LONDON: Mohamed Salah might not have won his duel with Cristiano Ronaldo during the international break, but the Liverpool winger is on the verge of being ranked alongside the Portugal superstar after his record-breaking season.
Salah was left frustrated by Ronaldo last week as he put Egypt ahead in their friendly against Portugal, only to see his rival strike twice in stoppage-time to steal the victory.
It was fitting that Salah was on target in his shoot-out with Ronaldo as there is a growing belief the Liverpool ace can emulate the incredible achievements of Real Madrid forward Ronaldo and Barcelona striker Lionel Messi.
Salah has already had a remarkable first season with Liverpool following his move from Roma and he heads into Saturday’s Premier League clash at Crystal Palace with more milestones in his sights.
The 25-year-old’s four-goal blitz in Liverpool’s 5-0 rout of Watford before the international break set a new record for the most goals by a Reds player in his debut campaign.
Salah, who has 12 goals in his last 10 appearances in all competitions, has scored in 20 of his 30 league matches this season.
If he scores against Palace he will equal the record for a 38-match season, set by Ronaldo in 2007-08 and Robin van Persie in 2012-13.
“You can look at Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez and he is up there with any Liverpool forward to have come in,” Reds legend Ian Rush says of Salah.
“He’s been absolutely amazing but the thing with Salah is that he is so down-to-earth as well. The game against Watford was the best I have ever seen him play, he was untouchable — not just because of his four goals but also because he wasn’t selfish and was trying to make goals for his team-mates.
“There are only two players I have seen that can play at that level, and that’s Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.”
Salah has 36 goals in 41 games in all competitions, while Ronaldo has scored 37 in 35 and Messi 35 in 43.
Palace boss Roy Hodgson must find a way to subdue Salah this weekend as third placed Liverpool look to celebrate manager Jurgen Klopp’s 100th Premier League game.
Liverpool have lost just twice in their last 22 league matches, but with a Champions League quarter-final first leg date against Manchester City next week it will be fascinating to see if Salah is given the full 90 minutes or is rested.
“I’ve never worked with him so can only talk from having watched him. He must be delighted to be performing in that top bracket of players,” Hodgson said.
“The only way you can prevent quality players is through the collective work of the team.”
With Palace sitting just two points above the relegation zone, Hodgson is sweating over the fitness of influential Ivory Coast winger Wilfried Zaha.
Palace have lost all nine league matches Zaha has missed this season and he is a doubt for the Liverpool clash after being unable to train in the international break.
Zaha limped off late in Palace’s 2-0 victory at Huddersfield earlier this month — his first start since returning from a knee ligaments injury — but has since had to rest.
“He has not really been doing any training with us to any great extent. Obviously we are nursing the knee problem that he has. He is one that we will have a look at,” Hodgson said.
“We hope that the knee will be OK but we have had to be very cautious with him after the Huddersfield game because he came back from injury a lot earlier than perhaps he should have done.”
Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah 'operating at same level as Messi and Ronaldo'
Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah 'operating at same level as Messi and Ronaldo'
Cummins and Green set to return for Australia in cricket's World Test Championship final
Pace bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and allrounder Cameron Green have been recalled from injury and young batter Sam Konstas has been retained in Australia’s squad for the World Test Championship final against South Africa next month.
Australia is the defending WTC champion and finished the league stage with an away win over Sri Lanka after a home series victory against India.
“Those series capped a consistent performance across the two-year cycle and now presents us with the incredibly exciting opportunity to defend the World Test Championship,” Australia’s chief selector George Bailey said in a statement Tuesday. “It means a lot to the group to reach the final and they are very much looking forward to the challenge South Africa will present at Lord’s.”
The same squad will head to the Caribbean for a three-test series against the West Indies following the June 11-15 WTC final.
Green hasn't played international cricket since September because of back surgery, but the 25-year-old allrounder is making a graduated return and currently batting at county level in England.
Skipper Cummins missed the two-test series in Sri Lanka with an injured ankle and Hazlewood hasn't played a test since developing a side strain in November, early in the series against India.
Both veteran pacemen have been playing in the Indian Premier League, which was suspended last week because of the border tension between India and Pakistan but is set to resume this weekend.
“We are fortunate and looking forward to having Pat, Josh and Cam back in the squad,” Bailey said.
Opening batter Konstas made an impressive debut against India with a half-century in the Boxing Day test in Melbourne but was dropped ahead of the subsequent tour to Sri Lanka.
Knicks take a 3-1 lead over the Celtics with a 121-113 victory as Tatum is injured in final minutes
NEW YORK: Jalen Brunson had 39 points and 12 assists, and the New York Knicks moved a win away from their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years and pushed the defending champion Boston Celtics to the brink of elimination with a 121-113 victory Monday night in Game 4.
The Celtics will have to make the NBA’s 14th comeback from a 3-1 deficit to extend their title reign and may have to do it without All-Star Jayson Tatum, who was carried off the court with a right leg injury with 2:58 left.
Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 23 points and OG Anunoby bounced back from two poor performances by scoring 20 for the Knicks, who can win the series Wednesday night at Boston. If not, they would come back to Madison Square Garden to try to do it Friday night.
Tatum scored 42 points, his high in these playoffs, before he was hurt when the Celtics turned the ball over and his leg gave out as he tried to lunge forward toward the loose ball.
The Knicks had taken control just before that in front of a delirious crowd of fans who haven’t seen them play in the conference finals since they lost to Indiana in 2000.
Nobody has come from 3-1 down since Denver did it twice in 2020 at the Walt Disney World resort. It hasn’t happened when a team had to win a true road game since Cleveland rallied past Golden State in the 2016 NBA Finals.
Al-Hilal keep slim Saudi Pro League title hopes alive with comfortable win
- 4-0 home victory over relegation battlers Al-Orobah leaves the reigning champions 6 points adrift of leaders Al-Ittihad, with just 3 games remaining
Al-Hilal defeated Al-Orobah 4-0 on Monday to keep their slim Saudi Pro League title hopes alive. The reigning champions are six points behind leaders Al-Ittihad with just three games remaining.
After the Jeddah giants enjoyed a comfortable win on Sunday, defeating Al-Fayha 3-0 at home, the pressure was on their Riyadh rivals, also playing at home. Interim coach Mohammed Al-Shalhoub, who took over this month after the departure of Jorge Jesus, knew that only a win would do against the relegation battlers.
As expected, the Blues attacked from the start but the visitors defended deeply and in numbers. Hamad Al-Yami almost put the home side ahead at the midway point of the first half. After making a run on the right side, he was picked out by a fine floated pass from Ruben Neves but the full-back, stretching at close range, could not get enough power on his shot.
The home fans, who failed to turn up in large numbers, did not have to wait for much longer before the deadlock was broken, however. Salem Al-Dawsari has been in fine goal-scoring form of late, but just before the half-hour mark he turned provider with a perfect cross from the left side of the penalty area for Aleksandar Mitrovic, unmarked at the edge of the six-yard box, to steer home. Just before half-time, the goalscorer went down in the box under a challenge but the referee waved play on.
The attacks continued after the restart and the task Al-Orobah faced became more difficult within two minutes when Ibrahim Al-Zubaidi was shown a straight red for a reckless challenge on Malcom.
On the hour, Mohammed Kanno’s fierce effort from outside the area stung the palms of Gaetan Coucke and, despite the lead and the extra-man advantage, there was always a chance that the visitors might grab a goal that could all but hand the trophy to Al-Ittihad.
However, Al-Hilal effectively sealed the win in the 65th minute, thanks to that man Al-Dawsari, who scored a typically classy goal. Cutting in from the left, he exchanged swift passes with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic as he moved into the area and then lifted a perfect chip over the advancing goalkeeper.
Two late goals added to the ultimately emphatic nature of the victory: Kaio Cesar scored from the spot in the 90th minute and then grabbed another two minutes later.
The title still seems likely to be heading to Jeddah but Al-Hilal are at least showing they will not be just handing it over without a fight.
IPL to resume on May 17 after India-Pakistan ceasefire
- The Pakistan Super League has yet to announce a date for resumption
- Pakistan initially decided to move the last eight PSL games to the UAE
The Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, suspended for a week amid fighting between India and Pakistan, will resume on May 17 following the announcement of a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbors, organizers said on Monday.
The IPL governing council took the decision to suspend the tournament last Friday after consulting franchises and players as India and Pakistan extended their worst fighting in nearly three decades.
The IPL still has 12 group matches left, which will be played in the cities of Bengaluru, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
“After extensive consultations with government and security agencies, and with all the key stakeholders, the Board has decided to proceed with the remainder of the season,” India’s cricket board, BCCI, said in a statement.
“A total of 17 matches will be played across 6 venues, starting May 17, 2025, and culminating in the final on June 3, 2025. The revised schedule includes two double-headers, which will be played on two Sundays.
“Venue details for the playoff matches will be announced at a later stage.”
An IPL match in Dharamsala on May 8 was abandoned midway through, with organizers citing a power outage, while another game at the same north Indian city was shifted to Ahmedabad because of the border tensions before being postponed.
A number of non-Indian players left the country after the league’s suspension.
The Pakistan Super League has yet to announce a date for its resumption.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially decided to move the last eight PSL games to the United Arab Emirates, but last week said it had postponed the matches on the advice of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
India and Pakistan have clashed since India struck multiple locations in Pakistan that it said were “terrorist camps” in retaliation for the deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month, in which it said Islamabad was involved.
Pakistan denied the accusation but both countries exchanged cross-border firing and shelling, sent drones and missiles into each other’s airspace and left dozens of people dead.
A fragile ceasefire was holding between the neighbors after the agreement was reached on Saturday, following diplomacy and pressure from the United States.
Brazil signs Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti 1 year ahead of 2026 World Cup
- CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues: ‘Bringing Ancelotti to coach Brazil is more than a strategic movement. It is a statement that we are determined to recover the top of the podium’
- Rodrigues: ‘He is the greatest coach in history and, now, he will be with the greatest national team on the planet. Together, we will write new glorious chapters of Brazilian soccer’
SAO PAULO: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will leave the Spanish club and take over as coach of Brazil’s national team, the Brazilian soccer federation said Monday.
The 65-year-old Ancelotti, who will be Brazil’s first full-time foreign coach in a century, is still under contract with Madrid. The last round of the Spanish league will be on May 25 and the CBF said in a statement that he will officially take over Brazil the following day.
“Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to coach Brazil is more than a strategic movement. It is a statement to the world that we are determined to recover the top of the podium,” CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement. “He is the greatest coach in history and, now, he will be with the greatest national team on the planet. Together, we will write new glorious chapters of Brazilian soccer.”
Rodrigues said Ancelotti will take charge of Brazil’s next two fixtures in South American World Cup qualifying, with his debut at Ecuador on June 5th and five days later in front of home fans against Paraguay in Sao Paulo.
Ancelotti’s contract with Madrid ends next year but is expected to be terminated early.
He will replace Dorival Junior, who held the job for 14 months and was fired in March after a 4-1 defeat at Argentina. Brazil lags in 4th position in World Cup qualifying after 14 matches and has its 33-year-old star Neymar still in difficulties to return to top form after an ACL injury in 2023.
The top six teams will secure direct spots in next year’s tournament.
Ancelotti leaves Madrid after a frustrating season in which the team did not defend its European title and saw rival Barcelona win the
Copa del Rey and get close to securing the league title after a 4-3 victory over Madrid on Sunday.
The Italian coach and Real Madrid are yet to comment on CBF’s announcement.
Ancelotti’s signing ends a turbulent time on Brazil’s bench since Tite left after the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals elimination against Croatia. Under-20 coach Ramon Menezes and Fluminense coach Fernando Diniz took charge for several matches as Rodriguez sought Ancelotti to become coach.
Menezes and Diniz both fared poorly, and Ancelotti extended his deal with Madrid during that span. Dorival Júnior was then chosen in 2024 to take the team to the World Cup, but he was also fired after the same lack of success and unimpressive performances.
Former Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus, a 70-year-old Portuguese who won several titles with Brazil’s Flamengo in 2019, was the favorite to take the Brazil job until Madrid was knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal earlier in April.
Brazil will be Ancelotti’s first international experience as full-time coach. He was an assistant to Arrigo Sacchi in the 1994 World Cup as Italy lost to Brazil in the final on penalties.
That ended a 24-year World Cup title drought for Brazil, the same time frame it will face next year in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Ancelotti, who won Serie A titles as a player with Roma and AC Milan plus two European titles with the latter as a creative midfielder, started his full-time coaching career in 1995 at Italy’s Reggiana.
He’s also coached Parma, Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton, winning titles in Italy, England, Spain, France and Germany.
He twice won the Champions League with Milan 2003 and 2007, and added three more titles with Real Madrid in 2014, 2022 and last year.
Ancelotti will be only the second foreign coach to take Brazil into an international tournament.
The first was Uruguayan Ramon Platero, who coached Brazil in the 1925 South American championship, the predecessor of the current Copa America. He was on the job for 19 days and four matches of a round-robin competition with Paraguay and Argentina, with two wins, one loss and one draw in the final with Argentina, who lifted the title.
Portuguese coach Jorge Gomes de Lima, known as Joreca, shared Brazil’s coach position with local Flavio Costa in two friendly victories over Uruguay in 1944.
And in 1965 Argentine coach Filpo Nunez coached Brazil for one day. Nunez was Palmeiras’ coach, and Brazil’s soccer body chose the Sao Paulo-based club to play with national team shirts in a friendly against Uruguay in the opening of the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte. The hosts won 3-0.
The announcement of Ancelotti’s departure came a day after Madrid lost its fourth straight match to Barcelona this season, falling seven points behind the Catalan rival with three rounds remaining.
Former player Xabi Alonso is widely expected to take over the club’s helm after he confirmed his departure from Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso led Leverkusen to an unprecedented German league and cup double last year in his first full season after taking over the team when it was in the Bundesliga’s relegation zone the season before. He starred as a player as Madrid won a Spanish league title in 2012 and the 2014 Champions League before leaving for three Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich.
Madrid still has to play in the upcoming Club World Cup beginning next month.
