RIYADH: Ahead of the SAFF Women’s Cup final on Wednesday night, Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah coaches and players have spoken to Arab News about their football journeys, and predicted a bright future for the women’s game in the Kingdom.
Taking place on March 19 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, the match will feature two of the top teams in Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning women’s football scene.
Manar Fraij, Al-Ahli’s football coach, said that the Saudi league was competing to be one of the best leagues in the Arab world, even at the level of Africa and Asia.
“The presence of players who meet high standards supports the Saudi league and draws more attention to it,” she said. “It has helped Saudi players to interact with experienced players, those who’ve played in the biggest international and global events. All of this benefits the Saudi players, the Saudi league, and the Saudi national team. I expect that in about three years, the Saudi women’s national team will reach a very high level.”
She highlighted the growth of female players in the Kingdom, noting a surge in new players under the age of 15.
“It’s all part of the infrastructure that the Saudi federation is working on in a sequential, excellent manner. Today, the mindset of the Saudi player has changed … Today, I’m seeing professionalism in the game. Saudi Arabia has started to show up on the scene.
“Their commitment beyond training, even off the field, is reflected in their performance, and it’s clear, whether in the achievements of the Saudi national team or the Saudi league. When I see a 19-year-old Saudi player running alongside a 30-year-old professional who’s played in Europe and the Champions League, that’s something truly impressive.”
Fraij said that the Saudi league had become desirable for players internationally, but she emphasized that the Kingdom’s players should be given the opportunity to play.
“We’ve seen this year’s signings — clubs have brought in players of a very high level,” she said. “Of course, it’s good; the more professionals there are, the better. But on the condition that Saudi players still get their chance in the league and in the cup, so that cohesion remains clear, and we keep building the foundation and gaining experience for the Saudi national team.”
Morocco international and Al-Ahli captain, Ibtissam Jraidi, said that the league this year was different to last year, pointing out that there had been major improvement and development.
“Even the efforts from the Saudi Federation to support Saudi girls in achieving their dreams, letting them play matches and play football, have made a difference,” she said. “Honestly, even the Saudi players themselves have improved a lot. I can see it clearly, even among the girls in my team and in other teams as well. They’ve developed so quickly, and that’s really nice and positive. The attention and support from the Saudi Federation are what helped them develop like this.”
The captain, who became the first Arab to score a goal at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, said that she prepares herself by focusing solely on the match.
“I don’t think about anything else so that I can perform at my true level on the field — to help my team and my teammates. My mind is on the match, and specifically on what I need to do on the field, and nothing else.”
Luis Andrade, head coach of Al-Qadsiah, told Arab News that the journey to the final had been built on belief, teamwork and determination.
“We have overcome big challenges to be here, and we are ready to take the next step,” he said. “Our players have shown incredible character throughout this competition, and we aim to make history for the club and our fans.”
Meanwhile, Al-Qadsiah captain Rayanne Machado said that playing in the final was a dream come true for their team.
“We have worked so hard to reach this stage, and we are fully prepared to fight for the title,” she said. “We respect Al-Ahli’s quality, but we believe in ourselves and our ability to bring this trophy home for Al-Qadsiah.”
This is the second SAFF Women’s Cup, which began in October, and saw 16 teams from both the Saudi Women’s Premier League and the Saudi Women’s First Division League competing for glory. A campaign by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, #SeeOurGlory, was launched earlier in the week to celebrate the event and encourage fans to attend the final.
Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah stars foresee bright future for Saudi game ahead of SAFF Women’s Cup final
https://arab.news/mrx8r
Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah stars foresee bright future for Saudi game ahead of SAFF Women’s Cup final
- The second competition will take place at Kingdom Arena on Wednesday night
- Manar Fraij, Al-Ahli’s football coach, said that the Saudi league was competing to be one of the best leagues in the Arab world
Hamilton wants a faster Ferrari to challenge McLaren at F1’s sprint weekend in China
- For seven-time world champion Hamilton, China is a chance for a reset after a difficult Ferrari debut at Melbourne’s Albert Park last weekend
- China’s Sprint weekend format will be another challenge for F1’s six rookies
SHANGHAI: McLaren’s dominance, Lewis Hamilton’s bid to bounce back after a disappointing debut for Ferrari, and the death of Eddie Jordan have generated headlines as Formula 1 prepares for its first Sprint weekend of the season at the Chinese Grand Prix.
Lando Norris arrived in Shanghai atop the drivers’ standings for the first time following his win at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix last Sunday, but it was his qualifying pace for McLaren — and not just holding off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen — that had his rivals on edge ahead of practice.
McLaren’s pace
Mercedes driver George Russell went so far as to say McLaren could win every race this season, describing its raw pace advantage as “bigger than Red Bull has ever had.” But, while Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri strongly refuted the claim — stating the form would change between rounds — the rest of the paddock wasn’t so sure.
“They’re definitely ahead,” Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc said. “The gap in qualifying, the gap that there was (in Australia, 0.385sec to the nearest non-McLaren) is more or less what there is.”
“I think we are around Mercedes and Red Bull in terms of lap times if we put everything together,” Leclearc said, “so there’s still a big chunk to get McLaren then.”
It’s unclear if a new technical directive will shuffle the order in China, with FIA, the sport’s governing body, cracking down on rear wing flexing with a tougher static load test.
None of the drivers were forthcoming, as to what triggered the FIA’s new interpretation, or who it was most expected to impact.
“We don’t have to change anything,” Norris said. “Ours is fine. In fact, ours was probably too good, and we probably weren’t pushing the limits enough. If this technical directive had been applied last weekend, we would’ve been fine.
“It seems to be directed (at) other teams, which probably means we should push it a little bit more.”
Hamilton primed for improvement
For seven-time world champion Hamilton, China is a chance for a reset after a difficult Ferrari debut at Melbourne’s Albert Park last weekend, where he qualified eighth, briefly took the lead, but couldn’t hold onto it because of the team’s tire strategy.
But the 40-year-old, who is F1’s most successful driver with a record 105 GP wins and 104 pole positions, says he still needs more time to bring the full force of his experience to his new team.
“As I get more comfortable and more knowledgeable about the car, I can start making more decisions,” Hamilton said of his preferred set up. “I’m having those discussions, and I’m going to lean a little bit more with adding my experience hopefully a bit more in it.”
Hamilton is hopeful that the Australian GP was an outlier for him and for Ferrari.
“I hope so,” he said. “I think our car looked pretty decent on Friday (in Australia) and even on Saturday morning. So, I think it’s a bit of a one-off.”
Another tough test for F1’s rookies
China’s Sprint weekend format will be another challenge for F1’s six rookies. The track has been completely resurfaced and there’s just one practice session, making it more difficult to get a baseline setup before Sprint qualifying.
Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli said it feels like a return to F2, with its compacted schedule, but the Italian knows what he has to do
“You want to finish free practice and say ‘Okay, like I got to a good level of driving. I’m not so far from the limit and I know where I have to make the step for qualifying,’” Antonelli said. “The important thing is going to be to get as close as possible to the limit without making any big mistakes.”
At Racing Bulls, Isack Hadjar is ready to put the pain of Melbourne behind him, having put his car into the Turn 2 barrier on the formation lap.
In the aftermath of his crash, Hadjar was seen walking back to the garage crying with his hands up to his helmet. Red Bull motorsport consultant Doctor Helmut Marko said it was embarrassing, but Hamilton’s father, Anthony, sought Hadjar out for some reassuring words.
“It was a nice moment, sharing time with someone like Anthony as well — obviously, the dad of my idol,” Hadjar said. “So that was quite a special moment. And Lewis sent me a message later that day. Really classy guys.”
RIP Eddie Jordan
Sadness descended on the F1 community on Thursday with news that ex-team owner Eddie Jordan had died.
Beloved throughout the sport “EJ” ran the Jordan team from 1991 to 2005. His humor, strong opinions and deep contacts made Jordan a popular media pundit after he sold the team – with his most recent project being the “Formula for Success” podcast he co-hosted with ex-F1 driver David Coulthard.
The 76-year-old Jordan also acted as the manager for design great Adrian Newey when he left Red Bull for Aston Martin last year.
Jordan was undergoing cancer treatment before he died. His family issued a statement, published by rugby club London Irish, where Jordan was a patron, to say he “passed away peacefully with family by his side in Cape Town.”
Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle, who drove for Jordan in 1996, led the emotional tributes from the sport.
“What a character. What a rock star. What a racer,” Brundle posted on social media. “So many drivers owe you so much, you gave us our chances and believed in us.”
Racing
The first Sprint weekend for 2025 begins at the Shanghai International Circuit on Friday, with a single practice session at 11.30 a.m. local time (0330 GMT) before sprint qualifying at 3.30 p.m. (0730 GMT).
NBA’s Celtics to be sold for record $6.1 billion to group led by private equity mogul Bill Chisholm
- If the deal is approved by the NBA’s board of governors this summer, the sale would top the $6.05 billion paid for the NFL’s Washington Commanders in 2023
- The agreement calls for a two-part sale in which Chisholm would acquire at least 51 percent of the team upon approval by the NBA’s board of governors, which could come as soon as this summer
BOSTON: Private equity mogul William Chisholm agreed to buy the Boston Celtics on Thursday in a deal that values the NBA’s reigning champions and the most-decorated franchise in league history at a minimum of $6.1 billion — the largest price ever for American professional sports team.
If the deal is approved by the NBA’s board of governors this summer, the sale would top the $6.05 billion paid for the NFL’s Washington Commanders in 2023.
A Massachusetts native and graduate of Dartmouth College and Penn’s Wharton School of business, Chisholm is the managing partner of California-based Symphony Technology Group. The new ownership group also includes Boston businessmen Rob Hale, who is a current Celtics shareholder, and Bruce Beal Jr.
“Growing up on the North Shore and attending college in New England, I have been a die-hard Celtics fan my entire life,” Chisholm said in a statement. “I understand how important the Celtics are to the city of Boston — the role the team plays in the community is different than any other city in the country. I also understand that there is a responsibility as a leader of the organization to the people of Boston, and I am up for this challenge.”
Wyc Grousbeck, whose family leads the ownership group that bought the team in 2002 for $360 million, said Chisholm asked him to stay on as CEO and Governor for the next three seasons, “and I am glad to do so.”
“Bill is a terrific person and a true Celtics fan, born and raised here in the Boston area,” Grousbeck said. “His love for the team and the city of Boston, along with his chemistry with the rest of the Celtics leadership, make him a natural choice to be the next Governor and controlling owner of the team. I know he appreciates the importance of the Celtics and burns with a passion to win on the court while being totally committed to the community. Quite simply, he wants to be a great owner.”
The agreement calls for a two-part sale in which Chisholm would acquire at least 51 percent of the team upon approval by the NBA’s board of governors, which could come as soon as this summer. Current owners would have the option to retain the remainder of their shares until 2028, when they would be sold at a price that could be up to 20 percent higher, based on a formula determined by league revenue growth.
That would value the team at $7.3 billion. Chisholm outbid at least two other groups; one was led by current Celtics minority partner Steve Pagliuca, who said he put together a record, fully guaranteed bid with deep resources and no debt to “ensure we can always compete for championships, luxury taxes be damned.”
“It is a bid of true fans, deeply connected to Boston’s community, and we’ve been saddened to find out that we have not been selected,” he said in a statement. “I will never stop being a Celtic, and if the announced transaction does not end up being finalized, my partners and I are ready to check back into the game and bring it home, to help continue what the Celtics do best — win.”
Sportico and ESPN were among those first reporting the sale agreement.
The record price for an NBA team was the $4 billion mortgage firm owner Mat Ishbia paid for the Phoenix Suns in 2023. But the Celtics are one of the league’s flagship franchises, winning their unprecedented 18th NBA title last June and among the favorites to win again this season with young stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — successors to a tradition of championship-winning Hall of Famers running from Bob Cousy to Bill Russell to Larry Bird to Paul Pierce.
Shortly after beating the Dallas Mavericks for the NBA title last summer, Grousbeck announced that the team would be put up for sale.
“My partners and I have immense respect for Wyc, the entire Grousbeck family and their indelible contributions to the Celtics organization over the last 23 years,” Chisholm said. “We look forward to learning from Wyc and partnering with Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla and the talented team and staff to build upon their success as we work to bring more championships home to Boston.”
Spain salvage streak with last-ditch Netherlands draw in Nations League
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands: European champions Spain salvaged their two-year unbeaten streak in the dying minutes of Thursday’s Nations League quarter-final first leg, denying 10-man Netherlands a famous victory with a 2-2 draw.
Mikel Merino broke Dutch hearts in the third minute of added time, to maintain an unbeaten run that now stretches to 22 competitive games.
The two powerhouses of world football meet again in Valencia on Sunday, with the winner of the tie to face France or Croatia in the semifinal.
The omens were good for the hosts, who had never lost to Spain on home soil, and could count on raucous support from a sold-out De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam.
But Spain also had good memories of the stadium, the scene of their 2023 Nations League triumph, where they beat Croatia 5-4 on penalties.
The visitors struck first, benefitting from some defensive fraility and deft footwork from star winger Nico Williams.
Barcelona’s 17-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal dispossessed Jorrel Hato on the right side, finding club-mate Pedri who slotted into Williams in the box.
Williams effortlessly turned Lutsharel Geertruida and slid his shot past Bart Verbruggen in the Dutch goal to silence the orange hordes.
The hosts rallied strongly and got their reward on 27 minutes, the ball breaking for Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo who beat Unai Simon at his near post.
The equalizer galvanized the Dutch, who enjoyed possession and pressure, knocking the ball around with confidence and creating several chances.
The best of these fell to Memphis Depay, recalled after a spell in the wilderness and he found himself unmarked in the Spanish box but struck his shot straight at Simon.
An acrobatic strike from AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders grazed the Spain bar and it was the Dutch who went into half-time in the ascendancy after a free-flowing first period.
The Oranje took the lead less than a minute into the second half, Jeremie Frimpong breaking swiftly down the right and squaring accurately to Reijnders, who swept his shot into the left corner.
Gakpo came close to stretching the lead even further in the 59th minute but Simon got down to his stinging shot along the ground.
Spain manager Luis De la Fuente made three substitutions in a bid to exert some pressure on the Dutch, but Verbruggen was untroubled until the 70th minute when he had to react smartly to a ball deflected off his own defender.
La Rioja pushed for the equalizer with some intricate passing around the penalty box but lacked real penetration.
As pressure built, players on both sides became increasingly scratchy, culminating in a red card for Hato, who lunged at Robin Le Normand, catching his ankle.
That sparked a nervous last few minutes for the Dutch and the pressure eventually told.
Williams again harassed the Dutch defense, cutting inside from the left and releasing a shot that Verbruggen could only parry into the path of Merino for a tap-in.
Perisic stars as Croatia stun France in Nations League
SPLIT, Croatia: Ivan Perisic scored one goal and made another as Croatia beat France 2-0 on Thursday to seize the upper hand in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarter-final tie.
Perisic crossed for Ante Budimir to head in the opener at the Stadion Poljud in Split after the home side had squandered an early penalty.
With France out of sorts, Perisic made it 2-0 before the break and a Croatia side captained by Luka Modric saw out the victory to take to Paris for the return match on Sunday.
It was not a good night for France as captain Kylian Mbappe made his comeback having not featured in either of the last two international windows, in October and November.
Mbappe did have chances, notably seeing a deflected second-half shot from Ousmane Dembele’s cutback kept out by a fine Dominik Livakovic save.
The Real Madrid superstar has now failed to find the net in his last six appearances for his country, since scoring a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Poland at Euro 2024.
Les Bleus will now have to find a way of overturning the deficit at the Stade de France on Sunday, otherwise Croatia will be heading to the final four of the Nations League.
The semifinals and final will take place in June and will be hosted by either Italy or Germany, depending on which of those sides emerges victorious from their last-eight encounter.
France won the Nations League in 2021 but suffered a first ever defeat against Croatia in the group stage of the following year’s edition.
This latest repeat of the 2018 World Cup final, won 4-2 by the French in Moscow, saw Croatia win a spot-kick just five minutes in.
Liverpool center-back Ibrahima Konate was penalized for a blatant handball inside the area, but Mike Maignan saved Andrej Kramaric’s penalty after a long delay due to the goalkeeper having a laser pen shone in his eyes.
However, Croatia did get the breakthrough on 26 minutes as Budimir, who has 15 goals in La Liga this season for Osasuna, got in front of William Saliba to connect with a Perisic cross from the left.
Budimir’e header was blocked by Maignan, but the ball still spun into the net in cruel fashion for the goalkeeper.
It was 2-0 in first-half stoppage time as Saliba blocked a shot by Martin Baturina, only for the ball to fall for PSV Eindhoven veteran Perisic to fire in.
France made changes, sending on Dayot Upamecano for Konate at the restart and later bringing on Bradley Barcola for Randal Kolo Muani and Michael Olize for Dembele.
The latter spent more time on the right flank after the break having previously been deployed more centrally.
However, they could not get a goal back and now face a daunting task in trying to recover the tie.
Saudi Arabia back on track for World Cup after victory over 10-man China
- Salem Al-Dawsari’s goal early in the second half moved Herve Renard’s men into 3rd spot in their qualifying group, a point behind 2nd-place Australia
- The Aussies’ 5-1 win over Indonesia earlier in the day put more pressure on the Saudis, who had picked up only 2 points from their past 4 games
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia defeated 10-man China 1-0 in Riyadh on Thursday to get their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign back on track.
Salem Al-Dawsari’s goal early in the second half moved Herve Renard’s men into third place in Group C, a point behind Australia in the battle for the second automatic qualification spot, and three clear of Indonesia, Bahrain and China.
Japan defeated Bahrain 2-0 to remain nine points clear at the top of the group with three games to play, and become the first nation to clinch qualification for the tournament.
Australia’s 5-1 win over Indonesia earlier in the day had piled more pressure on the Saudis, who knew that after collecting just two points from their past four qualification games, and with a trip to a dominant Japan coming up on Tuesday, only a victory would do.
As expected, the Green Falcons made most of the running, and midway through the first half they came within millimeters of taking the lead. Al-Dawsari slipped the ball to Nawaf Boushal on the left side of the area and the Al-Nassr star curled a shot that bounced back off the underside of the crossbar.
Eight minutes before the break the home team came even closer. In fact, midfielder Faisal Al-Ghamdi had the ball in the back of the net after bundling a Musab Al-Juwayr cross home from close range. However, the celebrations were cut short as the video assistant referee had spotted a handball by Al-Ghamdi.
China were reduced to 10 men in first-half added time when Lin Liangming was red-carded for a tackle on Hassan Kadesh that resulted in the defender, the two-goal hero of Saudi Arabia’s victory over China in September, being carried from the pitch.
Five minutes after the break, Al-Dawsari broke the deadlock when he scored the team’s first goal for 410 minutes in the qualification campaign. It came after Ayman Yahya’s shot from the left-hand side of the area was palmed away by Wang Dalei only as far as Saud Abdulhamid, who squared the ball to Al-Dawsari. The Al-Hilal star made no mistake as he swept it home from close range.
The home team continued to pour forward in search of a second goal that would surely have killed off the tie. They failed to get it but in the end it did not matter.
The top two teams in the six-team group qualify automatically for the World Cup, while the teams in third and fourth will progress to a play-off phase.
