RABAT: Morocco attacker Hakim Ziyech said on Tuesday he would be dedicating his energy on his club Chelsea, and would not play for his country again.
The 28-year-old was omitted from Morocco’s squad for the recent Africa Cup of Nations by coach Vahid Halilhodzic, who reproached the winger for indiscipline.
Morocco face a home and away play-off against DR Congo in March for one of five prized slots for African nations at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Halilhodzic reiterated his reasons for leaving Ziyech out in the cold last week when it was confirmed he would stay in charge of Morocco.
Ziyech is in the United Arab Emirates with Chelsea ahead of their Club World Cup campaign and made his statement in an interview with broadcaster Abu Dhabi Sports.
“I will not return to the national side,” he said.
“My decision is clear and final, I’ll be concentrating on my club,” he added.
Halilhodzic explained his choice after Morocco’s elimination in the AFCON quarter-finals.
“I can’t call up a player who can ruin the group, even if it was Lionel Messi,” he said.
He also said that France had won the World Cup in 1998 and 2018 after “sidelining their best players.”
“I’m not the first coach to resort to this,” he said.
Chelsea’s Ziyech ‘will not return’ to Morocco duty after Cup of Nations snub
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Chelsea’s Ziyech ‘will not return’ to Morocco duty after Cup of Nations snub
- The 28-year-old was omitted from Morocco's squad for the recent Africa Cup of Nations by coach Vahid Halilhodzic
- "My decision is clear and final, I'll be concentrating on my club," said Ziyech
Bayern Munich rout Leipzig on somber night in Germany
- Ayern are now seven points clear of second place Bayer Leverkusen, who have the chance to close the gap back to four points when they host Freiburg in Saturday’s late game
- The small ceremony that the Munich club traditionally offers its supporters before Christmas was cut short, reduced to a rendition of “Stille Nacht” (“Silent Night“), due to the events in Magdeburg
BERLIN: Bayern Munich swept RB Leipzig aside 5-1 on Friday to extend their lead at the top of the Bundesliga on a somber night in Germany following a deadly car attack at a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg.
Bayern are now seven points clear of second place Bayer Leverkusen, who have the chance to close the gap back to four points when they host Freiburg in Saturday’s late game.
However, there was little mood for celebration after at least two people were killed and more than 60 injured when a vehicle barrelled through a crowd of revellers in Magdeburg at high speed, leaving a trail of bloody carnage.
“It’s almost impossible to talk about football, the people of Magdeburg are in our thoughts tonight,” said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany in a press conference reduced to a short statement.
“We won tonight, but I wish victories for peace next year.”
The small ceremony that the Munich club traditionally offers its supporters before Christmas was cut short, reduced to a rendition of “Stille Nacht” (“Silent Night“), due to the events in Magdeburg.
A minute’s silence was also observed in the Allianz Arena.
On the pitch, Jamal Musiala scored after just 30 seconds for Bayern.
Musiala steered the ball in from close range from Michael Olize’s cross after a sublime flick by Harry Kane, returning from an injury lay-off, had opened the door for Olize.
But Bayern’s lead lasted barely a minute. Lois Openda’s stepover left Kim Min-jae in his wake and the Belgian sent a perfect low cross for Benjamin Sesko to score with a first-time finish.
Both teams took a breather after an intense opening, but it wasn’t long before Bayern were back in front.
Konrad Laimer exchanged passed with the dangerous Olize, and the Austrian volleyed expertly past Peter Gulacsi in the Leipzig goal.
Bayern added a third courtesy of a Joshua Kimmich piledriver in the 36th minute. The midfielder, captaining the side in the absence of the injured Manuel Neuer, found some space 25 yards out and let fly with an unstoppable drive.
Leipzig, who have won twice their last three visits to the Allianz Arena, steadied the ship a little after the break but Bayern were in no mood to compromise and continued to produce some of their best football of the season.
They extended their lead in the 75th minute through Leroy Sane, who just managed to stay on side as he collected Alphonso Davies’ through pass, rolling the ball into the bottom corner.
Bayern were hungry for more though. Kimmich, a thorn in Leipzig’s side all night, found space on the right and whipped a cross in for Davies, who connected to score a rare headed goal and bring up Bayern’s fifth of the night.
Kane joined Kompany in offering his sympathy to the victims of the Magdeburg attack.
“Sometimes, there is a bigger picture than football. All the team and FC Bayern presents its condoleances to anyone who is affected by this,” said the England star.
Guardiola confident of Haaland revival if Man City ‘play better’
- Guardiola said he had no interest in reverting to the ‘false nine’ system that he has used to good effect in the past.
City are enduring a slump unlike any Guardiola has known in his celebrated managerial career, having lost eight and won just one of their last 11 games in all competitions.
The downturn has seen the usually prolific Haaland, a key figure while City were winning an unprecedented four successive Premier League titles, denied of service and chances while scoring just once in his last five appearances.
Guardiola, however, said he had no interest in reverting to the ‘false nine’ system that he has used to good effect in the past.
“I prefer to play with Erling,” said Guardiola ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Aston Villa.
“I don’t think in the situation that I have that I don’t let Erling play — absolutely not. No, no, I didn’t think about that.
“Always I play false nines for the quality specifically of the players I have in that moment.
“In some games playing man to man, I love to play against false nines but I have an Erling, I have to adapt.”
The Catalan boss added: “I see him well, I see him fine. The reason why maybe he’s not so productive in this situation is for the way we are playing, that we don’t produce the amount of chances that we were able to do in the past.
“When he’s surrounded by two or three or four central defenders it’s not easy for him. We have to play better, to create the spaces for him.”
City have rarely ventured into the transfer market during the January window in Guardiola’s eight years in charge but he accepts that policy could change this time around.
“We’ll see,” he said. “I don’t know how many times in the last years we’ve gone into the winter (market) — maybe just Aymeric Laporte seven years ago.
“We’re not a big fan of that but the circumstances of this season have been special. We have to see if something is possible and if not we will wait until the summer time.”
Tiger in family golf event but has ‘long way’ before PGA return
The 36-hole parent-child tournament at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando will be the first quasi-competitive event for Woods since he underwent back surgery in September.
Back trouble and leg injuries from a 2021 car crash have limited Woods’ ability to play in the regular tournaments he once dominated.
“My leg is what it is. It’s still here,” said Woods, who turns 49 on December 30. “But this year I struggled a lot with my back and it’s a lot better, but I still have a long way to go.”
Woods was 60th at the Masters and missed the cut in the year’s other three majors, struggling to recover form between rounds. In his only other start this year, Woods withdrew after one round at the Genesis Invitational, the February event he hosts at Riviera.
“The recovery has gotten to be the hardest part,” Woods said. “But over the course of rounds, weeks, months, it gets harder.”
Even getting his surgically repaired body ready to compete is difficult.
“Preparing for competitive play is different. That takes months, weeks,” Woods said. “But it starts with each and every day. You just do the little things correctly and they add up.
“It’s frustrating. It’s hard. I have an amazing team, amazing support. But I have to do the little things on a daily basis and away from everybody. It’s hard.”
Woods has been impressed with top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, who won nine times this year including a second Masters and Paris Olympic gold. It’s a domination unseen since Woods in his heyday.
“How he has handled the pressure and the expectations for he and his family, I think he’s doing an unbelievable job,” Woods said. “He’s just coming into his own. This is the fun part of watching him develop. This is going to be the start of an unbelievable year.”
Woods said a commonality in their success styles is avoiding errors.
“It’s not making that many mistakes,” Woods said. “Over the course of big events, lots of play at an elite level, not making mistakes adds up.”
Woods, who shares the record of 82 PGA Tour wins with Sam Snead, has a new rival to challenge him in Charlie Woods, who recently defeated his dad over nine holes.
“He beat me for nine holes. He has yet to beat me for 18 holes,” Woods said. “That day is coming. I’m just prolonging it as long as I possibly can.
“We have so much fun out there. It’ll be a fun atmosphere tomorrow and we’re just going to have a blast.”
This week marks the fifth time the Woods duo has played in the event, with a runner-up finish in 2001 their best showing. They were fifth last year.
Woods hopes playing this week can be a step back to competing once more.
“I’m not competitive right now, but I just want to be able to have the experience again,” Woods said. “This has always been one of the bigger highlights of the year for us as a family.
“We want to win, but it’s about the bond. It’s about having the family. It’s about us having a father-son moment together.”
His next competition is planned for January’s launch of TGL, the six-team tech-golf league developed by Woods and Rory McIlroy. It features a specially built arena with video screens and rotating greens.
“It’s absolutely incredible. The rotating green blew me away,” Woods said. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun for not just us but also the fan experience.”
Monika Staab steps down as technical director of women’s football in Saudi Arabia
- A former player from Germany, she came to the Kingdom in August 2021 as the first head coach of the Saudi women’s national team
- Appointed technical director in February 2023, she is credited with transforming the women’s game in the country and inspiring a new generation of players
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced on Friday the departure of Monika Staab, its technical director of women’s football, after more than three years with the organization.
She was credited with transforming the women’s game in the Kingdom during her tenure and for inspiring a new generation of players to take up the sport.
Staab, a former player from Germany, joined the federation in August 2021, initially as the first head coach of the Saudi women’s national team. The federation said her leadership and vision played a pivotal role in shaping its strategy for women’s football, driving growth both on and off the pitch. She was appointed technical director in February 2023.
She coached the women’s national team in their first-ever match, a landmark 2-0 victory over the Seychelles in February 2022. Under her guidance, the Kingdom launched its first regional league for women in 2021, followed by a national football championship in 2022.
Staab also spearheaded the introduction of under-17 and under-20 women’s national teams, laying the foundations for the development of future talent.
In March 2023, she helped the Saudi women’s national team secure its first-ever FIFA ranking, and this month they reached their highest-ever position, climbing eight places to 166th. The team is now about to begin its campaign to qualify for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Staab leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of milestones that have shaped women’s football in Saudi Arabia, the federation said.
“We bid farewell to Monika and thank her for helping to transform women’s football across Saudi Arabia,” said Lamia Bahaian, the organization’s vice president, as she expressed her deep gratitude for Staab’s contributions.
“Her vision, passion and tenacity have inspired us all. There are young girls across Saudi Arabia now playing football at all levels thanks to the work she has done and the impact she’s had.
“Although her time with SAFF has drawn to a close, her legacy will continue for generations.”
Bayan Sadagah, the captain of the women’s national team, said: “Monika has inspired both myself and all my teammates to believe in ourselves and our team. Our journey as a team is inspiring so many girls across the country to play and follow football, and I know we all wish her the very best for the future.”
The federation said women’s football has become a cornerstone of its strategy to grow the sport at all levels and participation has surged, with more than 70,000 schoolgirls playing football across the country.
Game Changers Falcons defeat Kites in World Tennis League thriller
- Falcons lead the way in table after second successive win
ABU DHABI: The Game Changers Falcons continued their impressive run in the World Tennis League’s third season, claiming a hard-fought 24-21 victory over the Kites in their match at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
The win marked the Falcons’ second successive triumph, placing them atop the points table with 53 points.
The TSL Hawks, victorious in the day’s earlier match, trail in second with 47 points, followed by the Kites with 46 points and the HonorFX Eagles with 34.
The evening began with a dramatic women’s doubles encounter as Simona Halep and Jasmine Paolini gave the Kites an early advantage, breaking the Falcons’ serve to lead 2-0.
However, the Falcons’ pairing of Elena Rybakina and Caroline Garcia regrouped to level the score and eventually pulled ahead to lead 5-3. The Kites mounted a comeback to tie the score at 6-6, forcing a tiebreak. Displaying resilience, Rybakina and Garcia prevailed, securing the set 7-6 and giving the Falcons an early lead.
In the women’s singles, Rybakina extended the Falcons’ momentum, dominating Halep throughout the set. With powerful and consistent play, Rybakina secured a 6-4 victory, pushing the Falcons’ overall lead to 13-10.
The mixed doubles match showcased intense competition, as Paolini and Nick Kyrgios faced off against Caroline Garcia and Denis Shapovalov. The set remained evenly matched at 5-5 before Paolini and Kyrgios broke serve and held their own to win 7-6, reducing the Falcons’ lead.
Then Andrey Rublev delivered a decisive performance for the Falcons. Building on his stellar form from the season opener, Rublev broke Kyrgios’ serve to lead 4-2. While Kyrgios attempted a comeback, Rublev held firm, closing out the set 6-4 and sealing the Falcons’ 24-21 win.
Speaking after the match, Kyrgios expressed his enthusiasm for the World Tennis League’s format.
He said: “Every game counts in the World Tennis League. When you look at the statistics, it doesn’t matter if a match seems lopsided — you want to fight for your team, and I love that.
“For me, this is the perfect return because it’s not overwhelming; (it’s) just the right amount of tennis. I also love the mixed doubles format. I never imagined seeing myself and Paolini on the same court, on the same side of the net, and that is really cool to witness.”
