LIFE’SA PITCH
Low wary of Mexican attack led by Lozano ... Can Spain contend with De Gea in net? ... Neymar already eyeing redemption against Germany ... Saudis get scolding
MOSCOW — German coach Joachim Low is fearful of Mexican striker Hirving Lozano.
The 22-year-old PSV talisman is considered one of the top young strikers in the world, and is flanked by a golden generation of Mexican wingers Low hopes to push back by pushing forward.
“I hope he’s not able to give too much to Mexico tomorrow,” Low said of Lozano. “Lozano and Mexico always try and get to the byline. We’ll try and get a handle on them.
“It will be important for our fullbacks to attack them early. But they are very, very dangerous and agile and flexible and very technical with the ball. We’ll need to see that off.”
The Germans dismantled Mexico 4-1 during the Confederations Cup, though it offered El Tri and early look at the defending world champions.
BENCH DE GEA
Spain will have a hard enough time winning this World Cup with Gerrard
Pique and Sergio Ramos as its central defenders.
They won’t win this World Cup with David De Gea behind them — and that’s not just because of what happened in a 3-3 tie with Portugal.
De Gea’s gaffe on a long-distance effort from
Cristiano Ronaldo ultimately saw a share of the points.
“I am happy about the reaction of the team, I think we deserved more,” De Gea said, according to the Daily Mail.
That’s a preposterous statement given the enormity of the errors in this game.
“Football is like that, this can happen, it’s mistakes, we put on our gloves and go out into the field.” De Gea continued.
“We know how difficult it is but I count on the support of the coach and my colleagues, to continue and that support that they give me to demonstrate on the field.”
De Gea was brutal in the buildup to this tournament, conceding a bad goal in a pre-World Cup draw with Switzerland.
I’m all for filling players with confidence, but at a certain point Spain needs to look to Bilbao’s Kepa Arrizabalaga or Napoli’s Pepe Reina.
They’re not going to lose you games.
GULP, GULP, GULP
Three Saudi players will “face a penalty” following their disastrous 5-0 loss to Russia.
Saudi federation president Adel Ezzat reportedly told
Al-Youm Assabaa three of the Green Falcons will receive some kind of punishment. Gulp.
“We are very disappointed by the defeat,” Ezzat said. “This result is totally unsatisfactory, because it does not reflect the true level of our preparedness.
“Several players will face a penalty — goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf, striker Mohammad Al-Sahlawi and
defender Omar Hawsawi.”
Ezzat’s comments surfaced days after Saudi sports chairman Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al-Sheikh lambasted the team on Twitter, claiming it gave just five-per-cent effort during its opener.
REFLECTING BACK
Brazil’s players aren’t looking beyond Switzerland.
Oh, wait. They are.
Neymar told German outlet Spox.com he relishes shot at dethroning the world champs — especially after that historic 7-1 defeat in 2014.
“I would love to play the game again with me on the pitch,” Neymar said.
Brazil’s biggest player missed the 2014 semifinal after suffering a back injury.
“I am sure the result would have been different.”
Brazil and Germany won’t meet before the final if both sides finish first in their respective groups.
BY THE NUMBERS
At 71 years, 104 days old, Uruguay’s Oscar Tabarez became the second-oldest coach to win a World Cup game when his side topped Egypt. Former German coach
Otto Rehhagel was 213 days older ... Egypt remains winless at the FIFA World Cup (2 draws, 3 losses) ... With its narrow 1-0 win over Morocco, Iran ended a World Cup winless run dating back to a 2-1 defeat of the United States in 1998 ... Iran also ended the Asian confederation’s 16-game winless run at the tournament ... Morocco completed the first brother-forbrother World Cup substitution when Sofyan Amrabat replaced injured Noureddine ... Ronaldo became the first Portuguese to play in four World Cups. He also became just the fourth player to score in four World Cups (Use
Seeler, Pele and Miroslav
Klose) ... Ronaldo’s first-half penalty kept Portugal perfect from the spot (7-for-7) in World Cup play, excluding shootouts ... Ronaldo also became just the third Portuguese to complete a World Cup hat trick after Eusebio
(1966) and Pauleta (2002).
AND ANOTHER THING
What was French defender
Samuel Umtiti thinking when he reached up and deflected an Australia set piece with his fist? Even the best players in the world aren’t adverse to ridiculous decisions. Easy decision from the official to point to the spot ... Did you catch Ronaldo’s goal celebration? Portugal’s all-time leading scorer rubbed his chin amid his hat trick, signalling he’s the GOAT. Or, the greatest of all-time. Don’t for a second think the self-obsessed Portuguese isn’t fixated on going down as the best to ever play the game ... Something I’m thinking: Where would Portugal be without Ronaldo? There aren’t many goals in that team.