NEWS » er control than Sodhi, but less

Brazils mens soccer team is betting on a talented trio of attacking players to try to finally break through and win Olympic gold.Star striker Neymar and promising youngsters Gabriel Jesus and Gabigol will lead Brazils attack when the hosts debut at the Rio Games against South Africa on Thursday in Brasilia. There are high expectations about the front three, touted by most Brazilians as the best forwards the country has available.Neymar has already established himself as a top player with Barcelona, while Gabriel Jesus and Gabigol are considered Brazils next big stars, 19-year-olds who are set to make their move to big European teams.Its easy when you get to play with Neymar and Gabriel Jesus by your side, Gabigol said. We need to stay near each other to try to find spaces in the defense. We have to take advantage of each others qualities.Gabigol recently received an offer from Italian club Juventus worth 20 million euros, but the youngster is yet to decide his future. There are reports that Inter Milan and other top clubs are also after him. The sturdy and skillful striker currently plays for Santos, the same team where Neymar thrived before leaving for Barcelona.Gabriel Jesus has just reached a deal reportedly worth more than 30 million euros to move from Brazilian club Palmeiras to Manchester City. The team coached by Pep Guardiola announced the signing on Wednesday. The speedy forward is the leading scorer in the Brazilian league and is expected to stay with Palmeiras until next year.He is formidable, Brazil Olympic coach Rogerio Micale said of Gabriel Jesus. He is still growing as a player and has some things to improve, but thats normal, Neymar went through the same process before he was able to achieve everything that he has achieved.Like Neymar, Gabigol and Gabriel Jesus have been a constant in Brazils youth squads, and the trio is also expected to lead Brazils attack at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.The Olympic gold medal is the only significant trophy Brazil is yet to win in soccer. The five-time World Cup champions won the silver three times, including in London four years ago when a team led by Neymar lost the final to Mexico.Victory in Rio should help ease some of the local fans disappointment after an embarrassing 7-1 loss to Germany in the semifinals of the home World Cup two years ago. The two teams could face again at the same stage of the Olympic tournament this year.After playing South Africa, Brazil will face Iraq and Denmark in Group A of the 16-team tournament. The top two teams in each of the four groups advance to the quarterfinals.Seven other games will be played in the mens tournament on Thursday, including Mexico vs. Germany, Portugal vs. Argentina, Nigeria vs. Japan and Sweden vs. Colombia.The final is Aug. 20 at Maracana Stadium.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoniKeldon Johnson Jersey . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. Chimezie Metu Jersey . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. https://www.spurslockerroom.com/Lonnie-Walker-City-Edition-Jersey/ . 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Latham has little experience of playing in such heat and on such pitches, and he showed a lot of courage and determination to fight it out for long periods of time. Not for long enough as it turned out.Luke Ronchi (200 runs at 33.33)A bit of a surprise as he was not an established Test player coming into the series, but showed quickness of feet and eye to put India under pressure for brief periods of time. Got two rough lbw calls, but still would have liked to convert one of those contributions into a big one.Mitchell Santner (159 runs at 26.5, 10 wickets at 52.4)On his first Test tour to a country where he is expected to win his side matches, Santner did not quite answer that call but showed a lot of promise as an important player for the future. There was a lot of application in his batting and determination in his bowling. Could well end up as a genuine allrounder for all conditions.5Trent Boult (10 wickets at 33.3)With only one of the Tests played in conditions that kept him in the game, Boult did well to end up as the third-highest wicket-taker in the series. Never let up the intensity that New Zealand pride themselves on. Would have loved to run through the tail at least once.4Kane Williamson (135 runs at 33.75)Came as arguably the best Test batsman going around, began brightly enough with a half-century in his first innings of the series, but fell all four times to R Ashwin when playing on the back foot. Missed the middle Test with illness. Couldnt win a toss either.Neil Wagner (5 wickets at 39.2)Brought the hostility he is known for, took out Virat Kohli once and played a part in setting him up on another occasion, but again failed to run through the tail, which you expect of hostile bowlers. With little or no reverse swing happening, he became a bit of a one-trick pony.Jeetan Patel (6 wickets at 48.66)Coming back after he had almost given up on playing for New Zealand, Patel bowled better than the numbers suggest. He was close to the pace required on the Indian pitches, stayed accurate for long periods, and could have perhaps made a difference in Kanpur, the most helpful pitch for the spinners in this series. Scored a 47 too.Jimmy Neesham (71 runs at 35.5)These are not the conditions for Neeshams bowling; that and his injury meant he played only one Test. In that Test, though, he showed his aggressive intent could have helped them with the bat, and he did not bowl untidily either.ddddddddddddMatt Henry (6 wickets at 42.33)Bowled with pace, precision and spirit, and once again the numbers dont tell the whole story. What the numbers do say is that on a green pitch, he and his two partner fast bowlers were stalled by Indias tail twice. There was enough to suggest, though, that he will push Tim Southee for a place in the New Zealand conditions even if the incumbent is fit.3.5BJ Watling (111 runs at 22.2 and five dismissals)Always seemed to find himself in the middle just when the ball began reversing. Kept fighting with the bat, and no blemish behind the stumps.3Martin Guptill (159 runs at 26.5)Got out caught off his own boot, bowled off his elbow and run out by the bowler through a deflection onto the stumps at the non-strikers end. Having said that, opening is one of the less difficult jobs in India and, as the aggressive batsman, he was expected to set the tone, which he managed to do only once in six efforts.Ish Sodhi (3 wickets at 49.66)On the most responsive of the pitches for spinners, failed to put enough pressure on India and also bowled a fair few loose balls, getting cut or pulled. Sodhi was consequently dropped for the second Test, and played no further part in the series.Mark Craig (2 wickets at 69.5)Showed better control than Sodhi, but less menace. Did not make a difference with the bat either as New Zealand lost five wickets for seven runs in the first innings of the series. Unfortunate injury meant he did not get a shot at redemption.Henry Nicholls (25 runs at 12.5)Got thrown into the deep end with Williamson injured in Kolkata. Showed application in the second innings but Indias bowlers proved to be too good.1Ross Taylor (89 runs at 14.83)Just couldnt trust his defence after he was out lbw to a straighter one in his first innings of the series. Guilty of plonking the front foot across and getting caught in between, making him a proper candidate for lbws. Not known anyway for disciplined defence, he couldnt bring his cavalier approach against such good bowling in these conditions. Thirty-two of the runs came in a devil-may-care hit-out in the final innings of the series when not much was left to lose. ' ' '