Al-Ahli and Ettifaq goalless despite ex-Liverpool legends

In the big game of the Roshn Saudi League, there were a number of ex-Liverpool legends in action as Al-Ahli drew 0–0 at home to Ettifaq. (X/@Ettifaq)
In the big game of the Roshn Saudi League, there were a number of ex-Liverpool legends in action as Al-Ahli drew 0–0 at home to Ettifaq. (X/@Ettifaq)
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Updated 01 October 2023
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Al-Ahli and Ettifaq goalless despite ex-Liverpool legends

Al-Ahli and Ettifaq goalless despite ex-Liverpool legends

RIYADH: While nine-man Liverpool were unlucky to lose to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday in the English Premier League, in the big game of the Roshn Saudi League there were a number of ex-Liverpool legends in action as Al-Ahli drew 0–0 at home to Ettifaq.

As the clash — not as dramatic as the one that took place in London — kicked-off, Ettifaq were in fifth place with 16 points from seven games, a point and a place above Al-Ahli. In terms of positions, that is where they stayed after the stalemate. A win would have taken Ettifaq just a point — or two in the case of Ahli — behind league-leaders Al-Hilal after eight games of the season. As it is, both are within touching distance of pole position.

The fact that this was such an eagerly awaited clash was a measure of how far both have come since last season. The visitors, Ettifaq, may have finished seventh in May but were just nine points clear of the relegation zone and 22 behind third place. At the same time, Al-Ahli were in the second tier and fighting for promotion, a struggle that was ultimately successful. Much has changed in the months since. Finishing in first is unlikely but both have ambitions of a top-four spot.

So far this campaign, the men from Dammam have been revitalized under head coach Steven Gerrard and they are now four games unbeaten in the league. His fellow former Liverpool captain, Jordan Henderson, is still playing in midfield alongside Gini Wijnaldum, also with the Reds as they became champions of Europe in 2019.

On the opposite side in Jeddah was another Anfield legend in Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian now leads the line-up at Al-Ahli along with former Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez and Allan Saint-Maximin, who arrived in Jeddah from Newcastle United. There are few teams in the world that have such attacking talent at their disposal.

Despite that, there was not much action to speak of, though Al-Ahli will feel that they did enough to get a goal or two.

Saint-Maximin set up Firmino for what seemed to be the opening goal after just 17 minutes. The flair-filled French star picked up possession just over the halfway line, advanced to the edge of the area to square the ball for the South American to sweep home. It was a fluid move but Saint-Maximin was adjudged by VAR to have been just offside during the build-up.

There is also talent at the other side of the pitch for the Jeddah giants. Just before the break, Edouard Mendy showed why Al-Ahli had splashed the cash to sign him from Chelsea. Ali Hazazi crossed from the right for Moussa Dembele to connect with a firm header. The French striker had already scored six league goals for Ettifaq this season so far, but his effort was tipped over by the Senegalese shot-stopper.

With 18 minutes remaining, the Liverpool connection almost put the visitors ahead. Henderson found Wijnaldum in the area and the Dutch midfielder shot over from close range. It was perhaps the best chance of the entire game as was shown as all Ettifaq players had heads in hands as it was not taken.

Both teams pushed for the winning goal but it was not to be, and Ahli and Ettifaq had to settle for a point each.

Elsewhere, Al-Fateh defeated Al-Wehda 5-1 to move into seventh place above the visitors.


Arsenal primed for Emery reunion as Man City fight to end slum

Arsenal primed for Emery reunion as Man City fight to end slum
Updated 24 sec ago
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Arsenal primed for Emery reunion as Man City fight to end slum

Arsenal primed for Emery reunion as Man City fight to end slum
  • Villa’s 1-0 win against Manchester City on Wednesday was the club’s most significant result for years
  • John Stones has urged Manchester City to keep their composure amid a worrying slump

LONDON: Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League’s top spot will be under threat from their old boss Unai Emery when the leaders travel to surging Aston Villa on Saturday.

If the Gunners slip up, Liverpool will seize pole position with a win against Crystal Palace, while reeling Manchester City aim to get back on track at Luton.

Here are the three talking points ahead of this weekend’s action:

 

When Unai Emery arrived at Aston Villa in October 2022, his new team were languishing just three points above the relegation zone.

Now, they sit third in the table ahead of a seismic showdown against leaders Arsenal that would have seemed impossible during the dark days before Emery’s transformative appointment.

Villa’s 1-0 win against Manchester City on Wednesday was the club’s most significant result for years, showcasing the impressive work done by Emery to revive a moribund club and infusing his players with belief they can do something special this season.

It is fitting that the latest test of Emery’s revolution comes against Arsenal, who sacked him in 2019 midway through a second troubled season in north London.

City manager Pep Guardiola labelled Villa as title contenders on Wednesday after Emery’s 50th match in charge served to underline his remarkable impact.

“I can come back in my mind and think how we were when we started this process,” Emery said. “We lost against Leicester and Arsenal at home. We couldn’t concede eight goals in two matches like we did.

“It was a key moment when we reacted in a meeting with the players, focusing more our idea and our style, building and being very demanding in it. The players, they reacted very well.”

 

John Stones has urged Manchester City to keep their composure amid a worrying slump that threatens to derail their bid for a fourth successive title.

City’s winless run extended to four league games on Wednesday as Aston Villa’s 1-0 victory increased the sense of concern surrounding Pep Guardiola’s side.

The treble winners were comprehensively outplayed, leaving Guardiola to admit he needed to “help” his “struggling” team.

Trailing Arsenal by six points, Stones believes City can use the pain of their stumble to stop the rot in a tricky assignment at Luton on Sunday.

The Hatters have already drawn with Liverpool at home and came within seconds of a point against Arsenal, before losing 4-3 on Tuesday.

“We have to use the hurt and the pain that is within us as motivation and fuel to put things right. I think everyone has that desire,” Stones said.

“We’ve been in these positions in previous seasons. I don’t think we or everyone should be hyping about what is going to happen. We have to stay calm as a team.”

 

As Liverpool head into a crucial period for their title ambitions, Jurgen Klopp’s irritation at a joke about his team’s quick turnaround to play Crystal Palace on Saturday laid bare the German’s desire to keep pace with leaders Arsenal.

The Reds boss branded a television presenter “ignorant” following his side’s 2-0 win at Sheffield United on Wednesday when he mentioned second-placed Liverpool travel to Palace at Klopp’s “favorite kick-off time.”

That was an ill-fated reference to Klopp complaining on previous occasions when Liverpool have been forced to play at 1230 GMT on a Saturday after a Wednesday evening match.

“That’s really brave to make a joke about that,” Klopp grumbled, but he will be reassured to hear Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk’s willingness to take on the challenge of coping with the gruelling schedule.

“Listen, we are in December and there are so many games to come. For us now, it’s a good start to December and we have plenty of big games to come. We should all look forward to it,” he said.

 

Fixtures

Saturday (1500 GMT unless stated)

Aston Villa vs. Arsenal (1730), Brighton vs. Burnley, Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool (1230), Manchester United vs. Bournemouth, Sheffield United vs. Brentford, Wolves vs. Nottingham Forest

Sunday (1400 GMT unless stated)

Everton vs. Chelsea, Fulham vs. West Ham, Luton vs. Manchester City, Tottenham vs. Newcastle (1630)


Italy’s anti-doping tribunal chases four-year ban for Pogba

Italy’s anti-doping tribunal chases four-year ban for Pogba
Updated 08 December 2023
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Italy’s anti-doping tribunal chases four-year ban for Pogba

Italy’s anti-doping tribunal chases four-year ban for Pogba
  • Proceedings by the Italian sports justice system are underway while the Turin public prosecutor’s office has also started a judicial investigation, as doping is a criminal offense in Italy
  • Pogba’s representatives said the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the US

ROME: France’s World Cup winner Paul Pogba is facing the possibility of a lengthy ban after Italy’s anti-doping tribunal called for a four-year suspension for the Juventus midfielder, a club source told AFP on Thursday.

Pogba, 30, was provisionally suspended in September after he tested positive for testosterone.

A month later a B sample confirmed the presence of the substance.

Proceedings by the Italian sports justice system are underway while the Turin public prosecutor’s office has also started a judicial investigation, as doping is a criminal offense in Italy.

“I can confirm that we received this morning this notification from the anti-doping agency with four years (suspension) requested,” the Juve source told AFP.

The 2018 World Cup winner’s sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.

Pogba’s representatives said the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the US.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.

The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance.”

Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.

The recommendation from the tribunal is the latest in on and off the field issues for Pogba.

From being on top of the world Pogba has slowly slipped down to the depths, ravaged by injuries and a difficult personal life which he admits has been adversely affected by the vast sums of money earned by football’s top players.

In March 2022, intruders, who included childhood friends, broke into Pobga’s home and held him against his will, demanding 13 million euros ($14 million).

Pogba ended up paying 100,000 euros of the sum and the affair taught him that “the only people who can hurt are the people who are close to you.”

A knee issue kept him sidelined from the 2022 World Cup with France coach Didier Deschamps saying he hoped the playmaker “rediscovers his smile.”

A month after suffering the injury, his brother Mathias released a video in which he threatened to reveal secrets about his superstar sibling.

Juve have also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of €8 million($8.4 million).


Eddie Howe refuses to point finger of blame at Kieran Trippier after costly Newcastle United errors

Eddie Howe refuses to point finger of blame at Kieran Trippier after costly Newcastle United errors
Updated 08 December 2023
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Eddie Howe refuses to point finger of blame at Kieran Trippier after costly Newcastle United errors

Eddie Howe refuses to point finger of blame at Kieran Trippier after costly Newcastle United errors

LIVERPOOL: Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe refused to point the finger at Kieran Trippier as the Magpies capitulated in the Premier League at Everton.

Three individual errors, as the game looked to be heading towards a 0-0 draw, saw the relegation-threatened Toffees, claim all three points at Goodison Park.

Late strikes from Dwight McNeil and Abdoulaye Doucoure, after Trippier handed them possession inexplicably, saw the hosts on their way, before the England full-back played substitute Beto onside as he slotted home the third in added time.

Despite that, Howe refused to point the finger at Trippier, instead placing the blame for defeat on the collective, rather than the individual.

The head coach said: “Kieran has been absolutely magnificent since signing for the club and has been the catalyst of our success. Collectively we were off our best today.

"We have to do better, there are reasons behind every performance and we have struggled to change players. That is a big miss with the quality of players out. The longer you do it, the harder it gets. I am disappointed, a missed opportunity, we did not grab it."

While Newcastle's home form has been up their with the title challengers, their away form has been the exact opposite. Howe's side have won just one game in the Premier League away from St James' Park, the 8-0 mauling of Sheffield United back in September.

"The game was there for us to win in the second half. The first half was even and we had them penned in in the second half. We conceded the first goal and it changed the momentum of the match. Frustrating and a chance missed," he said.

“Last year our away form was good, free-scoring and the defensive record was good. We have not got going on the road, apart from the Sheffield United game. Something for us to analyse."

In a season full of injury blows, the Magpies again suffered a scare with skipper Jamaal Lascelles withdrawn late on. Howe, however, has allayed fears this particular injury is anything serious.

Howe said: "I don’t think it is a serious one, it looks like a dead leg.

“You have to take into account Lewis Miley and his age, a huge ask but he handled himself really well. We have a lot of difficult situations at the moment which we have to manage. Today I have to call the performance as I see it, we weren't at our best."

Next up for United is another tough-looking trip to Tottenham Hotspur, who themselves have been faltering due to injuries.

"The beauty of football is that you have another game. We are desperate for help with players back and hopefully that will happen," said Howe.


Spanish ace Rahm poised to join LIV Golf: Reports

Spanish ace Rahm poised to join LIV Golf: Reports
Updated 08 December 2023
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Spanish ace Rahm poised to join LIV Golf: Reports

Spanish ace Rahm poised to join LIV Golf: Reports
  • Multiple US media outlets reported on Thursday Major winner set to make the switch

LOS ANGELES: Spanish star Jon Rahm is poised to join LIV Golf in a deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars, multiple US media outlets reported on Thursday.
The 29-year-old two-time major champion, who had previously pledged his loyalty to the PGA Tour during golf’s bitter civil war, could sign for the Saudi-backed circuit by the end of this week, reports said.
The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated and ESPN all reported on Thursday that the reigning Masters champion was finalizing a deal to quit the PGA Tour for LIV.
Rahm’s representatives have not commented on the reported deal, which reports have said could be worth between $300 million and $600 million to the Spaniard.
If Rahm’s defection to LIV is confirmed, he would become one of the biggest stars to join LIV, the upstart circuit whose emergence has upended the golfing world over the past two years.
The looming capture of Rahm comes as the PGA Tour and the Saudi backers of LIV Golf attempt to finalize the details of their bombshell merger announced in June.
A deadline of December 31 has been set to agree a framework for the new PGA-LIV joint venture.
The Journal speculated Rahm’s signing could either be a tactic by LIV’s backers to force the PGA Tour to conclude a deal by the agreed deadline, or a move to give fresh impetus to the rival circuit in 2024 if the proposed joint tie-up collapses.
The possibility of Rahm jumping ship to LIV had once seemed unthinkable.
While LIV successfully recruited major winners such as Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith, Rahm had been one of the most staunch PGA loyalists, repeatedly stating that the riches offered by LIV held no appeal when balanced against the tradition of the PGA Tour.
“I laugh when people rumor me with LIV. I’ve never liked the format,” Rahm said earlier this year.
Last year, Rahm said he had discussed the possibility of a move with his wife Kelley and decided to remain firmly in the PGA Tour camp.
“Money is great, but when Kelly and I started talking about it, we’re like, ‘Would our lifestyle change if we got $400 million?’ No,” Rahm said.
“It would not change one bit. Truth be told, I could retire right now and I could live a very happy life and not play golf again.
“I’ve never really played the game of golf for monetary reasons. I play for the love of the game, and I want to play against the best in the world.”
In February last year, Rahm had given a categorical assurance he would remain with the PGA Tour.
“This is my official, my one and only time I’ll talk about this, where I am officially declaring my fealty to the PGA Tour,” Rahm said.
“There has been a lot of talk and speculation about the Saudi league. It’s just not something I believe is the best for me and my future in golf, and I think the best legacy I can accomplish will be with the PGA Tour.”


New era as Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ get their wings

New era as Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ get their wings
Updated 08 December 2023
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New era as Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ get their wings

New era as Women’s U20 ‘Green Falcons’ get their wings
  • SAFF has officially announced the formation of the Women’s U20 National Team
  • Scotland’s Pauline Hamill appointed as head coach, bringing over 30 years of experience

RIYADH: A new era in Saudi Arabian football begins with the formation of the Women’s U20 National Team, which is expected to play a crucial role in the development of young footballers in the Kingdom.

This initiative is part of the SAFF’s broader strategy to create sustainable and clear career paths for aspiring women footballers, reflecting a commitment to the growth of the sport at all levels.

The team, comprising talented players from the senior national team and those advancing from the U17 squad, is already engaged in their first training camp. The training camp is currently taking place in Riyadh from 5-11 December 2023. 

“A new chapter in Saudi women’s football begins today with the launch of the U20 National Team. This team is a beacon of hope and opportunity for our young athletes, illuminating the path to international success,”  said Head of the Women’s Football Department at the SAFF Aalia AlRasheed.

“We are confident that under the expert guidance of Pauline Hamill, these young women will not only grow as players but also become role models for future generations. Their journey represents our unwavering commitment to elevating women’s football in Saudi Arabia and on the global stage,” added AlRasheed.

Pauline Hamill, the newly appointed head coach of the U20 team, brings a wealth of experience to the role. Her distinguished career includes playing for the Scotland National team, earning 141 caps over 18 years, and coaching various youth teams within the Scottish FA, including the U15s, U16s, U17s, and the Scotland Women’s U19s National team.

Hamill’s appointment is a significant boost to the team’s prospects and reflects the SAFF’s ambition to compete at the highest levels in future regional and international competitions.

The team is eagerly preparing for its first friendly match in March 2024, a key milestone in their preparation for future competitions.