Lagos gives Churchill 1st AFC Cup win
Margao: Christian Lagos struck twice as Churchill Brothers drubbed New Radiant of Maldives 3-0 to secure their first win in the AFC Cup here on Tuesday. Lagos scored in the 31st and 75th minutes while Anthony Wolfe got the other goal in the 52nd minute in the Group E league match at Nehru Stadium. With this win, Churchill, who lost to Persipura Jayapura of Indonesia in their opening encounter, opened their account with three points from two matches. New Radiant, who had beaten Home United of Singapore, remain on three points from two outings. The Lagos-Wolfe duo caused all sorts of trouble for the rival defenders, creating half a dozen chances in the first half but Wolfe missed two close chances with only keeper to beat. Lagos put his team 1-0 up after a move on the right saw Satish Singh sending a low cross into the box for Wolfe to chest the ball down to Lagos who uncorked a firm grounder to find the back of the net. Churchill Brothers continued to dictate terms in the second half and Wolfe made amends for his first half misses by scoring in the 52nd minute off a throw-in from the right. Lagos than capitalised on the weak defence of New Radiant and put the match beyond the reach of the visitors when he scored his second goal of the match following a rebound off the keeper. (PTI)
Pune FC face Kitchee challenge today
Hong Kong: Pune FC will take on Hong Kong giants Kitchee SC in their first-ever overseas match in an AFC Cup second-round encounter at the Mong Kok Stadium here on Wednesday. Like Pune FC, the hosts Kitchee have also qualified for the continental competition after finishing runners-up in their domestic league. The Group-H clash will be a crucial one for Pune, who are keen to strengthen their qualification hopes after being held to a 2-2 draw at home by Myanmar’s Nay Pyi Taw FC in the opener. On the other hand, Kitchee began this season’s AFC Cup campaign with a 5-0 win over Singapore’s Tampines Rovers in an away game. Moreover, Kitchee not only sit a massive 12 points clear at the top of the Hong Kong first division league, but are on a hot 10-match unbeaten run stretching back to November, which includes nine wins and a draw. (PTI)
‘Valladolid defeat proves Barca human’
LONDON: Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri felt “hungover” after the team’s shock FA Cup exit but backed his team to bounce back in Wednesday’s Champions League encounter against a Barcelona side which has not been at its best either. Nasri, who scored in City’s 2-1 shock defeat by Wigan Athletic on Sunday, felt the team “woke up after 65 minutes” in the quarterfinal and termed it an overall “bad performance”. City, who also lost to Wigan in the FA Cup final in May, have little time to lament, however, as they travel to Spain with the unenviable task of overturning a 2-0 first leg deficit to reach the Champions League quarterfinals. “The big disappointment is that it is twice now that Wigan have beaten us in the FA Cup. It is really difficult to accept,” Nasri was quoted as saying on Monday. “It is like – the FA Cup, they gave it us on a plate and we refused to take it. At training we are going to think Barcelona and try to think positive and get a result.” Barca suffered a shock 1-0 La Liga defeat at struggling Valladolid on Saturday in one of their worst performances of the season, offering hopes to Manuel Pellegrini’s team. “I think anything is possible in football,” Nasri said. “I saw them this week against Valladolid. It just shows they are human.” (Reuters)
India can repeat 2007 WT20: Joginder
New Delhi: India can rely on their spinners to reclaim the World Twenty20 title, says Joginder Sharma, the hero of country’s win against Pakistan in the inaugural edition’s final. After a terrible road accident in 2011, Sharma returned to domestic action last year and is now endeavouring to make his way into the Indian team. India have struggled in the competition after success in 2007 but the Haryana all-rounder feels now is the chance to reclaim the trophy. “You can’t predict results in T20s but we have an experienced line up. We have strong batting and it is a good fielding unit as well. But since the matches will be in Bangladesh, our spinners can play a big role there. We have a good spin attack and I feel we have a good chance,” Sharma said. (PTI)