European football a ‘driving force’ for Newcastle, says Howe

European football a ‘driving force’ for Newcastle, says Howe
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Julio Enciso shoots at goal during their Premier League match against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park, Newcastle, on May 11, 2024. (Reuters)
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Updated 14 May 2024
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European football a ‘driving force’ for Newcastle, says Howe

European football a ‘driving force’ for Newcastle, says Howe
  • Howe’s men are sixth in the table, two places and three points better off than their hosts with two games to go for each team
  • “Massive fixture for both teams,” Howe said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday

LONDON: Eddie Howe said qualifying for Europe was a “driving force” for Newcastle as he prepares for Wednesday’s pivotal Premier League match against Manchester United.
Howe’s men are sixth in the table, two places and three points better off than their hosts with two games to go for each team.
Chelsea are in seventh place on 57 points — the same as Newcastle.
As it stands, the team in sixth place at the end of the season will earn a spot in the UEFA Conference League, the third-tier European competition.
But if Manchester City beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final, the sixth-placed team would qualify for the Europa League and the side in seventh would enter the Conference League.
“Massive fixture for both teams,” Howe said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
“It’s coming to the end of a long season for both clubs. We’re desperate to do well in the game, we’re desperate to finish as high as we can.
“We know European competition is there but it can also be a long way away if we don’t get the results we need.”
The Newcastle boss said his team were embracing the pressure after recovering from a poor start to the season and a damaging run of losses in December and January.
Howe, whose team flopped in this season’s Champions League, said it was vital for Saudi-backed Newcastle to be in Europe.
“We need to be there as a football club,” he said. “That’s a driving force for us. We’ll embrace the extra games, the travel, the experience, everything about the competition. We feel we’re in a position to do it.”
Howe said he was anxious not to underestimate misfiring United despite their poor form as Newcastle seek their first league double against the 20-time English champions since the 1930/31 season.
“We can’t underestimate the challenge in front of us,” he added. “That would be foolish. That would counteract everything that we need to be in this game.
“I think we don’t underestimate Manchester United’s qualities, we don’t underestimate the magnitude of the game.
“We are preparing for a really tough match. We know it will be and we expect a good atmosphere.”
Forwards Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson are doubts for the match at Old Trafford after suffering from illness and neither trained on Monday.
Howe said it was “fingers crossed” Isak would train on Tuesday.
On Wilson, he added: “We’ll see. We haven’t seen Callum yet, so we’ll see if he’s available to train today. If not, then I’m sure he’ll be fit for Brentford.”
Newcastle have confirmed they will travel to Japan for a pre-season tour to face Urawa Red Diamonds on July 31 and Yokohama F. Marinos at the Japan National Stadium three days later.


Arsenal Premier League hopes hit as Isak scores winner for Newcastle

Arsenal Premier League hopes hit as Isak scores winner for Newcastle
Updated 02 November 2024
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Arsenal Premier League hopes hit as Isak scores winner for Newcastle

Arsenal Premier League hopes hit as Isak scores winner for Newcastle
  • Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and although they dominated possession, they produced just one shot on target
  • If defending champions City win at Bournemouth later on Saturday they will be eight points clear of the Gunners

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle put a huge dent in Arsenal’s title aspirations on Saturday, winning 1-0 to give leaders Manchester City the chance to move eight points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League.
Alexander Isak scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 12th minute, heading home Anthony Gordon’s pinpoint cross from the right.
Arsenal struggled to get out of first gear and although they dominated possession, they produced just one shot on target in the entire game.
Mikel Arteta’s men have now picked up just one point in their past three games as their title push quickly runs out of steam.
If defending champions City win at Bournemouth later on Saturday they will be eight points clear of the Gunners. Liverpool, a point behind City, host Brighton at Anfield.
Arsenal have pushed Pep Guardiola’s City hard in each of the past two seasons and appeared to be well-equipped for another title challenge but the gap already looks alarmingly big.
The injury-hit visitors started brightly in the opening seconds at St. James’ Park, with Leandro Trossard dragging the ball wide.
But the home side, who had not won for five matches, quickly settled and Sweden forward Isak got between Gabriel and William Saliba to head home from Gordon’s exquisite first-time cross.
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka lacked penetration but headed just wide in the 18th minute after leaping above his marker.
Newcastle defender Lewis Hall blocked Mikel Merino’s shot on the line after a Declan Rice corner caused chaos but the visitors lacked rhythm and failed to match the intensity shown by the home side.
Arteta opted against making changes at half-time and Newcastle came close to doubling their lead almost immediately, with Joe Willock’s shot saved by David Raya.
The Spanish boss threw on 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and Oleksandr Zinchenko for Gabriel Martinelli and Merino just after the hour mark.
Isak fired a shot at Raya that the Arsenal goalkeeper pushed away before Rice muscled his way into the Newcastle area and flashed a shot wide.
Arteta made further changes, introducing defender Ben White and forward Gabriel Jesus in the desperate push for an equalizer.
Arsenal struggled to build up a head of steam as the clock ticked down but they squandered a golden chance to equalize when Rice headed just wide from a Saka cross in stoppage time.
The Gunners, still missing captain Martin Odegaard, suffered a shock defeat against Bournemouth last month and drew 2-2 with Liverpool last week.
They have tough games coming up against Inter Milan in the Champions League and Chelsea next week.
The win lifts Eddie Howe’s Newcastle to eighth in the table ahead of the later kick-offs on Saturday.


Man United hope for Van Nistelrooy magic, Arsenal face Newcastle test

Man United hope for Van Nistelrooy magic, Arsenal face Newcastle test
Updated 01 November 2024
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Man United hope for Van Nistelrooy magic, Arsenal face Newcastle test

Man United hope for Van Nistelrooy magic, Arsenal face Newcastle test
  • United, 14th in the Premier League and with Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim widely expected to soon take over as coach, could potentially fall to 16th if results go against them this weekend
  • Mikel Arteta’s men have pushed City all the way in the past two seasons and know they cannot afford to fall off the pace, with Liverpool also riding high

LONDON: Manchester United face Chelsea on Sunday with interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy at the helm while faltering Arsenal face a potentially tricky trip to Newcastle.

Top-four hopefuls Tottenham and Aston Villa go head to head as the three teams in the relegation zone — Ipswich, Wolves and Southampton — each look for their first win of the season.

Here are some of the key talking points ahead of the weekend action.

The current Manchester United side are a pale shadow of the team Ruud van Nistelrooy played for under the leadership of Alex Ferguson.

The former striker, in temporary charge after Erik ten Hag’s sacking earlier this week, will be in the dugout against Chelsea, looking to build on the club’s 5-2 League Cup win against Leicester in midweek.

United, 14th in the Premier League and with Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim widely expected to soon take over as coach, could potentially fall to 16th if results go against them this weekend.

Chelsea are riding high in Enzo Maresca’s first season in charge, just one point off the top four, and will be well rested after the Italian changed his whole team for their midweek League Cup defeat against Newcastle.

But Van Nistelrooy, who spent five years at United as a player from 2001 to 2006, will be hoping he can inspire his charges during his brief spell in the Old Trafford spotlight.

Injury-hit Arsenal suffered the frustration of conceding a late equalizer against Liverpool last week, following their shock defeat at Bournemouth.

If they lose at St. James’ Park on Saturday, they could find themselves a daunting eight points behind champions City by the end of the day.

Mikel Arteta’s men have pushed City all the way in the past two seasons and know they cannot afford to fall off the pace, with Liverpool also riding high.

The Gunners’ 3-0 League Cup win against Preston in midweek gave them a lift ahead of tough games against Newcastle, Inter Milan and Chelsea, with Gabriel Jesus scoring his first goal since January.

Although any match at St. James’ Park is potentially daunting, Newcastle are more of a threat on paper than on the pitch at the moment following a run of five league games without a win.

Tottenham are a conundrum — capable of scintillating attacking football but frustratingly fragile.

Ange Postecoglou knows his inconsistent team must put a run of results together if they are to challenge for the top four, which they missed out on last season.

Spurs have enjoyed big wins against Everton, Manchester United and West Ham but they have already suffered four defeats in their nine Premier League matches so far.

Spurs, who have won eight of their past 10 games in all competitions, suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace last week before a morale-boosting League Cup win against Manchester City in midweek.

Postecoglou will be desperate to have Son Heung-min fighting fit after the South Korean missed three of the past four league games.

Unai Emery’s Villa have dazzled in the Champions League and have made a strong start to their Premier League season, sitting fourth in the table, level on points with Arsenal.

They have drawn three of their past four league games to lose ground on the leaders, but have won on their past two visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and boast significant firepower with Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran in the ranks.

Fixtures

Saturday (1500 GMT unless stated)

Newcastle vs. Arsenal (1230), Bournemouth vs. Manchester City, Ipswich vs. Leicester, Liverpool vs. Brighton, Nottingham Forest vs. West Ham, Southampton vs. Everton, Wolves vs. Crystal Palace (1730)

Sunday

Tottenham vs. Aston Villa (1400), Man Utd v Chelsea (1630)

Monday

Fulham vs. Brentford (2000)
 


UAE women’s team Banaat FC seeking silverware in sophomore year

UAE women’s team Banaat FC seeking silverware in sophomore year
Updated 01 November 2024
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UAE women’s team Banaat FC seeking silverware in sophomore year

UAE women’s team Banaat FC seeking silverware in sophomore year
  • Banaat, meaning ‘girls,’ aiming for league title this season
  • Founder Budreya Faisal seeks to ‘empower’ girls via football

DUBAI: Following an impressive debut in the UAE Women’s Football League last season, Banaat FC have their sights firmly fixed on the trophy in their sophomore campaign, which they kicked off with a bang last Sunday with a 5-0 win over PSA.

The brainchild of Budreya Faisal, an Emirati entrepreneur with extensive sports marketing experience, Banaat FC was founded in 2023.

Its mission is “to empower young girls in the UAE through football, providing top-tier training in a culturally inclusive environment, while championing Arab representation in the sport.”

Faisal’s vision is to provide Arab women with a football club that reflects their identity and values, starting with the club’s name, Banaat, which means ‘girls’ in Arabic.

In their first year, Banaat FC won 10 of 11 games to qualify for the top division league, which they ultimately finished in third place.

They enter this 2024-2025 campaign having signed a landmark three-year deal with Nike. This makes Banaat the first independent women’s football club in the Middle East and North Africa region to partner with the athletic footwear and apparel powerhouse.

The Banaat FC jersey design features a bougainvillea, known in Arabic as ‘Jahannamiya,’ which is the unofficial UAE flower, known to thrive in harsh conditions.

The team’s kit is available exclusively at the Nike store in Dubai Mall. “It’s the best honor to have them as our main sponsor,” Faisal told Arab News in an interview after the kit launch recently.

“I think us being in the Nike store, having our jerseys sold there, it’s not something that’s ever happened here for a women’s team. So I feel like this partnership is helping us change the game at a much faster speed.”

The partnership with Nike is about more than just a football kit. The collaboration encompasses a variety of initiatives including community events and workshops featuring international Nike athletes.

The aim is to improve the perception of women’s football in the UAE, as well as support the club’s ambition to become Dubai’s first professional women’s club.

“It’s crazy. The kit launch event was so emotional and overwhelming. I felt so proud,” said Banaat FC center-back Farah Al-Zaben.

“If you think about it, we’re only 1 year old and to be 1 year old and have a partnership with Nike, it’s not an easy thing to get. And it’s all testament to Budreya’s hard work and her belief in the vision of the club and what we’re trying to do.

“Of course we’re here to win the league, to compete, it’s the No. 1 goal for us this season, but it’s also us existing to show the other teams how it’s done properly, how it should be done.

“Because from what I’ve seen so far in women’s football, there’s not a lot of attention to details and how things are done. It’s just things getting done for the sake of it and not to actually help grow the game and expand it in the region.

“So it’s amazing. We’re talking about Nike, it’s not like any other partnership. We’re so lucky and this is just the beginning. I can’t wait to see what else is coming.”

Indeed there is a lot more in the pipeline, according to Faisal, who says community outreach events will be a key part of their work this season.

More sponsors will be onboarded as well, with the main focus being on winning the league in order to make it to the Asian Women’s Champions League qualifiers and get a chance to compete at the continental level.

UAE league champions Abu Dhabi Country Club have made history at the current inaugural Asian Women’s Champions League, by becoming the first Arab team to qualify, and then advancing to next March’s quarterfinals.

“This is the most important thing for us right now. I just sent them a message, to one of their coaches, saying, ‘I cannot wait for you to bring that trophy home.’ They can go all the way,” said Faisal.

“They’ve been here for 12 years, as the only professional club here, paying their players, having incredible staff there, they’re Abu Dhabi’s club. Them just making it that far gives us all a much bigger chance next year to improve things locally.

“Because you can’t have a team do that well and then you come back here and look at the league and not find much. It’s because of that achievement that we’re going to get a lot closer to professional football here and a lot sooner than everyone expected.”

While Banaat’s first season was filled with unprecedented milestones, it also served as a reality check for how much work needs to be done to elevate women’s football in the UAE and to professionalize the landscape.

Last season’s league featured 10 teams split across two divisions, with some eventually dropping out from the bottom one. This season there are only nine teams, and most of them are from academies, featuring younger players.

 

 

“This is tough, it’s much tougher than I thought it would be,” said Faisal.

“I’ve always worked in professional football, but with men’s football. I understand that the women’s league here is still not a professional league, as in players are still not paid and we don’t have enough clubs.

“But because I come from a very professional environment, I thought it would be easy to professionalize things. But what I’ve learned is that I have to change my expectations and almost erase a lot of what I’ve learned before because this is a completely different game and industry.

It’s not just women compared to men. And there’s so much more room for growth here, so much we can impact and change, which are all good things, it’s just not as smooth as I thought it would be. And it’s also very expensive.”

Faisal believes people have underestimated the appetite for women’s football in the country. She is confident things will change with more light being shed on the game, especially through the establishment of the Asian Women’s Champions League.

CAF, the governing body for football in Africa, recently enforced a rule stipulating that all men’s clubs must establish women’s teams to obtain professional club licenses and take part in regional and continental competitions.

The AFC, Asian football’s governing body, is meant to follow suit but such licensing criteria are yet to be enforced. Once they are though, things can develop rather quickly for women’s football in the UAE.

“Imagine that many more opportunities for girls to play and to get paid to play,” said Faisal.

“That’s going to be a new experience for them all and will show them what it’s like to actually be professional footballers. Because our players are as committed as any professional.

“They commute from Abu Dhabi, Khor Fakkan, Al-Ain, everywhere, four times a week, to come to training for an hour and a half. So they spend a good four to five hours in the car, just to come and train, and they don’t get paid.

“So they’re doing more than what men are doing, because men get paid to live in the same city. They’re putting in more effort for no financial return. But they know that, at least the girls on my team, that we’re here to change that for the better and push other clubs.

“And already we’re talking to other pro clubs and helping and advising them on their women’s programs. Because they’re seeing the appeal. So it’s going to change a lot of things for women here.”

 

 

Among the difficulties faced by Banaat in year one was multiple coaching changes. They have found stability with their current coach, Shamel Soqar, who took the helm midway through last season and helped steady the ship.

“We’re all grateful for him, because we believe he kept the team going,” said Al-Zaben, who has played for Jordan on different age-group national squads and competed at the U17 Women’s World Cup in 2016.

“Three different coaches in one season; we started off winning each and every single game, but we didn’t end up on the best note. But if anything this is just going to drive us to do better this season, fight for every single game as if it’s the final game,” said the 25-year-old.

“Because this season is different, everyone is seeing what we’re doing, it’s not just the social media part of things, but also the hard work we’re putting in as players, as coaches, as management, there’s a lot behind the scenes, especially for this season, because the mentality is different.

“Last season it was our first season ever, the team was two months old, we were there to do our best and hopefully get a result. But this season we’re there to win it and nothing else, there’s no other option.”

Al-Zaben added: “I’ve never seen the team this committed and working this hard because this season we’re literally taking it personal, every single game we’re there to win, and nothing else.”

Faisal has full faith in the team and says all their preseason performance testing showed significant improvement in the players’ physicality and agility after eight weeks of intense training.

“Everyone has improved drastically, which is incredible. So we’re after the trophy, we want to win, we want to go play in the Asian Women’s Champions League. So performance-wise we want it all and we’re ready,” said Faisal.


Copa del Rey games and other sporting events postponed after deadly floods devastate southern Spain

Copa del Rey games and other sporting events postponed after deadly floods devastate southern Spain
Updated 31 October 2024
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Copa del Rey games and other sporting events postponed after deadly floods devastate southern Spain

Copa del Rey games and other sporting events postponed after deadly floods devastate southern Spain
  • The Spanish league planned to postpone all weekend matches in the Valencia region, including those of Valencia against Real Madrid and Villarreal against Rayo Vallecano
  • Clubs, soccer stars and other athletes — including Vinicius Junior, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Diego Simeone and Thibaut Courtois — posted messages of support on social media
  • Both Madrid and Barcelona held a moment of silence before their training sessions on Wednesday

VALENCIA, Spain: The Copa del Rey matches involving Valencia and Levante have been postponed following floods that have killed at least 95 people and caused havoc in southern Spain.

Other sporting events were also affected by Tuesday’s flash floods that swept away cars, turned village streets into rivers and disrupted rail lines and highways in the worst natural disaster to hit the European nation in recent memory.

The Spanish league planned to postpone all weekend matches in the Valencia region, including those of Valencia against Real Madrid and Villarreal against Rayo Vallecano. Three second-division games also were expected to be postponed.

Clubs, soccer stars and other athletes — including Vinicius Junior, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Diego Simeone and Thibaut Courtois — posted messages of support on social media.

“Real Madrid is deeply saddened and expresses its solidarity with all the people affected by this catastrophe, to whom it conveys all its full support and sympathy,” the club said.

Both Madrid and Barcelona held a moment of silence before their training sessions on Wednesday.

Spanish tennis players Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz both joined in the messages of support, as did Formula One driver Carlos Sainz.

“Today was a sad day with the suffering and pain caused by the (floods),” Nadal said on X. “Everyone’s hearts are hurting seeing those images.”

Valencia was set to play Parla Escuela in the first round of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, while Levante was scheduled to visit Pontevedra.

Other midweek Copa games in the southern region were canceled as well.

The season-ending MotoGP race in Valencia in two weeks was also in doubt after reports of heavy damage caused by the floods at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo.

Some basketball games also had to be rescheduled as travel was affected throughout Spain.

Rainstorms that started Tuesday and continued Wednesday caused flooding across southern and eastern Spain, stretching from Malaga to Valencia. Muddy torrents tumbled vehicles down streets at high speeds while debris and household items swirled in the water. Police and rescue services used helicopters to lift people from their homes and rubber boats to reach drivers stranded atop cars.


Musiala scores a hat trick as Bayern Munich beat Mainz 4-0 in German Cup

Musiala scores a hat trick as Bayern Munich beat Mainz 4-0 in German Cup
Updated 31 October 2024
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Musiala scores a hat trick as Bayern Munich beat Mainz 4-0 in German Cup

Musiala scores a hat trick as Bayern Munich beat Mainz 4-0 in German Cup
  • After scoring his first on a slick team move assisted by Harry Kane, Musiala made sure he was in the right place at the right time for his other goals
  • The ease of the win underlined Bayern’s return to the sort of domestic dominance it is used to in Germany after a trophyless 2023-24 season
  • Eintracht Frankfurt played almost all of the game with 10 men but still beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1

MAINZ, Germany: Jamal Musiala scored a first-half hat trick as Bayern Munich reached the third round of the German Cup in a 4-0 win over Mainz on Wednesday.

Bayern were never seriously tested after Musiala opened the scoring less than 90 seconds into the game.

The ease of the win underlined Bayern’s return to the sort of domestic dominance it is used to in Germany after a trophyless 2023-24 season, even if their Champions League campaign has been less impressive.

After scoring his first on a slick team move assisted by Harry Kane, Musiala made sure he was in the right place at the right time for his other goals.

The second came on the rebound when a Kane shot was saved and Musiala completed his hat trick with Bayern’s fourth goal of the game, a tap-in when Konrad Laimer’s cross deflected off two Mainz players. Shortly before that, Leroy Sané had scored Bayern’s third goal on a flowing counterattack that began in his team’s own penalty area.

In Wednesday’s other games, Union Berlin have been on the rise again in the Bundesliga but had an early cup exit with a 2-0 loss to third-division Arminia Bielefeld.

Eintracht Frankfurt played almost all of the game with 10 men but still beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1 on goals from forward Hugo Ekitike and Omar Marmoush.

Frankfurt were without defender Arthur Theate from the 15th minute after his handball saw him red-carded for the second game in a row. Theate was sent off in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Union Berlin but the suspension didn’t carry over to the cup.

Heidenheim was upset 2-1 by second-division Hertha Berlin. Heidenheim thought it had done enough to go to extra time when Paul Wanner headed in a last-second equalizer, but it was ruled out for an apparent foul in the buildup.

Other Bundesliga teams progressed as Werder Bremen knocked out Paderborn 1-0, Freiburg saw off Hamburger SV 2-1 and Hoffenheim knocked out Nuremberg 2-1.