Birmingham, Aug 16 (IANS) Newcastle United were held to a goalless draw by Aston Villa in their opening Premier League match of the 2025/26 season at Villa Park on Saturday, despite the hosts going down to ten men in the second half.Newcastle dominated the first half, creating multiple chances. Just two minutes in, debutant Anthony Elanga had a clear opportunity, but his shot was saved by Marco Bizot, who was also making his Villa debut. Anthony Gordon, playing as a central forward instead of hi…

Spielberg (Austria), Aug 16 (IANS) Marco Bezzecchi of Aprilia Racing went from Q1 to pole position in qualifying at the Grand Prix of Austria, taking his first pole with Aprilia and first since the 2023 Indian Grand Prix, here on Saturday.Tucked in behind compatriot Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), the #72 rider just pipped the #63 by a tenth and a half. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) struck later to split the two and take second, with Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) sidelined…

Cairns, Aug 16 (IANS) South Africa captain Aiden Markram admitted his side fell short by “small margins” after Glenn Maxwell’s unbeaten 62 inspired Australia to a thrilling two-wicket victory in the deciding T20I at Cazalys Stadium on Saturday, sealing the series 2-1 for the hosts“Good game of cricket, ended up on the wrong side unfortunately. Small margins. Not enough on the board tonight, but we fought well with the ball. Not the way we wanted to end, but still some good things to take…

Shillong, Aug 16 (IANS) Shillong Lajong FC came from behind to overcome Indian Navy FT 2-1 in the first quarterfinal of the Durand Cup, which was played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Saturday, to secure their second consecutive semifinal appearance. Second-half goals from Damaitphang Lyngdoh and Everbrightson Sana Mylliempdah gave the home side the victory after Vijay Marandi had given Indian Navy the lead in the first half.Shillong Lajong started in a 4-3-3 formation with Head Coach B…

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) West Delhi Lions defeated New Delhi Tigers by 15 runs as per the DLS method in a rain-interrupted match of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) Season 2 on Saturday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here.Chasing a modest total of 139 runs, the Lions lost Krish Yadav in the first over of their innings, however Ankit Kumar kept the scoreboard ticking as he smashed 25 off 14, including 4 fours and a six, before departing in the fifth over.Notably, Ayush Doseja (13*) and captain Nitish …

Chengdu (China), Aug 16 (IANS) Zhang Hao secured China’s first roller sports gold at the Chengdu World Games, as inline freestyle skating competitions kicked off on Saturday. In an all-Chinese men’s speed slalom final, Zhang beat Fu Yu 2-0 to claim the victory, while Reza Lesani of Iran defeated compatriot Amirmohammad Savari Jamalouei to take the bronze.”I’m very excited and happy to be able to show my normal performance,” said Chengdu local Zhang, adding that he felt nervous competing at home….

Cairns (Australia), Aug 16 (IANS) Glenn Maxwell produced a stunning late assault to guide Australia to a tense two-wicket win over South Africa in the deciding T20I game at the Cazalys Stadium on Saturday to seal the series 2-1 in the hosts’ favour.Chasing 173 for victory, Australia looked in trouble at 122/6, before the big-hitting Maxwell took charge with an unbeaten 62 off 36 balls, laced with eight fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 172.22. He held his nerve to strike the winning runs…

Kolkata, Aug 16 (IANS) The 134th Durand Cup enters the knockout stage with a seismic Quarter-Final on Sunday, as the footballing capital braces for its biggest spectacle.At the iconic Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium), East Bengal take on arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giants in the legendary Kolkata Derby, a match that transcends sport and resonates with the very heartbeat of the city.Both teams have stormed through the group stage unbeaten, ensuring an unforgettable evening…

Cairns, Aug 16 (IANS) Australia’s T20 skipper Mitchell Marsh was full of praise for seasoned player Glenn Maxwell, after he was back to his well-known best during the third and final T20I against South Africa on Saturday, sealing a 2-1 series victory on Saturday.Chasing 173 for victory, Australia looked in trouble at 122/6, before the big-hitting Maxwell took charge with an unbeaten 62 off 36 balls, laced with eight fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 172.22. He held his nerve to strike th…

New Delhi, Aug 16 (IANS) As the shooters get ready to fire the first shots at the 16th Asian Shooting Championship Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun beginning August 18 and running up to August 29 at Shymkent, Kazakhstan, all eyes will be on India and China as the two neighbours battle it out for supremacy.India had finished second behind China in the previous Asian Championship in Changwon with a total of 59 medals (21 gold, 22 silver, and 16 bronze), while in the 14th Asian Championship in Doha, India had …