United News of Bangladesh

Portland Thorns forward Morgan Weaver will miss the upcoming National Women's Soccer League season because of a right knee injury. The Thorns announced Weaver's injury on Wednesday. Defenders Nicole Payne and Marie Muller were also put on the team's season-ending injury list. “Unfortunately my knee never fully healed from last season's injury so I will be restarting the process of rehabbing my meniscus,” Weaver said in a post on Instagram. “With that being said I will still be supporting Portland till the very end! I am not done yet and can’t wait to be back to win another championship!” Galatasaray accuses Jose Mourinho of making racist comments after Turkish league game Weaver had surgery on her knee last May but returned to the Thorns in September. In January, she was invited to train with the U.S. women’s national team. Weaver has played in 68 games since joining the Thorns in 2020, scoring 16 goals. Payne injured her knee in an exhibition game against Angel City at the Coachella Valley Invitational earlier this month, while Muller also sustained a knee injury while training with the German national team.

Kylian Mbappé's replacement Endrick scored a first-half goal and Real Madrid won 1-0 at Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals on Wednesday. Madrid was without Mbappé after he had tooth removed and was forced to miss practice Tuesday. The France star has scored six goals in his last five matches. Endrick, an 18-year-old Brazil forward, scored in a breakaway after Jude Bellingham's long pass. “Endrick has helped us a lot,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “His goal was fantastic. He worked well up front and on defense as well. The team has been playing well.” On Tuesday in the first leg of the other semifinals, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid drew 4-4. Both return matches will be played in April. Ancelotti rested regular starters Thibaut Courtois and Federico Valverde. Courtois’ replacement in goal, Andriy Lunin, played a key role in giving Madrid the first-leg advantage. Lionel Messi strikes early, Inter Miami beats Sporting KC 3-1 to advance in Champions Cup Madrid clinched its last Copa title in 2023. It was eliminated by Atletico in the round of 16 last season. Sociedad hadn’t made it to the last four since it won its third Copa title in 2020, when it eliminated Madrid in the quarterfinals with a 4-3 win at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The Basque Country club had lost its last three matches against Madrid in the Spanish league. Until now, the Copa's knockout rounds were played in single-elimination games. The final will be in Seville on April 26.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) on Wednesday announced a 30-member preliminary squad for the Bangladesh National Football Team to play in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers against India in Shillong on March 25. Bangladesh-origin English Premier League player Hamza Dewan Chowdhury and Italian league player Fahamedul Islam have been included in the preliminary squad. Hamza Chowdhury is expected to arrive in Bangladesh on March 18 to join the team bound for India, while Fahamedul Islam is scheduled to join the national team's camp in Saudi Arabia. The preliminary squad of the Bangladesh national team is scheduled to leave for Saudi Arabia on March 5 to undergo a two-week long intensive training ahead of the match against India. The BFF, which announced a 38-member preliminary squad on February 9, has now reduced the team to 30 players. They have been directed to report to the team manager, Ameer Khan, at a local hotel on Friday to join the national training camp. Selected players are: Goalkeepers: Mitul Marma, Sujon Hossain, and Mehdi Hasan Srabon. Defenders: Shakil Ahad, Shakil Hossain, Rahmat Mia, Isa Faisal, Mohammad Tajuddin, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Topu Barma, Saad Uddin, Sushanto Tripura, Mohammad Ridoy, Papon Singh, and Syed Shah Quazem Kirmanee. Midfielders: Md Sohel Rana, Sohel Rana, Chandon Roy, Mojibar Rahman Jony, Shekh Morsalin, Jamal Bhuyan, Hamza Dewan Chowdhury, Foysal Ahmed Fahim. Forwards: Rakib Hossain, Shahriar Emon, Mohammad Ibrahim, Arif Hossain, Al Amin, Piash Ahmad Nova, and Fahamedul Islam.  

Lionel Messi opened the scoring with a masterful strike in the 19th minute, and Inter Miami beat Sporting Kansas City 3-1 on Tuesday night in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup’s first round. Luis Suárez and Tadeo Allende also scored as Inter Miami advanced with a 4-1 aggregate to face Jamaica Premier League champion Cavalier FC in the round of 16 on March 6. Messi also scored in Miami's 1-0 win at Kansas City in the first leg last Wednesday. Memo Rodríguez scored for Kansas City — the team's first goal of 2025. Miami scored on all three of its first-half shots despite Kansas City getting the majority of opportunities early, with six shots and three on goal. Messi slipped a through ball to Suárez, then controlled Suárez's pass off his chest and rifled it past John Pulskamp into the bottom right corner. Messi also started Miami's second scoring opportunity with a perfectly placed ball into the path of Jordi Alba, who found Allende for the finish in the 45th minute. Two minutes later, a misplayed touch by Kansas City's Jacob Davis led to Suárez's difficult goal that he bounced past Pulskamp. “There is this level of quality that guys like Messi, Suarez (bring),” Kansas City coach Peter Vermes said. “They know the moments in the game. They just know them. They operate at such a different level than other players, and they’ve done it at all leagues and levels. ... If you let them get ahead of you, the game can open up because with one chance they can break you.” Galatasaray accuses Jose Mourinho of making racist comments after Turkish league game The 37-year-old Messi, who played every minute in Miami's first two matches, checked out in the 69th minute on Tuesday. Suárez and veteran Sergio Busquets each played 81 minutes. Miami coach Javier Mascherano said he talked to his veterans about managing their minutes throughout the season to keep them healthy. That made room for contributions from younger players like the 26-year-old Allende. “We will try this season to push them as much as we can because we believe in them,” Mascherano said of Miami's young players. “Obviously, I love to work with the old guys, or the big men, but I know that the young players can give us much.” Kansas City had plenty of chances with 10 shots and four on goal. Dejan Joveljic appeared to make it 1-1 in the 40th minute, but he was ruled offside. Rodríguez entered in the 58th minute and scored from outside the box five minutes later. Kansas City, still trying to find its footing after significant offseason turnover, remains winless in 2025. FIFA Club World Cup trophy on display The FIFA Club World Cup trophy was on display at Chase Stadium ahead of the tournament's start in June. The tournament, which will feature Inter Miami and European powers Real Madrid and Manchester City, among others, will take place in 11 U.S. cities in an expanded format with 32 teams. Russian soccer to give up seat on UEFA executive committee in April elections “It's a privilege to have the trophy here,” said World Cup chief tournament officer Manolo Zubiria, “and for Inter Miami to be the first club that has it here in the U.S. ... A lot of excitement building up. The clubs are ready. We're ready.” Inter Miami will open the monthlong tournament on June 14 against Al Ahly of Egypt at Hard Rock Stadium, the 65,000-seat home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins.

An youthful Bangladesh national women' s football team will play their first match of the two International Friendlies against hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) national women' s team in Dubai on Wednesday (Feb 26) evening. The FIFA International Friendly match between two teams will kick- off at 7:30 pm UAE time and 9:30 pm Bangladesh time at Pitch- 1 of the UAE Football Association complex in Dubai. Bangladesh Women’s National Football Team, which  safely reached the UAE this (Tuesday) morning, will play their 2nd and last International Friendly on March 2. Defender Afeida Khandakar will lead the youthful Bangladesh national women's team for the first time in place of long serving and SAFF champions captain Sabina Khatun. Bangladesh Women’s National Football Team, which  safely reached the UAE this (Tuesday) morning, will play their 2nd and last International Friendly on March 2. After the day' s (Tuesday)  lunch session, Bangladesh women's team received an encouraging visit from Fahad Karim, the Vice President of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). He met with the players at the team hotel, offering words of motivation and support as they gear up for their upcoming matches. Bangladesh Head Coach Peter Butler was also present on the occasion. BPL Football: Dhaka Abahani Ltd earn biggest victory in 2nd phase opener outplaying Youngmen's Club Fakirerpool by 6-1 goals Bangladesh team schedule to make their first training session today (Tuesday) evening from 7:30 pm UAE time and 9:30 pm Bangladesh Time at Pitch 2 of the UAE Football Association complex. Earlier on last Thursday (February 20),  Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) announced a 23-member youthful national women’s football team excluding captain Sabina Khatun-led rebelling 18-senior national footballers just few hours after the SAFF winning Bangladesh women's football team received Ekushey Padak from Chief Adviser. Only eight players of the last SAFF winning 30-member Bangladesh women's team were included in the squad. They are : Afeida Khandakar, Kohati Kishu, Munki Akter, Shaheda Akter Ripa, Iirin Khatun, Yearzan Begum, Sapna Rani and Mili Akter, Member of Bangladesh women’s football team: Yearzan Begum, Mile Akter, Meghla Rani Roy (goal keepers) , Kohati Kisku, Joynab Bibi Rita, Afeida Khandakar, Surman Jannat, Halima Akhter, Sapna Rani, Airin Khatun, Aklima Khatun, Shaheda Akter Ripa, Ayonto Bala Mahato, Oeyshi Khatun, Tonima Biswas, Munki Akhter, Bonnya Khantun, Most. Sultana,  Khanom Akter, Arpita Biswas Arpita, Sauravi Akanda Prity, Marium Binta Hanna and Nabiran Khatun. Eighteen senior national players who were not included in the Peter Butler’s team are : Sabina Khatun (captain) , Krishna Rani Sarkar, Masura Parveen, Sanjida Akter, Maria Manda (vice-captain), Monika Chakma, Ritu  Porna Chakma, Sheuly Azim, Nilufar Yesmin, Tahura Khantun, Sogorika, Mathsushima Sumaiya, Shamsun Nahar Sr, Shamsun Nahar Jr, Rupna Chakma, Shorna Rani Mondal,  Nasrin Akter and Shati Biswas. 

Galatasaray plans to start criminal proceedings against Jose Mourinho and file complaints with soccer's governing body after accusing the Fenerbahce coach of making racist comments after a Turkish league game. The league leaders issued a statement after Monday's 0-0 draw with Fenerbahce announcing the action against Mourinho, the 62-year-old Portuguese coach who moved to Turkey from Roma last year after stints at high-profile clubs including Chelsea, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter Milan. Mourinho was fined and suspended earlier in the season for a tirade against local match officials and the league. His comments regarding Turkish referees and the Galatasaray bench following Monday's match between the top two teams in the domestic league sparked further criticism. In a statement, Galatasaray said Mourinho had “persistently issued derogatory statements directed towards the Turkish people.” “Today, his discourse has escalated. We hereby formally declare our intention to initiate criminal proceedings concerning the racist statements made by Jose Mourinho, and shall accordingly submit official complaints to UEFA and FIFA.” In his post-match interview, Mourinho welcomed the decision to bring in a foreign referee for the game and also praised Slavko Vincic of Slovenia for a “top performance.” Mourinho said he'd gone to see the referee and thank him following the game. When he saw the fourth official — a Turkish referee — Mourinho said he told him: “If you are the referee ... would be a disaster.” Messi assists on Segovia's late goal, Inter Miami ties New York City FC 2-2 in MLS season opener Asked about a challenge early in the match, he said a Turkish referee would have reacted with a yellow card “after the big dive and their bench jumping around like monkeys.” In November, the outspoken Mourinho was banned for a game and fined following his diatribe about Turkish soccer, when he said he was fighting “the system” and suggested officials are biased against his team. He has led Fenerbahce to a Europa League round-of-16 contest against Rangers next month.

Russia will no longer have a seat on the influential UEFA executive committee after the European soccer body's elections in six weeks. Also, Norwegian official Lise Klaveness is the only candidate for a new quota place for women, UEFA said on Monday, and soccer great Andrii Shevchenko stands for the first time effectively to replace his ousted predecessor as Ukraine soccer federation president, Andriy Pavelko. Alexander Dyukov, the chief executive of Russian oil firm Gazprom Neft, was not on the list of candidates published by UEFA for its election meeting on April 3 in the Serbian capital Belgrade. Dyukov was first elected to UEFA’s ruling committee in 2021 and said in an interview two years ago he would seek another four-year mandate. His absence from the UEFA candidate list was unexpected three weeks after he was re-elected president of the Russian soccer federation he has led since 2019. UEFA said Dyukov did not apply to retain his executive committee seat and had not been ruled ineligible. All candidates for elections in Europe to the ruling committees of UEFA and FIFA must pass mandatory checks by governance experts. Dyukov continued to attend UEFA meetings and games around Europe while on a British government sanctions list and during a ban on Russian teams from international competitions after the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Modric goal helps Real Madrid move level on points with Barcelona at the top of Spanish league FIFA and UEFA successfully argued at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in the early weeks of the war that including those teams would invite chaos in their competitions when some countries in Europe refused to play opponents from Russia. UEFA also dropped Russian state energy firm Gazprom as a Champions League sponsor because of the war and moved the 2022 Champions League final from being hosted at the stadium of Gazprom-owned Zenit St. Petersburg. Dyukov was the latest Russian soccer official, most connected to Zenit, to win UEFA and FIFA elections. Others included 2018 World Cup organizer Alexey Sorokin, former sports minister Vitaly Mutko and Sergey Fursenko. UEFA and its president Aleksander Ceferin have consistently said Russian teams cannot be brought back into top-level competitions while the war in Ukraine continues, and a split developed in the executive committee in 2023 when it briefly considered reintegrating under-17 teams. Klaveness is set to join the UEFA executive committee in April two years after losing in elections when she competed directly against male candidates including now-disgraced Spanish official Luis Rubiales. UEFA decided last year to expand its 20-member executive committee and add a second quota seat for women. UEFA said Klaveness was the only candidate on April 3 to join Laura McAllister of Wales, who was a UEFA vice president. UEFA’s 55 member federations will elect nine more men to the executive committee in Belgrade. New candidates include Shevchenko, the AC Milan great and now Ukraine federation president, and Pedro Proença of Portugal, who was referee of the 2012 finals in the men's European Championship and Champions League. PSG continues to dominate in France but Liverpool is looming in Champions League Shevchenko is among five candidates competing for two seats that have two-year terms on the UEFA executive committee. Those seats effectively replace Rubiales and Pavelko who both were elected in 2023. Proença is among 11 men competing for seven seats with a full four-year mandate, including Cezary Kulesza of Poland who could replace his compatriot Zbigniew Boniek. Each ordinary member on the UEFA ruling committee was paid 160,000 euros ($168,000) annually, according to the latest financial report. Vice presidents were each paid 250,000 euros in 2023. That year, UEFA president Ceferin was paid a salary of almost 2.9 million Swiss francs ($3.2 million). Also on April 3, UEFA member federations will confirm five candidates for five seats on the FIFA council for the next four years. They include Belgian soccer leader Pascal van Damme in the seat reserved for women. FIFA pays $250,000 each year for those positions.

Luka Modric scored a beautiful long-range goal in Real Madrid's 2-0 home win against Girona on Sunday that moved the defending champion level on points in the Spanish league with leader Barcelona. The veteran midfielder chested the ball down in the 41st minute before firing a right-footed shot into the top corner. “To score a goal like that, you have to keep shooting," Modric said. “I was by myself, controlled the ball, I struck it well and thank God it went in. It was a nice goal and it’s always special to score at home in front of the fans at the Bernabeu.” Modric received a huge ovation from the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. “I’m very grateful and proud of the affection that Madrid fans show me every day,” he said. "Today they’ve done it again and I can only say 'thank you.'” Vinícius Júnior scored Madrid's second goal after an assist from Kylian Mbappé in the 83rd to leave Madrid with the same 54 points as Barcelona, which won 2-0 at Las Palmas on Saturday. Barcelona leads on the head-to-head tiebreaker against Madrid. Atletico Madrid is one point behind the two rivals. Diego Simeone's team won 3-0 at Valencia on Saturday. Modric made his ninth start in 25 league matches for Madrid in a season in which the 39-year-old has played few minutes off the bench. The former world player of the year scored his fourth goal this season with his neat strike to put Madrid ahead at the Bernabeu. “Modric is a gift for soccer,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We've had the luck of having a legend with us.” Vinícius scored his first league goal since November from inside the area after a nice through ball by Mbappé, who on Wednesday scored a hat trick to lead Madrid to a 3-1 win over Manchester City at the Bernabeu in the Champions League playoffs. Regulars rested, Alaba starts Ancelotti rested a few regular starters following the City match at the Bernabeu, including central defender Antonio Rüdiger and Federico Valverde, the midfielder who for the first time this season didn't play any minutes. PSG continues to dominate in France but Liverpool is looming in Champions League Defender David Alaba made his first start in more than a year following a knee injury, while Lucas Vázquez was back in the lineup after missing a few games to nurse a left hamstring issue. Modric had also started in the league draw at Osasuna last weekend as Ancelotti rotated his squad for the Champions League playoff games against City. Brahim Díaz was another who got to start on Sunday. Midfielder Jude Bellingham served the first of a two-game suspension for cursing at a referee in the match against Osasuna. Girona, sitting in 12th place, has lost seven of its last eight games in all competitions, including three in a row in the Spanish league. Seven-goal rout for Athletic Forward Nico Williams scored a goal in each half as Athletic Bilbao trounced last-place Valladolid 7-1 at home. Mikel Jauregizar, Maroan Sannadi, Oihan Sancet, Gorka Guruzeta and Iñaki Williams, Nico's brother, also scored for Athletic. Valladolid, which has lost six in a row, played with 10 men from the 66th after a red card for Stanko Juric. The visitors had what would have been the 1-1 equalizer in the first half disallowed for offside. Messi assists on Segovia's late goal, Inter Miami ties New York City FC 2-2 in MLS season opener Before each match, a banner with the words “respect the referee” and “respect soccer” was displayed as players from both teams posed for photos. The campaign comes after several complaints from clubs against refereeing decisions and some threats by fans against the officials. Other results Japan forward Takefusa Kubo scored a second-half goal as eighth-placed Real Sociedad comfortably beat Leganes 3-0 at home. Isco scored twice as seventh-placed Real Betis won 2-1 at Getafe.

Paris Saint-Germain has no serious rival in France this season and will soon find out if its crushing domestic dominance can translate into the team thriving on European soccer's biggest stage. Still unbeaten in the French league after 23 matches, PSG extended its massive lead at the top of the standings to 13 points on Sunday with a 3-2 win at sixth-placed Lyon. The match came to life after the interval and featured inspired attacking moves from both sides. PSG was the better side and led 2-0 with seven minutes left to play. The only downside for Luis Enrique’s team was its players' inability to keep their lead intact when Lyon really upped the tempo. Inspired by the in-form Ousmane Dembélé — who scored his 17th league goal at Lyon — PSG has made tremendous progress in recent weeks. Achraf Hakimi scored PSG's other goals. There appears little doubt that PSG will win a record-extending 13th league title this season. But a far tougher test looms in March against Premier League leader Liverpool when the two teams face off in a mouthwatering last-16 Champions League tie. The first leg is in Paris on March 5. It’s the next big hurdle on the road that separates PSG from their ultimate goal of winning the Champions League, a task that has proved too difficult so far despite the millions injected by Qatari investors since 2011. The only French club to win the Champions League, second-placed Marseille, made headlines for the wrong reason this weekend. It lost 3-0 at Auxerre, and its president accused French league referees of corruption. In Lyon, Hakimi put PSG ahead in the 53rd minute from Bradley Barcola's cross and Dembélé doubled the lead six minutes later with a superb strike in the opposite corner. Messi assists on Segovia's late goal, Inter Miami ties New York City FC 2-2 in MLS season opener Ryan Cherki ensured some suspense when he pulled one back at the end of a fine team move with seven minutes left to play. Hakimi completed his brace soon after to restore PSG's two-goal lead after Gonçalo Ramos delivered a scintillating backheel pass in the buildup, only for Corentin Tolisso to revive the suspense in stoppage time with a header. But that was too little, too late. Nantes bounces back Struggling Nantes moved five points clear off the relegation playoff spot with a 3-1 win against Lens. A week after getting hammered 7-1 at Monaco, Nantes bounced back to secure only its fifth win in 23 league games this season. The hosts put on a spirited display against a visiting side that lacked an attacking spark and was reduced to 10 men for the last 20 minutes. French teenager Louis Leroux celebrated his first Ligue 1 start by opening the scoring in the 36th minute with a powerful shot. Moses Simon then made it 2-0 with a penalty kick on the hour-mark following a handball. Neil El Aynaoui pulled one back from the spot five minutes later but Lens never looked capable of scrambling a comeback, especially after Mbala Nzola was sent off. Meschack Elia Lina secured a Nantes victory in stoppage time from former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin's assist. Lens slumped to a third straight loss and remained in eighth place. Long wait According to the league's statistics, Coquelin played his first Ligue 1 game since May 29, 2011, meaning he waited for 13 years and 270 days. The much-traveled Coquelin joined Nantes last month as a free agent. It's the second longest gap between two matches for a player in the French topflight since 1947-48 after Samuel Lobé — 14 years, 79 days between January 1986 and April 2000. Aboukhlal's scissor-kick goal Toulouse winger Zakaria Aboukhlal scored a stunning scissor-kick goal in a 4-1 win at Le Havre. The 25-year-old Dutch player put Toulouse in front with his left foot when he connected with a lofted ball from Shavy Babicka in the Le Havre area. With his back to the goal, close to the penalty spot, Aboukhlal rose and unleashed an acrobatic shot that hit the right post and went into the back of the net. It was Aboukhlal’s seventh league goal this season. MLS Embarks on 30th year with a 30th team, a crowded schedule and, yes, more Messi Le Havre remained in the relegation zone, two points above last-placed Montpellier, with Toulouse 10th. Other results Jonathan Claus and Hicham Boudaoui both scored as Nice moved back to third place with a 2-0 win over Montpellier. Strasbourg and Brest drew 0-0.

A youthful Bangladesh National Women's Football team will fly for United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday to play two International Friendlies against their hosts on February 28 and March 2. Defender Afeida Khandakar is the new captain of the Tigresses, after she was appointed to lead the UAE-bound team in place of long-serving captain Sabina Khatun. The first match will be the FIFA International Friendly and the 2nd one will be the International Friendly. At a pre-match press conference at BFF house on Sunday, head coach Peter Butler and captain Afeida Khandakar expressed their views over the present National squad and said the absence of senior national players will not make any major impact in the team. Afeida further said, "I was the captain of Under-19 national team, a good number of players of that team now with us, we have a good understanding too, so have no big problems". . Earlier on Thursday (February 20), Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) announced a 23-member youthful national women’s football team excluding captain Sabina Khatun-led rebelling 18-senior national footballers just few hours after the SAFF winning Bangladesh women's football team received Ekushey Padak from Chief Adviser. BPL Football: Dhaka Abahani Ltd earn biggest victory in 2nd phase opener outplaying Youngmen's Club Fakirerpool by 6-1 goals Eighteen rebelling women’s national footballers boycotted the national team's practice session under the English Head Coach Peter Butler from January 29 raising several allegations against the head coach including mental harassment, repression, using abusive words, body shaming, misbehaving, continuous discrimination and unfair treatment. Only eight players of the squad (Afeida Khandakar, Kohati Kishu, Munki Akhter, Shaheda Akter Ripa, Iirin Khatun, Yearzan Begum, Sapna Rani and Mili Akter) that successfully defended the SAFF title in 2024 were included in the squad. Bangladesh women’s football team tour of UAE, full squad:   Yearzan Begum, Mili Akter, Meghla Rani Roy, Kohati Kisku, Joynab Bibi Rita, Afeida Khandakar, Surman Jannat, Halima Akhter, Sapna Rani, Airin Khatun, Aklima Khatun, Shaheda Akter Ripa, Ayonto Bala Mahato, Oeyshi Khatun, Tonima Biswas, Munki Akhter, Bonnya Khantun, Most. Sultana, Khanom Akter, Arpita Biswas Arpita, Sauravi Akanda Prity, Marium Binta Hanna and Nabiran Khatun. The eighteen senior national players who were not included in Butler’s are: Sabina Khatun (captain) , Krishna Rani Sarkar, Masura Parveen, Sanjida Akter, Maria Manda (vice-captain), Monika Chakma, Ritu Porna Chakma, Sheuly Azim, Nilufar Yesmin, Tahura Khatun, Sagorika, Matsushima Sumaiya, Shamsun Nahar Sr, Shamsun Nahar Jr, Rupna Chakma, Shorna Rani Mondal, Nasrin Akter and Shati Biswas.