Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/327636
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 11 JUNE 2014 22 Japanese ref Nishimura handling World Cup opener BARRY WHELAN JAPAN'S Yuichi Nishimura is to referee Thursday's opening match of the World Cup between hosts Brazil and Croatia in Sao Paulo. Nishimura will be assisted by com- patriots Toru Sagara and Toshiyuki Nagi, with Alireza Faghani of Iran designated as the fourth official, football's world governing body FIFA said Tuesday. Nishimura, 42, was in charge of four matches at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, including the quarter-final between the Nether- lands and Brazil. He is set to become the third Japanese referee to officiate at two World Cups, after Shizuo Takada (1986 and 1990) and Toru Kami- kawa (2002 and 2006). Nishimura, who made his inter- national refereeing debut 10 years ago, has experience of numerous tournaments, including the 2012 Olympics, the Asian Cup and Af- rican Cup of Nations, and he also refereed the 2010 Club World Cup final. Italy's Nicola Rizzoli is designated for Friday's meeting between de- fending world champions Spain and the Netherlands - a repeat of the 2010 final - in Salvador. Rizzoli officiated at Euro 2012 and was in charge of the 2013 Champi- ons League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. In Friday's other matches, Wilmar Roldan of Colombia will referee Mexico v Cameroon in Natal, and Noumandiez Doue of Ivory Coast will be in charge of Chile v Aus- tralia in Cuiaba. Japanese referee Yuichi Nishimura during the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 group C soccer match between Australia and Bahrain at Al Sadd Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Nishimura has been selected by FIFA as one of the 25 referees who will offi ciate at the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil. Photo by EPA/STRINGER France start to dream despite Ribery blow Better to start out winning - Spain reject the debut superstition EMILIO RAPPOLD AS the France team arrived in Bra- zil this week the atmosphere back home was becoming increasingly optimistic, with sport newspaper L'Equipe carrying the headline "Dreaming is allowed" on Tuesday. The not insignificant blow of losing Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery to injury has been put to one side by most people, if not eve- ryone. "Oh, still..." was coach Didier Deschamps' reaction when asked about Ribery at the press confer- ence after Sunday's final warm-up game against Jamaica. That match being won 8-0 in clinical fashion has put the nation on cloud nine ahead of France's opening World Cup match against Honduras this Sunday, even with- out Ribery. And lessons seem to have been learned from the South African debacle of 2010 when France were eliminated in the group stage with a squad riddled by bickering and quarrels. "We are ready, we have prepared very well, and worked seriously for three weeks," said midfielder Blaise Matuidi. The view from outside the squad is equally positive with former in- ternational Bixente Lizarazu writ- ing in L'Equipe that the dual striker system of Oliver Giroud and Ka- rim Benzema used against Jamaica could work at the World Cup. "Unlike in 2010, we love this French team," said Le Parisian newspaper in a video. "This is al- ready a first victory." It is expected that more victories will follow in Brazil. French national soccer team striker Karim Benzema (3rd R) and his teammates warm up during their training session. Photo by EPA/YOAN VALAT ALBERTO BRAVO SPAIN defied the statistics to win the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 de- spite not having won their first match, but Vicente del Bosque and his players understand that they cannot continue to play with fire at this World Cup. At the 2010 World Cup in South Af- rica, Spain turned around history by lifting the trophy despite losing 1-0 to Switzerland in their first game. Never before had a team won the title after losing on their debut. Two years later, Spain were held 1-1 by Italy to start Euro 2012, but again eventually emerged triumphant by hammering the same opponents 4-0 in the final. "To pick up three points from the first game will be crucial in such a difficult group," said reserve defender Raul Albiol Monday. Now the challenge is even more dif- ficult because group B will be an ob- stacle race full of difficulties, thanks to the presence of the Netherlands, Chile and Australia. Spain will start out Friday against the Dutch in a rerun of the 2010 final, which Del Bosque's team won 1-0 in extra-time. The last game in South Af- rica will be their first game in Brazil, a match which could establish the shape of things to come in the group. "It is a key match because it is the first one. If we win our opening game then we will have taken an important step forward," said forward David Silva. The trajectory of Spain at recent tournaments shows a team that finds it difficult to start out with a good rythm, something they would like to change now in order to avoid prob- lems in such a difficult group. A debut defeat like in 2010 would put the Spaniards against the wall, though a triple tie between Spain, the Neth- erlands and Chile cannot be ruled out, given that Australia will struggle to pick up points, according to most predictions. And if this happens, then goal difference between the top three would come into the equation. In addition, finishing second in the group will probably carry a heavy punishment because that team would have to face the top side in group A, in which Brazil are clear favourites. This is why the Spain-Netherlands game is especially important. Spain will go into Friday's game with doubts about the condition of several players - in particular those of Barce- lona, who looked fatigued towards the end of the season. However, Del Bosque is a naturally confident man, always ready to chal- lenge the sceptics. "I believe the play- ers are very talented and stimulated. I think they are training well, and we will be in good shape for Friday," he told sports daily Marca. His words are an injection of opti- mism for a Spanish team determined, against the Dutch, not to repeat their previous poor starts. Spain defender Raul Albiol heads the ball during a team training session on June 5, 2014. Defending champions Spain are preparing for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Photo by EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS