BOURNEMOUTH, United Kingdom: Arsenal stormed to the top of the Premier League as newly-appointed captain Martin Odegaard struck twice inside 11 minutes in a comprehensive 3-0 win at Bournemouth on Saturday.
William Saliba’s sweet strike in the second half gave the scoreline a fair reflection of the Gunners’ dominance as Mikel Arteta’s men continued their perfect start to the season after three games.
Three games into last season, Arsenal were without a single point and off to their worst start in 67 years.
Twelve months on, they are a team transformed with the arrivals of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko helping a side that finished fifth last season to reach a new level.
Jesus was again at the heart of the visitors’ best attacking play, even if the former Manchester City forward failed to add to his two goals in his first two appearances for the club.
The Brazilian showed his strength to outmuscle Marcos Senesi and play in Gabriel Martinelli in the move that led to the opening goal.
Mark Travers was equal to Martinelli’s low shot, but the rebound fell kindly for Odegaard to tap into an empty net.
The Norwegian was also in the right place to round off another flowing team move for the second as Bukayo Saka and Ben White combined down the right and Jesus’ touch teed up Odegaard to fire powerfully into the far corner.
Arsenal went on to dominate the rest of the first half as Bournemouth chased shadows in the sun on the English south coast.
The league leaders had to wait until the second period to make their control show on the scoreboard but did so in spectacular style thanks to Saliba’s first goal for the club.
The Frenchman spent the last three seasons on loan since Arsenal splashed out £27 million on him as an 18-year-old, but he is quickly making his mark at both ends of the field.
Saliba swept Granit Xhaka’s pass into the top corner from just outside the area to kill off any threat of a Bournemouth fightback.
Only the tightest of offside calls on a VAR review denied Jesus the goal his performance deserved after he slotted in from Odegaard’s wonderful pass.
Travers kept the score down in the closing stages with impressive saves from Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, but after a 4-0 defeat to defending champions City last weekend this was another lesson in the step up to the top flight for the Cherries.
Odegaard leads Arsenal to top of the Premier League
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Odegaard leads Arsenal to top of the Premier League
- William Saliba's sweet strike in the second half gave the scoreline a fair reflection of the Gunners' dominance
- Three games into last season, Arsenal were without a single point and off to their worst start in 67 years
Pogba and Juventus end contract mutually before he returns from doping ban
“Juventus Football Club and Paul Pogba announce that they have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of Nov. 30, 2024,” the Bianconeri said
TURIN, Italy: Paul Pogba will no longer be a Juventus player from next month.
Juventus announced on Friday they came to “a mutual agreement” with Pogba to cancel his contract despite the France World Cup winner having a ban for doping slashed last month.
The Serie A club never seemed overly enthusiastic about welcoming Pogba back after his four-year ban for doping was reduced to 18 months following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The 31-year-old Pogba, who will be free to resume his career in March 2025, had said he was ready to give up money to play for Juventus again.
“Juventus Football Club and Paul Pogba announce that they have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of Nov. 30, 2024,” the Bianconeri said in a brief statement. “The club wish Paul the very best for his professional future.”
Pogba tested positive for testosterone in August last year and the Juventus midfielder was handed the maximum punishment by Italy’s anti-doping court.
But CAS judges cut Pogba’s ban as they acknowledged a lack of intent and said his positive test was the result of erroneously taking a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida.
Pogba’s contract with Juventus was set to expire in June 2026.
“My time at Juventus has come to an end. It has been a privilege to pull on the shirt of the Bianconeri and to share so many special memories together,” Pogba said in a statement.
“I cherish the memories we made. They live on. Even in the most difficult moments over the past year, your support was crucial and I want to thank Juve fans around the world for their compassion.”
Pogba was the most expensive soccer player in history when he joined Manchester United from Juventus for a fee of 105 million euros ($113 million) in 2016.
He starred in France’s World Cup triumph in 2018 and returned to Juventus as a free agent in 2022. But injuries limited him to just eight Serie A appearances in his second spell at the club before his ban last year.
“I am looking forward to the next chapter of my career and to stepping out on the pitch with my next club,” Pogba added.
Ruben Amorim has declared his mission for Man United
- Amorim said on Friday, “I will try to do everything to put this club in the place that it belongs. And I believe a lot that we are going to succeed”
- “We know that we need time, but we have to win time. To win time is to win games”
MANCHESTER, England: Ruben Amorim has told Manchester United fans he will do everything to bring the good times back to the 20-time English champion.
United’s new coach has been charged with ending more than a decade of decline at Old Trafford since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and their Premier League dominance fizzled out.
Amorim — hired from Sporting Lisbon this month — is embracing the challenge and said on Friday, “I will try to do everything to put this club in the place that it belongs. And I believe a lot that we are going to succeed.”
The 39-year-old Portuguese is the sixth permanent manager/coach since Ferguson retired after winning his 13th league title.
David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag all failed to return United to the summit of English and European soccer in a period when Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have dominated domestically.
It is unlikely Amorim will change that after coming in partway through a season in which United made their worst league start since 1986.
“We know that we need time, but we have to win time. To win time is to win games,” Amorim told United’s in-house channel. “But the most important thing for me is identity. So, since day one we will start with our identity.”
Asked what could be expected from his team in the first weeks of his reign, he added: “I want to say beautiful things to you, but I’m really honest. But what I can say is that I think you will see an idea.”
Green Falcons arrive in Jakarta for World Cup Asian qualifier against Indonesia
- Saudi national football team to hold closed training session before facing hosts on Nov. 19
JAKARTA: The Saudi national football team will train behind closed doors in Jakarta on Saturday in preparation for their 2026 World Cup Asian qualifier match against Indonesia next Tuesday.
The Green Falcons arrived in the Indonesian capital on Friday and are scheduled to face off against the hosts on Nov. 19 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, as part of the sixth round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The national team delegation was welcomed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport by the Saudi Ambassador Faisal bin Abdullah Al-Amoudi.
Yasser Al-Misehal, president of the Saudi Arabia Football Federation, expressed his appreciation to the embassy for the warm reception and the facilities provided to the team following their arrival from Melbourne.
The Green Falcons will hold a closed training session on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Gelora Jakarta Stadium.
5 things we learned from the latest action-packed 2026 World Cup 3rd-round qualifiers
1. Saudi Arabia leave Australia frustrated but facing in the right direction
Following the 0-0 draw with the Socceroos in Melbourne, Saudi striker Saleh Al-Shehri summed it up as: “We wanted to win, but a draw is not a bad result.”
The frustration was due to a disallowed goal. Had Sultan Al-Ghannam’s injury-time strike not been ruled out due to the tightest of offsides, this would have been one of the Green Falcons’ most famous qualification victories ever. It would have put them in the driving seat for second place, the only automatic qualifying spot remaining with Japan out in front.
Overall, however, there was much about which to be satisfied. While this was a love-to-win game, it was not a must-win — just a must-not-lose. It means, all things being equal, that a win over the Socceroos at home in 2025 will be enough.
After the first four Group C games, this felt like an oil tanker turning around. The Green Falcons may now be flying in the right direction.
2. Renard offers hope and second chances
It is not about who is the better coach — Herve Renard or Roberto Mancini — but about who is the best fit for Saudi Arabia.
The answer is, without question, Renard. The Frenchman has recalled players like Yasser Al-Shahrani, who was ditched by the Italian, and the decision was vindicated by the full-back’s performance.
Returning to four at the back, after the majority of Mancini’s games saw three, seemed to be welcomed by the players. They looked more comfortable from the beginning, with an impressive first half, and when the hosts took control after the break Renard was ready to make changes — helped by the excellent Saud Abdulhamid.
Given the injury to Salem Al-Dawsari, the team’s greatest offensive threat, the lack of creativity was no surprise. Scoring goals is a problem — taking just three from five games is a worry — and that has to change against Indonesia next week. If it does, the situation will look much better.
3. Bahrain will regret blowing their chance
There was plenty of drama all around Asia on Thursday and Riffa had more than its fair share as China beat Bahrain 1-0.
After Saudi Arabia and Australia drew earlier in the day to move onto six points, Bahrain had a chance to go two points clear and take control of the second automatic qualifying slot. Playing China at home was a perfect opportunity. Just imagine — if the Reds have won that and then beaten Australia next week, the Socceroos would have probably been out of the running.
That seemed to be the case in the 87th minute. Ali Haram stretched for a ball from deep and then scored an opportunistic goal, but it was ruled offside by a similar margin to that of Saudi Arabia’s. The defense fell asleep in injury time and then Zhang Yuning shot home.
It means that China are now level with Australia and Saudi Arabia, and suddenly there are four teams in the hunt for second place. For Bahrain, it could be a setback from which they do not recover.
4. Ali and Suhail the heroes for the UAE and Qatar
Over in Group A, the UAE beat Kyrgyzstan 3-0 while Qatar had a more difficult game as they defeated Uzbekistan 3-2. Both needed the victory.
A victory by Iran moved them clear in the top spot, meaning Uzbekistan, Qatar and the UAE are all chasing second. Qatar looked to be strolling to victory thanks to two goals from Almoez Ali, but then young forward Abbosbek Fayzullaev scored twice in five minutes for the opposition.
A draw looked imminent as play entered the 112th minute, but a last-gasp goal from Lucas Mendes sent the home fans wild.
The UAE had a much easier ride, with Hareb Abdalla bagging a brace as the Whites made short work of their Central Asian opposition. It means there is much riding on Tuesday’s clash between the two West Asian rivals in Al-Ain, and whoever loses may be out of the running for automatic qualification. It should be quite the occasion.
5. Oman make Group B a three-way clash
South Korea won 3-1 in Kuwait to move five points clear at the top of the group and there is little doubt the Taeguk Warriors will automatically qualify.
Yet something interesting is happening below them. It really looked as if the battle for second would be between Jordan and Iraq but these two teams played out a 0-0 draw in Basra to leave the 65,000 passionate home fans a little disappointed. Now both are on eight points.
Iraq were predictable and a bit too reliant on in-form forward Aymen Hussein, while Jordan will be the most satisfied of the two with the away draw.
Happier still are Oman, who beat Palestine 1-0 to collect a second successive win that moved them on to six points, just two behind the second and third spots. It means Palestine and Kuwait have a lot to do just to try and finish fourth.
Oman have their sights set on a bigger prize. A win against Iraq in Muscat on Tuesday really would really put the cat among the Group B pigeons.
Saudi Arabia fight back to stun Germany in NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024
NEOM: Hosts Saudi Arabia threw off their opening day defeat against England with a 7-6 win over Germany in the second day of action at the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2024.
Spurred on by the support of their fans at Gayal Beach, the national beach soccer team took to the sand on Thursday night.
Al-Hamami and Qasem gave Saudi Arabia a 2-0 lead in the first period and the hosts added two more goals to their tally in the second, Salman and Waleed both finding the net. Germany then closed the gap as Peterson scored a brace.
There was even more action in the third period, as four goals from Germany and two from the home side took the match into extra time at 6-6.
It was left to Waleed to score the winner and reward Saudi Arabia with two points on the board following their first win in this year’s competition.
Also in Group A, after securing a first-day victory against Germany, the UAE struck three times in the first 12 minutes against England with goals from Ali, Kamal and Mousab.
England responded well, finding the back of the net three times in the space of two minutes during the second period courtesy of a Robinson brace and one from Lawson. Despite the setback, A. Abbas restored the advantage for his team before the period ended.
Both teams were on target twice in the third and final period, A. Abbas scoring his second and goalkeeper Bahri hitting the target for the UAE. Lawson got his second for England, with Younie also striking home. But it was not enough, and the UAE clinched their second victory of the tournament to put them on maximum points.
The second Group B match of the day saw a repeat of the NEOM Beach Soccer Cup 2023 final as defending champions Brazil took on Japan.
The scores were even at 2-2 by the end of the first period, as Antonio scored two for Brazil, and Oba and Akaguma found the net for Japan. The teams were tied in the second phase of play too, Benjamin Jr. and Oba scoring within six seconds of each other.
Brazil secured victory in the third and final period with a brace from Edson Hulk and a goal from Datinha, although they conceded goals from Akaguma and Oba.
Eight teams are taking place in the men’s tournament during this third edition of the cup. Group A is made up of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, England and Germany, with Brazil, Spain, Japan and China in Group B.
In the women’s competition, defending champions Spain, 2022 participants England and Ukraine, and 2022 champions Brazil will take to the sand.
