22 Monday, August 21, 2017 SPORTS

JuventusMilan overrun savedCagliari the spot-kick. game, Juventus had Buffon oals from Mario Juve coach Massimiliano to thank for stopping Diego Mandzukic, Allegri, opting to play Dybala Farias’s curling drive from Gand Gonzalo Higuain handed up front alongside Higuain eight yards out. Juventus a 3-0 win over Cagliari with Mandzukic operating just Farias was gifted an on Saturday, as the Italian behind, was quick to praise immediate chance to make champions defied a video Buffon in what is scheduled amends, but after Maresca assistant referee (VAR) penalty to be the 39-year-old’s final took just over one minute decision to open their Serie season. to consult video footage A campaign in commanding “I expected the referee to following Alex Sandro’s foul fashion. give the penalty, luckily we on Duje Cop, Buffon guessed Juventus, who sealed a have Buffon, the number one, right to save the Brazilian record sixth consecutive Serie in goal. He got us out of a striker’s effort on 39 minutes. A title last season but lost the sticky situation,” Allegri told Dybala doubled Juve’s Champions League final to Premium Sport. lead in first-half injury-time, Real Madrid, take a familiar A week after a 3-2 SuperCup controlling Miralem Pjanic’s spot at the top of the fledgling final defeat to Lazio that saw brilliant quick ball over the top table. Dybala hit a brace, the Juve before firing past Cragno. Napoli also enjoyed a positive coach was mostly satisfied. Juve spurned two chances start with a comfortable 3-1 A neat midfield move in quick succession before win at promoted Verona, saw Mandzukic hold off Higuain made up for earlier where Arkadiusz Milik repaid his marker and half-volley misses from Dybala and Maurizio Sarri for a first start Stephan Lichtsteiner’s ball Mandzukic by latching on to Juventus’ Gonzalo Higuain (L) vies for the ball with Cagliari’s Marco Andreolli of the season with Napoli’s past Alessio Cragno on the Alex Sandro’s angled delivery second. half hour. to beat Cragno down low for Referee Fabio Maresca made newly-named Allianz Stadium following consultation with the help an outplayed Cagliari as When Cagliari carved out his first goal of the season in history at Juventus’s by awarding a penalty VAR, but not even that could Juve keeper their first real chance of the the 66th minute. (AFP) India power to 9-wicket victory Dambulla, Sri Lanka The partnership between Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan pener Shikhar Dhawan’s Dhawan, who hit his 11th ODI plays a shot blazing century and a century, and Kohli made sure India disciplinedO effort by the spinners had no more hiccups in their road powered India to a nine-wicket to victory. win over Sri Lanka in the first one- Dhawan was in marauding form, day international in Dambulla hitting 20 fours and 3 sixes, but yesterday. Kohli also attacked the opposition Chasing a modest 217 for during his 70-ball stay at the crease. victory, India rode on an New limited-overs captain Upul unbeaten 197-run stand between Tharanga rotated his bowling Dhawan, who smashed 132, and options at Rangiri Dambulla skipper Virat Kohli, who made International Stadium but failed to 82, to canter home in 28.5 overs. stop the onslaught. But it was the spinners, led It was a forgettable 200th ODI by Axar Patel, who set up the for veteran paceman Lasith Malinga, opening win for the visitors in the who was not only stuck on 298 five-match series after bowling wickets but was carted for 52 runs in out Sri Lanka for 216 in 43.2 his eight overs. overs. Earlier India’s Patel claimed three Ott Tanak of Estonia (R) and his co- driver Martin Jarveoja of Estonia India, who last week achieved wickets after his side elected to bowl celebrate with their trophy after they finished at the first place in front their first clean sweep in an first. Fellow spinners Yuzvendra of Andreas Mikkelsen and Anders Jaeger of Norway and 3rd place overseas three-Test series, lost Chahal, Kedar Jadhav and paceman Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia of France during the WRC Germany an early wicket after Rohit Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets yesterday in Neunkirchen, western Germany, near Saarbruecken (AFP) Sharma was run out for four. each. (AFP) SCOREBOARD Nadal confirmed for Sri Lanka N. Dickwella lbw b Jadhav 64 D. Gunathilaka c Rahulb Chahal 35 Brisbane International K. Mendis b Patel 36 U. Tharanga c Dhawan b Jadhav 13 Brisbane Nadal played in Brisbane Nadal’s matches A. Mathews not out 36 ew world number one for the first time in January attracted record C. Kapugedara run out (Kohli) 1 Rafael Nadal will return and the 31-year-old went on attendances and organisers W. Hasaranga c Jadhav b Patel 2 Nto play in the Brisbane to reach the Australian Open said more than a million T. Perera b Bumrah 0 International ahead of final in Melbourne where he people around the world L. Sandakan lbw b Patel 5 the Australian Open early lost to Roger Federer. tuned in online to a live L. Malinga st Dhoni b Chahal 8 next year, organisers said “I’m very happy to be stream of his first training V. Fernando b Bumrah 0 yesterday. back, last year for me was session in Brisbane. Extras (lb6, w10) 16 The 15-time Grand Slam the first experience and was Nadal’s return to the top Total (all out, 43.2 overs) 216 champion will take the top very successful,” Nadal said of the rankings follows his India (target 217) rankings spot when the in a statement. win at Roland Garros for a R. Sharma run out (Kapugedara) 4 official ATP rankings are “The atmosphere is record 10th time. S. Dhawan not out 132 released on Monday. great and there’s a lot of The Brisbane V. Kohli not out 82 It will be the first time nice people supporting the International takes place Extras (w2) 2 Rafael Nadal the Spaniard has hit the top event. I really enjoyed the from December 31 to Total (1 wicket, 28.5 overs) 220 rankings spot since 2014. experience.” January 7. (AFP)