The New Nation - Internet Edition

Manchester United win European Champions League title

AP, Moscow

Manchester United beat Chelsea 6-5 in a rain-soaked penalty shootout to win the European Champions League title Wednesday night following a 1-1 tie.

In the first final between two English teams, Edwin van der Sar batted away Nicolas Anelka's drive on the 14th kick to give Manchester United its third Champions League title. This championship, following titles in 1968 and 1999, came in the 50th anniversary year of the plane crash that killed eight United players in Munich, Germany.

Cristiano Ronaldo had scored in the 26th minute for Manchester United, his 42nd goal of the season. Frank Lampard tied it for Chelsea in the 45th at Luzhniki Stadium, pointing both hands skyward in honor of his mother, who died last month.

Ronaldo, considered by many Europe's top player this season, was stopped by goalkeeper Petr Cech on United's third penalty kick. That gave the advantage to Chelsea, which has never won Europe's top club title.

"When we missed the penalty kick, we thought we were in trouble," said United's Alex Ferguson, who led the club to its 22nd title overall since he became manager in September 1986.

Chelsea captain John Terry stepped up with the score 4-4 and the chance to win it. But he slipped and his kick hit a post as Manchester keeper Edwin van der Sar dived the other way. Terry sat on the ground in disbelief.

"I was thinking he's going to score," United defender Rio Ferdinand said of Terry, his defensive teammate on the England squad. "He's a great penalty taker normally. but he slipped."

Anderson and Ryan Giggs - making his club-record 759th appearance - then converted for United around Salomon Kalou's score for Chelsea.

That left it up to Anelka, whose failure at just past 1:30 a.m. set off another celebration for the Red Devils, who 10 days earlier won their second straight English Premier League title by beating out Chelsea on the final day of the season.

While his teammates ran to congratulate Van der Sar in front of the United fans behind the goal, Ronaldo lay face down in the center circle. Eventually he got up to join in the celebrations.

Terry was in tears at the end and was hugged and consoled by coach Avram Grant, who appeared to throw his runners-up medal toward Chelsea fans.

Carlos Tevez, Michael Carrick, Owen Hargreaves and Nani scored the other kicks for the Red Devils. Michael Ballack, Juliano Belletti, Lampard, Ashley Cole converted for Chelsea.

Manchester United won its first European title since it was purchased three years ago by Malcolm Glazer, whose Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the 2003 Super Bowl.

Chelsea, which has become a European power under high-spending Russian owner Roman Abramovich, finished with 10 men after Didier Drogba was ejected in the 116th minute for petulantly tapping Nemanja Vidic in the face with his hand.

Only the pre-game opening ceremony made it look like Moscow. After that it could have been Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge or Wembley as players so familiar with each other were roared on by English fans.

The first 25 minutes, however, were a poor advertisement for the Premier League as Chelsea stifled United's efforts to create moves and the action got stuck in the midfield.

Ronaldo, poorly marked by Michael Essien, Ronaldo headed in a cross from Wes Brown, who had neatly swapped passes with Paul Scholes on the right wing. Ronaldo scored a Champions League-leading eight goals in 11 matches, and his season total was third in United history behind Denis Law (46 in 1963-64) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (44 in 2002-3).

Chelsea equalized when Essien's shot hit defenders Vidic and Ferdinand, and the ball dropped to the unmarked Lampard, who scored from 12 yards.

Lampard hit the crossbar in the fourth minute of injury time with a left-footed shot from 15 yards. Giggs, who broke Bobby Charlton's record for United appearances, nearly broke the tie in the 100th but Terry deflected the shot with his head.

'Football coaching clinic' under famed Italian booters begins

UNB, Dhaka

A high-level 'football coaching clinic' for the local coaches and booters of the age group 10-14 under former Italian star booters began at the BUET ground here Thursday afternoon.

The Singapore-based Japanese zipper manufacturers, YKK Holding Asia Private Limited, and the Italian Serie A runners-up AS Roma jointly arranged the three-day coaching clinic as part of its programme to inspire the junior booters in Asia. After Bangladesh, another such football clinic will be held in Indonesia.

Former Italian star footballer Maurizio Remon Turone along with three other coaches is conducting the clinic.

Maurizio, the technical director of AS Roma's Asia and Oceania schools project, represented AS Roma to win the European Cup twice in 70's.

On the first day (Thursday), Maurizio and his coaches conducted the workshop with 30 leading local coaches. From tomorrow (Friday), his team will conduct a two-day "Just for kicks" football clinic for some 350 local junior booters of the age group 10-14 in cooperation with 30 local coaches.

Former Italian national player of Fiorentina and Venezia clubs and now a coach, Mauro Zironelli, another Italian football coach Morris Pagniello and Australian coach Joe Di Martino, acted as assistants of Maurizio.

The YKK Holding and AS Roma Club are conducting the football clinic here under its corporate social responsibility project in Asia after the success of a similar project in Singapore last year.

Dhaka reaches semi-final eliminating Comilla by 19 runs

UNB, Dhaka

Dhaka DSA reached the semi-final of the 28th National Cricket Championship eliminating Comilla DSA by 19 runs in the final round opener at the Sylhet Stadium on Thursday.

In a 20 over a-side match for rain, sent into bat first, Dhaka DSA scored 126 for 8 with opener Faiyas making 31 runs.

Nazrul Haque grabbed three wickets for 26 runs while Manik Kumar took two for 10 runs.

In reply, Comilla DSA folded their innings at 107 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs with middle order Kamrul Hossain scoring 34 runs.

SM Raihan Sharif of Dhaka claimed three wickets conceding 17 runs in four overs and was adjudged man of the match.

Premier Hockey: Bangladesh SC beat Wari

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh SC beat Wari Club by a solitary goal in the day's lone match of the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League at the Moulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium on Thursday.

Ehtesham of Bangladesh SC scored the all-important goal in the 21st minute of the play.

Today Azad SC will face Sadharan Bima KS at 2.30 PM while Dhaka Mariners Youngs Club will meet Sonali Bank SRC at 4.00 PM at the same venue.

International Beach Volleyball from May 25

Sports Reporter

The International Beach Volleyball Tournament will be held at the Laboni Point in Cox's Bazar Beach from May 25 to May 30. Bangladesh Volleyball Federation will arrange the volleyball meet.

President of Bangladesh Olympic Association and Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed will inaugurate the volleyball competition on 25th May at 5.00 PM as the Chief guest.

A number of seven teams will particpate in the women's division. They are: Abahani Limited, SNT, Mitali Sangha, Nepal Police, Jawlakhel Sports Training Centre of Nepal, Indonesia and India.

A total of eight teams will take part in the men's division.

They are: Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Power Development Board, Cox's Bazar, Nepal Police and India.

The foreign teams will arrive in the city today and the fixture of the tournament will be prepared on May 25.

National booters play to 1-1 draw with African XI

UNB, Narsingdi

National football team played to a 1-1 draw with African Football XI in a practice match at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Motiur Rahman Stadium in Narsingdi on Thursday ahead of the 5th SAF Championship.

Abul Hossain put the national side ahead early in the 9th minute (1-0), while Jerry scored the equaliser for the African XI two minutes before the long whistle (1-1).

Some 2,000 soccer fans witnessed the match.

The national side will play the 2nd preparation match on Saturday (May 24) at the Banglabandhu National Stadium against a BFF selection - Sporting Independent, Dhaka.

In the SAF meet, Bangladesh, placed in Group B with co-hosts Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bhutan, will play Bhutan on June 4, Afghanistan on June 6 and Sri Lanka on June 8, all in Colombo.

Sinha Textile beat Nabin Sangha

UNB, Dhaka

Sinha Textile notched a three-wicket win over Nabin Sangha in a super league match of the 2nd Division Cricket League at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Opting to bat first, Nabin Sangha scored 231 for all in stipulated 50 overs with Asadul making 64 and Rubel 55.

Chasing a revised target of 159 in 26 overs due to rain, Sinha Textile reached victory making 160 in 25.3 overs for the loss of seven wickets with Jahangir contributing not out 47 runs and Samarjeet making 23.

Sagar and Motiur captured two wickets each for 12 and 18 runs respectively.

In the day's other matches, Dhanmondi Cricket Academy (174/10) beat Mirpur Cricket Academy (100/10) by 45 runs (parabola norm method) at the Dhaka University ground, while the match between East End Club and Eskaton Sabuj Sangha at the City Club ground was abandoned due to rain.

BCB names 25-member preliminary squad for Asia Cup

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Thursday announced a 25-member preliminary squad for the ensuing Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan.

Bangladesh Squad: Mohammad Ashraful, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Zunaed Siddique, Mahmudullah Riyad, Tamim Iqbal, Aftab Ahmed, Abdur Razzak, Farhad Reza, Shahriar Nafees, Ahmed, Nazim Uddin, Syed Rasel, Raqibul Hassan, Shakib Al Hasan, Sahahadat Hossain, Dhiman Ghosh, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Mehrab Hossain (Jr.) , Musharraf Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Dollar Mahmud, Nazmul Hossain, Nadif Chowdhury, Alok Kapali and Sajedul Islam.

Pacific Associates beat Diganto Badminton Club

UNB, Dhaka

Pacific Associates Badminton Club beat Diganto Badminton Club 5-0 in the 2nd Division Badminton League at the Wodden Floor Gymnasium on Thursday.

In the day's other matches, Proyas Badminton Club beat Dhaka Wanderers Club, Dewan Textile Badminton Club beat Bijoy Badminton Club and New Concern Badminton Club beat Kathal Bagan Green Crescent Club, all 5-0, while Maha Sporting Club overpowered Arambagh Badminton Club 3-2.

Shafiuddin Smriti Sangsad, Bangladesh SC earn identical 1-0 win

UNB, Dhaka

Commissioner Shafiuddin Smriti Sangsad and Bangladesh SC earned identical 1-0 goal win against their respective opponents in East Zone matches of the Metropolis Pioneer Football League at the Jagannath University ground at Dhupkhola here on Thursday.

In the day's first match, Commissioner Shafiuddin Smriti Sangsad beat Adamjee KS by a lone goal scored by Saddam in the 60th minute.

In the day's 2nd match, Bangladesh SC defeated East End Juniors, also by a solitary goal scored by Rubel in the 54th minute.

Today's match: Red Sun KC vs Mir Hazaribagh KC (3:15 pm), Jatrabari Jhatika Sangsad vs Haji Jumman Smriti Sangsad (4:30 pm).

Bangladesh eves' team to play first match against Nepal tomorrow

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Women's Handball team, whose departure was delayed due to visa problems, left Kolkata for Lucknow Thursday afternoon by train to take part in the five-nation 3rd South Asian Women's Handball Championship.

The five-team South Asian eves handball Championship involving holders India, runners-up Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan will be held on May 23-25 in the Indian city of Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh.

Bangladesh eves team, which was due to leave here Tuesday morning, deferred their journey by a day for not getting visa on schedule. The team members finally left the capital for Kolkata Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, the tournament committee has shifted the meet's opening ceremony in the evening from Friday afternoon and also deferred Bangladesh's first match against Nepal on Saturday instead of Friday acceding to an appeal from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, which finished runners-up in the 2nd version of the meet in Dhaka in 2000, earlier scheduled to play their first match against Nepal on Friday, the opening day of the three-day meet.

Bangladesh eves handball team, which managed a foreign tour in 12 years after participating in the inaugural South Asian Handball meet, also held in India, keep their eyes on retaining the runners-up position.

The 23-member Bangladesh eves team comprises 14 players, five officials, one congress delegate, two referees and one observer.

Bangladesh team: Players- Dalia Akhter (captain), Rozina Khatun (Vice-captain), Sheela Roy, Ismat Ara Nishi, Sharmin Farzana Rumi, Shahnaz Parvin Maleka, Rita Khatun, Happy Begum, Akhirun Nessa, Maina Begum, Nazira Akhter, Kamrun Nahar Sheela, Lipi Begum and Sheuli Parvin.

Officials - Principal Hamida Ali (team leader), M Haiul Quaium (deputy team leader), Salim Miah Babu (manager), Aysha Zaman (assistant manager), Nasirullah Lablu (coach).

Delegate - M Nurul Islam, Referees - Mokbul Hossain and Khalequzzaman Sikder, and Observer - M Ayub Ali.