Dazzling Kohli ton keeps India alive

Virat Kohli was "in the zone" during his 133 not out off 86 balls

India 3 for 321 (Kohli 133*, Gambhir 63) beat Sri Lanka 4 for 320 (Dilshan 160*, Sangakkara 105) by seven wickets

Turnarounds don't come any better. Fortunes don't change more dramatically. And emotions don't bear a starker contrast. At the halfway stage, Sri Lanka would have felt they had one foot in the final, having left the India bowlers deflated after a dominating performance with the bat. And they would have been right to think that way, the Indian batting having shown little promise in the series and the team on the brink of elimination.But Virat Kohli put on an imperious display of strokemaking, his malleable wrists powering an Indian fightback conspicuous by its absence on what had been, until now, two forgettable overseas trips. Kohli's innings made a mockery of an imposing score, kept India's finals hopes alive and left Sri Lanka having to beat Australia for a third time in the tournament to knock India out.Given India's poor outings with the bat in their recent games, one would have expected them to struggle to chase a target of 321 in 50 overs. They achieved it in 36.4 - needing to chase it in 40 to stay alive in the series - and did so with Kohli finishing things off in a blaze of glory. Kohli was in the zone; he dismissed anything that came his way with clinical precision, found the boundary at will whether the field was in or pushed back, ran swiftly between the wickets to catch the fielders off guard and middled the ball with scarcely believable consistency.While Kohli was the protagonist in India's successful chase, the other characters played their due part. Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar would have wanted to do more but gave India the explosive start they desperately needed to stage a counterattack; Gautam Gambhir continued to be fluent, just four boundaries in a knock of 63 off 64 balls showing the toil behind the runs; and Suresh Raina, under pressure to perform, kept Kohli valuable company in a matchwinning stand.If India were insipid with their bowling, Sri Lanka were far worse, as wides flowed, gift balls were doled out with regularity and the fielding buckled under the pressure of an unexpected fightback. Both innings were replete with fumbles, misfields, wayward throws - one of them, had it been on target, could have run Kohli out - making batting even more profitable on the easiest track in the series thus far. The brisk start to the chase and the subsequent consolidation by Gambhir and Kohli meant India were in with a fighting chance with two Powerplays still remaining, and both proved highly lucrative.Kohli made both his own, first targetting Nuwan Kulasekara in the 31st over, which began with India needing 91 in 10 overs for a bonus point. He carted three consecutive fours as attempted yorkers failed to meet their desired lengths and served as tempting length balls. Two were whipped - in trademark Kohli fashion, a momentary turn of the wrists imparting tremendous force to the ball - and the other sliced over point in an act of improvisation.The Sri Lanka fast bowlers misfired badly but even when they got it right, like an accurate yorker from Malinga, Kohli was able to shuffle across and expertly work it past the short fine fielder. He took 24 from Malinga in the 35th over, flicking him for six, sending one through the covers for four and then picking up three more fours past short fine, and finished the game with two thunderous drives through the off side. A pump of the fists was followed by a roar of elation and relief as MS Dhoni calmly trudged on to the field to join in the celebrations.A win this dominating seemed a distant possibility when Kohli joined Gambhir at the fall of Tendulkar's wicket. Tendulkar had walked across too far to be caught plumb by Malinga, ending an innings in which Tendulkar seemed devoid of pressure and completely uninhibited in his approach. Sehwag and Tendulkar batted with freedom, the former smashing Malinga into the grassbanks behind deep midwicket in a fiery opening stand of 54, and Tendulkar going over the top on the off side, and displaying an adeptness in picking Malinga's variations. But at 2 for 86 in the 10th over, with India's two most experienced batsmen back in the pavilion and the required-rate still very high, Kohli and Gambhir faced a daunting task.That both took little time to get going was crucial in maintaining the tempo that had been set. Gambhir steered Kulasekara for four off his third delivery before punching one past midwicket, and Kohli warmed up with one of several whips off Malinga off his second ball. The pair didn't get bogged down despite a 35-ball boundary drought, running swiftly between the wickets, converting ones into twos by putting the outfielders under pressure and making the fielders inside the circle appear redundant by stealing quick ones.Kohli broke that drought with a drive off Thisara Perara past extra cover and later clobbered Angelo Mathews over the wide long-off boundary. At the halfway stage in the chase, the pair had notched up half-centuries, laying a solid foundation for the onslaught to follow with ten Powerplay overs still remaining. After Gambhir fell to an accurate throw while trying to steal a second, Raina infused the innings with greater urgency, providing a quicker partner at the other end to Kohli and indulging in some power play of his own to help hasten the finish.he Kohli show overshadowed an assured and commanding performance by Sri Lanka with the bat, and centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, who capitalised on a palpably below-par show from India's bowlers.Dilshan shrugged off his initial unease against the swinging ball to gradually open up and march towards his 11th ODI century and Sangakkara played an innings as attractive as several of his abruptly terminated cameos this tournament, only longer in duration this time, full of confidence and more pleasing on the eye. The determination and focus of trying to bat India out of the game was unwavering in their innings, and the smiles on their faces and the India players' drooping shoulders suggested a one-sided game. But body-language is not always a reliable indicator, for it had taken an about turn in three hours' time.

England seal series in thriller

Jade Dernbach sinks to his knees after earning England a narrow victory 

England 129 for 6 (Pietersen 62*, Ajmal 4-23) beat Pakistan 124 for 6 (Shafiq 34) by five runs

England produced world-class death bowling coupled with moments of brilliance in the field to snatch a five-run victory in the deciding Twenty20 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and seal the series 2-1. With Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal together, needing 35 off the last five overs, Pakistan were in control but Stuart Broad and Jade Dernbach showed nerves of steel to finish the tour on a high.Broad bowled the 16th and 19th overs which cost just four runs apiece and that included a misfield by Jonny Bairstow at long-on in the penultimate over which gave away a boundary. Broad removed Akmal, who skied a catch to long-off after missing the first two balls of the 19th over, and Bairstow redeemed himself in the last with a powerful throw to Craig Kieswetter which found Shahid Afridi short of his crease.Dernbach, who bowled the 17th over for six runs, was left with 13 to play with for the last and was in control except when a slower ball looped out short to be called wide. That left Pakistan needing eight off three deliveries but Hammad Azam and Misbah could only muster two singles before a trademark slower ball from Dernbach castled Misbah and set of wild celebrations from the bowler.The series win, a notable result for Broad who is still in his infancy as a captain, will give the England squad a significant surge of confidence ahead of their title defence at the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. Their remaining T20s before that tournament are all at home, so success in conditions similar - if not identical - to Sri Lanka will have provided a wealth of knowledge especially for the younger players.Misbah, meanwhile, could well face further criticism after ending with 28 off 32 balls but it should have been the anchor innings to guide his side home. Only in the final four overs did the asking rate hit eight-an-over and some of Akmal's wild heaves to leg didn't show very clear thinking. It had been difficult to hit boundaries all evening - the match produced 15 fours and three sixes - and huge credit must go to England's bowlers and fielders. Graeme Swann built pressure for the quicks with a guileful spell and Jos Buttler, having endured a poor series with the bat, manufactured a wicket with a flat throw that was superbly collected by Kieswetter to remove the well-set Asad Shafiq.It is a fine line batsmen tread in Twenty20. For the failure of Misbah to get his side across the line there is the success of Kevin Pietersen after his unbeaten 62, made from a sedate 52 balls, gave England a defendable total. It was clear early on that this wasn't a 150 pitch and Pietersen judged it was better to stay until the end than aim too high. Samit Patel contributed a spritely 16 and Pietersen finished the innings with a last-ball six off Aizaz Cheema which ultimately proved the difference.What Eoin Morgan would give for some of Pietersen's end-of-tour form. His last innings of the trip was a tortured affair, as many of the 16 before this one had also been. He chipped short of long-off against Afridi on 6 and should have been stumped on 8 as Akmal added another error to a long list. But this one didn't prove costly although Morgan was left cursing a team-mate rather than himself. Pietersen drove firmly to cover, where Misbah fumbled, and didn't adhere to the adage of "don't run on a misfield", leaving Morgan stuffed when he changed his mind again.Bairstow couldn't repeat his showing from two days ago as he misjudged the length against Saeed Ajmal, who claimed 4 for 23, and England's other young middle-order batsman, Buttler, had another tough innings. He scored four runs off the nine combined deliveries he faced from Ajmal and Afridi and was then given lbw against Ajmal playing a sweep that left him on his knees in the crease. This tour hasn't launched Buttler's international career as it appeared it could do but he can still make the World Twenty20.Crucially, however, Umar Gul had a poor day. Trying to react to Pietersen's movement in the crease, he conceded five wides down the leg side and, in his final over, sprayed another wide outside off stump with Pietersen proceeding to hit the seventh ball to the midwicket boundary. That's all it takes to change a tight Twenty20.

New Zealand need new ideas to stop tourists

Match Facts

February 29, Napier 

Start time 1400 (0100 GMT)

Big Picture

A win in Napier will see South Africa add the ODI trophy to their victory in the Twenty20s in New Zealand. Gary Kirsten, head coach, has made plain that South Africa's goals are to win every series they play, whether at home or away, and a triumph on his first visit abroad with the team will serve as a strong indication of what the team can offer in future.So far, almost everything South Africa have tried has worked. They should not experiment too much in their quest to close out the series with a match to spare, but will likely continue to leave the No. 4 position flexible and use the part-time spinners to keep the opposition batsmen guessing.What has been most impressive about South Africa's performances in New Zealand has been the apparent progress they have made in the mental side of the game. JP Duminy alluded to it after the first ODI when he spoke about how he, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis negotiated the tough period after the loss of three early wickets. South Africa have embraced pressure on the tour so far and will want to do so again, as proof of their ability to deal with it.After starting the tour brightly, with victory in the first T20, New Zealand have let South Africa have the better of them. Always a shrewd side, New Zealand will have to think harder than normal to come up with ways to beat a South African side who seem to have an answer for everything.New Zealand have had recent success at McLean Park. They beat Zimbabwe by 202 runs in an ODI at the venue two and a half weeks ago. In addition to the magnitude of the win, the massive 373 for 8 New Zealand piled on in that game with buoy them, after a below-par batting performance in the Wellington ODI. They cannot hope to maul South Africa's exponentially more dangerous attack the same way they did Zimbabwe's but they can hope to make better use of home conditions in an attempt to take the series to a decider.

Form Guide

(most recent first)

New Zealand LWWWL

South Africa WLLWW

Europe's top clubs reach agreement with UEFA

The move will give them a bigger share of European Championship profits and insure salaries for players injured on international duty. The European Club Association said on Tuesday that the renewed accord runs through May 2018 expiring days before the World Cup kicks off in Russia but "unsatisfactory" talks with FIFA were locked in stalemate. ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge announced the "major breakthrough" with UEFA at a meeting of the 200-club group in Warsaw, Poland. "The negotiations have not always proved easy, but were always conducted in a fair and respectful manner," Rummenigge said in a statement, praising UEFA President Michel Platini. "Unfortunately, discussions with the FIFA president have failed to lead to a satisfactory outcome which takes account of the clubs  demands." Rummenigge later said there was time to work on extending the ECA s deal with FIFA. It expires after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. "We can be relaxed and patient. I am not a pessimist," the former West Germany great said. FIFA said it was "surprised" at the European clubs  negotiating stance. "FIFA remains, as always, willing to discuss with ECA on these topics, as it does with all other stakeholders in the world football community," the governing body said in a statement. The ECA was created in 2008 to give clubs a more democratic voice in talks with UEFA and FIFA after years of hostile relations when elite clubs were represented by the G-14 group which threatened to form a breakaway European league. However, talks to renew the ECA s initial working agreements have exposed problems between Rummenigge and FIFA President Sepp Blatter over insurance policies and the number of fixtures on the FIFA-approved international calendar, when clubs are obliged to release their players to national teams. The ECA has focused more on relations with UEFA and Platini, who is the favorite to succeed Blatter at FIFA in 2015. European clubs will share a "substantially increased" sum on the €55 million ($74 million) previously agreed from Euro 2012 profits, which is distributed on a daily rate for as long as players are involved in the tournament co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine. "This amount will be substantially increased in time for this year s Euro with a further increase for the UEFA Euro 2016 in France," the clubs said. The exact increase will be announced at the UEFA Congress held on March 22 in Istanbul. Before Euro 2012, UEFA will fund "insurance covering the injury risk of players" who European clubs release to play for any national team. "This insurance is valid for all players registered with a European club, irrespective of their nationality, and for all matches mentioned in the international calendar, including both official and friendly matches," the ECA said. The issue of insurance was highlighted after Rummenigge s club Bayern Munich lost Netherlands winger Arjen Robben for six months when he returned injured from the 2010 World Cup. FIFA shared $40 million (€30 million) among clubs whose players were selected to go to South Africa, and has allocated $70 million (€52 million) for the 2014 tournament. Under the new accord, UEFA agreed that "no decision relating to club football will be taken without the consent of the clubs," the ECA said. This point helps remove the threat of clubs refusing to play in UEFA s marquee Champions League, or set up a rival competition. "This is once more a proof that, in the European football family, solutions can be found in a cooperative and fair way," Rummenigge said. Rummenigge and ECA general secretary Michele Centenaro have refused FIFA s invitations to attend international calendar talks in Zurich next Monday. Still, the clubs have had input through UEFA to the debate involving all six of FIFA s continental confederations. European football would accept nine doubleheader international match dates in each two-year tournament qualifying cycle, and wants friendly dates in February and August abolished. The ECA said on Tuesday it wants to restrict players to one international tournament each year, which could limit call-ups to the London Olympics. Europe also wants the Copa America to finish in mid-July, and the African Cup of Nations to start earlier in January so that players return sooner to their clubs. FIFA said its calendar working group could present a proposal for international match dates running from 2015 through 2018 or 2022 to Blatter s executive committee which meets on March 29-30 in Zurich.

Poor form of team surprises Mohsin

Chief Coach of Pakistan Cricket Team Mohsin Khan was surprised over poor form of players in 4-match One-day Internationals and in T20 International series. “I was disappointed for the drop of form of Pakistan team after they white wash England in 3-Test match series,” he told reporters at Quaid-e-Azam International Airport on his return from United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday evening. He said team really played well in the Test series but he was surprised with drop of morale and form in One-dayers and T20 Internationals. Mohsin Khan, who is likely to be replaced with Dav Whatmore, however said criticism on the team after their loss in the one-day and T20 series was not justified because since everyone was praising the team after their triumphs in the Test series. Pakistan thrashed England 3-0 in the Test series to create history, but suffered 4-0 whitewash in ODI series and 2-1 loss in the 3-match T20 International series. Karachi based batsman Asad Shafiq also returned with coach Khan.

Davis Cup, Pakistan tries to convince ITF

After having been denied a chance to host their Davis Cup tie at home once, the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) is trying to get a nod from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) once again. Pakistan was scheduled to host its Davis Cup tie against Lebanon at home, earlier this month but was forced to play the matches away, after the ITF moved the tie on security grounds. Having won the tie (3-2) in Lebanon, Pakistan moved into the second round of the Asia-Oceania Group II and will now face Philippines in April. Once again, Pakistan is expected to host the tie, pending a clearance from the ITF. PTF officials say they are “taking all necessary measures” to host the tie at Lahore’s Defence Club from April 6 to 8. The national tennis body has submitted a “comprehensive security plan” to the ITF and has promised “fool-proof security arrangements for the visiting team.” A senior PTF official met with the ITF president and the Davis Cup committee in London, assuring them of best possible arrangements. The PTF has also, reportedly, proposed that the ties be held in either India (Chandigarh) or the United Arab Emirates (Dubai). The final decision, on whether the tie will be hosted in Pakistan or elsewhere, lies with the ITF.

Inaugural BPL trophy up for grabs

Shahid Afridi would have played two Twenty20s for Dhaka Gladiators less than 48 hours after Pakistan's series with England ended

Match facts

February 29, Mirpur
Start time 1800 local (1200 GMT)

Big Picture

With so much of the spotlight on controversies, a proper cricketing final would be a solace for the inaugural edition of the Bangladesh Premier League. Thankfully, two very entertaining Twenty20 teams, Barisal Burners and Dhaka Gladiators, will go head-on in the final in front of what is expected to be a sellout crowd.

Barisal have gone through a lot to finally arrive in the final, an ascent that some predicted with Chris Gayle in the line-up initially. But even though they have missed Gayle and his power-hitting since the end of the tournament's first week, they have progressed to the title clash. One of their main strengths is the captaincy of Brad Hodge, who has stood out as a leader who can influence the proceedings with his clever tactics.Dhaka, on the other hand, rely on all-out aggression. Imran Nazir, Azhar Mahmood, Mohammad Ashraful, Shahid Afridi, and Saeed Ajmal are all attacking players who can single-handedly change the course of the final.It promises to be a game that can go either way, even if a team does score really big in the first innings. If they don't, expect a scrappy chase.

In the spotlight

Barisal's Ahmed Shehzad is the highest scorer in the competition after his murderous 113 off 49 deliveries in the semifinal against Duronto Rajshahi. His previous six innings in the tournament include a hundred, two half-centuries and two forties.Dhaka's left-arm spinner Elias Sunny currently shares top spot on the wicket-takers' list with Mohammad Sami. A double-strike in his first over in the semi-final, removing both Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwayne Smith, put Khulna Royal Bengals' chase under tremendous pressure.

Form guide

(most recent first)
Barisal -- WWLWW
Dhaka -- WLWLW

Head to head

Dhaka won both games against Barisal in the league phase - the first by 21 runs, despite a blistering Gayle century, and then by five wickets, a game Kieron Pollard finished off in style with a 17-ball 35.

Messi, Ronaldo genius secures wins for Barca, Real

Sharp thinking and brilliant execution by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo lifted Barcelona and Real Madrid to wins at Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano respectively on Sunday that mantained Real’s 10-point lead over their great rivals at the top of La Liga. Messi caught the Atletico defence napping to score with a breathtaking 81st-minute free kick and secure a 2-1 success for Barca, while an audacious Ronaldo backheel gave Real a 1-0 victory against Madrid neighbours Rayo. It was a 28th league goal of the campaign for Messi, who succeeded Ronaldo as World Player of the Year and has won the award three times on the trot, leaving him one behind the former Manchester United forward at the top of the La Liga scoring chart. With 24 of 38 matches played, Jose Mourinho’s Real have 64 points, with Pep Guardiola’s Barca on 54 in second and Valencia, who lost 2-1 at home to Sevilla on Sunday, 14 points further back in third. Levante, the lowly Valencia-based club who are this season’s surprise package, climbed to fourth on 35 points thanks to their 2-1 win at Espanyol on Saturday, although only eight points separate them from Villarreal in 17th. Messi’s genius settled an intense battle at the Calderon after Atletico’s Radamel Falcao had cancelled out Daniel Alves’s opening goal. As the home defence lined up to defend a free kick wide on the left, Messi noticed Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois out of position and curled a stunning strike over the Belgian’s head into the far top corner. The goal gave Barca only their fifth win in 12 games on the road, a poor run of away form that has effectively scuppered their bid for a fourth straight title and put Real within touching distance of a first La Liga title since 2008.

Liverpool beat Cardiff 3-2 to win league cup

Liverpool beat Cardiff City 3-2 on penalties to win the English League Cup for the eighth time in a thrilling game which ended 2-2 after extra time at Wembley. Cardiff s Anthony Gerrard, cousin of Liverpool s Steven, fired the final spot kick wide as the Championship (second division) side s hopes of becoming the first Welsh club to win the trophy ended in heartache. Dirk Kuyt, Stewart Downing and Glen Johnson converted their spot kicks for Liverpool, while Cardiff missed three of theirs. Substitute Kuyt appeared to have sealed victory for Liverpool when he put his side 2-1 ahead at the start of the second half of extra time after a nailbiting final had ended 1-1 after 90 minutes. The Dutchman then turned saviour as he headed a Cardiff effort off the line, but from the resulting corner Ben Turner prodded in a dramatic equaliser to take the game to penalties. Cardiff, the first Welsh side to reach the League Cup final in the competition s 52-year existence, stunned Liverpool when they took the lead after 19 minutes through Joe Mason s smartly taken shot and Kenny Miller almost snatched victory near the end of full time after defender Martin Skrtel had equalised for Liverpool on the hour.

Melzer defeats Raonic in Memphis Championships

Jurgen Melzer defeated Milos Raonic in straight sets Sunday (February 26) afternoon to win the ATP Memphis Championships. Austrian Melzer battled to a 75 76(4) win over Canadian fourth seed Raonic to claim his fourth career title and first since Vienna in 2010. The unseeded Melzer took a difficult path to the title, defeating top seed John Isner in a quarterfinal match and then third seed Radek Stepanek in the semifinal. For Raonic the loss was his second in a row in the Memphis final after falling last year to Andy Roddick. Raonic had been in excellent form lately, winning 19 straight sets and losing his serve just once in his last 41 games before meeting Melzer.

City tightens grip on Premier League lead

Manchester City tightened its grip on top spot in the Premier League on Saturday by registering a 13th straight home victory, easing past Blackburn 3-0 on a day Chelsea ended its lean streak to ease the pressure on manager Andre Villas-Boas. City barely broke into a sweat at fortress Etihad Stadium as it moved provisionally five points clear of Manchester United, with strikers Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko scoring. England midfielder Frank Lampard scored one goal and set up another to inspire Chelsea to a 3-0 win over Bolton, ending the team s miserable run of five straight winless games. Chelsea climbed provisionally into fourth place above Arsenal, which plays third-place Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.

Banned Aamer returns home

Pakistan’s banned cricketer Mohammad Aamer returned home Sunday after serving his jail sentence for spot-fixing in London. Aamer was sentenced for six months, but was released earlier this month due to good behavior after serving half his sentence, for spot-fixing with two teammates – Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif – during a test against England at Lords in August 2010. Butt and Asif are still serving their jail sentences. Aamer did not speak to the waiting media on arriving at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport. Local television showed the 19-year-old left-arm fast bowler – sitting on the back seat of a white car with his lawyer – being driven away to his house in Lahore. “He has arrived with his lawyer Sajida Malik,” Aamer’s mentor Asif Bajwa told the Associated Press. Aamer is banned by the International Cricket Council until September 2015 for bowling deliberate no-balls. Aamer pleaded guilty and did not contest his case in London’s Southwark Crown Court last year and was given less punishment than Butt and Asif. Butt, the then Pakistan captain, was jailed for 2 1/2 years and Asif for 1 1/2 years after being convicted for receiving money to ensure no-balls were bowled in the Lord’s test 18 months ago. The left-arm paceman could appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the ICC ban. “Hopefully the ICC ban will be reduced after his appeal in the CAS,” Bajwa said. “I am very optimistic that Aamer will return to international cricket in near future.” Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf said earlier this month that he would see how Aamer’s appeal goes in the CAS, but the cricket board may assist Asif in his rehabilitation through an education program whether his ban is reduced or not. Aamer was considered one of cricket’s brightest prospects, claiming 51 wickets in 14 test matches and 25 wickets in 15 ODIs before bowling those infamous no-balls. The PCB chief admitted that it was a case of a huge talent lost and said once Aamer serves his ban it was up to the selectors to pick him for the national team.

Five-goal Sandeep gets India to Olympics

They did so with an emphatic 8-1 win over France in the men s final of the qualifying tournament on Sunday. Penalty-corner specialist Sandeep Singh was India s star of the night, scoring five goals (19th minute, 26th, 38th, 49th, 51st) and his second hat-trick against France. The other Indian scorers were Birendra Lakra (17th), S. V. Sunil (43rd) and V. R. Raghunath (56th). France, who made their last Olympic appearance in 1972 at Munich, found the target through Simon Martin-Brisac (24th). India, winners of a record eight Olympic men s titles who failed to make it to the 2008 Beijing Games for the first time since their maiden appearance in 1928, took some time to translate their superiority into goals. Manpreet Singh made a good attempt from top of the striking circle in the 16th minute but his reverse-hit was saved by French goalkeeper Matthias Dierckens. India kept pressure on the French goal and struck twice in quick succession, with Lakra scoring off a Manpreet cross and then Sandeep converting a penalty-corner. France, who lost 6-2 to India in a league match, looked impressive in patches and made it 2-1 when Martin-Brisac deflected in a Sebastien Jean-Jean shot to surprise Indian goalkeeper P. R. Sreejesh. There was no stopping India after that as they pumped in six more goals, with Sandeep scoring four and Sunil and Raghunath one apiece. In other men s matches, captain Ken Pereira scored two goals as Canada downed Poland 4-3 to finish third. Rob Short and Matthew Guest were the other scorers. Artur Mikula, Szymon Oszyjczyk and Bartosz Zywiczka found the mark for Paland. Italy finished fifth with an easy 5-0 victory over Singapore, with Ignacio Salas twice finding the target. Daniele Malta, Andrea Corsi and Agustin Nunez were the other scorers. Two more men s qualifiers will be decided after tournaments in Dublin and the Japanese city of Kakamigahara. Those who have been given a direct entry to the Olympics are defending champions Germany, hosts Britain, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.

Arsenal, Chelsea feeling heat as league resumes

The Premier League title duel between Manchester United and Manchester City could be relegated to sideshow status this weekend as all eyes descend on the turmoil bedevilling Arsenal and Chelsea. With Manchester City facing lowly Blackburn on Saturday and United travelling to Norwich 24 hours later, few will be surprised if City’s two-point lead at the top of the table remains intact come Sunday night. Yet the stakes could not be higher for Arsenal and Chelsea, whose campaigns are teetering on the brink following a series of poor results which have left their managers Arsene Wenger and Andre Villas-Boas facing stinging criticism. Arsenal followed their 4-0 thrashing at AC Milan weekend with a dismal FA Cup exit at Sunderland last weekend, a result that effectively ensured the Gunners’ trophy drought would enter an eighth year. While conventional wisdom suggests Wenger has built up enough reserves of goodwill during his 15 years at Arsenal to be the author of his own exit strategy, the recent chorus of criticism directed at the Frenchman will become deafening if Tottenham prevail in Sunday’s north London derby at the Emirates. Spurs, who beat Arsenal 2-1 at White Hart Lane earlier this season, have not done the double over the Gunners for nearly 20 years. A victory for Harry Redknapp’s side would see Spurs open up a 13-point lead over Wenger’s men, a vast gulf between third and fourth place that underscores the acute sense of two clubs heading in opposite directions. Arsenal defender Johan Djourou has challenged his team-mates to prove that the club remain “the kings of London.” “When you play (Tottenham), you forget the table; it is a battle and the best team will win,” Djourou said. “They are in great shape this season, they have been playing a lot better than before but you have to forget about that and go to war. “At the start of the season some people wrote them off because they lost a few games but since then they have been unbelievable. But it is up to us to show that we are the kings of London.” While Wenger is expected to weather the current storm, Villas-Boas’s position at Chelsea remains shrouded in uncertainty despite the Portuguese manager’s insistence that he retains the full backing of owner Roman Abramovich. The 34-year-old Chelsea boss lurched into another crisis this week as his team slumped to a 3-1 loss at Napoli which has left the Londoners staring down the barrel of Champions League elimination. Villas-Boas’s selection for the match has come under severe scrutiny following the decision to omit Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole from his starting line-up. Several reports have suggested Villas-Boas is struggling to get a grip on a full-scale dressing room mutiny, with headlines this week such as “Bench warfare” and “Battle at the Bridge” highlighting the strained relationship between the coach and his players. Failure to beat relegation-threatened Bolton on Saturday could prove fatal to Villas-Boas, who has won just four of his last 14 games. Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic is adamant that the club needs to unite behind the manager to have any chance of saving their season. “Chelsea has to be the priority for everybody,” Ivanovic said. “We all have to think like this to try to make the position better. “Things like this always happen when you are losing and they always leak out. But it is the manager who decides who plays and then it is up to us players to do our jobs. “This is a critical period for this club and we will only get through it if we stay positive and keep working hard.”Villas-Boas’s Bolton counterpart Owen Coyle meanwhile rallied to the support of his opposite number, backing him to transform Chelsea – provided he is given enough time to do so. “There is no doubt that it is a season of transition at Chelsea because of what he wants to put in place and without wishing to use cliches, Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Coyle said. “Sometimes it takes time, but I do believe Chelsea have got the right man in place to bring all that to fruition. “The one commodity we ask for in football is time. Sometimes it is not given, but if it is – and I believe it will be at Chelsea – then I think they will reap the rewards.”

Park happy to be United’s captain sensible

Park Ji-Sung has revealed his pride at being asked to captain Manchester United but is firmly focused on the Red Devils’ pursuit of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. The former South Korean international captain was handed the armband by Sir Alex Ferguson for Thursday’s Europa League clash against Ajax at Old Trafford. The occasion was spoiled for Park however after United lost 2-1 on the night yet progressed on 3-2 aggregate. “It was a great honour to be named Manchester United captain,” Park said. “It is not something I ever thought about doing, but I would have preferred the result to be better.” Park meanwhile is keen for United to keep up the pressure on leaders City with victory over Norwich on Sunday. “From now on, every match in the Premier League is important,” he said. “We have to keep pressing Manchester City. “We have experienced this kind of pressure before. It is a big advantage for us that we have that kind of experience. “That is the biggest difference between Manchester City and us and we have to see how they deal with it.”

Gerrard wants England captaincy

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard says he would relish the opportunity to captain England at the 2012 European Championships. “If I get offered it, I’ll take it and I’ll be delighted and I’ll be very proud to take it,” Gerrard told BBC’s Football Focus on Saturday. The midfielder added that he believed manager Fabio Capello’s resignation could give the team the necessary lift “for a successful summer”. Talking about the captaincy he said: “It’s not my decision. It’s down to, first of all, who Stuart Pearce wants to lead the team out, then whoever gets the job full time. But I want to be England captain.” Capello resigned after disagreeing with his bosses at the FA over the decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy pending his trial on racial abuse charges, which he denies. After Capello left his role, Pearce was put in charge of the national side for England’s friendly with the Netherlands at Wembley next Wednesday. The former England left-back has admitted he would like to take the side to this summer’s Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. Reflecting on Capello’s resignation, Gerrard said: “Yes, I was surprised, of course. “I thought he would stay until the end of the summer, until the end of his contract and then move on, so it was a bit of a surprise. “I don’t think it will affect the England team. “We’ll get a new manager, it’s a fresh start for everyone. It may be the lift we need to have a successful summer.”

Football: Kean has bodyguard over rovers threat

Kean has faced repeated calls from fans to resign this season as Rovers struggle near the foot of the table. Beleaguered Blackburn manager Steve Kean has revealed that a bodyguard accompanies him at all times following a vitriolic campaign to have him sacked as Rovers boss. Kean, a controversial appointment following the dismissal of Sam Allardyce in 2010, has faced repeated calls from fans to resign this season as Rovers struggle near the foot of the table. The 44-year-old Scot told The Times on Friday that he now has a personal security detail as a precaution. "I was advised that it would be in my interest to have somebody with me at all times," said Kean, whose side faces leaders Manchester City on Saturday. "I was at a restaurant with my wife and children a few months ago and got a text message from a friend telling me to be careful. "There was stuff going out on Twitter from an activist group which identified the restaurant so that people could confront me. "I showed the text to my wife and we decided to leave straightaway. Kean said his bodyguard was a martial arts expert but admitted it was a "surreal" development in his life. "The chap who protects me is a seventh dan in karate, but he is not big or butch or anything," he said. "I think the vast majority of fans are passionate, but non-violent, whether towards me or anybody else. "I also think most of the Blackburn fans are behind me. "It is surreal, though, I cannot deny that." he added.

Wozniacki crashes out of Dubai Open

Defending champion Caroline Wozniacki lost in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships, falling to Julia Goerges 7-6 (3), 7-5 Friday. The former top-ranked Dane led 4-2 in the second set before Goerges regained control to close out the match in just over two hours. Goerges will face Agnieszka Radwanska in the final Saturday after the Polish player defeated Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-2, 2-6, 6-0 in the first semifinal. Wozniacki said she struggled with her serve throughout the match, while Goerges never let her find her rhythm once the ball was in play. "I felt I had all the opportunities in the world today and didn t take advantage of them. If you don t take your chances, there is no way to win," Wozniacki said. "It s easy to say I should have done this and could have done that. But, you know, as well for Julia she took her chances. If I came with a weak shot she was there straight away and she punished me." Goerges now has a 3-2 head-to-head record against the former No. 1. "It was a pretty tough match. I mean, it s never easy playing her," Goerges said. "It s always a lot of balls, a lot of rallies. We played over two hours for two sets." Goerges overcame Russia s Svetlana Kuznetsova, Casey Dellacqua of Australia and Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia in the previous rounds. Dellacqua replaced top-ranked Victoria Azarenka, who pulled out of the tournament with an ankle injury on Wednesday before she was to play her opening match against Goerges. "You never expect being in the final when you have seen the draw before," Goerges said. "I mean, it started with a tough first round, expecting another big match in the second round, which unfortunately didn t happen. "But, well, it s nice to be in the final with so many great players in the draw." Radwanska and Goerges last met in Melbourne last month, when the Polish player beat the German 6-1, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. "Well, it s going to be a tough one again," Goerges said of Saturday s final. "I mean, she killed me in Australia. Well, tomorrow is a new day, new match, and starts from zero again." The fifth-seeded Radwanska jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first set against Jankovic before winning it in 33 minutes. The 22-year-old Polish player faltered in the second when her Serbian opponent broke twice, but then regrouped and wrapped up the win without losing another game. Radwanska said she regained her confidence by breaking early in the third set, causing the eighth-seeded Jankovic to lose focus.

Mcllroy, Westwod advance to Match Play quarters

Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood remain on track for a semi-final showdown and a chance at the world No. 1 ranking after comfortable wins in the third round of the WGC Match Play Championship. On a day when only one of the eight round of 16 matches made it to the 18th hole, England s Westwood pumped American Nick Watney 3 and 2 and Northern Ireland s McIlroy managed to take down Spain s Miguel Angel Jimenez 3 and 1. Should either player win the tournament they will usurp Luke Donald as world number one, although currently they are on a collision course for a semi-final clash at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. First Westwood must account for Scotsman Martin Laird who won an all-Scottish battle over Paul Lawrie 3 and 1 to advance. While McIlroy meets South Korean Sang-Moon Bae who continued his charge with a 1-up win over Australian John Senden in the only match to make it to the final hole. Westwood, who had never advanced past the second round before this year, refused to look towards a potential dogfight with McIlroy, saying most people who had done so had been made to look like fools up to this point.

Composed Bairstow lifts England to 150

England 150 for 7 (Bairstow 60*) v Pakistan

Jonny Bairstow revived memories of his brilliant England one-day debut with a maiden international fifty in Dubai to leave Pakistan chasing 151 for a victory that would give them the Twenty20 series.Bairstow's 41 from 21 balls against India in Cardiff on a rainy night last September identified him as a one-day cricketer of immense promise, but it had remained his highest score in eight innings in ODIs and T20s as England awaited confirmation that he could follow up his flash of brilliance by proving that, at 22, he was ready for the international stage.Slow Asian pitches had forced a lot of self-analysis for Bairstow but he came alive against a high-class Pakistan attack. If Cardiff had brought excitement, Dubai, with the ring of fire blazing down, confirmed that it was not misplaced.Bairstow is that rare commodity for England, a power hitter, and after he squirted Umar Gul into the legside to secure his half-century four balls from the end of the innings, he emphasised the fact it by slapping a slow ball from Gul, a shot he did not really middle, over long-on for six.Against an excellent Pakistan attack, his unbeaten 60 from 46 balls were runs well earned. A dead surface added to England's difficulties and left them hopeful that their total would prove adequate, especially as Pakistan had successfully defended 144 for 6 two days earlier.Bairstow was determined to provide impetus from the outset. A flat six into the sightscreen bolstered his confidence and encouraged that, in his examination by Pakistan's spinners, he had at least gained pass marks on the subject of Shahid Afridi's googly.His most exceptional stroke, though, was reserved by Saeed Ajmal, slick footwork to make room followed by a regal off drive. There were muscular sweeps against the spinners and there was fun, too, as he grinned at Ajmal after daring a reverse sweep.Kevin Pietersen had been in domineering form in the first tie so Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan's captain, gave him a new challenge up front in the form of Mohammad Hafeez and Aizaz Cheema, in for Junaid Khan, but it was Ajmal who broke through in the fifth over when Pietersen mis-swept him to short fine leg.Eoin Morgan's' tortured tour continued. He has yet to manage a half-century and, although he briefly hinted at better with two successive cover boundaries against Gul, he poked forward to Hafeez and was lbw. He should have been lbw the previous ball, when he was defeated on the cut, but the umpire Ahsan Raza, unsure whether the ball had hit bat before pad, gave him the benefit of the doubt. Morgan insists that playing spin is a strength of his game, but the evidence that he is deluding himself is irrefutable.When Craig Kieswetter, who had looked more threatening than at any time on tour, holed out at long-off for 31, with four wickets lost by the 10th over, England split their two greenhorns, Bairstow and Buttler, with Samit Patel, himself a veteran of only seven Twenty20s but more proven in these conditions and with a solid T20 record at Nottinghamshire behind him. Patel's run out, eschewing a dive to the crease as Ajmal hit direct with a throw from long leg will not find favour with England's management.Gul at the death - predominantly bowling yorkers with a hint of reverse swing - was again excellent and it did nothing for the reputation of Buttler's trademark shot, the step to leg and horizontal-bat shovel over his left shoulder. As Gul hit the stumps with a low full toss, the shot had got Buttler out on two successive occasions.Even Cheema, who would have been identified by England as the weak link, displayed his skill with a deceptive slower ball to strike Stuart Broad's off-stump. As for Hammad Azam, his bowling had been overlooked by Misbah in the first game on the grounds that the situation was too tight. Presumably he expected this one to be tight, too, because he overlooked it again.

Sri Lanka take top spot with record chase

Mahela Jayawardene made 85

Sri Lanka 7 for 283 (Jayawardene 85, Chandimal 80, Christian 3-53) beat Australia 6 for 280 (Forrest 104, Clarke 72) by 3 wickets

Sri Lanka sure know how to keep things interesting. On a day when Peter Forrest announced himself as Australia's new No.3 with his maiden one-day century, Mahela Jayawardene and Dinesh Chandimal helped Sri Lanka complete a record ODI chase in Hobart, where Australia's 6 for 280 wasn't enough to book them a place in the finals. Sri Lanka jumped to the top of the points table with their three-wicket victory, which came with four balls to spare.In a tense finish, Sri Lanka appeared to be throwing the match away and after Angelo Mathews holed out for 24 they needed 14 off nine balls with only three wickets in hand. But Thisara Perera took on the responsibility himself and struck a boundary followed by a powerful six over midwicket off Daniel Christian's next delivery, which left four needed off seven balls, and that was no trouble at all, the winning runs coming when Nuwan Kulasekara thumped Brett Lee over cover for four.It was Sri Lanka's third consecutive win and they are coming good at the right end of the tournament, after losing their opening two games. They began well with the ball before allowing Australia's score to balloon to seriously challenging proportions, but Jayawardene's outstanding 85 at the top of the order gave Sri Lanka the perfect platform.With six overs remaining, they needed 39 runs with six wickets in hand, and with Chandimal well set on 80, it seemed like only a formality that they would reach the target. But Chandimal was trapped lbw when he tried an ill-judged paddle off Ryan Harris and in the next over, Farveez Maharoof holed out to Ben Hilfenhaus. Lucky for Sri Lanka they had Perera.The result means Sri Lanka and Australia are now both one match clear of India, and while both sides can still miss out on the finals, they also know that one more win will be enough to guarantee their place. Sri Lanka earned that position by beating the previous best Hobart ODI chase, the 4 for 282 that Australia scored against Zimbabwe in 2001.Jayawardene gave them their start and was in fine touch after beginning with a couple of edgy boundaries. In the fifth over he put those behind him and took on the pace of Lee, swinging a magnificent six over midwicket from a fast, straight ball that most batsmen would have been content to defend or drive straight. The runs kept flowing for Jayawardene, the dominant partner in a 55-run opening stand.When Tillakaratne Dilshan pulled a catch to deep midwicket off Ben Hilfehnaus for 3 from nine balls, Jayawardene had already galloped along to 44 from 39 deliveries. The strike evened up during Jayawardene's partnership with Kumar Sangakkara, who made a run-a-ball 22 before he was caught at point off a leading edge from Daniel Christian's bowling.Jayawardene had already brought up his fifty with a punchy drive down the ground off Christian from his 45th ball. Jayawardene and Chandimal kept the runs coming during a 63-run partnership that featured some fine strokes, including an excellent cover-drive for four from Jayawardene, who enjoyed using the pace of Lee against him.But on 85, Jayawardene gave Australia a sniff when he advanced to Xavier Doherty and was beaten by a delivery that turned sharply past his outside edge. Australia needed to follow the stumping with another quick wicket, and instead Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne kept their composure and put on 49, including plenty of singles, as the required run-rate hovered below six an over.The loss of Thirimanne, who paddled Ben Hilfenhaus to short fine leg for 24, could have hurt Sri Lanka, but ultimately their batting was too strong for Australia. Perhaps if Australia had looked for their runs a little faster through the middle of their innings they could have pushed up towards 300, but it is impossible to criticise Forrest and Michael Clarke for an excellent stand that rescued the side from a wobbly start. The loss of both openers had left Australia at 2 for 27 in the seventh over and consolidation was required.Especially impressive was the way Forrest batted in his first match at No.3, carrying the pressure of replacing a champion in the position. But in Australia's first match of the post-Ricky Ponting ODI era they might just have found a man who can fill his spot for some time. Forrest's hundred was his not only his first for Australia but also in any List A match, and no Australian has scored more in his first four ODIs than Forrest's tally of 238.He brought up his century by dropping the ball into the off side and haring off for a quick single from his 136th delivery, and it brought fist-pumps from Forrest and a hug from his partner Michael Hussey. He was caught at deep cover off Angelo Mathews in the next over for 104 as he tried to keep the tempo rising and it ended a fine innings, and one that has boosted his chances of winning a place on the Test tour of the West Indies.He struck 10 fours and two sixes but avoided risks wherever he could, generally preferring to force the ball through gaps instead of over fielders. When he did go for the aerial route it nearly brought about his downfall - he was lucky deep midwicket was a couple of paces wide of where one shot landed. A cover-driven boundary off Nuwan Kulasekara was especially impressive, zipping off the bat with speed and perfect placement.For much of his innings, Forrest had the support of Clarke during a 154-run stand. The partnership ended when Clarke lifted Mathews to deep midwicket and was well taken by a tumbling Thisara Perera. Clarke had played well for his 72 from 79 balls, including two sixes over midwicket, one a fearsome, flat pull early in his innings off Farveez Maharoof, who had been impressive early.Maharoof had claimed David Warner caught behind for 7 after Matthew Wade lobbed a catch to mid-off to give Sri Lanka a strong start. In the end, the Clarke-Forrest partnership and some valuable late runs from David Hussey (40 not out off 28 balls), Michael Hussey (21) and Brett Lee (20 not out) helped Australia to a strong total.It wasn't enough for Australia, but it has kept all three sides in the race for the finals. And it has made Sri Lanka clearly the form team in the tournament.

Man Utd enter Europa last-16 despite defeat

 Manchester United went through to the last-16 of the Europa League on Thursday despite losing their first ever home game in the competition 2-1 to Ajax.Javier Hernandez stretched United's 2-0 first-leg advantage in the sixth minute before Aras Ozbiliz made it 1-1 with a well-taken half-volley on the night 31 minutes later. Toby Alderweireld scored with three minutes left but Ajax could do no more than scare United, who are in the second-tier tournament after they were eliminated from the Champions League group stages.The English powerhouses progressed to the next round 3-2 on aggregate.United will next face Atletic Bilbao in the round-of-16 after the Spanish side beat Lokomotiv Moscow 1-0 to advance on away goals.Valencia and Atletico Madrid also progressed, as did PSV Eindhoven and Udinese.United started strongly at Old Trafford against Ajax and Hernandez scored following good approach work from Park Ji-sung and Dimitar Berbatov. Ozbiliz hit a 20-yard shot past goalkeeper David de Gea for 1-1 and, after De Gea made a point-blank stop from Christian Eriksen's header, Alderweireld bundled the ball into the net from close range. One more goal would have taken the Dutch side through to the round-of-16 on away goals but United held out.Manager Alex Ferguson blamed United's problems on his selection of a defence composed of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and the Da Silva twins. None are vastly experienced."Tonight I used too many young players in the back-four positions," Ferguson said. "It was a big risk we took."Ferguson made four changes from the side that won in Amsterdam a week ago, with Rafael da Silva and Smalling coming in for Jonny Evans and Rio Ferdinand, while in midfield, Park Ji-Sung replaced Michael Carrick in the centre. Up front, Dimitar Berbatov replaced the ill Wayne Rooney as the Bulgarian started alongside Hernandez, with Danny Welbeck providing cover from the bench.The visitors played a very similar team to the one that lost last week. Ricardo van Rhijn came into the side for Ismael Aissatti, while Nicolas Lodeiro started as part of the front three with Dmitry Bulykin missing out through injury.The match was extremely even, with Ajax often having long periods of pressure and possession, but it was the hosts who took the lead after an energetic start from both sides, with Hernandez producing a calm finish. Berbatov slipped through an impressive forward pass which Hernandez controlled, before skipping past the attentions of Toby Alderweireld and finding the back of the net with confidence. But that was as good as it was to get for the hosts.The two sides continued to knock the ball around comfortably, but every time United advanced they looked like scoring, and Hernandez very nearly returned the favour to Berbatov with 13 minutes played. Fabio da Silva surged forward through the middle before playing an excellent pass through to Hernandez, but after being pushed out wider than he would have liked, he slid the ball towards the far post with his strike-partner arriving late, but Jan Vertonghen stretched and conceded a corner.However, Ajax were proving they weren't just there to make up the numbers as they looked to grab a lifeline. Ozbiliz acquired possession in the United area after good work from van Rhijn and tricked his way past two defenders before shooting, but David De Gea was equal to the Armenian’s effort.By now United were showcasing some increasingly sloppy passing, inviting pressure on to them, with the likes of Christian Eriksen, Lodeiro and Ozbiliz looking very dangerous for the visitors.Following a period of Ajax pressure, the hosts went close to doubling their lead on the night. Nani played a clever disguised pass down the left channel into the penalty area for Berbatov, but the striker's pass into the goalmouth was deflected ever so slightly out of the path of Hernandez, and Ajax soon made them pay.The United defence failed to clear their lines properly after breaking down an attack and the ball fell kindly to Ozbiliz on the edge of the area, with the right-winger lashing a low, left-footed half-volley into De Gea's bottom right corner.Although Ferguson's team ended the half with some considerable dominance over their visitors, Ajax held on to the 1-1 score at half-time after a battling 45 minutes.The start of the second period followed a similar pattern to the first, with both sides committing plenty of players forward, but it was Ajax who continued to look the more dangerous.First, Lodeiro went close, blasting an effort over from the centre of the penalty area following a cut-back from Christian Eriksen, then moments later Siem De Jong’s header from a corner was denied by a brilliant save from De Gea.Without creating an awful lot, Ajax continued to see more of the possession, troubling United with their quick passing and impressive movement, but two substitutions from Ferguson saw the hosts calm the contest down a little.Jonny Evans took to the field in place of Tom Cleverley, while Paul Scholes replaced Ashley Young, and the midfielder’s impact was immediate as he spread the ball around as well as ever.Minutes later, Nani was inches from getting his name on the scoresheet as the Portuguese winger cut inside from the right and let rip a thunderous effort with his left-foot, but the shot crashed off the crossbar and went behind.With just over quarter-of-an-hour to go, the hosts had another chance to put the tie beyond all doubt. Danny Welbeck, who replaced Berbatov, stormed down the left after a clever inter-change with Park, but when he approached the goal, his attempted pass into the danger-area was intercepted and United had to settle for a corner.The visitors ensured the final moments would be nervy for United with Alderweireld finding the net following a free-kick conceded by Scholes, but they held on to progress, despite making the match a lot harder than they should have.

AC Milan seeking a different outcome vs. Juventus

And the Rossoneri are determined to change the outcome in the latest meeting of Italy s top two clubs Saturday at the San Siro. "We ve got to win, this is a battle for the title and we can t make any more errors," said Milan center back Thiago Silva, who is widely considered the top defender in the league. However, Milan center forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is slated to miss the match while serving a three-game ban for slapping Napoli defender Salvatore Aronica in the face earlier this month. Milan has appealed and the league judge was slated to issue a final verdict later Thursday. "With Ibra they re more predictable, although he himself is unpredictable," Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli said. "Without Ibra they move more and don t provide reference points." Milan leads Juve by one point but the Turin club has a game in hand. In their first league meeting, in October, Juventus beat Milan 2-0 with two late goals from Claudio Marchisio. Then two weeks ago in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals, Juventus won again, 2-1, with two goals from Martin Caceres. After Saturday, their final meeting this season will come March 21 in the second cup leg. Juventus is undefeated and has nearly its entire squad healthy. Milan is also approaching full strength, with midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng and striker Alexandre Pato working their ways back from injuries and defenders Alessandro Nesta and Philippe Mexes also returning. Ibrahimovic is among Serie A s top scorers this season with 15 goals, although without him Milan shows more balance. In a 3-1 win over Cesena last week, former Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari scored on his Rossoneri debut, Dutch midfielder Urby Emanuelson doubled the lead and Robinho scored the third goal. Maxi Lopez, the striker that Milan signed from Catania last month after a deal for Manchester City s Carlos Tevez fell through, has also been effective. Two weeks ago, Milan was trailing Udinese 1-0 midway through the second half before pulling out a 2-1 victory with late goals from Lopez and teenage striker Stephen El Shaarawy. Then four days later came an impressive 4-0 rout of Arsenal in the Champions League. "That was a fundamental victory," Thiago Silva said of the Udinese match. "In the final 25 minutes we changed our playing style and rediscovered that will to win and then in the following matches with Arsenal and Cesena we did great. Now we ve got to continue this way." Juventus will likely rely on Mirko Vucinic and Alessandro Matri in attack, although Fabio Quagliarella is also an option after scoring in a 3-1 win over Catania last weekend. Also this weekend, struggling Inter Milan visits Napoli in a matchup of two clubs heading in opposite directions. Napoli won 3-0 at Fiorentina last week then beat Chelsea 3-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Inter s 1-0 loss to Marseille in the elite European competition Wednesday marked its fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions, and its sixth loss in its last seven matches. Making matters worse for Inter was that key right back Maicon appeared to pick up a serious right knee injury against Marseille, which scored in added time. Lazio, which hosts Fiorentina on Sunday, is also in disarray. Manager Edy Reja has reportedly handed in a letter of resignation but was still directing the squad at Atletico Madrid in the Europa League on Thursday. Lazio lost the first leg 3-1 to Atletico and the Roman club was humiliated in a 5-1 loss to Palermo last weekend. Reja also attempted to resign earlier this season but was convinced to stay on. Lazio is tied with Udinese for third, eight points behind Milan and seven behind Juventus. Udinese, which visits Bologna on Sunday, also had a Europa league game Thursday, at PAOK Thessaloniki. Also this weekend, it s: Genoa vs. Parma; Atalanta vs. Roma; Cagliari vs. Lecce; Catania vs. Novara; Chievo vs. Cesena; and Siena vs. Palermo.