AAO KHELEIN

La Liga giants Real Madrid made their presence felt with an exemplary performance on Saturday, against Alaves recording a 2-1 win in the league clash.  The Spanish heavyweights found it difficult to dominate proceedings in the first half of the contest which took place at the Mendizorrotza Stadium, on the back of an astute defensive show by their opponents.  Alaves further made it difficult for Real Madrid to take initiative on the back of quick counter-attacks which put the defenders under pressure.The hosts had two clear chances to score the opening goal before half-time with only a single shot from Madrid attacker Gareth Bale causing any real panic, after hitting the woodwork.  However, the second half witnessed a completely different performance from the Los Blancos, who seized the initiative and momentum. Real Madrid scored the opening goal in the 52nd minute after a fine free-kick from Toni Kroos into the penalty box, which gave defender Sergio Ramos an oppor...

The Euro 2020 is set to witness exciting and enthralling action, following an unexpected draw which has witnessed Germany, France and Portugal being paired in one group. Group F which the three heavyweights have been paired in, has further been labelled as the 'Group of Death'. Antoine Griezmann to inspire France again? #EURO2020 | @FrenchTeam pic.twitter.com/8cAp3rpk7U — UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) November 30, 2019 This is certainly music to the ears of the fans who have been starved of competitive international fixtures since the recently concluded Euro Cup of Nations.  France who are the current World Champions, will certainly look to extend their dominance against Germany and Portugal who emerged victorious in the 2014 World Cup, the 2016 edition of this tournament respectively.  The final spot in the group will be determined following an intense battle between Romania, Hungary, Iceland and Bulgaria in Munich. That team will however face a stern test against ...

Rio de Janeiro, Dec 1 (IANS) Paolo Guerrero has struck his fourth goal in three Brazilian Serie A matches as Internacional all but secured a berth in next year's Copa Libertadores with a 1-0 victory at Botafogo. The Peru captain broke the deadlock in the 84th minute at the Olympic stadium with a low effort from outside the box that slipped through the gloves of Paraguayan goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez late on Saturday. Guerrero, who has been hampered by injuries and poor form in recent months, has now netted nine goals in 22 matches this Serie A campaign, reports Xinhua news agency. With only two rounds remaining, Internacional are seventh in Brazil's 20-team top flight standings, having posted 15 wins, nine draws and 12 losses. The top six teams will earn a place in the 2020 Copa Libertadores group stage while seventh and eight will contest the tournament's qualifiers. Two-time Serie A champions Botafogo dropped to 13th with 42 points from 36 matches. kk/rt via Sify...

Madrid, Dec 1 (IANS) The last two World Cup champions - France in 2018 and Germany in 2014 - along with Portugal, the 2016 winner of the last big continental tournament, make up Group F, the so-called Group of Death, in the Euro 2020 football championship. This year the luck of the draw created an alliance of three of the most powerful teams in recent years. Armed with some of the world's leading players, the national teams in Playoff A - Hungary, Romania, Iceland and Bulgaria - will fight it out in Munich and Budapest for the final spot in Group F, reports Efe news. In fact, the winning team in this group of four will play against Portugal, the reigning champ, in Budapest on June 16, while in Munich on the same day, France and Germany will debut in the final phase. The last World Cup champions will meet head-on. Without big stars but with a team of totally integrated players, Germany is out to win its fourth championship crown. After the disappointment of its last World Cup, wh...

Vitoria (Spain), Dec 1 (IANS) After being stymied by Alaves' defence in the first half, Real Madrid has scored twice on set plays in rainy conditions after the break to earn a 2-1 win in LaLiga action here. Alaves ceded the initiative to the Blancos for the most part in the early going at Mendizorrotza Stadium in this northern city and focused on generating chances on the counter-attack late on Saturday. The visitors then dominated the action and had two clear chances to open the scoring before the intermission, but a shot by Gareth Bale hit the woodwork after ricocheting off Alaves defender Ximo Navarro in the 10th minute, reports Efe news. The first score came amid driving rain early in the second half on a perfectly executed set piece, with Toni Kroos sending a free kick into the area and Sergio Ramos timing his move perfectly and heading the ball inside the far post in the 52nd minute. The goal completely altered the complexion of the match, as a freshly determined Alaves s...

Liverpool (England), Dec 1 (IANS) Liverpool came away with a hard-fought 2-1 home victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, a result that gives them an 11-point lead over two-time defending Premier League champion Manchester City. Liverpool (40 points) came out in attack mode and used a nearly identical formula in both of their goals at Anfield Stadium. After Virgil Van Dijk opened the scoring in the 18th minute off a free-kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold, the 1.93-meter (6-foot-4) Dutchman then headed home a corner kick by the English defender six minutes later to make the score 2-0. But the Reds took their foot off the pedal in the second half and ended up struggling down the stretch, particularly after goalkeeper Alisson Becker was sent off in the 76th minute for using his hands to prevent a goal outside of the penalty area. His replacement, Adrian, then immediately allowed a goal by defender Lewis Dunk, who scored on a set piece to make the scoreline 2-1 however, they failed to ...

Liverpool [UK], Dec 1 (ANI): Liverpool defeated Brighton 2-1 at the Anfield Stadium to attain an 11-point lead over the defending champions Manchester City in the ongoing Premier League. Liverpool has 40 points from 14 matches while City has 29 in as many games. The Reds' two goals in the opening half of the match and both of them were scored by Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk. Brighton was not able to maintain any kind of possession, but the side witnessed a spark in the second half after Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker was handed a red card in the 76th minute. Lewis Drunk scored for Brighton in the 79th minute to bring the scoreline to 2-1, but Liverpool managed to maintain their composure to win the match. In other matches, Tottenham defeated Bournemouth 3-2 to move to the fifth position in the Premier League standings with 20 points from 14 matches. Chelsea had to face a 0-1 defeat at the hands of West Ham United, and as a result, the side has now dropped to the...

Leeds [UK], Dec 1 (ANI): Germany's coach Joachim Low has expressed excitement in featuring in the group of death for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2020 and said the matches against France and Portugal will be the highlight matches in the competition. UEFA on Saturday (local time) announced the draw for the tournament and Portugal, Germany and France have been placed in Group F which is virtually the group of death. "At first I feel joy because these are highlight games against France and Portugal. We play against the reigning world champions and European champions," Goal.com quoted Low as saying. "I think the players are also looking forward to these games. Of course, it's a group of death. Everyone in this group has to go to the limit if they want to get ahead. But I think that these games will be football festivals. Then we also play in Germany. I'm looking forward to it," he added. France's coach Didier Deschamps said that the group will present a d...

Nyon [Switzerland], Dec 1 (ANI): Portugal, France and Germany have been placed in the group F for the upcoming Euro Cup 2020, as the main draw was revealed on Saturday (local time). This is now being viewed as the group of death as only two teams can progress ahead to the knockout stages. The final team in the group is still unknown. The groups are as follows: Group A (Rome/Baku)-- Turkey, Italy(hosts), Wales, Switzerland Group B (Copenhagen/ St Petersburg)-- Denmark (hosts), Finland, Belgium, Russia (hosts) Group C (Amsterdam/ Bucharest)-- Netherlands (hosts), Ukraine, Austria, Play-off winner D or A Group D (London/ Glasgow)-- England (hosts), Croatia, Play-off winner C, Czech Republic Group E (Bilbao/ Dublin)-- Spain (hosts), Sweden, Poland, Play-off winner B Group F (Munich/ Budapest): Play-off winner A or D, Portugal (holders), France, Germany (hosts) The tournament will be played from June 12- July 12. Turkey will take on Italy in the first match of the competition on...

Kozhikode, Nov 30 (IANS) In front of a packed audience, Gokulam Kerala got their I-League 2019-20 season underway on a positive note by pulling off a 2-1 victory over Manipurs NEROCA FC at the EMS Corporation Stadium here on Saturday. Goals from Henry Kisekka in the 43rd minute and Marcus Joseph in the 49th minute almost took the home side to victory before Taryk Sampson pulled one back for the visitors late into the game. Both returning coaches fielded a line-up signalling attacking intent. The spearheading duo of Marcus Joseph and Henry Kisekka featured in the Gokulam starting XI. Trinidadian Andre Etienne started in defence with Nathaniel Garcia in the heart of midfield. NEROCA FC opted for a less cautious approach with coach Gift Raikhan fielding a 3-5-2 formation. New signing and club skipper, Trinidadian veteran Marvin Devon Phillip, started in goal with his young compatriot Taryk Sampson starting in defence while Malian forward Boubacar Diarra was the focal point of the Nero...

Kolkata, Nov 30 (IANS) ATK and Mumbai City played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in a closely contested Indian Super League clash at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan here on Saturday. Michael Soosairaj put ATK in front ('39), but the lead was cancelled out by Pratik Chaudhari (62'). Then it was Serge Kevyn (90+3') who put Mumbai ahead only for ATK's Roy Krishna to rescue a point for the hosts with a late goal (90+6'). It was a cagey start as the teams struggled to get a foothold in the initial stages. ATK could have drawn first blood in the 19th minute but a timely block from Rowllin Borges kept the scoreline intact. Minutes later, Williams tried his luck from the distance, but his effort went inches wide of the post. After the half hour mark, Mumbai got their first opening when Diego Carlos delivered a brilliant cross from the left for Modou Sougou, but the striker could not control the ball and the chance went abegging. In the 39th minute, ATK finally breache...

Newcastle [England], Nov 30 (ANI): Manchester City on Saturday played a 2-2 draw against Newcastle in the Premier League. Raheem Sterling scored the opening goal of the match in the 22nd minute, handing Manchester City a 1-0 lead. However, just after three minutes, Jetro Willems scored an equaliser. Kevin De Bruyne then handed Manchester a one-goal lead but that too only lasted for six minutes as Jono Shelvey levelled the scores in the 88th minute. Manchester City will now compete against Burnley FC on December 4 while Newcastle will face Sheffield United on December 6. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2DCpLAx

Goa, Nov 30 (IANS) The I-League is up and running and with two matches already taking place on the first day of the league, all eyes shift to western India for matchday 2 as Churchill Brothers face the 2017-2018 champions Punjab FC in their first home match of the season on Sunday. Churchill Brothers, having already had the upper hand last season against Punjab, where the side from Goa defeated the visitors at their home ground 2-0 and drew 0-0 away in Ludhiana. The home team will look to repeat their performance once again as they ended fourth in the league table last season with 34 points to their name. To add, with the exception of Gambian-Dawda Ceesay, captain Willis Deon Plaza, Israil Gurung, James Kithan and Israil Gurung, Churchill Brothers will be fielding a completely new team which will make things interesting as the Goa franchise takes the field for their first match. Speaking before the match, Willis Deon Plaza, captain, Churchill Brothers FC Goa said, "We have a com...

Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad became the fourth venue to be inspected by a FIFA and Local Organising Committee (LOC) delegation in the ongoing inspection for FIFA U17 Women's World Cup India 2020. After the inspection, Oliver Vogt, Project Lead of FIFA U17 Women's World Cup India 2020 said in an official statement: "This is a beautiful stadium and we're very happy to be in Ahmedabad. We just have to make some amendments and modifications, but overall it is very positive." "For us, it is important to have stakeholders who are behind this event, and who show dedication. We feel that here in Ahmedabad, and so we're confident that if the venue is picked, it will deliver a great Tournament," Vogt added. Ahmedabad has been the fourth venue to be inspected for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020, following Kolkata, Guwahati, and Bhubaneswar. Tournament Director of the LOC, Roma Khanna said: "At the end, it is a FIFA World Cup so everything ...

Aizawl, Nov 30 (IANS) Aizawl FC held Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan to a goalless draw at home on the artificial turf of the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium. The opening game of the 13th I-League season between two former champions had several moments of excitement, but a goal eluded both sides in the end. Both coaches, Kibu Vicuna of Mohun Bagan and Stanley Rozario of Aizawl packed their sides with midfielders indicating a cautious approach to begin their campaign. Bagan had Suhair V.P. as the lone striker upfront while Rozario played William Lalnunfela ahead of a six-man midfield. The visitors pressed hard from the get-go. Suhair's through forward to Julian Colinas brought up the first chance of the game in the 3rd minute as the Spaniard's left-footed strike beat Lalremruata in the Aizawl goal, but went just wide. Suhair then got even better through ball from Nongdamba Naorem in the 8th minute but hit straight at Remruata who did well to come off his line quickly and narrow the angle. I...

Liverpool [UK], Nov 30 (ANI): Liverpool's Divock Origi said that manager Jurgen Klopp knows how to keep players sharp. Liverpool top the Premier League points table with 37 points, eight points ahead of the second-placed Leicester City. "It's great to have that momentum. I think as a football player [momentum] is often key, so it's about us using it. That's where the coach comes in and with the experiences that he had, he knows how to speak with us and keep us sharp. Of course, you can't win every game but as long we're brave and we do everything that we can, that's good," the club's official website quoted Origi as saying. Liverpool will now compete against Brighton today at Anfield. Origi said they always enjoy playing at home. "Yeah, we always enjoy playing at home. It will be an important game again, so we're just going to try to use that energy from the fans and the momentum. I'm excited for the game," he said. (ANI)...

Ahmedabad, Nov 30 (IANS) Ahmedabad became the fourth venue to be inspected by a FIFA and LOC delegation in the ongoing inspection for FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020. After the inspection, Oliver Vogt, Project Lead of FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020 said, "This is a beautiful stadium and we're very happy to be in Ahmedabad. We just have to make some amendments and modifications, but overall it is very positive. For us, it is important to have stakeholders who are behind this event, and who show dedication. We feel that here in Ahmedabad, and so we're confident that if the venue is picked, it will deliver a great tournament." Tournament Director of the LOC, Roma Khanna said, "At the end, it is a FIFA World Cup so everything has to be perfect, and certain things have to be improved, but the available facilities at the TransStadia and core infrastructure that is required, is in place, and is very good." "What is equally important f...

London:  Unai Emery, who has been sacked as the head coach of Arsenal, has penned down an emotional letter wherein he expressed gratitude to the fans for their support to the club. Emery and his coaching team was sacked by Arsenal on Friday following club's 1-2 Europa League defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday. "It has been an honour to be the Arsenal head coach," Emery said in a letter posted on the official website of the club. "To all the fans, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping me to understand and feel the greatness of Arsenal. To all of you who have supported us from every corner of the globe, all of you who have come to the Emirates, all of you who have waited in the rain and cold just to greet me after a game. I want to tell all of you that I have worked with passion, with commitment and with effort," he added. Emery further said he would have liked nothing more than to have achieved better ...

Leeds: West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has said that Frank Lampard's decision to leave Chelsea was a 'very good experience' for his career. "When you want to be a manager, you must want to learn as much as you can. During your career as a player, you see different people who manage the club in different ways and play different football. You can win titles in a number of different ways, and you choose one of those," Goal.com quoted Pellegrini, as saying. "For Frank Lampard, it was a very good experience for his career not to have always been at Chelsea. I know he started with West Ham, but for the most part of his professional career he was at Chelsea," he added. The current manager of Chelsea, Lampard, played for the club but later shifted to Manchester City. After his stint with Manchester City, Lampard joined New York City FC. Pellegrini said that going to Manchester City helped Lampard improve as a manager. "To go to Manches...

Leeds [UK], Nov 30 (ANI): West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has said that Frank Lampard's decision to leave Chelsea was a 'very good experience' for his career. "When you want to be a manager, you must want to learn as much as you can. During your career as a player, you see different people who manage the club in different ways and play different football. You can win titles in a number of different ways, and you choose one of those," Goal.com quoted Pellegrini, as saying. "For Frank Lampard, it was a very good experience for his career not to have always been at Chelsea. I know he started with West Ham, but for the most part of his professional career he was at Chelsea," he added. The current manager of Chelsea, Lampard, played for the club but later shifted to Manchester City. After his stint with Manchester City, Lampard joined New York City FC. Pellegrini said that going to Manchester City helped Lampard improve as a manager. "To ...

Leeds: Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas has backed Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo to win Ballon d'Or despite agreeing that both Lionel Messi and the Juventus star are exceptional. "It's difficult... I am Portuguese so of course, I support Ronaldo more. Cristiano took a risk by leaving the best team in the world, with more titles in the world. That kind of risk should be appreciated. Playing in Italy and scoring goals is difficult," Goal.com quoted Villas-Boas as saying. "Messi is still in his club, Barcelona, which is a big club. He is able to make a difference. But I am more for Cristiano because I'm Portuguese. Both of them are exceptional, it's difficult to choose. It [Ballon d'Or] will become a competition between them," he added. Earlier this year, Messi was awarded the Best Men's Player by FIFA. Apart from Messi and Ronaldo, Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk is also among the top contenders for the prestigious award. Villas-Bo...

Barcelona: French winger Ousmane Dembele will be out for roughly two and a half months after being diagnosed with a right hamstring injury, FC Barcelona has said on their website. "A medical examination has confirmed that first team player Ousmane Dembele has suffered a muscle injury to the biceps femoris of his right hamstring. His estimated layoff time is approximately 10 weeks," the LaLiga giants said in a brief medical bulletin late on Friday. The 22-year-old French international sustained the injury during the first half of Barcelona's 3-1 victory Wednesday night over Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in Champions League group-stage action, reports Efe news. Dembele went down in the penalty box and had to be replaced at the 26-minute mark by countryman Antoine Griezmann. The muscle injury is the third that he has suffered thus far in the 2019-2020 season and the seventh he has sustained since moving to Barcelona from Dortmund in the summer of 2017. In four Spa...

Leeds [UK], Nov 30 (ANI): Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas has backed Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo to win Ballon d'Or despite agreeing that both Lionel Messi and the Juventus star are exceptional. "It's difficult... I am Portuguese so of course, I support Ronaldo more. Cristiano took a risk by leaving the best team in the world, with more titles in the world. That kind of risk should be appreciated. Playing in Italy and scoring goals is difficult," Goal.com quoted Villas-Boas as saying. "Messi is still in his club, Barcelona, which is a big club. He is able to make a difference. But I am more for Cristiano because I'm Portuguese. Both of them are exceptional, it's difficult to choose. It [Ballon d'Or] will become a competition between them," he added. Earlier this year, Messi was awarded the Best Men's Player by FIFA. Apart from Messi and Ronaldo, Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk is also among the top contenders for the prestigious aw...

Barcelona, Nov 30 (IANS) French winger Ousmane Dembele will be out for roughly two and a half months after being diagnosed with a right hamstring injury, FC Barcelona has said on their website. "A medical examination has confirmed that first team player Ousmane Dembele has suffered a muscle injury to the biceps femoris of his right hamstring. His estimated layoff time is approximately 10 weeks," the LaLiga giants said in a brief medical bulletin late on Friday. The 22-year-old French international sustained the injury during the first half of Barcelona's 3-1 victory Wednesday night over Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in Champions League group-stage action, reports Efe news. Dembele went down in the penalty box and had to be replaced at the 26-minute mark by countryman Antoine Griezmann. The muscle injury is the third that he has suffered thus far in the 2019-2020 season and the seventh he has sustained since moving to Barcelona from Dortmund in the summer of 2017. ...

Chennai, Nov 30 (IANS) Chennaiyin FC have sacked head coach John Gregory following a poor run in the ongoing edition of the Indian Super League. In a joint statement, the Chennaiyin FC co-owners said: "The club would like to sincerely thank John for his services. He led us admirably well and delivered our second Indian Super League title." "He thus also made us the first ISL club to qualify for the AFC Cup and oversaw our debut appearance in Asia while also reaching the 2019 Super Cup final. All of us at the club would like to wish John the very best in his future endeavours." "This decision has been taken after a detailed discussion with John, and all parties involved believe this will be the right step for everyone associated with the club," the club added. Gregory all but quit his post on following his club's 0-3 loss to Bengaluru FC earlier this month. "It is about time I sit down with the owner and had a talk. She has been supportive thro...

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], Nov 30 (ANI): Indian Super League (ISL) team Chennaiyin FC have sacked John Gregory as their head coach. This decision comes on the back of the club's poor performance in the ongoing ISL. "The club would like to sincerely thank John for his services. He led us admirably well and delivered our second Indian Super League title. He thus also made us the first ISL club to qualify for the AFC Cup and oversaw our debut appearance in Asia while also reaching the 2019 Super Cup final," the co-owners of the club said in an official statement. "This decision has been taken after a detailed discussion with John, and all parties involved believe this will be the right step for everyone associated with the club," it added. Gregory had led the side to the title win during the 2017/18 campaign. However, during the 2018/19 season, the club finished last in the tournament. In the ongoing season, the side has failed to show any spirited perfor...

Chennai, Nov 30 (IANS) Chennaiyin FC have sacked head coach John Grgeory following a poor run in the ongoing edition of the Indian Super League. In a joint statement, the Chennaiyin FC co-owners said: "The club would like to sincerely thank John for his services. He led us admirably well and delivered our second Indian Super League title." "He thus also made us the first ISL club to qualify for the AFC Cup and oversaw our debut appearance in Asia while also reaching the 2019 Super Cup final. All of us at the club would like to wish John the very best in his future endeavours." "This decision has been taken after a detailed discussion with John, and all parties involved believe this will be the right step for everyone associated with the club," the club added. Gregory all but quit his post on following his club's 0-3 loss to Bengaluru FC earlier this month. "It is about time I sit down with the owner and had a talk. She has been supportive thro...

London, Nov 30 (IANS) Unai Emery, who has been sacked as the head coach of Arsenal, has penned down an emotional letter wherein he expressed gratitude to the fans for their support to the club. Emery and his coaching team was sacked by Arsenal on Friday following club's 1-2 Europa League defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday. "It has been an honour to be the Arsenal head coach," Emery said in a letter posted on the official website of the club. "To all the fans, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping me to understand and feel the greatness of Arsenal. To all of you who have supported us from every corner of the globe, all of you who have come to the Emirates, all of you who have waited in the rain and cold just to greet me after a game. I want to tell all of you that I have worked with passion, with commitment and with effort," he added. Emery further said he would have liked nothing more than to have achi...

London [UK], Nov 30 (ANI): After getting sacked as the coach of English Premier League side Arsenal, Unai Emery penned down an emotional letter to thank the fans for their constant support towards the club. Arsenal had sacked Emery as the coach on Friday after the team continued to show positive results. The side is currently going through a seven-game winless streak. "It has been an honour to be the Arsenal head coach. To all the fans, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping me to understand and feel the greatness of Arsenal. I want to tell all of you that I have worked with passion, with commitment and with effort," Arsenal's official website quoted Emery as saying. "I would have liked nothing more than to have achieved better results for you. It has been a year and a half full of emotions, of great moments and some other more bitter ones, but not a single day has gone by without me stopping to think about how lucky I have been to work f...

Buenos Aires, Nov 30 (IANS) Diego Maradona's Gimnasia La Plata earned a 1-1 draw at Banfield in the Argentinian Superliga despite playing for more than an hour with just 10 men. Eric Ramirez, on Friday, put Gimnasia ahead from close range in the 13th minute but the visitors suffered a double blow shortly after Nelson Insfran brought down Reinaldo Lenis, earning the goalkeeper a second yellow card, reports Xinhua news agency. Jesus Datolo tucked away the resultant spot-kick but the hosts failed to capitalise on their extra player as Gimnasia held on to secure a point. The result left Maradona's outfit 22nd in the 24-team standings with three wins, two draws and 10 losses. Banfield remained 17th, six points above Gimnasia. Maradona, 59, took charge of Gimnasia in September when they were last in the standings with just one draw from five matches. The 1986 World Cup winner has led the team to three wins and a draw in their past seven matches. In Friday's only other Superl...

London [UK], Nov 30 (ANI): David Pemsel, who was due to take charge of Premier League Chief Executive, has resigned before even starting his duty. His decision comes after allegations of harassment against him. "Following media disclosures earlier this week and discussions with David Pemsel, the Premier League has today accepted David's resignation and he will no longer be joining as Chief Executive," Premier League said in an official statement. The league has also confirmed that Richard Masters will continue as the Interim Chief Executive. Pemsel was appointed as the Chief Executive in October and he was due to begin work in the new role from February 2020. For the past few weeks, British media was constantly calling for the sacking of Pemsel after his inappropriate text messages surfaced. The 51-year-old Pemsel had allegedly sent several inappropriate text messages to a former female colleague. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2XYTEVn

Kolkata, Nov 29 (IANS) To mark East Bengal's 100 years of existence, English Premier League giants Manchester United could be seen playing a pre-season friendly against the I-League heavyweights in July end or August first week next year. Four Manchester United officials visited the Salt Lake Stadium here on Friday to check on the infrastructure, and were left impressed. They will now talk to their management back in Manchester and get back on whether to take on the red and golds next year. "As part of the centenary celebrations, East Bengal Club are in talks with Manchester United and have given them a proposal to play an exhibition match in India next year. "In this regard, Allen J. Dawson (Football Director at Manchester United) and Christopher L. Komen visited our club and undertook a recee of the infrastructure. They also held discussions with club secretary Kalyan Majumdar and senior executive committee member Debabrata Sarkar," the club said in a statement....

Mumbai, Nov 29 (IANS) History was made on Thursday in Indian football when City Football Group (CFG) acquired a 65 per cent stake in Indian Super League club Mumbai City FC, and team goalkeeper Amrinder Singh feels it is great news for the young Indian footballers. The ISL club joined an elite list of clubs who are under the ownership of the Abu Dhabi based CFG which includes Premier League champions Manchester City and six other clubs around the world. "I feel this is a momentous deal. This is indeed a great moment for football in India and all the young players who are emerging to play the sport. We have seen in the last four or five years how rapid the progress has been in Indian football after the emergence of the ISL. I believe City Football Group coming to India can only take football forward in our country," said Mumbai City goalkeeper and India international Amrinder Singh. There could be a possibility of Mumbai City players also being part of an exchange programme...

Kolkata, Nov 29 (IANS) Indian Super League leaders ATK will be eyeing a third consecutive win at home when they host Mumbai City FC, boosted by Manchester City taking a majority stake, at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium here on Saturday. On Thursday, English Premier League champions Manchester City's parent company, City Football Group, announced that they have bought a majority stake (65%) in Mumbai City, making it the eighth club in their stable worldwide. Meanwhile Antonio Habas' ATK sit atop the table with 10 points from five matches and have been exceptional in their home games. This will be their third game at home, after thrashing Hyderabad FC 5-0 and then defeating Jamshedpur 3-1 in their first two matches here. The Kolkata side's form suffered a minor blip on the road to Odisha FC last weekend, ending in a damp squib. It was a rare case of Habas' attack not delivering as Roy Krishna and co. have netted a joint league-high 10 goals so far. But amidst thei...

London, Nov 29 (IANS) Arsenal on Friday sacked head coach Unai Emery. The decision comes after Thursday's 1-2 Europa League defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt at the Emirates Stadium. "We announce today that the decision has been taken to part company with our head coach Unai Emery and his coaching team," the club said in a statement. The club further said that the decision was taken "due to results and performances not being at the level required". Arsenal board member Josh Kroenke said: "Our most sincere thanks go to Unai and his colleagues who were unrelenting in their efforts to get the club back to competing at the level we all expect and demand. We wish Unai and his team nothing but future success." Freddie Ljungberg, who played for the club between 1998 and 2007, has been appointed as the interim head coach. "We have asked Freddie Ljungberg to take responsibility for the first team as interim head coach. We have full confidence in Freddie t...

London [UK], Nov 29 (ANI): Arsenal sacked head coach Unai Emery and his coaching team on Friday after the club's dismal performance in the ongoing Premier League. In the 13 matches so far, the side is only able to win four matches and faced a defeat in three. The team played a draw in six fixtures this season. The Gunners played their last game against Eintracht which they lost by 1-2. Speaking on behalf of the Arsenal board and our owners Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, Josh Kroenke said in an official statement: "Our most sincere thanks go to Unai and his colleagues who were unrelenting in their efforts to get the club back to competing at the level we all expect and demand. We wish Unai and his team nothing but future success." The club has appointed Freddie Ljungberg as interim head coach until the finalisation of the new coach. "The search for a new head coach is underway and we will make a further announcement when that process is complete. The decisio...

Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], Nov 29 (ANI): A FIFA delegation along with the members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) inspected the Kalinga Stadium to ascertain the readiness of Bhubaneswar to host the U17 Women's World Cup in 2020. Following the visit, the delegation expressed their satisfaction with the work, which has taken place at the venue. FIFA Project Lead for the Tournament Oliver Vogt said in an official statement: "We're very happy to be here because we know Bhubaneswar is a city which is very passionate about sports. You have hosted the Hockey World Cup and now it is time to shift to football. If Bhubaneswar is selected as a Host City, we're very confident that the U17 Women's World Cup will be a huge success." "Our government is committed in its efforts to host the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup. We are looking to complete all infrastructural build and upgradations by the first quarter of 2020," added Vishal Kumar Dev, Commis...

"The interesting and compelling part of our proposition and the nature of our group is we have gathered and collected a lot of expertise not only in terms of the football environment but also the business and operational side so we have lots of sources of information and expertise that we have accumulated over the last several years by operating teams in Major League Soccer (MLS), A-League, China. "So the ability to accumulate all that knowledge and expertise and share it now with our colleagues and the business here is something that we are really excited to deliver," Damian Willoughby, who took over as CEO of City Football Group India, told IANS in an interview on his first day at office. English Premier League champions Manchester City's parent company, CFG, on Thursday announced that they have bought a majority stake (65 %) in Mumbai City, making it the eighth club in their stable worldwide. Other clubs in the CFG network include New York City in the US, Melbo...

London, Nov 29 (IANS) Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp have been inducted into the League Managers Association's Hall of Fame. Both managers were honoured at a special LMA dinner on Thursday evening in Manchester. Following his induction, Guardiola said: "It is an incredible honour to be a part of it, for the rest of my life and for generations, to be in this Hall of Fame in English football. Meanwhile, Klopp said: "This is really special, to be a part of this incredible group of managers is big." He later added: "Tonight my family and coaches are here. I wanted them all to be here because it is very important in our family history." On the career achievements of Pep and Jurgen, LMA Chairman Howard Wilkinson said: "Both individuals have demonstrated incredible drive, innovation and dedication to management and coaching. Since arriving in England, they have built two of the best teams in Premier League history...

London [UK], Nov 29 (ANI): Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola have been inducted into League Manager Association's (LMA) Hall of Fame. Both have been inducted into the hall of fame, in recognition of their achievements in football management to date. Guardiola and Klopp were honoured at a special LMA Dinner on Thursday (local time). England coach and LMA President, Gareth Southgate, and LMA Board and Hall of Fame Member, Sir Alex Ferguson, presented Klopp and Guardiola with a hand-crafted silver salver as a mark of recognition. The duo now follows the likes of Brian Clough, Sir Bobby Robson and Arsene Wenger in the LMA Hall of Fame. "What a privilege. When you come down the corridor and see all the big names, big managers, big personalities being here that would have helped to make football better, football that we have right now," Goal.com quoted Guardiola as saying. "I think all the managers here that have been inducted in...

Leeds [UK], Nov 29 (ANI): After acquiring a major stake in Indian Super League (ISL) side Mumbai City FC, Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Football Club (CFC) said that the Indian football enthusiasts behave like fans from Europe and there is no doubt that the country will become a major football nation in the coming years. CFC, the owners of the English Premier League side, Manchester City on Thursday announced that they have acquired 65 per cent stake in the club. the remaining 35 per cent will continue to be owned by Bimal Parekh and Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor. Mumbai City has now become the eighth club in the world and third in Asia to be acquired by the CFC. "The first thing is the size of the country and 1.3 billion people. The second thing is that we have visited India in past. There is a passion, there is talent. The fans that watch the game understand the game. They behave like fans from Europe. There is no doubt that India is going to be a football nation. The only que...

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Nov 28 (ANI): Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor on Thursday said that his ambition is to make Mumbai City FC the best football club in Asia. "I am really sorry as I could not be there as I am shooting in the mountains. I am super thrilled for this day. Everybody who knows me knows my love for football and to own a football club in my own city is a dream come true. All of us at Mumbai City FC, our ambition is to make it best football club in Asia," he said in a video message here. The video message was played during an event organised to announce that the City Football Group (CFG) has acquired a majority stake in the Mumbai City FC of the Indian Super League (ISL). CFG will become the 65 per cent majority shareholder of the club, alongside existing shareholders, acclaimed actor and film producer, Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh who combined will hold the remaining 35 per cent of shares. The completion of the investment remains subject to the approv...

Chennai, Nov 28 (IANS) Chennaiyin FC and Odisha FC shared the spoils after a thrilling Indian Super League encounter finished 2-2 at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Thursday. After a barren first-half, Nerijus Valskis (51') handed Chennaiyin the lead. But Odisha equalised through Xisco Hernandez (54'). Valskis thought he had given Chennaiyin the win with a second goal in the 71st minute, but Aridane Santana (82') ensured Odisha returned from Chennai with a point. The result sees Chennaiyin climb to eighth spot in the table with five points from six games while Odisha, who played out a third consecutive draw, are sixth with six points. Odisha, as expected, had most of the early possession and the first real chance did come their way. Masih Saighani gave away the ball in midfield in the eighth minute, allowing Jerry Mawihmingthanga to intercept and move forward. The ball eventually fell to Xisco Hernandez inside the box but his snap-shot was saved by an alert Chennaiy...

Liverpool [UK], Nov 28 (ANI): Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum feels that his club was a better team in the second half during their clash against Napoli. Liverpool witnessed a 1-1 draw against Napoli in Champions League on Thursday. Dejan Lovren had scored an equaliser for Liverpool in the 65th minute but the club failed to score another goal. "We started well in the second half, we were the better team in the second half but it didn't result in a lot of chances, or a lot of big chances and that's something we have to work on, in circumstances like this to still create chances," the club's official website quoted Wijnaldum as saying. Wijnaldum said that Liverpool fought till the end and is happy with Lovren's strike. "We tried to fight until the end of the game and that's what we did. We were happy that we could score the equaliser. Now we have to finish it against Salzburg," he said. The club will now compete against Salzburg and need ...

Guwahati (Assam) [India], Nov 28 (ANI): The FIFA delegation along with members of the Local Organising Committee visited the Indira Gandhi Athletic International Stadium, and had a comprehensive look at the stadium and the training facilities here on Thursday. Delegates from the football's governing body were satisfied with the conditions in Guwahati. FIFA's Project Lead for U17 Women's World Cup India 2020, Oliver Vogt said that we know the passion of football in the North-East and is confident of repeating the 2017's success. "We are very happy to be back after 2017. We know the passion for football in this part of the country, and are confident we will repeat the success of 2017 if Guwahati is picked as a venue for FIFA U17 Women's World Cup next year," Vogt said in an official statement. Tournament Director of the LOC, Roma Khanna said: "It is really good to be back in Guwahati. As we know, this region is bursting with an affinity towards foo...

English Premier League champions Manchester City's parent company City Football Group announced on Thursday that they have bought a majority stake in Mumbai City, making it the eighth club in the CFG network worldwide. This is the first of its kind association in India where a top European outfit has acquired majority stakes of a club. Damian Willoughby, CEO of City Football Group in India, will be overseeing the operations as Man City look to make a serious impact in Indian football, Soriano said. "We are here to stay. The CFG is here to stay for the next decade and more to see Indian football flourish. We want to be part of your society and bring whatever experience we can bring to unleash the power of Indian football and Mumbai City," Spaniard Soriano told reporters after the announcement was made at Famous Studios. "We want to take time. My colleague Damian Willoughby (CEO of City Football Group in India) will be relocating here from Singapore. We are asking ...

"I hope we can make it there one day. That's our dream. Let's hope Indian football can make it at the global stage, at the FIFA World Cup at least in my lifetime," Ambani told reporters after the landmark announcement here. "Our focus is going to be that all teams contribute to grassroots sport. We have so much talent like Sandesh Jhingan," she said. Echoing Ambani, CFG Chief Executive Officer Ferran Soriano said: "This is our priority number one. We want to get to kids early." "For the first-time ever, a European club will be acquiring a majority stake in an Indian club. City Football Group are the owners of Manchester City FC, who are the champions of the Premier League. And they also own other leading clubs like New York City FC and Melbourne City FC. CGF along with all its club including Man City will now join hands with ISL's very own Mumbai City FC. What a big day for Indian football," added Ambani while announcing the develo...

"I am super-thrilled for this day. All of us at the Mumbai City FC, the ambition is to make it the best football club in Asia and today I am thrilled to announce City Football Group's association with Mumbai City Football Club," Ranbir said in a video message after the announcement was made at Famous Studios in the presence of Chairperson, Football Sports Development Limited and Reliance Foundation Nita Ambani. The owners of Premier League champions Manchester City will have majority stake while Ranbir and film producer Bimal Parekh will hold the remaining 35 per cent of shares. "With this tie up, we hope to replicate what Manchester City has done in English Premier League and that is to win everything in front us. City Football Group's interest in India shows the growth opportunities the country presents in football," said Ranbir. "City Football Group is committed to the future of football in India and to the potential for Mumbai City FC," Chai...

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Nov 28 (ANI): City Football Group (CFG) has agreed on a deal to acquire a majority stake in Mumbai City FC of the Indian Super League (ISL), marking a major move into Indian football on Thursday. CFG will become the 65 per cent majority shareholder of the Club, alongside existing shareholders, acclaimed actor and film producer, Ranbir Kapoor and Bimal Parekh who combined will hold the remaining 35 per cent of shares. The completion of the investment remains subject to the approval of certain football bodies. News of the acquisition was revealed today in front of the Club's fans by CFG Chief Executive Officer, Ferran Soriano together with Chairperson, Football Sports Development Limited and Reliance Foundation, Nita Ambani. The deal will see Mumbai City FC benefit from the Group's commercial and football know-how, whilst at the same time delivering a new and exciting element to the CFG global commercial platform. Mumbai City FC plays its home g...

Leeds [UK], Nov 28 (ANI): Tottenham's Harry Kane said that he has a good relationship with the new manager Jose Mourinho and the latter looks up to him for any advice on the team. "It's early days. We have a good relationship so far, we talk, we try to help the team. Obviously with me being one of the leaders, he looks to me for feelings and advice on the team," Goal.com quoted Kane as saying. Tottenham secured a 4-2 win over Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday. Kane is hopeful of developing a 'strong relationship' with Mourinho as they both want to win 'big competitions'. "When you're winning games it definitely helps your relationship. Hopefully, we can build a strong relationship," he said. "We know we both want to win big competitions. That's the team's aim and that's the manager's aim. Hopefully, I can help him do that this year and see where we can go," Kane added. (ANI) via Sify.com ht...

City Football Group is set to acquire a majority stake in Indian Super League (ISL) football team Mumbai City FC. CFG, which has Manchester City, will outline the details of the deal at a news event in the Indian financial hub of Mumbai. For the first time ever an European team will be acquiring majority stake of an Indian football club. Mumbai City is co-owned by Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor. Famous stars like Freddie Ljungberg, Nicolas Anelka and Diego Forlan have been marquee players in the past. "The investment will showcase the interest of the world in Indian football," media reports quoted a reliable source. City Football Group (CFG) agree deal to take 65% stake and become the majority shareholder in @MumbaiCityFC #HeroISL #LetsFootball #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/6gRAxmtowU — Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) November 28, 2019 More to follow... via Sify.com https://ift.tt/35IKVt6

Zurich [Switzerland], Nov 28 (ANI): The Indian football team dropped two spots to 108 in the latest FIFA rankings which were announced on Thursday. India suffered a 1-0 defeat against Oman in the FIFA World Cup Qatar Qualifiers on November 19. The Blue Tigers hold the fourth spot, only above Bangladesh, in the Group E of the qualifiers as they have not won any of their five matches so far. Belgium and France retained their first and second positions respectively in the latest rankings. Brazil are in third place followed by England. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2qWFlV9

London, Nov 28 (IANS) Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has made it clear that he is looking to build a strong relationship with new manager Jose Mourinho. He took charge after Mauricio Pochettino was sacked. "When you are winning, it definitely helps your relationship. Hopefully we can build a strong relationship," Kane told reporters. "It's early days. We have a good relationship so far. We talk, we try and help the team ... Me being one of the leaders in the team he looks to me for feelings and advice on the team." The star striker had earlier said that Mourinho was the best thing to have happened to the club as they look to end an 11-year title drought. "We know we both want to win big competitions. That's the team's aim, my aim and the manager's aim. Hopefully I can help him do that this year and see where we can go," Kane said. "He's had two games. So far it's been about trying to save energy, not trying to work t...

City Football Group is set to acquire a majority stake in Indian Super League (ISL) football team Mumbai City FC. CFG, which will outline the details of the deal at a news event in the Indian financial hub of Mumbai. For the first time ever an European team will be acquiring majority of the stakes of an Indian football club. More to follow... via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2ORQnCZ