Bony back among the goals in Stoke win
STOKE-ON-TRENT (UK): Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony ended a 10-month goal drought with a brace against former club Swansea City as Stoke City’s revival continued with a 3-1 win in Monday’s Premier League clash.
Both goals for the 27-yearold Manchester City loanee were set up by another former Swansea favourite, Joe Allen, with Alfie Mawson also putting through his own net as Stoke claimed a third win on the bounce.
“It is crazy that my first goals come against my ex-team, it is disappointing for them but that is how football happens,” Bony told Sky Sports.
“I have missed some chances but I knew the goals would come. Every game I push myself.”
Swansea, who had levelled in the first half through Wayne Routledge, have made their worst start to a Premier League season with just five points from 10 matches. It is also the first time they have gone nine games without a win.
“There is no easy solution to getting confidence back,” Swansea manager Bob Bradley told Sky Sports.
“When you are going through a bad stretch you have to have belief.
“It was 1-1 at half-time but we didn’t start the second half in a way that suggested we could win the game,” added the former United States coach, who has picked up just one point from three games in charge after replacing Francesco Guidolin.
Stoke are unbeaten in five matches and climb to 12th, five points clear of the relegation zone, while Swansea are second from bottom and five points adrift of safety.
It took less than three minutes for Bony to make his mark, pouncing to prod home from inside the six-yard box after Allen’s mishit half-volley for his first goal in 23 matches for club and country.
However, the Swans levelled within five minutes as Routledge did brilliantly to head home Gylfi Sigurdsson’s superb cross.
The hosts were impressive going forward and Scotland international Charlie Adam -making his first Premier League start of the season -- hit the post with a fantastic curling effort.
Stoke suffered a blow in the 26th minute as Swiss playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri had to go off injured and was replaced by Egyptian youngster Ramadan Sobhi.
Adam then conjured up another splendid effort but was this time denied by the other post.
The woodwork was proving to be a very effective 12th man for the visitors as it once gain came to the rescue after Allen’s astute pass found Marko Arnautovic, who rounded goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski only to see his effort cannon back off an upright. NEW DELHI: The Sports Ministry has made it mandatory for all the National Sports Federation (NSFS) to register themselves with NGO-PS Portal to receive grants.
“NITI Aayog has made it mandatory for all non-government organisations to register with ‘NGO- PS (Partnership System) Portal’ for seeking grants from any Department/ Ministry of Government of India. No money is to be released by any Ministry to any non-government organisation that has not registered itself with NITI Aayog NGO-PS Portal.
“National Sports Federations (NSFS) are not Government organisations and they receive grants from the Government of India. Therefore, it is mandatory for them to register themselves with the NGO-PS Portal to be able to continue to receive grants,” a Sports Ministry press release stated. A communication has been sent to NSFS to register with the NGO-PS Portal and several of them have already registered themselves.
“The Union Minister of State(independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports, Shri Vijay Goel has said that the requirement for registration on the NGO-PS Portal is in the interest of transparency and urged NSFS to get themselves registered,” the release said further.