News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Norma Godinho/Rediff.com reports on the pre-season NBA match played between Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
'If we are in the first 10, you are giving yourself a realistic chance to play against the best in Asia and then you always have the answer to how much you have to achieve more'
Churchill Brothers let East Bengal off the hook and had to settle for a 1-1 draw in an I-League clash at the Nehru stadium, in Fatorda, Goa, on Friday. In another match, in Kolkata, Mohun Bagan beat Pailan Arrows 2-0.
India kicked off their preparations for next month's London Olympic qualifier in style, thrashing South Africa 4-0 in the first hockey Test, in Delhi, on Monday. The Indians scored three goals in the first half, through Shivendra Singh (15th minute), Birendra Lakra (24th), Sardara Singh (28th), while the last one came from the stick of debutant S K Uthappa in the 53rd minute.
IMAGES from the Bundesliga matches played across Germany on Tuesday.
Borussia Dortmund missed a bagful of chances to draw 1-1 at home with Augsburg on Tuesday, as they squandered the opportunity to make up ground in the Bundesliga title race heading into the winter break.
Atletico Madrid's French forwards Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro fired them to a first win in three league outings as they beat Valencia 3-0 on Sunday to maintain their hold on Spain's fourth Champions League qualifying place.
It was a disappointing start for the Indian women's hockey team on their tour of the United States. They lost 2-3 to the Champions Trophy bronze medalists in their opening match in Manheim on Tuesday.
The NRAI has sent the names of champion pistol shooters Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma for the prestigious Arjuna Award, according to federation sources.
AC midfielder Franck Kessie scored from a penalty to give AC Milan a 2-2 draw away to Napoli in Serie A on Sunday, sparing the blushes of his goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma whose mistakes provided the hosts with both their goals. Sevilla closed in on Champions League qualification by beating struggling Real Mallorca 2-0 at home to open up a nine-point gap in the race for fourth spot in La Liga.
A round-up of Friday's action in La Liga, and Bundesliga.
Alaba strike on Clasico debut gives Real Madrid 2-1 win at Barcelona.
AITA usually names five-member squad apart from one or two reserve players.
East Bengal once again had luck on their side as they registered a 2-1 victory over an impressive Prayag United SC to set up a summit clash with Salgaocar in the 33rd Federation Cup football tournament, in Kolkata, on Monday.
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday
Real's victory at the Santiago Bernabeu means they are poised to knock Atletico out of the competition for the fourth successive year.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said he was disappointed that he was only asked about the referee's decisions after his side earned a 2-1 victory at Real Sociedad on Sunday to climb above Barcelona and top La Liga.
Serge Gnabry scored twice as Bayern Munich beat Chelsea 3-0, while Antoine Griezmann's second-half equaliser handed Barcelona a vital away goal and earned them a 1-1 draw at Napoli in their Champions League last 16, first leg on Tuesday.
Britain's world number three Andy Murray stressed the importance of gender equality in tennis, saying the work ethic required to succeed is the same for both men and women.
India began their AFC U-19 Championship qualifying campaign on a disappointing note as they lost 0-2 in their opening group match against Qatar in Doha.
It was batters who mostly lead their teams to victories and some into the knock-outs. While Mumbai trailblazer Sarfaraz Khan continues to find the big runs, Baba Indrajith's consistency wasn't enough for Tamil Nadu to make even the top two in Group H.
Sergio Ramos made amends for his untimely own goal last week at Sevilla by scoring twice as Real Madrid bounced back from two successive defeats by beating Malaga 2-1 on Saturday to go four points clear at the top of La Liga.
Juve forward Cristiano Ronaldo had an unusually quiet game after scoring a hat-trick against Atletico in last year's competition, although he came within inches of grabbing a last-gasp winner when he sent a shot just past the far post.
The result also means second-placed Real Sociedad can reclaim top spot if they beat Eibar on Sunday.
Leander Paes is set to return to the Indian Davis Cup squad after making himself available for the upcoming tie against Pakistan as the country's top players and non-playing captain Mahesh Bhupathi have refused to travel to the neighbouring nation, citing security concerns.
Argentina, bidding to end a trophy drought, kicked off the 43rd Copa America with a disappointing 1-1 draw with minnows Bolivia at La Plata outside Buenos Aires.
England bounced back from their first tournament qualifying defeat for 10 years with a 6-0 thrashing of toothless Bulgaria on Monday in a Euro 2020 Group A clash marred by racist incidents in the first half that stopped the game.
Zinedine Zidane declared that leading Real Madrid to their first La Liga title in five years, and 33rd overall, was one of the happiest days of his glittering sporting career.
Midfielder Dani Ceballos added: "It looks like us changing our coach worked. We have recovered some sensations we had lost and we have got the three points. Now our objective is to win all the games left and finish the season as well as possible."
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. score twice as his side punished a sloppy Liverpool to win 3-1, while Manchester City beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Factbox on the four-Test series between India and Australia, which starts at Pune on Thursday:
Images from the English Premier League matches played on Saturday.
Former South Africa coach Ray Jennings feels that India captain Virat Kohli can be 'intimidating in the dressing room.'
India football coach Stephen Constantine has told his bosses to stand up to the dominating television companies if they ever want local football to flourish in the floundering South Asian nation.
Salomon Kalou scored a hat-trick as Hertha Berlin beat Hanover 96 3-1 on Friday, their second win in three matches helping them climb to fourth in the Bundesliga.
In other European football action Real Madrid were left frustrated after a goalless draw against Athletic Bilbao in their La Liga match on Sunday.
Lionel Messi returned from international suspension to score the winner in Argentina's 1-0 victory over Brazil in Saudi Arabia on Friday.
Images from Sunday's English Premier League matches.
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema rescued his side again by scoring two late goals to snatch a 2-1 win at home to Elche in La Liga on Saturday and revive his side's hopes of catching leaders Atletico Madrid.
