Robertson to miss EPL opener due to ligament damage
Liverpool, Aug 10: Liverpool left back Andy Robertson said his injury is “nothing too major” though ankle ligament damage will rule him out of the team’s opening Premier League game at Norwich. The Scotland international had to be helped off the field in Sunday’s friendly match with Athletic Bilbao and further assessment has revealed a problem which will prevent his involvement on Saturday. His injury makes it increasingly likely Kostas Tsimikas, who managed just six Premier League minutes in his first season for the Reds, will make his first league start at Carrow Road. (AP)
US forward Josh Sargent completes move to Norwich
NORWICH, Aug 10: US forward Josh Sargent completed his move to English Premier League club Norwich by signing a four-year contract on Monday. The 21-year-old Sargent arrives from German team Werder Bremen, where he had played since turning professional in 2018. Sargent scored seven goals in 35 games for Bremen last season, before the team was relegated from the Bundesliga. Neither team disclosed the transfer fee but British media reported it to be around 9.5 million euros ($11 million). (AP)
Chennaiyin FC sign Polish midfielder Ariel Borysiuk
Chennai, Aug 10: Two-time Indian Super League champions Chennaiyin FC on Tuesday announced the signing of former Bundesliga midfielder Ariel Borysiuk on a one-year deal ahead of the upcoming season. Borysiuk, with 350 club appearances in his 14-year long professional career, will be joining CFC following a two-year spell at Polish outfit Jagiellonia Bialystok, a press release said here. In 2011-12, he made 12 Bundesliga appearances for FC Kaiserslautern. The arrival of Borysiuk will bring in valuable experience and additional depth to CFC’s midfield alongside Rafael Crivellaro. (PTI)
El Salvador World Cup qualifier to be played in San Salvador
Miami, Aug 10: The United States’ opening World Cup qualifier against El Salvador will be played in San Salvador, where the government has banned spectators because of the coronavirus pandemic. FIFA and CONCACAF, the North and Central American and Caribbean governing body, said Monday the September 2 match will kick off at 8:05 p.m. local time (10:05 p.m. EDT). The U.S. will host Canada on September 5 at Nashville, Tennessee and will play Honduras at San Pedro Sula on Sept. 8. The following month, the U.S. hosts Jamaica at Austin, Texas, on October 7, plays Panama in Panama City on October 10 and hosts Costa Rica at Columbus, Ohio, on October 13. (AP)
ATP Shanghai Masters cancelled for second year due to COVID
Shanghai, Aug 10: Due to the spread of COVID-19, the 2021 Shanghai Masters will not take place in October as scheduled, officials announced. “After careful consultation between Shanghai Juss Event and ATP, it is decided that the Rolex Shanghai Masters will not be held this year,” read a statement released by organisers Juss Event late on Monday evening. Having been cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19, the Shanghai Masters is removed from the ATP tournament schedule yet again as “the health and safety of all personnel involved will always be the primary concern.” (IANS)
Olympian boxer Vikas Krishan recovering after shoulder surgery
New Delhi, Aug 10: Asian Games gold medallist and Olympic boxer Vikas Krishan, has undergone surgery to fix his dislocated shoulder. The 29-year-old Krishan had been nursing an injury since the preparatory camp in Italy, which was aggravated during his bout at the Tokyo Olympics on July 24. Krishan, one of India’s most celebrated boxers, had taken painkillers before the first-round match against Okazawa but the injury was so severe that he could use only one hand to punch. (IANS)
AFI to celebrate National Javelin Day after Neeraj’s Olympic gold
New Delhi, Aug 10: The day Neeraj Chopra scripted history by winning an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics on August 7, will be celebrated as National Javelin Day by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). “To encourage javelin throw pan-India, we will celebrate August 7 as National Javelin Day and from next year onwards our affiliated units will hold javelin competitions in their respective states,” AFI’s Planning Commission chairman Lalit Bhanot said during a felicitation function of the athletes, including Chopra. (PTI)
Indian Wells to expand men’s event to 2 weeks this fall
Indian Wells, Aug 10: The BNP Paribas Open featuring the men’s and women’s combined tennis tours will expand the men’s event from one week to two when it returns in October after a 2 1/2-year hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic. The event will be played from October 4-17 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. The first-ever fall edition of the tournament was already scheduled to include a 96-player singles draw and 32-team doubles draw, and now the men’s event will have the same size fields. The tournament is set to return to its usual March spot on the calendar in 2022. (AP)
Anurag Thakur to launch Fit India Freedom Run 2.0 on August 13
New Delhi, Aug 10: Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur will launch the nationwide programme “Fit India Freedom Run 2.0” as part of the celebration of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav-India@75”, on August 13. The ministry, through the programme aims to reach more than 7.50 crore youth and citizens across the country and make them take part in the run. A statement from the ministry on Tuesday said, “Taking inspiration from the inaugural speech of Prime Minister of India, during the curtain raiser of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on 12th March 2021, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has conceptualized celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav under the pillar of Actions and Resolves @75.” (IANS)