PARIS: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice on his 400th Real Madrid appearance as the Champions League holders defeated Borussia Dortmund 3-1, while Harry Kane grabbed a hat trick in Tottenham Hotspur’s 3-0 win at APOEL Nicosia on Tuesday.
Gareth Bale struck an exquisite volley as the record 12-time European champions secured an 18th-minute lead at Signal Iduna Park, with the Welshman supplying Ronaldo for Real’s second just after halftime.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang poked in Gonzalo Castro’s cross to give Dortmund hope, but Ronaldo rifled past Roman Burki to cement a second straight win for Real in Group H and leave the Germans still without a point.
It was the first time Dortmund have lost at home to Real in seven European games while holders Madrid have now scored in 38 successive Champions League games.
Ronaldo, without a goal in his last two outings following his return from a five-match domestic ban, took his Real haul to 411 on what was also his 150th career appearance in Europe.
“I’m delighted for Ronaldo and Bale,” said Real coach Zinedine Zidane.
“It is difficult to play in this stadium, we have never won here, so this victory was important to us, and the whole game was good for us from start to finish.”
England striker Kane notched his sixth hat-trick of the year — and made it 11 goals for club and country in September — as Spurs backed up their opening victory over Dortmund with a comfortable win in Cyprus.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side survived an early scare when Igor De Camargo rattled the crossbar, but Kane’s clinical finish six minutes before the interval settled the visitors down.
Kane converted his second on 62 minutes and sealed his treble with a terrific header five minutes later to leave Spurs level on six points alongside Real ahead of their doubleheader with Zidane’s team.
“There were some good performances from players who are not regulars and a hat trick for Harry Kane, it was a fantastic performance,” said Pochettino.
Kevin De Bruyne curled in a sublime 25-yard strike as Manchester City overcame spirited resistance from Shakhtar Donestk, with Raheem Sterling completing a 2-0 victory at Eastlands.
Pep Guardiola’s men top Group F after back-to-back wins to start the campaign, and the Premier League leaders could even afford a missed penalty from Sergio Aguero whose effort was turned away by Andriy Pyatov.
Lorenzo Insigne, Dries Mertens and Jose Callejon hit the target as Napoli registered their first win by beating a hapless Feyenoord 3-1 in Italy.
Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina kept out Jens Toornstra’s second-half penalty, as Sofyan Amrabat’s stoppage-time goal was scant consolation for the Dutch champions who remain pointless.
Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw away to Spartak Moscow despite a sparkling strike from Philippe Coutinho.
Coutinho linked up superbly with Sadio Mane to cancel out Fernando’s free-kick in the 31st minute, but Liverpool were unable to claim a winner as they recorded a second straight draw in Group E.
“In the Champions League group stage, the only target is to go through to the next round. That’s now possible for us. There were a lot of good things tonight,” said a positive-thinking Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp.
Wissam Ben Yedder fueled Sevilla to a 3-0 victory over Maribor of Slovenia.
Joaquin Correa’s dazzling run left the French striker with a simple tap-in for the opening goal after 27 minutes in Spain.
Ben Yedder then tucked away a second before the break and rounded out his hat-trick from the penalty spot late on as Sevilla moved top of the section on four points.
Porto stunned French champions Monaco with a 3-0 win in the principality in a repeat outcome of the 2004 final.
Vincent Aboubakar marked his return from suspension with goals in either half before Miguel Layun pounced on some slapstick defending in the closing moments as Porto bounced back from a home loss to Besiktas.
The Turkish champions top Group G with maximum points following a 2-0 success at home to newcomers RB Leipzig despite an 11-minute stoppage for floodlight failure in Istanbul.
Ryan Babel slotted home after fine work from Cenk Tosun and Talisca headed in a sublime cross from Ricardo Quaresma as Besiktas picked up their first win at home in the competition since November 2007.
Ronaldo sets milestone, Kane dazzles for Spurs
Ronaldo sets milestone, Kane dazzles for Spurs
Moroccan kickboxer Ilias Ennahachi to star at ONE 171 in Qatar
- The former Flyweight kickboxing world champion will face Petchtanong Petchfergus on Feb. 20
DUBAI: Moroccan martial arts star and former ONE Flyweight Kickboxing world champion Ilias Ennahachi will face Petchtanong Petchfergus at ONE Championship's show ONE 171: Qatar on Feb. 20 at Lusail Sports Arena.
The winner of the matchup could be the next challenger for the ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing world title which will be on the line in the show's main event as Jonathan Haggerty defends his gold against Chinese veteran Wei Rui.
Ennahachi has won both his two bouts since moving to bantamweight, most recently defeating second-ranked Hiroki Akimoto via unanimous decision at ONE Friday Fights 81 on September 27, taking his ONE record to 5-0 and his overall professional record to 40-3.
The 28-year-old Moroccan is one of the promotion's most established stars and the only fighter to beat current two-sports champion Superlek Kiatmoo.
Meanwhile, 39-year-old veteran Petchtanong most recently picked up a knockout win against former divisional champion Alaverdi Ramazanov in June after returning to action for the first time in two years.
The experienced Thai owns an incredible 359-56 overall professional record.
PFL opens 2025 with stacked card in Dubai
- Undefeated Russian champion Usman Nurmagomedov will take on Ireland’s Paul Hughes at Coca-Cola Arena on Jan. 25
DUBAI: The Professional Fighters League has its first major event of 2025 with the Road To Dubai Champions Series at the Coca-Cola Arena on Jan. 25.
Headlining the PFL card is a highly-anticipated matchup between undefeated Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov and Ireland’s surging contender Paul “Big News” Hughes.
Nurmagomedov, the cousin of mixed martial arts great Khabib Nurmagomedov, comes into the fight with a pristine 19-0 record and two successful title defenses.
Hughes, meanwhile, is riding a seven-fight win streak, including a victory over former Bellator champion AJ McKee.
To add more fuel to the fire, Hughes said he is drawing inspiration for the fight from Khabib’s recent criticism of Ireland’s MMA fighters.
Meanwhile former Bellator light-heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov takes on seasoned knockout artist Tim Johnson.
Nemkov, who was dominant at light-heavyweight and set a league record for title defenses, moved up to heavyweight in 2024 with a victory over former PFL champion Bruno Cappelozza.
A PFL and Bellator veteran, Johnson has 18 career victories, with 10 knockouts.
The Road to Dubai Champions Series will also feature MMA fighters from nations including the US, UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Philippines and Brazil.
MAIN CARD
Bellator Lightweight World Championship: Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes
Heavyweight: Vadim Nemkov vs. Tim Johnson
Featherweight: Akhmed Magomedov vs. Nathan Kelly
Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov vs. Kenny Mokhonoana
Bantamweight: Renat Khavalov vs. Cleiver Fernandes
PRELIMINARY CARD
Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman vs. Ahmed Samy
Middleweight: Yakus Sulimanov vs. Jarrah Al-Selawe
Lightweight: Hadi Omar Al-Hussaini vs. Ruel Panales
Lightweight: John Mitchell vs. Souhil Tairi
Middleweight: Mostafa Nada vs. Haider Khan
Great Britain & Ireland complete emphatic victory at the 2025 Team Cup
- Tommy Fleetwood the only player undefeated over 3 days after 17–8 victory over Continental Europe at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort
ABU DHABI: Great Britain & Ireland recorded an emphatic 17-8 victory over Continental Europe at the 2025 Team Cup on Sunday at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort.
The GB&I side, led by Justin Rose, held a commanding seven-point lead at the start of play, needing just two points to complete their triumph ahead of Sunday’s singles session.
Rose said it was a “huge honor” to lead the team. “Loved the challenge of it. Loved the experience of it, and the lads have made me look incredibly good at it.”
“The way they played was first class,” he added. “We had one clear message, which was to get on the front foot to try to be relentless to play wave after wave.
“Playing on a big lead, everybody felt like we could get the job done, but just to focus on individual and personal pride, kind of continue the message of the week.”
Englishman Laurie Canter earned the first point of the afternoon as he beat the previously undefeated Romain Langasque 5&4, and Tommy Fleetwood claimed the crucial winning point for his side, just as the Ryder Cup stalwart did at Marco Simone in 2023, defeating Matthieu Pavon 3&1.
Fleetwood’s victory over the Frenchman gave him a perfect record as he ended the event as the only player to win all four of his matches across the three days.
The GB&I team threatened a rout as they led in nine of the 10 matches at one stage during the afternoon.
But Continental Europe orchestrated a brave fightback, first with Niklas Norgaard winning 3&2 against Matthew Jordan, followed by Antoine Rozer and Matteo Manassero, who each won their matches 1Up.
“The leaderboard early in the round was astonishing, really,” Rose added. “Every credit to Continental Europe and Francesco himself and the team as a whole.
“The whole matches were played in great spirit but yeah, my team definitely holed the right putts at the right time and won most of those key matches.”
“You can’t simulate the intensity of a Ryder Cup with the crowd and the energy,” the GB&I captain added. “But at the end of the day, as soon as you put a crest here and you have 10 mates right behind you, you want to win.
“Even practice rounds playing with our mates on tour, you never like to lose. So the intensity is there. The competitiveness is there. Just the environment is hard to simulate.
Continental Europe’s Captain Francesco Molinari came back from two down with seven holes to play to earn half a point against Jordan Smith.
And Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard staged an equally impressive comeback as he battled a three-hole deficit with five to play, halving against Aaron Rai.
“I think I probably could have done a slightly better job with the boys,” Molinari said.
“They gave it all they had. Our side was maybe more inexperienced players in this kind of event but they are great guys and they did their best. The GB&I team was just too hard for us this week.”
Afghanistan name Champions Trophy squad amid boycott calls
- Afghanistan have recalled fit-again Ibrahim Zadran in their 15-man Champions Trophy squad
- There are calls to boycott Afghanistan matches due to Taliban crackdown on women’s rights
Afghanistan have recalled fit-again Ibrahim Zadran in their 15-man Champions Trophy squad, amid ongoing calls for teams to boycott matches against them due to the Taliban government’s crackdown on women’s rights since returning to power in 2021.
Afghan opener Zadran has recovered from ankle surgery to make the squad but team management decided against rushing Mujeeb Ur Rehman back into 50-overs cricket after the spinner sprained his hand last year.
Fellow spinner AM Ghaznafar has been drafted in as a like-for-like replacement for Mujeeb.
Afghanistan have brought in former Pakistan captain Younis Khan to mentor the side in what will mark their first appearance in the tournament featuring the top eight One-Day International teams in the world.
“Afghanistan have performed exceptionally well in the past two ICC events,” chairman of the Afghanistan Cricket Board Mirwais Ashraf said in a statement on Sunday.
“Their impressive performances in these two event coupled with their ODI series victories last year will undoubtedly boost their morale and help them deliver an even better campaign this time.”
The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side may be faced with some off-field distractions in Pakistan with Group B rivals England and South Africa being urged to boycott their matches.
Both the ECB and Cricket South Africa have ruled out boycotts against Afghanistan in multi-team competitions organized by the governing International Cricket Council (ICC).
They would rather follow a unified and collective approach from all ICC members, the boards said.
Afghanistan begin their campaign against South Africa in Karachi on Feb. 21.
Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran, Farid Ahmad Malik
Cummins, Hazlewood return to Australia squad for Champions Trophy in Pakistan
- Pat Cummins opted out of Sri Lanka series starting this month for the birth of his second child
- Opener Jake Fraser-McGurk was dropped from squad after his poor recent form against Pakistan
MELBOURNE: Pat Cummins returns for Australia’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign in Pakistan next month after skipping their Sri Lanka Test tour, with injured paceman Josh Hazlewood also in the squad announced Monday.
Australian captain Cummins opted out of the Sri Lanka series starting later this month for the birth of his second child. He is also reportedly carrying a knee injury.
Hazlewood was included in the two-time tournament winners’ preliminary 15-man line-up after calf and side strains restricted him to just two Tests against India over the summer.
While they return, opener Jake Fraser-McGurk was dumped, paying the price for his poor recent form after opening for Australia during their most-recent one-day series against Pakistan.
“This is a balanced and experienced squad with the core having been involved in the previous one-day World Cup, the West Indies series, last year’s successful tour of the UK and the more recent Pakistan home series,” said chief selector George Bailey.
“It offers a variety of options for touring management depending on opposition and the conditions that may present in Pakistan.”
The eight-nation Champions Trophy, between February 19 and March 9, will be played in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
