Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/416739
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 2014 55 Sport FOOTBALL Claudio Ranieri sacked after Greece shock defeat to Faroe Islands Mario Balotelli out of Italy squad after picking up hamstring injury in training CLAUDIO Ranieri has been sacked as coach of Greece, less than 24 hours after losing to the Faroe Islands in a European Champion- ship qualifier. The Italian was told the news on Saturday following their 1-0 home defeat in Group F. The 2004 champions are bottom of the table with just a single point from four matches. After the match the 63-year-old accepted responsibilit y for the lat- est setback but sounded defiant in the post-match press conference, saying he would work his way out of the situation. "I have no words to explain what happened," he said in comments reported on uefa.com. "We all wanted to record our first victory in the group. But the Faroese de- served to win as they created more chances to score. Only hard work can get us out of this situation. "When the qualifiers started nobody believed we would find ourselves in this situation. We were wrong in believing that was a straightforward group for us. All defeats hurt equally, but we must leave results in the past and work our way out of this situation. "We are last in our group because that is what we deserve. The coach is always responsible for that. Back in September, most of my players were low on form follow- ing the World Cup, but this week during training I saw my players very lively and motivated. That's why I am very surprised about the result." In a statement on the Hellenic Football Federation's website, HFF president Giorgos Sarris ad- mitted he was sorry for ever hiring Ranieri - apparently suggesting he would be sacked imminently. "Following today's devastating result for the national team, I take full responsibilit y for the most un- fortunate choice of coach, which has resulted in such a poor image of the national team being put be- fore the fans," Sarris said. "The governing board will con- vene and take responsibilit y among all the members to make the necessary changes needed to avoid a repeat of such an embar- rassing night." However, he will remain in charge until after Tuesday's friendly international against Ser- bia on Tuesday. Claudio Ranieri THE 24-year-old had been recalled to the Azzurri squad despite his lacklustre club form but he is set to return to the UK for more tests fol- lowing his injury. Mario Balotelli has pulled out of the Italy squad with a hamstring injury. The Liverpool striker picked up the problem in training earlier this week, although team doctors were confident he would recover in time for the Euro 2016 qualifier with Croatia on Sunday. However, his condition hasn't improved and Balotelli will now return to Melwood for treatment. The news will come as a major blow to the 24-year-old who was named in the Azzurri squad for the first time since the World Cup - despite his lacklustre club form. Earlier this week, Italy boss An- tonio Conte said: "I'm worried that people see Balotelli differently to the others." "Balotelli is a normal footballer, just like the others, who can also stay on the bench, or in the stands. We don't need to differentiate Ba- lotelli from the others. He's just one of the 23 players" "He needs to catch my eye and I have to see if he can adapt to our type of football," concluded Conte Juventus defender Angelo Og- bonna has also left the Italy camp. Italy will be facing Albania in a friendly next week after the Croatia clash. Mario Balotelli Spain dominate Belarus as Switzerland easily defeat Lithuania SPAIN remain within three points of UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group C leaders Slo- vakia after a dominant performance in which Vicente del Bosque's on- ly regret will be that just Isco, Sergio Busquets and Pedro Rodríguez scored. In tune with the vi- brancy of the welcome from a hugely enthusias- tic Huelva crowd, savouring their first competitive La Roja fixture, the European champions started with verve and confidence. Despite the absence of experienced play- makers like Andrés Iniesta and David Silva, both injured, the way in which Santi Cazorla, Pedro and, above all, Isco deputised ensured that the blanket Belarus defending did not suffocate the game. Evidence arrived as early as the seventh minute. Cazorla split the visitors' defence with a slide-rule pass which Pedro, one on one with Yuri Zhevnov, wastefully clipped just wide of the post. Spain's attack- ing formation mutated from 4-2-4 to 2-3-5 such was their control and the reward finally came when Isco stepped inside his marker and put a searing right-footed shot into the top cor- ner. Almost instantly the lead was doubled by Busquets who had never scored for Spain before Group C began, but who now has two in the first four quali- fying matches. De- spite their advantage the home side stalled slightly, Paco Alcácer missing a routine chance for the third from Pedro's cross after half- time. However, an intricate move featuring a Juanfran-Cazorla wall- pass led to Pedro curling in his 16th goal for his country after 55 minutes. Switzerland's patience was tested to the full before the finally broke through to defeat Lithuania 4-0 and give their UEFA EURO 2016 ambitions a major boost. With only three points from their opening three Group E qualifiers, the sense of urgency shown by the hosts was understandable. But for Giedrius Arlauskis in the visitors' goal, Switzerland would have soon calmed their nerves. Yet they were left frustrated as the Lithuania number one twice denied Haris Seferovic — the first stop from a point-blank header was breathtak- ing — and turned away a Xherdan Shaqiri shot. Even Arlauskis's heroics would surely have not been enough had Blerim Dzemaili connected with a half-volley just in front of goal, but the unmarked midfielder com- pletely missed his kick. Shaqiri did not early in the second half, but his volley was straight at a grateful Ar- lauskis. Seferovic shot just wide and Ad- mir Mehmedi struck a post after going clean through before Arlu- askis' luck finally run out. Under pressure from substitute Josip Drmić, the Lithuania keeper fum- bled an inswinging corner into his own goal on 66 minutes. He was beaten again just two minutes lat- er when — after all his defenders pushed out except one — Fabian Schär was left all alone to stroke home in comfort. Dzemali side-footed wide when a third seemed his for the taking; in- stead that was left to Shaqiri, who nodded home Drmić's cross, be- fore the FC Bayern München man briliantly f licked in another centre from the Bayer 04 Leverkusen for- ward to give the scoreline a gloss the hosts deserved. Fabian Schär (right) celebrates making it 2-0 Sergio Busquets (2nd L) of Spain celebrates with team-mates after scoring their second goal