Vietnam to host F1 race in 2020: official
Hanoi: Vietnam will host a Formula One race in April 2020, Hanoi city officials said Thursday, becoming the third Southeast Asian nation to welcome top-flight racing as the franchise seeks to move into new markets. The race will be hosted in the capital Hanoi, with the circuit set to be unveiled at a gala next week, the Hanoi People's Committee said on Thursday in an invite to the event. "The city of Hanoi managed to conclude the cooperation to be entitled as the official host of a race of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship (from) April 2020," the letter read.
India lose to B'desh in SAFF U-15 semifinal
Kathmandu: Defending champions India crashed out in the semifinals of the SAFF U-15 Championship after suffering a heartbreaking loss to neighbours Bangladesh on penalties on Thursday. India took an early lead in the first half via a long-ranger from Harsh Patre but a 93rd-minute penalty from Ashkul Rahman saw the match go past regulation time. In the end, however, the Indians experienced heartbreak as Bangladesh won 4-2 on penalties. India missed their first two penalties, which put the pressure on the colts, while Bangladesh converted all their four spot-kicks. In the end, the Blue Colts lost out 4-2 as Bangladesh moved into the final. Coach Shuvendu Panda and his boys will now fight for Bronze medal match on Saturday.
East Bengal beat Shillong Lajong 3-1
Shillong: Kolkata giants East Bengal produced a second successful professional performance away from home, emerging 3-1 winners over Shillong Lajong in the I-League here on Thursday. In game eight of the 12th Hero I-League, EB rode on a first-half brace by Kerala striker Jobby Justin and a second-half strike from Bidyasagar Singh to thwart a spirited Shillong side, which got one back in the second half through left wing back Rakesh Pradhan. Shillong's football remained attractive, dominating and flowing, but the inexperience of having nine under-22 players in their XI showed up eventually, after a fluent 2-0 win against Aizawl FC at home last week in their opening game. EB go on top of the league standings with two crucial away wins to kick-start their campaign, after having beaten Neroca 2-0 in Game Week 1.
Shubhankar T-32 after round 1 in Turkey
Antalya: Shubhankar Sharma, who is leading the race to become the European Tour's Rookie of the Year, opened with a modest 1-under 70 to be placed T-32 after the first round of the Turkish Airlines Open here Thursday. Sharma, 2-over after five holes with a wayward shot and a three-putt from 15 feet, recovered very well around the turn with three birdies in four holes. Just as he seemed set to finish at 2-under, he left a chip too short on the 18th to drop a shot to finish at 1-under 70. Sharma, playing his sixth week on the trot, had four birdies between seventh and 13th and three bogeys on first, fifth and 18th.
Ankita loses in wta mumbai open
Mumbai: The lukewarm Indian challenge in singles at the L and T Mumbai Open tennis came to an abrupt end in the pre-quarterfinal stage when national number one, Ankita Raina, played poorly and got eliminated on Thursday. In a face-off between two players hovering just below the 200 mark on the WTA circuit, Ankita came second best against her European opponent from Montenegro, Danka Kovinic, and lost 2-6, 5-7 in one hour and 47 minutes at the Cricket Club of India's hard courts. Ankita, ranked 197 to Kovinic's 194, had stayed on court till almost midnight on Wednesday in her first round match in which she fought back doggedly to subdue long-time rival and compatriot Rutuja Bhosale 4-6, 6-2 7-6 (5) in 2 hours and 17 minutes in a late night match. Agencies