Real Madrid fight back to beat Atletico Madrid and win 10th European crown

May 25, 2014

Atletico MadridLisbon, May 25: Real Madrid secured a 10th European Cup when they snatched a stoppage-time equaliser before extra-time goals by Gareth Bale, Marcelo and a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty gave them a 4-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday.

Atletico, who won the Spanish league title a week ago, looked set to complete a double after Diego Godin's 36th-minute header, helped by a blunder from Real keeper Iker Casillas, put them in control of the first European final between teams from the same city.

Real attacked relentlessly in the second half at Lisbon's Stadium of Light but had to wait until the third minute of stoppage time for an equaliser when Sergio Ramos headed in powerfully from a corner.

Atletico looked a spent force in extra time and Real completed the comeback win when Bale headed them into the lead in the 110th minute before Marcelo slammed in a late third.

Ronaldo, the Portugal captain playing in his own capital city, scored the fourth from the penalty spot to clinch an astonishing turnaround and a double of Champions League and King's Cup after Real could only finish third in La Liga.

Atletico took the lead when their city rivals failed to clear a corner and they hooked the ball back into the box.

Casillas, who came rushing out of his goal, was left stranded in no man's land as Godin beat him to the ball and headed towards goal. The keeper rushed back and attempted to scoop the ball out but it had already crossed the line.

It was a notable double for Godin who headed the goal in last week's 1-1 draw at Barcelona that secured Atletico's first league title since 1996.

The opener came five minutes after Real's world record signing Gareth Bale had spurned a great opportunity to put his side ahead when he picked up the ball in midfield after Tiago gave possession away cheaply.

Welshman Bale surged forward, powering his way deep into the Atletico penalty area, but waited too long to shoot and when he did he fired wide of Thibaut Courtois' goal.

That started a surge of Real pressure that finally paid off when Ramos headed the equaliser to force extra time.

The first period of that ended without another goal, but Real finally took control of the game in the last 15 minutes when Bale headed them in front in the 110th minute before Marcelo fired home the third and Ronaldo scored from the spot.

Ronaldo's goal was his 17th of the campaign, an all-time record for the competition, and meant Carlo Ancelotti became only the second man after Bob Paisley of Liverpool to win three European Cups as a coach after the Italian's earlier successes with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007.

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March 7,2020

Melbourne, Mar 7: Ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup against Australia, India spinner Poonam Yadav said that skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has given her a lot of support.

"Harmanpreet has been of immense support. When I got hit for a six in the first over, she came to me and said, 'Poonam, you're one of the most experienced players in the team, and we expect better of you'," Poonam said.

The 28-year-old experienced bowler has played 68 shortest format games for India and taken 94 wickets at an average of 22.66.

She has been in devastating form throughout the tournament and has bagged nine wickets so far.

"So, that kind of stirred something within me. I told myself if my captain has that much faith in me, I should be able to make a comeback," she said.

"I took a wicket in the very next ball, and didn't look back since. Now when I look back at that moment, it means so much in the context of my individual performance and run to the final," she added.

In the opening game against Australia at Sydney Showground, Poonam came within a whisker of the third hat-trick in Women's T20 World Cup history, dismissing Rachael Haynes and Ellyse Perry before Jess Jonassen was dropped.

The final of the tournament will be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on March 8 -- International Women's Day.

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July 6,2020

New Delhi, Jul 6: India's cricket chief Sourav Ganguly says improved fitness standards and a change in culture have led to the country developing one of the world's best pace attacks.

Spearheads Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah are part of a battery of five formidable quick bowlers that have helped change India's traditional reliance on spin bowling.

"You know culture has changed in India that we can be good fast bowlers," Ganguly said in a chat hosted on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Twitter feed.

"Fitness regimes, fitness standards not only just among fast bowlers but also among the batters, that has changed enormously. That has made everyone understand and believe that we are fit, we are strong and we can also bowl fast like the others did."

The West Indies dominated world cricket in the 1970s and 1980s led by a fearsome pace attack that included all-time greats such as Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner.

Recently Indian quicks have risen to the top in world cricket with Shami, Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in a deadly arsenal.

"The West Indies in my generation were naturally strong," the former India captain said.

"We Indians were never such naturally strong... but we worked hard to get strong. But I think it is the change in culture as well that is very important."

Shami last month claimed that the current Indian pace attack may be the best in Test history.

"You and everyone else in the world will agree to this -- that no team has ever had five fast bowlers together as a package," said Shami.

"Not just now, in the history of cricket, this might be the best fast-bowling unit in the world."

Shami took 13 wickets during India's 3-0 home Test sweep over South Africa last year, while Bumrah has claimed 68 scalps in 14 Tests since his debut.

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April 2,2020

New Delhi, Apr 2: BJP MP and former cricketer Gautam Gambhir on Thursday said that he will donate his two year's salary to PM-CARES Fund to support the battle against coronavirus pandemic in the country.

"People ask what can their country do for them. The real question is what can you do for your country? I am donating my 2 year's salary to #PMCaresFund. You should come forward too! @narendramodi @JPNadda @BJP4Delhi #IndiaFightsCorona," Gambhir tweeted.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India climbed to 1965 on Thursday after 131 people confirmed positive in the past 12 hours, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

At present, there are 1764 COVID-19 active cases in the country and 50 people have died due to the lethal infection.

Interestingly, on this day in 2011, India lifted its second World Cup title after a drought of 28 years. Gambhir played a crucial role in the final and anchored the run-chase.

India won its first World Cup in 1983 under the leadership of former all-rounder Kapil Dev. 

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