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Saturday, July 4, 2015

CANADA 2015 FINAL: Utsugi: The Olympic final loss motivates Japan


Rumi Utsugi of Japan is challenged by Danielle van de Donk of Netherlands
© Getty Images
 
Japan’s seemingly inexorable charge to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final Canada 2015™ has garnered attention for the team’s headline names. But behind every star there is inevitably an unsung team-mate contributing. One such player is Japan’s defensive midfielder Rumi Utsugi.
The No13 cuts a distinctive figure at the heart of the Nadeshiko’s midfield. Amid a team of largely small-framed, quick-footed players, the tall, pony-tailed Utsugi has the look of a long-striding 400-metre runner as she relentlessly moves up and down the field, offering support in both attack and defence throughout the 90 minutes. Her unflagging commitment and teamwork was recognised with a Live Your Goals Player of the Match award in the hard-fought 1-0 quarter-final win over Australia at a sun-baked Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
Six straight wins have lifted Japan into their second successive Women’s World Cup final against USA. Utsugi was part of the squad which famously defeated the Stars and Stripes on penalties four years ago. She was nevertheless a peripheral figure at Germany 2011, taking the field briefly as a substitute just twice during the early stages of the tournament. By her own admission, Utsugi made only a modest contribution to that iconic success, but now she is ready to realise her own footballing dream.

“As a Japanese, I was very proud to be there and gain a wonderful experience but, as a footballer, regret was the feeling I had in my heart,” Utsugi told FIFA.com about her memories of the Germany 2011 decider. “All the other players in the team took me to that stage, but I could do nothing [to contribute].”

“However, I am here now because I had the experience over the past four years since 2011. Now I feel I have come to the right direction, after the accumulation of success and failure down the years.”
Standing in the way of Japan’s attempt to emulate Germany and achieve back-to-back conquests are USA, who are second on the FIFA Women's World Ranking. The Stars and Stripes reversed their painful Germany 2011 defeat by claiming Olympic gold at the expense of the Nadeshiko a year later in London.

“One thing that's different from 2011 is that Japan now has the experience and the sorrow of losing in the Olympic final against USA,” Utsugi said. “I'm so excited to face them in the final. All 11 [USA] players on the pitch have the mood, aura and awareness that they can make something happen. They know in their heart that they are special, and at this kind of tournament that can lead them to a good result.”
Living the dream
Utsugi has certainly taken the path less travelled to achieve her dream. In 2010 he left her native Tokyo to join Montpellier, becoming the first Japanese female player to do so. Since then the likes of Saki Kumagai and Ami Otaki have followed in Utsugi’s trailblazing footsteps. Five years on Utsugi is still at the southern club, is fluent in French and has achieved the basic rationale behind her move – "to gain experience and become hardened physically.”
Though only 26, Utsugi is in her tenth year in a Nadeshiko jersey and is now very much a permanent fixture in Norio Sasaki’s side. She says, though, that she has much more to give.

“I believe I'm still in the growth process and I want to develop more and more,” Utsugi said when asked if she is in career best form. “Every day I remind myself so that I don't have regrets at all and, in this way, I can say that I'm now in the best condition.”
That dedication towards achieving excellence – so typical of Japanese footballers’ mentality – has taken Utsugi to the most elite stage in world football. And when Utsugi steps out at Vancouver’s BC Place on Sunday, it will be the long-awaited culmination of a childhood dream.

“My first dream was to be a football player,” Utsugi said. “I also had a dream go all over the world, and a dream to play in the World Cup.”
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Women's World Cup: Nsekera: Canada 2015 should serve as an inspiration





The closing press conference for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ was held in Vancouver on Friday alongside the sixth FIFA Women’s Football Symposium, two days before the Final of the prestigious tournament. In attendance were Lydia Nsekera, Chairwoman of the Committee for Women’s Football and the FIFA Women’s World Cup™, and member of the FIFA Executive Committee, Tatjana Haenni, FIFA Deputy Director of the Competitions Division and Head of Women’s Football, Victor Montagliani, Chair of the National Organizing Committee and Canada Soccer President, and Peter Montopoli, Chief Executive Officer of the National Organizing Committee and Canada Soccer General Secretary.
Below are the principal extracts from the conference, which can now be re-watched on FIFA.com.
Lydia Nsekera
I said at the opening press conference that every Women’s World Cup is an opportunity to show as many people as possible how our game has improved. I’m delighted to confirm, a month later, that the seventh edition of the tournament has been a roaring success. It should serve as an inspiration for all member associations, and should certainly not lead to a drop-off in development just because of a few bad results. While it’s true that 30 million women and girls play football worldwide, we must still continue to increase that number. We need this motivational atmosphere that is generated every four years to lead to tangible and long-lasting decisions. Football must continue to be the number one team sport in the world. Participation levels still need to improve, and the goal of the Women’s Football Symposium that we set in motion this morning is to stimulate discussion and action on topics such as governance, structures, competitions, commercial development, promotion, media coverage and sponsorship.
Tatjana HaenniWe always say that every Women’s World Cup is special and represents a building block in the development of women’s football. Canada 2015 provided confirmation that the Cup remains the biggest sporting event for women, and it was historic for various reasons. The competition involved 24 teams, eight more than at Germany 2011, and featured eight debutants. Goal-line technology was used for the first time. It proved essential on several occasions, and the assistant referees have confirmed that without this tool, it would have been virtually impossible to know if the ball had crossed the line.
FIFA and Canada Soccer worked together on the Live Your Goals project, aimed at increasing the number of girls playing football, as well as on the launch of a new campaign entitled “No Barriers”. Women’s football is evolving and standards are constantly improving, and so up until now, every World Cup has always been the best yet, and Canada 2015 is no exception to this rule. But without wishing to dampen the enthusiasm surrounding the current tournament, I can already say that the next one in four years’ time will also be the best.
Victor MontaglianiI’m so proud to confirm that Canada 2015 has been a great success and that it had a real impact on our nation, which has truly got behind women’s football for the past month. Canada took on the role of women’s football leader very early on. Aside from the investments we made in the development of our national team, we also did an excellent job of hosting the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup, the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, and of course the ongoing 2015 Women’s World Cup. As well as taking a financial risk by hosting these tournaments, Canada Soccer provided support to all competing teams to ensure that they all had the best possible chances of success. We hope that the impressive attendances at this World Cup demonstrate the potential of women’s football in Canada.
Peter Montopoli In 2010, when we bid for this Women’s World Cup, we had a number of objectives, such as ensuring that the tournament left a legacy and bringing the entire country together. And there were others. The most pressing one was operational, i.e. could we organise such a competition across five different time zones? The second question was technical in nature: we had to be sure that our national team development programme would propel Canada as far as possible. And the third pertained to our ability to reach our total stadium attendance target of 1.5 million spectators. We’re happy to have achieved practically all of our objectives. In terms of ticketing, we managed to attract 1.35 million fans, which represents 90 per cent of our target, but is still the highest total for a FIFA-run event outside of the FIFA World Cup™. We achieved that distinction in 2007, and we’re delighted to do it again in 2015, with seven matches attended by over 50,000 fans.

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COPA AMERICA 2015: Valdivia, Santiago & more - five reasons Chile can win Copa América 2015



Valdivia, Santiago & more - five reasons Chile can win Copa América 2015
Keeghann Sinanan

The tournament hosts have seen off all comers so far en route to the final and it will be hard to peg them as underdogs on July 4

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As Copa América 2015 has gone on, the more it has seemed like Chile's tournament to lose.
More from Goal.com : Transfer news | Copa's beautiful fans
On the pitch at least, La Roja have been the most consistent and entertaining team and have set a fine example as hosts with their standard of play.
Chile have picked up where they left off after their heralded World Cup 2014 showing, where they lost agonisingly to Brazil in the round of 16 on penalties.
A raucous fan base and a few players rounding into form at exactly the right time has helped the hosts to a final against Argentina, and we highlight five reasons why they can go one step further on July 4.
Eduardo Vargas Uruguay had Luis Suárez in 2011. Brazil leaned on Robinho and Júlio Baptista in 2007, and rode Adriano’s Annus Mirabilis to glory in 2004.
Every recent Copa winner has been blessed with one player who has risen to the occasion to decide games with vital goals.
Arturo Vidal was set to become that figure for Chile with three goals in as many group-stage games. But when the Juventus man’s prolific touch disappeared, Eduardo Vargas stepped up to the plate.
The Napoli forward was no slouch in the first phase, netting alongside Vidal against Ecuador and Mexico to help his side to first place in their section.
A tense quarter-final win against Uruguay was followed by Chile’s toughest test of the tournament, with Peru fighting them blow-for-blow, even with a man disadvantage after Carlos Zambrano’s dismissal.
Vargas had already bundled home an opportunistic finish to send his team into a half-time lead, only for Gary Medel’s own goal to restore parity.
However, with less than half-an-hour remaining, Vargas blew the roof off Estadio Nacional with a long-distance screamer that dipped over Pedro Gallese. Deflection or not, it was an effort that was destined for the net, a highlight-reel certainty.
His four goals make him the tournament’s top scorer with a game left. And heading into that one match, there will be no one on the pitch in Santiago bursting with more confidence.
Jorge Valdivia Vargas and Vidal may rightfully take the headlines with their goalscoring exploits for the hosts, but their most important attacking player has yet to hit the back of the net.
Jorge Valdivia is a perplexing figure at the best of times, a nailed-on caricature for the temperamental No.10, at times capable of making his team seem like they’re playing with 12 men or 10.
But when he’s on his game, surrounded by complementary players and trusted with the right responsibilities, he’s practically unstoppable. At Copa América 2015, there’s simply been no greater creative force.
He manufactures openings for himself and his team-mates, not just with the unbelievable frequency and accuracy of his through passes, but with his ability to manipulate his own momentum to fool defenders into conceding space or committing a foul. The perfect centrifuge for Chile’s horde of runners.
He ran the show against Mexico and followed that up with an evisceration of Bolivia, setting up two goals in La Roja’s 5-0 victory – the biggest of the tournament until Argentina demolished Paraguay in the semis.
However, his best performance came against Uruguay in the quarter-finals. Everything ran through him, as he created enough chances to threaten a repeat of the Bolivia scoreline by half-time.
Even when Chile began to taper off in the second-half, and at precisely the moment La Celeste started to believe, he made his defining contribution with the assist for Mauricio Isla’s late winner.
He followed that up with another accomplished playmaking display against Peru in the semi-finals and in this kind of form, no defence is safe. Chile at their greatest swarm the opposition from all angles, and Valdivia is the man calling the shots.
Santiago de Chile Home advantage was one of Chile’s biggest strengths heading into the tournament, and so far, the crowd has played their part in helping the hosts to advance.
The mechanics of the draw and their results mean that Chile will play every one of their games at Estadio Nacional in Santiago. While fans in other cities may be a little disappointed not to see their team first-hand, the nation’s capital has become a hub for all things Roja.
Rumors of an initial disconnect between the players and fans and pollution concerns throughout the city itself were swept to one side as the intensity of the home crowds seemed to swallow opponents whole.
It’s an ideal marriage of fuel and flame, with Chile feeding off the energy of the crowd to sustain their furious style.
The noise inside the stadium has almost always been relentless and overwhelming – just like the team they support.
Ubiquitous style Under Jorge Sampaoli, Chile have developed one of the most recognisable styles of play on the planet.
The Roja boss’ influence by predecessor Marcelo Biesla is well-documented, and though such an approach may not be sustainable through the marathon of a club season, it fares much better in the short burst of an international tournament.
Chile’s style is remarkable in the way it bends teams to their will. Rather than impose their own methods, opponents are forced to make containment their primary point of concern.
La Roja look for the quickest route to goal, with vertical passes, breakneck transitions and runners in waves guaranteeing end-to-end entertainment.
Their vigour has been seductive, with their 13 goals scored suprassing any other team’s tally, while everyone but Uruguay has conceded more than once against them.
Even La Celeste, who managed to hold them to a blank for 81 minutes, could scarcely believe their luck at half-time after surviving an onslaught on their goal by Valdivia and Co.
Opponents know exactly what they will get from La Roja, but stopping it is another matter entirely.
Are Argentina ready? On paper at least, Chile were beneficiaries of favourable match-ups throughout the tournament.
Group A provided little resistance in the end, with their only blip coming against a Mexico side that finished bottom of the pile after three games.
Moreover, the quarter-final draw placed Argentina, Colombia and Brazil on the opposite side of the bracket, meaning that La Roja would avoid three of the other favourites until the final.
However, it proved to be a moot point, with all three teams mostly playing well within themselves.
Gerardo Martino’s men will meet them in the final, but needed penalties to overcome Colombia in the last eight and, until the second Paraguay encounter, had not displayed the attacking verve that a roster of Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero and Ángel Di María is capable of.
Argentina strutted their stuff in spectacular fashion with a 6-1 win over La Albirroja in the semis, but their previous four outings were significantly tighter affairs.
Chile have remained favourites by living up to expectations game after game, with no other team rising to their level. Every opponent they’ve faced has eventually collapsed against their unrelenting style.
Argentina may feel that they've finally released the shackles, but Chile have been unchained since long before the final.

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COPA AMERICA 2015 FINAL: Messi, consistency & more - five reasons Argentina can win the Copa; Chile's biggest test and time with history


Messi, consistency & more - five reasons Argentina can win the Copa
Tom Webber

The pre-tournament favourites exploded into life in the semi-final, just in time to face Chile in the showpiece event on July 4

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Expectation has weighed heavy on Argentina even before they kicked their first ball in La Serena, but they've made it to the final of Copa América 2015.
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They will be bidding to win the trophy for the first time since 1993 and end a barren spell of 22 years without a senior international trophy.
Standing in their way, however, are hosts Chile.
Following last year's World Cup disappointment, several of the Albiceleste players have spoken of their eagerness to win a title with the national team, and here we look at the five reasons that that could become a reality on July 4.
Lionel Messi Before the competition had even got underway, people were expecting Lionel Messi to be the star of the show in Chile.
While the captain hasn’t shone at the Copa América like he did for Barcelona as they stormed to a famous treble this season, he has still produced some fine moments.
In order to get the best from Messi, coach Gerardo 'Tata' Martino has deployed him on the right wing - just as Luis Enrique did for much of the term in Spain.
While he has not been prolific, his only goal coming from the penalty spot in their group-stage opener against Paraguay, the 28-year-old has been at the heart of everything for his side.
His dribbling has been typically nimble and his ability to get free from even the tightest of spaces has often forced opponents to follow him with more than one man.
That can create space for his team-mates to do the damage in, which was evident in their semi-final thrashing of Paraguay.
Messi didn’t get on the scoresheet but directly assisted three of their goals and also had a hand in another.
If he replicates that performance against Chile then they could well be in for a difficult night.
They don't need Messi to score to win Even though Messi has not been making the headlines for his scoring in Chile, it hasn’t stopped Argentina from finding the net, nor from winning.
In fact, the only game that the skipper did score in is the solitary match at the Copa that La Albiceleste failed to triumph in - the 2-2 draw with Paraguay in the group stage.
Sergio Agüero has been a solid source of goals in attack, with Gonzalo Higuaín also chipping in with two despite only featuring for a total of 95 minutes across three games.
Both of them found the net in their semi-final demolition of Paraguay, along with Marcos Rojo, Javier Pastore and an Ángel Di María double.
It is a squad with a wealth of attacking talent - one of a number of reasons that they were picked by many as favourites for glory - and that was finally displayed in Concepción.
Although Martino's men struggled to find the net with regularity in the group stage, the semi-final victory will be a huge morale boost.
Every player will be full of confidence following such a relentless display in the final four, and that shows Chile that they cannot simply focus their attentions on the Messi.
Consistent selection Changes to the starting line-up have been minimal from Martino.
Before the Copa had even begun he seemed to have settled on his favoured starting line-up, he just couldn't deploy it until their second outing in Chile.
Facundo Roncaglia and Éver Banega both started the opening fixture against Paraguay with Pablo Zabaleta and Lucas Biglia lacking fitness, but they have since been ever-present in the XI.
Martín Demichelis has been drafted in on two occasions - against Jamaica in the group stage due to Nicolás Otamendi's suspension and in the semi-final versus Paraguay with Ezequiel Garay forced out through illness - while Agüero was rested for their clash with the Reggae Boyz to ensure his fitness for the quarter-finals.
Such switches have not affected the core of the team, nor the balance, nor the tactical shape Martino has been deploying.
Sergio Romero has looked confident between the posts, while Javier Mascherano has been integral to every performance and, of course, Messi has regularly been the creative force further forward.
Unless there are any unforseen injuries for La Albiceleste boss to contend with, you could probably already name his line-up for the final.
Familiarity with pressure Argentina are no strangers to tension and high stakes.
They went all the way to the World Cup final last year before eventually succumbing to Germany courtesy of an extra-time goal from Mario Götze.
It is an experience that still pains many of the players, but it could prove an advantage should Saturday's clash at the Estadio Nacional not be settled within 90 minutes.
This Chile crop, meanwhile, are playing their first final together and there is no telling how they will handle the occasion.
Many of this Argentina squad have won big domestic trophies with their clubs too, so they know better how to prepare for such a fixture.
La Albiceleste have already been pushed all the way to penalties in this tournament by Colombia too - though there was no extra time played in the quarter-finals.
However, they came through on top in the penalty shoot-out and that, too, will provide confidence should they find themselves in the situtation again on Saturday.
Chile’s biggest test There can be no doubting that Argentina will be the highest-quality side that La Roja will face in this competition.
They made light work of progressing through a group including a Mexico side missing a number of key names, an injury-hit Ecuador squad and Bolivia - who finally ended an 18-year wait for another victory at the Copa América this time around.
Sampaoli’s men did eliminate the defending champions at the quarter-final stage, but they did not have Luis Suárez or Diego Forlán - both of whom were pivotal to their triumph in 2011 - in their ranks.
Peru gave Chile a difficult game in the semi-finals but, playing with 10 men for 70 minutes of the match, they were always facing an uphill battle.
Therefore, Argentina will be the first elite nation that La Roja have faced in the tournament.
It will be the first true test of their title credentials, and it comes with the added pressure of it being in a final.
Both nations will have plenty at stake on Saturday, which is sure to make for a truly fascinating and memorable affair.

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CANADA 2015 Women's World Cup: Tattoos, parties and bungee jumps


Trine Ronning of Norway poses
© Getty Images
04 Jul 2015
It is always wise to pay attention to what one is saying, especially when the conversation is being taped. Over the past four weeks, FIFA.com has interviewed many of the stars taking part in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™, diligently taking note of what they would do as a dare or bet in the event of lifting the trophy. Although nobody revealed challenges that could be viewed as completely crazy, there were a few original and brave ideas floated that demonstrated how much winning the illustrious tournament meant to the players involved.
For example, Germany’s Simone Laudehr would not have hesitated to push herself to the limit in exchange for a second winners’ medal, having already captured a global crown in 2007. “I promised a friend that I’d do a parachute jump,” she admitted after her team’s semi-final exit at the hands of USA. “But I’m afraid of heights!” she added, laughing.
Ecuador forward Denise Pesantes suffers from the same phobia but made a similar commitment nonetheless. “I’m a bit of a scaredy-cat and I’m afraid of heights, but I’m willing to do a bungee jump if we win,” she said. “But I’ll do it with a Galapagos Islands flag in my hand,” added the first player from the archipelago to appear at the Women’s World Cup. And after conceding 17 goals in three matches, she and her team-mates are already familiar with a different kind of sinking feeling.
Other players went down the well-trodden path of promising to mark the event by visiting the tattoo parlour.

“The day that I lift the Women’s World Cup, I’ll get a tattoo of the trophy,” said France’s Elodie Thomis, who had to postpone her plans for at least four years after a German XI featuring Laudehr, another tattoo enthusiast, defeated Les Bleues in the quarter-finals. “I need to update my tattoos; I’ve got a few of my achievements recorded on my arm,” explained the German No6.
Norway captain Trine Ronning had the same intention: “I’ll no doubt get a new tattoo. Why not one of the cup itself? That would be my personal reward.” Unfortunately, England put paid to those aspirations in the Round of 16.
Those thoughts were shared by Cameroon’s Gabrielle Onguene, who stood out in the group stage with Les Lionnes before biting the dust versus China PR in the subsequent round.

“Playing in a World Cup could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she pointed out. “Actually, winning the tournament is even more unlikely. If you ever had the good fortune to do so, you’d have to make sure you remembered it for ever. It would be imprinted on my mind, but I’d also want it on my skin. I’m not a fan of tattoos, but I’m willing to change my opinion in exchange for a victory!”
As far as Lotta Schelin was concerned, Sweden’s exploits, should they triumph at the Women’s World Cup, would be recorded not on her limbs but in the history books. “If we win the tournament, I think that we would be awarded the Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal,” explained the attacker. “It’s a national award in Sweden for exceptional sporting achievement.”
Canada skipper Christine Sinclair, meanwhile, would erase her presence from the aforementioned history books altogether. “I’m willing to swap all of the goals I’ve ever scored and to never get the chance to score again,” promised the host nation’s star player, who has found the net 150 times for her country, including twice at this very tournament.
Maren Mjelde also got on the score-sheet at Canada 2015, and had more down-to-Earth objectives in the event that she and her fellow Norwegians held aloft the Cup: “I wouldn’t do anything too original, like shaving off all my hair or anything like that, that’s for sure. What I would definitely do is celebrate with a huge party."
That idea has likely crossed the minds of the Japanese and American team members as the final on 5 July fast approaches, but Stars and Stripes defender Ali Krieger would prefer any festivities that occur to be free of certain restraints.
“I’d go out and celebrate with my best friends, and just enjoy it without thinking of football, without paying attention to what I’m eating and drinking, or to when I should rest,” stated the Virginia native. I just want to be able to feel free. Over the last four years, we’ve been put under constant pressure, and so we paid attention to the tiniest details while getting ready for this tournament. And so what I would do in the event of a World Cup victory would be to forget about all the sacrifices we’ve made and just breathe."

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Rogers and Tennis Canada Team Up for Mini Rogers Cup Kids Tournament



Tennis Canada

– Tournament to run across Ontario and Quebec in July; winners to be recognized at Rogers Cup this August –
 
TORONTO (July 2, 2015) - Rogers and Tennis Canada today announced the launch of Mini Rogers Cup, two separate Kids Tennis tournaments taking place across Ontario and Quebec in July. With more than 1,000 under-12 players competing across the two provinces, the tournaments will provide budding young tennis stars with the chance to compete for their own title and be recognized on-site during Rogers Cup presented by National Bank in Toronto and Montreal this August.

Mini Rogers Cup will make its debut in Ontario this summer, while Quebec marks its fourth edition. This is Rogers’s first year involved in the kids’ tournament as part of its ongoing sponsorship of grassroots initiatives to help grow the game in Canada.

“Beyond our commitment to delivering innovative and engaging experiences to sports fans across the country, we are also committed to supporting young athletes learning about the game and developing their skills,” said Livia Zufferli, Senior Vice-President, Brand, Rogers. “Mini Rogers Cup is one way to encourage the tennis stars of tomorrow to build their love of the sport and play, developing into the word-class Canadian athletes we’ll see at the Rogers Cup tournament for years to come.”

Taking place throughout the month, Mini Rogers Cup will culminate in the finals, held August 1-2 at Mayfair Parkway in Markham, ON, and August 8-9 at Olympic Park and Louis-Riel Park in Montreal. The events are being run in conjunction with the Ontario Tennis Association and Tennis Quebec.

The Mini Rogers Cup will use two different formats in Ontario and Quebec. In Ontario, clubs will run one-day, under-12 team tournaments to select who advances into the finals. The teams will feature three girls and three boys. In Quebec, the tournament will be split into 12 regions and feature three age categories: five to six years old, seven to eight years old, and nine to 10 years old. Two boys and two girls from each age category in all regions will advance to the finals.

“In addition to offering world-class tennis and an unbeatable guest experience at Rogers Cup, our aim is to promote the sport and get more people involved,” said Karl Hale, Rogers Cup Toronto tournament director. “This is a great way to extend the reach of Rogers Cup and get kids around the province excited about tennis. It will be a pleasure to have these young talents at the tournament, and we might even be seeing a future Rogers Cup champion!”

“Mini Rogers Cup has grown in popularity over the past several years, but it will get even bigger this year because we are now going to reach kids across Quebec,” said Eugene Lapierre, Rogers Cup Montreal tournament director. “This tournament fits well with Tennis Canada’s mission and we are always happy to see more and more kids with racquets in their hands.”

A $500 National Bank Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) will be awarded in trust to the parents or guardian of each winner. The winners will also have the chance to attend a session of Rogers Cup and be recognized on Centre Court. For more information on the Ontario tournaments, please contact the OTA: ota@tennisontario.com, and for Quebec, please contact Jean-David Blanchet: jd.blanchet@gmail.com.

Owned and operated by Tennis Canada, the prestigious Rogers Cup presented by National Bank attracts the biggest stars in tennis year after year. In 2015, the men’s event will be staged at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal from August 7 to 16, while the women’s event will take place at Aviva Centre in Toronto from August 8 to 16. For tickets and additional information, please visit: rogerscup.com. Sportsnet is an official broadcaster of the 2015 Rogers Cup. Broadcast details to be announced at a later date.

Social Media
Official Website, Rogers rogers.com
Follow Rogers @Rogers
Like Tennis Canada  facebook.com/TennisCanada
Follow Tennis Canada @TennisCanada
Like Rogers Cup facebook.com/TheRogersCup, facebook.com/CoupeRogers
Follow Rogers Cup @rogerscup, @couperogers 

About Rogers Cup presented by National Bank
Rogers Cup presented by National Bank is a Tennis Canada owned and operated world-class tournament celebrating its 135th anniversary of the men’s event from August 7-16, 2015 at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal and its 123rd anniversary of the women’s event from August 8-16, 2015 at Aviva Centre in Toronto. As an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, Premier WTA tournament and Emirates Airline U.S. Open Series event, Rogers Cup presented by National Bank will showcase the world’s best players. Rogers Cup presented by National Bank is the third-oldest title in tennis, behind only Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. For more information and tickets visit www.rogerscup.com.

About Tennis Canada
Founded in 1890, Tennis Canada is a non-profit, national sport association with a mission to lead the growth of tennis in Canada and a vision to become a world-leading tennis nation. We value teamwork, passion, integrity, innovation and excellence. Tennis Canada owns and operates the premier Rogers Cup presented by National Bank WTA and ATP World Tour events, eight professional ITF-sanctioned events and financially supports 15 other professional tournaments in Canada. Tennis Canada operates national junior training centres/programs in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Tennis Canada is a proud member of the International Tennis Federation, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the International Wheelchair Tennis Association, and serves to administer, sponsor and select the teams for Davis Cup, Fed Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and all wheelchair, junior and senior national teams. Tennis Canada invests its surplus into tennis development. For more information on Tennis Canada, please visit our website at www.tenniscanada.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Rogers
Rogers Communications is a leading diversified public Canadian communications and media company. We are Canada's largest provider of wireless communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet and telephony services to consumers and businesses. Through Rogers Media, we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, sports entertainment, and digital media. We are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).  For further information about the Rogers group of companies, please visit rogers.com.

Media Contacts:
Jennifer Cram, Rogers, jennifer.cram@rci.rogers.com, (w) 416.764.6364, (m) 416.804.1683
Sónia Brum, Rogers, sonia.brum@rci.rogers.com, (w) 416.764.3194, (m) 647.338.7381
Nicole Watts, Tennis Canada, nwatts@tenniscanada.com (w) 416-665-9777 ext. 4092 (m) 647-401-9112
Valérie Tétreault, Tennis Canada, vtetreault@tenniscanada.com (w) 514-273-1515 ext. 6259 (m) 514-519-1606

Rogers et Tennis Canada font équipe pour la Mini Coupe Rogers
– Le tournoi se déroulera en Ontario et au Québec au mois de juillet; les gagnants seront honorés à la Coupe Rogers, en août –

TORONTO (le 2 juillet 2015) - Rogers et Tennis Canada ont annoncé aujourd’hui le lancement de la Mini Coupe Rogers, deux tournois distincts de mini-tennis qui se dérouleront en Ontario et au Québec au cours du mois de juillet. Alors que plus de 1 000 jeunes de 12 ans et moins participeront dans les deux provinces, les tournois permettront à ces futures vedettes de concourir pour un titre et d’être honorées sur le site de la Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale à Montréal et à Toronto, au mois d’août.

La Mini Coupe Rogers fera ses débuts en Ontario cet été, tandis que le Québec présentera la quatrième édition de cette activité. Rogers participera au tournoi de mini-tennis pour la première fois dans le cadre de sa commandite envers les programmes de masse favorisant la croissance du tennis au Canada.

« Au-delà de notre engagement à offrir des expériences novatrices et attrayantes aux amateurs de sport de tout le pays, nous nous sommes également engagés à soutenir les jeunes athlètes en phase d’apprentissage et de développement », mentionnait madame Livia Zufferli, première vice-présidente de la marque de Rogers. « La Mini Coupe Rogers est une façon d’encourager les vedettes à développer leur passion pour le tennis, à jouer et à devenir les athlètes canadiens de classe mondiale que nous verrons à la Coupe Rogers dans quelques années. »

Le point culminant de la Mini Coupe Rogers, qui aura lieu tout le mois, sera la finale les 1er et 2 août au Mayfair Parkway, à Markham, en Ontario, et les 8 et 9 août au parc Olympique et au parc Louis-Riel, à Montréal. Ces tournois sont organisés en collaboration avec l’Ontario Tennis Association et Tennis Québec.

La Mini Coupe Rogers adoptera des formats différents en Ontario et au Québec. Ainsi, en Ontario, les clubs organiseront des tournois d’une journée pour les 12 ans et moins pour choisir qui accédera à la finale. Les équipes seront composées de trois filles et de trois garçons. Au Québec, le tournoi sera réparti dans 12 régions et proposera trois catégories d’âge : cinq et six ans, sept et huit ans, neuf et dx ans. Deux garçons et deux filles de chaque catégorie dans chaque région accéderont à la finale.

« En plus d’offrir du tennis de classe mondial aux spectateurs de la Coupe Rogers, notre objectif est également de promouvoir le sport et de faire participer les gens », commentait Karl Hale, directeur de la Coupe Rogers de Toronto. « Ceci est une excellente façon d’élargir la portée de la Coupe Rogers et de susciter l’intérêt des jeunes de la province. Nous aurons grand plaisir à accueillir les jeunes talents au tournoi et, qui sait, peut-être applaudirons-nous un futur champion de la Coupe Rogers! »

« Au cours des dernières années, la popularité de la Mini Coupe Rogers ne cesse d’augmenter, mais ce sera encore plus grand cette année, car nous solliciterons les enfants de toute la province », se réjouissait Eugène Lapierre, directeur de la Coupe Rogers de Montréal. « Ce tournoi s’harmonise très bien avec la mission de Tennis Canada et nous sommes toujours heureux de voir de plus en plus d’enfants jouer au tennis. »

Chaque gagnant recevra un Régime enregistré d’épargne-études de 500 $ de la Banque Nationale, remis en fiducie à leurs parents ou tuteurs. Les champions auront également la chance d’assister à une séance de la Coupe Rogers et seront honorés sur le Court central. Pour obtenir plus de renseignements sur les tournois du Québec, nous vous prions de communiquer avec Jean-David Blanchet à jd.blanchet@gmail.com. Pour ceux de l’Ontario, veuillez vous adresser à l’OTA à ota@tennisontario.com.

La prestigieuse Coupe Rogers est un tournoi de catégorie mondiale que possède et administre Tennis Canada et qui attire chaque année la crème du tennis. En 2015, le tournoi masculin se déroulera du 7 au 16 août, au Stade Uniprix, à Montréal, tandis que le volet féminin sera disputé du 8 au 16 août au Centre Aviva, à Toronto. Pour vous procurer des billets ou pour obtenir plus de renseignements, nous vous invitons à visiter couperogers.com. Sportsnet est un diffuseur officiel de la Coupe Rogers. L’horaire de télédiffusion sera annoncé à une date ultérieure.

Médias sociaux
Site Web officiel de Rogers rogers.com
Suivez Rogers @Rogers
Aimez Tennis Canada  facebook.com/TennisCanada
Suivez Tennis Canada @TennisCanada
Aimez la Coupe Rogers facebook.com/TheRogersCup, facebook.com/CoupeRogers
Suivez la Coupe Rogers @rogerscup, @couperogers 

À propos de la Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale
La Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale est un tournoi de catégorie mondiale que possède et administre Tennis Canada. Le volet féminin célébrera son 123e anniversaire du 8 au 16 août 2015 au Centre Aviva, à Toronto, tandis que le volet masculin, qui célébrera sa 135e année d’existence, sera disputé du 7 au 16 août 2015, au Stade Uniprix, à Montréal. En tant que tournoi du Circuit Masters 1000 de l’ATP, épreuve de catégorie Premier de la WTA et du Circuit Emirates Airline U.S. Open, la Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale mettra en vedette les meilleurs joueurs et joueuses du monde. La Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale est le troisième plus ancien tournoi de tennis après Wimbledon et les Internationaux des États-Unis. Pour obtenir plus de renseignements et pour vous procurer des billets, visitez le www.couperogers.com.

À propos de Tennis Canada
Tennis Canada, dont les origines remontent à 1890, est une organisation sportive nationale sans but lucratif dont la mission est d’assurer la croissance du tennis au Canda et la vision est de devenir un chef de file mondial au tennis. Nous valorisons le travail d’équipe, la passion, l’intégrité, l’innovation et l’excellence. Tennis Canada possède et administre deux des plus prestigieux tournois de l’ATP et du WTA Tour; les volets masculin et féminin de la Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale, huit tournois professionnels sanctionnés par l’ITF et soutient financièrement 15 autres tournois professionnels au Canada. Tennis Canada administre des centres nationaux de tennis à Toronto, Montréal et Vancouver. Tennis Canada est membre de la Fédération internationale de tennis, du Comité olympique canadien, du Comité paralympique canadien et de l’Association internationale de tennis en fauteuil roulant. De plus, Tennis Canada administre, commandite et choisit des équipes pour la Coupe Davis, la Fed Cup, les Jeux olympiques et paralympiques et forme des équipes nationales pour les juniors, les vétérans et les joueurs de tennis en fauteuil roulant. Tennis Canada investit ses excédents budgétaires dans le développement du tennis. Pour obtenir plus amples renseignements sur Tennis Canada, visitez notre site web au www.tenniscanada.com et suivez-nous sur Facebook et sur Twitter.

À propos de Rogers
Rogers Communications est une société canadienne ouverte diversifiée et un chef de file œuvrant dans l’industrie des communications et des médias. Elle est le plus important fournisseur de services de communications sans fil, et l’un des plus importants fournisseurs canadiens de services de télévision par câble, d’Internet haute vitesse et de téléphonie destinés au grand public et aux entreprises. Par l’intermédiaire de Rogers Média, elle est active dans l’industrie de la radiodiffusion, de la télédiffusion, du téléachat, de l’édition (magazines grand public et revues spécialisées), du divertissement sportif et des médias numériques. Rogers est inscrite à la Bourse de Toronto (TSX) sous les symboles RCI.a et RCI.b et à la bourse de New York (NYSE) sous le symbole RCI. Pour en savoir davantage sur Rogers et les sociétés de son groupe, consultez rogers.com.

Renseignements
Jennifer Cram, Rogers, jennifer.cram@rci.rogers.com, (b) 416.764.6364, (c) 416.804.1683
Sónia Brum, Rogers, sonia.brum@rci.rogers.com, (b) 416.764.3194, (c) 647.338.7381
Nicole Watts, Tennis Canada, nwatts@tenniscanada.com (b) 416-665-9777, poste 4092 (c) 647-401-9112
Valérie Tétreault, Tennis Canada, vtetreault@tenniscanada.com (b) 514-273-1515, poste. 6259 (c) 514-519-1606
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Friday, July 3, 2015

FINAL COPA AMERICA 2015: Sampaoli derrocha confianza: "Este grupo tiene personalidad para buscar el partido"



 

De cara a la final ante Argentina, el DT aseguró que la "Roja" buscará el protagonismo aunque la albiceleste "nos obliga a estar atentos los 90 minutos".

R. Retamal / 03/07/2015 - 14:45
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Jorge Sampaoli aseguró que la "Roja" buscará ser protagonista en la final ante Argentina.
A 24 horas de la gran final de la Copa América en que Chile puede levantar por primera vez el trofeo, el técnico Jorge Sampaoli comentó sobre el ambiente que se vive al interior del plantel de cara al compromiso ante Argentina.
Y de entrada, expresó que la forma y el esquema no cambiará: "No va a variar de lo que se ha venido haciendo en la Copa. El sistema que hemos utilizado nos ha dado la posibilidad de estar donde estamos. Intentaremos jugar de la misma manera", dijo.
Con respecto al juego ante Argentina, expresó que "nosotros pensamos siempre en algunas características individuales y colectivas del rival, pero siempre tratamos de tener la posibilidad como grupo de trabajo de imponernos ante cualquier estilo". 
Sampaoli no saldrá a esperar: "La idea del partido es vincularnos con el protagonismo, lo que este grupo ha demostrado al tener la jerarquía y personalidad de ganar de local y la forma en que lo hace ante la presión. Este grupo tiene personalidad y no creo que le afecte el escenario y el rival. Va a salir a buscar el partido y después veremos si alcanza. La forma no va a variar".
"Trataremos de ser los dominadores", recalcó. "Me parece que el grupo tiene claro lo que debe hacer mañana frente a Argentina. La respuesta nos ilusiona", subrayó el adiestrador.
Eso sí, destacó sobre la escuadra de Gerardo Martino que "nos obliga a estar atentos los 90 minutos porque el rival no permite distraerse ni un segundo".
En lo personal, aseguró que está ansioso: "Son horas interminables y uno quiere que empiece ya".
En lo anímico, confesó que lo que se vive "son momentos muy especiales porque es una final de Copa América en Chile, con un país esperanzado, ante una gran selección con grandes selecciones. Hay diferentes rasgos emocionales que nos hace pensar que la esperanza aumenta".
Aludió también a su nacionalidad argentina: "Yo y mi cuerpo técnico somos argentinos, pero claramente queremos que Chile sea el campeón. Mi obligación está vinculada con este país, quiero ganar la Copa más allá de mi nacionalidad".
También fue consultado si es que tiene cábalas: "No tengo cábalas. Mi sentir ante un partido es la necesidad y obligación que tengo para ofrecer lo mejor. Pero ese tema no va conmigo. Si me vinculara a eso, estaría delegando a algo totalmente externo... es una responsabilidad que tengo que asumir yo. El partido de mañana lo esperaré con ansiedad. Ojalá tengamos la posibilidad de que la gente vea a un equipo con mucha grandeza".
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