhu, who is currently charged with graft during his time as a Golkar Party lawmaker.(Wimbo Satwiko)

Read More

As Indonesian Football Team Goes on Break, ‘Slight Improvement’ Seen

Jakarta - Alfred Riedl wants his squad to get all the rest it can. Once the national training camp reopens in October, it will be all work for the Indonesia football team.

National coach Riedl will break camp today for the Idul Fitri holiday and won’t meet his players again until training resumes on Oct. 3.

Heading to the recess, Riedl is relieved to have wrapped up a pair of local friendlies with what he calls “a slightly improved performance” by his team.

He also voiced his opinion on the series of international friendlies the National Team Body (BTN) set up for next month, calling the Ivory Coast match on Oct. 13 “a test of fitness” for his squad.

Not surprisingly, the national team won both its tune-up matches against Premier Division clubs, the Austrian coach’s first games at the helm of the Merah Putih.

Riedl found the way his squad played in a 3-0 defeat of Pro Titan in Jakarta on Sunday more pleasing than the team’s first effort on Thursday in which it struggled to a 4-1 victory over Persita Tangerang.

As in the first match, Riedl divided his squad into two sides, each of which played one extended half of 60 minutes. While he observed that his team lacked aggressiveness, Riedl did say his team “played a little better.”

“The first team looked fresh compared to the second team, which missed some chances in the second half. But I think we played a little better than in the first match,” Riedl said.

Defender Ricardo Salampessy and forward Yongki Aribowo missed Sunday’s friendly because of injury. In their absence, Riedl tinkered with his game plan as he resorted to a 4-2-3-1 formation in the second half and found that the adjustment worked.

“We missed Yongki, so the second team had to play under a new system. I think [the team] played quite well, but it’s still not what I wanted to see. I want the boys to fight for every position,” Riedl said.

For the second straight game, it was forward Bambang Pamungkas who stood out.

Playing for the first-half side, Bambang asserted himself from the start. He set up a pinpoint cross to defender Nova Arianto, but Nova’s shot sailed over the bar. After midfielder Arif Suyono broke the deadlock, Bambang’s free kick made it 2-0.

The national team’s second-half squad broke through Pro Titan’s defense and had several scoring chances. However, lapses in midfield left Riedl’s players vulnerable in defense. Forward M Isnaini scored the third and final goal.

Riedl said he wanted to play “a weaker opponent” before his squad faces Ivory Coast. BTN said Indonesia was due to play Uruguay in a friendly on Oct. 9, but Riedl said the Ivory Coast match was the only one confirmed.

“According to my information the match against Ivory Coast is already set up, but before that we want to look for a relatively weak opponent that we can play,” the coach said.

“But we have to look at the players’ conditioning when they return to camp. I know Ivory Coast is much stronger than us, but I hope the boys will be much fitter than they are now so we can play better.”

Between the holiday break and the resumption of the national training camp, the players will report to their respective clubs, which are gearing up for the opening of the Indonesian Super League on Sept. 26.

Around that time, Riedl will also be busy. He will fly to Hanoi to watch the friendly between Vietnam and North Korea on Sept. 24.

Riedl and BTN head Iman Arif will then proceed to Amsterdam to meet with Netherlands football officials regarding BTN’s plans to hold a training camp for Dutch football players of Indonesian descent.

Read More

Capirossi undergoes successful finger surgery

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP star Loris Capirossi has undergone a successful operation to repair the damage caused to his right hand in his opening lap coming-together with Ducati Corse rival Nicky Hayden in the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano on Sunday, his 200th premier class outing.

The Italian veteran had a 90-minute procedure to reconstruct the bone in his little finger and further work to re-attach the severed tendon in the same digit. The operation was performed by Dr. Oliviero Soragni at the San Marino Hospital on Monday afternoon, and Capirossi is now back home in Monte Carlo where he will begin his recuperation and healing period.

The 37-year-old 'record-man' – who made his 300th GP start in the 2010 Qatar curtain-raiser back in April – is expected to make a full recovery from the injury and should be able to regain complete use of his damaged finger. It is not yet confirmed whether or not he will be able to compete in the next round of the MotoGP World Championship at Aragon in Spain on 19 September.

“The operation went very well and I am very pleased with what Dr. Soragni told me after I came out of surgery,” Capirossi confirmed. “Dr. Costa was also present, and he knows how the injury will heal and he will help me to make the right decision about when I can ride again.

“The bone has been reconstructed and I have been told I will get full movement back – which is great news – but at the moment the finger is immobilised so I don't cause any damage to the excellent work the surgeon has done. Although I am in a bit of pain, this is still nothing compared to what happened at Misano on Sunday, and once again I want to send my wishes and prayers to Tomizawa-san's family in their time of great sadness.”

Read More

Shoya Tomizawa dies of Misano injuries

Shoya Tomizawa has died as a result of injuries sustained in the Moto2 race on Sunday at Misano.

The Japanese - who made history by winning the first ever Moto2 Grand Prix at Qatar this year, then took pole and a podium at round two - fell from fourth place on lap 12 and was then hit at high speed by Alex de Angelis and Scott Redding.

The official statement from Dorna announcing the death was as follows:

"On Sunday 5th September during the Moto2 race at the Misano World Circuit, rider Shoya Tomizawa aged 19 suffered a serious crash and subsequent cranial, thoracic and abdominal trauma.

"Given the seriousness of his condition - especially for the thoracic and abdominal trauma - Tomizawa was immediately treated at the Misano World Circuit medical centre and put under artificial respiration.

"The rider was taken by ambulance to the Riccione hospital accompanied by two doctors - helicopter was not used in order to allow for the proper respiratory support to be administered. Despite various attempts to resuscitate him Shoya sadly succumbed to his injuries at 14.20.

"Everybody involved in MotoGP extends its deepest condolences to Shoya's family and friends at this tragic loss."

de Angelis walked away from the huge accident, while Redding received ten stitches for a back laceration. Neither rider had any chance to avoid Tomizawa, who was sixth in the world championship heading into the race.

2010 was Tomizawa's second season in grand prix racing, after finishing 17th in the 2009 250cc class.

Prior to last year, Tomizawa had been a wild-card rider at his home Motegi event in 2006 (125cc), 2007 (125cc) and 2008 (250cc).

Tomizawa was runner-up in the 125cc Japanese Championship in 2006 and the 250cc Japanese Championship in 2008.

The last time a rider was killed during a motorcycle grand prix was Daijiro Kato, in the MotoGP class, at Suzuka 2003.

Our thoughts are with Tomizawa's family and friends.

Read More

Honda pays tribute to Tomizawa

Honda Motor Co. Ltd and Honda Racing Corporation would like to express their great sadness at the passing away of Shoya Tomizawa following an accident in today’s San Marino Grand Prix.

Tomizawa crashed on the 12th lap of the Moto2 race. The Japanese rider was immediately treated at trackside, then at the circuit medical centre and then at Riccione hospital. Numerous attempts were made to resuscitate him but at 14.20hrs he succumbed to cranial, thoracic and abdominal trauma.

Both Honda Motor Co. Ltd and Honda Racing Corporation would like to extend their deepest condolences to Tomizawa’s family and friends.

Nineteen-year-old Tomizawa, from Chiba, was a very popular rider in the MotoGP paddock, known for his sunny smile and determination on the racetrack. He made his Grand Prix debut at Motegi in the 125 class in 2006. In 2008 he took the runner-up spot in the 250 All-Japan Championship. He became a full-time GP rider last season, taking 17th place in the 250 World Championship. This year he moved into the new Moto2 series and made history by winning the opening round.

Shuhei Nakamoto, Vice-President, Honda Racing Corporation
“We are very saddened by this news and our thoughts of course are now with Shoya’s family and friends. He was at the start of his Grand Prix career and today we have lost fine young rider and a talent for the future. Shoya had fighting spirit, we will all miss him very much…”

Read More

Archive