Page 1510 - Sports
FC Pune City retain Marcelinho
FC Pune City have retained their inspirational skipper Marcelinho for the 2018-19 Indian Super League season. One of the top scorers for the club, Brazilian Marcelinho led the team from the front to a historic first semi-finals appearance of the football league in the last season. FC Pune City CEO Gaurav Modwel said, "You can't let go the best you have. In Marcelinho, we not only have an impressive footballer, but also a great team player and leader par excellence". "His performance created a lasting impression on both the club and the fans alike and we are confident he will continue from where he left the last season," Modwel added. During his last outing with FC Pune City Marcelinho scored eight goals in 17 appearances, including a stunning hat-trick against NorthEast United FC. With Emiliano Alfaro also joining the club, announced last week to join FC Pune City, a potent South American partnership will be seen for the second year running, the club said in a ...
Lopetegui's Madrid job won't affect Spain at WC: Del Bosque
Former Spain boss Vicente del Bosque believes Julen Lopetegui is absolutely ready to train Real Madrid and that his new job will not impact his work as the national team coach at the World Cup.The 51-year-old was roped in as Zinedine Zidane's successor at the Real Madrid in a three-year deal and, now he would take over the reins following the World Cup.Reflecting on his appointment, former Spainish coach Del Bosque was delighted to see Madrid turning to another Spanish manager, before backing his countryman to do good job for Spain as well as at the Bernabeu."I always lean towards the Spanish coaches. I think Lopetegui is ready to train Real Madrid. I am convinced that Lopetegui will do the same role, it will not affect him," goal.com quoted Del Bosque, as saying.Earlier, Zidane shocked the football world recently by stepping down as Real Madrid manager just few days after guiding the club to their third Champions League title.The 3-1 win over Liverpool in the high-octane Champions ..
Indian hockey eves begin Spain tour with 0-3 defeat
The opening match of the five-match series between the Indian women's hockey team and Spain saw the hosts register a 3-0 victory here at the Consejo Superior de Deportes Hockey Stadium last evening.It was an evenly-matched encounter between the two teams but the hosts were helped by the efficient finishing shown by Lola Riera (48', 52') and Berta Bonastre (6') whose goals were enough to secure the victory.The opening quarter saw Spain dominate possession and start their campaign well as 26-year-old Berta Bonastre found herself in the right spot to score the opening goal only in the sixth minute.The hosts got in to the rhythm of the match quickly and were looking to add a second goal but India's defence held on throughout the first quarter.The visitors had chances of their own, but could not produce clear goal-scoring opportunities. Skipper Rani had a glorious chance in the 14th minute but her shot ended up going wide.India started the second quarter fairly well as Anupa Barla's shot ..
Hours before kick-off, Russia urges world to focus on WC and shun negativity
The Russian football community has made a fervent appeal to the game's stakeholders, including the globetrotting fans, to "shun negativity" and get behind the country as it geared up to host its maiden FIFA World Cup starting tomorrow. The Russian Football Union's director general, Aleksandr Alaev, urged football fans from across the world to ignore "some critical remarks" on the country hosting the tournament. Asked about an unpleasant comment in a local daily on Russia hosting the mega event, Alaev said, "I don't wish to comment on that, there are only two days left for the start of the World Cup, this is an important event and that's why let's forget about such things. "Let's not make any comment on that at this moment. Let's just unite and join in the efforts to deliver a great World Cup. Let's hope that our Russian national football team will do their best to make an impression." A couple of days ago, students from a top university in Moscow protested the construction of the ...
Delhi Dynamos rope in Bikramjit Singh and Rana Gharami
Delhi Dynamos today strengthened its side for the next Indian Super League season by signing midfielder Bikramjit Singh and defender Rana Gharami. Bikramjit comes on the back of a title-winning campaign with the Chennaiyin FC, while Rana played a pivotal part in helping Mohun Bagan finish third in the I-League apart from a semi-final finish in the inaugural Super Cup. Bikramjit started his career with the Pailan Arrows back in 2010 before moving to Churchill Brothers, where he guided the Goan club to an I-League title in 2012 and then a Federation Cup in 2013-14 season. The 25-year old then moved to Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan where he continued his successful career as he bagged both the I-League and the Federation Cup in successive seasons during his three-year stint with the club. Prior to Chennaiyin FC in the ISL, Bikramjit starred for FC Goa in the first two editions of the tournament, before being roped in by ATK where he was part of the title-winning squad. "This is a club which
Apple brings FIFA World Cup closer to you
As the countdown to the 2018 FIFA World Cup begins, football fans around the world including in India can stay up to date with statistics, scores and updates on their favourite teams across all Apple devices, the company has said.
Need to talk to selectors about preparation after this Test: Rahane
No longer a certainty in the shorter formats, India's stand-in Test captain Ajinkya Rahane today said he will talk to the national selection committee in order to get a clearer picture about his mode of preparation for the upcoming Test series in England. After the one-off Afghanistan Test match, Rahane has nothing to look forward to as he has been dropped from the limited-overs side which is going to UK first. The Test series against England is scheduled to start on August 1 after a limited-overs series featuring three T20 Internationals and an equal number of ODIs beginning July 3. Asked what will he do for the next one and half months, a normally defensive Rahane let his guard down for moment. "See, I don't know what's going to happen after this Test match. But yeah, I will definitely have a word with the selectors," Rahane's indecisiveness was palpable before he again tightened his defences. While there are talks that he might play a few games for India A, there's no official word
Santos forward Rodrygo on Real Madrid radar
Real Madrid are in talks with Santos to sign Brazil under-20 forward Rodrygo, the Brazilian club's president has said.
Iran ready to face Morocco at World Cup
Iran's national football coach Carlos Queiroz said they are completely ready to meet Morocco at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Tehran Times daily reported.
Kabul Express set for 'Test' run in and against India
Statistically, it's a classic David vs Goliath showdown but contextually, it's the beginning of a historic new chapter in international cricket as world No.1 India take on a war-ravaged-but-resilient Afghanistan in their first ever Test match, here tomorrow. While majority of the sports fans, in soul and spirit, will be in Russia enjoying the surreal skills of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the eternal cricket romantic will try to derive his little pleasures of life watching Rashid Khan trying to hurry Shikhar Dhawan with a flipper or bowl a googly to Ajinkya Rahane. There is always a nervous anticipation associated with performance of a new team but the politico-social narrative associated with Afghanistan gives the game a different context. On the surface, it is just another Test match but it is much beyond that. The Rashids, Mujeeb Zadrans and Mohammed Shahzads would like to put their best foot forward in trying to at least provide their countrymen a refuge in sporting ...
Indian women team begn Spain series with 0-3 defeat
In a disappointing start to the series, Indian women team was blanked 0-3 by hosts Spain in the opening match of the five-match series at the Consejo Superior de Deportes Hockey Stadium, here today. It was an evenly matched encounter between the two teams but the hosts were helped by the efficient finishing shown by Lola Riera (48', 52') and Berta Bonastre (6') whose goals were enough to secure the victory. Spain dominated possession in the opening quarter as 26-year-old Bonastre found herself in the right spot to score the opening goal in only the sixth minute. The hosts looked to add a second goal but India's defence held on throughout the first quarter. The visitors had chances of their own, but could not produce clear goal-scoring opportunities. Skipper Rani Rampal had a glorious chance in the 14th minute but her shot ended up going wide. India started the second quarter fairly well as Anupa Barla's shot in the 19th minute was saved by Spanish Goalkeeper Maria Ruiz. The next ...
Ibrahimovic Sweden keeps 'focus' on World Cup: Granqvist
Sweden have moved on from the Zlatan Ibrahimovic era and are focusing only on the World Cup, team captain Andreas Granqvist said after arriving at their Black Sea coast team base. The 36-year-old Swedish icon retired from the national team after Euro 2016 but speculation lingered in the run-up to the squad announcement last month that the former Juventus, AC Milan, Barcelona and Manchester United striker could make an international comeback. "Zlatan has been the best player for Sweden for many years, but after the European Championships he said that he would finish with the international team, we respected his answer," said Granqvist in Gelendzhik after the team's first training session. "We must focus on us, we are here now, the squad that has been selected is the one that will play," the 33-year-old Krasnodar defender told AFP. Granqvist replaced Ibrahimovic as captain, and won the Swedish footballer of the year award in 2017, the first time anyone other than his predecessor won the
Woods, Mickelson face tall task in milestone major quest
World number one Dustin Johnson leads a string of in-form stars out to deny Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson another measure of major magic at the 118th US Open. Woods, whose pursuit of Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major victories has remained stalled at 14 since his 2008 US Open triumph, will put his fused spine and gradually improving game to the test at Shinnecock Hills in the 10th official start of his comeback season. Five-time major winner Mickelson will try to become just the sixth golfer to complete the career Grand Slam in a tournament in which he has settled for second a remarkable, heartbreaking, six times. Mickelson, who turns 48 on Saturday, would become the oldest US Open champion and the second-oldest major winner in history should he pull off the feat. "We're certainly on the back end of our careers," 42-year-old Woods admitted. "We've been going at it for 20-plus years. That's a long time." But Woods and Mickelson remain front and center in the consciousness of golf ...
Video game contest for France supporters during World Cup
France supporters in the West Bengal capital will get a feel of what it's like to be among their own and being in the thick of things, albeit in virtual reality, during the FIFA World Cup which begings in Russia on Thursday.
Markets turn down the volumes when the World Cup starts
LONDON (Reuters) - The World Cup kicks off in Russia on Thursday and investors should be warned that financial markets tend to act like any emotional soccer fan during the matches - they go quiet and nervy and don't like losing.
Indian chess star withdraws from Iran event over headscarf rule
Chess star Soumya Swaminathan denied being part of the Asian Team Chess Championship, to be held in Hamadan, Iran, from July 26 to August 4, because of the compulsory-headscarf rule in the country which she said violated her personal rights.She took to her Facebook page to say, "I find the Iranian law of compulsory Headscarf to be in direct violation of my basic Human Rights including my right to freedom of expression, and right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It seems that under the present circumstances, the only way for me to protect my rights is not to go to Iran."She further said that the religious dress codes should not be imposed on players."I understand the organisers expecting us to wear our National Team Dress or Formals or Sporting attire for our games during official championships, but surely there is no place for an enforceable religious dress code in Sports," she added.Read in detail what Soumya Swaminathan wrote on her Facebook page about her decision."I
Bill introduced to make doping in worldwide events a crime
US lawmakers introduced a bill on Tuesday that would make it a crime to use or distribute performance-enhancing drugs while competing in international sports events. The bill in the House is named after Grigory Rodchenkov, the Russian lab director who blew the whistle on Russian cheating at the Sochi Olympics. Penalties would include fines of up to USD 250,000 for individuals and prison sentences of up to 10 years for those who make, distribute or use banned substances at international events, such as the Olympics. US and foreign athletes would be subject to the law if competing in an event that includes four or more US athletes and other athletes from three or more countries, even if the event is held outside the United States. The bill cites the US contribution to the World Anti-Doping Agency as justification for jurisdiction over events outside American borders. The bill also would expand the timeframe for athletes and corporate sponsors who were cheated to file lawsuits seeking ...
Kevin Pietersen becomes 1st non-Indian to deliver lecture at BCCI event
Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen on Tuesday became the first overseas cricketer to deliver the MAK Pataudi Memorial Lecture at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) awards event here.In the lecture, which has been previously addressed by the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and Farukh Engineer, Pietersen expressed his delight on being chosen to deliver the speech, making him the first non-Indian to do so.Talking to the Afghanistan players attending the awards ahead of their maiden Test match against India, he said, "There are many others infinitely better qualified to describe the social, political and cultural impact of that sporting leap. But I know what it means as a sportsman. Because, in my humble opinion a hard fought five-day test match remains the greatest all-round challenge in modern day sport.""A challenge as mentally demanding as it is physical. A challenge demanding the very highest levels of concentration of technique, of .
Former Saurashtra cricketer Mulubha Jadeja dead
Former Saurashtra batsman Mulubha Jadeja died at his residence here today following age-related complications, family sources said. He was 88. Mulubha, a right-handed batsman, represented Saurashtra and Railways between 1945 and 1964. He played 31 first-class matches, scoring 1,373 runs with an average of 26.92. The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) expressed grief over his demise. "The governing body and everyone at the SCA are saddened by the demise of Saurashtra's prominent yesteryear cricketer Mulubha," SCA media manager Himanshu Shah said in a media release.
UTT to begin on Thursday; captains unveil trophy
Captains of the six teams today unveiled the trophy for the second edition of the Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) that will begin here on June 14. The skippers of the respective teams are Achanta Sharath Kamal (Warriors TTC), Gnanesekaran Sathiyan (Dabang Smashers TTC), Liam Pitchford (Falcons TTC), Simon Gauzy (Empowerji Challengers), Harmeet Desai (RP-SG Mavericks) and Joao Monteiro (Maharashtra United). "UTT has created a platform for Indian players. I was the only undefeated player last season and it gave me the confidence to do well on the world tour," Sathiyan said on his rise in the world rankings from 120 to 44. Pitchford believes the tournament has been equally beneficial to the foreign players. "Last season, it was helpful in dealing with the pressure situations during the World Tour events. So it not just helps Indian players but international players too," he said. After the Pune leg, UTT will be held in Delhi from June 20-25, before the final leg in Kolkata from