Sports

Pioli says gap between moneybags Premier League and Milan ‘too big’

Published

2 months ago

February 13, 2023

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Pioli says gap between moneybags Premier League and Milan 'too big'

Stefano Pioli says that the economic gap separating AC Milan from England’s top football clubs is getting too wide as his team prepares for a Champions League last-16 clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

Milan host Spurs on Tuesday in the opening leg of their first knockout tie in Europe’s top club competition since 2014, a match which comes after another transfer window of record spending by the Premier League which dwarfed the rest of Europe’s top divisions.

The last Italian team to win the Champions League was Inter Milan back in 2010 and Pioli is concerned about a yawning divide in spending capacity between the English clubs and the rest, which has fuelled new talk of a breakaway European Super League.

“I prefer to concentrate on on-field matters, but there’s no match for them economically,” Pioli told reporters at the Milanello training centre.

“If they spent 900 million euros (in January) and we in Italy didn’t spend anything it’s clear that there’s an economic gap which is too big.”

Milan take on Spurs after beating Torino on Friday and snapping a seven-match winless streak in all competitions which left their Serie A title defence in tatters and threatened to completely derail their season.

The last time Milan featured in the knockouts they were thrashed 5-1 on aggregate in the last 16 by Atletico Madrid, a defeat which prefaced them becoming also-rans for a tournament which they have won more times than any other club apart from Real Madrid.

They were also comfortably beaten twice by Chelsea in the group stage but Pioli said his team have learned from those defeats.

He will be boosted by the return of centre-back Fikayo Tomori from injury, while Algeria midfielder Ismael Bennacer didn’t train with his teammates on Monday at Milanello and will sit out the match.

“Regardless of who plays the experiences we have gone through will help us grow as a team and take on these kinds of challenges,” added Pioli.

Standing in Milan’s way of firmly re-establishing themselves among the continental elite is Antonio Conte, a former Juventus and Inter coach who is guaranteed a hostile reception from the home crowd.

“Conte is a great coach who prepares his teams very well for matches, he takes care of details,” said Pioli.

“They’re a team with English characteristics, who play direct and intense football which is physical and high quality but with an even higher level of tactical nous.

“We think we’re on the same level as Tottenham and can get through this round… Winning the Champions League right now would be a dream but we’re building something special.”

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Sports

Shepherd, Joseph take West Indies to South Africa series win

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2023

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Romario Shepherd’s late batting assault and a five-wicket haul by Alzarri Joseph took the West Indies to a series-clinching seven-run win against South Africa in the third Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Shepherd slammed 44 not out off 22 balls to lift the West Indies from 161 for eight to 220 for eight, sharing an unbeaten ninth wicket stand of 59 off 26 balls with Joseph, who made 14 not out.

Fast bowler Joseph then took five for 40 as South Africa were restricted to 213 for six.

New West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell said the players had responded to his call “to be fearless, to be natural – but you have to be smart too. The guys were excellent in this series.”

Joseph, who missed the second match in Centurion when South Africa achieved a world record run chase of 259, struck crucial blows when he took the wickets of T20 stars Quinton de Kock (21) and David Miller (11).

Joseph effectively wrapped up the match in the penultimate over when he dismissed top-scorer Reeza Hendricks for 83 and followed up with the wickets of Heinrich Klaasen and Wayne Parnell.

“We made a total and it was up to the bowlers to defend it,” said Joseph, who was named player of the match.

“I thrive on the opportunity to make an impact.”

The last two overs of the West Indian innings were match-changing as Shepherd and Joseph scored 17 off Wayne Parnell and 26 in the final over bowled by Kagiso Rabada.

“We would have liked to wrap up the last two wickets but bar the last two or three overs we were really good with the ball,” said South Africa captain Aiden Markram.

Brief scores:

West Indies 220-8 in 20 overs (B. King 36, N. Pooran 41, R. Shepherd 44 not out; L. Ngidi 2-45, K. Rabada 2-50, A. Nortje 2-36).

South Africa 213-6 in 20 overs (R. Hendricks 83, R. Rossouw 42, A. Markram 35 not out; A. Joseph 5-40).

Result: West Indies won by 7 runs.

Series: West Indies won the three-match series 2-1.

Toss: South Africa.

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Sports

Sri Lanka’s direct Cricket World Cup qualification in danger after point loss

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2023

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Sri Lanka have been docked a point in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League cycle for their slow over-rate in the first ODI against New Zealand at Auckland.

As per Article 16.12.2 of the Super League Playing Conditions, a side is penalised one point for each over short. Consequently, Sri Lanka lost one point from their points tally, ICC said in its blog.

The tourists were also fined 20 per cent of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against New Zealand on Saturday. This was in accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences. Players are fined 20 per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

The match referee, Jeff Crowe, imposed the sanction after Dasun Shanaka’s team were ruled to be one over short after time allowances were taken into consideration.

The charges were levelled by the on-field umpires, Shaun Haig and Wayne Knights, third umpire Chris Brown and fourth umpire Cory Black.

Shanaka pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

The top eight sides in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League standings qualify directly for the World Cup. Sri Lanka are currently placed at ninth spot with a game to go. South Africa (78 points) are one below with two to play, and Ireland (68 points) have three fixtures in hand.

This deduction along with a washout in Christchurch means that Sri Lanka now have 81 instead of 82 points. With only a solitary fixture in their hand, the Sri Lankans are in danger of missing out on a direct berth to the World Cup.

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Sports

UAE honours Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed with Golden Visa

Published

3 days ago

March 30, 2023

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Pakistan’s star cricketer Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed have become the latest stars to be honoured with the Golden Visa by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Both players expressed their delight on receiving the honour and thanked the Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs of Dubai.

Shadab Khan, who recently captained the national squad in the T20I series against Afghanistan, shared the news of getting the Golden Visa on Instagram and wrote: “Outside Pakistan, the most time I have spent is in the UAE. It always feels like home. Honoured to have received the Golden Visa. Thank you so much, GDRFA Dubai.”https://www.instagram.com/p/CqVRY8ooFqM/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=432&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fdunyanews.tv&rp=%2Fen%2FCricket%2F710986-UAE-honours-Shadab-Khan-Iftikhar-Ahmed-with-Golden-Visa#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A4605.4000000059605%2C%22ls%22%3A3534.10000000149%2C%22le%22%3A4587.80000000447%7D

The bowler completed his 100 T20I wickets during the last match of the shorter-format series against Afghanistan, becoming the first Pakistani to achieve the feat.

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Iftikhar Ahmed also shared the new on Twitter, stating: “Alhamdulillah, I am honoured to receive my GOLDEN VISA from a country which I can call my second home. Special thanks to Moazzam Qureshi for making this happen”.

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