DT
Sport 29
MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2015
Pakistan to arrive on April 16 n Minhaz Uddin Khan
Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata hits a scissors kick to score against Liverpool during their English Premier League match at Anfield yesterday
AFP
Gerrard red sees Mata clinch key win n AFP, Liverpool Steven Gerrard’s last game against Manchester United ended with an ignominious red card as Juan Mata’s superb double condemned Liverpool to a 2-1 defeat at Anfield on Sunday. In his final appearance against his club’s eternal foes before leaving for the Los Angeles Galaxy, Liverpool captain Gerrard came on at half-time, only to be sent off after 43 seconds for a crude stamp on Ander Herrera, who had created Mata’s 14th-minute opener. Mata added a glorious, volleyed second goal and despite Daniel Sturridge’s reply and Wayne Rooney seeing a late penalty saved, United held on to condemn Liverpool to a
first league defeat since their 3-0 loss at Old Trafford in December’s reverse fixture. Liverpool’s run of 13 games without defeat had given them an opportunity to knock United out of the Champions League places, but
EPL RESULT Liverpool Sturridge 69
1-2
Manchester United Mata 14, 59
instead Louis van Gaal’s side remain fourth, a healthy five points above their rivals with eight games of the season remaining. Gerrard’s moment of madness proved the game’s major talking point, but there was no disguising United’s superiority as they
confirmed the return to form sparked by last weekend’s 3-0 defeat of Tottenham Hotspur. After a fourth consecutive league win - and only a second success at Anfield in eight visits - United will now anticipate forthcoming games against Aston Villa, Manchester City and Chelsea with something approaching the confidence of old. Brendan Rodgers’s Liverpool players, meanwhile, head into the international break hoping to find a second wind when they return. With Pele and United greats Alex Ferguson and Bobby Charlton in the directors’ box, there was no shortage of football royalty in attendance as the two teams - both unchanged - took to the field beneath warm spring sunshine.l
The Bangladesh Cricket Board yesterday confirmed Pakistan’s arrival in April for a monthlong bilateral series containing two Tests, three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international. The confirmation came after the Pakistan government gave the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) the green signal to tour Bangladesh. A PCB security team will visit Bangladesh ahead of the series to assess the arrangements but it is understood to be just a formality and keeps no resemblance in making a change in the tour plans. According to BCB media committee chairman Jalal Younus, the board will soon inform PCB of dates to send their security team. “We have received confirmation of Pakistan’s arrival in mid-April,” Jalal said to the media yesterday. “The tour schedule has not been confirmed yet but we are hoping to have it finalised by the next 3-4 days. We will consider Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna as venues,” he added. However, BCB will have to consider the City Mayor election in Dhaka and Chittagong on April 28 and make their itinerary accordingly though Jalal said, “We will consider our security arrangement for that day but I don’t think it will have an effect on the tour’s smooth progress.” He also informed that Pakistan team is most likely to set foot in Dhaka on April 16 and the series will kick off on April 19 with the T20I game in Dhaka. The tour will end on May 13. The Bangladesh-Pakistan series earlier came under jeopardy after PCB demanded 50% of the revenue from the BCB. BCB in a prompt reaction rejected the proposal putting the series in doubt. This made the Pakistan board lose interest with the tour and further claimed that they had to bear financial losses as Bangladesh pulled out from their commitment on various occasions. The tension between the two boards ended after the BCB agreed to bear the entire cost of the tour. There, however, was a concern whether the Pakistan government will allow their team to visit as according to a PCB official, “We are concerned with anti-Pakistan sentiment in Bangladesh.” l
Menez fires Milan as fans stage boycott n Reuters, Milan Jeremy Menez scored twice to help beleaguered AC Milan beat Cagliari 3-1 in front of a sparse San Siro crowd on Saturday as fans responded to a request to boycott the match in protest at the club’s leadership. The Curva Sud section was almost deserted while banners, written in English, read “Game Over” and “Insert Coin To Save AC Milan”. The Curva Sud had called on fans to stay away because the hierarchy, they say, have undermined coach Filippo Inzaghi with their rudderless leadership and confused transfer policy. Menez put Milan ahead in the 21st minute with a curling shot from the edge of the penalty area. Diego Farias levelled for relegation candidates Cagliari two minutes after halftime but French defender Philippe Mexes volleyed Milan back in front almost immediately. Menez completed the win by converting a penalty. l
AC Milan supporters show banners before the Italian Serie A match against Cagliari at the San Siro stadium in Milan on Saturday
REUTERS