EKH district level U-12 football tournament begins
Shillong: The District Level Under-12 football tournament of DSO East Khasi Hills commenced on Wednesday. On the opening day, in the boys category, Mylliem Block defeated Khatarshnong 3-2, while Mawphlamg Block thrashed Pynursla Block 8-0. Mawsynram block defeated Mawkynrew block 1-0 and Mawrynkneng Block won 3-2 over Shella Bholaganj. In the females category, Mylliem Block defeated Khatarshnong 5-0. Mawsynram registered 1-0 victory over Mawkynrew, while Mawphlamg Block edge past Pynursla Block 1-0 and Mawrynkneng Block defeated Shella Bholaganj with 1-0. J.R Marak, Deputy Director, Directorate of sports and youth affairs inaugurated the programme.
Bournemouth defender Mings banned for 5 matches
LONDON: Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings will serve a five-match ban for violent conduct against Manchester United last weekend, the FA said on Wednesday. The suspension followed an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing. Mings and Manchester United forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic were both charged after a clash in Saturday’s 1-1 Premier League draw at Old Trafford. Ibrahimovic accepted the charge and was handed a three match ban on Tuesday, ruling him out of United’s FA Cup quarter-final at league leaders Chelsea on Monday. (Reuters)
English footballers too expensive: Guardiola
Manchester: Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola feels English footballers are too expensive. “I would like to have English players, believe me, but they are so expensive,” the Spaniard was quoted as saying by BBC on Tuesday. “I would like to play with English players. When I was in Barcelona I liked to play with locals because they feel something special, but sometimes it is not possible.” The five England players in City’s first-team squad are John Stones, Raheem Sterling, Fabian Delph, 19-year-old defender Tosin Adarabioyo and reserve goalkeeper Angus Gunn. Stones made City poorer by 47.5 million pounds (around $57 million) when they signed him from Everton in August and he is one of the five English players in City’s squad. “That is why the club has worked for a long period with the academy, thinking about the next years,” he said. (IANS)
Hockey: India complete 5-0 whitewash of Belarus
Bhopal: The Indian women’s hockey team completed a 5-0 whitewash of Belarus after clinching the fifth and final tie 3-1 here on Wednesday. Captained by striker Rani Rampal, the Indian women were quick to get off the mark as Vandana Katariya scored a stunning field goal in the sixth minute of the match. The first quarter went on to be an eventful one for the hosts, as Gurjit Kaur successfully converted a penalty corner in the 15th minute to take her side 2-0 up against Belarus. (IANS)
Indian team has character to make impact: U-17 coach
Margao: India’s U-17 World Cup coach Luis Norton de Matos says the team has the “character” to make an impact in the FIFA tournament, scheduled to be held in the country later this year, if it adopts his philosophy.
The tournament is to be held across six venues from October 6 to 28. Portuguese De Matos, whose great grandfather had lived in Goa, arrived here last Saturday and got onto the field for his first training session on Monday. (PTI)
Formula One: Bottas streaks clear as testing times drop
BARCELONA: Flying Finn Valtteri Bottas left the competition trailing in his wake when setting the fastest time yet in 2017 pre-season testing on Wednesday morning in Barcelona. Bottas bettered his previous best time from last week by nearly four tenths of a second in 1min 19.310 as defending champions Mercedes had meanwhile reasserted their dominance at the top of the timesheets. Felipe Massa was surprisingly fastest for Williams on Tuesday, and the Brazilian posted another promising time just over a tenth of a second slower than Bottas in second fastest. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen was nearly a second back in third, but on slower soft tyres compared to the supersoft and ultrasoft compounds used by Bottas and Massa respectively. (AFP)