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Messi knocks down Alaves defensive wall for 3-0 win
Barcelona, Aug 19 (IANS) Two strokes of genius by FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and another by Philippe Coutinho in the second half knocked down the defensive barrier that Alaves had erected at the Camp Nou stadium, where the hosts started their La Liga title defence with a convincing 3-0 victory.
Led by the Argentine star, Barcelona on Saturday dominated the match from beginning to end, to the extent that it sometimes looked like Alaves were just giving up. Abelardo Fernandez’s team seemed trapped in its own end of the field, and had very little control of the ball, reports Efe.
In the first half, Barcelona held a virtual monopoly of the ball, and whenever their players lost control of it, they got it back within seconds. And after the second half started, it was all a Barcelona monologue.
Messi got Barcelona on the scoreboard by forcing a penalty in the area and executing the penalty kick masterfully, with a straight shot that tricked keeper Pacheco and whizzed under the crossbar to make it 1-0 in the 64th minute.
Then it was Brazilian Coutinho’s turn as he moved into the area and got positioned for a right-footed slam dunk that made it 2-0 seven minutes before the end of the game.
By this time Alaves were visibly deflated and not once put Barcelona’s goalkeeper Ter Stegen to the test. But Barcelona were smelling blood and Messi piled on another goal in the 92nd minute after taking an assist from Suarez and left-footing it into the net. And so the score jumped to 3-0 on the last play of the game.
“They (Alaves) defended very well out there, they were very compact. We were lacking a bit of rhythm early on but then we started getting more chances and finally opened the scoring,” Ernesto Valverde said after the game.
“When Alavés started opening up more, we were able to kill off the game,” explained Valverde, who considered that “as the minutes went by, we got better and better”.
–IANS
pur/sed
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.