MARBELLA: Ukraine coach Andrey Shevchenko, fresh from watching his side fail to beat Saudi Arabia, has suggested Russian hearts could be broken by the Kingdom’s Green Falcons at the opening night of the FIFA World Cup in Moscow.
Given the frosty relations between the two Eastern European nations, such a belief should be of little surprise. Yet Shevchenko was speaking pragmatically rather than patriotically after witnessing his team labor to a draw with Juan Antonio Pizzi’s rapidly improving Saudi side on Friday night.
Ukraine, ranked 35th in Fifa’s world rankings, are positioned 28 places above Russia, and showed their superiority in spells against Pizzi’s men during an entertaining 1-1 draw in rain-swept Marbella. Artem Kravets opened the scoring with a free header after 32 minutes for Ukraine, but Saudi rallied, quickly equalized through Fahad Al-Muwallad, and for long periods of the second-half were the better side.
The Green Falcons, who at 69 in the rankings are the lowest-placed nation at the 32-team tournament, could even have sneaked a win were it not for lack of composure in front of goal.
Shevchenko, while reluctant to focus too much on the opposition, said he was impressed by the intensity and style in which Pizzi has Saudi playing and believes a Russian win inside the Luzhniki Stadium on June 14 is no certainty.
“I don’t have to think about what will happen at the World Cup because we are not playing there,” said Shevchenko, whose side narrowly finished third in qualifying behind Iceland and Croatia. “We had enough chances to win this game, especially in the first half, but in the second half, we did not have the control that we demand of the players. Credit to our opponent.
“I liked how Saudi played: They were very compact, they tried to press; they have some very good players; and I think Saudi Arabia have a good chance [against Russia].”
Before the match, Shevchenko had spoken to his former national team strike partner Sergei Rebrov, who is now head coach of Al Ahli in Jeddah, in a quest to gain some insight into the opposition. Rebrov had warned of the Saudi national team’s pace and technical capacities.
“I was talking to Sergei about Saudi Arabia’s players and what to expect,” Shevchenko said. “He told me they are quick, technical and try to control the play. And he was right. I was not surprised. But we had enough chances to win this game. We should have closed it out in the first half. After we scored, we had two or three chances, then they scored from a corner and we lost control a little.”
Pizzi and Saudi will be hoping to continue their upward trajectory when they face Roberto Martinez’s Belgium on Tuesday night in Brussels. While victory would be little short of incredible for an inexperienced squad short on match-fitness and shorn of star playmaker Nawaf Al-Abed, a draw would ensure Shevchenko is joined by several more admirers pondering whether Russia’s long-awaited curtain-raiser could quickly turn into a nightmare for the hosts.
Green Falcons not to be underestimated at the World Cup: Ukraine’s Andrey Shevchenko
Green Falcons not to be underestimated at the World Cup: Ukraine’s Andrey Shevchenko
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Benzema puts Al-Ittihad within touching distance of SPL title
- The Tigers are now nine points clear of Al-Hilal in second with three games remaining
JEDDAH: Karim Benzema fired Al-Ittihad to a 3-0 win over Al-Fayah on Sunday to put his team within touching distance of the Saudi Pro League (SPL) title.
The Tigers are now nine points clear of Al-Hilal in second with three games remaining. If Hilal lose their game in hand against Al-Orubah on Monday then it will virtually be all over.
Just when a little frustration was starting to creep in at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium, Benzema showed his attacking ability in the 24th minute.
The former Real Madrid marksman swapped passes with Unai Hernandez on the left corner of the area but there was still a lot of work to do. Surrounded by defenders, the Frenchman made a little space for himself and then fired a low shot into the opposite bottom corner for league goal number 20.
Number 21 came nine minutes after the restart. Abdulrahman Al-Oboud slipped the ball into Benzema on the edge of the area and the Frenchman side-footed coolly home, the goal of a striker confident and in form.
Soon after, the 37-year-old went off with an injury but he had already done the damage to take the team towards a vital win.
The points were sealed with 14 minutes remaining. Mohammed Al-Baqawi tried to get to a cross before Al-Oboud only to shoot past his own goalkeeper into his own net.
Earlier in the day, Al-Qadsiah moved into third place with a 1-0 win at Al-Taawoun. An own goal from Andrei Girotto was enough to seal the win for the visitors.
The newly-promoted club went above the newly-crowned Asian champions. Al-Ahli lost 3-1 at Al-Shabab. The star of the show was Abderrazak Hamdallah who scored twice –goals number 149 and 150 in the SPL to take him within four of the record holder Omar Al-Somah-- and 20 and 21 this season.
The Moroccan was then sent off for a second yellow card with 13 minutes remaining but the real headlines belonged to Karim Benzema.
Jeddah to host World Pool Championship and Snooker Masters this summer
- The tournaments are part of a landmark ten-year strategic partnership between the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation and Matchroom
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s sporting calendar continues to expand with the announcement that Jeddah will host two major cue sports events in July and August 2025, the World Pool Championship and the Snooker Masters.
The tournaments are part of a landmark ten-year strategic partnership between the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation and Matchroom, in collaboration with the World Nineball Tour (WNT) and the World Snooker Tour (WST).
The events are being organized under the supervision of the Saudi Ministry of Sports and are set to feature top international players from around the world.
Returning to the Kingdom for the second consecutive year, the World Pool Championship will take place from July 21 to 26, 2025, at the Green Halls in Jeddah.
The tournament will gather the world’s top 100 players competing for a total prize pool of $1 million.
Among the headline names are current world champion Fedor Gorst of Russia, 2023 champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain, and five-time US Open winner Shane Van Boening of the United States.
Following shortly after, the Snooker Masters will run from August 8 to 16, bringing together 128 of the world’s top professionals alongside 16 emerging Saudi talents, who will participate via special wild card invitations.
With a total prize pot of £2 million ($2.66 million), the tournament ranks as the second most lucrative event on the 2025 World Snooker Tour calendar and is widely regarded as the fourth most prestigious event in the sport.
Commenting on the announcement, Nasser Al-Jaweeni, President of the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation, said: “We are pleased to launch this partnership that places the Kingdom at the heart of global billiards and snooker, reflecting international confidence in Saudi Arabia’s organizational capabilities and offering an opportunity to develop local talent and nurture a new generation of Saudi players.”
Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Sport, praised the Kingdom’s efforts.
“We are proud to return to the Kingdom as part of this inspiring partnership. Last year, we witnessed outstanding organization and an exceptional experience for the players, which raised professional standards and opened doors for the next generation of talent,” she said.
Steve Dawson, Chairman of the World Snooker Tour, described the hosting of the Snooker Masters as a landmark moment.
“Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the Snooker Masters marks a significant milestone in the sport’s history. The impact was evident from the very first edition, and we’re all excited to see Saudi players rise through the ranks in the years ahead,” he said.
Newcastle go third with 2-0 win over 10-man Chelsea
- The win leaves Newcastle in third spot on 66 points, three ahead of Chelsea
NEWCASTLE: An early goal from Sandro Tonali and a late Bruno Guimaraes effort gave Newcastle United a 2-0 home win over Chelsea on Sunday that moves the Magpies a step closer to Champions League football next season, with Blues striker Nicholas Jackson denting his side’s hopes by being sent off in the first half.
The win leaves Newcastle in third spot on 66 points, three ahead of Chelsea, who hold the fifth and final Champions League spot with two games to play.
Aston Villa are level with Chelsea on points, with Nottingham Forest, who face already-relegated Leicester City later on Sunday, two points further back.
Newcastle were good value for their win but it was Jackson’s moment of madness that decided the game, robbing Chelsea of their best goal-scoring option in a game the Conference League finalists could not afford to lose if they wanted to be at Europe’s top table next season.
The Blues got off to a bad start when midfielder Tonali ghosted in at the far post to steer home a pass from Jacob Murphy in the second minute, delighting the home crowd as they basked in the bright sunshine.
Newcastle’s task appeared to get easier when Jackson had his initial yellow card upgraded to a red in the 35th minute after a long VAR review, with the replay showing that the Senegalese striker had looked in the direction of Newcastle’s Dan Burn before leading with his elbow toward the
defender’s face.
Despite going down to 10 men, Chelsea dominated for much of the second half, forcing Eddie Howe to make a number of changes to bolster the home side’s defense and, after withstanding Chelsea’s onslaught, Guimaraes finally sealed the three points with a deflected shot from outside the box in the 90th minute.
MMA night comes to end as Paul Hughes finishes opponent in less than a minute
- Lewis McGrillen continues surge to bantamweight superstardom with emphatic win in co-main event against Alan Philpott
Belfast: A blistering performance by hometown hero Paul “Big News” Hughes, who needed just 42 seconds to dispatch Bruno “Robusto” Miranda in the main event, brought the curtain down on the PFL Europe card at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
The crowd erupted as Hughes entered the SmartCage, escorted by a live performance from Irish singer Foy Vance. He made good on his pre-fight promise, catching Miranda’s kick and countering with a perfectly-timed left hook that ended the contest instantly and sent the Belfast crowd into raptures.
In the co-main event, reigning PFL Europe bantamweight champion Lewis “The McGrizzla” McGrillen solidified his status as the division’s hottest prospect. The Manchester fighter overwhelmed veteran Alan “Super Ali” Philpott with aggressive striking before securing a slick rear naked choke in the second round — the first submission victory of his career.
The card also featured the opening round of the 2025 PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament, with four fighters advancing to the semifinals. Connor Hughes delivered a statement win over Sebastian Di Franco, knocking out the 2024 finalist in the second round with a clean right hand. Spain’s Gino Van Steenis advanced via unanimous decision over Decky McAleenan and will now meet Hughes in the semifinals.
Latvia’s Alex Chizov stunned Mark Ewen with a dominant first-round stoppage, overwhelming his opponent with a barrage of left hands. He moves on to face Italy’s Claudio Pacella, who earned a gritty decision victory over Gavin Hughes in a bruising three-round encounter.
Elsewhere on the card, Haider “Darth” Khan extended his winning streak to six with a unanimous decision over Sean McCormac in a catchweight bout. Eoin Sheridan electrified the local crowd with a first-round KO against Malichi Edwards, while Corey McLaughlin picked up his first professional win with a unanimous decision over Nahom Wedi.
In the women’s flyweight division, Gemma Auld — balancing a full-time teaching career — submitted Sammy-Jo Luxton in the second round with a textbook rear naked choke, showing grit and composure in a back-and-forth battle.
Zahabi sends UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo into retirement after beating him at UFC 315
- The fight was originally scheduled to be disputed at the bantamweight division, but was changed to featherweight on Friday after both fighters checked in above the weight limit
- Canadian Mike Malott (12-2-1) won his fight with American Charles Radtke (10-5) by knockout 26 seconds into the second round of their welterweight bout
- In the women’s flyweight division, Canadian Jasmine Jasudavicius (14-3) took down Brazilian Jessia Andrade (26-14) by submission
MONTREAL: Aiemann Zahabi shocked UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo in a featherweight main card fight at UFC 315 on Saturday night, after which Aldo announced his retirement.
Zahabi (13-2) won by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) and the Canadian has now won six straight fights.
The fight was originally scheduled to be disputed at the bantamweight division, but was changed to featherweight on Friday after both fighters checked in above the weight limit.
Aldo (32-10), of Brazil, announced his retirement from MMA fighting after a 21-year career.
The card is headlined by welterweight title bout pitting Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena and a women’s flyweight title matchup between Valentina Shevchenko and Manon Fiorot.
Saturday’s card was the first in Canada since Donald Trump was re-elected US president in November. It comes amid growing political tensions between Canada and the US, as Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada should become the 51st US state, and some of that tension spilled over.
Canadian Mike Malott (12-2-1) won his fight with American Charles Radtke (10-5) by knockout 26 seconds into the second round of their welterweight bout. Malott took down Radtke with a clean left hook and would not let up, striking his opponent with repeated followup blows to seal the knockout.
Radtke was met with jeers and curses from fans throughout the fight in response to comments he made to Canadian fans at a pre-fight news conference on Wednesday and the booing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Canadian sporting events in recent months.
Radtke said “when you all boo the national anthem, somebody’s gonna have to pay for that.”
In the women’s flyweight division, Canadian Jasmine Jasudavicius (14-3) took down Brazilian Jessia Andrade (26-14) by submission just over halfway through the first round.
“When I was preparing for this fight, I kept on thinking about it being a quick finish,” said Jasudavicius. “I kept on telling myself to be ready for 15 hard minutes and everything.”
Marc-Andre Barriault (17-9) also knocked out opponent Bruno Silva (23-13) 1:27 into the opening round of their middleweight bout with an elbow struck to the side of Silva’s head. Silva left the octagon on a stretcher.
Benoit Saint Denis (14-3) beat Kyle Prepolec (12-8) by submission in the opening main card fight. The Frenchman took down the Canadian with an arm-triangle choke midway through the second round.
Prepolec only found out less than two weeks ago he would be fighting in Montreal. The 35-year-old was called in to replace Joel Alvarez, who has a hand injury.
