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Champions League set to begin most challenging group stage

France's defender Lucas Digne controls the ball during the UEFA Nations League Group A3 football match between Croatia and France at the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb on October 14, 2020. (AFP / FRANCK FIFE)
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Updated 17 October 2020
AP
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Champions League set to begin most challenging group stage

Updated 17 October 2020
AP

GENEVA: As a second wave of coronavirus cases hits Europe, the Champions League is going to again send elite players criss-crossing the continent.
But soccer’s biggest club competition has a back-up plan to ensure the group stage can be completed, even if there is a delay caused of the pandemic.
The fast-track schedule will begin Tuesday, one month later than normal. The plan is for 32 teams to each play six games in only 50 days, finishing by Dec. 9. But with COVID-19 infections spiking across Europe, and Cristiano Ronaldo among multiple current cases at Italian champion Juventus, UEFA will let games be made up by a Jan. 28 deadline.
Keeping the entire competition on schedule will also protect a prize fund of 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion).

GROUP A
Defending champion Bayern Munich and battle-tested Atlético Madrid are strong favorites to advance from Group A.
Robert Lewandowski, voted UEFA’s best player in Europe last season, has started this season by scoring at a goal-a-game ratio for the German club. Atlético added Luis Suarez, who fell out of favor at Barcelona.
Salzburg impressed in its Champions League debut last season under American coach Jesse Marsch, but the club has since sold its three main forward, including Erling Haaland to Borussia Dortmund.
Lokomotiv Moscow, the Russian league runner-up, finished last in its group in the past two seasons.

GROUP B
Real Madrid has never failed to advance from the group stage and is looking to do it for the 24th straight season.
The record 13-time European champions lead a group with perhaps the most depth in quality.
Shakhtar Donetsk reached the Europa League semifinals in August, but the Ukrainian club was routed by current group opponent Inter Milan 5-0. That was part of Romelu Lukaku’s streak of scoring in eight straight European games.
Madrid will play home games at its tiny training ground while no fans are allowed into Spanish venues. The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is being renovated.
Shakhtar will play in Kyiv amid its seventh season of exile from Russian-backed conflict in Donetsk.

GROUP C
Pep Guardiola will be trying to lead Manchester City to its first title in the competition for the fifth time — in a season in which the club was originally banned from playing.
Guardiola will go up against three Portuguese coaches.
Marseille coach André Villas-Boas made his reputation at Porto, capping a treble-winning debut season in 2011 by winning the Europa League at the age of 33. Sérgio Conceição led Porto to a domestic double and now a 24th appearance in the group stage. And Olympiakos, coached by Pedro Martins, won its first Greek league title in three years and is in the group stage for the 20th time.

GROUP D
Liverpool leads a group ideally formed for hipster analysts and lovers of pure, attacking soccer.
Liverpool and Ajax have combined for 10 European titles since they last met in the competition in 1966.
Like Ajax’s run to the semifinals two seasons ago, Atalanta was a revelation last season before losing to Paris Saint-Germain on two late goals in the quarterfinals.
Danish club Midtjylland is another debutant. The club was created only 21 years ago and has a reputation for management decisions based on statistical analysis.

GROUP E
The past two Europa League champions and two more newcomers with very different histories will compete in Group E.
Sevilla and Chelsea have won six of the past eight Europa League titles, and Chelsea also won the Champions League in 2012.
Chelsea strengthened its squad for this season by buying Rennes’ goalkeeper Édouard Mendy last month.
Rennes has kept gifted France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who at the age of 17 is older than the Krasnodar club.
Krasnodar was founded only in 2008 — 107 years after Rennes — but qualified to enter UEFA competitions in each of the past six seasons.

GROUP F
As champion of Russia, Zenit St. Petersburg is the top-seeded team in Group F despite placing last in its group last year.
Dortmund and its fleet of young attackers — including Haaland and 17-year-old American Giovanni Reyna — should start as the favorites.
Lazio is back after a 12-year absence with one of the most diverse squads, including players from at least 12 non-Italian nations.
Club Brugge is also in the group.

GROUP G
The first match between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is scheduled for Oct. 28, when Juventus hosts Barcelona. The return match is on Dec. 8.
Barcelona has advanced to the knockout round in 16 straight seasons, while Juventus has for the past six.
Ferencváros is the lowest-ranked of the 32 teams in the competition, currently at No. 118 in UEFA’s list. Tuesday’s game at Barcelona is the club’s first in a Champions League group in 25 seasons, and the first for a Hungarian team since 2009.
Ferencváros coach Serhiy Rebrov was in charge of Dynamo Kyiv in 2016 when the Ukrainian club played its only knockout games in the last 20 years.
Dynamo is now coached by 75-year-old Mircea Lucescu, a Champions League regular during his 12 years at Shakhtar.

GROUP H
Edinson Cavani was playing for Paris Saint-Germain when his new club, Manchester United, last won a game in the Champions League.
The teams meet again on Tuesday at Parc des Princes, where a stoppage-time penalty for United in March 2019 eliminated PSG in the round of 16.
Also reunited are PSG and Leipzig after their semifinal match in August, won by the French champions 3-0.
Turkish champion Istanbul Başakşehir starts its first group campaign after slumping to last in its league and failing to score in four games.

Topics: champions league Coronavirus

Coaches share preparation insight ahead of NEOM Beach Soccer Cup finals

Updated 16 November 2024
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Coaches share preparation insight ahead of NEOM Beach Soccer Cup finals

  • Head of NEOM sport Jan Paterson opened press conference by welcoming officials, coaches, and players, expressing her satisfaction with event's success
Updated 16 November 2024
SALEH FAREED

NEOM: Coaches, alongside Beach Soccer Worldwide President Joan Cusco and Jan Paterson, managing director of NEOM Sport, addressed the media on Saturday ahead of the final day of the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024.

Jan Paterson opened the conference by welcoming officials, coaches, and players, expressing her satisfaction with the event's success.

“This is the third edition of the NEOM Beach Soccer tournament, and each year we grow stronger. We are immensely proud to host such significant events here in NEOM, as they help attract international sports, inspire residents, and create platforms for athletes to compete at the highest levels,” she remarked.

Cusco also praised the tournament's development.

“It is an amazing event, without a doubt. Every year, we witness the growth in infrastructure, improvements in facilities, and the work of a highly professional team. NEOM’s top-tier amenities and stunning location enhance the experience for both participants and fans, making this event truly special,” he noted.

The men's final sees Brazil, aiming for their third consecutive title, facing the UAE.

Brazilian coach Marco Octavio Barbosa expressed confidence in his team’s readiness: “We are well prepared and understand that we are playing against a strong team ranked 7th in the world.”

Victor Vasques, head coach of the UAE, acknowledged the challenge ahead but emphasized his team’s determination. “There’s no doubt Brazil is the best, but we will fight until the end,” he said.

In the women’s final, Spain face Brazil, with both teams poised for a competitive clash.

Abderrahim Omar El-Gazzi, Spain’s head coach, spoke about his team’s ambitions, saying: “We are looking forward to a crucial match against Brazil and are motivated to win every tournament we enter.”

Brazil’s women’s coach, Fabrico Santos Da Silva, voiced his belief in his team’s capability.

“We have played excellent football so far and deserve to win the final against Spain. Spain is a strong side, but I have the best female football players in the world, and we can achieve this,” he said.

Topics: Beach Soccer Saudi Arabia NEOM NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024

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McIlroy tied for lead with Hojgaard and Rozner after 3rd round in Dubai as hot-headed Hatton fades

Updated 16 November 2024
AP
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McIlroy tied for lead with Hojgaard and Rozner after 3rd round in Dubai as hot-headed Hatton fades

  • McIlroy could have taken the lead outright but his birdie putt at the last horseshoed the cup
  • McIlroy looks sure of winning another Race to Dubai title for the most points gained throughout the year on the European tour
Updated 16 November 2024
AP

DUBAI: Rory McIlroy was tied for the lead with Rasmus Hojgaard and Antoine Rozner heading into the final round of the season-ending World Tour Championship as the Northern Irishman closed in on a sixth Race to Dubai title on Saturday.
McIlroy could have taken the lead outright but his birdie putt at the last horseshoed the cup, leaving him to make par for a 4-under 68 and 12-under par for the tournament alongside Hojgaard (66).
Rozner, who started the third round with a one-stroke lead, made it a three-way tie at the top by rolling in an eagle putt from 8 feet at No. 18 for a 69.
They were two strokes ahead of Jesper Svensson (68) and Joaquin Niemann (69), with Tyrrell Hatton (71) a further shot back after an expletive-filled round that included him snapping a club.
McIlroy looks sure of winning another Race to Dubai title for the most points gained throughout the year on the European tour. It would be No. 6, tying him with the late Seve Ballesteros and leaving him two behind the record of Colin Montgomerie.
But the No. 3-ranked McIlroy’s aim has been to hold two trophies on the 18th green on Sunday as he goes for his fourth tournament victory of the season worldwide.
Hojgaard, who birdied six of his first eight holes and made pars the rest of his round, is looking to emulate his twin brother, Nicolai, who won the season-closing event in Dubai last year.
Both Hojgaard and the No. 154-ranked Rozner are seeking to claim one of the 10 PGA Tour cards on offer for next season from the European tour.

Topics: Rory McIlroy Rasmus Hojgaard Antoine Rozner World Tour Championship Race to Dubai

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Kosovo FA say they warned UEFA about possible provocation by Romania fans

Updated 16 November 2024
Reuters
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Kosovo FA say they warned UEFA about possible provocation by Romania fans

  • The match was initially suspended before being abandoned when the Kosovo team refused to return to the pitch
  • UEFA had said it would communicate “further information in due course“
Updated 16 November 2024
Reuters

BUCHAREST: The Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) said it had repeatedly warned European soccer’s governing body UEFA about potential provocation from Romania fans ahead of Friday’s Nations League match, which was abandoned when Kosovo’s players walked off.
The game in Bucharest was abandoned in stoppage time after the visiting players left the field with the score at 0-0 when they heard pro-Serbia chanting from the home fans.
The match was initially suspended before being abandoned when the Kosovo team refused to return to the pitch. UEFA had said it would communicate “further information in due course.”
“Cries such as ‘Kosovo is Serbia’ and ‘Serbia, Serbia’, whistling during the singing of the national anthem of Kosovo, throwing hard objects ... and other offensive and provocative actions were present throughout the match, creating an unacceptable atmosphere not safe for our players,” the FFK said in a statement.
“FFK had warned the relevant UEFA bodies more than twice in writing about the possibility of such actions, once a few days before the match and then a few minutes before it started.
“Despite these warnings, the Romanian fans continued with irresponsible and discriminatory behavior, forcing the Kosovo national team to leave the field due to the lack of safety and dignity.”
The FFK also alleged that a Romania official “threatened and assaulted” a Kosovo player in the corridors of the stadium.
“For all these serious violations, FFK has immediately reported the incidents to the match delegate and has started preparing a full complaint with facts and evidence that will be submitted to UEFA’s disciplinary bodies,” it added.
Reuters has contacted UEFA for comment.
The Romanian Football Federation was fined by UEFA last year over pro-Serbia chanting and the display of a banner reading “Kosovo is Serbia” by supporters during a Euro 2024 qualifier between the countries at the National Arena.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognized by more than 100 countries, but not Romania.

Topics: UEFA Nations League Romania UEFA Serbia Kosovo #SND2024

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Spencer Johnson takes five as Australia beat Pakistan to clinch T20 series

Updated 16 November 2024
AFP
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Spencer Johnson takes five as Australia beat Pakistan to clinch T20 series

  • Pakistan fell short by 13 runs despite Haris Rauf’s impressive 4-22, which restricted the hosts to 147-9
  • Australia, having won the rain-hit opener in Brisbane, will host the final game in Hobart on Monday
Updated 16 November 2024
AFP

SYDNEY: Speedster Spencer Johnson took 5-26 to propel Australia to a tense 13-run victory over Pakistan in Sydney on Saturday and seal their three-match T20 series with a game to go.
Set just 148 to win after Haris Rauf claimed 4-22 to keep the hosts in check, Pakistan were all out for 134 in the final over despite a lively 52 from Usman Khan.

Pakistan’s Usman Khan bats during the second T20 international cricket match against Australia in Sydney, Australia, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

Australia won a rain-hit first match in Brisbane by 29 runs with the final game at Hobart on Monday.
“We thought we were there or thereabouts and I thought the way the bowlers went about it was brilliant,” said Australian captain Josh Inglis.
“There’s so many options in this team I can go to. Every time I turned to Johnson tonight, he got a wicket. The way they played tonight was really good.”

Australia’s Marcus Stoinis shakes hands with Pakistan’s Haris Rauf after Australia won the T20 international cricket match against Pakistan in Sydney, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

Australia secured a vital breakthrough by removing Babar Azam (3) off Xavier Bartlett in the second over and Pakistan’s woes deepened when Johnson accounted for Sahibzada Farhan (5).
Runs were hard to come by and after facing 26 balls for 16, skipper Mohammad Rizwan knew he had to up the tempo.
But it cost him with Tim David taking a fine diving catch in the deep off Johnson, who then bagged Salman Agha next ball, caught behind by Inglis to leave Pakistan on 44-4 after 10 overs.
Khan played himself in and brought up his first T20 half-century.

Pakistan’s captain Mohammad Rizwan leaves the field after losing his wicket during the T20 international cricket match against Australia in Sydney, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

But Johnson struck again with Abbas Afridi (4) following soon after to earn the 28-year-old a maiden five-wicket haul in his seventh T20.
Two wickets in an over by spin king Adam Zampa piled the pressure on Pakistan who were unable to rise to the challenge.
Earlier, Australia was restricted to 147-9 after a rip-roaring start, but a slew of dropped catches cost Pakistan.
“If you take the positives, the boys bowled very well. We know Australia is not an easy team,” said Rizwan.
“But if you drop crucial catches, it will cost you the game.
“We all know the pitch wasn’t easy to bat,” he added.
Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short stitched together a highly entertaining 52-run opening stand off just 22 balls before Rauf struck twice in three deliveries.

Pakistan’s Sufiyan Muqeem (left) is congratulated by teammate Salman Ali Agha after taking the wicket of Australia’s Marcus Stoinis during the T20 international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

After tempting Fraser-McGurk (20) into another slog that was taken in the deep by Agha, he enticed a leading edge from Inglis (0).
Pakistan had their tails up and Short quickly followed for 32, bowled by Afridi, with three wickets falling for four runs.
Marcus Stoinis survived two dropped catches but finally fell on 14, reverse-sweeping to Sufiyan Muqeem, who was brought into side for Haseebullah Khan.

Australia’s Jake Fraser-McGurk bats during the T20 international cricket match between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney, on November 16, 2024. (AP)

Muqeem’s wrist-spin then took care of dangerman Glenn Maxwell (21) as the runs dried up.
David was removed by Rauf for 18 and he collected his fourth by bowling Bartlett (5).
Aaron Hardie made a handy 28 before Afridi removed him and Johnson in successive balls in the final over.

Topics: Pakistan Australia Cricket Pakistan vs Australia T20I match T20I series

UAE to face Brazil in NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024 final

Updated 16 November 2024
SALEH FAREED
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UAE to face Brazil in NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024 final

  • The UAE team will play the final on Saturday night, against the Brazilian team, while the Spanish team will face the German side for third and fourth place
Updated 16 November 2024
SALEH FAREED

NEOM: Defending champions Brazil and UAE are through to the final of the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024, after winning their last matches of the group stages against Japan and Saudi Arabia on Friday.

In group A, the UAE team succeeded in overcoming the Saudi side with a 6-5 result, raising their score to 9 points, while the Green Falcons finished with 2 points in last place.

In the same group, the German team achieved their first victory in the tournament, after defeating the English side 6-3, to rise to second place with 3 points, ahead of the Three Lions, who are in third place on goal difference.

Meanwhile, in group B, the South American side beat Spain comfortably 9-1, while Japan beat China 9-0. With these results, the Brazilian team topped the group with 9 points and reached the final for the third year in a row, followed by Spain with 6 points, Japan with 3 points, while the Chinese team came last in the group without any points.

The UAE team will play the final on Saturday night, against the Brazilian team, while the Spanish team will face the German side for third and fourth place.

The match for fifth and sixth place will bring together Japan and England, and the Saudi team will face the Chinese side in the contest for seventh and eighth place.

UAE defender Waleed Abdullah spoke to Arab News after the match against the hosts, Saudi Arabia.

“It is difficult to predict what will happen in the match,” he said. “The Brazilian team is very strong and ranked first in the world, and we have all respect for them. We will enter the match with high focus and do our best. In the end, it is an opportunity to face the world champion, and this is not the first time we compete with them.”

In the women’s group, a late goal from Brazilian striker Dani Barboza led to the team overcoming Ukraine 5-4 to reach the final against Spain, who put in a great performance and finished with a 4-1 victory over England.

Topics: NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024

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