This and more from the happenings in the world of football
The forward was again the stand-out Brazil player and he coolly side-footed home his 60th international goal in the 76th minute after Diego Laxalt brought down Danilo, although Uruguay claimed there was a handball in the build-up.
US women's soccer star Hope Solo has been mocked for voicing public concerns over the Zika virus -- crowds chant "Zika! Zika" when she touches the ball during Rio Olympics.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday.
Lionel Messi scored twice to equal Raul's Champions League scoring record as Barcelona secured their place in the knockout stages by beating 10-man Ajax Amsterdam 2-0 on Wednesday.
Czech midfielder Pavel Elias struck a stunner to help Delhi Dynamos halt Atletico de Kolkata's two-match winning run as both teams settled for a point each after a thrilling 1-1 draw in their Indian Super League match in Kolkata, on Sunday.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
Chile beat Colombia 2-0 in the Copa America semi-final on Wednesday and will face Argentina in Sunday's final after surviving a tumultuous match in Chicago.
Triple World Cup soccer winner Pele is putting some 2,000 items up for auction, including his three World Cup medals and a one of a kind Jules Rimet trophy that could fetch up to one million dollars, auctioneers said on Thursday.
After making impressive debuts in their respective openers, Rising Pune Supergiants and GujaratLions will test each others' strengths when the two new entrants clash in the Indian Premier League (IPL), in Rajkot on Thursday. The two teams feature a lot of faces from the suspended Chennai Super Kings and at least six players, who played in the same side till last year, will now be in opposite camps. Close friends and CSK teammates Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina will now be devising strategies as rival captains. Both have admitted that playing in a jersey other than 'yellow' has been very "emotional" but have promised to give their all for their new teams. The Dhoni-led Pune Supergiants were very convincing and dominant when they handed defending champions Mumbai Indians a nine-wicket drubbing. They did not even require their middle order, packed with Dhoni himself and players such as Steven Smith, to come out with the top-order delivering it for them comfortably.
A superb brace from debutant Raul Fabiani (16th and 76th minute) gave Pune FC a well earned 3-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting in their I-League opener in Kolkata on Saturday.
It was an evening to remember for the people residing in 'Mecca of Indian Football' as a riot of colours lit the Salt Lake skyline with much awaited Indian Super League (ISL) doing everything possible to strike the right chord with the football aficionado.
'This is a landmark moment for Lord's, with women's cricket now documented in the dressing rooms for the first time.'
Brazil were knocked out of the Women's World Cup on Sunday after a surprise 1-0 defeat by Australia in the round of 16.
Ricky Ponting + Sourav Ganguly + Shreyas Iyer + Kagiso Rabada + Rishabh Pant + Shikhar Dhawan + consistent team selection. Dhruv Munjal on how Delhi Capitals achieved a remarkable turnaround in IPL 2019.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
'Only he can bring change in India that all of us have been dreaming of since we saw America for the first time when our plane touched down at JFK airport.' Narendra Modi's friends in New York and New Jersey travel down memory lane and remember a simple man with great ambition. Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com tracks down the Modi bhakts, who knew since his first visit in 1993 that he was destined for bigger things.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
equally surprised to see the amount of interest in the game at WACA.
Everton have been handed the dubious distinction of being the 'dirtiest' Premier League team after a study on the all-time cards and fouls by www.dirtyteams.co.uk.
IMAGES from the 2020 Euro Qualifiers played on Monday
Rahul would know that fealty can be a fickle thing, and that if the Congress bucks the trend and actually wins the next national election, selfies with him would find their way from phones to walls, replacing those taken with Modi.
It's hard to believe Calendar Girls has been made by someone who makes films, fumes Raja Sen.
'I hope the prime minister starts telling those abusers to stop abusing... Because when he remains silent, these people get more muscle,' journalist Rajdeep Sardesai told Chaya Babu/Rediff.com soon after he was heckled and pushed around in New York on Sunday.
'I kept telling Anurag, "I don't care about anything, I don't want any money. Just get the film made".' 'One day I called Anurag and someone else picked up the phone. He said, "Hello, Sir." I responded, "Hello, but who are you and why are you picking up Anurag's phone?" He said, "I am Ranbir Kapoor Sir". And he told me he was doing the film and he was very excited.'
'I am a very personal writer. I write direct to the reader. I don't hold back,' says India's most loved writer, Ruskin Bond.
