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Real Madrid Triumphs, Liverpool Stays Unbeaten in Champions League Drama
Sports Desk
11 Dec 2024, 10:50
Photo: AFP
After consecutive losses in the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid made a strong comeback with a 3–2 win against Italian club Atalanta. The attacking trio of Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Jr. each scored in the match.
In other matches, Bayern Munich and PSG delivered goal-fests. Bayern, despite trailing early, thrashed Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk 5–1. PSG secured a comfortable 3–0 win over Austrian side Salzburg.
Meanwhile, Liverpool edged out Girona 1–0, thanks to a penalty goal by Mohamed Salah. This victory marked six wins out of six for Arne Slot's team this season. Among the 36 teams in the tournament, Liverpool is the only club to have won all its matches and has already secured its place in the knockout stage.
Quick Glance at the Results:
- Atalanta 2–3 Real Madrid
- Girona 0–1 Liverpool
- Shakhtar Donetsk 1–5 Bayern Munich
- Salzburg 0–3 PSG
- Leverkusen 1–0 Inter Milan
- Club Brugge 2–1 Sporting Lisbon
- Leipzig 2–3 Aston Villa
- Brest 1–0 PSV Eindhoven
- Dinamo Zagreb 0–0 Celtic
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SAFF U-20 Women's Football Championship to be Hosted in Bangladesh in July
According to the new schedule of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the SAFF Under-20 Women's Championship will take place in July.
This decision was made during a meeting of the SAFF Competition Committee on Tuesday, December 17. Bangladesh will be the host country for the event, which is scheduled to take place from July 1 to 11, 2025.
The SAFF Under-20 Women's Championship was originally set to be held in February 2025, with Bangladesh announced as the host. However, a few days ago, the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) postponed the event.
The rescheduling of the AFC's 2025 calendar led to the SAFF authorities revising the dates for all their competitions. Since the SAFF age-group tournaments are considered preparatory rounds for the AFC's age-group competitions, the SAFF age-group events have been rescheduled to align with the AFC's calendar.
FIFA The Best Awards 2024: Announced Nominees, Where to Watch
On Tuesday (December 17), FIFA will reveal the winners of the ninth edition of the FIFA The Best Football Awards. The awards ceremony will take place at a gala dinner in Doha, Qatar, at the Aspire Academy.
Brazil has several nominees: striker Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid and goalkeeper Ederson from Manchester City are in contention for the best player and best goalkeeper awards, respectively; while Arthur Elias, the coach of the Brazilian National Team, is nominated for the women's football category.
Marta is in the running for the award named after her (Marta Award), which recognizes the most beautiful goal of the season. Vasco supporter Guilherme Gandra Moura, affectionately known as "little Gui," is among the nominees for the FIFA Fan Award.
Where to Watch?
The announcement of the winners will be live on FIFA.com starting at 2 pm (Brasília time).
The event will feature the presence of dignitaries, football legends, and various local and regional ambassadors, alongside pioneers of the sport.
All winners of the awards were selected through a voting system that equally weighs votes from fans, national team captains, and coaches from both women's and men's national teams, as well as media representatives.
Fans also participated in the voting for the formation of the FIFA The Best women's and men's teams. For the selection of the starting eleven, fans had access to a list of 77 players, selecting them in predefined formations. The results were based on this voting and the consultation of a panel of experts.
Starting this year, The Best will include the "Marta Award," given to the scorer of the most beautiful goal in women's football for the year. Voting on this matter was divided between fans and the FIFA Legends panel. The FIFA Fan Award winner was chosen solely by fans, while the FIFA Fair Play Award was determined by experts.
FIFA 'The Best' Awards Ceremony: Nominees
Men's Player
Dani Carvajal (Spain), Real Madrid
Erling Haaland (Norway), Manchester City
Federico Valverde (Uruguay), Real Madrid
Florian Wirtz (Germany), Bayer Leverkusen
Jude Bellingham (England), Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe (France), Paris Saint Germain/Real Madrid
Lamine Yamal (Spain), Barcelona
Lionel Messi (Argentina), Inter Miami
Rodri (Spain), Manchester City
Toni Kroos (Germany), Real Madrid (now retired)
Vinicius Junior (Brazil), Real Madrid
Women's Player
Aitana Bonmati (Spain), Barcelona
Barbra Banda (Zambia), Shanghai Shengli/Orlando Pride
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway), Barcelona
Keira Walsh (England), Barcelona
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica), Manchester City
Lauren Hemp (England), Manchester City
Lindsey Horan (USA), Olympique Lyonnais
Lucy Bronze (England), Barcelona/Chelsea
Mallory Swanson (USA), Chicago Red Stars
Mariona Caldentey (Spain), Barcelona/Arsenal
Naomi Girma (USA), San Diego Wave
Ona Batlle (Spain), Barcelona
Salma Paralluelo (Spain), Barcelona
Sophia Smith (USA), Portland Thorns
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi), Paris Saint-Germain/Olympique Lyonnais
Trinity Rodman (USA), Washington Spirit
Women's Coach
Arthur Elias (Brazil), Brazil
Elena Sadiku (Sweden), Celtic
Emma Hayes (England), Chelsea/USA
Futoshi Ikeda (Japan), Japan
Gareth Taylor (England), Manchester City
Jonatan Giraldez (Spain), Barcelona/Washington Spirit
Sandrine Soubeyrand (France), Paris FC
Sonia Bompastor (France), Olympique Lyonnais/Chelsea
Men's Coach
Carlo Ancelotti (Italy), Real Madrid
Lionel Scaloni (Argentina), Argentina
Luis de la Fuente (Spain), Spain
Pep Guardiola (Spain), Manchester City
Women's Goalkeeper
Alyssa Naeher (USA), Chicago Red Stars
Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany), Chelsea/NJ/NY Gotham
Ayaka Yamashita (Japan), INAC Kobe Leonessa/Manchester City
Cata Coll (Spain), Barcelona
Mary Earps (England), Manchester United/Paris Saint-Germain
Men's Goalkeeper
Andriy Lunin (Ukraine), Real Madrid
David Raya (Spain), Arsenal
Ederson (Brazil), Manchester City
Emiliano Martinez (Argentina), Aston Villa
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy), Paris Saint-Germain
Mike Maignan (France), AC Milan
Unai Simon (Spain), Athletic Club
Tigers Secure Historic Series Win on West Indies Soil
Despite a modest target of just 129 runs in the second T20, Bangladesh pulled off an incredible victory against the West Indies—something even the most optimistic fans might not have anticipated. However, after witnessing the first T20, some supporters held on to hope, and the Tigers delivered another stunning performance.
Bangladesh bowled out the Caribbean side for just 102 runs, securing a 27-run victory and clinching the series with one match to spare. Earlier, in the first T20, Bangladesh had claimed a thrilling 7-run win.
The Tigers' red-and-green jerseys shone brightly as they celebrated this remarkable achievement, showcasing their bowling brilliance and resilience on foreign soil.
Bangladesh Sweeps West Indies with an 80-Run Victory
Bangladesh Sweeps West Indies with an 80-Run Victory
After the disappointment of being whitewashed by the West Indies in ODIs, the Tigers redeemed themselves in style, handing the hosts a T20 series whitewash on their own turf, bringing joy to their fans.
On Friday (December 20), at the Arnos Vale Ground in St. Vincent, Bangladesh defeated the West Indies by a massive 80 runs in the third and final T20 match of the series.
Batting first after winning the toss, Bangladesh set an imposing target of 190 runs. In response, the West Indies suffered an early setback when Brandon King was dismissed by Taskin Ahmed for a duck in the first over. After a brief rain interruption, Sheikh Mahedi struck in the very next over, further unsettling the hosts.
Bangladesh had never won a T20 series on West Indies soil before. This time, after achieving that milestone, the Tigers made history by whitewashing the hosts for the first time. This marks the second time Bangladesh has whitewashed an opponent in an away series consisting of three or more matches. Overall, it’s the third time Bangladesh has achieved a T20 series whitewash, with the previous instances being against Ireland and England.
In the mission to complete the whitewash, Bangladesh set a challenging target of 190 runs for the West Indies. The hosts stumbled right at the start, losing two wickets within just seven runs. Taskin Ahmed trapped Brandon King LBW for a duck on the second ball of the innings, and Sheikh Mahedi removed Justin Greaves (6 off 5) in the next over.
Nicholas Pooran and Johnson Charles then built a 38-run partnership off 24 balls. However, Mahedi broke the stand by bowling Pooran (15 off 10) in the sixth over. In the following over, Hasan Mahmud dismissed Roston Chase for a duck, while Charles (23 off 18) fell to a direct hit from Rishad Hossain at midwicket. Three wickets fell for just one run, pushing the West Indies out of contention.
Captain Rovman Powell also failed to deliver, edging a delivery from Rishad Hossain to Liton Das. He managed only 2 runs off 12 balls.
With the West Indies struggling at 60 for 6, Romario Shepherd tried to steady the innings with the lower order. However, Rishad struck twice in the 15th over, dismissing Gudakesh Motie and Alzarri Joseph in the space of four balls, effectively ending the fightback.
Shepherd, realizing the battle was lost, gave away his wicket in the next over, caught off Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Shepherd top-scored for the West Indies with 33 off 27 balls, including one four and three sixes. The hosts were bowled out for 109 in 16.4 overs.
Rishad Hossain was the standout bowler with figures of 3 wickets for 21 runs in 4 overs. Taskin Ahmed and Sheikh Mahedi each claimed 2 wickets, conceding 30 and 13 runs, respectively.
Earlier, Bangladesh posted a formidable total of 189 for 7, thanks to a blistering innings from Zakir Ali, who smashed six sixes.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Bangladesh skipper Liton Das saw a strong start from Parvez Hossain Emon, who scored 39 off 21 balls with four boundaries and two sixes. However, Liton managed only 14 off 13, and Tanzid Tamim added 9 off 9. Mehidy Hasan Miraz contributed 29 off 23 before Zakir stole the show.
Zakir remained unbeaten with 72 off 41 balls, featuring 3 fours and 6 sixes, taking Bangladesh to 189. Tanzim Hasan Sakib chipped in with 17 off 12, hitting one boundary and one six.
Tarique Rahman Hails Bangladesh's 3-0 T20 Sweep Over West Indies
Tarique Rahman, Acting Chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) , extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Bangladesh Cricket Team for their impressive 3-0 clean sweep in the T20 series against the West Indies.
Sharing his message on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Rahman praised the team's exceptional performance, highlighting their dedication, teamwork, and extraordinary skills that led to the remarkable victory.
"Congratulations to the Bangladesh Cricket Team on their outstanding 3-0 clean sweep in the T20 series against the West Indies. This remarkable achievement is a testament to your unwavering dedication, exceptional teamwork, and extraordinary skills on the field. Such victories not only showcase your talent but also inspire millions across the nation, reinforcing the pride and passion we hold for cricket," he wrote.
Expressing optimism for the future, Rahman added, "As you continue to raise the bar, may this success propel you toward even greater accomplishments on the international stage. The entire nation stands united in celebrating your triumph."
The clean sweep by the Bangladesh team has sparked widespread jubilation across the country, with fans and public figures alike applauding the players for their stellar performance.
12 Umpires Including 2 Foreigners to Officiate BPL
The 11th season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is set to commence on December 30. BCB President Faruk Ahmed has announced that this year's BPL will be conducted in a completely new format compared to the previous ten editions.
As part of this revamp, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has planned a colourful musical event a week before the tournament begins.
The musical event will take place on December 23 at the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Mirpur. Additionally, the list of umpires for this season has already been finalized by the BPL authorities. A total of 12 umpires will be officiating the matches in this edition.
This includes 10 local umpires and 2 foreign umpires. Four match referees will also be part of the tournament. This information has been confirmed to a private media outlet by a source from the BCB.
This season will feature advanced technologies such as enhanced DRS, Hawk-Eye, and spy cameras. Various arrangements have also been made for the fans. The BPL mascot has already been unveiled. Additionally, the 11th BPL will commemorate the student-public movements of July-August in several ways.
In honour of the memory of Shaheed Mir Mugdha, free drinking water will be available for spectators in the stands. A section of the gallery will be designated as a "Zero Waste Zone." To facilitate the fans, e-ticketing services will be introduced.
For the first time, this edition will feature a theme song. Multiple inaugural events will be held in different cities. Concerts are scheduled on December 23, 25, and 27 in the three host cities of the tournament: Dhaka, Chattogram, and Sylhet.
U-19 Women's Asia Cup: / Bangladesh's Dream Shattered by Loss to India
Just days ago, Bangladesh’s U-19 team brought home the Asia Cup title by defeating India. This time, the Bangladeshi girls had a similar opportunity—not only to win the title but also to avenge their Super Four loss against India.
However, they couldn’t seize the chance, losing to India in the Asia Cup final by a significant margin of 41 runs.
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Bangladesh restricted India to 117 runs for 7 wickets, sparking hopes of a championship win.
But the batters faltered, and the team was bowled out for just 76 runs in 18.3 overs, falling short of their dream.
