Page 1477 - Sports
Japan put party on hold after making World Cup history
Japan coach Akira Nishino joked about organising a parade through Saransk to celebrate a slice of World Cup history on Tuesday after his side shocked 10-man Colombia. The Japanese were widely written off as Group H contenders when Nishino was brought in as head coach in April, leaving him precious little time to prepare for the Russian showpiece. However, he was in high spirits after his side won 2-1 in their opening match to became the first Asian side to beat a South American team at a World Cup. "If it was just one game, we'd have had a parade on the streets of Saransk, but we have more games to come, so we will save our celebrations," quipped the 63-year-old when asked how Japan would celebrate. Colombia played almost the entire match with a man short after midfielder Carlos Sanchez was sent off for a handball in a dramatic opening to the match. Shinji Kagawa converted the resulting penalty in the sixth minute only for Juan Quintero to equalise with a free-kick that flew under the
Senegal beat Poland for first African win at 2018 World Cup
Senegal recorded the first African win at the 2018 World Cup when they beat Poland 2-1 on Tuesday thanks to a deflected Thiago Cionek own goal and a terrible error by Polish 'keeper Wojciech Szczesny. West Bromwich Albion midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak got Poland back in the game with an 86th-minute header but Senegal hung on at Moscow's Spartak Stadium. In a match billed as a straight fight between super-strikers Robert Lewandowski and Sadio Mane, neither scored but Liverpool striker Mane set up Idrissa Gueye for the shot that took a wicked deflection off Cionek, leaving Szczesny totally wrong-footed in the Polish goal for Senegal's opener on 37 minutes. The west Africans doubled their lead on the 60-minute mark when the experienced Juventus goalkeeper had a moment to forget. Krychowiak put Poland in trouble with a woeful bouncing back pass, but Szczesny opted rashly to charge out of his penalty area. The speedy Mbaye Niang got in front of his defender, nicked the ball away from ...
Senegal beat Poland 2-1
Senegal kicked-off their FIFA WOrld Cup on a winning note as they registered a narrow 2-1 win over Poland in a Group H clash here on Tuesday.
Prithvi, Mayank hit tons as India A beat Leicestershire by 281 runs
Opener Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal took a second string Leicestershire attack to cleaners as India A piled up a mammoth 458 for 4 to win the second warm-up game by a massive 281 runs ahead of their tri-nation one day series starting June 22. India A's team total is currently the third highest in all List A matches behind Surrey's 496 against Gloucestershire in the 2007 One Day Championship and England's 481 for 6 against Australia in an ODI today. In reply to India's total, Leicestershire were all out for 177 in 40.4 overs with seamer Deepak Chahar picking up 3 for 24 in 6.4 overs. Pacer M Prasid Krishna. spinners Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel also chipped in with a couple of wickets each. At the Grace Road ground, young Prithvi continued his red hot form with a 90-ball-132 and added 223 runs for the opening stand with other opener Mayank, who smashed his way to 151 off 106 balls before being called back to give others a chance. The immensely talented Shubman Gill then hammered 86 ..
Pekerman laments Colombia's 'painful' loss to Japan
Colombia coach Jose Pekerman said Tuesday his team will continue to fight for a place in the World Cup knockout stage after a "painful" defeat to Japan in their opening Group H match here.
England post new ODI record total
England set a new record for the highest total ever scored in a men's one-day international when they went past 444 against Australia at Trent Bridge here today. When Alex Hales, who already had a hundred to his name, hoisted Jhye Richardson for six in the 46th over it meant England had broken their own world record in men's one-day internationals. It was also at Trent Bridge where England set the previous record total at this level of 444 for three against Pakistan in 2016. Hales eventually holed out for 147 on his Nottinghamshire home ground after opener Jonny Bairstow had made 139. Eoin Morgan, England's ODI captain, became the country's highest run-scorer in this format during a 21-ball fifty -- the fastest by any England batsman in terms of balls faced -- on his way to 67. When Hales and Morgan were dismissed off successive deliveries to leave England 459 for five off 47.3 overs, there were still 15 balls left in the innings.
Rashford praises England captain Kane
England striker Marcos Rashford praised captain Harry Kane when he spoke to the press on Tuesday in the wake of England's 2-1 win against Tunisia on Monday night.
Ronaldo's old pal Evra gives insight into football star
Veteran French full back Patrice Evra feels that people should reject lunch invites from former Manchester United team mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
Foreign players help Warriors beat Challengers in UTT
Foreign recruits produced a dominating show to help Warriors TTC record a convincing 14-7 victory over Empowerji Challengers in the Ultimate Table Tennis here today. Warriors, who were languishing at the bottom of the six-team table, rocketed to the third spot (20 points) with this victory and were placed behind leaders Dabang Smashers (31 points) and RP-SG Mavericks (24 points). Challengers continue to languish at the bottom with 15 points after the conclusion of the Pune leg. Maharashtra United are placed fourth (20 points) while defending champions Falcons TTC share the last spot with 15 points. After Warriors' Sreeja Akula lost the first woman's singles to world no. 20 Lee Ho Ching 0-3, the Warriors came back roaring into the tie with Aruna Quadri, Chih Huan Chuang, Sofia Polcanova and Hana Matelova winning their respective singles matches to wrest the lead. World no. 18 Sofia also partnered with captain Achanta Sharath Kamal to pocket the mixed doubles as Warriors won five ...
Prithvi, Mayank hit tons as India A score record 458/4 vs Leicestershire
Opener Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal took a second string Leicestershire attack to cleaners as India A piled up a mammoth 458 for 4 in the second warm-up game ahead of the tri-nation A series contest. India A's team total is currently the second highest in all List A matches (excluding international games) behind Surrey's 496 against Gloucestershire in the 207 One Day Championship. At the Grace Road ground, young Prithvi continued his red hot form with a 90-ball-132 and added 223 runs for the opening stand with other opener Mayank, who smashed his way to 151 off 106 balls before being called back to give others a chance. The immensely talented Shubman Gill then hammered 86 off 54 balls to prop up the Indian total even as Rishabh Pant's (13) failure stuck out like a sore thumb. Pant had narrowly missed the bus for India team selection and the pressure showed in his game as he failed in a tie where everyone scored. In all, the Indian innings had 51 boundaries and 15 sixes. In that ...
Foreign paddlers propel Warriors to 3rd spot in UTT
Foreign players stamped their class to help Warriors TTC record a heart-warming 14-7 victory on points over Empowerji Challengers in the CEAT Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex here on Tuesday.
Peru's Cartagena, Advincula believe win possible against France
Peru midfielder Wilder Cartagena and defender Luis Advincula on Tuesday said their national football team is capable of beating France, ahead of the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup clash.
Japan stun 10-man Colombia, create World Cup surprise
A late Yuya Osako header gave Japan a 2-1 victory over 10-man Colombia in an entertaining World Cup Group H match here on Tuesday.
Spain eye first win, face Iran (Preview)
Spain will look to ease pressure on them with their first win of the ongoing FIFA World Cup, while Iran will aim to register their second consecutive triumph in the Group B when the two sides clash here on Wednesday.
Nadal continues training for Wimbledon
Spanish tennis superstar Rafael Nadal intensified his grass court training on Tuesday ahead of Wimbledon, the second Grand Slam event of the season, despite the hot weather on the outdoor grass courts used for the ongoing WTA Mallorca Open women's tournament.
Valarivan betters world record score, bags twin gold in KSS shooting
ISSF Junior World Cup gold medalist Elavenil Valarivan bettered world record score to clinch gold medals in both 10m air rifle senior and junior categories at the 18th KSS Memorial Shooting Championship here today. Gujrat's Valarivan bettered Chinese Ruozhu Zhao's world record of 252.4 en route to her twin medals at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range. While Valarivan shot 253 and bettered the Chinese's record, the feat won't go down in the history books as ISSF, the world governing body for the sport, only considers tournaments held at a world or continental level. India's teen prodigy Mehuli Ghosh could only finish with 251.7 and had to eventually settle for silver while another Manini Kaushik from Rajasthan bagged the bronze with 230.9 in the senior category. Valarivan shined in the junior category as well with a score of 252.3 to annex her second gold. West Bengal's Mehuli stayed on track to continue her medal rush as she bagged the silver with 251.1 whereas Shreya Agarwal from ...
Elavenil shoots 2 golds at 18th KSS Memorial Championship
Junior shooting World Cup gold medallist Elavenil Valarivan from Gujarat proved too hot to handle for her opponents as she bettered Ruozhu Zhaos world record of 252.4 to clinched the gold medal in the both 10M Air Rifle Senior and Junior categories at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, here on Tuesday.
Costa Rica work on tactics to contain Brazil ahead of World Cup showdown
Costa Rica's national football team held a training session on Tuesday ahead of their upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup clash with Brazil.
World Cup cameo propels 'cute' Iceland midfielder to viral fame
A blonde Iceland midfielder has become a social media sensation, attracting more admirers than the population of Iceland after a cameo role in the 1-1 World Cup draw with Argentina. Rurik Gislason came on as a second-half substitute on Saturday to win admirers worldwide purring over his cool Nordic looks. Before the 30-year-old was introduced to help hold Lionel Messi and co. at bay, his Instagram account had a respectable 30,000 followers. By end-Saturday Gislason's following on the social media website had grown to 250,000, topping a half million by Tuesday, well over the 330,000-strong population of Iceland. "How is it possible to be this cute?" a popular Brazilian actress Gabriela Lopes wondered to her Instagram fans. On Twitter the hashtag #sexyrurik has been trending, with many of the posts originating from South America. An Argentinian travel agency shared his picture after the game to advertise trips to the Nordic island. "Girls, who's in?" it drooled. Gislason, who plays for .
No joke! Comics fly in to give Iceland surprise boost
Iceland's footballers have received a surprise morale-boosting visit in Russia by a quartet of comedians from back home, an official from the Nordic team's camp told AFP Tuesday. The funnymen made their flying visit to the team's Black Sea coast training base near Gelendzhik for an impromptu performance late-Monday. "We were asked if we would go to Russia and give a surprise show for the national team at their hotel," said Bjorn Bragi, one of the comics, on his Instagram website. "It was the easiest yes we have ever said," he wrote. "Many of the jokes were directed at the coach (Heimir Hallgrimsson) and players, who gracefully took the banter on the chin," an FA official told AFP. "He thoroughly enjoyed the show, as did the players," said Omar Smarason. "The team is here for the long haul, and we are in it together. It is important to keep us all fresh and do something entirely different every now and then," he said. The tiny Nordic nation, who defied the odds to reach the ...