Allardyce backs physical challenges
October 31, 2009
Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce has warned that efforts to clamp down on the physical side of English football could prove disastrous.
Tackling has been under the spotlight again in recent weeks after Birmingham defender Liam Ridgewell’s controversial challenge on Theo Walcott, which left the Arsenal and England winger with a knee injury that is likely to keep him out of action for a month.
Although match official Lee Probert did not award a free-kick at the time, former referee Dermot Gallagher has since suggested that such robust challenges are “outlawed” and have no place in the modern game.
But Allardyce, whose team play Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday evening, believes that tough tackling is a vital ingredient in the success of the Premier League.
“This is a physical contact game and fans love the commitment,” Allardyce said.
“You take that commitment away and you haven’t got a product. If you don’t have a product, you don’t have the money that you have got, you don’t have the worldwide recognition – you will destroy the game.
“(That is) irrespective of what other managers might say. The big managers will say, yes, let’s outlaw it, because they don’t want their big stars tackled, but it is a big part of the game – the fans love it, the whole of the world loves it.
“I’m a bit passionate about it, because it has become a game for pansies to be honest with you.”
Allardyce dismissed Gallagher’s comments as “nonsense”, arguing that a player should never give anything but 100% commitment when tackling.
“When I see Dermot Gallagher justifying that Ridgewell’s tackle against Theo Walcott should be outlawed, then I want the Football Association and the referees to justify to me how Ridgewell can tackle without making contact,” Allardyce said.
“Does he put a 60% challenge in? Does he put a 25% challenge in so it’s not quite as fierce? No – its absolute nonsense, what he (Gallagher) is talking about.
“If you go for a tackle, you go for a tackle. The tackle takes the ball and your impetus takes you through the player.
“There’s nothing you can do about that. You can’t start asking a player to be weighing up what pace he is running at or whether he should slow down before he does it. It’s a complete nonsense.”
Allardyce will be looking for a battling performance this evening from his Blackburn team, who go into the match having not picked up a point for nine consecutive away fixtures in the league.
“It’s about the mentality of the players and we have to have the same desire to compete against the opposition away from home as we do at home,” Allardyce said.
“We just seem to stand off the opposition, whereas at home, we are all over them like a rash.
“That’s what you need away perhaps even more than at home. It is a big concern for me, the staff and the players.
Abhimanyu Rajput
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Ronaldo wants Rooney at Bernabeu
October 31, 2009
Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo believes his former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney should follow him to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Ronaldo, who left Old Trafford in the summer for a record £80million fee to complete a dream move to the Spanish giants, has impressed with Madrid scoring nine goals in seven games before suffering an ankle injury which has kept him on the sidelines for the past month.
And while he admits Rooney is unlikely to leave England any time soon, the Portuguese winger believes the 24-year-old would fit in at the Bernabeu.
“Wayne would be a sensation out here. I think we could do with Rooney to help us out,” Ronaldo told The Sun.
“He would be brilliant if he came. This is the ideal place for the world’s best players and there’s little doubt he is one of them.
“Wayne has all the skill and determination you need to make a fine career here.
“He has shown just how good he is over the last few years in England.
“And there’s no doubt he would be the same sort of player in Spain. It would be lovely to see him here one day at Real Madrid.
“I realise it would take a lot for him to move from England.
“He loves the country, he loves Manchester and he is a Liverpool boy. And United is a good club for him. But you never know what could happen in the future.”
Abhimanyu Rajput
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No spitting rule in Romania amid swine flu fears
October 31, 2009
The Romanian Football League on Saturday called on players not to spit pitchside amid fears of potentially spreading swine flu.
“Following information linked to the spread of the H1N1 virus the League is recommending that officials of top flight clubs ask players and technical staff no longer to spit on the grass nor expel water used to rinse out their mouths,” the statement said.
“We suggest that coaches unable to desist (from spitting) wear a protective medical mask,” the League went on, adding, with a hint of irony, that they could also use a sealable receptacle for expelled saliva.
The League statement came at the end of a week which saw Romanian health authorities order the first school closure in the country after discovering 20 cases of swine flu among pupils in the northeastern town of Iasi.
More than 400 swine flu cases have been registered in Romania, none fatal.
Swine flu has become an increasing concern in football with last week’s French first division clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille postponed after three Parisian players were diagnosed with the ailment.
Saturday’s second division French rugby match between Lyon OU and Tarbes was also called off after five Tarbes players were diagnosed as showing symptoms. Top flight side Castres had two matches postponed earlier in the season.
Spanish second division team Real Betis requested on Thursday that its game Sunday be postponed after 13 players became sick with the virus, which has also hit English Premier League sides Blackburn Rovers and Bolton.
However, UEFA said on Friday that European matches would go ahead as scheduled as long as clubs had sufficient fit players, barring any major logistical problem for local authorities.
The body made the statement ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League match between Dynamo Kiev and Inter Milan in the Ukrainian capital.
Ukraine had earlier confirmed its first swine flu deaths, prompting Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko to order schools and cinemas closed and ban public gatherings for three weeks to contain the spread of the virus.
BUCHAREST (AFP)
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ManUnited in search of Rovers´ revival
October 31, 2009
Sir Alex Ferguson wants a comprehensive performance from Manchester United against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday to prove they have from last weekend’s loss at Anfield.
Liverpool beat Premier League champions United 2-0 in a thunderous atmosphere on Merseyside to not only keep their own threadbare title ambitions alive but also end their arch-rivals’ 11-match unbeaten run.
A comfortable enough victory at Barnsley during the week put United into the last eight of the League Cup and seemed to prove the Liverpool result has not left any mental hangovers at Old Trafford.
“Part of the challenge is how you react to disappointment,” said Ferguson. “We lost 4-1 to Liverpool at home last season, which was a travesty but the players buckled down and we went on to win the league.”
During last Sunday’s Liverpool encounter, former Anfield star Michael Owen looked United?s most potent force and he also scored in the win at Barnsley.
The England striker may have been a surprise pre-season acquisition by Ferguson but he continues to impress at Old Trafford.
“Michael is always looking and always on the move,” United assistant manager Mike Phelan said. “That is the quality of Michael Owen and those qualities are of benefit to us.
“Michael has come to Manchester United as it a fresh challenge for him and we can use him as and when we need to use him.”
Blackburn will arrive at Old Trafford after one of the most testing weeks for a Premier League football club in recent memory due to the swine-flu problems that have affected their squad in the build-up to this encounter.
Two players missed last weekend’s 5-0 thrashing by Chelsea due to the condition, while a further player and two members of staff have also contracted the illness to disrupt Sam Allardyce’s plans.
The Rovers manager also knows he has significant problems on the pitch because his side is currently incapable of winning on the road, having lost their last nine encounters away from Ewood Park.
Allardyce admitted: “The difference between the team at Ewood and the team away from home is unrecognisable.
“If you beat Aston Villa with 10-men at home you are showing some real quality style, grit and determination.
“But if you then lose 6-2 and 5-0 at Arsenal and Chelsea then you see a team you just can’t recognise.
“It is a baffling problem that I need to resolve immediately before Manchester United.
“I have to resolve it because, if I don’t, it becomes like the ‘yips’ (a nervous and uncertain putting stroke) in golf if you like.
“The ‘yips’ can become a greater and greater problem as time goes on and on and on so we have to resolve it by the time we are at Old Trafford.”
He added: “We need to be organised and resilient enough to make sure that no matter what happens, with 10 minutes to go we are still in with a chance.”
United will be without Park Ji-sung (knee) while Darren Fletcher has yet to play since injuring his foot on international duty with Scotland but could be in contention.
Blackburn defender Christopher Samba is still struggling with swine-flu, but Rovers say they are monitoring the situation day-by-day.
Meanwhile right-back Pascal Chimbonda (calf) and midfielder Vince Grella (thigh) are also doubts.
MANCHESTER, England (AFP)
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Race on in Italy to peg back Inter
October 31, 2009
It will be a case of damage limitation this weekend for Inter Milan’s Serie A title rivals.
The reiging four-in-a-row champions went four points clear of the pack on Thursday following a thrill-a-minute 5-3 win over Palermo.
And the worry now for Inter’s rivals and neutrals alike is that the gap could keep on growing if the leaders don’t slip up soon.
Inter travel away to newly-promoted Livorno on Sunday in a game they will be expected to win comfortably, even if they do ring the changes to keep some players fresh ahead of a long trip to Ukraine to tackle Dynamo Kiev in midweek.
Livorno may have won two straight games since Serse Cosmi took over from Gennaro Ruotolo just 10 days ago with the club rock bottom and winless, but beating Inter will be a whole different proposition for the team with the worst attack in the league.
Inter’s main rivals have a 24-hour start on the champions to try to put some pressure on them and provoke a slip.
AC Milan and Juventus host Parma and Napoli respectively on Saturday — Inter play on Sunday — but come into their matches in vastly differing states of morale.
Juve are on a high after climbing to second in the table following Wednesday’s 5-1 thrashing of Sampdoria, who had been above them at kick-off.
That victory convinced Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon that his Juve team are back to their best.
“Scintillating? No, I’d call it a nuclear explosion,” he said about the performance against Samp.
“That’s the quality we have and we knew it. We wanted to win and to do so convincingly.
“We’ve always performed against the big teams, but unfortunately it’s the other matches that make the difference.
“We need to try to stop dropping points in those to give ourselves a chance of reaching our goals.”
Napoli are one of the teams who probably fall into the category of other matches for Juve and they will be buoyed by their stunning late comeback against Milan on Wednesday when they snatched a 2-2 draw despite reaching 90min at 2-0 down.
It meant they remained unbeaten under coach Walter Mazzarri and they showed enough against Milan to suggest they will be more than a handful for Juve, as long as they can tighten up at the back, where they did look vulnerable.
Milan had been on course for a fourth straight win but the two dropped points now leaves them nine points behind Inter and knowing that they can afford few such banana skins if they are to have any hope of winning the title this year.
If truth be told, Napoli deserved their draw and Milan’s luck finally ran out after three games in a row where they fought back from 1-0 down to snatch narrow victories.
They host a newly-promoted team but one holding a Champions League qualification berth and with a lot to defend on Saturday night.
At the bottom Marco Baroni takes over Siena for the first time following the sacking of Marco Giampaolo as the Tuscans host Lazio, whose own coach Davide Ballardini is surely perilously close to the boot after they slumped to 15th with Wednesday’s 1-0 home loss to Cagliari.
Meanwhile, Samp will be hoping to bounce back from their Turin humiliation at home to Bari while Palermo and Fiorentina will both look to boost their Champions League qualification hopes as they host Genoa and Catania respectively.
Fixtures:
Saturday
AC Milan v Parma, Juventus v Napoli
Sunday
Cagliari v Atalanta, Chievo v Udinese, Fiorentina v Catania, Livorno v Inter Milan, Palermo v Genoa, AS Roma v Bologna, Sampdoria v Bari, Siena v Lazio
ROME (AFP)
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Humiliated Real pumped up for Getafe derby
October 31, 2009
It has been called Real Madrid’s most humiliating defeat ever in the local media with Tuesday?s 4-0 first leg Cup thrashing by third division Alcorcon giving coach Manuel Pellegrini and his Real stars food for thought ahead of Saturday?s home derby with Getafe.
Real have failed to win any of their last three matches and the shambles in Alcorcon – a team from the Madrid suburbs that have never played in the top-flight – has cranked up the pressure on Pellegrini for the derby duel with Getafe.
“It is embarrassing and a difficult defeat to stomach,” confessed Pellegrini. “We have to show our character and every single person has to take responsibility so that we can turn things around in the next game.”
Getafe have proved a difficult customer for Real in the past – triumphing 3-1 at home last season in a match that nudged Bernd Schuster closer to the exit door – and Real can’t afford to slip up any more with champions Barcelona three points clear at the top.
Pellegrini can bring in the rested Kaka who sat out the Alcorcon debarcle but Cristiano Ronaldo is still out injured with an ankle problem.
Real’s form has slumped in the absence of Ronaldo with defeats against Sevilla, AC Milan and Alcorcon along with a 0-0 draw at Sporting Gijon.
While Real have failed to score in their last two games Barcelona crushed Real Zaragoza 6-1 at the weekend and hope to carry on their good form at Osasuna on Saturday.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored twice in the Zaragoza rout to become the league’s joint top-scorer with seven goals but the display of Lionel Messi was the major boost with the Argentine back to his best after a dip in form.
“I didn?t have the happiest of times with the national team or in the Valencia game but I knew I would bounce back,” said Messi. “The coach and players supported me and the fans have always been behind me even when I didn’t do things well.”
Osasuna beat Barcelona 1-0 at Camp Nou on the penultimate day of last season although Barca had already wrapped up the title and fielded a string of youngsters.
Elsewhere, Quique Sanchez Flores is ready for his managerial league bow with Atletico Madrid beginning with a trip to Athletic Bilbao on Saturday night.
Former Valencia coach Flores was presented on Monday following Abel Resino’s sacking and Atletico, a point above the relegation zone, hope he can guide the club back into the top four.
“The first thing we want to do is get the best out of the quality players we have,” said Flores. “I believe in the players and that we have enough quality to get out of this situation.”
Flores won his first match in charge with a 2-0 victory over Marbella in the Kings Cup on Wednesday and Bilbao are on the slide losing four out of their last five league outings.
Villarreal are another top side struggling down at the bottom although they got their first win of the season last weekend to move off the foot of the table.
Brazilian striker Nilmar scored his long-awaited first goal for the club following a club record 11 million euro move in the summer and hopes for more goals in the next match at home to promoted Tenerife on Sunday.
“Scoring goals always gives you confidence and now I want to go on a good run as does the team,” said Nilmar.
In other matches, third-placed Sevilla want to hit the goal trail again at Xerez on Saturday having failed to score in their last two league matches.
Sevilla have slipped six points behind pacesetters Barcelona and their title hopes could be over by Christmas if they don?t get back on track soon.
Valencia are just a point behind Sevilla in fourth and travel to basement boys Malaga on Sunday.
Malaga thrashed Atletico Madrid 3-0 on the opening day of the season but have not won since.
Fixtures
Saturday
Real Madrid v Getafe (1600 GMT), Osasuna v Barcelona (1800 GMT), Xerez v Sevilla (1800 GMT), Athletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (2000 GMT)
Sunday (all 1500 GMT unless stated) Real Zaragoza v Almeria, Real Mallorca v Racing Santander, Villarreal v Tenerife, Espanyol v Valladolid, Malaga v Valencia (1700 GMT) Deportivo La Coruna v Sporting Gijon (1900 GMT)
MADRID (AFP)
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Monaco out to topple French champions Bordeaux
October 31, 2009
In-form Monaco go into their game at Bordeaux on Saturday knowing that victory will allow them to finish the weekend at the top of the French first division for the first time since September 2004.
Guy Lacombe’s side are on a run of three straight league wins and head to the Stade Chaban-Delmas a point behind the defending champions in second place.
Monaco’s recent form has seen them move ahead of Lyon and Marseille in the race to wrestle the crown from Bordeaux, whose 3-0 victory at home to Le Mans last weekend came after back-to-back defeats in the league.
“We have to take the three points, particularly as it’s Monaco,” said Bordeaux goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso.
“We can’t drop points against our nearest rivals. They won at Marseille (a 2-1 victory on October 4) so we’ve been warned. We know they’re a strong team, and they’re chasing three points. But so are we.”
Monaco were grateful to league top scorer Nene for their 3-1 win at Boulogne-sur-Mer last time out, after the Brazilian forward struck two sublime free-kicks late on to take his personal tally for the season to nine.
The principality side are likely to be without South Korean striker Chu-Young Park, who scored the opener against Boulogne, as well as midfielder Cedric Mongongu, with both players struggling to overcome foot injuries.
“I’m hoping both will be fit in time, but I’m more optimistic for Cedric than I am for Chu,” said Lacombe.
The last time Monaco were top of the table their coach was Didier Deschamps, who made his return to French football when he joined former club Marseille in July.
A sizeable summer outlay on new players prompted some observers to install the Mediterranean outfit as title favourites, but they are currently five points behind leaders Bordeaux in fifth place – albeit with a game in hand after their match with Paris Saint-Germain last Sunday was postponed.
Marseille will now confront PSG on November 20 but their opponents on Saturday are 11th-placed Toulouse, who have struggled to recapture the form that saw them to a fourth-placed finish last term.
Andre-Pierre Gignac, the league’s top scorer last season, is yet to fire for Toulouse but he notched his second goal of the campaign in the 2-0 win at Lens last weekend and is looking forward to returning to a ground where he has enjoyed success in the past.
“The Velodrome is a magnificent stadium,” he said.
“Last season I scored twice there and I also scored the winning goal there for Lorient three years ago.
“I’ve never lost against OM and I don’t think it’ll happen this weekend. The pressure is on them, we have nothing to lose.”
Saturday’s late game is the local derby between Saint-Etienne and Lyon, who are seeing to bounce back from a shock 4-1 defeat at Nice that knocked them off top spot.
“The derby is a special match in the league schedule,” said Lyon captain Jeremy Toulalan.
“I was able to take part in a number of Nantes-Rennes derbies, but the intensity of the Saint-Etienne-Lyon derby is multiplied by two or three.
“This match looks complicated because Saint-Etienne are also on a poor run of results, but in difficulty we have always stood up to be counted.
“We are aware that this week will be important on a points level. We mustn?t get too far behind.”
PSG travel to Sochaux on Sunday, with Mamadou Sakho, Ludovic Giuly and Jeremy Clement having all returned to training following the swine flu outbreak that prompted the postponement of their match at Marseille.
Fixtures
Saturday (1700GMT unless otherwise stated)
Auxerre v Montpellier, Bordeaux v Monaco, Boulogne-sur-Mer v Nancy, Grenoble v Lille, Lens v Lorient, Marseille v Toulouse, Saint-Etienne v Lyon (1900GMT)
Sunday (1500GMT unless otherwise stated)
Nice v Le Mans, Rennes v Valenciennes, Sochaux v Paris Saint-Germain (1900GMT)
PARIS (AFP)
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Celtic hope for home comfort against Kilmarnock
October 31, 2009
Celtic will hope to quickly bury the memory of their mid-week League Cup exit when they host Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premier League on Saturday.
The holders crashed out of the cup competition on Wednesday after a 1-0 defeat at home to Hearts.
New coach Tony Mowbray is already under pressure, despite the Hoops topping the table, after leading his side to just two wins out of nine games at home this season.
The Hoops have come under fire from their supporters for their indifferent form at Celtic Park, a venue that was previously a fortress in domestic and European competition.
Celtic’s strikers have also come in for criticism, having failed to find the net in three successive home games, but midfielder Barry Robson says it is up to every player to chip in with goals.
“I think we have been playing well in a lot of games and we are still top of the league,” he said. “And if we win our next three European matches as well then we will qualify from our Europa League group.
“But it’s down to every player. The defenders should be aiming to score at set-pieces, the midfielders should be chipping in and I’m sure the strikers will score goals in the future.
“It’s just about trying to turn good play into goals. We could have won by a few if we’d taken our chances against Hearts so the boys are working hard in training to try and get things going.”
The mood amongst the supporters at arch-rivals Rangers is not much better.
Speculation has surrounded the future of the club all week since manager Walter Smith announced after last weekend’s draw with Hibernian that the Lloyds Banking Group were in charge of the Old Firm giants following David Murray’s decision to step down as chairman.
Bank officials moved quickly to deny this but the failure to sign any players for the past 18 months led Smith to say his side has stagnated.
Even a mid-week win against Dundee to secure a place in the semi-finals of the League Cup has not lightened the mood at Ibrox.
Smith’s own future, along with the rest of his backroom staff, is in doubt with his contract due to expire in January and his injury problems are mounting with Madjid Bougherra, Pedro Mendes and Lee McCulloch all out for Sunday’s visit to Dundee United.
Despite the storm clouds gathering over Ibrox as the club seeks a new owner, Smith has guided Rangers to second place in the SPL and they have yet to lose in domestic competition.
With important games against Dundee United and Unirea Urziceni in the Champions League coming up this week, midfielder Kevin Thomson says the club’s unbeaten start to the season shows the players are unaffected by the speculation.
“The whole thing surrounding the club is behind the scenes at the moment,” Thomson said. “We are the players and we need to do what is right on the park, that’s what we are paid to do.
“We know what’s going on, but it doesn’t affect the players. We still have a job to do – that’s what we get paid for and I think we have shown there is still hunger within the dressing room, regardless of what is going on behind the scenes.”
Elsewhere on Saturday, third-placed Hibernian, who sit just three points off the top of the league, entertain Aberdeen at Easter Road.
Motherwell take on Hearts looking to put their League Cup exit behind them and compound Hearts’ miserable start to the league which sees them lying in ninth place.
Bottom club Falkirk travel to St Johnstone still looking for their first win of the season and St Mirren take on Hamilton.
Fixtures (1500GMT unless otherwise stated)
Saturday
Celtic v Kilmarnock, Hibernian v Aberdeen, Motherwell v Hearts, St Johnstone v Falkirk, St Mirren v Hamilton
Sunday
Dundee United v Rangers (1230GMT)
GLASGOW (AFP)
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Bayern buoyant, Leverkusen´s Heynckes splutters
October 31, 2009
League leaders Bayer Leverkusen may have to do without coach Jupp Heynckes for Saturday’s trip to Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga with buoyant Bayern Munich in the chasing pack behind them.
Leverkusen are at Schalke’s Veltins Arena on Saturday night, but flu-victim Heynckes has been unable to train the team this week and his doctor will tell the 64-year-old on Friday whether he can sit on the bench at Schalke.
Both midfielder Renato Augusto (calf strain) and Germany star Simon Rolfes (knee) are definitely out with injury.
“The knee still needs a little time,” said Rolfes, who is set to miss Germany’s friendlies against Chile on November 14 and Ivory Coast on November 18.
“Giving a date when I will play again will help nobody, I am not overly concerned.
“I regained my fitness very quickly in the summer.”
Reports broke here last Sunday that Schalke on on the verge of bankruptcy with substantial debts in excess of 100 million euros, but the club replied on Thursday saying they have sliced 25.5 million euros off their debt.
They have sold part of their Veltins Arena’s stadium for 15 million euros, while they have secured a loan for 10.5 million euros in a bid to balance their books.
The Royal Blies are fourth in the table and only two points behind Leverkusen with Hamburg and Werder Bremen also capable of taking over the lead this weekend should results go their way.
Fifth-placed Bayern are four points off the pace and they have a chance to close the gap at Stuttgart on Saturday having been buoyed by the 4-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Cup on Wednesday.
Strikers Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni both scored their first goals of the season with Klose in superb form having scored the first two himself before setting up the third.
Stuttgart are facing their sixth consecutive defeat after crashing out of the German Cup at Greuther Fuerth on Tuesday which led to a crisis meeting where it was decided coach Markus Babbel would keep his job.
But Babbel can ill afford more defeats with his side hovering above the relegation zone.
Bremen are on a run of good form having been beaten just once all season and they should have few problems against struggling Nuremberg, who were beaten 3-0 by Hoffenheim last weekend.
Defending champions Wolfsburg are up to seventh in the league and are beginning to find the way back to home strength with two successful recent wins on their own turf against Hannover 96 and Borussia Monchengladbach.
They are looking for a third over Mainz who are holding their own in midtable after being promoted last season, but are erratic in the league.
Having been robbed of the chance to go top by Kevin Kuranyi’s last minute header for Schalke, second-placed Hamburg are hosting Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday with Bruno Laddadia expecting to have key players David Jarolim, Jerome Boateng and Ze Roberto fit from minor injuries.
Saturday
VfL Wolfsburg v Mainz 05
VfB Stuttgart v Bayern Munich
Hamburg v Borussia M’gladbach
Cologne v Hanover 96
Nuremberg v Werder Bremen
Schalke 04 v Bayer Leverkusen
Sunday
Freiburg v Hoffenheim
Eintracht Frankfurt v VfL Bochum
BERLIN (AFP)
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Mexico advances at U-17 World Cup
October 31, 2009
Carlos Campos and Carlos Parra scored 14 minutes apart in the second half to lead Mexico to a 2-0 victory over Japan on Friday and into the second round at the Under-17 World Cup.
Both goals came against the run of play with the Japanese creating numerous chances but failing to finish any and going home with a third straight loss.
Japan was joined by Honduras, which was beaten 3-1 by Germany in Abuja and also lost its third straight.
Campos’ scored in the 65th minute, freezing Japanese defender Matsubara and creating just enough space to launch an arcing left-footed shot from 25 meters that barely cleared the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Yasuhiro Watanabe and settled in the opposite side of the net.
The goal came after Japan’s Takashi Usami hit the crossbar in the 51st and had several other subsequent dangerous chances, including a volley from the middle of the area that struck defender Kristian Alvarez in the 76th.
With Japan still pressing, Mexico seeming sealed the victory in the 79th. Daniel Guzman, son of the namesake Tigres coach, sent a 40-meter free kick into the area where Parra ran under and nodded the ball over Watanabe, who had come off his line.
Mexico finished second in Group B with six points, three behind Switzerland and three ahead of Brazil.
It will next face the runner-up from Group F on Thursday in the round-of-16.
Honduras returned home from the U-17 World Cup with three consecutive losses for the second straight time, having been outscored 5-1.
Anthony Lozano scored in the opening minute of the second half, but Lennart Thy scored two goals in as many minutes to give Germany the lead by the 56th and keep Germany alive for a second-round berth.
Kevin Volland added the insurance in the 73rd minute.
LAGOS, Nigeria
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