Dhaka, Apr 16 (UNB) - India’s Minerva Punjab booters participated in a practice session on Tuesday evening at Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) in Dhaka. The Indian side sweated it out for about 2 hours ahead of their group E football match against Dhaka Abahani Ltd on Wednesday at BNS here. 

The practice session consisted of several drills -- dribbling, turning, crossing, heading and shooting. Head coach of Minerva Punjab Sachin Badadhe said they are fully prepared to meet their Bangladeshi counterpart. “Abahani are a very good team. We’re prepared for them,” he said. 

Dhaka, Apr 16 (UNB)- Dhaka Abahani Ltd are ready to take on India’s Minerva Punjab in the group E match on Wednesday.

The AFC Cup 2019 game will kick-off at 5:45pm (BdST) at Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Six-time Bangladesh Professional Football League champions Abahani are optimistic about winning against former I-League champions Minerva.

Abahani coach Mario Lemos said they were ready for the showdown.

“Minerva Punjab are a very strong team but we have a chance to win,” he told a pre-match media briefing.  “We’ll give our 100 percent.”

The visitors are also confident with their head coach Sachin Badadhe giving out a clear message: “We came here to get three points.”

Dhaka Abahani Ltd.: Shahidul Alam Sohel (C), Raihan Hasan, Nabib Newaz Ziban, Waly Faisal, Sunday Chizoba, MasihSaighani, Kervens Belfort, Wellington Priori, Jewel Rana, Rubel Miya, Mamun Miah, Atiqur Rahman Fahad, Imtiaz Sultan Jitu, Sohel Rana, Pranotosh Kumar Das, Mamunul Islam, Tutul Hossain Badsha, Topu Barman, Saad Uddin, Nayeem Mia, Sultan Ahmed Shakil, Faisal Ahmed, Hafizur Rahman, Mohammad Ridoy, Dipok Roy, Mohammad Rony, Ariful Islam, Syed Arafat Hossain Tasin.

Minerva Punjab: Bhaskar Roy, Prateek Joshi, Devansh Debas, Kareem Omolaja, Mahmoud Al Amna, Kalif Alhasan, Samuel Lalmuanpuia, Robert Primus, Akashdeep Singh, Dilliram Sanyasi, Souvik Das, Makan Winkle Chothe, Sreyas Valiyaveettu Gopalan, Aakash Sangwan, Nidhin Lal, Thoiba Singh, Arashapreet Singh, Deepak Devrani, Prabhjot Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Harminder Singh, Salman Lateef, Arshdeep Singh, Amandeep Singh, Moinuddin Khan.

Fixture:

Time- Matches- Time- Venue

April 17: Dhaka Abahani Ltd. vs Minerva Punjab- 5:45 (BST)- Bangladesh

April 17: Chennaiyin FC vs Manang Marshyangdi Club- 7:30 (BST)- India

April 30: Chennaiyin FC vs Dhaka Abahani- 7:30 (BST)- India

May 1: Minerva Punjab vs Manang Marshyangdi Club- 6:30 (BST)- India

May 15: Dhaka Abahani Ltd. vs Chennaiyin FC- 7:00 (BST)- Bangladesh

May 15: Manang Marshyangdi Club vs Minerva Punjab- 3:00 (BST)- Nepal

June 19: Dhaka Abahani Ltd. vs Manang Marshyangdi Club- 5:45 (BST)- Bangladesh

June 19: Minerva Punjab vs Chennaiyin FC- 6:30 (BST)- India

June 26: Minerva Punjab vs Dhaka Abahani Ltd.- TBC- India

June 26: Manang Marshyangdi Club vs Chennaiyin FC- TBC- Nepal

Watford, Apr 16 (AP/UNB) — Arsenal benefited from a bizarre goal from a goalkeeping error and Watford striker Troy Deeney's red card to claim a 1-0 win that lifted the team back into the Premier League's top four on Monday.

The match was ultimately decided in the space of a few seconds in the first half, with Arsenal going ahead in the 10th minute when Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster dallied on a back pass, then slammed his clearance into the outstretched left boot of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The ball rebounded into the net from six yards (meters).

Within a minute, Watford was reduced to 10 men when Deeney was sent off for elbowing Lucas Torreira in the face after the Arsenal midfielder had passed the ball to a teammate.

Arsenal was hardly convincing at Vicarage Road despite playing with an extra man for most of the game, but came away with a second away win since November to climb above Chelsea into fourth place on goal difference.

It was Arsenal's first clean sheet in an away league match this season.

"We were competitive, but in the circumstances we can control the match better," Arsenal manager Unai Emery said. "We didn't make it easy to score the second goal. We did not control the ball in the attacking third."

Aubameyang, playing his first full season in the league, moved onto 18 goals and is only one behind top scorers Sergio Aguero of Manchester City and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool in the race for the Golden Boot. Liverpool's Sadio Mane also has 18 goals.

The Gabon striker is unlikely to score a more bizarre goal this season but did well to close down Foster as the goalkeeper received a back pass from right back Daryl Janmaat.

As Foster attempted to clear, Aubameyang got across the goalkeeper and saw the ball career off him into the back of the net.

"I've said sorry to the lads," Foster said. "I have tried to drag it on to my left foot and pass it out but before I knew it he was on me. He is too quick.

"In hindsight you have to get rid of the ball as quick as you can, even if it goes into row Z."

Deeney, who prides himself on being an intimidating striker,  previously questioned Arsenal's stomach for a physical battle, saying after a home win in this fixture last season that its players can be bullied and lack "cojones."

In the opening minutes, his physicality was on show but he took things too far moments after the restart following Aubameyang's goal.

Torreira played a pass across the field before he was clattered by the right forearm of Deeney, who needlessly and aggressively leant into the diminutive Arsenal midfielder.

The referee took his time before showing a straight red card to Deeney, who complained bitterly.

"I respect the referee's decision, but I don't agree," Watford manager Javi Gracia said. "In my opinion, it is a yellow card but never a red."

Watford barely tested Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno but did apply pressure in the final half-hour and came close to equalizing when Adam Masina fired a long-range effort against the woodwork in the 62nd minute.

Barcelona, Apr 16 (AP/UNB) — Real Madrid needed Karim Benzema to salvage a 1-1 draw at Spanish league minnow Leganes on Monday.

Benzema again proved a bright spot in a disappointing season for his club, scoring his fifth goal in four matches to cancel out an opener by right back Jonathan Silva.

The France striker also snatched recent wins for Madrid with late goals against Huesca and Eibar.

Madrid remains third in the standings, 13 points adrift of  Barcelona, which is on course to retain its title with six games left and a nine-point lead over Atletico Madrid.

Coach Zinedine Zidane already said Madrid had little to play for this season, adding over the weekend that his squad was set to be culled at the end of the campaign.

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas, whose future has been in doubt since the arrival of Thibaut Courtois last year, said on Monday that the players had more to play for than just trophies.

"We have our pride and our love for this shirt, which is worth more than any title," Navas said. "It has been a complicated season for everyone.

"We have gone out there to win games, but they have gotten away from us. It is difficult to explain. We are all sad for the situation."

Other than a shot by Marco Asensio saved by goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar, Leganes had little trouble keeping in check Madrid's attack in the first half.

The hosts went ahead just before halftime when Martin Braithwaite won the ball in a crowded area and passed to Silva, who curled a shot around Navas into the corner of the net from the edge of the penalty box.

A flash of skill from Luka Modric then set up the equalizer in the 51st minute.

The Ballon d'Or winner turned quickly before slipping a pass through the defense to Benzema. His first strike was blocked by Cuellar, but the France forward pounced on the rebound and fired it home.

It was Benzema's team-leading 27th goal in all competitions this season.

His increasing status since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of last season is in stark contrast to the fall from grace of Gareth Bale.

Bale played only the last 10 minutes against Leganes and, after falling out with the fans this season, he could be one of the stars the club will look to move on.

"I didn't like our first half, but I think our second half was better," Zidane said. "At the end we managed to draw, but we could have played much better. That is for sure. The sensation is not good."

Dhaka, April 15 (UNB) – Fakirerpool Youngmen’s Club earned 1-0 goal victory over Agrani Bank Club in the Bangladesh Championship League (BCL) Football at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mustafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Monday.

Khankar scored the match-winner for Fakirerpool in the 76th minute.

The day’s other match between Wari Club and Farashganj SC ended in a goalless draw at the same venue.