U-14 Fest: Groupings for Format 2 finalised
KALYANI: The Format 1 is over and it’s time for Format 2 at the AIFF U-14 Football Fest in Kalyani. Under it, the 27 Participating Teams in the AIFF U-14 Football Fest in Kalyani have been divided into five groups. Format 2 kicks-off on Thursday (February 2).

Group A and B which consists of five teams each have been comprised of stronger teams based on sustained performance in the first couple of days.

All matches in ... Read More

Djokovic, Nadal and the six-hour epic
It was a superhuman effort from Novac Djokovic as he redefined mental and physical limits against Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final which lasted five hours fifty three minutes. Photo: AFP
The Serb says he is ready for a shot at the French Open, the next Major

Novak Djokovic tore off his shirt, flexed his sinewy muscles and roared in celebration, but for once the machismo was not misplaced.

After nearly six hours of ... Read More

Paes-Stepanek lift Oz Open doubles title
Melbourne: India's veteran tennis ace Leander Paes finally completed a career Grand Slam of winning all the four major tennis titles by winning the Australian Open men's doubles event here Saturday. Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek thrashed World No.1 pair Bryan brothers Mike and Bob from the US in straight sets in the final at the Rod Laver Arena.

The Indo-Czech pair, who lost to the American twins in the Sydney International tournament in ... Read More

Pailan, Salgaocar SC play goalless draw
KOLKATA: Pailan Arrows managed to pull off a 0-0 draw at home to Salagaocar SC, who have been in a good runoff late in the 18th round I-League encounter played at the Yuba Bharati Krinangan , Kolkata on Thursday.

The draw leaves Salgaocar with 30 points from 18 encounters while Pailan stays at 8 points from 16 outings.

Salgaocar SC started upfront heavily relying on Edeh Chidi and Ryuji Sueoka to create inroads in the Pailan ... Read More

Ind vs Aus: India taste first victory Down Under, thrash Australia by 8 wickets
MELBOURNE: India revived their Australian tour with a convincing eight-wicket win over the home side in the second Twenty20 international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

Scorecard

The tourists dazzled in the field with four run outs to restrict Australia to 131 off 19.4 overs before reaching the target at 135 for two with two balls to spare before 62,275 fans.

It was the Indians' first victory on their tour of Australia after losing ... Read More

Langsning beat Golden Threads
New Delhi: Three goals in ten minutes from Langsning helped the Meghalaya outfit beat Kerala’s Golden Threads 3-1, in the 2nd division I League match played at Delhi’s Ambedkar Stadium on Thursday.

Golden Threads scored in the 15th minute when Shemeer AJ’s, 20 yarder had Langsning custodian stranded beneath the post.

With Golden Threads having the better time on the field in the first half they failed to capitalise on the chances that came their way. ... Read More

Kids, Kids every where, all of them to pick
By Nilanjan Datta,

KALYANI: Kids, kids every where, all of them to pick!

The size of the kids in the AIFF U-14 Football Fest, more-o-less stays the same. After all, they all are U-14 kids -- kids from 27 States all over the Country, 590 in all. And mind you, all of them share a common dream – the dream of representing the Nation someday in the future.

Head Coach, Youth Development Programme, Colm Joseph Toal ... Read More

Shillong Lajong 1 Beat HAL Bangalore 0
BANGALORE: Riding on a solitary goal from Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Shillong Lajong beat HAL Bangalore 1-0 in the 18th round I League clash, played at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Wednesday.

Eugeneson Lyngdoh scored the only goal of the match in the 39th minute for Shillong Lajong.

With this win Shillong Lajong now have 21 points from 18 clashes while HAL Bangalore are languishing at the bottom of the table with 6 points from 18 matches.
... Read More

India win Bangladesh Open golf, Manav leads in solo
Dhaka, Feb 2: Indian golfers Manav Das and Khalin Joshi won the team title, while Manav extended his individual lead to seven shots at the Bangladesh Open Amateur golf Championships here Thursday.

Das, who shot 69 in first round, scored 68 in second and is now seven-under 137 for two rounds.

The next best is Abdus Sobarhan (70-73) and he is one-under, but the best official entry from Bangladesh, Md. Nazim, was another stroke behind after rounds ... Read More

Sporting Clube beat Pune 4-2
GOA: Sporting Clube de Goa rallied splendidly from two goals down to snatch an improbable 4-2 win against Pune FC in the 18th round I-League clash at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Wednesday.

Pune FC scored two quick goals through Keita Mandjou and found themselves 2-0 ahead inside 20 minutes. But Pune were jolted when Nigerian midfielder Ogba Kalu first scored from the spot and then scored a memorable long ranger to tie the match at ... Read More

Pallikal moves up to 14 in world squash rankings
PTI

Pallikal, whose three WISPA titles last year saw her rise to the 15th spot in the world rankings, however, could not cling to her overall sixth title last month as she lost to Natalie Grinham of the Netherlands in the Tournament of Champions in New York.

Her appearance in the finals, though, helped her to jump a place higher in the latest rankings. The Chennai girl also became the first Indian to reach the quarterfinals ... Read More

Mohun Bagan thrash Chirag United 3-1
KOCHI: Odafa Okolie scored a brace to help McDowells Mohun Bagan beat Chirag United Kerala 3-1 in the 18th round I League encounter played at the

Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi on Tuesday.

Odafa scored twice off penalty in 35th and 84th minute while Jose Barreto scored apiece in 86th minute. Anil Kumar scored the solitary goal for Chirag United in 47th minute.

Bagan were playing without Sunil Chhetri and Syed Rahim Nabi. But the duo of ... Read More

Dempo thrash Mumbai FC 2-0
Pune: Ranti Martins scored a brace, including an injury time goal as Dempo SC defeated Mumbai FC 2-0 to open a six-point lead at the top in the 18th round I League match at the Balewadi Sports Complex ground on Wednesday.

With 40 points from 18 matches, Dempo are now sitting pretty at the top of the heap while Mumbai FC stays at 14 points from 18 matches, just a whisker away from drop zone after ... Read More

Salgaocar hold Dempo 0-0
GOA: Dempo Sports Club and Salgaocar SC did everything except score in goalless but entertaining Goa derby in the 17th round I League
encounter at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Sunday.
In a match where both teams were looking to grab a win and bolster their respective positions, there was plenty of excitement, end to end action but the final touch at either end was woefully missing.

The goalless draw did neither teams any harm, though. While ... Read More

Savio names 30-member list for Dubai Camp
Please find below the list of 30 Probables named by National Coach Savio Medeira for the Training Camp for the forthcoming AFC Challenge Cup which kicks-off in Kathmandu on March 8, 2012.

The Camp for the Indian Team will kick-off in Dubai from February 15. The squad will assemble in New Delhi on February 134 and leave for Dubai the next day. The final list of 23-Players for the AFC Challenge Cup would be named ... Read More

Air India prevail over Mumbai FC
Air India 1 (Sandesh Gadkari – 5th)

beat Mumbai FC 0

PUNE: Mumbai FC crashed to their first loss in six encounters against Air India. Sandesh Gadkari made the difference between the two teams scoring as early as the 5th minute at the Balewadi Sports Complex Ground on Saturday.

Air India were the better side creating chances upfront with Henry Ezeh and Sandesh Gadkari keeping Mumbai FC defence on their toes.

The match was just five minutes old ... Read More

Lajong-Pune split points
Shillong Lajong FC 1 (Tuboi -- 51st)

d/w Pune FC 1 (Mandjou Keita – 71st)

SHILLONG: Pune FC came from behind to hold Shillong Lajong FC 1-1 in
a round 17 match of the I-League at JN Sports Complex on Sturday. Tuboi scored for Lajong in the 51st minute while Mandjou Keita pulled it back for the visitors in the 71st. Lajong moved to 18 points from 17 matches while Pune FC are on 28 points from ... Read More

10-man Sporting Clube hold Prayag United
Prayag United 2 (James Singh – 50th; Bello Rassaq 53rd)

d/w Sporting Clube de Goa 2 (Kalu – 30th; Moga 87th)

KOLKATA: A 10-man Sporting Clube de Goa held home favourite Prayag United SC 2-2 in a 17th round encounter of the I-League at the Salt Lake Stadium. The consolation of wresting a point from the host appeared to be obscured by two ejections as Sporting found two of their players -- Jovel Martins and Adil Khan ... Read More

HAL register first win
HAL 2 (Malaemn Gamba – 7th; Hamza – 89th)

beat Chirag Kerala 0

HAL, Bangalore registered their first win in the I-League when they banked Chirag Kerala 2-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Malaemn Gamba drew first blood for HAL in the 7th minute while Hamza sealed the fate in the 89th minute. The victory took HAL to 6 points from 17 matches while Chirag stay on 11 points.

HAL’s Gamba Meetei was named the Man-of-the-match.
... Read More