Australia battle whistles

MUNICH: As if playing Brazil wasn’t enough, Australia had to put up with fan inteference on Sunday at the World Cup. A whistle in the crowd during the game resulted in an Australian player allowing the ball to roll onto touch line instead of playing on. “We reacted on that but nothing was done,” said manager Guus Hiddink. “But OK, that’s the way it was. You cannot do anything, but there was whistling. We tried to react (speak) to the officials but they did not react. So what can we do? We don’t have any power.”

Police under probe

BERLIN: Police said they are investigating whether five officers used excessive force on a man whom they allegedly hit and kicked at the German capital’s World Cup fan centre. The officers hit the man in the face early Sunday and kicked him in the stomach before leaving him, according to a police report. The 21 year old was treated for stomach pain before being released from the hospital. “The force was extreme, which is why they are under investigation,” police spokesman Michael Merkle said. The department is investigating whether the officers intended to cause the man bodily harm, Merkle said.

Sancho’s dreadlocks

ROTENBURG: Trinidad and Tobago defender Brent Sancho is keeping his long dreadlocked hair even if it may have contributed to his team’s loss to England. Television replays showed that Peter Crouch pulled on Sancho’s dreadlocks to get in position to head in the first goal in England’s 2-0 win last Thursday. The referee did not see the infraction and allowed the goal to stand. “I think that is the first time that has happened in my career,” Sancho said. “Probably 90 per cent of the time that gets called. It’s past already. It’s a harsh way

to lose a game after fighting so hard, but we have to move on.”