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(Reuters) – South Africa’s World Cup meeting with New Zealand on Wednesday will assume the importance of a “quarter-final” as they look to keep alive their slim hopes of reaching the latter stages of the competition, batsman Quinton de Kock said on Tuesday. South Africa lost their opening three games and had their match against the West Indies washed out by rain, denting their chances of a top-four finish. But their victory on Saturday over Afghanistan has given the team a boost ahead of a string of must-win clashes. “Tomorrow is a quarter-final, I guess you could say it. But if we do win it, it’s another big game again… We have to win all the games, not just focus on tomorrow,” De Kock told reporters in Birmingham. “But in saying that, we know how good New Zealand are playing at the moment. They are a big team in World Cups. They always seem to step up, so it’s going to be a tough one anyway.” New Zealand are in a … [Read more...] about South Africa confident ahead of New Zealand ‘quarter-final’

MADRID (Reuters) – Real Madrid’s new 45 million euro (£40 million) signing Rodrygo is aware of the huge competition for places and said on Tuesday that he was prepared to spend time in the reserves as he beds into his new surroundings. Rodrygo, 18, agreed to join Madrid last year shortly after breaking into the first team at Santos, the Brazilian club that produced Pele and Neymar. Last year he became the youngest player to score in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s equivalent of Europe’s Champions League, missing school to net for Santos against Uruguayan side Nacional. Rodrygo joins Madrid a year after fellow Brazilian teenager Vinicius Jr moved to the Spanish capital, storming into the first team after spending his first few months with Real’s reserve side Castilla in the third tier of Spanish football. Madrid’s latest arrival said he was prepared to do the same. “Madrid will always have the best players in the world and I’m … [Read more...] about Rodrygo ready to wait for his chance to shine at Real Madrid

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – England captain Eoin Morgan smashed his way into the record books on Tuesday, blasting 17 sixes – the most in a one-day international cricket innings – on his way to 148 off just 71 balls against Afghanistan at the Cricket World Cup. India’s Rohit Sharma, West Indie’s Chris Gayle and South Africa’s AB de Villiers had shared the previous record of 16 sixes in a one-day international innings. Morgan scored more than a hundred runs off sixes alone, and only hit four fours in his innings. After knocking his 17th six over the boundary rope, he was caught out next ball in the deep. The left-hander’s century was the fourth-fastest in World Cup history, scored in 57 balls, and he reached that milestone with a six as well. (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in Manchester; Editing by Hugh Lawson) … [Read more...] about England’s Morgan blasts record 17 sixes against Afghanistan

BERLIN (Reuters) – Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre has extended his deal with the Bundesliga club by a year to 2021, the league runners-up said on Tuesday. The Swiss coach took over last year, leading them to second place in the league behind Bayern Munich. Dortmund had a nine-point lead over the Bavarians midway through the season but had a disappointing start to 2019 and lost out to Bayern who clinched their seventh straight league title on the final matchday. “He met expectations 100 percent,” said club CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke in a statement. “It is only natural that we want to form the future together.” Dortmund also made the Champions League group stage, losing to eventual finalists Tottenham Hotspur in the last 16. The 61-year-old Favre joined Dortmund from French club Nice. He had previously coach Borussia Moenchengladbach and Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga. (Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris) … [Read more...] about Dortmund coach Favre extends deal by a year to 2021

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani dropped in at Old Trafford on Tuesday to watch his side take on hosts and pre-tournament favourites England in a Cricket World Cup group stage match. Ghani, in suit and tie, could be seen waving to the crowd from high in the stands, surrounded by other guests. The Afghanistan Cricket Board tweeted photographs of him together with Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Azizullah Fazli. Afghanistan have looked largely at sea in the tournament so far but are still hoping to pull off an upset, skipper Gulbadin Naib said ahead of the match. The Afghans made their World Cup debut in 2015, when they notched up one win against Scotland. But they are without a victory after four matches in their second appearance. The rise of Afghan cricket has been a remarkable by-product of decades of turmoil that forced millions into refugee camps across the border in Pakistan, where young men uprooted from home began to learn the sport. It has … [Read more...] about Afghan president drops in to cheer on side versus England