SHORT CORNER

Bandhu XI seal semi spot

Bandhu XI sealed their place in the Manikganj Municipality Gold Cup Cricket Tournament semifinals by defeating New Star by five wickets at the Shaheed Miraz-Tapan Stadium yesterday.

After electing to bat, New Star were all out on 99 runs in 36.3 overs. Man-of-the-match Atik, Sajal and Rasel took three wickets each for Bandhu XI.

In reply, Bandhu XI reached the target for five wickets in 25.2 overs. Nadim top scored with 27 runs while Masud of New Star was the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets.

Bandhu XI will now face BKSP in the semifinals.

                --Manikganj Correspondent

PSG deny plan to sell Mbappe, Neymar

French champions Paris Saint-Germain have quashed reports the club could be forced to sell either Kylian Mbappe or Neymar in a bid to circumvent eventual Financial Fair Play (FFP) sanctions.

Qatar-owned PSG are one of a number of clubs under scrutiny from UEFA's FFP regulations after splashing a combined total of more than 400 million euros in 2017 for Brazil star Neymar and World Cup winner Mbappe.

UEFA still have their eye on PSG and their finances and daily sports newspaper L'Equipe claimed late on Friday that any future sanctions could see the club sell one of their most coveted stars.

But PSG were quick to shoot down the report.

PSG "vehemently denies these totally false and ridiculous allegations, which serve only to recreate a climate of tension between the club and this media outlet."            

--Afp

Sheikh Salman faces challenge for presidency

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa faces a challenge as the head of the continent's ruling soccer body with two candidates putting themselves forward for next April's election.

AFC Vice President Saoud A Aziz M A Al-Mohannadi of Qatar and Executive Committee member Mohamed Khalfan Matar Saeed Alromaithi from the United Arab Emirates had lodged their candidacies to challenge Sheikh Salman, the AFC said on Saturday.

Sheikh Salman said in October he would be seeking a third term in office. He was first elected AFC president in 2013 to complete the term of disgraced former president Mohammed bin Hammam.  

  --Afp