Page 625 - Sports
South Korean defender Kim Min Jae joins Beijing Guoan
South Korean defender Kim Min Jae has completed his move from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to Beijing Guoan, the Chinese Super League side announced here on Tuesday.
Carlos Tevez set to retire this year
Former Argentina international forward Carlos Tevez has revealed that he plans to retire at the end of 2019, bringing an end to a professional career that has spanned almost two decades.
Sri Lanka call up uncapped fast bowler for Australia Test
Uncapped right arm fast bowler Chamika Karunaratne has been picked by Sri Lanka to replace injured Lahiru Kumara in the Test squad as the visitors bid to level the series in Canberra. Australia thrashed Sri Lanka by an innings and 40 runs in the first Test in Brisbane on Saturday. That was a major boost for the Australian team, which recently lost a Test series to India for the first time on home soil. But Sri Lanka, who recently lost a series 3-0 against New Zealand, now face the unenviable prospect of being swept again. In another injury blow, Sri Lanka Cricket said Dushmantha Chameera -- who injured his left ankle while bowling during the first Test -- had been ruled out of the second and final Test starting Friday. Both bowlers are now returning home, the selectors said in a statement.
Rayo beat Alaves to climb out of La Liga drop zone
Raul de Tomas's goal early in the second half gave visiting Rayo Vallecano a 1-0 win over Alaves to lift the Madrid side out of the La Liga relegation zone.
'Goooal!': Brazil mother narrates games for blind son
A passionate Brazilian football fan has drawn nationwide attention for narrating her local team's soccer matches live to her blind and autistic son. Silvia Grecco and her son Nickollas, 12, have become minor celebrities for the Sao Paulo team Palmeiras after the mother was spotted on TV last year narrating one of their matches from the stands. "I describe details: this player is wearing short sleeves, the color of their football boots, hair color," Grecco, 56, told AFP during a recent game between Palmeiras and Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto. Nickollas jumped up and down with friends at the right moments during the match, in unison with the thousands of other enraptured fans wearing the club's dark green shirts. "My narrating is something of my emotions. I'm not a professional," said Grecco. "Everything I see and feel, I tell him, even when I need to curse the referee!" It is not the first time disabled fans have caused a social media sensation simply by following the sports they ...
Liverpool dish out new deals to ensure sustained success
Liverpool are working to ensure this season's Premier League title push is not a one-off as they lay the foundations for continued success after struggling in recent years to sustain a challenge. Within 20 months of running a Manchester United side containing Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney close in 2008/09, the core of the side built by Rafa Benitez had been dismantled by the departures of Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres. Five years ago, after the goals of Luis Suarez propelled Liverpool to the verge of the title, the Uruguayan packed his bags for Barcelona at the end of the season. Just a year ago Philippe Coutinho forced his way out of Anfield to join Suarez in Catalonia. After receiving a 142 million (USD 187 million) transfer fee for the Brazilian, Liverpool bought goalkeeper Alisson Becker and dominant defender Virgil van Dijk. Now they are investing heavily in keeping together the squad they have assembled. Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane ...
Robben mulling Tokyo move after Bayern exit: reports
Superstar Dutch winger Arjen Robben is lining up a move to J-League outfit FC Tokyo after he leaves Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, local media reported on Tuesday. The 35-year-old has already confirmed he is leaving Bayern at the end of the season after a glittering career that saw him win seven Bundesliga titles and nearly 100 caps for the Netherlands. If confirmed, it would be the latest high-profile transfer to the Japanese league, after Spanish World Cup winner Andres Iniesta and German striker Lukas Podolski joined Vissel Kobe. Iniesta's World Cup winning teammate Fernando Torres is also playing at J-League rival Sagan Tosu. The Sports Nippon daily said there was a "rapidly emerging" chance of Robben playing in Japan next season. "Robben's family, who are believed to have a big say (in his decision), seem positive about coming to Japan," it said. "Several Japanese clubs are interested but FC Tokyo are close to clinching his signature," the paper quoted anonymous sources as ...
Nothing else but cricket can make people smile in Afghanistan: Rashid Khan
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan said that cricket has "changed everything" in the country over the last few years and that nothing makes people happier than watching their team doing well in cricket matches.Afghanistan, who have been placed in Group 2 along with teams like India, England and South Africa for the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup, had played in the prestigious tournament for the first time in 2010. Since then, they have shown significant improvement in their performance."It feels good. People back home, they love cricket. It has changed everything in the country in the last five-six years. The young generation … everyone's following cricket, they love it. It means a lot that Afghanistan is participating in the World Cup," ICC quoted Rashid, as saying."(The fans) are loving it. They love the sport, they love cricket. (We players) just try and give 100% in each and every competition. Everywhere, we try our best to give something to the people back home. I know what is ...
Sanabria debuts and completes Genoa's 3-1 victory against Empoli
Paraguay's Tonny Sanabria completed a 3-1 win for Genoa in his first match after joining from Spain's Real Betis, placing his team in the thirteenth place. This was the final match of the twenty first round of the Italian Serie A football in Empoli.
Mandhana stars again in Indian women's series-clinching win against NZ
Opener Smriti Mandhana led the chase for India with familiar panache after a feisty bowling performance that steered the side to a series-clinching eight-wicket triumph over New Zealand in the second one-dayer here Tuesday. Opting to field, India produced an excellent effort to bowl out New Zealand for a paltry 161 in 44.2 overs before player of the match Mandhana (90 not out) and skipper Mithali Raj (63 not out) stitched a 151-run unbroken third-wicket stand to guide the team to an easy win. The duo resurrected the Indian run chase from 15 for 2 after the early loss of opener Jemimah Rodrigues (0) and Deepti Sharma (8). "It feels great but I think our bowlers deserved the player of the match award more than me. I will give it away to our bowlers, they did a great job to restrict New Zealand on a good wicket," Mandhana said in the post-match presentation. The 22-year-old Mandhana has been in excellent form in recent times and Tuesday's half century was her eighth in the last 10 ODI ...
India women beat New Zealand in 2nd ODI, clinch series
The Indian women's cricket team defeated New Zealand by eight wickets in the second ODI to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series here Tuesday. Brief Scores: New Zealand Women: 161 all out in 44.2 overs (Amy Satterthwaite 71, Jhulan Goswami 3/23). India Women: 166/2 in 35.2 overs (Smriti Mandhana 90 not out, Mithali Raj 63 not out, Lea Tahuhu 1/16).
Kylian Mbappe donates $34,000 to find missing Argentine footballer
French World Cup star Kylian Mbappe has donated an amount of $34,000 to a crowdfunding campaign aimed at funding a private search mission to find Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala who went missing after the plane he was travelling in dropped off the radar over the English Channel, last week.The campaign was launched in response to authorities' decision to call off the search operation. Many famous footballers like Adrien Rabiot of Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille's Dmitri Payet have donated a sizeable amount to support the initiative, CNN reported.There is no trace of the aircraft, the pilot or the passenger until now, ever since the plane disappeared.Sala had just signed a record USD 19 million deal with Cardiff City and was supposed to join the training. He had gone to Nantes, to bid farewell to his former teammates, and was on his way to Cardiff when the incident occurred.Devastated fans have been paying their tribute to the promising footballer, with many lining outside the ...
Wasim Akram backs Sarfaraz as Pakistan captain for World Cup
Former Pakistan pacer Wasim Akram has backed wicket-keeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed to be at the helm of the team till the World Cup.Akram said that with very less time to go for the World Cup, there is no better alternative available to replace Sarfaraz."We no longer have the time to change the captain. Sarfraz is a passionate captain and also there is no alternative choice available," The Express Tribune quoted Akram, as saying.Sarfaraz is handed over a four-match suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) following his racial remarks against South African pacer Andile Phehlukwayo during their second ODI in Durban.Following the ban, Sarfaraz was called back to Pakistan by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Akram said that decision to call Sarfaraz back is not a good one adding that the right-hand batsman has admitted his mistake and that he "won't repeat such a thing in future"."Sarfaraz made a mistake but he admitted it and hopefully won't repeat such a thing in the future.
Kvitova hails end to Grand Slam issues at Australian Open
Australian Open finalist Petra Kvitova hailed the end of her Grand Slam bad luck -- and of a two-year transition following a knife attack that almost ended her career. Having played only two Grand Slam quarter-finals since her Wimbledon triumph in 2014, Kvitova joked last year that she might as well quit playing at the top four events. This year's Australian Open offered a different picture of the left-handed Czech who did not lose a single set on her way to the final in which she lost to Japan's Naomi Osaka in three sets on Saturday. "I'm glad it was only a joke, that it didn't happen," the 28-year-old, who also won Wimbledon in 2011, told reporters in Prague. "I guess it's a compensation for last year which wasn't the best when it comes to Grand Slams," added Kvitova, who in 2018 reached the last-32 phase at the French and US Open, bowing out of the Australian Open and Wimbledon at the first hurdle. "I wasn't too happy after the loss but now the positive things prevail," said the ...
Ronaldo v Zapata: Juventus tackle Atalanta in Coppa Italia
Cristiano Ronaldo locks horns again with Colombian ace Duvan Zapata as Juventus travel to Atalanta on Wednesday with a Coppa Italia semi-final berth at stake. Juventus have won the last four editions of the competition -- sealing a record 18th last season by beating AC Milan in the final. But their path towards another title after lifting the Italian Super Cup this month could be hampered by quarter-final opponents Atalanta. Zapata scored a double against Juventus as the side from Bergamo held the champions to a 2-2 draw in Serie A on December 26. The league leaders had travelled to Bergamo with Ronaldo on the bench but were forced to call on the Portuguese star after a Zapata brace threatened their unbeaten run this season. Both Ronaldo and Zapata are in form having scored 15 goals in Serie A so far, and are vying for top scorer. Ronaldo slotted in the penalty that gave Juventus a hard-fought 2-1 win over Lazio on Sunday. In Bergamo, Zapata missed a penalty but less than a minute ...
Solskjaer says trophies more important than top four for Man United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says trophies are more important for Manchester United than a top-four finish as he targets success in two cup competitions over the second half of the season. A run of eight successive victories to start his caretaker reign at the club has transformed a campaign that appeared to be heading nowhere under his predecessor Jose Mourinho. United are still in the FA Cup and Champions League, while vastly improved league form now has the Reds looking at a potential best-case scenario of finishing third in the Premier League. Tottenham's Mauricio Pochettino, still in the frame to become United's eventual long-term manager, has claimed a top-four finish and Champions League football is his club's primary target and not silverware. But Solskjaer, who won many trophies at Old Trafford as a player under Alex Ferguson, has other aims. "I am not here to discuss what Pochettino says and what other managers say but we are about winning trophies, of course we are," said ...
India to begin Women's T20 World Cup against defending champion Australia
Indian women's cricket team will start their campaign at the 2020 T20 World Cup against hosts and defending champion Australia on February 21.The final match of the tournament will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 8 which also marks the International Women's Day. This presents a groundbreaking opportunity to set a new world record for attendance at a women's sporting fixture.An opening ceremony will mark the start of the women's tournament when India take on Australia at Sydney Showground Stadium followed by matches against a qualifier, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Group A.The Group B teams include England, South Africa, West Indies, Pakistan and a qualifying team which is not confirmed yet.The tournament will be held across Australia in eight host cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth. The semi-final of the Women's World T20 will be held on March 5 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.For the first time, the women's and men's T20 World Cups will be held as .
ISL: Jamshedpur hold Goa to a hard-fought 0-0 draw
FC Goa were frustrated in their efforts to clinch all three points at home by a resilient yet, dangerous Jamshedpur FC team, who put in a defensive masterclass at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here to end the match in a 0-0 draw in an Indian Super League (ISL) tie on Monday.
PWL: Anita stars in Punjab Royals' win over UP Dangal
Punjab Royals' Anita upset Asian Championships gold medallist Navjot Kaur in the women's 62kg category to clinch the match against UP Dangal and move to top of the table in the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) Season 4 here on Monday.
Real Kashmir stake claim for title with 1-0 victory over Chennai City
In a highly competitive fixture between the league leaders and the snow leopards, home favourites Real Kashmir FC registered a historic 1-0 victory over Chennai City FC in the I-League on Monday.With the mega win, Kashmir are now two points short of the leaders Chennai in the joint second place with Churchill Brothers, who are set to face the snow leopards in their next match.A scintillating match was evenly poised till the 82nd minute when the Ivorian forward Gnohere Krizo nailed the goal with a perfect header.The match kicked off with some real attacking display of football by the visiting team. Chennai held the fort and managed to fend off Kashmir's early raids. In the 13th minute, the hosts almost took the lead when a goal-mouth melee from a corner saw the ball go wide by a few inches and into the side-netting.Seven minutes later, Chennai threatened the hosts' goal for the first time when goalkeeper Bilal Khan failed to collect a Sandro Rodriguez free kick. To the relief of Bilal,