Saudi footballers train ahead of Asian Cup clash with Thailand

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Roberto Mancini’s Saudi Arabia team were back in training on Monday ahead of their upcoming Asia Cup 2023 clash with Thailand on Thursday. (SPA)
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Updated 22 January 2024
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Saudi footballers train ahead of Asian Cup clash with Thailand

  • Green Falcons will take part in a training session at the Aspire Stadium on Tuesday, which will be open to the media for the first 15 minutes

DOHA: Players in Roberto Mancini’s Saudi national football team were back in training on Monday ahead of their Asia Cup clash with Thailand on Thursday.

The squad was split into two groups as the Italian head coach put them through their paces. The first included those who had started the match against Kyrgyzstan the previous day, in which the Green Falcons ran out 2-0 winners.

The second included the remaining members of the squad, some of whom could feature in the final group match. The Saudis have already qualified for the knockout stages, thanks to Sunday’s victory and a 2-1 defeat of Oman in their opening game last Tuesday. Thailand are sitting second in the group on 4 points.

The Saudis had a free night after the training session and gathered for an evening together in Doha, the Saudi Press Agency reported. They were due to train again at the Aspire Dome on Tuesday.


Jorge Jesus returns to Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr

Updated 9 sec ago
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Jorge Jesus returns to Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr

  • According to a club statement on X deal is for one year

RIYADH: Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr have reached an agreement with coach Jorge Jesus to take charge of the club’s first team ahead of the 2025-26 season, it was announced on Monday.

According to a club statement on X, the deal is for one year, in what has been described as one of the most high-profile managerial moves of the summer in the SPL considering Jesus’ time with cross-city Riyadh rivals Al-Hilal.

Portuguese media reported last week that superstar striker Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role in endorsing Jesus for the job, owing to their close relationship and Ronaldo’s belief in the coach’s ability to lead Al-Nassr back to silverware.


Barca snap up Copenhagen’s Bardghji, sell Torre to Mallorca

Updated 33 min 27 sec ago
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Barca snap up Copenhagen’s Bardghji, sell Torre to Mallorca

  • Bardghji scored 15 goals in 84 games for Copenhagen after reaching the first team in the 2021/2022 season
  • He is Barcelona’s second signing of the summer after they brought in goalkeeper Joan Garcia from local rivals Espanyol

Barcelona signed right winger Roony Bardghji from FC Copenhagen and sold midfielder Pablo Torre to Mallorca, the La Liga champions said Monday.
The 19-year-old Sweden Under-21 international joined for around 2.5 million euros ($3 million), according to reports in Spanish media.
“(Bardghji) has signed for the next four seasons, until June 30, 2029,” said Barca in a statement, without specifying the cost of the deal.
Bardghji scored 15 goals in 84 games for Copenhagen after reaching the first team in the 2021/2022 season.
He suffered a severe knee injury in May 2024, which kept him out of action for nearly a year, with the youngster making his return in March 2025.
Bardghji becomes Barcelona’s second signing of the summer after they brought in goalkeeper Joan Garcia from local rivals Espanyol.
The Catalan giants also announced the sale of 22-year-old playmaker Torre to Mallorca for an undisclosed fee, estimated to be 5 million euros according to Spanish media, as well as a percentage of the profit on any future sale.
“Torre is a new Mallorca player for the next four seasons, until June 30, 2029,” said the island club in a statement.
“Torre arrives from Barcelona, where he moved in 2022 and with whom he won La Liga twice, two Spanish Super Cups and the Copa del Rey.”
The midfielder played a total of 27 times for Barcelona’s first team, scoring five goals.


England take 2-1 series lead over India with thrilling Lord’s win

Updated 54 min 34 sec ago
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England take 2-1 series lead over India with thrilling Lord’s win

  • Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, off the field for much of the match with a finger injury, had the final say
  • Victory came exactly six years to the day since Stokes and Archer both starred in England’s dramatic 2019 50-over World Cup final win over New Zealand at Lord’s

LONDON: A thrilling series produced a gripping finale as England beat India by 22 runs in a nail-biting third Test at Lord’s on Monday to go 2-1 up with two Tests to play.

India were on the brink of defeat at 147-9, still needing a further 46 runs to reach a victory target of 193, when last man Mohammed Siraj joined Ravindra Jadeja in the middle.

Nevertheless, the pair batted on until after tea on the final day to give India hope of an improbable victory.

But with India eyeing a stunning success, off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who had been off the field for much of the match with a finger injury, had the final say.

As Siraj played defensively, the ball spun back past him to dislodge the leg bail with the faintest of touches to leave India 170 all out.
As the England fielders celebrated, the fiery Siraj was crestfallen as was his partner Jadeja who was left stranded on 61 not out — his fourth consecutive fifty this series — after batting for nearly four-and-a-half hours.

England captain Ben Stokes bowled two lengthy spells Monday on his way to innings figures of 3-48 in 24 overs, with fast bowler Jofra Archer — in his first Test after more than four years of injury-induced exile — taking 3-55 in 16.

Lively medium-pacer Stokes, whose career has been blighted by knee injuries, again proved his worth to England as a fully-fledged all-rounder.

“I thought I had taken myself to some pretty dark places before but today was... If bowling to win a Test for your country doesn’t get you up, get you excited, then I don’t know what does,” Stokes told Sky Sports.

“The game was on the line and nothing was going to stop me bowling.”

Victory came exactly six years to the day since Stokes and Archer both starred in England’s dramatic 2019 50-over World Cup final win over New Zealand at Lord’s.

Both bowlers made early breakthroughs Monday, with player-of-the match Stokes saying the anniversary was behind his decision to open the bowlig with Archer.

“Jof played a big role in that and I just had one of those feelings he would do something special,” said Stokes.

The 30-year-old Archer added: “It was pretty hectic for the first game back. I probably bowled a few more overs than I thought I would have but every single one mattered today so I’m not too fussed about it.”

India were all but beaten at 112-8 when tailender Jasprit Bumrah came out to bat immediately after lunch.

But Jadeja and Bumrah kept England at bay with a stubborn stand of 35 in 22 overs.

“I think the position in the morning, to make a comeback like this was tremendous from Ravindra Jadeja and the lower order,” said India captain Shubman Gill.

Bumrah, defying a run of four successive noughts in Test cricket, defended gamely while making five in 54 balls only for his innings to end when he top-edged a pull off Stokes to substitute fielder Sam Cook at mid-on.

India were now 147-9 — a position that meant tea was delayed by 30 minutes.

But Jadeja, who overturned an lbw decision given against him on 26, went to fifty when a flashing cut off Stokes flew over the slips for the left-hander’s fourth four in 150 balls faced.

Shortly after tea, Archer struck Siraj a painful blow on the shoulder and it was not long before he fell to Bashir.

This match became a second-innings shoot-out after both teams made 387 in their first innings.

England then posted 192 before India slumped to 58-4 when Stokes bowled nightwatchman Akash Deep with what became the last ball of Sunday’s play.

From 71-4 on Monday, the match swung England’s way once more as India lost three wickets for 11 runs in collapsing to 82-7.

Rishabh Pant — who only came into bat on Monday following Deep’s departure — charged down the pitch to drive Archer for a typically aggressive four.

But two balls later Archer, repeatedly topping the 90 mph mark, bowled the dangerman for nine with a superb full-length delivery that clipped the top of off stump.

India were looking to KL Rahul to anchor their chase after the opener’s first-innings hundred.

But he had added just six runs to his overnight 33 when he was lbw on review to Stokes.

Archer, who made his Test debut at Lord’s in 2019, then reduced India to 82-7 when he held a sharp one-handed caught and bowled chance to dismiss Washington Sundar for a duck.


Muhammad Waseem leads UAE in Pearl of Africa T20I Series in Uganda

Updated 14 July 2025
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Muhammad Waseem leads UAE in Pearl of Africa T20I Series in Uganda

  • UAE to play Kenya in their opening match on Friday

DUBAI: Opening batter Muhammad Waseem is to lead the 14-member UAE squad in the Pearl of Africa T20I Series at the Entebbe Cricket Oval in Uganda.

The UAE will be playing the hosts Uganda, along with Kenya, and Nigeria, in the series, with six matches in the league stage, two against each opponent.

The team to finish at the top of the table at the end of the league stage will be declared the tournament’s winner, with the UAE playing Kenya in their opening match on Friday.

The UAE’s squad: Muhammad Waseem (captain), Akif Raja, Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Zohaib, Muhammad Zuhaib, Rahul Chopra, Rohid Khan, and Saghir Khan.

The UAE’s matches in the Pearl of Africa T20I Series:

July 18: UAE v Kenya (Entebbe Cricket Oval).

July 19: Uganda v UAE (Entebbe Cricket Oval).

July 21: Nigeria v UAE (Entebbe Cricket Oval).

July 23: Kenya v UAE (Entebbe Cricket Oval).

July 26: UAE v Nigeria (Entebbe Cricket Oval).

July 27: UAE v Uganda (Entebbe Cricket Oval).


Jeddah to host the fourth round of the Formula One powerboat world championship

Updated 14 July 2025
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Jeddah to host the fourth round of the Formula One powerboat world championship

JEDDAH: As part of the Jeddah Season 2025 programs and activities, Jeddah will host the fourth round of the UIM F1H2O World Championship, which will take place from Nov. 28 to 30.

This was announced by Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, deputy governor of the Makkah Region and head of the Jeddah Events Calendar Committee.

The event in Jeddah will be the second time the Road World Championships take place in Saudi Arabia after the 2019 edition in Dammam.

The Grand Prix of Jeddah will feature 10 teams from 13 countries competing with 21 boats, driving boats with a top speed of 266 km per hour, challenging the limits of speed.

Commenting on this round, Raimondo di San Germano, CEO of H2O Racing, expressed his delight at Saudi Arabia’s return to hosting the UIM F1H2O World Championship competitions, stating, “We are extremely excited to witness this thrill in Jeddah, the Bride of the Red Sea.”

He also noted that this partnership represents the beginning of a long-term collaboration and development for the championship across various levels.

The UIM F1H2O World Championship, organized by the Union Internationale Motonautique and promoted by H2O Racing, is considered one of the world’s most competitive, dangerous and thrilling sports championships.