Magnificent Gurpreet steers India to third place with a victory against Oman
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s brilliance guided the Blue Tigers to finish at third place in the CAFA Nations Cup with an exciting 3-2 triumph over fancied Oman at Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, Tajikistan, on Monday. India conceded the goal in the 55th minute as a center from the left was punched by Yahmadi on the run that found the far corner of the net. Despite the pressure from Oman, the Blue Tigers did not give up and offered penetrative counter-attacks also. The scorelione was leveled finally by Udanta Singh in the 80th minute. The chance was created from a long throw-in. The ball was nicely flicked behind by Danish from Bheke’s throw and Udanta dived to head the ball inside the net. The regulation time of 90 minutes and the next 30 minutes of extra-time ended 1-1 stalemate before the penalty shoot-out started. Chhangte, Rahul Bheke, and Jithin MS struck for India. Udanta missed the crucial one, but Gurpreet thwarted off Al Yahmadi’s final shot to ensure a 3-2 victory for India.
Simeone Urges for More Protection of the Managers from ‘Fans Abuse’
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has urged greater protection for managers from fan abuse after being sent off for reacting to Liverpool supporters at Anfield. Simeone confronted fans behind his dugout after Virgil van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header sealed Liverpool’s 3-2 win in a dramatic Champions League opener. He later admitted his reaction was wrong but called for campaigns protecting managers similar to those against racism in football. “In the same way we fight against racism, we should look at this too because we don’t have a right to respond and it is not easy to be insulted during the entire match,” said Simeone. “My reaction isn’t justifiable but do you know what it is like to be insulted for 90 minutes?” “I hope Liverpool can improve that aspect and that when they identify the person who did that, there will be consequences.” “There were insults throughout the match, including gestures. It’s clear that I’m the one who has to stay calm, I have to put up with the insults, the gestures and any situation because I’m in a position where I have to put up with it.” Liverpool manager Arne Slot stated that he hoped the focus would remain on what he called a “great” match rather than the post-goal incident. His side has now won all five of their Premier League and Champions League openers, each sealed with goals after the 80th minute. Slot credited the team’s fitness, mentality, and quality for consistently finding a way to win. “It is not only mentality, it’s also how fit we are, how well prepared we are, that they are able to push one more time,” stated Slot. Slot admitted he was “disappointed” that Liverpool needed yet another late winner, despite a night where the revamped attack — featuring record signing Alexander Isak’s first start — finally clicked. “This is what the new (Champions League) format is about, a first game in a group stage that could be a quarter-final or a semi-final,” he added. “A game like this should not have gone to a late game winner.” “I understand that’s the story of this game and the last five games, but for me it is a different game than the ones we played before. We had so many great attacks today where we could have scored the third goal.”
Kibu waits for the ‘Super Cup’ for DHFC’s preparation for I-League
Sudeep Pakrashi: In Indian football, Kibu Vicuna is about to accomplish a unique feat. After winning I-League-3 and I-League-2, the Spanish coach is now all set to mark his name if Diamond Harbor FC, under his tutelage, can win the elite I-League this season. But the 54-year-old Spaniard does not seem excited with the achievement. Rather, he sounded quite disappointed about getting a clear picture of the team’s preparation for the elite I-League. “The players need official competitions to gain the maturity to compete in a tournament like I-League. But now, after the Durand Cup, we have no idea about the competitions,” said Kibu while speaking to Parallel Sports. Following his proposal to the club management, DHFC is even planning to approach a couple of teams outside Bengal, as the teams approached by the club for playing friendly matches in Kolkata recently have refused. Kibu revealed, “We wanted to play friendly against a couple of Kolkata premier division teams recently, but were denied. So, plans are there to approach Jamshedpur FC or Odisha FC. But they are reportedly not ready to play yet. So, let us see.” Amidst the situation, Kibu is waiting for the Super Cup, which has been scheduled to be staged at the end of October. If the IFA shield can be staged finally after the end of the CFL Premier Division and before the Super Cup, then it can be a relief for the DHFC, getting the opportunity to participate in another competition. When asked about his observation on the players’ performance in the recently concluded Durand Cup, the Spanish coach explained, “It was a good experience for the boys. We lost to an experienced ISL team in the final, but at the same time, winning against three ISL teams like Jamshedpur FC, Mohammedan Sporting, and East Bengal was also a gain for the players. They must have been inspired, and before participating in the forthcoming competitions, this can be their motivation.”
No Negative Campaign for Trump!; President Awarded with Boos
Extra security checks, long queues, screening bags and chaos – it was the picture of Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York, all because President Trump was set to visit the stadium. Bending rules for the president is nearly not a new story. However, it was certainly a new spectacle to see when the President got booed from the spectators even after strict measures of not broadcasting the protesting spectators. Trump was set to visit the Grand Slam after being invited by a sponsor for the tournament. However, sparkling concerns of protest were under the provision of the broadcasters not focusing on the spectators. Regardless, Trump’s visit bore gifts of hour-long queues, metal detectors, and advanced security check-ups from federal security officers. As a result, the match, set to start at 2 pm EDT, began 30 minutes late due to it. ABC’s broadcast showed him stepping out of a box to wave, though the network did not carry the crowd audio. Later, ESPN’s coverage captured the moment again—this time with the cheers and boos clearly audible. Kevin, a man from Brooklyn working in private equity, said he waited 1.5 hrs and blamed the President for the delay. “One hundred per cent him. Very selfish. He should know an event like this would be held up for him, especially in a city that hates him,” he said to Reuters. Another source told Page Six that the event was absolute chaos. “Cars can’t get into parking lots, and people are walking miles. Even celebs are waiting like everyone else.”
Winning 84 percent of his ‘first serve’ was the key to Alcaraz’s triumph against Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz’s transition in last two months after losing to Jannic Sinner in Wimbledon final has been the key and an inspiring tales that guided him to record a thumping victory at the Flushing Meadows on Sunday, winning two consecutive US Open titles. Alcaraz and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero designed the plans about the rectification in his game. Alcaraz was the outstanding player at Flushing Meadows, not dropping a set until the final, and was virtually impregnable on serve. The way in which the 22-year-old regained the US Open title and number one ranking has been a product of the intense work he has done to develop his game. At the start of the year, Alcaraz and Ferrero highlighted the importance of improving his serve. The opening shot has continued to be a work in progress, ultimately breaking down in his Wimbledon loss, but it was key to his success over the past fortnight. The statistics has revealed that Alcaraz has improved his first service mainly as a part of its reflection he won 84 percent of his first serve points. At the same time the Spaniard worked out on the improvement of his technique also. Often accused of lacking concentration and letting opponents back into matches, Alcaraz possessed a laser-focus throughout the tournament. It allowed him to serve with pace and precision, as well as playing with variety in the rallies, using spin, slice and power to confound Sinner. Alcaraz put the unwavering focus down to his growing maturity. “I feel it is best tournament I’ve played from the first round to the end,” he said.
Captain Cool Set to ‘Chase’ on the Celluloid!
Captain Cool never stops chasing! After chasing runs for almost two decades, he is now chasing box office. Well, that’s the look for his recent video named “The Chase”.Alongside Dhoni starts the South Indian actor R Madhavan. The actor shared a teaser-length clip which remotely surprised the fans when the legendary wicketkeeper, dressed in black uniforms, geared up with sunglasses and guns, dashed into the uniform of the task force. Seemed all set for an action-packed blockbuster. Madhavan shared the teaser on Instagram with the caption: “One mission. Two fighters. Buckle up – a wild, explosive chase begins. The Chase – teaser out now. Directed by Vasan Bala. Coming soon.” Needless to say, the teaser sent the fans into a frenzy, excited to see the field captain on screen. Surfacing are the internet hashtags and comments like “Dhoni is a hero” and saying it’s “Thala for a reason.” However, the confusion arose about whether it’s a film, web series or an advertisement. As the cricketer has featured in several advertisements before, he also made a cameo entry in a Tamil movie. Dhoni last featured in a match against Gujarat Titans in IPL, May 2025. Last season, CSK held on to him as an uncapped player, costing ₹4 crore.
Gayle Drops a Bombshell On Kings XI Punjab!
Chris Gayle dropped a bombshell on Punjab Kings, remembering his ‘disrespect’ from the franchise. The IPL icon opened up about his ‘depression’ on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, accusing the franchise of treating him like ‘a child’. Gayle featured as an opening batter for the Kings from 2018 to 2021. While the on-field scores have turned thousands of heads, scoring an unbeaten 104, the green room memory for him is quite bitter. The opener talked freely about his experience, stating, “My IPL ended prematurely with Punjab. I was disrespected at Kings XI. I felt I wasn’t treated properly as a senior who had done so much for the league and brought value. They treated me like a kid.” He further illustrated his depressing experience, saying, “For the first time in my life, I felt like getting into depression. I broke down talking to Anil Kumble because I was really hurt. I was disappointed with him and the way the franchise was run.” While diving into those bitter days, he remembered talking to Anil Kumble and complaining to him about the franchise and delivering his news about leaving due to his mental health. In the podcast he stated, “I broke down talking to Anil because I was really hurt. I was disappointed with him and the way the franchise was run.” KL Rahul rose to support Gayle. The captain asked him to stay, but he left. KL Rahul called the batter and requested, ‘Chris, stay; you’ll play the next game.’ But I just said, ‘I wish you all the best,’ packed my bag, and walked out.” Gayle has a remarkable history in the Indian Premier League. During his time in Kings, he scored a total of 1,304 runs in 41 matches. The Jamaican has featured in various franchises in the IPL. However, his immense emotions towards the franchise seemed to be quite understandable considering he has scored the most runs in Kings.
Shastri hails Samson’s form, says he is dangerous in top order
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri made a huge appreciation of Sanju Samson’s latest form in the T-20 format. He urged the team management to allow the batsman to play within the ‘top-three’. The Asia Cup T-20 will start on 9th September, as India begin their campaign against hosts UAE in Dubai on 10th September. Sanju Samson has been in inspiring form since he started playing as an opener in 2024, scoring 861 runs in 41 T20Is. The Indian wicketkeeper has scored three T20I hundreds in just 12 innings, maintaining a strike rate of 152.38. However, his performance drops significantly when batting in other positions, with a highest score of only 29 in nine innings. “Samson is most dangerous in the top three. That is where he can win matches. He should be left there. Samson has a strong record for India at the top in T20s, ” explained Shastri, who coached India from 2017 to 2021. “Samson should continue playing the way he has for India in T20s. He has been consistent at the top with big runs and hundreds,” Shastri added. Shastri, speaking on the bowling department, said he believes spin will play a crucial role in the upcoming tournament. “Given the conditions in Dubai and the heat, spin will definitely be the flavour of the month. Teams like Afghanistan might even play four spinners. Whether it’s two or three, it depends on balance, but spinners will certainly be in big demand in Dubai. You need both finger spin and wrist spin. India has that luxury, and they’ll all come into play depending on conditions,” the former spin-bowling all-rounder said.
Sreenidi Deccan wants to join ISL, withdrawing from the I-League
Sreenidi Deccan has sent a letter to the All India Football Federation, expressing its desire to join the country’s top-tier league, the ISL. In their appeal letter to the AIFF, the club also revealed its intention to withdraw from the elite I-League. The club mentioned that it is already in preliminary talks with relevant stakeholders such as league officials, club management, and potential commercial partners regarding this move. Sreenidi focuses on youth football through its fully operational academy. They have sought permission for their reserve side to play in I-League 3, having become eligible by winning the A division in Telangana. Through a letter addressed to the AIFF’s league committee on 22nd August, the Hyderabad-based club has said that they view I-League-3 as an important platform for the development of their footballers. “At the same time, we wish to convey that our first team is not being considered for participation in the I-League. Consistent with our long-term vision and ongoing strategic planning, we are preparing for our senior squad to compete at the Tier-1 level and are presently engaged in discussions with the relevant stakeholders—including league administrators, commercial partners, and management—in this regard,” it was written in the letter signed by Sreenidi’s technical director Fabio Ferreira. The letter was revealed during an emergency executive committee meeting on Saturday, which was called to discuss the tendering process for the top-flight Indian Super League, as per the Supreme Court’s directive. As the letter says, they are in touch with stakeholders. Who are these stakeholders? We need to understand that first,” an AIFF official divulged while speaking to News9 Sports. Founded in 2015 as an academy which was launched in Visakhapatnam, Sreenidi bid for direct entry into the I-League in June 2020 and two months later were granted playing rights for its 2021-22 edition of the I-League. They finished ninth in the 2024-25 standings with 28 points from 22 matches.
