Page 1493 - Sports
England know the team that will face Tunisia, says Delph
England's players have a clear idea of who will play against Tunisia on Monday and midfielder Fabian Delph believes they are ready to find another gear at this World Cup. Gareth Southgate's team will go through a final training session on Sunday morning before flying to Volgograd, where they hope they can make a winning start in Group G. Among those facing anxious waits are Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson, both jostling to be England's chief destroyer in midfield, while Ashley Young or Danny Rose could play at left-back. "We have an idea of the team now," Manchester City's Delph said on Saturday. "We've worked on various systems with different personnel. The team is not guaranteed to be the X1 players we think it might be, there might be changes. "But from the set-up we've done, it's pretty clear to see who is probably going to be starting." Some coaches prefer to keep players guessing, the theory being that uncertainty ensures training sessions stay sharp while nerves have less time ..
Brazil's Neymar "exceptional player", says Switzerland coach
Switzerland head coach Vladimir Petkovic said on Saturday that Brazil's star striker Neymar was "an exceptional player" and it would be "difficult to hold him back" during Sunday's Group E of the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
Germany hope to accomplish 'most difficult feat' - Loew
Germany coach Joachim Loew said there was no greater challenge than defending the World Cup title ahead of the reigning champions' opening game against Mexico on Sunday. No country since Brazil in 1962 has successfully retained the World Cup, with Italy the only other side to win back-to-back trophies, in 1934 and 1938. "It's the most difficult feat and history has demonstrated that, no one in 60 years has done it," Loew told reporters at the Luzhniki Stadium on Saturday. "Teams develop and change, players finish their careers and you must bring in new players which makes it the most difficult achievement." Nine of the players selected by Loew for Russia were part of Germany's title-winning squad four years ago, although the likes of former captain Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose are all gone. "As far as hunger and ambition, it is there," said Loew, whose side will also meet Sweden and South Korea in Group F. "It's palpable and you can sense it is there among ..
Banned Warner set for his maiden CPL stint with St. Lucia
Banned Australian cricketer David Warner, who is currently serving a one-year suspension for his role in ball-tampering scandal, is all set to make his first appearance in the Caribbean Premier League as he has signed a deal with St Lucia for the upcoming edition of the tournament.The left-handed batsmen will replace Australia's D'Arcy Short, who is unavailable for the tournament as he will be travelling with the Australia A squad for their tour to India in August and September.Confirming the news, St. Lucia Stars General Manager, Mohammad Khan, hoped that the New South Wales cricketer would be valuable for the team."We are excited to bring David to the St Lucia Stars. David is arguably one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era and a winning player. He is going to add a lot of value on the field and in the dressing room as we pursue our first title," ESPNcricinfo quoted Warner, as saying.The destructive opener, who was denied the permission to appear in the Indian Premier League ..
Costa Rica, Serbia face-off in battle of underdogs (Preview)
Underdogs Costa Rica and Serbia, both though boasting of experienced footballers, will face-off in a FIFA World Cup Group E clash at the Samara Arena here on Sunday.
Young defender Thangmuansang moves to Neroca FC
FC Pune City and Neroca FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Manipur-born Sebastian Thangmuansang. The 19-year-old has been with the Pune-based club for a while and was a part of the club's junior teams. Having won the IFA Shield in 2017, the young defender was loaned to Chennai City FC in the I-League's last season where he notched up 12 appearances. His performances caught the eye of Neroca FC and the Imphal-based club have now signed the player on a permanent transfer, a media release said today. Gaurav Modwel, CEO of FC Pune City, said, "While there was interest from a couple of I-League clubs, Sebastian's desire was to play for Neroca FC since he hails from Manipur. Our best wishes are with him and I am confident that he will do well for Neroca." Sebastian expressed his delight on making the switch. "I feel it is the right time and the right move for me. I really enjoyed my time at FC Pune Cit. While there was an opportunity to play in the club's reserves
Draxler chuckles at Mexico team's prostitute scandal
Germany midfielder Julian Draxler admitted on Saturday it was "fun to read" reports about a Mexico farewell party involving around 30 prostitutes before the team departed for the World Cup. Nine members of the World Cup squad found themselves caught up in controversy earlier this month after they reportedly partied with the women at a private compound in Mexico City following a recent 1-0 win over Scotland. Mexican officials ruled out sanctions against the players involved because they attended the party in their free time, but the incident echoes similar scandals which have swirled around the Mexico team in recent years. "I don't think the party has any significance on the match," said Draxler, a 2014 World Cup winner, ahead of Germany's Group F opener against Mexico on Sunday. "I don't know the exact details so I don't want to speak too much about it. It was fun to read about it, but I'm not sure what part of it was true. "I'm sure those who are here aren't thinking about partying ..
Only Nigerian lead player can date Russian women, says coach
Having previously announced a ban for his footballers from having sex with the Russian fair sex at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, Nigerian coach Gernot Rorh rushed to specify his words.
World Cup: Brazil under test in campaign opener vs Switzerland
Brazil's position as favourites to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup will be under test when they kick off their campaign against Switzerland here on Sunday.
Dovizioso leads 3rd practice of Catalan GP
Italy's Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) on Saturday led the third free practice of the Catalan Grand Prix in Barcelona, while Spain's MotoGP championship leader Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) missed an automatic Qualifying 2 spot for the first time since 2015.
Saudi Arabia denies punishing players for losing World Cup opener
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has refuted reports about possible reprimands which may await certain members of the kingdoms national football team after the defeat at the FIFA World Cup here.
Germany to start FIFA World Cup campaign vs Mexico (Preview)
Defending champions Germany will kick-off their title defence when they take on Mexico in a Group F match of the FIFA 2018 World Cup at the Luzhniki Stadium here on Sunday.
Belgium defender Ciman returns home from Russia
Belgian defender Laurent Ciman saw his World Cup campaign end before it began on Saturday as he was sent home while the full squad moved from Moscow to Sochi for their 2018 World Cup opener against Panama on Monday.
Results of ninth day races
Results of ninth day races held here today. 1st race: His Majesty Plate - 1400 M. Sakura [KN Dhunjibhoy] 54.5 Sandesh first Orenda 54.5 Imran Khan second Secretive Force 56 Srinath third Radiant Treasure 56 Yash Narredu fourth All Ran Won by: 3-3/4Ls, 3-1/4Ls and 9-1/4Ls Time: One min:27.00 seconds Tote: Rs 48 for win.Rs 14, Rs 17 and Rs 11 for places Favourite : Secretive Force Winner trained by : S Attaollahi Forecast : Rs 270 Quinella : Rs 124 Shp : Rs 40 Thp : Rs 57 Trinalla: 70 pct Rs 366 30 pct Rs 112 Exacta : 70 pct Rs 1,912 30 pct Rs 1,727.
FIFA WC: Pogba's late strike earns World Cup 2-1 win over Australia
An incredible 80th-minute strike by midfielder Paul Pogba ensured 2-1 victory for France over Australia in the nail-biting opening clash of the ongoing 21st edition of the FIFA World Cup at the Kazan Arena here on Saturday.As per the expectations, France started the first few minutes controlling possession, and in less than two minutes, Kylian Mbappe had got a great chance to score a goal, but eventually, it went for a corner.The Didier Deschamps-led side finally made the breakthrough first when Antoine Griezmann took one step and buried the penalty in the right-side netting past a flat-footed Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan in the 58th minute of the match.Just three minutes later, Australian captain Mile Jedinak stepped up and coolly converted the penalty corner into the goal to level the score 1-1.After the equalizer, both sides became much more physical as they anxiously searched for the winner.While Australia failed to convert the free-kick which was awarded to them after 75th ..
Selection dilemma on Rayudu replacement, Rohit set to take YoYo test
The Indian selection committee has its task cut out when it zeroes in on the replacement for Ambati Rayudu's in the Indian One-Day squad for the three-match series against England. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma, who had taken permission from the BCCI to skip the YoYo test on June 15, will appear for the same at the NCA tomorrow. Rohit had taken permission from the BCCI for his personal engagements (he is in Russia as a brand ambassador of a watch company). There's no rule that all tests have to be conducted on the same day. He will be appearing for the YoYo Test tomorrow, GM (cricket Operations) Saba Karim told PTI today. Rayudu's YoYo Test failure has come as a shock for many, especially after his successful IPL campaign (602 runs) with Chennai Super Kings. Rayudu scored a dismal 14 in the test while qualifying mark is 16.1. It has been reliably learnt that team management and selection committee members are "still not on the same page" with regards to Rayudu's possible replacement. At ...
Video Assistant Referee system used for first time in World Cup history
The Video Assistant Referee system was used for the first time in World Cup history on Saturday, when France were awarded a penalty against Australia in Kazan. Antoine Griezmann went down after a tackle in the penalty box in the second half of the Group C fixture. The referee did not award a spot-kick but the VAR officials ruled after a review that it was a penalty and Griezmann gave France a 1-0 lead. Minutes later Australia drew level through a spot-kick of their own although it was awarded by the referee, with Mile Jedinak coolly beating Hugo Lloris. VAR has been used to varying degrees of success in Serie A and the German Bundesliga, while FIFA used the system at the Confederations Cup in Russia last year. FIFA director of referees Massimo Busacca admits the system has been rushed in for the World Cup, but insists officials are ready and VAR will help referees make better decisions in Russia.
Twitter, Instagram set players, coaches on World Cup collision course
England's Raheem Sterling branded himself "The Hated One" after becoming the target of online abuse at Euro 2016 -- exposing the dilemma faced by players who try to connect with fans through social media. Twitter, Instagram and other platforms are a godsend for players cooped up in their hotel rooms at the World Cup but their use represents a modern-day juggling act that can quickly overshadow almost anything that happens on the pitch. In the eyes of many coaches, the use of social media while in Russia is at best a waste of time and at worst can trigger unnecessary controversy. Players who use social media counter that it is a way to communicate more intimately with fans and boost their profiles. England manager Gareth Southgate knows that he cannot ban his squad from using social media -- after all, with hours spent at their training bases or travelling, players will inevitably reach for their phones. But the 47-year-old, an England international before social media was a thing, has
Pique 'surprise' as Barcelona lash out over Griezmann decision
Spain and Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has said he is surprised at criticism of his role in producing a video in which France star Antoine Griezmann announced he was staying at Atletico Madrid. Griezmann caused a stir after appearing in the film on Thursday in which he ended speculation about a possible move to Barcelona by committing to Atletico. Barcelona had made Griezmann, the top scorer at Euro 2016, their top summer transfer target. Barcelona defender Pique's production company, Kosmos Studios, produced the slick film entitled "The Decision". Although France coach Didier Deschamps said Friday he had "no problem" with the timing of Griezmann's announcement, two days before Les Bleus kick off their campaign against Australia in Kazan, the fact Pique played an indirect role in its production has caused controversy in Spain. Pique, however, said: "I was surprised by the reaction in Barcelona. I'm surprised that my involvement and my love for the club (Barcelona) is being placed .
Griezmann hits historic VAR penalty as France squeeze past Australia
Antoine Griezmann scored from the first VAR-assisted penalty awarded in the history of the World Cup as title hopefuls France battled to a 2-1 win over gutsy Australia in Kazan on Saturday. Griezmann, expected to make a huge impact on Russia 2018 after topping the Euro 2016 scorers with six goals, was left frustrated by a solid Socceroos defensive display in a tight first half. The Atletico Madrid star wrote his name into the history books after he went down under a tackle from Josh Rishdon in the penalty box in the second half of the Group C fixture. Referee Andres Cunha from Uruguay did not initially award a spot-kick but after viewing the VAR footage, ruled it was a penalty and Griezmann coolly slotted past Socceroos' goalkeeper Mathew Ryan at the Kazan Arena. But French celebrations were short-lived, Australia captain Mile Jedinak levelling only four minutes later after a clear hand ball by Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti. In a match that saw Didier Deschamps' men frustrated ...