Superb Man Utd humble Arsenal

Published>Mon, Feb 01 10 11:24 AM

Champions Manchester United delivered a devastating statement of Premier League title intent by beating rivals Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

United produced a superb attacking display, taking the lead when Nani's cross was turned into his own net by goalkeeper Manuel Almunia after 33 minutes before Wayne Rooney started and finished a stunning counter-attack before halftime.

Park Ji-sung got the third seven minutes after the interval and Arsenal had only the minor consolation of Thomas Vermaelen's deflected volley 10 minutes from time.

"We delivered a completely off-the-mark performance and that's why we were well beaten," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.

"We gave them too much room, we were naive and that's why we have to stick together and produce a much better performance next Sunday when we go to Chelsea."

Chelsea, who won 2-1 with a late goal at Burnley on Saturday, top the standings on 54 points, one ahead of United and five clear of Arsenal. Chelsea have a game in hand on both rivals and play it against Hull City in midweek.

Arsenal went into the United match full of confidence after a 10-game unbeaten run and both sides showed total commitment to attack.

Arsenal's Andrei Arshavin escaped three times down the left but finished poorly on each occasion while Nani looked highly dangerous down the United right.

It was the Portuguese winger who made the breakthrough with a brilliant piece of trickery to get past three Arsenal defenders and when he hoisted over a deep cross, Almunia, trying to turn it over the bar, only flapped it into the net.

SNUFFED OUT

The second goal was a classic as United snuffed out an Arsenal attack in their own penalty box and broke.

Rooney turned the ball into the path of Nani before sprinting 70 metres to collect the return and sweep it in first time.

It was the 100th Premier League goal of the 24-year-old England striker's career and came just over seven years after he opened his account for Everton against Arsenal when he was 16.

United's third was another long-range break and hesitant defending allowed Park to travel from halfway before calmly slotting his first goal of the season.

Vermaelen's goal led to a brief flurry but United held out quite comfortably and Arsene Wenger's side must bounce back immediately at Chelsea.

"We need to deliver a special performance at Stamford Bridge next Sunday before we can even start thinking about winning the game," Wenger said.

United manager Alex Ferguson said he would be hoping Arsenal found their form against Chelsea.

"Arsenal are not out of it, I hope that Arsenal go to Stamford Bridge and batter them," he told Sky Sports.

Ferguson had special praise for the "unbelievable Rooney."

"He was the key player for us and they could just could not handle him. He was a really great player today," he said.

In Sunday's other game, Emmanuel Adebayor marked his return from Togo's traumatic time at the African Nations Cup with the opening goal in Manchester City's 2-0 win over bottom club Portsmouth at Eastlands.

Vincent Kompany headed the second as City won without breaking sweat to close on Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in the battle for fourth place.

Source: Web Search

'Wife to remain with Tiger Woods for four more years to claim 250m pounds'

Published>Mon, Feb 01 10 11:10 AM

London, February 1 (ANI): Tiger Woods' wife Elin Nordegren is reportedly drawing plans to remain with her cheating husband for four more years so that she can claim a slice of 250 million pounds from his pie of wealth.

The mum-of-two, who tied the knot with the ace golfer in 2004, has purportedly been advised by her legal team to stay married to the star for 10 years to ensure she gets half of his 500 million pound fortune.

"She's prepared to stick with it if that's what it takes to get what she deserves," the Sun quoted a friend as saying.

"She's going through the motions of trying to work things out, but has said there's no chance. She's a woman scorned and will do what it takes to hit him where it hurts," the pal added.

Woods reportedly checked into a rehabilitation centre in Mississippi for sexual addiction after confessing infidelity and withdrawing from professional golf for an indefinite period. (ANI)

Source: Web Search

Karate wonder kid from Kerala

Published Mon, Feb 01 10 10:30 AM

T K Kesavan Kochi, Feb 1 (PTI) At five, she just looks like any other tiny tot, but Varsha Vinod is already on top of the world, having become the youngest-ever to get a karate black belt. The wonder kid from Kerala started practising the chops and kicks of the martial art three years ago when children of her age were busy playing. A Class I student of Taxila English Medium School at Purakkad in neighbouring Alappuzha, Varsha has become a celebrity after her achievement. She is now sought by many organisations and clubs in Kerala to demonstrate karate, her father and sensei Vinod Viswanathan, who runs the Ko-In-Chi Academy of Martial Arts at Amabalapuzha in Alappuzha District, told PTI. "Varsha, who idolises martial art veteran Bruce Lee, has extraordinary talent and has been showing her interest in this sport from the tender age of two. Seeing her interest, I started taking her regularly to the academy," he said. Once her talent became evident during preliminary training, he started imparting advanced karate techniques. At the age of four, Varsha was a brown belt holder, the first degree in Karate, and was awarded the black belt, the tenth karate grade, last year, he said. .

Source: Web Search

Kobe jumper lifts Lakers to victory over Celtics

Published Mon, Feb 01 10 10:10 AM

Kobe Bryant made amends for a poor shooting game by sinking a spectacular game-winning jumper as the Los Angeles Lakers edged the Boston Celtics 90-89 on Sunday.

Bryant drilled a difficult 15-footer with 7.3 seconds left despite the close attendance of Ray Allen, who then went on to miss a three-point attempt as time expired to ensure the Lakers (37-11) took a satisfying win over their long-time rivals.

"I was thinking about last year when I had a chance to win a game in regulation but missed it. I wanted to make up for that," Bryant told reporters after L.A. beat Boston for the third time in a row since losing to the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals.

"The fans are very knowledgeable here and it's always a great place to get a win."

Bryant finished with 19 points and six assists despite 8-for-20 shooting and Andrew Bynum added 19 and 11 boards as Los Angeles captured its fourth straight win.

In a marquee matchup between the last two NBA champions, the Celtics recovered from an early deficit and looked poised to prevail when they led by 11 with less than nine minutes remaining.

DRY SPELL

However, the home team suffered a dry spell that allowed the Lakers to inch closer and the visitors pulled within one on Ron Artest's drive with 45 seconds remaining.

Artest then drew an offensive foul on Paul Pierce to set up his team's final possession.

Rajon Rondo led the way with 21 points and 12 assists for a struggling Boston (29-16), who have suffered six defeats in eight games.

Injuries and an aging roster have been of concern for the Celtics, who have compiled a mediocre 13-8 home record this season.

The Lakers took the life out of the TD Garden in the first where Bynum had 12 points for the hot-shooting visitors, who took a 30-19 advantage, before Rondo sparked a Boston comeback.

The newly named All-Star point guard scored nine in the second and the Celtics seized the momentum with a 30-10 turnaround to grab a 49-40 advantage with 3:01 left before the half.

"We came back with some energy from our bench who gave us a lift and we stuck with it and kept fighting," Rondo said.

"No matter what are offense does we have to come down and play defense."

Source: Web Search

American Crane ends title drought in San Diego

Published>Mon, Feb 01 10 09:50 AM

American Ben Crane sank three lengthy birdie putts on his way to clinching a first PGA Tour title in more than four years with a one-shot victory at the San Diego Open on Sunday.

Crane overhauled third-round leader Ryuji Imada of Japan with three birdies in the first five holes and survived a nervy finish at Torrey Pines to card a two-under-par 70 for a 13-under total of 275.

The 33-year-old missed a three-footer to bogey the 17th but he parred the last on the brutal South Course to earn his first win on the U.S. circuit since the 2005 Milwaukee Championship.

"I was working so hard with my caddie coming down the last few holes just to not get involved in the score and outcome and all that," Crane told reporters after earning the winner's cheque for $954,000.

"It was a grind but I'm very thankful I came out on top. It's really cool to know I'm going in the right direction."

Australian Mark Leishman, the 2009 PGA Tour rookie of the year, birdied two of the last three holes for a 68 and a tie for second with compatriot Michael Sim (71) and American Brandt Snedeker (69).

South African Ernie Els was a further stroke back after closing with a 69 but the expected last-day charge by three-times champion Phil Mickelson failed to materialise.

The American world number two, making his first tournament appearance of the year, bogeyed the first three holes en route to a 73 and 19th place at eight under.

"I was really excited about playing, maybe I was a little over-anxious," Mickelson said. "I got off to a terrible start and throughout the round I didn't get much out of it."

SUPERB APPROACH

Crane began another sun-kissed day on the California coastline two strokes behind the pacesetting Imada and he recorded his first birdie at the par-four second where he struck a superb approach to three feet.

At the tricky third, he benefited from a two-shot swing to move one ahead of Imada, a lead which he never relinquished.

Crane rolled in a 45-foot birdie putt up the hill while his Japanese playing partner bogeyed after three-putting from long range.

Two holes later, the American picked up his third shot, ramming in a 22-footer and pumping his right fist in celebration after the ball disappeared into the cup.

Out in a flawless three-under 33, Crane drained a 48-footer at the par-three 11th to keep his closest challengers at bay.

"I made two putts today that you certainly never expect to make," he said of his two birdies from more than 40 feet. "I was not trying to make those putts, I was just trying to put a good stroke on it, and they happened to go in."

Crane collected his first bogey of the round at the par-five 13th, where he three-putted from 14 feet, and also stumbled at the par-four 17th when he pushed his short par putt wide of the left edge of the cup.

Despite finding the right rough off the tee at the par-five last, Crane laid up in two on the way to a regulation five and a one-stroke victory.

Australian Robert Allenby made a strong bid for his fifth PGA Tour win with five birdies in the first 13 holes but he fell out of second place by losing five shots in four holes.

Source: Web Search

China's Ho-Pin Tung steps up with Renault

Published>Mon, Feb 01 10 09:29 AM

Ho-Pin Tung broke new ground with Renault on Sunday when be became the first Chinese driver to be named in a Formula One team line-up.

The Dutch-born 27-year-old, already the first Chinese national to drive a grand prix car, will be Renault's official third (reserve) driver this season.

Tung will also be racing in the GP2 support series with the DAMS team in Renault colours.

"This step will be the breakthrough I think in terms of media attention, of interest," he told Reuters at the launch of the new Renault F1 car.

"I will be the first Chinese guy ever who is officially part of a Formula One team and that's going to be a big thing, I think.

"It's a very nice thing. China has had a race since 2004 but never had a Chinese involvement within a team. Now they have, and I'm really looking forward to it."

Tung first tested with Williams in December 2003 after winning that year's Asian Formula BMW series, and again with Renault late last year.

He is managed by Gravity Sport Management, owned by Genii capital who recently bought a large stake in the Renault team, and had been linked to a possible race drive.

"As a driver you always want to race but in the end this is a fantastic opportunity," he said. "To be officially third driver is already a big thing. I am showing the world I am on the threshold of Formula One.

"I hope to gain as much experience as I can and gain a race drive in the near future."

Asked whether he might get a chance to drive in Friday practice in this year's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, Tung said he would certainly be there.

"Never say no but for the moment that's not the case," he said of the possibility of a home track appearance.

Team principal Eric Boullier said it was unlikely to happen, given limited testing opportunities, but it depended on how the team performed.

"Depending on where we are standing on the grid, we can allow then a little bit more flexibility with our third drivers," he said.

Source: Web Search

Shooting venue opened, Games panel chief Kalmadi out of range

Published>Mon, Feb 01 10 09:28 AM

Now, game to get ready for eventDisappointed by the slow progress of preparations for the Commonwealth Games? Fume not, for you can now join in and help, at least in the virtual world.

A new online game that is fast catching on among gamers helps one "gear up to prepare for the prestigious event and show the world that Delhi is the best choice for this huge event." called 'Delhi Games 2010', the game is available on koffii.com, involves the player building roads to stadiums and Metro stations, besides providing security, before the Games organising committee comes along for inspection.

The game has been divided into various levels ? the introductory level involves making roads within a stipulated time, after which the player moves forward to build other things. "The roads in Delhi are in a pathetic state, so new roads have to be built. Set the ball rolling by constructing world-class roads and pave the way for a mind-blowing event," it says.

The game says: Be a step ahead and show how competent you are!"

Criticised for ignoring the Commonwealth Games organising committee in the January 24 inauguration of the National Stadium, the Sports ministry invited Suresh Kalmadi to the unveiling of the Karni Singh shooting range on Sunday but the committee chairman skipped the event.

Kalmadi cited prior commitments in Pune, and though committee vice-chairman Randhir Singh attended the ceremony, he made it clear that he was here as a former marksman. "I am not here to represent the organising committee," he told reporters. "I got an invitation as a former shooter."

Kalmadi, on his part, issued a statement from Pune in which he expressed happiness at the completion of the range and said his preoccupation kept him away. "As a dedicated Member of Parliament, I have to be committed to my work beyond all else," Kalmadi said.

"I am happy and proud that world-class sports infrastructure is being opened well in time for the Commonwealth Games. I was at the opening of the Ludlow Castle training centre for wrestling the other day and must say that my heart swelled with pride at the facilities on offer to the athletes," Kalmadi said in the statement.

The Sports ministry earlier drew flak for not inviting Games organising committee members when the National Stadium ? venue of hockey events ? was inaugurated on January 24.

Source: Web Search