gustavo Matosas named Costa Rica coach
san jos: Former Uruguay international Gustavo Matosas has been appointed as the new coach of Costa Rica, the country's football federation said on Tuesday. The 51-year-old Matosas takes over from Oscar Ramirez, whose contract was not renewed after Costa Rica finished bottom of their group at the World Cup. Matosas twice won the Mexican league in charge of Leon, while he guided Club America to the CONCACAF Champions League title in 2014-15. Costa Rica were eliminated in the group stage in Russia with just one point, four years after the team made a surprise run to the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup.
Gopi, Rawat headline Indian field at ADHM
new delhi: Gopi T and defending champion Nitendra Singh Rawat will lead the Indian challenge at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on October 21. The Indian contingent will put up a fierce fight as the Asian Marathon Champion Gopi will lead the Indian Elite Men's category alongside course record holder Nitendra Singh Rawat. The two ran a thrilling race at the 2018 Tata Mumbai Marathon where Gopi pipped Rawat only in the last 200 metres to win the title. Avinash Sable, who stood third in the 2017 Delhi Half Marathon, will also add teeth to the competition. In the recently concluded Open National Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, Sable clinched the Gold in Steeplechase 3000m erasing the 37-year-old national record in the process. Sanjivani Jadhav and Monica Athare will lead the Indian Elite Women's category. The USD 2,80,000 event will witness participants running in four race categories - Half Marathon (elite & amateur), Great Delhi Run, 10K Run, Senior Citizens and Champions with Disability.
Indian team lands in China for int’l friendly
suzhou: Indian football coach Stephen Constantine said Wednesday that the friendly international against China will be an indicator to the team's progress ahead of next year's AFC Asian Cup. The Indian team arrived here for the international friendly against 76th ranked China on Saturday. "China are obviously a good side. They play some good football. Our performance against China will be a great indication of where we are and how far we need to go," Constantine said. Defender Pritam Kotal said they need to play friendlies against stronger opponents in order to "tighten their screws"."We need to play more games against the stronger teams to tighten the screws before we land in the UAE for the Asian Cup. We are eagerly waiting to give our best in front of the Chinese crowd on 13th," Kotal said. The team was greeted by a pleasant temperature of 15 degrees. The match is slated to be held at the Suzhou City Centre Olympic Stadium in Suzhou City. This is the first time an Indian senior national team is playing China away.
Disheartened Rehman retires from int’l cricket
lahore: Former Pakistan left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman, who along with teammate Saeed Ajmal famously stunned England during a 3-0 defeat in 2012, announced his retirement from international cricket Wednesday. The 38-year-old took 19 wickets and Ajmal finished with 24 when Pakistan whitewashed the then-world number one Test team in United Arab Emirates six years ago in one of the finest performances of his career. However Rehman said he was disheartened as of late after being ignored by national selectors. "I am announcing retirement from international cricket with a heavy heart," Rehman told media in Lahore. "It was a tough decision but I have decided to call it a day." A wily spinner Rehman finished his 22 Test career just one short of a deserved hundred wicket mark, while he took 30 in 31 one-days and eight wickets in 11 Twenty20 internationals. His last Test was in Sri Lanka in 2014 before the selectors began picking younger players in his place to form a new team. Rehman said dismantling the English batsmen in 2012 was his most memorable moment as a professional.
