LONDON: Bahrain giants Muharraq are looking forward to getting started after being confirmed as one of two overseas representatives clubs to be invited to compete in the 2019-20 Saudi Pro League season.
The Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF) announced last week that it was talking to representatives of Bahrain and Kuwait in order to expand the league from 16 to 18 teams.
Muharraq will be the team from Bahrain while discussions with Kuwait are still ongoing, though Al-Qadsia, the country’s most successful team, are regarded as the likeliest club to join Muharraq.
“Words can’t describe the feeling of the Muharraq fans after being selected as the first team to represent Bahrain in the Saudi league,” Muharraq General Manager Ibrahim Al-Issa said.
“We will implement the instructions required of us strictly, and we will represent Bahrain to the best of our ability. We are honored to play in the Saudi league.”
Al-Issa has no doubt that the Reds — expected to run two teams, one to play at home and the other over the border — are deserving of a place in the league of its bigger neighbor.
“We have the history to warrant this,” added Al-Issa in reference to a trophy cabinet that includes 34 league titles and 32 King’s Cups.
With such an impressive domestic record, it is perhaps no surprise that the team sees the chance to compete in Saudi Arabia as one that will help it to reach the next level.
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, chairman of Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, claimed that the example of Welsh clubs, such as Cardiff City and Swansea City, in the English Premier League helping the development of football in Wales could be an inspiration for the country.
“Muharraq will participate in the Saudi league because of the strength that the league there has and that it is a bigger competition which can only be a benefit,” said Sheikh Nasser, who added that support would be provided to the club to enable it to compete in Saudi Arabia, with a finish in the top half of the standings being the initial objective.
“The move will contribute significantly to the development of football in Bahrain.”
The Kuwait Football Association declined to comment when contacted by Arab News until the issue has been settled, but Adel Ezzat, who resigned from his post as head of SAFF in August in order to run for the presidency of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in next April’s election, has hailed the development as a positive one for all countries involved.
“It is not an issue for the AFC as it has allowed clubs to play in league competitions outside their own home countries before,” Ezzat, who is the president of the newly-formed South West Asia Football Federation, said. “In Singapore, a Japanese team, Albirex Niigata, has been playing there. The New Zealand team Wellington is in Australia’s A-League,” added the official.
“There would be no negative effects from the participation of teams from the region in the Saudi league.”
Not all have greeted the prospect of expansion with excitement and positivity. Reaction on social media in Bahrain and Kuwait has been mixed. Some of the doubts expressed were echoed by Omani veteran and former Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli star Amad Al-Hosni who questioned whether the proposal would be good for football in the Middle East.
“This is happening for the first time in the region,” Al-Hosni said. “I do not know what the
consequences of this will be and I can’t even imagine the repercussions of all this.
“I see this as a double-edged sword.”
Saudi Pro League expansion gets thumbs-up from new boys Muharraq
Saudi Pro League expansion gets thumbs-up from new boys Muharraq
- Bahrain club to join Saudi Pro League from the start of next season.
- Fans excited about the move that will see Muharraq pit their wits against Saudi Arabia's biggest clubs.
Saudi Pro League finalizes preparations for 2024-25 season winter transfer window
- Clubs will be able to sign new players between New Year’s Day and Jan. 30
- The league organized workshops for clubs to assess specific needs and help provide tailored support for them
RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League has finalized its preparations for the 2024-25 season’s winter transfer window, which runs from Jan. 1 to 30.
League authorities said they held a series of workshops with member clubs to assess specific needs and objectives for the transfer window and help provide tailored support for them, including the facilitation of transfers within the league.
During the 2024 summer transfer window, the 18 SPL clubs used 16 of the 36 available slots for foreign players under the age of 21; 13 clubs signed at least one U-21 player from another country, five did not make any signings in this category. The remaining slots are available to eligible clubs during the winter window.
All 18 teams utilized their maximum allowance of eight foreign players over the age of 21 during the summer transfer window. Any clubs planning new signings in this category will therefore have to terminate contracts, sell players or deregister members of their squads.
The SPL said it will also coordinate with clubs and the Financial Sustainability Committee to ensure compliance with league policies and regulations.
A total of 115 domestic players are registered for the 2024-25 SPL season, while 132 departed due to the end or termination of a contract, or sales to clubs in other leagues. Meanwhile, 101 foreign players joined the league this season, and 32 departed. The average player age of players in the league fell from 27.6 years old to 26.2.
The SPL said its preparations for the transfer window reflect its commitment to supporting clubs through the facilitation of transfers, improved governance and planning, efforts to ensure player welfare, and enhanced financial sustainability.
Naomi Osaka wins her first match of new season in a return from injury
- Naomi Osaka beats qualifier Lina Glushko 6-4, 6-4 in a tight contest in her first match since October
- Four-time Grand Slam champion had to deal with a swirling wind on center court and with delays in play
WELLINGTON: Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka made a winning return to the court after an almost three month absence Monday in the first round of the ASB tennis classic in Auckland, undeterred by protests outside the stadium against her Israeli opponent.
Osaka beat qualifier Lina Glushko 6-4, 6-4 in a tight contest in her first match since October when a back injury at the China Open ended her 2024 season.
All the hallmarks of Osaka’s game were present Monday: the powerful serve, forceful ground-strokes particularly from the forehand side and the aggression. She looked relaxed and comfortable on court with no sign of her recent injury.
Osaka had to deal with a swirling wind on center court and with delays in play caused by the chants of a small group of protesters which were clearly audible within the stadium. There was a longer break as Osaka was poised to serve out the first set when Glushko had to leave the court for treatment to a hip injury.
“I just heard a lot of shouting, and then people on the sidelines were telling me there was protests,” Osaka said.
“I had no idea what the score was most of the time. “I just kept trying to tell myself one point at a time and trying not to get discouraged.
“Thankfully it came out in my favor in the end.”
Osaka was supported at courtside by her new coach Patrick Mouratoglou who previously had a long-term association with Serena Williams.
She broke Glushko in the third game of the first set and held comfortably to win 6-4.
The second set was tighter. Osaka broke Glushko in the third game but Glushko converted her only break point of the match to level at 2-2.
Glushko held to love in the seventh game to lead 4-3 but Osaka seemed to step up at that point, held with two aces for 4-4, broke for 5-4 and held serve to love to clinch the win.
Her serve was solid throughout. She sent down seven aces and won 74 percent of first serve points. Her first serve averaged around 180kmh (111mph) and her slice around 140kmh (87mph).
“I think she’s a really amazing opponent. I’ve never played her before,” Osaka said. “It was good to have to scrap a little for the first round.”
Haliburton shines as Pacers avenge blowout loss to Celtics
- Cole Anthony drove for the game-winning layup as the Magic erased a 21-point deficit to beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-101
- Miami’s Tyler Herro scored a game-high 27 points before he was ejected in a bench-clearing brawl that saw six people tossed in the waning seconds of the Heat’s 104-100 victory over the Rockets
LOS ANGELES: Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points as the Pacers turned the tables on the NBA champion Celtics with a confident 123-114 victory in Boston on Sunday.
Two days after Jaylen Brown’s 44 points propelled the Celtics to a 142-105 blowout victory over the Pacers Indiana got their revenge.
Haliburton added six rebounds and seven assists without a turnover and six players scored in double figures for Indiana, whose lights-out shooting in the second quarter saw them seize a seven-point halftime lead that they would push to as many as 16.
Brown stayed hot, delivering 31 points on 13-of-21 shooting with six assists. Jayson Tatum added 22 points with nine rebounds and six assists.
Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard scored 17 points each for Indiana, Nembhard adding eight rebounds and eight assists as he returned after missing Friday’s game with left knee tendinitis.
Nembhard said maintaining their pace in the fourth quarter — when Boston cut an 11-point deficit to two with 7:38 to play, was key for Indiana.
“I think that was the biggest thing we did late in the game,” he said. “We kept pace in the game. We didn’t slow it down and worry about the score too much.”
In Orlando, Cole Anthony drove for the game-winning layup as the Magic erased a 21-point deficit to beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-101.
Tristan da Silva scored 21 points to lead the injury-ravaged Magic. Goga Bitadze added 19 and Anthony scored five of his 10 in the fourth quarter as Orlando closed the game on a 22-4 scoring run.
Cam Thomas, back after missing 13 games with a hamstring strain, came off the bench and led Brooklyn’s scoring with 25 points but missed a jump shot as time expired.
Anthony admitted that da Silva, who scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, was supposed to get the ball on the play that yielded his game winner.
When that failed to pan out, he said, “I’m like, alright, I’m gonna go get a layup!“
The Nets were without veteran Dorian Finney-Smith, who was traded along with Shake Milton to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday in a deal that sent D’Angelo Russell to Brooklyn.
Miami’s Tyler Herro scored a game-high 27 points before he was ejected in a bench-clearing brawl that saw six people tossed in the waning seconds of the Heat’s 104-100 victory over the Rockets in Houston.
The Heat were up 99-94 when Rockets reserve Amen Thompson flung Herro to the court with 35.7 seconds remaining.
Both players, who had been jostling for position before an inbounds pass, were ejected, along with Miami’s Terry Rozier and Houston guard Jalen Green, Rockets coach Ime Udoka and his assistant Ben Sullivan.
Houston’s Fred VanVleet had been ejected with 47 seconds remaining in an unrelated incident.
In a game that featured 13 lead changes, the Rockets led by seven with 8:10 to play.
Herro’s basket with 1:56 remaining put Miami up 95-94 and they pulled away to win amid the closing chaos.
In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points to fire the Western Conference-leading Thunder to a 130-106 victory over the injury-hit Memphis Grizzlies.
Gilgeous-Alexander was an efficient 14 of 19 from the floor with six rebounds, seven assists and four blocked shots and with the game in hand sat out most of the fourth quarter.
Atlanta’s Trae Young posted a double-double of 34 points and 10 assists as the Hawks handed the Toronto Raptors a 10th straight defeat, 136-107.
Young made seven of the Hawks’ 18 three-pointers, his efforts from beyond the arc matching the Raptors’ total of three-pointers.
De’Andre Hunter added 22 points off the bench for the Hawks who won their fourth straight and spoiled the season debut of Toronto’s Bruce Brown after his recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Pakistan announces squad for ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia
- Pakistan will play their opening match on January 18 against USA
- This will be followed by encounter against England on January 20
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has named a 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025, with wicketkeeper-batter Komal Khan leading the national side.
Zoofishan Ayyaz will be vice-captain of the Pakistan team during the 16-team tournament, which is set to be played in Malaysia from January 18 till February 2.
There are four groups in the tournament, with each group consisting of four teams each, according to the format. Pakistan are placed in Group B alongside England, Ireland and USA.
“Pakistan team, which recently featured in six-team ACC U19 Women’s Asia Cup in Malaysia, will undergo a training camp at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Center in Karachi from 31 December to 9 January,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
“The team will depart for Malaysia from Karachi via Dubai on 10 January.”
Pakistan will play their opening match on January 18 against USA. This will be followed by the encounter against England on January 20, while Pakistan’s last group match will be against Ireland on January 22, according to the PCB.
“All three matches will be staged at the JCA Oval, Johor in Malaysia,” the board said.
After the conclusion of the Group Stage fixtures, three teams from each group will qualify for the Super Six. The bottom-ranked sides from Groups A and D, and B and C will contest in last place play-off on 24 January.
The 12 teams, which will qualify for the Super Six stage will be divided into two groups. Group one will include the top three teams each from Group A and Group D while Group two will have top three teams each from Group B and Group C.
In the Super Six stage every team will carry forward their wins, points and Net Run-rate (NRR) which is secured against their fellow Super Six qualifying teams. Each team will play two games in the Super Six stage.
The top two sides from the two super six stage groups will qualify for the semifinals. The semifinals are set to take place on January 31, while the final of the tournament will be played at Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur on February 2.
Pakistan squad:
Komal Khan (captain), Zoofishan Ayyaz (vice-captain), Aleesa Mukhtiar, Areesha Ansari, Fatima Khan, Haniah Ahmer, Maham Anees, Mahnoor Zeb, Memoona Khalid, Minahil, Quratulain, Ravail Farhan, Shahar Bano, Tayyaba Imdad and Wasifa Hussain
Antonio Conte has Napoli back atop Serie A to end 2024 after miserable title defense last season
- Juventus and Fiorentina drew 2-2 in a match that was briefly suspended because of discriminatory chants aimed at Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic
- AC Milan drew 1-1 with visiting Roma
ROME: Napoli went through three different coaches during their Serie A title defense last season and ended the campaign in 10th place.
Antonio Conte was hired in July and now Napoli are ending 2024 level with Atalanta atop the Italian league again.
Substitute Giacomo Raspadori scored a late goal and Napoli beat relegation-threatened Venezia 1-0 on Sunday in their final match of the year.
Napoli trail Atalanta only on goal difference but both teams are one point ahead of defending champions Inter Milan, who have a game in hand.
“Even if I play cards with my daughter I want to win,” said Conte, who was hired to get Napoli back into the Champions League. “Personally, I don’t accept minimal goals. But we all know where we started and what the club’s objectives are.”
Atalanta drew 1-1 at Lazio on Saturday and Inter won 3-0 at Cagliari.
Also Sunday, Juventus and Fiorentina drew 2-2 in a match that was briefly suspended because of discriminatory chants aimed at Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic; and AC Milan drew 1-1 with visiting Roma.
After Luciano Spalletti coached Napoli to the Serie A title in 2022-23, Rudi Garcia, Walter Mazzarri and Francesco Calzona managed the team last season, when the Partenopei finished a whopping 41 points behind Inter.
“What happened is in the past. The present is what counts,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “It’s great to be back on top but there’s still a long way to go.”
Napoli had struggled to get the ball past Venezia goalkeeper Filip Stankovic, the son of former Lazio and Inter standout Dejan Stankovic. But Raspadori broke the deadlock in the 79th when he used one touch to fire in a loose ball from the center of the area less than 10 minutes after he came on.
“These are tough matches where it means a lot to come away with three points,” Raspadori said. “We know we’re on the right path.”
In the first half, Stankovic saved a penalty kick from Romelu Lukaku. Then in the second half Stankovic deflected a shot from Lukaku off the post.
Napoli produced 25 shots to Venezia’s four.
Napoli’s 27 goals scored are the least among the top six teams in the standings.
“The squad is improving under every point of view. We just need to score more goals,” Conte said.
Discriminatory chants aimed at Vlahovic prompt brief suspension
Discriminatory chants aimed at Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic by visiting Fiorentina fans prompted a two-minute suspension during the first half.
Vlahovic, a Serbia international who played for Fiorentina before transferring to Juventus three years ago, appeared to tell the referee about the chants. The ref then stopped play, gathered the teams and ordered a warning announcement to be made over the stadium’s public address system.
The announcement said that the match would be suspended definitively if there were more discriminatory chants.
Play then resumed.
Khephren Thuram put Juventus ahead midway through the first half. Former Juventus striker Moise Kean equalized before the break with his 15th goal across all competitions this season. Thuram added another in the second half and Fiorentina equalized again with a volley from Riccardo Sottil in the 87th.
Juventus and Fiorentina are both nine points behind the leaders.
Juventus is the only unbeaten team in the league but the Bianconeri have drawn more matches (11) than they’ve won (seven).
At the San Siro, Tijjani Reijnders put Milan ahead early on and Paulo Dybala equalized for Roma. Under-pressure Milan coach Paulo Fonseca was sent off for protests at the end of the first half.
Earlier, Torino came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Udinese.
