Germany coach Joachim Loew brushed aside criticism that his team are a far-cry from winning a fourth World Cup after they struggled to a 2-1 extra-time last 16 win over outsiders Algeria on Monday.

“It’s not a stroll in the park in the World Cup,” Loew told German TV. “There are always some matches like this in a tournament where you have teams that fight hard, where the opponents are defending really tough and playing aggressively.”

Loew, whose fancied team lost in the 2010 semi-finals as well as in the 2006 last four, pointed out that he had warned Algeria would be dangerous opponents.

“You need matches like this one at the World Cup. At some point you’ve got to expect a match will go into extra time.”

Germany were pushed all the way by an inspired Algeria before Andre Schuerrle and Mesut Ozil scored in extra time, Abdelmoumene Djabou grabbing a consolation goal just before the final whistle. Germany will meet France in the quarter-finals.

Expectations have been high on Germany after they crushed Portugal 4-0 in their first group match but they then struggled to a 2-2 draw against Ghana before just beating the United States 1-0 to take top spot in Group G.

Loew acknowledged his team did not play as well as they could have and lamented poor finishing once again.

“The match (against France) has to be better,” he said. “We gave up the ball too much, especially in the first half, and practically invited Algeria to run counter attacks against us. We were the better team in the second half. We had enough chances to have decided it before going to extra time.”

“At the end of the day it was a victory of will, our strength of will.”

Loew said that he was forced to re-arrange his back four due to an illness to Mats Hummels, the centre back and bulwark of Germany’s defence in the group stage. He ignored criticism that he waited too long to bring on Schuerrle, who had played 28 minutes in two of Germany’s three group matches, and Sami Khedira.

“They brought some fresh impulses into the match,” said Loew.

“Andre did a good job. “That’s what was missing in the first half, the finishing.”

Loew said that he was always confident Germany would prevail against the tiring Algerians.

“We were in better physical shape than Algeria,” he said. “You could see they were quite knocked out after 90 minutes and not able to play all out in extra time the way we were.”

Algeria goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi insists his side’s 2-1 extra-time defeat to Germany was not down to his team-mates’ observance of Ramadan as the Desert Foxes bowed out of the World Cup.

M’Bolhi’s man-of-the-match display between the sticks repeatedly thwarted the Germans in normal time before Andre Schuerrle and Mesut Ozil scored extra-time goals to decide the last 16 clash.

Algeria grabbed a deserved consolation in Porto Alegre right before the final whistle to offer brief hope through replacement Abdelmoumene Djabou.

Having counter-attacked the Germans with fierce determination during the goalless 90 minutes, Algeria tired in extra-time, but M’Bolhi says Ramadan was not to blame.

Most of the team are reported to be observing the Muslim month of fasting, which started on Saturday, and would have only been able to drink water late in the first-half.

“No, I don’t think (it was a factor), we were ready to play for as long as we need to, nobody believed we were able to put in a performance like that,” insisted M’Bolhi.

“It didn’t come down to physicality, everyone was fit and ready to play, we just conceded two late goals.”

“This is a personal question, it’s between us and God, I don’t think I have to answer you, Ramadan is a personal thing.”

Much of the pre-match talk had been of Algerian revenge more than three decades after the ‘Shame of Gijon’ when Germany’s mutually beneficial 1-0 win over Austria sent Algeria home from the 1982 World Cup.

But Germany progress to the last eight to face France at the expense of the north Africans, who had reached the last 16 of a World Cup for the first time.

“We’re very disappointed, because we felt there was something to have been had from this match,” said M’Bolhi.

“We’re part of Algerian football history, no other team went so far before and we showed we can play on an equal footing at the highest level.

“We really want to build on this and push on.”

Algeria coach Vahid Halilhodzic failed to attend the post-match press conference amidst rumours he will step down after the World Cup.

“There are rumours going around, but we need to thank him for all he has done,” said veteran defender Madjid Bouguerra.

“He took on the team when they were very low and has given us confidence, we all kissed him at the end and if he does leave, he needs to be rewarded.

“Yes, we’re disappointed, but we’re proud of what we achieved at this World Cup.”

Pacers Tim Southee and Trent Boult bowled New Zealand to a 2-1 series victory with a tense 53-run win over West Indies late on the fifth and final day of the rain-hit third Test.

West Indies, set a target of 308 at Kensington Oval when New Zealand declared overnight on 331-7, was bowled out for 254 with 13.4 overs remaining yesterday. Southee took 3-28 and Boult 3-48.

Off-spinner Mark Craig was also impressive with 3-84. Neil Wagner contributed 1-50.

All-rounder Jason Holder top-scored for the West Indies with 52. Darren Bravo (40), Shane Shillingford (30 not out), captain Denesh Ramdin (29) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (25) also got starts without carrying on.

“We’re really thrilled with how we’ve managed to come out of this series with a win,” said New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum.

“This series is groundbreaking for this group. We’re very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve and I can think of worse places than Barbados to be able to celebrate it.”

McCullum’s declaration set the hosts an enticing target of 308 in a possible 98 overs and his new ball pair of Boult and Southee gave him the best possible start.

Boult struck in his second over when Kraigg Brathwaite (6) played no stroke to a big inswinger and lost his off stump after the ball kissed his pad to make it 7-1.

It was soon 23-2 when Boult got Kirk Edwards out to a low first slip catch by Ross Taylor.

Southee claimed the prize wicket of Chris Gayle soon afterward as the powerful left-hander was bowled off pad and bat as he aimed an expansive drive to leave the hosts in serious trouble at 31-3.

But veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul and fellow left-hander Darren Bravo added 50 either side of lunch to revive home hopes.

Craig finally ended the resistance of Chanderpaul when the veteran was stumped for the first time in his 156-Test career.

The left-hander hit two fours off 70 deliveries before falling at 81-4.

There was another defiant stand between Bravo and Ramdin and a short rain delay also threatened to stall New Zealand.

But after putting on 41, both batsmen fell in quick succession.

Ramdin edged Southee to first slip where Ross Taylor clung onto his second fine catch.

Southee also claimed Bravo as he sliced an expansive drive straight to gully. Bravo hit six fours off 98 balls.

Craig soon claimed Kemar Roach, on his 26th birthday, to a bat-pad catch to Tom Latham at short leg at 144-7.

But Holder and Shillingford put on a defiant 77 for the eighth wicket to raise flickering hopes of a miraculous win.

Holder, on debut, hit three fours and a six off 79 balls for his maiden Test 50 before falling to Craig. Holder was bowled through his legs by one that kept low.

Wagner brought New Zealand closer when he claimed Sulieman Benn to a catch at extra cover by Southee at 232-9.

Just after the start of the final hour, Boult provided the decisive blow when an inswinging yorker trapped Jerome Taylor

plumb in front to give New Zealand the Test and series.

If there were fears Novak Djokovic’s double-fisted backhands may malfunction after a heavy fall on his shoulder three days ago, they were allayed on Monday by a show-stopping crosscourt service return on match point.

That effort left Jo-Wilfried Tsonga praying for a Hawkeye miracle – after the linesman and umpire failed to agree on whether the ball had kissed the line – while the wide-eyed Serb nodded his head and lapped up the cheers with outstretched arms.

Running to the net to shake hands with his French victim, Djokovic’s celebrations were briefly put on hold as he discovered that his opponent had the temerity to challenge what the top seed thought was the shot of the match.

Seconds later the deafening roar that went on and on under Centre Court’s closed roof left no doubt to those inside, or outside, the hallowed arena about which way Hawkeye’s call had gone.

The 6-3 6-4 7-6 (5) victory earned Djokovic his 21st successive grand slam quarter-final date – his sixth at Wimbledon – and a last-eight showdown with Croatia’s Marin Cilic.

“I am feeling good. I had two days off and recovered a little bit,” Djokovic told reporters after registering his 35th consecutive victory against French players.

“I had a couple of tough matches last week, especially the second round against Radek Stepanek, so it was good to win this in straight sets against a quality player like Jo and I am looking forward to the next challenge.”

When Djokovic and Tsonga faced off for the first time, in the Australian Open final in 2008, many thought it was the start of a rivalry that would lead to both players battling it out for the big prizes for years to come.

Those predictions turned out to be only 50 percent accurate. While the Serb has taken his grand slam title haul to six, the Frenchman has failed to reach another major final.

ONE-SIDED ROMP

To add to his woes his rivalry with Djokovic has turned into a one-sided romp. In their previous meeting at the French Open Tsonga won only six games.

If Tsonga had pinned his hopes on Djokovic still feeling the effects of Friday’s painful tumble he was left sorely disappointed.

Not only was his left shoulder in perfect working order, the top seed cranked up the power as he outgunned Tsonga with a series of double-fisted backhands.

Djokovic’s serve was also on fire as he chased an 11th successive win against the 14th seed.

The Serb dominated the opening two sets before Tsonga sprung to life in the third and threatened to take the upper hand in the set when he held two break points in the eighth game.

Djokovic snuffed out those chances with some powerful serving and a few minutes later the blazing crosscourt winner left the 2011 champion bellowing in relief.

“I did really well from the start to the end especially in the third set where I thought he elevated his level and he started serving a very high percentage first serve, very strong, all angles,” said Djokovic who has not won a slam since the 2013 Australian Open.

“It was difficult to get the return back in play but I managed to save a couple of break points, crucial ones, get myself in the tiebreak and wait for the opportunity to be presented.

“The only opportunity I had was on second serve on 6-5 and I used it. I went for the shot,” added Djokovic.

“I’m just glad I didn’t allow him to go into the fourth set because he started to use the crowd support. I knew he was going to do that because he’s the kind of player that feeds off the energy so it was very important for me to get this done in straight sets.”

By: Sam Borden

For years, it has gone without saying in Brazil that fathers do not let their children grow up to be goalkeepers.

This is the land, remember, of the Jogo Bonito, the beautiful game. It is for strikers and stylists and supermen. Attackers here are likened to legends like Pelé and Zico. But goalkeepers? They are likened to, well, poultry and produce.

That was what made Saturday so special. It was not just that the Brazilian national team beat Chile to advance to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. It was not even that Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and his players, who know that anything less than a title will be considered a failure, are now three victories away from “reaching heaven,” as Scolari said.

It was that the hero of it all was a goalkeeper. Or, as the locals might say, a frangueiro.

Julio Cesar, the starting goalkeeper for Brazil, is a frangueiro (chicken man). He is also a peru (turkey) and, on occasion, a mão de alface (or, roughly, lettuce hands). These are the printable euphemisms that Brazilians have for goalkeepers.

Against Chile, though, Julio Cesar was a star. He saved two of Chile’s five penalty kicks in the shootout and saw a third one bounce off the post, allowing Brazil to barely slide past its South American rival. In the interview area after the game, Julio Cesar stood alongside the standard spotlight fixtures for Brazil, like the star striker Neymar, and basked in the glow of victory.

Four years ago, Julio Cesar cried after making a critical error in Brazil’s World Cup loss to the Netherlands. After his performance against Chile, he cried again — this time, he said, because he was so happy.

“I hope to give more interviews like this,” he said. “This is my dream.”

If history is any indication, he should not count on it. In Brazil, goalkeepers are special, and not in a good way. They are the Little League right fielders, the last boy picked. In pickup games on the countless asphalt courts around this country, children usually play a form of rock-paper-scissors to decide which unlucky soul has to begin the game at goalkeeper. In the slightly more organized games in which adults rent a field to play on, anyone who agrees to play goalkeeper always plays free of charge.

When watching professional games, most fans in Brazil have little use for goalkeepers, to the point that some of the saints and martyrs who actually take on the job have likened the feeling of playing goal to living on death row.

The analogy is not far off the mark: After all, for goalkeepers in Brazil, it sometimes feels as if each game is just another day closer to the moment that ends you.

“The fans, they are always waiting, waiting, waiting for the mistake,” said Zetti, a former goalkeeper for Brazil’s national team. “A forward, he misses nine shots and no one says anything. A goalkeeper misses one shot, and they say he takes a frango.”

Zetti shook his head.

“They say that because it is like trying to catch a chicken — the ball slips away,” he said. “It is very disrespectful. I always hated it.”

Zetti, who played 18 years as a professional and was a backup on the 1994 World Cup championship team, is doing his best to reverse the prevailing sentiment. About six years ago, his teenage son wanted instruction on how to become a goalkeeper. Zetti began teaching the boy and a few of his friends.

Soon, there was interest from other children in the area. Zetti began to wonder if perhaps there could be a business, even as the basic notion — teaching Brazilians how to be goalkeepers — seemed about as feasible as opening a school for sunbathing in Siberia.

“It was kind of a joke at first,” Zetti said. “My idea was just to have fun. But then it actually started to grow.”

“I remember when Zetti first opened this school, I thought, ‘This will never work,’ “ said Ronaldo Rocha, a longtime Sao Paulo resident. He laughed and put his hand on the shoulder of his son Lucas, who was standing next to him. “Now my boy is a goalkeeper,” he said. “I don’t know what happened.”

The history of Brazilian goalkeepers is mixed. Many longtime fans still think of Moacir Barbosa as the most famous keeper in Brazilian history, but not with any sort of affection. Barbosa was roundly blamed for giving up the deciding goal in the final against Uruguay during a disastrous 1950 World Cup defeat, a game that has haunted the country ever since.

Zetti recalled that Barbosa, who died in 2000, said that “after that game, he felt like he had been sent to a prison for the rest of his life.”

United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann says attack will be the best form of defence when his American underdogs tackle Belgium for a place in the World Cup quarter-finals. The United States confounded all pre-tournament predictions by battling their way out of a daunting Group G, finishing behind Germany but claiming the runners-up spot ahead of Portugal and Ghana.

Klinsmann acknowledged, however, that his team must improve on last Thursday’s 1-0 defeat by the Germans in Recife if they are to provide another shock by eliminating Belgium, regarded by many as tournament dark horses.

Of particular concern to Klinsmann is his team’s attack. According to FIFA statistics compiled after the completion of the first round, the United States had just 72 attacks in three games — putting them 31st among 32 teams.

Klinsmann says he wants to buck that trend against a Belgium side who may be missing centre-backs Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen, both of whom are battling to recover from injuries. “It’s definitely something we learnt out of the Germany game,” Klinsmann said. “We were too deep, especially the first 20 minutes.

“I was screaming my lungs off there to get the back line out and to move the entire unit higher up the field. “So we’ll work on that over the next couple of days in training, to shift the entire game forward and through that put more pressure on the opponent and create more chances. This is really one of our goals. It was good at the other end. We didn’t give away too many chances. But this is something we have to do better, we have to bring up the players higher and create chances.”

‘Prefer to win 1-0’

Klinsmann was criticised by sections of the US media on the eve of the tournament for stating that his side had no realistic chance of success. But since reaching the knockout phase, Klinsmann has changed tack, bullishly telling his players they can go beyond the last 16 and ordering them to change their return flights for the Monday after the July 13 final.

His side will also be playing familiar opposition. In two friendlies in the last three years, Belgium have recorded two victories, winning 1-0 in 2011 before recording a 4-2 success away in May last year. “They are full of individual talent, there’s no doubt about it,” Klinsmann reflected. “We had the opportunity to play them twice in the last two years. Both times they came out as the winning team, but we also believe we can have enough confidence going into this very special knockout game to say we are able to beat them.”

Klinsmann’s Belgian counterpart, Marc Wilmots, meanwhile has shrugged off suggestions that his team have so far failed to contribute to the feast of attacking football being laid on at this World Cup. Three group wins over Algeria, Russia and South Korea were secured with very little flair, but Wilmots is not concerned.

“If you ask whether I’d rather put on a good show and go out at the first stage, or win games 1-0, I prefer to win 1-0,” Wilmots said. “It’s clear — you have to be a realist and playing to the gallery is not the goal.”

Lionel Messi’s goals have fired Argentina into the World Cup last 16 but they will look for a better all-round performance when they meet Switzerland on Tuesday. The diminutive four-time player of the year has finally sparked for his country, hitting four of their six goals as Argentina qualified top of Group F.

But Argentina needed Messi’s late winner to overcome Iran 1-0 and they also shipped two goals before beating Nigeria 3-2, lowering expectations of a third world title. They will face their toughest opponents yet in Switzerland, who put seven goals past group opponents Ecuador, France and Honduras, including three from Xherdan Shaqiri.

“Now we can’t make any mistakes as any error will see us getting knocked out,” Messi warned after Argentina negotiated the group stage. “There is nothing more beautiful than to be world champion, to achieve that with my country.” In Argentina’s favour is that more than 100,000 of their fans are expected to flood Sao Paulo ahead of Tuesday’s game, including many inside Corinthians Arena.

But they will have to cope with the loss of Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero, who is out with a muscle injury after going off in the first half against Nigeria.Both Messi and coach Alejandro Sabella acknowledge that Argentina are a work in progress but they will now hope to raise the heat on their slow-burning campaign.

“We’ve got nine points, but we can always get better,” Sabella said. Former Bayern Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld will relish the clash against one of the pre-tournament favourites in what he says will be his last hurrah before retirement.

Despite their 5-2 hammering by France, Switzerland have twice bettered Latin American opposition already after their 2-1 and 3-0 wins over Ecuador and Honduras respectively. Their attack will be spearheaded by one of the revelations of the tournament, 22-year-old Shaqiri, who hit all three goals against Honduras to secure Switzerland’s qualification.

The winger, the first Swiss player to score multiple goals in a World Cup match since 1954, has hit the headlines after making just 10 league starts for Bayern Munich this season.

Switzerland have never beaten Argentina in six attempts. And they know all about Messi, who struck his first international hat-trick in their 3-1 friendly win in Bern in February 2012.

“We’ll prepare ourselves to face Messi, as well as their other players, but of course he has the quality to decide games,” said goalkeeper Diego Benaglio.

“It will be relatively hard to shut him out, but he’s not the only dangerous player in a very good team. Argentina don’t revolve just around Messi even though he’s their superstar. But we know all about the skills he has and it helps that we’ve seen a lot of him.”

Hitzfeld’s attacking options have been reduced by a cruciate knee ligament injury suffered in training by forward Mario Gavranovic, an unused substitute in all three group games.

Everything, including the ball, rolled in slow motion. Joel Campbell, the Costa Rican striker, had all but walked to the edge of the Greek box, before finding an uninterrupted pass back to the man jogging up the left wing, Christian Bolanos. With a single touch, Bolanos sought out his centrally-located captain, the slick-haired Bryan Ruiz.

Unmarked in enemy territory with four near-stationary Greece defenders ahead, Ruiz had enough time and space to choose just how he wished to find the back of the net.

His options were, a) dribble past the yawning defence and tap the ball in. Or, b) go for broke with a long-ranger. Ruiz weighed in his mind and scuffed up an improbable third, c), a cross between the first two choices — a tap in from 15 yards away.

When he finally brought down the hammer, Ruiz’s boot missed clipping the ball altogether. But the back of his shin didn’t. And then began the death-roll, the Brazuca gliding ever-so-gently past a wrong-footed Ioannis Maniatis, before teasing its way besides a leaden-legged Vasileios Torosidis.

Finally, in what seemed like an eternity, it sneaked past Greece goalie Orestis Karnezis as well.

Any slower, and the ball would’ve come to a grinding halt. Quite like the game itself.

The fans at the Arena Pernambuco weren’t happy. Not just because they had booked their tickets months in advance hoping to watch a Round of 16 match involving either Italy, England or Uruguay; but also due to the fact that the underdog flavour of this World Cup, Costa Rica, were far from their effervescent, bursting-with-energy selves. The Ruiz goal was the Central American side’s first ‘shot’ on target.

And that came in the 52nd minute of a dull, dull game.

Goal-shy Greeks

But the Costa Ricans had little to do with asphyxiating the contest. Not when ‘asphyxia’ is a Greek word in the first place; a most apt term to describe their strategy on the football field. Since the beginning of time (which, for long periods, this match felt like) Greece have believed in choking out their opposition before scoring a solitary goal on the counter. Precisely how they won Euro 2004, by netting the least number of goals ever to win a major championship. Consider this.

In all their World Cups put together, Greece had only scored goals in two matches before today — the first occasion was against Nigeria at Bloemfontein in 2010. And far more recently, against Ivory Coast in injury time of their final group game (a penalty no less) to make it thus far in the first place. It made someone tweet: “One day Greece will win a tournament without scoring a single goal.”

With the ageing Georgios Karagounis’s side still refusing to throw men upfront, Costa Rica only had to ensure that they did nothing stupid over the next 40 or so minutes to proceed to the quarters. But just 14 minutes later, stupidity had occurred in the form of a needless, studs-up tackle by the side’s one-man backline, Oscar Duarte. Duarte was shown his second yellow of the evening, reducing Costa Rica to 10 men. And even Greece couldn’t not take advantage of that.

As Costa Rica ran down an already run-down clock, moving time in frames, Greece brought on Theofanis Gekas, their 35-year old balding striker.

Bundle of chances

He wheeled ahead with Karagounis, Georgios Samaras and Konstantinos Mitroglou. Between the four of them, they had a bundle of chances. But in front of goal, Gekas blundered most of them (on one occasion, a rolling pass crashed against his unaware feet in a one-on-one position). And it was of one such blunder in ‘Greece time’ that the equaliser was scored.

Late strike

In the 92nd minute, with just seconds left on the clock, Gekas shanked his umpteenth attempt at goal.

Only this time, Costan Rica’s inspirational goalie Keylor Navas couldn’t hang on to the save. He punched it out back into the box, where the incredibly named Sokratis Papastathopoulos lurked.

Here was a Greek defender in the opposition’s defence. During such rare occurrences, extraordinary things tend to happen. Greece had scored the second goal of their campaign.

“Can we just skip straight to the penalty shoot-out?” former England striker Gary Lineker pleaded before extra-time on Twitter. They should’ve just listened to him, for nothing apart from yet another Gekas miss occurred over the next thirty minutes. And only for Gekas, nothing happened during the following penalty shoot-outs as well. It was enough to seal Greece’s snoozing fate. A revealing stat tells you that the last eight penalty shoot-outs in World Cups have been won by the team going first.

Greece traded that position for conducting the penalties at the end where their supporters stood in large numbers.

Those fans were largely silent as Costa Rica slotted in each of their five penalties, the fifth arriving immediately after Greece missed their fourth when Gekas was on the ball.

As the Greeks mourned on their knees, time crawled back to life.

France ended Nigeria’s hopes of a first World Cup quarterfinal appearance when they scored two late goals to beat the Super Eagles 2-0 in a rough and physical second-round match on Monday. Midfielder Paul Pogba put France ahead in the 79th minute, heading in at the far post after Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama flapped at Mathieu Valbuena’s corner following a sustained spell of French pressure.

The win was sealed when Joseph Yobo turned a low cross into his own goal in stoppage time and France will play Germany or Algeria in the last eight.

It was a controversial victory, however, as the game had swung France’s way after Nigeria’s influential midfielder Ogenyi Onazi was injured and carried off following a late tackle from Blaise Matuidi, who was lucky to escape with only a yellow card. “I am very proud of everything we did from the start,” France coach Didier Deschamps said in a television interview.

“There was tension out there. They are a very strong side and there were a lot of duels. But we’re through. We’re in the quarterfinals and we’ll do everything we can to go a stage further.”

Pogba was elated after scoring such an important goal. “There are no words to describe this,” he said. “I know there is a whole country behind us. Scoring that goal really liberated us. I am so happy for the team and all France. I’m speechless.”

“To score a goal for your country, especially in an important match like this to get into the World Cup quarterfinals, it’s one of the best moments of my life.”

Nigeria had been defending increasingly desperately in the run-up to Pogba’s goal. France were centimetres from going ahead when Karim Benzema poked the ball past Enyeama, who managed to partly block his shot and Victor Moses hooked the ball off the line.

Nigeria escaped again when John Obi Mikel cleared Benzema’s shot off the line, then Yohan Cabaye struck the underside of the crossbar with a thunderous long-range strike. Enyeama then tipped Benzema’s close-range header over the bar, leading to the corner from which France scored their first goal. The first half had been much more even.

Nigeria made a bright start and thought they had gone ahead when Emmanuel Emenike turned in Ahmed Musa’s low cross at the near post but the effort was ruled offside in an extremely close call. Pogba was denied when he met Valbuena’s low cross from the right with a flying volley, only to be brilliantly denied by Enyeama who parried the ball away with a tremendous reflex save.

Nigeria produced some neat moves in midfield interspersed with basic unforced errors and Mikel was lucky to escape when he sliced Patrice Evra’s low cross towards his own goal and was relieved to see the ball land in Enyeama’s hands.

Nigeria should have gone ahead just before halftime when France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris parried Emenike’s fierce shot back into his area but Moses handled as he attempted to control the rebound.

Left-armer Trent Boult took 2-29 and fellow pacer Tim Southee grabbed 1-8 on Monday as New Zealand reduced West Indies to 72-3 at lunch on the fifth and final day of the decisive third Test.

New Zealand declared on its overnight score of 331-7 at Kensington Oval to leave the big-hitting hosts an enticing target of 308 in a possible 98 overs. West Indies ended the morning session needing another 236 runs to win.

Boult struck in his second over when Kraigg Brathwaite (6) played no stroke to a big inswinger and lost his off stump to make it 7-1. It was soon 23-2 when Boult dismissed Kirk Edwards for 10 with a low first slip catch by Ross Taylor.

Southee claimed the prize wicket of Chris Gayle (11) soon afterward as the powerful left-hander was bowled off pad and bat as he aimed an expansive drive.

With West Indies in trouble on 31-3, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and fellow left-hander Darren Bravo added an unbroken 41 over the next hour. Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 23 while Bravo hit 22 not out. Light rain sent the players off 30 minutes before the scheduled lunch interval and umpires chose to take an early break.

Brief scores: New Zealand 293 & 331/7 decl in 89.1 overs (K Williamson 161*, J Neesham 51, K Roach 4/55) vs West Indies 317 & 72-3 (at lunch) off 26.1 overs (Shivnarine Chanderpaul 23 not out, Darren Bravo 22 not out; Trent Boult 2-29, Tim Southee 1-8).

Title holder Andy Murray neutralised the big-swinging game of lofty South African Kevin Anderson to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals 6-4 6-3 7-6(6) on Monday.

The 27-year-old Briton returned sharply and drew the 2.03-metre (6’8″) Anderson into rallies to impose his game on the Wimbledon grass, where he is on a run of 17 successive victories.

Anderson, a career-high 18th in the world, broke Murray’s serve only once, after rain forced a pause for the Centre Court roof to be closed with Murray 3-0 up in the second set.

But he upped his game in the third set to force a tense tiebreak and even had a set point before Murray won three points in a row to reach his seventh successive Wimbledon quarter-final.

Murray will next meet either 11th seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria or Leonardo Mayer of Argentina for a place in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Canadian 20-year-old Eugenie Bouchard succeeded where Serena Williams failed as she beat Alize Cornet to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals. Frenchwoman Cornet caused a sensation on Saturday when she sent five-times champion and pre-tournament favourite Williams packing but Bouchard proved to be made of sterner stuff as she edged to a 7-6(5) 7-5 victory. The match was interrupted after five games to allow the Centre Court roof to close when more rain hit the championships after Saturday’s serious disruption.

Making up for lost time

Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, one of the victims of soggy Saturday when his match against Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin was washed out, made up for lost time with a rapid 6-3 6-3 6-4 win completed just before a heavy rain shower arrived.

Japan’s Kei Nishikori was detained even less as the 10th seed needed only four games to complete a 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6(4) 6-4 victory over Simone Bolelli after their match had been suspended because of bad light on Saturday.

Spain’s Feliciano Lopez also belatedly reached the last 16, beating big-serving American John Isner in a four-set match that predictably included three tiebreaks.

Isner’s defeat ended U.S. interest in the singles after teenager Madison Keys was forced to withdraw on Monday with a leg injury before resuming her third-round match against Kazakhstan’s Yaroslava Shvedova.

They had been locked at 6-6 in the second set when darkness fell on Saturday, after Shvedova had won the opener.

Shvedova will play last year’s runner-up Sabine Lisicki in the fourth round after the German claimed a stop-go 6-4 3-6 6-1 victory over 11th seed Ana Ivanovic.

The defeat of Williams blew a large hole in the women’s draw and Bouchard exploited it with a performance of grit and power against 25th seed Cornet to become the first Canadian to reach a Wimbledon singles quarter-final.

Having reached the semi-finals at both the Australian Open and French Open this year, Bouchard arrived at Wimbledon with the likes of former men’s champion John McEnroe tipping her as his dark horse for the women’s title.

She looked like she would be stretched into a third set when she trailed 5-3 in the second, but she continued her attacking style to claw back the deficit.

Serving at 5-6, Cornet tried in vain to hold off the Canadian trailblazer, rescuing one point after a nasty tumble, but fired a backhand long to succumb.

Paes-Black ousted

Leander Paes and Cara Black crashed out of the Wimbledon in the second round. The fourth seeded Indo-Zimbabwean pair went down 6-1, 2-6, 3-6 to USA’s Eric Butorac and Hungarian Timea Babos. —PTI

Results: (Men’s round 4) 3-Andy Murray beat 20-Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(6); 26-Marin Cilic beat Jeremy Chardy 7-6(8), 6-4, 6-4; Round 3: 19-Feliciano Lopez beat 9-John Isner 6-7(8), 7-6(6), 7-6(3), 7-5; 5-Stanislas Wawrinka beat Denis Istomin 6-3, 6-3, 6-4; 10-Kei Nishikori beat Simone Bolelli 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4

Women’s Round 4: 22-Ekaterina Makarova beat 4-Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 6-0; 6-Petra Kvitova beat Peng Shuai 6-3, 6-2; 13-Eugenie Bouchard beat 25-Alize Cornet 7-6(5), 7-5; Barbora Zahlavova Strycova beat 16-Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 7-5; 23-Lucie Safarova beat Tereza Smitkova 6-0, 6-2; Round 3: 19-Sabine Lisicki beat 11-Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; Yaroslava Shvedova beat Madison Keys (retd) 7-6(7), 6-6.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is set to miss the July 1 deadline stipulated by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to submit its bid to host the 2019 Asian Games. The IOA, however, will seek a 15-day extension, which they are hopeful will be granted by the continental body.

The IOA and sports ministry have been wrangling over the cost to host the Games, and the issue came to the fore yet again on Monday after sports secretary Ajit Sharan demanded a detailed budget. A source said that in its revised proposal, the IOA gave an estimate of Rs 5,500 crore as a part of the operative cost for the Games.

However, the ministry has asked them to give estimates for the construction of the Games Village as well as various developmental projects that will be undertaken in the build up to the event. The government forecasts an expenditure of up to Rs 25,000-30,000 crore. The bid process cannot move ahead without the permission from the sports ministry, who will present IOA’s case to the cabinet after it is convinced.

Factoring in the costs

“Building the Games Village and creating road connectivity to that place is the most expensive part. We will need those estimates before going ahead with the bid,” a ministry source said. “IOA’s Games-related estimation of Rs 5,500 crore is on par with what we had projected.”

IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta, who presented the proposal to Sharan, contended that developmental projects do not fall under their purview and hence did not include it in their estimates. He added that the IOA will also seek an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week to get his backing.

Non-committal

“The ministry has not given us the permission yet; neither have they denied it. They have asked for further details and we’ll need another five days to satisfy all queries from the government,” Mehta said. “The deadline set by the OCA ends on Tuesday and we won’t be able to submit our bid in time since we haven’t got all the necessary permissions. We began the procedure late so it was always going to be tough to meet the deadline. However, we had given a hint to the OCA before and are hopeful they’ll give us an extension.”

In its proposal, the IOA has said they’ll need to construct just two more indoor stadiums and use the rest of the infrastructure that was built for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

However, those stadiums will need massive renovation work. They have also proposed to hold the watersport events in Uttarakhand. Mehta is also the president of Uttarakhand Olympic Association.

The IOA began the bidding procedure for the 2019 Asian Games just 10 days ago. It faces a stiff competition from Indonesia to host the Games after the original hosts Vietnam backed out citing financial constraints. The OCA will be declaring the winning bid on September 20 in Incheon during this year’s Asian Games.

Title holder Andy Murray neutralised the big-swinging game of lofty South African Kevin Anderson to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals 6-4 6-3 7-6(6) on Monday.

The 27-year-old Briton returned sharply and drew the 2.03-metre (6’8″) Anderson into rallies to impose his game on the Wimbledon grass, where he is on a run of 17 successive victories.

Anderson, a career-high 18th in the world, broke Murray’s serve only once, after rain forced a pause for the Centre Court roof to be closed with Murray 3-0 up in the second set.

But he upped his game in the third set to force a tense tiebreak and even had a set point before Murray won three points in a row to reach his seventh successive Wimbledon quarter-final.

Murray will next meet either 11th seed Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria or Leonardo Mayer of Argentina for a place in the semi-finals.

France ended Nigeria’s hopes of a first World Cup quarter-final appearance when they scored two late goals to beat the Super Eagles 2-0 in a rough second-round match on Monday.

Paul Pogba put France ahead in the 79th minute, heading in at the far post after Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama flapped at Mathieu Valbuena’s corner following a sustained spell of French pressure.

The win was sealed when Joseph Yobo turned a low cross into his own goal in stoppage time and France will play Germany or Algeria in the last eight.

It was a controversial victory, however, as the game had swung France’s way after Nigeria’s influential midfielder Ogenyi Onazi was injured by a late tackle from Blaise Matuidi, who was lucky to escape with only a yellow card.

Nigeria had been defending increasingly desperately in the run-up to Pogba’s goal.

France were centimetres from going ahead when Karim Benzema poked the ball past Enyeama, who managed to partly block his shot and Victor Moses hooked the ball off the line.

Nigeria escaped again when John Obi Mikel cleared Benzema’s shot off the line, then Yohan Cabaye struck the underside of the crossbar with a thunderous long-range strike.

Enyeama then tipped Benzema’s close-range header over the bar, leading to the corner from which France scored their first goal.

The first half had been much more even.

Nigeria made a bright start and thought they had gone ahead when Emmanuel Emenike turned in Ahmed Musa’s low cross at the near post but the effort was ruled offside in an extremely close call.

Pogba was denied when he met Valbuena’s low cross from the right with a flying volley, only to be brilliantly denied by Enyeama who parried the ball away with a tremendous reflex save.

Nigeria produced some neat moves in midfield interspersed with basic unforced errors and Mikel was lucky to escape when he sliced Patrice Evra’s low cross towards his own goal and was relieved to see the ball land in Enyeama’s hands.

Nigeria should have gone ahead just before halftime when France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris parried Emenike’s fierce shot back into his area but Moses handled as he attempted to control the rebound.

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has finally apologised for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during a World Cup match and vowed there would never be a repeat of the incident.

After initially denying that he bit Chiellini, Suarez issued a carefully worded statement on Monday admitting his offence and remorse for his actions.

F

“After several days of being home with my family, I have had the opportunity to regain my calm and reflect on what occurred during the Italy-Uruguay match on 24 June,” he said in a statement published on his Twitter account.

Suarez was banned for Uruguay’s next nine competitive international matches and from any involvement in football for four months by FIFA after biting Chiellini in Uruguay’s 1-0 Group D win over Italy.

“Independent from the fallout and the contradicting declarations that have surfaced during these past days, all of which have been without the intention of interfering with the good performance of my national team, the truth is that my colleague Giorgio Chiellini suffered the physical result of a bit in the collision he suffered with me,” Suarez added in his statement.

“For this: I deeply regret what happened; I apologise to Giorgio Chiellini and the entire football family; I vow to the public that there will never again be another incident like.”

Former Brazil playmaker Kaka will sign for new Major League Soccer team Orlando City after terminating his contract with AC Milan by mutual consent.

“I’ve always said I wanted to play in the USA and now I have reached an agreement to play there,” he told Milan’s TV channel on Monday.

Kaka will initially move on loan to Brazilian side Sao Paulo where he spent the first two years of his career before being sold to Milan in 2003.

“Orlando City is a new team with a good project and the owner (Flavio Augusto da Silva) is Brazilian,” added Kaka.

“I’m also happy to return to Sao Paulo. It’s really satisfying for me.”

Earlier, Milan announced they had terminated Kaka’s contract by mutual agreement.

The 32-year-old had long been tipped to sign for Orlando and, as the Kaka interview was being broadcast, the American club posted a silhouette on their Twitter feed of him celebrating a goal in their purple and white colours.

The Brazilian pledged to never again wear 22 on his back, his Milan shirt number.

“I want to leave that memory with the Milan fans. I think I will wear number eight for Sao Paulo and number 10 for Orlando,” he said.

REAL SPELL

Kaka returned to Milan in 2013 after four injury-hit seasons at Real Madrid.

The Italians finished eighth in Serie A last season and missed out on Europe for the first time since 1998 after a wretched campaign during which they sacked two coaches, Massimiliano Allegri and Clarence Seedorf.

Former Milan great Filippo Inzaghi, who played alongside Kaka during the Brazilian’s first spell at the club, has now taken over at the San Siro after impressing as youth team coach.

“Inzaghi and I are friends and I wish him all the best for next season. He loves Milan and therefore he could have a great season,” said Kaka.

The former World Cup winner’s Serie A comeback was viewed as a gamble but despite picking up a thigh strain in his first match he eventually had a solid season.

In seven years at Milan he scored 104 goals and amassed 307 appearances, winning a Serie A title, the Champions League and a Club World Cup.

“It was wonderful for me to return to Milan and reach 300 matches and 100 goals for the club. Everything that I am is because of this club and it wasn’t easy to leave,” said Kaka who helped Brazil win the World Cup in 2002.

The playmaker missed out on a place in the host nation’s squad for the 2014 World Cup.

“When I was at Madrid I had almost no chance of a Brazil place but it was different at Milan,” said Kaka. “Last season gave me a lot even if I wasn’t picked in the end.

“Coming back was important for me, it was a special season for me as a man and the fans have always been by my side. I will be a Milan fan forever.”

Uruguay’s incensed President Jose Mujica has lambasted FIFA bosses as “sons of bitches” who meted out “fascist” treatment to striker Luis Suarez for biting an Italian defender at the World Cup.

Mujica has led national outrage at the world governing body’s sanctioning of Suarez who received a nine-match ban from playing for Uruguay and a four-month prohibition from all football-related activity for biting Giorgio Chiellini.

“At FIFA, they are a bunch of old sons of bitches,” the 79-year-old president said when meeting the Uruguay team off the plane from Brazil on Sunday afternoon.

“They could have punished (him), but not with fascist sanctions,” added Mujica, an always colourful character and former leftist guerrilla who has a cult following in some quarters due to his blunt language and humble style of life.

The video was all over Uruguay media on Monday.

Realizing he was being filmed at the airport, Mujica jokingly covered his mouth before saying: “Publish it”.

His wife, Lucia Topolansky, added her agreement.

Uruguay’s national football association is appealing the punishment against Suarez, who was also fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($112,000) and will miss the start of the Premier League season with Liverpool unless his appeal works.

A brilliant but temperamental player, Suarez has kept a low profile since returning to Uruguay, with just one public message to thank compatriots and fans for their support.

With Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas in stellar form there is no telling how far they can go in the World Cup, midfielder Celso Borges said after they reached the quarter-finals.

Borges, who blasted home the first spot kick in Sunday’s 5-3 shootout win over Greece, praised Navas for his spectacular one-handed save that kept out Theofanis Gekas’s fourth spot-kick, leaving Michael Umana to score and clinch the victory.

“I think he was born on Mars or Venus or something,” a delighted Borges said of 27-year-old Navas, who plays for Spanish La Liga side Levante and has 57 caps.

“He’s fantastic, he has given us so much. He’s a leader on and off the pitch,” he told reporters after the Ticos reached the last eight for the first time.

“With his saves we will always get second chances. He’s a great person and he deserves all this. I’ve known him for quite a long time, he’s awesome,” the 26-year-old added.

Borges said the players were aware of the reaction back in Costa Rica to their win on penalties after the game against Greece finished in a 1-1 draw after extra time, but he added that their achievement had not really sunk in yet.

“Until we get home, which I hope is not anytime soon, we’re not going to realise what we’ve done,” he said. “Right now we just see it as game, game, game, so we don’t have time to say, ‘Look what we’ve done’. We can’t fall into that comfort zone.”

While Costa Ricans celebrated, the players had already switched their attention to Saturay’s quarter-final against the Netherlands in Salvador, with Borges optimistic that they can pull off another shock result.

“Why not? It could happen,” he said. “If we work like this it could happen, but if we think we’ve done enough and just go on, we’re going to lose – Holland doesn’t forgive you in any sense. But it’s a new challenge, and it could happen.”

The ladders came, we saw, Cena conquered. The WWE put on its annual Money in the Bank pay per view on Sunday night, and there was much flesh on steel, much hand to briefcase, and many palms to faces. Here are the funniest jokes from the pay per view.

Is there a wrestler from the Netherlands who can come in an beat Del Rio at the last minute? #MITB

— Gus Ramsey (@GusRamsey) June 30, 2014

Finally, that underdog rookie John Cena gets his moment in the WWE spotlight.

— Kayfabe News (@KayfabeNews) June 30, 2014

Anyone else think Magneto would totally dominate a #MITB match? pic.twitter.com/whB4S7SiND

— Wrestling Revealed (@WR_Revealed) June 30, 2014

Think @JohnCena is gonna lose? Never give up. Except for tonight. For tonight, give up. #MITB

— WWE Creative Humor (@WWECreative_ish) June 30, 2014

I knew there was a reason I took this photo a few months ago. #MITB pic.twitter.com/fwWIpyxkJh

— Mick Foley (@realmickfoley) June 30, 2014

For the 15th time @JohnCena is champion and for the 15th time basements around the world are filled with angry cries #MITB

— WWE Creative Humor (@WWECreative_ish) June 30, 2014

How money in the bank started and how it ended #WWE #MITB2014 https://t.co/mL2RC4o4tG

— Wrestling Lad (@WrestlingLad) June 30, 2014

A panel of mental health experts has concluded that Oscar Pistorius was not suffering from a mental illness when he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home last year, the chief prosecutor at the athlete’s murder trial said Monday.

Pistorius’ trial resumed after a break of one month during which a psychologist and three psychiatrists also assessed whether the double-amputee runner was capable of understanding the wrongfulness of his act when he shot Steenkamp through a closed toilet door.

The panel’s reports were submitted to Judge Thokozile Masipa, and prosecutor Gerrie Nel referred to key parts of the conclusions, noting that the experts believed Pistorius was “capable of appreciating the wrongfulness of his act” when he killed Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model.

The evaluation came after a psychiatrist, Dr. Merryll Vorster, testified for the defense that Pistorius, who has said he feels vulnerable because of his disability and long-held worry about crime, had an anxiety disorder that could have contributed to the killing in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013. He testified that he opened fire after mistakenly thinking there was a dangerous intruder in the toilet.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel has alleged that Pistorius, 27, killed Steenkamp after a Valentine’s Day argument, and has portrayed the Olympic athlete as a hothead with a love of guns and an inflated sense of entitlement. But he requested an independent inquiry into Pistorius’ state of mind, based on concern the defense would argue Pistorius was not guilty because of mental illness.

Pistorius faces 25 years to life in prison if found guilty of premeditated murder, and could also face years in prison if convicted of murder without premeditation or negligent killing. He is free on bail.

Pistorius was evaluated as an outpatient at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Pretoria, the South African capital. He has been staying at the upscale home of his uncle.

Later Monday, defense lawyer Barry Roux called surgeon Gerald Versfeld, who amputated Pistorius’ lower legs when he was 11 months old, to testify about the runner’s disability and the difficulty and pain he endured while walking or standing on his stumps without support. Pistorius was born without fibulas, the slender bones that run from below the knee to the ankle.

At Roux’s invitation, Judge Masipa and her two legal assessors left the dais to closely inspect the stumps of Pistorius as he sat on a bench.

The athlete was on his stumps when he killed Steenkamp, and his defense team has argued that he was more likely to try to confront a perceived danger rather than flee because of his limited ability to move without prostheses. Versfeld noted that Pistorius’ disability made him “vulnerable in a dangerous situation.”

During cross examination, Nel questioned Versfeld’s objectivity and raised the possibility that Pistorius could have run away from a perceived intruder on the night of the shooting. He also said Pistorius rushed back to his bedroom after the shooting and made other movements that indicated he was not as hampered as Versfeld was suggesting.

Brazil didn’t sigh, it sobbed. A fraction of a second after Gonzalo Jara’s attempt pounded against the post and dribbled across goal to end the penalty shoot-out, a nation wept. Not out of joy or with the relief of getting past a most stubborn Chile in the pre-quarterfinals or even due to the piercing pain that the Brasileiro had felt deep in his or her chest for the preceding 140 minutes. No.

They cried, overwhelmed.

The players, especially goalie Julio Cesar, broke down, overwhelmed with the thought of living in this country over the next couple of weeks as a World Cup in Brazil chugged along without Brazil. The overwhelmed fans shed copious tears as the Selecao’s campaign and the joy it had a caused over the last few weeks flashed before their eyes. Even the embarrassed neutral wasn’t spared.

Overwhelmed with the raw and electric outpour of sentiment all around, we displayed telltale signs and twitches of blinking back our emotions — a brow rub here, a cheek scratch there. My brow and cheek were worked overtime as Eliza, an octogenarian and my landlady Rebekkah’s mother, wrapped her frail arms and wrinkled face around my shoulder and howled. “Desculpe,” an awkward Rebekkah whispered apologetically.

TEARS FLOW

The four of us — Rebekkah’s infant daughter Clarisa was also present, swaddled in a Brazil flag no less — had decided to watch the match in a central square in quiet Olinda, a former Dutch colony to the north of bustling Recife. There were about a thousand there (small change in a herd-loving country), spread over several little cafes, most of whom seemed like they had seen their share of hard times in life. Yet, when Brazil won, or to put it more accurately, when Chile lost, there wasn’t a dry eye around.

Rogerio, the owner of the cafe we were seated in, raised his megaphone to make an announcement but he lowered it almost instantly, for Julio Cesar had appeared on the wide-screen telly for a post-match interview by the touchline. “What are you going through right now?” the interviewer asked the superhero of this super-hour. It would be his only question.

Cesar didn’t utter a word for close to five minutes. He tried a couple of times, but backed out choking. Around me, Eliza bawled for a second time. “Drinks are on the house,” said Rogerio finally, when the beautiful misery that was the wordless Cesar interview had ended. His eyes matched Cesar’s in colour (red) and emotion (vibrant). So I gave him time before posing him this question: “When Brazil win, shouldn’t he, as a cafe owner, be making money instead of losing plenty?”

UNITY IN THE SELECAO

Rogerio did a Cesar on me.

For about two minutes, he gazed at the faces seated around him, all while filling his lungs with short, sniffling breaths. Then, through plenty of oral struggle, he stammered out an answer. “Because in a highly divided nation, by region, wealth and colour, the Selecao is the only uniting factor,” he said. “And because I am a romantic. I sincerely believe that if we win this World Cup, our nation will see better times.”

Despite being overcome with emotions, Rogerio picked up his megaphone, stepped out on to the streets and sang the following words in loop.

Eu sou Brasileiro, Com muito orgulho, Com muito amor.

All of Olinda chanted along, clutching their hearts and wiping their tears, when he did that.

On a personal front, that’s what made me most ecstatic. I thought I wouldn’t hear those words again. The thought of it made me muito sad. Popularised by a beer commercial in the late 80s, Eu sou Brasileiro, or, I am Brazilian, is the unofficial anthem of this nation and something that can easily pass off as the official song of this World Cup (I haven’t heard the official official song being sung even once. Pitbull who?)

SIMPLE, POWERFUL

The words are simple and the meaning is as powerful as it is reassuring (I am Brazilian and I say it with great pride and love). The tune is catchy to the point of being addictive when played in a loop. Right through the course of this World Cup, I’ve heard it in every stadium (even when Brazil isn’t playing), beachfront, cafe and bar. It’s a joyous song, bellowed out from the bottom of the singer’s belly.

But today, it was a much softer rendition, sung between stabbing sobs and flowing eyes. That’s how I’ll always remember it.

Greece captain Giorgos Karagounis retired from international football Sunday after his country’s World Cup elimination in a penalty shootout loss to Costa Rica.

Karagounis leaves as Greece’s most capped player with 139 appearances over 15 years since making his debut in 1999. He also won the European Championship with Greece in 2004.

Karagounis’ Greece fell in a shootout in the round of 16 at the World Cup in Brazil despite having a man advantage for nearly an hour following Oscar Duarte’s 66th-minute red card for Costa Rica at Arena Pernambuco.

Down 1-0, Greece equalized in injury-time at the end of the 90 minutes but couldn’t force a winner in extra time, despite launching attack after attack.

“You don’t always get such breaks in life,” the 37-year-old Karagounis said.

The midfielder said his team would still exit the World Cup with ‘our heads high.’

Karagounis said Greece was on the right path after making the second round of the World Cup for the first time, and the ‘younger guys’ would now take it forward.

“These games and experiences are a great launching pad for the future,” he said. “They will help keep the team on this level, something not always easy. We are Greece after all, we don’t have many means.”

Karagounis will wait until Monday to say farewell to his teammates, he said, as the Greeks first digest their elimination.

“These are not the best occasions,” he said soon after the shootout loss.

Greece’s goal-scorer on Sunday, defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, paid tribute to his departing leader.

“He’s written his own story … he’s the record holder (of caps), he’s given everything for the team and had to make concessions for it,” Papastathopoulos said. “He’s left us a legacy for the future. He shouldn’t worry.”

Although Karagounis’ international career ended with the bitter disappointment of defeat in a penalty shootout at the World Cup, he can reflect on being part of the team that won the European title a decade ago against all expectations. In Brazil, he also led Greece to the second round of the World Cup for the first time.

Greece coach Fernando Santos will also leave after his contract expires on Monday. Santos said in the buildup to the game against Costa Rica that if Greece had won, a temporary clause in his contract would have become active keeping him as coach until the end of the campaign.

As it turned out, that wasn’t needed and Santos ended his time as coach by watching the shootout on a television screen inside the stadium after being sent to the stands by the referee. He said Australian referee Ben Williams ordered him off after saying he had encroached on the field at the end of extra time when he shouldn’t have.

Kane Williamson registered his seventh test century to put New Zealand in control of the third and deciding Test against West Indies at the end of a rain-affected fourth day in Barbados on Sunday.

Williamson made an unbeaten 161, his highest test score, after more than three hours of play had been lost.

“Every time you get the chance to play a knock that puts the team in a good position is always one you remember,” he said after New Zealand finished on 331 for seven, a lead of 307 runs.

“It’s always nice to get a big score, it doesn’t always happen but that what’s I’d like to do more often.”

Off-spinner Mark Craig was also four not out at the close.

The highest successful fourth-innings total at Bridgetown is 311, a score the hosts achieved against Australia in 1999, although West Indies hit 387 in a losing cause against the same opponents in 2008.

The rain forced the players off after lunch and while they managed to return after tea for five overs the bad weather intervened again and umpires Richard Illingworth and Ian Gould abandoned play with 14 overs remaining.

Williamson has anchored New Zealand’s batting throughout the series, scoring a century in the first test and a half-century in the second.

USEFUL STANDS

He has amassed 413 runs at an average of 82.60 and his partnerships with all-rounder Jimmy Neesham and wicketkeeper BJ Watling on Sunday could prove instrumental if the visitors secure victory on the fifth and final day.

Neesham, who top-scored with 78 in New Zealand’s first innings 293, notched his second successive half-century with an attacking 51 from 67 balls that included four sixes and three fours as he shared a stand of 91 with Williamson.

The 23-year-old Williamson then combined with Watling (29) for a 79-run stand.

“I think the partnerships we had along the way were able to help me out and keep me going and …go a long way to putting us in a good position,” said Williamson who surpassed his previous Test best of 135 against Sri Lanka in November 2012.

“All the blokes came out and played positively and we were able to get a rhythm quite quickly.”

The three-match series is locked at 1-1 after New Zealand won the first test in Jamaica and the hosts took the second in Trinidad.

The focus of attention now falls on New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum who must decide whether to declare on Monday morning or to continue batting.

Play is due to start 30 minutes early with a minimum of 98 overs to be bowled.