Sport

Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan on Friday topped their Pool in the FIVB Beach Pro Tour Elite16 leg in Hamburg, Germany. Competing in Pool C, they delivered a stunning comeback victory against Czech Republic’s David Schweiner and Ondrej Perusic, winning with a score of 2-1 (17-21, 21-16, 15-9). The Olympic bronze medallists continued their momentum later in the evening when they triumphed over Germany’s Paul Henning and Sven Winter 2-0 (21-7, 25-23) to stay unbeaten in the premier tournament and advance to the Round of 12. The duo had earlier defeated Polish qualifiers Piotr Kantor and Jakub Zdybek 2-1 (21-12, 18-21, 24-22) in their first match on Thursday.

Reigning champions Al Duhail opened their new-season campaign with a 2-1 win over Al Ahli, while their arch-rivals Al Sadd comfortably beat Umm Salal 3-1 in the Expo Stars League on Friday.At the Al Thumama Stadium, Kenyan forward Michael Olunga scored the opener in the 21st minute and French midfielder Ibrahima Diallo headed in the second in the 48th minute.Al Ahli hit back through Eslam Yassein early in the second session (53rd minute) as he essayed a powerful left-foot kick from about 30 yards, which hit the left top of the crossbar before the ball bounced in.It was also a strong indication of Al Ahli’s resolve, but they could not breach the strong Al Duhail defence thereafter despite several repeated attempts and some quite close ones. Midway through the second half, Al Ahli’s Ahmad Yasser Sebai did make an attempt from outside the box, but it was saved in the bottom right corner by Al Duhail goalkeeper Salah Zakaria.While The Red Knights custodian proved his worth, his Al Ahli counterpart Yazan Naim had more to do and, despite his best efforts to keep away challenging Al Duhail raids, he was beaten twice. He was tested early in the match by Al Duhail’s young player Suhaib Gannan, who first fired a kick off a good pass from Olunga and later hit from a close but difficult angle, but Yazan was well-placed.In the 31st minute, Al Ahli survived a close call when a robust Gannan kick went on to hit the crossbar, but flew over. In the 44th minute, Al Ahli goalkeeper Yazan was again all acrobatic as he first averted an Olunga shot and immediately flipped over to the left to save another threatening strike.In added time, Al Ahli substitute Naim Sliti picked up on an Abubakr Bouyami assist to strike from outside the box, but his shot was well-blocked. In the end, Al Duhail and their delighted coach Hernan Crespo were left to savour Olunga’s close range left-footed opening goal and Diallo’s fine header into the left corner of the net.Earlier, Al Sadd made a telling start to their campaign as they beat Umm Salal 3-1 at the Al Bayt Stadium. Al Sadd’s mercurial striker Akram Afif was instrumental in scoring the first and assisting in the third goal. Guilherme Torres and Yusuf Abdurisag scored a goal apiece.Umm Salal finally fetched a consolation goal late in the 86th minute as their French striker Andy Delort latched on to a defensive lapse outside the box to send in the ball over goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham. It was too little too late though for Umm Salal.Earlier, Afif provided Al Sadd the forceful start making the most of Abdurisag’s pass inside the box to beat an onrushing defender and a diving rival goalkeeper to his left – finding the far right corner.Umm Salal were at their best in the opening half and in the 21st minute almost had a wondrous successful strike but Moroccan Oussama Tannane’s left-footed lob from almost 35 yards curled in from high to hit the outside of the left post.Minutes later, Gonazalo Plata ran up to catch a long pass just near the right post and sent in an angular ball for an onrushing Torres to score Al Sadd’s second goal.Al Sadd had a great start to the second half as well as Afif and Abdurisag combined to succeed. Afif moved in from the left into the ‘D’ and passed the ball to Abdurisag who flicked with his left foot for the ball to go through a defender’s legs and past the outstretched hands of Umm Salal goalkeeper Sami Beldi.Al Sadd could have had another goal to their tally early in the first session but a wonderful Afif goal was disallowed as Abdurisag was ruled off-side. The strike had come after Gonzalo Plata made a left-footed shot from outside the box following a set piece.Umm Salal too were left ruing a miss when winger Kenji Gorre’s left foot kick just missed the right post at the top.

Paris St Germain forwards Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are both available and will be ready to start their Ligue 1 clash with Toulouse, manager Luis Enrique said on Friday.Mbappe was reinstated into PSG’s first team last week, a day after being omitted for their Ligue 1 season opener against Lorient and reportedly being frozen out of the main squad for weeks amid an ongoing contract stand-off. The league’s top scorer in the last five seasons watched the 0-0 draw with Lorient from the stands alongside new signing and fellow World Cup winner Dembele, who had completed his transfer from Barcelona for 50.4mn euros ($55mn).“Kylian is in great shape, he has a lot of desire, a very good state of mind. I am very happy to have a world-class player like Kylian,” Luis Enrique told reporters ahead of today’s game. Luis Enrique added that Dembele would be ready to play “from the first minute” but also admitted the club need to strengthen their attack.The club lost Lionel Messi on a free transfer to Inter Miami, while world record signing Neymar Jr joined Saudi club Al Hilal for about 90mn euros. “We still need to strengthen it because it is the line where we had the fewest recruits, but we still have work to do on how they complement each other.”On Neymar’s departure, he said: “I think it was a favourable decision for everyone. I would like to thank him for the behaviour he has shown since I arrived. He is a world-class player and I wish him well for the future.”Luis Enrique also said he had not chosen the team’s captain yet, leaving that decision to his squad. “It’s very simple, I don’t choose the captain, the players choose. They met this week,” he said. “There are four captains, it’s something that is defined by the players, not by the coach, I want him (whoever the players choose) to be their captain, not my captain.”French media reported that defender Marquinhos is set to keep the armband having captained the side in the last three seasons.

Jasprit Bumrah marked his first India appearance in nearly a year with two wickets as the tourists defeated Ireland by two runs during a rain-affected opening Twenty20 international in Dublin on Friday.India sped to 45 without loss in six overs in pursuit of a target of 140 and, even though Craig Young then took two wickets in two balls, they were still narrowly ahead on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method when a lengthy shower prevented any further play at Malahide.The 29-year-old Bumrah, returning from back surgery and captaining India in the three-match series in the absence of Rohit Sharma, led from the front by dismissing Andy Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker in the opening over.Balbirnie got a thin inside edge into his stumps while Tucker’s attempted ramp merely lobbed to wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, with Bumrah - one of the world’s leading pacemen when fully fit - taking an encouraging 2-24 from his maximum four overs.Captain Bumrah said on Friday: “Felt very good. So many sessions I did at the NCA and the practice games. Didn’t feel like I missed out a lot or I’m doing something new so credit to the staff there. Very happy to be back and always good to contribute.”When asked if he had any nerves, Bumrah said: “Not really, when you’re captaining you are thinking more about the whole team and not just your own performance. Very happy that the weather was helpful for the bowlers. In every game you want more and you always search for a perfect game. Credit to them as well for keeping their nerves in a crisis. Everybody has a lot of belief in their game and I think the IPL also helps them. The bunch that we have is very confident and that’s a good sign for our team.”Ireland stumbled to 59-6 after losing the toss, with Prasidh Krishna and Ravi Bishnoi also taking two wickets a largely second-string India.Barry McCarthy’s aggressive 51 not out from just 33 balls helped take Ireland to 139-7, with the number eight hitting four fours and as many sixes.McCarthy said on Friday: “Always nice to contribute to the team. Disappointed to not go over the line.”On his partnership with Curtis Campher, McCarthy said: “We knew we could put a score on the board. We are both aggressive players and we wanted to stay positive. I think playing the positive way brings the game into the hands of someone who is going to get you to a score. Taking the game to the opposition is the best way. Happy to contribute to the team no matter what position I bat in.”In reply, Yashasvi Jaiswal ended the powerplay with a huge pulled six off Josh Little.That hit proved the difference after Young dismissed Jaiswal (24) and Tilak Varma with successive deliveries. Two balls later, however, rain forced the players from the field with India just ahead on DLS at 47-2 off 6.5 overs.India will now look to secure a series win when the teams return to Malahide for the second T20 tomorrow.BRIEF SCORESIndia 47 for 2 (Jaiswal 24, Young 2-2) beat Ireland 139 for 7 (McCarthy 51*, Bumrah 2-24, Prasidh 2-32) by two runs via DLS method

Brad Binder turned 28 this week and the South African is intent on wrapping up his birthday celebrations in style at the Austrian MotoGP.The pressure is on the popular KTM rider to perform at his Austrian factory team’s local circuit.While world champion Francesco Bagnaia tightened his grip on the overall lead in the last race at Silverstone a fortnight ago, Binder took third place to move fourth overall.He is the top non-Ducati rider in the standings.That was a welcome change of luck for Binder who was denied podiums in both the sprint and main race at Assen in June after track limit time penalties.He returns to the Red Bull Ring, where he won in 2021 for his second, and last, Sunday success.After taking two sprints this term he feels it’s time for his third career MotoGP victory.“This is the closest thing I’m going to have for a ‘home’ grand prix,” Binder said at the circuit on Thursday.“It’s KTM’s home. I always want to have a strong weekend.“It was an amazing feeling to win here. There’s no better place to get a result right.”Binder, who has a second and a third on a Sunday this year to add to Saturday sprint wins in Argentina and Spain, continued: “I’m going into the weekend with a lot of confidence. The bike is working exceptionally well lately.“I’m ready to give it a go and see how this weekend pans out. It’s cool to win two sprint races but it’s been a while since I won on a Sunday. “I need to just make some small tweaks. We’re not far away.“Many times this year, I’ve been fighting for a podium - even though I’ve made some mistakes, and I’ve made a lot of them, thrown away a few.” Ducati factory star Bagnaia arrives sitting comfortably atop the riders standings.Although he may have missed out on his fifth success of the season, hustled off the top of the podium in the last lap by Aprilia’s Aleix Espargaro, Bagnaia emerged as a big winner from Silverstone.His runner-up spot, with Marco Bezzecchi crashing out, pushed Bagnaia 41 points clear of Jorge Martin, on a Ducati Pramac, with Bezzecchi, of the VR46 Ducati team, a further six points back in third.Bezzecchi sets pace in Austrian MotoGP practiceMarco Bezzecchi set the fastest time in Friday’s rain-hit practice for the Austrian MotoGP with fellow Italian and world champion Francesco Bagnaia clocking the third best time.Bezzecchi, racing for Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Ducati satellite team, was 0.044sec faster than Spanish Aprilia rider Maverick Vinales with Bagnaia 0.288sec off the pace.Bezzecchi, looking to bounce back after crashing out of the British MotoGP at Silverstone, put pressure on world championship leader Bagnaia.Bagnaia has a 41-point lead on Spain’s Jorge Martin, who was sixth fastest, in the overall standings with Bezzecchi third, a further six points behind.France’s Fabio Quartararo, the 2021 world champion, clocked the fifth fastest time. Among those relegated to Q1 was former world champion Marc Marquez, with the Honda rider in 13th position.The top 10 from practice are joined as usual by the fastest two riders from Q1 to determine the first four rows of the grid both for today’s sprint race and tomorrow’s main event.

Second-ranked Rory McIlroy and British Open champion Brian Harman sank stunning 17th-hole birdie chip shots to share the lead after Thursday’s opening round of the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship, the penultimate FedEx Cup playoff event.Reigning FedEx Cup champion McIlroy, a four-time major winner from Northern Ireland, and US left-hander Harman, who captured the Claret Jug last month at Royal Liverpool, fired five-under par 65s at Olympia Fields in suburban Chicago.That was good enough for a one-shot lead over five Americans - Sahith Theegala, Chris Kirk, Rickie Fowler, world number one Scottie Scheffler and reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark - plus England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, last year’s US Open winner.McIlroy, who won his third Tour Championship last year, made a tricky chip from the left rough that bounced through a bunker at the par-4 17th and set up his incredible 40-foot birdie chip from behind the green.“Got lucky. Got through the bunker,” he said. “Certainly wasn’t expecting to make three when the tee shot was in the air. It was a nice one to make. It was a great bonus.”Only minutes later, Harman holed a birdie chip from 32 feet at 17 to match McIlroy for the lead. That was after sinking a 42-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th. “Drove it pretty good,” Harman said.“When I missed, I got a little lucky to get it back into play. Chipped in twice, made some putts, played a pretty solid round.”In addition to a $3.6mn top prize, 50 players are chasing a spot in the top 30 in season points to qualify for next week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta.McIlroy, who won last month’s Scottish Open, found only three fairways but went bogey-free and made birdie putts from about 13 feet at seven and nine, just inside 10 feet at 10 and, after blasting out of fairway and greenside bunkers, from just beyond four feet at the par-5 15th.“Luckily, the golf course is soft,” McIlroy said. “It wasn’t too good off the tee. There were a lot of crosswinds.”McIlroy’s new putter, to which he says he’s not married, is a good date so far.“We’ve been on five dates,” McIlroy said. “We’re still going OK. We’re probably still on for a sixth.”

Sha’Carri Richardson is in her prime and leading the US effort to break up the Jamaican reign of dominance over the women’s 100 metres when the World Championships kick off in Budapest this week.The fan favourite lost her place at the Tokyo Olympics after a positive cannabis test and failed to qualify for worlds last year in Eugene, Oregon, but put those disappointments behind her to produce the best season of her career in 2023.Budapest will be the ultimate proving ground for the Texas-born dynamo after years of enormous expectations, beginning in 2019 when she broke the 100 metres NCAA collegiate record at just 19 years old.“I’m so blessed and thankful, I feel at peace,” she told reporters after winning the Doha Diamond League meet in May in 10.76 seconds. “All I do is the best I do and I’m excited to do it.”Richardson kept a busy schedule this season and her record was unblemished until a second-place finish in the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix last month.She produced four of the top 10 fastest times of 2023, including the best performance of her career, a 10.71 in the US championships heats last month. That saw her briefly in command of the world lead until Jamaican Shericka Jackson bested her a day later with a 10.65 in Kingston.Days after that, Richardson took the top of the podium in 10.76 at Silesia Diamond League meet, two hundredths of a second ahead of Jackson.The 2022 silver medallist Jackson is hoping to keep alive the Jamaican streak in the 100 metres, and her compatriots have taken gold in six of the last eight finals.“I’ve gotten, I think, a lot faster since the Jamaican trials,” Jackson told Athletics Weekly. “Definitely expecting good things.”Their rivalry - Jackson finished second behind Richardson at the Doha Diamond League - could produce fireworks in Budapest, where the women’s 100 metres will be one of the most compelling events. Richardson, who is also on the entry list for the 200 metres, will be without some notable team mates in Budapest after the Americans dominated the medal table a year ago.Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record in the 400 metres hurdles to take the championship last year and was among the most highly anticipated athletes of the meet as she was expected to try 400 metres flat event.But after claiming the world lead in 48.74 seconds last month, she announced days ago that she would miss worlds due to a knee issue.On the men’s side, Michael Norman will not defend his 400 metres title, citing an “extremely frustrating season” and his desire to focus on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Two-times 200 metres world champion Noah Lyles is not afraid to broadcast bold predictions on how fast he might run, and the American sprinter said he has clocked blistering fast times in training to back them up.In an Aug 10 Instagram post, the 26-year-old wrote: “I will run 9.65 (and) 19.10,” and on the eve of the world championships, Lyles was not backing down from those predictions.“I’m a firm believer in speaking things into existence. Truly,” Lyles said at a press conference on Friday, the day before the 100m gets underway.“I’ve lived my whole life, to be honest, fighting. When I was born... just fighting to get out of the hospital. After that it was just fighting to get out of school, with dyslexia and ADD, trying to find my own way. Now I’m fighting on the track.I don’t have a problem saying what my dreams are.”The world champion in the 200m in 2019 and last year said recent work with USATF mechanics guru Ralph Mann has fuelled his confidence. Mann has recorded Lyles covering 11.98 metres of track per second.“And you gotta think: this is just practice,” Lyles said. “(Mann) has never even recorded anybody faster than 11.6 - which was me.”A time of 19.10 in the 200 would smash Usain Bolt’s 2009 world record of 19.19. The Jamaican’s 100 record is 9.58, also from the those Berlin world championships.American team mate Fred Kerley, the reigning world champion in the 100, bristled when asked his thoughts on Lyle’s forecasting.“I’m Fred Kerley, it is my title,” he said. “If Noah will run 9.65, I’m running faster.”Lyles replied: “That’s what they all say until they get beat.”What the two American sprinters did agree on is whether or not Italian Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs, who has barely raced this season, running a pedestrian 10.21 in the 100, is a threat.“I don’t think we have too much to worry about at this moment,” Kerley said.While the 28-year-old Kerley is a man of few words, Lyles, who sported a new braided hairstyle and manicured nails, is the captivating showman the sport has missed since Bolt’s retirement in 2017.When a reporter complimented Lyles’ press team for his prominent social media presence, the sprinter said he is his own PR boss.“I’m pretty sure I scare my agent, mom and coach all at the same time as I go on social media daily,” Lyles laughed. His confidence, he said, is well-earned.“A lot of people just think it’s automatic, it just comes out of nowhere. But in reality, it comes from multiple wins, multiple confirmations,” Lyles said.One of those confirmations was bouncing back to run 19.47 to win the 200 at the London Diamond League on July 23 after a bout of Covid right before the US championships two weeks earlier.“(Covid) definitely threw off confidence or mentality, but making the team I feel like only strengthened it and as I’m going through practice every day, I’m seeing the proof. I’m seeing the numbers,” Lyles said. “I have a good reason to believe that I’m going to do something that I’ve never done before.”

It is not often - make that never - that the hammer throw is considered top of the bill at a major athletics event but this world championships is taking place in Hungary, where hurling a lump of iron 80 metres is held in the highest of esteem.The promotional poster for the championships features a hammer thrower in action, while seven of the host nation’s 14 world medals have come in hammer, with Bence Halasz probably their best hope for a podium in Budapest.The women’s event, however, has a decidedly north American feel after decades of domination by eastern Europe, Cuba and China.Having never medalled in the first 10 editions after the hammer was added in 1999, DeAnna Price jumped straight in for the United States with gold in 2019 and Brooke Andersen repeated the deal last year, with Janee Kassanavoid taking bronze. Six of the top seven in the world this year are American, with only Canada’s Eugene silver medallist Camryn Rogers spoiling the sweep. Kassanavoid is hoping to move up a couple of steps this week and said she can’t wait to compete in front of a 30,000-crowd who won’t consider her event a mere distraction to what’s happening on the track.“I’m excited and I want to put on a show. It’s super-important to come to a country that appreciates and respects hammer,” Kassanavoid told a news conference on Friday.“Flying into the airport and seeing women’s hammer front and centre was super-awesome and super-empowering.” Kassanavoid also takes “empowerment” from her position as the first Native American to win a world championship medal, and became tearful when talking about what it meant to her. “As a member of the Comanche people it says “we are still here today’, and our history is very sentimental to me,” she said.“It’s unfortunate that a lot of kids in the school system aren’t learning the traditional and correct history.”

Novak Djokovic cruised past Gael Monfils and Carlos Alcaraz fended off in-form American Tommy Paul to reach the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals while other top seeds Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas were sent packing.Djokovic, twice a winner in Cincinnati, dominated the baseline rallies in his 6-3 6-2 win over Monfils and extended his perfect record against the Frenchman to 19-0 - the most lopsided unbeaten ATP head-to-head record in the Open Era.The Serbian made the most of a loose service game from Monfils and broke to love at 5-3 in the first set to close it out.After racing to a 5-0 lead in the second he faltered on his first attempt to serve it out, but completed the win two games later in an hour and eight minutes. Djokovic will next face home favourite Taylor Fritz.“We’ve been playing each other in different parts of the world, also in juniors,” Djokovic said. “Early on, I struggled with him physically.“We haven’t played for quite a few years.“It’s great to see him back playing at a high level.”World number one Alcaraz had not looked like himself in an uneven third round performance on Tuesday but was firing on all cylinders as he harnessed his mighty forehand to chip away at Paul’s defences in the rain-interrupted battle.Paul cracked the code to beat the 20-year-old earlier this month in Toronto but a handful more errors from the 14th seed this time around helped Alcaraz get the upper hand in his 7-6(6) 6-7(0) 6-3 victory.“It was a really tough match,” Alcaraz said. “Really, really happy with the level and think I’m getting better and better.”Alcaraz came back from a break down four times in the first two sets but squandered three match points in the second.The Spaniard was serving at 4-3 and up a break in the decider when rain stopped play for over an hour. He broke Paul’s serve again in the final game of the match to book a quarter-final clash with Australian Max Purcell.Alexander Zverev upset third seed Medvedev 6-4 5-7 6-4 in a clash between former champions, breaking the Russian three times and saving six of eight break points.The German 16th seed came into the match with a 6-9 record against Medvedev and having lost all three of their meetings this year. He will next face France’s Adrian Mannarino.“Very difficult conditions but also a very difficult opponent,” Zverev said of Medvedev.“He is somebody that gives you absolutely nothing. You have to win the match yourself and that’s what I did today and I am pleased with that.” Poland’s unseeded Hubert Hurkacz unleashed 11 aces and 27 winners to cruise past Tsitsipas 6-3 6-4 in a brisk one hour and five minutes, setting up a meeting with Australian lucky loser Alexei Popyrin.Swiatek survives Zheng scare to reach Cincinnati quarter-finalsIga Swiatek used an outfit change to help her reset after a poor start and beat China’s Zheng Qinwen 3-6 6-1 6-1 and set up a Cincinnati Open quarter-final clash with Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.Second seed Aryna Sabalenka sailed into the last eight with a tidy 6-3 6-3 win over Russia’s Daria Kasatkina but it was the end of the line for world number three Jessica Pegula and number four Elena Rybakina.Pegula, champion in Canada last week and winner of a Tour best 27 hardcourt matches this season, was dumped out 6-4 6-0 in a rain disrupted contest by Czech Marie Bouzkova, who improved to 4-2 against the American.Last year’s Wimbledon champion Rybakina had looked poised for smooth passage, taking the opening set against Italian qualifier Jasmine Paolini 6-4, but retired trailing 2-5 in the second with an unspecified injury.Swiatek, who dropped a single game in her previous match at the US Open tune-up event, needed time to work out Zheng but once she did she immediately looked more like the player who has occupied top spot in the world rankings since April 2022.Awaiting Swiatek in the next round will be Vondrousova, who converted four of five break points during a 7-5 6-3 victory over Sloane Stephens.Tunisian fifth seed Ons Jabeur also benefited from a retirement when Croatia’s Donna Vekic quit while trailing 5-2 in the opening set. Jabeur, a finalist at last year’s US Open, will next face Belarusian Sabalenka.In a battle of the teenagers, 19-year-old Coco Gauff claimed a 6-4 6-0 win over 18-year-old Czech Linda Noskova, who failed to hold serve the entire match.Karolina Muchova surprised eighth seed Maria Sakkari 6-3 2-6 6-3 to set up an all Czech showdown against Bouzkova.

Neymar was greeted with much fanfare on Friday as he arrived in Saudi Arabia where he joins a growing list of big names lured to the oil-rich kingdom.The 31-year-old Brazil forward who will be unveiled as an Al Hilal player today after six seasons with French champions Paris Saint-Germain landed in a Riyadh airport equipped with extra security for the occasion.Neymar was received in an airport lounge packed with club officials and press, a large diamond-studded cross hanging around his neck as he posed for pictures. A rock star welcome will await him at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh where he will be unveiled before thousands of fans today. “We will hold a big party worthy of the samba dancer,” said an Al Hilal official who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press.Neymar’s two-year contract with Al Hilal will see him earn a salary of around 100mn euros per season, according to sources close to the deal. He follows Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane in swapping Europe for the Saudi Pro League, which has a hit-list of high-profile targets.Neymar scored 118 goals in 173 matches for PSG, winning five Ligue 1 titles and three French Cups, but his time at PSG was blighted by a catalogue of injuries. Although he helped the club to the 2020 Champions League final, which they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich, he was sidelined for key games. He underwent surgery on his right ankle in early March, only returning to join PSG on their pre-season tour of Asia.With billions of dollars in oil wealth, Saudi Arabia has been on a buying spree of sports assets as part of plans to diversify its economy and attract tourism and investment. The conservative monarchy, often criticised for its human rights record, bought English club Newcastle United in 2021, the same year it hosted its first Formula One Grand Prix. Saudi Arabia, whose neighbour Qatar hosted the World Cup last year, is tipped to bid for the tournament after exploring a tri-continental edition with Egypt and Greece.Sevilla goalkeeperBounou joins Al HilalSevilla’s Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou has become the latest big name to quit Europe for the riches of Saudi Arabia, signing for Al Hilal the two teams announced. Bounou, who featured in this week’s UEFA Super Cup match against Manchester City, is the second big signing for Al Hilal this week, following the transfer of Neymar.The value of the deal was not made public by either club, although the Spanish press put it at 20mn euros. Bounou – or “Bono” as the name on his shirt reads – joined Seville from Girona four years ago and had been linked with a move this season to Real Madrid as cover for the injured Thibaut Courtois before they opted instead for Kepa Arrizabalaga. The 32-year-old was also a key member of the Morocco team that reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Sergio Rico was discharged from hospital on Friday, almost three months after an equine accident put him in a coma with a traumatic brain injury. The 29-year-old Spaniard has been at Seville’s Virgen del Rocio hospital since May 28 after an accident involving a horse at a local festival. “Really, the brain is intelligent and erases these types of events – and the truth is that... it has been a dream, I woke up here in the hospital and, thank God, today I feel very excited, very happy,” Rico said. “I hope to be available soon and recover day by day to return to football.”PSG coach Luis Enrique gave Rico his best wishes. “I would like to send a message to Sergio Rico, who is leaving the hospital today and from here, from the club, we hope he continues his recovery, takes steps forward - all the club’s support is for him and his family,” Rico’s compatriot said.After several days in a coma, the goalkeeper was discharged from the hospital’s intensive care unit on July 5. Five days later, the player posted a message on social networks to reassure people of his state of health.“I want to thank each and every person who has shown me and sent me their affection in these difficult days,” wrote Rico on Instagram. “I am still working on my recovery which each day is getting better. I feel very fortunate, once more, thank you to everyone and I hope to be able to see you soon.”The goalkeeper won the Europa League twice with his hometown club Sevilla and joined Paris Saint-Germain permanently in 2020 after a loan spell there.England’s Walcott retiresfrom football at 34Theo Walcott, one of the outstanding young English talents of his generation, announced he has retired from professional football at the age of 34. In an 18-year senior career the winger made more than 560 club appearances for Southampton, with whom he started and ended his career, Arsenal and Everton, scoring 129 goals.He was controversially included in then England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson’s squad for the 2006 World Cup without having played international football. But he went on to become both the youngest player to represent England in a senior men’s international and, at the age of 19, score a hat-trick for the national side.In all, Walcott – whose career was blighted by injuries – scored eight goals in 47 appearances for England. “The first moment I put my football boots on aged 10, was the start of a special journey for me,” Walcott wrote on Instagram. “The support shown to me throughout this time has been incredible in every way imaginable and I am truly grateful. I’ve shared the football pitch with so many incredible players and we have created so many unforgettable memories.”Chelsea captain James out for ‘a few weeks’ with hamstring injuryChelsea captain Reece James is set to miss “a few weeks” after injuring his hamstring in training this week, Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino said. The 23-year-old started in Chelsea’s season-opening 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday before being substituted in the 77th minute.England international James’s career has been plagued by injuries. The right-back made just 16 Premier League appearances last season. James suffered a knee injury in October which ruled him out of England’s 2022 World Cup squad, before he was sidelined for a further four weeks following a recurrence of the problem during his first game back in December.Meanwhile, Chelsea have signed Romeo Lavia on a seven-year contract from Southampton in the latest addition to their squad after the teenage midfielder rejected a move to Premier League rivals Liverpool. No fee has been disclosed but British media reports estimated the worth of the deal at £53mn, possibly rising to £58mn.Lavia, 19, is the eighth player to join Chelsea in the current transfer window, with the London club, now owned by a consortium led by American businessman Todd Boehly, having spent more than £350 million – although they have sold several high-value footballers as well. Belgium international Lavia has made 29 Premier League appearances.

Luciano Spalletti, who led Napoli to the Serie A title last season, has been appointed coach of European champions Italy, the Italian football federation (FIGC) announced on Friday.Spalletti takes over from Roberto Mancini, who resigned unexpectedly last Sunday after five years in the job. Spalletti ended Napoli’s 33-year wait for the Serie A trophy last season before leaving his post. The FIGC said in a statement they had “reached an agreement with Luciano Spalletti for the position of coach of the Italian national team starting from September 1”.Spalletti’s official presentation will take place at the national training centre at Coverciano, near Florence, before Euro 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Ukraine, the FIGC said. The 64-year-old Tuscan will be in charge of reviving the national team which, despite winning the European title in 2021, failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Italy travel to Northern Macedonia on September 9 and host Ukraine in Milan three days later. Italy are third in Group C with three points after a 2-0 win over Malta and a 2-1 loss to England, who are top with 12 points from four games.Mancini, in charge since May 2018, resigned citing “a personal decision” and has been touted for the post of coach of Saudi Arabia.

Manchester City will be ready for their Premier League game with Newcastle United today despite having played in the UEFA Super Cup in Athens on Wednesday, manager Pep Guardiola said. After their penalty shootout win over Sevilla, the City manager sarcastically thanked the Premier League for arranging the Newcastle game on Saturday.Yet he said his side would be ready for the match at the Etihad Stadium, despite obvious fatigue. “Of course we are ready. We need these type of challenges. We face difficulties with the injuries we have, the calendar. This is the challenge we have, to take a step forward,” Guardiola told reporters.“People went to sleep at 4am in Greece when they played at 10pm. Arrive, recover with 35 or 40C in Greece. Come back, arrive here late, and then it’s this game, tomorrow’s game, today we cannot train,” the manager said. “This is why we won. Because we overcome all the time this kind of position. All the time we have less time to recover between the games, not a problem,” the Spaniard added.Kevin De Bruyne is already a long-term absence after his hamstring injury during City’s 3-0 win over Burnley last Friday. Guardiola also has other injury worries. Ruben Dias suffered a concussion in training before their opening league game which ruled him out for seven days. John Stones also missed that game and the Super Cup with a hip problem.City’s opponents Newcastle began the season with an impressive 5-1 win over Aston Villa last Saturday. Guardiola was full of praise for the work Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has done at the club.“Eddie Howe has built a fantastic, fantastic team for many reasons, in build-up, in transitions and ball possession. They control everything and it will be a massive test for us.” Manchester City and Newcastle both opened the season with three points, and Newcastle are top of the Premier League on goal difference.Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said City will not get complacent after winning the UEFA Super Cup. “They (City) went into a tough game and were desperate to win, you could see their reactions afterwards. This is a team that will not be complacent. They will be ready for us, so we expect a really good game,” Howe told reporters.“We want our players to go there with all the positive emotions that our season last year and our first game of this season should bring. We want to become a top team consistently in the Premier League and to do that we have to have a clear identity and try to implement that on other teams.”United must improve away form against big clubs, says Ten HagManchester United must show more personality to improve their away record against top sides in the Premier League, manager Erik ten Hag said ahead of today’s game at Tottenham Hotspur. Last season United lost on their travels to Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion and suffered a 7-0 thrashing at Liverpool.“This is one of the aims we have for this season, that we have to step up in away games to get more points. So, it’s often to do with personality,” Ten Hag, whose side began the season with a 1-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, told said. “So yeah, that’s the demand from me on the players and that we have to show more personality on the pitch to win such games.”Ten Hag insists they have not been distracted by off-field events, with the club’s ownership situation still unresolved while they have yet to make a decision on forward Mason Greenwood, who had charges of attempted rape dropped in February.“We focus on way of play, we focus on team performance. And so, we’re focusing now on Tottenham Hotspur. We know the performance (against Wolves) was not what we hoped. “But we want (to win) and it showed the character and the personality and that is one of the things we had to step up in, according to last season.”Ten Hag expects Lisandro Martinez to be available for the game after he was replaced at halftime in Monday’s win over Wolves. The United manager said defender Harry Maguire would have to fight for his place after deciding to stay at the club. Tottenham drew their opening game 2-2 at Brentford last Sunday.Fixtures (all times GMT)Today: Fulham v Brentford, Liverpool v Bournemouth, Wolves v Brighton (all 1400), Tottenham v Manchester United (1630),Manchester City v Newcastle (1900)Tomorrow: Aston Villa v Everton (1300), West Ham v Chelsea (1530)Monday: Crystal Palace v Arsenal (1900)

As the global stage eagerly await the start of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary tomorrow, all eyes in the men’s high jump will turn to Qatar’s illustrious defending World and Olympic champion, Mutaz Barshim.Aiming for an incredible fourth World title in a row, the 32-year-old Barshim leaves remarkable footprint in world athletics with a journey that has propelled him to become one of the greatest athletes of all time.The Aspire graduate stands as a symbol of dedication, perseverance, and athletic prowess, and is aiming to create history in Budapest. With only few days remaining until the high jump showdown, Barshim opened up about his approach to the competition.“I have not been competing a lot this season but I have so much on my back. Nowadays, I am a different high jumper. I have been competing for a while and I know my body. I understand much more what to do, when to do it. It is not always about going out there and competing,” Barshim revealed at a promotional event in Budapest on Thursday.“Sometimes, training is all I need. The result of a competition is only a reflection of what you have been doing in training. Sometimes you see me competing once or twice but the outcome is great. If I am not competing, it does not mean that I have not been working,” he clarified.While Barshim’s approach might different from the norm, his results speak for themselves. Barshim has won all high jump finals at World Championships since London 2017, and also fulfilled his dream of winning a gold at the Tokyo Olympics after earning two silver medals at London and Rio Games’.High jump is a technical discipline, and Barshim says his attention extends to his choice of footwear. “I always need the right shoes. If you have a fast car without wheels, you cannot perform. The same importance goes for a high jumper’s shoes. My high jump is very technical and for it I need to make sure that I know what I am doing while jumping and the shoes are what gives me confidence,” he explained, highlighting the link between his success and sport gear.Barshim is also one of the few high jumpers who wears a watch during his event. “I am actually jumping with my own watch developed especially for me. It is very lightweight, just 32 grams. I get a lot of questions from people asking me how I can jump with it, and is it too heavy for me?” Barshim said.“I have a very special relationship with this watch and the story behind it. It is very close to my heart... This watch gives me a buzz of energy. It is not just a watch, it has a sentimental value for me. But I want to keep the story about it to myself for now,” the Qatari icon said.As Barshim readies himself for another shot at high jump glory, the stage is being set up for a showdown between the best in the world at the National Athletics Centre in the Hungarian capital.

.text-box { float:left; width:250px; padding:1px; border:1pt white; margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 20px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 767px) {.text-box {width: 30%;}}**media[66955]**Qatar Airways announced the extension of its enduring partnership with Al Sadd Sports Club, the most successful football team in Qatar’s history, as the primary jersey partner in a multi-year deal. The airline said in a statement: “This renewal reaffirms the shared commitment of both organisations to the advancement of sports and excellence in football.”The partnership between Qatar Airways and Al Sadd Sports Club commenced in 2018, and over the years, it has demonstrated its strong foundation, further strengthening the bonds between the two entities. “Through this association, Qatar Airways continues to show its dedication to supporting Qatar’s sports community and fostering a positive impact on local and global football,” Qatar Airways added in the statement.Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive and Chairman of Qatar Tourism, HE Akbar al-Baker, said: “We are proud to extend our collaboration with Al Sadd Sports Club. Their remarkable success in Qatar’s football landscape aligns perfectly with Qatar Airways’ unwavering commitment to excellence and success. Together, we aim to continue promoting football as a unifying force and contributing to the development of sports in Qatar and beyond.”Qatar Airways as a brand has committed to supporting sports globally, helping fans travel to their favourite events around the world. The national carrier of Qatar is the official airline of Formula 1, Paris-Saint Germain, the United Rugby Championship (URC) and European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) the ironman and ironman 70.3 Triathlon Series, CONCACAF, and multiple other disciplines including Australian football, basketball, cricket, equestrian, motor racing, squash, and tennis.

New signing Roger Guedes made an instant impact as the Brazilian forward’s 30th-minute strike helped Al Rayyan to 1-0 win over Al Markhiya 1-0 in their Expo Stars League opener at the Al Janoub Stadium on Thursday. Earlier, Qatar SC and Al Gharafa had played out a highly-entertaining 4-4 draw at the Khalifa International Stadium. Today, the big guns Al Duhail and Al Sadd will open their campaigns. Defending champions Duhail take on Al Ahli at Al Thumama Stadium, while record 16-time winners Al Sadd face Umm Salal at Al Bayt Stadium.On Thursday, Al Rayyan gave an indication of their hunger for victory and they could have gone ahead in the first minute had Rodrigo Moreno not been caught offside as Guedes tried a through ball.There were subsequently a couple of attempts from both sides, but it was Guedes who eventually found the net in the 30th minute to give Al Rayyan the lead. The Brazilian forward, who joined The Lions in the summer, slotted in a right-footed shot from the right side of the six-yard box to the bottom right corner after a headed pass by Rodrigo.The match was evenly balanced from there on as Al Markhiya, who finished last season in seventh place, continued their search for an equaliser, while Al Rayyan held firm.Leonardo Jardim’s men could have doubled their lead in the 55th minute had Al Markhiya’s Abdelghani Laallam own goal not been overturned by VAR. Desperately seeking to restore parity, Al Markhiya made a double substitution in the 62nd minute, with Rochinha going out for Naoufal Bannis and Ali Said replacing Moayed Hassan. The substitution could have paid off in the 67th minute when Ali Said placed a through ball to Yusupha Njie who was, however, caught offside.Qatar SC, Al Gharafa share the spoils in eight-goal fiestaEarlier, Qatar SC, Al Gharafa served out an entertaining 4-4 draw. Bruno Tabata scored a brace (sixth and 57th minutes) and Ben Malango (90+11 minute) were on target for Qatar SC, and the team also benefited from an own goal from Mohamed Ali Jamin (20th minute).Yohan Boli (35th minute), Ahmed al-Janehi (45+5 and 77th minutes), and Yacine Brahimi (90+6 minute) scored for Al Gharafa. The match witnessed plenty of drama as Qatar SC twice gave up their leads, including a two-goal advantage, before drawing level just before the final whistle.Qatar SC took lead through Tabata, whose right-footed shot from the centre of the box effortlessly sailed to the high centre of the goal off a well-timed pass from Bashar Rasan.Youssef Safri’s team subsequently continued to pile pressure on their opponents after the opening goal and their efforts yielded the desired result in the 20th minute, with Tabata finding the target a second time.With two goals down, Al Gharafa suddenly seemed to wake up from their slumber as they became more purposeful in attack, with more attempts at goals that were either blocked or narrowly missed.The deficit was eventually cut for The Cheetahs in the 35th minute through Boli off a Brahimi assist. Brahimi’s through ball located the Ivorian, who wasted no time in firing a right-footed shot to the centre of the goal.Parity was restored with virtually the last kick of first half, with Farid Boulaya providing another through-ball assist to al-Janehi, who fired in a thundering right-footed shot from the centre of the box to make the match even.Qatar SC made a double substitution at half-time, with Abdullah Abdulsalam coming in for Raoul Danzabe, while Ben Malango replaced Jassim Ahmed. Al Gharafa, on the other hand, sent in Nasser al-Ahrak in place of Abdullah Ali Saei. In the 58th minute, Tabata hit his brace of the night with an assist from Omar al-Emadi to restore Qatar SC’s lead.With the match seemingly heading the way of Qatar SC, al-Janehi shocked the home crowd by powering home Homam al-Ameen’s cross in the 77th minute to get on the scoresheet for the second time on the night and draw level for Al Gharafa. Deep into injury time, Brahimi gave Al Gharafa the lead before Qatar SC’s Malango scored four minutes later to ensure the match ended even.

Bayern Munich’s record signing Harry Kane will have no problems handling the pressure that comes with playing as a striker for the German champions, coach Thomas Tuchel said on Thursday.England captain Kane joined last week from Tottenham Hotspur for a Bundesliga record 100 million euros plus add-ons with the Bavarians in need of an out-and-out forward since last year’s departure of Robert Lewandowski. The 30-year-old is expected to start in their Bundesliga premiere at Werder Bremen today.“If nothing happens today and tomorrow then he will start, of course,” Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel told a press conference. “This is not the first time in his career that he faces that,” said Tuchel of the pressure Kane may be feeling in success-spoilt Munich. “He has learned to translate pressure into performances. For over a decade he knows how to handle pressure. I have absolute no concerns about that.”Kane made his debut in Germany last Saturday with a low-key substitute appearance in the second half of their Super Cup 3-0 loss to RB Leipzig. Despite just three touches in 35 minutes, Kane’s performance only hours after signing the contract did little to dampen Bayern fans’ enthusiasm and expectations as the club needs to dramatically improve its conversion rate in attack.Kane, who scored a Spurs record 280 goals in over 430 appearances in all competitions, is also the second-highest Premier League scorer of all time with 213 goals – 47 behind Alan Shearer. With 58 goals for his country in 84 games, Kane is England’s all-time leading marksman.The Bavarians struggled for goals last season and only narrowly won the league title after Borussia Dortmund unexpectedly failed to win their last game at home. “The Harry Kane effect will not evaporate,” Tuchel said. “It works on so many levels that you cannot realise it because you do not witness it daily. In the changing room, on the pitch, his character, his professionalism. How hard he trains, how after the defeat he was first on the pitch for training with the reserves.”“He increases out chances of winning tomorrow massively. We know we will not win every match. But I am 100% committed in this. Everything I see (from Kane) so far confirms this. He will make our players better. He gives us a lot of options and will get all the time to fully adapt but I am sure he will have his impact tomorrow,” Tuchel said.

Pep Guardiola is targeting a “full circle” of trophies as Manchester City boss after winning the club’s first UEFA Super Cup with a victory on penalties over Sevilla after a 1-1 draw in Athens. The European Champions had to come from behind after Youssef En-Nesyri’s towering first-half header gave the Spaniards the lead.City were far from their slick best, but hit back to force the game to penalties through Cole Palmer’s equaliser. Guardiola’s men were then perfect from the spot and prevailed 5-4 in the shootout after Sevilla defender Nemanja Gudelj smashed against the bar.Should City win the Club World Cup in December, it would complete Guardiola’s honours list since arriving in England, which already includes five Premier League titles, four League Cups, two FA Cups and the club’s first Champions League. “We are really pleased for the club to win this,” Guardiola said. “We miss just one to finish the full circle and have all the titles we can have.”Guardiola has bemoaned his side’s lack of preparation for the new season, which showed under the baking heat in the Greek capital. City badly missed the creative presence of Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva through a combination of injury and illness. A four-month absence for De Bruyne due to a serious hamstring injury has exacerbated the loss of firepower offered by Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez since last season. West Ham’s Brazilian international Lucas Paqueta has been linked with a move to the Etihad, and this performance may serve as further proof City need to strengthen before the end of the transfer market. “We are not in the best moment, I would say,” Guardiola acknowledged. “Football in these games, in this period, is a (toss of a) coin.”Sevilla began their La Liga season with a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Valencia. But just as they did last season in lifting a seventh Europa League despite a 12th-placed league finish, they rose to the big occasion.Josko Gvardiol was making his first start for City since a 90mn euro move from RB Leipzig. But the Croatian international was beaten to Marcos Acuna’s cross by En-Nesyri, who bulleted a header in off the post. City’s sluggishness was in evidence again at the start of the second-half, when Lucas Ocampos skipped past Kyle Walker’s desperate lunge to set up En-Nesyri with a golden chance to double Sevilla’s lead.The Moroccan striker was one-on-one with Ederson but fired straight into the Brazilian goalkeeper’s legs. “When we had the chances to score the second goal, we didn’t take them,” said Sevilla boss Jose Luis Mendilibar.Sevilla were left to rue that miss as City hit back against the run of play on 63 minutes. Mahrez’s departure has opened the door to City academy graduate Palmer to the first-team, and the England under-21 international, who also scored against Arsenal in the Community Shield, is taking his chance. Rodri was City’s hero with the only goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan, and the Spaniard this time provided the assist with a perfectly measured cross for Palmer to cushion a header past Yassine Bounou.En-Nesyri was guilty of another wasted one-on-one moments later as Ederson flew off his line to make a block. Erling Haaland had scored twice in all of his previous three appearances against Sevilla, but the Norwegian barely got a sight of goal before the spot-kicks. Bounou was playing what is expected to be his final game for Sevilla before a move to Saudi side Al Hilal. However, there was no perfect ending for the Moroccan international as Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish and Walker all held their nerve to score in the shootout.

Stuttgart’s Japan midfielder Wataru Endo is completing a “dream” move to Liverpool, the Bundesliga club revealed on Thursday. Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeness said that the defensive midfielder “had been cleared by the club for (contract) talks”.“He flew to England for a medical check and wasn’t in training today. At the age of 30 he now has the opportunity to join Liverpool in the Premier League. It’s a dream of his,” Hoeness added. Reports Liverpool will pay approximately 20mn euros for Endo, whose contract in Stuttgart was due to expire in 2024.Endo comes as a surprising addition to the Liverpool squad, with new German sporting director Jorg Schmadtke the architect of the deal. Liverpool have been on the hunt for a defensive midfielder since both captain Jordan Henderson and Fabinho made the move to Saudi Arabia in the summer.De Bruyne, Haaland and Messi nominated for UEFA player of the yearManchester City duo Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland are among the three finalists for the men’s UEFA player of the year award alongside Lionel Messi, European football’s governing body announced. The trio emerged as the leading vote-getters from a jury comprised of coaches of clubs in UEFA competitions, those in charge of European national teams and a select group of journalists.The winner of the prize will be revealed on August 31 in Monaco at the Champions League group stage draw ceremony. Haaland finished as the Champions League’s top scorer last season with 12 goals, while De Bruyne – who had a leading seven assists – played an integral part in City lifting the trophy for the first time.Messi, who left Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami this summer, won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, claiming the last major trophy missingfrom his honours. City’s Pep Guardiola is among the coach of the year nominees after leading the club to a treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League last season. He is joined by Italian pair Simone Inzaghi, who took Inter Milan to the Champions League final, and Luciano Spalletti, the coach who ended Napoli’s 33-year wait for the Serie A title.Strasbourg sell top scorerDiallo to Saudi club Al-ShababSenegalese striker Habib Diallo, who hit 20 Ligue 1 goals for Strasbourg last season, has joined the player exodus to Saudi Arabia and signed for Al-Shabab, the French club announced. French media reported that Strasbourg could receive as much as 20mn euros (21.75mn dollars), which would be a club record. The 28-year-old striker joined Strasbourg from Metz in 2020 and scored a total of 41 goals in 103 games in all competitions.