Page 1453 - Sports
Needing goals, Australia could call upon veteran Cahill
Needing a win and plenty of goals to stay in contention at the World Cup, Australia could finally call upon veteran Tim Cahill. The 38-year-old striker has a chance to make his debut in Russia on Tuesday when Australia plays Peru. The Socceroos need to beat already-eliminated Peru and hope France beats Denmark in the other Group C match. If that happens, goal differential would determine which team moves on to the next round along with the French. Cahill knows a thing or two about scoring in soccer's showcase event. He can become only the fifth player to score in four World Cups, joining Pele, Uwe Seeler, Miroslav Klose and Cristiano Ronaldo. "If Timmy's been called upon, no doubt he'll do a (good) job for us," Australia defender Aziz Behich said. "Timmy is a true professional, it shows the way he works on the pitch in training every day and he's just a proper example for all of us, not just the young boys. Mentally, he's always strong and ready to go, so we love having Tim as a part .
Bad news for Messi, Argentina as Croatia threatens rotation
They are hardly the words Lionel Messi and Argentina wanted to hear with their World Cup future hanging in the balance. Dejan Lovren raised the likelihood of Croatia resting players for its last group game against Iceland, as much to protect the six who are threatened by suspension via an accumulation of yellow cards than to rest anyone ahead the knockout stage. That is bad news for Argentina, which needs to beat Nigeria in St. Petersburg and hope that Croatia avoids a loss against Iceland in Rostov in games that are being played simultaneously. Croatia is already guaranteed a place in the last 16 after two wins, while Argentina and Iceland are tied on one point. "I fully understand Argentina's concerns and their wish for us to play a full team for the next game as well," Lovren said through a translator today at Croatia's training base in Roschino, outside St. Petersburg. "But we must also think about the fact that we should not be playing the players who have yellow cards. That's ...
Argentina football chief says team has key chance to win final Group match
Argentine football association President Claudio Tapia said on Sunday that the entire team and coaching staff are committed to making the most of their key final match against Nigeria in Group D of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will decide whether Argentina advances to the round of 16.
India stun Argentina 2-1, continue unbeaten run in Champions Trophy
India continued their unbeaten run in the Champions Trophy hockey tournament and surprised Olympic champions Argentina 2-1 for a second consecutive win in the 37th and last edition of the prestigious tournament here today. India scored both their goals in the second quarter through Harmanpreet Singh (17th minute), who converted a penalty corner, and Mandeep Singh (28th). World number two Argentina's lone goal came from the sticks of dragflciker Gonzalo Peillat, who scored from a set piece in the 30th minute. India, eying their maiden Champions Trophy title, had earlier crushed bitter-rivals Pakistan 4-0 in their campaign opener yesterday. India now sit atop the six-team standings with two wins from as many games. The eight-time Olympic champions will take on world champions Australia in their next round robin match on June 27. The team's new chief coach Harendra Singh couldn't have asked for a better start to his fourth stint with the senior national side. Harendra took over the ...
Iran face herculean task against Portugal's Ronaldo (Preview)
Iran's primary objective will be to stop Christiano Ronaldo from scoring when they take on Portugal in a Group B tie of the FIFA World Cup at the Mordovia Arena here on Monday.
Siril Verma, Ashmita Chaliha win in badminton tourney
Siril Verma and Ashmita Chaliha overcame stiff competition from their respective opponents to finish on top of the podium at the Yonex Sunrise All India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament at the Pullela Gopichand Academy today. Siril, the 2015 world junior championship runner-up who took on Sourabh Verma in the men's singles final, winner of 2016 Chinese Taipei Masters, went down in the opening game 18-21 but came back to pocket the second game 21-16. With the scores levelled, Siril stepped on the gas in the decider and gave no chance to his more fancied opponent and took the game 21-8 to win the match in 51 minutes. The 16th seeded Ashmita scored a pulsating victory over third seeded Sai Uttejitha Rao to emerge winner in the women's singles event. Sai, who came into the tournament at the back of a title win in Bangalore last week started the match as clear favourite but could not overcome a spirited challenge from Ashmita. Ashmita won the opening game 21-16, but conceded the second .
This could be my last World Cup: Pogba
France midfielder Paul Pogba says the current World Cup in Russia could be his last despite only being 25 years old.
Teenager Ashwin Datta scores triple; Balu, a double
Teenager Ashwin Datta and veteran Arjun Balu hogged the limelight with a triple and a double at the second round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway here today. Datta, a debutant in the MRF F1600 class, finished the weekend by winning all three races while Balu, 43, marked his return to racing after a five-year break by dominating the premier Indian Touring Cars class, where he won both races. In the morning, Datta, who had won the first race of the triple-header yesterday, was off to a great start as he made up three places in the first lap before an incident brought out the safety car. On the re-start, he wasted little time to ease past the front-runners and gradually opened up a commanding lead to emerge a creditable winner with Bengaluru teenager Yash Aradhya and Chennais Nabil Hussain following him. Datta, in just his third full season of racing, having graduated from junior Formula competitions, won the third MRF ...
India stun Argentina 2-1 in Champions Trophy hockey
India stunned Olympic champions Argentina 2-1 to register their second consecutive victory in the final edition of the Champions Trophy hockey tournament here today. India scored both their goals in the second quarter through Harmanpreet Singh (17th minute), who converted a penalty corner, and Mandeep Singh (28th). World number two Argentina's lone goal came from the sticks of dragflciker Gonzalo Peillat, who scored from a set piece in the 30th minute. India are now unbeaten in the tournament, having mauled arch-rivals Pakistan 4-0 yesterday. India will take on world champions Australia in their next round robin match on June 27.
Siril Verma, Ashmita Chaliha on top at national badminton tourney
Siril Verma and Ashmita Chaliha overcame stiff competition from their respective opponents to finish on top of the podium at the Yonex Sunrise All India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament at the Pullela Gopichand Academy here on Sunday.
Japan already World Cup champions... for exemplary fans
Japan are unlikely to win the World Cup but their fans are proving champions off the pitch in Russia with their exemplary behaviour, even cleaning up after themselves at matches. Their conduct is a healthy antidote to scenes of violence that have marred some major international football tournaments down the years, though this World Cup has been free so far of disorder. Footage of Japanese supporters tidying up after a game -- cue amazed reaction from fans of other countries -- has become a staple of recent World Cups. Following their shock 2-1 win over Colombia on Tuesday -- the first time an Asian team had beaten a South American one at a World Cup -- Japanese fans gathered up their rubbish and stuffed it inside blue plastic bin bags. The blue is no coincidence -- it is the colour of the national side's shirts. Their behaviour appeared to inspire Colombian and Senegalese fans to follow suit. This could be the tidiest World Cup in history. Such is the interest the Japanese fans' ...
"The Germans somehow win" - Lineker updates famous quote
Gary Lineker updated his famous quote about the Germans always winning after Toni Kroos's dramatic late goal kept the holders' World Cup dreams alive with a 2-1 win over Sweden. "Football is a simple game, 22 men chase the ball for 82 minutes and the Germans get a player sent off so 21 men chase the ball for 13 minutes and at the end the Germans somehow... win," the former England captain wrote on Twitter. Kroos struck a curling free-kick in the 95th minute to seal victory in Sochi on Saturday, which keeps alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stage in Russia after they lost their opening match to Mexico. The win came with 10 men after German centre-back Jerome Boateng was sent off for a second bookable offence late on. Lineker, 57, once famously said: "Football is a simple game -- 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win." The rueful comment came after England lost on penalties to Germany in the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup.
We won't go home easily: Kroos
German midfielder Tony Kroos produced one of the most dramatic moments of the 2018 World Cup to date when he scored a 95th minute goal to give his side a 2-1 win over Sweden, keep second round hopes alive.
Kroos hits out at Germany's World Cup doubters
Germany's matchwinner Toni Kroos has criticised former internationals and pundits for putting the boot into the defending champions after their shaky World Cup start. Kroos's stunning free-kick five minutes into added time in Sochi sealed a 2-1 win to keep alive Germany's flagging hopes following defeat to Mexico in their opening Group F match. Following the dramatic win on Saturday, Kroos rounded on those who had heavily criticised Joachim Loew's squad after their woeful first-half display against Mexico. The Real Madrid midfielder told broadcaster ARD after the Sweden game that the team deserved criticism after their disjointed performance in their tournament opener, adding : "Many people would have been happy if we had gone out." "Anyone who speaks up, those experts, and anyone who writes about it can feel they have addressed things, but it gives me the feeling that it's more fun to analyse or talk or write badly of us," he told reporters. "I'm not talking about the fans who go to .
Modric would win Ballon d'Or if he was Spanish or German - Lovren
Croatia defender Dejan Lovren believes Luka Modric never gets the credit he deserves and would win the Ballon d'Or if he played for Spain or Germany. Modric has been one of the stars of the World Cup so far, scoring in each of his opening two games as Croatia have stormed to the top of Group D. His second strike, a superb, bending effort from 25 yards, helped them to a 3-0 victory over Argentina and compounded the misery for Lionel Messi, a five-time winner of football's most prestigious individual prize. Modric has never even made the top three. "It is a real pleasure to play with Luka Modric, who is one of the best players in the world right now," Lovren said at Croatia's training base in Roshchino today. "Modric would probably be getting more attention than he is right now if he was a German or Spanish player. He would maybe even be a Ballon d'Or winner. "But because we are a smaller country, he does get less attention than he deserves. We are all football lovers and we know Modric
Spain need a convincing win vs Morocco (Preview)
Spain will be eyeing for a point in their final Group B match to see themselves into the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2018 when they take on Morocco at the Kaliningrad Stadium here on Monday.
Argentina's Otamendi, Mercado, Biglia return to training
Argente defenders Nicolas Otamendi and Gabriel Mercado and midfielder Lucas Biglia rejoined their national team's group training on Sunday while the team celebrated the 31st birthday of captain Lionel Messi under the shadow of a difficult 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Indian boxers clinch nine medals at Ulaanbaatar Cup
Commonwealth Games silver medallist Mandeep Jangra stamped his authority on the men's Welterweight (69 kilogram) division as the Indian contingent amassed a total of nine medals at the Ulaanbaatar Cup here.
Suspense over early Argentina exit, commotion over Yo-Yo (Just Sport)
Former champions Uruguay and France are through to the round of 16 in the football World Cup and another champion side Argentina are on the brink of a group-stage exit unless they work out a miracle with other results coming to their rescue.
Kabaddi Masters: Confident India eye top spot in Group A (Preview)
India will aim to continue their winning momentum and secure the top spot in Group A when they face arch rivals Pakistan in their third match of the Kabaddi Masters at the Al Wasl Sports Club here on Monday.