Diamond Harbour FC stun East Bengal to face NorthEast United FC in the Durand Cup final!
Diamond Harbour FC (DHCF) pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over 16-time champion East Bengal in the Durand Cup semifinal at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday to secure their place in the Durand Cup final. DHFC’s historic achievement with two consecutive victories against Jamshedpur FC and East Bengal was inspired mainly by a superb show from their custodian Mirshad K. Michu, who had a stunning show under the bars, and Spanish striker Mikel Kortazar, whose acrobatic bicycle kick in the 66th minute not only gave DHFC the lead but brought the spirit among their teammates. Joby Justin, also a former East Bengal footballer, sealed the opposition’s fate in the 83rd minute, jabbing home from the goalmouth melee. Earlier, Anwar Ali leveled the scoreline within a minute after conceding the goal, unleashing a splendid long-ranger. The red-and-gold brigade’s dominance prevailed over their spirited opposition for the last session as they created chances during this period, but finally surrendered to Michu’s gallant effort.
AIFF receives a blow again as SC Bengaluru moves to CAS
SC Bengaluru club has moved to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for relief from relegation from the I-League, placing it in the same realm of uncertainty that the Indian Super League finds itself in, albeit for different reasons. On Tuesday, the appeal committee gave a further two weeks to clubs for filing written replies and set the next date of hearing on 23rd September, effectively stopping the entire relegation process in the I-League, adding to the All India Football Federation’s woes. It prompted SCB to drag the AIFF to the top-most court in sporting cases over procedural delay in deciding on relegation, according to reports from News9 Sports. As per the league table, Delhi FC is the other team to be relegated along with SCB, after finishing in the bottom two places of the 2024-25 I-League, following which the AIFF’s appeal committee issued a stay-order on their drop on 27th May. SCB has sought relief at the Swiss court for this inordinate delay, making it the third time that AIFF was taken to Lausanne for last season’s I-League. On 18th July, CAS had decided on the second division’s championship too, judging Inter Kashi as the I-League winner over Churchill Brothers, and would now determine which teams would be relegated to the second division. Not only did the federation lose both the cases against Kashi, but they were fined heavily too, putting considerable stress on its stretched coffers. Despite repeated reminders, the AIFF is yet to hand over the I-League trophy and the prize money to Inter Kashi. “Yes, they have gone to CAS. They are a club that got relegated and are trying to stay back in the I-League. They feel they have a case, so let’s see what CAS decides. As the matter is sub-judice, it won’t be wise to say anything more,” an AIFF official said. SCB (21 points in 22 matches) has demanded three points as per tournament rules against Namdhari FC for fielding an ‘ineligible’ player against them, and should CAS endorse their claim, Aizawl FC (23 points) would go down. Though the ISL has been put on an indefinite hold due to a contractual logjam and depends on the Supreme Court directive for a way forward, no information has been forthcoming on when the I-League would start. Clubs remain idle on the transfer market, which closes on August 31, and amidst the prevailing air of uncertainty in Indian football, none is willing to make any commitment for the I-League that usually runs from October to March. For the third time in the last two weeks, the league committee would meet on Wednesday to decide on Sudeva Delhi FC’s request to be reinstated in I-League 2 despite failing to comply with the disciplinary committee’s registration ban.
Spanish jewellery expert claims Cristiano Ronaldo proposed with a ‘cocktail ring’ to long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez!
Last week, Cristiano Ronaldo got engaged to the 31-year-old model, posting a picture of a large ring on social media and writing: “Yes, I do in this and all my lives.” However, jewellery expert Juana García Sánchez believes that the ring the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star used to propose to his partner does not meet the criteria for an engagement ring. while speaking to Corriere Dello Sport, she said, “It doesn’t meet the criteria for an engagement ring because it’s huge and heavy. This type of stone, weighing approximately 40 carats, is more suitable for a necklace than a ring. It’s uncomfortable and restricts finger movement. Only the setting is perfect, but the rest is flawed.” Moreover, Sanchez claimed that this ring does not “symbolize a commitment to love for everyday wear”. She added: “They are large, shiny rings, designed for special occasions or celebrations, not for everyday wear. An engagement ring should be yellow or white gold. At the same time, it should be comfortable and allow for finger mobility, as it’s expected to be worn every day, symbolizing love and fidelity. Essentially, this ring is more of a gala or cocktail ring, designed to attract attention on special occasions, but not to symbolize a commitment to love for everyday wear.” It remains to be seen when Rodriguez and Ronaldo will officially get married, having initially got together back in 2016. Ronaldo, who has had three children with his now fiance, is preparing for this weekend’s Saudi Super Cup final, which will see Al-Nassr take on either Al-Qadisiyah or Al-Ahli.
Iconic St. Louis Chess Club to bring memories back; will host an exhibition between Vishy Anand and Garry Kasparov
Two chess legends, the former world champions, Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand, will turn back the clock as they face off against each other in October in a special exhibition match named ‘Clutch Chess’. Both players will face each other in a Chess960 (Fischer Random) match that will feature 12 games. This exhibition match is part of the iconic Saint Louis Chess Club’s re-launching of its newly expanded campus.. The club will also host a rapid tournament that will see the World’s number one-ranked Magnus Carlsen, second-ranked Hikaru Nakamura, World’s number three Fabiano Caruana, and the reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju competing. The Anand-Kasparov 12 games will be played between 7th and 11th October at the St. Louis Chess Club. The event will feature a $144,000 prize fund and will have Anand and Kasparov playing games in the rapid and blitz time controls with what the organizers called “an innovative scoring system designed to captivate both players and fans”. “Saint Louis has become the beating heart of global chess. The vision, the commitment, and the passion for the game here are unmatched anywhere in the world. It’s an honor to return and play in a city that has redefined what it means to support and grow the chess community,” Kasparov was quoted as saying in a press release from the St Louis Chess Club. The St Louis Chess Club will also host players like World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura, World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, and World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju in what will be the highest-rated chess tournament of the year. The event will have 4,12,000 US Dollars in prize money, including daily win bonuses and a Champion’s Jackpot.
