India U-14 girls finish 2nd
NEW DELHI: The Indian U-14 girls national team trounced Iran 3-0 to finish runners-up in the AFC Girls Regional Championship for South and Central Asia on a high in Colombo on Tuesday. Nepal ensured they finished top of the heap and the winners of the regional tournament after beating Tajikistan by two goals in the last group game. They finished with their full quota of 15 points from five matches, while second-placed India managed 12 from five outings, having only lost to Nepal. Goals in both halves from forwards Daya Devi (31) Roja Devi (53) and Techi Amin (56) ensured former champions India of a comprehensive win on the back of their 9-0 victory over Bhutan in the previous game. (Agencies)
Chhetri unsure whether he can play ISL
Mumbai: Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri is of the opinion that participation of retired international football players like Hernan Crespo and Michael Owen in the Indian Super League will help lift the standard of football in the country. “If we talk about the technical aspect, it will be great for us to gain the experience. What is important is the level of football, the standard of coaching which will help football grow. It’s obvious they wouldn’t be playing as the same way they used to, but it will be important as they would share their experience which will be huge for us. But more importantly, it will be about coaching,” Chhetri told reporters here on Tuesday. The striker is excited about the IPL-style football league, but was unsure whether he would be able to play in the new league as he has a contract with Bengaluru FC for three years. “I am very much excited. I don’t know the dynamics yet. I don’t know if Bengaluru FC is going to buy a franchise and I don’t know what my future is going to be since I have a three-year contract with Bengaluru FC. I hope all the issues are sorted out. The tournament is going to happen and I wish them all luck,” he said. Event promoters IMG-Reliance have said that at least 30 bids have been received for nine city franchises (including Guwahati) and the process has been extended until March 27 on the request of some bid document buyers. (PTI)
Liverpool on right track for title: Rodgers
LONDON: Liverpool are on track to win the Premier League title but are still a work in progress, manager Brendan Rodgers said as his in-form side seek to close the gap at the top to one point by beating Sunderland on Wednesday. Six consecutive league wins, in which they have scored 24 goals, have put Liverpool in sight of a first English title since 1990 and Rodgers has been walking the line between managing expectations and talking up his side’s chances. “We haven’t won it for a long time and it may or may not be this year but there is no doubt we are on the right road to winning a title here,” Rodgers said in the Liverpool Echo. “We are far from being perfect and Saturday’s game at Cardiff showed that. While we are learning and improving we will hopefully continue to pick up points and see where it takes us. We still have a hell of a way to go to be near where I want us to be but we are certainly making strides and are on the right path.” (Reuters)
‘Raina’s T20 credentials unquestionable’
DHAKA: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly feels that Suresh Raina’s ability as a T20 batsman is “unquestionable” and his success in the ongoing World T20 will give him confidence to get ready for “bigger battles” ahead. Raina’s sequence of scores, including the two warm-up games, are 41, 54, 35 not out and 1 not out and he had credited Ganguly for giving him tips which proved to be invaluable in his recent success. “I never had any doubts about Suresh’s talent and ability. He has always been a class act in shortest format. He is a dangerous T20 batsman and a big threat for any opposition team. I am certainly hopeful that his current form in ICC World T20 will translate into something bigger and better in the coming days,” Ganguly told PTI in an interview on Tuesday. “There will be tougher battles ahead (England tour in July-September, Australia tour and World Cup) and I would ideally want to him get success in those battles,” he said.