“Got to know about it at the last moment’: Jadeja on Ashwin’s retirement

Jamshedpur, Feb 2 (IANS) Jamshedpur FC defeated FC Goa by 3-1 at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Sunday. Khalid Jamil became the first head coach to do the league double over Manolo Marquez in the ISL since they had won 2-1 against the Gaurs in their reverse fixture on September 17.

Jamshedpur FC also displaced FC Goa at the second spot as a result of this win as they have 34 points to their name now as compared to the 33 of the Gaurs.

Lazar Cirkovic produced a peach of an effort to hammer the top right corner of the FC Goa net in the 34th minute. Javi Hernandez and Lazar were embroiled in a close situation on the flank, before the latter immediately picked possession and drilled the ball on target in an instant to get the Men of Steel the lead.

Jamshedpur FC maximised this momentum with RFYC graduate Mohammed Sanan dazzling inside the box from the left flank before getting into the final third and directing a shot towards the centre of the net. FC Goa goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari made a stop, but Javi Siverio was placed in the middle to tap the ball in to double the lead in the 37th minute.

At the brink of half-time, FC Goa cut the deficit with a seamless interlink between the duo of Brison Fernandes and Ayush Dev Chhetri. Brison squared up a quick pass for Ayush from the left to the centre, which the latter hammered into the bottom right corner with impeccable precision to bring the Gaurs back into the match.

The Gaurs sustained this intensity in the second half, as Mohammed Yasir and Sahil Tavora joined hands to cause a moment of trouble near the Jamshedpur FC box in the 57th minute. Tavora spotted space in the final third and set a straightforward delivery for Yasir, which hit the crossbar on the left side, despite pulling off the shot from the middle of the box.

However, Khalid Jamil’s move to bring Mobashir Rahman on the field in the place of Sourav Das in the 58th minute had arguably turned the game in Jamshedpur FC’s favour. A corner had come in Red Miners’ way in the 68th minute, and Mobashir stepped up for the corner and delivered a perfectly-paced curling ball could have got lost in the crowded FC Goa box, before Siverio headed it into the top left corner from close range to get the home side their third goal of the night, and an important win considering the points table dynamics too.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) As part of the ongoing awareness campaign for the River Yamuna, world champion powerlifter-turned-shooter Gaurav Sharma Mahant organised a cleanliness drive at the Yamuna ghats in the National Capital on Sunday.

Talking to reporters, Gaurav said, “The Yamuna river is very important for us, just like the Ganga. We all Delhiites should come forward and help in this cause. When we were cleaning the ghats, we found several idols thrown by people and also beer bottles.”

“This was really disheartening. We say Yamuna is like a mother to us and then we treat her like this. It is high time that people take the initiative of cleaning Yamuna,” he added.

Acharya Tushar Katyan, Acharya Nitin Sharma, Acharya Ankit Goswami, Acharya Mukesh Shukla, Tarun Verma, Rajiv Gupta, Ajay Kashyap, Chetan Gupta, Abhinandan Yadav, Sunil also participated in the cleanliness drive.

Under the banner of the Pingaksh Foundation, Gaurav participated in the activity organised on the ghats.

Last year, Gaurav distributed food items and water bottles to flood-affected people in Delhi. Several areas of the city were underwater as the water level of the Yamuna rose following heavy rainfall.

When Covid induced a lockdown in the country, the national-level shooter Gaurav, who is also a Mahant at a temple in Chandni Chowk, distributed food among the homeless in the city.

–IANS

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Manchester, April 9 (IANS): Manchester United received a welcome boost as Kobbie Mainoo worked out at Carrington on Wednesday. The 19-year-old, who hasn’t played for the Red Devils since the clash with Leicester on February 7, looked fit and fresh ahead of the trip to France for the Europa League match against Lyon.

Mainoo has been out after sustaining a muscle injury and will be hoping to get back to getting consistent game time after having played reduced minutes under new coach Ruben Amorim. The young midfielder broke through to the United senior squad last season and also started in the England squad that lost in the finals of the 2024 European Championship against Spain.

It remains to be seen whether or not Mainoo will be involved against Lyon at Groupama Stadium, but the boss did provide an update following the 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the weekend.

“Kobbie Mainoo is training with us; we want to be careful, again, with our players, but maybe he’s going to be in our squad,” said Amorim in a conversation with the club’s official website..

Matthijs de Ligt was missing from the session, after also being absent at Old Trafford against Manchester City.

It remains to be seen how long the Netherlands international is out of action, but Ruben may provide an update during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, ahead of the Europa League quarterfinal first leg, said a report on the club’s official website.

Toby Collyer didn’t join the session either, after suffering a knock recently.

Luke Shaw was involved once again as the Three Lions international continues to step up his return to full fitness. Shaw has only played three times for United this term but could stake a claim to be involved on Thursday night against the Ligue 1 outfit. Several Academy players were also present, with Harry Amass and Jayden Kamason. Godwill Kukonki and Jack Moorhouse are all training with the group.

–IANS

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