Sports

AL WAKRAH: England captain Harry Kane trained with the team on Wednesday ahead of their clash with the United States despite an ankle injury that required a scan, team-mate Jordan Pickford said. Kane suffered a knock to his after a tackle by Iran’s Morteza Pouraliganji early in the second half of England’s 6-2 opening win in Group ‘B’ and was …

AL RAYYAN: Uruguay coach Diego Alonso believes he has the “best players in the world” whose fierce national pride makes them contenders for another World Cup run, as the perennial dark horses gear up for their opening match on Thursday against South Korea. Alonso said there was excitement and enthusiasm in a team whose preparations were exceptional going into their …

AL KHOR: Croatia’s World Cup campaign got off to a stuttering start with a 0-0 draw against a battling Morocco on Wednesday as the 2018 runners-up lacked the punch of the side that went so close in Russia. Chances were at a premium at Al Bayt Stadium as an even Group ‘F’ contest produced little goalmouth action, and ended in …

DOHA: Former champions Spain got their World Cup off to a pulsating start on Wednesday through a record 7-0 win over a shell-shocked Costa Rica, with an early Dani Olmo strike taking his country past the 100 goal mark in soccer’s showpiece event. The European giants sought to make their mark in Group ‘E’ with an unrelenting pursuit of goals …

DOHA: Germany go into their World Cup Group ‘E’ opener against Japan on Wednesday knowing that this one game could potentially make or break their tournament hopes. With 2010 world champions Spain awaiting next, the Germans cannot afford any slip-up against the Japanese and risk a potential early exit again. The four-times champions have arrived in Qatar a new team …

DOHA: Poland skipper Robert Lewandowski failed to break his World Cup duck when he saw a second-half penalty saved in a goalless but entertaining draw with Mexico in their opening Group C game at Stadium 974 on Tuesday. Lewandowski earned the penalty after a VAR check 11 minutes into the second half when Hector Moreno tugged at his shirt in …

NAPIER: A depleted India won the Twenty20 series against New Zealand 1-0 after the rain-hit third match between the sides ended in a tie in Napier on Tuesday. Chasing 161 for victory, India were 75-4 after nine overs when rain forced the players off the ground at McLean Park. Even after the rain relented, play could not res­ume because of …

ONCE France found their range, they were irresistible. The injury-decimated defending champions had seen Argentina being upset just hours earlier in their opening match of the World Cup. Here, at the Al Janoub Stadium, designed in the shape of Qatar’s traditional dhow boats, they were battling to avoid another against an Australian side that seemed buoyed by Saudi Arabia’s stunning victory over …

LAHORE: Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Tuesday assured the British High Commissioner to Pakistan Christian Turner and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja that the forthcoming long march would not disturb the Test series between Pakistan and England starting in Rawalpindi on Dec 1. The PTI has announced to begin a long march against the present …

Australia, fuelled by hundreds from Travis Head and David Warner, crushed England by 221 runs in the third one-day internationals to sweep the series in front of largely empty stands at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Tuesday. Head and Warner forged a 269-run stand, the highest opening partnership at the MCG, as Australia amassed 355-5, the highest total at …