The New Nation - Internet Edition

Ansar, Narail, Rajshahi, Faridpur reach semifinals

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Ansar, Narail, Rajshahi and Faridpur moved into the semifinals of the Spectra Group National Women's Kabaddi Championship winning their respective matches at the Kabaddi Stadium here on Monday.

In the semis today (Tuesday), Bangladesh Ansar will play Faridpur DSA at 3:30 pm, while Rajshahi DSA meet Narail DSA at 4:15 pm. The final match will be held on July 30.

Bangladesh Ansar booked a seat for the semis as Group A champions crushing Gaibandha DSA by 55-7 points with five lonas, while Rajshahi DSA made the semifinal berth as Group B champions outplaying Jamalpur DSA by 46-16 points with three lonas Monday afternoon.

Narail DSA finished Group A runners-up to reach the last four beating Jhenidah DSA by 30-13 points with two lonas in the afternoon, while Faridpur DSA became Group B runners-up to move into the semis defeating Jamalpur by 33-18 points in the morning.

In the days' other match, Gaibandha DSA beat Jhenidah DSA by 37-9 points with three lonas at the same venue in the morning.

Dutch out to show golden Beijing credentials

AFP, Hong Kong

Holland aim to use a four-team tournament in Hong Kong to fine-tune their game for the Olympics and demonstrate why they are major contenders to take football gold in Beijing.

The Dutch, Ivory Coast, Cameroon and USA play in the ING Cup here on July 30 and August 2 which will help them get acclimatised to the heat and humidity before they head north for the full Olympic tournament.

The Games begin on August 8 but the men's 16-team football starts a day earlier, with Holland among the favourites along with Argentina, Brazil and Italy. Ivory Coast are tipped to be the strongest of the three African sides.

The 18-man under-23 squads can include three overage players, and Dutch coach Foppe De Haan will be hoping he has got the balance just right, with two of the senior members of the contingent paired upfront.

But a batch of the young Holland players, notably Liverpool's flying winger Ryan Babel and Real Madrid's Royston Drenthe, are expected to light up the Beijing Games football, where Brazilian star Ronaldinho will also play.

Babel, 21, is fast recovering from an ankle injury that forced him to miss last month's European Championships with the full national team, and he played 45 minutes in a laboured 1-0 friendly victory over Belgium on July 23.

"It's exciting to be in Hong Kong as we're getting closer to the Olympics and I expect to be fully match fit by then," said Babel, who Liverpool splashed out 11.5 million pounds (22 million dollars) on last summer.

"I think it will be quite open, as every team playing there has a good chance," he added on the team's arrival in a sweltering Hong Kong on Sunday.

The Dutch play Nigeria, Japan and USA in Beijing in what looks a reasonably comfortable group before the knock-out stages, and De Haan hopes games against Cameroon and Ivory coast here will provide the perfect preparation.

The 65-year-old was concerned about the fitness of some of his players in the Belgium friendly.

"Most have done their bit during their holidays, but others have been flat on their backs for a few weeks. That was the outcome of the tests we did with the players, they weren't all positive results," said the coach.

"For this tournament you must be totally fit and healthy, otherwise you'll fall through after five seconds," De Haan told Dutch football's official website, identifying Nigeria as their toughest opponents in the Olympic group.

Cameroon, who won gold in Sydney in 2000, are not expected to do nearly so well this time, so Ivory Coast look likely to provide the Dutch with their stiffest test here, particularly as they will be more comfortable in the heat, with temperatures around 33 Celsius (91 Fahrenheit).

In Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou they have a player of genuine ability, albeit one who has yet to set the English Premier League alight.

"At the Olympics, our objective is to reach the quarter-finals. The team have been playing good, attacking football and the players are finding each other very well when pushing forward," said coach Gerard Gili.

USA are rated among the weaker teams in Beijing but one-time prodigy Freddy Adu will be eager to prove on the international stage-and in the transfer shop window-that he can live up to the hype of his early years.

The ING Cup kicks off on Wednesday with Ivory Coast taking on USA while Cameroon play Holland.

Sharapova, Serbian stars top WTA Montreal lineup

AFP, Montreal

World number one Ana Ivanovic, fighting to hold onto her top ranking, and Russian star Maria Sharapova return from their poor Wimbledon campaigns this week at the WTA 1.34 million-dollar Rogers Cup.

Seven of the top nine women in the world are in Montreal, even though the event lacks Serena and Venus Williams, both sidelined by knee injuries, and 2007 tournament winner Justine Henin, who has retired.

The fight for number one should add spice to the toughest tuneup for next month's start of the US Open, with Ivanovic being tested by Serbian compatriot Jelena Jankovic, who lost to Henin in last year's final.

Jankovic missed a chance to grab the top spot by losing a Los Angeles semi-final on Saturday but remains within reach of the world number one spot and the top prize of 196,900 dollars this week as the second seed.

"Hopefully, my time will come," Jankovic said. "It is not the end of the world. I have to continue to work hard."

French Open champion Ivanovic won here two years ago when the tournament, which alternates between Toronto and Montreal, was last played in Quebec.

She defeated Swiss star Martina Hingis in the 2006 final.

Top seed Ivanovic, who was bounced in the second round last year in Toronto by China's Zi Yan, has third seed Sharapova in the same half of the draw and a host of other Russian rivals among the top seeds.

Svetlana Kuznetsova is seeded fourth followed by Russian compatriots Elena Dementieva, Anna Chakvetadze, Dinara Safina and Vera Zvonareva.

Sharapova's history in Canada is not good, falling in the first round in 2003 and the third round in 2004 in her only prior appearances.

Kuznetsova, who is also playing in her first event since Wimbledon, was ousted in the quarter-finals in Canada in each of the past two years.

All four top seeds failed to reach the final eight at Wimbledon.

The host nation's top hope is Aleksandra Wozniak, who earlier this month became the first Canadian to win a WTA singles title in more than 20 years when she won the Stanford crown.

Bangladesh Rifles move into final with all-win run

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Rifles moved into the final of the Design Zone 2nd Office Handball League with all-win run beating Prisons Directorate by 39-16 goals at the Outer Stadium Handball ground on Monday.

The winners led the first half 18-5.

Selim scored 11 and Rabiul 8 goals for the winners, while Habib netted 4 and Monir one for the losers.

In the day's other match, Bangladesh Police brightened their chance to reach the final as they beat Cute by 30-28 goals after trailing the first half 11-16 at the same venue in the afternoon.

Priti contributed 12 and Didar 7 goals for the Police team, while Saidul scored 11 and Asad 5 goals for Cute.

Bangladesh Police play all-losers Prisons Directorate in the last league match today (Tuesday) at 4 pm to decide another finalist who will take on Bangladesh Rifles in the final on Wednesday (July 30) at 3 pm at the same venue.

Bangladesh to take part in 9th Junior and Cadet championships in Malaysia

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh will take part in the 9th Junior and Cadet championships to be held August 24-31 in Kota Kina Balu, Malaysia.

Bangladesh Karate Federation will hold a trial to form a national side ahead of eight-day meet, being organised by Malaysia Karate Federation.

Interested karatekas, who want to take part in the competition at their own expense and also won medals in National Karate Competition, have been advised to send their entries with a recent passport size photograph at the Karate Federation office by July 30.

Sunrise SC upset Bangladesh Army 2-1

UNB, Dhaka

Sunrise SC upset Bangladesh Army beating them by 2-1 goals in a Group C match of Citycell Federation Cup Football Tournament at the Gazipur Stadium on Monday.

Liton put Sunrise SC ahead in the 59th minute while Imon Babu doubled the margin in the 74th minute from a penalty in presence of some 6,000 soccer fans.

Delwar scored the lone goal for Bangladesh Army in the 78th minute.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Gazipur inaugurated the match in the afternoon.

The day's other match between Dhaka Wanderers Club and Bangladesh Navy ended in goalless draw at the Army Stadium in Banani.

Today's matches: Victoria Sc vs Bangladesh Air Force (Army Stadium 4pm), BKSP vs Diganta Prasari Rajshahi (Gazipur Stadium 4pm).

History outplays Botany 3-0

UNB, Dhaka

History Department notched a facile 3-0 goals victory over Botany Department in the opening match of the JU Inter-Department Football Competition held at the Jahangirnagar University Monday.

Pavel strck twice while Zitu scored the other goal for the winners.

Earlier, JU Vice Chancellor Dr. Mohammad Muniruzzaman inaugurated the competition as chief guest. Tournament committee president ATM Atiqur Rahman, acting registrar Abu Bakr Siddique and Government and Politics Department chairman Dr. Shamsul Alam Selim were, among others, present on the occasion.

Jatrabari Jhatika Sangsad drub Dhaka Eleven 6-0

UNB, Dhaka

Mamun scored a hattrick as Jatrabari Jhatika Sangsad drubbed Dhaka Eleven by 6-0 goals in a 2nd phase match of the City Corporation Pioneer Football League at the Bir Shreshtha Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium at Kamalapur here Monday.

The winners led the first half 3-0.

Mamun scored four goals for his hattrick, while Shimul Sarker and Pavel netted one goal each.

In the day's other match, Swadhinata Krira Sangha crushed Lalbag Tarun Sangha by 5-0 goals, also at the same venue.

Sohag and Sohel scored two goals each, while Alam netted the other goal.

Canada pegs Beijing podium dreams on 'team spirit'

AFP, Ottawa

Canada is relying on "team spirit" to reach the podium at the Olympic Games in Beijing after qualifying in more team sports than it has in decades, the head of the Canadian Olympic Committee has said.

But a litany of injuries and a significant boost in funding for Chinese and British athletes ahead of the Games could dash its hopes.

"We hope to rank in the top 16 at the Olympic Games in Beijing," up from 19th spot in Athens in 2004, Michael Chambers, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee, said in an interview with AFP.

That will require at least three gold medals, he said. "We have athletes that can bring home three or more gold medals for us."

But he said he worries host China, "expected to have its best Games ever," and Britain, which upped its training budget to try to rank high at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, will steal medals from Canada at this year's Games.

"The 'China factor' is unknown going in," Chambers said. "It will also be interesting to see how Britain does at these Olympics because they've invested a lot of money in their athletes and coaches in order to hope to have their best ever Olympics in 2012."

Canada boosted funding for its athletes too, but the bulk of it will not be disbursed until after the Beijing Games, to try to get Canada into the top 12 in London, and in first place at its 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

"These Games are a first-step, a transition Games for Canada under a new funding model (that rewards winning), where we may or may not see a significant increase in the number of medals won," Chambers explained.

However, "I believe the accomplishments of our Olympic team will be markedly improved at these Games," he added.

Some 330 Canadian athletes are expected to compete in Beijing (312 have qualified so far), including in five team sports: men's baseball, men's field hockey, men's water polo, women's softball, and women's soccer.

"It's the greatest number of teams Canada has sent to a Summer Games (in decades)," said Chambers.

US women seek repeat with new coach, without top scorer

AFP, Washington

If it were not for bad luck, the US women's football squad would have no luck at all as it prepares to defend Olympic gold in China.

Abby Wambach, their leading scorer with 13 goals this year and 99 in 127 career matches, suffered a broken left leg July 16 against Brazil in the final US tuneup match and will miss the Beijing Olympics.

The US first-round draw includes Japan, New Zealand and the only team to finish ahead of the Americans in the past three Olympics, Norway. The US women won 1996 and 2004 gold but lost to Norway in the 2000 Olympic final. US coach Pia Sundhage of Sweden took over the team after a flop in last year's Women's World Cup that ended with bitter feelings after goalkeeper Hope Solo was benched by then-coach Greg Ryan and Brazil ripped the US women 4-0.

Germany, winners of the past two Women's World Cup crowns, will lead a set of formidable challengers that includes host China in trying to dethrone the Americans.

But a new generation of US women, young talent blended with key veterans, has gone 21-0 with a draw under Sundhage this year. Solo is back guarding the nets for the US Olympians.

And golden dreams aren't outrageous despite losing Wambach.

"I have the utmost confidence in this team bringing home the gold," Wambach said. "Obviously it's devastating but above everything else I'm only one player and you can never win a championship with just one player."

But oh what a player to lose. Wambach ranks ninth on the all-time women's football goal list. It was her over-time tally that beat Brazil for gold in the 2004 Olympics. The 28-year-old forward can only watch from the sidelines now.

"I'm excited to watch them and cheer them on during this challenge they've been presented with," Wambach said. "It's really going to take everyone coming together."

That's a sharp contrast from last year after Solo criticised Ryan for benching her and the US lost, although the seeds of 2008 unity were sown in last year's discontent.

"Hindsight is 20-20. What's important is we learned from the experience and our team got a lot stronger because of it," midfielder Heather O'Reilly said.

"I learned what has allowed this team to be successful is not necessarily talent but teamsmanship.

"It's always a team willing to work with each other and fight even beyond the decision of a coach: leaving a bad moment, not dwelling on what could have, would have, should have happened but taking the moment and making the best of what could happen.

"That situation is so far in our past and things we learned from it will hopefully make us better in Beijing."

Sundhage is a former assistant coach of China's national team who lived in China for six months, teaching as well as learning and now bringing some of the techniques from China and her homeland to the US squad.

"It's a very different coaching style. It was important to learn how their coaches do things," she said. "The most I learned from China was communication, body communication because I don't speak Chinese. It was a great experience."