Sports

Andrey Rublev’s Monte Carlo Masters title defence ended at the first hurdle on Wednesday with a straight-sets defeat by Australian Alexei Popyrin, while Jannik Sinner eased through.The Russian never got going in the second-round tie as Popyrin eased to a 6-4, 6-4 win at the traditional clay court warm-up for the French Open.The world number 46 will face compatriot Alex de Minaur, who beat Tallon Griekspoor in three sets, for a possible quarter-final against Novak Djokovic.“I enjoyed coming out on centre court for the first time. First tournament on clay of the year and I have good memories from clay last year,” said Popyrin, who won his second ATP title in Croatia on clay in 2023. “I am feeling really comfortable on it and happy to beat a guy who was in form, confident and the defending champ. It was an awesome match.”The loss extended a poor run of form for Rublev, after a defeat in his opening match against Tomas Machac in Miami and losing to Jiri Lehecka in the Indian Wells last 32.The sixth seed had a break point to level at 5-5 in the second set, but found the net and Popyrin closed out the victory.Rublev lifted his first Masters 1000 title in Monaco last year by beating Holger Rune in the final.Australian Open champion Sinner cruised through, though, seeing off American Sebastian Korda 6-1, 6-2.The world number two converted seven of the 12 break points he created and saved all three of the ones he faced in a dominant performance.The Italian will next play Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany in the last 16.“Every year, it’s tough to come here and try to perform well, but I’m very happy about this performance and let’s see what is coming in the next round,” said Sinner, who lost to Rune in the semi-finals 12 months ago.“I haven’t served very well, but I returned very well, I stayed close to the baseline.”Medvedev throughDaniil Medvedev made short work of a potentially tricky opening tie with Gael Monfils, sealing a 6-2, 6-4 win.The world number four will next go head-to-head with fellow Russian Karen Khachanov in the third round, with either Alexander Zverev or Stefanos Tsitsipas waiting in the last eight.Medvedev has reached at least the semi-finals in all four of his previous tournaments so far this season.Two-time champion Tsitsipas showed signs of a return to his best, thrashing Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-1, 6-0 in just over an hour.French 14th seed Ugo Humbert progressed with a 6-1, 6-4 success against China’s Zhang Zhizhen.He will next take on Lorenzo Sonego, who ensured former top-10 player Felix Auger-Aliassime’s miserable run of form continued, winning 6-4, 7-5.Italy’s Sonego only reached the main draw as a lucky loser after the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz.Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz also went through in straight sets, defeating Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).Three-time Grand Slam runner-up Casper Ruud is up next for Hurkacz, after the Norwegian brushed aside Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-4.

Major winner Cam eron Smith was pleased to regain “a little bit of energy” as he completed his first Masters practice round Tuesday after being laid low by food poisoning.His on-course partner Tuesday, fellow Australian Min Woo Lee, then revealed he will tee off the first major of the year with a broken finger.Smith, the British Open champion in 2022, had to withdraw from LIV Golf Miami on Friday after being taken ill.“I spent the weekend in bed, which wasn’t the greatest preparation. Today is probably the first day where I feel like I’ve got a little bit of energy,” Smith told reporters.“I’m sure I’ll be pretty cooked tonight. At least I could get around and feel OK.”The former world number two still had time to laugh at himself slipping on rocks near Rae’s Creek at the famous old Augusta layout - and ending up flat on his back. “A bit of comedy for the crowd there,” he smiled.Smith has four top-10 finishes in his seven Masters starts, including a tie for second in 2020 when Dustin Johnson won.Smith hoped he would be back to 100 percent by Thursday to mount his 2024 challenge, when he will tee off at 10:54am in a signature group alongside current US Open champion Wyndham Clark and Norway’s world number six Viktor Hovland.“Here, more than most places, if you get behind the eight-ball, you’re pretty screwed pretty early,” Smith said.Lee said he had broken his right ring finger when he dropped a 20-pound dumbbell on it 10 days ago, but a “miraculously good” recovery will allow him to take part as he chases a first major - despite also catching the flu.“I guess it wasn’t the best prep,” said Lee, whose LPGA Tour-playing sister Minjee has won two majors. “And I got the flu two days ago. Yeah, it’s going great.“It’s actually amazing how fast the recovery was,” Lee added. “It was bruised, still swollen, but not actually that painful, which is really strange.“I still went to the gym last week as much as I could,” said Lee.“Obviously I didn’t do that exercise. Every time I looked at that 20-pound dumbbell, yeah, gave it a death stare.”Lee will begin his Masters bid at 10:06am playing in a three-ball with Americans Rickie Fowler and Patrick Cantlay.

Jon Rahm relaxed after a successful Champions Dinner while Rory McIlroy sought mental calmness in Wednesday’s last practice session ahead of today’s start of the 88th Masters.An elite field of 89 players, including 20 first-time Masters starters, made final preparations for the year’s first major test at Augusta National.“I feel like I’ve already got most of my prep work done,” second-ranked McIlroy said. “It’s just about going out there and being relaxed and being in the right frame of mind. And the more I can do that, the more I’ll be able to execute on the golf course.”Third-ranked defending champion Rahm was enjoying good reviews for his Spanish-themed menu at Tuesday’s Champions Dinner, where past Masters winners gathered to enjoy tales and good food.“It’s essentially just a bunch of normal men. It was really fun,” Rahm said, noting of his speech, “I was so nervous I think I blacked out for a second.”Rahm, also the 2021 US Open winner, was a starstruck fan as he enjoyed legends sharing tales of his idol, the late Seve Ballesteros, on what would have been Seve’s 67th birthday and what was the one-year anniversary of Rahm’s Masters triumph. “That was pretty incredible. That’s something I’m going to cherish and look forward to next year,” Rahm said. “I don’t think anything I’ve experienced in golf comes close, maybe the Claret Jug (would), but I don’t think anything compares to what I experienced in that room.”Rahm is among 13 players from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League in the Masters field, having jumped from the PGA Tour last December.Hoping to earn his own invitation to next year’s Champions Dinner is McIlroy, a four-time major winner who would complete a career grand slam with a Masters triumph. The 34-year-old from Northern Ireland will make his 10th attempt to join a select group that includes Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player and Ben Hogan.“If I cast my mind back to 18-year-old Rory and I’m driving down Magnolia Lane for the first time, how would I feel and I think, it’s just always trying to go back to being grateful and feeling incredibly lucky that you can be a part of this tournament,” McIlroy said.“Thankfully, I’ve improved a bit since my first start here and I feel like I’ve got all the tools to do well this week.“But to bring those tools out, I think one of the most important things is to enjoy it and smell the - I guess not the roses - the azaleas along the way.”The flower-laden course, built on the grounds of a former nursery, creates a surrounding unlike any other.“The whole atmosphere of the tournament is very special in preparing for the Masters,” said 13th-ranked Tommy Fleetwood of England.“Preparation is very important. Being prepared will give you a huge element of calmness. That’s very important going into the Masters.“Your routines can be the same but the course demands a lot out of you. It’s the Masters, the first major of the year. It’s not like any other tournament.”Fleetwood, a seven-time DP World Tour champion, won most recently at January’s Dubai Invitational. He has six top-five major finishes, including runner-up efforts at the 2018 US Open and 2019 Open Championship, but his best Masters result was a share of 14th in 2022. Sweden’s ninth-ranked Ludvig Aberg, on the eve of his major debut, had a Tuesday practice round with his 2023 European Ryder Cup teammate McIlroy.“It was really cool. We spoke about the course a little bit. His experience here is remarkable,” Aberg said. ”It demands a little more than a normal course. You’ve got to know where to hit the shots.”

The 16 contenders for the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 have named the 23-strong squads they hope will steer them to glory.With just five days remaining until the sixth edition of AFC U23 Asian Cup kicks off, squads featuring the continent's rising stars have been revealed.Reigning champions Saudi Arabia will have forward Abdullah Radif leading the line with AFC U23 Asian Cup 2022 Most Valuable Player Aiman Yahya providing the ammunition from the wings, while Japan have included a clutch of Europe-based stars led by Joel Chima Fujita who plays his club football in the Belgian Pro League with Sint-Truidense.Bae Jun-ho is back for another tilt at the title with Korea Republic, Ali Jasim Elaibi will be ready to take flight with Iraq, Ahmed Alrawi will be looking to shine on the home front for Qatar, while Marselino Ferdinan will be determined to make a big splash with debutants Indonesia.

Arsenal rescued a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich as Leandro Trossard’s late leveller stopped Harry Kane making a triumphant return to north London in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg. Trossard came off the bench to equalise in the closing stages at the Emirates Stadium after former Tottenham striker Kane put Bayern 2-1 ahead with a first-half penalty.Fans in the 60,000 sell-out crowd were relieved to be able to focus on a pulsating clash after security was increased at Champions League games this week. A media outlet supporting the Islamic State group published threats against stadiums hosting quarter-finals this week. UEFA, European football’s governing body, confirmed it was aware of the threats but the ties at the Emirates Stadium and in Madrid – where Real drew with Manchester City – both went ahead as planned.Arsenal had taken an early lead through Bukayo Saka before former Gunners winger Serge Gnabry put Bayern back on level terms. Kane scored a north London derby record 14 goals against Arsenal during his time with Tottenham, making him an inevitable target for taunts for Gunners fans.When Kane bagged his sixth career goal at the Emirates – and his 39th in all competitions in his first season with Bayern – it seemed the England captain would have the last laugh. But Trossard’s dramatic intervention leaves the tie delicately poised ahead of the second leg in Munich on April 17.Premier League leaders Arsenal have been in superb form this season, while Bayern are on the brink of surrendering the German title for the first time in 12 years after a brutal domestic campaign. But, playing in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2010, Arsenal looked unusually hesitant at times and will be relieved to have emerged with their hopes of a first European Cup still intact.Befitting their poor form, Bayern made a nervous start and Alphonso Davies was quickly booked for a challenge on Saka that triggered a second-leg suspension for the Canadian defender. Mikel Arteta’s men took the lead in the 12th minute, showing the intensity and poise that had led Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel to label them “the best team in the Premier League”.Saka started Arsenal’s high press, winning the ball deep in Bayern’s half before Ben White’s return pass picked out the England winger in the area. Saka’s strike was unerring, flashing low past Manuel Neuer into the far corner for his 18th goal in all competitions this term. But Tuchel’s side exposed a rare moment of naivety from Arsenal to draw level six minutes later.Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes carelessly surrendered possession and Bayern pounced as perfectly weighted passes from Leroy Sane and Leon Goretzka picked out Gnabry, who deftly guided his shot past David Raya from 12 yards. It was the first time Arsenal had conceded at home in the Champions League this season, and Raya had to pick the ball out of his net again in the 32nd minute.Leroy Sane’s dazzling burst through the heart of the flat-footed Arsenal defence was only halted when William Saliba’s crude challenge conceded a penalty. With boos ringing around the Emirates, Kane kept his composure to send Raya the wrong way from the spot before aiming a broad grin at the Arsenal keeper on his way back to the centre-circle.In an inspired tactical change, Arteta sent on Trossard and Gabriel Jesus in the second half, lifting Arsenal out of their lethargy in time to snatch a 76th-minute equaliser. Jesus was the catalyst with a superb surge into the Bayern area that ended with a pin-point pass to Trossard, who gleefully slotted a fine finish past Neuer. Arsenal were furious not to be given a penalty in the final seconds when Neuer caught Saka in a fitting denouement for a tie on a knife-edge.

With the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 just around the corner, here is a look at a very interesting Group B. Potentially the toughest of the four groups, it features two former champions in Japan and South Korea, together with United Arab Emirates and China.JapanPrevious appearances: 5Best finish: Champions (2016)2022 result: 3rdHow they qualified: Group D winnersJapan emerged champions when Qatar hosted the 2016 edition, defeating South Korea 3-2 in a thrilling final with Takuma Asano hitting a late winner.However, that is Japan’s only appearance in a final of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup but there are renewed hopes this time around after a strong showing in the qualifiers where they topped Group D ahead of Palestine, Bahrain and Pakistan.Head coach Go Oiwa has a squad stacked with options with Belgian-based midfielder Joel Chima Fujita (Sint-Truiden) leading the squad with defender Takashi Uchino (Fortuna Dusseldorf) and midfielder Rihito Yamamoto the other key players.South KoreaPrevious appearances: 5Best finish: Champions (2020)2022 result: Quarter-finalsHow they qualified: Group B winnersSouth Korea have a fantastic AFC U-23 Asian Cup track record, reaching at least the semi-final stage in all but one of their appearances with the crowning glory coming in Thailand 2020 when they lifted the trophy after edging Saudi Arabia in the final. The Koreans had a bumpy start to their qualifying campaign when they lost to Qatar but the match did not count towards the standings. They recovered to beat Kyrgystan (1-0) and Myanmar (3-0) to qualify as Group B winners.Looking to regain the title, Korea Republic will go into this tournament in great form - having won the 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship in March with UK-based Bae Jun-ho (Stoke City) manning the engine room.UAEPrevious appearances: 4Best finish: Quarter-finals (2013, 2016, 2020)2022 result: Group stageHow they qualified: Group G winnersUAE will be making their fifth appearance with the quarter-final stage being the furthest they have gone in previous editions. The Emiratis qualified as Group G winners, a goalless draw with China PR and a 3-0 win against India sealing them the top spot.UAE were also involved in the 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship, where they fell 1-0 to Egypt, drew 1-1 with Iraq and lost 1-0 to Thailand.ChinaPrevious appearances: 4Best finish: Group stage2022 result: Did not qualifyHow they qualified: One of four best runners-upSince the tournament started in 2013, China qualified for the Finals in all but the last edition in Uzbekistan 2022, and will be making their return after a difficult qualifying campaign.They secured four points but an inferior goal difference meant UAE topped the group, with China advancing as one of the four best runners-up.Head coach Cheng Yaodong will be looking at his relatively young squad to rise to the occasion as China go in search of a place in the knockout stage for the first time in the competition.

Real Madrid and Champions League holders Manchester City shared a pulsating 3-3 draw in a rollercoaster quarter-final first leg on Tuesday. Bernardo Silva put City ahead with a low free-kick but Ruben Dias’ own goal and Rodrygo Goes helped Madrid dramatically and swiftly fight back.Manchester City’s own quick-fire double in the second half through Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol stunned the record 14-time winners, but they snatched a draw through Fede Valverde’s scorching volley.Guardiola omitted influential playmaker Kevin De Bruyne after the Belgian said he was unwell shortly before the game, opting for Mateo Kovacic in midfield alongside Rodri Hernandez.The former Barcelona coach also chose Stefan Ortega in goal over the experienced Ederson, only just back from a thigh injury, while Gvardiol overcame a fitness doubt to start. Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti opted for defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni at centre-back over Nacho Fernandez and an early rash challenge from the Frenchman paved the way for City’s opener.Tchouameni clumsily hacked down Jack Grealish after 33 seconds and was booked, meaning he will miss the second leg. From the free-kick Silva punished Madrid further, catching goalkeeper Andriy Lunin out at his near post with a low effort which skidded home. Lunin was sluggish to react and although he got a hand to the ball he could not keep it out.Ancelotti, coaching a record 200th Champions League match, claimed his team lacked courage and personality when they were crushed by City in last seasons semis, but they showed mental strength to quickly turn the game on its head. This kind of feat is Madrid’s wont in the Champions League, and they produced two goals in two minutes, reminiscent of their stunning 2022 semi-final comeback against City thanks to Rodrygo’s brace.Dias deflected the first into his own net as he tried to block Camavinga’s long-range piledriver, and Rodrygo slipped home the second after Vinicius Junior played him in, aided by another deflection, off Manuel Akanji. The Brazilian sliced wide at the end of a slick Madrid transition, aided by a Vinicius backheel, as Los Blancos demonstrated how dangerous they are on the counter-attack.A breathless first 45 minutes was followed by more of the same, in a tie increasingly dubbed a Champions League “Clasico”. Rodri headed over for the visitors and Vinicius blasted over the top before City sprang their own comeback and extended their unbeaten run to 26 matches. Foden pulled his team level with a superb strike, arced into the top corner from the edge of the box. The England international is enjoying his finest goalscoring campaign with this perfectly placed effort his 22nd across all competitions.With Antonio Rudiger shackling Erling Haaland, City got a goal from an unlikely source to lead five minutes later. Defender Gvardiol’s ferocious bending effort from distance left Lunin no chance and silenced the Bernabeu – but not for long. Valverde’s brilliant volley from Vinicius’ cross zipped past Ortega to level the score and leave the game deliciously poised for the second leg on April 17.

The Paris Saint-Germain of Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona clash in the first leg of their blockbuster Champions League quarter-final tie today, in the latest instalment of the growing rivalry between the two clubs.It is the fifth time the sides have been drawn against each other in the knockout stage of Europe’s elite club competition in the last 12 seasons, with those past meetings including an unforgettable encounter in 2017. PSG won 4-0 at home in the first leg only to lose 6-1 in the return in a stunning implosion against a Barcelona side coached by Luis Enrique.He is now in charge of PSG, having joined the Qatar-owned club ahead of this season with the responsibility of delivering elusive European success. “It is a totally different game for me,” Luis Enrique said on Tuesday, referring to the special nature of a fixture against the club with whom he starred as a player before going on to lead to Champions League glory in 2015.“But I also played against Sporting (Gijon, where he began his career) and scored goals for Barcelona. At the end of the day I am a professional. Of course I like Barcelona but I am pleased to be here at PSG and I must think about my job and my team. I think I’m capable of bringing trophies to this club.”PSG have never won the Champions League and had gone out in the last 16 in five of the last seven years before beating Real Sociedad to reach the last eight this time. The consequences of that 2017 meeting between the teams were huge. A humiliated PSG exacted revenge by signing Neymar from Barcelona a few months later by paying a world-record fee of 222 million euros ($264m at the time) to activate the Brazilian’s release clause.Barcelona panicked and blew all of that money, and more, in trying to rebuild their team. Among the players they signed was Ousmane Dembele, who cost an initial 105 million euros from Borussia Dortmund. Fast forward to last year and Dembele was sold to PSG for just 50 million euros, leaving behind a cash-strapped Barca who have faded somewhat as a continental force in recent seasons. Their financial problems forced them to let Lionel Messi leave in 2021, with the Argentine teaming up with Neymar in a two-year spell in Paris.It was only a few weeks after Neymar’s arrival that PSG also signed Mbappe, who has gone on to become the club’s all-time top scorer and will leave at the end of this season when his contract expires, almost certainly for Real Madrid. Mbappe scored a brilliant hat-trick in the first leg in Barcelona when PSG beat the Catalans 5-2 on aggregate in the last 16 in 2021, in the most recent clash between the clubs.He has 39 goals this season and appears extra motivated by the desire to win the Champions League with his boyhood club before he leaves. PSG failed to convince in the group stage, only just scraping through to the last 16.However, they are unbeaten in 27 games in all competitions going back to early November and are dreaming of winning a Champions League, Ligue 1 and French Cup treble.Barcelona, meanwhile, have not lost in 11 matches since coach Xavi Hernandez, who played both alongside and under Luis Enrique at the club, revealed his intention to walk away at the end of this season.The five-time European champions are appearing in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2020, when they were trounced 8-2 by Bayern Munich in a game played behind closed doors in Lisbon, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We are in our best form but we are playing against a team built to win the Champions League and we are coming up against one of the best coaches in Luis Enrique,” Xavi told reporters.Barcelona are hoping midfielders Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, who have both been struggling with injuries, will be able to play in the game, while PSG are without influential right-back Achraf Hakimi due to suspension. “All those who have travelled will be able to play, as long as there are no surprises,” Xavi said of his squad.The second leg will be played in Barcelona next Tuesday, April 16, with the winners advancing to a semi-final against either Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone hailed Champions League quarter-final opponents Borussia Dortmund as the “hardest” team his side could have drawn. The Germans, fifth in the Bundesliga, are widely seen as the weakest team left in the competition but Atletico coach Simeone disagreed. Atletico host Dortmund in the first leg today at the Metropolitano stadium on Wednesday, bidding to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2017.“Borussia are the hardest opponent,” Simeone argued at a news conference. “They have a lot of good qualities, they’ve not lost away from home in four months, and they are great on the counter-attack. They are very strong in both boxes, and they are the most intense team in the last eight of the competition.”Dortmund, victorious in 1997, reached the final four most recently in 2013, when they finished as runners-up to rivals Bayern Munich. Simeone, one victory away from 50 as a coach in the Champions League, and Atletico have never won the competition, and it is their last realistic hope of silverware this season with the team fourth in La Liga.However Atletico defender Axel Witsel said he and his team-mates were not thinking beyond today’s clash. “We think like Cholo (Simeone), game by game, that’s the most important thing, you can’t think beyond that,” said the Belgian international.Witsel, who arrived at Atletico in 2022 after spending four seasons at Dortmund, agreed with his coach about the visitors’ potent threat. “It’s a very good team, I played there in four very good years for me,” he said. “They press a lot, they have (Karim) Adeyemi, (Jadon) Sancho, very fast players up front.”Dortmund coach Edin Terzic responded to Simeone’s flattery with praise of his own for Atletico. “The (play) that makes Atletico Madrid so successful is well known,” he told a news conference. “They have implemented a new art of defending. It’s not easy for any team in the world here.”The coach also said he wanted Dortmund to prove they are a team that can reach the final stages of the Champions League, after various players have departed in search of success at other clubs. Sancho left for Manchester United in 2021 but returned to Dortmund on loan in January, while Jude Bellingham joined Real Madrid last summer. Manchester City signed striker Erling Haaland and defender Manuel Akanji from the Bundesliga outfit, both in 2022.“Some of the lads have left us in recent years to try their luck in the Champions League elsewhere,” said Terzic. “We now want to show that you can reach the semi-finals of the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund.”Terzic also said midfielder Emre Can was “a little ill” but expected he would be ready to face Atletico. The coach praised on-loan Manchester United winger Sancho for his hard work in recent weeks.“Jadon has regained more and more self-confidence through hard work in training and in games,” added Terzic. “He is getting better and better. And what many people don’t even notice is how diligently he has been defending recently.”Dortmund were in a decent run of form, with five wins in a row in all competitions, before a 1-0 loss to VfB Stuttgart on Saturday. “We are satisfied with the intensity we have achieved in recent matches, but we have to maintain it,” Terzic added. “In their (Atletico’s) stadium it won’t be easy, but we hope we can pass the test and progress. We know how they fight and what a good team they are, but we are ready to show our best, and we must play as a team.”

Al Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off late on as his side lost 2-1 to city rivals Al Hilal in their Saudi Super Cup semi-final after a heated clash in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Portugal’s record scorer was shown a straight red card four minutes from time for elbowing an opponent when his side were 2-0 down before they scored a late consolation.Jorge Jesus’ Hilal opened the scoring in the 62nd minute when Salem al-Dawsari slotted the ball into the bottom right corner from a Sergej Milinkovic-Savic flick after a quick break. Brazilian forward Malcolm doubled the lead in the 72nd with a fine header after Michael’s long cross from the right found his compatriot unmarked in the centre of the box. Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane got Nassr on the scoresheet in stoppage time off Abdulrahman Ghareeb’s pass. Hilal will seek a record-extending fourth title in tomorrow’s final when they face Karim Benzema’s Al Ittihad, who beat Al Wehda 2-1 in the earlier semi-final on Monday.Football director Murtough to leave Manchester UnitedJohn Murtough is to step down as football director of Manchester United and leave Old Trafford, the faltering Premier League giants said. United are overhauling their structure following Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a 25 percent stake in the club, which saw the chairman of chemicals giant Ineos take control of football operations.Ratcliffe is especially keen to overhaul recruitment at United, with the club reportedly looking to bring in Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth and Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox as members of a new leadership team, with Murtough’s exit described as a “mutual” decision.United’s 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool left the Red Devils sixth in the Premier League table, but 11 points behind fifth-placed Aston Villa in the race for European football. United still have a chance to win a trophy this season after coming from 2-1 and 3-2 down to beat Liverpool 4-3 in a thrilling FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford that secured a last-four tie with second-tier Coventry.Rubiales to testify on April 29 over Spain football graft scandalA Spanish judge summoned disgraced ex-football chief Luis Rubiales to testify on April 29 over an alleged graft scandal at the national federation (RFEF) when he was president, court documents showed. The 46-year-old returned to Spain from the Dominican Republic on April 3 and was briefly detained at the airport as part of a probe into federation contracts signed since 2018, including one signed by Rubiales to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.Rubiales’ return to Spain came two weeks after investigators searched 11 locations, including the RFEF’s Madrid headquarters and his house in the southern city of Granada, as part of a probe into alleged corruption and other crimes. The March 20 raids were part of “an investigation linked to presumed crimes linked with corruption in business, fraudulent administration and money laundering”, judicial sources said. The Super Cup contracts are worth 40mn euros a year ($43.3mn) with the deal brokered by Kosmos, a company owned by former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Pique. During the raids, police arrested the RFEF’s legal director Pedro Gonzalez Segura and its head of human resources Jose Javier Jimenez as well as the federation’s external legal adviser Tomas Gonzalez Cueto.

One year after withdrawing before the end of the third round of the Masters, Tiger Woods is back at his favourite golf course, his favorite tournament, ready to give it another go.The five-time Masters winner, now 48, on Tuesday restated what he has said for years amid multiple challenges to his physical fitness.He would not be competing if he didn’t think he could win.“If everything comes together, I think I can get one more,” Woods said with a grin. “Do I need to describe that any more than that, or are we good?”Two years ago, Woods made his return to competitive golf at the Masters less than 14 months after a single-car accident nearly cost him his right leg. He made the cut at Augusta National before finishing 47th.Woods has said that his goal going forward is to play a handful of events a year, possibly once a month, but that has been a challenge.After making the cut at the 2023 Masters, the third round was suspended due to rain and he withdrew rather than returning Sunday, citing plantar fasciitis.That led to ankle surgery later that month.Woods came back to play two unofficial events in December, but when he attempted to play in the signature event hosted by his foundation, February’s Genesis Invitational, he withdrew early in his second round due to flu-like symptoms.“I wasn’t ready to play. My body wasn’t ready,” Woods said in response to a question about the Genesis.“My game wasn’t ready. And I thought that when I was at (the Hero World Challenge), once a month would be a really nice rhythm.“Hasn’t worked out that way,” he said.“But now we have major championships every month from here through July. So now the once a month hopefully kicks in.”Woods clarified that his left ankle no longer hurts - “It’s fused, it’s not going anywhere” - but other parts of his body like his knee and back take on more of the load when he tries to walk 72 holes.There was concern when Woods’ friend and NBC Sports commentator Notah Begay III told reporters last week that Woods had “zero mobility” in his left ankle. “As far as my physicality on certain shots, every shot that’s not on a tee box is a challenge,” Woods said on Tuesday, again smiling.“So, yeah, once we start the hole, it’s a bit of a challenge.”Woods has made 23 consecutive cuts at the Masters, and he can break a tie with Fred Couples and Gary Player for the most all-time if he reaches the weekend this year.“I think it’s consistency, it’s longevity, and it’s an understanding of how to play this golf course,” Woods said of finding success at Augusta National.“That’s one of the reasons why you see players that are in their 50s and 60s make cuts here, or it’s players in their late 40s have runs at winning the event, just the understanding of how to play it.“Now, you still have to go out and execute it, but there’s a lot of knowledge that goes into understanding how to play it.”Aches and pains aside, Woods will tee off with Max Homa and Australian Jason Day at 1:24 p.m. ET tomorrow as he guns for his sixth Masters title and his second since 2019.“I just love doing the work,” Woods said.“I love logging the time in, and I love preparing. I love competing, and I love that feeling when everything’s on fire with a chance to win and you either you do or you don’t.”

Defending Masters champion Jon Rahm said he “still love(s) the PGA Tour” and wants the ability to compete there again someday despite departing for LIV Golf this winter.Whether a merger between the PGA Tour and LIV’s Saudi financiers will open an avenue for that return is still unknown.The two-time major winner from Spain had his pre-Masters press conference on Tuesday morning - one day after BBC published an interview in which Rahm said he hoped LIV would consider moving from 54-hole events to traditional 72-hole events as a way to bring the sport closer to “unification.”The former No. 1-ranked golfer in the world was asked on Tuesday whether part of his motivation for joining LIV was to “try to bring the game together” again.“I understood my position, yes. And I understood that it could be, what I hoped, a step towards some kind of agreement, yes,” Rahm said. “Or more of an agreement or expedited agreement.“But, unfortunately, it’s not up to me. But I would hope it would be something that would help expedite that process. But at the end of the day, I still did what I thought was best for myself.”That doesn’t mean Rahm’s decision to leave was easy. He reiterated on Tuesday that he misses “competing against certain people” on the PGA Tour as well as a number of historic venues. Rahm’s defection meant he was not able to defend 2023 titles at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui, The American Express in the California desert or the Genesis Invitational, the Tiger Woods-hosted signature event in Los Angeles.“Not being at Palm Springs, Torrey (Pines), Phoenix and LA wasn’t the easiest. And I’ll keep saying that because those are venues that I absolutely love,” Rahm said.Rahm still lives in his adopted home of Arizona and said driving past TPC Scottsdale, famed for its par-3 16th stadium hole, is “quite hard” for him.“I still love the PGA Tour, and I still hope everything the best, and I still hope that at some point I can compete there again,” Rahm said.Rahm also claimed the major championships need to find a new way to ensure the best players in the world qualify for their fields - a reference to LIV Golf players not earning points in the Official World Golf Ranking - but he declined to say for what he’d advocate in particular.“They’ll need to figure out a way to evaluate how the LIV players are doing and how they can earn their way,” Rahm said. “And I understand there’s less players and you can’t give, right, 10 people or 15 people a start, but there’s got to be a way for some players to earn their way in. That’s the best way I can say it. I just don’t really know what that looks like.”Rahm is one of 13 LIV players in this week’s field, including seven LIV members who previously have won a green jacket. Augusta National also extended an invitation to Joaquin Niemann of Chile, who did not have the world ranking necessary to get in but won the Australian Open in December.The US Open and Open Championship feature open qualifying at locations around the world.It is unclear whether a merger of the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is any closer. They announced their surprise “framework agreement” June 6, 2023, with a self-imposed Dec. 31 deadline for a final deal that came and went.Until such a merger were to happen, the four majors are the only times the best players from LIV Golf will join the best of the PGA and DP World tours.

Jon Rahm hopes to play in next year’s Ryder Cup and future PGA Tour events despite jumping to LIV Golf, even though his move has not hastened a merger deal. The reigning Masters champion spoke on Tuesday ahead of defending his crown at Augusta National, giving insight into his move to the Saudi-backed series last December that reportedly was worth $350mn. “It’s a bit of a detour on my path,” Rahm said. “But change can be better.” Rahm said he hoped switching to LIV would help complete merger talks that began with a framework agreement last June between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), but those negotiations burned past a December deadline and remain deadlocked. “I understood my position,” Rahm said. “It could be, what I hoped, a step towards more of an expedited agreement. But, unfortunately, it’s not up to me. “I would hope it would be something that would help expedite that process. But at the end of the day, I still did what I thought was best for myself.” It came, however, at a cost. It could mean Rahm, who helped Europe capture the Ryder Cup in Rome last year, won’t be able to play in the 2025 event at Bethpage. “Am I concerned? Yeah, I hope I can be there,” Rahm said. “I hope I play well enough to earn my way there. And if I have to be picked, I hope I can get picked. “I want to be there. That’s definitely something I want to do and I don’t want to miss.” Third-ranked Rahm admits missing being unable to play at some PGA venues and against old rivals. “There are some venues I miss not being at,” Rahm said. “Not being at Palm Springs, Torrey, Phoenix and L.A. wasn’t the easiest. Those are venues I absolutely love. “I still love the PGA Tour and I still hope that at some point I can compete there again.” That would require a merger and a way back for those who jilted the PGA. “There are a lot of people a lot smarter than me that could figure this out,” Rahm said. The 29-year-old Spaniard says it takes the same skill and passion to win on LIV as it does on the PGA, although Rahm has yet to win a LIV event. “The competition is still there,” Rahm said. “Yeah, they’re smaller fields, but you still have to beat some of the best players in the world and you still have to play at the same level you have to play on the PGA Tour to win those events, so that doesn’t change.” LIV tournaments are 54 holes, use shotgun starts and feature a team element that Rahm said he enjoys. “I understand there’s less people. I understand the team format is a little different. I understand we’re going shotgun and things are a little bit different to how they are in a PGA Tour event,” Rahm said. “But the pressure is there. I want to win as bad as I wanted to win before I moved on to LIV. “Going down the stretch when you’re in contention is the exact same feelings. That really doesn’t change. Winning is winning and that’s what matters.” He hasn’t played as many rounds as prior seasons heading into the Masters, but does not expect that to pose a problem to his title bid.

World number one Novak Djokovic made an emphatic start at the Monte Carlo Masters with a 6-1 6-2 win over Russia’s Roman Safiullin to ease into the third round at a rain-delayed day three on Tuesday.Djokovic, who pulled out of the recent Miami Open as he tries to balance his schedule, looked fresh as he broke Safiullin’s serve three times in the opening set, and a further two breaks in the second was enough to seal the win.“I think even the games that I lost I had break points in those games. It is a really great first match at the start of the clay season,” Djokovic said.On Sunday, Djokovic overtook Roger Federer as the oldest number one ranked singles player in ATP rankings history, at 36 years and 321 days.“I met (Rohan) Bopanna on Tuesday, who is the oldest doubles number one in history. He said we had a combined age of 80, but he does contribute to the 80 more than I do,” Djokovic joked. The Serb, winner in 2013 and 2015, will meet the victor between France’s Arthur Fils and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti. Musetti defeated Djokovic at the third round stage last year.“Last year as well, I started off well at this tournament and the second match I lost, so I hope to maintain this rhythm,” Djokovic added.Hubert Hurkacz is into the second round with a 6-4 3-6 7-6(2) win, but was made to battle by Britain’s Jack Draper after the Polish 10th seed looked like dominating early on.Hurkacz, who also beat Draper at last year’s tournament, will face Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in the second round.Alex de Minaur had little trouble seeing off the challenge of former champion Stan Wawrinka, winning 6-3 6-0 to progress to the second round.Wawrinka won the title in 2014, but a decade later the Swiss 39-year-old was no match for the Australian 11th seed, who needed only 24 minutes to complete a bagel in the second set, and will face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.

Sunrisers Hyderabad survived a late assault by Punjab Kings batsmen Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma to win by two runs in an IPL thriller on Tuesday.Nitish Kumar Reddy, a 20-year-old batting all-rounder, pulled Hyderabad out of early trouble to guide them to 182-9 after being invited to bat first at Punjab’s new home Mullanpur.Punjab looked down and out at 114-6 but Shashank (46) and Sharma (33) put on an unbeaten stand of 66 off 27 balls to give Hyderabad a scare as Punjab ended on 180-6.Hyderabad’s Pat Cummins looked a relieved captain after left-arm quick Jaydev Unadkat just about defended 29 runs in the last over, which witnessed three dropped catches in the deep.Cummins, who was paid $2.5mn by Hyderabad in the auction, praised Reddy for his batting, one wicket and a catch as well.“He was awesome, fantastic debut last week,” Australia’s World Cup-winning captain said.“Straight to the top for the order, fantastic in the field, bowled three overs too. To get us to 180 off his bat, it was amazing.”Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two wickets to play a key part in Hyderabad’s third win in five matches to stay fifth, above Punjab in the 10-team table.But Reddy set up victory with his 37-ball 64 laced with four fours and five sixes as he put on a key 50-run sixth-wicket stand with Abdul Samad, who hit a 12-ball 25.Punjab quick Arshdeep Singh struck twice in the space of three balls to send back Travis Head, for 21, and Aiden Markram, for a duck, before Reddy took charge.Reddy rebuilt the innings as he stood firm despite wickets falling around him and mixed the right dose of caution and aggression.Arshdeep again struck twice in an over as he sent back Samad and Reddy but Shahbaz Ahmed steered the team to a total which eventually proved enough with his unbeaten seven-ball 14. English all-rounder Sam Curran and Harshal Patel took two wickets each but leaked runs.Punjab wobbled early in their chase after Cummins took down Jonny Bairstow for a three-ball duck and soon slipped to 58-4 when Curran departed on 29.Zimbabwe’s Sikander Raza hit 28 but it was number six Shashank and number eight Sharma who took on the chase only to finish two short.“There was always the hope that they could finish the game. Hats off to them that they brought it this close,” Punjab skipper Shikhar Dhawan said after their third loss this season.“Gives us confidence and hope for the next game. We have to do better in certain areas and improve.”BRIEF SCORESSunrisers Hyderabad 182 for 9 (Reddy 64, Samad 25, Arshdeep 4-29, Harshal 2-30) beat Punjab Kings 180 for 6 (Shashank 46*, Ashutosh 33*, Bhuvneshwar 2-32) by 2 runs

Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja became the first player with at least 100 catches, 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL) during their seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday.Jadeja took two catches to reach the 100 mark and also had three wickets in his first eight balls to be named player of the match. He has taken 156 wickets and made 2,776 runs in the IPL. The 35-year-old joins Virat Kohli (110), Suresh Raina (109), Kieron Pollard (103) and Rohit Sharma (100) for most catches by a fielder in the IPL.“I don’t count my catches,” he said during the mid-innings break.After the match Jadeja said he always enjoys bowling in Chennai.“My plan was just to bowl in good areas. I have practiced a lot here and if you bowl in good areas it will definitely assist you,” he added. Chennai, who came into the match after back-to-back losses, are fourth in the standings with three wins from five games.

Pakistan on Tuesday named fast bowler Mohamed Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim in their 17-player Twenty20 squad for their home series against New Zealand, after the duo announced that they were coming out of retirement ahead of the T20 World Cup.Amir, 31, made himself available for the T20 World Cup in March, more than three years after retiring from international cricket.Amir, who was jailed in 2011 for his part in a spot-fixing scandal, served three months in prison and a five-year ban from all forms of cricket before returning to the Pakistan squad in January 2016.Part of the team that won the 2009 T20 World Cup and 2017 Champions Trophy, Amir last played international cricket against England in August 2020. He has continued played in franchise T20 leagues.Wasim, 35, also reversed his retirement decision and made himself available for the T20 World Cup in March.Imad has played 66 T20Is in which he has scored 486 runs at a strike-rate of 131.7 and taken 65 wickets at an economy-rate of 6.26.He last played for Pakistan 12 months ago at his home ground in Rawalpindi against New Zealand.Amir, who last played for Pakistan in August 2020 at Old Trafford against England, has played in 50 T20Is in which he has taken 59 wickets at an economy-rate of 7.02.Pakistan will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against co-hosts United States on June 6.“Amir and Imad possess undeniable match-winning capabilities, and we trust they will consistently deliver strong performances to bolster the team’s objectives,” Pakistan’s selection committee member Wahab Riaz said in a statement.New Babar stint as captainThe five-match series against New Zealand will also see Babar Azam begin his new captaincy stint with Pakistan.Babar was announced as Pakistan’s white-ball skipper in March, 4-1/2 months after the batter stepped down as their all-format captain in the wake of their poor performance at the one-day international World Cup in India.Pakistan has also called up uncapped batters Mohamed Irfan Khan and Usman Khan.Earlier in April, the United Arab Emirates banned 28-year-old Pakistan-born Usman Khan from participation in Emirates Cricket Board events for five years after being “found to have breached his obligations owed to Emirates Cricket Board.”Pakistan will host the Blackcaps in Rawalpindi on April 18. The series will conclude on April 27 in Lahore.PAKISTAN SQUAD FOR NEW ZEALAND T20SBabar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohamed Abbas Afridi, Mohamed Rizwan, Mohamed Amir, Mohamed Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan.Non-travelling reserves Haseebullah, Mohamed Ali, Mohamed Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan and Salman Ali Agha.

Two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard had a successful collarbone operation after sustaining serious injuries in a mass fall last week, his team said on Tuesday.The Danish Visma-Lease a Bike rider was hospitalised after suffering rib and collarbone fractures and sustaining lung damage in the shocking incident during the Tour of the Basque Country race.Vingegaard, 27, who won the Tour de France in 2022 and 2023, is hoping to complete a hat-trick of victories this summer but the crash has put his participation under significant doubt. “Jonas had a successful operation on his collarbone,” said Visma on social media network X.“He will now spend the next few weeks recovering. It is not yet clear how long this will take.“He is doing well and expresses his gratitude to everyone for their kind words over the past few days.”Remco Evenepoel also broke his collarbone in the crash on stage four of the race in northern Spain, while leader Primoz Roglic retired after he was also fell, along with several other riders, but the Slovenian did not sustain any fractures.Visma’s other star rider Wout van Aert broke his collarbone and several ribs in a high-speed mass pile up during the Around Flanders one-day race in March.Last week Visma chief Richard Plugge told AFP cycling needed to take action to keep riders safer.“Let’s go, let’s start – it will not be solved in a week,” he said.“It will take time, so the earlier we start the better it is.”Fans who pelted Van der Poel face police investigationTwo spectators who threw a beverage can and objects at Mathieu van der Poel in two cycling classics have been identified and face police questioning, a Belgian newspaper reported on Tuesday.A fan who threw a beverage can at the Dutch cyclist on his way to victory in the Tour of Flanders on March 31 will face legal proceedings for “assault and battery”, La Derniere Heure reported.Contacted by AFP, the local public prosecutor’s office did not confirm the report.Last week race boss Thomas Van der Spiegel said that “civil proceedings will be initiated when the can throwers are identified”.Van der Poel won the Tour of Flanders, the second of the season’s five one-day ‘monuments’ by one minute and two seconds.A week later, he was even more dominant as he won Paris-Roubaix, the third monument, by exactly three minutes even though he was again the target of a beverage can, abuse, insulting gestures and a hat thrown at his wheel on a cobbled section of the race. La Derniere Heure said journalists in the Netherlands had reviewed film and identified the woman who threw a hat. It reported that she is due to be interviewed by the French police this week.“I felt that I had been hit by something,” said Van der Poel after the race.“Apparently not everyone likes me riding in the lead,” he said. “But I don’t care. These people who throw cans at me are feeling a certain frustration, I think. But I don’t want to worry about that.”In December, Van der Poel was fined for spitting at a group of abusive fans as he won a UCI Cyclocross World Cup race in Hulst in the Netherlands.

Mikel Arteta has challenged Arsenal to prove their wretched Champions League record against Bayern Munich is ancient history as the Gunners look to seize their “special” opportunity to reach the semi-finals.Arteta’s side have endured a series of chastening defeats against Bayern over the last decade, but Arteta expects them to reverse that trend in today’s quarter-final first leg.Beaten 5-1 in each of their last three meetings with Bayern, Arsenal were eliminated from the Champions League by the German club in the last 16 in 2017, 2014, 2013 and 2005.However, Premier League leaders Arsenal are in superb form, while Bayern arrive at the Emirates Stadium in turmoil. Arteta puts no stock in his club’s past problems against Bayern and the Spaniard called on his players to justify his faith.“That’s history. When you look at their history in the competition it’s clear. We have to prove that, that’s for sure,” Arteta told reporters yesterday.“Football is such a competitive environment and it’s so hard to be consistent that this can happen to anybody. We are really enjoying the moment because this is where we want to be. We are in a really good position in the Premier League and we are in a good position in the Champions League. We have a big task ahead of us against one of the successful teams in Europe. That’s the hurdle we have to overcome and we are really looking forward to it.”Arsenal have not made the Champions League semi-finals since 2009 and will be playing in the last eight for the first time since 2010. While Bayern are well below their usual standards this term, Arteta is relishing the opportunity to face the six-time European champions.“A lot of passion and emotion. We haven’t had this opportunity for 15 years so that tells you how special this night is going to be for us. We are going to have put everything into every ball to make it happen,” he said.“It’s been a really demanding season and it’s a big step forward to be here in this competition, and competing in the Premier League. This is the challenge and we are so excited to be part of that.”Bayern squandered a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to Heidenheim last weekend that all but extinguished their slim hopes of catching Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen.Thomas Tuchel’s troubled team have lost five of their last 10 games in all competitions.Yet Arteta’s respect for Tuchel – a Champions League winner with Chelsea in 2021 – ensured he would not underestimate Bayern.“They are top team. I’m a big admirer of Thomas. The way his teams set-up, the way they play, the way they transmit. I have learned a lot from him and looking at them they are a top team,” he said.“We have prepared well and now we have to take our game where we want to. If we do that we have a chance to win.”Even the presence of Bayern striker Harry Kane, who scored a north London derby record 14 goals against Arsenal during his time with Tottenham, is unlikely to rattle the Gunners. Asked about the threat posed by the England captain, Arteta said: “When you look at his numbers over the past 10 years they are unbelievable.“He can score in many different ways. He has got the service and the players around him as well to provide those opportunities. We know the individual qualities of those players, and him in particular. The ability he has. The best thing is to collectively prevent certain things.”

The AFC Under-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 is fast approaching and it’s time to take a deep dive into everything you need to know about the teams. As countdown begins for the kick-off, we take a look at Group A comprising Qatar, Australia, Jordan and Indonesia.Qatar Previous appearances: 4Best finish: 3rd (2018)2022 result: Group stageHow they qualified: HostsQatar missed out on the inaugural edition in 2013 but have been ever present since, with the 2018 edition seeing their best performance with a fourth-placed finish after losing to South Korea in the semi-finals. While they qualified by virtue of being the hosts, Qatar did feature in the qualifying stage in Group B where they defeated Kyrgyzstan (1-0), Myanmar (6-0) and South Korea (2-0), even though their results did not count in the standings of the group.With the attacking talents of Tameen Mansour Alabdulla, Ahmed al-Rawi and Lotfi Madjer in their ranks, Qatar will be confident of offering a strong challenge in the competition. The Qatar squad completed its camp in Doha yesterday. Qatar wrapped up the camp with a 1-0 win over Malaysia in a friendly match. Earlier, they played three friendly matches against the Uzbekistan and China. Qatar begin their campaign against Indonesia on April 15 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.AustraliaPrevious appearances: 5Best finish: 3rd (2020)2022 result: 4thHow they qualified: Group I winnersAustralia are one of seven teams who have competed in every edition with their best performance coming in Thailand 2020 where they finished third, having lost to South Korea in the semi-finals.Starting their qualifying campaign with a 1-1 stalemate against Tajikistan, their emphatic 7-1 win over Laos meant they took the Group I top spot ahead of Tajikistan on goal difference.Tony Vidmar’s side will start as one of the favourites with European-based players Louis D’Arrigio (Lechia Gdansk), Jacob Italiano (Borussia Monchengladbach II), Garang Kuol (FC Volendam) and Adrian Segecic (FC Dordrecht) in the squad, with Australia having recently emerged as runners-up in the 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship.JordanPrevious appearances: 5Best finish: 3rd (2013)2022 result: Group stageHow they qualified: Group A winnersJordan have also been perennial contenders but have to go back to the first edition in 2013 for their best result, losing to Saudi Arabia in the semi-finals before finishing third after beating Korea Republic in the playoff.Perfect in the qualifiers, Jordan scored 12 goals without reply in their three matches, defeating Brunei Darussalam (9-0), Oman (1-0) and Syria (2-0) with head coach Abdullah Abu Zema possessing a plethora of attacking options at his disposal.Strike duo Wassem al-Riyalat and Reziq Bani Hani scored a combined five goals in the qualifiers and will be expected to lead Jordan’s charge.IndonesiaPrevious appearances: NilHow they qualified: Group K winnersTournament debutants Indonesia will relish their first appearance at the AFC U-23 Asian Cup after head coach Shin Tae-yong, who also handles the senior side at the helm, steered them through an impressive qualifying campaign.Wins over Chinese Taipei (9-0) and Turkmenistan (2-0) saw Indonesia claim the Group K top spot at a canter.Shin will have a vastly experienced squad at his disposal with several players having shone for the senior side in their recent Preliminary Joint Qualifier – Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 matches, with the likes of Ernando Ari, Ivar Jenner, Justin Hubner and Marselino Ferdinan the ones to look out for.