Dhaka, Mar 24 (UNB) — Defending champions of the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPDCL) Abahani and their arch-rival Mohammedan Sporting Club are all set to test each other in the league on Monday. 

The match will take place at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at 9am. 

Both of the teams have lost the last match. While Abahani was beaten by Prime Bank Cricket Club, Mohammedan lost to Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. So they are heading to the next match keeping a win in mind.

Before losing the fifth round to Prime Bank, Abahani won all of their first four rounds matches. On the other hand, Mohammedan was on the winning streak before losing last two matches to Legends of Rupganj and Sheikh Jamal respectively. 

However, Manjurul Islam, the coach of Mohammedan, believes they should not look back before the important clash against arch-rival Abahani. 

“It will not bring something good for the team to look back. We had been playing well before the last two matches. But tomorrow’s clash will set the tune for us. At the same time, that will be a big challenge for us as well. I think the previous matches will not create any problem for us,” Manjurul said on Sunday while conducting a practice session of Mohammedan. 

In the last season of Dhaka League, Mohammedan lost to Abahani by a big margin of 112 runs. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza had taken three wickets each for Abahani to wrap up Mohammedan for 147 while chasing the target of 160 in 50 overs. 

But Manjurul Islam looked reluctant to remember that encounter. He said the year of 2019 will be a big year of Mohammedan. 

“We are a professional team. We are looking forward to the coming days. I can say you that the year of 2019 will be a big one for Mohammedan. If we can maintain professionalism in the next game, it will be different from the previous matches. It is a big chance for all of us in Mohammedan,” Manjurul further said. 

In this game, Mohammedan set to get the service of Liton Das. The right-handed top-order batsman of Bangladesh was out of action after coming back from New Zealand. He was seen to practice on Sunday with the team. \

However, Abahani captain Mosaddek Hossain Saikat is not bothered with the strength of the opponent. He rather is thinking about their own strength and strategy. 

“The clash between Abahani and Mohammedan is always a tough one. We are ready for the challenge of the next game. Mohammedan is really a challenging opponent. At the same time, we are also in a position to win games against them. Instead of focusing on them, we are ready to show our strength in the next game,” Mosaddek told the media. 

While Abahani will take on Mohammedan in Mirpur tomorrow, Sheikh Jamal will face Gazi Group Cricketers in Fatullah and Legends of Rupganj will lock horn against Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity at BKSP.

Portugal, Mar 24 (AP/UNB) — Brazil was held by Panama to 1-1 in a friendly played in Portugal on Saturday.

Lucas Paqueta opened the scoring for Brazil in the 32nd minute from a pass by Casemiro, only for Panama's Adolfo Machado to equalize with a header four minutes later at FC Porto's Dragao stadium.

Brazil midfielder Casemiro hit the crossbar midway through the second half.

Brazil will play the Czech Republic in Prague on Tuesday in another friendly.

Star striker Neymar is not on Brazil's squad as he recovers from foot surgery.

The matches form part of Brazil's preparation for the Copa America it will stage in June.

Miami Gardens, Mar 24 (AP/UNB) — The new site for the Miami Open suddenly is missing a lot of star power.

Serena Williams withdrew Saturday, blaming a previously undisclosed left knee injury. Less than two hours later, top-ranked Naomi Osaka lost in the third round to tour veteran Hsieh Su-Wei of Taiwan, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Osaka's departure matched the earliest ever in the tournament by a top-seeded woman and jeopardized her No. 1 ranking, depending on results next week.

"I feel like I've dealt with the stress of people asking me do I have pressure because I have the No. 1 next to my name," Osaka said. "I thought I was doing fine with that, but I guess I'm not."

Roger Federer briefly seemed headed for the exit but instead advanced to the third round by rallying past qualifier Radu Albot 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

"Radu put me through the ringer," Federer said.

No. 2-seeded Alexander Zverev double-faulted 12 times and lost to wild card David Ferrer, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Williams' withdrawal was unexpected because she showed no signs of injury a day earlier while winning her opening match against Rebecca Peterson, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1. Williams didn't mention any health issues during a news conference after the match, and the WTA had no information regarding when she was hurt.

Williams' victory Friday was her first at Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Dolphins' home and the Miami Open's new center court. The tournament moved this year from Key Biscayne, where Williams won eight titles.

"I am disappointed to withdraw," she said in a statement. "It was an amazing experience to play at Hard Rock Stadium this year, and I would like to thank the Miami Open for putting on an amazing event. I hope to be back next year to play at this one-of-a-kind tournament in front of the incredible fans here in Miami."

Federer, a three-time champion, lost serve only once — in the first game — but was on the ropes until he swept the final three games, to the relief of an enthusiastic stadium crowd.

"It was a great atmosphere," Federer said. "It was electric. I think that's why I played so well at the end."

While attendance in the stadium continued to be spotty, outer courts were jammed, and the day session drew a tournament record 32,831 spectators.

Seeded losers on the men's side included No. 10 Karen Khachanov, No. 21 Diego Schwartzman, No. 26 Guido Pella, No. 30 Stan Wawrinka and No. 31 Steve Johnson. In a game of inches, the 5-foot-6 Schwartzman lost to 6-foot-11 Reilly Opelka 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Williams was next scheduled to play No. 18-seeded Qiang Wang, who advanced to the fourth round.

Also reaching the women's round of 16 was the 33-year-old Hsieh, who turned pro in 2001 but has achieved the two biggest victories of her career in the past nine months. Her only other win over a No. 1 player came against Simona Halep at Wimbledon last year.

With two-handed groundstrokes from both sides, Hsieh was the steadier player from the baseline against Osaka. When Hsieh closed out match point with a forehand volley winner, she began to cry as the crowd applauded her performance.

Osaka smiled when reminded it was the first time in 64 matches she lost after winning the first set.

"I know — it's depressing," she said. "I was thinking about it right after I lost."

Osaka, 21, has won the past two Grand Slam tournaments. Williams, 37, still hasn't won a tournament since the 2017 Australian Open, before she took a break of more than a year to become a mom. She has played only eight matches this year.

Williams' stay at the Miami Open was also brief last year, when she lost in the first round to Osaka. Friday's match was Williams' first since she retired from Indian Wells two weeks ago because of a viral illness.

New York. Mar 24 (AP/UNB) - The former European champions started their campaigns to qualify for Euro 2020 with wins over Scandinavian visitors on Saturday — but in different fashion.

While a misfiring Spain turned to captain Sergio Ramos to edge Norway 2-1, Italians Nicolo Barella and Moise Kean scored their first international goals to beat Finland 2-0.

The pressure is on Italy to recover from last year's embarrassing failure to not reach the World Cup. Spain likewise wants to use the European qualifying campaign to restore its status as one of the continent's best teams after losing to a less talented Russia in the World Cup last 16.

"When you start from zero there is always excitement," Ramos said. "We have a dream, this goal to do something big. A new quest starts, a new objective, and there is no better way to do so than this."

Group F

Spain dominated the first half at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium but only Rodrigo Moreno could convert his scoring chance.

Norway equalized in the 65th minute when forward Joshua King netted a penalty kick after substitute Bjorn Johnsen was fouled by Inigo Martinez in the area.

But Ramos soon got his turn at the spot when Alvaro Morata poached a poor back pass by Harvard Nordtveit and was cut down in the box by goalkeeper Rune Jarstein.

Ramos, making his 162nd appearance for Spain, got the winner when he converted a spot kick in the "panenka" style — waiting for the goalie to move before chipping the ball down the middle — in the 71st.

Also in Group F, Sweden beat Romania 2-1 thanks to goals by Robin Quaison and Viktor Claesson. Substitute Claudiu Keseru pulled one back for Romania.

Malta edged the Faroe Islands 2-1 in the matchup of the group's minnows.

Three-time champion Spain is the favorite to win the qualifying group.

Group J

Barella, a 22-year-old midfielder with Cagliari, scored seven minutes in for Italy with a long, deflected shot from a rebound following a free kick from Marco Verratti.

Kean, aged 19, then took advantage of an excellent throughball from Ciro Immobile to find the target from the center of the area in the 74th. He became the second youngest scorer for Italy after Bruno Nicole in 1958.

"He's skillful," Italy coach Roberto Mancini said of Kean. "But he still has a lot of work to do. He's got a huge margin for improvement."

It marked the first time the Azzurri scored more than one goal in a competitive match in nearly two years.

Also in Group J, Greece won at Liechtenstein 2-0 from goals by Kostas Fortounis and Anastasios Donis.

Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Armenia 2-1 as Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko celebrated his 100th appearance.

Group D

Switzerland got second-half goals from Steven Zuber and Denis Zakaria to win at Georgia 2-0, ending the hosts' run of seven unbeaten games at home.

Switzerland will play Group D favorite Denmark in Basel on Tuesday.

Ireland's Jeff Hendrick scored to help beat Gibraltar 1-0.

Dhaka, Mar 23 (UNB) - The 13-team Metropolis 2nd Division Football League begins on Sunday at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mustafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur here.

State Minister for Youth and Sports M Zahid Ahsan Russell will inaugurate the meet in the afternoon.

Tongi Krira Chakra will play Gouripur Sporting Club in the lone opening day match at 3:45pm. 

On the following day (Monday), Purbachal Parishad will face Khilgaon Football Academy at 9am.

Secretary of the league committee Mohidur Rahman Miraj disclosed this at a press conference at the BFF House on Saturday. 

The champion team will be promoted to senior division league while bottom team will be relegated to the 3rd division league.

The participating teams are Tongi Krira Chakra, Purbachal Parishad, Azampur Football Club (Uttara), Little Friends Club, City Club, Mugda Samaj Kallayan & Krira Sangsad, East End Club, BG Press SRC, Shantinagar Club, Dilkusha SC, BKSP, Khilgaon Football Academy and Gouripur Sporting Club.