Brazil finally convince in 5-0 pounding of Peru

Copa America hosts Brazil finished top of their group with an impressive performance in a 5-0 victory over Peru in Sao Paulo on Saturday.

Looking like their imperious old selves, the host nation went ahead after 12 minutes when Casemiro was on hand to nod home after a goalmouth scramble and Roberto Firmino made it two seven minutes later after keeper Pedro Gallese made a hash of his kick

Firmino charged down the kick and the ball rebounded off the post but Firmino picked up the rebound and rounded the keeper to roll the ball into the empty goal.

Man of the Match Everton added a nice third after 32 minutes when he cut in from the left and unleashed a low shot that sneaked inside Gallese's near post and Dani Alves made it 4-0 eight minutes into the second half when he finished off a neat team move and lashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Substitute Willian made it five with a vicious strike from outside the box in the final minute, before Gallese made up for his earlier error by saving a spot-kick from Gabriel Jesus in stoppage time.

The result, combined with Venezuela's 3-1 win over Bolivia, means the hosts top Group A and will play one of the two third-placed teams at the Gremio arena on Thursday.

After struggling in the first half of their previous two games, and failing to score in both, the two early goals settled Brazil and gave them more space to play, said coach Tite.

"When you score an early goal the team has play differently and open up, that is real," he said.

The only down side for Brazil was a second yellow card in three games for Casemiro, which means the combative Real Madrid midfielder will miss Thursday's quarter-final.

Second-placed Venezuela will face the second team in Group B on Friday at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, while Peru must wait to see if their four points are enough to earn them a place as one of the two best third-placed sides.

"It's not up to us now, that's the uncomfortable situation," Peru coach Ricardo Gareca said.

"They were better than us from start to finish. Brazil had lots of chances in their other games and never took them. Today they took them."    

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AFCON 2019: Madagascar makes grand debut

Madagascar made a grand debut at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations with a 2-2 draw against Guinea on Saturday.

The point was historical for 'Barea', while Guinea’s Syli National would feel undone with seeing an expected victory slipping from their hands.

The game started nervously with both sides committing a number of fouls in midfield. Madagascar had the first shot on goal after 21 minutes when Lalaina Nominianahry tried to shoot but the ball went easily to the hands of Ali Keita between the posts for Guinea.

Ibrahim Cisse had Guinea’s best effort in the first half when he saw his shot kissing the upright after 27 minutes. Ima Andriasima could have broken the deadlock for Barea but his shot just missed the target at the half hour mark.

And it was Guinea who took the lead after 34 minutes via Sory Kaba. Amadou Traore’s long shot found Kaba one on one with Malagasy goalkeeper and he rounded him to put Guinea in lead with the goal that separated both sides at halftime.

Madagascar returned stronger and needed just four minutes after the restart to equalize. From a corner kick Andriantinaina jumped higher than everyone to head the ball home scoring 'Barea' first ever AFCON goal.

The equalizer gave Madagascar confidence as they controlled possession. And it was not so long till they took the lead. Anicet Andriamatsinoro found himself one on one with Keita and he made no mistakes to give Madagascar the lead after 55 minutes.

With defeat looming Guinea had Liverpool star Naby Keita in after 62 minutes. Just three minutes layer they were awarded a penalty when Roman Metanire fouled Ibrahima Traore inside the vital area. Francois Kamano scored calmly from the spot to restore parity again.

Both sides tried to snatch a late winner but without success, to see the first AFCON 2019 draw.

The result means Nigeria top Group B on three points after one match played.

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World Cup 2019: Virat Kohli fined for excessive appealing during India vs Afghanistan

ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: A demerit point has also been added to Virat Kohli's disciplinary record after he was found in breach of Level 1 Code of Conduct during India vs Afghanistan on Saturday.

 India captain Virat Kohli has been fined 25 percent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the ICC Cricket World Cup match against Afghanistan at Southampton on Saturday.

Kohli was found to have breached Article 2.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "Excessive appealing during an International Match".

Kohli approached umpire Aleem Dar in an aggressive manner in the 29th over of Afghanistan's chase of 225 after Jasprit Bumrah trapped Rahmat Shah in front. Dar was unmoved but Kohli pleaded with the umpire after India had lost their only review early in the innings.

It was a tight call as replays showed there was no bat involved and the ball would have gone on to clip the leg-stump. Nonetheless, the umpire's call would have stayed.

Kohli admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Chris Broad of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, and as such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Kohli, for whom it was the second offence since the introduction of the revised Code in September 2016.

Kohli now has two demerit points after having got one demerit point during the Pretoria Test against South Africa on 15 January 2018. When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned Two suspension points equate to a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

On-field umpires Aleem Dar and Richard Illingworth, third umpire Richard Kettleborough and fourth official Michael Gough levelled the charges.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 percent of a player's match fee, and one or two demerit points.

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ICC World Cup 2019 | Mohammed Shami Reveals How MS Dhoni's Input Helped in Taking Hat-trick Against Afghanistan

Right-arm pacer Mohammed Shami bowled a brilliant spell at the death overs and claimed a hat-trick in the final over to help India upstage Afghanistan by 11 runs in a tense World Cup encounter in Southampton.

With 16 runs needed off the final over, Shami conceded a boundary of the first ball to Mohammad Nabi (52). However, he came out strongly and took the priced wicket of Nabi on the third ball, thus putting the match in India's kitty. On the following two deliveries, he got the wickets of Aftab Alam and Mujeeb Ur Rahman to bowl out Afghanistan for 213 in reply to India's 224/8 on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Shami said it was MS Dhoni's advice to go for the yorker on his hat-trick delivery and he followed it. "The plan was simple. To bowl a yorker and even Mahi bhai suggested that... Don't change anything now as you have a great chance of getting a hat-trick. It's a rare opportunity and you need to do the same thing. So I did what exactly I was told," Shami said.

Shami, who was playing his first match of the ongoing tournament, returned with figures of 4/40 from his 9.5 overs.The 29-year-old also said he had enough runs to defend in the last over as Jasprit Bumrah had conceded only five in the penultimate over.

"You (Bumrah) left me enough runs to defend in the final over. 21 runs were needed from the last two overs and I was pretty confident that Bumrah will leave sufficient runs for me," Shami said during a conversation with Bumrah for the BCCI TV.

"The runs allowed me to execute my plans well. I really enjoyed my bowling with you as we were bowling together after quite some time," he added.

Shami became the second Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in World Cup after Chetan Sharma who had achieved the feat against New Zealand in 1987 edition of the showpiece event.                               When quizzed about his hat-trick, Shami said: "It felt really nice. As you said, it's always difficult to take a hat-trick, and that too in a World Cup. I want to thank god. I just wish that we achieve many more accomplishments like this playing together."                                                                                         The UttarPradesh bowler was included in the playing XI in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar who has been sidelined for at least two-three matches because of a hamstring injury.

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