Monday, 24 March 2025
GERMANY SURVIVE ITALY SCARE TO MAKE NATIONS OK LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS
Germany survived a spirited second-half fightback from Italy, letting a three-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 in Dortmund on Sunday, before reaching the Nations League semi-finals 5-4 on aggregate.
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| AFP |
Germany survived a spirited second-half fightback from Italy, letting a three-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 in Dortmund on Sunday, before reaching the Nations League semi-finals 5-4 on aggregate. A first-half Joshua Kimmich masterclass, with a penalty and two assists for Jamal Musiala and Tim Kleindienst, had Germany 3-0 up and cruising at the break. However, injury-hit Italy kicked into gear in the second half, Moise Kean scoring a double to rattle the hosts. Italy looked on course to level the scores when they were awarded a penalty with 73 minutes gone, but it was overturned by VAR.
Giacomo Raspadori then converted a stoppage time penalty to give Italy a glimmer of hope.
The result not only secured Germany a first-ever Nations League semi-final spot, where they will face Portugal, but it means the remainder of the tournament will be held on German soil, in Stuttgart and Munich in June.
Despite the second-half scare, the victory continues Germany's resurgence under Julian Nagelsmann.
Germany's only loss in their past 17 matches came in extra-time at Euro 2024 against eventual champions Spain in the quarter-finals.
Nagelsmann said Germany "learned lessons for our development" from the game, adding "we know how well we can play football -- but we have to show it throughout the game.
"I'm going home with an understanding of what we're capable of, but it's also nice that we've got a bit more to do," he said.
Italy coach Luciano Spalletti admitted his side lacked "maturity" and said "you always learn from games like this."
"The second half was very good, but we were too afraid to play like that for the whole game."
'Something impossible'
Italy travelled to Dortmund, the site of their 2006 World Cup semi-final win over the same opponents, with a mountain to climb.
After letting a one-goal lead slip to lose in Milan in the first leg, Italy saw defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Andrea Cambiaso added to an injury list which already included striker Mateo Retegui and left-back Federico Dimarco.
Spalletti spoke pre-match of needing to do "something impossible" and his side were up against it from the get-go as Germany burst out of the blocks.
With Musiala on top form and Nico Schlotterback sending in penetrating passes from the deep, Germany's breakthrough came from the spot.
Alessandro Buongiorno brought down a surging Kleindienst in the box and Kimmich converted, just the fourth penalty for either club or country in the 30-year-old's career.
After an acrobatic save to keep out a Kleindienst header by Gianluigi Donnarumma, the quick-thinking Kimmich played the ball fast from the ensuing corner.
The move caught the Italians napping, with Musiala tapping in from close range as the Italian goalkeeper was still remonstrating with the referee.
Nagelsmann said the quick thinking was "world-class and unbelievably smart," and admitted "I didn't see it at all."
In the final minute of the half, Donnarumma palmed away a Kleindienst header, but this time could not keep it out, with the home crowd erupting as the referee pointed to his watch to show the ball had crossed the line.
Germany dropped in intensity in the second half and the Italians pounced, Kean latching onto a loose ball and blasting home after 49 minutes.
Spalletti brought on Raspadori and the Napoli man had an immediate impact, threading a pass for Kean to curl a ball past Oliver Baumann's outstretched arm with 68 minutes played.
The stunned Germans were shocked further five minutes later when they conceded a penalty, but the spot kick was overturned by VAR.
The Italians did eventually get a spot kick in stoppage time, with Raspadori converting, but it was too late as Germany held on to progress on aggregate.
- Agence France-Presse
TANZANIAN YASSIN NASSERS WIN BIG AT THE WRC SAFARI RALLY 2025
Tanzania’s Yassin Nasser navigated by Katumba Ali returned home in third position edging out Samman Vohra who was fourth.
Africa Rally Championship category during the WRC Safari Rally Championship, results:
1.Carl Flash Tundo/Tim Jessop-5.31.02
2.Wahome Jeremiah/Okundi Victor-5.49.02
3.Nasser Yassin/Katumba Ali-6.39.19
4.Samman Vohra/Drew Sturrock-6.53.59
5.Nikhil Sachania-7.04.36
6.Minesh Rathod-8.53.00
THE HEART OF BLACK MAMBA: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE NBA
Netflix has announced an upcoming documentary titled “The Heart of Black Mamba: A Journey Through The NBA,” set to premiere in 2025.. see more This film will provide an in-depth look at The Lakers’ 2016 championship season, focusing on Kobe Bryant’s leadership...... Continue Reading ⬇️ ⬇️⬇️
Sunday, 23 March 2025
F1 BROADCAST OF HAMILTON -LECLERC SWAP
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur took aim at Formula One’s “joke” broadcast of the Chinese Grand Prix as he accused the sport of deliberately creating a show when Lewis Hamilton offered to move aside for Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton volunteered to allow team-mate Leclerc through for fifth as he struggled for speed. However, Hamilton’s radio message was not shown on the international feed.
Instead the broadcast picked up on Hamilton’s race engineer Riccardo Adami telling the seven-time world champion that “we are swapping cars at Turn 14”.
Hamilton told Adami he was closing up on George Russell ahead of him and would allow Leclerc through when “he was closer”.
Hamilton was then instructed to “swap this lap”. The 40-year-old hit back by replying: “I’ll tell you when we can swap.” Hamilton moved over for Leclerc moments later.
The exchanges between Hamilton and Adami arrived a week after the British driver told his new race engineer to “leave him to it” at the opening round in Australia.
And, speaking after the race in Shanghai, team principal Vasseur said: “This is a joke from FOM (Formula One Management), because the first call came from Lewis to swap. Lewis suggested it.
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| Fred Vasseur was unhappy with the coverage (David Davies/PA) |
“But to make the show, to create the mess around the situation, they did not broadcast the first part of the exchange. So I will discuss it with them.
“We have to work for the team and consider the best thing for Ferrari. The collaboration between the two guys (Hamilton and Leclerc) is mega and I cannot complain about it.”
Vasseur was speaking before both Hamilton and Leclerc were disqualified from fifth and sixth places for illegalities on their cars. Hamilton’s floor ran too close to the ground, while Leclerc’s machine was underweight.
Addressing the swap with Leclerc, Hamilton said: “We didn’t really have a battle. He just had more pace than me. I was struggling with the car so I told the team to let him by. It was my idea.”
- Philip Duncan
LEWIS HAMILTON, CHARLES LECLERC DISQUALIFIED FROM CHINESE GP IN YET ANOTHER FERRARI DISASTER
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had finished fifth and sixth respectively in the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix.
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| AFP |
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were both disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday for technical infringements, along with Alpine's Pierre Gasly. Leclerc and Gasly were found by FIA stewards to have cars that weighed less than the 800 kilogram minimum requirement while Hamilton was deemed to have excessive plank wear underneath his car. Leclerc had finished fifth and Hamilton sixth. Their points will be expunged with all the drivers below them now moving up two places.
Gasly finished 11th so was already out of the points.
It was a disastrous end to a weekend that had started so brilliantly for Ferrari when Hamilton took his maiden win for his new team in Saturday's sprint.
The plank assembly is a skid plate which is designed to wear away when the floor strikes against bumps on the track or kerbs.
If it is too worn it can improve performance as cars can run closer to track, increasing "ground effect" down force.
"The plank assembly of Car 44 (Lewis Hamilton) was measured and found to be 8.6mm (LHS), 8.6mm (car centreline) and 8.5mm (RHS). This is below the minimum thickness of 9mm," said the stewards' ruling.
"The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team."
For Leclerc the ruling said: "Car 16 (Charles Leclerc) was weighed by the FIA Technical Delegate inside and outside scales with both scales showing the same result of 799 kg after the customary draining of fuel and the replacement of a broken front wing."
"The calibration of both scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor. During the hearing there was no challenge to the FIA's measurements which are taken to be correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly.
"There are no mitigating circumstances and that the team confirmed that it was a genuine error by them."
Hamilton, driving a Mercedes, was disqualified from the 2023 United States Grand Prix for a similar plank-wear problem.
- Agence France-Presse
KISHAN TON POWERS HYDERABAD RO BIG WUN OVER RAJASTHAN IN IPL
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| Sunrisers Hyderabad's Ishan Kishan celebrates after scoring a century during his side's defeat of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL (Noah SEELAM) |
Top-order batter Ishan Kishan hammered his first century in the Indian Premier League on Sunday as he powered Sunrisers Hyderabad to a mammoth 286-6 and a 44-run win over Rajasthan Royals.
Hyderabad were invited to bat first and fell just one short of their best of 287, which remains the T20 tournament's highest ever total, with England and Rajasthan bowler Jofra Archer in particular having a day to forget.
The left-handed Kishan stood out as he hammered a ton in 45 balls to pummel the opposition attack after Travis Head smashed 67 off 31 deliveries in the second match of the league that began Saturday.
Rajasthan finished on 242-6 after half-centuries from Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel. Shimron Hetmyer hit 42 off 23 balls.
Batting first, Hyderabad's Australian import Head came out roaring with opening partner Abhishek Sharma and the two handed the team a blazing start.
The left-handed Head hammered fast bowler Archer for 23 runs in one over to set the pace for the onslaught.
Archer went on to concede 76 runs in four overs for the most expensive spell in the IPL.
Head and Kishan, playing his first match for Hyderabad, put on 85 runs off 39 balls for the second wicket to lay the foundations for the total.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who hit 30 off 15 balls, and Heinrich Klaasen, who hit a 14-ball 34, boosted the total with their explosive cameos.
Rajasthan medium-pace bowler Tushar Deshpande claimed three wickets, including Head, but the batting storm continued right up to the end of Hyderabad's 20 overs.
The Hyderabad total included a remarkable 34 fours and 12 sixes.
Last year, runners-up Hyderabad posted the highest-ever innings total of 287-3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
In reply, Rajasthan lost two wickets in the second over -- opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Riyan Parag -- and were never in the chase.
Samson, Rajasthan's regular captain who did not make the XI due to an injury and came in as an impact player, smashed 66 and put on 111 runs with Jurel, who top-scored with 70.
But the partnership could only add a little polish to the defeat for the inaugural IPL champions.
The IPL will end with the final on May 25 with 74 matches to be played by ten teams across 13 venues.
The cash-rich league has generated billions in revenue since its inception in 2008, turning the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) into one of the richest governing bodies in sport.
- AFP
CRISTIANO RONALDO LOSES HIS COOL DURING TENSE PRESS CONFERENCE - 'LOOK ME IN EYES'
Portugal are chasing a 1-0 deficit in their Nations League quarter-final second leg against Denmark on Sunday and Cristiano Ronaldo gave a frosty response to what he felt was "disrespectful" question at the pre-match press conference
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| Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo snapped at a reporter for asking "disrespectful" questions ahead of their clash against Denmark |
Cristiano Ronaldo has hit out at journalists for asking "disrespectful" questions ahead of Portugal's Nations League quarter-final second leg against Denmark on Sunday". Portugal were beaten 1-0 by the Danes in the first leg of their tie last week, courtesy of Manchester United star Rasmus Hojlund's strike, and Ronaldo's team have work to do in the second leg.
Ronaldo himself has come under intense scrutiny for the national team amid questions over his age and fitness levels after a horror display against Denmark saw him fail to register a shot on target or complete a successful dribble or cross.
Journalists who gathered ahead of the second leg questioned the Al Nassr forward's ability to complete a full match at the highest level after recently turning 40.
The former Manchester United star was far from pleased with the line of questioning and accused some reporters of a lack of respect, telling one to "look him in the eyes" when he asked such questions.
"I feel like there's a lot of negativity around the national team,' the Portugal captain said. "I've watched some of the press conferences over the last few days - I didn't like what I saw, I don't like it.
"And honestly, some of the questions you've asked were just disrespectful. If you want answers from me, look me in the eyes when you ask. There's no point asking me something and then looking down at your computer. You'll have time for that later. If necessary, I will say it ten times."
Ronaldo is the most iconic figure to have represented Portugal after smashing a host of records and landmarks with the national team. He has the most caps with 218 and the most goals with 135 - while he is also their oldest goalscorer and holds the record for most hat-tricks and most goals scored at one European Championship. He has already helped Portugal win one Euros and one Nations League title.
He admitted there was big pressure on Portugal to progress to the semi-finals as they chase a 1-0 deficit as he called on the fans to get behind the team.
"The air is more tense,' he said. "I won't hide it. We are in a more tense moment because we need to win, but that's the beauty of football. Tomorrow, I appeal to the fans to be with us.
"To transmit their strength to us, because we are going to try to do our best. That is my hope, that tomorrow will be a beautiful day for everyone.
"There is no other option. Anyone who is proud to represent this symbol must have this ambition. I have lost games in 90 minutes, but I have never lost in the first half. Tomorrow is the second half.
"There are games like that, there are bad days. I didn't play at all, the team didn't play at all, but it's part of life. Tomorrow I want to leave the Alvalade Stadium with my head held high. If all the Portuguese people are on our side."
- Oli Gamp
LEWIS HAMILTON'S FURIOUS RADIO EXCHANGE WITH FERRARI DURING CHINESE GP
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have been disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix after both of their cars failed their respective post-race technical checks. Leclerc and Hamilton originally finished fifth and sixth respectively for Ferrari in the Shanghai race in what proved to be a disappointing day for the team, but things would soon take a turn for the worse.
Hamilton was disqualified for excessive skid-plain wear. The same infringement that cost him second place at the US Grand Prix when racing for Mercedes. Leclerc was dismissed after his vehicle was identified as 1kg underweight.
The disqualification will damage morale within the camp following an already under-par showing in Shanghai. The removal of both drivers will see Ferrari miss out on a staggering 18 points in the Constructors' Championship, but relations between Hamilton and his new engineers already seemed strained before news of the disqualification emerged.
Lewis Hamilton Couldn't Hide His Frustration With Ferrari During the Chinese Grand Prix
Ferrari's new recruit has only raced for the team twice
Tensions appeared high during the Shanghai race following an exchange between Ferrari engineer, Riccardo Adami, and Hamilton and this disqualification will only add to the enormous pressure Ferrari now faces.
Hamilton was heard on the radio imploring his team for advice as the 40-year-old struggled to catch the leading pack. The seven-time world champion realised he was losing ground and made a desperate plea to his garage for some guidance, stating:
"Give me some feedback guys, come on. I need some feedback of where I’m losing [time]."
When Adami responded by letting Hamilton know that the issue might be happening at Exit 13, Lewis snapped back, replying: "Yeah, you told me that already!" That Hamilton is already sound fed up with his new team after just two races together is not an encouraging sign.
Following the disqualification of both Ferrari drivers, Esteban Ocon of Haas was moved from seventh to fifth, whilst his teammate Oliver Bearman jumped up to eighth. Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes was elevated to sixth, with Williams' Alex Albon in seventh.
Hamilton and Leclerc were not the only drivers to face disqualification as Alpine's Pierre Gasly who initially finished 11th, was also disqualified during the post-race examination. While Ferrari will likely be extra vigilant about flouting technical rules in the wake of the disqualifications, it seems there's a fair bit of team building to do before the Japanese Grand Prix on the 6th April given Hamilton's exceptionally blunt words during Sunday's race.
- Patrick Post
THREE CARS HAVE BEEN DISQUALIFIED AT THE #CHINESEGP
Following post-Race technical checks, 3 cars have been disqualified from the #ChineseGP 🇨🇳
#FIA #F1
SAMUEL ETO'O IS THE ONLY PLAYER IN HISTORY TO WIN TREBLE WITH TWO DIFFERENT CLUBS
Samuel Eto'o is the only player in HISTORY to win the treble with two different clubs in two consecutive seasons 🏆🥹🇨🇲
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