The New Nation - Internet Edition

Spanish fans celebrate Euro 2008 title

AP, Madrid

Joyous fans lit flares and waved Spain's red and yellow flag after a 1-0 victory over Germany in the European Championship final on Sunday ended a 44-year gap between major titles.

Fernando Torres sparked the celebration with his 33rd-minute goal and the 35,000 spectators packed into the public viewing area at Madrid's Colon square continued in a frenzy until the final whistle.

Fireworks and car horns rang out across the Spanish capital after the final whistle blew. Spain, always a favorite at nearly every major tournament it plays at, had failed to match the expectations since lifting the 1964 European Championship, with a finals appearance in 1984 the only achievement since.

"Thanks for being with us - I hope you all get drunk tonight!" midfielder Cesc Fabregas screamed into the television sets of fans watching across the country.

Striker David Villa, the tournament's leading scorer with four goals, told the watching crowds to prepare for Monday, when the team will arrive in Madrid to show off the trophy. The team is expected to arrive at Madrid Barajas airport at 7 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) before traveling to Colon square to display its prize.

Twenty-five people were hospitalized in Madrid with one person in critical condition with head injuries, news agency Efe reported. In all, emergency services treated 120 people.

Shortly after Spain's victory, firefighters doused the crowds with water with the temperature nearing 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) at Colon square and the party spilling into the streets of Madrid. Thousands made their way down to Plaza de Cibeles - the central plaza which normally plays host to Real Madrid's

Spanish league victories.

Similar scenes played out in viewing squares across the country - from Seville to Valencia to Murcia - and Spanish King Juan Carlos probably summed up all Spanish football fans' patient wait for a major achievement best.

"We suffered, but in the end, it was worth the pain," he told Cuatro TV channel.

Madrid's elation was not matched in Barcelona, the northern Catalan regional capital, and in the Basque port city of Bilbao, where public screens were not erected due to sensitivity that comes with the country's regionalism issues.

Both regions have long-term separatist issues that stem from a distant history when Spain was composed of autonomous kingdoms, differences which were exacerbated by political antagonisms which culminated in a 1936-39 civil war. Dictator Gen. Francisco Franco ruled Spain from the end of that war until his death in 1975 when

King Juan Carlos led the country into the democratic country it is today.

Prime minister Jose Luis Zapatero Rodriguez reflected on the country's achievement in political terms while also building up expectations for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"It's a privilege to be able to be here. I'm the first president of the democracy to live through such an achievement," Zapatero said. "But this is only the beginning, there is more to come. The World Cup is next."

Promising Spanish team matures into Euro 2008 champion

AP, Vienna

The skillful Spanish team that won the European Championship, lifting the country's first trophy since 1964, had been a champion in the making for years.

Several of the players who beat Germany 1-0 in Sunday's final emerged from talented Spanish squads that won European and world titles at the youth level. They include Fernando Torres - who scored the winning goal - goalkeeper Iker Casillas, midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez and defender Sergio Ramos.

Now Spain must set its sights on the biggest title of them all as it prepares for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Spain has never finished better than fourth in the World Cup.

"The only thing I have to say to the manager who comes after me is to please treat them (the players) well and let them do their job," said coach Luis Aragones, who is expected to be replaced by former Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque.

The 69-year-old Aragones said long before the start of Euro 2008 that he would leave when it was over, and during the tournament reports swirled that he had agreed to take over at Turkish club Fenerbahce. He denied that, and then would not talk about it.

Spain's players hoisted him in the air after the final whistle at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium. Spain's King Juan Carlos congratulated Aragones and his players in the locker room.

"The king was as emotional as we were," said Casillas, Spain's team captain.

During his four-year tenure, Aragones led Spain to 38 wins, more than any coach before him. He recorded 12 draws and only lost four matches: to France in the 2006 World Cup, to Sweden and Northern Ireland in Euro 2008 qualifiers and to Romania in a friendly.

Yet he was harshly criticized in the Spanish media after the early exit from the World Cup, Spain's poor start to Euro 2008 qualifying and his controversial decision to drop captain and top scorer Raul Gonzalez from the squad."I've never seen a person have to go through what he has had to go through," midfielder Cesc Fabregas said. "He's leaving as the best trainer of the national team ever."

Much of the team's success can be attributed to the extraordinary talent of the players, who are used to competing at the highest level in top Spanish and English clubs like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Liverpool and Arsenal.

But Spain has had plenty of talent in the past, yet underachieved in major tournaments partly due to the lack of cohesion and winning mentality in the squad.

This time, Aragones instilled both unity and self-confidence in the group, repeatedly telling his players that no team in the world could stop them when they were at their best.

"We were all pulling in the same direction, without deviating from our path," midfielder Xabi Alonso said. "We had a lot of confidence in the boss and I think that has been fundamental."

After the final, Spain returned early Monday to its Tyrolian base camp in Neustift, near Innsbruck, and was expected to arrive at Madrid Barajas airport at 7 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) before traveling to Colon square to display its trophy.

Spanish newspapers reveled in victory on Monday: "The Spanish Glory", "The masters of Europe" or "At Last!" were some of the front pages of national newspapers.

Striker David Villa said the team was inspired by a picture of the Spanish squad that won the European Championship 44 years ago, which until Sunday was the country's only title.

"We looked at a photo of the 1964 champions and we were proud and said, 'These are our idols. They achieved something big,"'

Villa said. "Now we are united with them. We have done the same thing they did and we are proud that that photo could be made one more time after so many years."

Spain won the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1999 with Casillas and Xavi in the squad. It also won the under-16 European Championship that year and repeated the feat in 2001, with Torres becoming the top scorer.

Spain won that tournament, now called under-17, again this year with Barcelona youngster Bojan Krkic scoring the winner against England. He was left out of Spain's squad this time, but is one to look out for in South Africa.

Bangladesh A suffer 5-wicket defeat to Ireland

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting Bangladesh A team suffered a five-wicket defeat to hosts Ireland in the first one-day match at Bangor in Ireland Sunday.

The match was reduced to 44-over per side due to rain.

Replying to a much easier target of 111, Ireland eased to victory scoring 112 in 28 overs at the loss of five wickets.

After losing opener Paul Stirling for just a single, Reinhardt Strydom (40) and Andrew (11) added 47 for the second wicket stand to settle the nerves for the hosts.

Andrew Poynter (8) and Gary Wilson (10) both went cheaply, but number four Andre Botha remained not out with 30 off 35 balls including six boundaries to lead Ireland to the win with 5 wickets and 16 overs to spare. K McCallan was the other unbeaten batsman with 3.

Arafat Sunny and Rubel Hossain bagged two wickets each for 22 and 39 runs respectively while pacer Nazmul Hossain took the other wicket.

Earlier chose to bat first, the second string Bangladesh side could manage 110 for 9 in 44 overs. They made a decent start until in the 12th over as skipper Junaed Siddiqui and Imrul Kayes put up 41 runs in the opening stand before Junaed departed for team highest 23 off 32 balls featuring four boundaries.

After that the Bangladesh A side seemed to lose control of the match losing quick four wickets -- Farhad Hossain 3, Kayes 21, Nayeem Islam 1, Nadif Chowdhury 0 -- in just 26 runs, leaving the total at 67/5 in 27.2 overs.

The miseries for the tourists further deepened when wicket keeper Dhiman Ghose 7, Rajin Saleh with a sluggish 13 off 63 balls, Nazmul Hossain 1 and Syed Rasel 11 also departed cheaply.

Arafat Sunny not out 10 and Rubel Hossain not out 2 remained till the end to enable their side somehow crossing the 100 mark.

McCallan was the most aggressive bowler claiming 3 wickets for just 10 runs in 9 overs while Botha took two wickets for 21 runs.

Bangladesh A team, which made a draw in the three-day match with their Irish counterpart Wednesday, conceded an 82-run defeat to Ireland in a 20/20 encounter on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the tourists will wrap up their Ireland campaign with another 50-over match against Ireland A team at Stormont on Tuesday (July 1).

Bangladesh team will go to England on July 3 to play five three-day and three one-day matches before returning home on August 4.

B. League committee asks clubs to name home venues

UNB, Dhaka

The B. League committee sent letters to all the eleven participating clubs to name their respective home venues for the 2nd Professional Football League (B. League) that will begin end-August.

Talking to the reporters on Monday, League committee manager Abu Nayeem Sohag said the committee on Saturday sent letters to the participating clubs asking them to confirm their home venues by July 10.

In the 1st B. League, Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) was made home ground for the Dhaka-based clubs, while Chittagong MA Aziz Stadium and Khulna Stadium were away grounds for them.

Meanwhile, the committee also sent letters to the four Services teams asking them to confirm by July 10 their participation in the Federation Cup, scheduled to begin on July 31 at the BNS.

Eleven participating clubs of the B. League will also take part in the Federation Cup. In addition, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) invited the four Services teams -- Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Air Force and Bangladesh Navy -- for the meet.

In the Federation Cup Football, the champion team will receive Tk 300,000, the runners-up team Tk 100,000 lakh and the team winning the fair play award Tk 50,000.

Narail book semis berth beating Ranagamati 24-13

UNB, Dhaka

Narail DSA thrashed Ranagamati DSA by 24-13 goals in the opening match of the EXIM Bank 19th National Women's Handball Competition at the Mirpur Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium here Monday.

Narail DSA, which led the first half 12-7, ensured their semifinal berth as group champions.

In the day's other matches, Bangladesh Ansar & VDP outclassed Tangail DSA by 39-5 goals, hosts Dhaka DSA crushed Joypurhat DSA 37-6, Faridpur DSA beat Khagrachhari DSA 24-12 and Tangail DSA beat Chittagong DSA 18-13.

Private satellite channel ATN Bangla live telecast the opening match between Rangamati DSA and Narail DSA. Manikganj Nritya Gram Sanskritik Goshti performed a cultural programme at the inauguration ceremony.

Earlier, Ansar & VDP director general Maj. Gen. Abdul Hafiz formally inaugurated the three-day meet as chief guest. EXIM Bank director and audit committee chairman Nurul Fazal Bulbul and ATN Bangla adviser (programme) Noazish Ali Khan were present as special guests.

Eleven teams, split into four groups, are taking part in the meet. Four group champions will play the semis slated for July 1, while the final will be held on July 2.

Participating teams:

Group A - Bangladesh Ansar & VDP, Tangail DSA and Chittagong DSA;

Group B - Dhaka DSA, Jessore DSA and Joypurhat DSA;

Group C - Narail DSA and Rangamati DSA;

Group D - Rajshahi DSA, Khagrachhari DSA and Faridpur DSA..

Venus Williams into quarterfinals

AP, Wimbledon

Defending champion Venus Williams has advanced to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Alisa Kleybanova.

Bidding for a fifth Wimbledon title, the No. 7-seeded Williams broke in the eighth game of the first set on Monday.

The American raced into a 4-0 lead against the 18-year-old Russian in the second set, but squandered three match points and was broken in the eighth game before going on to win the set.

Williams is yet to lose a set in the tournament.

Uttar Kotgaon Tarun Sangha beat Pragati Sangha 1-0

UNB, Dhaka

Uttar Kotgaon Tarun Sangha beat Pragati Sangha by a solitary goal in the Munshiganj Under-16 Football League at the Munshiganj Stadium on Monday.

Earlier, on the opening day of the league on Sunday, Nabanabin Club played to a goal less draw with Samabesh Club.

The League has been organized by Munshiganj DSA to find out promising players.

60-day athletics training camp starts on July 5

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Athletics Federation on Monday picked up 21 athletes from the recently concluded senior and junior competitions for a 60-day residential training camp that will begin July 5 at the BKSP in Savar.

Shahidul Islam of Bangladesh Army and Razia Sultana Anu of National Sports Council (NSC) will act as trainers, while BKSP chief coach Nazrul Islam Rumi will be charged with the overall responsibility of the camp.

Selected athletes:

Men - Sohag (Comilla DSA), Asgar (Noakhali DSA), Abu Abdullah, Selim Mia (Bangladesh Army), Shamsuddin, Afjar Hossain (Bangladesh Air Force), Sajib Hossain, Habibur Rahman (BKSP), Swapan Ali (Paksey College), Enamul Haq (Gopalganj DSA) and Asadul Islam (Bangladesh Rifles).

Women - Nazmun Nahar Beauty (BJMC), Jesmin Akter (Noakhali DSA), Khurshida, Sumita Rani, Rowshan Ara Putul (Ansar & VDP), Sathi Parveen (Khulna DSA), Fauzia Huda Jui (BKSP), Papia Akter (Bandarban DSA), Kaniz Fatema (Mymensingh DSA), Sumi Akter (Kishoreganj DSA).

Akhtar files petition against 18 months ban

AP, Karachi

Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has challenged his 18 months ban at a Lahore High Court.

"We have filed the writ petition, challenging the ban and hope the hearing will be done in the next couple of days," Akhtar's lawyer Abid Minto said Monday.

An appellate tribunal of the Pakistan Cricket Board had already reduced fast bowler's ban from five years to 18 months, as well as a fine of seven million Indian rupees (US$102,900) earlier this month.

A disciplinary committee of the PCB originally banned Akhtar for five years on April 1 on a number of disciplinary charges.

"We have termed the decision of disciplinary committee and appellate tribunal illegal and my client wants to play for his country," Minto said.

Akhtar's 18 months ban started from April 1 and will end on September 30, 2009.