Egypt fire Rui Vitoria after disappointing Africa Cup
CAIRO, Feb 5: Egypt fired Portuguese coach Rui Vitória and his backroom staff Sunday following the team’s disappointing performance at the Africa Cup of Nations.The Egyptian Football Association thanked Vitória and his assistants after its directors met earlier to discuss the team’s performance.Egypt, which has won a record seven Africa Cup titles, failed to win a game in the 34th edition of the tournament and was knocked out by Congo in a dramatic penalty shootout in the round of 16.The Egyptian federation said it was appointing former Egypt and Al Ahly defender Mohamed Youssef as interim coach “until a foreign technical director is selected and the rest of the staff is formed.” The federation said its directors will study the resumes of foreign coaches at their next meeting.French coach Herve Renard has reportedly agreed to take over once his contract as coach of the France women’s team expires.Vitória, who was appointed Egypt coach on a four-year deal in 2022, failed to get the best out of the team. The Pharaohs drew all their Africa Cup group games by the same score of 2-2 against Mozambique, Ghana and Cape Verde before its loss on penalties to Congo.After losing Mohamed Salah to a hamstring injury in the second group game against Ghana, and goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy with a dislocated shoulder,the Egyptian federation sacrificed a cow in an attempt the change the team’s luck. (PTI)
Davis Cup: Sebastian Baez lifts Argentina past Kazakhstan
ROSARIO (Argentina), Feb 5: Argentina reached the Davis Cup Finals group stage by eliminating Kazakhstan 3-2 in the best-of-five-match qualifying round when Sebastian Baez erased two match points and came back to edge Dmitry Popko 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (6) on Sunday.Belgium, the Czech Republic and France also wrapped up victories Sunday, while Chile and Peru were in action at night.Baez is a 23-year-old who is currently ranked a career-high No. 25. He reached the third round of the Australian Open last month before losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner. Popko, 27, is ranked No. 338 and has failed in 16 attempts to qualify for a Grand Slam tournament.Popko was in position to get Kazakhstan past 2016 Davis Cup champion Argentina, just one point away from winning while ahead 6-4 in the concluding tiebreaker. But from there, Baez grabbed the match’s last four points.Belgium clinched its spot with a 3-1 victory over Croatia that was sealed when Zizou Bergs beat Duje Ajdukovic 6-1, 7-5 on Sunday. Bergs also won the opening singles match Saturday against 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic.The Czech Republic eliminated Israel 4-0, and France beat Taiwan by the same score. (PTI)
Sathish-Aadya win mixed doubles title, Sai-Krishna claim men’s
NEW DELHI, Feb 5 : Sathish Kumar Karunakaran and Aadya Variyath won the mixed doubles title at the 32nd Iran Fajr International Challenge badminton tournament after beating fellow Indian pair of B Sumeeth Reddy and N Sikki Reddy in the final in Yazd, Iran.Sathish and Aadya notched up a 22-20, 21-14 win over Sumeeth and Sikki in the summit clash on Saturday.K Sai Pratheek and Krishna Prasad Garage claimed the men’s doubles title after defeating the Mexican pair of Job Castillo and Luis Armando Montoya 21-18, 21-19 in the final on Sunday.In men’s singles, Sathish lost 17-21, 18-21 to Hong Kong’s Nguyen Hai Dang in the final, while fourth seed Tasnim Mir went down 14-21, 12-21 to Hong Kong’s Sin Yan Happy Lo in women’s singles.Sathish had won his maiden BWF super 100 title, the Odisha Open, in December last year. (PTI)