RCB aim to derail CSK's aspiration

Royal Challengers Bangalore are in ominous form after their clinical show against Rajasthan Royals.© BCCI

Royal Challengers Bangalore have a batting line-up that is the envy of Indian Premier League (IPL). There is power, flair, brilliance and exuberance in their batting. It is baffling that this team has failed to achieve anything substantial other than two losses in the finals of IPL. In IPL 2015, this team is looking in great shape and they will be determined to reach the top of the mountain.

Chennai Super Kings, though, are a team who have the experience and skill to win the crunch games. They know how to raise their game on the big stage. They may have suffered a loss to Mumbai Indians in the first qualifier, but that will make them fiercely determined to put one over their southern rivals in the second qualifier.

Royal Challengers Bangalore will be aware that they are currently at the receiving end of a three-match losing streak against Chennai Super Kings. With confidence high after their clinical show against Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore will go all-out to break their streak.

Venue: JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi

Date: May 22, 2015

Time: 20:00 IST

Weather: Clear skies with a low of 27 degrees

Team news

Chennai Super Kings

The death bowling plans went awry in the qualifier against Mumbai Indians. After a disciplined start, the bowlers leaked 101 runs in the last 10 overs and this is an area that MS Dhoni will have to strengthen ahead of the clash. With the batting depth of Royal Challengers Bangalore, the team will have to bowl really well if they are to contain them. Chennai Super Kings have plenty of options in the bowling department but they might want to boost their pace attack and thus bring in Ishwar Pandey for Pawan Negi.

Probable XI

1 Dwayne Smith, 2 Michael Hussey, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 MS Dhoni (c and wk), 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Pawan Negi/Ishwar Pandey, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Ashish Nehra

Royal Challengers Bangalore

The power of Chris Gayle, the versatility of Virat Kohli and the genius of AB de Villiers, combined with the raw aggression of Mandeep Singh and Sarfaraz Khan, makes the team's batting look complete. However, their tendency to crack under pressure is well documented and they will be aware that on the big stage, they will have to curb their tendency to choke. With the team composition in good shape, they might not make any changes.

Probable XI

1 Chris Gayle, 2 Virat Kohli (c), 3 AB de Villiers, 4 Mandeep Singh, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Sarfaraz Khan, 7 David Wiese, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Sreenath Aravind

Quotes

"We have played better cricket than previous seasons. In 2013, we did not qualify and that hurt." - Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli says the team is determined to do well in IPL 2015.

"We have always done well with our back to the wall, so that's what we can go to Ranchi with". - Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni highlights the determination of his team.

Stats

* AB de Villiers has a strike-rate of 158.29, the best in the Royal Challengers Bangalore team. He also needs nine sixes to reach the 100-sixes mark in IPL.
* In their last encounter in Ranchi during IPL 2014, Royal Challengers Bangalore won a close match by five wickets against Chennai Super Kings.

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England seek positive start to summer against resurgent New Zealand

Alastair Cook and Paul Farbrace have a task on their hands to lift England from their string of poor performances © Getty

As the football season in England dwindles to a finish, the focus of the British Isles will shift to the impending three-month summer of cricket that will culminate with the all-important Ashes series. But before England can shift their focus to Australia, Brendon McCullum and his resurgent New Zealand side pay a visit for a two-match Test series that begins with a Test at Lord's.

England, shrouded in the aftermath of another long-drawn out controversy involving Kevin Pietersen's snubbing, have to bounce back quickly following a below-par show in the Caribbean last month. The two Tests however offer them a chance to put the latest of management relatedfiascoesbehind them as they look to prepare for sterner tests ahead.

New Zealand's Test side have enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in the last 15-months and are unbeaten in six series, a stark contrast to the team that was dismissed 2-0 the last time they were in England in 2013. After recording their best ever year of Test cricket in 2014, Brendon McCullum and Co. arrive on English shores on the back of a home series win over Sri Lanka followed by a run to the final of the World Cup. If ever there was a chance to pip England in England, it is now.

Venue: Lord's Cricket Ground, London
Date: May 21, 2015
Time: 10:00 GMT, 15:30 IST
Weather: Partly Cloudy, with a high of 21 degree Celsius and a 30% chance of rain
Team News:
England:

Having named only a 12-man squad for the Test match, England's selection of the playing eleven should be fairly straightforward. Following Jonathan Trott's retirement, Yorkshire opener Adam Lyth will open the batting with Alastair Cook. Durham seamer Mark Wood may however have to wait for his debut if England stick with Chris Jordan and Ben Stokes.

Probable XI: Alastair Cook (c), Adam Lyth, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Jos Butler (wk), Chris Jordan, Stuart Broad, James Anderson

New Zealand:

The Black Caps have several players jetting in straight from the IPL. Despite missing out on warm-up games, the new ball attack of Tim Southee and Trent Boult will find the muggy conditions in England to their advantage. Coach Mike Hesson mentioned earlier in the week that both pace-bowling all-rounder Corey Anderson and off-spinner Mark Craig will play. Matt Henry's performance in the tour warm-up may help him just pip Doug Bracewell and Neil Wagner. Martin Guptill's 150 against Worcester has added to Hesson's selection quandary for he'd have to sit out one of Tom Latham or Hamish Rutherford to make place for Guptill.

Probable XI: Tom Latham, Hamish Rutherford, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum (c), Corey Anderson, BJ Watling (wk), Mark Craig, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult

Stats and Trivia:
- New Zealand have won only four Tests in 52 attempts in England

- This will be New Zealand's 100th Test against England since the first match in Christchurch in 1930.

Quotes:

"It's a completely different format, there has been a lot of cricket since. They are a dangerous side in their own conditions and leading into a big summer for them they'll want to start on the right note."

- Tim Southee on what he'll carry forward from his spell of 7/31 against England in the World Cup.

"We are going to have to be brave, take the odd gamble here and there, and if we play good cricket, we can start changing people's opinions on the team and start getting people talking about cricket again, which is what we all play for."

- Ian Bell on the upcoming summer of Test cricket amidst another Kevin Pietersen controversy.

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Defender Becomes First Chelsea Player To Leave This Summer

Chelsea FC

George Brady wasn’t the biggest signing Chelsea made from Ligue 1 in the summer 2012, but he still arrived with a decent bit of fanfare for a 15-year-old.  He even got a blurb from the Daily Mail!  He was also 6’4″ already, so in a way, he was actually pretty big.

That’s Michael Emenalo on the right.  He’s 6’1″.

Brady, a center back, was a mainstay of the Chelsea U18s a year later and was rewarded with his first professional deal last summer.  But this season he had only made 10 appearances while battling a few injuries, and earlier on Saturday, U18 manager Joe Edwards confirmed that Brady has left the club.

There’s no further hint of how or why this decision was made, but good luck to George in his future career!

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Queens Park Rangers Fans Staged A Bizarre Pitch Invasion After Relegation

There’s one way to celebrate relegation… (Picture: Twitter)

Queens Park Rangers fans staged a bizarre pitch invasion after their 2-1 win against Newcastle despite already being relegated from the Premier League.

The Rs were consigned to the Championship after last week’s hammering at the hands of Manchester City, and the mood around Loftus Road was expected to be dreary.

However, goals from Matty Phillips and Leroy Fer gave the west Londoners all three points, and the crowds on the pitch afterwards took to singing; ‘We are going down, we are going down.’

Perhaps they just wanted to celebrate a rare three points? Some Twitter users weren’t quite as understanding, though…

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Emanuel Ortega, Argentinian Footballer, Dies at Age 21

 A 21-year-old football player has died in Argentina after colliding with a concrete wall that surrounded the pitch.

According to a report by Argentinian news agency Clarin, Emanuel Ortega was declared dead in the early hours of Thursday morning, after fracturing his skull in a match two weeks ago.

Ortega, who played for San Martin de Burzaco in Argentina's fifth tier, went shoulder-to-shoulder with a player from Juventud Unida but crashed head first into a concrete wall just a meter from the touchline.

Ortega had emergency surgery on a double skull fracture last week, but the news has been confirmed by staff where he was being held.

Video of the harrowing incident exists, but we have chosen not to include it.

On the day of the incident, San Martin manager Cristian Ferlauto said it was "crazy" and "a disgrace" to have a wall so close to the pitch.

"The wall is just a metre from the line. It's crazy, there's no protection," he said. "The security measures are taken thinking about the fans, and the fence is so high so that they can't throw stones, but something are more important.

"It's a disgrace."

Ferlauto also absolved the opponent of blame, saying he had "no intent" to injure Ortega.


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Rory McIlroy posts first round of 70 at Wells Fargo Championship

Rory McIlroy tees off on the fourth hole during round one at Quail Hollow Club

The world number one sits alongside Padraig Harrington at two under par. For Rory McIlroy the third event in his ongoing five week stretch of tournament golf is one that will always bring back fond memories having captured his first PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow five years ago.

Since then the North Carolina resort has become somewhat of a favourite haunt for McIlroy, recording four top 10s in his last five appearances at the Wells Fargo Championship.

Thursday was more of a mixed bag for the world number one as he occasionally looked excellent and on other ocassions distinctly average.

In the end it would lead to a two under par round of 70, leaving him five shots behind early leader Robert Streb.

Seven birdies and some excellent putting was enough to see the American post a seven under par 65 to lead by one from Patrick Reed.

A lack of aggression on the greens was what McIlroy put last week’s eighth place fimish down to and it was clear that he was trying to rectify that this week, making three birdies in his opening seven holes.

It was golf typical of McIlroy’s recent form - unspectacular but rewarding.
Three birdies and a bogey in the six hole stretch from the 10th to the 15th gave the impression that the galleries were in for a big finish.

But even the best aren’t immune to a slip-up and that came in the shape of an 8-iron into the lake on the par 3 17th. It would lead to a double bogey.

But the 26-year-old showed good resolve on the final hole to get up and down from a greenside bunker to finish with a par.

A Sunday 67 at last week’s Players Championship was enough to show that Pádraig Harrington is moving in the right direction with his game, and that move doesn’t show any signs of stopping as he opened his Wells Fargo campaign with a two under par round of 70 to sit alongside McIlroy.

Never one to adopt a negative attitude Harrington was adamant earlier this week that his chipping and bunker play was “getting back to the good old days”.
And Thursday was like the Harrington of old as he scrambled superbly, going around in just 25 putts, including 11 one-putts.

Perhaps that impressive scrambling was best seen at the par 5 15th hole.
A booming 305 yard drive down the right hand side of the fairway was followed by a second shot that found the front bunker.

It was a test for the three-time major winner’s improving sand play and one that he took in his stride, splashing a beautifully controlled pitch to six feet before rolling in the birdie putt.

It was vintage Harrington - grinding to make the most out of the situation - a situation made even more impressive by the fact that it followed a bogey five at the 14th after a wayward approach to the green found a watery grave.

From there it was steady-going as the Dubliner parred his way home to leave himself nicely placed going into Friday.

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Kevin Pietersen: Surrey batsman's IPL return ended by injury

Kevin Pietersen: Andrew Strauss says there is no trust from ECB

Batsman Kevin Pietersen will not play in this year's Indian Premier League due to his calf and Achilles injuries.

Pietersen, 34, had been due to fly to India on Friday to fulfill his IPL contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Just a day after he was told that he would not be recalled into the England side, despite making 355 not out for Surrey against Leicestershire. Kevin Pietersen's prospects of taking part in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad have taken a hit due to a calf injury.

Pietersen sustained the injuries during that County Championship match,  is expected to be out for close to two weeks, meaning that he will miss the IPL. Pietersen was expected to fly down to India on Friday and he was expected to feature for Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last two league games against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians.

The right-hander will now focus on his priorities in the Caribbean Premier League in July where he plays for the St Lucia Zouks. His future with Surrey is still unknown.

On Wednesday, Pietersen's hopes of coming back into the England Test team were dashed when Andrew Strauss, the ECB's new director of cricket, announced that Pietersen was ruled out of contention not due to lack of runs but due to lack of trust. This prompted Pietersen to write in his column for The Telegraph that he felt misled.

Despite Pietersen's highest score of his career, England's director of cricket Andrew Strauss has again blocked him from returning to the national side because of "massive trust issues".

Pietersen said he was "angry and hurt" at being told he will not be considered for selection by England, accusing the ECB of being "deceitful".

Sunrisers Hyderabad are currently in third position in IPL 2015. If they make it to the play-offs, they will be without the services of Trent Boult and Kane Williamson as they will be flying down to England in preparation for the first Test against England at Lord's starting on May 21.

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Africa's billionaire Aliko Dangote still keen on Arsenal takeover

Aliko Dangote - Africa's Richest Man

Africa's richest man has admitted that he still wants to buy Arsenal, despite failing with a bid to buy the club in 2010.
Nigerian commodities businessman Aliko Dangote is worth an estimated $15.7billion (£10.38bn), far in excess of current Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke (£3.7bn) and minority owner Alisher Usmanov (£9.65bn).

“I still hope, one day at the right price, that I’ll buy the team,” Dangote told Bloomberg.

“I might buy it, not at a ridiculous price but a price that the owners won’t want to resist. I know my strategy.”

Arsenal are currently valued at just shy of £1bn, £988m, and look on course to finish in second in the Premier League this season.

If a deal ever did go through, Dangote would become the first African owner of a Premier League club. In 2010, Dangote had made attempts to acquire a stake in the English club but discussions broke down.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote is worth three times more than the current major shareholder at Arsenal, Stan Kroenke.

Dangote is an Arsenal fan but has criticised Arsene Wenger, claiming that the 65-year-old "needs to change his style a bit" and warning that the club "need new direction".

Dangote, who has made his fortune through various operations including cement manufacturing, sugar supply and oil investments, says that he will concentrate on expanding his own business before launching a new offer for Arsenal.

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Juventus Vs Real Madrid: Our Prediction

BET2WIN SPORTS: Win with us now! At BET2WIN SPORTS, We bet to Win! Like our Facebook Page and dont miss our Predictions. http://www.facebook.com/bet2winsports

EUROPE: Champions League - Play Offs
20:45 Juventus - Real Madrid
Pick: Under 2.5 Goals

SCOTLAND: Premiership
20:45 Inverness - Dundee Utd
Pick: Over 1.5 Goals

PORTUGAL: Segunda Liga
18:15 FC Porto B - Braga B
Pick: Home to Win either half

EGYPT: Premier League
18:00 Arab Contractors - Enppi
Pick: Both team to score

ENGLAND: Premier League U21
20:00 Newcastle Utd U21 - Blackburn U21
Pick: Home to Win either half

INDIA: I-League
15:30 Bharat - Mohun Bagan
Pick: Away win over 1.5 Goals

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Indiana man missing after watching Blackhawks game

CROWN POINT, Ind. Culled from www.myfoxchicago.com (FOX 32 News)

Police are searching for a Northwest Indiana man after family members say he went missing after watching the Blackhawks playoff game Friday night.

23-year-old Michael Anthony Hernandez was reported missing Saturday. Family members told police he was at a bar in the Crown Point Square watching the Blackhawks playoff game Friday night, and that's the last time anyone saw him.

Family members say it is out of character for Hernandez to disappear without making contact with his family.

Hernandez is described as a Hispanic man, about 5-foot-8, weighing 165 pounds. Hernandez's vehicle is described as a four-door 2008 Toyota Psion with Indiana license plate number 906 LTI.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police immediately.

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Jose Mourinho: I want this one a lot

Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho has a strong desire to secure the league title this season for those at Chelsea yet to experience such success.
The Blues manager is of course a serial winner of championships having finished top of the pile in four European countries, including England in 2005 and 2006 during his first spell at Stamford Bridge. With his team able to add a third Premier League to their manager’s collection should they beat Crystal Palace today, Mourinho has put into context where that would sit with the previous triumphs.

‘The titles in Portugal were big because Porto was coming from a very difficult moment, finishing fifth the season before when in Portugal in the last 20 years, the title was normally shared by two teams [Porto and Benfica].

‘In Spain it was fantastic because that was a period of real dominance by Barcelona, and Real Madrid had to do it with 100 points and we had to win in Barcelona’s stadium near the end of the season.

‘The ones in Chelsea were fantastic because it was the beginning of Mr Abramovich’s era with no title before that. Now, for me, it is a great feeling because it is my club, because of the league and because we are not any more the rich club. We are a top club but a club that lives from the work everyone does in this club.

‘It would mean a lot because we have lots of young players and it would be the first title for them, people that don’t know what it is to be a champions, so I want this one a lot and if we clinch the title, at that moment I will be much more happy for them than for myself.’

Mourinho will also be pleased if Chelsea do complete the task as he knows where silverware such as this can lead.

‘When they have the taste of success, the big players want more. There are people who are happy with just one victory but the big ones don’t get tired of winning. So I hope really that these players get a good taste which is maybe why the Capital One Cup was important for the group. We won a trophy and enjoyed Wembley, enjoyed the happiness of the supporters.’

No one at Chelsea is taking anything for granted however, especially as today’s opposition is a side managed by one of the few Premier League managers in Alan Pardew to have won games against a Chelsea side managed by Mourinho.

‘I have experience of his Newcastle when it was one thing for them to play against Chelsea and one thing to play against other teams,’ notes the Blues boss.

‘Maybe it because Alan is a Chelsea fan. He told me a lot of times that as a kid he was born near and he grew up as a Chelsea fan, but obviously he is a professional and he wants to win.

‘The reality is that when Alan’s teams play against Chelsea, they play a different match, so I am waiting for that, I am waiting for a Palace going with everything.’

Looking briefly beyond the climax to this season, part of the reason why Mourinho has used the fewest number of players of any Premier League club this season is the relatively early exit from the Champions League. That prevented a schedule as testing as two fixtures against the likes of Barcelona mixed in with our big domestic encounters with Manchester United and Arsenal.

As plans are put in place for next season with the aim of going further in Europe while staying top of the league, he anticipates new additions.

‘We need a couple of players to give more strength in depth to the squad. With some of the young boys we have, I have said already that Ruben Loftus-Cheek will be a Chelsea squad player but the others after a fantastic year of preparation for them, training with us, playing with the young people, probably for them the next good step will be to go on loan and to be replaced by two players.

‘We keep the same number of players because we don’t want more than that, but we keep a more uniform group in terms of experience, to give us that little extra in case we progress in the Champions League.’

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Stephen Curry will be named NBA's most valuable player

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry will be named the NBA's most valuable player on Monday, according to a person familiar with the outcome of the media vote.

Frail ankles, porous defense and an inability to finish at the rim are all criticisms that have dogged Stephen Curry throughout his NBA career. The Golden State Warriors star halted his detractors once and for all in 2014-15 and will reportedly be named the league's Most Valuable Player for his troubles.

The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the award winner has not been made public.

Curry, whose Warriors had the league's best record in the regular season (67-15) and are up 1-0 on the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Semifinals, averaged 23.8 points (47% overall, 44% from three-point range), 7.7 assists, and two steals per game.

While the specifics of the vote are not yet known, Curry was widely expected to be in a close race with the Houston Rockets' James Harden. Curry becomes just the second Warriors player to be named MVP, joining Wilt Chamberlain (1959-60).

Curry, 27, beat out Houston Rockets guard James Harden, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul.

Perhaps the NBA's most skilled shooter, Curry broke his own NBA record for three-pointers in a season (286) en route to averaging 23.8 points and 7.7 assists per game. The Warriors also won a franchise-record 67 games, blitzing a competitive Western Conference with one of the best point differentials in league history.

"He's our MVP," fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson said in April, per Sekou Smith of NBA.com, "and he should be for the league because he does it on a nightly basis and he's at his best at crunch time."

Perhaps the most amazing aspect of Curry's season is this: Despite the Warriors' gaudy point differential, they were somehow outscored during the minutes Curry spent on the bench. In the 2,615 minutes he spent on the floor, Golden State outscored its opponents by 16.6 points per 100 possessions; in the 1,331 minutes he was on the bench, that point differential flipped to minus-1.2.

While impressive on/off numbers are nothing new for Curry—for years now, the Warriors offense has tended to fall off whenever he sits—the big difference has come on the defensive end. Formerly a sieve who had to be hidden on most nights, Curry gained the trust of head coach Steve Kerr this year to defend opposing point guards.

The trust paid off, with Curry setting a career high in defensive win shares and generally evolving into an average all-around defender.

"He has become a much smarter defender," teammate Draymond Green told Sam Amick of USA Today. "He gets a lot more deflections. He pressures the ball a lot more than he ever has. He comes up with steals, and they're not just playing-the-passing-lane steals. It's getting a deflection, it's taking the big, it's all those things. He's just been phenomenal, man."

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Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Results: Floyd Mayweather outpaces Manny Pacquiao to seize decision win

The fight of the century came and went, and in the end, nothing changed. Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated Manny Pacquiao to stay unbeaten on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV, seizing control of the latter stages of the fight to claim a unanimous decision on the judges' scorecards.

Judges Burt Clements and Glenn Feldman scored the contest 116-112, while judge Dave Moretti scored it 118-110, all in favor of Mayweather. According to MMAFighting.com scored the bout 117-111 for Mayweather.

"He's a hell of a fighter," Mayweather said afterward of the rival he struggled to come to terms with for over half a decade. "I take my hat off to Manny Pacquiao. Now I see why he's one of the guys who is at the pinnacle of the sport of boxing."

In a fight that will likely go down as the most lucrative combat sports event ever, Mayweather battled through an unusually shaky start to seize momentum and gain control of the scorecards from round seven onwards. Pacquiao wanted to make it the contest a dogfight, and he did so early with some success, stalking Mayweather into the ropes and unloading his trademark punching flurries while cutting off the ring to great effect. The punching totals for both fighters were virtually identical by the start of the eighth round, but then Mayweather took over.

Led behind his jab, "Money" proved once again why he's the greatest defensive fighter of our era, lulling Pacquiao's offense into a standstill and outlanding the legendarily aggressive Filipino by a mark of 148 to 81 by the fight's end.

"I knew he was going to push me," Mayweather said. "I knew he was going to win some rounds. He had moments in the fight, but I kept him on the outside. I was the smarter fighter. I outboxed him."

Pacquiao (57-6-2), for his part, believed he won the fight, claiming that Mayweather "did nothing" and was largely running away throughout the contest. The judges disagreed though, and according to official fight statistics, Pacquiao landed double-digit punch totals just three times over the course of 12 rounds, with Mayweather's movement and defense proving too stifling for Pacquiao to overcome.

Mayweather (48-0) now moves into the final fight of the massively lucrative contract he signed in 2013 with Showtime. And with Rocky Marciano's hallowed mark of 49-0 within sight, the next time we see "Money" Mayweather may very well be the last.

"My last fight is in September, then it's time for me to hang it up," he said. "I'm almost 40 years old. I've been in the sport 19 years, I've been world champion 18 years. I'm truly thankful and I'm blessed."

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BREAKING NEWS: Tiger Woods, Lindsey Vonn have ended their relationship

Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn are no longer together. Woods and Vonn both issued similar statements on Sunday confirming the end of their three-year relationship.

"Lindsey and I have mutually decided to stop dating," said Woods on his website. "I have great admiration, respect and love for Lindsey and I'll always cherish our time together. She has been amazing with Sam and Charlie and my entire family.

"Unfortunately, we lead very hectic lives and are both competing in demanding sports. It's difficult to spend time together."

Vonn shared the news on Facebook.

"After nearly three years together, Tiger and I have mutually decided to end our relationship," Vonn said.

"I will always cherish the memories that we’ve created together. Unfortunately, we both lead incredibly hectic lives that force us to spend a majority of our time apart. I will always admire and respect Tiger. He and his beautiful family will always hold a special place in my heart."

Vonn, 30, and Woods, 39, made their relationship public in March 2013. Vonn appeared at the Masters with Woods and his children, Sam and Charlie, including during his first appearance in the Masters Par-3 Contest in 11 years.

Woods finished T-17 at the Masters and has announced a full summer schedule, including next week's Players Championship, which he won the last time he played in the event in 2013.

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Brazilian legend Ronaldo plans comeback with Fort Lauderdale Strikers

Orlando City midfielder Kaka (Getty Images)

Kaka has had to do a lot of explaining to his family and friends around the world since agreeing to join Orlando City in MLS.

From trying to lay out the completely foreign concept of an expansion team to talking through the still-jarring notion of leaving someplace like AC Milan for American professional soccer, the former world player of the year has heard his share of skepticism.

One game into his Orlando City career, though, the midfielder was the one left laughing.

His phone blew up after Orlando City’s debut match against New York City FC on Sunday afternoon, with people calling and texting not only about Kaka’s 91st minute goal that produced a 1-1 draw, but also the raucous crowd of 62,510 gathered at the Citrus Bowl.

“Brazil had a very good game between Sao Paulo and Corinthians and it just had 14,000 supporters at that game — it’s a big game in Brazil,” Kaka said with a laugh during a conference call Wednesday afternoon. “And here is 60,000 at our game. So everybody was speaking about that and everybody was asking me about how it was to play here in this atmosphere, and the league. A lot of questions about that. I just said that it’s amazing, it’s unbelievable.”

The start hardly could have been scripted any better for the Brazilian, who turns 33 next month. About the only aspect Kaka and his team would change would be actually getting a win, but the Lions will get another chance Friday as they go on the road to face the Houston Dynamo.

Kaka preached patience when it comes to both wins and goals, and immediately quashed the notion that he would take a primary scoring role with the side.

“We are a team,” he said. “We expect that everybody can help to score and everybody can help defend.”

That part of it, on the field, is what he knows. It will take care of itself. Adjusting to a new and unfamiliar league is something a bit different, but Kaka did not sound like a man with many concerns.

Over the course of a 25-minute call in which the native Portuguese speaker affably fielded about half the questions in English and half in Spanish, Kaka said his initial impression of MLS has been nothing but positive.

“The only thing I can say now is I’m very happy with this choice that I made,” he said. “I watched a few games during the weekend — it’s competitive, organized, just a few things I can say now. At the end of the year I can tell you much more about the league.”

By then, perhaps, the novelty will have worn off a bit — particularly for the Orlando City star’s loved ones. For now, though, everyone is caught up in the excitement that comes with a fresh start and optimism about what the future holds.

“I received a lot of messages from everywhere, from a lot of friends in Europe, in Brazil, everybody watched the game,” Kaka said. “The goal was incredible, last minute in the game, that was incredible. As I said after the game, I probably won’t understand what this goal means, really, for a few years.”

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Belgian soccer player Gregory Mertens, 24, dies of heart failure.

Gregory Mertens Getty Images

Gregory Mertens, the Sporting Lokeren defender who collapsed during a reserve game versus Genk on Monday, has died.Gregory was a Belgian professional football player. His usual position was central defender

Lokeren announced the news on Thursday, expressing its sadness at the death of the 24-year-old, who suffered heart failure.

A club statement read: "Much too soon, we say goodbye to Gregory Mertens. We are a football club. Everyone in and around the club breathes football. But suddenly something happens which we realize that football is just football. Today is such a time.

"Now we will have to learn to live with the loss. We realize that this is mainly for the family are incredibly difficult moments. We already offer them in the name of the whole club our sincere condolences."

Mertens went down about 25 minutes into Monday's game and was attended to by the medical staffs of both teams before an ambulance drove onto the field and took him to the hospital.

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Shahid Afridi to retire from international cricket next year

Shahid Afridi retired from ODIs after the end of the 2015 World Cup. © Getty

Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi announced he would retire from Twenty20 cricket next year, ending a colourful international career which earned him unmatched popularity in his homeland.

The 35-year-old retired from ODIs after last month's World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand where Pakistan reached the quarter-final, but said he would continue to play the shortest form of the game.

"I will retire from Twenty20 cricket after next year's T20 WC," Afridi, who left Test cricket in 2010, told reporters. "I will continue to play county cricket in England and a few Twenty20 leagues but my international career will end next year."

India will host the sixth edition of the T20 WC in March-April next year, where Afridi said he hoped to leave on a high."I want to finish my career with pleasant memories and had never thought I will play for Pakistan for so long," said Afridi.

Making his debut at the young age of 16, Afridi made headlines around the world when he smashed a 37-ball hundred in only his second ODI, against Sri Lanka in Nairobi in 1996, setting a world record.The record stood until last year when it broken by New Zealand's Corey Anderson with a 36-ball hundred and then bettered by South Africa's AB de Villiers who raced to a century off just 31 balls, against the West Indies in January this year.

Afridi, known for his aggressive approach to batting, his skillful legbreaks and good looks, maintains the world record for most sixes: 453 across all formats of the game.

He was appointed Twenty20 captain last year, having earlier led Pakistan in ODIs and Tests as well. He scored 8,064 runs in 398 one-day internationals but fell just five short of 400 wickets.

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Our Prediction

BET2WIN SPORTS: Like our Facebook Page and dont miss our Prediction. At BET2WIN SPORTS, We bet to Win!

SOUTH AFRICA: Premier League
19:00 Kaizer Chiefs - Amazulu
Pick: Home Win

SINGAPORE: S.League
13:30 Warriors - Hougang
Pick: Over 1.5 Goals

SCOTLAND: Championship
20:45 Queen of South - Rangers
Pick: 2X (Rangers Win or Draw)

EUROPE: EURO Women - Qualification - First stage
14:00 Luxembourg W - Moldova W
Pick: Over 1.5 Goals

EUROPE: Euro U17 Women - Second stage
16:00 Germany U17 W - Belarus U17 W
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals

ROMANIA: Liga I
20:30 Steaua Bucuresti - Petrolul
Pick: Both team Scores - Risky

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Our Prediction: Blackburn Vs Liverpool and More

FA Cup, Blackburn tackles Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers says The FA Cup was always one of Liverpool’s prime targets this season.The Reds boss takes his side into their quarter final replay with Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday evening, with a trip to face Aston Villa at Wembley being the reward.

And after missing out in the semi-final stage of the League Cup earlier this season, Rodgers wants to go one further in this competition.

"In terms of The FA Cup, that was always an objective," he revealed.

"A trophy this season will mark another step forward for us. Getting to a final and winning a trophy is what we want.

"On Wednesday, we'll look to reach our second semi-final of the season in the cup competitions.

"The group is very committed to winning this trophy but in order to do that you have to qualify and we know Blackburn will be a difficult game for us."

Liverpool were held to a 0-0 draw by Gary Bowyer’s Championship outfit in their first tie at Anfield last month.


And they could also consider themselves fortunate to still be in the competition given the danger posed by Rovers during that game.

Since then, Liverpool have also suffered from something of a slump in their Premier League form so Rodgers has made sure his players are more than ready for what to expect.

"Blackburn have got some excellent players. They defended well when they came to Anfield," said the former Swansea, Watford and Reading boss, whose side lost by 4-1 at Arsenal at the weekend.

"We'll go there really focused and determined - we can't wait to play again after the weekend's disappointment.

"It's important to have a game quickly when you lose."

BET2WIN SPORTS: Like our Facebook Page and dont miss our Prediction. At BET2WIN SPORTS, We bet to Win!

ENGLAND: FA Cup
20:45 Blackburn - Liverpool
Pick: Away to win Either Half

FRANCE: Coupe de France
21:00 Paris SG - St Etienne
Pick: Home Win

PORTUGAL: Taça de Portugal
21:00 Sporting - Nacional
Pick: Home Win

SPAIN: Primera Division
20:00 Barcelona - Almeria
Pick: Home Win Over 1.5 Goals

SPAIN: Primera Division
22:00 Rayo Vallecano - Real Madrid
Pick: Away to win Either Half

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IPL 2015 kicks off with glitzy opening after persistent rain delay

The eight skippers led by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni signed the MCC Spirit of Cricket pledge to start IPL 8 formally. © BCCL

Heavy rain failed to dampen the spirit of 'City of Joy' as a dazzling Bollywood-style opening ceremony kick started the eighth edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) after a one and a half hour delay at the decked-up Salt Lake stadium.

The event was a little subdued compared to the galas of the previous editions but the cine stars still managed to put up a show, enthralling the thousands of drenched fans who were glued to their seats.

The cheer was loud for Virat Kohli, louder for Mahendra Singh Dhoni but loudest for their 'very own' Gautam Gambhir.  

Anushka Sharma during her performance in the IPL 2015 opening ceremony. (IPL Twitter Photo)

While Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan stole the show with his electrifying dance performance, leading lady Anushka Sharma brought on a lot of panache with her performance.

The versatile Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor regaled the crowd, both performing to their respective numbers from movies such as Rock On and Kaminey.

Shahid hit a ramp slightly and then slipped on the stage before recovering quickly.

Of those from the glam world, Hrithik was the most sought-after as he gyrated to his hit numbers from Bang Bang and Dhoom 2.

The eight skippers led by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni signed the MCC Spirit of Cricket pledge to start IPL 8 formally in front of Ravi Shastri before they posed for a formal group photo.

Bollywood then took centrestage with Haider actor Shahid making an entry in a motorcycle to the tunes of local hero Bappi Lahiri.

"Rain or shine the celebration will continue that's how we love our cricket. Now we have a new season apart from monsoon, summer, winter and spring and that's the season of IPL," the anchor of the show, Saif Ali Khan, said in his opening address.

The Omkara star called out the captains of the eight franchises as the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, JP Duminy and George Bailey walked onto the dais.

But it was the trio of Dhoni, Kohli and Gambhir who received the biggest applause as firecrackers lit up the Kolkata sky.

The ceremony began after an one hour and 30 minutes delay with a traditional Rabindra Sangeet rendition of 'Ananda Loke'.


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Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad: Team News, Preview and Predictions.

Date: Tuesday, April 7

Time: 7 p.m. BST / 2 p.m. EDT / 8 p.m. local

Venue: Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid

TV Info: Sky Sports (UK), beIN Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), beIN Sports CONNECT (U.S.)

Atletico Madrid will welcome Real Sociedad to the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday, as the defending champions look for their second win in La Liga in the space of four days.

On Saturday, Diego Simeone's side brushed past bottom-placed Cordoba with a minimum of fuss, as first-half goals from Antoine Griezmann and Saul Niguez effectively ended the contest prior to the break.

The three points were extremely valuable for Los Colchoneros, who moved back into third place on the table thanks to Valencia's scoreless draw with Villarreal at the Mestalla on Sunday. And with Los Che set for a difficult meeting with Athletic Bilbao at the San Mames in this midweek round, Atleti could potentially establish a small gap between themselves and Nuno Espirito Santo's side with another victory against Real Sociedad.

In teams news for the hosts, centre-back Miranda will again be available for selection, having completed his two-match ban for his red card against Espanyol. However, with another strong display at the Nuevo Arcangel, Jose Gimenez could easily retain his place alongside compatriot Diego Godin.

But Simeone will be forced into a slight reshuffle at the back regardless, with Juanfran suspended for this match after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season on Saturday.

After completing his comeback from injury against Cordoba, Saul is also likely to be rested rather than put through two successive games with minimal rest in between. If that does occur, Arda Turan will come back into the XI and take his place on the right side of the midfield.

Our Predictions for today 7th April 2014

ENGLAND: Premier League
20:45 Aston Villa - QPR
Pick: Home Win

SPAIN: Primera Division
20:00 Atl. Madrid - Real Sociedad
Pick: Home to Win either half

FRANCE: Ligue 1
19:00 Monaco - Montpellier
Pick: Over 1.5 Goals

INDIA: I-League
15:30 Pune - Salgaocar SC
Pick: Over 1.5 Goals

ITALY: Coppa Italia
20:45 Fiorentina - Juventus
Pick: Away to Win either half

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Cheteshwar Pujara gears up for English challenge

Cheteshwar Pujara said his stint with Yorkshire will be a test of his character, technique and toughness.© Getty

Most of the Indian batsmen will be busy with their respective franchises during the Indian Premier League 2015, bringing their T20 skills to the fore. On belter of tracks tailor-made for batsmen, it will be a feast for the likes of Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma. Meanwhile, India's Test number three Cheteshwar Pujara will be doing what he always does - wait for the loose deliveries to cash on, play the ball on merit and try to accumulate big scores in challenging conditions.

While the Indian Premier League is set to get off to a glitzy start, like always the case, Pujara will be away from all the limelight, working hard on his technique and focus in trying English conditions when he represents county champions Yorkshire in the upcoming county season. Mentioning that the stint with the county side will be a test of his "character, technique and toughness", Pujara reckons he will be up for the challenge.

In an interview to ESPNCricinfo, the 27-year-old right-handed batsman said: "They are challenging conditions and as a batsman you have to accept the challenge. When you score runs in those conditions you get a different confidence. So, technically you have to be correct. You have to be really focused; confidence has to be up to the mark. All the aspects of the game you really have to be very careful when you play in English conditions. So, in this way couple of months in Yorkshire will help me."

"The weather is completely different. So, first of all you need to get adjusted to the weather and the conditions. Whatever I've heard so far is that initially the ball might do more than what it does in the later stages of the season. So, as a batsman it will be challenging and I'm aware about it but when I'm going there I know that I will be tested - it is a test of my character, technique and my toughness. I'll take it as a challenge. Once you succeed in such conditions, it is a different satisfaction as a cricketer," Pujara said.

The past 12 months haven't been great for Pujara the Test cricketer as he failed to get going in England, while he also was not up to the mark in the Test series in Australia, leading to his axe from the playing eleven for the final Test of the series Down Under. While he admitted that his performance has dipped in the recent past, Pujara is eager to learn from the mistakes and take the best step forward.

"In Test matches, my start was really good; there were some phases where I accept that I didn't perform well but it happens. If you see a cricketer's career, nobody's always successful. You have those up and down phases. If I look at all the series, I did well in South Africa. England was a bad series although I did score in a couple of innings which were really crucial for the team.

"I feel number three is the kind of position where you don't just look at the number of runs you make but you also need to look at the team situation to make sure that the team does not lose another wicket. Once you see through the new ball, the middle-order batsmen get that benefit of playing against the old ball.

There is a role which is defined. I do accept that I got starts in Australia but could not convert those starts into a big innings which I'm known for," he said.

Pujara managed only 125 runs in six innings for Kings XI Punjab in the previous edition of IPL which forced the franchise to leave him out of the scheme of things. There were also no takers for him in the 2015 IPL auction, following which he signed up with Yorkshire. While Pujara is keen to establish himself as a front-line player in the limited-overs format, his exclusion from the 30-member
provisional Indian squad for the World Cup was proof that the selectors did not have the faith in him for the shorter formats.

However, Pujara has taken these setbacks in his stride and is confident of finding a place in the limited-overs squads soon. "If you look at the domestic circuit records, I've got a very good average as well as a decent strike rate and I've been successful even at India A level. It's just that I haven't played too many ODIs. So, I can't talk much about international level but if I can do it at the domestic and India A level - when I went to the UK and Australia there were decent fast bowlers against whom I could score runs - I'm very confident that i can do it at the international level. It's a matter of time and I'm very hopeful that my chance will come."

When asked about his future goals as part of the Indian team, Pujara said: "I just want to focus on the things that I can do for the team at number three and I have always enjoyed playing for the Indian team. I hope we get more success both at home and overseas. We did put up a good show in Australia though we didn't win too many games. Going ahead we would aim to win as many matches as possible."
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Irfan Pathan: I will play in any role for Chennai Super Kings

Former India allrounder Irfan Pathan is excited about the prospect of turning up for two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) Champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and is ready to take up any role the team offers him. Pathan is keen on using this chance to pave a path through to the Indian national team. After going unsold in the first session during this year's auction, Irfan, who last played for India in 2012 World T20, was lucky to be picked by the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led CSK. The Baroda southpaw wants to make the most of the opportunity.

"Obviously, the dream is to play for the country again. But at the same time, I should make sure that I go there step by step and that is what I am doing. I did well in the Ranji Trophy. I hope I can do well in the upcoming IPL as well. There are some matches coming up after the IPL season. Sooner or later, I will fulfill my dream. In 2011, people talked that it was going to be difficult to make a comeback but I told them that I will make a comeback and I did. I am saying it again - I am going to return in the national team and I am working towards it," said Irfan.

Irfan, of course, may face tough competition from other all-rounders in the side. "Having many all-rounders is beneficial for the team. I have had a discussion with Stephen Fleming (CSK coach) and he gave an idea as to what kind of a role he wants me to play. That is a team talk. For me, I am feeling very confident. It is just a matter of what Dhoni thinks in terms of how he is going to utlise me and how the team wants me to play. I think with the experience that I have, I can fit in any role. I just have to be ready mentally," he said.

Having represented Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Daredevils and SunRisers Hyderabad in the previous editions, Irfan is looking forward to re-unite with Dhoni.

"Obviously, it is a new team for me but there are lot of guys in the team that I know them very well. So, I am really excited to play with the most successful team in the IPL so far. And I am really excited to play under Dhoni. Hopefully, the season will be great as I had trained very well having bowled over 150 overs in the Ranji Trophy this season," he said. "I had played in different teams earlier. Compared to other teams, CSK has a pretty relaxed atmosphere."

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