AAO KHELEIN

Liverpool [UK], Jan 28 (ANI): Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum heaped praise on teammate Jordan Henderson and called the captain a 'phenomenal player'. "He's a phenomenal player, not only as a football player but also as a captain," the club's official website quoted Wijnaldum as saying. Wijnaldum also feels that Henderson is the best captain they can have for the team. "Since I came to Liverpool I got to know him. He is the best captain we can have for this team. The way he speaks with the players and helps the players is the way you want your captain to be," he said. Liverpool have been on a sublime form as they top the Premier League table. The club has faced not even a single defeat in the Premier League this season and have 67 points, 16 points ahead of the second-placed Manchester City. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/37zNLBU

Bhubaneswar, Jan 28 (IANS) Odisha FC have roped in Spanish forward Manuel Onwu for their remaining matches of the ongoing of the Indian Super League (ISL). 32-year-old Onwu, who had joined Bengaluru FC earlier before the start of the season in 2019, will represent Odisha FC on loan till the end of the sixth edition of the league. Born in Tudela, Spain, Onwu had made his La Liga debut in March 2012 for CA Osasuna after playing for their B team. Prior to his association with Bengaluru FC, he was a part of another Spanish club UCAM Murcia CF in the 2018-19 season of Segunda Division B. Speaking on the new signing, OFC Head Coach Josep Gombau said, "We are happy to have Manuel Onwu with us. I think that he can fit very well in the style of football that we play. I welcome him on behalf of the team and wish him all the best." After joining the club, Onwu said, "I am delighted to join Odisha FC and looking forward to playing under the guidance of coach Gombau. I know that ...

London: Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic said they are a young team and need to improve a lot. Chelsea secured a 2-1 win over Hull City on Saturday in FA Cup. Michy Batshuayi scored the opening goal of the match in the sixth minute and Chelsea's second goal was scored in the 64th minute. "It was a tough game, as we knew that it would be, but we need to score in the first half two more goals. That's our problem in this moment but obviously we're happy to go through," the club's official website quoted Kovacic as saying. "It was because we didn't score on time - we had some chances and we didn't use them. In training, we are working on it but we are still a young team, a new team, and we need to improve a lot. We need to take our chances, which in this moment we are not doing great, but we have time to improve and I am sure we will do," he added. Chelsea are currently placed at the fourth position in the Premier League table with 40 points...

London [UK], Jan 27 (ANI): Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic said they are a young team and need to improve a lot. Chelsea secured a 2-1 win over Hull City on Saturday in FA Cup. Michy Batshuayi scored the opening goal of the match in the sixth minute and Chelsea's second goal was scored in the 64th minute. "It was a tough game, as we knew that it would be, but we need to score in the first half two more goals. That's our problem in this moment but obviously we're happy to go through," the club's official website quoted Kovacic as saying. "It was because we didn't score on time - we had some chances and we didn't use them. In training, we are working on it but we are still a young team, a new team, and we need to improve a lot. We need to take our chances, which in this moment we are not doing great, but we have time to improve and I am sure we will do," he added. Chelsea are currently placed at the fourth position in the Premier League table ...

Kolkata, Jan 27 (IANS) A last-gasp header from substitute Balwant Singh saw ATK pip NorthEast United 1-0 and go atop the Indian Super League table at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan here on Monday. The hosts created plenty of chances but were wasteful until an injury-time strike from substitute Balwant proved to be the difference. Despite his absence from the touchline, Antonio Habas' side returned to the top of the table, level on points with FC Goa who also have 27 points from 14 matches. The Highlanders remained on ninth position with 11 points from as many games. In-form ATK striker Roy Krishna had the NorthEast defence on red alert early on with his dangerous runs off the ball. After a couple of unsuccessful runs down the right flank, Prabir Das delivered an excellent cross in his third try and it almost found Krishna's run into the box, until Kai Heering made a crucial interception to deny the Fijian a shot on target. The visitors had their first sight of the AT...

Leeds [UK], Jan 27 (ANI): Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus is aiming to improve on his penalty-taking abilities and said that it builds pressure when you miss penalties. "In the training sessions I take them and I score more than I miss. If I take five I miss one and sometimes I don't miss. In games it's been different. I've taken three this season - two here and one with the national team Brazil - and I missed all three," Goal.com quoted Jesus as saying. "When you miss three in a row you go to the next one under pressure to score. So that's the challenge. I have in my mind that I have to train more and improve more of course," he added. Jesus missed a penalty on January 22 against Sheffield United. Despite the miss, the club managed to secure a 1-0 win in the match. During the clash against Fulham on Sunday in FA Cup, Ilkay Gundogan took over the duty to take the penalty and successfully converted it. However, Jesus still managed to score t...

Leeds [UK], Jan 27 (ANI): German football club RB Leipzig's Jean-Kevin Augustin on Monday joined Leeds United on a loan. The striker joins the Whites on an initial loan deal until the end of the season from Bundesliga outfit Red Bull Leipzig, the club said in a statement. Augustin joined the RB Leipzig in July, 2017 for a fee of 13 million Euros. The 22-year-old featured in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League during his time with the German club, who finished sixth and third in his two seasons, where he scored 20 goals in 67 matches. French national helped his country win the European Under-19 Championship in 2016, where he scored the most number of goals and was adjudged as player of the tournament. Augustin is Leeds' third signing of the January transfer window following the joining of Elia Caprile and Ian Poveda. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2OiruB9

Naples [Italy], Jan 27 (ANI): Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri expressed disappointment over his club defeat against Napoli saying that they played 'without the right intensity'. "We were passive today, we played at a fast pace and so everything becomes more difficult. We weren't cohesive between our departments and we were very tame from a mental point of view. We had the wrong approach and we played without the right intensity," the club's official website quoted Sarri as saying. "It is difficult to isolate the performance of a single player or a department, I chose the attacking trident, because all three seemed to me to be in form and that they would be supported by the midfield," he added. Juventus suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Napoli on Monday in Serie A. Despite the defeat, Juventus are still sitting on the top of Serie A table with 51 points. However, there is only a three-point difference between them and the second-placed club I...

Leeds [UK], Jan 27 (ANI): Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) Thomas Meunier praised teammate Neymar saying that if the Brazilian scores one goal then it is not a good match for him. "I'm not going to say that you get used to it. But when he only gets one single goal or an assist, you tell yourself that he didn't have a good match! In reality, what he does is sensational," Goal.com quoted Meunier as saying. Neymar scored twice against Lille to hand PSG a 2-0 win in Ligue 1 match on Monday. With this win, PSG have attained a 10-point lead at the top of the Ligue 1 points table. Meunier also hailed Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria saying that they are decisive and the club is lucky to have them. "It's the same for Kylian [Mbappe] or Angel [Di Maria], they are always decisive. We will always need them, we are lucky to have them on our team," he said. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2O2dbQS

Los Angeles, Jan 27 (IANS) The helicopter crash in Southern California that claimed the lives of nine people, including NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, is being investigated by local and federal authorities. The helicopter had crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California on Sunday morning, killing everyone on board. "It's a logistical nightmare in a sense because the crash site itself is not easily accessible," Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva was quoted as saying in a news conference by CNN. He added that the investigation could be a "very extensive process." Villanueva said the sheriff's office is working with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration to check the cause of the crash and have already secured the site, the CNN report said. The effort to recover the victims' bodies has also begun but could take a couple of days, Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner Jonathan Lucas said...

Liverpool [UK], Jan 27 (ANI): Liverpool's goalkeeper Adrian is disappointed over his club's draw against Shrewsbury and admitted that they could have done much better. "We are really disappointed obviously because we could have done much better than our performance tonight," the club's official website quoted Adrian as saying. Liverpool witnessed a 2-2 draw against Shrewsbury on Sunday in FA Cup. Adrian said they will have to criticise themselves and perform like the are doing in the Premier League. In Premier League, Liverpool top the points table with 67 points, 16 points ahead of the second-placed Manchester City. "They deserve all the respect we give them. We respect all the rivals obviously but when we are on the pitch it's 11 against 11, so you give everything for the result," he said. "At the end, they got a draw and obviously it's like a win for them because we have to play the second game now at Anfield. But we need to have a ...

Manchester [UK], Jan 27 (ANI): Manchester United's Diogo Dalot has expressed elation over his club's massive win against Tranmere Rovers, saying that they gave a 'proper fight'. "If we didn't come with the right desire and the right mentality, we could make it more difficult. Like I said today we did a good job, right mentality, proper fight, respect the opponent and we get the win," the club's official website quoted Dalot as saying. Manchester United secured a 6-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in FA Cup on Sunday. Dalot has largely been sidelined through injury this season and scored his first Manchester United goal in the match. He admitted that the road to recovery was a 'tough journey' for him. "It's been a tough journey but like I said, these kinds of things, a win and a goal make us feel like I'm doing a good job in fighting, working every day and taking the opportunities," he said. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/...

New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS) The first woman footballer in India to have been awarded a Padma Shri, Bembem Devi on Monday dedicated the award to women's football in the country and felt that it would inspire several girls and their parents to take up the sport. The former India captain has been known as a flag-bearer of Indian women's football for over two decades. She was also conferred the Arjuna award in 2017. Speaking to AIFF, the 39-year-old said: "This is a recognition to women's football in India. This is an eyeopener to all who believe you can't go places playing women's football in India. I hope this will inspire all the girls and their parents to believe the 'beautiful game' can make you reach higher echelons." "This is the year of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2020. This Padma Shri award is for the next generation of girls who will play, or take up the sport some years later," she added. When asked if being awarded the Padma Sh...

Valladolid (Spain), Jan 27 (IANS) Real Madrid defeated Real Valladolid 1-0 on a late goal by Nacho Fernandez, taking sole possession of first place in Spain's La Liga. Nacho was able to beat the tough Valladolid defence in the 78th minute, scoring the only points Real Madrid would end up needing to secure the victory on Sunday evening, reports Efe news. The 30-year-old defender's goal helped Real Madrid capitalise on the loss earlier this weekend by arch-rival Barcelona. On Saturday, Valencia, playing at home, shut out Barcelona 2-0, opening the way for Real Madrid to overtake the Catalan club for the top spot in La Liga. Following disappointing losses in their last two games, Valencia returned to the form they showed earlier this season, despite missing captain Dani Parejo to suspension and several other players to injury. Real Madrid went into Valladolid's Jose Zorrilla Stadium on Sunday knowing that it had to take advantage of the stumble by Barcelona. Valladolid c...

Paris, Jan 27 (IANS) Brazilian international Neymar paid a tribute to late NBA legend Kobe Bryant in his second goal celebration in Paris Saint-Germain's French Ligue 1 away game against Lille. Bryant, 41, was killed in a helicopter crash in Southern California on Sunday morning. His 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant was also on board. PSG was awarded a penalty early in the second half for a handball from Lille's left-back Reinildo Mandava. The 27-year-old striker converted it and ran to the cameras while holding up two and four fingers on his hands in honour of Bryant's jersey number in the Los Angles Lakers, reports Xinhua news agency. "I went to see the messages on social media at halftime, I saw that Kobe is dead. It is a great sadness for the world of sport, and for all of us," Neymar told French TV channel Canal Plus after the game. "I knew him and I did this celebration to pay tribute to him. And I hope he will rest in peace." Neymar opened ...

New Delhi [India], Jan 26 (ANI): All India Football Federation (AIFF) disciplinary committee on Sunday handed out suspensions to ATK head coach Antonio Habas, goalkeeping coach Angel Pindado and Kerala Blasters FC's head coach Eelco Schattorie. The apex football body found the three guilty of serious misconduct during Indian Super League (ISL) match number 58 between ATK FC and Kerala Blasters FC on January 12 at Kolkata. Habas and Pindado have both been handed two-game suspensions and a monetary fine of Rs 1 and 2 lakh respectively. However, since both have already served one suspension each in the previous game, the duo will be out of technical area against NorthEast United FC on January 27. Blasters coach Eelco Schattorie is required to serve a similar quantum of a two-game suspension and a fine to the tune of Rs 1 lakh with immediate effect. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/3aFWIM5

Kolkata, Jan 26 (IANS) ATK co-owner and former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly hopes city soccer giants East Bengal will follow arch-rivals Mohun Bagan and join the Indian Super League (ISL) bandwagon. Ganguly feels ATK and Mohun Bagan coming together to play in the ISL from next season is a positive step forward in Indian football and expressed his desire to see East Bengal follow the trend and enter the ISL fray sooner rather than later. "Mohun Bagan have a massive fan following just like East Bengal. I know I'm jumping the gun, but hopefully East Bengal also starts playing in the ISL sooner than later. I think it'll be a great thing for football. You cannot think about football without Mohun Bagan or East Bengal. So, one is already on board and hopefully, as I said, the second one will follow soon," Ganguly told indiansuperleague.com in an interview. The RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group (RPSG), the entity which owns and runs ATK, recently announced the acquisition of...

Kolkata, Jan 26 (IANS) ATK will be looking to avoid any slip-ups as they host struggling NorthEast United on Monday at the Salt Lake Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL). ATK are placed third on the table, three points behind league leaders FC Goa and a point shy of second-placed Bengaluru FC. They are fresh off a win against leaders Goa while NorthEast, placed ninth on the table, are on a seven-match winless run. With a strong record at home this time around (13 points taken from a possible 18), ATK will consider themselves favourites to take all three points against NorthEast. When you filter in the fact that NorthEast United have scored just three goals away from home, the task on their hands seems unenviable. Roy Krishna, who has scored eight goals so far, is ATK's biggest threat up front. His directness and ability to bring teammates into play has served Antonio Habas' side well. However, he has not scored in the last four matches, despite providing assists to his t...

New Delhi [India], Jan 26 (ANI): The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Sunday congratulated Oinam Bembem Devi on being nominated for the Padma Shri award. Devi became the first Indian woman footballer and the seventh overall to be selected for Padma Shri Award. Sunil Chhetri had won the award in 2019. Congratulating Devi, AIFF President Praful Patel said he is hoping that more girls will draw inspiration from her. "Congratulations! None deserve it more than Bembem Devi. She has been a role model for Indian Football and won so many laurels for India over the years. I hope more girls draw inspiration from her and take Indian Women's Football to greater heights," AIFF's official website quoted Patel as saying. AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das termed Devi a 'living legend'. "Bembem is a living legend and has been the flagbearer of Indian Women's football over the years. This is the year of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup which we are host...

New Delhi, Jan 26 (IANS) All India Football Federation (AIFF) has congratulated Oinam Bembem Devi, after she became the first Indian woman footballer, and the seventh overall to be selected for Padma Shri Award. Praful Patel, AIFF, President, said in a statement: "Congratulations! None deserve it more than Bembem Devi. She has been a role model for Indian Football and won so many laurels for India over the years. I hope more girls draw inspiration from her and take Indian Women's Football to greater heights." Kushal Das, General Secretary, AIFF, in his statement said: "Bembem is a living legend and has been the flag bearer of Indian Women's football over the years. This is the year of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup which we are hosting, and I feel it will provide the necessary fillip to inspire the next generation, and generate interest among all stakeholders. Congratulations." Das also made a mention of Bembem's contribution to the sport as a co...

Madrid [Spain], Jan 26 (ANI): Ahead of the clash against Valladolid, Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane expressed confidence in his side saying that they are in good form. "Every team looks to win and each one chooses how they go about that. We've got our own system, just as every other team does. I'm not going to talk about what other teams do. We want to keep doing what we're doing, whilst being aware that every game is different," the club's official website quoted Zidane as saying. "We need to focus on producing a good performance tomorrow. I try to give 100% every day and that's the same for the players. We're in good form. The most important thing is tomorrow's game and what we do against Valladolid," he added. Real Madrid have been on a good run and if they secured a win in the match, they will topple Barcelona to secure the top-spot on La Liga table. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have 43 points but the former has played one ...

Leeds: Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri hinted that he might retire from football after his Juventus role. "After this experience I could even quit: it depends on what energy I have left and if I think I can do well again. These aren't things I'm thinking about at this moment," Goal.com quoted Sarri as saying when asked whether he could see himself ever returning to Napoli.  The 61-year-old is in his 30th year as a coach and previously managed clubs like Napoli and Chelsea. Sarri has signed a three-year contract with Juventus in June 2019 and said he will only continue if he will 'be the same Sarri'. "Pressure is a false myth: external pressure must not influence you, but if your motivation is lost then it is better to stop. I don't know if at the end of my contract with Juventus I will be the same Sarri: if yes, I will continue. Otherwise, no," he said. Juventus are scheduled to take on Napoli in Serie A on Monday.  via Sify.com https...

Leeds: Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick expressed satisfaction over his club's dominating victory over Schalke and said it was crucial that they got three points. "That was very good. Schalke was really impressive in the first game [of 2020] against Gladbach. But we play here at home and wanted to play our game, our philosophy,"Goal.com quoted Flick as saying. "We wanted to disrupt the opponent early, put pressure was on them early with high intensity. We did this very well, especially in the first half. It was crucial that we got the three points," he added. The club secured a massive 5-0 win over Schalke on Saturday in Bundesliga. Bayern Munich has now 39 points on Bundesliga table, only one point behind the table-toppers RB Leipzig. Flick said the quality in the squad is excellent and they had a 'very successful day'. "This must give us even more confidence. The quality in the squad is excellent, and if I can then lift them as I did ...

Leeds: Barcelona manager Quique Setien analysed the club's defeat against Valencia saying that they gave away many aimless passes and did not interpret the instructions well. "They still do not interpret [instructions] well or maybe we do not explain them well. Nobody likes what we have seen today," Goal.com quoted Setien as saying. "Valencia compromised us, they closed us down well. Positionally, there are things that we have to correct. We have given away many aimless passes. We do not work to do this," he added. It was Barcelona's first defeat since Setien replaced Ernesto Valverde as club's manager on January 14. The match witnessed a goalless first half but Valencia dominated the second half and scored two goals to register a win over Barcelona on Saturday in La Liga. "In the first half, we did not play well at all. The best thing was that we went into half-time at 0-0. In the second half, the team improved somewhat and we were able...

Paris: Ahead of the clash against Lille, Paris Saint Germain (PSG) manager Thomas Tuchel admitted that it is a big challenge for them as their opponents have a lot of quality. "We had a good training session, with quality, intensity, a good attitude. It's good and necessary to be ready for the match on Sunday against the team with the best home record," the club's official website quoted Tuchel as saying. "It'll be a tough game, because Lille have a lot of quality, they have a very strong 4-4-2, compact, with good attacking transitions. We'll need to look out for a lot of things. It's a big challenge for us," he added. Tuchel also hailed Angel Di Maria calling the 31-year-old 'very professional'. "I've liked him for years. When he played at Real Madrid, I was a big fan. He never stops, is reliable, works a lot for the team. He's also a nice person. He's always the first to arrive at the Ooredoo Training Centre, ...

Leeds [UK], Jan 26 (ANI): Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri hinted that he might retire from football after his Juventus role. "After this experience I could even quit: it depends on what energy I have left and if I think I can do well again. These aren't things I'm thinking about at this moment," Goal.com quoted Sarri as saying when asked whether he could see himself ever returning to Napoli. The 61-year-old is in his 30th year as a coach and previously managed clubs like Napoli and Chelsea. Sarri has signed a three-year contract with Juventus in June 2019 and said he will only continue if he will 'be the same Sarri'. "Pressure is a false myth: external pressure must not influence you, but if your motivation is lost then it is better to stop. I don't know if at the end of my contract with Juventus I will be the same Sarri: if yes, I will continue. Otherwise, no," he said. Juventus are scheduled to take on Napoli in Serie A on Monday. (ANI) ...

Leeds [UK], Jan 26 (ANI): Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick expressed satisfaction over his club's dominating victory over Schalke and said it was crucial that they got three points. "That was very good. Schalke was really impressive in the first game [of 2020] against Gladbach. But we play here at home and wanted to play our game, our philosophy," Goal.com quoted Flick as saying. "We wanted to disrupt the opponent early, put pressure was on them early with high intensity. We did this very well, especially in the first half. It was crucial that we got the three points," he added. The club secured a massive 5-0 win over Schalke on Saturday in Bundesliga. Bayern Munich has now 39 points on Bundesliga table, only one point behind the table-toppers RB Leipzig. Flick said the quality in the squad is excellent and they had a 'very successful day'. "This must give us even more confidence. The quality in the squad is excellent, and if I can then lift ...

Leeds [UK], Jan 26 (ANI): Barcelona manager Quique Setien analysed the club's defeat against Valencia saying that they gave away many aimless passes and did not interpret the instructions well. "They still do not interpret [instructions] well or maybe we do not explain them well. Nobody likes what we have seen today," Goal.com quoted Setien as saying. "Valencia compromised us, they closed us down well. Positionally, there are things that we have to correct. We have given away many aimless passes. We do not work to do this," he added. It was Barcelona's first defeat since Setien replaced Ernesto Valverde as club's manager on January 14. The match witnessed a goalless first half but Valencia dominated the second half and scored two goals to register a win over Barcelona on Saturday in La Liga. "In the first half, we did not play well at all. The best thing was that we went into half-time at 0-0. In the second half, the team improved somewhat and...

Paris [France], Jan 26 (ANI): Ahead of the clash against Lille, Paris Saint Germain (PSG) manager Thomas Tuchel admitted that it is a big challenge for them as their opponents have a lot of quality. "We had a good training session, with quality, intensity, a good attitude. It's good and necessary to be ready for the match on Sunday against the team with the best home record," the club's official website quoted Tuchel as saying. "It'll be a tough game, because Lille have a lot of quality, they have a very strong 4-4-2, compact, with good attacking transitions. We'll need to look out for a lot of things. It's a big challenge for us," he added. Tuchel also hailed Angel Di Maria calling the 31-year-old 'very professional'. "I've liked him for years. When he played at Real Madrid, I was a big fan. He never stops, is reliable, works a lot for the team. He's also a nice person. He's always the first to arrive at the Ooredoo...

Margao, Jan 25 (IANS) Hugo Boumous inspired FC Goa to a thrilling 3-2 win over Kerala Blasters FC in an action-packed Indian Super League (ISL) encounter at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Saturday. First-half goals from Boumous (26') and Jackichand Singh (45') saw Goa take a 2-0 lead only for Raphael Messi Bouli (53') and Bartholomew Ogbeche (69') to peg them back. But Boumous managed to grab a winner seven minutes from time to hand Sergio Lobera's team all three points. The victory sees Goa go two points clear at the top of the table while Kerala remain eighth, with their chances of reaching the play-offs taking a huge beating. Kerala showed a lot of enterprise in the early exchanges and showed confidence on the ball. However, FC Goa did not take that long to hit their stride with Boumous and Ferran Corominas forcing errors from the Kerala defence. Kerala continued to threaten from the wide areas, with Bartholomew Ogbeche glancing wide Mohammed Rakip'...

New Delhi [India], Jan 25 (ANI): Footballer Robin Singh on Saturday said that the current coach Igor Stimac has brought in a positive attitude within the side and the team is improving with each passing day. "Igor Stimac has brought in positive attitude within the team. We are becoming a better side, and in trying to make a transition, you will have losses," Singh told ANI. He continued, "Football is a evolving sport, it keeps on changing with time. In today's sport, both physical aspect and skills go hand in hand, we have grown technically under Igor Stimac. We can compete with anyone, the national team has fit players now, we are physically strong. We have good strikers and defenders." Singh, also hailed the women's league in the country and said he is proud to come from a nation where equal opportunities are being given to everyone. "It's a very good initiative. In today's world it's about being equal and women are no less. I am very...

Kozhikode, Jan 25 (IANS) Gokulam Kerala FC will be playing host to Churchill Brothers FC at the EMS Stadium in Kozhikode on Sunday. Both sides will be coming into this fixture on the back of defeats. The hosts suffered a staggering 1-3 defeat to Punjab FC in Ludhiana while Churchill Brothers were handed a major upset at home as TRAU emerged 2-1 winners at the Fatorda. Another defeat for either side could serve as a catalyst which could ignite a downward spiral, as two defeats on the trot, has the potential to severely dent any title aspirations, especially when the league leaders show no signs of slowing down. Gokulam have struggled for consistency, looking like the team to beat like they did against Quess East Bengal but have struggled to follow up such performances, looking like a completely different team as they did against Punjab. Gokulam Kerala FC head coach Fernando Andres Santiago Varela said, "Sometimes, football is not about mistakes but about the successes of the ri...

Leeds [UK], Jan 25 (ANI): Despite being at the number one spot in the Premier League standings, Liverpool's star defender Virgil van Dijk has said that the side does not feel unbeatable. The Reds currently have 67 points from 23 matches in the tournament. From the 23 matches, Liverpool has managed to win 22. In their last match, Liverpool edged out Wolves to record a 2-1 win to consolidate their pole position in the standings. "You never feel unbeatable - it is not a feeling that we have. Anything can happen. There were moments against Wolves when things could have been different. They could have scored a second. We always feel we have to keep working hard," Goal.com quoted Van dijk as saying. "We just try to keep improving. Things are going good at the moment and everyone is in a good situation," he added. Last year, England internationals Joe Gomez (Liverpool) and Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) were involved in an on-field altercation when the two clu...

Liverpool: Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is impressed with Takumi Minamino's performance saying he was 'fighting like crazy'. Minamino made his Premier League debut on Friday against Wolves and Klopp is of the opinion that the 25-year-old made a 'super start'. "When you come in as a new player in this kind of a battle and then showing up like he did, not with his skills - what he obviously has in different departments of the game - [but] with his mentality and character," the club's official website quoted Klopp as saying. "He was fighting like crazy and closed gaps, was involved in a lot of situations. That was just a super start, to be honest," he added. Liverpool secured a 2-1 win in the match and have gained a massive 16-point lead in the Premier League table over second-placed Manchester City. Klopp further stated that Minamino is exactly the player they expected. "He's exactly the player we expected to get - supe...

Dortmund [Germany], Jan 25 (ANI): Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland on Saturday scripted history as he became the first player to score five goals in his first two matches in Bundesliga. Haaland scored twice during a clash against Koln to hand his side a massive 5-1 win over the opponents. Earlier on January 18, Haaland had netted a hat-trick for his club against Augsburg. Hence, the 19-year-old has five goals to his name in just two appearances in Bundesliga. Interestingly, Haaland has achieved his feat in just 57 minutes of pitch time. Borussia Dortmund currently hold the third spot in the Bundesliga table with 36 points. The table is topped by RB Leipzig with 40 points followed by Bayern Munich. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2U1J27U

Mumbai, Jan 25 (IANS) LaLiga SmartBank club, Cadiz CF, has been scouting talent in the country over the past one year for a scholarship opportunity. Young aspiring footballers from India have been selected to visit Spain and to receive football training from top coaches. Over a period of four weeks, from January 18 to February 16, Cadiz CF will conduct trials in 22 cities across India to select students for this scholarship. Following the success of the last two trials, attended by more than 300 students, Cadiz CF has organised these trials for the third time in India. The trials, being organised in tier-I and tier-II cities, will have participation from over 2500 students. Four coaches from Cadiz CF - Pablo Grandes, Francisco Arias, Alex Almeida and Joss Junckler along with Quique Gonzalez, Director of Grassroots Football will be holding the trials. From the students who participated across three age categories (Age Groups: 11-14, 15-17 and 18-23), some of them will be selected to ...

Buenos Aires, Jan 25 (IANS) Diego Maradona has said he declined an offer from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to coach the country's national men's football team. Maradona, currently the manager of Argentinian Superliga side Gimnasia, met Maduro in Caracas on Tuesday, less than a month after Rafael Dudamel quit as Venezuela's head coach, reports Xinhua news agency. "Maduro offered me the national team (job) but I told him that I have a commitment with Gimnasia," Maradona told reporters before his team's home Superliga clash with Velez Sarsfield on Friday. "I couldn't let the lads and the people down. There was no possibility that I would leave here," he added. Venezuela have been without a head coach since January 3, when Dudamel resigned to take charge of Brazilian Serie A club Atletico Mineiro. Maradona, who almost single-handedly guided Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title, has a contract with Gimnasia until May. The 59-year-old has ...

London [UK], Jan 25 (ANI): Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said that his club is going to fight for every competition that they are involved in. "We're going to fight for every competition that we're involved in," the club's official website quoted Arteta as saying. Arteta lifted the FA Cup as Arsenal's captain in 2014. The club is scheduled to take on Bournemouth in the FA Cup on January 28. "I know what it means to this club to win that competition and we need to get back winning. We need to get back to being up there and having everybody talking about us. We need every competition to try and do that," Arteta said. Arteta also expressed happiness with the support they have got from the fans. "I think that one of the important things is creating that connection again with the fans. It's a long time ago, and these people have been here for a long time, [since we have] seen the fans react and support the team how they did against Chelsea. ...

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], Jan 25 (ANI): Reigning champions Sethu FC started their Indian Women's League (IWL) campaign with a massive 5-0 victory over Kolhapur City FC at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Friday. Amsavalli opened the scoring in the 18th minute before Sandhiya notched up a second-half hat-trick, with K Sumithra also opening her account to round off a thoroughly dominating victory. The initial exchanges between the two teams were cagey, but Sethu dominated possession, while Kolhapur was able to catch their opponents on the break. Amsavalli drew the first blood in the first half, after she broke down the right flank, leaving her marker at bay before cutting into the left and placing it clinically to put Sethu in front. The match headed into half-time with just the solitary goal in the book, leaving Kolhapur with a chance to weave a comeback. That changed after the hour mark, when Sandhya scored the second goal in the 61st minute, after she found herself wit...

Liverpool [UK], Jan 25 (ANI): Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is impressed with Takumi Minamino's performance saying he was 'fighting like crazy'. Minamino made his Premier League debut on Friday against Wolves and Klopp is of the opinion that the 25-year-old made a 'super start'. "When you come in as a new player in this kind of a battle and then showing up like he did, not with his skills - what he obviously has in different departments of the game - [but] with his mentality and character," the club's official website quoted Klopp as saying. "He was fighting like crazy and closed gaps, was involved in a lot of situations. That was just a super start, to be honest," he added. Liverpool secured a 2-1 win in the match and have gained a massive 16-point lead in the Premier League table over second-placed Manchester City. Klopp further stated that Minamino is exactly the player they expected. "He's exactly the player we expected t...

Liverpool [UK], Jan 25 (ANI): Despite Liverpool attaining a massive lead at the top in the Premier League table, the manager Jurgen Klopp asserted that there is no party in his mind and it is about doing the job until it is over. "It's really about doing what you have to do until it's over. There's no 10 per cent party in my mind, no 15 per cent, no eight per cent - there's just no party. It's not like this," the club's official website quoted Klopp as saying. After securing a 2-1 win over Wolves on Friday, Liverpool has gained a whopping 16-point lead over the second-placed club Manchester City. Reflecting on the victory, Klopp said: "After the game yesterday, I have these little meetings immediately where I tell the boys what I think and, to be honest, I had to remind myself at the end to say, 'Congratulations, the result was outstanding' because before that I spoke about all the other things that were not that good - not because I...

Hyderabad, Jan 24 (IANS) A tale of two penalties saw Hyderabad FC hold Mumbai City FC to a 1-1 draw in a dramatic Indian Super League (ISL) contest at the GMC Balayogi Stadium here on Friday. In a game that was closely contested in the midfield, a Mohamed Larbi (43') spot-kick seemed to have given Mumbai City all three points. But an injury-time penalty from Marko Stankovic (90+4') ensured that Hyderabad salvaged a point at home. The draw meant that Mumbai failed to leapfrog Odisha FC and remained in the fifth spot with 20 points from 14 matches. The hosts remained at the bottom of the table with six points. Mumbai have used their flanks to good effect this season and the trend continued as they threatened early. Hyderabad countered by making use of the spaces vacated by Mumbai's wide players. Mumbai's Serge Kevyn and Hyderabad's Asish Rai both served dangerous crosses into the box which the defences had to deal with. Hyderabad keeper Laxmikant Kattimani, whose ...

Coimbatore, Jan 24 (IANS) In the wake of head coach Alejandro Menendez stepping down after a string of poor shows, East Bengal will look to turn a corner when they take on defending champions Chennai City FC in an I-League clash at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday. East Bengal on Thursday appointed Mario Rivera as their head coach till the end of the ongoing I-League season. Rivera is expected to take over the reins by the first week of February with fellow assistant Bastab Roy overseeing matters till then as they take on Chennai City FC on January 25 and Indian Arrows on February 1. Either club would be far from pleased given where they stand on the table as the 13th I-League season approaches its half-way mark. Chennai City are in eighth place, having picked eight points while East Bengal have racked up the same total, but sit a place above in seventh by virtue of a superior goal difference. Despite having not hit full throttle, Chennai City will be boosted by their...

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], Jan 24 (ANI): Football legend PK Banerjee, who was admitted to Medica Superspecialty Hospital earlier this week, has responded well to the treatment and is stable. The 83-year-old footballer, who was admitted on January 21, was suffering from electrolyte imbalance, urinary problems, Parkinson's disease and dementia. Banerjee has been advised to be discharged from the hospital today. He is also advised to undergo physiotherapy post-release from the hospital. Earlier, a multi-disciplinary medical board was done to review his conditions and progress. Banerjee is viewed as one of the legends in Indian football and has been conferred with Padma Shri for his outstanding contribution to the sport in the country. (ANI) via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2uxLxEh

Kolkata, Jan 24 (IANS) Legendary Indian footballer PK Banerjee was on Friday discharged from a city hospital after he fell ill a few days back with electrolyte imbalance. He was suffering from electrolyte imbalance, urinary problem, Parkinson's disease, dementia. "A multi-disciplinary Medical Board was done to review his conditions and progress. "He has responded well with treatment and is now stable. He is advised for discharge from Medica Superspecialty Hospital today. He is advised to undergo physiotherapy post release from hospital," a statement from the hospital said. Banerjee was admitted to hospital on Tuesday. dm/bg via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2uxCO4Y

New Delhi [India], Jan 24 (ANI): All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday officially launched its Football Management Program. The program was launched with the signing of an MOU with Spanish La LigaSmartBankco-leaders Cadiz CF. The program will now enable students to study in three cities over the course of a year - New Delhi, Mumbai, and Cadiz (Spain). "Football is without any doubt the number one global sport and is growing very quickly in India. We felt that such a program was much needed to help students understand the nuances and global practices involved in managing football not only in India but across the world," AIFF president Praful Patel said in an official statement. "With the curriculum combining theoretical and practical knowledge, there will be a paradigm shift in football management in the country," he added. AIFF Masters will provide students with complete hands-on experiential training on every aspect of football in India and abroad thr...

Pune, Jan 24 (IANS) LaLiga Santander Club, Sevilla FC and LaLiga Football Schools recently organised an engagement activity for aspiring footballers in Pune. Over 70 kids, who are a part of the LaLiga Football Schools program in the city, participated in the masterclass and football fiesta at Turf Up on January 20. The masterclass was led and executed by Javier Cabrera, Technical Director and Saul Vazquez Chas, Regional Technical Head (West) from LaLiga Football Schools India and David García Gomez, Senior Specialist, Sports Projects Development, LaLiga for the young footballers from the centre. Apart from the technical training, activities were organised as a part of the Football Fiesta including 3v3 tournament, dribble circuit, juggling contests, cross bar/accuracy challenge, shooting and possession challenges and more to develop the technical and competitive skills in an exciting manner. The students, from age categories 8 to 18, were divided into two groups and played with offi...

Bogota, Jan 24 (IANS) Former Colombia international midfielder Jhon Viafara has been extradited to the US to answer drug trafficking charges, authorities have said. The 41-year-old is accused by prosecutors in Texas of being a part of a criminal network that shipped cocaine to Central America and onward to the US via the Pacific Ocean, reports Xinhua news agency. He and four others were arrested near the southwestern Colombian city of Cali in March last year. Viafara, who says he is innocent, was allegedly responsible for paying boat operators and ensuring that drug cargoes reached their destination, according to investigators. Colombian police confirmed the extradition in a statement accompanied by images of Viafara boarding a jet at Bogota's El Dorado international airport. Viafara was capped 34 times for Colombia between 2003 and 2010. He retired in 2015 after a career that included spells with Portsmouth, Southampton and Real Sociedad. In 2004, he was named the best player...

London, Jan 24 (IANS) Liverpool got a goal with six minutes left in regulation to prevail 2-1 over Wolverhampton and extend their Premier League winning streak to 14 matches. With the hard-fought away victory on Thursday evening, the league-leading Reds are unbeaten in their last 40 games in the English top flight, reports Efe news. Jurgen Klopp's side have 67 points from 23 outings, 16 points more than second-place Manchester City. Though, Klopp and Reds supporters will be worried about the injury that forced Sadio Mane to leave the game in the 30th minute. Wolverhampton are seventh, level with both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur on points at 34, but trailing those clubs on goal difference. Liverpool, in pursuit of their first domestic league title in 30 years, came into Thursday's game having not dropped points in the league since October's 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford. The visitors went up 1-0 just eight minutes into the contest at Molin...

Madrid, Jan 24 (IANS) Atletico Madrid suffered an early exit at the Copa del Rey with a 1-2 defeat in extra-time to third division side Cultural Leonesa. Atletico, who are third in La Liga and are looking forward to a Champions League clash next month against Liverpool, were one of four top-flight sides dumped out of the tournament on Thursday at the last 32 stage, reports Xinhua news agency. Argentine striker Angel Correa put them in front in the 62nd minute before Leonesa levelled seven minutes from the end through Julen Castaeda. Sergio Benito then delivered the winner for the hosts in the second period of extra-time. Eibar, Real Betis and Celta Vigo were also eliminated from the Copa del Rey on Thursday. aak/dpb via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2NUlSwp

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], Jan 24 (ANI): The fourth edition of the Indian Women's league will kick-off at the Bengaluru Football Stadium on January 24. The 21-day long tournament will culminate with the finals being played on February 14. The first-ever rolling trophy for the Indian Women's league was unveiled in a glittering ceremony in the city on Thursday. Captains of the team representing all the 12 teams from 10 states were present along with Sunando Dhar, CEO, League, AIFF, Satya Narayan, General Secretary, KSFA and Maymol Rocky, head coach, Indian Women's national team. Kryphsa FC and Kickstart FC will lock horns in the first match later in the day. The 12 teams vying for the top honours in the Indian Women's League have been divided into two groups of six teams each in Group A and Group B. Group A would consist of Kickstart FC (Karnataka), FC Kolhapur (Maharashtra), Krypsha FC (Manipur), BBK DAV FC (Punjab), Sethu FC (Tamil Nadu) and Baroda FA ( Gujarat...

Chennai, Jan 23 (IANS) Chennaiyin FC boosted their top-four hopes after an emphatic 4-1 win over Jamshedpur FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Thursday. A terrific brace from Nerijus Valskis (13', 74') and fine strikes from Andre Schembri (42') and Lallianzuala Chhangte (87') helped Chennaiyin register their third win on the bounce. Sergio Castel's (71') second-half header turned out to be just a consolation for Jamshedpur FC. The win sees Owen Coyle's side leapfrog Jamshedpur into the sixth spot, three points shy of fourth-placed Odisha FC. The Men of Steel, on the other hand, have been dealt a massive blow, sliding down the leaderboard. The home side made an energetic start to the game and made it count in the 13th minute when Andre Schembri received the ball near the half-way line. The Maltese striker drove past a couple of Jamshedpur defenders and slipped an excellent through ball for Valskis. The Lithuanian sl...

Bengaluru, Jan 23 (IANS) The fourth edition of the Indian Womens League (IWL) gets underway at the Bangalore Football Stadium from Friday. The 21-day long tournament will culminate with the finals being played on February 14. The first-ever rolling trophy for the league was unveiled in a glittering ceremony in the city on Thursday. Captains of the 12 teams from 10 states were present along with Indian women's national team coach Maymol Rocky, league CEO Sunando Dhar and Karnataka State Football Association General Secretary Satya Narayan. Kryphsa FC and Kickstart FC will lock horns in the first match on Friday. The 12 teams have been divided into two groups (A and B) of six teams. Group A would consist of Kickstart FC (Karnataka), FC Kolhapur (Maharashtra), Krypsha FC (Manipur), BBK DAV FC (Punjab), Sethu FC (Tamil Nadu) and Baroda FA ( Gujarat) while Group B will comprise of Kenkre FC (Maharashtra), Gokulam Kerala FC (Kerala), Odisha Police FC (Odisha), Bangalore United FC (Kar...

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], Jan 23 (ANI): India's football skipper Sunil Chhetri on Thursday said that he does not have many matches left for his country, so he makes the most out of what his career has to offer. "It indicates that I am at the other end of my career. I have played 112 matches for my country, it doesn't mean I am going to play 250 matches. I don't have many games left, but I feel really fit now, I am raring to go but it is a fact that I am on the other side of my career," Chhetri told reporters. Commenting on the state of Indian football, Chhetri said that the Blue Tigers have improved, but there is still a long way to go if the side wants to compete with the big guns. "I think we have definitely improved, but we haven't improved that much that we can get satisfied. Everyone is involved in the sport now, where we want to reach, it is far away and we have to work hard to achieve the goals," Chhetri said. India currently has three ...

Kolkata, Jan 23 (IANS) Legendary Indian footballer PK Banerjee will be released from hospital on Friday where he was admitted after he fell ill a few days back with electrolyte imbalance. "He is better now. He will be released tomorrow," a family source told IANS. The 83-year-old former India captain is suffering from electrolyte imbalance, urinary problem, Parkinson's disease and dementia, said a statement from the hospital on Wednesday. Banerjee was admitted to a city hospital on Tuesday after he fell ill. dm/bg via Sify.com https://ift.tt/2GhYN2G

Imphal, Jan 23 (IANS) Mohun Bagan registered an emphatic 3-0 victory away from home against Neroca FC at the Khuman Lampak Stadium on Thursday to extend their lead at the top of the table to six points in an I-League encounter. Nongdamba Naorem broke the deadlock in the 27th minute before creating the second goal for Papa Diawara in the 53rd minute. Substitute Komron Tursunov added the third, deep into stoppage time, to seal the deal for the Mariners. Neroca had their first crack at goal, against the run of play in the 16th minute, when a Marvin Phillip goal-kick found Boubacar Diarra, who chested it down well and after seeing Bagan keeper Sankar Roy off his line, went for glory from the half-way line. His effort gently nestled the top of the net, leaving Sankar a relieved man. With Mohun Bagan clearly running a one-way traffic at this point, Neroca had started putting more men in the box, making it more challenging for Vicuna's men to penetrate the final third. Nongdamba Naor...

Hyderabad, Jan 23 (IANS) Mumbai City FC have blown hot and cold in the Indian Super League and going into the business end, they will now look for some solidity. Chasing a top-four spot, Mumbai are set to take on Hyderabad FC at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium here on Friday. The Islanders, under Jorge Costa, are fifth on the table with 19 points from 13 matches. They have a game in hand with Odisha and can move to fourth place with a win against the bottom-placed Hyderabad. Hyderabad are on a ten-match winless run and have lost their last four games in the ISL. They need five points from their last five matches to not become the worst team in the league's history in terms of total points earned. Mumbai's season has been a roller coaster ride. Costa's team has been inconsistent in recent games but their last outing, a 2-0 win against defending champions Bengaluru FC at home, should have them riding high on confidence. The Islanders have the best away record in the lea...