Bose to lead Indian football team in SAFF Cup opener

New Delhi

Young defender Subhasish Bose will captain India in the opening match of the SAFF Cup against Sri Lanka in Dhaka on September 5, said coach Stepehn Constantine. “Subhasish has been very impressive in the recent camps. In the first few days, he had to work a lot and being a fighter, he has made a strong comeback. I’m very proud of 

him and obviously, it’s going to be a very special moment for him,” said Constantine. Asked whether the defending champions will start as favourites, the 55-year-old said: “I have always looked at it as an opportunity to provide some international experience to the youngsters and that’s why we have come with a U-23 squad. Obviously, we have come to win the tournament. We have a fair chance of getting the job done but I won’t say that we’re going to start as favourites,” he said. India are clubbed with Sri Lanka and 2008 champions Maldives in Group B, whereas hosts Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan are placed in Group A.

New Delhi

Young Indian shuttlers win titles in Ukraine

Young Indian shuttlers Anoushka Parikh and Saurabh Sharma, and Krishna Prasad Garaga and Dhruv Kapila clinched the mixed doubles and men’s doubles titles, respectively, at the RSL Kharkiv International challenge in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Second seeds Saurabh and Anoushka defeated Poland’s Pawel Smilowski and Magdalena Swierczynska 18-21 21-19 22-20 in the mixed doubles final. Krishna and Dhruv then beat Germany’s Daniel Hess and Johannes Pistorius 21-19 21-16 in a 36-minute doubles final.

Mumbai

Former footballer Arthur Pereira no more

Former Maharashtra football player Arthur Pereira died here on Monday. Pereira, 70, was fighting a battle against cancer for the past one year, sources said. He was kept on ventilator support and died Monday morning at a private hospital in suburban Borivili. He is survived by a wife and two daughters. Pereira toured Russia as a striker with the Indian team in 1971. He also represented Maharashtra in the Santosh Trophy from 1971 to 1976. — Agencies

PARIS

France face Germany without captain Lloris

France will return to the soccer pitch for the first time since being crowned World Cup champions without their captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris when they face a Germany team looking to recover from their humiliating early exit in Russia. Les Bleus will face Germany in the opening match of UEFA’s Nations League, a new tournament designed mainly to replace friendly internationals. France coach Didier Deschamps said the injured Lloris would be replaced on Thursday by Montpellier’s Benjamin Lecomte. 

Melbourne

Abdominal injury ends Smith’s CPL stint

Former Australian skipper Steve Smith has been forced to cut short his Caribbean Premier League (CPL) stint with Barbados Tridents owing to an abdominal injury. The 29-year-old has appeared in seven matches for his team in the ongoing T20 league but he will now miss the rest of the tournament owing to the injury. Trident skipper Jason Holder said that Smith suffered a slight tear in the abdomen and, therefore, he is now heading back to Australia for further treatment.

Madrid

Ronaldo buys 51 per cent stake in Real Valladolid

Former Brazilian striker Ronaldo has become the primary owner of Spanish football club Real Valladolid after buying 51 per cent stake in the team for $3,48,61, 500. Club president Carlos Suarez hoped that the team would grow in his leadership. Ronaldo said the management would try to build the best possible team while also assuring a rapid growth of the club in the coming time. — Agencies