By RYAN TOLMICH
Jurgen Klinsmann may not have liked what he saw on Monday night.
Klinsmann and two members of his U.S. Men’s National Team coaching staff watched Ghana pulverize South Korea, 4-0, in both team’s final World Cup tune-ups. South Korea likely could have scored on a few occasions but they were poor inside the box and lost confidence as the game went on.
Ghana forward Jordan Ayew played the hero in Miami, scoring a hat-trick for the Black Stars. His first goal came in the 11th minute, scoring off a deflection, before adding his second in the 53rd minute with a powerful, placed strike into the far corner. Ayew finished off his hat-trick with a quick redirect inside the 6-yard box in the 89th minute to put a bow on the game. Asamoah Gyan scored the game’s only other goal.
”It was a good friendly match,” Appiah said on the Ghana FA website. ”It was important we put out a good team. Everyone who paid to come in here got his money’s worth.
”It’s fine we won, but we still have some work to do.”
Here are some more news and notes to kick off your Tuesday morning:
BLATTER CLAIMS CORRUPTION ACCUSATIONS ARE BASED ON ‘RACISM’
You can’t fault Sepp Blatter’s resilience in the face of numerous investigations into the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
Blatter’s latest defense of the tournament came Monday when the FIFA president argued that corruption claims in regards to the 2022 tournament are based on “racism and discrimination.”
“There is a sort of storm against FIFA relating to the Qatar World Cup,” Blatter said Monday. “Sadly there’s a great deal of discrimination and racism.
“It really makes me sad,” he added.
The 2022 tournament is currently under investigation, and a decision regarding the tournament’s status will be made later this year. Until that point, according to Blatter, the “matter will be closed.”
CHICHARITO EXPECTED TO START ON THE BENCH
After spending the past few years as Manchester United’s super sub, Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez might have to embrace a similar role for his national side.
The 26-year-old forward is the joint third-highest goalscorer in Mexican national team history, but head coach Miguel Herrera is reportedly planning on kicking off this week’s World Cup without Hernandez in the starting XI.
For his part, Hernandez, who added that he anticipates a tough game with Cameroon, said he will accept whatever role he needs to as long as it contributes to El Tri’s overall success.
“The thing is, I don’t feel myself to be a starting player but as well I don’t feel like to be a substitute,” said Hernandez. “I am a player that shows that he wants to play as many minutes as possible and that this player has a lot of hunger to be here.”
GERMANY’S BIGGEST BANK QUESTIONABLY PICKS ENGLAND TO WIN WORLD CUP
There are so many variables that go into crowning a World Cup champion. Fitness, injuries and form all fluctuate so much throughout a tournament that it is nearly impossible to pick a winner on paper. However, according to Deutsche Bank, it’s England’s tournament to lose.
Analysts at the German bank developed a static model with the aim of predicting a World Cup champion and, despite ending up in a group of death, England has what it takes to go all the way to World Cup glory according to those at Deutsche Bank.
“England are among the best teams according to our static model,” the research stated. “The history of World Cup winning runs suggest that England is among the teams that could win this World Cup.
“Within this group of teams, England is the only one that has won a World Cup and not reached another final. And the last time England had so many Liverpool players in the team, it won. Therefore, we are confident that England will win this World Cup.”
QUICK KICKS
Italian national team coach Cesare Prandelli said that all his forward options are on the table to start after Ciro Immobile scored a hat-trick against Fluminense in a friendly match. (REPORT)
Russian national team captain Roman Shirokov will be out for the next six months after undergoing surgery on an aching Achilles tendon. (REPORT)
AC Milan have sacked manager Clarence Seedorf after just six months in charge and replaced him with former striker Filippo Inzaghi. (REPORT)
After spending the past two seasons with West Ham, Joe Cole is set to move to Aston Villa on a one-year deal. (REPORT)
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What do you think of these reports? Are you more worried about Ghana after that performance? Do you think Blatter really believes what he is saying? Or is he just politiking to earn more votes?
Share your thoughts below.