Page 54 - Football

Durand Cup: Indian Air Force hold defending champs Bengaluru FC to 1-1 draw

Defending champions Bengaluru FC failed to break the Indian Air Force FT's defence to settle for a 1-1 draw in their Durand Cup opener here on Monday. Vivek Kumar (21st) put the Air Men ahead in the first half after a defensive error, only for BFC's Salam Johnson Singh to draw level in the 59th minute. The Bibiano Fernandes-coached side, who are playing a youth team, made all the substitutions to bolster their attack but failed to get the winning goal and settled for a point. Robin Yadav had the best chance of clinching it for the champions, when he followed an Edmund free-kick beautifully at the far post, but his header from hand-shaking distance found Air Force keeper Dinesh's glove, struck the left upright and went out for a corner. Playing in a 4-4-3 formation, BFC had the lion's share of possession in the game. They also had 14 shots at goal to their opponent's six, with six of those shots on target, but despite seven minutes added on in the end, the deadlock could not be ...

AIFF studying feasibility of allowing PIO footballers in national teams

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Monday formed a task force to conduct a feasibility study of allowing Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) to play in the country's national teams. Under the existing law of the land, PIOs and OCIs are not allowed to represent the country in international sporting events unless they adopt Indian citizenship. The task force, constituted by AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, will evaluate the PIO and OCI footballers playing at a higher level and the status of youth players. The task force, which will submit its report by January 31 next year, will be chaired by Punjab Football Association president Samir Thapar. Chaubey will name the other members of the task force after consultations with the chairman and the Executive Committee of the AIFF. "The Task Force's primary objective will be to collect data on footballers who are either Overseas Citizens of India or Persons of Indian Origin. It is a matter of great prid

Man United vs Wolves in EPL, Atletico Madrid starts its campaign in La Liga

A look at what's happening in European soccer on Monday: ENGLAND The first round of games in the Premier League concludes with Manchester United hosting Wolverhampton. United is set to give competitive debuts to two of its offseason signings midfielder Mason Mount and goalkeeper Andre Onana as the team looks to make a strong start to Erik ten Hag's second year in charge. Wolves will be under a new manager in Gary O'Neil, who has only been in charge a few weeks. SPAIN After a strong finish last season, Atletico Madrid begins its Spanish league campaign by hosting promoted Granada. Diego Simeone's Atletico kept the core of its squad in attack and midfield, and boosted its defense with Cesar Azpilicueta and Caglar Soyuncu. The attack will again be led by Antoine Griezmann as doubts still surround the permanence of Joo Flix. Granada is back in the first division after a single season in the second tier. Alaves, also back to the top flight in its first attempt following relegation, ..

Real Madrid sign goalkeeper Kepa on loan from Chelsea after Courtois injury

Real Madrid has signed goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan from Chelsea to help make up for the absence of the injured Thibaut Courtois, the Spanish club said Monday. Kepa's signing comes four days after Courtois tore a ligament in his left knee during training. The injury will sideline the Belgian international for most of the season. Kepa arrives on a contract until the end of the season and will join a squad that already included Ukrainian Andriy Lunin, a reserve to Courtois who on Saturday started in the 2-0 win at Athletic Bilbao in the team's Spanish league opener. It wasn't immediately clear if Spanish international Kepa would arrive as a starter. Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti previously said he had full confidence in the 24-year-old Lunin, who is entering his fourth season with the club. Kepa had been in talks to join Bayern Munich but the deal fell through after Madrid showed interest in signing the 28-year-old player. Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen said Sun

Neymar to Al Hilal: Brazilian star's medical to be completed today - Report

PSG bought Neymar in 2017 after paying a record 222 million euros transfer fee to Barca. Brazillian's PSG contract runs till 2025 but he has decided to leave the French club for Saudi club Al-Hilal

Neymar to leave PSG! Could choose between Al Hilal and Barcelona: Reports

Neymar, who was omitted from the first squad training before the Ligue 1 opener of PSG against Lorient, has not returned to training unlike Kylian Mbappe

Premier League 2023-24 full schedule, match timings (IST), live streaming

Check Premier League 2023-24 full schedule, match timings (IST), live telecast and streaming details here

Need time to adapt at Bayern Munich: Harry Kane after a loss on his debut

England captain Harry Kane said Sunday that he may need time to adapt to German football following a loss in his first game for Bayern Munich. Kane came on as a 64th-minute substitute in a 3-0 defeat to Leipzig in the German Super Cup on Saturday after being confirmed as a Bayern player earlier in the day. Obviously, I've spent my whole career, my whole life, in England and in the Premier League so it might take a bit of adapting to get used to a new league, he said. For me it's just about settling in, as comfortable as possible, understanding the different types of teams, the way I have to play and adapt. I've done that throughout my whole career, whether it's with Tottenham or the national team and I'll do that here. Bayern is next in action in the opening game of the Bundesliga season against Werder Bremen on Friday.

EPL 2023-24: Tottenham begins life without Kane with 2-2 draw at Brentford

Tottenham began life without Harry Kane with an entertaining 2-2 draw at Brentford in the Premier League on Sunday. All four goals came in an action-filled first half that gave a first indication of what Tottenham will look like without its talismanic striker under new manager Ange Postecoglou. A day after Kane sealed his move to Bayern Munich, Spurs dominated possession and scored from its only two efforts on target in the first half, and yet still had to come from 2-1 down after being undone defensively on a couple of occasions. While both teams settled into a more cautious rhythm after the break, the opening 45 minutes of Postecoglou's reign were enough to show that his underlying tactics will be a far cry from his predecessor Antonio Conte's defensive rigidity and focus on counterattacks. And while Spurs couldn't find a winner, a draw at Brentford could be seen as a positive first step given that Thomas Frank's team beat Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool at home

Kerala Derby: Goukulam edge past Blasters 4-3 in Durand Cup

Gokulam Kerala earned three valuable points along with bragging rights as they edged past formidable ISL outfit Kerala Blasters 4-3 in a Durand Cup group league game here on Sunday. There were four goals in the first-half and three in the second as Gokulam clinched their second straight victory in as many games to go on top of the group. Bouba Aminou (17th min), Sreekuttan (43rd min), Alex Sanchez (45+1 min) and Abhijith K (47th min) scored for the winners, while Emmanuel Justine (34th min), Prabir Das (54th minute) and Adrian Luna (77th minute) scored for the Blasters. For Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters, this was their first game in the group and they will now be looking to win their remaining two, to remain in contention. Basit Bhat, who has been impressive in this tournament, won the corner after his long-ranger took a touch off a Blasters defender and deflected away from goal. Spaniard Nili Perdomo curled the right-footer in for Gokulam's Cameroonian captain Bo

Euro winner Roberto Mancini announces surprise resignation as Italy coach

Italy coach Roberto Mancini surprisingly resigned on Sunday, ending an an up-and-down tenure with the national team that included a European Championship title in 2021 but also a failed qualification for last year's World Cup. The Italian soccer federation issued a short announcement saying that Mancini communicated his resignation late last night, adding that a new coach would be named over the next days. The federation doesn't have much time with Euro 2024 qualifying matches against North Macedonia and Ukraine scheduled for Sept. 10 and 12, respectively. Mancini was hired in May 2018 to revive the Azzurri after they also failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup under predecessor Gian Piero Ventura. And he did by adding flair and youth to a team that won admirers all over the continent during the year-delayed Euro 2020. Mancini was hailed for his vision when he called up then-Roma forward Nicol Zaniolo before he had ever played in Serie A, but he also struggled to find top players

La Liga: Real Madrid in toruble, defender Militao to undergo knee surgery

Real Madrid defender der Milito will need to undergo surgery after injuring his left knee in the team's Spanish league opener, the club said Sunday. Madrid said Milito has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and will undergo surgery in the coming days. The club did not specify how long it expects the defender to be sidelined, though such injuries usually require several months of recovery. The 25-year-old Brazil defender got hurt early in the second half of Madrid's 2-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. He went down in pain when his left knee appeared to twist awkwardly and had to be helped to walk off the field by two team doctors. Madrid had already lost starting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois because of a knee ligament injury last week. Newly signed midfielder Arda Gler also won't be available for some time reportedly several weeks because of a knee problem that will also likely require surgery. Madrid's next game it at Almeria in the Spanish league on Saturda

Kylian Mbappe returns to training with PSG after constructive talks

Kylian Mbappe has returned to training with Paris Saint-Germain after constructive and positive talks between the two parties, the club said Sunday. Mbappe watched from the stands on Saturday night as defending champion PSG drew 0-0 at home to Lorient because he is mired in a contract standoff. He wants to play this season and leave for free when his contract runs out, but PSG wants to sell him to stop this happening. After very constructive and positive discussions between Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappe before the PSG-Lorient match, the player has returned to training with the first-team group this (Sunday) morning, PSG said in a statement. The World Cup star was left out of the pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea and then trained apart from the first-team regulars last week. Now he could play away to Toulouse on Saturday. PSG received a world-record $332 million bid from Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal for Mbappe, who reportedly refused to meet with representatives from t

La Liga: Jude Bellingham scores on debut, Real Madrid win 2-0 vs Bilbao

Jude Bellingham enjoyed a dream debut for Real Madrid after the England midfielder scored his team's second goal in a 2-0 win at Athletic Bilbao in their Spanish league opener on Saturday. Wearing the No. 5 of Madrid great Zinedine Zidane, Bellingham started the match while Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, the veterans he is tapped to take over from, watched from the bench at San Mames Stadium. His goal was not a work of beauty like so many crafted by Zidane, and he perhaps had a bit of good fortune to guide it into the net. A left-side corner kick by David Alaba found Bellingham unmarked in the area, where he knocked the ball with one touch down onto the turf, only for it to bounce high and sail into the net over Spain goalkeeper Unai Simn. The 20-year-old Bellingham jogged to the endline and raised his arms to soak up the applause from the section of Madrid fans in the otherwise red-and-white stands. First game, first victory, first goal. Hala Madrid! Bellingham said in Spanish in a .

EPL 2023-24: Saka scores as Arsenal beat Nottingham 2-1 in season opener

Arsenal's Premier League opener featured a delayed start and a nervy finish before ending in a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka scored first-half goals as Arsenal looked to be heading for a comfortable win in a game delayed by 30 minutes because supporters couldn't get into the stadium on time. But substitute Taiwo Awoniyi pulled a goal back on a quick counterattack in the 83rd to give the visitors hope, although they never came close to an equalizer through seven minutes of stoppage time. Obviously it was a bit of a nervy finish, but we defended really well, Nketiah said. It's a good start, not just for myself but for the team. The kickoff was delayed after the club's new digital ticketing system malfunctioned to leave tens of thousands of supporters unable to get through the gates, before the turnstiles were eventually able to open. Once the game got started, it took Arsenal a little more than 30 minutes to ensure it was an unpleasant ret

FIFA Women's World Cup: England beat Colombia 2-1, meet Australia in last 4

The tests keep coming for England at the Women's World Cup and the Lionesses keep roaring. Alessia Russo fired England into the semifinals with a second-half goal to beat Colombia 2-1 on Saturday in a game that showcased the resolve of Sarina Wiegman's team and set up a clash with co-host Australia. We always find a way through," said Russo, whose goal completed a come-from-behind win after Leicy Santos had given Colombia a first-half lead. One of the strongest things about this team is we never give up. England advanced to the last four for the third consecutive Women's World Cup, despite going into the tournament with a host of key players out injured. Kiera Walsh was then sidelined after hurting her knee in the second game of the group stage and Lauren James is serving a two-game suspension for stepping on Nigeria defender Michelle Alozie in the round of 16. Yet England keep coming up with answers. We've had lots of challenges, and we've got through these challenges," Wiegman

Kolkata Derby: Nandhakumar ends East Bengal's wait for bragging rights

Seasoned Nandhakumar Sekar enjoyed the most defining day of his football career with a swerving left-footer that ended East Bengal's 1658-day derby jinx as the red-and-gold brigade beat arch-rivals Mohun Bagan 1-0 in a Durand Cup match here on Saturday. The 60th minute goal also put Mohun Bagan's smooth entry into the quarter-finals on hold as East Bengal can pip them to a last eight spot if they happen to win against Punjab FC in their last group league encounter on Wednesday. Mohun Bagan, who completed their group A outings with six points from three matches while East Bengal have four points from two games. Six group toppers and two best runners-up make up the last-eight. Under Bengaluru FC's Indian Super League winning coach Carles Cuadrat, East Bengal looked much more compact and the forward lineup got back their usual flair with Nandhakumar's international class strike. The former Odisha FC midfielder capitalised on an assist from Saul Crespo from the right flank as he smar

Harry Kane leaves Tottenham, joins Bayern Munich for 100 million euros

Harry Kane, who graduated through Spurs' academy system to become the club's record goalscorer leaves the Londoners with 280 goals in 435 appearances in all competitions

Women's World Cup: Australia edge France on penalty to reach semi-finals

Australia edged France on penalty kicks Saturday to reach FIFA Women's World Cup semi-finals for the first time. Cortnee Vine took Australia's 10th penalty from the spot and calmly converted it to give the Matildas a 7-6 win in the shootout after the quarterfinal match finished 0-0 after regulation and extra time. The Australians missed two earlier chances to clinch a dramatic shootout. But ultimately, it didn't matter, as they ended a long curse for tournament hosts. The Australians became the only team other than the United States of America to advance past the quarterfinals of a Women's World Cup as the host nation. Australia will play either England or Colombia next Wednesday in Sydney for a spot in the final. Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold kept the Matildas in the game in extra time and made a string of clutch saves in the shootout before and after missing her own attempt that could have sealed the win. Both teams had chances to win it in regulation, and Sam Kerr's f

Amid Mbappe-Neymar uncertainty, PSG sign Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona

France forward Ousmane Dembl joined Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday after Barcelona agreed to a transfer deal worth 50.4 million euros (USD 55.2 million) for the explosive winger. Dembl's arrival to PSG on a five-year contract comes amid speculation that Neymar could be on his way out. The French powerhouse also faces uncertainty over the future of Kylian Mbapp. The 26-year-old Dembl, born in Vernon outside Paris, came up through the Rennais youth academy. He played the 2016-17 season with Borussia Dortmund before he moved to Spain. Dembl joined Barcelona in 2017 on a then club-record transfer from Dortmund that with variables was set to reach 147 million euros (then USD173 million) as the club sought a young talent after the unwanted exit of Neymar to PSG. After suffering serious injuries early in his stay at Barcelona, Dembl consolidated himself as one of its most irreplaceable players thanks to his speed and playmaking. He renewed his contract last summer and was set to stay at