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Wednesday October 11, 2017

ICELAND added to its incred-ible European Championship campaign by becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup on Monday. That means the Viking chant popularized by Iceland fans at Euro 2016 will be heard across Russia next year.

Iceland secured an automatic berth by defeating Kosovo 2-0 in Reykjavik to win Group I and kick-start celebrations in the island nation of about 330,000 people.

Fireworks were set off after the match at a packed Laugardals-vollur Stadium, and captain Aron Gunnarssonled immediately led the crowd in the traditional chant in which players and fans yell and clap their hands at a rhyth-mic crescendo that is likened to a Viking war chant.

The chant was a success when Iceland made its major tour-nament debut at the Euros in France last year, when it stunned by reaching the quarterfi nals after drawing with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the group stage and eliminating England in the last 16.

Serbia also qualifi ed for the World Cup for the second time since becoming an independent nation in 2006.

Ireland secured a playoff spot from Group D, while Gareth Bale’s Wales was eliminated only 15 months after reaching the semifi nals at Euro 2016.

Spain and Italy won their last qualifying games in Group G, which had already been won by the Spaniards. Italy was already assured of a playoff spot.

In Group D, Serbia qualifi ed for the World Cup for the fi rst time since 2010 by beating

REAL Madrid will face an opponent from Asia or New Zealand in the Club World Cup semifi nals.

FIFA made the draw Monday for the seven-team tournament for continental champions. It will be played Dec. 6-16 in the United Arab Emirates cities Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

Only four teams are known so far because the South American, Asian and African champion-ships are at the semifi nal stage.

The Club World Cup opens with UAE league winner Al Jazira playing Oceania cham-pion Auckland City. The winner will play Asia’s champion for the right to face Madrid.

In the other half of the bracket, CONCACAF champion Pachuca plays Africa’s champion. The winner advances to meet the Copa Libertadores winner.

European teams have won nine of the past 10 titles.

(SD-Agencies)

CHINA’S Wu Di advanced to the second round of the Shanghai Masters with a shock 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory over Jeremy Chardy of France on Monday night.

The in-form Wu broke Chardy in his fi rst service game after the Frenchman committed two double faults. Both players held their serve before Wu broke Chardy again in the seventh game to take a 5-2 lead. He then sealed victory on his fi rst match point.

“I didn’t think too much today coming into the match,” Wu said.

“I served well today. It felt like a dream. I think I have used up all my ace quota for this year today,” joked the Shanghai native, whose second-round opponent will be either Steve Johnson or Nick Kyrgios.

Meanwhile, Juan Martin del Potro saved four break points in the decider to battle past Geor-gian qualifi er Nikoloz Basilash-vili on Monday.

The Argentine, who prevailed 6-2 3-6 6-4, looked on course for a routine win after taking the fi rst set in 23 minutes but world

CRISTIANO RONALDO, Lionel Messi and Neymar headline an impressive 30-man shortlist unveiled Monday for the 2017 Ballon d’Or world footballer of the year award.

Portugal superstar Ronaldo is attempting to match Lionel Mes-si’s record by winning the prize for a fi fth time after his starring role in Real Madrid’s fi rst La Liga and Champions League double in 59 years.

Ronaldo has claimed the prestigious honor in three of the past four years, with Argentina standout Messi last collecting the trophy in 2015 following Barcelo-na’s treble-winning campaign.

The pair have combined to win the award — organized by France Football magazine — every year since former Brazil and AC Milan star Kaka won it in 2007.

Ronaldo remains the strong favorite despite still searching for his fi rst league goal in the 2017/18 season after serving a fi ve-match domestic ban follow-ing his dismissal in the Spanish Super Cup.

Messi has profi ted from his rival’s absence to spearhead Barcelona’s stunning start to the campaign, scoring 11 goals in the fi rst seven matches while adding two more in Europe.

But both players remain in danger of missing the 2018 World Cup.

European champion Portugal could be forced to negotiate next month’s playoffs unless the side defeats Group B leader Switzer-land in their fi nal qualifi er.

Two-time World Cup winner Argentina is outside the top fi ve in South American qualifying ahead of a tricky trip to Ecua-dor in its last match, although victory would at least put the side into a two-legged playoff against New Zealand.

Brazilian forward Neymar moved to Paris Saint-Germain in August for a world-record 222 million euros (US$264 million) to step out of Messi’s shadow at Barcelona. The 25-year-old has enjoyed a seamless transition to French soccer with a return of eight goals in as many games as PSG look to upset European soccer’s established order.

Real accounts for seven of the nominees with Ronaldo joined by Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Isco and Karim Benzema.

PSG is the second-best repre-sented club with three players — Neymar, Edinson Cavani and Kylian Mbappe. (SD-Agencies)

Iceland’s players celebrate after the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifi cation match against Kosovo in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Monday. SD-Agencies

Ronaldo, Messi lead Ballon d’Or nominees

Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi

Real gets Asian or New Zealand team in Club World Cup

Iceland gets 2018 World Cup spot

Georgia 1-0 in Belgrade with a goal by Aleksandar Prijovic in the 74th minute.

The result left Wales and Ireland to decide their fate in the Celtic showdown in Cardiff, and the Irish got the victory and a playoff berth after James McClean’s 57th-minute goal fol-lowing a defensive mix-up by the Welsh.

Bale couldn’t play for Wales because of injury.

“That last half hour seemed an eternity,” Ireland manager Martin O’Neill said. “We had to withstand pressure but we knew at some stage we would have to try to win the game and we did it.”

Serbia fi nished with two more points than Ireland, and four more than Wales.

The Irish will try to qualify for the World Cup for a fourth time — and fi rst since 2002. They will not be seeded in the playoffs draw.

In Group G, Spain ended its qualifying campaign by beating Israel 1-0 in Jerusalem, while Italy scraped past Albania 1-0 in Shkoder in another poor effort, which will do little to inspire confi dence in coach Gian Piero Ventura and his team.

“We have some limitations at the moment but today there

was the desire to try and do things,” Ventura said.

With a World Cup berth already secured, Spain played without most of its regular starters in Jerusalem but won thanks to a long-range strike by Asier Illarramendi in the second half. It fi nished unbeaten with nine wins and a 1-1 draw against Italy in Turin last year. The Ital-ians ended fi ve points behind Spain.

Macedonia beat Liechtenstein 4-0 in the match between the two bottom sides in the group. Liechtenstein was outscored 39-1 in its 10 qualifi ers.

(SD-Agencies)

Wu Di advances at Shanghai Masters

China’s Wu Di in action against Jeremy Chardy of France during their Shanghai Masters match Monday night. Xinhua

number 59 Basilashvili pounced on his errors in the next to level the match.

Attacking Del Potro’s serve at 4-4 in the third, Basilashvili earned four chances to break and serve for the match. But the 2013 fi nalist defended resolutely and switched gears to set up a meeting with Russian teenager Andrey Rublev.

South Korea’s Chung Hyeon

eased past world number 13 Roberto Bautista Agut, last year’s runner-up, 6-4, 6-3 to equal the best victory of his career.

World number 60 Chung, who beat David Goffi n when the Belgian was ranked 13th in Montreal this year, next faces Richard Gasquet.

American qualifi er Frances Tiafoe stunned Benoit Paire 6-4, 6-4. (SD-Agencies)