IRENE, South Africa — Tim Howard thought about Andrej Komac’s prediction of victory for Slovenia and chuckled.
“I think talk is cheap,” the American goalkeeper said Wednesday. “He’s got to stand toe to toe. And they’ve got to stand toe to toe with us for 90 minutes. And if he’s still standing, then I’ll take my hat off to him. But a lot of boxers talk, too, and they’re looking up at the lights. And the next thing they know, they’re trying to figure out how they got there.”
Defender Oguchi Onyewu was amused by the bold assertion of Komac, a Slovenian midfielder.
“It’s definitely a premature comment to make,” he said. “I don’t think a U.S. player would make a comment like that.”
Slovenia has a population of just over 2 million and is the third-smallest nation ever to play at the World Cup, larger than only Trinidad and Tobago, and Northern Ireland. According to Howard, Komac’s statement was understandable, given how far Slovenia has come.
“That means nothing to us,” he said. “We know that they’re probably feeling confident after getting the three points, and rightfully so.”
Deco denies conflict
MAGALIESBURG, South Africa — Portugal midfielder Deco issued a public statement Wednesday denying any friction with coach Carlos Queiroz at the World Cup. Deco was critical of Queiroz’s tactics and substitutions after Portugal’s 0-0 draw with Ivory Coast in Group G on Tuesday, saying they were “strange” and “not as good as they might have been.” In a statement posted on the Portuguese Football Federation’s website on Wednesday, however, Deco distanced himself from those views. He says he expressed his opinions “in the heat of the moment” and had not intended to question Queiroz’s leadership.
Crushing defeat
North Korea’s coach praised his team for playing “bravely” in its opening World Cup loss to Brazil, but forward Jong Tae Se said he was crushed at not having scored. After a 0-0 first half, Brazil broke through a solid North Korean defense in the second half Tuesday, with Maicon and Elano each scoring. North Korea’s Ji Yun Nam got his team’s lone goal in the 89th minute for a 2-1 finish. Jong, North Korea’s leading scorer, dropped to his knees when the game ended. The coach went out on the pitch to comfort him. Jong had told The Associated Press earlier that he was aiming to score a goal a game at the World Cup.
Argentine hooligans to be deported
PRETORIA, South Africa — South African police have detained and plan to deport 17 soccer hooligans after raiding a school hostel early Wednesday where some troublesome Argentine fans have been staying for the World Cup. Police said they have been monitoring the “barras bravas” group and observed some of them trying to get into two World Cup matches, one of them Argentina’s opening game against Nigeria at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park, without tickets. They said the hooligans “have also behaved in a disorderly fashion on a number of occasions, roughing other fans up and generally causing trouble.”
Italian goalie injured
IRENE, South Africa — Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has a herniated disk, putting the rest of his World Cup at risk. Team physician Enrico Castellacci said Wednesday the recovery period would “not be brief,” adding it was impossible to set a specific return date.
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