MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2019 16 India claim big win at Asian Cup joying 76 percent of possession corner, prompting jubilation in Socceroos stunned against Jordan. the strongly pro-Jordan crowd. • Coach said Ryan kept Australia in it when by Jordan as Asian he was confident of a quick re- he tipped Baha Abdelrahman’s Cup defence gets off covery in the remaining Group free kick onto the bar, and while to nightmare start B games against Palestine and Australia improved in the sec- Syria. ond half, they couldn’t find a India off to a “If you’re going to lose a game, way through. • it’s better to lose your first Celtic’s Tom Rogic scooped an stupendous start game,” Arnold said. inviting shot over and Awer Ma- as the ‘Blue Tigers’ “It’s a wake-up call... it’s all bil hit the post, before Jordan’s maul Thailand 4-1 about where we can improve. Amer Shafi pulled off a superb We’ll get over it very quickly.” double stop in the final action Jordan celebrated wildly with of the game. AFP | Al-Ain their travelling supporters in In Abu Dhabi, veteran striker Al Ain after Anas Bani-Yaseen’s Sunil Chhetri scored twice as ustralia made a horror first-half header was enough to India unexpectedly thumped start to their title defence beat the defending champions Thailand to make a rip-roaring Aand unfancied India in Al Ain. start to their campaign. stunned Thailand on a day of up- Coach Vital Borkelmans said Chhetri smashed home from sets at the Asian Cup yesterday. his players successfully targeted the penalty spot after 27 min- The Socceroos had expect- Australia’s midfielders Massimo utes before Thai captain Teerasil ed to make short work of Jor- Dangda’s header from a Theera- dan but Graham Arnold’s men thon Bunmathan free kick made slumped 1-0 in their worst start it 1-1. in four visits to the tournament. But Chhetri drilled his sec- Later, India also sprang a sur- ond moments into the second prise when they thrashed Thai- 66 half following a lung-bursting Thailand’s defender Chalermpong Kerdkaew (R) fights for the ball with India’s forward Sunil Chhetri land 4-1 to top Group A, after goals have been scored run down the right from Udanta by Sunil Chhetri that UAE Singh. the 1-1 draw between hosts helped him go past Luongo and , and Jordan,” said Borkelmans. Rawashdeh at his near post after and Bahrain in the tournament Lionel Messi and exploited the space left by their “They were running like they Luongo was dispossessed. Anirudh Thapa chipped in opener on Saturday. become second highest advancing backs. had three lungs,” he added. Jordan’s goal came from a India’s third in the 68th minute Australia are targeting their scorer behind Cristiano “I told them today, ‘God gave Australia had an early warn- corner on 26 minutes, when before substitute Lalpekhlua third straight final but the Soc- Ronaldo you something’, and today they ing when Brighton ‘keeper Mat defender Bani-Yaseen put a Jeje completed the rout to leave ceroos failed to score despite en- were playing for the people of Ryan had to keep out Yousef thumping header into the top India as unlikely group leaders.

Nishikori, Pliskova crowned Brisbane champs

AFP | Brisbane ion to win six of the next seven games for an early advantage. apan’s Kei Nishikori over- Medvedev saved four break Jcame Daniil Medvedev in points to take a 3-2 lead in the the Brisbane International final second set before dragging the yesterday for his first ATP title match into a decider but his op- in nearly three years and the ponent, who lost their previous 12th of his career. meeting in last year’s Tokyo fi- Last year’s finalist Nishikori, nal, was not to be denied again. who prevailed 6-4 3-6 6-2, won Breaking Medvedev for a 3-1 70 percent of points on his first lead in the third set, Nishikori serve and converted five out of held firm to seal the match in a 15 break point opportunities to little more than two hours for snap a nine-match losing streak Japan’s Kei Nishikori celebrates with his first trophy since winning in finals. the trophy after winning the final in Memphis in February 2016. “This week was one of the against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev “Great final today, I lost to best for me,” Nishikori, who him last year in the final in Ja- beat Denis Kudla, Grigor Dim- gives me a lot of confidence.” pan, so I’m happy to get revenge itrov and Jeremy Chardy this World number nine Nishikori today,” Nishikori added. week, said. started slowly, trailing 3-0 in “I’m happy that finally I’ve “I’ve never had a week like the opening set but responded won this title, it’s been seven or this to start the season, so it in typically determined fash- eight times at this tournament.” South Africa ease to series clinching victory over Pakistan

Reuters | Cape Town, South Africa

outh Africa reeled off their Smodest victory target of 41 runs early on the fourth day of the second test against Paki- stan to clinch the series with a comprehensive nine-wicket triumph at Newlands yesterday. Opener Dean Elgar scored an unbeaten 24 as the home side added to their victory in Pretoria last month and will be looking to sweep the series in the third match at the Wander- ers in Johannesburg, starting South African batsman Dean Elgar (L) celebrates after South Africa won on Friday. The Proteas will have con- batsman Theunis de Bruyn, who was also named man of cerns over their top-order deputising for Markram at the the match for a first-innings batting, however, with opener top of the order, continued century, said at the post-match Aiden Markram not taking to his poor run when he was the presentation. the crease in the second innings only wicket to fall, caught by “There is always something with a severely bruised right wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed in the wicket here at Newlands thigh and Hashim Amla retiring off seamer Mohammed Abbas and you need to be on form with hurt after he was struck on the for four. the bat. We know if we get runs bicep. “We played very well,” South on the board, our bowlers will Added to that, middle-order Africa captain Faf du Plessis, do the rest.”