Football

The highly anticipated Kolkata Derby, a clash between city giants Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Emami East Bengal FC, has been canceled due to ongoing protests over the tragic rape and murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar hospital in Kolkata. The decision to abandon the concluding Durand Cup Group A match was made a day before the scheduled date as the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, responsible for managing security at the Salt Lake Stadium, failed to commit adequate forces.The organizers, the Indian Army and the Government of West Bengal, cited the "prevailing situation" as the reason for the cancellation. The city and its adjoining districts have been witnessing widespread protests, diverting police personnel away from the match. Additionally, there were concerns about the possibility of protests and demonstrations spilling over into the stadium, creating a major disturbance.While no specific reason was given in the official statement, sources within the organizing committee indicated that the police commissionerate could not provide the necessary security to manage a 'derby' match, which typically attracts over 60,000 spectators.The organizers have tentatively informed the teams that they will be awarded a point each. With both teams tied on six points from two wins each, the additional point will not alter their current positions. Mohun Bagan SG will take the top spot due to a better goal difference and advance to the quarterfinals, while East Bengal is also likely to qualify as one of the two second-placed teams.The cancellation of the Kolkata Derby has disappointed fans and cast a shadow over the Durand Cup. The match is considered one of the most prestigious rivalries in Indian football, and its absence will be a significant loss for the tournament.

The Premier League 2024-25 season kicks off with a highly anticipated clash between Chelsea and defending champions Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Both teams will be eager to start their campaigns with a victory, but Chelsea face an uphill battle against a formidable City side.Chelsea have not tasted success in their last six Premier League encounters with Manchester City, drawing twice and losing four times since their 2-1 away win in May 2021. However, the Blues have a strong record in their opening matches, having accumulated 67 points, second only to Manchester United's 21 wins.Manchester City, on the other hand, have won their Premier League opener in 12 of the last 13 seasons, with the exception of a 0-1 defeat at Tottenham in 2021-22. They will be without Oscar Bobb and Rodri for the match, while Chelsea will miss Conor Gallagher, whose future remains uncertain.In terms of head-to-head records, Chelsea hold a slight edge with 69 wins compared to City's 65. Their last two Premier League meetings ended in draws.Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed concerns about the size of his squad, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged the challenge of defending their title."We have to conquer it again, because they are not going to give us the Premier League for the 24/25 season," Guardiola said. "We have to live with that, but I know what we have to do. Point by point must be won."The match will be broadcast live on Star Sports Network in India and streamed on Hotstar.

Ten-man Bayer Leverkusen emerged victorious in the season-opening German Super Cup, defeating Stuttgart 4-3 on penalties after a thrilling 90 minutes that ended 3-3. The match marked the first time Leverkusen had lifted the trophy.Victor Boniface opened the scoring for Leverkusen in the 11th minute, but Stuttgart's Enzo Millot equalized just four minutes later. Leverkusen's hopes were dealt a blow shortly before halftime when Martin Terrier was sent off for a dangerous tackle, leaving them with 10 men.Stuttgart took advantage of their numerical superiority in the second half, with Deniz Undav giving them the lead. However, Patrik Schick's goal with two minutes remaining sent the match to penalties.In the shootout, Bayern Munich loanee Frans Kraetzig and Silas Mvumpa missed from the spot for Stuttgart, while Leverkusen converted all of their penalties.Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso praised his team's "huge spirit" and determination, particularly in the final 10-15 minutes when they were down a man. He expressed satisfaction with the team's start to the season and their renewed spirit.Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeness acknowledged that the match was a positive sign for his team, who had undergone significant upheaval during the summer. He noted that the performance demonstrated that they were "going in the right direction."The German Super Cup, which traditionally pits the Bundesliga champions against the Cup winners or league runners-up, was played without either Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund for the first time since 1993.

Mason Greenwood's Marseille debut was a resounding success, as he scored twice in a 5-1 rout of Brest in Ligue 1. The former Manchester United forward opened the scoring within three minutes and added another from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark. Luis Henrique also netted twice for Marseille, while Elye Wahi converted a second penalty to complete the scoring.Greenwood's arrival at Marseille has been met with controversy, as he was suspended by Manchester United in January 2022 following allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault. However, prosecutors dropped the charges in February 2023, and he spent last season on loan at Getafe.Despite the off-field concerns, Greenwood's performance on Saturday was impressive. He was involved in all three of Marseille's first-half goals, winning the penalty for the second and setting up both of Luis Henrique's strikes.Marseille's new manager, Roberto De Zerbi, was delighted with his team's performance. "I'm very happy with everything. I'm very pleased with the result and the attitude of the team," he said. "I don't know if we're really good and I don't know where we'll come, but people must be sure that this is a group of hard-working players, which is important."Brest's third-place finish last season was their best ever, but they got off to a poor start in their first game of the new campaign. They conceded three goals in the first half and were unable to recover."We're certainly going to have to rethink things if we want to get a good result at Lens," said Brest coach Eric Roy. "You can go down heavily as we did today... what's important is to know a bit about this team's ability to react."In another Ligue 1 match, Lille beat Reims 2-0 despite a frightening head injury sustained by Angel Gomes. The former Manchester United midfielder was knocked unconscious by a clash of heads and had to be stretchered off the pitch.Lille coach Bruno Genesio said he was "very, very scared" by the incident and criticized the conduct of Reims midfielder Amadou Kone, who was sent off for the challenge."There are things we shouldn't see on a pitch. There are fouls you can excuse. This one for me is not one," said Genesio.Bafode Diakite put Lille ahead towards the end of 34 minutes of added time in the first half and Jonathan David sealed victory late on.Monaco, last season's runners-up, beat promoted Saint-Etienne 1-0 courtesy of a Takumi Minamino goal.Paris Saint-Germain began their title defense with a 4-1 win at Le Havre on Friday in their first game since the departure of talisman Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi Arabian adventure has hit a roadblock as his Al Nassr side suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat to arch-rivals Al Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup on Saturday. The Portuguese superstar, who joined Al Nassr in January with much fanfare, has yet to win a domestic trophy in the Middle Eastern nation.Ronaldo's frustration was evident throughout the match, particularly after Al Hilal's fourth goal. Social media footage captured the 38-year-old throwing his arms up in exasperation, gesturing that his teammates were "asleep" and making another controversial gesture.Al Nassr had taken the lead through Ronaldo's goal just before halftime, but Al Hilal staged a remarkable comeback in the second half. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic equalized in the 53rd minute, followed by a brace from Aleksandar Mitrovic in the 61st and 64th minutes. Malcolm added the icing on the cake in the 72nd minute, capitalizing on an error from Al Nassr goalkeeper Bento."We showed how good we are in the second half," said Mitrovic after the match. "We had some problems in the first half and then changed in the second. We stayed calm and it feels good to get a trophy at the start of the season."Ronaldo's gestures towards his teammates have sparked controversy, with some criticizing his lack of leadership and others defending his frustration. The defeat leaves Al Nassr without a trophy this season and raises questions about Ronaldo's impact on the team.

Robert Lewandowski's brace propelled Barcelona to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Valencia in their La Liga season opener at the Mestalla Stadium. Despite missing key players, including Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and Ronald Araujo, Hansi Flick's side displayed resilience and determination to secure three points.The match started slowly, with both teams struggling to create clear-cut chances. However, Valencia took the lead just before halftime when Hugo Duro nodded home Diego Lopez's cross. Barcelona responded swiftly, with Lewandowski equalizing in stoppage time after a cross from Alejandro Balde.In the second half, Barcelona took control of the game. Lewandowski converted a penalty early on after Raphinha was fouled in the area. Valencia struggled to create chances, and Barcelona held on comfortably for the win.Lewandowski, who turns 36 next week, was delighted with his performance and the team's result. "My aim is always to score goals," he said. "It's very important for me to get goals for confidence."Flick praised his team's second-half display, particularly the performances of the young players. "The second half was much better than the first half," he said. "We came back at the end of the first half and in the second half, we did much better."Barcelona's victory is a positive start to their La Liga campaign. They will face Copa del Rey winners Athletic Bilbao in their next league match next Saturday.

Shillong Lajong FC's impressive run in the 133rd Durand Cup continued as they held FC Goa to a 1-1 draw in their final Group F match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong. The result secured a quarterfinal berth for Shillong Lajong, who topped the group with a better goal difference.Marcos Rudwere Silva gave Shillong Lajong the lead in the 30th minute, but Devendra Murgaonkar equalized for FC Goa just two minutes later. The match took a dramatic turn in the 81st minute when FC Goa goalkeeper Hritik Tiwari was sent off with a straight red card, leaving his team with 10 men.Despite the numerical advantage, Shillong Lajong was unable to capitalize and extend their lead. Both teams finished the group stage with seven points, but Shillong Lajong's superior goal difference earned them the top spot.Shillong Lajong joined Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Bengaluru FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Indian Army FT, and NorthEast United FC in the quarterfinals. Punjab FC and Emami East Bengal also booked their places in the last-eight stage as the two best second-placed sides.FC Goa, despite having seven points, was edged out by East Bengal, which had a goal difference of plus four compared to the former's plus two.The quarterfinal fixtures have been tentatively released by the organizers. East Bengal will face Shillong Lajong in Shillong on August 21, while NorthEast United FC will take on Indian Army FT in Kokrajhar. The remaining two quarterfinals will be played on August 23, with Mohun Bagan SG meeting Punjab FC in Jamshedpur and Bengaluru FC facing Kerala Blasters FC in Kolkata.

The Premier League kicked off its new season with a bang on Saturday, as Liverpool and Arsenal secured victories while Mohamed Salah and James Milner etched their names into the record books.Liverpool's reign under Arne Slot commenced with a 2-0 triumph over newly promoted Ipswich. Salah's second-half strike marked his ninth goal in Premier League season openers, surpassing the previous record held by Wayne Rooney, Alan Shearer, and Frank Lampard.Arsenal, last season's runners-up, also claimed a 2-0 home win against Wolverhampton. Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka found the net for the Gunners, who are expected to challenge Manchester City for the title.Newcastle overcame adversity to defeat Southampton 1-0 despite Fabian Schar's early red card. Joelinton's goal secured the three points for the Magpies.Everton endured a disappointing start, losing 3-0 at home to Brighton. Ashley Young's dismissal in the second half compounded the Toffees' misery.Brighton's victory was made even more remarkable by James Milner's record-breaking appearance. At 38 years old, Milner became the oldest player to start 23 seasons in the Premier League, surpassing Ryan Giggs' previous mark.Aston Villa edged out West Ham 2-1, while Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth played out a 1-1 draw. Forest's Danilo suffered a broken ankle in the match, casting a shadow over the occasion.Ed Sheeran, Ipswich's famous supporter, witnessed his team's defeat from a VIP box. Despite the loss, Ipswich's attacking style promises to provide entertainment throughout the season.

Arsenal kicked off their Premier League title campaign with a resounding 2-0 victory over Wolves at the Emirates Stadium, setting the tone for a season filled with aspirations of dethroning Manchester City.Kai Havertz opened the scoring for the Gunners in the first half, heading home a pinpoint cross from Bukayo Saka. The England winger then sealed the points after the interval with a thunderous strike, leaving Wolves with little chance.Arsenal's dominance was evident from the outset, with Ben White and Saka testing Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa early on. The visitors showed little attacking intent, allowing Arsenal to control the tempo and create numerous chances.Havertz's goal was a testament to Arsenal's attacking prowess, with Saka's delivery finding the German forward in the perfect position. Wolves responded briefly, but Arsenal remained in control, with Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli coming close to extending their lead.After the break, Arsenal continued to press, with Havertz and Thomas Partey going close. Wolves had a brief spell of pressure, but Arsenal's defense held firm.Saka's goal was the icing on the cake, a fitting reward for his impressive performance. The winger has emerged as a key figure for Arsenal, and his contribution on Saturday underlined his importance to the team.Arsenal's victory was a statement of intent, sending a clear message to their rivals that they are determined to challenge for the title. Mikel Arteta's side has shown no signs of complacency after their near-miss last season, and their performance against Wolves suggests they are ready to take the next step.