Indian celebrated shuttler Lakshya Sen clinched the men’s singles title of Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh International Challenge Badminton Tournament beating Leonong Zun Hau of Malaysia by 22-20, 21-18 sets in the final at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium here on Sunday.

Thui Linh Nonguiyan of Vietnam clinched the women’s singles crown beating Crystal Pan of USA by 21-8, 21-16 sets in the final.

Malaysia clinched the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles titles of the meet.

Malaysian partners Yea Jun Chang and Kai Woang T emerged champions in the men’s doubles beating Indian pair MR Arjun and Dhurba Kapali of India by 21-19, 21-16 points.

Malaysian partner Tan Piyarli Kunog and Thinha Muralidharan emerged champions in women’s doubles beating Indian pair Rutaparna Panda and Manisha of India by 22-20, 21-19 points in the final.

Malaysian pair Hu Pan Run and Chia Hia Si beat their compatriots Choong Hon Jian and Lim Peiy Yee by 21-8, 21-19 point in the final.

Chairman of Premier Bank Dr HBM Iqbal was present as the chief guest at the closing function and later distributed the prizes among winners.

Abdul Malek, president of Bangladesh Badminton Federation (BBF) also secretary for the Ministry of Information; M Amir Hossain Bahar, general secretary of BBF and Zia Hasan, head of Planning and Supply Chain of BEXIMCO Communications were also present on the occasion.

The 10th Summit Professional & 24th Summit Cup Golf Tournament’ 2019, jointly organized by Bangladesh Professional Golfers Association (BPGA) and Kurmitola Golf Club (KGC) began on Sunday (December 15 ) at the Kurmitola Golf Club (KGC) here.

The six-day long tournament, sponsored by Summit Group, will conclude on December 20.

More than seven hundred amateur and professional golfers are participating in the tournament.

A total of Taka 15,00,000 (fifteen lakh taka) will be distributed among the winners as prize money.

Chairman of the Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS) Major General Firoz Hasan will be chief guest at the closing and prize giving ceremony on December 20.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday announced the squads of Shaheed Jewel XI and Shaheed Mushtaque XI for the Victory Day Exhibition Cricket match will be held on Monday (December 16)  at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.

The T20 format exhibition cricket match, a regular event of Bangladesh Cricket Board on the occasion of the country’s victory day, will start at 10 am with participation former national and leading domestic cricketers.

The former national captains likes of Naimur Rahman Durjoy MP, Habibul Bashar, Akram Khan, Minhazul Abedin Nannu, Khaled Mahmud Sujan will represent Shaheed Jewel XI while Khaled Mashud Pilot, Javed Omar Belim, Faruque Ahmed, Mohammed Rafique, Mushfiqur Rahman will play for Shaheed Mushtaque XI.

Former national cricketer Golam Faroque Chowdhury Suru will be the manager of Shaheed Jewel XI while and ASM Roquibul Hassan will act as manager of Shaheed Mushtaque XI.

Shaheed Jewel XI: Naimur Rahman Durjoy MP, Habibul Bashar, Akram Khan, Minhazul Abedin Nannu, Mahmudul Hasan Rana, Shahriar Hossain Biddut, Enamul Hoque Moni, Sajal Chowdhury, Khaled Mahmud Sujan, Nasir Ahmed Nasu, Ehsanul Hoque Seezan, Neeyamur Rashid Rahul, Hasibul Hossain Shanto and Mohammad Salim (WK).

Manager: Golam Faroque Chowdhury Suru.

Shaheed Mushtaque XI: Khaled Mashud Pilot, Javed Omar Belim, Faruque Ahmed, Mohammed Rafique, Mushfiqur Rahman, Mehrab Hossain Ope, Jahangir Alam, Harunur Rashid Liton, Anwar Hossain (WK), Tareq Aziz Khan, Morshed Ali Khan, Mohammad Ali, Anowar Hossain (Monir), Shafiuddin Ahmed Babu.

Manager: ASM Roquibul Hassan.

Holders Dhaka Abahani Limited eyeing on their 12th title of the Federation Cup Football, the season’s curtain raiser soccer meet, taking on new comer Bangladesh Police in the opening match of the 31st version of the meet beginning on Wednesday (Dec 18) at 4 pm at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

The popular shy-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani, which was placed in Group A with Arambagh Krira Sangha and Bangladesh Police FC, will play their 2nd and last group match against Arambagh KS on December 24 at 4pm at the same venue.

On the eve of the meet, Dhaka Abahani Manager Satyajit Das Rupu told UNB that the booters are getting ready to defend the season’s curtain raiser soccer title.

“Our booters are now preparing themselves for the meet and we don’t have any injury problems. We’ll try to play our best football to retain title,” Rupu said on Sunday.

Dhaka Abahani booters finished runner-up in the Bangladesh Premier League Football 2018-19, but eliminated from the double-leg basis Inter-zone play-off semi-finals of the AFC Cup 2019 losing to North Korean Club April 25 SC.

Besides, some of the Dhaka Abahani booters took part in the Joint Qualification of the FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 under the National flag.

About the fatigue, Rupu replied, “The fatigue was a big problem for us, but they have dealt with it. The booters have been passing a busy season. I hope it won’t make any obstacle in the competition.”

“We’ll try to display our best football in the upcoming meet creating more scoring chances. Without goal, we can’t win a match, our first match against a new team. I do hope we will do well.

The meet also help up to prepare ourselves ahead of the AFC Cup South Asia Zone Play-off match against Maziya S&RC in February next,” Rupu further said.

Federation Cup Football is a qualifying tournament for AFC Cup Football. The champion team of the Federation Cup will get spot in the preliminary round-2 of the South Asia Zone Play-offs of AFC Cup.

Dhaka Abahani Ltd will play against former Maldives Premier League champions Maziya Sports and Recreation Club in the home and away basis in the preliminary round 2 of the play-offs on February 5 and 12 next year while Bengaluru FC will play against the winners of Preliminary round 1.

The two winners of the preliminary round 2 will play in the double-leg basis final of South Asia Zone play-offs on February 19 and 26 in 2020.

A disputed decision not to award a late penalty may have cost Barcelona the Spanish league lead entering Wednesday's "clásico" against Real Madrid.

Barcelona was held to a 2-2 draw at Real Sociedad on Saturday, giving Madrid a chance to go into the midweek match at Camp Nou Stadium with a two-point lead if it beats Valencia on Sunday.

Barcelona was expected to file a formal complaint to the Spanish soccer federation over the non-call, which came after Real Sociedad defender Diego Llorente appeared to pull down Gerard Piqué by his jersey in stoppage time.

Neither the referee nor video review thought there was enough to award a penalty. Barcelona was especially upset because Real Sociedad's first goal came on a penalty awarded in a similar situation after Sergio Busquets grabbed Llorente's jersey in the first half.

"The one on Gerard was clearer than mine," Busquets said. "If the referee saw the first one, he had to see that one as well. I think he saw it, but didn't want to make the call."

Spanish powerhouses Madrid and Barcelona will meet for the first time this season in a match postponed from October because of a separatist rally in the Catalan capital.

"We don't know whether we will still be leaders or not, that's out of our hands now," Busquets said. "But we will enter the match with good momentum. We have been improving and we'll be playing at home."

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde didn't rest any of his top players, using Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Antoine Griezmann in the attack. Messi didn't play in the team's Champions League match at Inter Milan on Tuesday.

Barcelona, which had won nine of its last 10 league games, was outplayed during most of the match at Reale Arena. Fifth -place Sociedad creating most of the scoring chances and restrained Barcelona, which was in control for short periods of the game but couldn't capitalize on its chances to seal the victory.

"We are upset despite a draw against a team like Barcelona," Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil said. "We did more than they did, we could have taken the three points."

Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring for the hosts by converting a 12th-minute penalty kick after Busquets was caught grabbing Llorente inside the area.

Barcelona recovered with two fast breakaways, one late in the first half and another soon after the break.

Griezmann equalized in the 38th by flicking the ball past goalkeeper Álex Remiro from inside the area. Griezmann, who played nine seasons with Real Sociedad, didn't celebrate his goal.

"I have a lot of respect for those who have given me everything," said Griezmann, who has scored three goals in his last five matches.

Suárez put the visitors ahead in the 49th with a strike into the open net after a short pass by Messi.

The hosts equalized in the 62nd with a close-range shot by striker Alexander Isak after Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen couldn't fully clear a cross.

Oyarzabal had also scored the last time Real Sociedad beat Barcelona, in a league match back in 2016.

Barcelona had won seven straight matches against Real Sociedad in all competitions.

Real Sociedad has won only one of its last five league matches. It had lost its last five league games against Barcelona.

ATLÉTICO MOVES UP

Atlético Madrid beat Osasuna 2-0 at home to end a three-match winless streak in the league.

Álvaro Morata and Saúl Ñíguez scored a goal each in the second half to lift Atlético back to fourth place, the last qualification spot for the Champions League.

Diego Simeone's team had won only one of its last six league games.

Tenth-place Osasuna had lost one of its last seven matches in the league.

ATHLETIC STALLS

Athletic Bilbao was held by Eibar to a 0-0 home draw in a match between two Basque Country teams.

It was the second winless game in a row for sixth-place Athletic, which hadn't been held scoreless in four straight league games.

Eibar, sitting in 16th place, had lost four straight league matches.

LEVANTE REBOUNDS

A late winner by North Macedonia midfielder Enis Bardhi gave Levante a 2-1 win at Granada, ending the team's two-game losing streak.

Bardhi scored with a shot from outside the area in the 89th minute.

Levante moved to 11th, one point behind Granada.