Sport

BARCELONA – Polling opened on Sunday morning for a presidential election at crisis-hit Barcelona, where the winner will face the challenge of rebuilding the club’s finances and squad. Voting started at 09.00 local time (0800 GMT) in an election reshaped by the coronavirus pandemic. The three candidates are former president Joan Laporta, the favourite according […]

WELLINGTON – The defending champions Canterbury Crusaders crushed the Wellington Hurricanes with five tries in a 33-16 bonus-point victory in their Super Rugby Aotearoa clash in Christchurch on Sunday. When the Crusaders locked the game up midway through the first half, Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea could only sit and watch from the sin-bin. The ‘Canes […]

INDIA – Skipper Virat Kohli said India were “relieved” to make the inaugural World Test Championship final and would now focus on that “one big game” against New Zealand in June after seeing off England. India crushed Joe Root’s side inside three days in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad on Saturday to clinch the series […]

MADRID, Spain – Karim Benzema will be fit to play some part in Sunday’s derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Zinedine Zidane said on Friday. Benzema has missed Real Madrid’s last three games with a groin injury but Zidane said the Frenchman will return at the Wanda Metropolitano, although would not say if he […]

ABIDJAN – Jacques Anouma of the Ivory Coast pulled out of the race to become the next president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), throwing his weight behind South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe. “After several reflections and consultations, I decided to give up my candidacy for the election to the presidency of CAF,” Anouma […]

INDIA – Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel took five wickets each on Saturday as India crushed England inside three days of the fourth Test to seal their series 3-1. Ashwin bowled Dan Lawrence for 50 as England were bowled out for 135 to complete an emphatic innings and 25 run victory in Ahmedabad. Virat […]

CAPE TOWN – Cyclists might not be able to physically participate in the annual Cape Town Cycle Tour this year due to COVID-19, but the event will take place with a bit of a twist. Organisers are offering two new initiatives this year – the Virtual Cape Town Cycle Tour will use the FulGaz Virtual […]

LONDON – Mohamed Salah’s angry shake of the head after being substituted in Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea was symbolic of the champions’ intense frustration as their season unravels. Jurgen Klopp removed his top scorer just after the hour mark on Thursday but it did not prevent a 1-0 defeat and a fifth straight home loss […]

LONDON – Former paceman Steve Harmison said Dom Bess had been “chucked under the bus” by England after the off-spinner struggled against India during the fourth Test in Ahmedabad on Friday. India ended the second day on 294-7 in reply to England’s first-innings 205 all out, a lead of 89 runs, after Rishabh Pant’s hundred […]

LONDON – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Manchester United will be “difficult” opponents despite a huge gulf in form between the two sides ahead of Sunday’s derby. City are on a run of 21 successive wins in all competitions – a record for an English top-flight team. They are top of the Premier League […]