Celtic transfer failure is not their fault as Hotline ranter points the finger at unexpected perpetrator
The Celtic transfer fallout continues after their failure to secure the striker Brendan Rodgers wanted.
Petra Sport News
Tour de France champion Pogacar targets Paris-Roubaix’s cobbled ‘hell’
PARIS: Three-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar will race the notorious Paris-Roubaix, known as the ‘Hell of the North’ for its treacherous cobbled mining roads, for the first time, his team UAE announced on Wednesday. Of the five big one-day races known as ‘Monuments’, Paris-Roubaix is the least suited to the Slovenian’s slender frame and adding that title would confirm his growing status as one of the all-time greats. He will be the first reigning Tour de France champion to tackle what is often a mudfest since Greg Lemond in 1991 — the American finished 55th. Cycling legends Bernard Hinault and Eddy Merckx also tried to win the one-day race in 1982 and 1975 respectively, a year after winning the Tour de France. Neither was successful although Merckx finished second, edged out on the line by Roger De Vlaeminck.
Lyon outclass Bayern with 4-1 win to reach Women’s Champions League semifinals
LYON: Kadidiatou Diani scored one goal and set up two more as Lyon outclassed Bayern Munich 4-1 in the second leg of their Women’s Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday. The French powerhouse needed a wake-up call before reaching the semifinals for the 13th time. Klara Bühl opened the scoring in the 33rd minute off the far post to claw a goal back for Bayern after losing the first leg 2-0 in Munich. Lyon, the eight-time champion, emerged reinvigorated after the break and went on to wrap up a 6-1 victory on aggregate with Diani scoring and setting up goals for Melchie Dumornay and Tabitha Chawinga, who both scored in Munich last week. Dumornay played in Ada Hegerberg to seal the rout with a flourish by shooting the ball between Bayern goalkeeper Maria-Luisa “Mala” Grohs’ legs in stoppage time. Bayern will be left to rue defensive blunders for undermining their comeback hopes. Diani was given two opportunities to cross the ball for Dumornay to equalize on the night, then Bayern star Giulia Gwinn inadvertently set up Diani to score in the 54th. It was the third blow for Bayern in quick succession with forward Jovana Damnjanovic going off with an apparent rib injury. The fourth blow came shortly afterward with Diana crossing for Chawinga to score Lyon’s third goal on the hour-mark.
De Kock fireworks see Kolkata thrash Rajasthan in IPL
GUWAHATI, India: South Africa’s Quinton de Kock struck an unbeaten 97 as holders Kolkata Knight Riders registered their first win of the IPL season with an eight-wicket hammering of Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. Spinners Moeen Ali and Varun Chakravarthy combined to help restrict Rajasthan to 151-9 after KKR elected to field first in Guwahati. De Kock bossed the chase with his 61-ball innings laced with eight fours and six sixes as Kolkata achieved their target with 15 balls to spare. De Kock, who has retired from Tests and one-day international cricket for South Africa and whose T20 international future remains uncertain, showed no signs of rustiness. “To be fair, haven’t felt any challenges yet,” De Kock said. “Have had three months off which felt nice. Had about a 10-day build-up to this season.
Rally Jameel 2025 to head off against idyllic backdrop of Petra
JEDDAH: The fourth Rally Jameel, the world-class navigational rally for women in the region starting on April 22, is set to ignite another exciting year of motorsports action in the Kingdom with a challenging mix of terrains, desert dunes and mountain trails.
Camila Osorio Topples Naomi Osaka, Petra Kvitova Ousted At Indian Wells
Naomi Osaka was bundled out of the first round at Indian Wells on Wednesday, falling 6-4, 6-4 to Camila Osorio in the Japanese star's first tournament since injury forced her out of the Australian Open. Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 56th in the world, looked rusty against the 52nd-ranked Colombian, struggling to find the range on her powerful groundstrokes on a chilly night in the California desert. "There were certain things that felt extremely off because I could only start to practice serving after a certain amount of time and stuff like that," said Osaka. "So I think given the situation, it wasn't that terrible.
Ex-Wimbledon Champion Petra Kvitova Falls In Indian Wells First Round
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, on the comeback trail seven months after giving birth to a son, was ousted in the first round at Indian Wells on Wednesday by France's 70th-ranked Varvara Gracheva. The Czech, who welcomed son Petr last July, was playing her second tournament since her return from an 18-month maternity leave but remains in search of her first match win. Wednesday's match looked a lot like her loss to Jodie Burrage in Austin last week, with Kvitova unable to close it out after pocketing the first set.
Venus Williams, Petra Kvitova Issued Wildcards For Indian Wells
Grand Slam champions Venus Williams and Petra Kvitova were among four wildcard entrants announced Wednesday for next month's ATP and WTA Indian Wells tennis tournament. Teen ATP stars Joao Fonseca and Learner Tien, who will make their main draw debuts at the venue, were also named to the event, set for March 5-16. Williams is a seven-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one who will make her 10th career appearance at Indian Wells. The 44-year-old American has not played in a WTA event since last March at Miami.