Page 764 - Sports
Benitez return a memory of Christmas past for Liverpool
Rafa Benitez's return to Anfield on Boxing Day is likely to stir memories of an unsuccessful Liverpool challenge for the Premier League title, but Jurgen Klopp is trying to focus on the present. Klopp's Liverpool hold a four-point lead at the top of the table as Benitez, the club's manager between 2004 and 2010, visits with his relegation-threatened Newcastle United side on Wednesday. There is a strong sense this could be the season that the English league trophy comes to Anfield for the first time since 1990, although recent history is offering mixed messages as to whether that will happen. First, the good news for Liverpool: In eight of the past 10 seasons, the leaders on Christmas Day have gone on to win the Premier League. Now, the bad news: On the two occasions it did not happen, the Christmas leaders were Liverpool. In 2008/09, Manchester United won the title; in 2013/14 it was Manchester City. The late collapse to miss out in 2014 was perhaps the more immediately painful ...
Guardiola in new territory with English title fight
Pep Guardiola ends the calendar year with his Manchester City side embroiled in what has suddenly become a thrilling title race for the first time in his Premier League managerial career. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss, seven times a league champion in the three countries in which he has managed, takes City to Leicester on Boxing Day trailing leaders Liverpool by four points. There is also now unexpected pressure beneath him, with Tottenham's superb 6-2 win at Everton having hauled Mauricio Pochettino's talented side to within two points of City. It is a far cry from last season when, after 18 games, City held a commanding 11-point lead over second-placed Manchester United and were already, in the eyes of most pundits, as good as champions. Twelve months earlier, in Guardiola's first season in English football, City were seven points behind leaders Chelsea at the corresponding stage but in the middle of a run of poor form which would eventually see them end the season in .
Rising Son now a Spurs star
If Tottenham Hotspur's comprehensive defeat of Everton confirmed their standing as genuine contenders in the Premier League title race, it also underlined the value of Son Heung-min to Mauricio Pochettino's side. The South Korea international was outstanding in the 6-2 victory at Goodison Park and will again be expected to exert his influence when Spurs attempt to apply further pressure on Liverpool and Manchester City when they face Bournemouth at Wembley on Wednesday. Yet while Son's emergence as one of the Premier League's most effective forwards this season has strengthened the belief that Pochettino's side can push the top two all the way, his form also highlights the potential impact of his absence when he departs for the AFC Asian Cup in January. Spurs have already moved to limit the effect of the tournament by negotiating with the Korea Football Association that Son should be allowed to join up with international team-mates in the United Arab Emirates following the London ...
Marotta rings the changes as crisis-hit Inter tackle Napoli
Inter Milan's new CEO Giuseppe Marotta has begun to ring the changes at crisis-hit Inter Milan with the axe falling on Belgian bad boy Radja Nainggolan who has been suspended for disciplinary reasons by the club despite Wednesday's key Serie A game against Napoli looming. Marotta arrived at the Chinese-owned Italian club from Juventus this month after an eight-year spell during which the Turin giants won seven Serie A titles and four Italian Cups. And the 61-year-old Marotta wants to turn the clock back for Inter whose best decade, culminating with the treble of Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup crowns under Jose Mourinho in 2010, has been followed by the worst. Nainggolan was suspended after again turning up late to training on Sunday following the team's demoralising 1-1 draw against bottom club Chievo. The heavily-tattooed 30-year-old was also dropped by previous club Roma in January after posting an Instagram video of himself drinking, smoking and swearing at a New Year's .
PBL: Awadhe Warriors beat Pune7Aces 4-3
Ashwini Ponappa and Christiansen Mathias romped toa 15-8, 11-15, 15-12 victory over the rivals Vladmir Ivanov and Line Hjmark Kjaersfeldt in the mixed doubles match to hand their team Awadhe Warriors 4-3 win against Pune7Aces in the Premier Badminton League (PBL) here. The scores were levelled at 3-3 before the mixed doubles game and then under pressure the duo of Ponappa and Mathias won the close game to hand Pune their second successive loss of the tournament. Pune7Aces had lost their opening tie against Hyderabad Hunters on Saturday. Ponappa and Mathias were tested in their match by the Punes mixed doubles pair, but in the end the duo held their nervous to come out triumphant despite losing the second game. Earlier, reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin and rising Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen brought Pune7Aces into contention after they overcame their respective opponents of Awadhe Warriors. Before Marins and Sens matches, Pune7Aces were trailing 0-3, but then Marin
BCCI-PCB dispute: Najam Sethi to take legal action against Sheharyar Khan
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has said that he intends to take legal action against his predecessor Sheharyar Khan for holding him responsible for the financial loss that the cricket board suffered after the International Cricket Council's Disputes Resolution Committee rejected its compensation claim in a case that they had filed against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).The PCB had filed a complaint against the BCCI for not playing the bilateral series between 2015 and 2023 despite signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Pakistan board lost the legal battle when ICC-appointed Dispute Panel dismissed their claims. Khan had reportedly blamed Sethi for all the financial losses that the board suffered following the ICC decision.Taking to his Twitter handle, Sethi said that Khan's claim that he took a unilateral decision to proceed against the BCCI for violating a contract with the PCB is "utterly false" and "malicious.""Ex-Chairman PCB ..
PBL: Marin, Sen bring Pune7Aces back into contention against
Reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin and rising Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen brought Pune7Aces into contention after they overcame their respective opponents of Awadhe Warriorsin the Premier Badminton League (PBL) here Monday. Before Marins and Sens matches, Pune7Aces were trailing 0-3, but then Marin and Sen won their respective womens singles and second mens singles matches to level the scores to 3-3. While Marin overcame her opponent Beiwen Zhang in straight sets (15-13, 15-9), Sen got better of his South Korean rival Dong Keun Lee, who is world ranked 27th also in straight sets (15-11, 15-8). Also Marins match was Punes trump match and her win meant that their side got the much-needed two points. Marin, who had lost her first game of the tournament against P V Sindhu, was under pressure to perform. But the only woman to win the World Championships thrice, the Spanish shuttler meant business and routed Zhang after trailing 7-9 in the first game. Marin then raised ..
Pune 7 Aces register first win in PBL
World champion Carolina Marin had to find a special gear against 2018 India Open champion Beiwen Zhang to help Pune 7 Aces earn their first points in the fourth edition of the Premier Badminton League at the NSCI Dome here on Monday.
Magaña leads Herediano to 27th Costa Rican league title
Mexican forward Aldo Magaña scored a second-half goal for Herediano, leading the club to a 3-2 win over Saprissa and its 27th Costa Rican league title over the weekend.
A series victory against Aussies can consolidate India's position in Test ranking
Indian cricket team stands a chance of making big gains in terms of International Cricket Council (ICC) Test ranking if they manage to register a 3-1 victory over Australia in their ongoing four-match series.Top-ranked India, who currently enjoy an eight-point lead over number two England, will end the series against Australia at 111 points with a 3-1 series loss but will go up to 118 points with a 3-1 series win. Currently, the series is leveled at 1-1.The ICC Test ranking scenario is interestingly poised with India currently playing in Australia, New Zealand engaged in a series against Sri Lanka and now South Africa getting set for a Boxing Day opening to their three Tests against Pakistan.All three series have a bearing on the top five positions, with South Africa having the advantage of knowing what they can reap rewards in home conditions. Currently placed third, South Africa have a chance to leapfrog England to second place but also face the danger of being overtaken by their ...
Arjun Bhati wins US Kids Jr Golf World Championship
India's Arjun Bhati bagged the first position against Americas Aksel Moe during the three-level final match in the US Kids Junior Golf World Championship in Malaysia, it was announced on Monday.
Tennis tournaments for juniors in Chennai organised
: Match Point Tennis Academy here is organising a series of tournaments for juniors here in an effort to provide an opportunity to young players. The first of the tourneys got underway Monday with the first-round matches in the boys and girls in the under-14 category. Former India Davis Cup player and Tamil Nadu Tennis Association president Vijay Amritraj, speaking at the launch of the tournaments, highlighted the importance of conducting such events for the juniors. Lauding MPTA for the initiative, he said this would encourage the children to perform at the highest-level and added that the TNTA is also taking efforts to organise events in the state. Former Davis Cup player Ramesh Krishnan, who also owns Krishnan Tennis Centre, where MPTA functions, welcomed the efforts by the academy to conduct tournaments for juniors. The first tournament for Under-14s is being held in memory of noted city-based tennis coach Robin Manfred. MPTA founder Rajiv Naidu said the other ...
Manav-led PSPB start favourites for Youth TT crown
The presence of Manav Thakkar should reassure PSPB of being the favourite team to lift the trophy in the 80th Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships which begins at the DPS Hall here on Tuesday.
Chinese head coach: I have confidence for FIFA World Cup
"The more I know about women's football, the greater pressure I could feel," says Jia Xiuquan, head coach of the Chinese women's football team.
Mukund cracks unbeaten 111, leads TN fightback against HP
Abhinav Mukund made an unbeaten 111 Monday to lead Tamil Nadu's fightback after conceding a first innings lead of 236 runs to Himachal Pradesh on the third day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'B' match here. In their second outing, TN were 178 for 2. On the way to his ton, Mukund onsurpassed Sridharan Sharath (6597) as the highest run-scorer for Tamil Nadu in Ranji Trophy. His knock kept the team in the hunt after conceding a massive lead. Mukund's knock has 16 boundaries. Earlier, Himachal resuming at the overnight 240 for 5, added 223 runs with Ankit Kalsi moving from 99 to 144 not out. Rishi Dhawan could score only four more runs after resuming at 71 but the lower order helped the centurion extend the team's lead. For Tamil Nadu, left-arm paceman T Natarajan finished with five for 122. HP were dismissed for 463 in 116.2 overs. Beginning the second innings with a huge deficit, the visitors suffered an early setback when Dinesh Karthik pushed up the order, was sent ...
For me, it's a challenge to start a new season: Nadal
Spanish tennis ace Rafael Nadal has had a roller coaster ride in the year 2018. On the one hand, he lifted the coveted French Open trophy for the record eleventh time and on the other hand, he had to pull out of nine events throughout the year due to injuries.The 32-year-old, however, asserted that he always enjoy the challenge of making a comeback after injuries, adding that starting a new season is going to be a similar kind of test for him."I enjoy the fact that for me, it's a challenge, always, to be back again after a tough period of time because of injuries. For me, it's a challenge to start a new season," CNN quoted Nadal, as saying."We try things and we work on new things. And at the end of the day, you need to go on court every day with the passion to improve something, and with the motivation to keep on going," he added.Terming the year 2018 as "good", the seventeen times Grand Slam champion said that finishing the year as world number two and winning a Grand Slam title is a
Olympic champ Kipchoge epitomizes Kenya's dominance in athletics
Kenya once more proved its prowess in track and field. As the curtain draws on the eventful 2018 season, one of the biggest stars that captured the country's performance was of Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge.
Kenya's Kipruto eyes Xiamen Marathon title after poor show in 2018
Former world marathon silver medallist Vincent Kipruto will lead Kenya's charge at the Xiamen International Marathon in China on January 6.
Mishra spins Delhi to nine-wicket win over MP
Left-arm spinner Vikas Mishra yet again tormented Madhya Pradesh batsmen with a six-wicket haul as Delhi thumped the visitors by nine wickets for their first victory of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, here Monday. The 25-year-old Mishra, who had taken six wickets in the first innings as well, finished with career-best match figures of 12 for 71 to help Delhi bundle out Madhya Pradesh for just 157 run in 64.3 overs on the third day of their Elite Group B fixture. The hosts needed to score just 29 runs without losing wicket to claim the win with a bonus point but lost opener Kunal Chandela (6) two runs short of the target to settle for six points. Hiten Dalal (15) and Dhruv Shorey completed the win in 6.4 overs. Delhi will next take on Bengal in an away match from December 30. The visitors resumed at seven for none and their inexperienced openers -- Aryaman Birla (32) and Anand Bais (46) -- put up a fighting 83-run stand but once left-arm pacer Kulwant Khejroliya snared the former, it .
Dhoni makes a comeback in Indian T20 squad
After being dropped from India's T20 squad against West Indies and Australia, former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has made a comeback in the limited-overs team for their upcoming three-match series against New Zealand. The development came as the All-India Senior Selection Committee announced the national squad for ODI and T20 series against Australia and New Zealand.The omission of the 37-year-old from India's recent T20I series came as a surprise to many and a lot of cricket veterans had criticised the decision as well.However, Indian captain Virat Kohli, while talking about Dhoni's exclusion, had maintained that wicket-keeper batsman is an "integral" part of the team but in T20 format "someone like Rishabh Pant can get more chances."Another notable inclusion in India's ODI and T20I squad for New Zealand came in the form of all-rounder Hardik Pandya who missed the first two Tests of the ongoing four-match series against Australia due to an acute lower back injury.Indian spinner ...