Tuesday, 21 May, 2024

Sports

Brazil beat Ivory Coast 3-1, Kaka sent off

JOHANNESBURG: Brazil showed their true World Cup colours on Sunday, turning on the turbo to beat Ivory Coast 3-1 in Group G with two goals from Luis Fabiano securing their place in the last 16.   But Brazil`s delight was curtailed when midfielder Kaka was controversially sent off for a

McDowell ends European drought with U.S. Open win

California: Britain`s Graeme McDowell kept his composure in tough scoring conditions to end a 40-year title drought by Europeans at the U.S. Open with a gutsy one-shot victory on Sunday.   Three strokes behind American playing partner Dustin Johnson going into the final round, the

Police arrest England fan after security breach

JOHANNESBURG: South African police on Sunday arrested an England fan for trespassing after he walked into the players` dressing room following a goalless World Cup draw with Algeria.   Pavlos Joseph, 32, was taken to the Cape Town Magistrate`s court, where was released on 500 rand (45

Pakistan ignore Younus for tour of England

KARACHI: Former captain Younus Khan has been left out of Pakistan`s test and one-day squads for the tour of England despite being eligible for international cricket again after having an indefinite ban for ill-discipline overturned. Pakistan selectors have included several new faces in

All Whites hold champs Italy to shock draw

NELSPRUIT: New Zealand produced one of the great shocks of the World Cup on Sunday by holding Italy to a 1-1 draw, leaving the defending champions with a fight on their hands to make it through to the knock-out stages.   The All Whites took the lead in the seventh minute though Shane

England players prepare for crisis talks

RUSTENBURG, South Africa: England players and management will have a no-holds barred crisis meeting later on Sunday to put their World Cup campaign back on track, central defender John Terry said. England, one of the pre-tournament favourites, need to beat Slovenia in their final Group C

Paraguay sink goal-shy Slovakia

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa: Paraguay beat a lacklustre Slovakia 2-0 to move top of Group F on Sunday and close in on a World Cup second round place. Enrique Vera put the South Americans ahead after 27 minutes and Cristian Riveros grabbed a second four minutes from time in a game of few

Trailblazers Cameroon first to exit

PRETORIA: Cameroon, Africa`s modern World Cup trailblazers, became the first African side eliminated from the continent`s inaugural tournament when they somehow lost 2-1 to Denmark on Saturday. The Indomitable Lions, the country that first alerted the world to the improvement in African

Bangladesh closes varsity over World Cup violence

DHAKA: Bangladesh closed its leading engineering university in the capital Dhaka for an indefinite period on Saturday after students who wanted a break to watch World Cup matches went on a protest rampage in the campus. "Male students have already left their dormitories while the females

Cricket-Strauss, Kieswetter take England past Scots in one-dayer

LONDON: Captain Andrew Strauss hit 61 from 43 balls as England warmed up for next week`s limited-overs series against Australia with a seven-wicket win over Scotland in a one-day international in Edinburgh on Saturday. Strauss and Craig Kieswetter, who struck 69 in 65 deliveries, put on

Ghana go top with draw against 10-man Aussies

RUSTENBURG, South Africa: Ghana edged clear at the top of World Cup Group D after an exciting 1-1 draw with ten-man Australia at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday. The Ghanaians moved a point above Germany and Serbia after fighting off a determined bid by the Australians, who lost

India`s win sets up Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: India pulled off a thrilling three-wicket win over Pakistan with a ball to spare at the four-nation Asia Cup in Dambulla on Saturday. The victory means India will now meet hosts Sri Lanka in Thursday`s final. Chasing Pakistan`s 267 all out, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni`s team

Pietersen feared for career after 2009 Achilles surgery

LONDON: Kevin Pietersen feared his career might be over when he developed an infection after undergoing Achilles surgery 11 months ago, England`s premier batsman said on Sunday. "It was a pretty dark time," the 29-year-old told the Mail on Sunday newspaper. "The infection was really bad.

Portugal plan all-out attack v North Korea

CAPE TOWN: Portugal need to switch to attack mode against North Korea on Monday to get the big win they may need to open the door to the World Cup second round. With Portugal having drawn their Group G opener against Ivory Coast, and with Brazil still to come, second place in the group

Spain confident defeat will spark reaction

POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa: Spain are optimistic that a shock 1-0 defeat by Switzerland in their Group H opener will stun the European champions into action for their second match against Honduras on Monday. "The loss helps to show you that there are no easy matches, that every team at

West Indies trail South Africa by 457 at close

BASSETERRE: West Indies raced to 86 for one by the end of day two of the second test at Warner Park in St Kitts on Saturday after South Africa had declared on 543 for 6. The home side were 457 runs behind with nine wickets in hand when bad light stopped play for the day. Captain Chris

England`s Rooney says sorry for rant on camera

JOHANNESBURG: England`s short-tempered striker Wayne Rooney apologised on Saturday for his outburst at fans who booed the team`s abject 0-0 draw with Algeria. Fresh from a fantastic season for Manchester United, the 24-year-old was England`s main hope for World Cup goals but has failed

Safina ruled out of Wimbledon with back injury

LONDON: Russia`s former world number one Dinara Safina has withdrawn from Wimbledon because of injury, tournament organisers said on Saturday. Safina, who was seeded 20th for the grand-slam event which starts on Monday, has a lower back injury. Her position in the draw will now be taken

Venus says she is addicted to majors

LONDON: She turned professional in 1994, has just celebrated her 30th birthday and is about to embark on her 50th grand slam tournament, yet Venus Williams says she is still addicted to tennis. "It`s awesome," Williams told reporters after a session on one of Wimbledon`s pristine

Sneijder fires Dutch to Japan win and group pole

DURBAN, South Africa: Wesley Sneijder fired the Netherlands to a comfortable 1-0 win over Japan and pole position in World Cup Group E here on Saturday. After seeing off Denmark 2-0 in their opening match, the Dutch now sit atop their group on a maximum six points from two games, with