Sports
England suffer historic India T20 defeat in shoddy start to so-called ‘new era’
England’s new era under head coach Brendon McCullum began with a crushing defeat as India dominated the first T20 international in Kolkata, winning by seven wickets with 43 balls to spare.
The visitors were bowled out for just 132, with captain Jos Buttler’s 68 from 44 balls the only significant contribution in a batting display that crumbled against India’s spinners.
India’s response was swift and decisive, as Abhishek Sharma smashed 79 from just 34 balls to guide the world champions to a comfortable victory.
The defeat, England’s heaviest in T20 cricket in terms of balls remaining, highlighted familiar weaknesses against spin as McCullum’s multi-format coaching tenure got off to a nightmare start at Eden Gardens.
England suffered a thrashing at the hands of India in Kolkata
Reuters
After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, India struck early through seamer Arshdeep Singh, who removed Phil Salt for a three-ball duck and Ben Duckett in his first two overs.
England’s middle order then collapsed against India’s spinners, falling from 65-2 in the eighth over as wickets tumbled regularly.
Buttler stood alone in the wreckage, striking eight fours and two sixes in his classy 68, while Harry Brook’s 17 was the next highest score.
The lower order offered little resistance, with Jacob Bethell struggling to seven from 14 balls, Jamie Overton making just two, and Gus Atkinson managing only two from 12 deliveries.
India’s three spinners – Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi – combined for impressive figures of 12-1-67-5 on a decent batting pitch.
Chakravarthy proved particularly devastating for England, finishing with figures of 3-23 in a masterful display of mystery spin.
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The Indian spinner struck a crucial double blow in the eighth over, first bowling Brook with a googly that came via inside edge and pad.
Two balls later, Livingstone was bowled through the gate by another googly, leaving England’s inexperienced lower order exposed.
Chakravarthy saved his final blow for England’s captain, returning in the 17th over to have Buttler caught at deep square leg just as the visitors harboured hopes of a strong finish.
Left-arm spinner Axar Patel provided excellent support with 2-22, including the wickets of Overton and Atkinson, as England’s batsmen struggled to pick India’s varied spin attack.
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India’s use of spin bamboozled England
Reuters
In contrast to India’s spin-heavy attack, England opted for pace, with Jofra Archer providing early hope through figures of 2-21.
Archer struck twice in his third over, removing Sanju Samson and India captain Suryakumar Yadav to briefly silence the Kolkata crowd.
However, Abhishek Sharma, the 24-year-old left-handed opener, dominated proceedings with a blistering innings that included eight sixes.
Sharma was particularly severe on England’s quicks, pulling them over fine leg and peppering the off side with powerful strokes.
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England were all out for 132 before India surpassed their score with 43 balls to go
Reuters
He was dropped by Adil Rashid on 29 and immediately punished the error by hitting the next three balls for four, six and six.
Atkinson bore the brunt of the assault, conceding 38 runs from just two overs as India raced towards their target.
The second match of the five-game series takes place on Saturday in Chennai at 13:30 GMT, with England seeking to level the series.
England captain Jos Buttler acknowledged the difficult start, saying: “There was a little bit in the wicket early on and we probably didn’t expect that. We wanted to enforce the game we want to play.
England had heralded a ‘new era’ – but issues remain largely the same
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“We were not quite capable of doing that against good bowlers but we are better for the run out and look forward to the next one.”
India’s dominance continues their impressive run since winning last year’s T20 World Cup, with this victory marking their 15th win from their last 18 matches under Yadav’s leadership.
The result emphasised India’s fearsome depth following the T20 retirements of several stars including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja.
The Champions League match between Feyenoord and Bayern Munich was suspended after less than two minutes of play on Wednesday night due to heavy smoke from fans’ flares.
Players at De Kuip stadium were unable to see through the thick smoke, forcing the referee to halt proceedings almost immediately after kick-off.
The disruption came as supporters had set off flares in the stands, creating visibility issues that made it impossible for the match to continue safely.
The match had kicked off at 8pm at the Rotterdam stadium before the referee was forced to intervene.
Feyenoord fans stopped play after flares were lit in the home stands
TNT Sports
A seven-minute delay followed as officials waited for the smoke to clear sufficiently for play to resume.
The suspension came with Bayern Munich entering the fixture as strong favourites to secure victory in the Netherlands.
Chaos in the stands at Feyenoord caused the match to be suspended
Reuters
Bayern Munich find themselves in the middle of the pack in the Champions League league phase, where they look likely to remain after a mixed campaign to date in Europe.
Bayern boss Vincent Kompany is under pressure to win silverware for the German giants after a disappointing campaign last season.
Thomas Tuchel, now in charge of England, led the Bavarians last season – where they failed to win a single trophy.
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Vincent Kompany is under pressure to win trophies with Bayern
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That included the Bundesliga, having won it every season since 2012, with Bayer Leverkusen pipping them to the top after going unbeaten in the league.
Bayern also crashed out of the DFB-Pokal Cup early in the season and lost to Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League.
Rafael Leao’s first-half goal was enough for AC Milan to beat Girona and edge closer to automatic qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League.
Manchester City’s Champions League hopes hang by a thread after a stunning collapse saw them squander a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
The defeat has plunged Pep Guardiola’s side into the competition’s relegation zone with just one match remaining.
City must now beat Club Brugge next week to have any chance of reaching the playoff round.
Jack Grealish made an instant impact after coming on as a half-time substitute, lashing home a volley in the 50th minute following a scramble in the PSG box.
Just three minutes later, City appeared to be cruising when Erling Haaland doubled their advantage with a close-range tap-in after Grealish’s cross was diverted into his path by João Neves.
PSG’s fightback began in the 56th minute when Bradley Barcola burst past Matheus Nunes before squaring for Ousmane Dembele to slot home.
Just four minutes later, Barcola turned from provider to scorer, steering in the rebound after Desire Doue’s curling effort had struck the crossbar.
The Parc des Princes erupted as PSG sensed panic in City’s backline.
The hosts completed their remarkable turnaround in the 78th minute when Joao Neves was left unmarked at the far post to score with a diving header from Vitinha’s free-kick.
City’s misery was compounded deep into stoppage time as Goncalo Ramos made it 4-2, with VAR confirming the goal after ruling the final touch came off defender Josko Gvardiol.
The defeat leaves City in 25th place, one spot inside the Champions League relegation zone – a dramatic fall for last season’s champions.
Guardiola’s side must now secure victory against Club Brugge at the Etihad Stadium next Wednesday to maintain any hope of avoiding elimination.
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The pressure will be immense, with City having won just two of their seven Champions League matches this season.
Guardiola’s tactical changes proved pivotal, as he made two bold half-time substitutions by removing captain Ruben Dias and Savinho for Rico Lewis and Jack Grealish.
While these changes initially paid dividends with City’s two quick goals, their defensive structure crumbled in the latter stages, with spaces opening up alarmingly frequently.
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The reshuffled backline, which later saw John Stones introduced, proved particularly vulnerable to PSG’s high-tempo attacks.
PSG’s victory lifted them into 22nd place, moving two points clear of City and putting their playoff qualification hopes firmly in their own hands.
Luis Enrique’s side will travel to Stuttgart for their final match, with the German side also in contention for a playoff spot.
Watch highlights as an early Lautaro Martinez goal leads Inter Milan to a narrow victory over Sparta Prague and seals their place in the Champions League knockout phase.
Celtic striker Adam Idah has backed his team to make a significant impact in the Champions League, expressing his belief that the Scottish side can progress deep into the competition.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Idah confidently declared: “I think we can go far. I think we have got a great squad. We have gone this far, why not dream big?”
The forward’s ambitious statement comes as Celtic continue their impressive European campaign this season.
“We have been fantastic over the season, we want to go to the top and these are the stages you have to do it on,” Idah added.
Adam Idah forced an own goal from Young Boys that helped Celtic to a 1-0 win
Reuters
The striker’s enthusiasm was evident as he described the feeling of reaching this stage in the competition.
“It’s amazing. This feeling is indescribable,” he told TNT Sports.
Idah’s optimism comes despite earlier frustrations in the match, where Celtic saw three goals disallowed for offside and had a penalty saved in the first half.
The Republic of Ireland international reflected on the challenging period: “It was quite frustrating. To be fair to the boys, in the first half they played brilliantly.”
However, he praised his teammates’ resilience during these setbacks.
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Celtic have been backed to go far in the Champions League
Reuters
“I think the boys were confident going into the half having them goals disallowed,” he said.
His own impact on the game proved decisive, though he admitted his finish had an element of fortune, with UEFA statisticians later reviewing the strike.
Idah also highlighted the crucial support he receives from his manager at Celtic.
“Any time I come on the manager just says, ‘Do your thing, be yourself’. These are the games I want to play in and have an impact in,” he revealed.
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Celtic had three goals ruled out in a manic match at Parkhead
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“Credit to the gaffer, he is unbelievable with me. He lets me be myself.”
The striker was particularly appreciative of his teammate’s contribution to his goal.
“What a pass from Reo [Hatate]. The ball he played through was fantastic, I got a bit lucky but we’ll take it,” he said.
“I haven’t scored in a while. I said to the boys, ‘I don’t care that is my goal! Hopefully, it gets me on a run.’”
Goals from Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard seal a comfortable victory for Arsenal against Dinamo Zagreb and leave the Gunners all but qualified for the Champions League last 16.
MATCH REPORT: Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb
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Arsenal moved to the brink of Champions League last-16 qualification with a commanding 3-0 victory over Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.
Declan Rice’s first Champions League goal after just two minutes set the tone for a dominant display from Mikel Arteta’s side.
Kai Havertz doubled the lead with a header in the 66th minute before captain Martin Odegaard added a third in stoppage time.
The win puts Arsenal on 16 points in third place, virtually securing their automatic passage to the knockout stages with one group game remaining.
Declan Rice scored his first Champions League goal on Wednesday night
Reuters
Rice’s opener came from a well-worked move, with Gabriel Martinelli squaring the ball to Kai Havertz who cushioned it perfectly for the England midfielder.
The £105 million summer signing hammered home on the half-volley to register his first Champions League goal.
Shortly after scoring, Rice was pelted with plastic cups from the travelling supporters as he prepared to take Arsenal’s first corner of the night.
The early strike represented Arsenal’s quickest goal in the Champions League since November 2014.
Gabriel Magalhaes should have extended Arsenal’s lead in the 15th minute but sent his towering header wide from a corner kick.
Set pieces continued to trouble Dinamo throughout the first half, though the visitors gradually found their footing.
Martin Baturina threatened in the 32nd minute after Jakub Kiwior’s error in possession.
Jurrien Timber was also caught in his own half, leading to another anxious moment for the hosts.
Dinamo manager Fabio Cannavaro left the field at half-time with his side still in contention, despite Arsenal enjoying 61 percent possession.
The Gunners had managed just two shots on target despite their dominance.
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Martin Odegaard wrapped up a perfect night for Arsenal
Reuters
The visitors showed renewed energy after the break, finding clever combinations to bypass Arsenal’s midfield.
Arteta responded with changes in the 58th minute, bringing on Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri for Timber and Sterling.
Arsenal’s dominance in possession wasn’t translating into clear chances until the crucial second goal arrived in the 66th minute.
Martinelli delivered an excellent cross into the box, met perfectly by Havertz’s header to make it 2-0.
Kai Havertz was bang amongst the goals after a difficult spell
Reuters
The German striker’s goal marked his 14th of the season, further strengthening his case as Arsenal’s main forward.
Rice nearly added his second of the night with a close-range effort, but couldn’t convert the opportunity.
Odegaard completed the scoring in injury time, capping off a comprehensive victory for the Gunners.
Arsenal will travel to Girona next week for their final group match, knowing their place in the last 16 is all but secured.
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Arsenal look almost destined to be in the last 16 of the Champions League
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Only an extraordinary sequence of results in the final round of group matches could deny Mikel Arteta’s side automatic qualification.
The defeat left Dinamo Zagreb in the elimination places ahead of their final match at home to AC Milan.
Arsenal will now turn their attention to their Premier League clash with Wolves at the weekend.
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford’s camp meet Barcelona, Arsenal initiate move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko and Nottingham Forest prepare club-record bid for Wolves forward Matheus Cunha.
Representatives of England forward Marcus Rashford met with Barcelona executives on Tuesday as the 27-year-old looks for a route out of Manchester United. (Sky Sports), external
Arsenal have made a tentative enquiry about trying to sign 21-year-old Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko from German club RB Leipzig. (Talksport), external
AC Milan have agreed a deal to sign 34-year-old England defender Kyle Walker from Manchester City which will be an initial loan but include an option to buy for 5m euros (£4.2m). (Sky Sports Italy), external
Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho favours a move to Chelsea rather than Napoli, who have had a bid for the 20-year-old Argentina international rejected. (TyC Sports, via Metro) , external
Napoli are also in talks about signing 23-year-old Germany winger Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund. (Fabrizio Romano), external
A trio of Chelsea players could leave this month with Portugal defender Renato Veiga, 21, pushing to join Juventus, Italian midfielder Cesare Casadei, 22, the subject of an £11.5m bid from Lazio and England defender Ben Chilwell, 28, attracting interest from Everton. (Mail), external
Nottingham Forest are preparing a club-record bid, possibly in the region of £60m, to try lure Brazil forward Matheus Cunha, 25, away from Wolves. (Sky Sports), external
Juventus have offered Chelsea the opportunity to sign Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz, 26, who is also on the radar of Manchester City and Arsenal. (Teamtalk), external
France midfielder Paul Pogba, 31, is considering several offers from teams inside Europe’s top five leagues, but an agreement on a deal is not imminent. (ESPN), external
West Ham technical director Tim Steidten’s future at the club is in doubt after the Hammers finalised a deal to bring in Chelsea recruitment analyst Kyle Macaulay, who has previously worked with manager Graham Potter. (Guardian), external
Sports
Jamie Carragher’s wife insists Liverpool hero ‘went too far’ after awkward Micah Richards joke
Jamie Carragher has revealed his wife Nicola told him he went “too far” with jokes about fellow pundit Micah Richards’ new haircut during CBS Champions League coverage.
The former Liverpool defender faced criticism at home after brutally mocking Richards’ fresh look during Tuesday night’s broadcast of Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Lille.
The incident unfolded as the famous quartet of Carragher, Richards, Thierry Henry and Kate Scott gathered for their first show of the year.
Carragher wasted no time addressing what he called “the elephant in the room”, immediately questioning Richards’ new appearance.
Jamie Carragher bluntly joked about Micah Richards’ new look
Instagram/CBS Sports
“It doesn’t suit you. I’m saying that as a friend,” Carragher declared bluntly on air.
When shown a side-by-side comparison of Richards’ old and new looks, Carragher was even more direct: “Honestly, you look awful. You look so cool on the other one.”
Jamie Carragher’s wife was not happy with her husband’s jokes
The following day, Richards confronted Carragher about the jokes, saying: “You ruined my confidence yesterday Jamie!”
Carragher then made a surprising admission: “Can I say something? My wife Nicola told me last night I went too far.”
“Is that what she said?!” Richards responded in disbelief, before the pair shook hands.
Richards then joyfully exclaimed: “Thank you Nicola, I love you!”
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Jamie Carragher did not hold back on Micah Richards’ haircut
CBS Sports
Despite the ribbing, Richards maintained good humour about his transformation, explaining simply: “New year, new me.”
Host Kate Abdo showed support for the change, describing Richards’ new look as “nice and crispy.”
When questioned about whether he had undergone a hair transplant, Richards firmly denied it: “I have not been to Turkey, not a chance.”
The former Manchester City defender remained resolute about his choice, stating he was “more than happy” with the look and hadn’t sought public opinion.
Sports
Ronnie O’Sullivan pulls out of another tournament for worrying reason days after Masters withdrawal
Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from next week’s German Masters due to medical reasons, marking his second tournament withdrawal this month.
The seven-time world champion had previously pulled out of the Masters at Alexandra Palace in January.
It remains unclear when the 49-year-old snooker legend will return to competitive action.
The withdrawal follows a period of apparent exhaustion for O’Sullivan after completing a three-week exhibition tour in Asia.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has pulled out of another snooker tournament
Reuters
A World Snooker Tour statement confirmed: “Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from next week’s Machineseeker German Masters due to medical reasons.”
O’Sullivan was scheduled to face Dylan Emery in his opening match in Berlin.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has had a tough start to the year
PA
Speaking about his Masters withdrawal earlier this month, O’Sullivan explained: “I’ve obviously been on this three-week trip (playing exhibition events in Asia), away playing, and I think I just exhausted myself.”
“(There was) a lot of pressure while I was away and the build-up of all that kind of got too much,” he added.
“I lost the plot on Thursday and snapped my cue so that’s unplayable, so I just knew at that moment in time, the right decision was not to play.”
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Ronnie O’Sullivan has made a worrying pattern in recent weeks
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O’Sullivan’s tournament withdrawals have become a pattern in recent seasons.
He missed last season’s German Masters to prioritise his “health and wellbeing” and pulled out of the Welsh Open citing anxiety.
More recently, he withdrew from the Scottish Open just one day before his scheduled match.
His absence from tournaments this season has also included the British Open, Wuhan Open and Northern Ireland Open.
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