Injury fears cast a shadow across Newcastle victory over Al-Hilal in Riyadh

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United donned their third jersey, often dubbed the “Saudi kit,” for the match against the Saudi Pro League champions. (Twitter/@NUFC)
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Updated 09 December 2022
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Injury fears cast a shadow across Newcastle victory over Al-Hilal in Riyadh

  • United cruised to a comfortable 5-0 victory over the Saudi Pro League champions but injuries to Chris Wood and Joelinton could cause headaches for coach Eddie Howe
  • The Magpies are due to face Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup in just 13 days and return to Premier League action against Leicester City three days later

RIYADH: Newcastle United look set to return to the UK from their training camp in Saudi Arabia facing a striker crisis, with Chris Wood becoming the latest casualty during the Magpies’ victory over Al-Hilal in their friendly on Thursday.

Joelinton, who also left the game following a knock, grabbed a first-half double at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium before Miguel Almiron netted another brace and youngster Dylan Stephenson rounded off a 5-0 victory that ensured the Magpies lifted the Diriyah Season Cup.

But the bigger news from a United perspective was the injury to New Zealander Wood, who in the absence of Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak, looked set to lead the Magpies when senior football resumes following the World Cup break. United are due to face Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup in just 13 days and return to Premier League action against Leicester City three days later.

The severity of the injury to Wood is yet to be determined but a lengthy spell for him on the sidelines would be a disappointing and troublesome end to what has otherwise been an incredibly positive trip to Riyadh.

United fans will also be hoping that Brazilian wonder Joelinton’s departure from the game was simply precautionary, although the sight of him limping midway through the second half will cause concern.

United donned their third jersey, often dubbed the “Saudi kit,” for the match against the Saudi Pro League champions and handed a debut to Loris Karius in goal, with Eddie Howe keen to extend the former Liverpool keeper’s stay on Tyneside. Matt Targett and Karl Darlow missed out through illness.

This is the second visit by the Magpies to the Kingdom this year, after spending two weeks in Jeddah in January, and they have enjoyed a warm welcome in the capital. This was more than evident in the stands on Thursday where local and foreign fans wearing black and white could be seen scattered among the Blue Power, the vocal heart of the lively home faithful.

Jacob Murphy, Howe’s most-used player during his 13 months as head coach, came within inches of breaking the deadlock with the first meaningful attack of the match. He clipped the ball under Abdullah Al-Mayouf in goal but the keeper got a touch that just prevented the ball from crossing the line and he gathered at the second attempt.

Murphy then turned provider and Joelinton made no mistake with a powerful header after the winger dinked the ball in from the right.

While the final result betrayed the gulf in class between the sides, it was far from evident during a close first 45 and the visitors had Karius to thank for keeping things level early on. They will doubtless have been delighted to see him display some surprise sharpness, despite not having started a competitive game since February 2021.

Star player Odion Ighalo was the first to test Karius, with a low drive that was stopped by the United keeper. Al-Hilal caused the visitors some problems down the left but it was a move down the right that should probably have been rewarded with a penalty. Sven Botman felled the tricky Matheus Pereira but referee Alturais Khalid was not interested.

Just before the break the lead doubled as Joelinton beat Al-Mayouf after breaking clear of the Al-Hilal back line thanks to a precise through ball from Joe Willock.

Karius then had to be at his best once again to deny Andre Carrillo, tipping the ball around the post as the hosts ended the half as the dominant force.

Changes during the break, including the introduction of Almiron, one of the most in-form players in the English top flight, had an immediate effect when play resumed.

The Paraguayan clipped the bar with a trademark curling effort on 50 minutes, before he stole the ball from Carrillo, jinked past another defender and stroked home a third goal for the Magpies.

Elliot Anderson then hit the upright but his deflected effort rebounded clear of danger despite the lurking United forwards.

It seemed like only a matter of time before United added to their tally, though, and, sure enough, Almiron latched onto a cross-field ball by Sean Longstaff and volleyed it home to make it 4-0.

The last word was reserved for one of the Newcastle youngsters to come off the bench, as Ryan Fraser, also introduced as a substitute, squared the ball for Stephenson to tuck in his first goal at senior level.

Fireworks and ticker tape greeted Newcastle as they raised the golden trophy, which they will be hoping is the first of many under Saudi ownership and head coach Howe.

While trophies are the ultimate ambition, of course, in the shorter term Howe will be hoping for good news about the injuries to Joelinton and Wood, both of whom have proved to be crucial cogs in the Newcastle machine over the past year.


Jeddah to host World Pool Championship and Snooker Masters this summer

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Jeddah to host World Pool Championship and Snooker Masters this summer

  • The tournaments are part of a landmark ten-year strategic partnership between the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation and Matchroom

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s sporting calendar continues to expand with the announcement that Jeddah will host two major cue sports events in July and August 2025, the World Pool Championship and the Snooker Masters.

The tournaments are part of a landmark ten-year strategic partnership between the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation and Matchroom, in collaboration with the World Nineball Tour (WNT) and the World Snooker Tour (WST).

The events are being organized under the supervision of the Saudi Ministry of Sports and are set to feature top international players from around the world.

Returning to the Kingdom for the second consecutive year, the World Pool Championship will take place from July 21 to 26, 2025, at the Green Halls in Jeddah.

The tournament will gather the world’s top 100 players competing for a total prize pool of $1 million.

Among the headline names are current world champion Fedor Gorst of Russia, 2023 champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain, and five-time US Open winner Shane Van Boening of the United States.

Following shortly after, the Snooker Masters will run from August 8 to 16, bringing together 128 of the world’s top professionals alongside 16 emerging Saudi talents, who will participate via special wild card invitations.

With a total prize pot of £2 million ($2.66 million), the tournament ranks as the second most lucrative event on the 2025 World Snooker Tour calendar and is widely regarded as the fourth most prestigious event in the sport.

Commenting on the announcement, Nasser Al-Jaweeni, President of the Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation, said: “We are pleased to launch this partnership that places the Kingdom at the heart of global billiards and snooker, reflecting international confidence in Saudi Arabia’s organizational capabilities and offering an opportunity to develop local talent and nurture a new generation of Saudi players.”

Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Sport, praised the Kingdom’s efforts.

“We are proud to return to the Kingdom as part of this inspiring partnership. Last year, we witnessed outstanding organization and an exceptional experience for the players, which raised professional standards and opened doors for the next generation of talent,” she said.

Steve Dawson, Chairman of the World Snooker Tour, described the hosting of the Snooker Masters as a landmark moment.

“Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the Snooker Masters marks a significant milestone in the sport’s history. The impact was evident from the very first edition, and we’re all excited to see Saudi players rise through the ranks in the years ahead,” he said.


Newcastle go third with 2-0 win over 10-man Chelsea

Updated 26 min 23 sec ago
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Newcastle go third with 2-0 win over 10-man Chelsea

  • The win leaves Newcastle in third spot on 66 points, three ahead of Chelsea

NEWCASTLE: An early goal from Sandro Tonali and a late Bruno Guimaraes effort gave Newcastle United a 2-0 home win over Chelsea on Sunday that moves the Magpies a step closer to Champions League football next season, with Blues striker Nicholas Jackson denting his side’s hopes by being sent off in the first half.

The win leaves Newcastle in third spot on 66 points, three ahead of Chelsea, who hold the fifth and final Champions League spot with two games to play.

Aston Villa are level with Chelsea on points, with Nottingham Forest, who face already-relegated Leicester City later on Sunday, two points further back.

Newcastle were good value for their win but it was Jackson’s moment of madness that decided the game, robbing Chelsea of their best goal-scoring option in a game the Conference League finalists could not afford to lose if they wanted to be at Europe’s top table next season.

The Blues got off to a bad start when midfielder Tonali ghosted in at the far post to steer home a pass from Jacob Murphy in the second minute, delighting the home crowd as they basked in the bright sunshine.

Newcastle’s task appeared to get easier when Jackson had his initial yellow card upgraded to a red in the 35th minute after a long VAR review, with the replay showing that the Senegalese striker had looked in the direction of Newcastle’s Dan Burn before leading with his elbow toward the
defender’s face.

Despite going down to 10 men, Chelsea dominated for much of the second half, forcing Eddie Howe to make a number of changes to bolster the home side’s defense and, after withstanding Chelsea’s onslaught, Guimaraes finally sealed the three points with a deflected shot from outside the box in the 90th minute.


MMA night comes to end as Paul Hughes finishes opponent in less than a minute

Paul Hughes finishes opponent in less than a minute. supplied
Updated 11 May 2025
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MMA night comes to end as Paul Hughes finishes opponent in less than a minute

  • Lewis McGrillen continues surge to bantamweight superstardom with emphatic win in co-main event against Alan Philpott

Belfast: A blistering performance by hometown hero Paul “Big News” Hughes, who needed just 42 seconds to dispatch Bruno “Robusto” Miranda in the main event, brought the curtain down on the PFL Europe card at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

The crowd erupted as Hughes entered the SmartCage, escorted by a live performance from Irish singer Foy Vance. He made good on his pre-fight promise, catching Miranda’s kick and countering with a perfectly-timed left hook that ended the contest instantly and sent the Belfast crowd into raptures.

In the co-main event, reigning PFL Europe bantamweight champion Lewis “The McGrizzla” McGrillen solidified his status as the division’s hottest prospect. The Manchester fighter overwhelmed veteran Alan “Super Ali” Philpott with aggressive striking before securing a slick rear naked choke in the second round — the first submission victory of his career.

The card also featured the opening round of the 2025 PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament, with four fighters advancing to the semifinals. Connor Hughes delivered a statement win over Sebastian Di Franco, knocking out the 2024 finalist in the second round with a clean right hand. Spain’s Gino Van Steenis advanced via unanimous decision over Decky McAleenan and will now meet Hughes in the semifinals.

Latvia’s Alex Chizov stunned Mark Ewen with a dominant first-round stoppage, overwhelming his opponent with a barrage of left hands. He moves on to face Italy’s Claudio Pacella, who earned a gritty decision victory over Gavin Hughes in a bruising three-round encounter.

Elsewhere on the card, Haider “Darth” Khan extended his winning streak to six with a unanimous decision over Sean McCormac in a catchweight bout. Eoin Sheridan electrified the local crowd with a first-round KO against Malichi Edwards, while Corey McLaughlin picked up his first professional win with a unanimous decision over Nahom Wedi.

In the women’s flyweight division, Gemma Auld — balancing a full-time teaching career — submitted Sammy-Jo Luxton in the second round with a textbook rear naked choke, showing grit and composure in a back-and-forth battle.


Zahabi sends UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo into retirement after beating him at UFC 315

Aiemann Zahabi, top, following his win over Jose Aldo during their UFC 315 mixed martial arts featherweight bout in Montreal Sat
Updated 11 May 2025
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Zahabi sends UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo into retirement after beating him at UFC 315

  • The fight was originally scheduled to be disputed at the bantamweight division, but was changed to featherweight on Friday after both fighters checked in above the weight limit
  • Canadian Mike Malott (12-2-1) won his fight with American Charles Radtke (10-5) by knockout 26 seconds into the second round of their welterweight bout
  • In the women’s flyweight division, Canadian Jasmine Jasudavicius (14-3) took down Brazilian Jessia Andrade (26-14) by submission

MONTREAL: Aiemann Zahabi shocked UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo in a featherweight main card fight at UFC 315 on Saturday night, after which Aldo announced his retirement.

Zahabi (13-2) won by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) and the Canadian has now won six straight fights.

The fight was originally scheduled to be disputed at the bantamweight division, but was changed to featherweight on Friday after both fighters checked in above the weight limit.

Aldo (32-10), of Brazil, announced his retirement from MMA fighting after a 21-year career.

The card is headlined by welterweight title bout pitting Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena and a women’s flyweight title matchup between Valentina Shevchenko and Manon Fiorot.

Saturday’s card was the first in Canada since Donald Trump was re-elected US president in November. It comes amid growing political tensions between Canada and the US, as Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada should become the 51st US state, and some of that tension spilled over.

Canadian Mike Malott (12-2-1) won his fight with American Charles Radtke (10-5) by knockout 26 seconds into the second round of their welterweight bout. Malott took down Radtke with a clean left hook and would not let up, striking his opponent with repeated followup blows to seal the knockout.

Radtke was met with jeers and curses from fans throughout the fight in response to comments he made to Canadian fans at a pre-fight news conference on Wednesday and the booing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Canadian sporting events in recent months.

Radtke said “when you all boo the national anthem, somebody’s gonna have to pay for that.”

In the women’s flyweight division, Canadian Jasmine Jasudavicius (14-3) took down Brazilian Jessia Andrade (26-14) by submission just over halfway through the first round.

“When I was preparing for this fight, I kept on thinking about it being a quick finish,” said Jasudavicius. “I kept on telling myself to be ready for 15 hard minutes and everything.”

Marc-Andre Barriault (17-9) also knocked out opponent Bruno Silva (23-13) 1:27 into the opening round of their middleweight bout with an elbow struck to the side of Silva’s head. Silva left the octagon on a stretcher.

Benoit Saint Denis (14-3) beat Kyle Prepolec (12-8) by submission in the opening main card fight. The Frenchman took down the Canadian with an arm-triangle choke midway through the second round.

Prepolec only found out less than two weeks ago he would be fighting in Montreal. The 35-year-old was called in to replace Joel Alvarez, who has a hand injury.


T-Wolves grab 2-1 NBA playoff series lead as Celtics claim key win

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards shoots between Golden State Warriors center Quinten Post, left, and forward Jonatha
Updated 11 May 2025
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T-Wolves grab 2-1 NBA playoff series lead as Celtics claim key win

  • Edwards had eight points in the first half but scored 28 points in the second half, 13 in the fourth quarter, and made 10 of his last 16 shots
  • Reserve Payton Pritchard, the 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, led Boston’s blowout win with 23 points while Jayson Tatum added 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists

AFP SAN FRANISCO: Anthony Edwards scored 36 points and rallied the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 102-97 victory over Golden State on Saturday to seize the lead in their NBA playoff series.

The Warriors, missing star guard Stephen Curry with a left hamstring strain, dominated defensively before the T-Wolves battled back in the fourth quarter behind Edwards and Julius Randle, who had a triple double with 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

Asked about the keys to a fightback triumph, Edwards said, “Playing as a team, getting stops on the defensive end and limiting those guys to one shot.”

The Timberwolves took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round playoff series with Game 4 on Monday at San Francisco.

“You can’t ever get too comfortable,” Edwards said. “This is a championship DNA team. This is what they do so we’ve got to be ready at all times.”

Edwards had eight points in the first half but scored 28 points in the second half, 13 in the fourth quarter, and made 10 of his last 16 shots.

“I stunk in the first half,” Edwards said. “But you know, that happens. Shots are going to fall. Shots are not going to fall sometimes. But as long as you trust the work, keep shooting it and shoot with confidence, you’ll be all right.”

He praised Randle’s first playoff triple double.

“He’s big time. He has come through in every game for us in the playoffs,” Edwards said. “The way he’s finding people (with passes) and getting us open looks, I can’t ask for nothing better.”

In Saturday’s only other NBA game, defending champion Boston routed New York 115-93 at Madison Square Garden to pull within 2-1 in their Eastern Conference second-round series with game five Monday in New York.

The Celtics had squandered 20-point leads in two home playoff losses to the Knicks with woeful three-point shooting but Boston hit 20-of-40 from beyond the arc and held firm to the finish to blow out New York, knowing no NBA team down 0-3 had rallied to win a series.

“We understood the magnitude of this game,” Boston’s Jayson Tatum said. “We needed this one. Didn’t like the way we felt after last game so just coming out here with the right mindset, just trying to put it all together.”

At San Francisco, the Warriors led 42-40 at halftime without making a three-pointer — their first playoff first half since 2007 without a hoop from beyond the arc.

Butler, who had 18 first-half points, scored six and Kuminga added five in an 11-0 run that gave the Warriors their first lead at 23-21 early in the second quarter.

Golden State kept the T-Wolves without a basket for the last 6:29 of the second quarter and closed the half on a 13-1 run, but Edwards lifted the T-Wolves onto his shoulders and carried them to the finish with a dazzling second-half surge.

Reserve Payton Pritchard, the 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, led Boston’s blowout win with 23 points while Jayson Tatum added 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Jaylen Brown had 19 points and Derrick White scored 17.

“We understand Monday is going to be a great atmosphere, a big game. It’s going to be fun,” Tatum said.

“Just coming out with the right mindset, understanding we played better but we can play a lot better based on a lot of things we did we really didn’t like tonight. So just building off that.”

The Celtics overcame two humbling defeats to boost their chances at Boston’s first back-to-back NBA titles since 1968-69.

“You don’t get into the journey for it to be easy,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “It has been dark, but in a good way. You’ve just got to tap into your darkness and that’s it. That’s what we’ve got to do.”

Jalen Brunson led New York with 27 points while Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who have not reached the conference finals since 2000.

“We need to play with more of a sense of urgency,” Brunson said. “I don’t think we came with the mindset we needed. A lot we need to discuss and figure out.”