Burdisso injured

FRANKFURT: Argentina coach Jose Pekerman admitted he was concerned by the injury suffered by key defender Nicolas Burdisso in the 0-0 draw with the Netherlands on Wednesday. The player had to be substituted in the 24th minute complaining of a knee injury. “I am worried,” said Perkerman. “We will have to see what the doctors say. I hope the injury is not too serious because the next match will come quickly.”

Fans suffer paralysis

SHANGHAI: Stressed-out fans are contributing to a 20 per cent rise in cases of facial paralysis in Beijing, state media reported on Thursday. Doctors quoted by the agency said they believed the uptake was due to nervous tension and exhaustion from watching the games, which start at 10:00 pm local time and continue into the early hours of the morning. The condition, also known as prosopoplegia or Bell’s palsy, is caused by nerve trauma and is usually temporary. Most sufferers recover in a matter of weeks or months.