Tue, Oct 12, 2021 page16

• SPORTS BRIEFS

  • Agencies
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  CRICKET

  Dhoni takes Chennai to final

  Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 70 and an unbeaten cameo from skipper M.S. Dhoni helped the Chennai Super Kings reach a ninth IPL final with a four-wicket win over the Delhi Capitals on Sunday. Chasing 173 for victory, Chennai rode on a 110-run second-wicket partnership between Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa (63), but were in trouble after the two departed. Delhi pace bowler Tom Curran needed to defend 13 off the final over and got Moeen Ali out for 16 on the first ball, but Dhoni (18) kept his calm to smash three boundaries and take the team home with two balls to spare. “My innings was a crucial one,” 40-year-old Dhoni said. “Delhi has a very good bowling attack. They exploited the conditions well, so we knew it would be tough.” The first IPL qualifier had the top two teams in the league table clash, with three-time champions Chennai getting a direct entry into Friday’s final — their ninth in 14 seasons. Delhi, led by Rishabh Pant, are to have another shot at securing a berth in the final when they play the second qualifier tomorrow. “We are going to rectify our mistakes, learn from it and hopefully, we can move on and play the final,” Pant said.

  SOCCER

  Panama stun the US 1-0

  Panama on Sunday won their first FIFA World Cup qualifying match against the US with a 1-0 victory in Panama City. Anibal Godoy’s glancing header on 54 minutes secured all three points for Panama at Estadio Rommel Fernandez Gutierrez to jolt the US’ bid to reach next year’s finals in Qatar. It was a deserved win for Panama, who created the better scoring chances against a disjointed US lineup. The US had moved to the top of the CONCACAF qualifying standings after a 4-1 win over Honduras last month was followed by a 2-0 win over Jamaica in Austin on Thursday last week, but the momentum built up by those two wins evaporated after US coach Gregg Berhalter named a new-look starting lineup for the clash against Panama. Only four players who started in Thursday’s win over Jamaica were named in Sunday’s starting lineup, with forwards Brenden Aaronson and goalscoring teenager Ricardo Pepi left on the bench. In their absence, the US struggled to offer any kind of attacking threat against Panama. “It was clear we didn’t have our best stuff,” Berhalter said. “I think we came up short in a number of areas.”

  FOOTBALL

  Buffalo have their revenge

  The Buffalo Bills on Sunday avenged their defeat in last season’s American Football Conference title game with a convincing 38-20 NFL victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen out-dueled counterpart Patrick Mahomes in a game that included a weather delay of more than an hour, torching the vaunted Chiefs offense for 315 yards (288m) and three touchdown passes. Allen also rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown as Mahomes delivered one of his worst NFL performances. He threw two interceptions, the second — off the hands of Tyreek Hill — was returned 26 yards for a third-quarter touchdown that swelled the Bills’ lead to 31-13. Mahomes also gave up a fumble late in the fourth quarter that extinguished all hopes of an unlikely Chiefs rally. “I think this is going to be made a bigger deal than it is. We’re in Week 5,” Allen said. “Four wins doesn’t get you to the playoffs. We ended up with a win. That’s our goal each and every week.”
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