LIVERPOOL: Manchester City’s Erling Haaland converted a stoppage-time penalty to give his side a 2-1 victory at Liverpool on Sunday, narrowing the gap with Premier League leaders Arsenal to six points and breathing new life into the title race.

The Norwegian’s 21st league goal of the season capped a thrilling comeback after Dominik Szobo­szlai’s stunning free kick put Liverpool ahead in the 74th minute, only for Bernardo Silva to equalise late before Haaland’s decisive spot-kick.

City were staring at a nine-point deficit, but the victory keeps Pep Guardiola’s side in contention while Liverpool slumped to sixth place, now 11 points behind City, while Szoboszlai also saw red for denying Haaland a late goal-scoring opportunity.

The visitors dominated the early possession to silence the Anfield crowd, with Haaland nearly opening the scoring in the second minute when Silva played him through, but goalkeeper Alisson sprinted off his line to smother the attempt.

City’s January signing Marc Guehi received a hostile reception from the Liverpool crowd, with boos ringing out when he touched the ball — a pointed reminder of his failed summer transfer move to Anfield from Crystal Palace.

But the England defender kept his composure, snuffing out dangerous chances for Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike as Liverpool failed to get a shot on target in the first half.

Towards the end of the opening period, Salah screamed for a penalty after Silva tugged at him during a set piece as the Egyptian fell over attempting a shot.

However, neither the referee nor VAR spotted a foul, leaving the teams deadlocked at the break.

Having been second-best in the first half, Liverpool emerged transformed after the restart, firing four shots in 11 minutes as the Anfield crowd found their voice.

Ekitike missed two chances while Szoboszlai tested City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, before the Hungarian midfielder’s moment of magic arrived with a swerving free kick that sailed past the Italian, who could only watch as it found the net.

But City’s response was swift as they equalised 10 minutes later when Haaland headed a cross over the defence for Silva to score from the edge of the six-yard box.

The decisive moment came in added time when Matheus Nunes was brought down in the penalty area by Alisson after being put through on the right flank, allowing Haaland to step up and silence the crowd with his first goal at Anfield.

In a chaotic finale, Rayan Cherki appeared to score from the halfway line after Alisson ventured upfield, with Haaland and Szoboszlai sprinting and tussling with each other as the ball crept over the line.

VAR disallowed the goal, however, while Szoboszlai was sent off for tugging Haaland’s shirt, with Cherki blasting the resulting free-kick into the crowd before the final whistle.

In a late game on Saturday, Brentford’s Dango Ouattara struck in the 85th-minute for a 3-2

victory at Newcastle United in a see-saw contest, with the win moving Keith Andrews’ side up to seventh.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026

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KOLKATA: Italy open their ICC T20 World Cup mission with a Group ‘C’ match against Scotland at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday.

Italy, who have clinched FIFA World Cup four times, will be the lowest-ranked team in the global T20 cricket competition where the European team will be making their debut.

“How did we get to the World Cup? In Italy we say ‘miracolo Italiano’, an ‘Italian miracle’,” said Riccardo Maggio, development officer with the Italian Cricket Federation.

Maggio has spent a lifetime helping cricket grow on the fringes of the football-obsessed nation.

“We’re coming to the [T20] World Cup, and believe me, we’re not coming just once for appearance,” he said. “Passion and the Italian way of doing things make us the miracle that we are.”

Italy beat Scotland in the qualifiers and facing them again on Monday would be a “huge honour”, said skipper Wayne Madsen.

“Captaining Italy is not something I take lightly,” the South Africa-born Madsen, 42, who has played English county cricket, told AFP.

Italy in other group-stage matches also face England, the West Indies and Nepal.

The 56-year-old Maggio played for Italy in a six-wicket victory over an England Cricket Board XI in 1998, a match that the ICC said “shocked” cricket.

“I was on the field that day and we had to play out of our skins,” he said, voice trembling.

“And now we’re playing England at the World Cup. I’m sorry, but I’m going to cry.”

Italy’s federation says it has about 1,800 players and around 100 clubs. “Football will always be huge in Italy, that’s just the reality,” Madsen said, adding that playing in the World Cup will be a “massive” boost. “When people see Italy competing on a global stage, it sparks interest and belief,” he said.

Cricket actually has a long history in Italy. In 1793, English naval hero Horatio Nelson “organised the first-ever recorded game in Naples”, according to the ICC, most likely to keep his sailors out of trouble while in port. An Italian English-born colonel, Francis Maceroni, then took the game to Naples in the 1810s.

The Genoa Cricket and Athletic Club was founded in 1893 at the British consulate, aiming to play cricket in summer and football in winter. It became the country’s oldest football club, with Genoa winning Serie A nine times.

“It’s still called ‘Genoa Cricket and Football Club’,” Maggio noted.

AC Milan, according to its club history, was founded as the “Milan Football and Cricket Club” in 1899.

“We have Italians from Australia, Italians from South Africa, the Asian-Italian community, Italians from Italy,” Maggio said.

Madsen will complete an unusual World Cup double on Monday – playing in two different sports for two countries. He played at the field hockey World Cup for his native South Africa, but holds an Italian passport now through his ancestry.Former South Africa T20 international J.J. Smuts, who is now Italian through marriage, is also in the squad.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026

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Sri Lanka’s 11th-hour call to draft in Kamindu Mendis proved a masterstroke as the all-rounder produced a match-turning cameo to set up a 20-run win over Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

Kamindu’s blistering 44 off 19 balls with four fours and two sixes gave Sri Lanka the late thrust they badly needed to post 163.

The spin trio of Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage then ran through the Irish middle order, sharing seven wickets to seal a comfortable victory.

“I just wanted to score a few boundaries and put a partnership with Kusal Mendis,” said Kamindu.

“Kusal was outstanding today. He deserves a lot of credit. We wanted someone to bat through the innings.

“They played well during the run chase until the 15th over. We had to keep our calm and we knew they had to take risks and we bowled well towards the end.” Hasaranga claimed three wickets to take his World Cup tally to 40, second only to Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, who has 50.

There were anxious moments when the leg-spinner, who has a history with hamstring injuries, limped off after his second over.

Though he returned to complete his quota, he moved gingerly, raising questions over his fitness for the rest of the campaign.

Sri Lanka’s innings had been stuck in first gear until Kamindu strode in with the scoreboard reading 86 for four in the 14th over, boundaries having dried up against Ireland’s spinners.

The left-hander broke a 57-ball boundary drought with a cheeky reverse sweep and then went into overdrive, plundering 21 runs in the 17th over to wrestle back the momentum.

With Kusal Mendis playing the sheet anchor role in an unbeaten half-century, Sri Lanka found a competitive total from what had looked like a below-par platform.

Ireland were marshalled by left-arm spinner George Dockrell, who returned a miserly spell of 2-17.

A 49-run stand between Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector for the third wicket kept Ireland in the hunt.

From a promising 105 for two, Ireland lost their way and folded for 143 in 19.5 overs with Matheesha Pathirana cleaning up with two wickets in the final over.

“They got 15 runs too many,” said Ireland captain Paul Sterling.

“Bit sloppy in the field and we have plenty of work to do before the next game.

“We were confident with plenty of wickets in hand, but Sri Lanka held their nerve.

“Spin is a challenge for us. It wasn’t coming onto the bat as much as we expected. Spin, I believe, is going to play a big role in this tournament.”

Former champions Sri Lanka are co-hosting the 20-nation showpiece alongside defending champions India.

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