Construction on a new tourist ferry port located about 6 kilometres from the provincial capital in Kampot province has been delayed, although a Tourism Ministry spokesman promised that construction would begin before the end of this year.

The $10 million port, funded by a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), is set to occupy 4 hectares in the province's Teuk Chhou district. Construction on the port will take about two-and-a-half years and, once completed, the new facility would be able to service cruise ships from neighbouring Vietnam and Thailand.

"It is delayed because we need to prepare and finish procedures and documents," Tith Chantha, spokesman for the Tourism Ministry, said on Monday. "The construction will start soon, absolutely in this year."

Soy Sinol, the director of the provincial Tourism Department in Kampot, said he had expected construction to begin earlier this year, but has not yet received details about the port's capacity or current status.

"I have no idea why the plan was delayed," he said. ADB officials did not respond to a request for comment.

About 162,000 foreign tourists visited Kampot province last year, according to the ministry.

Updated: 6:41am, Tuesday March 27, 2018

Ride-hailing platform Grab announced on Monday that it had acquired the Southeast Asia operations of its US-based rival Uber, including the company's ride-hailing services in Cambodia, just three months after it officially launched in the Kingdom.

In exchange, Uber will take a 27.5 percent stake in Grab and its CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, will join Grab's board of directors as part of the deal, according to a press release from Singapore-based Grab.

Wee Tang Yee, Grab's country head in Cambodia, said that Uber's services in the Kingdom will continue for a two-week transitional period as Grab seeks to transfer employees and drivers onto its own platform.

"Grab and Uber are working together to promptly migrate Uber drivers and riders, merchant partners and delivery partners to the Grab platform," he said in an email. "The Uber app will continue to operate for two weeks to ensure stability for Uber drivers, who can find out how to sign-up to drive with Grab online."

Founded in Malaysia in 2012, Grab now operates in eight Southeast Asian countries. It launched services in Phnom Penh in December, three months after Uber became the first international ride-hailing platform to begin operations in Cambodia.

Grab's acquisition of Uber had been rumoured for several months, and its entry into Cambodia was largely viewed as more successful than Uber's, despite the US firm's three-month head start.

Since its launch in December, Grab has added a motorbike taxi service and launched a preliminary tuk-tuk service in the capital, while also racking up several agreements with government and development agencies. Uber remained relatively static during the same period.

Multiple Uber regional representatives – including Krittiyawadee Pongpanich, Uber's Thailand-based head of communications, and Chris Brummitt, Uber's Asia-Pacific head of corporate and product communications – declined to comment on Monday.

Pascal Ly, who was hired as the general manager for Uber in Cambodia in January, said in an email on Monday that he was no longer able to speak on behalf of Uber or Grab, and would "prioritize my focus on the team to know what will be the next step for them".

That next step could be working for their one-time rival.

"All Uber employees, including ones in Cambodia, will receive offers to join Grab," Yee said on Monday. "As we onboard Uber passengers and drivers onto the Grab platform, there will be more passengers using Grab, which will mean more jobs, less waiting time, and ultimately more earnings for our driver-partners."

Yee predicted that the acquisition of Uber's operations would gradually lower fares for riders, which could mean increased competition with local ride-hailing platforms.

Homegrown ride-hailing startups, such as PassApp and ExNet, have so far been able to offer lower prices than Uber and Grab, but they could face increased pressure as Grab's prices fall.

Food delivery, another industry that's currently dominated by local businesses, could also feel the squeeze from Grab in the near future. Grab's Monday announcement said the company plans to expand its food delivery services to all Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, in the next few months.

"We will rapidly and efficiently expand GrabFood into all major SEA countries in the next quarter," Grab co-founder Tan Hooi Ling says in the release. "GrabFood will also be another great use case to drive the continued adoption of GrabPay mobile wallet and support our growing financial services platform."

Grab has officially launched its motorbike taxi service and started beta testing a tuk-tuk and rickshaw service in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, according to a press release issued by the company on Friday.

Grab Bike, which has been in beta testing for nearly two months in Phnom Penh's central districts, launched full services in the capital on Friday, making Grab the first major ride-hailing platform to offer motorbike taxi services in the Kingdom.

Grab Bike prices have also lowered since the initial beta test. Originally set at a higher-than-typical base rate of 2,500 riel, or $0.63, Grab Bike is now available for a base fare of 1,000 riel, or $0.25, with an additional $0.25 charge for each kilometre.

Grab also announced the launch of its beta test for "Grab Tuk Tuk" in Phnom Penh, a service that allows users to call auto-rickshaws, the ubiquitous three-wheeled Indian-style tuk-tuks commonly used by other ride-hailing applications.

The base fare for this service is now set at a rate of 2,000 riel, or $0.50, with each kilometre costing an additional 1,200 riel, or $0.30. Those prices are slightly higher than current prices offered for auto-rickshaw rides on local ride-hailing apps PassApp and ExNet.

Beta testing for a service entirely new for the international company, called "Grab Remorque", was announced as well, with those services available only in Siem Reap.

Top Nimol, the founder of PassApp, previously told The Post that he has been able to compete with international ride-hailing apps Uber and Grab because their prices are much higher than his own. With Grab now beginning to offer motorbikes and auto-rickshaws for lower prices, Nimol is taking a wait-and-see approach.

"I just don't know yet what this means for PassApp," he said. "Let's see in the future if [Grab] has a significant impact on us. All we can do is try our best."

On Sunday, US-based Bloomberg News reported that Grab would be buying the Southeast Asia assets from its rival Uber, which launched in Cambodia in September. Bloomberg reported an agreement between the two companies was expected to be reached this week.

A pair of female Cambodian entrepreneurs placed second in a regional business competition on Saturday, beating out university teams from six countries with their startup idea – called Eco-Plastic – that could utilise Cambodia's plastic waste to pave cheaper, more durable roads.

The Mekong Business Challenge (MBC), an annual competition that launched in Phnom Penh 12 years ago, welcomed 11 entrepreneurial teams from six nations at their contest held in Bhutan last week. The grand prize for the first-place team was a spot in the International Business Model Challenge competition in the US in May.

Stephen Paterson, co-founder and organiser of the MBC, said the contest's judges – which included representatives from international companies including McKinsey & Company, Google and ManuLife – were impressed by the initiative taken by the Cambodian team in pursuing expansion options for their startup.

"Eco-Plastic came in second in the Cambodian competition [last month], but since [then] they have made so much progress," Paterson said. "We want to emphasise methodology in our judging, and our criteria takes a look at the failures these teams have had to overcome to make their business models more realistic."

Since taking home the silver medal, the Eco-Plastic team – female duo Bunhourng Tan and Sokanha Ly – have received funding from a US investor, travelled to China to tour plastic recycling facilities and met with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to discuss implementing their idea.

"We had a great honour to meet the [Transport] Minister, His Excellency Sun Chanthol, who was very supportive of our idea," said Sokhana. "We got permission to use the ministry's laboratory to build and test our samples there, before we went to the MBC."

"Plastic waste is a curse to the environment, to health and to the economy . . . and people face a high risk driving on roads in Cambodia, which are often poorly constructed and damaged by high traffic," Sokhana said. "By establishing Eco-Plastic, we can use plastic waste to improve our roads, transforming landfill waste into a roadfill product."

Teammate Tan said that the pair had learned a lot since first coming up with their idea at the end of 2016, having entered several different local startup competitions and coming away with different lessons each time.

"During the last year, we've been to many startup competitions . . . and throughout the programs, our team gained more hands-on experience," she said. "It's been quite a journey, of going up and down, of failing and of learning from mistakes, of listening and then adjusting to incorporate the feedback."

Though a Bhutanese team took first place for their startup called Shogjur – which has already turned a profit from sales of recycled paper jewellery and souvenirs – the runner-up Cambodian team won a pair of laptops and has been encouraged to bring the Eco-Plastic business model to the US competition in May via another application process.

"The Eco-Plastic team will be applying for the open spot" in the US competition, Paterson said, adding he had "a very strong feeling they'll get it".

Cambodia's win in a regional competition was a sign of the growing entrepreneurial scene in the Kingdom, according to Paterson, and was likely due in-part to the many local programs and competitions that cater to university students. The next step for the Kingdom's startups would be to think bigger.

"There are businesses attracting small- to medium-size returns, but there's still a lack of investable ideas," he said. "There is still a lack of projects that can be scaled up to a larger level."

The Phnom Penh Post is currently negotiating a tax bill with Cambodia's General Department of Taxation (GDT), the newspaper's CEO said on Tuesday, denying media reports that The Post was on the verge of shutting down, and characterising the negotiations as "routine".

Marcus Holmes, who has been CEO since late 2017, said on Tuesday that the negotiations with the GDT began in December.

"It's so routine," he said, referring to the negotiations. "We fully expect we are going to explain this, [the GDT] is going to accept that and everyone is going to be happy."

News articles published by online outlet AEC News and Catholic newswire UCAN had asserted that the negotiations were exceptional and threatened the newspaper with closure, claims that Holmes disputed. The pieces relied on anonymous sources claiming to be either "hackers" or close to Phnom Penh Post Publisher Bill Clough.

Holmes rejected various claims that The Post was threatened with closure in the next 60 days; that the company was being penalised for failing to disclose a $2.5 million transfer from Australia; or that a deadline to pay back a $200,000 loan from a local bank was "very soon".

He did acknowledge that the government had sent a letter alleging that the paper failed to follow proper reporting requirements regarding a $2.5 million money transfer from Australia, where Clough resides.

"There's some very complicated tax legislation to do with injecting capital into Cambodia from outside," Holmes said, explaining that it was a routine part of The Post's operation to receive funds from Australia.

He said that the issue was now subject to negotiations, and that the talks are confidential. The GDT's policy is to not comment on specific negotiations.

The issues of tax compliance and press freedom intersected last September when English-language newspaper the Cambodia Daily, often critical of the government, was shuttered over a disputed $6.3 million tax bill. Observers connected the paper's shutdown to a larger crackdown on independent media and the political opposition that was occurring at the time, though that claim was fiercely rejected by the GDT.

But throughout Tuesday's interview, Holmes characterised The Post's negotiations as routine for any business, and said that The Post's status as the last independent newspaper in Cambodia had not affected the negotiations with the GDT.

Holmes said on Tuesday that the negotiations were ongoing and had no specific deadline, adding the newspaper was likely to file its latest reply to the Tax Department this week or early next week.

Other matters raised in the articles included a loan owed to a local bank, which Holmes said was normal, adding that the company had plans to pay it off within the next year.

The articles also referred to a payment ordered by the courts in a wrongful dismissal suit brought by former CEO Chris Dawe, who was dismissed for cause in 2015. The Post will be appealing the ruling to the Supreme Court soon, Holmes said.

"None of this is new, or interesting, or surprising," he said.

"It's all painted in these apocalyptic terms because we're the last independent newspaper in Cambodia. If we weren't . . . it would be very boring, and no business editor would be vaguely interested in publishing anything about it."

The Cambodian riel accounted for about 17 percent of total currency circulation last year, a number similar to previous years, but central bank officials said they remained optimistic that use of the local currency will grow in the future.

Speaking to reporters yesterday at an event in Phnom Penh celebrating the 38th anniversary of the re-introduction of riel as the national currency, National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) Director General Chea Serey said that despite the US dollar dominating Cambodia's currency market, the results of an internal consumer survey pointed to shifting attitudes toward the use of riel.

"I am optimistic that the circulation of Khmer riel will be better thanks to the change of consumer attitude," she said. "We have observed that our Cambodian people have increased their willingness to use the national currency."

Serey said that a study conducted by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency in 2014 found that Cambodian youths preferred to use Khmer riel rather than US dollars, and that preference strengthened in a more recently conducted study. Serey attributed that growing preference to the youths' "national pride".

"The priority now is that we need to transform the change of consumers' attitude to the real practice for better results," she said.

The central bank has also passed regulations to promote riel usage, including requiring all commercial banks and microfinance institutions to hold at least 10 percent of their loan portfolios in riel by the end of next year.

A previous version of this article misstated the author of a survey on the use of Khmer riel and US dollars in Cambodia. It was conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. The article also misstated the results of the survey, which found the majority of Cambodian youths preferred to use Khmer riel rather than US dollars. The Post apologises for any confusion caused.

In a country where most people are paid in cash and the majority of businesses are cash-only, cashless payment platforms can appear out of place.

But that hasn't stopped a number of digital payment companies from putting up impressive growth numbers in Cambodia, and the sector has continued to expand in the past few years.

One such company is Pi Pay, a smartphone application that allows you to either link your bank account to the service or top-up with cash at digital kiosks.

Following its launch in July last year, the company undertook a marketing blitz that offered steep discounts for people who paid with the app. It's now one of the most popular cashless payment services in the country, having processed 2.5 million transactions worth about $50 million and boasting a 30 percent user-growth rate each month.

Pi Pay CEO Thomas Pokorny said he thought it was just a matter of time before the country fully embraced the cashless economy.

"Once the mobile coffee vendor . . . sees the ease and convenience of moving the payment for a cup of coffee seamlessly from her customers' phone, through her phone and on in to her newly opened bank account, then . . . the likelihood grows that she will share this new world of convenience and security with friends and colleagues," he said.

Wing, another giant in the field of both cash and cashless banking and transactions in Cambodia, also reported significant growth in the mobile payments sector. The company's marketing director, Anita Harris, said she was upbeat about the potential for growth in the sector.

"Global forecasts suggest mobile payment transactions will grow by up to 40% by 2020," Harris wrote in an email. "I would not be surprised if Cambodia surpasses this."

But in a country where only 20 percent of citizens have a bank account, there are significant challenges to convincing people that an app can replace their banknotes.

Thy Vylin, owner of the Yes Coffee drink cart in Phnom Penh, is an example of the audience Pokorny would like to reach. And while Vylin did express interest in using a cashless payment system for his business – mostly to attract foreigners – he said he was not interested in using the service for personal transactions.

"Even if a bank account were set up for me, it's just too complicated," he said. "I prefer cash for myself . . . it is the normal thing."

What is considered "normal" could shift as cashless payment services continue to grow, according to Gordon Peters, a partner at investment firm Mekong Strategic Partners.

"Consumers using digital payment services and wallets will eventually get used to this versus cash," Peters said. "I predict it will encourage more bank accounts in the future."

Pokorny agreed, saying that he saw Pi Pay as a driver for broad financial inclusion.

But vendors outside of Cambodia's newly built malls and high-end shopping centres remain sceptical about the technology.

Ouk Saroeurn, a clothing vendor in Phsar Thmey, said she preferred cash and would only consider using a payment gateway to draw tourists or expatriates to her store. Her sentiments were echoed by every vendor interviewed by reporters, all of whom said they would prefer to stick with cash instead of a digital application.

That attitude can only be changed through education, according to Ngeth Chou, a senior consultant at Emerging Markets Consulting.

"When confidence in banks' IT operations is limited, people are still more likely to spend cash or keep money in their pocket," he said. "That will not help economic growth."

Following reports that Uber plans to sell some of its Southeast Asia assets to Grab, the strategies and experiences of the two ride-hailing applications in Cambodia reveal differences in the pairs' approaches to new markets.

News of the sale has been rumoured for months, but Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal have reported in recent weeks that the two companies have agreed in principle to a deal that would transfer most of Uber's regional operations to Grab.

Representatives of both firms in Cambodia declined to comment on any potential deal. Both companies have said they are seeking to localise services to adapt to the Cambodian market, which already features several ride-hailing platforms run by local entrepreneurs.

US-based Uber beat Grab to market in Cambodia, launching in September last year by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT).

It began offering its hallmark service, a sleek app that allows customers to call cars whose drivers take them to a predetermined location set on the app.

It was a fairly unique service in Cambodia, where taxis are a rarity and demand for drivers is often filled by motorbike drivers, tuk-tuks or auto-rickshaws.

So when Grab launched a few months later, it appeared they were behind the curve. But the Singapore-based company, which has focused on Southeast Asia and is known for adapting to local markets, has rapidly worked to establish itself in the Kingdom.

After signing an MoU with the MPWT in December, Grab went on to sign agreements with the Anti-Corruption Unit in January and the United Nations Development Programme last month. It has also launched a promotional code to donate $1 per ride to Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital and piloted GrabBike, a service allowing customers to hail motorbike drivers, which is a popular feature in other countries in the region.

Meanwhile, Uber did not hire a general manager in the country until January, and has not announced any partnerships with other agencies or government departments.

Grab also appears to have the favour of the government. During his remarks at Grab's launch event in December, Transport Minister Sun Chanthol said he hoped Grab "can sign an IPO [initial public offering] soon, before their main competitor", an apparent reference to Uber.

The race to IPO is likely what's driving Uber to sell its Southeast Asia business, which faces stiff competition, according to analysts. The firm has undertaken similar sales in China and Russia.

Grab may also have been helped by the political climate in the Kingdom. Prime Minister Hun Sen has lashed out at the United States in recent months, accusing it of colluding with the now-dissolved opposition party to enact a "colour revolution" in the country.

He has specifically targeted US Ambassador William Heidt, most recently calling him a "liar ambassador" earlier this month. Ambassador Heidt spoke at Uber's launch in Cambodia in September, hailing the company as "one of America's most exciting and innovative technology companies".

Whether politics played a role or not, Grab has appeared to more succesfully garner the support of the government.

But if a firm's success hinges on its ability to adapt to local markets, home-grown apps such as ExNet and PassApp may have the natural advantage, according to Gordon Peters, partner at investment firm Mekong Strategic Partners.

"Being able to ‘win' in this market requires offering a good customer experience and good driver relationships," Peters said yesterday. "Local ride-hailing apps seem to understand Cambodian drivers better at the moment," he said, adding that he expected companies like Uber and Grab to be able to adapt eventually, buoyed by their significant advantages in money and technology.

But until that time, the founders of local ride-hailing apps don't appear worried.

"Our customers still keep increasing, even though Grab and Uber are here," said Top Nimol, founder of PassApp which employs over 1,000 drivers. "All of our services are increasing every day."

Hor Daluch, the founder of ExNet, said he thought Grab was doing a better job than Uber of expanding into the Cambodian market, but noted he didn't view the company as a rival.

"Grab is not too much competition for me, even with its new GrabBike," Daluch said. "It is too expensive in comparison, and not as good as a rickshaw."

The Asian Development Bank's recent announcement of $40 million in funding for Cambodia marks the first funds from the Green Climate Fund that were earmarked for the Kingdom, according to ADB officials.

The money – a $30 million grant and a $10 million concessional loan – will go towards the "climate-friendly agribusiness value chains sector project", according to Srinivasan Ancha, principal climate change specialist at the organisation.

"The amount will be used to enhance climate resilience of agricultural value chains in selected provinces of Cambodia," Srinivasan said, adding that the government of Cambodia would be the recipient of the money.

The six-year project will involve the Agriculture Ministry, Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry and Rural Development Ministry, according to Srinivasan, who said the project aims to boost the competitiveness of Cambodia's agricultural sector by increasing productivity and boosting efficiency.

Cambodia is regularly ranked as among the most susceptible countries to climate change, with the Kingdom's economy and population both sensitive to climate-related disasters and shocks that are expected in the future due to global climate change.

The ADB and the Green Climate Fund, both international funding organisations, signed an agreement in August last year allowing the bank to use the fund's resources in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate expected risks resulting from climate change in developing nations.

Annual reports from two ministries released on Monday appear to show significantly different numbers of factories, enterprises and garment factory workers in Cambodia last year, and officials at the two ministries contacted yesterday did not explain the contradictory data.

The annual report from the Ministry of Labour (MoL) released on Monday reported a total of 1,147 garment "enterprises and institutes" operating in the country last year.

That appears to clash with data from the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts (MIH), which released a report on the same day claiming a total of 1,031 garment "factories".

MoL spokesman Heng Sour did not respond to a message asking what the difference between a "factory" and an "enterprise and institute" was, or how the MoL was defining "enterprise and institute".

The MoL report also says the total number of "enterprises and institutes" operating in the country last year was 11,397. That stands in contrast to the MIH's report regarding both the total number of "factories", which was reported as 1,522, as well as the total number of "small- and medium-sized enterprises", which was 155,640.

The number of garment factory workers was also different in the two reports. The Labour Ministry's report said there were 763,820 workers at garment "enterprises and institutes" last year, while MIH reported there were 847,419 workers at garment "factories" – a difference of more than 80,000 workers.

Hort Pheng, the director of the Industry Affairs Department at MIH, said he did not know why the data or terminology was different and insisted his ministry's report was the accurate one.

"Our data is the key number, and the only data that is submitted to the Council of Ministers," Pheng said. "I have no idea where the Ministry of Labour's records are from."

After an honourable defeat to Barcelona on away goals in the Champions League quarterfinals in 2013, Paris Saint-Germain"s Qatari president Nasser Al-Khelaifi stated the club"s objective was to win the competition "in the next five years".

That deadline expired with Tuesday"s limp defeat to holders Real Madrid in the last 16, leaving the French side as far away from being European champions as at any point since Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) bought the club in 2011.

For all their lavish spending, PSG have still not made it past the quarterfinals of the competition this decade, and there have now been consecutive exits in the last 16, the 5-2 aggregate loss to Cristiano Ronaldo"s Real coming after a spectacular collapse saw them crash out in Barcelona a year ago.

The strategy after that defeat was to commit to paying the two biggest transfer fees in football history last August to sign Neymar and Kylian Mbappe for a combined €402 million ($499 million), an attempt to buy immediate success on the biggest stage.

It has not worked, with Neymar left watching Tuesday"s 2-1 defeat at the Parc des Princes that sealed PSG"s fate from Brazil, where he is recovering from a foot operation.

"All that for that", was the headline on the front of French sports daily L"Equipe today, a reference mainly to the bold transfer strategy.

"We believe in our players. We want to continue the project, with the two of them because they are the future of the club," said Al-Khelaifi on Tuesday when asked if the club"s investment should be called into question.

Seven years after QSI"s arrival, PSG have still managed to beat just three teams in the Champions League knockout stage: Valencia, Bayer Leverkusen and Chelsea.

That is a damning statistic for a club with their means and ambitions.

"We will continue, as much as patience allows, to build a team which can win in the future," said coach Unai Emery on Tuesday.

"When I came here I said I was sure this team can win the Champions League. But it"s a process."

Neymar to stay, Emery out

Soon to be out of contract, Emery will not be given another crack at the competition in Paris. The club will look for a new coach, and they will be tempted to go for a big name after the failure of the Emery experiment – the Spaniard won three Europa Leagues with Sevilla but has never won a Champions League knockout tie in six seasons of trying.

They also need to revamp their squad again, and replace the likes of Thiago Silva, Thiago Motta, Dani Alves and Angel Di Maria, all in their 30s.

The club insist they are not worried about falling foul of UEFA"s Financial Fair Play rules, even if a premature European exit will mean a shortfall of millions of euros.

"We are relaxed about it. It is more of an issue outside the club than inside. It is March and we have until the end of June. There are no worries," sporting director Antero Henrique told L"Equipe last weekend.

One thing that is unlikely to happen is Neymar leaving, despite ongoing speculation that the Brazilian has not settled in France.

Al-Khelaifi"s beIN Sports owns the exclusive international distribution rights for television coverage of the French league, and the network is currently in the process of negotiating new deals around the world. In that context, PSG selling a star such as Neymar this year is unthinkable.

But in the meantime another period of soul searching will begin for PSG and their Qatari owners.

"Now is not the time to talk about change, everyone is upset. We want to calm down before working out what needs to be changed. We have time to think about that," said Al-Khelaifi on Tuesday.

PSG still have three domestic trophies to go and win before the end of the season, but that seems instantly less appealing once the big prize of the Champions League is no longer up for grabs.

The governing body of world athletics said on Tuesday that it was maintaining Russia's ban from the sport over mass doping, saying Moscow had failed to provide evidence it was adequately testing Russian competitors.

Despite Russian athletes being allowed back into Olympic competition, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said the country's anti-doping body RUSADA had met some of the requirements to be reinstated, but not all.

The IAAF's medical expert Rune Andersen said the sport's anti-doping task force had "recommended to the IAAF Council and the Council accepted that [the Russian athletics federation] RUSAF not be reinstated'.

"Because, while many reinstatement conditions had been met, there are several that still have not been satisfied," Andersen told a press conference in the English city of Birmingham.

"For example, RUSAF and RUSADA have still not provided a test distribution plan for 2018 that shows an adequate amount of testing of Russian athletes."

Andersen also said RUSAF had not demonstrated "that it has fixed previous legal issues that meant it was unable to enforce provisional doping bans".

The International Olympic Committee lifted its ban on Russia at the end of the Pyeongchang Winter Games last month.

Russia had been banned from the Olympic movement over allegations it put in place a huge system of state-sponsored doping culminating at the 2014 Russian-hosted Sochi Winter Games.

A team of 168 Russians competed in Pyeongchang under the banner of Olympic Athletes from Russia, but a Russian curling medallist tested positive for a banned substance.

Dmitry Shlyakhtin, the head of Russian athletics, said he would seek a meeting with IAAF President Sebastian Coe and Andersen to argue his case.

"We've sent them all the materials and the documents [they asked for]," he said, adding that the IAAF task force "has not been in touch with us since October".

Sergei Shubenkov, Russia's 2015 world 110m hurdles champion, said the IAAF's decision was incomprehensible.

"I just have no idea how to take all this," he told R-Sport agency. "For a long time now I have not understood what's going on at these [IAAF] meetings and their decisions.

"In any case there's no choice [for us athletes] and I'll continue training and preparing."

Several Russian athletes competed as neutrals in last week's World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, including the winners of the women's and men's high jump competitions, Mariya Lasitskene and Danil Lysenko.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insisted the Champions League quarterfinals is where his side belong after ending a nine-year wait to reach the last eight on Tuesday night.

Despite settling for a goalless draw in an uninspiring last 16, second leg at Anfield, Liverpool eased past Porto 5-0 on aggregate thanks to a comprehensive win in Portugal three weeks ago.

"It feels really good," said Klopp, who is only in his second full season in charge. "I think this year we belong there to be honest. It should not be a big surprise

"The next round will be difficult, seven other very good teams, maybe four of them are from England, which doesn't make it easier.

"I think we will have a chance for sure to go to the semis. We'll take it step by step and tonight it is cool."

With the job done in Portugal, Klopp could even afford the luxury of starting top scorer Mohamed Salah and club-record signing Virgil van Dijk on the bench with one eye on Saturday's vital visit to Manchester United in the Premier League.

"Now we can prepare for the Manchester game. I'm looking forward to it," added Klopp.

Liverpool have made a habit of fast starts in Europe this season, but took time to warm to their task with the German having made five changes in all from the side that beat Newcastle at the weekend.

Ovation for Cassillas

It took 17 minutes for the hosts to threaten when Joe Gomez's cross was acrobatically flicked towards goal by Mane, but looped just over the bar.

Mane was inches away from his fourth goal of the tie on the half-hour mark when he controlled James Milner's lofted pass on his chest before smashing the inside of Iker Casillas's far post.

Dejan Lovren then headed narrowly over as Liverpool threatened to raise the pulse of an understandably more subdued Anfield than is customary on a European night.

"Probably if you draw away and then win at home it feels maybe different," continued Klopp.

"But the maximum you can achieve is the next round and we did that in a comfortable way."

Casillas was given a standing ovation by the Liverpool fans in the Kop end as he took to the field after the break on his record 167th and possible farewell appearance in the Champions League.

"I think he has more [appearances] than our whole squad," said Klopp, who embraced Casillas at full-time.

"I don't say the number of years, but I think he obviously wants to play a bit more."

However, that was one of few moments that got the home fans off their feet as Liverpool settled on their substantial lead.

Roberto Firmino had one clear chance to add to his seven Champions League goals this season when his shot was blocked by Porto captain Felipe before the Brazilian was protected by Klopp for the weekend as Danny Ings was introduced for the final half hour.

Salah was given 15 minutes to find the winner when he replaced Mane.

The Egyptian had one opportunity to extend his scoring streak to eight straight games, but Casillas smothered his low effort.

And the Spanish veteran made his best stop of the night two minutes from time to deny Ings and hold onto his clean sheet.

Chris Paul scored 25 points as the Houston Rockets overpowered Russell Westbrook's Oklahoma City Thunder to tighten their grip on the Western Conference with a 16th straight victory on Tuesday.

Paul produced a scintillating display of shooting which included five 3-pointers to help the Rockets bring up their 50th win of the season, a 122-112 victory.

Houston now lead the West at 50-13, one game ahead of the Golden State Warriors, who defeated the Brooklyn Nets 114-101 on Tuesday.

The Thunder, meanwhile, remain firmly in the battle for one of the lower-seeded playoff spots, lying seventh at 37-29.

Against the Rockets, the talismanic figure of Westbrook once again led the way for the Thunder with 32 points, while Carmelo Anthony finished with 23.

Paul George had 17 points, while New Zealand's Steven Adams chipped in with 16.

Houston's greater depth in offence, however, was to prove decisive, with seven players cracking double digits.

MVP hopeful James Harden was happy to take a backseat to Paul, but he still managed to come up with 23 points, 11 assists and five rebounds.

Harden, meanwhile, warned against complacency as the Rockets targeted a strong finish to the regular season.

"We've still got a long away to go, especially these last 20 games or whatever we've got left," he said.

"Every single game is going to be a different challenge that we're going to face."

Turnovers costly

Thunder coach Billy Donovan bemoaned his team's tendency to concede cheap turnovers.

"We turned the ball over too much, both halves," Donovan said. "We need to do a better job of taking care of the basketball.

"I thought the difference in the game was the 3-point line and the free-throw line. We didn't get there enough and probably put them there too many times."

In Oakland, Stephen Curry scored 34 points as Golden State eased past Brooklyn at the Oracle Arena.

Kevin Durant had 19 points with Klay Thompson 18 and Draymond Green 16 to maintain the reigning NBA champions' pursuit of Houston.

In Los Angeles, Anthony Davis exploded for 41 points as New Orleans edged the Clippers 126-121 to claim a ninth straight win. The Pelicans improved to 37-26 with the result.

In the Eastern Conference on Tuesday, DeMar DeRozan led the scoring as the Toronto Raptors notched a fifth consecutive victory to remain firmly on top of the standings with a 106-90 romp against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Raptors improved to 46-17 with the win, helped by Jonas Valanciunas contributing 15 points and CJ Miles 14 off the bench. Serge Ibaka and Delon Wright also made double figures with 10 points apiece.

John Collins and Kent Bazemore each made 14 points for the Hawks, but the visitors were unable to prevent a sixth defeat in eight games.

Atlanta remain rooted to the foot of the Eastern Conference with a 20-45 record.

In Charlotte, Robert Covington led an all-round scoring display from the Philadelphia 76ers in a 128-114 defeat of the Hornets.

Covington scored 22 points for the Sixers, one of seven players to finish in double figures for the visitors, who improved to 35-28 and remain sixth in the standings.

Dario Saric had 19 points, while Joel Embiid snared 18. Australian star Ben Simmons got 16 points with 13 assists and eight rebounds. Charlotte fell to 28-37 in the defeat.

In Washington, Bradley Beal had 30 points, while Markieff Morris exerted his influence as the Wizards maintained their playoff push, winning 117-113 over the Miami Heat. Morris had 16 points with 13 rebounds to help the Wizards improve to 37-28.

Cambodia's first ever Gaelic football and hurling games played out to great success at Phnom Pennh's ISPP grounds on Saturday.

Teams from Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore battled it out in men's and ladies' Gaelic football matches. To close the event, an exhibition hurling game was played under floodlights.

The tournament was organised by the world's newest GAA Club, Cairde Khmer, which was only formed in September.

A total of 85 players braved the heat to represent their clubs, while an estimated 250 spectators viewed the action throughout the day.

A pitchside after-party and presentation ceremony rounded off the historic day.

On the field, Thailand were crowned men's Gaelic football champions, while Saigon Gaels scooped the ladies' Gaelic football crown. In the exhibition hurling match, Thailand beat a mixed Cambodian and Vietnamese team. Several player of the tournament awards were bestowed for each of the three sporting codes on display throughout the day.

The men's awards went to Thailand's Niall Geraghty, for his Gaelic football endeavours, and Saigon's Damien Maloney, for his hurling prowess.

The ladies Gaelic football award was given to Cairde Khmer's Keelyn Grandon.

Cairde Khmer chairperson and co-founder, Conor Wall, said afterwards: "The day exceeded all expectations. Both the spectators and players enjoyed themselves immensely.

"The aim of the tournament was to use sport to help develop stronger bonds between Irish and Cambodians, as well as highlight the GAA
values of community volunteerism, cooperation and development.

"I would like to think we went some way to achieving this today."

Mexican middleweight Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, preparing for a May 5 title rematch with Gennady Golovkin, has tested positive for banned clenbuterol, his promoters blaming tainted meat.

A voluntary drug test showed Alvarez had trace amounts of the drug in his system and Golden Boy Promotions said in a statement on Monday that the level was "consistent with meat contamination that has impacted dozens of athletes in Mexico over the last years".

"These values are all within the range of what is expected from meat contamination," Golden Boy quoted Daniel Eichner, director of the WADA-accredited SMRTL lab that conducted the tests, as saying.

The promotion company headed by Mexican ring great Oscar de la Hoya said it had notified the Nevada State Athletic Commission and Golovkin's promoter Tom Loeffler.

"We're waiting to get a ruling from the Nevada commission," Loeffler said.

"Whenever you have a positive test, it's never a good thing. But we'll wait until we get the information. As of now, nothing has changed from our side. Gennady is still training and hoping that the fight continues, but we'll leave it up to the commission."

Undefeated Golovkin and Alvarez fought to a split draw in a September 16 thriller that ended amid some controversy.

While one judge scored the fight for Golovkin and one had it even, there was widespread astonishment at the card of judge Adalaide Byrd, who marked it 118-110 in favor of Alvarez.

"This is a fight that Gennady has wanted," Loeffler said. "He was begging Canelo for the first fight and naturally wanted the second fight after the controversy with the judges in the first.

"He's certainly not looking to get out of this fight for any reason. But at the same time, there's a reason why testing is in place. But we just have to wait for the results and see how that shakes out."

Golden Boy said Alvarez will immediately move his training camp from Mexico to the United States "and will submit to any number and variety of additional tests" deemed necessary in the build up to the May bout.

Alvarez said the positive result "surprises and bothers me".

"I will submit to all the tests that require me to clarify this embarrassing situation and I trust that at the end the truth will prevail," he said.

Tainted meat has been blamed before for positive clenbuterol tests in Mexico, where it is sometimes used to fatten cattle.

The World Anti-Doping Agency warned athletes at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara to be careful about what they ate during the event.

FIFA, world football's governing body, concluded that contaminated meat resulted in positive tests of 109 players at the Under-17 World Cup in Mexico that year, when five members of Mexico's national team also tested positive.

Former Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins says he is the victim of a "malicious" attempt to smear his reputation, vehemently denying he has cheated during his glittering career, which also features five Olympic gold medals.

A damning report by lawmakers on Monday said Wiggins and Team Sky had crossed an "ethical line" by using drugs to enhance performance and not just to treat medical need.

It comes after Russian computer hackers revealed in 2016 that the British rider had applied for therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) to have injections of the powerful corticosteroid triamcinolone before three of his biggest races, including the 2012 Tour de France, which he won.

But Wiggins said in an interview with the BBC that he only used prescribed drugs for valid medical reasons and when asked if he categorically denied cheating, added: "A hundred per cent. Never, throughout my career."

"This is malicious," said the five-time Olympic champion, who was the first British cyclist to win the Tour. "This is someone trying to smear me. These allegations, it's the worst thing to be accused of.

"It's also the hardest thing to prove you haven't done. We're not dealing in a legal system. I'd have had more rights if I'd murdered someone."

The UK government's Commons digital, culture, media and sport committee report centred around the team's use of triamcinolone.

Triamcinolone, used to treat asthma, is an anti-inflammatory steroid that can also help cyclists shed weight without losing power.

Wiggins, 37, denied the team had crossed an ethical line by using the medication.

'This is malicious'

He said he had only used triamcinolone on one occasion other than the three TUEs, which had already been made public, but the report said he may have taken it nine times in four years.

"I don't know where that's come from," Wiggins said. "I really would like to know. This is an anonymous source, this is an anonymous person who has said this.

"I refute that 100 per cent. This is malicious. This is someone trying to smear me."

Wiggins said he had stuck to the rules in place at the time and had been granted permission by cycling's governing body to take the drug.

When asked if he would have won the Tour de France without it in 2012, he replied: "Well, had I had an asthma attack, no, probably not. No."

Team Sky said they took full responsibility for mistakes that were made but strongly refuted the claim that medication was used to enhance performance.

Wiggins said he would try to repair his damaged legacy.

"I don't know how I'm going to pick the pieces up with the kids and stuff, and I'm left to do that as well as trying to salvage my reputation from this," he added. "I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

Philippine boxing idol Manny Pacquiao said his next opponent would be either world champion Lucas Matthysse or Danny Garcia in Malaysia in May or June, after rejecting an undercard offer to face Mike Alvarado.

Pacquiao told ABS-CBN television in an interview aired today that his camp had narrowed the choices down to World Boxing Association welterweight champion Matthysse, of Argentina, or the American former WBA super-welterweight and World Boxing Council welterweight champ Garcia, who was unbeaten until last year.

"Definitely, Malaysia is where we will fight. If not May, this coming June, maybe third week of June, so the preparation will not conflict with my work," said Pacquiao, who is also a senator.

Last week Pacquiao, 39, rejected an offer to fight on the undercard of the Jeff Horn-Terence Crawford fight in the US in April.

Pacquiao, who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions, previously said he was eyeing an April date with Ukraine's World Boxing Organization superfeatherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko during a break from his senatorial duties.

Asked why he would fight in Malaysia, Pacquiao said "because those in Malaysia appealed to also have a fight there".

Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines but there have been growing questions about whether the ageing boxer can still command the mammoth paydays that his fights used to earn.

He lost his WBO welterweight title to the Australian Horn last year to leave his record standing at 59 wins, seven losses and two draws, and is now in the twilight of his career.

The Filipino southpaw retired briefly in 2016 but made a comeback to retake his WBO title from Jessie Vargas just months later. He has not scored a knockout win in the past eight years.

In January, Pacquiao rejected calls to retire for good, adding he did not believe his recent losses tarnished his record.

He used his sporting fame to get elected to the influential Senate in 2016 and has had to juggle his training and matches with his legislative schedule.

N'Golo Kante did not feature in Chelsea's match against Premier League leaders Manchester City at the weekend after fainting at the club's training ground, reports today said.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper said shocked teammates feared the France international had suffered a heart problem when he briefly passed out after training on Friday.

It said a Chelsea doctor was on the scene within seconds of Kante slumping to one side in the dressing room at the club's Cobham training ground southwest of London.

The 26-year-old was given the all-clear after cardiology tests, the report said, and Kante travelled with the squad to Manchester for Sunday's match. He was cleared to play but felt unwell on Sunday morning.

The midfielder was back in training on Monday and is expected to be available for Saturday's Premier League home game against Crystal Palace.

Kante's health scare came two days before Fiorentina captain and Italy international Davide Astori, 31, was found dead in his hotel room in Udine.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, who coached Astori when he was in charge of the Italian national team, said the player's death was a "tragedy".

Kante, who has played 38 matches for club and country this season, won the Premier League title with Leicester in 2015-16 and repeated the feat under Conte after joining the London club.

He won the Football Writers' Association and Professional Footballers' Association player of the year awards last season.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted a charge from the Football Association for wearing a political symbol, the English governing body announced on Monday.

Guardiola has said he wears a yellow ribbon to support imprisoned pro-independence politicians in his native Catalonia.

The FA ruled it breached their rules on kit and advertising regulations.

Guardiola said in November: "If one day in prison was already too much, look how many days they've been there now.

"Like everybody knows, hopefully sooner or later I can stop wearing it."

The 47-year-old has been wearing the ribbon in support of the political leaders jailed following the Catalonia independence referendum last October, which was declared illegal by Spain.

An FA statement read: "Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted an FA charge for wearing a political message, specifically a yellow ribbon, in breach of the FA's kit and advertising regulations. A paper hearing has been requested, with a date to be set in due course."

His much publicised stance over the controversy in Catalonia has become a major issue in his homeland where, according to reports in Spain, the City manager's private plane was searched at Barcelona's El Prat airport two weeks ago by police looking for exiled Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont.

Since the charge was issued Guardiola has either covered up the ribbon during games or not worn it.

However, Guardiola insists that, even though his protest aims to highlight the fates of a jailed group that includes Catalan politicians Jordi Sanchez and Jordi Cuixart, it is not a political issue.

"When men and women put on a pink ribbon it's because of the support for the breast cancer initiative," he said.

"The same when I wear the the prostate cancer badge, it's the same, the idea is the same, there are a lot of ribbons.

"I'm pretty sure there are people all around the world in Spain and Catalunya who do not want to be independent, but they are not agreeing with putting people in 'prevention' jail.

The FA's stance on the matter differs from European governing body UEFA, who allow the ribbon to be worn. City also believe the symbol is not generally considered offensive

The yellow emblem worn by Guardiola during Sunday's Premier League win over Chelsea was the daffodil of the Marie Curie cancer charity.

Mauricio Pochettino faces a defining moment as the Tottenham boss aims to joins the managerial elite by masterminding a famous Champions League triumph against Juventus on Wednesday night (at 2:45am Cambodian time.

Long regarded as one of the sport's brightest young managers, Pochettino can use this season's Champions League to reach the rarified air inhabited by the likes of Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Diego Simeone.

Like his former Argentina team-mate Simeone, Pochettino is coveted by some of Europe's biggest clubs.

But while Simeone has defied the odds to lead Atletico Madrid to La Liga and Europa League titles, as well as reaching two Champions League finals, Pochettino is still waiting for his breakthrough moment.

Despite earning plaudits throughout his nine-year managerial career with Espanyol, Southampton and now Tottenham, the 46-year-old has failed to lead any of his clubs to a major trophy.

Clearly, silverware isn't the only measure of a manager and no one would doubt Pochettino overachieved at Espanyol and Southampton given the lack of financial backing available.

Although Tottenham have greater resources than either of Pochettino's other teams, they largely steer clear of the huge fees paid by their top four rivals in the Premier League.

Since arriving in north London 2014, Pochettino has deftly navigated those constraints to turn Tottenham into a genuine top four force after years of underachievement.

But the crucial black mark on Pochettino's CV remains his failure to push Tottenham across the finish line when they have been on the brink of landing a trophy.

Having reached the League Cup final in 2015, Pochettino's side slumped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Chelsea, while in 2016 a late-season swoon allowed Leicester to coast to the Premier League title.

A vital loss at West Ham cost Tottenham dearly last season when they were unable to keep pace with eventual champions Chelsea, who also knocked out their rivals in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Tottenham's struggles in away games against their main rivals have been a constant problem throughout Pochettino's reign, dooming them to also-ran status in this season's title chase.

But Tottenham's Champions League exploits over the last few months suggest any inferiority complex is being eroded at last.

'Football is a joy'

That certainly seemed the case when they crushed European champions Real Madrid 3-1 at Wembley with a vibrant display that showcased the best of Pochettino's high-tempo philosophy.

That impressive result came after a draw in Madrid and recovering from two goals down to draw 2-2 in the last 16 first leg against Juventus was another step in the right direction.

With Tottenham hoping to reach the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 2011, eliminating the Italian champions would be another step towards the top table for Pochettino.

His appetite for success is driving him on and, after admitting he once thought of quitting management by the time he was 50, the Argentine now plans a long career on the bench.

"When I started as a manager I was 36, I said, 'OK, I will be a manager and my limit is 50'," Pochettino said.

"Now, I don't know if I will be longer like Roy [Hodgson] or [Sir Alex] Ferguson or Wenger, or maybe I will stop before.

"When I watch football and the manager always criticises everyone and sees the phantom and tries to defend himself and fight with you and fight with the fans and fight with this. That is no life.

"I want to improve and try to enjoy doing my job but if I am going to suffer or create drama in my life, I would prefer to go away.

"Football is a joy. The most quiet I am is when we are going to compete. It's not a drama. For other people it's different but for me football is not a drama – it is a joy."

Serena Williams said on Monday that she "can't wait for the future" as she warmed up for her return to the WTA Tour at the Tie Break Tens exhibition at Madison Square Garden.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion is competing at the elite Indian Wells hardcourt tournament this week, her first tour action since her 2017 Australian Open triumph.

Williams was pregnant when she lifted the trophy in Melbourne last year, and missed the rest of 2017 awaiting the birth of her daughter in September.

Monday's event, which featured eight players facing off in 10-point "super tie-breaks" as they vied for a $250,000 winner's prize, was a chance to sharpen her skills.

Williams bowed out in the second round, gaining a 9-7 lead over China's Zhang Shuai but eventually falling 13-11.

"It was good," she said of the experience. "I wish I would have made a few more shots."

Williams opened the laid-back event with a 10-5 victory over Marion Bartoli, the 2013 Wimbledon champion who announced in December she was planning to return to the court more than four years after retiring in the wake of her only Grand Slam triumph.

After correcting the protocol for the "rock-paper-scissors" game used to determine who served first, Williams fell behind 4-2, but a double-fault from Bartoli followed by two aces from Serena saw the American great ahead 5-4.

A couple of forehand winners and a service winner saw Williams take an 8-4 lead, and she finally finished it off with another winning serve.

"It feels different, it feels good," said Williams, who returned to competition with a Fed Cup doubles loss alongside her sister Venus last month.

The birth of Williams's daughter, Alexis Olympia, was followed by complications that scuppered the player's plans to defend her title in Melbourne.

But Williams says she's aiming to be back at her best – apparently more than comfortable with coach Patrick Mouratoglou's comments to wtatennis.com that her goal for this season "will be to win Grand Slams."

"I think everyone should have high expectations," said Williams, who will be unseeded at Indian Wells and open her campaign against 53rd-ranked Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan. "That's the message that I'm sending."

Bartoli, who was forced to pull out of an exhibition event at Wimbledon last year because of a mystery virus and dramatic weight loss, has said she was targeting a return to the WTA Tour at the Miami Open later this month.

However, the 33-year-old said her timetable would depend on how her body holds up to training.

"I do not know if my shoulder and my knees are going to hold, there are so many question marks," she said.

"What is certain is that I will not return to the court until I consider myself 100 percent. I stopped the competition for five years – and I'll be back when I'm 100 percent."

Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Saponara has given a heartrending tribute to his teammate and captain Davide Astori, who was found dead in his hotel room on Sunday morning ahead of their Serie A match with Udinese.

Saponara posted on Instagram:

"O captain, my captain. Why did you not come down to have breakfast with us all? Why did you not pick up your shoes from outside of Marco [Sportiello]'s room and then drink your orange juice, as usual?

"Now they'll tell us that life goes on, that we must look forward and pick ourselves up, but what will your absence taste like? Who will arrive every morning in the cafeteria, warming up everyone with his smile?

"Who will ask us about what we did the previous night and have a laugh about it? Who will nurture the youngsters and give a sense of responsibility to the veterans? Who will form the circle to work on our ‘two-touch play' and who will demolish Marco on the PlayStation?

"With whom will we debate about Masterchef, Florence's restaurants, TV series or games played? Who will I lean on at lunch after a tiring training session? Come on, come back. You still need to finish watching LaLaLand to analyse like you did with all new movies.

"Come back to Florence, they're waiting for you to renew your contract and acknowledge all the good and the positivity that you bring to us on a daily basis. Get out of that damn room, we'll be waiting for you tomorrow at training

"In life there are people you've known forever but have never bonded with, and then there are the ‘Davides', who warm to you immediately with a simple ‘welcome to Florence, Ricky'.

"Wherever you are now, keep on defending our goal and enlighten the right path for us from the backline.

"Oh captain, my captain. Forever, my captain."

An autopsy into the death of Astori is to be carried out today, while his funeral will be held in Florence on Thursday, Fiorentina have said.

Jose Mourinho revealed his expletive-filled half-time rant inspired Manchester United's dramatic 3-2 win over Crystal Palace on Monday night.

Mourinho's side fought back from two goals down at Selhurst Park to snatch the points thanks to Nemanja Matic's blistering long-range strike in stoppage time.

United trailed to goals from Andros Townsend and Patrick van Aanholt before Chris Smalling gave the visitors a lifeline.

Romelu Lukaku equalised with 14 minutes remaining, setting the stage for Serbia midfielder Matic to notch his first goal for United since his move from Chelsea last year.

Mourinho admitted he was furious with his players' lethargic first half performance and he tore into them, while demanding they show more tactical discipline.

"I cannot tell you half of the things I told my team at half-time because there would be lots of bleeping on television," Mourinho said.

"There were a few strong words relating to their attitude and the intensity of the game.

"What I can say was all about the tactical positioning. That second goal was a goal to show kids in academies around the country, to show that top players can concede silly goals.

"David De Gea had to do better. He is the best, no doubt, but he had to do better.

"But the intensity and character was fantastic. We got a bit of luck in the last minute but it was deserved.

"The urgency in that last half-hour was huge."

It was the first time United had come from 2-0 down to win a Premier League game since December 2013 at Hull.

After hitting back from a goal down to beat Chelsea last weekend, Mourinho insisted this was another demonstration that United have the spirit and desire to overcome perilous predicaments.

Keep the faith

"We were losing to Chelsea last week, then we were losing away from home against a Palace team that needs points," he said.

"It's very hard but we kept faith and belief.

"I always believe we can win. I will be like that until my last day.

"Some days more than others but after Smalling's goal, I always thought it was possible.

"Matic scored amazing goals like this when he was with me at Chelsea, at Goodison Park, against Benfica."

United's stirring revival moved them back above Liverpool into second place in the Premier League.

They trail runaway leaders Manchester City by 16 points, but Mourinho is more concerned with securing the top four finish that guarantees qualification for next season's Champions League.

"We want to finish second, but it is huge pressure for us to finish in the top four. Now we have a little pillow," he said.

Palace remain in the relegation zone, one point from safety, but Eagles boss Roy Hodgson urged his players not to let the heartbreaking defeat influence their fight for survival.

"We took the game to Manchester United. If we had drawn the game – I don't think anyone, Jose included – would have said it was a scandal," he said.

"We once again go away with no points and, like the game against Tottenham, I thought we deserved something.

"But you always know the quality they possess and the strength and depth they have. They can cause problems.

"Where we are in the table doesn't enter my mind. It would have been nice to have two more points, but we still would have been very much in a relegation battle.

"It could well go down to the wire."

Cambodian Metfone C-League champions Boeung Ket pulled off a convincing 3-2 win over visiting Singapore S.League side Home United at Olympic Stadium this evening.

The Blue Dragon finally opened their winning account in the AFC Cup Group F campaign after a morale-crushing 9-1 loss to Ceres Negros of the Philippines and a narrow defeat by Myanmar's Shan United.

Boeung Ket's victory was built around Brazilian striker Maycon Calijuri's brace and Samuel Ajayi's goal, and the effective partnership they forged with Julius Oiboh upfront to confound the visitors.

Just as the sides were settling down to the rhythm of their choice after the kick-off came a sudden spurt down the centre from Soung Ui-young after Amy Recha slipped in a clever pass.

Home United's South Korean signing, who is spending his seventh season with the club, outsprinted defender Sun Sovanarithy and had Sou Yaty at his mercy, leaving the Boeung Ket keeper in disbelief.

Undeterred, Boeung Ket found the right response minutes later when a defence splitting pass by Ajayi set up Mayconn who beat Home keeper Rudy Khairullah.

Not long later, Oiboh on the run found Ajayi, who darted in through the backline to give Boeung Ket a 2-1 lead.

First three points

Boeung Ket were awarded a penalty when Sath Rosib was brought down inside the box by defender Jum'mat Jantan and referee Masoud Tufayelieh of Syria pointed to the spot.

Stepping up to take the penalty, Maycon sent Khairullah the wrong way to send Boeung Ket into the break 3-1 up.

The hard working Ajayi in the company of Maycon and Oiboh continued to keep the visitors on their toes, while the Boeung Ket back line kept a close watch on breakaways.

But in the 68th minute came a shocker for Boeung Ket when Sou Yaty was pulled up picking up the ball from a back pass.

The referee awarded a free-kick inside the box to Home United and the side craftily exploited the opportunity to reduce the margin to 3-2 and give themselves a chance of a fightback.

But Boeung Ket were in no mood to relent. They kept their poise and by the time seasoned Khun Laboravy was called in from the bench, coach Keo Kosal was already counting his first win and the team their first set of three points in this AFC Cup campaign.

Paris Saint-Germain will attempt to overturn a 3-1 deficit when they host Real Madrid in their heavyweight Champions League last-16 second leg tonight (at 2:45am Cambodian time), but do so without the injured Neymar.

The world's most expensive player is recovering from a foot operation in Brazil, yet the French club remain hopeful they can overcome the defending European champions and advance to April's quarterfinals.

"I speak with him practically every day, so yes we have agreed between us that we would see each other again later on in this competition," said PSG defender Dani Alves when asked if he had been in touch with his fellow Brazil international.

"For sure, we will feel his absence. But between sitting down and crying and getting up and getting on with it, I always opt for the second option."

Angel Di Maria, a Champions League winner with Real in 2014, is set to replace Neymar in the home line-up before a sell-out crowd of around 47,000 at the Parc des Princes.

"He is a spectacular player, who made history with Real Madrid. He can play in any position across the middle, he moves well, has a good shot, and is quick," said Real coach Zinedine Zidane of Di Maria.

PSG took the lead in the first leg in Spain last month through Adrien Rabiot only for Real to hit back with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice to break through the 100-goal barrier for the club in the Champions League.

Marcelo also scored for Real, who are aiming to become the first club since Bayern Munich in 1976 to win a third consecutive European Cup.

Real have not been eliminated from the Champions League this early since Lyon beat them in 2010. However, PSG are relying on their formidable record at home, where they are unbeaten in over 50 games going back two years.

They have also overturned a 3-1 first-leg deficit against Real before, winning 4-1 in their UEFA Cup quarter-final return in 1993.

George Weah scored for PSG that night. Now the president of Liberia, his son Timothy made his professional debut for the Ligue 1 leaders at the weekend.

No margin for error

A repeat of that famous comeback would be the biggest result for PSG since the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011, after four straight quarterfinal eliminations and then a humiliating loss in Barcelona in the last 16 a year ago.

"I think that we need games like this and to beat these teams to take a step forward and so that our opponents really take notice of PSG, and don't just think we have loads of money," said Alves, who played in two Champions League final victories for Barcelona.

"PSG have had their limits in this competition in the past and now we need to go beyond them to keep on progressing as a club."

An elimination would surely spell the end for coach Unai Emery, who is out of contract in June.

Similarly, an exit would be disastrous for Zidane, with Real currently 15 points behind leaders Barcelona in La Liga and already out of the Copa del Rey.

"After the game, it's going to be difficult for one of the two teams, but that is football," said Zidane.

Given their domestic difficulties, Real are throwing everything into their quest to win a record 13th European Cup.

"That can mean added pressure or added motivation," said captain Sergio Ramos. "The margin for error is minimal."

Toni Kroos (knee) and Luka Modric (thigh) could return for Real after spells on the sidelines. Javier Pastore was named in PSG's squad despite a calf concern, meaning Neymar is their only notable absentee.

There will be a minute's silence before kick-off of at this and all the midweek European games in honour of Fiorentina and Italy defender Davide Astori, who died suddenly at the weekend aged 31.

Australian legend Shane Warne said players should stop "whingeing" about sledging after an ugly row between David Warner and South Africa’s Quinton de Kock clouded the first Test in Durban.

CCTV footage showed Warner apparently turning on De Kock as the players walked up a narrow staircase leading to the dressing rooms during the tea break on Sunday.

Vice-captain Warner had to be restrained by his teammates as he appeared to lose his temper, reportedly over a jibe about his wife Candice, although the South Africans blamed him for sparking the argument.

The incident is in the hands of match referee Jeff Crowe.

"The incident was discussed between the two team managers and the match referee last night and it is now in the hands of the on-field umpires and the match referee," Cricket Australia said today.

"Both teams were reminded by the match referee of the spirit in which the game should be played."

The controversy has divided opinion, with Warne calling on the players to avoid "personal" comments – while also urging them to "have a beer together" and patch things up.

"Chat, banter, sledging has always been a part of any series between SA & Oz. Both sides always give it out," he tweeted.

"Respect is the key & and I hope nothing personal was said to any player towards anyone from either side. Have a beer together afterwards & get on with it – stop the whingeing!"

Former England captain Michael Vaughan suggested Warner had a reputation as a sledger and it was only a matter of time before insults were hurled back.

"Correct Warney . . . but it’s clear plenty of personal nonsense has been spoken & the man in question I hear from many has been doing it for a while so I guess someone eventually was going to touch a nerve with a response," he said on Twitter.

South African manager Mohammed Moosajee also blamed Warner.

"There were words said out on the field. If you are saying something you’ve got to take it and that’s the opinion of Quinton," he said.

Australian great Adam Gilchrist also took to Twitter to voice an opinion, calling the spat "ugly".

"Can only assume something very personal has been thrown at @davidwarner31 for this type of reaction. Not a good look all round," he said.

Former South African skipper Graeme Smith agreed it was not good for cricket, but suggested Warner only had himself to blame in an online reply to Gilchrist.

"Gilly – Warner crossed many personal boundaries with the South Africans, so we can’t be surprised when there is eventually a reaction," he said.

"If players are happy to give it, they have to be prepared to take it, too. On both sides! But agreed not a good look."

Cleveland superstar LeBron James poured in 31 points and Larry Nance Jr. added 22 in his first start for the Cavaliers on Monday in a 112-90 triumph over the Detroit Pistons.

Nance, who arrived in Cleveland in a February 8 trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, started at centre in place of Tristan Thompson, who sprained an ankle against Denver on Saturday.

He and James combined to score Cleveland's first 20 points, and their combined 34 points in the first half helped stake the Cavs to a 54-49 half-time lead.

Cleveland kept the pressure on in the third quarter, out-scoring Detroit 36-21. That included 13 points from James in less than five minutes to open the second half.

He departed after three quarters having handed out seven assists and seven rebounds.

Nance pulled down 15 rebounds and helped limit Pistons center Andre Drummond to 15 points.

"It just kind of felt easy," Nance said. "The guys were giving me all the opportunity in the world to make my shots, and I just happened to be making them."

Blake Griffin led Detroit with 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists, but the Pistons dropped their third straight and have now lost nine of their last 11.

They are ninth in the Eastern Conference, five games out of playoff position with the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks in seventh and eighth.

The Heat closed out a 4-1 homestand on Monday with a 125-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Centre Hassan Whiteside scored 24 points with 14 rebounds in three quarters and point guard Goran Dragic added 17 points for a Heat team that saw seven players score in double figures.

The Bucks dropped to eighth in the East with a 92-89 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.

Bojan Bogdanovic equalled a career high with 29 points and came up with a crucial jump ball in the waning seconds as the Pacers thwarted the Bucks' comeback bid.

The Pacers trailed the Bucks by two at halftime, but Bogdanovic scored 11 points in a third quarter as Indiana took a 92-89 lead.

"I'm just trying to be aggressive," he said.

No Irving, no problem

The Boston Celtics didn't feel the absence of star point guard Kyrie Irving in a 105-89 victory over the Bulls in Chicago.

With Irving nursing a sore knee, Boston started strong and never looked back – scoring the first seven points en route to a 35-16 lead after one quarter.

Jaylen Brown scored 21 points fr Boston, who led by as many as 37 on the way to a fifth win in six games.

The Celtics are 1 1/2 games behind the Toronto Raptors for the Eastern Conference lead.

The Bulls, meanwhile, lost for the 14th time in 17 games.

In San Antonio, veteran point guard Tony Parker scored 23 points and handed out four assists as the Spurs edged the Memphis Grizzlies 100-98.

"Tony was his old self," guard Danny Green said of the French star, a 17-year veteran who came off the bench as he continues to battle back from a quadriceps tendon injury suffered last May.

Green had 14 points and Davis Bertans added 17 for the Spurs, who had lost four at home and eight of their last 10 to fall from third to sixth in the Western Conference.

The win was especially important as the Spurs now embark on a tough road swing against the Golden state Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets.