Cricket academy

LALITPUR: Two former national cricketers Amir Akhtar and Birendra Bikram Shah opened the Shangri-La Cricket Academy on Sunday. Akhar and Shah have invested Rs 1.8 million for the academy which has six-lane wicket and flood lights. About 50 students can train at a time at the academy, said Akhtar at a press meet. “School and college students are our target group,” Akhtar said. The newly established academy is also considering buying bowling machine soon. In all 90 students have already enrolled for training in the academy. National team captain Binod Das has been appointed the chief coach of the academy. — HNS

Asian Winter Games

CHANGCHUN: The Asian Winter Games officially opened on Sunday. More than 1,100 athletes and officials from 26 countries and regions are taking part in the Games that run until February 4, competing for medals in 47 events in the last major multi-sport event staged in China before the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing. Chinese President Hu Jintao declared the Games open at a ceremony at the Changchun Wuhan Gymnasium. Japan is the defending champion, having won 24 golds at home in Aomori four years ago. — AP

Man United triumph

LONDON: Wayne Rooney scored twice for Manchester United to beat Portsmouth 2-1 in the fourth round of England’s FA Cup on Saturday. Rooney scored in the 77th minute, before hitting a long-range chip into the top left corner of the goal from 25 yards six minutes later. In the 87th, Portsmouth forward Nwankwo Kanu scored when a shot by Pedro Mendes deflected in off the Nigerian’s foot. Brian McBride scored his 10th goal of the season to lead Fulham to a 3-0 win over visiting Stoke, while Watford, Reading, Tottenham and Blackburn also won. West Ham lost 1-0 against Watford, and Middlesbrough blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Bristol City. — AP

Villarreal beat Real

Madrid: Real Madrid failed to claim first place in the Spanish league after Marcos Garcia scored to give host Villarreal a 1-0 victory over the powerhouse on Saturday. Left winger Marcos steered the ball past goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the 68th minute after receiving a defense-splitting pass from midfielder Matias Fernandez. Villarreal’s victory, its first over its rival in 17 games, left Madrid in third place, a point behind leader FC Barcelona. In Saturday’s other match, Pablo Ibanez’s 76th-minute equaliser gave fifth-place Atletico Madrid a 1-1 draw with Racing Santander. Barcelona lead with 39, while Sevilla and Real Madrid each have 38. — AP