Iran’s Mohammad Mohebbi (8) celebrates after scoring his side’s second goal. (AP Photo) Iran showed resilience on and off the pitch as Team Melli twice fought back from behind to secure a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in a politically charged FIFA World Cup opener on Monday night.Mohammad Mohebbi’s 64th-minute equaliser capped a spirited comeback…
NEW DELHI: Teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could find himself under scrutiny after an ugly post-match altercation with a Sri Lanka A player overshadowed India’s dramatic Super Over defeat in the tri-series clash.The 15-year-old prodigy, who has emerged as one of India’s brightest young stars, was involved in a heated exchange that escalated into physical…
At 39, Squash Star Joshna Chinappa Keeps Going Strong (Image: X) CHENNAI: The faces around Joshna Chinappa have changed with every Asian Games cycle. Teammates have retired and rivals have faded away, yet as the countdown to the 2026 Asian Games begins, the 39year-old is still going strong. Twenty-four years after making her maiden appearance…
Brazil’s Neymar (AP Photo) Brazil’s hopes of having Neymar available anytime soon at the FIFA World Cup suffered another setback on Monday after the veteran forward underwent fresh tests on his injured right calf, casting further doubt over his long-awaited tournament debut.There had been optimism that the Santos star would rejoin training after sitting out…
Uruguay’s Maxi Araujo celebrates scoring his side’s goal against Saudi Arabia. (AP Photo) Uruguay avoided an upset at the FIFA World Cup after Maxi Araújo struck 10 minutes from time to salvage a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in a dramatic Group H encounter on Monday.Trailing for much of the contest despite dominating possession and…
Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku (9) celebrates a goal with teammates during the World Cup Group G match against Egypt. (AP Photo) Belgium narrowly avoided an embarrassing start to their FIFA World Cup campaign as Romelu Lukaku’s immediate influence rescued a 1-1 draw against Egypt in a tense Group G encounter on Monday.With the Red Devils staring…
Vozinha (Image credit: X) NEW DELHI: They say age is just a number, and Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha proved exactly that on the biggest stage of them all on Monday.The veteran shot-stopper made history by becoming the second-oldest debutant in men’s FIFA World Cup history when he took the field for Cape Verde against 2010…
Ashok Sharma (BCCI/IPL Photo) TimesofIndia.com in Jaipur: A day after switching his domestic allegiance from Rajasthan to Gujarat, fast bowler Ashok Sharma has been drafted into the India A squad in Sri Lanka as an injury replacement. The 23-year-old pacer replaces injured Yudhvir Singh.Ashok will fly to Colombo on Tuesday morning before linking up with…
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Tilak Varma (Image credit: X) NEW DELHI: The India A-Sri Lanka A clash in the Tri-Nation A Series in Dambulla had everything – a thrilling chase, a controversial finish, heated arguments with umpires, a Super Over and an angry exchange involving teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.What started as a routine group-stage fixture…
For Cape Verde, Monday’s match is much bigger than three points. It marks the nation’s first-ever appearance at a FIFA World Cup. The ten-island African archipelago booked its place in the tournament by edging out Cameroon in qualifying, producing one of the most notable stories of the qualification campaign. Led by coach Pedro Leitão Brito,…
