| Brazil Beats Ukraine 2-0 in Exhibition A youthful Brazilian national team is looking far better than the veterans did at the World Cup. feeds.nytimes.com |
Anders Lindegaard confirms Manchester United interest as goalkeeper search intensifies Danish goalkeeper aware of interest from Old Trafford as race to replace Edwin van der Sar hots up. telegraph.co.uk |
Soccer: Rogge Urges Tough Action by FIFA in Bid Scandal The president of the International Olympic Committee has urged the FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, to root out corruption in soccer's governing body "as much as possible." feeds.nytimes.com |
Mel Hopkins obituary He played in defence for Spurs and WalesMel Hopkins, the former left-back for Tottenham Hotspur and Wales, who has died aged 75 after a long illness, surely had his finest game in the quarter-final of the 1958 World Cup in Gothenburg against Brazil, which I was fortunate enough to see.By rights, Wales should not have been there at all. They had been knocked out in the qualifying group phase, but when other Africa and Asia group countries declined to play against Israel, it created the space for a substitute country. Fifa drew lots to make the choice, Wales's name emerged, and off to Sweden they went. Ironically, they would do better than any of the three other British teams which all qualified in the usual way.Hopkins would play in each of the five matches in which Wales were engaged. In their first-round group, he appeared against Hungary – a ghost of the great team which had thrashed England twice, in 1953 and 1954 – drawing 1-1 in Sandviken. Next, in Stockholm, he figured in another 1-1 draw, this time versus Mexico, followed by a goalless draw, again in Stockholm, against an under-strength Swedish team.Hopkins and the Welsh defence at large had already shown its resilience, but now, with Wales coming equal second in their group with the Hungarians, they had to meet them again in a play-off in Stockholm. It proved to be a bruising game against a Hungarian team which could be said to have kicked John Charles, the Wales centre-forward, out of the World Cup. But Wales, a goal down at half-time, went on to win 2-1.This pitted them in the quarter-final against a Brazilian team which, with the aid of the 17-year-old Pelé and the dynamic right-winger Garrincha, had struck formidable form. The Welsh held out against fierce pressure, with the lanky Hopkins facing Garrincha's dynamic pace and a magical swerve. Hopkins countered him superbly. Time and again, he anticipated Garrincha's bursts, something that would prove far beyond the capacities of Sweden's defence in the ensuing final. Brazil prevailed through a single, scrappy goal by Pelé.Altogether, Hopkins would play 34 games for Wales between 1956 and 1962. Born in Ystrad-Rhondda, south Wales, he joined Tottenham as a 16-year-old, from the Ystrad Boys Club, made his debut for their first team in 1952 and won a regular league place, still only a teenager, the following season.Standing 5ft 11in, but weighing little over 11 stone, Hopkins was a mobile and intelligent full-back. Ever loyal to Spurs, he stayed at White Hart Lane until 1964, despite the disappointment of failing to play a single game when the team became the first of the 20th century to win the FA Cup and League double, in the 1960-61 season. As a result of injuries sustained in a clash of heads with Ian St John during an international against Scotland in 1959, he had lost his place as Spurs' left-back to Ron Henry.On leaving Tottenham, Hopkins played in turn for Brighton, Canterbury City, Ballymena in Northern Ireland and Bradford Park Avenue. He subsequently ran the Horsham sports centre in Sussex for 20 years. He is survived by his second wife, Barbara, and three sons, Paul, Simon and Mark.• Melvyn Hopkins, footballer, born 7 November 1934; died 18 October 2010WalesTottenham HotspurPeléHungaryBrazilSwedenScotlandBrian Glanvilleguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Liverpool to stay clear of big-money signings in January transfer window Roy Hodgson will not target marquee signings in January as NESV looks to curtail Liverpool's spending. telegraph.co.uk |