BEB Weekend Sports: News!

Eagles fail to fly, lose to Croatia

Croatia made a winning World Cup start against Nigeria, as Oghenekaro Etebo's own goal and a Luka Modric penalty decided a poor Group D match in Kaliningrad.

Etebo, who joined Stoke City from Portuguese club Feirense for £6.35m on Monday, turned Modric's first-half corner into his own net after Ante Rebic and Mario Mandzukic had both got touches.

Modric then converted a 71st-minute penalty - Croatia's first shot on target - after William Troost-Ekong had manhandled Mandzukic at a corner.

Nigeria offered little attacking threat, although Dejan Lovren blocked Alex Iwobi's shot just before half-time, and Odion Ighalo glanced a Brian Idowu cross straight at goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.

Etebo, despite his own goal, was one of their better performers, producing an excellent second-half pass out to the right that Victor Moses gathered and rolled wide of the near post after cutting inside.

Moses was a threat when delivering set-pieces, although his tendency to go to ground easily when challenged did him little credit.

Egypt forward Salah 'fit to face Russia'

Mohamed Salah is fit for Egypt's World Cup group match with Russia on Tuesday, says the Egyptian Football Association.

Salah, 26, was an unused substitute in his country's 1-0 defeat by Uruguay in their opening group game on Thursday when he was also declared fit.

He injured his shoulder playing for Liverpool in the Champions League final on 26 May.

"He was fit to play against Uruguay but the coach did not want to take the risk," said the EFA.

Without Salah, who scored 44 times for Liverpool this season, Egypt lacked a cutting edge but had looked on course to earn a point in their first match at a World Cup finals since 1990 before Jose Gimenez's 90th-minute goal.

After the game, Egypt coach Hector Cuper said: "Mo Salah is an extremely important player for us, nobody can deny that, but you need to have a good team, and we have a good team."

Federer regains no 1 ranking 

Roger Federer will return as world no 1 in the new rankings next week after coming from behind to beat Nick Kyrgios 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 7-6 (7-5) in the semi-finals of the ATP Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart.

The 36-year-old Swiss will play Canada's Milos Raonic in Sunday's final.

Federer, who has won 15 successive matches on grass since being beaten in his opening match in Stuttgart last June, knew he needed victory on Saturday to topple Rafael Nadal from the top of the rankings.

But he was made to work hard for the honour as Kyrgios, playing in his first tournament after two months out with an elbow injury, refused to buckle in a contest that lasted just short of two hours.

Golovkin vs Alvarez rematch set for 15 September

Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez will fight WBA and WBC world middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin in a rematch on 15 September, says the Mexican's promoter.

The first bout in September 2017 ended in a controversial draw.

Canelo withdrew from May's rematch after failing two drugs tests and was banned for six months, but is free to fight from 17 August.

"I'm happy to inform that we have a fight September 15," Oscar de La Hoya has tweeted.

Alvarez, 27, said eating contaminated meat was the reason he tested positive for clenbuterol on 17 and 20 February.

He has won 49 and drawn two of his 52 fights. His only defeat came against Floyd Mayweather in 2013.

Kazakh fighter Golovkin, 36, made a record-equalling 20th consecutive world middleweight title defence in May, after he knocked out American Vanes Martirosyan, Canelo's replacement.

He is the sport's longest-reigning current world title-holder and unbeaten in 39 fights, including 34 by knockout.

But Golovkin was stripped of his IBF title earlier this month, for failing to agree to face a mandatory challenger.

from Bola Esho's Blog