Sporting beat Mumbai FC, enter SF
Margao: Sporting Clube de Goa defeated Mumbai FC by a solitary goal in the second leg to enter the semi-finals of the Hero Federation Cup with a 2-0 aggregate at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, here on Wednesday. The all-important goal was scored by defender Subhasish Bose in the 46th minute from a penalty. Sporting Clube de Goa, who beat Mumbai FC in the away match by identical margin, will now meet Aizawl FC in the first semi-final on May 7. Elsewhere, Meghalaya outfit Shillong lajong FC held their nerves to down East Bengal 4-3 on aggregate in extra-time to become the first team to qualify for semi-final. Trailing 1-2 in the first leg, East Bengal brought their campaign back on track with a 2-1 scoreline in the regulation time as the match advanced to the extra time with 3-3 on aggregate as Brazilian Ulliams Bomfin Souza struck the decisive goal in the 114th minute.
Armaan set for Super Trofeo series
Chennai: India's ace racer Armaan Ebrahim will begin a packed international season next week as he will make his debut in the GT Asia Championship besides participating in the lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Series for a second successive year. Armaan, the 26-year old from Chennai, will kick-start his campaign with the first round of the GT Asia series in Korea on the May 13-15 weekend driving the lamborghini Gallardo GT3, followed by the season opener of the Super Trofeo in Shanghai, China, on May 20-22. Supported by JK Tyre, Armaan will again team-up with Sri lankan Dilantha Malagamuwa who runs Dilango Racing team. The duo finished second Overall in Super Trofeo Asia series last year, but hopes to do better this season.
Rousseff lights Olympic flame
Brasilia: Brazil's embattled President Dilma Rousseff ignited the Olympic flame, as a nationwide torch relay got underway with protests highlighting the country's deep political and economic crisis. Rousseff presided over the flame ceremony in Brasilia, even though she faces impeachment and is unlikely to be in office when South America's first Olympics open in less than three months. "Brazil is ready to host the most successful Olympics in history," Rousseff said in a speech to off the torch relay, which will reach 329 Brazilian cities and end on August 5 at the opening ceremony in Rio's Maracana stadium. However, security experts have been expecting protests during the relay, and a few hundred protesters gathered on a relay route controlled with a heavy police presence.
FA seeks eye-gouging ban for Dembele
lONDON: The English Football Association wants Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele banned for more than three matches for an apparent eye-gouge on Chelsea striker Diego Costa. The FA retrospectively charged Dembele with violent conduct on Wednesday after the incident was missed by the match officials in Monday's 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. The FA says "the standard punishment of three matches that would otherwise apply is clearly insufficient." Dembele has until Thursday to respond to the charge. Both Tottenham and Chelsea have also been charged with three breaches of FA regulations for "failing to control their players and/or officials."