Alfa Semedo adapting to managerial changes as he recalls hectic 12 months at Al-Tai

Alfa Semedo adapting to managerial changes as he recalls hectic 12 months at Al-Tai
Ittihad's Brazilian midfielder #10 Igor Coronado fights for the ball with Tai's Guinean midfielder Alfa Semedo #30 during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Tai at the Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah (AFP)
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Updated 21 September 2023
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Alfa Semedo adapting to managerial changes as he recalls hectic 12 months at Al-Tai

Alfa Semedo adapting to managerial changes as he recalls hectic 12 months at Al-Tai
  • The Guinea-Bissau international talks to Arab News about his club’s coaching carousel, Joao Felix, and facing Benzema

Alfa Semedo is not used to watching from the sidelines.

But a straight red card against Al-Ahli a few weeks ago means Al-Tai’s midfielder has missed his team’s much-needed 1-0 victory over Al-Abha and last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Al-Hazm.

They are rare absences for Semedo, who played 28 of a possible 29 games for Al-Tai last season after moving from Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes.

The Guinea-Bissau international, who has played in the UEFA Champions League for Benfica and in the English Championship for Nottingham Forest and Reading, has become a valued presence in Al-Tai’s midfield.

He has impressively maintained that role despite playing for four different head coaches in less than 12 months. Semedo’s experience of the Al-Tai managerial merry-go-round began last summer with Pepa, the Portuguese coach for whom Semedo had previously played at Vitoria.

Pepa was replaced in January by Romanian Mirel Radoi, who lasted just four months. Jose Pedro Barreto then took caretaker charge at the end of the 2022-23 season, with Croatian Kresimir Rezic currently at the helm after arriving from Damac.

“It is always challenging when you work with someone you know really well, and then he goes,” Semedo told Arab News. “You feel sad but this is football. We have friends and teammates that come and go always so we must be ready for anything.

“In football you just have to look the other way and keep going because if the coach leaves and you stop doing your thing, you stop playing well, you stop performing, you will lose your place in the team. That’s it. It’s football.”

Rezic has brought yet another new approach to Al-Tai but Semedo insists it is up to the players to fit into his system.

“It can be difficult because a new coach can come with another idea, another way he wants to play. You never know what he is thinking and sometimes there is very little time for you to try to get it.

“Some coaches will play three at the back, others five at the back — tactics can be very different but you have to be ready for that as a footballer — you need to adapt. “He (Rezic) is a good coach who is young and has good ideas,” Semedo said.

“We’ve had some struggles in the beginning (of the season) but the last game we won and now we have confidence and motivation. We will come back fresh with the energy to go again.”

Semedo’s own high-energy game was forged in the academy of one of Europe’s most prestigious clubs, Benfica. After moving from his native Guinea-Bissau to Portugal aged 17, the midfielder counted the likes of current Barcelona forward Joao Felix and Manchester City’s Ruben Dias as teammates.

“This is a school that builds some of the best players in the world at this moment in time and you can feel it when you are there,” Semedo said. “This helped me improve a lot and then playing in the first team too, you understand then that this is a huge football club. They do such a good job.”

While Benfica can boast myriad successful academy graduates over the years, it is Felix and Dias who are perhaps the most notable more recently. Semedo says the ability of both was clear to see from a young age.

“Early on we could see Ruben Dias was going to be someone who is a leader because this guy even at 18/19, he had this spirit, this leader’s spirit,” Semedo recalled. “The way he spoke on the pitch and the way he played the game; you could see this guy is going to be a big center-back in football.

“Then with Joao Felix, I think everyone saw it — we knew he was a special player because of his touch, the relationship he has with the ball was just different. He has so much quality.”

It seemed at one stage this summer that Felix would be joining Semedo in Saudi Arabia after he was linked with a move to Al-Hilal. While the Portugal forward ended up at Barcelona on loan, Semedo could see him moving to the Kingdom in the future.

“If you had asked me last year if he would come to Saudi Arabia, I’d have never thought it,” Semedo laughed. “But football is crazy and now anything can happen. You see the numbers they are putting on the table to get these players, it messes with your mind — so you never know.”

Like many in the Saudi Pro League, Semedo has been enjoying the competition’s newly elevated global status and insists he is relishing the challenge provided by the recent influx of talented opponents.

“We played against Al-Ittihad — against Benzema, Kante, Fabinho — recently. It was a tough game of course because they are players with a lot of quality and a very good team together too.

“The way they play is so intense, but these are the games you want to play, that every footballer wants to play.

“Of course, it is just three points available like any game but you know when you play these teams that more people are watching and that there is going to be extra motivation playing the best players in the world. It is a different level.”


Pakistan Cricket Board drops ex-captain Salman Butt from selection panel after backlash

Pakistan Cricket Board drops ex-captain Salman Butt from selection panel after backlash
Updated 29 sec ago
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Pakistan Cricket Board drops ex-captain Salman Butt from selection panel after backlash

Pakistan Cricket Board drops ex-captain Salman Butt from selection panel after backlash
  • The PCB announced the appointment of Butt as consultant to Pakistan chief selector on Friday
  • The 39-year-old was sentenced to prison in 2011 in a spot-fixing scandal, banned for 10 years

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dropped ex-cricketer Salman Butt from its panel of consultants for team selection, Chief Selector Wahab Riaz announced Saturday, following backlash over Butt's appointment. 

The PCB announced the appointment of Butt along with Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum as consultants to Riaz on Friday, amid a reshuffle in the national side and the board’s management.  

Pakistanis took to social media and strongly criticized the PCB for the appointment of Butt, who was sent to prison in 2011 and banned from playing for 10 years for his part in a conspiracy to bowl deliberate no-balls during a 2010 Test match against England at Lord's. 

Speaking at a press conference at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, Riaz said it was his decision to appoint Butt his consultant as he understood cricket. 

"Salman Butt's name has now been withdrawn," he said, adding that there was no pressure from anyone. 

"I took the decision to make Salman Butt a consultant. Now, I am also taking the decision to remove Salman Butt." 

Butt represented Pakistan in 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is. He made 5,209 runs spanning the three formats with 11 international centuries. He was in the T20 World Cup winning squad in 2009. 

His appointment came as part of a reshuffle that began amid Pakistan's poor show at the World Cup that saw the national side crashing out of the showpiece tournament even before the semi-final stage. Pakistan finished fifth in the 10-team World Cup tournament that culminated last month, with Australia lifting the trophy for a record sixth time. 

Following below-par performance of the team, Babar Azam resigned from the captaincy in all formats and Shan Masood was made test captain. Shaheen Afridi was appointed as skipper of T20 side.  

Riaz was appointed Pakistan’s chief selector last month, after Inzamam-ul-Haq stepped down in October following allegations of a conflict of interests, while former captain Mohammad Hafeez was named as team director, who will also be the head coach of the team on the twin tours of Australia and New Zealand. 

The PCB last month also appointed former international players Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal as bowling coaches for the national team. 


Italy and Spain drawn together in Euro 2024 group stage

Italy and Spain drawn together in Euro 2024 group stage
Updated 27 min 38 sec ago
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Italy and Spain drawn together in Euro 2024 group stage

Italy and Spain drawn together in Euro 2024 group stage
  • Much-fancied England will meet Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia Hosts
  • Germany take on Scotland in the tournament’s opening game on June 14 in Munich

HAMBURG, Germany: Reigning champions Italy were placed in the same group as Spain in Saturday’s draw for Euro 2024, while France will come up against the Netherlands.
Much-fancied England will meet Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia, with hosts Germany taking on Scotland in the tournament’s opening game on June 14 in Munich.
Italy, who beat England on penalties at Wembley in the final of the last European Championship in 2021, and Spain will also face Croatia and Albania in Group B.
Spain, victors over Italy in the final of Euro 2012, will take on 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia in their opening match in Berlin on June 15.
The meeting of France, the 2022 World Cup runners-up, and the Netherlands will be the other heavyweight tie of the opening phase.
They were in the same section in qualifying, with France winning both encounters. The two nations are in Group D along with Austria and a play-off winner, which will be one of Poland, Wales, Finland or Estonia.
England, in contrast, will have few complaints about their opponents in Group C, although a Denmark side ranked 19th in the world were arguably the team to avoid from the second pot of seeds.
Gareth Southgate’s team, considered the favorites along with France for the tournament, will take on Serbia in their opening game in Gelsenkirchen on June 16.
Scotland, who famously lost to Brazil in the opening match of the 1998 World Cup, will again have the honor of featuring in the tournament’s curtain-raiser when they meet Germany to start in Group A.
Hungary and Switzerland complete that section, which could be one of the most evenly-matched.
Euro 2016 winners Portugal were drawn in Group F with Turkiye, the Czech Republic and a play-off winner from either Greece, Georgia, Luxembourg or Kazakhstan.
Belgium are in Group E alongside Slovakia, Romania and the winner of the other play-off path, which will be Israel, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Ukraine.
The month-long Euro will conclude with the final in Berlin on July 14.
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the last 16, along with the four best third-placed sides.


Medal tally reaches 369 on 9th day of Saudi Games 2023

Medal tally reaches 369 on 9th day of Saudi Games 2023
Updated 02 December 2023
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Medal tally reaches 369 on 9th day of Saudi Games 2023

Medal tally reaches 369 on 9th day of Saudi Games 2023
  • Prince Fahd bin Jalawi crowns athletics champions
  • Princess Delayel crowns Al-Nassr with basketball gold

RIYADH: Two athletes from the Al-Riyadh club won two gold medals in the track and field competitions on the ninth day of the Saudi Games 2023 on Friday.
Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s vice president and the games’ director, awarded Al-Riyadh’s Hani Al-Nakhli a gold medal in the men’s paralympic discus throw and his club-mate athlete Nadha Al-Humaydani the gold medal of the paralympic shot put.
Abdulrahim Al-Sheikh, head of the Saudi Paralympic Athletics Federation, attended the medal presentation ceremony at Al-Riyadh Club. Prince Fahd bin Jalawi also attended the wrestling and goalball paralympic medal ceremonies.
Meanwhile, Al-Riyadh’s Sultan Al-Hebshi won the silver medal in the paralympic discus throw ahead of Jazan’s Haidar Salamh, who won the bronze.
Sarah Al-Jumaah from Al-Riyadh secured the silver in the women’s shot put ahead of Al-Sharqiya’s Mohrah Al-Enez, who took the bronze.
Drift champions crowned:
Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, crowned the winners of the drift competition, which concluded on Friday at the Dirab Field.
Zakaria Silwan won gold, Bader Al-Shurayhi silver, and Khaled Al-Zayed bronze.
Al-Nassr crowned winners of 3x3 men’s basketball:
Princess Delayel bint Nahar Al-Saud, the Saudi Games’ deputy director, presented the gold medal to the Al-Nassr basketball team after they won the 3x3 men’s basketball competition at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex’s fan zone.
Al-Nassr defeated Al-Hilal 16-11, while Al-Safa club clinched the bronze medal after winning against Al-Salam 19-11.
Mudhar Club won the youth category’s gold medal after winning 21-12 against Al-Hilal, who took the silver, while Al-Khowildiah won the bronze.
Prince Fahd, Princess Delayel in the fan zone:
Prince Fahd and Princess Delayel attended the lively fan zone of the Saudi Games, which attracted a large gathering on Friday. Spectators enjoyed watching the Riyadh Derby, featuring Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, on large screens amid various engaging activities.
Al-Baha win goalball gold:
Ilgar Rahimov, president of the International Blind Sports Federation, awarded the winners in goalball on Friday at the Paralympic Hall of the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex. The Al-Baha team won the gold medal after winning 9-8 against Riyadh, which took the silver. Al-Qassim Club clinched the bronze with a 7-2 victory against Al-Hasa.
Olwani wins long jump:
Al-Ittihad’s Hamoudali Olwani topped the men’s long jump competition ahead of silver-medal winner Al-Hilal’s Ahmad Marzouq. Third came Al-Ahli’s Ahmed Obaid.
In the men’s discus throw, Mohammed Tolu from Al-Hilal took the gold while Osama Al-Aqili and Abu Bakr Zakaria won the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Al-Hilal win 3000m steeplechase:
In the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase, the gold medal was awarded to Al-Hilal’s Raid Al-Jadaani, who came first ahead of Qilwah’s Ali Al-Shahrani and Al-Shabab’s Khalid Hazazi, respectively.
In the men’s 400m final, Al-Ahli’s Mazen Al-Yasen won the gold while Al-Shabab’s Yousef Masrahi and Qilwah’s Ismaeel Al-Subiani won the silver and bronze, respectively.
Malam wins gold at 100m:
Heba Malam from AlUla claimed the women’s 100-meter gold medal ahead of silver medalist Lujain Al-Humaid from Al-Safa. Yasmin Al-Dabbagh of Al-Ahli won the bronze.
In the youth category, Al-Adalah’s Lujain Hamdan came in first ahead of Noor Al-Jandan from Al-Khaleej and Bedoor Al-Herz from Al-Khaleej who came second and third.
Al-Wehda win gold in 60kg wrestling:
The Saudi Wrestling Federation’s President Fahad Al-Faraj awarded the gold medal of the 60kg Greco-Roman wrestling to Al-Wehda’s Munther Jandu. Meshal Al-Jayzani from Al-Nassr and Al-Wedha’s Rayan Hawsawi and Haitham Barahmah were presented the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
Wrestling champions:
In wrestling’s 70kg category, Al-Wedha’s Ahmed Barahmah bagged the gold medal after a 5-3 victory against Turki Al-Harthi, who took the silver. Al-Raed’s Mansur Zelmukanov and Al-Wedhi’s Abdulmajeed Ahmed won the bronze.
Meanwhile, in the 80kg category, Al-Nahdah’s Mohammed Abdelaal came in first after a 6-1 win against Al-Wedha’s Hassan Barnawi. Third place went to Al-Ettifaq’s Abdullah Al-Dossary and Al-Shabab’s Hassan Al-Harthi.
Al-Hilal’s Reda El-Maghraby took the 90kg gold medal while the silver was handed to Mahmoud Hawsawi from Al-Ahli. Al-Wehda’s athletes Ammar Hawsawi and Sanad Al-Sibyani shared bronze.
In the above-90kg category, Ohod’s Mohammed El-Ghazaly clinched the gold ahead of Al-Wedha’s Ghazi bin Bakr. Al-Ahli’s Mohammed Al-Mashyakhi and Al-Wehda’s Ibrahim Fallatah shared the bronze.
Saudi Gymnastics Federation president crowns the winners:
Suleiman Al-Jasser, president of the Saudi Gymnastics Federation, presented the medals to winners of the men’s pole vault in gymnastics. Al-Ibtisam’s Jaffar Al-Sayigh clinched the gold medal while Al-Ittihad’s Abdulaziz Al-Johani and Al-Safa’s Hasan Al-Sheef won the silver and bronze.
In the men’s parallel bar, Al-Ittihad’s Nasser Al-Samiri came in first ahead of Al-Ibtisam’s Habeb Aswailah and Al-Ittihad’s Manaf Al-Amri, who ranked second and third, respectively.
In the horizontal bar, Al-Ibtisam’s Ali Al-Mobireek won the gold while Al-Ittihad’s Abdulkarim Al-Mur won silver ahead of third-placed Al-Khowildiah’s Haidar Al-Jaroudi.
Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr women qualify to futsal semifinals:
The women’s futsal semifinals feature Al-Nassr against Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab against Al-Qadisiyah on Sunday. The group stage concluded on Friday at Al-Nassr Club after Al-Suqor defeated Al-Nawras 2-0 and Al-Hilal beat Al-Qadisiyah 13-0. The United Eagles thrashed the Golden Eagles 7-4 and Al-Shabab won against Al-Nassr 2-1.
Men’s basketball:
The men’s basketball competition kicked off Saturday in the Green Hall of the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex. The five-day event started with Al-Hilal beating Al-Salam 85-58, while Al-Safa won against Al-Khaleej 78-64 and Al-Wehda beat Al-Khowildiah 45-36.
Men’s futsal semifinals:
Al-Nassr Club hosted the men’s futsal semifinals, in which Al-Nassr eliminated Al-Ettifaq in the penalty shootout 5-4 after tying 4-4. Al-Riyadh were scheduled to face Al-Qadisiyah.


Pakistan women's cricket team to face off New Zealand in first T20I in Dunedin on Sunday

Pakistan women's cricket team to face off New Zealand in first T20I in Dunedin on Sunday
Updated 02 December 2023
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Pakistan women's cricket team to face off New Zealand in first T20I in Dunedin on Sunday

Pakistan women's cricket team to face off New Zealand in first T20I in Dunedin on Sunday
  • New Zealand, at present, maintain a 100 percent winning record against Pakistan women in eight head-to-head outings
  • But Pakistan Captain Nida Dar says she is confident that the national women's side can perform well in the T20I series

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan women’s team are all set to take on New Zealand in their own backyard when both sides meet in the first of a three-match Twnety20 International (T20I) series at the University of Otago Oval in Dunedin on Sunday.  

Since arriving in New Zealand on November 25, Pakistan women’s team had a couple of training sessions and practice games in Christchurch before traveling to Dunedin on Friday afternoon. The team had a three-hour training session under the supervision of coaching staff at the University of Otago Oval on Saturday. 

New Zealand, at present, maintain a 100 percent winning record against Pakistan women in eight head-to-head outings, but Pakistan Captain Nida Dar says she has faith in her teammates that they can perform well in the series. 

"New Zealand are known for their cricketing excellence, and we respect that. However, we are here to compete, and I have faith in the players who can do good for the team in the series," she said in a statement shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). 

"We see the forthcoming T20I series as an opportunity for our players to perform against one of the most formidable sides in the world. We are looking ahead to next year’s T20 World Cup, and with a minimum of nine T20Is to be played before the mega event, the series against New Zealand provides us with a chance to work on the combination of the team for next year’s event." 

Pakistan left-arm spinners Nashra Sundhu and Sadia Iqbal are positioned at the fifth and seventh spots, respectively, in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings and are looking forward to performing well for the team in the upcoming series. Nashra is one match shy of completing 50 T20I appearances for Pakistan. In the all-rounder category, Dar is placed on the fifth position in the ICC T20I rankings. 

Dar said the series against New Zealand would allow them to assess their strengths and areas of improvement. "It’s a valuable experience, and I am sure the players have now got a good idea of the conditions here after playing practice matches and also undergoing training sessions," she added. 

The second T20I will also be staged at the same venue on Tuesday, while the third T20I will be played at the Sir John Davies Oval in Queenstown on December 9.  

At the conclusion of T20I series, both sides are scheduled to play three one-day internationals (ODIs) — part of the ICC Women’s Championship — from December 12 to December 18 in Queenstown and Christchurch.  

PAKISTAN SQUAD

Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar 


UEFA sets $360 million prize fund for 24 national teams at Euro 2024

UEFA sets $360 million prize fund for 24 national teams at Euro 2024
Updated 02 December 2023
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UEFA sets $360 million prize fund for 24 national teams at Euro 2024

UEFA sets $360 million prize fund for 24 national teams at Euro 2024
  • The national federation of the Euro 2024 title winner can get a maximum of 28.25 million euros if the team wins all three games in the opening group stage
  • Each of the 24 teams gets a minimum of 9.25 million euros for playing at the month-long tournament in Germany that starts June 14

HAMBURG, Germany: UEFA said Saturday it will pay 331 million euros ($360 million) in total prize money to the 24 national teams at the men’s European Championship that is expected to earn about 2.4 billion euros ($2.61 billion) in commercial revenue.
The team prize fund is in line with the pandemic-delayed Euro 2020 and 20 times more than UEFA’s prize fund for the women’s Euro 2022.
The national federation of the Euro 2024 title winner can get a maximum of 28.25 million euros if the team wins all three games in the opening group stage, the European soccer body said ahead of the tournament draw.
Each of the 24 teams gets a minimum of 9.25 million euros for playing at the month-long tournament in Germany that starts June 14.
Clubs will share in a further 240 million euros from UEFA for releasing their players to national-team duty. They get a daily rate of several thousand euros per player while they are with national teams for qualifying games and at Euro 2024 itself.
FIFA paid prize money of $440 million to the 32 men’s teams at the 2022 World Cup, four times more than the $110 million shared among 32 women’s teams at their 2023 World Cup.
The Euro 2024 winner will be paid more than the total 16 million euros prize money fund for the 16 women’s teams that played at Euro 2022 in England. The women’s event has separate commercial deals to the men’s.
England won its home women’s tournament last year and got just over 2 million euros in prize money. UEFA’s fund to reward women’s clubs for releasing players was 4.5 million euros.
UEFA previously said it allocated 140 million euros to be shared by clubs releasing more than 550 players needed for the Euro 2024 tournament.
The remaining 100 million euros in the player release fund is distributed according to call-ups for all national teams for qualifying games and two editions of the Nations League.
The UEFA fund for men’s player release from Euro 2020 revenue was 200 million euros in total and nearly 700 clubs got a share. Chelsea’s 5.1 million euros payment was the highest.