Pune end AFC Cup campaign with a win
Pune: Already out of contention for a knock-out berth, Pune FC ended their AFC Cup campaign with a win over group leaders Kitchee SC of Hong Kong 2-0, their maiden victory on the continental stage, here on Tuesday. Defender Zohmingliana Ralte’s second half double strike (74th and 80th minutes) handed Pune FC, who are playing in the AFC Cup for the first time this season, a win over the Group H toppers. The three points earned took Pune’s overall tally to six, but they remained last in the group behind Kitchee (13 points), Nay Pyi Taw (8) and Tampines Rovers (6). (PTI)
Churchill looking to seal 2nd spot today
Margao: Their I-League woes aside, Churchill Brothers are looking to seal second spot when they take on New Radiant Maldives in the last round of the AFC Cup Group E at Male’s National Stadium on Wednesday. With two teams qualifying from each group, Persipura Jayapura of Indonesia, leading the group with 11 points from five matches, are the first team to qualify for the knock-out stage from this group. Second place will be filled by Churchill Brothers or Home United; both are on seven points each. New Radiant Maldives are on three points with only pride to play for. (PTI)
Dortmund won’t fall into hole, says CEO
BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund will not fall into a hole after striker Robert Lewandowski leaves for Bayern Munich at the end of the season, Dortmund’s chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said on Tuesday. Dortmund have survived the departure of other key players in previous seasons such as Nuri Sahin to Real Madrid and Shinji Kagawa to Manchester United, Watzke told Bild newspaper. “There were predictions that we wouldn’t be able to cope with the loss of Nuri Sahin to Real,” Watzke said. “The same was said when Shinji Kagawa went to Man U. We certainly won’t be able to fully replace Robert. But we won’t fall into a Lewandowski hole.” Lewandowski has scored 18 goals in the Bundesliga for Dortmund this season and will move to Bayern in July on a free transfer. Dortmund are second in the Bundesliga with 64 points from 31 games. Champs Bayern have 81 points. (Reuters)
Somdev loses again in first round
Barcelona: Somdev Devvarman’s lean patch extended on Tuesday as the top-singles player of the country lost his fifth straight first-round match on the ATP Tour when he bowed out of the Barcelona Open following a defeat against Martin Klizan, here. Somdev lost 2-6, 4-6 to his Slovakian rival. Since winning Delhi Open Challenger tournament, Somdev has won only one match on the Tour and that through a retirement by Juan Martin del Potro mid-way in the Dubai event. Somdev did win two matches in the Davis Cup early this month but even in those victories the Indian was stretched by the lower-ranked South Korea players. In the doubles, Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi advanced to the quarterfinals with a comfortable 6-1, 6-4 win over Treat Huey and Dominic Inglot. (PTI)