27-11-2021

SATURDAY, NOvEMBER 27, 2021
6
Naples-born Lorenzo Insigne wearing Napoli's special kit honoring Maradona earlier this month
Carlo Hermann.
Photo: AP/File
Maradona tributes the backdrop as
rattled Napoli aim to bounce back
SPORTS DESK
Napoli will pay tribute to Diego
Maradona on Sunday when they host
Lazio hoping to put two painful and
costly consecutive defeats behind them,
reports BSS.
The football world honoured
Maradona on the anniversary of his
death on Thursday but Napoli are using
this weekend's fixture to enable
Neapolitans to finally say goodbye at the
place where their icon was most at
home.
On Thursday Napoli told
supporters to arrive at the Stadio
Diego Armando Maradona over
three hours early so they could be in
the stands for an "intense"
commemoration ceremony
dedicated to the man who led a
previously mediocre team to their
only two Serie A titles and the 1989
UEFA Cup. Maradona remains a
God-like figure in Naples, where
children are still named Diego in his
honour and murals of the Argentine
can be found all over the city, despite
his grisly fall from grace at the end of
his turbulent seven years in
southern Italy, a failed drugs test
and details of a sordid private life
dogging him as he fled back to
Manchester United
likely to appoint Ralf
Rangnick as interim
manager for rest of
the season
SPORTS DESK
Manchester United are set to
appoint German Ralf
Rangnick as interim
manager on a six-month
contract, reports UNB.
The German is unlikely to
be in charge for Sunday's
Premier League match
against table-toppers
Chelsea due to work permit
reasons, but he might take
charge of the team as
manager against Arsenal on
December 2.
Manchester United has
been searching for an
interim manager since the
sacking of Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer after the
humiliating 4-1 defeat at
Watford on Saturday,
following a trophyless threeyear
season at the helm.
Michael Carrick,
Solskjaer's assistant, was
placed in temporary charge,
with United saying he would
be in place while they looked
to appoint an interim
manager to the end of the
season. Carrick took charge
of United on Tuesday for the
2-0 win at Villarreal, a result
that ensured they would
finish top of their
Champions League group.
Rangnick, 63, has built an
impressive coaching
reputation during his time in
Germany, chiefly through
spells at Stuttgart,
Hannover, Hoffenheim,
Schalke, and RB Leipzig.
It was with Schalke that he
enjoyed the most success,
finishing runners-up in
Germany's top flight in the
2004-05 season.
Buenos Aires in 1991.
Now Napoli fans will be able to
collectively express their love for
Maradona in the stadium where he
weaved magic at the peak of his career,
after being locked out by Covid-19 a year
ago. "Naples was always there for dad,
and he was always there for Naples,"
says his son Diego Maradona Junior in
a recent Sky Italia documentary.
"You see a sticker in a car, or a mural,
or a kid on the street who has a top with
Maradona written on the back, and that
fills me with pride because he gave the
people of my city unending joy."
Napoli will be hoping for a boost from
the pre-match events as they take on
Lazio off the back of losses at Inter
Milan and Spartak Moscow.
The 3-2 defeat at the San Siro last
weekend was Napoli's first of the league
season, cut the gap between the league
leaders and champions Inter to four
points and cost them their star striker
Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen is expected to be out of
action for three months after fracturing
his left cheek and eye socket in a
sickening clash of heads with Milan
Skriniar. To make matters worse their
hopes of making the Europa League
knockouts are still in the balance
following a fraught 2-1 defeat in
Moscow on Wednesday.
While Napoli prepare to give
Maradona the send off they would
have liked to a year ago, another
Argentine in the shape of Simeone is
making waves in Italy. After striking
against both Juventus and Napoli in
recent weeks, Simeone is having the
best season of his life on loan at
Verona under Igor Tudor and has
scored his nine Serie A goals in his last
eight matches. Verona travel to
struggling Sampdoria with the
European places in their sights thanks
to the 26-year-old's red hot form.
Key stats
1 -the number of games Juventus
have won by more than one goal
25 - Atalantahave a club recordequalling
number of points after 13
league fixtures ahead of the visit of Juve.
Fixtures (times GMT)
Friday
Cagliari v Salernitana (1945)
Saturday
Empoli v Fiorentina, Sampdoria v
Verona (1400), Juventus v Atalanta
(1700), Venezia v Inter Milan (1945)
Sunday
Udinese v Genoa (1130), AC Milan v
Sassuolo, Spezia v Bologna (1400),
Roma v Torino (1700), Napoli v Lazio
(1945).
Former Brazil Olympic boss
sentenced to jail for corruption
SPORTS DESK
Carlos Arthur Nuzman, the head of the
Brazilian Olympic Committee for more than
two decades, was sentenced to 30 years and
11 months in jail for allegedly buying votes
for Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympics,
reports UNB.
The ruling by Judge Marcelo Bretas
became public Thursday.
Nuzman, who also headed the Rio 2016
organizing committee, was found guilty of
corruption, criminal organization, money
laundering and tax evasion. The 79-year-old
executive won't be jailed until all his appeals
are heard.
He and his lawyer did not comment on the
decision. Bretas also sentenced to jail former
Rio Gov. Sergio Cabral, businessman Arthur
Soares and Leonardo Gryner, who was the
Rio 2016 committee director-general of
operations. Investigators say all three and
Nuzman coordinated to bribe the former
president of the International Association of
Athletics Federations, LamineDiack, and his
son Papa Diack for votes.
Cabral, who has been in jail since 2016 and
faces a series of other convictions and
investigations, told Bretas two years ago he
had paid about $2 million in exchange for up
to six votes in the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) meeting that awarded Rio
the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He said
the money had come from a debt owed to
him by Soares.
Cabral, who governed Rio state between
2003 and 2010, added that another
$500,000 was paid later to Diack's son with
the aim of securing three more votes of IOC
members.
Bretas' ruling labels Nuzman as "one of the
main responsibles for the promotion and the
organization of the criminal scheme, given
his position in the Brazilian Olympic
Committee and before international
authorities." The judge also said the sports
executive "headed and coordinated action of
the other agents, clearly as a leader" to
illegally garnish support at the IOC.
The judge said he will send the results of
the investigation to authorities in Senegal
and France, where Papa Diack and
LamineDiack live, respectively.
Rio's bid beat Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid
to host the 2016 Games.
The investigation in Brazil began in 2017
after French newspaper Le Monde found
members of the IOC had been bribed three
days before the 2009 session in Copenhagen
where Rio was picked to host the Games.
Former Brazil's Olympic Committee (COB) President Carlos Arthur
Nuzman sentenced to jail for corruption.
Photo: AP
Women's WC
Bangladesh suffer
first defeat losing
to Thailand
SPORTS DESK
High flying Bangladesh
suffered the first defeat in
their 3rd Group B match of
the ICC Women's Cricket
World Cup Qualifiers losing
to Thailand by 16 runs
under DL method in a rainmarred
match at the Harare
Sports Club ground in
Zimbabwe on Thursday,
reports UNB.
Earlier, Bangladesh made
a flying start in five-team
Group B of the ICC
Women's Cricket World
Cup Qualifiers upsetting
Pakistan by three wickets
and earned their everbiggest
victory crushing
USA by 270 runs, featuring
Sharmin Akhter's first- ever
century for Bangladesh in
women's cricket.
In the remaining group
match, Bangladesh will play
hosts Zimbabwe on
November 29.
Opener Sornnarin scored
the match highest 69 runs
off 113 balls featuring seven
fours, another opener
Natthakan made 69-ball 37
runs with three boundaries
while
NannapatKoncharoenkar
and NaruemolChaiwai
remained not out on 14 and
5 runs respectively.
Nahida Akhter and
FahinaKhatun of
Bangladesh took one wicket
each conceding 17 and 32
runs respectively.
Sent in to bat first in the
day's delayed start and raininterrupted
match,
Bangladesh Women's
scored moderate 176 runs
for 8 in in quota 50 overs
against Thai Women's,
featuring a half century by
FarganaHoque.
After departure of first
two batters -Bangladesh's
lone centurion Sharmin
Akhter (1) and captain Nigar
Sultana (1) -- for 14 runs in
6.3 overs, number four
batter FarganHoque pairing
with
opener
MurshidaKhatun
contributed 84 runs in the
3rd wicket stand to carry the
team total to 98 runs.
Fargana scored 51 runs in
81 balls hitting six
boundaries while Murshida
made 80-ball 46 runs with
the help of five fours.
Besides, LataMondal (29),
Rumana Ahmed (27) were
the other Bangladesh
batters reaching double
digit while another 12 runs
of the innings came from
extras.
Abahani spoil
Mariner's title
celebration
party
SPORTS DESK
A dramatic 3-4 goals defeat
to Abahani Limited spoiled
the title celebrations of
Mariner Youngs' Club as
well as ended their unbeaten
13-match unbeaten run in
the day's Super Five match
of the ongoing Premier
Division Hockey at the
MaulanaBhashani National
Hockey Stadium in the
capital on Thursday, reports
UNB.
Mariner, who had 39
points from 13 consecutive
wins, were needed just a
draw in the day's match to
secure the title of the
tournament. Now, they will
need to earn at least a draw
against Mohammedan in
their last and 15th league
match, scheduled to be held
on Saturday at the same
venue at 6:00pm.
Bjorn Kellerman and
Khorshadur Rahman scored
twice each for Abahani.
Bjorn scored in the 7th and
26th minutes of the game
while Khorshadur scored
two goals in the 59th and
60th minutes for the team.
Shohanur Rahman scored
a treble for Mariner in the
14th, 17th and 28th minutes.
With the day's feat,
Abahani earned 39 points
from 15 matches.
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz out of Davis
Cup Finals due to COVID-19
SPORTS DESK
Carlos Arthur Nuzman, the head of the
Brazilian Olympic Committee for more than
two decades, was sentenced to 30 years and
11 months in jail for allegedly buying votes
for Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympics.
The ruling by Judge Marcelo Bretas
became public Thursday, reports UNB..
Nuzman, who also headed the Rio 2016
organizing committee, was found guilty of
corruption, criminal organization, money
laundering and tax evasion. The 79-year-old
executive won't be jailed until all his appeals
are heard.
He and his lawyer did not comment on the
decision. Bretas also sentenced to jail former
Rio Gov. Sergio Cabral, businessman Arthur
Soares and Leonardo Gryner, who was the
Rio 2016 committee director-general of
operations. Investigators say all three and
Nuzman coordinated to bribe the former
president of the International Association of
Athletics Federations, LamineDiack, and his
son Papa Diack for votes.
Cabral, who has been in jail since 2016 and
faces a series of other convictions and
investigations, told Bretas two years ago he
had paid about $2 million in exchange for up
Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action at the Erste Bank Open.
to six votes in the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) meeting that awarded Rio
the Olympic and Paralympic Games. He said
the money had come from a debt owed to
him by Soares. Cabral, who governed Rio
state between 2003 and 2010, added that
another $500,000 was paid later to Diack's
son with the aim of securing three more
votes of IOC members.
Bretas' ruling labels Nuzman as "one of the
main responsibles for the promotion and the
organization of the criminal scheme, given
his position in the Brazilian Olympic
Committee and before international
authorities." The judge also said the sports
executive "headed and coordinated action of
the other agents, clearly as a leader" to
illegally garnish support at the IOC.
The judge said he will send the results of
the investigation to authorities in Senegal
and France, where Papa Diack and
LamineDiack live, respectively.
Rio's bid beat Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid
to host the 2016 Games. The investigation in
Brazil began in 2017 after French newspaper
Le Monde found members of the IOC had
been bribed three days before the 2009
session in Copenhagen where Rio was picked
to host the Games.
Photo: Reuters
Man City, PSG and Real Madrid among
Champions League qualifiers
SPORTS DESK
Manchester City beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-
1 on Wednesday but both clubs qualified for
the last 16 of the Champions League, along
with Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Sporting
Lisbon, reports BSS.
Gabriel Jesus tapped in from Bernardo
Silva's deft knockdown on 76 minutes to
settle an absorbing match at the Etihad after
Raheem Sterling had cancelled out
KylianMbappe's goal.
Before Jesus sent the crowd wild in
Manchester, Neymar shot wide to blow a
golden chance to put the Parisians ahead.
Lionel Messi had a low-key game and
Sergio Ramos, named among the
substitutes, was not called on to make his
PSG debut.
Pep Guardiola's City, the beaten finalists
last season, are guaranteed of winning
Group A, while PSG qualified in second place
despite the defeat because RB Leipzig
thrashed Club Brugge 5-0 in Belgium.
PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino, in the city
where he is being linked with the vacant
Manchester United job, insisted his
expensively-assembled side were showing
improvement.
"We have to improve," added Pochettino.
"I am happy in the process. Things are better
than one month ago and much better than
two months ago. Little by little the team is
going to improve."
About the United rumours, the former
Tottenham coach said: "We are living in a
business that rumours are there, sometimes
positive, sometimes negative."
Guilty verdict and a goal -
Karim Benzema scored just hours after
being found guilty by a French court in a
blackmail case as Real Madrid eased past
Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0 to reach the knockout
stage.
The French striker notched his team's
third goal of a confident display in
Transnistria after David Alaba's free-kick
and Toni Kroos' strike as Real took revenge
for their shock 2-1 loss to Sheriff in Madrid
earlier this season.
Bangladesh Cricket League begins December 10
SPORTS DESK
The ninth edition of the Bangladesh Cricket
League, the franchise based first-class
tournament of the country, will get
underway on December 10, reports UNB.
The tournament alongside four-day
matches will also stage one-day games
between the four participating teams.
The tournament with the participation of
Walton Central Zone, BCB South Zone,
Islami Bank East Zone and BCB North Zone
- will first hold the four-day games. The two
teams who finish top in the league phase will
play the final. The teams will then play the
one-day competition in similar tournament
format and the top two teams will play the
final.
The players' draft for the upcoming season
of the tournament was held at the
Bangladesh Cricket Board media center
Wednesday. A total of 147 cricketers,
including the six retained by each team, were
put up for the draft where a total of 67
players got picked by the four teams. Only
Central Zone and East Zone completed their
squad of 24.
South Zone in total have 21 cricketers in
the dressing room while North Zone bagged
22 players. The teams have named
mainstream national cricketers in Tamim
Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mustafizur
Rahman but it is understood that none will
be available due to national commitment
and the packed schedule. North Zone
meanwhile picked the veteran
Mahmudullah who announced Test
retirement Wednesday.
It is understood that Mahmudullah has
quit longer version cricket in both
international and domestic circuit.
The squads:
Walton Central Zone
Retained: ShuvagataHom, Taibur
Rahman, Abdul Majid, Shahidul Islam,
Soumya Sarkar, Mukidul Islam
Picked: Mosaddek Hossain, Hasan Murad,
RobiulHaque, Mizanur Rahman, Jahurul
Islam, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Zaker Ali,
Salman Hossain, Abu Haider, Monir
Hossain, MunimShahriar, Al Amin Jr,
Mohammad Mithun, Nazmul Islam Apu,
Abdul Halim, Raqibul Hasan Noyon,
Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Nazmul Hossain
Shanto
BCB South Zone
Retained: Fazley Mahmud Rabbi,
AnamulHaque Jr, Mahedi Hasan, Kamrul
Islam Rabbi, Farhad Reza, Nasum Ahmed
Picked: Amit Hasan, TowhidHridoy,
Pinak Ghosh, Zakir Hasan, Mustafizur
Rahman, Nahidul Islam, Sumon Khan,
EnamulHaque Jr, SalauddinShakil,
Myshukur Rahman, Zahid Abed, Ziaur
Rahman, Shamsul Islam Anik, Nurul
Hasan, Mehedi Hasan Miraz.