HONG KONG Sindhu eases into quarters
■ Saina, Prannoy bow out in second round
New Delhi, Nov. 23: Second seed P. V. Sindhu entered the women’s singles quarter- finals with a comfortable win while Saina Nehwal crashed out of the Hong Kong Open Superseries in Hong Kong on Thursday.
Sindhu, who slipped a place to number three in the world rankings released on Thursday, defeated Japan’s Aya Ohori 21- 14, 21- 17 in a second round match lasting 39 minutes.
It was Sindhu’s third win over the Japanese in as many meetings. She faces another Japanese, fifth seed Akane Yamaguchi, in the quarters on Friday.
Tenth- ranked Nehwal ran out of steam against China’s Chen Yufei, losing 21- 18, 19- 21, 10- 21 in a second round match lasting an hour. The players met for the first time.
Fourth seed Carolina Marin retired hurt in her second round match against Canada’s Michelle
● Paris, Nov. 23: Barcelona and Chelsea progressed to the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, but Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United must wait to seal their spot after a last- gasp 10 defeat in Basel.
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde rested Argentina star Lionel Messi in Turin, later introducing him as a second- half substitute as a 0- 0 draw against Juventus sent the five- time European champions through as winners of Group D.
Willian scored twice and won a pair of penalties as Chelsea thrashed 10- man Qarabag 4- 0 in Baku to guarantee Antonio Conte’s side a top- two finish in Group C.
First- half goals from Eden Hazard and Willian put Chelsea in control, with Cesc Fabregas adding a third before Willian netted again to cap the rout and knock Qarabag out of the competition.
Atletico Madrid, runnersup twice in the past four years, retained an outside chance of pipping Roma to a place in the knockout stage as Antoine Griezmann snapped an eight- match goal drought in a 2- 0 win in Spain.
The French striker broke the deadlock with a spectacular acrobatic effort on 69 minutes, before compatriot Kevin Gameiro added a late second to seal a first win of the campaign for Atletico.
However, they must beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their final game and hope Roma drop points at home to Qarabag to avoid parachuting into the Europa League.
United, who hit the woodwork twice in the first half through Marouane Fellaini and Marcos Rojo, looked on course to secure the point required to punch their ticket to the last 16 in Paris Saint- Germain Celtic Qarabag Chelsea Atletico Madrid Roma
Juventus Barcelona
Sporting Lisbon Olympiakos
Switzerland before Michael Lang popped up with an 89th- minute winner.
Paris Saint- Germain dismantled Celtic 7- 1 as the French giants registered their biggest win in the competition. Footballers usually throw their jersey to fans at the final whistle but Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stunned one supporter by giving him his shorts after the match.
The 39- year- old Buffon was competing for the first time since his emotional international retirement after Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.— AFP Li while leading 19- 21, 2113, 11- 8.
In men’s singles, 10thranked H. S. Prannoy went down fighting to Japan’s Kazumasa Sakai 21- 11, 1021, 15- 21 in a 54- minute battle. The 23- ranked 2 0 1 0 1 2 7 1 0 4 2 0
0 0
3 1 Japanese got the better of Prannoy for the third time in as many matches.
Parupalli Kashyap and Sourabh Verma had lost in the opening round on Wednesday.
Former world no. 1 third seed Lin Dan was made to sweat for victory by local player NG Ka Long Angus.
The Chinese superstar won 17- 21 21- 18 22- 20 after an intense 1 hour and sixminute battle.
Former world no. 1 and third seed Lin Dan was made to sweat for victory by local player NG Ka Long Angus