LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s quest to win the Gulf Cup for the first time since 2004 ended at the semifinal stage on Tuesday as they lost 2-1 to Oman. Here are five things we learned from the eight-team tournament.

Disappointing exit dampens New Year cheer

Booking a place in the final would have been a perfect way to end the year but it was not to be. Herve Renard returned in October to take over from Roberto Mancini after the Italian’s troubled 18 months in charge.

There is still a slight air of gloom around the Green Falcons. World Cup qualification is going badly and the Gulf Cup was a chance for the Frenchman to get to grips with the task in 2025.

With the Saudi Pro League taking a break, he took his best team to Kuwait. Apart from a second-half spell against Iraq that brought a 3-1 win, there was not much to write home about.

The opening game loss to Bahrain was deserved; it took an injury-time goal to beat Yemen; and then came the loss to an Oman team that played two-thirds of the game with 10 men.

That defeat was hugely disappointing. There was a lack of creativity going forward and issues at the back to ensure that 2024, an underwhelming year for the national team, ended without a bang. It could have been worse but it could have been a lot better.

Renard still to rediscover his mojo

They say in football that you should never go back. While Renard’s return was largely hailed, there were some who pointed out that after the famous World Cup win against Argentina in Qatar, the team’s results until he left in March 2023 had not been great.

What is known as the “new coach bounce” that often results from a change at the helm has not materialized — and perhaps it does not apply anyway when a manager returns after just 18 months away.

There did not seem to be much in-game management from Renard or ability to make a change that would make a difference. In his first spell Renard was clearly able to get the best out of his players but that has yet to be seen this time around.

He has not been back in the hot seat for very long, but there needs to be improvements, and quickly.

Al-Hamdan and Al-Bulaihi among the positives and negatives

One thing that can be said is that at least Saudi Arabia rediscovered where the net was. With just three goals in six World Cup qualifiers from September to November and none from the strikers, concerns were growing. In four games, the team managed nine goals. What will be more encouraging for Renard is that forwards got on the score sheet.

Abdullah Al-Hamdan has not been getting much playing time for Al-Hilal but impressed and netted three times, showing some fine striking instincts along the way, and obviously had a point to prove in coming off the bench against Iraq to score twice.

At the back however, Renard will be concerned about another Al-Hilal player. Ali Al-Bulaihi has been a mainstay for Saudi Arabia for years but was out of sorts and made mistakes, especially against Oman, that proved to be costly.

It could be asked if he should have been benched for the semifinal. The center-back has shone for his club against some of the biggest attacking names in world football so Renard will be hoping that his form is just a blip.

Injuries played a part

Injuries are part and parcel of the beautiful game but Saudi Arabia had more than their fair share in Kuwait, meaning that bad luck hampered attempts to take the trophy back to Riyadh.

Renard had to deal with injuries to, among others, Saleh Al-Shehri, Firas Al-Buraikan, Abdulelah Al-Amri, Yasser Al-Shahrani, Abdullah Al-Khaibari and Abdulelah Al-Malki.

Such absences can hit hard and also meant that, at times, there were players operating out of position. And then star player Salem Al-Dawsari was recovering from an injury in the build up to the tournament. Yet, these should not be used as excuses too much, as there should be enough talent in the country to overcome Bahrain and Oman.

The ultimate result will be seen later in the year

While a first trophy for over two decades would have been welcome, the real focus is on the resumption of World Cup qualification in March. These were four competitive games for Renard to get his teeth into, as well as the training sessions and preparation that the tournament gave.

World Cup qualification rivals China and Australia would have loved to have had the same opportunities to stay sharp. Indonesia have been playing in Southeast Asia’s regional tournament but most of their strongest players were unable to appear.

It means that, apart from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia have had a great opportunity to get some real games under their belt.

The results were mixed and the performances were mostly disappointing. But the prize that everyone wants is a place at the 2026 World Cup and if the Gulf Cup helps the team get to North America then it will have been a worthwhile 10 days in Kuwait.

LOS ANGELES: Karl-Anthony Towns scored 31 points and Josh Hart delivered his second straight triple-double to propel the New York Knicks to their ninth straight NBA victory on Wednesday, 119-103 over the Utah Jazz.

With leading scorer Jalen Brunson sidelined with tightness in his right calf and Miles McBride also absent, Towns and Hart picked up the slack.

Towns added 21 rebounds and Hart scored 15 points with 14 rebounds and 12 assists and Mikal Bridges chipped in 27 points.

“Over the course of a season, whether it’s injury, illness, foul trouble — you need everybody,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said of the team’s ability to keep the surge going despite being short-handed.

“As a team, if you prioritize winning and doing what’s best for the group, that’s what makes it enjoyable,” he said. “You have everyone committed to each other. When you do that, good things come from that.”

Collin Sexton and Jordan Clark scored 25 points apiece for Utah, but the Jazz suffered a fifth straight defeat.

In Detroit, the Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 105-96 but saw guard Jaden Ivey go down with what looked like a serious leg injury early in the fourth quarter.

Ivey collided with Magic guard Cole Anthony as they scrambled for a loose ball, Ivey collapsing to the court and holding his lower left leg.

He was eventually stretchered from the court.

“To see something like that — it’s devastating for the whole group,” teammate Tobias Harris told NBA Network after the game. “Obviously, it’s a big win for us, but after the game it’s just the group coming together in prayer.”

Ivey was enjoying an outstanding night, scoring 22 points to lead the way as all five Pistons starters scored in double figures.

Cade Cunningham scored 19 points with eight rebounds and nine assists. Jalen Duren scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Harris scored 17 points for the Pistons, who never trailed.

The Toronto Raptors, buoyed by the return of Immanuel Quickley, halted their 11-game losing streak with a 130-113 home victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Scottie Barns scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Quickly — who missed 22 games with a torn elbow ligament — added 21 points and 15 assists to help Toronto bounce back from a demoralizing 54-point loss to the Celtics in Boston on New Year’s Eve.

Cameron Johnson scored 24 points to pace the Nets and D’Angelo Russell, newly arrived in a trade from the Los Angeles Lakers, added 22 off the bench.

In Washington, Jordan Poole returned from a two-game injury absence and scored 30 points to propel the Wizards to a 125-107 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Poole connected on 10 of his 21 attempts from the field and drilled six of Washington’s 17 three-pointers.

Justin Champagnie added 15 points and seven Wizards players scored in double figures in an encouraging performance for a team that notched just its sixth win of the season.

Chicago’s Zach LaVine led all scorers with 32 points, but the Bulls were hampered by 20 turnovers leading to 33 Wizards points.

The Miami Heat, fueled by 32 points from Tyler Herro along with 23 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists from Bam Adebayo, led wire-to-wire in a 119-108 victory over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans.

Trey Murphy III scored 34 points to lead the Pelicans, who were playing with heavy hearts after at least 15 people were killed when a US army veteran drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year revelers in New Orleans early Wednesday in an attack authorities are investigating as an act of terrorism.