ISLAMABAD: Pakistan are all but out of the race for a spot in the top four teams of the ICC World Cup 2019 as England crushed New Zealand by 119 runs on Wednesday to reach the semifinals for the first time since 1992.
Pakistan are at the fifth spot on the points table with nine points and a net run-rate of -0.792. On Friday, they will play their last group game against Bangladesh at Lord’s and would need to win by at least 316 runs to qualify for the semifinals. Anything short of this margin will see New Zealand, with a much superior net run-rate, sail through to the semis.
A seven-wicket defeat against West Indies in Pakistan’s opening game of the tournament seriously dented their run-rate.
The green shirts initially won just one of their first five World Cup matches but bounced back strongly with victories against South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan to give themselves a shot at reaching the semifinals.
Last week, a win against Afghanistan, their third consecutive victory, lifted Pakistan into fourth place in the 10-team table, above hosts England.
Had England been defeated in both of their last two matches, against India and New Zealand, Pakistan would have almost certainly made the semifinals. England won both matches.
The top four teams currently are Australia, India, England, and New Zealand. England will now play their semifinal at Edgbaston next Thursday against either India or Australia.
Pakistan’s World Cup dream all but dead as hosts England reach semifinals
Pakistan’s World Cup dream all but dead as hosts England reach semifinals
- Pakistan at fifth spot on points table with nine points and net run-rate of -0.792
- New Zealand set to qualify for semis unless Pakistan beat Bangladesh by near-impossible margin
Real Madrid handed shock home loss as Celta Vigo spring surprise
- Celta jumped from 14th to 10th while the defeat ended Real’s 100 percent home league record this season after six successive wins
MADRID: Real Madrid suffered a shock 2-0 loss and finished with nine men against Celta Vigo in LaLiga on Sunday after Williot Swedberg scored an audacious goal with his heel and a second in stoppage time to leave the hosts four points off leaders Barcelona.
Swedish substitute Swedberg cleverly diverted a cross from Bryan Zaragoza past Thibaut Courtois in the 53rd minute to put Celta ahead and had an easy finish three minutes into added time, going around the goalkeeper to wrap up the points.
Real’s cause was not helped by the 64th minute dismissal of Fran Garcia, who picked up two yellow cards in 60 seconds, but they laid siege to the visitors’ goal for the last 20 minutes as Celta went into a defensive shell to hold onto their advantage.
Real defender Alvaro Carreras was also dismissed for two cautions, his second coming in stoppage time at the end of the game as the home side’s frustrations boiled over.
It was a second clean sheet in 15 league games this season for Celta, whose keeper Ionut Radu made a first-half save from Jude Bellingham’s header and stopped a second-half free-kick whipped in by Kylian Mbappe.
Real stay on 36 points from 16 games as Celta celebrated a first win at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in 19 years, leaving the Galician club with 19 points.
“With the team they have and their quality, it’s difficult to match them, but we read the game well,” said Celta striker Borja Iglesias. “We had possession, we played in their half, we played a fantastic match.”
Celta jumped from 14th to 10th while the defeat ended Real’s 100 percent home league record this season after six successive wins.
Xabi Alonso’s stuttering Real team have now won only one of their last five league games as they await the midweek arrival of Manchester City in the Champions League.
Earlier on Sunday, Espanyol moved up to fifth as Roberto Fernandez’s first half penalty handed them a 1-0 home win over Rayo Vallecano as both sides finished with 10 men.
Elche’s Rafa Mir scored twice as they ran out 3-0 home winners over struggling Girona, while hosts Valencia and Sevilla remained in the bottom half of the table after a 1-1 draw.
