MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM: Jose Mourinho admits he has not got the best out of Alexis Sanchez since his January transfer because the former Arsenal forward moved to Manchester United at the “wrong” time.
Sanchez was signed in a swap deal that reportedly made him the Premier League’s best-paid player but the Chile international has scored just one goal in eight United appearances, well below his career strike rate.
Mourinho, whose team take on Liverpool at Old Trafford on Saturday, believes it will be next season before the 29-year-old shows his best form.
“What is wrong is that he came at the worst moment of the season, in the winter market,” said the Manchester United boss. “That’s why I don’t like the winter market very much.
“I think this was a chance that we didn’t want to lose and we made. But we don’t believe a lot in the winter market.
“And for sure next season will be better for him. But of course he is learning how to play with us and we are learning how to get the best out of him.”
Pundits have suggested integrating Sanchez in mid-season has had an adverse effect on the form of teammates, in particular midfielder Paul Pogba.
But despite the obvious teething problems, Mourinho does not see Sanchez as a weakness in the United team.
“No. That’s something that we can develop and we’re going to develop with time, with experience and living these experiences together,” said the manager.
“I don’t consider that a weakness, I consider that a huge potential to be developed.
“He’s fit and if he is trying too hard, that’s great. He is not afraid to take responsibilities, not afraid to try things.”
Sanchez’s eight appearances have included two defeats, at Tottenham and Newcastle, which all but ended United’s lingering hopes of challenging Manchester City for the Premier League title.
But despite an underwhelming start to Sanchez’s United career, Mourinho said the player remains happy.
“He’s fine,” said the United boss. “He’s happy that the team is getting results — lately he was unhappy when we lost matches with him but he’s a guy with great maturity and attitude and we couldn’t be happier.”
United’s eagerly awaited league encounter with rivals Liverpool comes with both clubs chasing second spot behind champions-elect City.
And, at the start of a week in which Mourinho is also looking to progress in the Champions League and FA Cup, the United manager believes he and opposite number Jurgen Klopp are at similar stages in terms of developing their clubs.
“They have qualities and they have weaknesses,” he said. “We have qualities, and we have weaknesses.
“And one of my good qualities as coach was always to know my team’s weaknesses very well and sometimes I tried to hide them and sometimes I have to try to compensate them with other things.
“But we are very similar in terms of points in the Premier League. Liverpool have already qualified for the (Champions League) quarter-final and we still have 90 minutes or two hours of a big fight to try to be there.”
Alexis Sanchez yet to shine at Manchester United, admits Jose Mourinho
Alexis Sanchez yet to shine at Manchester United, admits Jose Mourinho
Sabalenka downs Swiatek as Gauff ends Boisson’s French Open run
- The Belarusian snapped Swiatek’s French Open winning streak at 26 matches with a 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-0 success to reach her first final in the clay-court Grand Slam
- Gauff and Sabalenka are level at 5-5 in their head-to-head record and have won one each of their two meetings at major tournaments
PARIS: Aryna Sabalenka ended Iga Swiatek’s French Open reign with a devastating third-set performance on Thursday to tee up a Roland Garros final against Coco Gauff after the American knocked out French hero Lois Boisson.
The Belarusian snapped Swiatek’s French Open winning streak at 26 matches with a 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-0 success to reach her first final in the clay-court Grand Slam.
“Iga is the toughest opponent, especially on the clay and at Roland Garros,” said Sabalenka after becoming the first player to defeat Swiatek in a deciding set at the French Open.
“I’m proud that I was able to get this win.”
World number two Gauff ended the dream run of 361st-ranked wildcard Boisson with a 6-1, 6-2 victory in the second semifinal on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Gauff and Sabalenka are level at 5-5 in their head-to-head record and have won one each of their two meetings at major tournaments.
Sabalenka edged a topsy-turvy first set that featured eight breaks of serve in a tie-break, before Swiatek hit back to level the match.
The finale turned out to be a complete anti-climax, as Swiatek made 12 unforced errors in the third set and won only six points.
“I’m glad that I found my serve. It was a bit easier with the serve,” added the 27-year-old Sabalenka. “What can I say, 6-0 — it couldn’t be much more perfect than that!“
Sabalenka is targeting a fourth Grand Slam title and first not on hard courts, after winning last year’s US Open and the Australian Open back-to-back in 2023 and 2024.
Swiatek has still not reached a WTA final since lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen 12 months ago.
She showed signs of a revival on the Paris clay where she has dominated since winning as a teenager in 2020, but her game deserted her in the deciding set as she slipped to only the third French Open defeat of her career.
“I love playing here, so for sure I’m happy that I was fortunate enough to play so many great tournaments here,” Swiatek said.
Sabalenka has now won their last two meetings, and five of 13 in total.
This was the first time the pair, the dominant players in women’s tennis of the past few years, have gone head-to-head at a Grand Slam tournament since Swiatek’s win in the 2022 US Open semifinals en route to the title.
Sabalenka will be the favorite to lift the trophy when she takes on Gauff, to whom she lost in the 2023 US Open final.
Swiatek, who was bidding to become the first woman to win four successive French Opens in over a century, will drop to seventh in the world rankings next week.
Boisson had got the better of third seed Jessica Pegula and world number six Mirra Andreeva in the previous two rounds but the test provided by Gauff proved to be a step too far.
The home crowd were silenced by a ruthless opening set from the second seed.
Boisson briefly raised the French fans from their slumber by breaking back in the second set, only to immediately surrender it straight back.
Gauff clinically finished the job after just 69 minutes on court to book her spot in a second French Open final.
“When you guys were chanting her name, I was thinking my name,” Gauff told the crowd in her on-court interview.
“Obviously there’s still a lot of work to do, but for now I’ll enjoy this one and then prepare for the final tomorrow.”
The 21-year-old suffered an emotional defeat by Swiatek in the 2022 final, but will believe she can finally win the tournament in which she has made at least the quarter-finals in five straight editions.
Boisson had been hoping to become only the second Frenchwoman to win the title in the Open era after Mary Pierce, but went out in a blaze of 33 unforced errors.
“Of course I’m really disappointed today, because obviously I wanted to go further than this semifinal, but I’m just going to take the time to digest this,” said the 22-year-old.
She will climb into the world’s top 70 next week and has added 690,000 euros ($789,536) to her previous career prize money of $148,009.
Yamal, Williams dazzle as Spain beat France in nine-goal thriller
- Yamal bagged a brace while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defense to ribbons
STUTTGART, Germany: Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart on Thursday, to set up a Nations League final with Portugal.
Yamal bagged a brace while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defense to ribbons.
Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the scoresheet for the Euro 2024 champions.
Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal.
France’s three late goals — a Rayan Cherki screamer, a Spain own goal and a stoppage time strike from Randal Kolo Muani — were not enough.
Spain held on to book an all-Iberian Nations League final against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Sunday in Munich, while France will face hosts Germany in Stuttgart for the bronze medal, earlier in the day.
Returning to Germany where they won the European Championship in dominant fashion a year ago, Spain seem a more complete team, despite their late fadeout.
France were more dangerous in the opening stages, with Didier Deschamps electing to channel his attack through Ousmane Dembele rather than Mbappe.
Dembele, fresh from Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph, created an early chance for Mbappe, but the Real Madrid superstar wasted it, electing to pass rather than shoot when one-on-one with the ‘keeper.
Minutes later, Spain escaped again as Theo Hernandez’s long-range effort shaved the top of the crossbar.
Spain made France pay soon after, when Williams and Oyarzabal, La Roja’s two goalscorers in the Euro 2024 final, linked up with 22 minutes played.
After a tear down the right, Yamal threaded it to Oyarzabal, who held off three defenders with his back to goal before finding Williams, who rifled his shot into the top of the net.
Spain grabbed full hold of the match just three minutes later when Oyarzabal dinked the French defense, allowing Merino to collect and hammer past an off-balance Maignan.
France had the better chances later in the half, with Dembele finding space in the box three times only to blast straight at a grateful Unai Simon.
Just before half-time, the narrowest of offsides robbed Spain of what would have been an incredible third.
In a clearly rehearsed free-kick play, Yamal found Martin Zubimendi behind the lines, who cut it back for Huijsen.
The second-half played out line the first, with France missing two big chances before Spain again scored a quick-fire double.
With 54 minutes played, Yamal won and converted a penalty, taking the ball from Williams before calmly slotting home.
France were reeling but Spain’s starlets had no sympathy, Williams setting up Pedri for a fourth just one minute later.
Mbappe won and converted a penalty with 59 minutes played but Yamal stepped up again to snuff out French hopes of an unlikely comeback, scoring Spain’s fifth with just over 20 minutes remaining.
Spain made four changes a their thoughts turned to Sunday, allowing France to score two late consolation goals.
Substitute Cherki scored a long-range effort and then forced Spain into conceding an own goal through Daniel Vivian.
Kolo Muani’s goal came in the fourth minute of stoppage time to cut the deficit to one, but France had left their comeback too late, as Spain held on.
Jordan qualify for World Cup for first time
- Ali Olwan scored a hat-trick in Jordan's 3-0 win over Oman earlier on Thursday
AMMAN: Jordan have qualified for the World Cup for the first time at the 11th attempt after South Korea's 2-0 win over Iraq confirmed the west Asian nation's progress to the finals.
Ali Olwan scored a hat-trick in Jordan's 3-0 win over Oman earlier on Thursday before South Korea's win in Basra confirmed the country's progress to the 2026 finals in North America.
The Jordanians can no longer be overtaken in second place in Group B by third-placed Iraq.
Green Falcons beat Bahrain to set up FIFA World Cup qualifier showdown with Australia
- Herve Renard's men had to win to push the race for second to Tuesday
RIFFA: Saudi Arabia defeated Bahrain 2-0 in Riffa on Thursday to tee up a showdown with Australia for the second automatic spot in AFC FIFA World Cup qualifying Group C.
With Australia snatching a last-minute victory against already qualified Japan earlier, Herve Renard's men had to win to push the race for second to Tuesday.
The Saudis got off to the perfect start, when on 16 minutes rising star Musab Al Juwayr met captain Salem Al-Dawsari's pinpoint cross to the back post to volley home.
The visitors then survived a few nervy moments in the second half before Abdulrahman Al Obud made safe the result 12 minutes from time with a goal on the counter.
The win keeps Saudi third, three points behind Australia, although with a far inferior goal difference.
Only a huge victory for the Gulf side in Jeddah would see them leapfrog the Socceroos.
Uzbekistan earn first World Cup qualification, Australia, Jordan close in
- Goals from Musab Al-Juwayr and Abdulrahman Al-Obud earned Saudi Arabia a victory that puts Australia’s celebrations on hold
- Jordan also moved to the cusp of qualification as Ali Olwan’s hat-trick delivered a 3-0 win over Oman
HONG KONG: Uzbekistan qualified for the World Cup for the first time on Thursday as a 0-0 draw with the UAE confirmed the nation’s progress to next year’s finals as Australia and Jordan moved to the verge of booking berths in North America.
Aziz Behich’s 90th minute strike earned the Socceroos a 1-0 win over already-qualified Japan in Perth in Group C to keep Tony Popovic’s side three points clear of Saudi Arabia, who won 2-0 against Bahrain in Riffa.
Goals from Musab Al-Juwayr and Abdulrahman Al-Obud earned Saudi Arabia a victory that puts Australia’s celebrations on hold until the two nations meet in Jeddah on Tuesday.
But Australia’s vastly superior goal difference means they can lose that meeting with the Saudis by up to four goals and still advance to a sixth consecutive World Cup finals as second-placed finishers behind the Japanese.
Jordan also moved to the cusp of qualification as Ali Olwan’s hat-trick delivered a 3-0 win over Oman in Muscat to leave Jamal Sellami’s side waiting for the result from South Korea’s clash with Iraq in Basra later on Thursday in Group B.
Uzbekistan goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov made a string of second-half saves in Abu Dhabi to frustrate the UAE and earn his nation their first World Cup qualification since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Abbosbek Fayzullaev had hit the crossbar with a 54th minute header for the visitors but it was Yusupov who frustrated the Cosmin Olaroiu-coached Emiratis, who needed to win to maintain their hopes of automatic qualification.
The draw means the UAE will now progress to the fourth round of qualifying as the point earned guarantees a third- or fourth-placed finish in Group A.
Indonesia guaranteed their involvement in the World Cup preliminaries would continue into the fourth round as a 1-0 win over China also ended the qualification hopes of Branko Ivankovic’s side.
Ole Romeny’s 45th minute penalty separated the sides in Jakarta to ensure Indonesia would finish in either third or fourth place in Group C, thereby progressing to the next phase, which will be played in October.
