rediff Sports http://www.rediff.com/sports/index.html India's largest news and entertainment service online. en-us Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:24:00 GMT Copyright: (C) 2008 Rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved. rediff.com http://www.rediff.com/uim/red_log.gif http://www.rediff.com/ 144 28 Visit rediff.com Man United to face Celtic http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28champu.htm Holders Manchester United will face familiar foes Celtic in this season's Champions League group stage. Safina advances to round three http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28us.htm Russian sixth seed Dinara Safina overcame a couple of concentration lapses to defeat Italy's Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-3 in the second round of the U.S. Open on Thursday. Award for Cristiano Ronaldo http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28ron.htm Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo was named UEFA's European Club Footballer of the Year on Thursday after scoring 42 goals last season including eight in the Champions League. Marat Safin fined for outburst http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28safin.htm Marat Safin has been fined $2,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct during his first-round win over American Vince Spadea at the U.S. Open, the International Tennis Federation said on Thursday. JCT rout Sporting Clube http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28durand.htm JCT rallied from a goal down to score thrice and tame Sporting Clube de Goa 3-1 in the Group B quarter-final league match of the Osian's 121st Durand Cup in New Delhi on Thursday. With the second edition of the I-League round the corner, JCT showed they have come to terms with life after Sunil Chhetri and Renedy Singh and the convincing 3-1 win saw them top the group. Spotted: Hulk Hogan at a reality show http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28celeb.htm Reader Jo-Jo Pere' sent us a picture of Hulk Hogan. World Billards Championship in Bangalore http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28billiards.htm Defending champions Pankaj Advani (timed format), who is in line for a hattrick, and Rupesh Shah (point format) will be seen in action in the IBSF World Billiards Championship which gets underway in Bangalore on Monday. China lights Paralympics torch http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28china.htm Four days after closing the 2008 Beijing Games in triumph, China lit the 2008 Paralympic torch amid pomp and ceremony at Beijing's ancient Temple of Heaven, marking the start of a domestic relay for the September 6 Games. Hazey weather, making an unwelcome return after the Olympics ended on Sunday, cleared enough to allow the sun to light a wick placed in a concave mirror at the front of the circular Prayer Hall for Good Harvests. India needs IITs for sports http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28girish.htm 'A goal should be set to take our medal tally to ten at the London Olympics in 2012.' Pakistan hockey coach resigns http://www.rediff.com/rss/redirect.php?url=http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/aug/28pak.htm Pakistan hockey team's disastrous performance in the Beijing Olympics has taken another toll with coach Naved Alam following chief coach Khawaja Zakauddin in stepping down from his post. Announcing his resignation, Alam said the Olympic debacle is a collective failure and the federation should not start a witch hunt of senior players.