Soccer Extras: Barca skipper Messi out of US tour

News of all that's transpired on and off the football field 

Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi will not travel to the United States for the club's pre-season tour after sustaining a calf problem on his return to training from a close season break, the La Liga champions said on Monday.

The Argentine forward experienced discomfort in his right leg during Monday's training session and tests confirmed that the 32-year-old had suffered a grade one calf strain, forcing him out of the tour.

"Messi will remain in Barcelona... his availability to come back to action will be dictated by his recovery," Barcelona said in a statement on their website.

Barcelona are set to travel to the US later on Monday, with two friendly matches scheduled against Italian Serie A side Napoli on August 7 (Miami) and 10 (Michigan).

Messi was banned from international duty for three months and fined $50,000 after levelling accusations of "corruption" at South American soccer chiefs during last month's Copa America.

He was sent off against Chile in the third-place playoff and later alleged that the tournament had been fixed in favour of hosts Brazil, who defeated Argentina in the semi-final on their way to the title.

COTIF Cup: India defeat Bolivia 3-1

The Indian women team on Saturday defeated Bolivia 3-1 in their second match of the ongoing COTIF Cup in Spain.

Ratanbala Devi's brace and Bala Devi's goal led the Indian women to a comfortable win over the South American nation despite them taking the lead first through Sweety Devi's own goal.

Coming back from the 0-2 loss against Spanish club Villareal CF, the Indian side conceded an early goal in the initial minutes of the game. Sweety Devi put the ball into her own net to give Bolivia an advantage. However, the lead for Bolivia was short-lived.

In the 5th minute, Bala Devi gathered the ball around the opponent's penalty area and controlled it and bundled a volley into the back of the net to leave the opposition goalkeeper tumbling in the wrong direction as India equalised.

Despite much of India's dominance in the first half, the scoreline after the first half read as 1-1.Changing over, the Indian women wasted little time and got right into the thick of the action.

Ratanbala gave India the lead in the 36th minute when she headed the ball into the opponent's net after she was found by a cross from the left flank.

Shortly after, Ratanbala found her second goal to extend India's lead. At full-time the scoreline read as 3-1 in India's favour.

India will next play against Mauritania in their third match of the tournament on August 5.