MADRID: Robert Lewandowski left his mark with a pair of goals on his 34th birthday, and Barcelona saw its high-profile attack finally click in a 4-1 win at Real Sociedad for its first victory of the season on Sunday.
Lewandowski also set up Ansu Fati’s goal as Barcelona quickly rebounded from a scoreless opening draw at home in the Spanish league against Rayo Vallecano in which the attack was ineffective.
Ousmane Dembélé also scored for the Catalan club that entered the season amid high expectations after spending big to boost its squad despite enduring financial difficulties.
Lewandowski scored his first goal of the season a minute into the match with a nice touch from inside the area after a pass by teenager Alejandro Balde.
The hosts equalized with a goal from Alexander Isak in the sixth minute after a nice through ball by veteran David Silva, but Barcelona’s forward stood out in the second half. Dembélé scored with a low shot in the 66th after a backheel pass by Fati, who found the net himself in the 79th after Lewandowski’s assist. Lewandowski’s second goal came from close range in the 68th after another assist by Fati.
The result kept Barcelona unbeaten against Sociedad in 13 league matches, with two draws and 11 victories.
Sociedad had opened with a win at Cádiz.
Lewandowski’s birthday double leads Barça to 1st league win
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Lewandowski’s birthday double leads Barça to 1st league win
Bangladesh replaced by Scotland at T20 World Cup, reports say
- Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move their games to the tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka instead
- Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualifier, are now set to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C
DUBAI: Bangladesh have been replaced by Scotland for next month’s Twenty20 World Cup after the South Asian side refused to travel to co-hosts India, media reports said on Saturday citing sources within the sport’s governing International Cricket Council.
The decision follows weeks of uncertainty, during which the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) repeatedly insisted it would not play its scheduled matches in India, citing safety concerns following soured political relations between the neighbors.
Bangladesh had asked the ICC to move their games to the tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka instead, but the governing body rejected the demand, dismissing any security threat to the team.
Scotland, the highest-ranked non-qualifier, are now set to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, which features England, Italy, Nepal and West Indies, the BBC reported.
Reuters has contacted the ICC, BCB and Cricket Scotland for comment.
PROTESTS NEAR BANGLADESH HIGH COMMISSION
Last month, hundreds of people protested near Bangladesh’s High Commission in New Delhi after Hindu factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was beaten and set on fire in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district by a crowd that accused him of making derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad.
A total of 12 people were arrested in connection with his death.
The incident worsened relations between India and its neighbor, with ties already strained after Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi following protests against her.
Political tensions have spilled into cricket.
Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from this year’s Indian Premier League despite signing with its Kolkata franchise. Bangladesh responded by banning IPL broadcasts in the country and demanding to play World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.
The standoff mirrors previous tensions in South Asian cricket.
For the Champions Trophy last year, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) stuck to its policy of not touring Pakistan because of the strained political ties between the bitter neighbors, who play each other only in ICC events.
Like for the 2023 Asia Cup in Pakistan, a ‘hybrid model’ was agreed on under which India were allowed to play their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai to salvage the tournament.
Under the agreement running until 2027, Pakistan will play in a neutral venue for any ICC event, including the T20 World Cup where they are scheduled to play their matches in Sri Lanka.
The 20-team World Cup is set to begin on February 7.
