Dhangadhi enter final

NEPALGUNJ: Tek Kandel and Binod Bista netted a goal each as Dhangadhi Municipality beat Tribhuvan Municipality 2-1 and entered the final of the Birendra Memorial Inter-municipality Regional Football Tournament, here today. In Tanahun, Lekhnath Municipality beat Butwal Municipality 6-5 on penalties after the 1-1 deadlock. In Gaighat, Sanju Thapa scored two goals as Inaruwa Municipality beat Siraha Municipality 3-1. Santosh Tamang also scored for the winners and Subhash Sai netted a consolation goal for Siraha. — HNS

Damsite Club advance

POKHARA: Rinku Thapa and Rajendra Tamang scored a goal each as Damsite Youth Club defeated Amar Singh Boys Club 2-0 and entered the semi-finals of the second Sangam Cup Knock-out Football Tournament. Gambhir Pariyar of the winning team was named the man of the match. On Tuesday, Sahara Club will face Adarsha Youth Club in the quarter-final match. — HNS

Blind to coach Ajax

AMSTERDAM: Ajax Amsterdam have named Danny Blind as their new coach in succession to Ronald Koeman who resigned last month after they were knocked out of the UEFA Cup. Blind, 43, played for Ajax from 1986-99. The former Holland defender has run the Ajax football academy since 2003. He won four Dutch league titles, three Cups and captained Ajax to the 1995 Champions League. — AFP

Omar Kureishi dead

ISLAMABAD: Veteran Pakistani cricket commentator and newspaper coloumnist Omar Kureishi died in Karachi, state media reported on Monday. He was 77. Kureishi died in a hospital where he was admitted last week after an asthma attack. The author of several cricket books was also member of the International Ccricket Council’s panel which selects the world’s best Test and one-day international players for annual awards. — AFP

Gabriel Batistuta retires

BUENOS AIRES: Argentinian international Gabriel Batistuta announced his retirement from football just two days after his lucrative contract with Qatari side Al-Arabi was cancelled. “I am retiring as a professional footballer,” he said. He is Argentina’s record goalscorer with 59 goals in 78 internationals. He played for Italy’s Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Roma and Boca Juniors, River Plate and Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina. — AFP