FIFA WC qualifiers: Ronaldo sets another record but Hungary deny Portugal early qualification

Credit: FIFA

Lisbon, (IANS) Cristiano Ronaldo set another record but Portugal conceded a last-gasp equaliser against Hungary to keep their dreams of direct qualification for the FIFA World Cup on hold.

Ronaldo became the outright leading marksman in World Cup qualifying history. His two goals – the first his 40th in qualifying to set the landmark – put Portugal on the verge of qualification but Dominik Szoboszlai struck late to deny Portugal qualification for a seventh successive global finals after a 2-2 draw.

Attila Szalai silenced Lisbon by heading home the opener, but the 40-year-old tapped in crosses from full-backs Nelson Semedo and Nuno Mendes to swing Roberto Martinez’s charges ahead. The woodwork denied Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias enhancing the lead and Szalai equalising after the restart.

Hungary kept themselves five points behind Portugal, and in with a chance of the section’s automatic ticket, when Daniel Lukacs did majestically to set up Dominik Szoboszlai.

Portugal’s next chance to confirm their place in the World Cup finals tournament next year will be against Republic of Ireland in Dublin next month.

Republic of Ireland claimed their first win in World Cup qualifying after edging out 10-man Armenia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Visiting captain Tigran Barseghyan was given his marching orders in the 52nd minute of this contest before Evan Ferguson combined with Will Smallbone to score the only goal of a cagey encounter.

Meanwhile, Cote d'Ivoire have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 26. The Elephants secured their place at the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA on Tuesday, with a 3-0 victory over Kenya in their final Group F fixture ensuring they topped the section ahead of Gabon.They will compete in the World Cup for the first time since Brazil 2014, where they were eliminated in the group stage, as they have been in each of their appearances to date. FIFA WC qualifiers: Ronaldo sets another record but Hungary deny Portugal early qualification | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → October 15, 2025

Euro 2024: 'I'll always give my best for this shirt...', says Ronaldo after penalty miss against Slovenia

Frankfurt, (IANS) Portugal pulled through in their Round of 1 matchup vs Slovenia. The game remained goalless after 120 minutes and it was Diogo Costa who proved to be the hero as the goalkeeper saved three penalties in the shootouts.

Despite the win, a lot of the focus was on Cristiano Ronaldo as the Euros top goalscorer of all-time failed to convert a penalty in the 105th minute of the game and missed the chance to give his side the victory.

"This will be my last Euro, of course. But I’m not moved by this, I’m moved by enthusiasm. I was sorry for the fans. I'll always give my best for this shirt, whether I miss it or not. And I'll do this my whole life. You have to take responsibility," said Ronaldo in the post-game conference.

Following the penalty miss, Ronaldo was seen crying, breaking the hearts of many football fans around the world. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner later went on to turn his disappointment into a smile as he scored a penalty during the shootouts.

"I could have given the national team the advantage, but I didn’t manage it, Oblak saved. I didn’t miss once during the year, when I needed it most Oblak saved.It’s a feeling of sadness and joy at the same time, but the most important thing is the progress, the team deserved it," added the all-time top scorer of the Euros.

Portugal’s win has set up a firecracker bracket in the European Championship. The 2016 winners will take on France in the quarterfinals of the tournament and the winner of the match-up will be facing the winner of the match between Spain and Germany."Slovenia spent almost the entire time defending, the team deserves congratulations, especially our goalkeeper who made three good saves. Even the strongest people have their days, I was down and I was sad because the team needed me," Ronaldo concluded. Euro 2024: 'I'll always give my best for this shirt...', says Ronaldo after penalty miss against Slovenia | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → July 11, 2024

Cricket-T20 World Cup a boost to sport’s American Dream

Cricket competes for the hearts and wallets of America. PHOTO: Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Cricket begins a campaign for the hearts and wallets of American fans this week, as the T20 World Cup kicks off on Saturday in Dallas, bringing the best of the sport to less familiar territory.

The United States play Canada in the first match of the tournament co-hosted by the West Indies, while a temporary stadium in Nassau County, New York, hosts its first of eight fixtures on Monday. Lauderhill, Florida, will host four matches.

Cricket boasts billion fans around the globe but few adherents in the lucrative North American market, where fans are more accustomed to watching New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge picking up a bat than Rohit Sharma or Jos Buttler.

“This is the start of a journey,” International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Geoff Allardice told Reuters. “The awareness that we’re bringing in more elite cricket to the USA is something that’s been a strategic priority for us.”

The journey started with Major League Cricket, which began play in the United States last year, and culminates with the 2028 Los Angeles Games, where cricket will be reintroduced to the Olympic programme for the first time since 1900.

“In the lead up to the Los Angeles Olympics, I think we’ll be continuing to try and raise the profile of cricket, not just for the established cricket fans in the USA but for new fans,” said Allardice.

The tournament, which counts Jamaican track hero Usain Bolt as an ambassador, is a dream come true for U.S. immigrants, who comprise much of the sport’s U.S. fan base and are more used to watching the action on television than in their own backyard.

“I mean, (India have) got some of the biggest names in world sport as part of their team,” said Allardice. “And to be able to get close to them and see them in action, I think it’s an opportunity that’s something that comes along (not) very often for cricket fans in the USA.”The ICC T20 World Cup runs from June 1-29. Cricket-T20 World Cup a boost to sport’s American Dream

Read More........ → June 03, 2024

Cricket transition captured

A young writer with an abiding interest in cricket has come out with a very readable book on the new stars of Indian cricket. Soumya Bhattacharya, a well-known author, has paid minute attention to the emerging talents of Indian cricket, bestowing on them some fine prose even as some of them struggle to attain the kind of consistency at international level that the preceding generation did at that level to become absolute legends of the game. What I found most intriguing in the book is an analysis of the psyche and persona of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. While the legendary members of the famous quartet or quintet were known to me right from the days of their international debut, India’s greatest sensation of the new millennium is an enigma because of the lack of opportunity to study him at close quarters, apart of course from shooting the odd question at a media conference to get a glib enough answer suiting the mood of the time and the preceding events on the field. The author’s way of placing Dhoni among the greats of Indian cricket seemed to open up a nice and trendy characterisation. Now Dhoni is an original, so much so, a more difficult man to capture within the framework of any known Indian stereotype. As Mukul Kesavan wrote, “Dhoni, though, turned up on our television screens fully formed, untouched by influence, wholly, weirdly, wonderfully himself.” How do you get down to capturing the essence of such a man who is the first small town boy to go on to rule Indian cricket and do so like none ever before him. Bhattacharya has done a wonderful job of describing Dhoni, his background, his beliefs, his cricket, his style. Today, Dhoni may be struggling to live up to the image of the instinctive, nearly infallible personality who captained as he pleased in his own distinctive style and still won everything worth winning. Where we have to measure Dhoni is how he came to be where he is considering where he came from from the back of the boondocks of Jharkhand. It was almost providential that he should lead a bunch of young and inexperienced cricketers in that mad and merry world of the first ever T20 world championship and come out triumphant. That is a surprise Indian cricket is still coming to terms with it, even as it made Dhoni what he is today. The background of some of the other cricketers who came through from small towns also makes fascinating reading. What we see in Cheteshwar Pujara today is a far more rounded cricketer than what he was at the start of his career. His trials and tribulations help put light on what it takes to be one of the very few who break through into the top rungs of Indian cricket and stay there unlike the many one-day wonders who come and go, right back to the wilderness they came from, although immeasurably richer than players of preceding generations would ever have been in such short international careers. We must thank the IPL-loaded system for this. The slotting of Tendulkar’s career into three phases has also been tackled with figures to go with it. This would make good reading for those who wish to understand a man whose life may seem like an open book but who still kept most things to himself even in writing his ghosted autobiography. The author tackles the task without creating any acrimony in describing how the greatest of them all may also have tarried a bit after declining to take the finest exit route at the end of the 2011 World Cup, in which everyone in the nation was praying for a win even as 10 others played specifically to win it for the man who played Atlas to Indian cricket for so long. By his own admission, 2010 was his sweetest year and 2011 immediately brought him the greatest moment of his career in the World Cup triumph. There is a lot to read about the new stars of Indian cricket Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli. The generation shift came quite some time ago, certainly long before Sachin decided to say goodbye. It is a reference book to the future as it also contains some text from the on-going Supreme Court case into the murky affairs of the IPL. The reality of the conclusion that the promising youngsters will form a team that will be formidable at home, but remain unpredictable travellers lends a touch of percipience, but then history told us long ago that Team India would, like wine, not travel well. Source: The Asian Age

Read More........ → February 26, 2015

Panasonic Engineering a Better Fan Experience with the Worlds Largest 4K LED Video Board at the Kentucky Derby

By Choi Ju-Ho: SEOUL, KOREA - Panasonic partners with Churchill Downs to engineer a better fan experience with the world’s largest* 4K LED video board, known as the “Big Board,” measuring 171-feet wide by 90-feet tall and sitting 80 feet above the ground. Panasonic Solutions for Fan Excitement: The Kentucky Derby which is known in the United States as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sport” and “The Run for the Roses”, named for the blanket of roses draped over the winner, was held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 3rd.  Until last year, tens of thousands of visitors to the Derby who were in the low-lying infield of Churchill Downs usually went home from the event without ever having actually seen the horses or felt the excitement of the race. This year, at the 140th running of the Derby, in front of a crowd of 164,906 people, the second-largest attendance in its history, Churchill Downs unveiled the world's largest 4K ultra high-definition LED Video Board, known as the “Big Board,” engineered by Panasonic to enhance the audience experience. The mammoth display screen, measuring the same size as three full-size basketball courts, sits 80 feet above the ground and offers a wide viewing angle for a superior fan experience everywhere within Churchill Downs. The active display area is 15,224 square feet and it is positioned midway along the backstretch and outside the dirt course to avoid being a distraction to the jockeys and horses. The display is so big that everybody at the Derby can enjoy the race from beginning to end, even those in the infield.  “We‘ve enjoyed this incredible opportunity to partner with Churchill Downs to install the world’s largest, first-of-its-kind 4K video board,” said Jim Doyle, President of Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company, a regional subsidiary company of Panasonic. “The ‘Big Board’ delivers content unparalleled in its clarity and resolution, allowing tens of thousands of fans to experience the excitement and pageantry of this legendary racetrack up close and personal.”  Regarding the reason behind selecting Panasonic for the project, Ryan Jordan, General Manager of Churchill Downs, commented, “The clarity and quality of the video boards built by Panasonic is unmatched. The Big Board at Churchill Downs is a vehicle to deliver engaging content to fans in a way that we haven’t been able to in the past.” Source: Article

Read More........ → May 25, 2014

World Cup whispers: Brazil and France have the coolest kits, but who has the worst?

World Cup whispers: Brazil and France win in the fashion stakes, no joy for Bosnia and Honduras

WHO'S GOT THE COOLEST WORLD CUP KIT? Who will be wearing the coolest kit at the Brazil World Cup? It's a vital question for the fashion conscious football fan wondering which top to fork out for this summer. Fortunately the Daily Telegraph has run the rule over the various outfits, ruling Brazil's home shirt and France's away top the best of the bunch. Australia and Greece's shirts (both home and away) get the thumbs up and there's even an honourable mention for England's red away number. ... AND WHO HAS THE WORST? At the bottom of the pile its best to avoid anything to do with Bosnia and Honduras, say the Telegraph fashion police (and that might not be a problem at your local Sports Direct). Germany's away kit also gets panned, as does Japan's luminous green second strip and Spain's change kit, which comes in black with dayglo stripes. The US home top, meanwhile, appears to have been designed for the golf course. ENGLAND WRAP UP WARM: Temperatures of 19C didn't stop England donning extra layers in the Algarve yesterday as the squad prepares for the scorching conditions they'll face in Brazil. "We did sweat testing today," said manager Roy Hodgson. "Three layers – T-shirt, tracksuit and wet top." Despite a late kick-off (6pm local time) against Italy in Manaus on 14 June, temperatures are likely to reach the mid-30s. And with humidity pushing 100 per cent, the players will need to acclimatise. Left-back Leighton Baines explained: "The logic behind layering is [to] get comfortable with that feeling of being hot and struggling". NO WATER BREAK ADVERTS ON ITV: ITV has pledged not to cash in on the sweltering conditions in Brazil during the World Cup and will not show adverts during drinks breaks. Fifa medical officers have the power to call for 'cooling periods' midway through each half when matches are played at temperatures above 32C. Fifa has told broadcasters that they can show ads during the three-minute stoppages but ITV told the Daily Mail it wanted to keep its broadcasts focused on the game.BRAZIL IS LAST HURRAH FOR RIBERY: French winger Franck Ribery has targeted victory in Brazil as he looks to bow-out from World Cup football in style. Although the Bayern Munich winger will feature in Euro 2016, which France will host, he conceded Brazil will probably be his last outing for Les Bleus on football's grandest stage. "This will be my last World Cup," he told French radio station RTL. "We have to go there to try and achieve something. Quite simply, we have to try to win." Despite a well-publicised revolt in South Africa four years ago, France are priced 20/1 with William Hill making the 1998 winners sixth favourites to reclaim the trophy in Brazil.for further concise, balanced comment and analysis on the week's news, try The Week magazine. Subscribe today and get 6 issues completely free.Source: Article

Read More........ → May 23, 2014

ISL a great platform for youngsters: Tendulkar

Mumbai, April 13 (IANS) India'scricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who Sunday became a joint owner of a new football team from Kochi, feels that the inaugural Indian Super League (ISL) will be a great platform for young Indian footballers. Tendulkar, a motorsports fan, and PVP Ventures, which owns Indian Badminton League (IBL) inaugural champions Hyderabad Hotshots, together clinched the Kochi franchise for the two-month ISL that will be played from September in eight cities. "I will always remain a sportsman at heart who is keen to positively impact the sporting fabric of the nation. The Indian Super League presents a great opportunity to develop a platform for the youngsters to learn and enhance their talent to develop into outstanding players," Tendulkar said here Sunday. "It has been an interesting experience interacting with the young, passionate team at PVP Ventures led by Prasad Potluri. Based on the various insights shared by the team, the opportunity of the Kochi club seemed like a compelling and challenging proposition. With the Kochi club, we will strive to 'score our goals' and play a part in developing the game of football across the country," Tendulkar added. Potluri, chairman and managing director of PVP Ventures Limited, said their priority will be to develop the Kochi club. "We look forward to developing the Kochi club in the Indian Super League and are proud to partner with one of India's greatest sportsmen, Sachin Tendulkar, in our efforts. We will tap the potential talent as also channelise the fervour and passion for football across the country to enhance the quality and competitive level of the sport. The following and enthusiasm of football in the southern part of the country presents a fertile opportunity for us to execute our plans and leverage global expertise for the development of a world class club," he said. The ISL is being promoted by IMG-Reliance, who are the commercial partners of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The remaining seven franchises are Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Guwahati, Pune and Goa. Source: Article

Read More........ → May 09, 2014

ICC World T20 2014: Indian men and women acquired, striking win against Australia, Bangladesh

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India registered their fourth consecutive win in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 with a 73-run victory over Australia. The Indian bowlers skittled the opposition out for 86 after Yuvraj Singh’s 60 off 61 balls helped them to a challenging total. Chasing 160, the Australians perished miscuing shots while taking the aerial route. Indian spinners fashioned Australia’s collapse. Ravichandran Ashwin starred with a four-wicket haul as India coasted to a win in their last league game. Earlier, opting to field first, George Bailey opened the bowling with spin from both ends. Rohit Sharma, who took first strike, began the proceedings with a boundary to deep square-leg off Brad Hodge. But two balls later, he was back to the dugout after handing a catch to point. Virat Kohli then joined Ajinkya Rahane in the middle. Rahane had replaced Shikhar Dhawan in the team, while Mohit Sharma got his T20I debut. Kohli took off from where he had left in the previous game. His six over mid-wicket indicated that he was set for another blistering knock. But after a run-a-ball 23, Kohli’s attempt to clear the ropes was caught by Cameron White. He had kept the scorecard moving during the 40-run stand with Rahane. However, Rahane followed him back to the hut. Gently nudging Doug Bollinger to the wicketkeeper, he departed for 19. India’s innings looked shaky as Suresh Raina, who had then joined Yuvraj Singh in the middle, got a life as Glenn Maxwell couldn’t hold on to a return catch. However, dropped on five, Raina had added just one run before offering a simple catch to Aaron Finch in Maxwell’s next over. Yuvraj, who had played himself in, then took on the Australian bowlers. With the captain at the other end, the left-hand batsman launched Muirhead over deep midwicket and over long-on for back-to-back sixes. And with singles and twos, they garnered 17 runs off the over to change the tempo of the game. From there on, the pair gleaned runs off the bowlers. They attacked the opposition with gusto. 10 runs were claimed from Bollinger, while Mitchell Starc was hit for a six each by both batsmen to claim 19 from him. Shane Watson wasn’t spared either as Yuvraj struck him for two boundaries and a six on the leg side to take 16 runs. The pair had collected 84 runs at 12 runs per over to seize the advantage for India. With nine balls left, Starc knocked back Dhoni’s stumps to remove him for 24, triggering another string of wickets to fall. Then, on the first ball of the last over, Yuvraj holed out to long-off, while Ravindra Jadeja responding to Ravichandran Ashwin was run out off the last ball. With 82 runs scored off the last seven overs, India set Australia a competitive target. The Indian pacers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohit – conceded six runs each, but Ashwin gave India their first breakthrough in the third. Finch, looking to slog the spinner, only managed to get a top-edge and Kohli running in to mid-on took a comfortable catch. In the next over, White’s mistimed shot off Bhuvneshwar was taken by Jadeja. And with Mohit dislodging Watson’s bails in the next over, Australia were reduced to 21 for three. Maxwell hit Raina over deep midwicket and over fine-leg after joining Warner in the middle. But Warner, who had made his way to 19, perished soon. A superb catch by Rohit running to deep midwicket sent back the opener. Maxwell looked positive as he struck Jadeja over the fence, but he too departed an over later. Going for an unorthodox shot, the batsman lost his stumps to Ashwin. Bailey came, hit Jadeja for six over long-off, but was caught by Kohli’s safe hands off the next ball in the deep. With Australia on 63 for six with half the innings over, the Brads – Haddin and Hodge – faced an uphill task. Like the batsmen preceding him, Haddin perished taking the aerial route. He swept Mishra and Rahane received the offering at deep square-leg. With the match already out of their hands, Starc was run out, while Hodge too was out to a slog. Ashwin then sealed the game by claiming Muirhead.  Man of the Match: Ravichandran Ashwin for his four-wicket haul. Source: Article, India Women registered their first win of the ICC World T20, 2014 with a 79-run win over

Bangladesh Women at the Sylhet Stadium in Bangladesh. A magnificent 77-run whirlwind knock by Harmanpreet Kaur helped India set Bangladesh a challenging target in the match. The Jhulan Goswami-led attack then strengthened the team’s position by dealing early blows. Goswami and Shubhlakshmi Sharma claimed three wickets each to hold Bangladesh to 72 for eight to claim a comprehensive victory Source: Article

Read More........ → March 31, 2014

Roger Federer as King Arthur

Tennis star Roger Federer was chosen to portray King Arthur from the oft-neglected Disney classic "The Sword in the Stone." With his blowing hair and youthful good looks, Federer makes a fine representation of the once and future king. One must compliment whoever came up with this choice regardless of Roger's
looks, considering the chance it  gave photographer Annie Leibovitz to make that punny play on the word "court." Federer, 26, is seen with his sword drawn posing on a rock as the gallant King Arthur in an image set against a background shot at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall. the tennis player  said: "I did feel strong on
that rock. I'm higher than everybody. I got the sword. I got the armour. It felt very funny and good actually." "The Sword in the Stone" was the last animated feature film from his studio that premiered before Walt Disney's death ("The Jungle Book" came out some months later). Walt surely would have been pleased with this shot. Source: Article

Read More........ → March 15, 2014

Olympic Games in Sochi set world record for investments - marketing specialists

Sochi, Russia, Already before its beginning the 2014 Olympics are setting records. The Sochi Games have received an unprecedented support from their sponsors, marketing partners, license holders and suppliers. The general sum of the contracts has reached one and a half billion dollars. That is the highest result not only in the history of Winter Olympics, but also for the Summer Games as well. Sochi is welcoming the first Olympic teams. Both the Coastal and the Mountain Olympic villages have begun ceremonies of welcoming the incoming teams of participants. The athletes and the guest of honor receive the main souvenir of the current Games – knit Olympic gloves as well as of Russia's symbols – matryoshka dolls. In total the participants and guests of the winter Olympics will be able to obtain about five thousand types of souvenirs with Olympic symbols – from sports clothing to coins, stamps, toys and even accessories for pets. According to the specialists, the marketing program is to bring over $500 million in the course of the Olympics. The furry toys depicting the mascots of the Games have already set a record in sales. Over three and a half million of such toys have already been sold. In the course of the Games over 75 thousand fans, about 5 thousand athletes as well as 12 thousand journalists and 25 thousand volunteers will be potential buyers of the Sochi 2014 licensed products. The Olympic Organization Committee has signed marketing contracts with ten international corporations, partners of the International Olympic Committee, as well as with eight national partners. For example, the Summer Olympics in London in 2012 had fewer national partners – seven, despite the fact that summer Olympics are considered to be more attractive for advertisers. Nikolai Dolgopolov, deputy editor-in-chief of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta, explains the current rush of Russian and foreign partners by the uniqueness of the Sochi Olympics. "These are the first Olympic games to take place in an absolutely unusual geographic zone: below is the sea, while above is the cold with temperatures of -10 C. It is the first in the world experiment to conduct winter Olympics in subtropics, which naturally attracts advertisers. There is another important issue. If in the past winter Olympics were attended primarily by athletes from Northern countries, lately winter Olympics have involved more and more participants from all continents. For example, in the current Games Africans, Brazilians and Filipinos are to take part. That also attracts advertisers as they will be able to introduce their products and brands to the Olympic guests from all over the world," Dolgopolov said. The advertizing contracts of global TV companies for the broadcasting of the winter Games in Sochi are also record setting. One of the largest TV companies, the NBC from the USA, has already signed advertizing contracts for $800 million, thus beating the previous record for winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010. Experts point out that the companies involvement in such a large-scale event as the Olympics has a long-term positive effect in terms of their image. The five Olympic rings are one of the best-recognized brands in the world; it's a guarantee of quality. The positive attitude towards the Olympics will eventually be transferred to the brand, which would entail an increase in sales even after the Games. Sochi 2014 partners have received additional opportunities for the development of their business, says Andrey Malygin, a sports marketing specialist. "The Olympic games are without doubt brand number one in sports. And it is not surprising in my opinion that large companies effectively use the opportunity to once again state their presence. Just look at how actively each of the partners of the Olympics uses its sponsor status. That shows that for the companies the Games are a good time to build closer communication with their clients. For example, Sberbank is good at conducting a campaign by stressing its unique role. It has issued a great deal of advertizing products," Malygin said. Let's point out that the sports program of the Sochi Olympics has also set a record in the number of competitions as well as in the number of new sports added. As a result the total number of sports' types has reached 98. It is 12 more than during the previous winter Games in Vancouver in 2010. Source: Article

Read More........ → February 10, 2014

Michael Schumacher: Is he being woken from coma?

ONE month after his skiing accident in the French alps, a French newspaper has claimed that Michael Schumacher is being brought out of a medically-induced coma. The 45-year-old former Formula 1 champion struck his head on a rock while skiing with his son on 29 December and has remained in a coma ever since. Though the last official communique from his management said the seven-time F1 champion was "stable", there have been fears he will never regain consciousness. However, the Daily Telegraph quotes a story in L'Equipe that claims the German ace is slowly being brough out of the coma by doctors at the University Hospital of Grenoble in France. Schumacher’s spokeswoman asked the public not to pay attention to “speculation” but did not deny the report, the Telegraph says.  In its report, L'Equipe says Schumacher has "reacted postively" to doctors' efforts to bring him out of the coma. The paper quotes Professor Jean-Luc Truelle, the former head of the neurology department of the Foch hospital in Suresnes, who says that a month is upper limit of when a patient can be awoken safely from an artificial coma. L'Equipe's story conflicts with a report in today's Rheinische Post newspaper that suggests doctors have delayed efforts to bring Schumacher out of his coma. The paper says the rumoured delay raises new fears about the driver's chances of recovery. It quotes a medical expert who says the longer that he "cannot be resuscitated from the medically induced coma the doubts are more justified than ever that he will not be completely healthy. Probably he will have sustained permanent damage." The paper adds that even if Schumacher does come out of his coma the best case scenario is that "a long neurological rehabilitation awaits him". The BBC offers a similarly gloomy prognosis having sought the advice of two medical experts. Professor Gary Hartstein, F1's chief medic between 2005 and 2012, told the BBC that "it is extremely unlikely, and I'd honestly say virtually impossible, that the Michael we knew prior to this fall will ever be back". Colin Shieff, neurosurgeon at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, said: "It is still possible to regain consciousness, but this is far from certain. At best, there will be handicaps in respect of communication, memory, mobility and independence. At worst, the patient may remain in 'low arousal state' with little awareness of surroundings." For further concise, balanced comment and analysis on the week's news, try The Week magazine.Subscribe today and get 6 issues completely free. Source: Article

Read More........ → January 29, 2014

Retired life isn't so bad, Tendulkar assures Jacques Kallis

Sachin Tendulkar on Monday paid tribute to just-retired South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis, calling him a "true champion" who always played the game in the right spirit. Tendulkar, who called time on his own career in international cricket last month, tweeted: Kallis, one of the greatest all-rounders of the game, bid adieu to Test cricket after an illustrious 18-year career in a fairytale script as he hit a century in his.

swansong match in South Africa's 10-wicket thrashing of India in Durban. The script for Kallis' Test retirement could not have been better as he ended his career as the third highest run- getter in the longest format of the game, besides also bowing out with a win by his side. The 38-year-old 'King' Kallis ended his Test career on.13,289 runs from 166 Tests, only behind Tendulkar (15,921) and Ricky Ponting (13,378) in the all-time list. His batting average stood at an outstanding 55.37. He also took 292 wickets and 200 catches. His 45 tons in Test cricket is only second to Tendulkar's 51. Kallis will continue to play in the One-Dayers and he has so far scored 11,574 runs from 325 ODI matches and has taken 273 wickets at an average of 31.79. The burly South African made his Test debut against England in December 1995. Source: Hindustan Times, Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/

Read More........ → December 31, 2013

2014 Brazil World Cup: 'Our group is the biggest surprise'

© Photo: Vesti.Ru

The eyes of the soccer fans are turned to Brazil - the world cup draw for the 2014 has just been held. 32 best teams have just found out the names of their opponents. The tournament kicks off in Brazil next year. Denis Kazansky, Russian sports analyst and soccer commentator, shares the first impressions about the draw. What's the biggest surprise of the draw so far? Our group is the biggest surprise because we hope it will be some easy choice for us and I think that we are in very good position. There is only one top quality team in our group. Who is us? Belgium, Algeria, South Korea and Russia. Belgium is a top quality team and I think they are the toughest to beat. But as for Algeria and South Korea, I suppose that Russian side can be good with them and I think we have lots of expectation from that group and we can gain some wins from there. How can you comment on the chances of the teams? In the group H I think we with the Belgium have to be qualified from the group. As for others, I can say that it is very tough competition in group D – Uruguay, Costa Rica, England and Italy, it will be very interesting - Italy and England. And as for group G, I think that the most important picture is Germany versus USA because the head coach of the USA Juergen Klinsmann is ex-coach of German national site and they will face each other - Joachim Low versus Klinsmann. So, it will be very interesting. I think that we don’t have so-called death group in this competition. What chance does America have to win it all? Zero because I think that the group G where USA is, Germany, Portugal, Ghana are too tough for them. They are very good but I think that Portugal and Germany could qualify from that group. As for USA I am not so sure about it. What about Russia? As I said, Russia has very good chances and I think along with Belgium National site we can qualify and be there in the playoff spot. England? It is tough to say but because of Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica, I think they are open to beat and I think that England and Italy will qualify from that group. Source: Article

Read More........ → December 09, 2013

Dhawan's ton seals series win for India

Kanpur, Nov 27 (IANS) Riding on opening batsman ShikharDhawan's fine 119, India wrapped up the series 2-1 against the WestIndies, winning the third and the deciding ODI by five wickets at the Green Park Stadium here Wednesday. Dhawan, who struck 20 fours in his 95-ball innings, and Yuvraj Singh (55) helped the the team recover from a shaky start with their 129-run stand for the third-wicket as India overhauled the target of 264 runs, scoring 266 for five in 46.1 overs. It was a clinical performance by India right from the start as West Indies failed to capitalise on a good start and managed a par score of 263 for five in 50 overs. Kieran Powell was the top scorer with 70 while Marlon Samuels made 71. In reply, Dhawan led the charge right with a fiery knock of 119 off 95 balls - his fifth ODI century this year - while Yuvraj also came up with an unimpressive but yet a valuable half-century. Chasing a modest total of 264, India were off to a poor star as opening batsman Rohit Sharma (4) and Virat Kohli (19) were back in the pavilion with just 61 runs on board in the ninth over. It was fast bowler Ravi Rampaul (2-55), who did the early damage by removing the both Rohit and Kohli, who were in form. Rohit, fresh from back-to-back centuries in his first two Tests, was out fishing outside the off stump and edged to Dwayne Bravo at first slip. Kohli, who fell for 99 in the last outing, was in two minds, whether to leave the ball and while he was trying to withdraw the bat he found an edge to wicketkeeper Johnson Charles. Dhawan then joined forces with Yuvraj, who was not in best of his forms, but still got a hard earned 55 in 74. They put India back on track with their 129-run stand for the third wicket. Dhawan's was on top of the West Indies bowlers and he struck 20 fours that ripped apart the bowling. Yuvraj looked shaky, especially against spinner Sunil Narine, but gave good company to Dhawan. Yuvraj, who hit seven fours in his 74-ball innings, finally fell to Narine after he failed to read a tossed up delivery and edged to Dwayne Bravo in the slip. After having dominated the West Indies bowling, Dhawan suffered a soft dismissal as Dwayne Bravo (2-57) took an easy return catch of his own bowling. Suresh Raina (34) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (23 not out) then took the team to the threshold of the win with their 37-run stand. With a victory in sight, Raina went for an ambitious drive only to become Dwayne Bravo's second victim caught behind by the wicketkeeper. Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja (2 not out) got the team home safely with 23 balls to spare. Early, West Indies failed to cash in on the half-centuries by Powell (70), Samuels (71) and Darren Bravo (51 not out). Opening batsman Johnson Charles' (11) poor form continued and was catsled early in the fifth over by Bhuvneshwar Kumar with an inswinger that left the West Indies at 20/1. Powell and Samuels shared a 117-run second-wicket stand that laid the foundation for West Indies. Quick knocks by Darren Bravo (51 not out) and Darren Sammy (37 not out) helped the West Indies to a par total at the ground. India's spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked up two for 45. Source: Article

Read More........ → November 30, 2013

Radio : Sochi: The Face of Victory

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Photo: EPA

Three-time World Champion, seven-time European Champion, four-time Grand Prix Final gold medalist and a holder of three Olympic trophies, Evgeni Plushenko doesn’t need to be introduced to the public as his name has already become synonymous with success, will and victory. At 30 he is one of the most titled figure skaters in the world. And the Sochi Olympics are just another occasion to replenish his award box. With 60 gold, 15 silver and 4 bronze medals - Evgeni Plushenko started skating at the age of four and won his first competition when he was only seven. No wonder that when the ice rink in Volgograd where Plushenko trained closed, he chose to move alone to Saint Petersburg to work with the legendary Russian coach Alexei Mishin, rather than to quit skating. Eleven-year-old Evgeni faced numerous difficulties during his first time in St. Pete. 1000 miles away from his family, living alone in a communal flat - these circumstances obviously did not match his young age. But his strong will prevailed and with the financial and moral support of his coach Alexei Mishin, Evgeni's life started to improve. At age14 he won the 1997 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, in Seoul, South Korea. At 15 he won the bronze medal at the senior World Figure Skating Championships of 1998, causing a buzz around his name among judges and commentators - everybody started talking about the “new wonder boy”. He continued to rise in the senior field during 1998 and 1999, but a real breakthrough came in the following season when Plushenko won 7 out of 9 competitions and established himself as a force to be reckoned with. He was already the reigning and two-time Russian Champion, when he won his first Grand Prix Final and the first European title. At the age of only 18 became a World Champion. Since then Plushenko won basically every title there was to win except for Olympic gold. Evgeni entered the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City as the reigning World Champion. He finished in second place overall to win his first Olympic Silver. In the following Olympic cycle leading up to the 2006 Olympic Games, Evgeni took the figure skating world by storm, having never finished off the podium, as he won 19 out of the 21 competitions he entered. The beginning of 2005 found Plushenko battling with severe injuries, nevertheless, he won the Grand Prix, Grand Prix Final, Russian Nationals and European Championship that season. However, he was forced to withdraw from the 2005 World Championships in Moscow, due to a serious groin injury that required surgery, which he underwent in Germany just a year before the 2006 Olympics in Turin. Health problems didn’t prevent Plushenko from setting a record at the Winter Games. After this triumph Plushenko took a break from competitive skating. Plushenko finished second overall at the Winter Games in Vancouver, ultimately winning the silver medal with a total score of 256.36. He became the first male skater in modern history to have won three Olympic medals in three consecutive Olympic Games. Following a break of almost two years and a knee surgery, which demanded a rehabilitation period, Plushenko went back to full training in the autumn of 2011. He took part in the European Championship 2012 in the UK, where he skated in the Qualification Round and the Short program with a knee and neck injury resulting in him omitting his trademark jump, the quad toe, from his short routine. However, on the night of the Free program, overcoming pain, Plushenko skated a flawless performance, received a standing ovation from the audience and finished triumphantly on top of the European podium for the seventh time in his career with a score of 176.52 (and total 261.23), achieving a new personal best and the highest score ever at the continent’s Championship. In November 2012 Evgeni underwent another serious surgery and resumed working on quads only three days before the 2013 Russian Championships in Sochi. After winning his 10th national title Evgeni has announced that he is preparing to realize his dream to compete in Sochi 2014, at his 4th Olympic Games. Source: Article, Image

Read More........ → November 17, 2013

Two Armenian referees admit match-fixing

Two Armenian referees admitted a match-fixing charge by the UEFA and were suspended on Wednesday. Andranik Arsenyan and Hovhannes Avagyan confessed to the Armenian Football Federation (HFF) for trying to fix the second leg of the first qualifying round match between Inter Turku of Finland and Vikingur of the Faroes on July 11. The penalties to the referees will be decided by UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body on August 22. Endi. Source: China.org.cn

Read More........ → November 16, 2013

Exclusive Tendulkar merchandise up for sale

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Bangalore, May 27 (IANS) A new collection of Sachin Tendulkar branded merchandise was launched which is up for sale exclusively on Collectabillia.com and Flipkart.com. The collection is the first of such an initiative by Collectabilia.com and caters to Sachin's fans around the world. The merchandise, such as pen drives, helmet-shaped paper-weights, diaries, and accessories including tie-pins, wallets, cricket-themed cuff links are among the many items that will be sold. "It's an interesting line of merchandise and a way to keep connected with my fans. Collectabillia has been able to create this unique line and I wish them all the success", said Tendulkar. Image Credit: Flixcart, Source: News Track India

Read More........ → November 08, 2013

Rs 1 lakh reward for players and coach

New Delhi: Hockey India (HI) secretary general Narinder Batra on Sunday announced that each member of India’s junior women hockey team which won the country’s first ever bronze medal at the World Cup will be rewarded with a cash prize of Rs one lakh. India today won its first ever bronze medal in junior women hockey World Cup after defeating England 3-2 on penalties in Monchengladbach, Germany. “Each player of the Indian junior women’s team will receive a cah reward of Rs one lakh, while the support staffs will be rewarded with Rs 50,000 each,” Batra said. India’s chief coach Neil Hawgood, who also attributed the women’s team’s success in the ongoing Junior Hockey World Cup, will also receive a cash reward of Rs one lakh, Batra said. Earlier, India had lost 0-3 to defending champions Netherlands in the second semifinal. Source: Article

Read More........ → October 09, 2013

Dhoni blasts India to last-over win in series final

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is lifted off the ground by teammate Ishant Sharma after hitting a boundary for six to seal victory over Sri Lanka on July 11, 2013. Dhoni dragged his side to a pulsating one-wicket victory in the final of the Tri-Nation Series at Queen's Park Oval.

Returning to the team after seeming to be ruled out from the rest of the tournament with a hamstring injury 11 days ago, the inspirational wicketkeeper-batsman smashed 16 runs off three deliveries in the final over, bowled by Shaminda Eranga, to take the tournament favourites to 203 for nine in reply to Sri Lanka's 201 all out off 48.5 overs. Less than three weeks after lifting the Champions Trophy to add to the World Cup title of 2011, Dhoni held a rapidly imploding innings together in compiling an unbeaten 45, carting the hapless Eranga for a six, a four and then a six off successive deliveries. "I thought I could target the bowler in that last over because he's not as experienced as some of the others," said the India captain. "I didn't want to take any chances against someone like a (Lasith) Malinga or a (Angelo) Mathews. I think I'm just blessed with good cricketing sense." Last-man Ishant Sharma was only required to survive at the other end and managed to achieve just that, although there were a few anxious moments between his arrival at the crease at 182 for nine and when the captain took responsibility to win the match on his own in the final over. Source: Sports.xin.msn

Read More........ → July 12, 2013

It's all about discipline, dedication and passion for Saina

A day before she left India for the London Olympics, an indigestion problem had badminton champ Saina Nehwal in tears. Despite her worries however, she ensured she went on a virtual fast to avoid aggravating the problem. “My daughter’s only focus is her diet and her game. She has always made it a point to never miss gym, practice and outdoor sessions. She was approached by several companies for endorsement deals, especially before the Olympics, but she did not accept them as she felt it would affect her practice – something she never compromises on. In fact she turned down an endorsement deal of Rs. 1 crore recently because she wanted to concentrate on the game,” says Nehwal’s father, Harvir Singh. A strict and disciplined routine, dedication, determination, focus, love for the game and tremendous support and encouragement from friends and family have brought the world number five to this level. Another good thing about the ace shuttler is that she’s always curious to learn more about the game. “She cries when she loses a match. We make her understand that winning and losing are two sides of the same coin. She then tries to learn from her mistakes and vows to perform better in the next match. That’s what keeps her momentum going,” says Singh. At just 22, when most girls and even other players of her age like an outing or shopping after rigorous practice, Nehwal prefers to spend time at her training academy. She leaves home at 6.30am, drives to the academy where she trains till 7pm with a break for about two hours. In her spare time, she likes reading biographies and books on social science. “She has read biographies of Sachin Tendulkar, Abhinav Bindra and her coach P Gopichand. She also uses her netbook to catch up on her opponents’ training and matches. She’s a great student of the game and understands the technical points very well,” says Singh. She doesn’t fear any of her competitors, not even the Chinese. “The top five players above her are all from China and she has defeated four of them. Only the top seed Wang Yihan is a player she has never beaten. But she knows that none of them is invincible,” he adds. Her parents have played a huge role in Nehwal’s success, ensuring her clothes are washed and her kit kept ready while she trains. Queen of the ring: Once inside the boxing ring, MC Mary Kom is confident, mentally strong, fearless and has the killer instinct. The five-time world champion and mother of two hopes these traits ensure she does not return home empty handed from London. “She told me that she was not going for herself but for our country. She wants to win for her nation and her family and takes competition very seriously,” says her husband, K Onler Kom. It has been a battle for survival. Being the eldest, Mary Kom helped her parents work in the fields, cutting wood, making charcoal and fishing. The passion for boxing developed gradually and she learnt the finer nuances of the sport before excelling at national and international levels. The problems, however, did not end here. “After we got married in 2005, our folks didn’t want her to continue boxing. She had even thought of giving up and would cry often. But that’s when I told her that she should fight on as it has taken so many years for her to reach this level,” says her husband. After the birth of their sons in 2007, Mary took a break for some time but bounced back within a year. Since then, her performance has been consistently good. However, when the pugilist is upset after losing a bout, she refrains from eating or training. “She’s a very sensitive person. She always calls me between matches and thanks me for being a support and for taking care of our children when she’s travelling or training,” he says. Wrestling for gold: “I still remember the day when Sushil Kumar came to my akhara to learn wrestling. He was just 11 years old and weighed 28kg. He started training and fell in love with the sport. Once he started winning competitions, he has never looked back,” says Sushil Kumar’s coach and one of the country’s veteran wrestlers, Mahabali Satpal. For the last 18 months, Kumar has trained rigorously for eight hours on an average of six days a week, starting out early at 4am and going on till late in the evening. This includes a gym and football sessions as well. “Sushil is very strong, both physically and mentally. Despite being the world champion, he is very grounded and humble. He is technically sound and observes all the nuances of the game. His ability to attack and defend is commendable,” says Satpal adding that Sushil is a great student of the It's all about discipline, dedication and passion for Saina - Hindustan Times

Read More........ → August 25, 2012