Wednesday 22 March 2017

Dunya TV

Dunya TV

Football: Podolski hits Germany winner against England to sign off in style

Posted:

DORTMUND (AFP) - Lukas Podolski signed off his Germany career in style on Wednesday smashing home the winning goal with his trusty left boot to seal a 1-0 friendly victory over England.It was only fitting that the Galatasaray forward, who joins Japans Vissel Kobe next season, should claim his 49th goal on his 130th -- and final -- international appearance.It was like in a movie, dear god gave me a strong left foot and I used it tonight, beamed Podolski.It was a great game, a great result and a great way to say goodbye.Podolski captained the world champions to their first win over old rivals England on home soil since 1987.The 31-year-old received a standing ovation in Dortmund after a pre-match presentation to mark his 13-year international career.After his winning goal lit up an otherwise dull friendly on 69 minutes, Podolski came off to more thunderous applause with six minutes to go.That gave me goosebumps to get a reception like that, added Podolski.Before kick-off England manager Gareth Southgate paid tribute to the victims of Wednesdays London terror attack and said there was no question of cancelling the match.Southgate, who took the decision to drop Manchester United star Wayne Rooney from his squad, fielded a new-look side who had the better of the Germans in the first half.I take a lot of encouragement from that despite the result, said Southgate.Its never nice to lose, but I have to be pleased with the way the players played and how the tactical system worked.I thought we were the better side up until their winning goal, that was a good learning experience for our young players who made their debuts.All that was missing was the finish to get the winning goal I felt we deserved.West Bromwich Albions Jake Livermore came in for injured Jordan Henderson while Leicesters Jamie Vardy took Harry Kanes place up front.Gary Cahill captained the team as part of a back three while James Ward-Prowse, Nathan Redmond and Michael Keane all made their debuts for the visitors.Germany coach Joachim Loew also experimented by starting just three 2014 World Cup winners in Toni Kroos, Mats Hummels and Podolski.A fourth, Sami Khedira, dropped out hours before kick-off with a swollen ankle.Striker Timo Werner, 21, earned his Germany debut after scoring 14 goals for RB Leipzig this season.Keane fired over in the early stages as England made a bright start and Adam Lallanas powerful shot hit the post with 30 minutes gone.Podolski fired over Germanys best first-half chance after being set up by Manchester Citys Leroy Sane.With half-time approaching Dele Alli forced Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen into a reflex save as it stayed goalless at the break.Germany took control at the start of the second half with winger Julian Brandt firing wide.Podolski tested England goalkeeper Joe Hart, while Eric Dier forced ter Stegen, in for injured Manuel Neuer, into a diving save on 52 minutes.But Podolski steered the friendly Germanys way with the superb winner on 69 minutes.A Kroos pass found replacement Andre Schuerrle, who laid the ball off for Podolski, whose bullet shot off his left foot gave Hart no chance from 25 metres out.The goal breathed life into the hosts and only a good save denied Sane after a storming run into the area and the City midfielder had another late chance.Both teams have important World Cup qualifiers on Sunday.The teams are top of their respective groups for the matches on the road to Russia 2018 when England host Lithuania and Germany are away to Azerbaijan.

Tennis: More woe for Bouchard with Miami exit

Posted:

MIAMI (AFP) - Eugenie Bouchards poor run of form continued as the Canadian suffered a first-round exit at the hands of Australias Ashleigh Barty at the Miami Open on Wednesday.Wildcard Bartys 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 win sets up an all-Australian clash in the second round against 14th seed Samantha Stosur.But for the 23-year-old Bouchard, a former world number five who has slumped to 56th in the world rankings, it was another blow after her first round exit in Indian Wells.Its been a bit of a struggle, said a stone-faced Bouchard, who was unable to account for her loss of form.Bouchard was a beaten finalist at Wimbledon in 2014 but, apart from a run to the semi-final at Sydney, where she was beaten by Britains Johanna Konta, she has been unable to make an impact this year.Barty reproduced the gutsy tennis that helped her secure her maiden WTA title at the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur last month.Weve had a good pre-season and get a good foundation and the stars aligned a bit for us this year so far. We have worked hard and it is just that hard work starting to pay off, said the Australian.The 20-year-old, who took time out from tennis in 2014 to play cricket, has never come up against her compatriot Stosur before and while she will start as clear underdog she is relishing the challenge.It will be good. Obviously we have trained together and hit a lot so it will be interesting, I am really excited, for me it is just another opportunity to go out and play, she said.Serbias Jelena Jankovic was another high-profile early exit, the 2008 Miami finalist falling 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7/3) to Kazakhstans Yaroslava Shvedova.Britains Heather Watson, who reached the fourth round in Miami last year, was beaten 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 by Romanian qualifier Patricia Maria Tig.

Tennis: Escobdeo upsets Evans in Miami

Posted:

MIAMI (AFP) - Young American Ernesto Escobedo pulled off a surprise victory in three sets over Britains Dan Evans in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday.The 20-year-old Mexican-American, who grew up playing on rough public courts in Los Angeles, is playing in his Masters 1000 series event having qualified with a straight sets win over Argentine Renzo Olivo on Tuesday.Escobedo, ranked 108th, beat the 43rd ranked Evans 7-5, 0-6, 6-3 at Crandon Park thanks mainly to his strong first serve, which included ten aces.This day is very special for me. I qualified for my first Masters 1000 here in Miami and I played a tricky opponent who serves pretty well. It is pretty big to get my first win here, Escobedo told reporters.I started pretty slow but once I broke back I felt pretty comfortable and kept patient. In the second set I just didnt focus at all and my energy was very low but I am just happy to have stepped it up in the third set, he added.Escobedo will now face 25th-seed Fernando Verdasco in the second round and he can expect plenty of support from a strongly Hispanic South Florida crowd.For Evans it was another setback after he went out in the second round in Indian Wells.He played pretty well. I needed to get on top early in the third set and I think he would have gone away but I didnt, said Evans.I have been serving poorly for a little bit and I wasnt winning my points on my second serve, said the Englishman, who was given a penalty point for bad language and racket abuse and also had a verbal exchange with a fan at one stage.Another American hopeful, Ryan Harrison, bowed out with a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Italys 40th ranked Fabio Fognini while his compatriot Michael Mmoh was beaten 6-3, 6-2 by Frances Nicolas Mahut.Japans Yoshihito Nishioka triumped in a two-hour battle with Australias Jordan Thompson.Nishioka, who reached the fourth round at Indian Wells last week, saved 11 of 14 break points to secure the 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 win.Frances Benoit Paire beat Slovak Martin Klizan 7-6(4), 6-3 to earn a second-round challenge with 21st seed Pablo Cuevas.

Golf: McIlroy, Spieth suffer upsets at WGC Match Play

Posted:

MIAMI (AFP) - Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth suffered upset defeats as the underdogs bared their teeth on the opening day of the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play on Wednesday.McIlroys quest to regain his match play crown was dealt an early setback as the world number two crashed to a 2&1 defeat against Danish veteran Soren Kjeldsen at Austin Country Club in Texas.An out-of-form world number six Spieth was then comprehensively beaten 4&2 by Japans Hideto Tanihara.Match play specialist McIlroy, the 2015 champion, had clawed his way back from two down to make it all square heading into the final three holes.But McIlroy missed a difficult birdie putt on the 16th to halve the hole, leaving Kjeldsen one up with two to play.The 41-year-old Dane then produced a magnificent tee-shot to within three feet on the par-three 17th to pile the pressure on McIlroy.The Northern Irishman made the green with his tee shot but was unable to sink his birdie, leaving Kjeldsen with the simplest of tap-ins to complete a 2&1 victory.I felt good coming into today, Kjeldsen said. Hes a pretty spectacular player so you dont want to watch him too much.I knew I had to play well to have any kind of a chance so I didnt look at what Rory was doing and fortunately I played well, added Kjeldsen, who as the world number 68 is one of the lowest-ranked players in the in the 64-man field.Everyone Im playing this week Im going to be the underdog, Kjeldsen joked after the Group 2 win.Its nice. I havent had the best start to the season in America. But the last few weeks Ive been getting better. I feel good. You can talk about match play but at the end of the day you need to shoot good scores and thats what I did today.This weeks tournament sees the field split into 16 groups of four players who play each other on a round robin basis through Friday. The 16 group winners then advance to the knockout rounds starting on Saturday.In the days other Group 2 game, Gary Woodland of the United States defeated Argentinas Emiliano Grillo 3&2.McIlroy will attempt to reignite his challenge on Thursday against Woodland.Englands Paul Casey defeated Joost Luiten of the Netherlands 2&1 in Group 12 where South Africas Charl Schwartzel thrashed An Byeong-Hun of South Korea 6&5.

Squash: Winning Elshorbagy revels in anger at losing top spot

Posted:

KINGSTON UPON HULL (AFP) - Mohamed Elshorbagy revealed his anger at the likely loss of the world number one ranking with a blazing performance which brought timely revenge and a place in the quarter-finals of the British Open on Wednesday.The 26-year-old Egyptian roared, lunged and contorted his body violently in the moment he earned a 12-10, 11-4, 11-7 win over Daryl Selby, a former British national champion who beat him in a London tournament three months ago.But Elshorbagys fierce emotions were really about delivering a more committed performance than those which have failed to land him any titles in 2017, and which make winning the worlds oldest tournament for a third successive time this week even more important.I told my mother that this is my last day after being world number one for the last 28 months, Elshorbagy said rather dramatically.Its the first time since I came up that I am going back in the rankings. Its a new time for me.Its a completely different challenge. For the first time someone younger overtakes me. In a way I feel free, but at the same time it makes me feel the hunger again.I put more emotion into the way I am playing. Im not angry with other people, Im angry with myself. Thats the way I got to number one.Elshorbagy certainly played a higher-quality match against Selby than for some time. Saving two game points from 10-8 down in the first game gave him a rush of adrenaline which helped him attack the ball with an aggression no other player can currently match.It is not however true that today is his last day as world number one.Tomorrow may be, provided that world champion and fellow Egyptian Karim Gawad overcomes Mohamed Abouelghar, another Egyptian, in their second-round meeting tomorrow.Womens world number one Nour El Sherbini -- another Egyptian -- had a far calmer path into the last eight, ousting Annie Au, the world number 10 from Hong Kong 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 and earning a meeting with Emily Whitlock, a surprise quarter-finalist from England.Egypts immense influence upon squash included one very eye-catching coaching combination.Tarek Momen and Raneem El Welily, husband and wife, both won and reached the quarter-finals -- coaching each other while achieving it.He gets me fired up when I need that and he calms me when thats needed, said El Welily, the in-form former world number one who overcame Joshna Chinappa of India 11-8, 11-7, 11-7.The eighth-seeded Momen saw off the Kiwi Paul Coll, the world number 16, winning a superb encounter between two of the fastest men on the circuit 11-6, 11-8, 20-18.The couple now play former British Open champions from England -- El Welily taking on the fifth-seeded Laura Massaro and Momen the fourth-seeded Nick Matthew.

Lahore: Police nab 18 suspects during search operation

Posted:

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Police conducted search operation in different parts of Lahore on Wednesday and arrested at least 18 suspects, Dunya News reported.The search operation was launched under the command of SP Model Town, Ismail Kharak, in the localities of Ghalib Market, Faisal Town and Garden Town during which identity documents of the residents were checked.Biometric device was also used for the identification on residents. Police apprehended 18 persons who failed the produce any identity document during search operation.Police sources said that the arrested persons are being interrogated. Police have also arrested two drug peddlers during the search operation and recovered 1500 grams of drugs from their possession.Police sources further informed that the search operation was carried out to maintain law and order situation in the city during Pakistan Day celebrations.

Karachi: Cache of arms, narcotics recovered

Posted:

KARACHI (Dunya News) - Intelligence agencies conducted a raid on a hideout of Lyari gang war’s Baba Ladla group in Raeesgoth area of Baldia in Karachi on Wednesday and recovered large quantity of arms and narcotics, Dunya News reported.Sources said that the gang war members were planning to carry out terrorist activities in the city.On the other hand, police conducted an operation in Shah Latif Town area and apprehended two street criminals. Police have also recovered arms and snatched cash from the arrested persons.

Sarfraz Marchant to file fresh case against MQM-London chief

Posted:

KARACHI (Dunya News) - Sarfraz Marchant has decided to file a new case against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder, Dunya News reported on Wednesday.Talking in Dunya News programme ‘Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Sath’, Sarfraz Marchant said that the British government has dropped money laundering case against MQM founder on political basis.He said that the case against MQM founder was dropped despite the fact that the Scotland Yard had given a written statement that they possess solid proof of money laundering against the MQM founder.

Mohammad Amir briefly stopped at Heathrow Airport

Posted:

LONDON (Dunya News) – Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir was stopped and questioned by the immigration officials on his arrival at the London’s Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, Dunya News reported.Mohammad Amir arrived at the Heathrow Airport along with his wife from Dubai.Amir was banned by the ICC in 2010 along with Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt for their involvement in the spot-fixing scandal.Meanwhile, Mohammad Aamir has denied any such incident in his message on twitter.

Quetta: One killed as dumper turns turtle

Posted:

QUETTA (Dunya News) - A dumper turned turtle when a slab of a rain drainage channel was broken down at Maikangi Road in Quetta on Wednesday. The conductor of the dumper was seriously wounded in the accident.The slab of a rain drainage channel was broken down when the dumper was passing over it. The dumper was turned turtle due to which its conductor Izzatullah was injured.Rescue teams reached the spot and shifted the injured conductor to the Civil Hospital Quetta where he succumbed to his wounds during treatment.

Only honest leadership can cope with current problems: Liaqat Baloch

Posted:

KARACHI (Dunya News) - Acting chief of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Liaqat Baloch has said that only honest leadership can cope with current challenges and problems faced by the country.Liaqat Baloch was addressing a public meeting in Karachi in connection with Jamaat-e-Islami countrywide public contact campaign to be launched from first April.He said that Karachi is the economic hub of Pakistan but conspiracies are being hatched to derail its progress. He further said that JI’s public contact campaign would be a milestone for the future of Karachi.

Nation celebrates 77th Pakistan Day today

Posted:

LAHORE (Dunya News) - The 77th Pakistan Day is being celebrated today (Thursday) with traditional zeal and enthusiasm to mark the passage of the Lahore Resolution that led to the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asia in 1947. The historic resolution, known as the Pakistan Resolution, was approved on March 23, 1940.Special ‘dua’ ceremonies would be organised at the mosques after Fajr prayers across the country, seeking solidarity, integrity, prosperity and welfare of the motherland. The day will dawn with a 31-gun salute in the federal capital and a 21-gun salute in the provincial capitals.Pakistan Day holds a significant place in the history of the country and to mark it in a befitting manner, a spectacular joint armed services parade would be held near Shakarparian in the federal capital.Special feature of the parade this year will be participation of Peoples Liberation Army China’s Tri Services, Saudi Special Force’s contingents and Turkish Jannisary Military band.Mechanized columns of various prestigious services of the country will exhibit inventory of highly sophisticated and modern weaponry and arsenal.Seminars, rallies and ceremonies will be arranged by government and private organizations all across the country. The national flag will be hoisted on important public and private buildings across the country and all Pakistani missions abroad.

Call for calm as India tour 'toxicity' grows

Posted:

NEW DELHI (AFP) - A leading Indian commentator has hit out at the toxicity blighting the series against Australia, and called for both sides to show restraint before the winner-takes-all final Test begins Saturday.Harsha Bhogle fears that the glorification of aggressive on-field behaviour by media on both sides and passions boiling over could harm Test crickets reputation with the series on a knife-edge at 1-1.The latest barbs have seen India skipper Virat Kohli dubbed the Donald Trump of sport in one Australian newspaper and former Test bowler Geoff Lawson accusing Kohli of acting like your worst behaved player.Indias newspapers fired back with the Hindustan Times accusing Australian media of a relentless hate campaign throughout the series.Friends in Australia tell me they are perturbed by the toxicity this series has generated. Cricket lovers in India saying so too, Bhogle said on Twitter.If we have to use toxicity and divisiveness to spread our game, we are using a short-term approach that can only be harmful, added the veteran Indian TV cricket analyst.I am particularly perturbed by the fact that some of us in the media are promoting this divisiveness and taking sides to spread ill-will.Tensions have been ramped up since Kohli stopped just short of accusing Australian captain Steve Smith of cheating in the aftermath of the second Test in Bangalore, which India won to level the series at 1-1.The rancour was inflamed in the drawn third Test in Ranchi as Australia batted out the fifth day for a draw and allrounder Glenn Maxwell was accused of mocking Kohlis shoulder injury.Now the Daily Telegraph newspaper says Kohli is behaving like a bully and accused the Indian cricket board and match officials of letting him get away it.Kohli has become the Donald Trump of world sport, Ben Horne wrote in his column in the Daily Telegraph.The Indian captain is a law unto himself with no one - not even the ICC or his own board - holding him accountable for his continual perpetuation of fake news.Horne was referring to Kohlis assertion, without offering evidence, that Smiths look up to the dressing room for guidance in Bangalore over whether to review an lbw decision was not a one-off.The ICC brought Smith and Kohli together for a clear-the-air meeting after that Test, where Smith claimed the incident was a brain fade.And Lawson slated the Indian skipper for not displaying enough maturity.As a leader and as a captain of a cricket team where youve got lots of responsibilities, youve got to show more gravitas and responsibility than this. These sorts of actions are those of your worst behaved player, he told Fox Sports.Bhogle said it was time the media stopped fanning the flames before lasting damage was done to Test cricket.A lot of us entered this profession because we love sport and had the opportunity to talk/write about it. We didnt enter to spread toxicity, he tweeted.

BCCI announces windfall for contracted players

Posted:

NEW DELHI (AFP) - The Indian cricket board Wednesday doubled the salaries of its contracted players while retaining former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the top pay bracket.Players holding a Grade A contract will now get an annual retainer fee of $3.05 million instead of the previous $1.71m they were getting since November 2015.Dhoni, who gave up the limited overs captaincy in January, held the Grade A contract with his successor Virat Kohli and a few other top Indian players for a period ending September 2017.Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored a double century in the drawn game against Australia in Ranchi, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and opener Murali Vijay were the new additions to the top of the three grades.The cash-rich Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also hiked the retainer fee for Grade B and C players while increasing the match fee across formats.Players will now get $23,000 for a Test match, $9,000 in a one-day international and earn $4,000 for a Twenty20 game.The decision to restructure the central contracts and match fees was taken by the BCCI in conjunction with the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA).

3 French schoolchildren hurt in London attack: Paris

Posted:

PARIS (AFP) - Three French pupils on a school trip were among those hurt in Wednesdays car ramming attack on Westminster Bridge in London, foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said.He said the three were from a high school in Concarneau, in the western Brittany region.Local radio France Bleu said around a dozen students were on the bridge at the time of the attack, and that the three injured were taken to hospital.A local newspaper, Le Telegramme, also said the students were on the bridge when they were hit by the car, quoting another student who said the force of the impact threw one of them onto the bonnet of the vehicle.French Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve tweeted: Solidarity with our British friends, horribly attacked, full support for the injured French students, their families and their friends.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)