Peru clings to World Cup hopes
Lima, June 9 (UNI) Peru has not abandoned its FIFA World Cup hopes despite facing long odds to reach next year's tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, midfielder Edison Flores
said
The Blanquirroja sits ninth in the 10-team South American qualifying standings and must beat Ecuador in Lima on Tuesday to retain a mathematical chance of advancing.
"We remain hopeful, but we know we need the points," Flores told reporters on Sunday. "We just have to focus on working hard, on getting the coveted three points, and to do that, we have to play a solid game."
Peru is expected to be boosted by the return of Corinthians midfielder Andre Carrillo, who missed Friday's goalless draw with Colombia in Barranquilla due to a thigh injury.
Despite the encouraging defensive display, Flores said the team must be more clinical in front of goal to overcome Ecuador, which is second in the CONMEBOL group.
"It's going to be a very difficult match against Ecuador, which is playing well," he said. "We must focus on what we can do, on our strengths. Ecuador has many virtues and we know what they are capable of. But we have to counteract that and take advantage of our opportunities.
"Sometimes you want to play well, but what matters are the goals and the three points."
The top six sides will gain automatic entry to the World Cup, scheduled to run from June 11 to
July 19 next year.
UNI/XINHUA BM
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The Hindu
34 minutes ago
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A moment to cherish for an extraordinary leader of men
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Out of respect for his skipper and to ensure that tongues didn't wag about (non-existent) differences were they to travel separately to pay their respects, Test captain Virat Kohli waited patiently and accompanied Dhoni in a later flight while some of the senior management staff flew out early in the morning. Dhoni evokes such emotions, without making an effort to do so. His presence in the Hall of Fame should come as no surprise. After all, he is his country's most successful captain, rising from the hinterlands to establish himself as the ultimate poster boy of Indian cricket even when the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan, among others, were going strong. Every year for the last five seasons, towards the end of Chennai Super Kings' IPL campaign, speculation reaches fever pitch over Dhoni's imminent retirement. 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Time of India
an hour ago
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Image credit: ICC NEW DELHI: Can South Africa finally shed the 'chokers' tag, or will Australia add another ICC trophy to their cabinet? With the World Test Championship (WTC) final set to take place at Lord's on Wednesday, anticipation is running high. Led by Pat Cummins , Australia are aiming to become the first team to win the WTC title twice, having previously clinched the mace in 2023 by defeating India at The Oval in the second edition of the tournament. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Meanwhile, Temba Bavuma 's South Africa will be playing their first-ever WTC final after a dominant run that saw them win seven of their last eight matches. While this marks their debut in a red-ball final, the Proteas have been regulars in ICC knockout stages in recent years. Ahead of the big clash, astrologer Greenstone Lobo has made a bold prediction about who will emerge victorious. "This match holds huge significance because it's not just a one-off game — it's the culmination of the last two-year WTC cycle. Whoever wins this will claim an ICC trophy. So it's not something small; it's a huge moment for both teams. The analysis is based on past performances and the corresponding dilution of karmic quota influenced by planetary positions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like ¿Quieres un segundo ingreso? Prueba Mercado Libre CFD (Inicia hoy) TradeLG Undo We'll also be looking at the horoscopes of the captains, players, and coaches to investigate the possibilities of who might emerge victorious," Lobo told "Australia, obviously, is a phenomenal team — everyone knows that. Their captain, Pat Cummins, is one of the greatest superstars of modern cricket and already a legend of the game. He's won the 50-over World Cup and led Australia to the previous WTC title at The Oval in 2023. He has also been part of several ICC tournament wins. Bold prediction! Astrologer Greenstone Lobo picks winner of Australia vs South Africa WTC Final 2025 "Born in 1993, Pat Cummins has a phenomenal Pluto in its own house. Neptune is at 25 degrees, which makes him great — alongside other favorable planetary placements. However, the key point is that he has already experienced immense success. Winning back-to-back championships — whether it's the World Cup, the T20 World Cup, or the WTC — is extremely difficult. So, despite his strong horoscope, he has diluted his karmic quota significantly, making it harder for him to repeat success. "Now looking at the team: from Usman Khawaja to Nathan Lyon, almost every player — except maybe Beau Webster and Cameron Green — was part of the previous WTC Final. This means they not only had a powerful captain but also an experienced playing XI in 2023. Look at the names: Steve Smith, multiple ICC trophies; Mitchell Starc, multiple; Josh Hazlewood, a couple; Pat Cummins, Travis Head — all with major wins. The point is, this core group has already been part of multiple ICC triumphs. That adds to the dilution of their karmic quota. And then there's coach Andrew McDonald — a legend in his own right as a coach. He too has won multiple ICC trophies and has similarly diluted his karmic quotient. So while the Australian team appears extremely strong on paper — and their planetary charts support that — they are also vulnerable because they've already extracted much of their astrological 'juice.' "Now let's turn to South Africa. The tag of 'chokers' has haunted them for decades — reaching finals but never winning. The main reason? They've lacked a great captain with an extraordinary planetary chart. To win an ICC trophy, you need a special captain. Temba Bavuma, born in May 1990, was born when Pluto had just entered its own house after 250 years — a rare and powerful event. That's phenomenal. We've already seen players born in 1990 achieve great success: Jos Buttler, Kane Williamson, and others. Even in football, many championship winners were born in 1990. Pluto at 0 degrees in its own house, Neptune exalted, and other planetary alignments make 1990 a landmark birth year. So, does Temba Bavuma have what it takes to become a legend? Absolutely. 'We'll be quite confident that we can pull one over them': Shukri Conrad on WTC Final vs Australia "Keshav Maharaj, another 1990-born player, has a phenomenal chart. This could be his only shot at a major international title. David Bedingham, born in 1994, has been a revelation in the last two years — and his chart supports a major victory. Aiden Markram, also 1994-born, has exalted Neptune and Pluto. He too has the potential to be part of a major win — possibly this one. It's like a David vs Goliath scenario. A team that has made a habit of winning ICC trophies (Australia), versus a team that has often stumbled at the final hurdle (South Africa). If South Africa pulls this off, it will be historic — a landmark achievement. And such moments are usually delivered by what I call 'Grey Lizard' players — players born between 1996 and 2001. South Africa has many of them. Lungi Ngidi, Kyle Verreynne, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs — all are Grey Lizards. And right now, Pluto is in Grey Lizard. Historic moments often occur during such cosmic alignments. We've seen this in football and cricket — teams that had been waiting for decades finally achieving glory during the Grey Lizard era. And this is one of those moments. South Africa has the astrological momentum and the right mix of Grey Lizard players. There might not be a better opportunity than this for them to shed the "chokers" tag and beat the mighty Australians. It's going to be one hell of a match," Lobo said. Australia - Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wkt), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood South Africa - Playing XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (capt), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
