N Korea beat Tajikistan 1-0 to win Intercontinental Cup

Ahmedabad

North Korea triumphed in the second edition of Intercontinental Cup football tournament beating Tajikistan by a solitary goal in the final. The Koreans grabbed the lead in the 71st minute through Pak Hyon Il, who found the net just after coming on as a substitute at the EKA Arena by TransStadia. Both the finalists were the two lowest-ranked teams of the four-nation tournament, the other participants being hosts India and Syria. At half time, it was goalless with North Korea coming closest to scoring in the 20th minute through Jong Il Gwan. 

Cuttack
Paddlers win Commonwealth TT Championships 

The Indian men defended their crown, while the women won their maiden title at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships. The men beat England 3-2 to win their second successive title. Their only other gold had come in 2004. The women downed England 3-0, ending Singapore’s stranglehold on the trophy since 1997. Singapore, who sent a weak team, had lost to India in the semifinals and eventually finished third. Archana Kamath began it for India by beating Ho Tin-Tin 8-11 13-11 11-9 11-9. Manika Batra (in pic) decimated Denise Payet 11-6 11-4, 11-3, while Madhurika Patkar beat Emily Bolton 11-9 11-7 11-6. In the men’s final, Harmeet Desai, celebrating his 26th birthday, brought India back from the brink. — Agencies