World Cup Final: Germany v Argentina July 10, 2014 WE WON’T be treated to the Brazil versus Argentina World Cup final that so many neutrals were looking forward to, after Germany crashed the party in some style on Tuesday. It’s been a tournament of two halves with the group stages providing goal after goal and the knockout stages seeing teams shut up shop – [...]
Review: The Crucible at the Old Vic July 10, 2014 ★★★★★ South African director Yael Farber’s thrilling production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible begins with a moment of hushed alchemy – a spell, a game, a dance. Or perhaps it’s just soup in that steaming bowl? In fact, it probably is just soup. But these deeply religious, isolated communities make fertile ground for superstition. Three [...]
Review: Richard III at Trafalgar Studios July 10, 2014 ★★★★☆ In Jamie Lloyd’s Richard III, now is, quite literally, the Winter of Discontent. It’s set directly after the political turmoil of 1978-9, in a world where the military seem to have taken charge. It’s a neat one liner, but somewhat confusing in terms of plotting. For instance, it isn’t immediately clear why a bolshie [...]
World Cup: Argentina in final as Van Gaal made to pay penalty July 9, 2014 HOLLAND 0 ARGENTINA 0 AET, Arg win 4-2 on pens ARGENTINA will meet Germany in Sunday’s World Cup final after Holland coach Louis van Gaal’s penalty shoot-out tactics backfired spectacularly last night in Sao Paulo. Manchester United manager-to-be Van Gaal sent central defender Ron Vlaar up to take the first kick, only to see the [...]
Battered Froome forced to quit Tour after just five days July 9, 2014 BRITAIN’S Chris Froome conceded he was “devastated” last night after a third damaging crash in just two days forced him to abandon his attempt to retain the Tour de France. Two falls on stage five worsened pain in his wrist from Tuesday’s crash, leaving him unable to ride properly and fearing that the joint may [...]
We weren’t so bad, says Brazil coach July 9, 2014 BRAZIL coach Luiz Felipe Scolari last night rejected calls to resign following the most humiliating night in the team’s history, insisting that the hosts’ World Cup “wasn’t so bad”. Tuesday’s 7-1 semi-final annihilation by Germany broke several records and brought an abrupt, painful end to Brazilian ambitions of lifting the trophy on home soil. But [...]
Chelsea sign Croatia’s answer to Frank Lampard July 9, 2014 TEENAGE Croatian midfielder Mario Pasalic hopes to emulate the achievements of idol Frank Lampard after following in his footsteps and signing for Chelsea. Pasalic, 19, joins for an undisclosed fee from Hajduk Split, where he scored 11 goals in 36 appearances as they finished third in their domestic league last season. “I am a central [...]
Vijay homework pays off as India take upper hand July 9, 2014 INDIA batsman Murali Vijay revealed how he practised for facing James Anderson by studying videos of the England seamer after plundering an unbeaten century on day one of the first Test at Trent Bridge. Anderson managed two wickets but was unable to snare opener Vijay, who batted through the day on a flat, unresponsive wicket [...]
World Cup: Germany turn Brazil’s World Cup dream to a nightmare July 8, 2014 BRAZIL 1 GERMANY 7 GOALS rained and records tumbled in Belo Horizonte last night as Germany conjured one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history and ensured that Brazil’s attempt to lift the trophy as hosts ended not in glory but in abject humiliation. In reaching Sunday’s final Germany inflicted the joint-heaviest defeat in [...]
Arsenal on brink of sealing £30m Sanchez signing July 8, 2014 ARSENAL were last night edging closer to completing the signing of versatile Chile forward Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona for a fee believed to be around £30m. Sanchez, who starred for his country at the current World Cup, has been trailed by the Gunners, Liverpool and Juventus since Barca made it clear he was surplus to [...]