Advantage PSG as Dembele seals narrow win at Arsenal
Paris St Germain took a big step towards reaching the Champions League final as Ousmane Dembele's early goal sealed a 1-0 win at Arsenal in a tense first leg of the semi-final on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Dembele fired home off the post in the fourth minute as PSG dominated the opening stages and Luis Enrique's side held firm to take a precious advantage back to the French capital.
Arsenal, playing in the semi-final for the first time since 2009, improved after a lacklustre start and had a Mikel Merino goal ruled out after the break while PSG keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made several fine saves.
PSG weathered the storm and should have given themselves a bigger cushion for the second leg but Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos both squandered gilt-edged chances late on, according to Reuters.
Real defenders Mendy and Alaba sidelined with injuries
Real Madrid have been hit by a wave of injury setbacks, with defenders Ferland Mendy and David Alaba both facing potential season-ending injuries, the Spanish club confirmed on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Mendy suffered a rupture in his right thigh during the Copa del Rey final loss to Barcelona, the Spanish club said on Tuesday.
Local media reports said Mendy could face up to a month on the sidelines in the latest setback for the France left back, who has already missed several weeks due to multiple injuries this season.
"Following tests carried out on our player Ferland Mendy... he has been diagnosed with a rupture of the proximal tendon of the anterior rectus in the right quadriceps," Real said in a statement, according to Reuters.
WorldLink signs six cricketers as brand ambassadors
WorldLink Communications Limited has appointed six national cricket stars as its new brand ambassadors, celebrating 1m household connections. Rohit Kumar Poudel, Sompal Kami, Dipendra Singh Airee, Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, and Lalit Rajbanshi joined hands with WorldLink to represent the company’s mission of empowering Nepalis through digital connectivity and shared national pride, says the company.
The agreement was signed by WorldLink Co-founder and Executive Director Manoj Agrawal and Chief Executive Officer Keshav Nepal, alongside the company’s marketing team. This is the first time in Nepal that a company has signed six brand ambassadors simultaneously, claims the company.
Speaking at the event, Manoj Agrawal said the six cricketers embody the spirit of dedication, perseverance, teamwork, and national pride—values that align closely with WorldLink’s vision. “They represent the dreams and aspirations of millions of Nepalis. We are proud to have them as part of the WorldLink family,” he said. CEO Keshav Nepal highlighted the company’s ongoing support for sports, mentioning initiatives like the ‘Beat The Speed’ campaign to discover Nepal’s fastest bowling talent. “This partnership is not just a brand association but a heartfelt commitment to the game that inspires millions of Nepalis,” he said. The players expressed their excitement about partnering with WorldLink, calling it a proud moment to be associated with WorldLink.
Founded in 1995, WorldLink Communications Ltd is one of Nepal’s largest internet and network service providers.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, hits second-fastest IPL century, breaks T20 record
Fourteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest centurion in men’s Twenty20 cricket as he guided Rajasthan Royals to an eight-wicket victory over the Gujarat Titans in an Indian Premier League match in Jaipur, Aljazeera reported.
Suryavanshi doled out severe punishment to Gujarat’s bowling attack on Monday, hitting 11 sixes and seven fours in his 101 off 38 balls, as the hosts chased down a 209-run target in 15.5 overs.
The left-hander reached his 100 in 35 balls to register the second-fastest century in IPL history, while combining with Yashasvi Jaiswal in a 166-run opening partnership, according to Aljazeera.
