Europa League: Sevilla mount dramatic late comeback to hold Man Utd

MANCHESTER, APR 14

(IANS): Six-time winners

Sevilla fought back from two goals down to secure a draw thanks to a pair of late own goals against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Europa League quarterfinal first leg.

In another match, Federico Gatti’s first goal for Juventus gave the Italian side a narrow win in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against an impressive Sporting CP.

The hosts started brightly and had the ball in the net in the opening 30 seconds, but Jadon Sancho’s effort was ruled out for offside.

The speed with which United broke for that attack gave Sevilla a warning of what was to come. With 14 minutes gone a neat passing move culminated in Bruno Fernandes’ sliderule pass picking out Marcel Sabitzer on the edge of the area.

The Austrian international controlled it superbly with his right foot, before rifling a left-footed strike that deflected off Marcão and looped into the net.

Seven minutes later and the midfielder had doubled his, and the Red Devils’ tally on the night.

Anthony Martial, making his first start in three months, was instrumental in the home side’s quick counter, eventually providing the defence-splitting pass for Sabitzer to advance and coolly place his shot out of reach of the advancing Bounou, according to information available on the UEFA Europa League website. Sevilla burst into life late on and halved their deficit when substitute Jesús Navas sent in a low centre that struck Tyrell

Malacia and then De Gea on its way into the roof of the net.

The introduction of top scorer Youssef EnNesyri had given the visitors an outlet in the penalty area, the substitute brilliantly denied by the home goalkeeper moments later.

Sevilla kept coming and Lucas Ocampos’ high, hanging ball from the right in added time was perfect for En-Nesyri to attack. The Moroccan international’s powerful header deflected off the unfortu- nate Harry Maguire and wrong-footed De Gea, giving the visitors an unlikely draw to take back to Spain. Narrow win for Juve In Turin, despite both sides picking attacking teams and employing positive tactics, this match turned into a fascinating battle, Federico Chiesa having an early effort saved by Sporting goalkeeper Antonio Adán after expertly controlling a searching diagonal ball from Ángel Di María.

Sporting gradually

Rybakina, Krejcikova shine in Billie Jean King Cup openers

Katarina Zavatska 6-4 6-3.

The 27-year-old, who said she has been supporting the people of Ukraine during the conflict, also pledged her earnings from the Qualifiers to the people of Turkey affected by the devastating earthquake in February.

Spain led Mexico 2-0 after Sara Sorribes Tormo thrashed Fernanda Contreras Gomez 6-0 6-0 before Nuria Parrizas Diaz beat Renata Zarazua 6-4 6-3.

ASTANA, APR 14

(AGENCIES): Grand

Slam champions Elena Rybakina and Barbora Krejcikova comfortably won their opening matches to help Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic take 2-0 leads in their Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers on Friday.

Kazakhstan stamped their authority over Poland on clay at home, taking full advantage of world number one Iga Swiatek’s absence due to injury as Yulia Putintseva stunned Magda Linette 7-5 6-3 before Rybakina doubled their advantage.

The reigning Wimbledon champion fired nine aces and won three out of six breakpoints in her 6-3 6-4 victory over Weronika Falkowska to put Kazakhstan in full control ahead of the final day’s action. The best-of-five qualifiers will feature two singles matches on Friday and two reverse singles matches on Saturday along with a doubles rubber.

Czech Republic’s former Roland Garros runner-up Marketa Vondrousova beat Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1 in the Turkish city of Antalya where the teams are playing due to the war in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.

Krejcikova, the 2021 French Open champion, then eased past Ukraine’s

DBS Zubza lift Kohima district inter high school girls’ open basketball trophy

The United States, who have won more titles than any other nation in the competition with 18, face Austria while Britain meet France, Italy play Slovakia and Canada take on Belgium. The nine victorious countries from the Qualifiers will join defending champions Switzerland and 2022 runners-up Australia at this year’s Finals, which will take place from Nov. 7-12.

grew into the game and Sebastián Coates tested Wojciech Szczesny at the other end with an acrobatic

Szczesny struggles to breathe during Sporting CP match

Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny revealed that he had to be replaced in the 1-0 win over Sporting CP as he was struggling to breathe in the first half. Federico Gatti’s goal was the difference for Juventus in the UEFA Europa League quarterfinal on Thursday.

Juventus coach Mas- similiano Allegri ended the first leg with Mattia Perin between the sticks after he replaced Szczesny in the 44th minute. The Pole required medical attention after he suddenly clutched his chest. After the medical intervention, Szczesny left the pitch in tears with a standing ovation from the fans. far-post volley.

The home goalkeeper was also equal to a nearpost effort from Pedro Gonçalves while Nuno Santos had a low drive cleared off the line by Gleison Bremer.

Szczesny was withdrawn shortly before halftime, and his replacement Mattia Perin was quickly into the action, keeping out a curling Pedro Gonçalves effort early in the second period.

Juventus grew more threatening as the half wore on, Chiesa causing Sporting plenty of trouble down the left, and one of those runs indirectly led to the only goal 17 minutes from time. Adán was tempted out to try to collect Nicolò Fagioli’s deep corner only to miss the ball, and though Dušan Vlahovic’s subsequent header was blocked on the line by Coates, Gatti was on hand to force in.

Sporting almost snatched a dramatic equaliser deep into added time as Perin produced a superb double save, first keeping out Pedro Gonçalves’ close-range effort and then springing up to block Héctor Bellerin’s follow-up on the line, to ensure Juventus will have a lead to defend in Portugal next week.

Florian Wirtz’s goal helps Leverkusen hold Saint-Gilloise

Bayern Leverkusen managed a 1-1 draw with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise at home after Florian Wirtz equalised Victor Boniface’s opener in the first leg of the quarterfinals. Leverkusen mounted a series of aggressive attacks before the break, but Moussa Diaby’s shot narrowly missed the target, and Piero Hincapie squandered a promising header from close range.

Saint-Gilloise punished Leverkusen for their wastefulness in front of the goal 51 minutes in when

Teddy Teuma’s through ball allowed Boniface to slot home from inside the box into the far bottom corner. Leverkusen was stunned and struggled to respond as Saint-Gilloise kept all their men behind the ball to maintain the narrow lead.

The hosts found it difficult to penetrate SaintGilloise’s well-organized defense and had to wait until the 83rd minute when Wirtz unleashed a 20-meter strike to secure a 1-1 draw in front of the home crowd.

Conference League: Fiorentina smash Lech 4-1 in quarters

stepped up the tempo and regained the lead four minutes before the first half ended. Gonzalez’s perfect header at the far post, following a pinpoint cross by Cristiano Biraghi from the left flank, put Fiorentina ahead once more.

DIMAPUR, APR 14

(NPN): Don Bosco School

(DBS) Zubza sector girls emerged as the champion of the Kohima district inter high school girls’ open basketball tournament organised by St Mary’s Cathedral Hr. Sec. School, Lerie Kohima in memory of its teacher, late Awele Kapfo.

The closing ceremony was graced by Dr. K.P.A IIyas (IPS) along with special guest, Commander 1Naga Battalion NCC Kohima, Colonel Manjeet Katoch and the family of late Awele Kapfo.

The champion Don

Bosco School (DBS) Zubza walked away with a cash prize of Rs. 15,000, citation and trophy. The host school St Mary’s Cathedral Hr. Sec. School, Lerie finished as 1st runners-up while Christ King School was placed as 2nd runnersup. They both received a cash prize of Rs. 10,000 and 5,000 along with citation and trophy respectively.

Diezelhouno Meru of DBS was chosen as the MVP of the tournament and she was awarded a cash prize of Rs. 2,000, citation and a trophy. Be- sides, all the participating teams were given citations and gifts. The event witnessed the participation from nine schools of Kohima including the host school. Teachers and students from nine schools as well as well-wishers were in attendance. A day-long event was of great entertainment, thrilling moments and an instance of good sportsmanship in unity. The cheers and applause from the audience resounded the grand success of the tournament.

WARSAW, APR 14 (IANS): Italian club Fiorentina secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Polish side Lech Poznan away from home in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League quarterfinals. The visitors domi -

Divyansh, Vijayveer, Sift win in national selection trials

BHOPAL, APR 14 (PTI):

Olympian Divyansh Singh Panwar, who recently lost his place in the Indian team for the upcoming Baku World Cup, regained his form while Sift Kaur Samra and Vijayveer Sidhu extended their domination in the national selection trials for pistol and rifle here on Friday.

In Delhi’s Karni Singh Shooting Range, Anant Jeet Singh Naruka and Ganemat Sekhon won the men’s and women’s skeet trials respectively. While at the MP State Shooting Academy Range in Bhopal, Divyansh, a former world number one, was in sensational form, logging a score of 636.3 in the men’s 10m air rifle T4 (fourth trial) qualification round.

In the Bhopal International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup last month, China’s Sheng Lihao had shot 635.4 in qualification en route to gold which currently stands as the world record.

The fact that the Jaipur shooter beat it by almost a point speaks volumes. Besides qualification, he also topped the 25-shot ranking round and then went on to defeat Surya Pratap Singh Banshtu 16-12 in the gold medal match.

Punjab’s Sift Kaur

Samra, who won her first ever ISSF medal -- a bronze -- at the Bhopal World Cup, won the women’s T4 50m rifle 3 positions, putting it across state-mate and Olympian Anjum Moudgil, 16-4, in the gold medal clash.

Tejaswini Sawant, yet another seasoned Olympian in the fray, was third.

In the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol, India international Vijayveer Sidhu won 30 points to outgun Adarsh Singh 30-24 in the medal match to give Punjab another win. Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar was third with 17.

Among the junior winners were West Bengal’s Abhinav Shaw in the men’s 10m air rifle, Haryana’s Nikita Kundu who won the women’s 3P junior and Rajkanwar Singh Sandhu, who claimed the junior men’s 25m rapid fire event.

Anant Jeet, Ganemat win in New Delhi nated from the outset on Thursday, and it took just four minutes for them to convert their control into a goal. Nicolas Gonzales’ long-range effort from outside the box struck the post, but moments later, Arthur Cabral found the net from close range.

Now a seasoned skeet shooter, Rajasthan’s Anant Jeet Singh Naruka won the men’s skeet trials at the DKSSR with 39 hits in the final. Overnight leader Gurjoat Singh Khangura of Punjab was second with 37 while Olympian Angad Bajwa was third with 17 hits.

Lech managed to respond in the 20th minute when Mikael Ishak headed the ball down to Kristoffer Velde at the edge of the box, who surprised Pietro Terraciano with a powerful low strike, reports Xinhua. Fiorentina, coached by Vincenzo Italiano,

The second half was a display of Italian dominance. Within five minutes, Fiorentina dashed Lech’s hopes for the second leg. In the 58th minute, Giacomo Bonaventura extended the lead to 3-1 with a skilful finish at the far post, while Jonathan Ikone dribbled past two Lech players to cap off a solo effort with a precise shot past Filip Bednarek.

After netting their fourth goal, the visitors focused on defence. Lech tried to narrow the deficit but struggled to create opportunities, as the favourites maintained complete control of the game.

James leads surging Lakers into playoffs, Bucks enter as favourites

LOS ANGELES, APR 14 (AGENCIES): LeB - ron James returned from injury in time to boost the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers’ hopes of winning the NBA championship while Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks enter the playoffs as betting favourites to win their second title in two years. James returned to the Lakers 19 days ago after a month-long absence due to a right foot tendon injury and helped muscle the team into a playoff spot that earlier in the year seemed all but unattainable.

By clinching the Western Conference’s seventh seed, the Lakers earned the right to face electrifying guard Ja Morant and the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies in a best-of-seven games first-round series that begins on Sunday. Morant, who was suspended eight games by the NBA in March after video showed him “holding a firearm in an intoxicated state” at a nightclub, is one of the league’s brightest young stars and could cause fits for the Lakers’ Anthony Davis.

The Western Conference’s Golden State Warriors, who won a fourth NBA title in eight years in

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) celebrates the victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

2022, open their postseason on Saturday against the host Sacramento Kings.

The Kings, back in the postseason after a 16-year drought that is the longest in NBA history, are the third seed from the West and both a young and untested group.

The West’s top-seeded Denver Nuggets will face the winner of the play-in tournament game later on Friday between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Another team to watch in the West will be the Phoenix Suns, who turned into a force when they acquired Kevin Durant at the trade deadline and have gone 8-0 in games when the two-time NBA champion has played. Phoenix face the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round.

The Eastern Conference’s Bucks are the overall top seed and will enjoy home-court advantage throughout their postseason run, which will begin on Sunday against either the Chicago Bulls or Miami Heat.