|
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Good news, bad news Shearer fit for England; Sa Pinto, Sousa out for Portugal
Posted: Saturday June 10, 2000 07:52 PM
SPA, Belgium (AP) -- Alan Shearer came through a full-blooded training match unscathed and with several goals to his name on Saturday to dispell fears that a knee injury would rule him out of England's opening match against Portugal. Doctors who had performed a scan on the England's captain left knee, which he jarred when falling awkwardly in a friendly against Malta last Saturday, said there was no cause for concern. And a smiling Shearer, who scored a hat trick in five minutes in training, said: "I'm fully fit." "It felt fine. If there is no reaction -- which we do not expect there will be over the next 24 or 36 hours -- then I'll be okay," he said. The Newcastle United target man, who retires from international soccer after Euro 2000, is under pressure to produce having failed to score in his last six games in an England shirt. His last goals for England - a hat trick - came against Luxembourg in September. But in typically deadpan style, the 29-year-old, who was top scorer at Euro '96 with five goals, said he pays little attention to what's said outside the camp. "I don't believe in the praise or the criticism," he said. "I get on with my own game, I have confidence in my own ability and people around me have confidence in me as well which is very important. "I'm just determined to go out with a ban." Keegan, who once smashed the British transfer record to bring Shearer from Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle for 15 million pounds (US$22.5 million), had said he would give him as long as possible to prove his fitness to play against Portugal in Eindhoven, Netherlands, on Monday. If Shearer suffers a setback, his place will probably be taken by Liverpool's burly striker Emile Heskey. Liverpool's Michael Owen is expected to take the other slot up front. Heskey, who exploded onto the international scene with a powerful display in a 0-0 draw with Argentina this year and scored his first goal against Malta, said he was glad Shearer was fit -- but that the relief was tinged with a little regret. "It's obviously a little bit frustrating," he said. "But he's the captain, and -- more than anyone -- we need him fit." Keegan will announce his starting lineup to the squad this weekend, but only go public just before kick-off. He has experimented with three at the back, but is believed to favor at least starting the tournament with a more trusted 4-4-2 formation. The whole England contingent trained on Saturday at their tranquil camp set among forests in eastern Belgium. Center back Tony Adams, like Shearer a pivotal part of Keegan's plans, frequently sits out of training these days to not aggravate a persistent back injury. But he looked free of any pain on Saturday. Manchester United's Paul Scholes, who had a minor back complaint and missed training on Friday, also looked fine. Sa Pinto, Paulo Sousa unlikely to face EnglandERMELO, Netherlands -- Portugal looks increasingly likely to start Euro 2000 without injured striker Ricardo Sa Pinto and playmaker Paulo Sousa. But Jose Luis Vidigal returned to training Saturday, two-days ahead of the opening game with England. Sa Pinto collapsed in training Friday and limped off the pitch with a twisted right knee. Team doctor Joao Paulo Almeida refused to rule out a recovery in time for Monday's game, but team officials hinted it was unlikely Sa Pinto or Sousa would be ready to take on England. "The situation was very worrying. The knee was examined in hospital and now we're not so pessimistic, but the next 24 hours will be crucial," Almeida told reporters after closed-door training. Sousa has not trained fully with this teammates since arrived Monday to prepare for Euro 2000 in this little town in the central Dutch forests. The Parma midfielder has worked out separately and briefly joined tactical training Saturday, but is not fully recovered. "Paulo Sousa is still under observation," Almeida said. "He's recovery is going well, but it's difficult to make any predictions." Better news for Portugal is that Sporting Lisbon's tough defensive midfielder Vidigal appears to have recovered from a knock that saw him hobble out of training Friday. Vidigal, whose brother is an international with Angola, is the mot likely replacement for Sousa to mix it up midfield with the likes of Dennis Wise or Paul Scholes. An explosive, if erratic striker, Sa Pinto would be badly missed in a team whose biggest weakness is a paucity of instinctive goalscorers. Coach Humberto Coelho is expected to push Benfica's Joao Pinto forward and play Lazio winger Sergio Conceicao wide on the right, if Sa Pinto is ruled out. The Portuguese said they were unfazed by the news that England captain and ace goal poacher Alan Shearer appeared to have recovered from his knee injury and returned to full training. "He's a great player, a great goalscorer," aid FC Porto fullback Carlos Secretario. "If he plays it's good news for England, but it won't bother us. We respect England, but we're readily to play against anybody."
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
