Denmark V Portugal : UEFA Euro 2012 Match Preview - Football
Published: 13 Jun 2012 - 16:36:09
Portuguese in must-win game with Danes
Portugal have yet to win this year but Wednesday's game against Denmark in Lviv, Ukraine, would be an ideal time to end that run, as they take on the side that beat them to top spot in qualifying.
The Portuguese -- finalists in 2004 when they hosted the tournament -- opened their Euro 2012 campaign with a far from dishonourable 1-0 defeat to the hands of one of the favourites for the title, Germany.~
But with the Danes, champions in 1992, having stunned the Dutch, Paulo Bento's team know that while a draw would at least give them an outside chance of reaching the last eight, nothing short of victory is required with the Dutch still to play.
Portugal, though, face an uphill battle, with the Danes on the up and having beaten the Selecao 2-1 in the final tournament qualifier in Copenhagen last October, which forced them into a play-off.
Pivotal to them getting something out of the game will be for their captain and one world class player Cristiano Ronaldo to get more involved than he was after yet another disappointing performance for him at this level against the Germans.
In his defence, the 26-year-old Real Madrid superstar does not have the same quality of playing talent supporting him as he had when he first made an impression as a player in the 2004 tournament.
"I think the team need to give him the chances to have a good performance," said the 39-year-old former Real Madrid star Luis Figo.
"The characteristic of Cristiano is to finish, to score, so, if the team don't produce those kind of opportunities then of course his performance is down."
The Danes showed what the Portuguese lacked in converting one of the few chances that fell to them against the Dutch, who could have won by a hatful if they had been more clinical.
However, instead it is the solid Danes who hold a whip hand in terms of their own destiny.
And with the canny and experienced coach Morten Olsen in charge the Portuguese can expect to come up against a well-drilled outfit that relies largely on team spirit to make up for its lack of flair.
Their goalscorer against the Dutch, Michael Krohn-Dehli, typifies this dogged spirit -- a journeyman forward who failed to make it in six years in Dutch club football.
He believes they can progress to the last eight with more of the same character.
"We don't have to win our next two games in order to progress to the last eight. We now have a great opportunity."
Teams
Denmark (4-2-3-1)
Stephan Andersen : Lars Jacobsen, Simon Kjaer, Daniel Agger (capt), Simon Poulsen; Niki Zimling, William Kvist; Dennis Rommedahl, Christian Eriksen, Michael Krohn-Delhi; Nicklas Bendtner
Coach : Morten Olsen
Portugal (4-3-3)
Rui Patricio : Joao Pereira, Pepe, Bruno Alves, Fabio Coentrao; Raul Meireles, Miguel Veloso, Joao Moutinho; Nani, Helder Postiga, Cristiano Ronaldo (capt)
Coach : Paulo Bento
Denmark V Portugal - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game live.
Related Portugal News
Stone Roses Amsterdam gig ends in confusion - BBC News
Stone Roses fans were left confused after the reformed band failed to play an encore at a gig in Amsterdam on Tuesday, amid reports drummer Reni had left the venue.
Singer Ian Brown appeared on stage alone at the Heineken Music Hall, to tell the crowd the gig was over.
Fans had expected to hear I Am The Resurrection, which the reformed band closed a show with in Spain on Friday.
Brown reportedly said: "I'm not joking, the drummer's gone home."
Many of the fans present then booed the 49-year-old frontman's announcement, according to BBC journalist Peter Shuttleworth, who was at the concert.
"Ian just said something like 'Come on, get all your negative vibes out on me. I can take it'," he said.
However, Shuttleworth claims the jeers were "short-lived" and fans were "more bemused than disappointed".
He added: "People were just looking at each other thinking 'what's going on?'"
He also disputed reports that Reni - real name Alan Wren - had stormed off stage, saying that he and guitarist John Squire had hugged as they left.
The band seemed to have expressed plans to play an encore, telling fans: "If you want us to come back, we're going up four storeys, so you have to cheer loud".
'Not happy'The Stone Roses kicked off their first tour in 16 years in Barcelona last weekend. They have a summer of dates planned, including three homecoming shows in Manchester's Heaton Park at the end of June.
Fans have dismissed speculation that the gig in Holland signals problems for the rest of the tour, calling the show "quality" and the crowd "enthusiastic".
Several reports quote an insider who suggested there had been a problem with the drum kit, but this has not been confirmed.
Paul Roberts was at the gig and emailed BBC 6 Music: "At one point I saw Reni waving his arms wildly at the stage mixer, obviously not happy with something."
Another, Matt Morris, claimed Brown's announcement "was followed by a volley of beer thrown at the stage and booing".
Remaining dates on the Stone Roses tour are expected to go ahead as planned, with the band due on stage in Sweden on Thursday.
RSS chief expresses displeasure at ousting Sanjay Joshi from BJP - Hindustan Times
A senior sangh pracharak, who preferred anonymity, claimed that the recent editorial in BJP mouthpiece ‘Kamal Sandesh’ that no leader should consider oneself bigger than the party was in fact, Bhagwat’s opinion, which he is believed to have echoed before his close lieutenants. That Modi had his way on Joshi’s exit was also considered as the former’s sheer display of arrogance, driven by a clash of egos by the Sangh Parivar.
According to him, the Sangh preferred to keep mum on the whole "drama" in view of the ensuing Gujarat elections and a smooth passage for Nitin Gadkari’s re-election as party president.
Moreover, the Sangh Parivar did not want a message to be sent across that Gadkari’s re-election to the BJP top post by amending the norms in the national executive did not have a powerful leader like Modi’s approval, who also considered a face of ‘Hinduvtava’ and his ever-growing clout in the party.
Joshi, first sent to the BJP by the RSS in 1988 to use his organizational skills in building the party in Gujarat, had to leave in 2005 over a sleaze CD. After taking over as BJP president, Gadkari rehabilitated Joshi -- his childhood friend -- in view of his organizational ability and entrusted him the job of Bihar and UP elections. Joshi was also included in the national executive, which did not go down well with Modi. Joshi’s friend-turned-foe Modi refused to campaign in the UP elections for the party and unofficially boycotted the national executive. Moreover, of late, the Gujarat chief minister was not even taking Gadkari’s phone calls.
When Gadkari rang up Modi on May 23, just before the national executive at Mumbai and requested him to attend, the Gujarat chief minister laid down the condition of Joshi’s axe from the executive.
Gadkari, a darling of Bhagwat, tried to use his good offices in RSS for intervention, but in vain. The BJP president did not dare to take risk when the senior party leader Lal Krishna Advani blogged questioning his leadership and other senior party leaders including Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jetlay were hostile. He narrated the entire things before Joshi who "sacrificed" himself for his friend to pave way for Modi attending the Mumbai meet.
But as pro-Joshi posters appeared in Delhi and some places in Gujarat, Modi made a telephone call to Gadkari, asking the latter to either relieve him from his chief minister’s post or Joshi from the party. Faced with this ultimatum, Gadkari made yet another crafty move by making Joshi to resign as BJP’s election in-charge of UP.
However, the RSS headquarters claimed that Joshi would be honourably re-inducted in the organization after Gadkari’s re-election the December Gujarat elections are over this year. It was said that he would be given an important task of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh elections to be held in October next year, the pracharak claimed.
Given a belief held by section of RSS cadres, it seems that the RSS would not tolerate Modi’s arrogance for a long. The RSS, which is literally directing the BJP affairs, may take on Modi after the Gujarat polls and Gadkari’s re-election by end of this year.
The senior RSS leader and former Buddhik Pramukh of the saffron organization, MG Vaidya, said that the party is bigger than any individual. “The Modi-Joshi tussle is not good for the party,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, neither Gadkari nor Bhagwat was available for comments. Joshi who was here to attend a meeting of RSS said that he was still in the BJP. "I have only relinquished the national executive and UP in-charge. I am still a primary member of the party," he said.
Talking to Hindustan Times, he also dismissed the rumours that he would be given the job of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram by the RSS. Joshi met Vaidya during his Nagpur visit and had a long discussion.
King named in GB Olympics squad (From Daily Echo) - This is Southampton
Hamble's Dani King named in Great Britain Olympics squad
1:50pm Wednesday 13th June 2012 in Sport
HAMBLE’S Dani King has been named in the GB cycling squad for the London 2012 Olympics.
Along with Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell, and Wendy Houvenaghel, she has been chosen for the endurance events.
David Millar was today named in the team alongside Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish.
The 35-year-old in 2004 was handed a two-year suspension for admitting use of banned blood booster EPO, but is now a fervent anti-doping campaigner and was last month officially cleared to compete at London 2012 after the British Olympic Association's bylaw banning drug cheats for life was revoked.
Millar is one of eight riders in the men's road squad long list but played an integral role in Cavendish's World Championships win last September and is likely to fill one of the five spots when the final team is named for the July 28 road race.
There were few surprises in the squad tasked with improving on Britain's haul of eight gold medals in Beijing.
Hoy and Pendleton, for whom the Olympics will mark the end of her career, lead the track squad, Tour de France contender Wiggins is included in the road squad and defending champion Nicole Cooke is among the women's group on the road.
Millar returns to Olympic competition for the first time since Sydney bidding to help a British squad seeking to improve on a haul of eight gold medals in Beijing four years ago.
British Cycling performance director Dave Brailsford said: "We have selected what I believe to be an excellent team going into an Olympic Games and we have a good mix of experienced Olympians alongside young riders who are making their Olympic debut.
"We still have some decisions to make, for example, the road teams will be refined in due course and who will ride in what event on the track will be determined nearer the time.
"Overall, though, the GB Cycling Team has had a strong season across all the disciplines and we are ready to step up again at the Olympics."
The track squad includes the team which scooped five gold medals from 10 Olympic events at April's Track Cycling World Championships in Melbourne.
Hoy is still to discover if he will be granted the opportunity to defend all three of the Olympic gold medals won in Beijing, with 2008 Olympic silver medallist Jason Kenny pushing the Scot hard for the one sprint place.
Hoy said: "The standard in the British Cycling team is so high and the selection process is always going to be tough, but there's a great atmosphere in the team and we just need to keep putting in the hours in training and make sure we're in the best shape possible for race day.
"This is my fourth Olympics, but my first home Games, and it's going to be an amazing experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity for all of us."
Hoy and Kenny are joined in the sprint squad by 19-year-old German-born Philip Hindes, with Olympic champions Ed Clancy and Geraint Thomas in the endurance group - for the team pursuit and omnium - alongside Steven Burke, Peter Kennaugh and Andy Tennant.
Pendleton and Jess Varnish are in the women's sprint squad.
Britain are set to take up their host nation places in the remaining two cycling disciplines, with all eyes on three-time world champion Shanaze Reade in the BMX. Liam Phillips is to be given every opportunity to prove his fitness and take the men's place after suffering a fractured collar bone at last month's Birmingham World Championships.
The mountain bike places have gone to Liam Killeen, who has recorded top-10 finishes at the last two Games, and Annie Last.
TRACK Sprint: Philip Hindes, Sir Chris Hoy, Jason Kenny, Victoria Pendleton, Jessica Varnish.
Endurance: Steven Burke, Ed Clancy, Peter Kennaugh, Andy Tennant, Geraint Thomas, Wendy Houvenaghel, Dani King, Laura Trott, Joanna Rowsell.
ROAD Men (five to be selected): Mark Cavendish, Steven Cummings, Chris Froome, Jeremy Hunt, David Millar, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift, Bradley Wiggins.
Women (four to be selected): Lizzie Armitstead, Nicole Cooke, Katie Colclough, Sharon Laws, Lucy Martin, Emma Pooley.
BMX Liam Phillips, Shanaze Reade MOUNTAIN BIKE Liam Killeen, Annie Last
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CANADA STOCKS-TSX rallies on miners, banks - Reuters UK
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
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TEXT-S&P raises WideOpenWest rating to 'B' - Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
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GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks mixed, dollar slips on weak U.S. data - Reuters
* U.S. retail sales, producer prices show slowing economy
* Dollar eases against yen, euro rebounds
* Safe-haven bonds gain on weak data, European concerns
* Oil prices rise as refinery rates surge to 5-year high
By Herbert Lash
NEW YORK, June 13 (Reuters) - Global stocks were mixed while the dollar edged lower on Wednesday as weak U.S. economic data and a still simmering European debt crisis weighed on sentiment.
Investors snapped up safe-haven debt and gold prices rose toward $1,625 an ounce. Oil prices eased after initially rising after U.S. refinery rates surged to their highest in nearly five years, data from the Energy Information Administration showed.
Shares of JPMorgan rose 3.8 percent to $35.04, giving the benchmark S&P 500 its second-biggest boost, as no damning news came out of Chief Executive Jamie Dimon's testimony before Congress on its multibillion-dollar trading loss.
Markets are expected to remain on tenterhooks ahead of a Greek vote on Sunday and fears that Spain's financing problems may spread to Italy. The question of whether Greece will remain in the euro zone after the election and the potential impact of Europe's woes on global growth also affected sentiment.
"We're still in an environment where the macro trend is deteriorating and we think that most recent news flow from the corporates is becoming worrying as well," Emanuel Cau, a strategist at JPMorgan, said.
"Our advice is to sell any rally as long as the macro backdrop doesn't improve," Cau said.
U.S. stocks traded near break-even, European stocks closed down while shares of emerging markets rose and an index of global stocks edged higher, helped by earlier gains in Asia.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 3.18 points, or 0.03 percent, at 12,576.98. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 1.05 points, or 0.08 percent, at 1,325.23. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 3.91 points, or 0.14 percent, at 2,846.98.
In Europe, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top regional companies closed down 0.3 percent at a provisional 986.95.
MSCI's all-country world equity index rose 0.4 percent to 302.47.
Wall Street initially opened lower as demand for building materials sagged and falling gasoline prices crimped receipts at service stations, dragging retail sales down 0.2 percent, the Commerce Department said.
April retail sales were revised to show a 0.2 percent drop instead of the previously reported 0.1 percent gain. Excluding the surge in auto sales, sales fell 0.4 percent, the biggest decline in two years.
The U.S. Labor Department said its producer price index dropped 1.0 percent in May as energy costs slumped 4.3 percent.
"PPI is a bit of a surprise and isn't a good sign. It continues to chip away at sentiment. This won't be well received by the market," Todd Schoenberger, managing principal at the BlackBay Group in New York.
Oil priced initially rebounded after crude inventories slipped last week less than forecast, while gasoline and distillate stocks fell, offsetting expectations of a build and helping crude oil to trade higher. But U.S. crude later fell.
Brent crude rose 31 cents to $97.45 a barrel.
U.S. light sweet crude oil, however, was down 36 cents at $82.96 a barrel.
"The market moved higher after the EIA data but the euro's strengthening against the dollar at nearly the same time may have been more responsible for crude's move higher than the data," said Michael Fitzpatrick, editor of industry newsletter Energy Overview in New York.
U.S. Treasuries prices erased losses and turned higher.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose 10/32 in price to yield 1.63 percent.
Yields on 10-year German bonds fell to 1.484 percent.
"Many now believe that the point of no return is getting nearer with the peripheral (European) economies in a somewhat irreversible dynamic, with their economies depressed and their access to capital markets shrinking," said Lee McDarby at Investec Corporate Treasury.
The dollar fell against the yen, while the U.S. dollar index was down 0.5 percent at 82.028, and the euro was up 0.7 percent at $1.2585.
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