India’s Rishikanta Singh (PTI Photo)

Kolkata: Manipur’s Rishikanta Singh Chanambam, who won a silver medal in the men’s 60kg weightlifting competition at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has been forced to pull out of India’s Asian Games squad because of an injury.Speaking to TOI on Wednesday from Manipur, Rishikanta said, “I had been dealing with pain on the left side of my knee even during the Commonwealth Games. I really wanted to compete in the Asiad too because it’s a big competition for me, but I couldn’t manage it. I later consulted a doctor, who said there was a muscle imbalance on my left side. Right now, I’m focusing on my recovery.”Rishikanta was the lone male athlete in India’s weightlifting squad for the continental meet, which will be held in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, from Sept 19 to Oct 4.Besides Rishikanta, the four other athletes who’s been named in the squad were Mirabai Chanu (women’s 49kg), Gyaneshwari Yadav (women’s 53kg), Seram Nirupama Devi (women’s 61kg) and Harjinder Kaur (women’s 69kg).At the last Asian Games, India had sent a two-member weightlifting team comprising Mirabai and Bindyarani Devi, but neither finished on the podium. Mirabai finished fourth in the 49kg category, while Bindyarani was fifth in the 55kg category.Rishikanta will be gutted to miss the Games after his success in Glasgow. Following his performance there, he had said that, had it not been for the injury, he would have gone for gold.Malaysia’s Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq eventually won the event with a Games-record total of 273kg. Rishikanta lifted a total of 264kg. He equalled Bin Kasdan’s 121kg in the snatch but could manage only 143kg in the clean and jerk, compared to the Malaysian’s 152kg.For now, the 21-year-old is keeping his focus on recovery, hoping to return stronger and make up for the opportunity he has missed.

Holders Paris Saint-Germain made a smooth start to their bid for a third consecutive Champions League title as Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday, while Liverpool came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona kicked off their campaign by scoring five goals against Feyenoord, while Arsenal impressed with a 1-0 win at Napoli.

PSG, who are hoping to become only the fourth club to win three European Cups in a row, visit Manchester City and host Barca in their next two European games.

“It is the Champions League, we always play against tough teams, but we have to be focused first in Ligue 1 because we didn’t start in the right way,” said Torres, with PSG yet to win a domestic game this season.

But they wasted little time in picking apart Yaya Toure’s Slovan at the Parc des Princes.

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Ousmane Dembele hammered in a rebound and then nodded in a deflected cross to put Luis Enrique’s men two goals ahead inside 22 minutes.

Torres tapped home Dembele’s cross just after the half-hour mark and drilled in his second less than two minutes after the restart.

Spain’s World Cup final hero completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute, shanking a shot with his knee that spun into the bottom corner.

Suleiman Camara crashed in a consolation for Slovan, but Fabian Ruiz had the final say for PSG when he pounced on a mishit clearance.

Liverpool made it successive victories after winning at Ipswich in the Premier League last week by beating Atletico 2-1 at Anfield.

Read moreMourinho’s Real Madrid edge Inter Milan in Champions League opener

Atletico grabbed a 17th-minute lead as Julian Alvarez, starting for the first time this season after failing to force a move away from the club, played in Marcos Llorente to dink the ball over Alisson in the Liverpool goal.

Llorente has now scored five times in three visits to Anfield, after netting a double at Liverpool last season and in Atletico’s dramatic last-16 victory in 2020.

Liverpool hit back five minutes before the break through Dominik Szoboszlai, courtesy of a clever backheeled pass from Ronald Araujo.

Alexis Mac Allister then hammered the hosts in front five minutes into the second half with a left-footed strike from outside the box, and Atletico could not find a response.

“I’ve loved it. The atmosphere has been incredible and I feel lucky, lucky to experience it,” said Liverpool’s new manager Andoni Iraola after his Champions League coaching debut.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

New signing Ferran Torres struck a hat-trick as holders Paris Saint-Germain made an emphatic start to the defence of their Champions League crown with a 6-1 home victory over Slovan Bratislava.

Ousmane Dembele scored twice before World Cup winner Torres struck three in succession as PSG romped to a routine win over ⁠the Slovak side, coached by former Champions League winner Yaya Toure.

The Parisians, chasing a third successive Champions League title, were 5-0 up inside 57 minutes, before Suleiman Camara pulled one back. Fabian Ruiz scored their sixth two minutes from time as the French champions showed none of the rustiness that has characterised their early-season domestic league form.

There was also success for Portuguese side Sporting, who overturned a fifth-minute deficit to defeat Galatasaray 3-1 in Lisbon.

Galatasaray took an early lead through Goncalo Inacio’s own goal but Geny Catamo equalised for Sporting in the 27th minute amid some poor defending by the Turkish side. Luis Suarez converted a 57th-minute penalty to put Sporting ahead and a blistering free kick from Rodrigo Zalazar six minutes later sealed the win.

Earlier on Wednesday, Barcelona captain Raphinha scored twice as his side thrashed Feyenoord 5-1. Karim Adeyemi, Lamine Yamal and Gabriel Jesus were the other home scorers in a rain-soaked Barcelona while Sem Steijn got the Dutch club’s consolation goal.

“There is a long way to go until (the ​end of the season in) May, but it is true that things look very good because we are training ‌very hard and everyone is hungry,” said Barcelona coach ⁠Hansi Flick.

Meanwhile, Ermedin Demirovic struck a 12-minute first-half hat-trick to give VfB Stuttgart a 3-1 home victory over Viking Stavanger.

Demirovic opened the scoring after 20 minutes with a touch at the near post but Viking, making their first appearance in the group phase, were level two minutes later when Zlatko Tripic finished a swift counter-attack with his left foot. Demirovic quickly ‌re-established the lead in the 26th ​minute and then completed the hat-trick with a hooked volley six ‌minutes later.

Another six fixtures are scheduled for Thursday, including three-time European champions Manchester United at home to Azeri debutants Sabah, who came through four preliminary rounds of knockout matches to reach the group phase.

Reuters

If Liverpool made Alexis Mac Allister very, very sad, in his own words, he made Anfield very, very happy here. Andoni Iraola’s introduction to the Champions League was eventful and, eventually, enjoyable. Liverpool beat last season’s semi-finalists with a stunning goal from a World Cup winner. A day after some unexpected revelations, Mac Allister let his football do the talking, and how.

For Iraola, a first European night at Anfield offered an insight into their power. “I loved it – the atmosphere has been incredible,” the Basque said. “We have shown big character.” A comeback victory provided an uplifting end to an evening that still had its unsatisfactory elements. Liverpool’s defending in the first half presented a concern in a game that was frenetic and flawed; fractious at times, too.

Maybe Mac Allister’s relationship with Liverpool has become more awkward. If so, however, they might have benefited from some creative tension. Mac Allister had gone public with his disappointment after Liverpool told him they were not in a position to offer him a new contract. This was the right kind of way to change their minds, with an unstoppable shot, drilled in from 20 yards. That it came from Mac Allister’s less favoured left foot shows the technique the Argentinian possesses. “Lovely goal from Alexis,” said Iraola.

Perhaps, though, it was unsurprising he scored. Mac Allister is shaping up as the scourge of Madrid, a scorer against Real in both 2024 and 2025 and now Atletico in 2026. His name was chorused when he was substituted.

Often outnumbered, Liverpool’s midfield struggled at times but their goals nevertheless came from midfielders. Dominik Szoboszlai was Liverpool’s outstanding player in last year’s Champions League, with five goals and four assists. He offered hope of a similarly productive continental campaign, finding the far corner with a low shot to equalise, following a backheel from Ronald Araujo. “You have to ask him if he meant it,” said Szoboszlai.

It came seconds after Jan Oblak denied Barcola a maiden Liverpool goal; Iraola, with his fondness for vertical football and pressing, was presumably pleased it all stemmed from Milos Kerkez coming forward to win the ball from Kang-in Lee. It was a redemptive moment for the Hungarian, who was culpable for the Atleti goal.

Barcola had come off the bench at Ipswich on Friday. His first start since his £106m move came on the right wing, in Mohamed Salah’s old role. He really ought to have marked it with his first goal, particularly when, four minutes after half-time, Florian Wirtz sent him speeding through the heart of the Atletico defence. But Barcola rolled his shot past the post to highlight questions about his finishing. “He has two very clear chances against the keeper, he didn’t score but I want him there,” said Iraola. The Frenchman went off, cramping up, as he gets back to full sharpness.

By then, Liverpool had made history of sorts with three £100m men on the pitch together; from one move involving all three, Wirtz had a shot saved by Jan Oblak, though his supplier, Alexander Isak, was offside. The Swede had shown Liverpool’s initial attacking intent, unleashing a shot after 16 seconds, when Szoboszlai powered forward.

Yet, once again, they conceded first. “Four games, three times we have come back,” said Iraola. They have needed to, though. Iraola found fault with himself for failing to anticipate Diego Simeone’s 3-5-2 formation. “I think I have to take blame from the beginning because they surprised me a little bit tactically,” he said. “They played a five.” And Liverpool failed to track the Atleti wing-backs, conceding to their unlikely nemesis.

Marcos Llorente has scored 10 Champions League goals and, astonishingly, half have come on Merseyside. The Spaniard called his dog “Anfield” after a brace in 2020. He may be wondering what else to name after Liverpool’s home, because he got an Anfield double last year and now another goal here. “Every footballer has a ground where he scores,” said Iraola.

So Llorente proved. Julian Alvarez provided the defence-splitting pass. Llorente darted beyond Kerkez to supply the assured finish. It was an issue with Iraola’s high defensive line, but also with his erratic left-back.

This was Alvarez’s first start since a summer spent dreaming of a move to Barcelona. The pass indicated why Atleti were so keen to keep him. So, too, was a 25-yard shot that drew a terrific save from Alisson. “Julian was fantastic, he wanted the ball from minute one to minute 90,” said his manager, Diego Simeone.

Atleti were superior during the first 45, but they have second-half problems of late. “In the first half we played well and in the second we didn’t and then you start to commit errors and mistakes and all the effort you put in is just an anecdote,” lamented Simeone.

A September defeat at Anfield last season did not stop Simeone’s side from reaching the last four. For Liverpool, first and third in the league phase in two seasons under Arne Slot, this was a fine start in Iraola’s reign.

They were watched by a Champions League-winning manager, a former Inter manager and a Madrid native, in Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard’s loyalties as a boy lay with Real Madrid. It gave him an added reason to savour Mac Allister’s strike. Few others at Anfield needed one, though.

The ongoing anti-immigrant protests in the United Kingdom took a bizarre turn on Tuesday. According to a report, demonstrators gathered outside a hotel in southern England where Pakistan’s Under-19 cricket team were staying, mistakenly believing them to be asylum seekers. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening in Portsmouth, just 48 hours after protesters disrupted the disembarkation of dozens of migrants near the port city and clashed with police in scenes that were widely condemned. Interestingly, Pakistan’s senior men’s team is also in England, currently playing the third Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham. 

Immigration and the arrival of tens of thousands of asylum seekers annually on small boats from mainland Europe has become a politically toxic issue in Britain, sparking numerous protests in recent years, some turning violent. 

Tuesday’s incident came after reports online about a coach with young Asian men on board being seen at a Marriott Hotel in the Portsmouth suburb of Cosham drew protestors to the venue, according to media reports.

A councillor from anti-immigration party Reform UK went to the scene and helped disperse the crowd after confirming the men were in fact members of Pakistan’s teenage cricket team, The Guardian newspaper said.

A spokesman for Hampshire Police — which is responsible for the region — said the force “were notified that a group of people were starting to congregate” near the hotel Tuesday evening.

“Officers subsequently attended and spoke to members of the public that had gathered who were expressing concerns about a coach that had been seen in the area,” the spokesman added.

“The officers explained that their concerns were not correct,” the spokesman said, without confirming the Pakistani cricketers were the mistaken target.

He noted the crowd of around 30 people dispersed a short time later and no offences were identified.

Michael Bradley, a national organiser from the Stand Up To Racism organisation, condemned the incident as showing “where the scapegoating of refugees and migrants can lead”.

“When a Pakistan U-19’s team is faced by protests because it ‘might’ in fact be a group of migrants it means that effectively any group of black or Asian people coming into the city are being seen by the far right as a potential target,” he said.

“It’s obvious where all this is going to end — racist attacks and more violence.”

(With AFP inputs)

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Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold went to the locker room after suffering a hip injury on a sack taken on Seattle’s first drive of the season. Drew Lock entered the game for Seattle’s second drive, and Darnold was officially listed as out just before halftime. Darnold was getting further tests on his hip off-site.

Here’s a closer view:

The knee hitting the ground so hard is the primary concern here.

Darnold was clearly hobbled as he headed to the sideline, and according to the NBC broadcast, he initially waived off medical staff. But eventually he was examined and taken back to the locker room, his gait clearly affected by the injury.

Darnold, 29, was excellent in his debut season in Seattle, throwing for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in the regular season. He was even better in big games, including two key wins over the Rams. He threw for 346 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the NFC Championship before the defense led the way in the Super Bowl.

Darnold was a great fit for Klint Kubiak’s offense, especially thriving on under-center play-action passes. Only the Rams were under center more than the Seahawks last season, and even though Kubiak got hired away as the Raiders‘ coach, new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury was expected to run many of the same concepts. Darnold had a league-best 11.8 yards per attempt on those types of plays.

Obviously, an extended absence for Darnold would be a massive blow for Seattle. The Seahawks have gotten encouraging early returns from running back Jadarian Price, but with Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III leaving for the Chiefs in free agency and Zach Charbonnet still recovering from a torn ACL, there’s not much experience in the running back room. Darnold’s efficiency unlocked an Offensive Player of the Year-winning campaign from Jaxon Smith-Njigba, too.

Lock made 21 starts across his first three seasons after being a second-round pick of the Broncos in 2019, but then he got shipped off to Seattle in the Russell Wilson trade. Lock lost the starting quarterback battle to Geno Smith, who ended up taking every snap of the season. Lock did get a short cameo in 2023 with Seattle before signing with the Giants in 2024. He appeared in eight games (starting five) and threw six touchdowns and five interceptions. He returned to Seattle last year but attempted just three passes.

Jalen Milroe is the Seahawks’ emergency third quarterback, which means he can only play if Lock gets hurt, too.

Overall, Lock entered the night 10-18 as a starter with a career completion percentage under 60%. He did get significant action this preseason and played solidly.

Chelsea scored four times in 12 second-half minutes as Leeds suffered a Carabao Cup collapse to lose 6-3 in the third round at Stamford Bridge.

The visitors led 2-0 just after half-time thanks to Tarik Muharemovic and Brenden Aaronson against a Blues side showing nine changes from Sunday’s defeat to Arsenal, but after Xabi Alonso sent on Cole Palmer at the head of four half-time substitutions, everything changed.

Palmer got two in two minutes to equalise – the first a penalty – then Pedro Neto, another half-time introduction, scored to complete a six-minute turnaround.

Danny Welbeck made it four as Morgan Rogers marked his impact from the bench with three assists.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored as Leeds looked to pick up the shattered pieces of what had been an excellent away performance, but which was rubber-stamped as a horror show when Valentin Barco got his first goal for the club to make it five. Welbeck headed in a sixth in stoppage time.

A topsy-turvy game was further evidence of Chelsea’s new reality under Alonso, that they have a fine first XI capable of scintillating attacking football but a squad that lacks quality in depth and is defensively brittle.

Their second string were a poor second best in the first half. Understudy goalkeeper Mike Penders made two impressive save but then a costly error to hand leads their opener, conceding a needless corner from which Muharemovic headed in.

There was barely a flicker of a response from the Blues. Their only chance came when Reggie Watson – the debutant 16-year-old son of former Wigan defender Ben – started a move with a lovely ball out wide that was flicked by Pep Chavarria into the path of Jamie Gittens, whose drive was pushed into the side-netting by goalkeeper Michael Zetterer.

Alonso evidently had seen enough. He sent on Reece James alongside Rogers, Neto and Palmer for the second half, but Chelsea’s situation got worse almost immediately.

Just over two minutes in, Barco lost possession needlessly and Leeds worked it wide to Ethan Ampadu who crossed, Lukas Nmecha flicked on deftly and Aaronson strode onto the ball unmarked to slam home.

Then the came a remarkable fightback, led by Rogers and Palmer. Dan James stood on the foot of Chavarria and from the penalty spot Palmer made it 2-1.

His goal to equalise only seconds later was well taken but surely an error from Zetterer, a gentle caress of a finish into the corner that left the goalkeeper inexplicably rooted to the spot.

Neto rolled Chelsea into the lead from Rogers’ pass before the hour mark as Leeds’ capitulation continued apace.

Welbeck’s goal was arguably the best of the lot. Rogers picked him out with a low ball into the box but the the veteran striker had everything still to do, dragging the ball inside before dodging by his defender and firing straight through Zetterer.

Calvert-Lewin finished well from Noah Okafor’s cross as Leeds found a renewed hope, one that was quickly extinguished when Barco drilled in a fifth, before Welbeck headed his third Blues goal.