Sports world

The 'Torres-like' Ekitike continues to captivate long-term admirers at Newcastle. Anfield fell silent as Anthony Gordon turned to the Kop and defiantly gestured towards his ear. The Newcastle United forward had just put his team ahead against Liverpool with a well-executed finish in the 36th minute. There was still ample time remaining. But were Liverpool on the verge of suffering their first home defeat to the visitors in a top-flight match since 1994? Was the champions' winless streak in the Premier League about to stretch to six matches? Not if Hugo Ekitike had anything to say about it. The French forward equalized for his team with a poacher's goal - then quickly put them ahead with a second strike before half-time, much to the joy of manager Arne Slot. "The fans adore him," Slot remarked following his team's 4-1 victory. "From the outset, it was evident how exceptional he is, how fast he is." These were the types of finishes that Newcastle...

AC Milan's goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, has signed a new contract extending to 2031. AC Milan has secured the long-term future of Mike Maignan, as the goalkeeper signed a new contract extending to 2031 on Saturday. Maignan made an immediate impact upon his arrival at Milan from Lille in 2021, stepping in to replace Gianluigi Donnarumma, who transferred to Paris Saint-Germain. The France international played a crucial role in helping Milan clinch the Serie A title in his debut season and was honored as the Serie A goalkeeper of the season. "(He) quickly became one of the key figures in the team, noted for his leadership, dependability, and unselfish attitude," Milan stated in an announcement. "His continuous development led him to become the club captain and a vital presence within the squad, as well as a consistent member of the French national team." At 30 years old, Maignan has made 188 appearances for Milan.

Yamal leads Barcelona to a 3-1 victory against Elche Lamine Yamal netted one goal and assisted another as Barcelona increased their lead at the top of LaLiga with a 3-1 triumph over Elche on Saturday. Barcelona now holds 55 points from 22 matches, four points ahead of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. Elche remains in 12th position with 24 points from 22 games. Yamal initiated the scoring for the visitors before Alvaro Rodriguez equalized for Elche in a thrilling first half. Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford added to the scoreline, alleviating the concerns of a Barcelona side that had 30 attempts on goal during the match. "We secured three more points. We are continuing to develop as a team. We have not yet reached our full potential," stated Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong. "We typically have players who finish well. There are occasions when they miss. The crucial aspect is that we create those chances." Barcelona took the lead within six minutes when Dani...

Pakistan triumphed over Australia by a margin of 90 runs to secure the series. Australia's last batsman Matthew Kuneman was caught at first slip by Usman Tariq, and Salman Agha, who was standing there, collected the ball in his fist with great ease. This moment of the end is like a symbolic picture of the entire match and series. Pakistan won a big victory by 90 runs by wrapping up Australia, who were chasing, for 108 runs. Batsman Salman did a great job of building a big capital with his stormy batting in this victory. Pakistan also won the series with the match. Captain Salman won the series against Australia after a long 7 years. Pakistan, who won the first T20 of the series by 22 runs, batted first today and scored 198 for 5 wickets. Despite losing the wicket of Sahibzada Farhan at the beginning, Salman focused on aggressive batting with Saim Ayub. The 50 runs added in just 21 balls in the second wicket partnership between the two. Even after Syme was dismissed for 23 off 11 ba...

Cologne triumphs over Wolfsburg, concluding a 13-match run without securing a clean sheet. Cologne triumphed over Wolfsburg with a score of 1-0, thereby concluding a 13-match run without a clean sheet in the Bundesliga on Friday. Linton Maina netted a goal with a deflected left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area during the first half, celebrating his 100th appearance in the Bundesliga. This victory marked Cologne's first win against Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga since September 2022, and it was also their first home win over Wolfsburg since January 2020. With this result, Cologne ascended to ninth place in the standings, providing a morale boost ahead of a challenging sequence of six matches, during which they will compete against four of the top five teams. Meanwhile, Wolfsburg found themselves in 12th place, just four points clear of the relegation zone.

Cataldi's penalty in stoppage time secures a victory for Lazio against Genoa in Serie A. Danilo Cataldi successfully converted a penalty 10 minutes into stoppage time, securing a 3-2 victory for Lazio against Genoa in Serie A on Friday. Lazio appeared to be in control after establishing a 2-0 lead early in the second half. Pedro scored the first goal from the penalty spot, followed by Kenneth Taylor, who increased the lead. Despite Lazio being one of the three teams in Serie A with the highest number of clean sheets — totaling 11 — Genoa, who had been unbeaten in their last five matches, managed to equalize. Ruslan Malinovskyi netted a penalty, and Vitinha brought the score level with 15 minutes remaining. As a result, Lazio ascended one position in the league standings, now sitting in eighth place. Genoa, despite possessing one of the weakest defenses in Serie A, remained in 13th place, tied on points with Cremonese, Parma, and Torino.

After a span of seven years, Pakistan triumphed over Australia. The Pakistan captain must have felt the pressure with the way Travis Head started the batting as soon as he came on. The Australian stand-in captain hit two sixes and two fours in his first nine balls. Chasing Pakistan's 168, Australia scored 27 runs in 2.2 overs. However, Head's storm of an early start did not last long in the first T20I of the three-match series in Lahore. Australia lost 6 wickets before reaching 100 after being trapped by Pakistan's spin net. In the end, Pakistan won the match by 22 runs after restricting them to 146 runs. With this victory, Pakistan ended its long winning drought against Australia. Pakistan last won in Dubai in October 2018, and has lost 7 consecutive matches since then. Despite a good start in the chase, Australia was trapped mainly by Pakistan's spinners. Saim Ayub returned the two openers, Matthew Short and Head. Among them, Head was caught by Babar Azam for 23 runs ...

Elite forces deployed in Sri Lanka amid uncertain India-Pakistan match It is still uncertain whether Pakistan will participate in the T20 World Cup or not. There are rumors that they may boycott the India match even if they play in the World Cup. Amidst these uncertainties, co-host Sri Lanka is taking maximum security measures for the India-Pakistan match. The Group A match between India and Pakistan is scheduled to be held in Colombo on February 15 as per the World Cup schedule. Sri Lanka will deploy elite armed forces to strengthen security for this match. Sri Lanka's Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage told AFP on Wednesday night, "Sri Lanka is giving utmost importance to organizing the tournament smoothly and special attention is being paid to the India-Pakistan matches." Police and security officials said that the elite commando units usually assigned to protect foreign heads of state will be deployed to protect the participating teams in the World Cup. "They wi...

 Litons' conditioning camp on February 1 Bangladesh cricketers have become unemployed due to not playing in the World Cup. Liton Kumar Das is currently out of action. The BCB has decided to keep the cricketers busy to overcome the disappointment of not playing in the World Cup. The Cricket Management Department decided in a meeting on Wednesday to hold a fitness training camp with the national team pool cricketers from February 1. A BCB source said that the fitness camp can continue until February 9. The national team cricketers are being listed along with the Test, ODI and T20 cricketers. The national team selection panel is listing the conditioning camp. After completing the conditioning camp, the cricketers will get a leave to vote in the national parliament elections. The BCL ODI tournament can be played from February 17 or 18 after the elections. In this four-team tournament, three teams will be made up of national team cricketers. The fourth team will be made up of HP cricket...

Pakistan rumoured to be buying Colombo flight tickets, final decision by February 2 The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has started intensive discussions about the possibility of boycotting the T20 World Cup in support of Bangladesh. However, according to recent reports, Pakistan is not going that way in the end. This information has been reported in some Indian media reports. Quoting PCB sources, it was reported that the Pakistan team has already booked flight tickets to Colombo, Sri Lanka. This makes it clear that Pakistan is not going to decide to boycott the World Cup like Bangladesh. According to a report by Telecom Asia Sports, the Pakistan team led by Salman Ali Agha will go to Colombo together after the series against Australia. This indicates that Pakistan will participate in the World Cup and the possibility of a boycott against Bangladesh is also practically ruled out. Earlier, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had said that they may consider boycotting the World Cup in support of Bang...

New Zealand devastated by debut storm New Zealand was devastated by the Abhishek Sharma storm this time. The visitors did not get any attention in the third T20I of the series. India won the 20-over match in 10 overs. New Zealand lost the third T20I of the five-match series by 8 wickets. The Kiwis batted first on Monday and scored 153 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. The hosts easily overcame that. Abhishek Sharma ran rampant in the run chase. Although another opener Sanju Samson (1) was dismissed early. However, Abhishek continued to play aggressively after getting Ishan Kishan out. Ishan, playing a cameo innings of 28 runs from 13 balls, departed at the top of the team's 53 runs. However, Abhishek Sharma did not stop, reaching a fifty in just 14 balls. Which is the second fastest among Indians. In the end, Abhishek was unbeaten on 68 runs from 20 balls. On the other hand, Suryakumar was unbeaten on 57 runs from 26 balls. India won the match in just 10 overs. Earlier, Devon Conway ...

Arsenal experience a setback in their title pursuit against a motivated United, while Villa narrows the distance. Arsenal will not be pressing the panic button; however, the anxiety surrounding the Premier League title is starting to emerge in north London. A 3-2 home loss to Manchester United on Sunday has left the door slightly open for their competitors. Remarkable second-half goals from Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha secured United their first Premier League victory at Arsenal since 2017, thereby loosening Arsenal's hold on the top position. Rather than extending their seven-point advantage, Arsenal's initial home defeat of the season across all competitions has resulted in a four-point lead over Manchester City and Aston Villa. City returned to winning form by defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, while Villa achieved a 2-0 victory against Newcastle United on Sunday, just before Arsenal's match commenced at The Emirates Stadium. A spectacular first-half goal ...

Pegula defeats Keys to advance to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open. Jessica Pegula eliminated the defending champion Madison Keys at the Australian Open on Monday, as the American sixth seed achieved a commanding 6-3 6-4 victory, advancing to the quarter-finals at Melbourne Park for the fourth time. Competing against a close friend with whom she co-hosts "The Player's Box" podcast, Pegula made an explosive start at Rod Laver Arena, only momentarily losing momentum early in the match, keeping her on track for her first major title. "I have been performing exceptionally well, seeing the ball clearly, and striking it effectively throughout this tournament," Pegula remarked after sharing a heartfelt embrace at the net with Keys. "I aimed to remain consistent, relying on a few strategies that I anticipated she would employ, and I felt I executed them quite effectively. Perhaps I gained a few quick points from her at the beginning. "Once I establish...

Jonathan David is rediscovering his form at Juventus as the home World Cup in Canada draws near. Canadian star Jonathan David is regaining his form as the home World Cup approaches. David netted his third goal in four matches, contributing to Juventus's 3-0 victory over defending champions Napoli in Serie A on Sunday. This outcome allowed Luciano Spalletti to outmaneuver Antonio Conte, as both coaches faced their former teams. In the first half's middle, David skillfully controlled a long pass from Manuel Locatelli and directed it into the net. "(David) demonstrated his ability to compete in a tight space within the box, effectively taking the ball away from the opponent," Spalletti remarked. "If you exert all your strength in those critical moments, it works; otherwise, you miss the opportunity. He scored like a true striker." Just three minutes prior, Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram struck the post, and three minutes following the goal, the Turin side ...

Bangladesh make history by thrashing Maldives in SAFF Women's Futsal Bangladesh has emerged as the undefeated champions after a significant victory over Maldives in the inaugural edition of the South Asian Women's Futsal Championship held in Bangkok, Thailand. The red-green representatives made history by defeating Maldives with a score of 14-2 in the sixth and final match of the round-robin league on Sunday (January 25). In this match, which took place at Nonthaburi Hall in Bangkok, the Maldives initially took the lead; however, Sabina and Masurad's team quickly equalized. With this win, Bangladesh clinched the title by maintaining the top position in the standings with 16 points from six matches, comprising five victories and one draw. Previously, a commanding 9-1 victory against Pakistan had provided Bangladesh with a substantial advantage in the title race. The Bangladesh team, which remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, displayed dominance from the outset. Prior...

Manchester City regains momentum with victory against Wolverhampton, while Liverpool's troubles intensify. Manchester City returned to form with a 2-0 victory over bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers, bringing them within four points of Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday. Meanwhile, Liverpool's struggles continued as they suffered a last-minute 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth. City's manager, Pep Guardiola, opted to leave leading scorer Erling Haaland out of the starting eleven, yet they secured their first league win in nearly a month, thanks to goals from Omar Marmoush and new acquisition Antoine Semenyo. Arsenal, who will host fifth-placed Manchester United on Sunday, currently hold 50 points, while City sits at 46 points, having played one additional match. The reigning champions, Liverpool, find their top-four position at risk after following four consecutive league draws with a loss on the south coast, despite having fought back from a 2-0 deficit. Bournemouth...

Mbappé's two goals against Villarreal propel Real Madrid to the top of La Liga. Despite a change in coaching and some disappointing performances that frustrated its supporters, Real Madrid ascended to the top of La Liga after Kylian Mbappé netted two goals in a 2-0 victory against Villarreal on Saturday. Mbappé found the net early in the second half and converted a penalty in injury time, ensuring that Madrid moved two points ahead of Barcelona, which must defeat the last-placed Real Oviedo at home on Sunday to regain the top position. These goals marked Mbappé’s 20th and 21st in La Liga, making him the leading scorer with 21 goals in 20 matches. Madrid has remained competitive with Barcelona, despite not meeting the expectations of its demanding executives and fans. The club dismissed coach Xabi Alonso following a defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final two weeks ago, and the team subsequently faced an embarrassing elimination by a lower-division team in the Copa del Re...

Foden can play in the Champions League with a broken hand!  Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden is expected to participate in Tuesday's Champions League match against the Norwegian team Bodo/Glimt, despite having a fractured hand. The City squad has departed for Northern Norway with the England international included in the lineup. Foden was substituted at the conclusion of the first half during Manchester United's 2-0 loss at Old Trafford on Saturday. He sustained the injury following an unusual hand incident during a challenge. Following the game, City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that Foden has a minor fracture in his hand. Nevertheless, this does not pose a significant barrier to his participation in the upcoming match. Guardiola stated in a pre-match press conference, "He has a slight fracture in his hand, but he is playing with protection. He is fit for tomorrow's match." Meanwhile, Guardiola did not suggest that Erling Haaland would be rested despite h...

The defending champion Keys triumphs over the tenacious Oliynykova. Madison Keys commenced her title defence at the Australian Open with a victory of 7-6(6) 6-1 against Ukrainian Grand Slam newcomer Oleksandra Oliynykova, advancing to the second round at Melbourne Park on Tuesday. Keys encountered difficulties early in the match at Rod Laver Arena, suffering a double break due to untimely double faults. Although she managed to level the score at 4-4, the American was subsequently drawn into a tiebreak where Oliynykova created further disruption with her deep, looping shots. The determined Ukrainian reached two set points, but Keys countered the challenge with her signature powerful hitting, ultimately securing a tense tiebreak and expressing her relief with a triumphant roar. The change in momentum was solidified when ninth seed Keys surged to a 3-0 lead in the second set, and the 30-year-old concluded the match on her serve, setting the stage for a second-round encounter with fellow A...

Heroic return to the field of angry teammates Disallowed goals, contentious penalties, altercations in the stands, skirmishes between players, missed penalty opportunities, and last-minute goal controversies – what transpired during the final of the African Cup of Nations? The drama escalated to unprecedented levels in Rabat. Nevertheless, the situation was marred by the Senegalese players exiting the field in protest against a referee's ruling. Ultimately, Senegal returned to the pitch and secured the championship, overcoming Morocco with a score of 1-0. This victory marked Senegal's second championship title on the African continent. Four years prior, Sadio Mane was recognized as the tournament's standout player, playing a pivotal role in securing the nation's inaugural title. This time, the former Liverpool striker not only took charge on the field in reclaiming the title but also emerged as a genuine leader by upholding the spirit of the game during a tumultuous fin...

Two England cricketers finally get Indian visas The Indian government has ultimately issued visas to two cricketers from England in anticipation of the T20 World Cup. Among those whose visa applications faced challenges due to their Pakistani heritage, Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid were the first to obtain their visas. Previously, it was reported that India was postponing the issuance of visas for approximately 42 cricketers and officials from various nations because of their Pakistani background. Despite some pressure on the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding this issue, the organization confirmed its commitment to ensuring that all tournament participants receive their visas promptly. Late last week, it was reported that the remaining members of the England team, Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid, had received their visas but were still awaiting clearance. The issuance of their visas has provided a sense of relief to the England camp. The ICC has expressed optimism that the visa p...

Kostoulas's late overhead kick secures a point for Brighton in a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth. Teenage substitute Charalampos Kostoulas netted an impressive overhead kick during stoppage time, securing a 1-1 draw for Brighton against Bournemouth on Monday. The 18-year-old Greece international received a knock-down from Jan Paul van Hecke, skillfully chested the ball into the air, and executed a flawless bicycle kick from approximately 10 yards away. "I’ve witnessed him score even better in training, but that was extraordinary," remarked Brighton captain Lewis Dunk regarding the late goal. "He possesses exceptional talent. You’ve seen glimpses of it, and there will be many more displays from him. He’s adjusting to the country and the new league, and he has demonstrated his capabilities. That exemplifies precisely what he can achieve." This result extends Brighton’s unbeaten streak to five matches, placing them in 12th position in the Premier League, three points ...

Alcaraz-Sabalenka's dominance, Venus' history The first Grand Slam of the year got off to a great start at Melbourne Park. The first day saw the dominance of stars, the rise of newcomers and an afternoon that touched history. World number one Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka. Both won in easy two sets. Emma Raducanu, Cameron Norrie and Frances Tiafoe won on the same day. Despite losing, 45-year-old Venus Williams stole the show. World number one Alcaraz was in her own rhythm from the start. She started her career Grand Slam mission in a great way by defeating Australia's Adam Walton 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-2. After the match, Alcaraz said, 'It feels good to be back on the court in the new season. Walton played well, I also had to give my best. In the end, I was able to maintain my level of play, that's the satisfaction.' The same scene in the women's singles. Aryna Sabalenka won 6-4, 6-1. But the match was not as easy as it seemed at first. 20-year-old Tiantsova Ra...

 Mustafizur Rahman in Wisden's T20I Team of the Year Mustafizur Rahman received recognition for his excellent performance in the national team and various franchise T20 leagues last year. Cricket website Wisden has announced the men's T20 XI of the year, judging the performance of all matches, including the recognized matches. Bangladesh's left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman is in this best XI of the year, chosen by the website's editorial team. The number of international matches has increased. And various T20 franchise leagues have been held throughout the year. The XI has been formed by judging the performance of all types of T20 matches, according to the Wisden website. Wisden T20I XI of the Year (2025) Abhishek Sharma, Phil Salt, Devald Brevis, Sam Curran, Donovan Ferreira, Tim David, Sunil Narine, Jason Holder, Jacob Duffy, Mustafizur Rahman, Varun Chakraborty.

India punishes captain for losing series before World Cup India is set to host the forthcoming 10th edition of the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to commence on February 7, provided all goes according to plan. Prior to this event, the Indian team, under the leadership of Shubman Gill, has faced significant backlash following their defeat in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, losing 2-1 on home soil. Captain Shubman Gill is facing repercussions for his lackluster performance, particularly due to the unprecedented loss against New Zealand at home. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has mandated that both Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja participate in domestic cricket. According to the cricket-focused Indian website Cricbuzz, unless there is a last-minute change in decision, Gill and Jadeja are expected to compete in the Ranji Trophy. The match between Saurashtra and Punjab is set to begin on January 22, meaning Gill and Jadeja will be pitted against one ano...

In response to each passing century, Noakhali was defeated by Hridoy. Today in the BPL, two centuries were seen in one match. However, Noakhali Express' Isakhil's century was overshadowed by Hridoy's devastating batting. Rangpur Riders defeated Noakhali by 8 wickets with Hridoy's century and are waiting to play in the first qualifier. Chasing a big target of 174 runs in the last match of the league stage, the Litons reached the port of victory with 2 balls in hand. Batting for a target of 174 runs, Towhid Hridoy attacked Noakhali's bowlers from the beginning. Hridoy's bat came to 47 runs out of Rangpur's 55 runs in the power play. Hridoy scored his fourth fifty of the season in just 27 balls. Malan's departure broke the opening partnership of 78 runs. He returned to Isakhil's brilliant catch off Zaheer Khan for 15 runs in 17 balls. Then Liton Das came to the crease and joined Hridoy. Liton took his time at the beginning but made the equation easier b...

World Cup tickets are now available through BFF, inviting applications. General spectators can apply for World Cup 2026 football tickets at BFF. Applications can be made from today, with the last date for applications being January 22. A fee of Tk 500 will be deposited with the application. The ticket allocation for the countries that will play in the final round of the World Cup is one, and the ticket allocation for the countries that did not play is another. Bangladesh will get a maximum of 330 tickets. This time, the World Cup will be held in 3 countries. The United States, Mexico and Canada are the hosts. However, most of the World Cup matches will be held in the United States. This is the first time that the World Cup will be held with 48 teams. In the meantime, FIFA had released the demand for World Cup tickets to general spectators from 211 countries. Random applications have been submitted from December 11 to January 13, 500 million. Among them, spectators from Bangladesh have ...

The final battle for African supremacy today, Morocco-Senegal face off The stage of the Prince Moulay Abdullah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, decorated for a historic moment. Where today, Morocco's opponent in the Africa Cup of Nations title match is Sadio Mane's Senegal. It is conceivable that the slogan of Morocco, known as the 'Atlas Lions', will be raised in the gallery of the stadium with a capacity of about 70,000. This stage is the stage of the end of the 50-year wait in Moroccan football history. When Morocco became the best in Africa in 1976, footballers like Achraf Hakimi were not even born. Even though generations have come and gone, the sad story of Moroccan football has not changed. Therefore, Walid Regragui's team is desperate to win the title in its own backyard. The stage is as historic for Morocco as it is for Senegal's Mane. After defeating Egypt to secure the final, one of the stars of Senegalese football announced that this is his last African Na...

Isakhil's century gives Noakhali a fighting capital Noakhali Express, who are playing in the BPL for the first time, have already been eliminated from the play-offs. However, the team got a great opportunity to make their last match memorable. Afghan youngster Hasan Isakhil's record-breaking century helped Noakhali score 173 runs for 2 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs against Rangpur Riders. Liton Das' Rangpur needs to score 174 runs to keep their hopes of playing in the first qualifier alive. Rangpur Riders captain Liton Das won the toss in Mirpur on Sunday and decided to bowl first. Initially, Rangpur's bowlers held Noakhali's top order in a controlled bowling. Noakhali could only score 15 runs in the first 4 overs. They lost 1 wicket in the 6 overs of the power play and scored only 33 runs. Rahmatullah, who was playing his first match in the BPL, became a victim of Nahid's runner by scoring 9 runs in 10 balls. After that, Zaker Ali also quickly returned. No...

Bangladesh commences its journey with a victory over the United States. Bangladesh got off to a great start in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup qualifiers. The Tigresses defeated the United States by 21 runs in their first Group 'B' match at the Mulpani Cricket Ground in Kathmandu, Nepal. Sharmin Akhtar was the hero of the match with the bat. She played an innings of 63 runs off 39 balls. This was her first fifty in women's T20 international cricket. This innings included eight fours and a six. Sobhana Mostari played an important role along with Sharmin. She scored 32 runs off 29 balls. Batting first, Bangladesh scored 159 runs for 5 wickets in 20 overs after losing the toss. Mahi Madhavan did well with the ball for the United States. She took three wickets. Isani Bagela took two wickets. In reply, the United States started well. They were 55 for 1 after 9 overs. Then Ritu Moni turned the match around. This medium pacer took three wickets in one over. Among them was set ba...