USA crush France 3-1 to reach World Cup finals

Favourites the United States crushed France 3-1 to advance to the women's World Cup final on Wednesday.

Lauren Cheney (9), Abby Wambach (79), and Alex Morgan (82) kept the Americans' bid for an unprecedented third World Cup title after 1991 and 1999 on track with Sonia Bompastor getting a goal back for France after 55 minutes.

The reigning Olympic champions will next play either Sweden or Japan for the title in Frankfurt next Sunday.

"I think France played very well. We lost our legs in the second half but then we picked it up," said US coach Pia Sundhage.

"Abby, she's just the best. I'm very happy to have her in our team."

Wambach added: "I'm just so proud of this team. Everyone believes in this team and we're all working for each other. We had to play nearly perfect, they got a goal back on us but in the end we're in the finals and that's all that matters."

France coach Bruno Bini lamented their missed chances.

"We had a lot of chances and played a very good game except the first ten minutes," said Bini.

"We were as good as we could have been. It was very physical and we stood up to this. But they have a lot of experience. They know how to play at this level and that told today. I thought we could get back to 2-2 but at 3-1 it's over."

Despite the French having most chances at goal in the first half it was the United States who went into the locker room with the half-time advantage after Cheney picked up a Heather O'Reilly cross to tap effortlessly into goal after nine minutes.

France's Louisa Necib had a minute earlier seen her strike go over the bar.

A header from Carli Lloyd went over after 24 minutes, but thereafter France dominated but had little to show for their efforts.

Camille Abily missed a chance to level on 28 minutes from a Bompastor cross but the Lyon midfielder's half volley lacked power and was held by US goalie Hope Solo.

Solo, playing her 100th international, proved solid again a minute later as she caught a Necib effort, and it was then the turn of Bompastor to miss after 33 minutes when she picked up a Necib cross but her left footed shot rattled the crossbar.

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US, UNSC, France, Australia condemn Mumbai attacks

MUMBAI: Indian medical staff attends to injured patients in a ward of The JT Hospital here Wednesday after a series of bomb blasts. -AFP Photo WASHINGTON, July 14 (AFP): The United States, France, United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and Australia condemned Wednesday's multiple bomb attacks in Mumbai. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called them "despicable" and vowed to visit India next week as planned.

US President Barack Obama also issued a written statement condemning the deadliest attack on India's commercial capital since the traumatic 2008 assault by Islamist militants.

"I strongly condemn the outrageous attacks in Mumbai and my thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and those who have lost loved ones," Obama said.

Clinton said the attacks, which left at least 21 people dead and more than 140 injured, had been "designed to provoke fear and division" and said: "Those who perpetrated them must know they cannot succeed.

"I will be traveling to India next week as planned," she said. "I believe it is more important than ever that we stand with India, deepen our partnership, and reaffirm our commitment to the shared struggle against terrorism."

The UN Security Council Wednesday "condemned in the strongest terms" the bombings in the Indian city of Mumbai, noting that terrorism is one of the biggest threats to international peace. The Council "reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security," said a statement read by Peter Wittig, Germany's ambassador to the UN and current Council president.

Australia Thursday strongly condemned a string of bombings that left 21 people dead in India's commercial capital, saying such "wanton acts of terrorism" have no place in the civilised world.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd both slammed the three bombings that wounded more than 100 people in Mumbai and said Australia stood by India as it grapples with the aftermath of the rampage.

"I condemn the deadly terrorist attacks overnight in Mumbai," Gillard said.

France Wednesday condemned the "cowardly and blind" attacks in Mumbai while reaffirming its support for India in the fight against terrorism.

"As the city of Mumbai is again hit by a series of terrorist attacks, the president of the Republic firmly condemns the cowardly and blind violence and wants to express France's full solidarity with India's authorities in these painful hours," said a statement issued by President Nicolas Sarkozy's office.

"More than ever France is standing by India in its fight against the scourge of terrorism," the statement added.

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Argentina in semis, Serbia and France poised

London, July 9 (bdnews24.com/Reuters) ? Argentina cruised into the semi-finals of the Davis Cup and looked poised for a clash with defending champions Serbia, who moved into a 2-0 first-day lead away to Sweden on Friday.

France were also well placed going into Saturday's doubles after Richard Gasquet clawed back a two-set deficit against Germany's Florian Mayer in Stuttgart as last year's runners-up also won both opening singles.

Spain, despite missing deposed world number one Rafa Nadal, took a commanding 2-0 lead over hosts the United States in Austin, Texas and elsewhere there were rare Davis Cup outings for Roger Federer and Andy Murray in lower-tier ties.

Federer, the 16-times grand slam champion, returned to the competition after a near two-year absence to help Switzerland take a 2-0 lead over Portugal in a European Zone tie with an error-strewn four-set win against Rui Machado in Berne.

Murray made up for his recent Wimbledon semi-finals defeat in brutal fashion, thrashing Luxembourg's hapless Laurent Bram 6-0 6-0 6-0 for a rare "triple bagel" to level the Euro/Africa Zone 2 second-round tie at one apiece in Scotland.

While Federer and Murray went about their business, the serious action was taking place in the World Group, although Serbia's clash with Sweden was also something of a mismatch.

Even with newly-crowned Wimbledon champion and world number one Novak Djokovic pulling out of the singles with a knee niggle, Serbia made short work of the lowly-ranked Swedes who are without their powerhouse world number five Robin Soderling.

Viktor Troicki beat world number 297 Michael Ryderstedt 6-3 6-1 6-7 7-5 before Janko Tipsarevic saw off Ervin Eleskovic in quick time when his opponent retired hurt with a knee injury trailing 6-2 1-0.

"First of all I am very happy I brought the point to my country," said Tipsarevic. "But I am feeling really bad for Ervin and I couldn't imagine this day would finish this way."

Victory for Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic on Saturday against the decent Swedish doubles duo of Robert Lindstedt and Simon Aspelin will put the Serbians through to a mouth-watering home tie with Argentina in September.

EARLY START

Argentina began Friday already 2-0 ahead against Kazakhstan after their tie in Buenos Aires started a day earlier because of municipal elections on Sunday and the south Americans took a decisive lead when Juan Ignacio Chela and Eduardo Schwank beat Evgeny Korolev and Yuriy Schukin in straight sets.

Argentina, for whom Juan Martin del Potro returned to action, did not drop a set in the three rubbers.

"At the end of the day everything was easier than expected," Argentina captain Tito Vazquez said after Argentina reached their seventh semi-final in 10 years.

"Definitely we're looking forward to playing in the semi-finals. I think it will be against last year's champions, Serbia, and we'll see if we can give a surprise and get closer to what we want, that is to win the Davis Cup one day."

The performance of the day was from Frenchman Gasquet.

He trailed by two sets against Mayer but hit back to win 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-3 before Gael Monfils then beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 7-6 6-4.

Mayer, ranked 20 in the world, suffered from cramps as Gasquet turned the match around.

"I've never had cramps in my life, and I'd drunk enough, both before and after the match, so it must have been the tension," he said. "I could barely move in the fourth and fifth sets. It's a very bitter defeat."

In Austin, Feliciano Lopez gave Spain a winning start when he battled past American Mardy Fish 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-7 8-6 before world number six David Ferrer followed suit with a gutsy 7-6 7-5 6-3 victory over hometown favourite Andy Roddick.

"This win means a lot for me," the 31st-ranked Lopez said after beating world number eight Fish for the first time in their last four meetings. "I've been playing good the last couple of months.

American twins Bob and Mike Bryan, the world's top-ranked team, are scheduled to meet Lopez and Fernando Verdasco in Saturday's doubles in the best-of-five tie.

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