Eden Hazard the Hero as Chelsea Trump Manchester United to Win FA Cup

Agencies
May 20, 2018

London, May 20: Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 to lift the FA Cup thanks to Eden Hazard's penalty at Wembley on Saturday to salvage a disappointing season.

In what is still widely expected to be Chelsea manager Antonio Conte's final game in charge, the Blues withstood a second-half onslaught from United after Hazard's 22nd-minute spot-kick to ensure Jose Mourinho's men end the season trophyless.

On a day where the world's eyes were on a royal wedding 18 miles west in Windsor, Chelsea reigned on the field to salvage a campaign in which they failed to even qualify for the Champions League after finishing fifth in the Premier League.

And should it prove to be Conte's last game in charge, the Italian's bowed out on a high as his decision to start first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for the first time in the FA Cup this season over Willy Caballero was justified by a series of saves from the Belgian to keep United at bay after the break.

United were without top-scorer Romelu Lukaku from the start as the Belgian was only fit enough for a place on the bench against his former club due to an ankle injury.

Lukaku's presence was missed as Chelsea settled quickest with Hazard particularly lively in the space between the United defence and midfield.

The diminutive Belgian threatened first when he burst past Phil Jones only to see a fiercely-struck low effort parried by the legs of David de Gea.

Hazard's next break proved decisive as he took advantage of more indecision by Jones to race clear on goal before being chopped down by the England defender as he prepared to shoot.

Chelsea players and Conte argued for a red card rather than yellow, but Jones's attempt to play the ball saved him from a dismissal.

Hazard dusted himself down to coolly send De Gea the wrong way from the spot for his 18th goal of the season.

Lack of invention

United had come from a goal behind to win against Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals and the last time they met Chelsea at Old Trafford in February.

However, the lack of invention that Mourinho's side have been routinely criticised for throughout the campaign showed in their efforts to get back on terms.

Jones had United's best chance of the first half but headed wide at the back post as he tried to make amends for his earlier error.

Marcus Rashford also failed to make the most of a rare start as a central striker in Lukaku's absence.

The England international was unable make a clean contact when teed up by a purposeful Paul Pogba run in the last action of the first 45 minutes.

Courtois wasn't called into action until just before the hour mark when Rashford stung his palms as United dominated the second half.

The Chelsea 'keeper then made a brilliant stop low to his left to parry an acrobatic Pogba effort and Alexis Sanchez was denied a ninth goal in as many appearances at Wembley when he was flagged offside after firing the rebound into the roof of the net.

At the other end, De Gea kept United alive by saving from Marcos Alonso and Ashley Young was lucky to avoid conceding a second penalty when Alonso's cross came off his arm.

Rashford's biggest and last chance to make himself a hero came 20 minutes from time when Courtois rushed from his goal to make a brilliant save from the forward's attempted chip.

Mourinho reacted by hooking Rashford and Jesse Lingard for Lukaku and Anthony Martial.

But it was Pogba who had the biggest chance to level when the £89 million midfielder headed wide from a corner eight minutes from time.

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News Network
June 10,2020

Kingston, Jun 10: "Enough is enough", said West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as he opened up on the raging issue of racism and called for "respect and equality" for black people, who have faced discrimination for years.

Bravo joined the likes of his former captain Darren Sammy and Chris Gayle in denouncing racism in the wake of African-American George Floyd's killing at the hands of a white police officer in the USA.

"It's sad to see what's going on around the world. As a black man, we know the history of what black people have been through. We never ask for revenge, we ask for equality and respect. That's it," Bravo told former Zimbabwe cricketer Pommie Mbangwa in an Instagram live chat on Tuesday.

"We give respect to others. Why is it that we are facing this over and over? Now enough is enough. We just want equality. We don't want revenge, war.

"We just want respect. We share love and appreciate people for who they are. That's what is most important."

The 36-year-old, who has played 40 Tests, 164 ODIs and 71 T20Is for West Indies, said he wants the world to know that they are powerful and beautiful people and gave the example of greats such as Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan.

"I just want our brothers and sisters to know that we are powerful and beautiful. And at the end of the day, you look at some of the greats of the world, whether it is Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan we have had leaders who paved the way for us," he said.

Two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Sammy had earlier alleged that a racist nickname was used to address him during his IPL stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad and demanded an apology.

Sammy said he was called 'Kalu' while he was in India. 'Kalu' is a derogatory word to describe black people.

Gayle, who too plays in the IPL, took to Twitter to back Sammy, saying that racism does exist in cricket.

"It's never too late to fight for the right cause or what you've experienced over the years! So much more to your story, @darensammy88. Like I said, it's in the game!!," Gayle tweeted.

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News Network
January 23,2020

Jan 23: Quinton de Kock has been named as the new captain of the South Africa One-Day International side, taking over from Faf du Plessis, who is dropped altogether from the three-match series against England next month.

Du Plessis led South Africa in their disastrous 2019 World Cup campaign and has hinted at international retirement from all formats following the Twenty20 global finals in Australia later this year.

"We all know the quality of the player that Quinton de Kock has grown to become," CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Over the years we have watched him grow in confidence and become one of the top ODI wicket-keeper batsmen in the world. He has a unique outlook and manner in which he goes about his business and is tactically very street smart."

De Kock leads a 15-man squad with five uncapped players in seamers Lutho Sipamla and Sisanda Magala, left-arm orthodox spinner all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin, opening batsman Janneman Malan and wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne.

Magala, leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, seamer Lungi Ngidi and hard-hitting opening batsman Jon Jon Smuts must pass fitness tests before they can join the squad.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will be rested for the series, while allrounders Chris Morris and Dwaine Pretorius have also not been able to force their way in.

"The road towards the 2023 Cricket World Cup starts now and we want players doing well in our domestic structures to see the rewards of the hard work that they have put in," CSA Independent Selector Linda Zondi added.

The first ODI will be staged in Cape Town on Feb.4th, with the second in Durban three days later and the final match of the series to be held in Johannesburg on Feb.9th.

Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Jon Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne.

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Agencies
March 26,2020

Karachi, Mar 26: Pakistan's centrally-contracted cricketers will contribute Rs 5 million to the national government's emergency fund to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ehsan Mani on Wednesday said apart from centrally-contracted players contributing Rs 5 million, the employees in the board, up to the senior manager level, will contribute their one day's salary.

Those employed as general managers or on higher posts will give two days' salary to the fund.

"The PCB will collect all these funds and deposit it to the government's coronavirus fund," he said.

Pakistan has recorded more than 1,000 positive cases of the deadly virus, which has claimed more than 19,000 lives all over the world.

"It is the history of the cricket board that we always stand by the government in difficult times," Mani said.

The PCB has already given its high performances centre in Karachi at the national stadium to be used by paramedical staff working at the special coronavirus hospital set up at the expo centre in the in the city.

Mani said though cricket has been disrupted by the virus outbreak but it was far more important for the nation to stand by the government and also take all precautionary steps during the pandemic.

Pakistan's centrally-contracted players are entitled to monthly salaries ranging from Rs 5 to 12 lakh besides match fee and other earnings.

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