#who won the asia cup 2023

[mariacallous]

When headlines scream of war, economic collapse, and rising authoritarianism, stories about women and how they drive change are often silenced. Yet women are on the front lines of every crisis and conflict. In 2022, they have pushed against entrenched interests to chip away at social norms and rules that often keep them from reaching their full potential. They have won office, changed laws, enlisted allies, and made real progress in the struggle for equality.

Since 2018, The Fuller Project has partnered with Foreign Policy to examine critical issues pertaining to women’s rights around the world. This reporting features in our shared “The Full Story” column and beyond. Here is a collection of the most profound ways women have made an impact this year, as chronicled by The Fuller Project and FP.

As we look to 2023, there is reason for hope.

1. Iran’s protest movement

Since the Sept. 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s so-called morality police—which enforced strict religious rules, including an Islamic dress code—Iranian women and their allies have poured into the streets of Tehran as well as localities large and small to protest their government’s decadeslong oppression of women. Protesters are risking arrest and death: At least 481 demonstrators have so far been killed by Iranian authorities, according to reports from the Human Rights Activists News Agency in Iran.

Iranian women’s bid to reclaim their rights has earned widespread international support and prompted solidarity protests in cities from Seoul to Toronto. Many Iran fans at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar even held signs emblazoned with the movement’s slogan: “Women, Life, Freedom.” Iran’s players faced swift reprisals from their government when, in support of the protesters, they refused to sing the national anthem at their opening match against England.

This month, Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Javad Montazeri, announced that the government had abolished the morality police in an apparent concession to protesters. The announcement did little to quell the unrest. As Sina Toossi argued in Foreign Policy, “it would be a mistake to assume the government’s move represents anything other than an incremental shift.”

2. Climate change advocacy

Women are disproportionately affected by climate change. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that women account for 80 percent of those displaced by climate change. Yet because women often work in the informal economy, the toll that environmental catastrophe takes on their livelihoods may be undocumented or unrecognized. The Fuller Project’s Disha Shetty reported from Pune, India, in July and found that an unbearably hot summer in South Asia led to a precipitous drop in productivity and income for women who work in or near their homes.

It should come as no surprise, then, that women are at the forefront of the global climate movement. From the Fridays for Future movement led by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg—which counts 14 million members in 7,500 cities—to the Green Generation Initiative led by Kenyan activist Elizabeth Wathuti—which has planted more than 30,000 trees in that country—to the Rise Up Movement led by Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate—which works to save the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s rainforest—women have demanded and received a seat at the negotiating table. Participating countries at the U.N. climate change conference in November, known as COP27, agreed to create a “loss and damage” fund to support developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. An idea previously considered fringe, these activists helped bring loss and damage into the mainstream.

3. Latin America’s green wave

This year, a grassroots movement of women demanding reproductive autonomy continued its march across Latin America. The so-called green wave began in Rosario, Argentina, in 2003 with a gathering of 10,000 women in green bandanas who demanded the decriminalization of abortion and right to contraception in their country. It soon spread across the nation and culminated in a massive protest outside Argentina’s National Congress in 2019. In 2020, Argentina legalized abortion until 14 weeks of pregnancy.

Argentina’s green wave sparked protests in Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and Colombia. In Mexico, the Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that criminal prosecution for abortion is unconstitutional. This year, Colombia decriminalized abortion up to 24 weeks, Ecuador legalized abortion in rape cases, and Mexico’s Quintana Roo became the last state in the country to decriminalize abortion following the 2021 court ruling.

All these steps toward reproductive rights in Latin America have appeared starker when compared to the trajectory of the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned the landmark precedent Roe v. Wade case, which had guaranteed a woman’s right to an abortion. Ten U.S. states have already enacted total bans on the procedure. Foreign Policy mapped how the U.S. downward spiral on abortion rights goes against the global current of liberalization, and The Fuller Project’s Erica Hensley chronicled how American women are fighting back.

FP’s Catherine Osborn argued that the green wave has been more successful than U.S. abortion rights activism because it is fundamentally focused on the intersection between issues. “Claims that legalizing abortion would not only promote privacy and individual choice (Roe’s linchpin) but also improve access to health care and decrease social inequalities have been key in victorious lawsuits in Latin America,” she wrote.

4. Ukraine’s women farmers

Even as Russian soldiers occupied her apricot orchard—and even as the bombs fell close enough that she could see the smoke plumes from her wheat fields—Nadiia Ivanova kept farming.

“I have 45 fields, large and small, and I found a Russian missile in each one of them,” Ivanova told Amie Ferris-Rotman, who was reporting for The Fuller Project near Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine, a Ukrainian-controlled territory near the Black Sea.

She is one of some 10,000 women who run farming enterprises in Ukraine and are fighting to keep up production. Ukraine is often referred to as the breadbasket of Europe and is a large supplier of wheat to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated a global food shortage and a hunger crisis in the Middle East and Africa that disproportionately impacts women and girls. It grew so severe that the U.N. intervened over the summer to broker a deal with Turkey to ship grain safely out of Ukraine via the Black Sea.

Ukraine’s women farmers have persisted, however—housing and feeding Ukrainian soldiers as well as fighting to ensure their crops get to market. The women see food as their opportunity to do their part in the war effort.

“These are our weapons,” said farmworker Valentyna Fedorenko, holding up a bucket of fresh green cucumbers. “By feeding the people, we are equipping them to fight.

5. Afghan women resisting the Taliban

In the year since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, two decades of gains in women’s employment and education have all but disappeared. Fuller Project reporters have collaborated with Rukhshana Media, a woman-led Afghan newsroom, to document the new realities for women in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan; in “The Full Story,” we have highlighted the plight of queer Afghans. The picture is grim.

The Taliban have ordered women to remain in their homes, barred women from most jobs, and reimposed mandatory face coverings for women in public. Women also may not travel without a male guardian. The new restrictions have limited women’s access to health care, education, and work. The U.N. said the lost income from barring women from the workforce could cost Afghanistan as much as 5 percent of its GDP, plunging the country into deeper poverty and exacerbating food insecurity.

Despite these setbacks, some Afghan women are rising up in rare protests—at great personal risk, reported FP’s Lynne O’Donnell. “Many activists want the world, and especially the United States, where successive administrations greased the path to the Taliban’s return to power, to do more to hold the regime to account,” she wrote.

These are stories of women fighting for rights, for themselves, and for others. Thousands more remain to be told.

[andiessoccerblog]

Group E Breakdown

Expected to move on: USA, Netherlands

Expected to exit in group stage: Portugal, Vietnam

United States

See this Post! https://www.tumblr.com/andiessoccerblog/721584664034361344/uswnt-roster-drop-june-30-2023?source=share

Netherlands

FIFA Ranking: 8

Reputation:

The Netherlands won the 2018 Euros and reached the final of the 2019 World Cup, but in 2022 they dropped from 4th place to 8th place in the FIFA world rankings. This is a result of a team who has a solid base, but suffers if its stars are not available. Some of their strongest players aren’t playing at their best any more, and their extremely capable goalie from 2019, Sari Van Veenendaal, has retired, leaving huge shoes to fill. Additionally, the coach that led them to the 2019 World Cup final has since taken a job at England, leaving the team in the hands of less-experienced and very recent addition, Andries Jonker. Their most important game in the group will be the repeat of the 2019 final, Netherlands v. USA, where the Dutch walked away with silver.

Player Pool:

Netherlands’ stars from the 2019 World Cup are in the team’s midfield: Lieke Martens and Danielle Van de Donk. I would normally include Vivianne Miedema, but she was ruled out of the tournament with an ACL injury. The team will need to rely on veterans Sherida Spitse (captain), Shanice van de Sanden, and Jill Roord to pull them past the group stage.

2019 WWC Performance: 

The Netherlands skyrocketed into the final this year, winning their group and finding results in every game in the elimination round, except for the USA. Their game against Sweden went to extra time, but they showed the grit and talent to make it to the final.  They had an impressive number of goalscorers, with the top being Vivianne Miedema, and the goalie Sari Van Veenendaal won the tournament’s Golden Glove award, and is my Netherlands MVP.

Portugal

FIFA Ranking: 21

Reputation: 

It will surprise most people that Portugal is also a World Cup debutante–they are the highest FIFA-ranked debutante team– their inclusion this year is due to one of the extra European confederation spots in the expanded field. Despite never having qualified, Portugal has been a staple in the women’s game for years as they host the Algarve Cup, a yearly international invitational tournament that is considered a “Mini World Cup” that has run since 1994– making it the second longest running women's soccer tournament, other than the World Cup itself. Portugal will likely beat fellow debutante Vietnam in their group, but will likely not find results in games against the USA and the Netherlands, the gold- and silver-medalists of the 2019 World Cup.

Player Pool:

Portugal has several veteran players with over 100 caps, but there isn’t a front-runner that has scored massive amounts of goals for the country. FIFA pinpoints Dolores Silva as the player to watch, a dynamic midfield veteran that scored a couple goals in their path to qualify for 2023. 

2019 WWC performance:

Did not qualify

Vietnam

FIFA Ranking: 33

Reputation: 

After narrowly missing out on both the 2015 and 2019 World Cup, Vietnam finally qualified for 2023, and followed up their qualification by winning the 2023 Southeast Asia Playoffs, in which fellow debutante the Philippines didn’t make it out of their group. To help the growth of women's soccer in their country, there is a semi-professional league  that almost all of the players are in.  An interesting twist in their qualification is that some of their games were against Asian teams that were still suffering substantial player unavailability due to covid–but Vietnam’s luck ran out when the country got placed in this group with the USA and the Netherlands. 

Player Pool:

Since almost all of the team plays domestically, there isn’t a lot known about the team. Captain Huỳnh Như and midfielder Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Dung are the leading scorers.

2019 WWC performance:

Did not qualify

[stokesy55]

Side note, but POTM is only awarded to the winning team - POTT can be awarded to a losing team player (and usually is given to a player from the losing side of a final)

Sorry but this is wrong. POTM have been given to players from losing teams too. Hayley Mathews, captain of the West Indies team, did it against Australia in 2023. Won the POTM award in all 3 t20s played, despite WI losing two of them. Dunith Wellalge did it against India in the 2022 Asia Cup. Matthew Hayden's 181 against New Zealand in 2007 won him the POTM despite NZ winning the match. While I agree that POTM awards are often given to the person who had the most remarkable and impactful contribution from the winning side, sometimes a losing player with a remarkable contribution wins it too.

Also, POTT has a similar divide; it's not always the best player from the runner-ups team. It's sometimes the best player from the winning team too (case in point KP and Curran when England won the T20 WC in 2010 and 2022, Yuvraj Singh during India's 2011 WC triumph, and David Warner in 2021 T20 World Cup.) Also, VK received the pott award in the 2016 T20 WC, despite India having made only the semi finals in that edition.

My apologies - genuinely thought the rule was only the winning side could win POTM

I’m also pretty sure I said POTT could go to the losing teams? I know I specified the running up team but I don’t recall saying that was exclusive (apologies if I did - I knew that award was open to everyone inc the winning team). It’s USUALLY given to a player on the runner up team (I think)

[bongaboi]

Al Ain: 2024 AFC Champions League Winners

Al Ain: Doubles from Soufiane Rahimi and Kodjo Laba drove United Arab Emirates’ Al Ain FC to win the AFC Champions League™ 2023/24 title following a 5-1 victory over Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos in the second leg of the final at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday. The J1 League side had won the first leg 2-1 in Yokohama, but a scintillating second-half performance from Al Ain meant the inaugural winners of the AFC Champions League in 2002-03 become also the last team to win it under the current format before the launch of the AFC Champions League Elite next year. Following their continental triumph, Al Ain become Asia’s fourth representatives at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, joining Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal SFC, Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds and Korea Republic’s Ulsan HD at the US tournament next year.

Already holding a one-goal advantage from the home tie two weeks earlier, the Japanese side came racing out of the blocks trying to add another that could ease the task in front of a packed Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. Anderson Lopes tested goalkeeper Khaled Eisa within two minutes, but his shot from a tight angle was saved by the UAE international.

With seven knockout stage goals to his name already, the Moroccan showed his quality once again, picking the ball up on the left flank, cutting inside and feinting a shot but instead intelligently finding Yahia Nader who produced a moment of genius, sending a backheel pass that left goalkeeper William Popp in no man’s land and allowing Rahimi to slot home into the empty net for the opener.

Rahimi’s pace continued to be a nuisance for the Marinos defence; the Moroccan was too quick for Shinnosuke Hatanaka, beating the Japanese centre-back to the ball and forcing him to commit a foul inside the box, which translated into a penalty kick following a VAR check. Paraguayan playmaker Alejandro Romero (Kaku) stepped up and slotted home his side’s second. Al Ain continued to rely on counter attacks and could have been 3-0 on the night seven minutes before the break when Rahimi pushed forward down the wing, beating his markers, but with just the goalkeeper to beat from a narrow angle, the winger’s left-footed finish hit the side netting instead.

The visitors equalised the aggregate score in the 40th minute, as Yan Matheus capitalised on a mistake from Kouame Kouadio to snatch the ball, cut into his left foot and aimed for the bottom far corner where Eisa’s fingertips were unable to stop it nestling into the back of the net to make it 2-1 on the night.

There was still room for more drama before the break as Marinos were reduced to 10 men following a red card to goalkeeper Popp. Once more it was Rahimi causing trouble; he broke free down the middle at full speed, rounding the goalkeeper who made contact to bring him just outside the penalty box, receiving his marching orders in the process.

Al Ain piled up the pressure after the restart, with head coach Hernan Crespo introducing striker Laba for full-back Saeed Jumaa. The hosts were rewarded for their attacking endeavors with a third goal midway through the second half, and once more it was Rahimi delivering the goods, while it was Laba who was the focal point of the attack, starting the move which saw defender Eduardo clear the ball, but only as far as Rahimi who controlled it expertly, moving it to his left foot and hammering home for Al Ain’s third.

It was the 27-year-old’s 13th goal of the campaign, matching the record for most goals in a single AFC Champions League season, shared by Guangzhou FC’s Muriqui (2013), FC Seoul’s Adriano (2016) and Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah (2018). With 10 minutes of added time given, substitute Laba cemented the win with a fourth goal. Goalkeeper Fuma Shirasaka, who himself had come in the place of Elber following the dismissal of Popp in the first half, committed a horror mistake, missing his attempt to clear Rahimi’s through pass, allowing the Togolese forward to finish comfortably into the empty net for his seventh goal of the campaign, having last scored in the round of 16.

Deep into added time, Laba added his second of the night and his team’s fifth. The 32-year-old fed Kaku down the left and the Paraguayan sent a low effort that looked set for a comfortable Shirasaka save, but the slightest of touches from Laba changed the direction of the ball into the back of the net to seal a 6-3 aggregate victory for the Emiratis. The emphatic triumph made up for Al Ain’s final defeats to Al Ittihad in 2005 and to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in 2016.

[tsportsday]

India take on Nepal in U19 Asia Cup Group A matchIndia vs Nepal, Under-19 Asia Cup 2023 Live Updates:After a defeat against Pakistan in their previous U19 Asia Cup 2023 match, India take on Nepal in a bid to resurrect their campaign. The india India won the toss and opted to bowl in the match. India have already beaten Afghanistan in the Group A but suffered a defeat against arch-rivals Pakistan in the next match. It's important for the Indian colts to beat Nepal, who are winless in the campaign in two games so far, today. (LIVE Scorecard)Here are the live updates from the India vs Nepal, Asia Cup U19 match in Dubai:Topics mentioned in this article

[quikryquil]

Pakistan Likely To Lose Hosting Rights Of Champions Trophy 2025, Tournament Could Be Held In Hybrid Model, Say Reports

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to receive another blow from International Cricket Council (ICC) as they might lose the complete hosting rights of the Champions Trophy 2025. As per reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not interested in changing their stance in the next two years over not touring Pakistan to play cricket. Indian men's cricket team did not travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023 as well due to security concerns.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah had made it clear that untill government gives clearance, the Indian team will not travel across the border. That decision had irked the then PCB boss Ramiz Raja, who had said that if India were not going to come to Pakistan for Champions Trophy, he would also not send the Men in Green to India for World Cup. But nothing of this sort happened. The Asia Cup 2023 was held in a hybrid model, with four games played in Pakistan and 9 in Sri Lanka. And Pakistan travelled to India for the World Cup.

PCB is fearing that there could be a repeat of the same ahead of the Champions Trophy. A report in WION states that if India refuses to travel to Pakistan again, the tournament will be held in UAE. Or there could be a use of a hybrid model with some games hosted by Pakistan and others by UAE. In this scenario, India will not play any match in Pakistan.

According to news agency PTI, PCB boss Zaka Ashraf and COO Salman Naseer met the ICC executive board on their trip to Ahmedabad for the meeting and talked about the uncertainty of India touring Pakistan for CT 2025.

“Pakistani officials discussed the probability of the Indian board (BCCI) again refusing to send its team to Pakistan and made it clear that in any given situation, the ICC must avoid taking unilateral decisions on the tournament,” a source told PTI.

The source also said that PCB should be compensated properly if BCCI refuses to travel to Pakistan. PCB told the ICC board that many teams have toured the country in the last two years, including Australia, England and New Zealand. And there were no security concerns whatsoever during these tours. "They also made it clear that in case of India not sending its team and its matches being moved to another country, then the ICC must compensate Pakistan for this," the source added.

Champions Trophy is making a return to ICC roster after 8 years. Pakitan won the last ICC Men's Champions Trophy in 2017. The tournament includes the best 8 teams in the world. The best team 8 includes the hosts and the top 7 teams from the ODI World Cup 2023.

[otiskeene]

Innovation Award AEA 2023 At Kashiwa-no-ha With Promising Entrepreneurs From Asia: I2Cool Limited (Hong Kong) Won The Cup

The 12th Asia Entrepreneurship Award (AEA) 2023 was an innovation competition held in Kashiwa-no-ha on October 26, 2023, where entrepreneurs from various Asian countries and regions competed against one another.

The ten finalists who had advanced through the selection process were on display at the final session. They showcased their creative enterprises, which were assessed according to a number of criteria. These included the ability to innovate on a global scale, the effect on the economy and society, viability, competitive advantage, managerial skill, the justification of the plans, cooperation with Japanese businesses, and the possibility of market expansion in Japan.

A Hong Kong start-up company called I2Cool Limited took home the first award. Their recently developed cooling paint emits heat radiation, reflects sunlight, and doesn't require refrigerant, which destroys the ozone layer—"thereby contributing to energy efficiency and decarbonization." The technology was highly regarded for its global impact outside the Japanese market, and it is not only commercially promising but also socially influential. The award was thus given out without a vote.

Another well-known prize, the Kashiwa-no-ha Prize, was given to Yanekara Inc., a Japanese start-up in Kashiwa-no-ha that creates “A state-of-the-art bidirectional EV charger and a cloud software which can provide and store power to EVs by the solar power.” The prize guarantees the support of the Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City for demonstrating the effectiveness of businesses.

Read More - https://bit.ly/3MBNtRE

[dpinoycosmonaut]

GILAS’ GOLD IN 19th ASIAN GAMES: ONE FOR THE AGES

by Bert A. Ramirez / October 8, 2023

Members of the Gilas Pilipinas team, which broke a 61-year gold-medal drought in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, join hands on the podium in a symbolic gesture that spoke of their solidarity after their historic triumph over Jordan.  (Photo by Lee Jin-man of The Associated Press)

When last Friday’s 70-60 victory by the Philippines over Jordan in the men’s basketball finals of the 19th Asian Games is remembered, it will be regarded as historic, massive and epochal, and certainly one for the ages, literally and figuratively.

The Philippines, after all, had been without a gold medal in the Asian Games in its favorite sport since winning the first four editions of the event in 1951, 1954, 1958 and 1962, a period that spanned a good 61 years, or practically a lifetime for some people.  The last Asiad championship in fact that the country won in 1962 in Jakarta, Indonesia still had the legendary Carlos Loyzaga, now a FIBA Hall of Famer, anchoring a team made up of some of the greatest names in local basketball history, including Narciso Bernardo, one of the greatest scorers in Asia during his prime, and such other mythical names as Alberto “Big Boy” Reynoso, Kurt Bachmann and Edgardo Roque.

The gold-medal drought had covered a total of 14, repeat, 14 Asian Games, and during this barren stretch that was endured by this basketball-crazy country, its roundball practitioners had accounted for just three podium finishes, including a bronze medal in 1986, a silver in 1990 and another bronze in 1998, when the country was celebrating its Independence Day centennial, while finishing as low as seventh in 2014 and missing the event altogether because of a suspension in 2006.

The enormity of the odds against the Filipinos’ winning another gold medal was particularly magnified by the fact that they had to hurdle a now-expanded field and much stronger competition that included defending champion China, which was playing in its home ground and which, despite a lopsided 96-75 defeat to Gilas Pilipinas last September in the last FIBA World Cup held in Manila, was aching for revenge and was, in fact, going great guns during this Games.  And one should remember the Chinese have been the dominant basketball force in the Asian Games since arriving on the scene in 1974, having won the gold medal in eight of the 12 Asiads they have participated in from that time on.

What compounded matters for this Philippine team was what happened just before the Asiad, when the squad that was supposed to be anchored on the nucleus of Gilas Pilipinas’ FIBA World Cup roster suffered a massive loss of personnel even without considering naturalized player Jordan Clarkson’s return to the US for the start of the NBA’s training camps.  Can you imagine losing such guys as Dwight Ramos, A.J. Edu, Kai Sotto, Rhenz Abando, Roger Pogoy, Kiefer Ravena and Jamie Malonzo?

So basically the carryovers from that team that were called to carry the cudgels in the Hangzhou Asian Games a couple of weeks later were June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar and C.J. Perez, and called to take the place of Ramos and company, most of whom had to return to their respective pro teams in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, were naturalized players Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame, Calvin Oftana, Chris Newsome, Kevin Alas, Marcio Lassiter, Arvin Tolentino and Chris Ross. And some of these players were just inserted at the last minute after original choices Calvin Abueva, Terrence Romeo, Mo Tautuaa, Jason Perkins and Stanley Pringle were rejected by the Asiad organizers for supposedly not having been part of the original 37-man pool the Philippines submitted to them.

So this version of Gilas Pilipinas was practically a new one especially when one considers coach Tim Cone, who was tasked to take over Chot Reyes’ job as headman after Reyes resigned following the FIBA World Cup, hardly had a chance to work everybody out together with all the turnover of personnel that happened.  Meanwhile, the rest of the field had the luxury of having been together for a long time, particularly China and Jordan, which turned out to be the Filipinos’ main rivals in the end.

The Filipinos give coach Tim Cone a victory ride to celebrate their landmark feat.  (Photo by Lee Jin-man of The Associated Press)

Yes, Jordan.  This was the same team that finished dead-last in the last FIBA World Cup but with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who powered Talk ‘N Text to the PBA Governors’ Cup title this year, had turned many heads around.  True enough, when the disjointed Gilas team first met the Falcons in the group stage, it was blasted by 25 points 87-62.

This forced the Philippines to qualify for the quarterfinals through the back door, eventually doing that after blowing out Qatar 80-41.

But Gilas still seemed a bit far away from the podium at this point, especially after losing a 21-point lead against Iran in the quarterfinals and had to bank on Brownlee’s endgame heroics to pull off an 84-83 decision in the end.  This was especially because they now had to play the reigning champion Chinese team in the semifinals.

Could this team overcome the home team that was humming at this point?  It certainly looked it wouldn’t when Gilas spotted China a 20-point advantage early in their semis matchup.  The Chinese, working like a well-oiled machine, shot 57 percent in the first half to race to a 48-30 lead.  The Filipinos made some inroads in the third quarter, with Brownlee scoring 10 points to pare that deficit down to 62-50 going into the final period.

Still, the Chinese didn’t look like they were bound to capitulate, that was until Brownlee, showing the mettle of a transcendent star in the mold of the Loyzagas, Bernardos and Allan Caidics of the past, exploded in the fourth quarter, scoring 17 of his game-high 33 points, including the last two three-pointers, the first of which cut the Chinese lead to 76-74 with 58.1 seconds left and the last giving the Filipinos a 77-76 edge with 23.3 ticks to go that stood until the end, as the Philippines broke through its biggest tormentor in the past five decades.

“Coach Tim (Cone), he told us before the game to be something special to win this game,” Brownlee said after the stirring comeback win that marked the first time the Philippines beat the Chinese two straight times after that FIBA World Cup blowout and sent them into a return match, this time for the gold medal itself, against Jordan, which blasted Chinese Taipei 90-71 in the other semis match.

In the finals against Hollis-Jefferson and the Jordanians, the Filipinos never allowed themselves to be headed early unlike in their first meeting, racing to a 28-15 lead early in the second quarter.  But Jordan, with Hollis-Jefferson heating up, unloaded an 11-0 bomb to make it a nip-and-tuck battle, even taking the lead at 31-29 before Gilas tied it at the half at 31-all.

But with Newsome, Thompson and Oftana stepping up with the Jordanian defense focused on Brownlee, the Filipinos grabbed the lead for good at 40-37, closing out the third frame with a 14-4 blast to take a 51-41 advantage into the fourth quarter.

The Philippines never wavered in the payoff period, clamping down on the Jordanians on defense even as Kouame, who had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds to go with five steals and two blocks, scored eight points in the last six minutes to help hold off the Falcons.

The Filipinos are shown here celebrating shortly after holding off Jordan 70-60 in the finals.  (Photo by Lee Jin-man of The Associated Press)

It was Kouame, Newsome and Thompson who made the difference this time with Brownlee unable to take off with the Jordanian defense keying on him, no matter if Brownlee also had a double-double of his own with a team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds to go with five assists and two steals.  Newsome contributed 13 points while helping hold Jefferson to a miserable 8-of-29 shooting from the floor as the latter had to work hard for his 24 points that went with 12 rebounds and five assists.  Thompson, meanwhile, chipped in with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists while serving as the primary ballhandler for the Filipinos.

“Our guys were just really disciplined tonight.  It was just a good game by us tonight and they (Jordan) had an off shooting night,” Cone said shortly after Gilas’ historic, almost-fairytale-like victory.  "I thought we just had a beautiful defensive performance led by Chris Newsome.  He really handled their star Rondae Hollis-Jefferson really well.  He was disciplined, he didn't give Jefferson much room to get to the rim, and that was what we were concerned tonight."

Cone, who is not usually given to blowing horns even during his greatest triumphs as the winningest coach in PBA history with 25 titles, said he knows what this breakthrough triumph means to a lot of Filipinos.  "We know it means so much to everyone back home.  We're passionate about our basketball.  For us to be able to do that for our countrymen is such a huge thing and we can't wait to get home and share it with them," he said.

But he also said an Asiad gold medal for a Philippine basketball team had to happen sometime.  “Had to be somebody, sometime.  We’re just too good of a basketball nation not to win this thing,” he said.

The 65-year-old Cone, however, may still be downplaying a feat that means a lot more than a victory in an event where the country has faltered over most of the last six decades with the coming of China and Middle East teams into the Asiad fold and the general ascent in basketball culture among countries that the Filipinos used to beat.

“Witnessing our Gilas Pilipinas take back the Asian basketball throne was one of the monumental victories for Team Philippines here in Hangzhou,” Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann, whose own father Kurt was a member of that 1962 Asian Games champion team, said.  “My father, who was a part of the team that last won the gold at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, would be very proud of this Gilas squad, who showed resilience and team spirit.”

“It was awesome, unbelievable, unforgettable, which filled me with many precious moments,” PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas, meanwhile, said.  “We were happy with being No. 4.  But when we beat China, it dawned on us that we could be No. 1, and there was no turning back after that.”

Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino might have put it best when he said that Gilas Pilipinas’ gold-medal breakthrough after 61 years “is worth a thousand golds.

“Of course we have (gold medalists) EJ Obiena and Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez from jiu-jitsu and all our other athletes,” Tolentino said.  “But that (gold in basketball) was worth a thousand golds. It’s God’s will.  Our prayers were answered.”

Indeed, the Philippines might win the basketball gold again in future Asian Games, or it might not for however long it might take, but one thing is certain: This victory will forever be etched in the minds and hearts of every basketball-loving Filipino as it serves as a true benchmark.  It’s one for the ages.

[dfoxmarketing]

Vibrant Closing Ceremony Marks the End of Memorable Hangzhou Asian Games 2023

India’s Remarkable Performance at Asian Games in Hangzhou

The 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou came to an end with a memorable closing ceremony that praised the participants’ outstanding accomplishments and highlighted Chinese culture.

Indian competitors made a standout performance in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, that was marked by quality and tenacity. India, who had a delegation of 655 athletes, accomplished an incredible accomplishment by breaking their previous record of 70 medals established in Jakarta in 2018 and winning a total of 107 medals.

28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze medals made up India’s impressive medal haul, which was an increase above the 70 medals earned by a squad of 570 athletes four years earlier. Only four countries managed to surpass the 100-medal threshold in Hangzhou, making India’s contribution to the total medal count all the more noteworthy.

The Indian shooters stood out among the competitors, winning 22 medals in all, including seven golds. Neeraj Chopra successfully defended his javelin throw championship, giving athletics its opportunity to shine. Track and field competitions gave India a total of six gold, fourteen silver and nine bronze medals.

India’s success in archery was further enhanced when the compound team won all five gold medals available in their division. The gold rush was maintained by the cricket and kabaddi teams, who each took home two gold medals. Along with winning gold, the men’s hockey team also qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

India Secures Olympic Quotas and Historic Gold Wins

Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy’s triumph in badminton signified India’s first men’s doubles gold medal at the Games. Squash, tennis, and equestrian victories added to India’s total gold medal count. The cricket teams for men and women both won gold.

The significance of Hangzhou, though, went beyond the number of medals. The competition offered 74 slots in several sports as a lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Six of these quotas were won by India, with boxing taking the top spot.

The tickets to Paris were acquired by athletes including Nikhat Zareen, Preeti Pawar, Parveen Hooda, and Lovlina Borgohain. India had a significant presence in the French city thanks to men’s hockey and athletics, assuring that the country would be well-represented at the next Olympic Games.

A Vibrant Closing Ceremony

The 80,000-person-seat ‘Big Lotus’ Stadium served as the venue for the event, which attracted viewers with a 75-minute show of lights, music, and lasers. The conclusion of more than two weeks of gruelling sports action was marked by the athletes from the 45 participating nations bidding farewell.

The goal of the closing ceremony’s “Culture and Sports” merger of sports and culture was to achieve harmony. In front of Chinese Premier Li Qiang and other officials, acting head of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Randhir Singh, formally proclaimed the 19th Asian Games to be over.

Also Read: India vs Australia World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli and KL Rahul Lead IND to a Six-Wicket Victory

In accordance with the principles of the Olympic Council of Asia, Singh declared the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games ended and invited the youth of Asia to come together to celebrate the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in three years.

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[andiessoccerblog]

Group D Breakdown

Expected to move on: England, Denmark

Expected to exit in group stage: China, Haiti

England

FIFA Ranking: 4

Reputation:

England is my favorite to win the World Cup. In 2022 they won the European Womens’ championship, cementing their position as a possible winner of the 2023 World Cup. Despite a few major injuries, the Lionesses are in fine form, and have a really solid core group of women with a good mix of veterans and young (but not inexperienced) talent. Their players mostly play at home in the FAWSL, possibly the best women's league in the world. The FAWSL also attracts international talents, so many of these players are already playing with and against their competitors, learning their styles and skills. Their coach Sarina Wiegman has a great record with England, and with the Netherlands in the 2019 World Cup where they made the final. 

Player Pool:

There are a couple veterans that deserve a call out, like defender Lucy Bronzeand midfielder Jordan Nobbs, but the energy and heart that makes this England squad different from past rosters comes in a group of younger players. Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, and Chloe Kelly will be playing in their first World Cup, and have been in outstanding form for their English clubs and at the international level. 

2019 WWC performance:

England did well in group play, led in scoring by Ellen White, who really came into her own this World Cup. They notably defeated previous runner up, Japan. They had perhaps the easiest path to the semifinals, taking on Cameroon and Norway. England was unlucky to come up against the USA in the semifinals instead of the finals, but they followed up their loss to the USA with a loss to Sweden, unlike 2015.

China

FIFA Ranking: 14

Reputation:

China used to be really good. Asia Games champions a couple times, deep runs into World Cups and olympics, but no Gold Medals.In the past, they have recruited top basketball, track, and volleyball players to play soccer in order to be faster and taller than their opponents. It’s an interesting strategy that hasn’t...not...worked. But it hasn’t really worked, either. They are showing an international comeback, including beating South Korea  in the 2022 Asian Cup Finals. They have kept up with teams close to them in rankings, but will struggle against any team in the top 10. 

Player Pool:

All of the players on the team except one  play in China, a league that I do not follow, but one player does play in the USA for Racing Louisville FC, Wang Shuang. Their team looks very different than the squad that represented China in 2019, so standout players are generally unpredictable. I would expect veteran forward Wang Shanshan and defender Lou Jiahui to feature in starting lineups.

2019 WWC performance:

China didn’t play horribly, but they weren’t the team seen in previous years either. They sneaked into the group stage after a loss to Germany by salvaging a tie against Spain. They were eliminated by dark horse Italy in the round of sixteen. In total, they only scored 1 goal in all four games, which means their defense maintained two shutouts and limited opponents’ goals quite well. 

Denmark

FIFA Ranking: 18

Reputation: 

If any group has the potential for a ranking upset, it is this one. Denmark, although ranked below China, has been testing their mettle against all of Europe, and have shown themselves to be a worthy inclusion to the World Cup. It is not their first, in fact it is their fourth World Cup, even though they haven’t qualified since 2007. They have been on the edge of qualifying for World Cups in the past couple years, and  now the expanded field of teams has allowed them back in the cloche, and I don’t see them wasting their opportunity. 

Player Pool:

The Denmark roster boasts players across all of the major leagues in Europe–England, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Sweden. Captain Pernille Harder plays for Chelsea FC, one of the best of the best clubs in the world, and is the top all-time goalscorer in Danish football history. Forwards Mille Gejl Jensen and Rikke Madsen have found success at their American club, North Carolina Courage, in the 2023 summer season, which likely helped them onto the roster. 

2019 WWC performance:

Did not qualify

Haiti

FIFA Ranking: 55

Reputation: 

Haiti has never played in a world tournament, and their narrow qualification was a very proud moment for the entire country, and for the larger CONCACAF region. They will probably struggle against the other teams in their group, but it will be valuable experience for the players going forward.

Player Pool:

Melchie Dumorney, midfielder, won the CONCACAF qualifying young player of the tournament, and scored the two decisive goals against Chile to qualify for the World Cup. There are a few players that play college soccer in the USA, but the majority of them play for smaller clubs in France, which does give them experience playing european-style soccer.

2019 WWC performance:

Did not qualify

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"Unpredictable Showdown: Nail-Biting Clash Between Netherlands and Pakistan Unfolds in Live Updates! Find Out Who Emerges Victorious as Netherlands Skipper Makes Bold Toss Decision"

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[daddynews247]

Before the 2023 World Cup, Yuvraj gave Rohit’s team an unusual piece of advice: “Sachin told us to use headphones at airports.”

After the 2011 World Cup match loss to South Africa, Sachin Tendulkar delivered a team speech, which Yuvraj Singh remembers.

On October 8, Team India will face Australia in Chennai to start its 2023 World Cup campaign. The team will also play England and the Netherlands in two pre-tournament warm-up games. In the lead-up to the major event, Rohit Sharma’s team had some standout performances.

They won the Asia Cup earlier this month and then defeated Australia 2-1 in a three-match ODI series. Yuvraj Singh, a former all-rounder for India, has provided insights into how the 2011 World Cup-winning squad dealt with pressure throughout their campaign. Despite being in excellent form, managing the pressure of a home World Cup brings unique obstacles.

Yuvraj said that although  social media wasn’t as common at the time (2011) as it is now, it didn’t stop media and public scrutiny from becoming too much for the Indian team, especially after a discouraging loss to South Africa. The renowned Sachin Tendulkar intervened, asking for a key team meeting after sensing the squad’s need to restore its focus.

“Now, distraction is a little more prevalent because social media wasn’t around then. The media and people were a distraction. We were attempting to concentrate on the match, and we were losing to South Africa in the world cup—a game we ought to have won. The media went bananas at this point. We need to quit watching television and reading the newspapers, Sachin said the group as they sat down. Utilise our headphones as we navigate airport crowds. Just pay attention to the World Cup. The team concurred, so we simply followed their lead, and it succeeded, Yuvraj recounted.

“Because there is a lot of pressure already. India’s problem is that people believe that only their team would succeed. There are a lot of talented teams competing in this World Cup, so it’s important to stay totally focused on the task at hand.

In Guwahati, Team India arrives Prior to their exhibition match against England planned for September 30, the Indian squad arrived in Guwahati on Thursday. Axar Patel, an experienced spinner who was added to India’s 15-person World Cup squad earlier in the day to fill his spot, joined the team in Guwahati as well.

[timesnew7]

Mohammed Siraj Gives Away 'Player Of The Final' Cash Prize To Asia Cup Groundstaff

Mohammed Siraj with the Asia Cup 2023 groundstaff© X (formerly Twitter)Mohammed Siraj, who is also known as 'Miyan Magic' to his fans, won hearts at the R Premadasa stadium here after the final match as he dedicated the ‘Player of the Final' cash prize to the ground staff for their hard work to ensure the final game as also some games earlier went ahead after interruptions caused by rain.   A number of games were affected by rain throughout the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka like India's group-stage game against Pakistan and Nepal, Asia Cup final spot decider between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.     "This cash prize goes to the groundsmen. This tournament wouldn't have been possible without them," Siraj said.The star bowler earlier won the hearts of Indian fans with his fierce bowling that folded up Sri Lanka's innings on 50 in about 15 overs.Siraj claimed six wickets in seven overs."No biryani here. Have been bowling well since a long time. Was missing the edges earlier. But found them today. The wicket was seaming earlier, but there was swing today. Thought that I will bowl fuller because of the swing. When there's good bonding between fast bowlers, it's helpful for the team… My best spell," the bowler said.Earlier in the day, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced a well-deserved prize money of USD 50,000 for the dedicated curators and ground staff at Colombo and Kandy.The ACC and SLC also expressed gratitude to the Colombo and Kandy groundstaff for their outstanding efforts in completing a game despite numerous interruptions due to rain.ACC president Jay Shah on Sunday took to 'X' to heap praise on ground staff for their hard work throughout the tournament. Find out more:  https://timesnews7.com Read the full article