Brazilian voodoo priest to curse Germans
Rio de Janeiro: Germany will have to contend with black magic as well Brazil’s Selecao in Tuesday’s World Cup semifinal as a voodoo priest plans to curse die Mannschaft. Brazil will be without injured Neymar, but black magic enthusiast Helio Sillman from Rio de Janeiro says his curse will hinder Joachim Loew’s team in the semifinal. “I’ll take their top player and bind his legs so he can’t run on the pitch,” said Sillman, referring to the voodoo doll of an undisclosed German player that will be cursed in a ceremony before the game. In his shop “World of Orixas” Sillman carries out a ritual before each Selecao game. Using a small football pitch-shaped box as his alter, he puts inside lit candles in the colours of the opposing team and the voodoo doll of their most important player. Sillman’s curse on James Rodriguez did not stop the Colombian star from scoring in his team’s 2-1 defeat to Brazil in Friday’s quarterfinal. And he was powerless to prevent Selecao star Neymar from suffering a fractured vertebrae against the Colombians that has ruled him out of the World Cup. But Sillman points to Brazil’s results against Cameroon, Chile, Croatia and Mexico as testimony to the influence of his magic. Voodoo dolls representing a player from each of the Selecao’s opponents sit in a bowl. “Those are the four teams that Brazil have overcome,” he said. Germany’s Thomas Mueller, Manuel Neuer and Mats Hummels have been warned. (AFP)
Suarez referee picked for 1st semifinal
Rio de Janeiro: The referee who failed to see Luis Suarez bite an opponent has been picked to officiate Brazil’s World Cup semifinal against Germany. FIFA says on its website that Marco Rodriguez of Mexico will referee the match in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday. Rodriguez has handled two World Cup matches, including Uruguay’s 1-0 win against Italy on June 24. Suarez’s bite of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini’s shoulder went unseen and unpunished by the Mexican match officials. FIFA later banned Suarez for nine international matches and four months from all football activity. He has appealed. (AP)
Brazuca ball for final launched
New Delhi: The specially-designed, widely travelled Brazuca ball that has had the good fortune of visiting Pope Francis in the Vatican and which will be used in the final of the World Cup, has been launched. The ball will be used for the summit showdown on July 13 when the top two sides battle it out for a place in history. The limited edition Brazuca Final Rio, priced at Rs 7,599 is now available across leading sports stores in the country. (PTI)