Li and Hend one back of Catlin while Moroccans Lguirati and Raouzi make cut at 2024 Saudi Open

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Four birdies in five holes on his back nine catapulted Li Haotong up the leaderboard. (Supplied)
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John Catlin birdied the 18th hole as the sun set on a warm day at Riyadh Golf Club. (Supplied)
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Updated 18 April 2024
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Li and Hend one back of Catlin while Moroccans Lguirati and Raouzi make cut at 2024 Saudi Open

  • John Catlin birdied the 18th to remain at the top of the 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF leaderboard
  • Moroccans Ayoub Lgiurati and Othman Raouzi made the cut as Saudi amateur Khalid Walid Attieh missed by one stroke

RIYADH: Li Haotong and Scott Hend made the most of the calm morning conditions to head into the weekend one shot behind pacesetter John Catlin, who leads on 10-under-par after day two of the 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF.

Catlin birdied the 18th hole as the sun set on a warm day at Riyadh Golf Club to ensure he heads into Friday ahead of Chinese star and DP World Tour member Li, who shot a scintillating 65, and Australian Hend. Steve Lewton’s 64 was the best round of the day and sees him in third place alongside David Puig, who finished his round with a triple bogey on the ninth hole.

Amateur Khalid Walid Attieh looked set to make history as the first Saudi player to make the cut since the tournament was elevated to the Asian Tour, however three bogeys on the back nine saw him miss out by one, with a putt just sliding by at the last.

Moroccan golfers Ayoub Lguirati and Othman Raouzi, who were two of the golfers given special invites to the tournament as part of Golf Saudi’s strategic partnership with the Arab Golf Federation, finished on one-under-par and even par respectively to extend their participation.

Lguirati said: “It was a positive day for me with only one bogey and one birdie. I stuck to my strategy all day and ended with a good result in a tough competition. I am very happy to have made the cut in this tournament and to play over the next two days.

“I usually play on the second tier Asian Development Tour but with the help of the Royal Moroccan Golf Association and Golf Saudi I have been able to reach this level and I continue improving.”

Meanwhile, Li is excited to challenge for the 2024 Saudi Open presented by PIF trophy as he looks to put some recent poor form behind him. Four birdies in five holes on his back nine catapulted him up the leaderboard.

Li said: “I played really well and wasted some chances. The course played a lot easier compared to yesterday, because of no wind and easier pin positions.

“I am still struggling a little bit off the tee, but except for that everything’s pretty solid overall. I am here to try and get the job done and get the trophy! So hopefully I have a hot start tomorrow.”

Li will play alongside Hend and Catlin on Friday, but will be wary of Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Puig in the penultimate group, who won the PIF Moment of the Day for a stunning front nine of 29, which included five birdies and an eagle in his first six holes.


’Dreamer’ Amorim vows to revive ailing Man Utd

Updated 17 sec ago
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’Dreamer’ Amorim vows to revive ailing Man Utd

Asked if he believes he can eventually restore United to the summit of English football, Amorim told reporters on Friday: “I’m a little bit of a dreamer, I believe in myself”
“I truly believe in the players, I know you don’t believe a lot but I do. I want to try new things. You guys don’t think it’s possible, I do“

MANCHESTER: New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said he is the right man to revive the ailing English giants’ fortunes ahead of his debut against Ipswich on Sunday.
Amorim was hired from Sporting Lisbon to replace Erik ten Hag, who was sacked after a dismal start to the season left United languishing in 13th place in the Premier League.
The 39-year-old is regarded as one of the brightest young coaches in Europe after leading Sporting to a pair of Portugese titles during his four years in Lisbon.
But United have won just four of their 11 league games this term, extending a malaise that has set in since they last won the Premier League in Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge 11 years ago.
Asked if he believes he can eventually restore United to the summit of English football, Amorim told reporters on Friday: “I’m a little bit of a dreamer, I believe in myself. I believe in the club, we have the same mindset.
“I truly believe in the players, I know you don’t believe a lot but I do. I want to try new things. You guys don’t think it’s possible, I do.”
After arriving in Manchester during the international break, Amorim will finally get his first taste of the Premier League when United travel to struggling Ipswich this weekend.
He is trying to succeed where David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ten Hag all failed by bringing the title back to Old Trafford.
The Portuguese boss is adamant reviving United is not an impossible job, despite a difficult combination of high expectations and underperforming squad.
“Call me naive, but I truly believe that I’m the right guy in the right moment,” he added.
Amorim was speaking to the media for the first time since taking charge on November 11.
The packed press conference room at United’s Carrington training ground underlined what Amorim has already started to realize about the size and global reach of the 20-time English champions.
“It’s bigger than I imagined. There’s a lot of departments, it’s so much different than Sporting, and Sporting is a big club in Portugal,” he said.
“This you feel is a global club, so you have so much to do.”
Amorim’s rise has been compared to the early success enjoyed by compatriot Mourinho at Porto.
Mourinho took English football by storm when appointed Chelsea boss in 2004, shortly after guiding Porto to Champions League glory.
“He sent me a message saying it’s a big club with lovely people, and he’s correct, it still is,” Amorim said of Mourinho.
“With all the Portuguese coaches, we’ve shown that we can be the best in the world. I’m different from Mourinho. He was a European champion, I am not.
“Football is different nowadays, I think I am the right person for this moment. I am a young guy and I try to use this to help my players.”
Amorim’s confidence extends to his tactics and he is ready to stick with his preferred 3-4-3 system despite players who might not be suited to the formation.
“I prefer to risk a little bit,” he said. “We will adapt some players because we don’t have the right profile.
“This team was built for a different system. It’s not evolution or revolution, it’s a change in the way we play football.”
Acknowledging United’s numerous flaws, Amorim knows he faces a massive task to catch up the likes of rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.
“We have space to grow as a team. We have to improve in a lot of areas,” he said.
“If you want to speak about the team and the way we play, we lose the ball too often. We have to be better at running back and we have to be very good in the details.
“We have to change the physical aspect of the team. I don’t know how long it will take. We have to improve a lot to try to win the title.”

Slot warns of Southampton slip-up ahead of Liverpool’s ‘incredible’ week

Updated 57 min 13 sec ago
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Slot warns of Southampton slip-up ahead of Liverpool’s ‘incredible’ week

  • Slot has made a remarkable start to his time in charge of the Reds, winning 15 of his first 17 games in all competitions
  • That has propelled Liverpool into a five-point lead over City at the top of the Premier League and to the summit of the new-format Champions League

LIVERPOOL: Arne Slot said he cannot be distracted by Liverpool’s upcoming showdowns with Real Madrid and Manchester City as the injury-hit Premier League leaders visit Southampton on Sunday.
Slot has made a remarkable start to his time in charge of the Reds, winning 15 of his first 17 games in all competitions.
That has propelled Liverpool into a five-point lead over City at the top of the Premier League and to the summit of the new-format Champions League.
“It would be a bit strange if I tell you I’m not enjoying being in the position we are in now, but we also understand we’re only 11 (league) games in now, so that’s a lot of games to be played,” said Slot at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
A trip to bottom-of-the-table Southampton appears the ideal appetiser to two huge clashes as Madrid visit Anfield on Wednesday before a showdown with City on December 1.
But Slot is wary of the threat posed by the Saints, who have often dominated possession without reward on their return to the top-flight.
“We indeed have incredible fixtures coming up, starting with Southampton,” added Slot.
“It’s not going to be easy even if everyone feels it is (because they are) bottom of the league. (Southampton) do not play at all like this and they made it difficult for teams that are in the top three of four.
“Their playing style is very interesting, it is a joy to watch their games.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold could be back in time to face Madrid, but is unlikely to return from a hamstring injury this weekend, while Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota remain out.
Liverpool’s title rivals received a major boost this week as Pep Guardiola extended his contract as Manchester City boss until 2027.
Slot is a confessed admirer of the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach, who has led City to six Premier League titles in the past seven seasons.
“That’s good news for City first of all, and also good news for the league because I think everyone wants to have the best managers possible and the best players over here,” said Slot.
“On the other hand City have so many quality players that if he made the choice to leave the club I would never expect them to be bottom of the league next season.”


Leverkusen’s Boniface sidelined with leg injury

Updated 56 min 56 sec ago
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Leverkusen’s Boniface sidelined with leg injury

  • “He’s got a small injury in his thigh muscle, it’s a shame,” Alonso told reporters ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Heidenheim
  • Nigerian media reported Boniface could miss the remainder of 2024 but Alonso was optimistic the striker would be back soon

BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen and Nigeria striker Victor Boniface is set to miss “a few games” after returning from international duty with a leg injury, coach Xabi Alonso said Friday.
“He’s got a small injury in his thigh muscle, it’s a shame,” Alonso told reporters ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Heidenheim.
Nigerian media reported Boniface could miss the remainder of 2024 but Alonso was optimistic the striker would be back soon.
“He won’t be there tomorrow or against Salzburg (Champions League).
“We hope he will play again this year. We have to wait and see, but it’s not going to be six or eight weeks.”
Forward Patrik Schick, who has started just twice in the league this season, is expected to step up in the Nigerian’s absence.
“He is always ready — we don’t just need him now, but always.”
The defending champions, who did not lose a game in Germany last year on the way to an unbeaten league and cup double, have stuttered this season.
Leverkusen are currently in fourth, nine points behind league leaders Bayern Munich. Alonso’s men have dropped 13 points so far this season, one more than the 12 they leaked in the entirety of the last campaign.
Boniface is Leverkusen’s highest scorer in the league, with six goals and an assist in 10 games.


Wagner puts on a late show as Magic stun Lakers

Updated 22 November 2024
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Wagner puts on a late show as Magic stun Lakers

  • Wagner, 23, finished with 37 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead the Magic scoring
  • San Antonio Spurs improved to 8-8 for the season after scrapping to a 126-118 win over the Utah Jazz

LOS ANGELES: German international Franz Wagner drained a three-pointer with three seconds remaining as the Orlando Magic ended the Los Angeles Lakers’ unbeaten home record with a dramatic 119-118 victory on Thursday.

Rising star Wagner took full advantage of wayward Lakers shooting from the free throw line in the closing seconds of a see-saw battle at the Crypto.Com Arena to give Orlando a hard-fought win.

Wagner, 23, finished with 37 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead the Magic scoring, with older brother Moritz adding 19 from the bench and Jalen Suggs scoring 23.

The in-form Lakers, who had gone into Thursday’s encounter on a six-game unbeaten streak, were left ruing some wasteful shooting from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, where they made just three of nine attempts.

The Lakers had looked poised to close out the win after opening up a four-point lead with 27 seconds remaining at 118-114.

But Franz Wagner closed the gap to 118-116 with a driving layup, and then Anthony Davis missed two free throws to give Orlando a glimmer of hope with 19 seconds remaining.

Wagner then punished the Lakers profligacy, coolly knocking down a step-back three from 26 feet to give Orlando what turned out to be the winning lead.

Davis led the Lakers scorers with 39 points while LeBron James finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Rookie Dalton Knecht added 17 points.

Orlando improved to 10-7 while the Lakers slipped to 10-5 and are now fourth in the Western Conference.

In other games, the San Antonio Spurs improved to 8-8 for the season after scrapping to a 126-118 win over the Utah Jazz.

Utah had seemed poised to claim only their fourth victory of the season after surging into a 20-point lead in the second quarter against a Spurs side missing the injured Victor Wembanyama.

But San Antonio erupted for 75 points after half-time to outscore Utah by 24 points and snatch victory.

Harrison Barnes led San Antonio’s scoring with 25 points and 10 rebounds while rookie Stephon Castle and Zach Collins added 18 points each on a night when eight Spurs players finished in double figures.

Lauri Markkanen scored 27 points for Utah, who slipped to their fourth straight defeat.

In Charlotte, Brandon Miller produced a flurry of scoring in overtime to finish with a career-high 38 points as the Hornets defeated the Detroit Pistons 123-121.

Miller rattled in eight overtime points to help Charlotte claim a win which improves their season record to 6-9.

The Toronto Raptors (4-12) upset the Minnesota Timberwolves, winning 110-105.


Egypt’s El Dafrawy riding momentum into PFL MENA

Updated 22 November 2024
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Egypt’s El Dafrawy riding momentum into PFL MENA

  • The 29-year-old will face Kuwait’s Mohammad Alaqraa on Nov. 29 for the Welterweight title honors

RIYADH: Egyptian Welterweight standout Omar El Dafrawy is heading into the first PFL MENA Championships in Riyadh on Nov. 29 with plenty of momentum.

The 29-year old comes in off the biggest win of his career, a stunning upset victory over title favorite and Middle Eastern MMA icon Jarrah Al-Selawe at the PFL MENA Playoffs back in September.

Now he is set to meet a familiar foe in Kuwait’s Mohammad Alaqraa, this time for the inaugural PFL MENA Welterweight Championship.

Apart from a spot in the championship bout, the win over Al-Selawe has given El Dafrawy a massive confidence boost, one he will need when he steps inside the SmartCage to face the undefeated Alaqraa.

“I don’t fear any fighter, whether it’s Alaqraa or anyone else,” El Dafrawy said. “I’ve defeated the best fighter in the Middle East in just three minutes, so stepping inside the SmartCage is something I’m completely used to.”

While that may sound somewhat arrogant, El Dafrawy maintains none of that stems from his huge win over two-division champion Al-Selawe.

“There’s no arrogance after beating Jarrah, who was a top contender for the title,” he said. “I’m a fighter who strictly follows the game plan set by my coaching staff, that’s how I beat Jarrah.”

While Alaqraa was victorious in their first meeting back in 2023, El Dafrawy claims it will be a different result second time around.

“I am a completely different fighter from the one Alaqraa faced in our first bout,” he said. “Back then, I wasn’t mentally ready and was going through some difficult personal circumstances. Now, the situation is entirely different, and I’m ready to give my best in the finals. I hope Alaqraa does the same.”

With a championship on the line and a possible pathway into the PFL’s million-dollar global tournament, the stakes are definitely higher in this matchup.

“Alaqraa doesn’t know who he’ll be facing on Nov. 29. I’ve become a completely different fighter with many surprises. No matter how much he studies my previous fights, he won’t be able to predict what I’ll do,” El Dafrawy added.

“He’ll see for himself in the cage.”

The complete PFL MENA Championships fight card:

PFL MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdelrahman Alhyasat (5-0) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (9-2)

PFL MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (7-0) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (12-6)

Amateur Women’s Atomweight Bout: Hattan Alsaif vs. Lilia Osmani

PFL MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (11-1) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (15-3)

PFL MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (6-1) vs. Georges Eid (10-4)

Showcase Fights:

Lightweight MENA Showcase: Mansour Barnaoui (21-6) vs. Alfie Davis (17-4-1)

Heavyweight MENA Showcase: Slim Trabelsi (7-0) vs. Abraham Bably (5-0)

Featherweight Global Showcase: Jesus Pinedo (23-6-1) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (19-4)

Featherweight Global Showcase: Asael Adjoudj (8-1) vs. Jose Perez (9-1)

Middleweight Global Showcase: Costello van Steenis (15-3) vs. Joao Dantas (7-1)