New Delhi: Shooter Sanjeev Rajput narrowly missed out on qualification for the finals of the men's 50-metre Rifle 3 Position event after finishing 10th at the ISSF World Cup in Changwon, Korea today. Rajput finished 10th after scoring a total of 1144 in the three sections - kneeling, prone and standing. Only the top-8 are entitled to compete in the medal round. Surendra Singh Rathod was placed 17th after he...
02:37 PM, Apr 09, 2013
New Delhi: London Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar could not live up to the billing as he failed to qualify for the finals of the 25-metre rapid fire pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Changwon, Korea today. The other two Indians participating in the event, Pemba Tamang and Harpreet Singh, too failed to qualify for the medal round. While Vijay was placed a disappointing 18th in the qualification...
03:54 PM, Apr 08, 2013
Zurich: FIFA security director Ralf Mutschke believes the 500 plus qualifying matches so far for the 2014 World Cup have been clean of match-fixing. Mutschke tells the Associated Press " we don't have any leads that any match has been thrown." The full program of about 820 preliminary matches ends in November. Speaking on the sidelines of a FIFA-sponsored conference on match-fixing and betting, Mutschke says "we are also confident...
11:47 PM, Apr 05, 2013
New Delhi: The Indian shooting team's campaign in the ISSF Changwon World Cup started on a sour note with all the shooters, including Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, failing to make a mark on the first day of the event in Changwon, Korea on Thursday. Competing in the men's 10-metre air rifle event, Beijing Games gold medal winner Bindra, London Olympian Sanjeep Rajput and Chain Singh -- all failed to...
05:49 PM, Apr 04, 2013
FIFA surprisingly opted for GoalControl as their goal-line technology system to be used at next year's World Cup in Brazil. ...
09:06 AM, Apr 03, 2013
London: England have been reported to world governing body FIFA after racist abuse was heard from visiting fans at last week's World Cup qualifier in San Marino. Anti-racism organisation FARE confirmed on Thursday it had sent a report to FIFA in relation to the abuse directed against Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand and his brother Anton. "We have sent a report in relation to racist chanting towards Ferdinand and his...
09:27 AM, Mar 29, 2013
Buenos Aires: Striker Luis Suarez will miss South American champions Uruguay's crucial World Cup qualifier in Venezuela, the upstarts threatening to deny them a place in next year's finals in Brazil. Suarez, who has scored eight goals in the qualifying campaign, picked up a second booking during Tuesday's 2-0 loss to Chile in Santiago and is suspended for Uruguay's June 11 visit to Venezuela. However, Suarez got away with punching...
09:09 AM, Mar 28, 2013
Berlin: A dazzling first half gave way to an erratic second-half performance as Germany again battled with lapses of concentration in their 4-1 win over Kazakhstan in their World Cup qualifier. The three-times European and World champions lead Group C by eight points after Tuesday's victory, their fifth in six games. Yet coach Joachim Loew will be carefully analysing their second-half game where they gifted a goal to Kazakhstan, allowed...
10:24 PM, Mar 27, 2013
Paris: France's narrow defeat by Spain exposed Les Bleus's desperate need for a striker with a killer instinct should they qualify for next year's World Cup. Tuesday's 1-0 loss left France in second place in qualifying Group I with 10 points from five games, one point behind world and European champions Spain with three games left. Coach Didier Deschamps blamed the reverse on France's lack of efficiency in a pulsating...
09:12 PM, Mar 27, 2013
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni was left to rue a profligate forward line as the Blue Samurai blew a chance to become the first team to qualify for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil. Japan only needed to draw against a Jordan team they had thrashed 6-0 last June to secure a fifth consecutive finals appearance but were let down by poor finishing in a 2-1 reversal at Amman's King...
04:16 PM, Mar 27, 2013
Amman: Jordan stunned Japan 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, denying the Asian power the chance to become the first team secure a berth in Brazil. Khalil Baniateyah headed home the opening goal from a corner just before half-time. After the break, Japan pressed for the equaliser that would have been enough for them to qualify for the World Cup after Australia drew 2-2 with Oman. But Jordan...
11:29 AM, Mar 27, 2013
Baku, Azerbaijan: Portugal failed to shine but claimed their first win in six games by beating 10-man Azerbaijan 2-0 in a World Cup qualifying game on Tuesday thanks to goals in the last half-hour by Bruno Alves and Hugo Almeida. Alves broke the deadlock with a 63rd-minute header at the front post, and substitute Almeida sealed victory in the 79th. Without suspended Cristiano Ronaldo and injured Nani, the Portuguese struggled...
08:57 AM, Mar 27, 2013
Malta: Mario Balotelli scored twice as Italy overcame a shaky start to beat Malta 2-0 on Tuesday, extending the Azzurri's lead at the top of their World Cup qualifying group. Balotelli put Italy ahead with a penalty after seven minutes at Ta'Qali National Stadium and doubled the lead in the 45th, taking his tally to 10 goals in nine matches this year for club and country. Balotelli also scored the...
08:45 AM, Mar 27, 2013
Nuremberg: Marco Reus scored two goals to help Germany overcome Kazakhstan 4-1 in a World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday that saw the visitors give the favorite some trouble in the second half. The win left Germany firmly in control of Group C in European qualifying, eight points ahead of Austria, Sweden and Ireland. Austria drew 2-2 in Ireland in the other match Tuesday. Germany won 3-0 four days ago...
08:45 AM, Mar 27, 2013
Bolivia: Lionel Messi didn't score but he still helped Argentina earn a valuable point in the thin air of La Paz on Tuesday in a 1-1 draw with Bolivia in South American World Cup qualifying. Marcelo Martins scored with a header in the 25th minute for Bolivia, while Argentina replied with a 43rd-minute equaliser from Ever Banega, with Messi involved in the move. The hard-earned draw keep Argentina top of...
08:31 AM, Mar 27, 2013
Montenegro: Dejan Damjanovic scored a late equaliser as Montenegro held England to a 1-1 draw in an action-packed World Cup qualifier on Tuesday to maintain their two-point lead at the top of Group H. The result left Montenegro on 14 points and England on 12, with four qualifying rounds remaining - including the return fixture at Wembley in October. Poland are third with eight points. England took the lead in...
08:19 AM, Mar 27, 2013
Paris: Spain bounced back from their mini-slump and dismissed early talk of a decline by beating France 1-0 on Tuesday to return to the top of their World Cup qualifying group. Pedro Rodriguez bundled home the winner from close range as Spain moved one point ahead with three games now remaining in Group I. The reigning world and European champion were two points behind before the game after consecutive home...
08:04 AM, Mar 27, 2013
Amsterdam: Robin van Persie scored twice and set up a third goal to lead the Netherlands to an easy 4-0 win over Romania in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. It was a sixth straight win in as many qualifiers for the Dutch and gave Louis van Gaal's team a commanding seven-point lead over Hungary at the top of Group D. After setting up Rafael van der Vaart's opening goal...
07:54 AM, Mar 27, 2013
Mexico City: US coach Juergen Klinsmann's motto for Tuesday's World Cup CONCACAF qualifier against Mexico has been "respect but not fear" but when it comes to dealing with striker Javier Hernandez, it is clear there is trepidation as well as admiration. Manchester United striker Hernandez is by far the most deadly striker in the CONCACAF region and his two goals against Honduras, in Friday's 2-2 draw, took his national team...
02:04 PM, Mar 26, 2013
La Paz: Lionel Messi said Argentina will be wary of the threat posed by the altitude of La Paz when they meet Bolivia here in Tuesday's football World Cup qualifier for 2014 Brazil. Argentina lead the South American zone standings with 23 points from 10 games and victory here will all but book their place at next year's World Cup finals in Brazil. Messi revealed he is still tormented by...
12:58 PM, Mar 26, 2013
