ST. GALLEN, Switzerland: Juan Antonio Pizzi said Saudi Arabia’s World Cup preparations will benefit from the examination Italy gave them on Monday night, believing the test against high-caliber opposition will prepare them well for their group opponents in Russia.
The Green Falcons defeated Greece and Algeria earlier this month to boost confidence levels and the Saudi Arabia Football Federation could easily have selected similar opponents in the final three friendlies to ensure they enter the tournament on a high.
Instead, they have arranged tough games against Italy, Peru and Germany, three sides ranked in the top 20 of FIFA’s rankings, and Pizzi reckoned they will have learned more from a 2-1 defeat to Italy in Switzerland than they would have done in a routine win over a lesser nation.
“It was the kind of test that we needed,” Pizzi said. “We all know that Italy are a strong team but the hard work that we have been putting on the training pitch showed and we can take confidence from this performance. We played a good game against one of the best teams in the world, regardless of the fact that they did not qualify for the World Cup in Russia. Italy have a coach and players on a high level and were the world champions and the Saudi team achieved what was required.”
Mario Balotelli opened the scoring as Italy dominated the first half and then Andrea Belotti extended the Azzurri’s advantage after the break. Saudi Arabia got their reward for a fighting performance 18 minutes from the end following a classic counter-attack.
Salem Al-Dawsari won possession on the halfway line, freed Yehya Al-Shehri who skipped past the goalkeeper and rolled the ball into an empty net. And the Green Falcons could have had an equalizer had Gianluigi Donnarumma not denied Fahad Al-Muwallad late on.
“We knew that we would come under pressure in the early stages,” said Pizzi. “We took time to get going. The players responded well to the changes I made and we started to play much better in the second half and showed that we are progressing. We have friendly matches against Peru and Germany and our goal is to reach the World Cup highly prepared.”
Captain Osama Hawsawi felt the performance boded well ahead of the Group A games against Russia, Uruguay and Egypt.
“This performance is the result of the hard work and training we have been doing in training camps and the experience of facing Italy will be good for the players,” Hawsawi said.
“We were close to a draw but while we had the chances we were not able to take them.”
Al-Dawsari made a difference when he came on at the start of the second-half and he must be pushing for a start against Peru on Sunday.
“We recovered our confidence and spirit after the break, and showed what we could do,” he said. “It was a team effort to get back into the game.”
The match represented Roberto Mancini’s first in charge of Italy and the Green Falcons certainly gave him plenty to think about as he begins the rebuilding process following the Azzurri’s failed World Cup qualification bid.
“It was my first game, so important to win,” he said. “The first half went well, as we had 16 shots on goal and 11 corners, but then as fatigue emerged later on, we lost intensity. Saudi Arabia are a long way behind us in the ranking, but they are preparing for the World Cup right now and that’s not to be taken for granted.”
Saudi Arabia will kick off the World Cup with a game against hosts Russia.
“I think Russia will win but Saudi Arabia are not a bad team and they have pace in attack,” said Mancini.
Juan Antonio Pizzi points to positives after Italy defeat for Saudi Arabia
Juan Antonio Pizzi points to positives after Italy defeat for Saudi Arabia
6 things to watch in Match 6 of AFC Champions League Elite
- Ivan Toney looks to get off the mark, Al-Hilal face Al-Sadd again, and Al-Nassr aim to stay perfect under Pioli
RIYADH: International duties give way to club commitments as Asia’s best return to their home sides, with another defining week of AFC Champions League action — across both the ACL Elite and ACL Two competitions — on the horizon.
Players from Saudi Arabia and Qatar will be out to make a statement after a disappointing window, while those from the UAE will be buoyed by their improved fortunes on the road to North America for 2026.
As the players disperse across the vast continent, here are the six things to look out for this week.
Al-Sadd and Al-Hilal in a rematch of their epic semifinal
Five years on, people still talk about the remarkable 2019 semifinal between Al-Sadd and Al-Hilal.
Spearheaded by the recently retired Bafetimbi Gomis, Al-Hilal traveled to Doha and put four past Xavi’s Al-Sadd outfit in a dominant 4-1 win, with most observers believing the tie was all but settled as they returned to Riyadh for the second leg.
And after opening the scoring inside 15 minutes to take a commanding 5-1 aggregate lead, the tie looked done. And perhaps Al-Hilal thought so, too, because they conceded three times in three remarkable minutes to turn the game on its head.
What followed was the best of continental football in Asia, with Al-Hilal eventually surviving, despite a late scare and a last-minute free-kick that had everyone holding their breath.
The stakes are not quite as high this time around, but with the sides even stronger than they were back in 2019, even a match half as good would be something special.
Last chance for the defending champions
Just six months ago Al-Ain were the toast of the continent, lifting their second continental title with a dominant display over Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos, thanks largely to the scintillating performances of Moroccan international Soufiane Rahimi.
What a difference a few months can make. Halfway through the League Stage of the recently reformatted tournament, the defending champions are yet to taste victory, and are rooted to the bottom of the 12-team West Zone with just a solitary point to their name.
With only four games remaining, and 12 points left on the table, it is pretty much now or never for Al-Ain. They need to take something from the visit of Al-Ahli to kickstart their campaign.
With ACL-winning coach Hernan Crespo recently relieved of his duties, replaced by serial title winner Leonardo Jardim, who won the ACL with Al-Hilal in 2021, perhaps a new voice and a new message might deliver the turnaround in form needed to keep their title defense alive.
Can Ivan Toney get off the mark in Asia?
Much was expected of English international Ivan Toney after his big-money move to Al-Ahli from Brentford — a switch Matthias Jaissle and the Al-Ahli faithful hoped would turn them into title contenders this season.
But two months in and Toney has failed to fire in Jeddah, at least when it comes to playing in Asia. His return of three goals from eight matches in the league is passable, although they need more if they are to start moving up from their current mid-table position.
While his lack of goals in the AFC Champions League Elite is not affecting them on the pitch so far, with four wins from as many games, including a 5-1 rout of Al-Shorta last time out, Toney will be keen to get off the mark on the continent to keep their good run going.
Against an Al-Ain side that has conceded 15 in just four games, the most of any of the 24 teams in either the West or East zones, this might be just the time to do it.
Al-Nassr look to remain perfect under Pioli
Changing a coach so early into a season is never a good sign, but is done to provide a circuit-breaker to turn around a side’s fortunes.
That was the case for Al-Nassr, whose start to the season included a loss to Al-Hilal in the final of the Super Cup, dropped points against Al Raed and Al Ahli in the league, and only managing a point against Iraqi side Al-Shorta in their opening game of the AFC Champions League Elite.
That saw Luis Castro replaced by Serie A-winning coach Stefano Pioli. It was a brave call, but one that has been justified. A shock loss in the King’s Cup aside, Al-Nassr are yet to taste defeat in either the league or AFC Champions League, going three for three on the continent since his arrival.
After thumping defending champions Al-Ain 5-1 in their most recent outing, they will be looking to maintain their perfect record on the continent under Pioli when they travel to the glorious Al-Bayt Stadium, which two years ago hosted the FIFA World Cup, to take on Al-Gharafa.
UAE champions try to keep pace
It has been a weird old season for defending UAE Pro League champions Al-Wasl.
On one hand, they are undefeated in their last five in all competitions. On the other, they have failed to win in the league since September, and are dangerously close to falling off the pace so early into their title defense.
Their form on the continent has matched their topsy-turvy season overall. They have gone win, loss, win, draw in their first four games, and face a tricky trip to Iraq to face a desperate Al-Shorta in midweek.
Star man Fabio Lima should be absolutely primed after his four-goal haul for the national team in their 5-0 rout of Qatar in World Cup qualifying last week. Can he maintain that form and help Al-Wasl take another step toward the knockout rounds?
Can Korean champions survive the cut?
The other major storyline of Matchday Six comes from the East Zone, where back-to-back Korean champions and two-time ACL winners Ulsan HD are currently the worst-performing team in the competition, with four losses from as many games.
Not only that, they are yet to score a single goal. It is a staggeringly poor return for a club with the pedigree and resources of Ulsan, who have made it out of the group in all but one of their last six campaigns and won the title in 2020.
They face off this week with Chinese champions Shanghai Port, needing to win at least three of their final four to give themselves a chance of progressing. Can they do it?
Workshops mark opening of International Camel Racing Federation general assembly
- Day opened with workshop on Olympic values — “Excellence, Friendship, Respect”
OLYMPIA, Greece: The fourth General Assembly of the International Camel Racing Federation began on Sunday in Olympia, Greece, with a series of workshops and meetings dedicated to advancing the global development of camel racing.
The day opened with a workshop on Olympic values — “Excellence, Friendship, Respect” — highlighting their role in promoting sportsmanship and international collaboration.
Participants discussed integrating these principles into the federation’s future strategies to enhance the sport's growth.
A second workshop focused on the federation’s global strategy, addressing sustainability and strengthening cooperation among member countries. Delegates examined current challenges and outlined plans to achieve the federation’s goals.
Alongside these workshops, representatives from continental federations in Asia, Africa, and Europe held meetings to address regional issues and improve coordination between member nations.
The assembly, running until Tuesday, will aim to establish strategies that promote camel racing as a cultural and sporting heritage worldwide.
Al-Ittihad win to pull away at top of SPL table
- Second half goals from Fabinho and Houssem Aouar means that Al-Ittihad have 30 points from 11 games
JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad beat Al-Fateh 2-0 on Sunday to move two points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League to complete what has been a perfect weekend for the Jeddah giants with title rivals with Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr both losing.
Second half goals from Fabinho and Houssem Aouar means that Al-Ittihad have 30 points from 11 games, two clear of Al-Hilal in second and eight ahead of Al-Nassr in third.
It was a hard-fought game against the bottom team but the Tigers thought they had taken the lead after 16 minutes as Saleh Al-Shehri fired home when a corner found its way to the far post but the ball was adjudged to have bounced off Fabinho’s hand.
There were not many other clear chances. Al-Fateh may have started the day at the very foot of the league but knew that a victory would take them out of the bottom three while a point would be welcome.
Al-Ittihad redoubled their attacking efforts after the break but there were so many white shirts in and around the penalty area but three minutes before the hour Fabinho showed his class. Mario Mitaj passed from the left of the area and the former Liverpool midfielder reacted quickly to steer the ball inside the near post with the goalkeeper caught wrong-footed.
Steven Bergwin almost sealed the win with 17 minutes remaining as he sprinted free of the defence but Peter Szappanos got a hand to the shot to keep Al-Fateh in the game.
There was nothing he could do as Aouar struck in the last minute, sweeping home a fine cross from Abdulrahman Al-Oboud.
Earlier in the day, Ettifaq drew 0-0 at Al-Riyadh, a result that does not relieve the pressure on coach Steven Gerrard who has seen the team now go eight games without a win.
Continental Europe and Great Britain & Ireland teams announced for 2025 Team Cup
- Six Ryder Cup players confirmed; 11 players to make debuts in event taking place in Abu Dhabi
DUBAI: The first 18 competitors for the 2025 Continental Europe and Great Britain & Ireland Team Cup sides have been announced by European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, with an exciting mix of Ryder Cup stars and some of the DP World Tour’s brightest talent scheduled to compete at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort from Jan 10-12, 2025.
After consulting with respective Team Cup captains Francesco Molinari, of Continental Europe, and Justin Rose, of Great Britain & Ireland, Donald has confirmed the first nine competitors in each side for next year’s matchplay contest, who between them have won 70 DP World Tour victories, with six representatives from recent Ryder Cups.
Molinari will lead Continental Europe in their defence of the Team Cup, which they won in 2023 after defeating Great Britain & Ireland 14½-10½ in the three-day matchplay contest. The teams will compete in one session of fourballs on the Friday, two sessions of foursomes on the Saturday and one session of singles on Sunday, with every player taking part in each session.
Each side will have three Ryder Cup players, with three-time Ryder Cup player Molinari joined by Nicolai Hojgaard and Thorbjorn Olesen, and six-time Ryder Cup star Rose teeing it up alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton.
Olesen, who represented Europe at the 2018 Ryder Cup, was one of the four automatic qualifiers for Molinari’s side, with fellow Scandinavians Rasmus Hojgaard and Niklas Norgaard and Italian Matteo Manassero also earning an automatic place in the Continental European team.
Rasmus had been selected to compete in the 2023 edition of the match play contest but was forced to withdraw due to injury. Since his return to competitive action he has won his fourth and fifth DP World Tour titles, becoming the first Dane to win Made in HimmerLand last year and he then held off the challenge of Rory McIlroy to win the Amgen Irish Open two months ago.
Norgaard claimed his maiden victory at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, while Manassero made a welcome return to the winner’s circle this year, claiming his first DP World Tour title for nearly 11 years at the Jonsson Workwear Open.
Rounding out the Continental European side are the French pair of Matthieu Pavon, who this year became the first Frenchman to win on the PGA Tour in more than 100 years, and Antoine Rozner, who played in 2023 and recently earned dual membership on the PGA Tour, and the Danish duo of Ryder Cup player Nicolai Hojgaard and Challenge Tour No. 1 Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
Nicolai was called up to replace his brother in the Continental Europe side for the 2023 edition of the Team Cup and then went on to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone, near Rome.
Both Fleetwood and Hatton, who also competed in the 2023 edition of the event, automatically qualified for the Great Britain & Ireland side alongside Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner Paul Waring and five-time DP World Tour winner Matt Wallace.
Wallace will be making his second appearance in this event after recently winning his fifth DP World Tour title at the Omega European Masters. He also became a PGA Tour winner in 2023, claiming the Corales Puntacana Championship. While Waring became the DP World Tour’s most recent first-time Rolex Series winner after carding a career-low round of 61 and setting a new low 36-hole score to par in Abu Dhabi.
Joining them on Rose’s side will be Northern Irishman Tom McKibbin, who earned dual membership on the PGA Tour for 2025 after another strong season, two-time DP World Tour winner Jordan Smith of England, his compatriots Laurie Canter, who earned a maiden title at the European Open, and Aaron Rai, who is the most recent English winner on the PGA Tour after claiming the Wyndham Championship in August.
The final member of each side will be selected after the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the third event of the 2025 Race to Dubai, which concludes on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Donald, who will captain Europe for a second time at Bethpage Black next September, said: “Fran, Justin and I are really excited by the two teams which will assemble at the Team Cup in January. There’s a great mix of youth and experience on both sides and there will certainly be a competitive atmosphere at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort.
“This event provided valuable insight for a number of players who eventually made it to Marco Simone, with six of the 20 competitors in 2023 going on to play in the Ryder Cup, three of those making their debut appearances, and we’re excited to see who can make their mark next year as they try to earn a place in my side for New York City.”
Molinari, the 2018 Open champion and three-time Ryder Cup player, said: “It may be a new-look Continental European side but I’m really excited to lead these players at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort as we bid to defend the Team Cup next year.
“There is a fantastic blend of players who have hit the ground running at the start of their careers and those with a lot of experience on their side, and most of them have played in team competitions in the past as amateurs, which will have given them a great insight into these environments.”
Rose, who won the US Open in 2013 and will captain the Great Britain & Ireland side for the first time, said: “Having two Ryder Cup teammates in Tommy and Tyrrell in the team will be invaluable, but I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the team step up to this new arena. Having also played in 2023, I’m sure Matt and Jordan will be keen to go out there and win the cup so it’ll be great to watch them in action again.
“Most of my team have also had the opportunity to represent either Great Britain & Ireland or England and Ireland separately in the past, so they have a lot of experience to draw on from their amateur days. They are all proven winners on tour, but I think Europe as a whole is going to benefit massively from next year’s Team Cup as we look towards the Ryder Cup at Bethpage.”
Zimbabwe stuns new-look Pakistan in rain-affected first one-day international
- Pakistan limped to 60-6 in 21 overs before rain denied further play, giving Zimbabwe 80-run win
- The hosts now have a 1-0 lead against Pakistan in the ODI series ahead of three T20 matches
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe: All-rounder Sikandar Raza inspired Zimbabwe to a stunning 80-run win on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in the rain-affected first one-day international against a new-look Pakistan white-ball team on Sunday.
Raza made a crucial 39 runs and lifted Zimbabwe from a precarious 125-7 to 205 all out by sharing a 62-run eighth wicket stand with number nine batter Richard Ngarava, who top-scored with 48.
Under overcast conditions, Raza picked up two wickets in one over as Pakistan limped to 60-6 in 21 overs before it rained and denied further play as Zimbabwe took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Pakistan’s second-string new ball bowlers – debutant Aamer Jamal and Mohammad Hasnain – couldn’t make an impact on Zimbabwe’s openers after the visitors had rested frontline pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah for the white-ball series in Zimbabwe.
Pakistan also rested its ace batter Babar Azam for the first time in an ODI since 2019 as it experimented with its bench strength ahead of next year’s Champions Trophy.
Tadiwanashe Marumani (29) flicked Jamal to square leg for a six and Joylord Gumbie (15) hit three fours against the seamers as they combined in a better than run-a-ball opening stand of 40 runs against a wayward Pakistan pace attack.
Gumbie got run out in a mix-up with Marumani in the sixth over before Pakistan came back hard through its spinners and struck at regular intervals. One of the three Pakistan debutants – left-arm wristspinner Faisal Akram took 3-24 and vice-captain Salman Ali Agha claimed 3-42 as Zimbabwe slipped to 125-7 in the 26th over.
However, Ngarava and Raza thwarted Pakistan’s spinners and pacers alike in a 69-ball stand to give the total respectability. Raza perished when he tried an expansive hit against Akram and was caught on the edge of the boundary while Ngarava was the last man to get dismissed after hitting five fours and a six when he chopped Hasnain back onto his stumps.
Fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani used the home conditions to perfection and snared the early wickets of Saim Ayub (11) and Abdullah Shafique (1), who both got caught behind inside the first three overs from the tall pacer.
Kamran Ghulam (17) and skipper Mohammad Rizwan (19 not out) couldn’t pace the chase before Pakistan lost four wickets in the space of 18 runs against the spinners. Ghulam tried to break the shackles but Sean Williams (2-12) got a thick edge and earned Marumani his third catch behind the wickets before Raza had two in three balls.
Raza pinned Salman plumb leg before wicket of his second ball and one ball later Haseebullah Khan was out for zero in his ODI debut when he played the wrong line and was clean bowled.
The three-match ODI series will be followed by three T20s with Bulawayo hosting all the matches.
