Football

LIVERPOOL: Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a stoppage-time winner as Liverpool fought back to snatch a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa and move provisionally into the Premier League's top four on Saturday (Apr 10). Juergen Klopp's side collected their first home league win in 2021 after right back Alexander-Arnold scored with a curling effort from the edge of the box at the death. Having suffered a humiliating 7-2 defeat at Villa Park in October, defending champions Liverpool enjoyed a better start at Anfield as forwards Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota tested visiting goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez with early attempts. But Villa, against the run of play, found the breakthrough in the 43rd minute when John McGinn slotted a neat pass into striker Ollie Watkins, whose drilled effort slipped under Liverpool keeper Alisson's right arm. Liverpool responded almost immediately through Roberto Firmino but his goal was chalked off by VAR as Jota was adjudged to be marginally offside in the ... » Learn More about Football: Late Alexander-Arnold strike earns Liverpool 2-1 win over Villa

MILAN: Zlatan Ibrahimovic is close to renewing his contract with AC Milan, club director Paolo Maldini announced on Saturday (Apr 10). The Swedish international, who turns 40 in October, has been credited with turning Milan into title contenders again since his return to the Serie A club in January last year. "For Ibrahimovic there are only small details missing, we are very close to renewal," Maldini said before Milan's Serie A game at Parma. Ibrahimovic, who helped Milan to their last Serie A title in 2011, is the club's top scorer with 15 goals in 16 games having missed others through injury and illness. The former Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona forward's current deal runs until the end of the season with discussions about an extension June 2022. The Swede returned to the national team last month, more than five years after calling time on his international career. Meanwhile, contract talks with Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma are less ... » Learn More about Football: Ibrahimovic ‘very close’ to renewing Milan contract, says Maldini

REUTERS: Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo said his side need to show the same attitude and spirit against all teams and not just perform in the big matches ahead of the champions' Serie A clash with Genoa on Sunday. Juventus have fallen 12 points behind leaders Inter Milan having dropped points against lowly Torino and Benevento in recent matches and it looks increasingly unlikely they can make it 10 successive league titles this season. Juve overcame in-form Napoli in a tough midweek clash, and Pirlo wants his side to put on the same kind of showing on Sunday against another team they are expected to beat, 13th-placed Genoa. "It is much easier to find energy for the big matches," Pirlo told a news conference. "Instead we must have the same attitude and spirit against the other teams like tomorrow against Genoa. "The attitude and the will from the other night (against Napoli) must be equally done tomorrow." Argentine striker Paulo Dybala was on target for the first time since ... » Learn More about Football: Pirlo calls on Juve to find top form against smaller teams

STUTTGART, Germany: Borussia Dortmund teenager Ansgar Knauff fired in an 80th-minute winner for his first professional goal to give his team a 3-2 victory at VfB Stuttgart on Saturday (Apr 10) and maintain their slim hopes of a top-four finish. Germany youth international Knauff, in his third league appearance, picked up the ball on the edge of the box and audaciously threaded his shot past two defenders and the goalkeeper to secure the win that lifted Dortmund to 46 points in fifth place. Eintracht Frankfurt are in fourth on 53 following their 4-3 win over third-placed VfL Wolfsburg, with six games left in the season and the top four finishers qualifying automatically for next season's Champions League group stage. Goals from Jude Bellingham and Marco Reus in the 47th and 52nd minutes gave Dortmund, who host Manchester City in their Champions League quarter-final second leg next week, a 2-1 lead after the hosts had gone in front thanks to Sasa Kalajdzic's looping first-half ... » Learn More about Football: Teenager Knauff bags first goal to give Dortmund 3-2 win at Stuttgart

SINGAPORE - Mujir Hayyan Mohammad Taufiq may be anxious about sitting the Primary School Leaving Examination this year, but his parents are even more stressed - it is their first experience with the PSLE as both were educated in madrasahs (religious schools). "As much as we reassure ourselves that it is just like any other year-end exam Hayyan will be sitting, the pressure and stresses do exist," says his mother, Ms Hurul-A'in Mohd Yusoff, 36, principal of a childcare centre. His father Mohammad Taufiq Mohamed Ismail, 40, manages a mosque. They also have a six-year-old daughter studying in a madrasah. "However, we always remind ourselves that this is not our examination, it is Hayyan's," says Ms Hurul-A'in, stressing that her 11 1/2-year-old son's mental health is more important than his grades. Her focus is not misplaced in a year that has seen educational systems across the world shattered by the pandemic, leaving families disoriented and dispirited. Compared with many ... » Learn More about Coronavirus: PSLE survival guide for parents and kids during the pandemic

Come with creative investment proposals on tourism products and services to make Putrajaya an iconic ecotourism draw. That is the message from Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa to the private sector, as a way to increase the number of visitors to the administrative capital. “As Putrajaya is already a planned city with iconic buildings and complete facilities, private companies can readily utilise them, ” he said during a press conference to announce a glamping project in Putrajaya Wetlands Park. “This means they will not need big capital expenditure but just add value and run promotion programmes to draw attention to their tourism products and services. “We will be open and transparent so that these companies can help make Putrajaya a major recreational city that is eco-friendly and family-oriented, ” he said during the event held in Precinct 3. Annuar noted that Putrajaya was lacking in pull factor, which explained why the 25-year-old administrative capital ... » Learn More about Putrajaya keen to attract ecotourism projects

The English Premier League suspended all fixtures until April 4 on Friday after a spate of coronavirus cases, including Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi. "Following a meeting of shareholders today, it was unanimously decided to suspend the Premier League with the intention of returning on 4 April, subject to medical advice and conditions at the time," the Premier League said in a statement. Everton also announced their entire first-team squad and coaching staff have been told to self-isolate after a player reported symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Leicester City had three players go into self-isolation on Thursday and Bournemouth said goalkeeper Artur Boruc and four staff members were also self-isolating. "Above all, we wish Mikel Arteta and Callum Hudson-Odoi speedy recoveries, and everyone else affected by COVID-19," said Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters. "In this unprecedented situation, we are working closely with our ... » Learn More about English Premier League suspended until April 4