E-Paper
Argentina team bus pelted with stones
A bus carrying Argentina's national soccer team was pelted with stones in Lima on Monday, on the eve of their World Cup qualifier against Peru, according to media reports.
A bus carrying Argentina's national soccer team was pelted with stones in Lima on Monday, on the eve of their World Cup qualifier against Peru, according to media reports.
Windows of the bus were broken but none of the players or coaching staff were hurt in the incident outside the Estadio Nacional where South American group leaders Argentina will meet Peru on Wednesday.
"They threw bricks at us," Argentine Football Association official Juan Carlos Crespi was quoted as saying in sports daily Ole. The Peruvian daily El Comercio said that after the incident police reinforced their security operation around the Argentine team's hotel in Lima's San Isidro district.
Tensions between the teams have risen amid reports Peru plan to use a tight man-marking system to stifle Argentina captain Lionel Messi.
Argentina beat Paraguay 3-1 in Cordoba on Friday while Peru climbed off the bottom of the standings with a 2-1 home win over Venezuela.
Japan beat Iraq
Saitama (Japan): Asian champions Japan shrugged off the late injury withdrawal of Manchester United's Shinji Kagawa to beat Iraq 1-0 and stay top of their group in their 2014 World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. Ryoichi Maeda headed home the winner after 25 minutes. The result gives Japan an eight-point lead at the top of Group B.
