WORLD CUP NOTES
Brazil’s Neymar ‘not 100 percent,’ but will play vs. Swiss
Neymar is still the key to Brazil’s attack, even if he hasn’t fully recovered from a right foot injury. The five-time champions play their opening World Cup match on Sunday against Switzerland in Rostov, and Neymar is expected to take his position at the front. “Neymar is not yet 100 percent,” Brazil coach Tite said Saturday. “But physically, he is very privileged. His sprints, his speed are very impressive. He’s not 100 percent yet ... but he’s good enough to play well.” Neymar appeared relaxed in training. Tite said midfielder Fred, newly signed by Manchester United, is still recovering from an ankle injury and is the team’s only doubt. Six months after his record-breaking transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar fractured his right foot in February in a match against Marseille. Many in Brazil have been obsessively focused on his recovery, fretting over the national team’s promise to overcome its humiliating 7-1 loss to Germany in the 2014 semifinals. Since Tite took over, Brazil has lost only once in 21 matches and was the first of 31 teams to qualify for the World Cup in Russia. After Switzerland, the “I’m happy with the way we’ve played,” Tite said. “What we have to do is replicate it at the World Cup.”
Egypt confirms Mo Salah will play vs. Russia
Mohamed Salah celebrated his 26th birthday with a Chechen cake and the news that he will play in Egypt’s next World Cup match. A statement from the Egyptian soccer association gave no details about his fitness except that the Liverpool striker participated fully in training in Grozny, the team’s base in Russia’s Chechnya region. Salah injured his left shoulder in the Champions League final last month, putting his World Cup in doubt. He was an unused substitute in Egypt’s 1-0 loss to Uruguay on Friday — his birthday. “(His) condition is so much better,” Egypt executive director Ihab Leheta said. “He was very upset after the Uruguay game. He thought he could have played and made a contribution.” Egypt faces host Russia in St. Petersburg on Tuesday, and then takes on Saudi Arabia on June 25.
Ivanovic poised to set record for Serbia
Serbia’s World Cup opener against Costa Rica today will have added significance for Branislav Ivanovic. A win would be nice, but the 34-year-old defender and former Chelsea player could make his record 104th appearance for the national team, surpassing Dejan Stankovic. “He is one of the leaders of this team for over the past 10 years. We are all happy for him and hopefully he will be able to set a record that no one else can break because he fully deserves it,” Serbian team captain Aleksander Kolarov said the day before the match. Stankovic, known as “Deki,” played for the national team from 1998-2013, through three different eras: Yugoslavia, Serbia-Montenegro and finally Serbia. Ivanovic matched Stankovic ‘s record of 103 caps last Saturday in a 5-1 exhibition win over Bolivia. Serbia, ranked No. 34 in the world, is set to play the Ticos at Samara Stadium. The teams are in a tough group with five-time World Cup champion Brazil, and Switzerland, which is ranked No. 6 in the world. Coach Mladen Krstajic wouldn’t reveal his lineup for the match against the Ticos. If Ivanovic plays, FIFA’s rules prevent him from being honored in the match, but the national team intends to give him a memento to mark the occasion. Ivanovic currently plays for Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia, but he’s best known for his time at Chelsea (2008-2017). He scored 22 goals for the Premier League club, second among defenders to John Terry. During Ivanovic’s tenure, Chelsea won three Premier league titles, three FA Cups and a Champions League title, among other honors. Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho praised Ivanovic following a 2015 League Cup semifinal victory over Liverpool in which the defender scored the lone goal with a header in extra time — after playing the match with a boot full of blood from a cut on his foot.
Belgium may have Kompany, Vermaelen available
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez believes the Red Devils could have defenders Thomas Vermaelen and Vincent Kompany back from injury during the group stage, but he’s waiting until the final deadline before setting the team’s 23man roster. Martinez says Vermaelen could be ready for the final two group games, and the target for Kompany is Belgium’s last group game against England. Belgium opens the tournament Monday against Panama. Vermaelen did not travel with the team to Sochi and remained in Moscow to continue rehabilitating a hamstring injury he sustained last month with Barcelona. Kompany injured his groin in a warm-up match against Portugal earlier this month, continuing a long history of injuries. Martinez said the team will wait until today’s roster deadline before making a final decision on Kompany.