Barca stunned by Alaves, Ronaldo nets on return

Barca stunned by Alaves, Ronaldo nets on return


Barca stunned by Alaves, Ronaldo nets on return

Posted: 10 Sep 2016 06:42 PM PDT

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Alaves' Daniel Torres in action during their Spanish La Liga Santander match at Camp Nou stadium, Barcelona, September 10, 2016. — Reuters picBarcelona's Lionel Messi and Alaves' Daniel Torres in action during their Spanish La Liga Santander match at Camp Nou stadium, Barcelona, September 10, 2016. — Reuters picMADRID, Sept 11 — Newly promoted Alaves stunned Spanish champions Barcelona by winning 2-1 at the Camp Nou yesterday as boss Luis Enrique paid a heavy price for starting Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez on the bench.

Barca now trail Real Madrid by three points at the top of the table after Cristiano Ronaldo took just five minutes to score on his return from a two-month injury layoff in a 5-2 rout of Osasuna at the Bernabeu.

Enrique made seven changes from their last outing — a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao two weeks ago — with Messi recovering from a groin problem and Suarez rested following his exertions in World Cup qualifying with Uruguay.

"It wasn't a good day from the start, we weren't precise enough," said Enrique.

"On the day we weren't fluid in attack, we were fragile in defence. They had three shots on goal and scored two goals."

His wholesale changes backfired as Barca failed to unlock Alaves's mass ranks of defence before the break and went behind when Deyverson turned Kiko Femenia's cross past Jasper Cillessen on his Barca debut.

Neymar was the only one of Barca's star "MSN" front three to start on his first appearance of the season after leading Brazil to Olympic gold and should have levelled moments later when he failed to hit the target with a free header inside the area.

The Brazilian provided the assist as Jeremy Mathieu headed home Barca's equaliser from a corner a minute after the break and the French defender somehow blasted wide with the goal gaping moments later.

Messi was summoned on the hour mark, but there was another shock to come for the hosts when Ibai Gomez took advantage of some awful Barca defending to put Alaves back in front.

Andres Iniesta and Suarez were also called upon as the "MSN" were reunited for the first time in four months, but even they couldn't break the Alaves resistance as the Basques held out for their first La Liga win in a decade.

"We couldn't find the speed or precision we needed at the right moments," lamented Iniesta.

Ronaldo back with a bang

Ronaldo was making his first appearance since limping off in tears during the Euro 2016 final, but was handed the perfect return on a plate by Gareth Bale as the Welshman squared for him to tap into an unguarded net.

"The truth is I started a bit warily, which is normal after a serious injury, but I feel good, without pain and getting back to full fitness," said Ronaldo.

Despite failing to hit top gear Real comfortably matched a club record of 15 straight La Liga wins as Danilo's low drive and a towering header from Sergio Ramos extended the lead before half-time at the Bernabeu.

Osasuna goalkeeper Nauzet Perez meekly turned Pepe's header into his own net for Real's fourth before Luka Modric's fiercely struck shot from outside the box made it 5-0.

However, Real's defensive deficiencies were exposed in the second half as Oriol Riera and David Garcia cut Osasuna's deficit, whilst Roberto Torres saw a penalty saved by Kiko Casilla.

Griezmann awakens

Antoine Griezmann handed Atletico Madrid a much-needed first win of the season in a 4-0 victory at Celta Vigo.

Koke met Griezmann's fine cross eight minutes into the second half in Vigo to give the visitors the lead before Euro 2016's top scorer Griezmann headed home his first two goals of the season in the final 20 minutes.

Angel Correa added a fourth two minutes from time.

"We needed a game like this," Griezmann told BeIN Sports Spain.

"I am still getting back into my rhythm (after the Euros) and still have a way to go, but I am giving my all and I'm very happy to get the goals and the assist."

Las Palmas's 100 per cent start to the campaign was ended in cruel fashion in a 2-1 defeat at Sevilla. Tana's fine first-half strike for the Canary Islanders was cancelled out by a dubious Pablo Sarabia penalty a minute from time before Carlos Fernandez bundled home a stoppage-time winner.

Villarreal secured their first victory of the season, winning 2-0 at Malaga thanks to first-half goals from Jaume Costa and Nicola Sansone. — AFP

Philippine film ‘The Woman Who Left’ wins Venice Golden Lion

Posted: 10 Sep 2016 06:19 PM PDT

Director Lav Diaz holds the Golden Lion prize for the movie 'Ang Babaeng Humayo' (The Woman Who Left) during the awards ceremony at the 73rd Venice Film Festival in Venice September 10, 2016. — Reuters picDirector Lav Diaz holds the Golden Lion prize for the movie 'Ang Babaeng Humayo' (The Woman Who Left) during the awards ceremony at the 73rd Venice Film Festival in Venice September 10, 2016. — Reuters picVENICE, Sept 11 — Philippine film The Woman Who Left, a revenge tale shot in black and white by director Lav Diaz, won the top Golden Lion prize at the Venice Film Festival yesterday.

"I want to dedicate this film to the Filippino people and their struggle, and humanity's struggle," Diaz said as he received his prize.

Best actor went to Argentina's Oscar Martinez for his portrayal of a cynical Nobel Prize-winning author who returns to his village for the first time in 40 years in the comedy on art and fame, The Distinguished Citizen.

US actress Emma Stone received the best actress prize for her depiction of a struggling thespian who falls head over heels in love with a jazz pianist — played by Ryan Gosling — in US musical La La Land.

"I wish I could be there to make sure it's not an elaborate prank," quipped Stone in a video message, saying she could "think of no better place in the world than Venice to premier La La Land, we had a wonderful time."

Fashionista-turned-director Tom Ford was awarded the Silver Lion grand jury prize for Nocturnal Animals, a romantic thriller about former lovers starring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal, with a violent revenge tale told as a story within a story.

The Silver Lion for best director was divided this year between Mexico's Amat Escalante for The Untamed, about the sex life of an extraterrestrial, tentacled creature, and Russia's Andrei Konchalovsky for Holocaust drama Paradise.

Jackie, a bio-drama which stars Natalie Portman as the grief-stricken widow of US President John F Kennedy, meanwhile took best screenplay, with Chilean director Pablo Larrain saying the triumph was all Portman's, "the only woman who could have played this role." — AFP

Wenger buoyant for PSG clash after Saints win

Posted: 10 Sep 2016 06:12 PM PDT

Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla scores their second goal from the penalty spot against Southampton during their Premier League match at Emirates Stadium, September 10, 2016. — Reuters picArsenal's Santi Cazorla scores their second goal from the penalty spot against Southampton during their Premier League match at Emirates Stadium, September 10, 2016. — Reuters picLONDON, Sept 11 — It was deep into injury time and Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal side were facing the ignominy of being booed from their Emirates pitch for the second time in this nascent Premier League season.

And then up popped Santi Cazorla to score a controversial spot-kick in the fourth minute of added-on time after referee Bobby Madley judged Jose Fonte to have pulled down Olivier Giroud — a decision that left Southampton boss Claude Puel fuming.

In contrast his fellow Frenchman Wenger said Arsenal can go into their Champions League tie against Paris Saint Germain with renewed confidence thanks to a 2-1 win yesterday — crisis averted for now.

Arsenal won at Watford before the international break, having previously taken only one point from their first two games of the season, and Wenger said: "Two wins together is a big help, it gives players more confidence to get to where we want to be."

Laurent Koscielny had acrobatically cancelled out an own goal conceded by Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech in attempting to save a Dusan Tadic free-kick.

And the row over the penalty might not have been so long and bitter had Shane Long converted either of the two second-half chances south coast club Southampton created in north London.

Wenger said he had not seen television replays of the incident, but his players had told him it was "100 per cent a penalty".

He added: "We could earlier maybe have had one or two penalties at corners."

"I am angry for my players," countered Puel, who is yet to win a competitive game after taking over as the Saints manager in pre-season.

"We played fantastic. We had the best situations to score and win the game against a very good team," added Puel, who spent several seasons as a player under Wenger when they were at Monaco.

Madley's stoppage-time decision was a third penalty — all successfully converted — given against Southampton this season and Puel said: "I don't like to speak of decisions of the referee but three penalties in four games is a bit much.

"After 90 minutes of good work it is a big frustration."

'Nervous'

Koscielny suffered a nasty kick to the face in the build-up to the penalty but should play against PSG.

Arsenal's other centre-halves, Gabriel and Per Mertesacker, are injured, Rob Holding is inexperienced and new signing Shkodran Mustafi is short of sharpness, according to Wenger.

The German international and Lucas Perez made their debuts following transfer window arrivals from Spain and Wenger said they both needed more matches.

"The boys are short of competition and were surprised by the pace and commitment of the Premier League. They were also nervous in the first half. They adapted more in the second half," he said.

The long-serving Wenger, who is under pressure from Arsenal fans to deliver a league title again, was pleased with his side's response to going behind.

"In the second half we dominated but couldn't score. Southampton had many threats on the counter-attack, but in the end we got the penalty.

"When you lose the first home game (as Arsenal did against Liverpool at home) you cannot afford not to win the second."

While Arsenal are now sixth in the table, Southampton are in the relegation zone with just two points from four games, but Puel refused to be downbeat.

"It is disappointing as in all of our games I think 'we can win'. It is now important to get a result."

Southampton's next match is the first of their Europa League campaign, at home to Sparta Prague on Thursday. — AFP

Clinton regrets calling ‘half’ of Trump backers ‘deplorable’

Posted: 10 Sep 2016 06:03 PM PDT

US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton arrives at the airport following a campaign Voter Registration Rally at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida September 6, 2016. — Reuters picUS Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton arrives at the airport following a campaign Voter Registration Rally at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida September 6, 2016. — Reuters picWASHINGTON, Sept 11 — Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said yesterday she regretted calling half of Donald Trump's supporters "deplorable" — a remark the billionaire Republican candidate slammed as her "worst mistake of the political season."

The former secretary of state came under fire after telling a New York fundraiser on Friday night: "To be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables."

"The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic — you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up."

Speaking to gay rights supporters at the "LGBT for Hillary" gala, she added that those people are "irredeemable, but thankfully they are not America."

"Basket of Deplorables" quickly became a trending hashtag on Twitter, with users venting their fury at Clinton. 

There was even a mock account called "Hillary's Basket," with the handle @TheDeplorables, deriding the former first lady and US senator.

With less than two months to go before Election Day, and the race still tight, Clinton walked back her remark yesterday.

"Last night I was 'grossly generalistic,' and that's never a good idea. I regret saying 'half' — that was wrong," she said in a statement released by her campaign.

But she went on to bash Trump, listing a number of "deplorable" things about her opponent.

"It's deplorable that Trump has built his campaign largely on prejudice and paranoia and given a national platform to hateful views and voices, including by retweeting fringe bigots with a few dozen followers and spreading their message to 11 million people," she said.

"It's deplorable that he's attacked a federal judge for his 'Mexican heritage,' bullied a Gold Star family because of their Muslim faith, and promoted the lie that our first black president is not a true American," she said.

"So I won't stop calling out bigotry and racist rhetoric in this campaign."

'Disgraceful'

Trump, 70, fired back, first calling her comments "INSULTING" on Twitter and then issuing an angry statement.

"Isn't it disgraceful that Hillary Clinton makes the worst mistake of the political season and instead of owning up to this grotesque attack on American voters, she tries to turn it around with a pathetic rehash of the words and insults used in her failing campaign?" he said.

"For the first time in a long while, her true feelings came out, showing bigotry and hatred for millions of Americans," he added in a statement, calling Clinton "unfit" to be president.

'Not a basket of anything'

Clinton, 68, had also told the crowd at the fundraiser that other Trump supporters are people who feel let down by the government and the economy, and are "desperate for change."

She reiterated that point in her statement Saturday, saying many of Trump's supporters are "hard-working Americans" who feel marginalised.

"I'm determined to bring our country together and make our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top," she said.

But Trump's vice presidential running mate Mike Pence said she had disrespected voters.

"Hillary, they are not a basket of anything, they are Americans, and they deserve your respect," Pence said in an address to the Values Voters Summit in Washington.

And Trump's son Eric posted a photo of a packed sports arena.

"Look at the #BasketOfDeplorables in Pensacola Florida last night! What a horrible statement. #CrookedHillary," he tweeted, using one of his father's favorite insults for describing the Democrat.

During his speech Friday night in Pensacola, Trump strayed from prepared remarks to suggest that Clinton is so immune from prosecution she could get away with murder.

"She could walk into this arena right now and shoot somebody with 20,000 people watching, right smack in the middle of the heart and she wouldn't be prosecuted," he declared.

Clinton has been under continued scrutiny over her use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state. 

An FBI investigation found that she sent unsecured emails with classified material through the server, but ultimately recommended that she not be prosecuted.

Trump's remark was reminiscent of a comment he made in January, when he said he could "stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" but still not lose any support. — AFP

Nak ketuai FAM? Fahami perlembagaan dulu, kata KJ kepada Fernandes

Posted: 10 Sep 2016 05:57 PM PDT

Khairy Jamaluddin (kanan) menasihatkan Tony Fernandes agar memahami perlembagaan FAM terlebih dahulu. — Foto BernamaKhairy Jamaluddin (kanan) menasihatkan Tony Fernandes agar memahami perlembagaan FAM terlebih dahulu. — Foto BernamaSIK, 11 Sept — Menteri Belia dan Sukan Khairy Jamaluddin menasihatkan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Air Asia, Tony Fernandes yang menawarkan diri menerajui Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia (FAM), agar memahami perlembagaan FAM terlebih dahulu.

Khairy berkata sebagai sebuah persatuan sukan, badan induk bola sepak negara itu mempunyai perlembagaan tersendiri, dan tidak memerlukan persetujuan beliau.

"Itu (pemilihan Presiden FAM) terpulang pada ahli gabungan FAM dan secara jelas dalam perlembagaan ada dinyatakan kaedah pemilihan (jawatan) sama ada melalui pemilihan Kongres FAM dan mendapat sokongan ahli gabungan.

"Jadi kalau nak jadi Presiden FAM, perkara pertama nasihat saya kena faham perlembagaan. Kalau suruh menteri jawab itu maknanya dia tak faham perlembagaan. Menteri tak boleh tentukan sebab FAM dipilih secara demokrasi," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang media selepas merasmikan Persidangan Perwakilan Umno Bahagian Sik di sini semalam.

Khairy mengulas laporan media yang menyatakan kesediaan Tony yang juga pemilik kelab bola sepak Inggeris Queens Park Rangers (QPR) untuk menerajui FAM sekiranya diberi peluang.

Dalam kenyataannya Tony dikatakan meminta media untuk bertanyakan kepada Khairy selaku Menteri Belia dan Sukan sekiranya mahu beliau (Tony) menjadi Presiden FAM.

Sementara itu, dalam perkembangan lain, Khairy percaya kontinjen negara di Sukan Paralimpik di Rio de Janeiro, Brazil mampu menyumbang pingat dalam tiga acara akhir olahraga hari ini iaitu lontar peluru, lompat jauh dan 100 meter lelaki.

Tiga atlet paralimpik yang akan menggalas cabaran pada pagi esok ialah Ziyad Zulkifli (lontar peluru F20), Mohd Ridzuan Mohd Puzi (100m lelaki T36) dan Abdul Latif Romli bagi acara lompat jauh T20.

"Kita tidak sasarkan warna pingat tapi kita yakin ketiga-tiga atlet ini mampu sumbang pingat untuk negara," katanya. — Bernama

Ku Li: Pertemuan Dr M-Anwar ada motif politik

Posted: 10 Sep 2016 05:57 PM PDT

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah mendakwa Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad cuba meraih sokongan rakyat. — Foto oleh Yusof Mat IsaTengku Razaleigh Hamzah mendakwa Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad cuba meraih sokongan rakyat. — Foto oleh Yusof Mat IsaGUA MUSANG, 11 Sept — Pertemuan bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dengan seterunya Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur pada Isnin lepas disifatkan mempunyai motif politik tertentu.

Anggota Parlimen Gua Musang Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah berkata pertemuan itu mungkin helah politik Dr Mahathir bagi menarik sokongan rakyat terhadap Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) yang baru didaftarkan, selain cuba menjalin kerjasama dengan parti pembangkang lain.

"Mesti ada sesuatu (pertemuan Dr Mahathir dengan Anwar). Dr Mahathir selalu buat kejutan, tetapi saya percaya pertemuan tersebut hanya demi kepentingan politik semata-mata," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Persidangan Perwakilan Umno bahagian Gua Musang di Bukit Chekati di sini, semalam.

Turut hadir Timbalan Ketua Umno Bahagian Gua Musang Datuk Nozula Mat Diah, Naib Ketua Umno Bahagian Gua Musang Ab Aziz Yusoff, Ketua Wanita Umno Bahagian Gua Musang Datuk Wan Hazani Wan Mohd Nor dan Ketua Pemuda Umno bahagian Gua Musang Syeikh Razali Syeikh Hamad.

Isnin lepas, Dr Mahathir dan Anwar bertemu di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur, semasa bekas ketua pembangkang itu memfailkan saman untuk menghentikan operasi Akta Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) atas alasan ia tidak berperlembagaan.

Dr Mahathir memecat Anwar sebagai timbalan perdana menteri pada 1998 sebelum memecatnya daripada Umno.

Sementara itu, Tengku Razaleigh yang juga Ketua Umno bahagian Gua Musang dalam ucapan penangguhan persidangan itu, mengumumkan untuk menarik balik hasratnya bersara daripada pentas politik dan menjadi wakil rakyat.

Beliau berkata keputusan itu diambil selepas persidangan itu meluluskan usul supaya beliau kekal menerajui Umno Bahagian Gua Musang dan menjadi calon bagi mempertahankan kerusi Parlimen Gua Musang.

Dalam perkembangan lain, Tengku Razaleigh turut mengingatkan anggota Umno bahagian itu supaya tidak memandang rendah keupayaan pembangkang pada Pilihan Raya Umum ke-14 (PRU14) akan datang.

Beliau berkata Barisan Nasional (BN) bakal berdepan saingan sengit jika pembangkang bekerjasama dan mengekalkan prinsip bertanding satu lawan satu. — Bernama