LONDON: Iraq midfielder Yaser Kasim said he is ready to start “a new page” after ending his self-imposed exile from international football.
The English-based midfielder made the decision to retire from the international game more than a year ago, but he is now back in the squad under coach Basim Qasim and poised to make his first appearance for his country since September 2016 when Iraq host Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
“God willing, it’s a new page and we play a good game,” he said in a press conference. “The time is right for me to return, and the schedule of the coach and we’ll do something good for the national team. I am happy that I’ve returned to the national side and there aren’t any problems with the national team. I came to train. I am relaxed and ready to train and play, that’s the most important thing. I thank the people in the FA that brought me and I thank the coach.”
The 26-year-old has turned down several national team call ups under former coach Radhi Shanaishel and the current Iraq coach Basim Qasim, seemingly preferring instead to concentrate on his career in England. He also went AWOL during the country’s preparations for the Rio Olympics. He was called up as one of three coverage players for the tournament but he left the training camp in Europe and never returned.
“I apologize that I could not come before and there are no problems or problem,” he said. “I’ve come to train and play matches.”
He is in line to play some part against Saudi Arabia at the Basra International Stadium as Amjad Atwan is injured.
“This is my first time in Basra and with the new coach Basim Qasim and we’ll train and we’ll play a good match and link-up with the players and have fun in the matches,” he said. “I send my greetings to the fans.”
Born in Baghdad, Kasim spent his youth career at Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur and has played at Brighton, Luton, Macclesfield, Swindon and now Northampton Town. He was on the verge of moving to Swansea in 2016 for £1 million ($1.4 million). He has won 18 international caps and was the star for Iraq at the 2015 Asian Cup when they finished fourth.
Yaser Kasim apologizes for previous Iraq no-shows as he prepares for Saudi Arabia return
Yaser Kasim apologizes for previous Iraq no-shows as he prepares for Saudi Arabia return
Rain washes out first session on Day 3 of first test between South Africa and Pakistan
- South Africa wants a victory for a place in next year’s World Test Championship final
- The host team claimed a 90-run lead after Markram and Bosch scored half centuries
CENTURION, South Africa: Rain delayed the start of the third day’s play in the first cricket test between South Africa and Pakistan with no play possible before lunch on Saturday.
The entire first session was washed out at SuperSport Park with Pakistan scheduled to resume its second innings at 88-3 – still trailing South Africa by two runs.
South Africa has plenty of time left to press its bid for a place in next year’s World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The home team needs to win one of the two test matches against Pakistan for a guaranteed place in next June’s WTC final at Lord’s.
South Africa claimed a 90-run first innings lead on the back of half centuries from Aiden Markram and debutant Corbin Bosch, who smashed an unbeaten 81 on a dream debut.
Bosch's scintillating knock, which featured 15 fours, was the highest score by a No. 9 batter on debut in test history.
Pakistan had been bowled out for 211 as Bosch claimed a wicket with his first ball and finished with impressive figures of 4-63.
Paceman Dane Paterson took 5-61 on a wicket where both teams have packed their line-ups with four fast bowlers each, going into the game without a specialist spinner.
Damac’s dangerman Georges-Kevin N’Koudou has Ronaldo and Mitrovic in his sights
- The Cameroon international has scored 13 goals in the Saudi Pro League so far this season
LONDON: Few players will want the winter break in the Saudi Pro League to be over more than Georges-Kevin N’Koudou.
Despite his team Damac sitting in 10th place in the Saudi Pro League table, N’Koudou has netted eight goals in 13 games so far; only Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Aleksandar Mitrovic have scored more in the league this season.
The Cameroon international primarily operates as a winger but since moving to Damac in the summer of 2023, N’Koudou has become a dangerous finisher. Before arriving in Saudi Arabia, he had only scored more than five goals in a season once in his career. At Damac, he has done it twice in a row.
N’Koudou hit the ground running in impressive fashion after his move from Turkish side Besiktas, bagging 14 goals in his first 16 games, including a sensational match-winning brace against then-reigning Saudi champions Al-Ittihad last December. The Damac No. 10 credits his prolific form to the influence of his coach, ex-AC Milan defender Cosmin Contra.
“The coach has given me so much responsibility and freedom on the field,” N’Koudou told Arab News. “He knows I have experience, so he has just let me play my game and be happy on the pitch and off the pitch.
“I have had many great coaches in my career so far but before being a coach, (Contra) is a great man. He’s honest and if he has something to say he will say it to you straight.
“He’s really passionate about the game because he was a player before. He understands us and I think that’s maybe the difference between some of the coaches who weren’t players; he played at a good level in Milan.
“(Now) I feel free and can enjoy my game. The coach helped me a lot and that’s why I think everything happened for me. I scored 15 goals last season and hope I can do the same this season too.”
It could have been even better in 2023-24 for N’Koudou, who tailed off in the second-half of the season, scoring just once in his last 14 games after his electric start. The Cameroon international firmly believes it was fatigue from the mid-season Africa Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast that was responsible for the slowdown.
“When I came back from AFCON I was so tired; my legs were dead,” N’Koudou said. “I always try to recover as much as I can but sometimes you just can’t.
“Damac is a smaller team and they relied more on me to be the one to score goals or make an assist but it was more difficult (after AFCON).”
Without a continental tournament to disrupt his form this season, could N’Koudou make a serious tilt at the Saudi Pro League Golden boot?
“Honestly I’m not someone who looks at the numbers,” N’Koudou said. “These guys — Cristiano, Mitrovic, Benzema — they are strikers, they play on big teams. They fight for the title.
“I’m a winger, and sometimes No. 10, so for me it’s a little bit different. But I always try to do my best for the team and I will try to score more than last season and then I will see how far I can go. I will try to be there.”
Some of N’Koudou’s best performances for Damac have been against the league’s top sides. Having played in Ligue 1 for Marseille and Monaco, and in the English Premier League for Tottenham, he insists he doesn’t treat these matches any differently.
“I have been used to playing against big players since I was 17, 18. It doesn’t feel surprising to me, like it might for other players who don’t have this experience. I am not shy or scared to play. You still have to be able to express yourself, whoever the opponent — even when it is big players or big teams.”
Although he is one of Damac’s most experienced players, N’Koudou says he is a quiet presence in the club’s dressing-room. The Cameroon winger has certainly done most of his talking on the pitch since arriving in Khamis Mushait, winning over fans not only with high-energy displays but with his sunny disposition too. N’Koudou always plays with a smile on his face, something he attributes to the example set by his football heroes growing up.
“I loved Robinho, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo (Nazario),” he said. “When I was young, I saw these kinds of players, they enjoyed football and played with a smile. For me, this is football.
“It is the pleasure of playing before anything else, the same way I played with my friends as a kid or as people play at the weekend with their mates. This is why I smile too.”
N’Koudou hopes that he and his teammates have more to smile about come the end of the season and promised Damac supporters that he will do everything he can to try to take the club up the Saudi Pro League table.
“For a club like Damac our first priority is to stay in the league at the start of every season. And as a professional football player you want to be competitive — to try to go as far as you can.
“I think we have a lot to improve on from the first part (of the season), but I think if we can make a better finish than last season it’s going to be good for the club. We will see how far we can go.”
Rankings champion Niemann confirms place at International Series India
- The $2m tournament will take place at DLF Golf and Country Club in January
GURUGRAM: In-form LIV Golf superstar Joaquin Niemann, The International Series Rankings champion for the 2024 season, is the latest big name to be confirmed for International Series India, the $2m tournament taking place at DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram next month.
The Chilean, who captains the Torque GC team in the LIV Golf League, will join defending US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and local hero Anirban Lahiri for the tournament, which will take place from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2.
Niemann was runner-up in the LIV Golf League individual standings in an impressive 2024 season, winning two of the first three tournaments in Mayakoba and Jeddah, and clinching two T2 and two T3 places as he narrowly lost out to two-time major champion Jon Rahm.
The 26-year-old, a two-time PGA Tour winner, finished the campaign on a high by winning the Asian Tour's season-ending $5m PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers earlier this month in Riyadh in a thrilling play-off where he held his nerve to edge out 2022 Open champion Cam Smith and promising American Caleb Surratt.
That result, combined with a third-placed finish in the season-opening International Series Oman, gave Niemann the International Series Rankings crown.
International Series India presented by DLF is the first tournament on the LIV Golf-backed series to be played on the subcontinent. It is the first of 10 events across the season on the Asian Tour that will include stops in Macau, Morocco, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.
The series offers players from all over the world a pathway into the LIV Golf League, with the end-of-season rankings champion guaranteed a place on the roster for the following season. The International Series Rankings also offers players a second chance to claim a place on the LIV Golf League, through the innovative LIV Golf Promotions event.
Real Madrid the big winners at Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai
- Vinicius Jr wins Best Men’s Player and Best Forward after year to remember on glittering evening at Atlantis, The Palm
- Cristiano Ronaldo takes Top Goalscorer of All Time awards, joins Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on stage as part of 19th Dubai International Sports Conference
DUBAI: Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr added to his growing personal trophy collection in Dubai on Friday night, with Jude Bellingham and Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo the other big winners at the 2024 Beyond Globe Soccer Dubai Awards, held in conjunction with the 19th Dubai International Sports Conference.
Vinicius Jr went home with the Best Men’s Player and Best Forward awards after enjoying the best goalscoring season of his career in 2023-24, finishing with 24 goals and contributing nine assists in 39 matches for Real Madrid. At 23 years and 325 days, the Brazilian also broke Lionel Messi’s record as the youngest player to score in multiple Champions League finals, leading the Spaniards to their 15th European title.
“It was such a faraway dream that it seemed impossible for me,” said Vinicius Jr. “I was just a little kid who used to play barefoot in the streets of Sao Gonçalo. I grew up in a poor place, surrounded by crime, so to be here is something very important to me because I’m not only representing Brazil but all the kids out there with the same dream.”
Bellingham, meanwhile, took home the Best Midfielder and the Maradona Award following an outstanding calendar year, which saw the 21-year-old lift the LaLiga title and maiden Champions League in his first season at Los Blancos, as well as the Supercopa de Espana and UEFA Super Cup. The former Birmingham City prodigy also helped England reach the final of the European Championship, contributing with some key goals along the way.
“Thank you to Globe Soccer for inviting me to this awards ceremony,” added Bellingham. “It’s amazing to see so many great players and legends, and it’s a real privilege to win a trophy here tonight as well. It wouldn’t be possible without my teammates, my staff, and most importantly, my family. My mum, who is here tonight, is the biggest motivation in my life.”
Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo clinched the Best Middle East Player for a second successive year, as well as being awarded the prestigious Top Goalscorer of All Time accolade, with the legendary forward currently standing on 917 career goals following his most recent strike against Al-Ittihad.
“I am always happy to be here because I think you do it as a fantastic gala. You can see all the champions here. I think it’s fantastic. Congratulations to all,” said Ronaldo. “In terms of the trophy, I have to say thank you to my teammates, my team. In terms of individual, I did very well, but for me, it’s not enough. My main goal is to win a trophy for Al-Nassr.”
The 15th edition of the star-studded awards took place on Palm Jumeirah, and alongside the Real Madrid representatives and Ronaldo, this year’s event attracted a number of football stars of past and present, including Brazil and Al-Hilal forward Neymar, Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal, former England manager Fabio Capello, and Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand.
The Beyond Globe Soccer Dubai Awards garnered more than 100 million votes cast by fans from more than 200 countries and territories, eclipsing the previous record of 70 million.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancellotti won Best Coach for the second time in three years, as FC Barcelona and Spain midfielder Aitana Bonmati retained the Best Women’s Player award. Yamal, meanwhile, was duly recognized as Emerging Player.
Earlier in the evening, Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois joined Ronaldo on stage to discuss “talented football” as part of the Dubai International Sports Conference.
“In the beginning, when I arrived at Manchester United, I was a very skillful player, dribbling a lot, and I realized that it was good for the show, but football is more than that,” Ronaldo commented. “When you have a dream to achieve big things, you need to be more effective, and this is what I planned to do. I started to see examples there in the club, like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. And I took some good ideas.
“And, as I say all the time, of course, you’re never going to be a football player if you only have talent. Talent is the main word to achieve success. But the other things, which I consider more important, are the ethics of work. I dedicated all my life to that because I know I can improve year by year.”
Other winners on the night included Al-Hilal’s Jorge Jesus, who was awarded Best Middle East Coach; while Al-Ain received Best Middle East Club and FC Barcelona were crowned Best Women’s Club once more.
“This is a landmark edition for the Globe Soccer Dubai Awards and once again I am immensely proud to see the world of football come out in force here in Dubai to recognize and celebrate the sport’s best operators and is testament to the growing reputation of the Awards itself and the appeal of Dubai as a destination,” said Tommaso Bendoni, founder and CEO of Globe Soccer.
“I would like to thank Dubai Sports Council for their valuable help and continuous support throughout the past 15 years, with a record response from fans during the voting period reinforcing our commitment to honouring the extraordinary talents that make football a global phenomenon.”
Dubai Globe Soccer Awards 2024 Winners:
Best Men’s Player: Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid and Brazil)
Best Women’s Player: Aitana Bonmati (FC Barcelona and Spain)
Best Coach: Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid)
Best Middle East Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr and Portugal)
Best Middle East Coach: Jorge Jesus (Al Hilal)
Revelation Club Awards: Olympiacos FC
Best Men’s Club: Real Madrid
Best Women’s Club: FC Barcelona
Best Midfielder: Jude Bellingham (England and Real Madrid)
Best Forward: Vinicius Jr
Best Sporting Director: Piero Ausilio (Inter Milan)
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Middle East Club: Al-Ain FC
Emerging Player: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona and Spain)
Maradona Award: Jude Bellingham
Top Goalscorer of all Time: Cristiano Ronaldo
Special Career Award: Alessandro Del Piero
Special Career Award: Florentino Perez
Player Career Award: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid and Belgium)
Player Career Award: Neymar Jr (Al-Hilal and Brazil)
Player Career Award: Rio Ferdinand
Bosch, Jansen put South Africa on top against Pakistan
- Bosch, batting at number nine, enabled South Africa to take a 90-run first innings lead
- Bowlers made it count by taking three wickets before Pakistan could wipe out the deficit
CENTURION: Debutant Corbin Bosch hit 81 not out and left-arm fast bowler Marco Jansen claimed two late wickets as South Africa took control on the second day of the first Test against Pakistan at SuperSport Park on Friday.
Bosch, batting at number nine, enabled South Africa to take a 90-run first innings lead — and the bowlers made it count by taking three wickets before Pakistan could wipe out the deficit.
Pakistan finished the day on 88 for three — still two runs behind.
South Africa would qualify for next year’s World Test Championship final for the first time with a victory in either match of this two-Test series.
The contest was evenly poised when opening batsman Aiden Markram was eighth man out for 89 with South Africa on 213 for eight — just two runs ahead of Pakistan’s first innings total of 211.
Four South African wickets had fallen for 35 runs either side of lunch, with Naseem Shah taking three in a fiery spell, and it seemed probable the sides would start the second innings almost on level terms.
But Bosch, who has a first-class batting average above 40, batted with freedom and a wide variety of strokes as he shared stands of 41 with Kagiso Rabada (13) and 47 with Dane Paterson (12) to turn a narrow lead into a substantial one.
Bosch hit 15 fours in a 93-ball innings.
“It was a huge momentum shift and it was probably worth more than a hundred,” said Markram, who captained Bosch and Rabada when South Africa won the Under-19 World Cup in Dubai in 2014.
It was the continuation of a remarkable debut for Bosch, 30, who took four for 63 in the first innings and was clocked at 147kmh, the fastest of any bowler in the match.
Bosch, whose Test cricketer father Tertius died when Corbin was five years old, was low on the list of potential Test fast bowlers at the start of the season.
But a lengthy list of injuries to bigger-name players, as well as good recent form, opened the door for him.
“He’s a really talented guy and in the last few years he’s really put his head down and worked to get his opportunity,” said Markram.
Bosch shared the new ball with Kagiso Rabada at the start of Pakistan’s second innings but did not take a wicket and left the field at the end of a three-over stint.
Saim Ayub and Shan Masood, who both made 28, put on 49 for the first wicket before Rabada bowled Ayub.
Jansen followed up by having Masood caught at third slip and first innings top-scorer Kamran Ghulam caught at gully for eight before bad light stopped play.
Markram said it was a typical Centurion pitch, providing assistance for the fast bowlers.
“While I was batting it did feel that at any time the ball could nip past your edge,” he said.
Markram cautioned South Africa would need to bowl well to press home their advantage on Saturday.
“If you’re not going to land the ball in the right areas it’s still going to be nice to bat on,” he said.
