DUBAI: It was an open-and-shut case for many, including his manager.
Mohamed Salah was, it was declared on an almost weekly basis, the best soccer player in the world for the first half of this season, demonstrating the kind of elite-level scoring form only Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and more recently Robert Lewandowski have been able to produce this century.
It wasn’t just the volume of goals — 22 in his first 23 matches — that he was putting away for Liverpool. It was the sheer quality of them that took one’s breath away.
None more so than the weaving solo effort he conjured up against Manchester City at Anfield in October, midway through a run of 10 straight games when he scored, that surely will go down as the Premier League’s goal of the season.
“Come on,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp asked out loud, “who is better than him?”
Fast forward six months and Salah is, in relative terms, in a rut. Indeed, heading into a seismic return match against City on Sunday that could yet determine the destination of the title, there’s an argument to say he might not even be Klopp’s go-to striker.
There are potentially a whole host of reasons why Salah is going through his worst scoring run this season, with no goals in five games in all competitions and no open-play goals in six weeks.
Is he tired? He’s already played 47 games this season, after all.
Are painful losses for Egypt lingering? First there was the penalty-shootout loss to Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane’s Senegal in the African Cup of Nations final in February, then a loss — also via a shootout — to the same opponent in a World Cup playoff last month.
Does it have anything to do with his current contract standoff with Liverpool? That would be unlikely.
Maybe it’s simply the vagaries of form and happenstance. Because he’s still piling up the chances, just not converting them.
Whatever it is, this is not the Salah of six months ago. He was substituted midway through the second half in each of Liverpool’s last two games after, by his high standards, fairly underwhelming performances.
“Sometimes he could decide in a better way, no doubt about that, pass the ball quicker and all these things,” Klopp said this week. “But it’s a tough period for Sadio (Mane) and Mo, with the Africa Cup and coming back being immediately available for us again with all the games.
“It’s completely normal in a season that you have these little (ups and downs).”
Will Klopp drop Salah against City on Sunday? He’d be a brave man to do that to the Premier League’s top scorer. But it’s not that he doesn’t have options.
And in Diogo Jota, Klopp has a forward who has helped to take on Liverpool’s scoring burden firstly while Salah was away at the African Cup and then amid the Egyptian’s recent struggles.
Jota appears to be Liverpool’s first-choice center forward now, displacing Roberto Firmino by doing all the dirty work like the Brazilian — the tracking back, the pressing, the harrying of defenders — but scoring a lot more goals at the same time.
Jota has scored four goals in his last six games, including the winner against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup quarterfinals and crucial openers against Arsenal and Watford in the league. He is tied for second in the league’s scoring chart with 14 goals.
Rested against Benfica in the Champions League in midweek, Jota is highly likely to start against City. It’s which two players are alongside him in the three-pronged forward line that’s the big question.
And this is where Liverpool hold the edge over City, which will start the game at Etihad Stadium one point clear of Klopp’s team with eight games left. Liverpool’s firepower simply is greater, with Klopp able to call upon Salah, Jota, Firmino, Mane and January signing Luis Diaz, who has settled in seamlessly since joining from Porto.
City have a slew of classy attacking midfielders and forward but none have the cutting edge of the likes of Salah — when he’s in form — or Jota.
City manager Pep Guardiola knows a draw is enough to leave the destiny of the title solely in his team’s hands. If that happens, City will win the league by winning its next seven games.
The onus is on Liverpool to go on the attack, which makes the game all the more enticing for fans.
And Klopp, who boldly played a front four of Mane, Salah, Jota and Firmino at the Etihad two seasons ago, knows he has the offensive players to overwhelm City.
Whether Salah is playing or not.
As Salah toils, Jota stepping up as Liverpool’s go-to scorer
https://arab.news/mnpzr
As Salah toils, Jota stepping up as Liverpool’s go-to scorer
- “Come on,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp asked out loud, “who is better than him?”
- Jota appears to be Liverpool’s first-choice center forward now
Soccer fans storm field in Libya and a Portuguese referee is injured during a suspended match
Al-Ittihad’s bus was set on fire, the club said in a statement
TRIPOLI: A highly-anticipated derby in Libya’s top soccer league was suspended after fans stormed the pitch and officials said Thursday the Portuguese referee and some fans were injured.
The match Wednesday between Al-Ahly Tripoli and Al-Ittihad was suspended in the 39th minute when Al-Ahli substitutes and fans stormed the pitch in protest of Al-Ittihad players’ celebration of their opening goal.
Al-Ittihad’s bus was set on fire, the club said in a statement.
Players and soccer officials fled the stadium amid a fan disturbance outside the facility. Footage circuited online showed clashes between fans and security forces in and around the stadium.
Al-Ahly blamed what they called a “provocative act” by one of Al-Ittihad players for the disturbance.
They said in a statement that security forces used “excessive force and live fire” against fans at the club’s headquarters.
Local media reported that Portuguese referee Fábio José Costa was injured.
FIFA hands four-match bans to Boca Juniors players sent off in Club World Cup opener
- Boca disagreed with the sanctions imposed on their players
- “We have already contacted FIFA to submit an appeal,” said the club
MIAMI: Boca Juniors players Ander Herrera and Nicolas Figal were handed four-match bans by FIFA after being sent off in their Club World Cup opener against Benfica, a spokesperson for the Argentine club told Reuters on Wednesday.
Boca disagreed with the sanctions imposed on their players after Benfica’s Andrea Belotti received a two-match ban for catching Ayrton Costa in the head with a high boot in the 72nd minute.
“We have already contacted FIFA to submit an appeal,” said the club spokesperson.
Spanish midfielder Herrera, who was subbed off due to a muscle injury, was shown a red card in the 45th minute after protesting to Mexican referee Cesar Ramos from the bench over a penalty awarded to the Portuguese side.
Defender Figal was sent off in the 88th minute with a straight red card for a foul on Florentino Luis when the match was tied at 2-2.
Boca will face Bayern Munich at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Friday in their second match in Group C.
Biaggio Ali Walsh gets support from Muslim community ahead of SmartCage return
- Grandson of boxing legend Muhammad Ali takes on Ronnie Gibbs on June 27 as part of PFL World Championship semifinals
DUBAI: Undefeated fighter Biaggio Ali Walsh has revealed how the Muslim community in Las Vegas, Nevada, is supporting him ahead of his highly anticipated return to the Professional Fighters League’s SmartCage.
Family, friends and members of the community gathered at Masjid As-Sabur, the oldest mosque in Las Vegas, on June 13 to show their support for Walsh ahead of his upcoming fight — a showcase lightweight bout against Ronnie Gibbs on June 27, which is part of the 2025 PFL World Championship semifinals, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Walsh explained: “Some people from the community, family and friends, came and helped, supporting my fight coming up.
“I’m just super grateful for all the love and support; I feel it radiating throughout me.”
It was a special night of fellowship as everyone prayed, enjoyed food, and wished Walsh well.
Walsh, who is the grandson of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, spoke about the importance of faith and how essential it is to have a deep relationship with God.
He said: “Faith is everything in life, period. I feel like if you have good faith and deep faith in God and trust God, you can do anything.
“It’s everything, it’s the only thing I know, and that’s the only thing that helps calm me before these kinds of fights.”
He added: “I’m really excited for the fight … thank you guys so much for coming out, and inshallah, I will come back victorious.”
Initially making waves as a standout collegiate football player, the 26-year old found his way to mixed martial arts and ultimately made the full-time leap.
It was this transition to combat sports that, he said, helped strengthen his faith and his relationship with God.
In 2024, shortly after turning pro in MMA, Walsh deepened his devotion by partaking in Umrah, the spiritual journey to Makkah.
Coming from a family of elite fighters, it is no surprise that Walsh is making an impact on the MMA scene.
In addition to the Muhammad Ali connection, Walsh’s aunt is world champion boxer Laila Ali. His younger brother Nico is also a professional boxer.
Now with a 2-0 record in his professional MMA career, Walsh is determined to carry on the Ali legacy into a new era — and with faith, family, and community behind him, he has never been more ready.
DP World International League T20 and Kuwait Cricket Board sign partnership to develop the sport
- Gulf region’s biggest T20 league to promote cricket in Kuwait through tournaments and exposure for local players
- League plans to host DP World ILT20 matches in Kuwait in coming years to inspire next generation of players
DUBAI: The DP World International League T20 and the Kuwait Cricket Board have agreed on a partnership to promote and develop the sport in Kuwait.
Through the partnership the DP World ILT20 will organize cricket matches in the country that will be aimed at identifying and developing participating players.
The agreement was inked at a recent signing ceremony at the Dubai International Stadium. Under the agreement, a domestic event, such as the DP World ILT20 UAE Development Tournament, will be conducted annually in Kuwait to give players the opportunity to get selected by ILT20 franchises for the main DP World ILT20 event.
In coming years, the league will also aim to host DP World ILT20 matches in Kuwait.
Chairman of ILT20 and Vice-Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board Khalid Al-Zarooni said: “We are very proud to announce our collaboration with Kuwait Cricket Board as they join our league (DP World ILT20). It is a great honor for us, and we look forward to many more such collaborations in the future. Kuwait is very important to us; it is a great country and keen on promoting and further developing cricket.
“Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf countries are all one, the (cricket playing) communities are residing throughout the region and our aim with the DP World ILT20 is to grow and develop the game in the entire region. Our endeavor is to provide maximum opportunities to the players and for the fans to join us at this great tournament which we are trying to grow more and more.”
Kuwait Cricket President Haider Farman said: “I am honored to formalize this agreement between Kuwait Cricket and the Emirates Cricket Board to further promote the DP World ILT20 not only in our two nations but across the entire region. This partnership is a key pillar of the league’s broader vision for the growth and globalization of cricket. We firmly believe that cricket can serve as a powerful bridge between our countries, and we look forward to this collaboration bringing meaningful benefits to our players, coaches, and officials alike.”
Farman said it was “a matter of great pride” that Kuwait had become the first country in the world to be officially recognized as a strategic partner of the DP World ILT20.
Cricket continues to grow in popularity in Kuwait, with Kuwait Cricket making significant strides both on and off the field, he added.
“This landmark collaboration with the Emirates Cricket Board and the ILT20 will play a critical role in helping us realize our long-term vision to involve more Kuwaiti nationals in our cricketing ecosystem, especially as players and officials,” he said.
“With the Asian Games scheduled to take place in Qatar in 2030 and Saudi Arabia in 2034, the timing couldn’t be better. DP World ILT20 can be a transformative force in inspiring the next generation of local talent to embrace the sport across the GCC like never before.”
Meanwhile, CEO of DP World ILT20 David White congratulated Kuwait Cricket on the vision and foresight that led to the alliance.
“The DP World ILT20’s long term vision is to grow the game not only in the UAE but across the Gulf region,” he said. “This partnership provides a great opportunity for Kuwait Cricket and their young players to develop further. We have seen it in the DP World ILT20 how the young UAE players have benefited enormously through this incredible platform under some world-class coaching.
“The UAE team recently won a T20I series against Bangladesh which is indeed a testament to the success of the DP World ILT20 as a lot of the UAE team members had received great exposure at the league in recent years, surely Kuwait and other countries in the region are going to benefit as well,” White said.
Director General of Kuwait Cricket Sajid Ashraf described the partnership with the Emirates Cricket Board as a “momentous collaboration” and a milestone for Kuwait Cricket.
“It opens the door to a long-awaited dream: enabling our Kuwait players to pursue full-time professional cricket careers on the international franchise stage,” he said.
“Just as importantly, it offers a powerful platform for corporate houses in Kuwait to connect with a vibrant, cricket-loving expatriate community of over two million people, within a total population of 5 million. This initiative provides a unique opportunity for Kuwaiti brands to expand their footprint regionally, starting with the UAE. We are deeply passionate about our Kuwaiti businesses becoming an integral part of both KCC and the DP World ILT20.
“These well-established corporations in Kuwait have so much to offer in supporting the continued growth of cricket across the region, and their involvement will only strengthen the sport’s ecosystem,” Ashraf added. “This is undoubtedly a win-win for all stakeholders — players, sponsors, partners, fans, and the broader cricket community. We are excited about the ILT20 Development Tournament and eagerly await the first ball being delivered right here in the State of Kuwait.”
The DP World International League T20 Season 4 will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 2 — UAE National Day (Eid-Al-Etihad) — with the six-team, 34-match tournament set to conclude with the final on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.
Kolo Muani, Conceicao each score twice in Juventus’ 5-0 win over Al-Ain in the Club World Cup
- The 36-time Italian champions opened the scoring at the 11th minute on Kolo Muani’s header
WASHINGTON: Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceicao each scored twice and Juventus closed out the first round of the group stage in the Club World Cup with a 5-0 victory over Al-Ain on Wednesday night.
The 36-time Italian champions opened the scoring at the 11th minute on Kolo Muani’s header in front of 18,161 fans, many on them wearing white and black-striped Juventus jerseys.
Ten minutes later, Conceicao dribbled the ball inside the penalty box and made it 2-0.
Kenan Yildiz scored into the lower left corner in the 31st minute and Kolo Muani’s second goal four minutes into first-half stoppage time put Juventus up 4-0. Kolo Muani’s loan from Paris Saint-Germain was extended for the Club World Cup, with negotiations ongoing.
Conceicao scored again from a center-field kick in the 58th minute.
Key moment
Juventus scored three goals on Al-Ain goalkeeper Rui Patricio in the span of 20 minutes in the first half. The team had 10 first-half shots, eight of which were inside the penalty area.
Takeaways
Al-Ain, from the United Arab Emirates, will face a tougher challenge against current Club World Cup champions and Group G favorites Manchester City in Atlanta on Sunday. Juventus currently sits first in the group by goal difference and will travel to Philadelphia to attempt to secure a spot in the next round against Wydad.
What they said
“They play a strong game every week, doesn’t matter if it’s championship in Italy or if it’s Champions League. For them these kind of big games is something usual, and for us it is different. In our country, we play in front of two to three thousand people.” – Vladimir Ivic, Al-Ain head coach.
“He (head coach Igor Tudor) trusts me. He wants me to go to attack, to keep defenders in front, so I like to play together. I’m very happy to play with my teammates. ... We played this game for a win. I’m happy to start this competition like this.” – Randal Kolo Muani, Juventus forward.
