Page 1521 - Sports
Kenya's Korikwiang shakes off injury, targeting Africa championships
Two-time World Military Games champion Pauline Korikwiang of Kenya has returned from injury and aims to peak in time to make the Kenya team to the Africa Championships.
Women's Asia Cup: Bangladesh pip India to win maiden title
Indian women faced abject humiliation after Bangladesh beat the six-time champions by three wickets to win their maiden Asia Cup trophy here today. The tournament turned out to be the most embarrassing for the 'Women in Blue' as they lost to the minnows twice inside a week. The tournament also raised a big question mark about the utility of two veterans Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami in the shortest format even as the BCCI is forced to carry on with them due to lack of credible replacements. Needing two off the last delivery of the match, Jahanara Alam hit rival skipper Harmanpreet Kaur towards deep mid-wicket and scampered home for a double to chase down a modest target of 113. For India, it was Harmanpreet (56 off 42 balls, 2/19) and leg-spinner Poonam Yadav (4/9), who put up a semblance of fight as a below-par batting effort once again became their undoing. Bangladesh skipper Salma Khatun decided to field and none of the Indian batters save Harmapreet (seven boundaries) looked ...
Cricket: India lose to Bangladesh in women's Asia Cup final
Six-time defending champions India suffered a three-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in the final of the Women's Asia Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament at the Kinrara Academy Oval here on Sunday.
Colombia full-back Fabra to miss World Cup
Colombia international full-back Frank Fabra has been ruled out of the World Cup in Russia after suffering a serious knee injury, the Colombian Football Federation (FCF) said.
France's Mbappe plays down injury scare
France forward Kylian Mbappe made light of the "knock" he picked up in the team's 1-1 draw with the United States in their final World Cup warm-up.
Vettel snags pole position for Canadian Grand Prix
German Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel secured pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix, the seventh race of the Formula One season.
FIFA unveils VAR operations room ahead of World Cup
FIFA has presented the World Cup's video assistant referee (VAR) operations room, which will make its debut at the tournament's 21st edition in Russia.
Mexico lose to Denmark in final pre-World Cup friendly
Mexico ended its preparations for the World Cup in Russia on a sour note with a 2-0 loss here to Denmark.
Spain struggle against Tunisia but pull off 1-0 win
Spain wrapped up their preparations for the 2018 World Cup here with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tunisia, getting a late goal by substitute Iago Aspas in what was La Roja's worst performance under head coach Julen Lopetegui.
Uruguay focused on first game against Egypt as team departs for Russia
Uruguay's captain Diego Godin said the players were focused on their first game against Egypt as the national team flew out from Montevideo for the FIFA World Cup in Russia, which kicks off on June 14.
Australia beat Hungary in last World Cup dress rehearsal
Australia churned out an unconvincing 2-1 win against Hungary here, as the Socceroos played their final warm up game before heading to the World Cup in Russia.
UTT had role in paddlers' historic CWG show: Vita Dani
Indian table tennis delivered its best ever Commonwealth Games performance in Gold Coast and the one season old professional league Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) can claim a tiny bit of credit for it, says the event's owner Vita Dani. Last year, table tennis joined the long list of sports including cricket, football, and badminton to invest in a professional league. Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) became the first professional TT league in India and saw Indian paddlers compete with several world-class players. "I wouldn't want to take away the full credit from the players for their CWG performance as at the end of the day it was their hard work. We just made an additional platform for them to compete and I think it definitely helped in increasing the confidence level," Dani told PTI. India topped the TT medal chart at the Gold Coast, claiming three gold, two silver and three bronze medals with Manika Batra doing the star turn, picking up two gold, a silver, and a bronze. "To get the ...
Dicey England batting gives India chance to win Test series: Ian Chappell
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell feels that India have the best opportunity to win the five Test series against England, exposing the multiple chinks in the home team's armoury. "There's a rare opportunity beckoning for India - the chance to beat both England and Australia in away Test series. England are in a state of flux after a devastating loss at Lord's and then a less-than-convincing win over the predictably inconsistent Pakistan at Headingley," Chappell wrote in his column for the ESPN Cricinfo. Chappell listed a number of weaknesses in the England line-up from Alastair Cook's performance suffering due to not having a stable opening partner to predictability in their pace attack which comprise only right-arm pacers. Not to forget spinner off-spinner Dom Bess' inexperience. "England's top-order collapses are now a regular occurrence, which is not surprising when both opening positions are under a cloud. If it weren't for the fact that Alastair Cook's numerous partners have .
Lyon cancel dealings with Liverpool over Fekir transfer
Lyon ended negotiations with Liverpool on Saturday over the possible transfer of forward Nabil Fekir to the Premier League club. "Nabil Fekir is staying at Lyon... pending other propositions," said Lyon in a statement, just hours after the president of the French football federation (FFF) claimed Fekir had undergone a Liverpool medical. "The three-way negotiations with Liverpool and Nabil Fekir for the transfer of the Lyon captain have not succeeded and Lyon have decided to end these negotiations tonight (Saturday) at 8pm," added the Ligue 1 club in their statement. The latest development in the on-off transfer saga came after FFF chief Noel Le Graet had earlier said: "Nabil Fekir is in the process of being transferred." That came just a day after Lyon branded reports of the pending deal as "fake news". British and French media have been reporting for several days that the 24-year-old, who is part of France's World Cup squad, was on the verge of joining Liverpool for 60-70 million ...
Colombian full-back Fabra out of World Cup with knee injury
Colombia defender Frank Fabra has been ruled out of a maiden World Cup with a serious knee injury hours before the South Americans were scheduled to travel to their team base in Kazan, the Colombian football federation said on Saturday. The Boca Juniors left-back suffered a "ruptured anterior cruciate ligament" (ACL) in his left knee during a training session in Italy, the federation said in a statement. "I fought, I worked hard and tried to get better... but now my heart is broken into a million little pieces," Fabra lamented in a message on his Instagram account. According to medical experts, Fabra's recovery will take bertween four and six months. Fabra will be replaced in Jose Pekerman's squad "in the coming hours" by one of Colombia's reserve players -- most likely to be left-sided defender Farid Diaz, who plays for Olimpia in Paraguay. Colombia will start their Group H campaign against Japan on June 19 in Saransk before then facing Poland and Senegal.
Paris, Jun 10 (AFP) Results from friendly international World Cup warm-up matches on Saturday:
Results from friendly international World Cup warm-up matches on Saturday: At Budapest (Hungary): Hungary 1 (Sainsbury o.g. 88) Australia 2 (Arzani 74, Kadar o.g. 90+2) At Tallinn (Estonia): Estonia 1 (Purje 76) Morocco 3 (Belhanda 11, Ziyech 38, En-Nesyri 72) At Graz (Serbia): Serbia 5 (Mitrovic 4, 23, 67, Ljajic 19, Ivanovic 42) Bolivia 1 (Campos 47) At Gothenburg (Sweden): Sweden 0 Peru 0 At Brondby (Denmark): Denmark 2 (Poulsen 71, Eriksen 74) Mexico 0 At Krasnodar (Russia): Spain 1 (Aspas 83) Tunisia 0 At Lyon (France): France 1 (Mbappe 78) USA 1 (Green 45).
Spain fail to impress in narrow Tunisia victory
Spain laboured to a narrow 1-0 victory over Tunisia in an underwhelming World Cup warm-up in Krasnodar on Saturday. The 2010 champions remain unbeaten under coach Julen Lopetegui, who took over 20 matches ago after the Roja's elimination from Euro 2016 in the last 16 at the hands of Italy. Iago Aspas scored the only goal against fellow World Cup qualifiers Tunisia seven minutes from the end. But Lopetegui's search for a consistent centre-forward was made no clearer despite a solid showing from Brazil-born Diego Costa. The Atletico Madrid forward set up Aspas's winner and was a nuisance throughout for the Africans' defenders. Spain dominated the ball but allowed Tunisia some good scoring chances. Spain begin their Group B campaign against European champions Portugal on June 15 while Tunisia face England in Group G three days later.
Pogba improves but France held 1-1 by US
Paul Pogba put in an improved performance but France looked flat in a 1-1 World Cup warm-up draw against the United States in Lyon on Saturday. Julian Green gave the US, who failed to make it to Russia, the lead on the stroke of half-time but teenage starlet Kylian Mbappe equalised for the hosts. Pogba had been jeered a week ago in a 3-1 victory over Italy but it was his pass that teed up Mbappe to save face for the Euro 2016 finalists in a match they were expected to win. With perhaps one eye on their opening World Cup clash against Australia, 2-1 winners over Hungary earlier in the day, on June 16, France were pedestrian for long periods. "We lacked a bit of juice. But we created enough chances to win," said coach Didier Deschamps on TF1. "But that's the way it goes, against a young United States team that was very generous, who didn't leave us a lot of space and tried to defend well." Crucially, though, Pogba battled hard defensively, took charge offensively and played some clever .
Egypt fans pin hopes on injured Salah for World Cup glory
Encircled by expectant cheers of Egyptian fans, Mohamed Salah appeared at the Pharaohs' final pre-World Cup training session and kindled hopes he can overcome injury to aid Egypt's first shot at the tournament in nearly three decades. Liverpool's star striker, who is recovering from a shoulder injury that saw him crash out of the Champions League final, strolled around the Cairo pitch talking to colleagues and supporters, but did not take part in the team's last late night practice before heading to Russia. Horns blasted, snack-sellers hollered and chants of "Come Salah, Come Salah!" rang through the capital's stadium, crowded by thousands of fans keen to encourage their team ahead of their first World Cup appearance since 1990. Salah, who hit a stunning 44 goals for Liverpool last season following his move from Roma, is the linchpin of Egyptian hopes in Russia. He has been picked for the World Cup squad despite having been forced out of the Liverpool's 3-1 Champions League final ...
Former heavyweight champion Fury wins on boxing comeback
Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury forced Sefer Seferi to quit after four rounds of a comfortable comeback on Saturday. The Englishman ended a two-year seven-month exile with an untroubled win over Albania's Switzerland-based Seferi in a non-title bout at the Manchester Arena. Fury extended his unbeaten record to 26 wins, 19 by knockout, while Seferi suffered his second defeat in 25 fights. "I felt fantastic, it was like having my debut again," Fury said in the ring. "I've had a long time out the ring and I needed some rounds, so I was taking my time. The calibre of opponents will keep on rising. I will be better next time." After the layoff, during which he put on eight stones and suffered from depression, Fury showed he is still in business but it was not fluent until he began swatting his considerably smaller and lighter opponent around the ring in the fourth round. Seferi was seven inches shorter and nearly five stones lighter than Fury, who used his reach and height to .