DT e-Paper 15 March 2017
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<strong>DT</strong><br />
20<br />
WEDNESDAY, MARCH <strong>15</strong>, <strong>2017</strong><br />
Legend<br />
Ronaldinho to<br />
visit Pakistan<br />
• AFP, Karachi<br />
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho<br />
is set to visit Pakistan as part of<br />
a goodwill mission to promote the<br />
game in the cricket-mad country.<br />
The recently retired 36-year-old<br />
issued a short video message on<br />
Twitter saying simply "Pakistan, I<br />
am coming".<br />
News of Ronaldinho's visit has<br />
generated excitement among fans,<br />
and comes as the South Asian nation<br />
seeks to revive international<br />
sports fixtures that were disrupted<br />
by a militant attack on Sri Lanka's<br />
cricket team in 2009.<br />
Those efforts were given a boost<br />
when the country successfully<br />
staged the final of its Pakistan Super<br />
League cricket tournament in<br />
Lahore earlier this month, a rare<br />
match featuring prominent international<br />
sports stars.<br />
Ronaldinho is being brought<br />
to the country by UK-based Leisure<br />
Leagues - organisers of 5, 6<br />
and 7-a-side tournaments which<br />
recently announced plans to expand<br />
to Pakistan. Shahrukh Sohail,<br />
a Pakistan representative for the<br />
company confirmed the visit yesterday,<br />
adding the company would<br />
be launching tournaments next<br />
month in Pakistan's major cities<br />
Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore.<br />
He declined to say whether the<br />
Brazilian would arrive in time to<br />
make an appearance.<br />
Cricket-obsessed Pakistan has<br />
a strong base of football fans and<br />
players, particularly in southwestern<br />
Balochistan and the southern<br />
city of Karachi.<br />
But its national team has struggled<br />
in recent decades and has fallen<br />
to a lowly 198th place in the Fifa<br />
rankings.<br />
Pakistan Football Federation officials<br />
were involved in court wranglings<br />
against each other for the<br />
last two years, forcing the men's<br />
and women's teams out of international<br />
competitions. •<br />
Sports<br />
Chelsea’s French midfielder N’Golo Kante vies with Manchester United’s French midfielder Paul Pogba during their English FA Cup quarter-final at Stamford Bridge in<br />
London on Monday night<br />
AFP<br />
Conte, Mourinho feud as Kante sinks United<br />
• AFP, London<br />
N'Golo Kante blasted Chelsea to<br />
a fiery 1-0 win over 10-man Manchester<br />
United in the FA Cup quarter-finals<br />
on Monday as Antonio<br />
Conte and Jose Mourinho feuded<br />
on the touchline.<br />
Kante's superb second-half<br />
strike that eliminated the holders<br />
came after they had midfielder Ander<br />
Herrera sent off before the interval<br />
for two fouls on Chelsea star<br />
Eden Hazard.<br />
Incensed by United's aggressive<br />
approach in the first half, furious<br />
Chelsea manager Conte confronted<br />
United boss Mourinho and the pair<br />
had to be separated by the fourth<br />
official.<br />
Mourinho also whacked the ball<br />
dangerously close to Conte in the<br />
final moments as he tried to return<br />
it to the pitch, prompting another<br />
angry exchange with the Italian.<br />
Conte had the last laugh thanks<br />
to Kante and Chelsea's club record<br />
13th successive home win booked<br />
them a semi-final showdown with<br />
Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley.<br />
The Premier League leaders,<br />
now unbeaten in their last 12 meetings<br />
with United, remain on course<br />
for the double in Conte's first season<br />
since being appointed as Mourinho's<br />
permanent successor.<br />
It was another frustrating return<br />
to Stamford Bridge for former<br />
Chelsea manager Mourinho, who<br />
watched United suffer only their<br />
third defeat in all competitions<br />
since being thrashed 4-0 by his old<br />
team in October.<br />
After a draining trip to Russia for<br />
a Europa League tie last week and,<br />
with the second leg against Rostov<br />
looming on Thursday, this always<br />
looked a daunting fixture for<br />
United, who were without Zlatan<br />
Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney and<br />
Anthony Martial due to suspension<br />
and injury. •<br />
Brazilian club signs goalie<br />
convicted in murder<br />
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was invited by French outfit Paris Saint-Germain handball club to watch the<br />
European Championship match against Kiel Club of Germany on Sunday as their honoured guest<br />
COURTESY<br />
• AFP, Varginha<br />
A Brazilian football club brushed<br />
aside a storm of criticism to sign a<br />
goalkeeper convicted for murdering<br />
his girlfriend, whose body was<br />
fed to the dogs. Bruno Fernandes,<br />
32, was presented before reporters<br />
at a hastily arranged press conference<br />
in the southeastern city of<br />
Varginha, where he pulled on Boa<br />
Esporte club's black and red shirt,<br />
before going to a medical checkup.<br />
Bruno said he would now "concentrate<br />
on (his) work. The important<br />
thing for me is to get started,"<br />
he was cited as saying by the UOL<br />
news website.<br />
However, the talented goalie,<br />
who used to play for top Brazilian<br />
club Flamengo and had been touted<br />
as a recruit for Italian giants<br />
AC Milan, faces a bitter reception.<br />
Sponsors have fled second division<br />
Boa Esporte, including chief backer<br />
Gois and Silva, which withdrew<br />
Monday. Its logo was emblazoned<br />
on the shirt worn by Bruno. •
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