Rinku, Rana guide Kolkata to 7-wicket win against Rajasthan

Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in a return leg IPL match on Monday, The Indian Express reported.

Invited to bat, skipper Sanju Samson smashed seven fours and a six in his 49-ball 54, while Shimron Hetmyer provided late charge with an unbeaten 13-ball 27 as RR scored 152 for five.

However, Jos Buttler (22), Riyan Parag (19) and Karun Nair (13) got starts but couldn’t capitalise.

Tim Southee (2/46) scalped two wickets, while Umesh Yadav(1/24), Anukul Roy (1/28) and Shivam Mavi (1/33) accounted for one each. Nitish Rana (48 not out), Rinku Singh (42 not out) and Shreyas Iyer (34) then chipped in with useful contributions as KKR romped home, scoring 158 for three in 19.1 overs, according to The Indian Express.

Ronaldo scores again, Man United beats Brentford 3-0 in EPL

Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be the shining light in an otherwise disappointing season for Manchester United.

Make that 18 goals in the English Premier League for the Portugal superstar after he converted a penalty that he earned himself in a 3-0 victory over Brentford on Monday.

Ronaldo also had a goal disallowed at Old Trafford for a narrow offside as United saved one of its best performances of the season for its final home game. Bruno Fernandes and Raphael Varane — with his first in English football — were the other scorers.

The victory kept alive -- at least mathematically -- sixth-placed United’s chance of finishing in the top four and qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

United, though, has only two games remaining and is five points behind fourth-placed Arsenal and three behind Tottenham, with both rivals still having four to play.

Ronaldo, who has netted in each of his last four games, is third on the league’s list of top scorers behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (22) and Tottenham’s Son Heung-min (19), Associated Press reported.

And he’ll be back again next season, unlike some of the other players in United’s team.

United fans gave standing ovations to departing veterans Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata as they were substituted on their final Old Trafford appearances. It was also the last home game in charge for interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who will be replaced by Erik ten Hag during the offseason.

Monday marked a year since the postponement of United’s home match against Liverpool, when fans made clear their anger at the ownership of the Glazer family in the wake of the European Super League debacle.

Supporters have protested at each of United’s final three home games and the anti-Glazer sentiment was apparent before and during the victory against Brentford.

It was the first match that Brentford had lost with Christian Eriksen in the team and he pulled the strings in the London club’s first competitive match at Old Trafford since 1975, according to the Associated Press.

Anthony Elanga set the first goal in the ninth minute, scampering down the right and crossing for Fernandes to volley home.

Ronaldo was proving a handful, forcing David Raya into an awkward save from a long-range free kick, then furiously claiming he should have had a penalty following Mads Bech Sorensen’s challenge.

Then Ronaldo smartly flicked a pass into Mata, who lashed narrowly wide of the near post on his first Premier League start of the season. The roles were reversed when Mata broke down the left and sent a low cross that Ronaldo squeezed past Raya. The provider and scorer celebrated together, only for the goal to be ruled out following a VAR review.

United created breathing space in the 61st minute when Ronaldo was bundled over in the box by Rico Henry before sending Raya the wrong way in front of an elated Stretford End.

Ahead of the final goal, Pontus Jansson nearly turned a cross from Ronaldo into his own goal but it went behind for a corner. Telles swung it in and Varane hooked home the ball via a minor deflection, Associated Press reported.

 

CSK beat SRH by 13 runs in IPL

Chennai Super Kings beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 13 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday, The Economic Times reported.

 Ruturaj Gaikwad returned to form with a sublime 99, while Devon Conwaysmashed a quickfire 85 to guide CSK to an imposing 202 for two after being sent into bat.

Gaikwad (99 off 57 balls), struggling for runs throughout the season, finally came to light with a sparkling innings but fell one short of the three figure mark. 

He was ably supported by Conway, who made an unbeaten 85 off 55 balls.

The duo shared 182 runs in 17.5 overs for the opening stand as SRH skipper Kane Williamson's decision to bowl first after winning the toss backfired, according to The Economic Times.

T Natarajan (2/42) picked up both the CSK wickets. 

CSK ably defended the target, restricting SRH to 189 for six.

 

Richarlison scores, throws flare as Everton beats Chelsea

Everton forward Richarlison threw a lit flare after picking it up from the field while celebrating scoring to secure a 1-0 victory over Chelsea on Sunday that helped his team’s push to avoid relegation from the Premier League, Associated Press reported.

In the celebrations that followed Richarlison’s goal, a lit blue smoke canister was thrown on to the pitch by supporters. Richarlison responded by picking the object up and throwing it off the field, although it was unclear where it landed.

“We will look into the matter but, as far we are concerned, Richarlison was attempting to throw it out of the ground,” an Everton spokesperson was quoted as saying by Britain’s Press Association. 

Everton moved two points from safety with five matches remaining and a game in hand over both Leeds and Burnley.

The goal came 59 seconds into the second half at Goodison Park. Richarlison and Demarai Gray pressured Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta into losing possession and the Brazilian benefited by sweeping a shot past goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. 

Chelsea remained third in the standings despite losing to the team managed by its former player and coach, Frank Lampard, according to the Associated Press.

Richarlison’s four goals in his last five league matches is as many as he scored in his first 21 games of the season. They are helping Everton’s bid to extend its 67-year stay in the top division.

But it relied on Jordan Pickford’s saves to preserve the win, having faced no shots on target for almost an hour.

There was a superb denial of Azpilicueta after Pickford scrambled across his goal, having been beaten by Mason Mount.

Then came a one-handed save from Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s shot and a low save in stoppage time to block Thiago Silva’s effort, Associated Press reported.