Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/343370
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 9 JULY 2014 Sport 23 Answers to the MaltaToday crossword will be published next Wednesday WEATHER: Fine with some high clouds VISIBILITY: Good WIND: North to Northwest force 4 locally force 5 backing West to Northwest and becoming force 3 or 4 SEA: Moderate becoming slight to moderate SWELL: Low Westerly becoming Northwest SEA TEMP: 24 °C A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 White to play and mate in four moves A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Last week's solution Sudoku rules are extremely easy: Fill all empty squares so that the numbers 1 to 9 appear once in each row, column and 9x9 box. PARTLY CLOUDY 32 º C / 23 º C UV INDEX: 10 Today's Weather Chess Sudoku Pursuits OPINION Across 1. Slackens (7) 5. Not blind (7) 9. Metal container used for frying (3) 10. Adherent of Hinduism (5) 11. Customary (5) 12. Domesticated canid (3) 13. Recluse (6) 16. Ample (6) 19. Silent (4) 21. Abrading tool (4) 23. Engage in prayer (4) 24. Sale of goods in quantity (9) 25. One of the divisions of a window (4) 26. Tears (4) 27. Ascend (4) 28. Make whiter (6) 31. Having barbs (6) 35. Condensed moisture (3) 37. Managed (5) 38. Happen (5) 39. Inquire of (3) 40. Faithfulness (7) 41. Went in (7) Down 1. Gate fastener (5) 2. Opposite one of two (5) 3. Boredom (5) 4. Potato (4) 5. Cosy (4) 6. Porridge (5) 7. Claw (5) 8. Short and stout (5) 14. Tomb inscription (7) 15. Inflatable life jacket (3,4) 16. Foot-operated lever (5) 17. Ruler of an empire (7) 18. Tread underfoot (7) 20. Consumers (5) 22. Feel grief (5) 28. Spin (5) 29. Characterized by itching (5) 30. Eject (5) 32. Racecourse (5) 33. Tree insect (5) 34. Shaped like a dome (5) 35. June 6, 1944 (1-3) 36. Roused (4) LOUIS van Gaal is a man of steel. Known for his bizarre actions dur- ing his time at Barcelona and Bay- ern Munich, he is also rumored to have dropped his pants, as a way of indicating the fact that he does have the balls to drop any player he likes. Despite that shocking mental image I doubt anyone expected him to make that change against Costa Rica last Saturday. Having held a clean sheet for 120 minutes, Jasper Cillessen was subbed off for Newcastle's Tim Krul, just to take part in the penalt y shootout as the teams played out a draw over the night. In doing so Van Gaal removed the pressure on his goalie and ab- sorbed it all himself. At 6ft 4inch- es Tim Krul is not exactly a spot kick specialist, having saved only two out of 20 penalties during his time at Newcastle United. The op- position however were oblivious to this and must have felt he was the main man with the plan for penalties. After the first penalt y how- ever you can see why Krul was brought on, despite not even hav- ing warmed up. Using his large frame he walked up to each play- er and shouted him down, tell- ing him he knew exactly where the player would place his shot. Whether he really knew or not is unknown however he did dive correctly all five times. Even if the penalt y went in, he still shouted he dived the correct way, no doubt a move that played on the mind of the upcoming penalt y taker. That man was Fulham's Bryan Ruiz, who swapped sides and went to the bottom left, unlike against Greece. Still, Tim Krul outfoxed him, and perhaps the reason here is that Krul forced him to change his mind, which is a tactical no- no in penalt y terms. Players will all tell you, pick a spot and never change your mind. Ruiz changed his mind, Krul did not – advan- tage Holland. Since the game he has admitted he did study the previous penal- ties against Greece, and will do the same for tonight's semi final against Argentina. He also told the media that what he did was not wrong, nor was it aggressive. He simply wanted to get in their minds and gain the advantage, and on this occasion it worked. His tried and tested method also claimed Frank Lampard as a vic- tim in the Premier League, so there might be method in the madness. His actions have somehow up- set many, who have labelled him a cheat as he was putting too much pressure on the penalt y taker. Football is a physical game where 40,000 fans a week hurl abuse from the stands week in week out, a bit of shouting off your opponent goalkeeper should not really upset anyone. We have seen far worse actions on the pitch, and Tim Krul was in his rights to intimidate the player to gain the upper hand. Van Gaal 's move paid off big time. Two penalties saved sent Costa Rica out of Brazil with the only unbeaten record this year. Their heads must be held high as nobody even expected them to come out of what was a very dif- ficult group on paper, which in- cluded former winners England, Italy and Uruguay. Mark Strijbosch Van Gaal's gutsy style will be tested The Netherlands national soccer team head coach Louis van Gaal. Photo by EPA/KOEN VAN WEEL Bd6+ Kd8 Qh4+ f6 Qxf6+ Qe7 Qxe7#