Indian eves go down fighting to Taipei
Ramallah (West Bank): Indian women’s football team put up a spirited fight but could not avoid its second consecutive loss, going down 1-2 to Chinese Taipei in a group D encounter of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup (Qualifiers) at the Faisal Al Huseni Stadium here. The Indian eves desperately needed a win in the match to stay in the hunt for a place in the AFC Cup but their dreams were dealt a blow despite playing some admirable football thoroughly enjoyed by locals. Yu Hsiu Chin (43rd minute) and lai li Chin (81st minute) scored for Taipei while Sasmita Malik gave India their only goal in the 53rd minute.
Four new teams in I-league next season: AIFF
Mumbai: In a bid to increase competition and give “better incentives” to the players, the All India Football Federation plans to add four more teams to the existing 14 in the I-league next season. “The I-league as it stands today, we are going to add four new teams. We were thinking of two new teams but by the time the entire process goes through, we will be adding four new teams in the coming season,” AIFF President Praful Patel said at a Football Players Association of India event here on Thursday night.
manika wins silver at IITF Polish Junior
New Delhi: Promising Indian paddler Manika Batra settled for a silver medal in the girls singles event at the IITF Polish Junior and Cadet Open after losing the summit clash to top seed Japanese Miyu Kato. The Delhi girl, a surprise finalist and the seventh seed, lost the final 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 6-11, 11-7 and 8-11 on Thursday in Wladyslawowo, Poland. The 17-year-old Indian had earlier ousted Japanese Ayane Morita and the fifth seed in the penultimate round in seven games. In the quarterfinals of girls’ doubles Japanese pair of Kato and Yui Hamamoto prevailed over Batra and Sutirtha Mukherjee 3-2.
U-17 mixed doubles team enters semis
Bendum City (Indonesia): India U-17's mixed doubles pair of Chirag Sen and Kuhoo Garg entered the semi-finals at the Djarum Circuit leaning Jober Open Badminton Championship here on Friday. Chirag and Kuhoo also reached the quarters in the singles event respectively. Chirag and Kuhoo playing exceptionally well to beat Gabrial Sambuao and Adhisna in the mixed doubles quarter-final by 10-21, 22-20 and 21-11 margin.
Two Assamese mountaineers scale Everest
Guwahati: Two mountaineers from Assam scaled the Mount Everest within a span of a week, Assam Mountaineering Association said on Friday. Manish Deka, a resident of Hatigorh Chariali here, became the second climber from the state to reach the top of the Himalayas after another city youth, Tarun Saikia achieved the feat on May 18, a spokesman of Assam Mountaineering Association said.
dipika loses as Indian challenge ends
Hull (England): Dipika Pallikal put up a spirited display before going down 1-3 to second seed laura Massaro of England in the pre-quarters of the Allam British Open Squash Championships, here. With the ouster of the Chennai girl, the Indian challenge came to an end in the women’s event of the World Platinum Series currently underway. The Indian men’s challenge had ended on Wednesday with the defeat of Saurav Ghosal, who lost his pre-quarterfinal match to France’s Gaultier 8-11, 13-11, 7-11 and 0-11. PNS/Agencies