Page 816 - Sports
India beat Australia by 31 runs in Adelaide Test
India on Monday earned a hard-fought 1-0 lead in the four-match Test series after beating Australia by 31 runs in the opening cricket Test at the Adelaide Oval here.
AC Milan let Inter off the hook with Torino stalemate
AC Milan missed a chance to pile pressure on local rivals and fellow Champions League chasers Inter Milan in Serie A after being held to a goalless draw by Torino at the San Siro on Sunday. Gennaro Gattuso's fourth-placed Milan are three points behind Inter, who lost to leaders Juventus on Friday, after wasting opportunities to win the match, with forward Patrick Cutrone missing a golden chance with four minutes left and Gonzalo Higuain, returning from a two-match ban, also denied late. Milan's wastefulness wasn't punished by Torino, four points behind Milan in sixth and still unbeaten away from home, thanks to goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma denying Iago Falque and Andrea Belotti. "I don't consider it a missed opportunity, as we knew very well that Torino are a difficult team," said Gattuso. "It's a good point. I don't see it as a bad performance at all. I am sure that a year ago, we would have lost this game." Milan also had the chance to move away from Lazio, who contrived to draw .
Bale snaps drought as Real edge past struggling Huesca
Gareth Bale ended a run of 802 minutes without a goal in La Liga as Real Madrid won 1-0 at bottom side Huesca on Sunday to climb back to within five points of leaders Barcelona. The Welshman struck his first goal in the league since the start of September to lift Real to a fourth win in five matches and move the European champions up to fourth place. "He (Bale) and the rest of the team were all fantastic. He scored a great goal and it was enough to get the win," said Real coach Santiago Solari. "His goal and the general character of the team were crucial in taking all three points." "It wasn't a game to remember, but if you want to win La Liga, you have to win these matches," the Argentine added. Bale put a halt to his longest spell without scoring in the league since joining Real as he expertly cushioned in a volley from an arcing cross by Alvaro Odriozola on eight minutes. Huesca winger Ezequiel Avila forced a brilliant stop from Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the Belgium ...
Shakhtar prepare for home match 700 kilometres from home
It is a big week for Shakhtar Donetsk and their fans as they prepare to host Lyon in the final round of Champions League group games on Wednesday. But the spectre of war has cast a shadow over the match with the fans now expected to travel over 700 kilometres (435 miles) to watch their own team 'at home'. Victory over the visiting French side will see Shakhtar, the Ukrainian champions, book their place alongside Group F winners Manchester City in the last 16 of Europe's top club tournament. A draw will be enough for Lyon to progress at Shakhtar's expense, so for the Ukrainians it is all or nothing. Anticipation among the players and the fans of a packed and pulsating home stadium cheering the team to a place among the very elite of Europe was rising... until the match was moved last week to the capital Kiev. Shakhtar will now host Lyon in a city over 700 kilometres away from home, the lair of one of their biggest rivals. The reason? War. And the introduction of martial law. In late ...
Zlatan sticking with LA Galaxy, AC Milan 'evaluate' Fabregas
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be leaving LA Galaxy to return to AC Milan, the Italian club's sporting director Leonardo said on Sunday, although they are studying the possibility of signing Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas. "Ibrahimovic will not return to Milan," Leonardo told Sky Sport Italia. "He gave his word to the LA Galaxy that he would renew his contract. We thought about his return and he thought about it too, but he's keeping his word and will remain in MLS. "He always said from the start that if the LA Galaxy satisfied his conditions, then he would remain. They are doing that and he will stay there. "It would have been a marvellous story and a strong signal, but it will not be possible." Ibrahimovic played for AC Milan from 2010 to 2012, winning a Serie A title with the club, before moving to Paris Saint-Germain and then Manchester United. The 37-year-old joined LA Galaxy this season and has a contract through the 2019 season with the Major League Soccer side. He was recently .
River edge out Boca after extra time to win Copa Libertadores
River Plate won the Copa Libertadores by beating their fiercest rivals Boca Juniors 3-1 after extra time on Sunday, bringing an end to a final tainted by violence and moved more than six thousand miles away from Argentina. Boca took the lead through Dario Benedetto but Lucas Pratto equalised before Juan Quintero and Gonzalo Martinez scored in extra time, aided by Wilmar Barrios being sent off, to win a fittingly dramatic contest for River. It means River prevailed 5-3 on aggregate after the first leg finished 2-2 and reclaim the trophy they had last won in 2015, lifting it for the fourth time in their history. "We have shown we are superior," River's Leonardo Ponzio said. "After trying to stay quiet about everything that happened, we showed on the pitch we were better." "The only thing I feel is sadness for not winning the cup and giving it to the people of Boca," Boca coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto said. Postponed on three occasions and then relocated from Buenos Aires to Madrid, ..
Spurs face make-or-break Barcelona clash
Tottenham are sitting pretty in the Premier League but face a potentially season-defining match against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday. Mauricio Pochettino's men have amassed 36 points from 16 Premier League matches, with 12 wins, leaving them in third place behind Liverpool and Manchester City. That they have managed that despite playing in their temporary home of Wembley and after a World Cup in which so many of their players featured until the final weekend, makes their achievement all the more impressive. However, with City and Liverpool in such rampant form, few expect Spurs to win the Premier League, putting increased emphasis on their match against the Spanish league leaders in Group B. Pochettino must somehow find a way past Lionel Messi's Barcelona to reach the knockout stages but he remains positive ahead of the daunting trip to the Camp Nou to face the five-time European champions. "It will be a massive game. They have qualified for the next stage but in the ..
Liverpool turn to Salah to summon Gerrard's spirit for Napoli showdown
Liverpool must again rely on fortress Anfield to inflict Napoli's first Champions League defeat of the season if they are to avoid the disappointment of a group stage exit just over six months since appearing in last season's final. The five-time European champions will most likely even have to win by two goals if they concede due to Napoli's 1-0 triumph when the sides last met in September. Yet, such a scenario is nothing new for Liverpool and even rekindles fond memories of similar permutations when they hosted Olympiakos in the final Champions League group game of the 2004/05 season. Brazilian legend Rivaldo's early free-kick left the hosts needing three goals, which they got in dramatic fashion in the second half as Steven Gerrard's spectacular strike sealed a famous 3-1 win four minutes from time. Inspired by Gerrard, the Reds went on to win their last Champions League title that season with a far inferior squad to the one that is off to a club record unbeaten start and top of ...
India reduce Australia to 187/7 at lunch on final day
India inched closer to a superb win after reducing Australia to 187/7 in their chase of 323 at lunch on the final day of the opening Test at the Adelaide Oval here on Monday.
Scoreboard at lunch on the fifth and final day of the first Test between India and ...
Scoreboard at lunch on the fifth and final day of the first Test between India and Australia here on Monday. Australia 2nd Innings: (overnight 104/4) Aaron Finch c Pant b Ashwin 11 Marcus Harris c Pant b Shami 26 Usman Khawaja c Rohit b Ashwin 8 Shaun Marsh c Pant b Bumrah 60 Peter Handscomb c Pujara b Shami 14 Travis Head c A Rahane b Ishant 14 Tim Paine batting 40 Pat Cummins batting 5 Extras: (b-1, lb-5, nb-2) 8 Total: 186/6 in 83 overs chasing 323 Fall of wickets: 28-1, 44-2, 60-3, 84-4, 115-5, 156-6 Bowling: Ishant Sharma 16-4-35-1, Jasprit Bumrah 15-7-23-1, Ravichandran Ashwin 34-8-71-2, Mohammed Shami 14-3-40-2, Murali Vijay 4-0-11-0.
PKL: Titans clinch thriller vs Haryana
In yet another nail-biting contest, Telugu Titans held their nerves to pip Haryana Steelers 35-31 at the jam-packed Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium here on Sunday night.
Khelo India Youth Games from January 9 (Third Lead)
Building on the roaring success of the inaugural edition of the Khelo India School Games, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, along with Star Sports, kick-started the countdown to "Khelo India Youth Games, Maharashtra 2019" with an appeal to encourage India to play more- with the evocative #5MinuteAur' campaign.
ISL: Mumbai, Bengaluru play intense draw
Bengaluru FC failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage as they were held to a 1-1 draw by 10-men Mumbai City FC in an engrossing Indian Super League battle at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Sunday.
Khelo India games from January 9 (Second Lead, with Corrections)
Building on the roaring success of the inaugural edition of the Khelo India School Games, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, along with Star Sports, kick-started the countdown to "Khelo India Youth Games, Maharashtra 2019" with an appeal to encourage India to play more - with the evocative #5MinuteAur' campaign.
Decision in March on 48-team 2022 World Cup, says Infantino
Gianni Infantino reiterated that FIFA will decide in March whether the 2022 World Cup could be extended to include 48 teams but conceded it was not a simple decision. Thirty-two teams contested this year's World Cup in Russia, widely feted as one of the most entertaining editions of the modern era. Although FIFA is intent on 48-team future editions of the World Cup from 2026, a decision on Qatar won't be known until next year. "We'll decide in March," Infantino said Sunday on French TV show Telefoot. "We've already decided that future editions should feature 48 teams, we all think it's a good idea." When the next edition is held in Qatar, it will be the first to be held in the Arab world and the first in a majority-muslim country. Due to the soaring summer temperatures, it will be held over November-December instead of the European summer months of June and July. As a result, the competition has been shortened by three days -- a factor that could be decisive in the considerations on ..
Asian Emerging Nations Cup: UAE players slam poor playing conditions in Karachi
Members of the UAE national team have slammed the poor conditions at one of the venues for the Asian Emerging Nations Cup in Karachi, leaving the Pakistan Cricket Board on the defensive. UAE, who were in the run for a place in the semi-finals, were knocked out on Sunday after winter rains ruled out any play at the Southend club in the Defence Housing Society here. "Never mind the security but there are more reasons to why international cricket has overlooked this part of the world when it comes to international cricket. Such a shame honestly and embarrassing the way the real PCB have dealt with it," tweeted a member of the UAE squad. In other tweets as well Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza and Shahzad of the UAE team expressed their disappointment over the lack of facilities at the Southend club. "We at Emirates cricket sat in the sun for more than four hours waiting for the pitch to get dry because of the club level covers at the so called "Test" venue. The real PCB 20 minutes of rain ...
Mumbai City FC hold Bengaluru to 1-1 draw
Bengaluru FC failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage in the second half as they were held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Mumbai City FC in an engrossing Indian Super League match here on Sunday. In an end-to-end affair till the last minute, Udanta Singh gave Bengaluru the lead in the 23rd minute but Modou Sougou equalised in the 31st minute. Bengaluru maintained their unbeaten record while Mumbai took their unbeaten streak to seven matches. The point preserved Bengaluru's three-point advantage at the top of the league while Mumbai City are second with 21 points. Sunil Chhetri's vision to thread a through-ball into the box to pick out a clever run by Chencho Gyeltshen almost resulted in the home side taking an early lead in the sixth minute. The Bhutanese forward latched on to his captain's pass but drove a low shot across the face of goal that failed to test Mumbai custodian Amrinder Singh. Bengaluru's intent in the final third helped them take the lead in the 23rd minute. Chencho .
PKL: Jaipur Pink Panthers outclass Tamil Thalaivas
A collective effort by the Jaipur Pink Panthers guided them to a fantastic 37-24 victory over Tamil Thalaivas in an Inter-Zonal contest of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) at the Rajiv Gandhi indoor stadium here on Sunday.
Pinka Panthers trounce Tamil Thalaivas in PKL
Jaipur Pink Panthers came up with a solid performance to beat Tamil Thalaivas 37-24 in the Vivo Pro Kabaddi Season 6 here on Sunday. Deepak Hooda (9 points) was the architect of their victory and was ably supported by Anand Patil (5 points) and Ajinkya Pawar (4 points). Sunil Siddhgavali got a high five in defence for Jaipur Pink Panthers. Tamil Thalaivas started off brightly but faded away as their two key men Ajay Thakur and Manjeet Chhillar had a disappointing game. The victory keeps Jaipur Pink Panthers in the hunt for a place in the playoffs. A couple of successful raids by both teams in the first two minutes made the score 2-2. It was an evenly contested affair for the first 11 minutes of the match as the defence of Jaipur stood strong against the raiders of Thalaivas with the score levelled at 7-7. Jaipur turned on the pressure with Anand Patil making a two-point raid in the 14th minute. Deepak Hooda's successful raid in the 16th minute led to Thalaivas suffering an all out as .
Germany enter quarterfinals, Pakistan sneak into cross-overs round despite loss
Germany beat Malaysia 5-3 to maintain their all-win record and seal a direct quarterfinal spot, while Pakistan suffered a 1-5 defeat against the Netherlands but still sneaked into the knock-out stages at the men's hockey World Cup here on Sunday. Germany finished on top of Pool D with nine points from three games, ahead of second placed the Netherlands (6 points) and third-placed Pakistan (1 point). While the Germans were through to the quarterfinals, the Netherlands and Pakistan managed to qualify for the cross-overs round. As per the format of the tournament, the top team from each of the four pools will directly qualify for the quarterfinals while the second and third placed sides will play cross-over matches against teams of other pools for the remaining four last eight berths. Even though Malaysia (1 point) finished on same points as Pakistan, the Asian Games silver medallist crashed out of the tournament because of their inferior goal difference. The Germans joined two-time ...