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CRICKET
/ 5 years agoAshes 2019, England vs Australia: Three things we learned from the first Ashes Test
Australia overwhelmed England by 251 runs to win the first Test at Edgbaston on Monday and take a 1-0 lead in...
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CRICKET
/ 5 years agoInterminable transfer rumours surrounding Neymar continue to swirl unabated as the new Ligue 1 season kicks off this weekend with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain launching their assault for a seventh title in eight attempts. Thomas Tuchel’s side began their campaign by lifting the Champions Trophy in Shenzhen, China, gaining a modicum of revenge with a 2-1 victory over Rennes, the team that shocked PSG in last season’s French Cup final. As Neymar served the last of a three-match ban, incurred after a spat with a fan following April’s shootout loss, Kylian Mbappe pleaded with the Brazilian to stay during their trip to the Far East. “Everyone loves him and I love him so much,” Mbappe said of Neymar, the world’s most expensive player who has been linked with a return to his former club Barcelona. “I don’t want him to leave the team, obviously. I want him to stay. When you think about his situation and then he plays very well and he co-operates with the team you can see what he means to us.” The Brazilian suffered another injury-plagued season, missing PSG’s embarrassing Champions League defeat by Manchester United, as well as Brazil’s triumphant Copa America campaign. The 27-year-old has also been embroiled in widely publicised rape allegations, vehemently denied, which were eventually dismissed by Brazilian police for lack of evidence. Amid Neymar’s tumult Mbappe, who took the 2018 World Cup by storm, tormented Ligue 1 defences to the tune of 33 goals to emerge as the club’s true poster boy. Mbappe moved to quell any doubts over his own plans, having caused alarm when he spoke of playing “elsewhere” at the French league awards ceremony in May. “I think it wasn’t the right place (to say that),” the 20-year-old said while in China. “I’d like to say sorry to the players who were there, because I spoiled the party.” Last season’s title race quickly turned into a cakewalk for PSG, but after a domestic treble in 2017/18 under Unai Emery, his successor fell short in both domestic cups. – ‘It hurts still’ – Despite that disappointment the brief for Tuchel a year on remains unchanged with PSG desperately craving success in Europe, after another calamitous exit. “It hurts a lot, it hurts still that we did not go through,” midfielder Julian Draxler told AFP, five months on. “But from the potential in the team, we are ready to go far in the Champions League.” While PSG have crashed out at the last-16 stage in Europe each of the past three years, it is almost unfathomable they could be dethroned in France with last season’s chief rivals losing a number of key players. Lille sold leading scorer Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal for a reported £72 million ($87 million), while Lyon head into the new campaign without Nabil Fekir, Tanguy Ndombele and Ferland Mendy. Fekir left his boyhood club for Real Betis, Mendy signed for Real Madid, and Ndombele became Tottenham’s record signing in a deal that could rise to 70 million euros. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Lyon have struggled in pre-season under new boss Sylvinho, the former Barcelona and Arsenal full-back. Sporting director and club legend Juninho, who handpicked his compatriot to replace Bruno Genesio, said the start of the campaign would be a “moment of truth” after limp displays against Liverpool and Bournemouth. The arrival of Andre Villas-Boas, who was out of football for 18 months, at Marseille makes for an intriguing prosect. The former protege of Jose Mourinho has pledged to do his all to restore the 1993 Champions League winners to the top after they failed to qualify for Europe last season, prompting the dismissal of Rudi Garcia.
Interminable transfer rumours surrounding Neymar continue to swirl unabated as the new Ligue 1 season kicks off this weekend with defending...
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CRICKET
/ 5 years ago‘Don’t worry, will sort it out son’: Gautam Gambhir reminds Shahid Afridi about PoK
Former Indian cricketer and currently an MP from East Delhi, Gautam Gambhir took a dig at former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, saying...
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CRICKET
/ 5 years agoArticle 370 scrapped: Shahid Afridi weighs in on Kashmir situation
A day after the central government decided to scrap Article 370, which granted special status to the state of Jammu & Kashmir,...
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CRICKET
/ 5 years agoIndia vs West Indies, 3rd T20I: India on the cusp of unique record – Stats preview of Guyana T20I
After sealing the T20I series with a win in Florida, India will have the opportunity to award few proven IPL performers and...
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CRICKET
/ 5 years agoAshes 2019: Steve Smith responds to taunts in style at Birmingham as Australia rediscover lost pride
Australians basked in rediscovered pride in their cricketers Tuesday after Steve Smith inspired a thumping Ashes Test win over England, redeeming...
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CRICKET
/ 5 years agoCricket: Lyon rips through England to hand Australia Ashes advantage
BIRMINGHAM (REUTERS) – Australia spinner Nathan Lyon made light work of England’s batting line-up as the hosts were bowled out for...
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CRICKET
/ 5 years agoMickey Arthur recommends sacking of Sarfaraz Ahmed as Pakistan captain
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has recommended to the PCB’s Cricket Committee that Sarfaraz Ahmed be sacked from captaincy as he...
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CRICKET
/ 5 years agoIndia vs West Indies: Earthen pots, tennis ball cricket, mother as batsman: The Navdeep Saini story
It’s difficult to play cricket in saree. It becomes near impossible with utensils in hand instead of a cricket bat. But...
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CRICKET
/ 5 years agoSteve Smith: Scoring spree next only to the Don
For an Australia batsman, even if an unbelievably successful one, piling on one big knock after another can still only help...
NFL (American Football)
Alex Orji to start at QB for No. 18 Michigan in opposition to No. Eleven USC
