Farashganj blanks Arambagh

Farashganj blanks Arambagh
2-0Sports CorrespondentFarashganj Sporting Club defeated Arambagh Krira Sangha 2-0 in the Citycell 2nd B. League football match at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka on Sunday. After a barren first half, Anamul Haque scored the first goal for Farashganj on 52 minutes to give the winners a 1-0 lead, while Emeka Lucky Uti doubled the advantage on 67 minutes to ensure the victory. Farashganj raised its tally to 23 points having played 16 matches. Arambagh remains with 11 points from 17 matches. Fifth-placed Chittagong Mohammedan Sporting Club defeated Chittagong Abahani 2-1 in the other match of the day. Nur Hossain Doulat brought an early lead for Chittagong Mohammedan in the first minute of the game at MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong. Dhiman Borua increased the winners' lead scoring the second goal on 28 minutes. Sakhawat Hossain Roni reduced one goal for Chittagong Abahani on 84 minutes.Chittagong Mohamemdan scored 27 points from 16 matches, while Chittagong Abahani earned 17 points from as many games. Today's match: Sheikh Russell Krira Chakra vs Brothers Union (Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka).
Dokic keeps remarkable story going AFP, MelbourneAustralian wildcard Jelena Dokic kept her remarkable story going when she upset Russia's Alisa Kleybanova 7-5, 5-7, 8-6 to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Sunday.Dokic will now play third seed Dinara Safina for a place in the semis after defeating her third seeded player in as many rounds.She ousted Anna Chak-vetadze (seeded 17) in the second round and Caroline Wozniacki (11th) in the third before accounting for Kley-banova (29).But she had a big fright on the way when she fell heavily after twisting her ankle when returning a serve while leading 6-5 in the third set.She got up and brushed aside the trainer's offer to strap her ankle at the next change of ends, came back on and held serve then broke Kleybanova to seal victory in three hours."I was really physically exhausted tonight but I kept on fighting and the crowd got right behind me in the third set," Dokic said.Kleybanova, playing her first match on a major centre court, could have been forgiven for being slightly overawed by the occasion, but she was the steadier of the two players in the beginning.Both players looked nervous throughout and holding serve was a continuous battle.There were five breaks of serve in each of the first two sets, although both players steadied in the third, which then developed into a battle of nerves.Kleybanova broke early in the third but Dokic struck back to level at 3-3, then games went with serve until Dokic made the vital breakthrough.
Afghanistan suffers opening defeat, Hong Kong celebrates BSS, Buenos AiresAfghanistan's hopes of reaching the 2011 World Cup suffered an early setback on Saturday with a 13-run defeat at the hands of Uganda in the World Cricket League Division Three. But Hong Kong got off to a flyer with a handsome seven-wicket win over hosts Argentina while Papua New Guinea defeated the Cayman Islands by six wickets. The top two teams in the six-nation event will reach the 2011 World Cup qualifier in South Africa in April from where four countries will go on to the game's showpiece one-day event. Uganda made 216-8 off their 50 overs before Afghanistan endured a nightmare start to their reply where they slumped to 23-5 and then 53-6 before a 121-run stand for the seventh wicket between Rais Ahmadzai (74) and Samiullah Shenwari (53) brought them in touching distance. "I would have been very disappointed if we had lost the game and been all out for less than 100 runs, but a great effort was put in by Rais and Samiullah," said Afghanistan coach Kabir Khan, a former Pakistan Test player. "It shows how much strength we have in our batting." Kabir is confident that his side can get back on track with victory over Hong Kong on Sunday, a repeat of the Division Four final last year which Afghanistan won by 57 runs. Hong Kong coach Aftab Habib praised his side after they dismissed Argentina for 107 and then reached their target with 22.4 overs to spare. "I was really pleased as the first match is always an important match," said former England player Habib. "We lost twice to Afghanistan in Tanzania (in Division Four). They are a good team, we know we are a good team, and it is all down to who performs the best on the day." Papua New Guinea skipper Rarua Dikana took 5-14 as his side enjoyed a comprehensive six-wicket victory against Cayman Islands. PNG reached their target of 122 with 29.1 overs to spare after the Caymans were bowled out for just 121. Man-of-the-match Vani Morea hit 64 off just 51 balls to guide his team to victory.
Six Premier Div T20 Cricket League matches decided UNB, DhakaThe Metropolis Premier Division Twenty20 Cricket League began at separate venues in the city and adjoining area with six matches decided on Sunday.In the day's opening Group A matches, Old DOHS (43/1) earned an emphatic 9-wicket win over Victoria SC (42/5) at the BKSP in Savar; Abahani Limited (104/2) recorded an 8-wicket victory over Partex SC (103/5) at the Sher-e-Bangla National Sta-dium (SBNS) in Mirpur; and Mohammedan SC (93/6) beat Young Pegasus (77/5) by 16 runs at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium (NOS) in Fatullah. In the Group B matches, Surjo Tarun Club (105/2) posted 8-wicket win over Biman Bangladesh Airlines (101/10) at the SBNS, Gazi Tank (107/6) beat CCS (106/10) by four wickets at the NOS, and BKSP (123/8) overcame City Club (85/10) by 38 runs at the BKSP.’
Austrian Kathrin Zettel competes in the giant slalom race during the FIS women's ski World Cup in Cortina on Sunday. Zetell won ahead of compatriots Michaela Kirchgasser and Elisabeth Goergl. AFP
Federer into quarters after great escape AFP, MelbourneThree-time champion Roger Federer mounted one of the greatest comebacks of his career on Sunday when he recovered from a two-set deficit to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.Czech 20th seed Tomas Berdych was on course for an almighty upset when he froze in the third set, with Federer finally winning 4-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to stay on course for a record-equalling 14th Grand Slam title.Federer, 27, has not come back from two sets down since 2005, when he fought past Rafael Nadal in the Miami Masters final, and has not failed to reach a Grand Slam quarter-finals since the 2004 French Open. He also battled through a five-set tussle with Igor Andreev in the fourth round of last year's US Open before recovering to win the title."It's great satisfaction. I don't play five-setters every day so it's a very nice feeling," Federer said. "I was feeling still fresh in the fifth. I think you could see it. That's kind of the way I want to feel in a fifth set. That's why I worked hard. I worked hard for this victory today. This is great."Federer came into the match on the back of a sweeping victory over old adversary Marat Safin and one-sided wins over Andreas Seppi and Evgeny Korolev.But despite winning his last seven matches with Berdych he immediately looked out of sorts against the Czech, plodding around the court and making errors of every description.Berdych was set for an almighty upset but he suddenly collapsed at 3-3 in the third, missing three easy volleys to hand Federer the break, the set and the momentum."I wasn't thinking of losing, that's for sure. The finish line was still very far for Tomas. I knew that," he said."You can still concentrate on playing just the points instead of thinking, 'Oh my God, what's going to happen?' I didn't feel that way. "I felt after a terrible first set from my side that if I want to win this it's going to go to five sets. I just felt it. That's why I was prepared for five from the start. "I think that's what made me be so determined towards the end. It was nice being in a battle with him. It was fair play. It was tough, good tennis towards the end. I believed in it all the way, and I think that was key in the end." Federer is seeking to equal Pete Sampras's record 14 Grand Slam titles after starting his first season without the top ranking since 2004.He has reached the semi-finals at the previous five Australian Opens, winning in 2004, 2006 and 2007, and last failed to reach the quarter-finals in 2003. Federer came here last year suffering from mononucleosis and was beaten in the semis, kicking off his toughest season as he lost his Wimbledon title and number one ranking before recovering to win the US Open.Only four other men have won four or more Australian Open titles: Roy Emerson, Andre Agassi, Jack Crawford and Ken Rosewall. Federer has reached the last 18 Grand Slam semi-finals, an all-time record.Dons stifle Rangers title ambitions AFP, GlasgowRangers missed the chance to go top of the Scottish Premier League after they were held to a goalless draw by Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday.With Celtic not playing until later in the afternoon Rangers had the chance to put pressure on their rivals by picking up the win that would have seen them go top. But having not won at Pittodrie in their last four visits Rangers manager Walter Smith opted for the cautious approach and played a five-man midfield, with top-scorer Kris Boyd dropping to the bench.Chances were few and far between in the match and both sides had to settle for a point, which leaves Rangers a point behind Celtic before their match against Hibernian.The home side started brightly and came close to opening the scoring in the ninth minute from a Charlie Mulgrew free-kick.The left-back's effort from 20 yards out looked to be curling in but Allan McGregor did well to force it round the post for a corner. Darren Mackie was next to try his luck in the 14th minute but his shot on the bounce from outside the box was straight at McGregor. Rangers, who played Kenny Miller on his own up front, were struggling to create chances and their first effort came from John Fleck.The 17-year-old, making only his second start, collected a cross field pass from Kirk Broadfoot, cut inside and drove into the box but his shot sailed well over the bar.At the other end Gary McDonald couldn't keep his header on target when he connected with a Mackie cross in the box. The Glasgow side began to grow in confidence and Lee McCulloch had their first shot on target after 28 minutes. Jamie Langfield couldn't hold the midfielder's powerful drive from 25 yards but incredibly Miller completely missed the rebound, with only the flag for offside sparing his blushes.In the 34th minute Miller again missed a golden chance to put Rangers ahead when he headed over the bar from a Broadfoot cross under no pressure. Two minutes later Fleck fired in a free-kick from the right which Zander Diamond did well to block as Madjid Bougherra lunged in to try and connect with it. The Dons were forced into an early change in the second-half when Langfield was replaced by Bertrand Bossu after the keeper took a knock on the head from Miller as he dived at the Scottish striker's feet in the box.The home fans were screaming for a penalty in the 61st minute when Lee Miller and Stuart Duff both went down in the box after their shirts appeared to pulled, but referee Calum Murray waved their protests away. Two minutes later Bossu, in only his second appearance for Aberdeen, was called into action when he turned a Fleck flick from a Miller cross round the post.In the 72nd minute Boyd, on for the ineffectual Miller, just failed to connect with a Barry Ferguson pass in the six-yard box when even the slightest of touches would have resulted in a goal. With six minutes left substitute Nacho Novo came close. The Spaniard controlled a Pedro Mendes cross from the right on his chest before firing his volley into the side netting.Boyd then connected with a Sasa Papac inswinging cross in the box but his header took a deflection and went straight to Bossu.In the 89th minute Mackie was inches away from clinching the game for Aberdeen but his header went just by the post from a Mulgrew cross.French Cup glory run ends for Schirrhein AFP, ParisVillage team Schirrhein were thumped 8-0 by first division Toulouse on Saturday to end their French Cup glory which put the side near the German border firmly on the map.Schirrhein, the first seventh-tier team to reach the last 32 of the competition in its 91-year history fell to goals from Danish striker Soren Larsen (four), plus others by Daniel Congre, Andre-Pierre Gignac, Moussa Sissoko and Daniel Braaten.Coach Herve Sturm admitted the odds had always been firmly in the favour of visitors Toulouse, in fifth spot in the first division and who played in the Champions League last season. "In this type of match, a little club does not have a lot of chance of going through and runs the risk of a real thumping," Sturm said. The smallest club now left in the competition is sixth-flight Grande-Synthe who host Grenoble on Sunday.Lyon beat Concarneau at Guingamp 6-0 in a last 64 match, although they had injuries to Juninho, John Mensah, Kim Kallstrom and Ederson, with Anthony Mounier scoring twice. Lyon now host Marseille on Wednesday in the last 32. Rennes host Saint Etienne later on Saturday, and Sunday sees Le Havre hosting Le Mans and the south coast derby between Monaco and Nice.Qatar Masters heading for thrilling climax AFP, DohaHenrik Stenson, Alvaro Quiros and Louis Oosthuizen were locked in a fierce battle midway through the final round of the 2.5 million dollar Qatar Masters here on Sunday.All three were 16 under after 10 holes on Sunday as the 12th edition of the event headed for a thrilling climax at the sun-bathed Doha Golf Club.Stenson, the 2006 winner in Qatar, was the biggest mover of the day as he took advantage of overnight leader Quiros and the second placed Oosthuizen's misfortunes in the afternoon with a steady performance, picking up two birdies on the third and sixth holes before producing a magnificent eagle on the 10th to put himself in contention to become only the second winner of the event after Adam Scott of Australia.Stenson, who was four shots adrift after the third round, was helped by Spaniard Quiros and South African Oosthuizen who both dropped a shot over the opening holes. Dutchman Maarten Lafeber was also climbing up the leaderboard to be one shot behind on 15 under.