Page 1455 - Sports
Mexico, gay pride flags caught up in victorious jumble of joy
Thousands of Mexicans wept, cheered and chanted in their capital city where a planned gay pride event was swept over by megafans enraptured by their national football team's World Cup win. And while the atmosphere of Mexican football at times has been historically homophobic, on yesterday there was so much joy in one place, it was downright harmonious. Mexico placed one foot in the World Cup's last 16 and left South Korea on the brink of elimination after goals from Javier Hernandez and Carlos Vela clinched a 2-1 victory in Rostov. That send thousands of thousands of ecstatic fans teeming into their usual celebration spot, Mexico City's Independence Square. But yesterday, it was already cheek by jowl with thousands celebrating Mexico's gay pride march. No matter, the Mexico fans and LGBT marchers all had plenty to celebrate. "This is awesome. We all are giving each other room to celebrate two ways: the march as well as Mexico's win. We are all equal, we are Mexican and we need to love
England top women's T20 tri-series table after mixed day
England ended a day of fluctuating fortunes top of the women's Twenty20 tri-series table after bouncing back from a defeat by South Africa to beat New Zealand by 54 runs at Taunton. The format of the tournament means the three teams are all required to play double-headers and yesterday it was the turn of England, the women's World Cup holders in 50 over cricket, to face two fixtures in a day. South Africa twice conceded new record women's T20 totals when the competition started on Wednesday, with New Zealand piling up 216 for one only for England to shatter that mark within hours courtesy of a score of 250 for three. But the Proteas women, having lost both those first two games, hit back on Saturday with a six-wicket win over England at Taunton. England batted first but only made 160 for five this time, thanks mainly to Tammy Beaumont's 71. South Africa lost Laura Wolvaardt early in their chase before Lizelle Lee's 68 put the Proteas on top. Sophie Ecclestone took two late wickets to .
Dowrich rescues West Indies in 3rd Test
Shane Dowrich led yet another West Indies rearguard with an unbeaten half-century as the West Indies rallied from 53 for five to reach stumps at 132 without further loss on a rain-hit opening day of the third and final Test match. Almost half of the scheduled overs were lost to intermittent showers as day/night Test cricket came to the Caribbean for the first time, three years after the first such fixture was played between Australia and neighbours New Zealand in Adelaide. Having already played a vital role in the series with an unbeaten 125 that rescued the West Indies in the first innings of the series in Trinidad two weeks earlier, the wicketkeeper-batsman's rich vein of form continued on his home ground Saturday at the Kensington Oval. His assured innings of 60 not out was well supported by Jason Holder, the West Indies captain contributing 33 not out in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 79 and going some way towards justifying his decision to bat first on a green pitch, ...
'It's a special moment' -- Djokovic relief at final return
Novak Djokovic admits his first final in a year will be a "special moment" as the former world number one prepares to face Marin Cilic in the Queen's Club title match. Djokovic has endured a barren 12 months due to a combination of a nagging elbow injury last year and poor form in 2018. The 12-time Grand Slam champion is more accustomed to fighting for the sport's biggest prizes. But, in a sign of how far he has fallen, Djokovic claimed reaching the final of the Wimbledon warm-up event at Queen's is a significant milestone on his road to recovery. Not since he won the grass-court event at Eastbourne 12 months ago has Djokovic made it to the last day of a tournament. So the 31-year-old's 7-6 (7/5,) 6-4 victory over France's Jeremy Chardy in the semi-finals meant a lot to the Serb. "It feels great, first one since Eastbourne. So it's been a year. It is a special moment for me," he said. "Obviously I have been hoping to get here and working hard for it. "So now that I get a chance to ...
FIFA investigates Swiss players' pro-Kosovo World Cup celebrations
FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Swiss players Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri over their pro-Kosovo goal celebrations during the 2-1 win against Serbia. Switzerland's scorers on Friday, Xhaka and Shaqiri, celebrated their goals by making a "double eagle" gesture with their hands to represent the Albanian flag. Many people in Kosovo, which has an ethnic Albanian majority, identify with the flag. Both players trace their roots to Kosovo, a former province of Serbia that declared independence in 2008 in a move that Belgrade still refuses to recognise. FIFA bans all political messages or symbols in stadiums. Xhaka and Shaqiri could be banned for up to two games if they are found to have breached FIFA regulations. World football's governing body said it was also probing Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic for alleged statements made after the game. Krstajic reacted to the defeat by calling for the match referee, Felix Brych of Germany, to be put on trial in a war crimes tribunal in
'Systemic problems' with Korean game must be fixed, warns Tae-yong
South Korea's World Cup hopes are still alive despite defeat to Mexico on Saturday but their coach Shin Tae-yong says there are problems with the country's domestic game that cannot be ignored. Korea were beaten 2-1 by Mexico after goals from Carlos Vela and Javier Hernandez put the result beyond doubt in Rostov before Son Heung-min's stunning late strike. Son was in tears after the match but his consolation goal could yet prove significant in Group F. Germany's last-gasp win over Sweden later on Saturday means South Korea can still qualify if they overcome the world champions next week and the Swedes also lose to Mexico, who are already through. But that would mark an incredible turn-around given Tae-yong's side are yet to register a point from their opening two games in Russia. "We have systemic problems," Tae-yong said. "We must think how we can improve our domestic league and work with young players. We lack experience. That doesn't come overnight." Son, the team's star player, ...
Loew hails 'lucky' Germany after dramatic World Cup win
Germany coach Joachim Loew described his defending champions as "lucky" after Toni Kroos curled in an injury-time free-kick to beat Sweden and revive their World Cup hopes. Ola Toivonen put the Swedes ahead in the first half and Marco Reus equalised shortly after the interval but Loew's men could not find the goal they craved as time ticked away. Germany's task was made more difficult when key defender Jerome Boateng was sent off in the 82nd minute for a second yellow card. But Kroos, who had been at fault for Sweden's goal, stepped up in the 95th minute to curl a free-kick into the top corner, beating the dive of Robin Olsen in the Swedish goal. "The victory was a lucky one in stoppage time and we came from behind," Loew told German broadcaster ARD. "In the end, it was deserved because we believed in ourselves and stuck at it. We proved we have good morale in the squad and Sweden actually only had two chances. "Mistakes like that happen even to Toni Kroos, so I am pleased that he ...
Uruguay's Gimenez ruled out of World Cup group decider
Uruguay defender Jose Maria Gimenez is out of his country's World Cup game against hosts Russia, which will determine who will top Group A, because of a thigh injury, officials said Saturday. The Atletico Madrid centre-half "will not be taken into account for the match... against Russia," the Uruguayan Football Association said in a statement. The match takes place on Monday in Samara. Uruguay and Russia have both won their first two matches, though the hosts have a far more impressive goal difference. Both teams have already qualified for the last 16 and will either play Portugal, Spain or Iran in the next round depending on final match results in Group B. A stuttering Uruguay have won both their matches, against Egypt and Saudi Arabia. 1-0. Gimenez scored the late winner in the first game.
Fans dance in Berlin rain as Germany survive
Fans danced in the rain in Berlin as defending champions Germany avoided an embarrassing World Cup exit with a 2-1 win over Sweden. Supporters watching on big screens at the Brandenburg Gate huddled nervously under grey clouds and drizzle, before throwing their umbrellas away as Toni Kroos' late winner saved Germany. "I'm so, so so happy," screamed Rasdan Abdullah as the final whistle sounded in Sochi. "It's a great feeling," said Birgit Schlag, who had come to Berlin to see the Rolling Stones in concert the day before. The rain had just begun to fall in the German capital as Ola Toivonen fired Sweden ahead on the half-hour mark, and grey clouds lingered as the crowd sung "You'll Never Walk Alone" at half-time. They breathed a sigh of relief when Marco Reus equalised just after half-time. And when Kroos curled in a free-kick in the fifth minute of injury-time, the fans were in ecstasy. "I said before the game that Reus would score," said a beaming Dieter Mann, a 60-year-old tour guide
Sweden hit out at Germans for 'rubbing it in' with celebrations
Fuming Sweden coach Janne Andersson accused Germany of "rubbing it in our faces" as they celebrated the dramatic late goal from Toni Kroos that gave them a 2-1 win in their crucial World Cup clash here. Germany were in real danger of a group-stage exit from the tournament, with a draw only likely to give them a temporary reprieve, until Kroos curled in a 95th-minute free-kick to take the points last night. The World Cup holders then set off to celebrate wildly, having come from behind in the Group F encounter at Sochi's Fisht Stadium, but their behaviour provoked anger on the opposition bench. "Some of Germany's leaders celebrated by running in our direction and rubbing it into our faces. That got me angry," said Andersson. "We fought it out for 90 minutes and when the final whistle blows you shake hands and you leave so I was very angry with that." Ola Toivonen's goal had given Sweden a first-half lead, but Marco Reus equalised early in the second half. Even a draw would have left ...
Mini-World Cup launched at UN school
While the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup is drawing global attention in Russia, qualified youth teams launched a mini-tournament at the UN International School in Manhattan.
Hockey Champions Trophy: India beat Pakistan 4-0 in opening game
Strikers Ramandeep Singh (26th minute), Dilpreet Singh (54th minute), Mandeep Singh (57th minute) and Lalit Upadhyay (60th minute) scored in India's dominant win.The tournament began here on Saturday at the packed BH & BC Hockey stadium.The two teams lived up to the billing, pushing each other hooter-to-hooter offering hockey buffs a thrilling experience.While Pakistan started off in attacking mode, India's goalkeeper PR Sreejesh was put to task in the initial minutes of the match when Muhammad Irfan Junior took a strong shot on goal.But the Indian skipper was up to the challenge making an impressive save. For Pakistan, it was the experienced Muhammad Irfan holding their defence. They used pace in the midfield to hold sway, and did not allow India easy circle entry.The second quarter was crucial for India after a goalless start.In the 26th minute, Ramandeep gave India a 1-0 lead when he picked up a brilliant assist from Simranjeet Singh. The goal was set-up by Sardar Singh's ...
Ulaanbaatar Cup: Five Indian boxers reach final
World silver-medallist Sonia Lather (57kg) and Mandeep Jangra were among the five Indian boxers to enter the finals, while four others, including Shiva Thapa (60kg), signed off with bronze medals in the Ulaanbaatar Cup boxing tournament in Mongolia on Saturday.Besides Sonia and Mandeep, others who made it to the finals included Lovlina Borgohain (69kg), a gold-medallist at the India Open earlier this year, Himanshu Sharma (49kg), and Muhammed Etash Khan (56kg).Ending with bronze medals were Shiva, debutant Vanhmlimpuia (75kg), Ashish (64kg), and Bina Devi Koijam (48kg), a direct entrant into the last-four stage owing to the small size of the women's draw.While Shiva lost a closely-contested bout to home boxer Battumur Misheelt, Bina was out-punched by Korean Kim Kum Sun.Ashish and debutante Vanhmlimpuia gave their all in their respective bouts but fell short when it came to getting judges' nod.
World Cup: Germany beat Sweden 2-1 to stay alive
Tony Kroos produced a last gasp winner as Germany revived their campaign with a 2-1 win over Sweden in a Group F match of the FIFA World Cup here.
FIFA WC: Kroos helps Germany stay alive after 2-1 win over Sweden
Midfielder Tony Kroos' sensational stoppage-time winner helped Germany revive their campaign with a dramatic 2-1 win over Sweden in a Group F match of the the ongoing 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi on Saturday.Coming back from a humiliating 0-1 defeat against Mexico in their opening match of the tournament, the defending winners dazzled Sweden with its swift passing in the opening exchanges and kept its cool till the last minute of the game - when Kroos' goal managed to keep them alive in the World Cup.Kroos found the net with a curling set-piece in the 95th minute of the game, that brought out the best and worst of Germany, who were reduced to 10 men after Jerome Boateng was sent off with eight minutes remaining.Ola Toivonen gave Sweden the lead with a superb finish in the 32nd minute.Following that, Germany displayed large doses of their famed fighting spirit as they staged a strong comeback in the second half with Marco Reus scoring the equaliser ..
Kroos relieved to make amends for Germany
Toni Kroos said his last-gasp winner to seal a dramatic 2-1 win for Germany over Sweden made amends for his earlier mistake and kept the holders' World Cup dreams alive. Kroos' mistimed pass led to Ola Toivonen's first-half goal for Sweden before Germany fought back in Sochi with a Marco Reus goal before Kroos swung in a free-kick in the fifth minute of added time. "Of course, the first goal (by Sweden) was my fault. When you put in 400 passes in a game, then one or two won't go where they should," said Kroos. After losing their opening match to Mexico, Germany must now beat South Korea in Kazan next Wednesday to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout phase from Group F and hope Sweden do not achieve a better result against Mexico. "Now we have to recover and we don't have much time before we have to beat Korea, when we have to play convincingly," said Kroos. Germany, who had influential defender Jerome Boateng sent off for a second yellow card, were far from convincing and ..
Cilic beats Kyrgios at Queen's Club, faces Djokovic in final
Croatia's Marin Cilic narrowly defeated Australian Nick Kyrgios 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4) in Saturday's semi-finals of the Queen's Club Championships and will square off against Novak Djokovic for the title.
FIFA WC: Vela, Hernandez help Mexico win against S Korea 2-1
Mexico beat South Korea with a graceful 2-1 victory in their Group F match in Rostov-on-Don on Saturday.Mexico got goals from Carlos Vela and Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, one in each half, to secure its second victory.Mexico dominated the match right from the beginning, holding the vast majority of possession as South Korea was forced to chase and hope for a counter.Vela had given Mexico the much-needed lead in the 26 minutes in Rostov-on-Don when the former Arsenal forward converted from the penalty spot after Jang Hyun-soo had handled the ball while trying to stop a cross from Andres Guardado.Hernandez doubled the advantage midway through the second half.It was his 50th international goal.Son Heung-min scored in the injury time to reduce the lead but it was a bit too late and proved futile as well.Apparently, South Korea was fairly toothless upfront.Mexico which now has six points in its basket, hasn't exited a World Cup in the group stage since 1978.It is Mexico's second ...
World Cup: Mexico pip South Korea in Group F tie
Son Heung-Min's late goal was not enough as Mexico clinched a narrow 2-1 victory in a Group F tie of the FIFA World Cup 2018 at the Rostov Arena here on Saturday.
India thrash newbies Kenya in Kabaddi Masters
India continued their dominance at the Kabaddi Masters as they overpowered Kenya 48-19 in their second Group A match at the Al Wasl Sports Club here on Saturday.