Newcastle dump Man City out of cup Djokovic swaps racket for driver for Ryder Cup round
Maxwell impresses with ball
LONDON – Newcastle United dumped Manchester City out of the League Cup 1-0 yesterday and drew a fourth round trip to holders Manchester United, who beat them in last season’s final, as their reward.
Swedish forward Alexander Isak broke the deadlock in the second half at St James’ Park after a muchchanged City dominated possession in the first 45 minutes but failed to take their chances.
Newcastle soaked up the pressure and were transformed after the break, with Isak slotting in at the back post off a low cross from Joelinton in the 53rd.
City had Phil Foden and regular goal machine Erling
Haaland on the bench while Newcastle started only goalkeeper Nick Pope from the team that won 8-0 at Sheffield United in the league last Sunday.
Julian Alvarez had two good chances, including one shot denied by Pope’s outstretched foot, for City who had 68 per cent of the possession but still fewer shots on target than Newcastle.
“It was a game of two halves for us,” said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, who brought on Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon after the interval.
“First half was tough... I thought we didn’t play particularly well but defended well in that first period
ROME – World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic is a six-time winner of the Rome Masters but yesterday, he swapped his racket for a set of golf clubs to appear in the All Star Match in the build-up to the 44th Ryder Cup.
The Serbian, who claimed a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title by winning the US Open this month, was playing alongside world number one golfer with disabilities Kipp Popert as part of Colin Montgomerie’s team which also featured Gareth Bale.
“It’s such an honour, a golden opportunity for a once in a lifetime experience,” the nervous-looking 36-yearold said on the first tee surrounded by an enormous grandstand.
“Thanks to all the fans for coming and putting a bit of extra pressure on us on the first tee. It’s a unique experience.”
With hundreds of fans in the stands and many more lining the fairway, Djokovic initially walked out to address his ball with a tennis racket, before switching to a driver.
After a couple of practice swings were greeted with cries of “oles”, he sent his ball down the first fairway, puffing out his cheeks with relief and thumping his heart.
Djokovic and England’s Popert were up against Spain’s F1 driver Carlos Sainz who recently won the Singapore Grand Prix and Italian G4D golfer Tommaso Perrino. because we didn’t have a lot of the ball.
“In the second half we were excellent in most aspects, defensively and offensively, we attacked really well and probably deserved to win in the end.”
It was the third year in a row that City, winners four times in a row from 2018 to 2021, had gone out of the competition early.
“We played an incredible game,” City manager Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports television.
“They scored a goal. Last season we were out against Southampton and not there, but tonight we were. Congratulations to Newcastle.”
NEW DELHI – Australia avoided a series whitewash in India after their top order fired together and Glenn Maxwell impressed with the ball to secure a comprehensive 66-run victory in the third and final one-day international in Rajkot on Wednesday.
The home side had clinched the series with wins in Mohali and Indore, and a third successive defeat could potentially have deflated Australia ahead of their World Cup opener against tournament hosts India on October 8.
Pat Cummins and his men did not let that happen, however, and racked up 352-7 with each of their top four batters smashing a half-century.
Playing his first match of the series, Maxwell proved he could be a potent spin option at the World Cup as he claimed 4-40 to help bowl out India for 286 with two balls left in the game.
Electing to bat, Australia’s top order capitalised on a ground with a benign track and short boundary to lay the foundation for a big total.
David Warner smashed his third half-century of the series as he combined in a rollicking 78-run opening stand with Mitchell Marsh(96).
Warner fell for a belligerent 56 but Marsh added 137 runs with Steve Smith to consolidate Australia’s position.
Kuldeep Yadav denied Marsh his hundred and had the opener caught at cover.
At 242-2 in the 32nd over, Australia looked to be cruising to a 400-plus total before the Indian bowlers dragged the hosts back into the contest.
Mohammed Siraj trapped Smith lbw for 74 to trigger a mini-collapse but Australia still registered the highest total at the venue with Marnus Labuschagne contributing 72.
Home captain Rohit Sharma (81), playing his first match of the series, led India’s reply, smashing five sixes en route to a 31ball fifty.
He and Virat Kohli (56) kept India on course until Maxwell intervened.
The off-spinner, playing his first international match since March, took a stunning return catch to dismiss Rohit and induced a top edge from Kohli to get rid of the former India captain.
Maxwell went on to peg back Shreyas Iyer’s (48) off-stump to effectively seal the match for Australia and Ravindra Jadeja’s breezy 35 was in vain.