Ronaldo scores in Portugal’s Nations League win as Spain sink Denmark

Ronaldo scores in Portugal’s Nations League win as Spain sink Denmark
Portugal's forward #07 Cristiano Ronaldo runs with the ball during the UEFA Nations League, League A Group A1 football match Poland vs Portugal at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland on October 12, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 13 October 2024
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Ronaldo scores in Portugal’s Nations League win as Spain sink Denmark

Ronaldo scores in Portugal’s Nations League win as Spain sink Denmark
  • The 39-year-old Ronaldo has now struck in all three games of this Nations League campaign for Portugal, taking his record men’s international goals tally to 133

PARIS: Cristiano Ronaldo scored as Portugal beat Poland 3-1 for their third straight Nations League win on Saturday, while European champions Spain put an end to Denmark’s perfect start in the competition.
Bernardo Silva volleyed Portugal ahead in the 26th minute in Warsaw as Bruno Fernandes cleverly nodded a cross from Ruben Neves back toward the Manchester City midfielder.
Ronaldo then found himself in the right place at the right time to turn in the rebound for Portugal’s second after Rafael Leao’s shot came back off the post following a brilliant surging run by the AC Milan winger.
The 39-year-old Ronaldo has now struck in all three games of this Nations League campaign for Portugal, taking his record men’s international goals tally to 133.
Piotr Zielinski cut the deficit for Poland but Jan Bednarek’s own goal sealed victory for Portugal, the lone remaining team in League A with a 100 percent record, and they could secure a place in the quarter-finals next week.
Roberto Martinez’s side have a maximum nine points in Group A1, three ahead of Croatia who beat Scotland 2-1 to condemn them to a third successive defeat in the section.
Ryan Christie’s first half-goal gave Scotland a shock lead in Zagreb, but Igor Matanovic equalized before the interval and Andrej Kramaric bagged the winner midway through the second half.
Che Adams thought he had salvaged a stoppage-time equalizer but VAR disallowed his effort for offside, with Scotland winless in nine competitive outings — the longest run in their history.
Spain needed a 79th-minute effort from Martin Zubimendi to shrug off Denmark 1-0 in Murcia and replace their opponents at the top of Group A4.
The hosts were without Rodri and Dani Carvajal, both sidelined by long-term injuries, with first-choice goalkeeper Unai Simon still recovering from wrist surgery, and Dani Olmo and Robin Le Normand also ruled out.
But Luis de la Fuente’s team grabbed the only goal when Zubimendi’s low drive from just outside the edge squirmed past Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who had earlier denied Lamine Yamal and Alvaro Morata.
Spain moved up to seven points, one above Denmark, with Serbia picking up their first win after beating Switzerland 2-0 in Leskovac.
Serbia led through Nico Elvedi’s own goal in first-half stoppage time and Aleksandar Mitrovic doubled the advantage before Predrag Rajkovic saved a penalty from Swiss striker Breel Embolo.
Both games in Group C3 finished goalless as Bulgaria were held at home by Luxembourg and Northern Ireland drew against Belarus on neutral ground in Hungary.
Romania eased to a 3-0 win away to Cyprus in Group C2, while Kosovo beat Lithuania 2-1.


Man City will ‘struggle’ to overcome injury crisis, says Guardiola

Man City will ‘struggle’ to overcome injury crisis, says Guardiola
Updated 19 sec ago
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Man City will ‘struggle’ to overcome injury crisis, says Guardiola

Man City will ‘struggle’ to overcome injury crisis, says Guardiola
  • Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, leads a stellar cast of absentees in Guardiola’s squad
  • Guardiola urged City not to make excuses despite their injury woes

LISBON: Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City will struggle to overcome a mounting injury crisis but encouraged the English champions to bounce back in Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Sporting Lisbon.

City travel to Portugal after consecutive defeats to Tottenham in the League Cup and Bournemouth on Saturday, which ended an 11-month unbeaten run in the Premier League.

Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, leads a stellar cast of absentees in Guardiola’s squad that also includes Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, Jack Grealish and John Stones.

Kevin De Bruyne could make his first appearance seven weeks but is unlikely to start, while Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Jeremy Doku and Savinho are also not fully fit.

“You know the situation with Rodri, nominated the best player in the world,” said Guardiola at his pre-match press conference on Monday.

“We know we will struggle, and we have to accept that, and it is fine.

“The games will be difficult; in previous seasons it was smooth. Personal reasons, injuries, we won six Premier Leagues in seven years. Things change, we have to accept that.”

Guardiola will come against one of his future rivals as Sporting boss Ruben Amorim takes charge of the Portuguese champions for the penultimate time before beginning his role as Manchester United manager.

The sides last met in the last 16 of the 2021/22 Champions League when City romped to a 5-0 victory in Lisbon and on aggregate.

“They have changed players but have same manager and same mentality,” added Guardiola on the challenge Sporting provide.

“Winning the league for first time in 20 years and then doing it again last season shows what a good job he has done.”

Bernardo Silva scored twice in City’s 5-0 win over Sporting two years ago on his return to Lisbon, where he began his career at Benfica.

He urged City not to make excuses despite their injury woes.

“With a full squad we are stronger, there’s no denying that. We have a lot of unbelievable players missing,” said Silva.

“We have not been able to count on Kevin for six weeks. Rodri is out for the season and other players out shorter times. But we never find excuses. This club was never about that.”

Both sides are unbeaten in the new Champions League format with seven points from their opening three matches.


Neymar injured again as Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli maintain perfect records in AFC Champions League

Neymar injured again as Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli maintain perfect records in AFC Champions League
Updated 05 November 2024
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Neymar injured again as Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli maintain perfect records in AFC Champions League

Neymar injured again as Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli maintain perfect records in AFC Champions League
  • The Riyadh side defeated Esteghlal of Iran 3-0, while their Jeddah rivals thrashed Iraqi side Al-Shorta 5-1 in the 4th round of games in the league stage
  • Neymar, making only his second appearance in 13 months, came on early in the 2nd half but was withdrawn shortly before full time after pulling up as he stretched for the ball

Apart from another Neymar injury scare, Saudi teams enjoyed another great night in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday, as Al-Hilal defeated Esteghlal of Iran 3-0 and Al-Ahli thrashed Iraqi side Al-Shorta 5-1.

Both teams now have four wins out of four and sit joint top of their 12-team league. Al-Hilal has a slight edge on goal difference but even at this early point, with four games left to play in the league stage, both sides are all-but guaranteed to be one of the top eight teams that advance to the knockout phase.

With Neymar seemingly picking up a muscle injury after 30 minutes of action in Riyadh, Aleksandar Mitrovic was the undoubted star for Al-Hilal, scoring all three goals in what was ultimately a comfortable win, although Esteghlal did almost shock the Blues early on. Gael Kakuta’s perfect cross from the right found the head of a diving Ramin Rezaeian, only for the ball to hit the post, with Yassine Bounou beaten.

After 15 minutes, however, the home side were ahead. A pass from Nasser Al-Dawsari evaded a number of players, both home and away, before finding its way to Mitrovic at the far post, where the Serbian striker made no mistake from close range.

As both teams continued to push forward, Salem Al-Dawsari and Abdullah Al-Hamdan forced the Esteghlal goalkeeper make saves but it was not long before the lead was doubled. Renan Lodi, who has been in fine form this season, with a number of impressive assists, broke free down the left side of the area just after the half-hour mark and pulled a low pass across goal to Mitrovic, who was waiting to take another poacher’s chance.

There were more cheers from the home fans 10 minutes into the second half when Neymar came off the bench for only his second appearance since picking up a serious injury in October 2023. The Brazilian superstar was soon treating fans to flicks and feints as Al-Hilal started to move the ball around even more.

It was no surprise when they sealed the victory 16 minutes from time. Joao Cancelo crossed the ball for that man Mitrovic to once again head home at the far post for his fourth goal of the tournament.

The only downside for Al-Hilal came when Neymar was withdrawn shortly before the final whistle, after pulling up as he stretched for the ball.

Over in Jeddah, Al-Ahli kept pace in the competition with their Riyadh rivals thanks to a convincing 5-1 win against visiting Al-Shorta. The home side have been inconsistent in terms of domestic form but perfect in the Asian campaign so far. And it did not take long for the hosts to take the lead.

With 14 minutes on the clock, Ziyad Al-Johani floated over a long ball from a deep position down the left. Roberto Firmino timed his run perfectly to break into the area and direct an equally perfect header into the top corner of the goal.

Ten minutes later, the men in white had the perfect opportunity to extend their lead and take total control of the tie but Franck Kessie’s effort was saved by Ahmed Basil.

Then, just before the half-hour mark, Al-Shorta were suddenly level as a result of some slack defending that ended with Mohammed Dawood feeding the ball through to Sajad Jassem, who rounded goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi to score.

However, Al-Ahli went in at the break with their lead restored. Deep into added time, Firmino, who had just missed another glorious chance, grabbed his second of the game from close range after Firas Al-Buraikan skipped past the goalkeeper and fed the ball to the former Liverpool star, who found the back of the net from close range.

Firmino returned the favor eight minutes after the restart, delivering a low cross from the right that bounced all the way through to the far post where Al-Buraikan made no mistake.

Just after the hour mark, the Saudi international once again turned provider to feed Riyad Mahrez on the right corner of the area, and the Algerian fired his shot into the opposite corner. In the 65th minute, Al-Johani produced another perfect pass from the left, which Mahrez latched onto to grab his second and complete the 5-1 win.

Al-Nassr, who have two wins and a draw from their first three games in the competition, can move into third place in the group on Tuesday with a win against defending champions Al-Ain, who are second bottom with just one point after two defeats and a draw.


NEOM Beach Games opens with Supertri event

NEOM Beach Games opens with Supertri event
Updated 05 November 2024
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NEOM Beach Games opens with Supertri event

NEOM Beach Games opens with Supertri event
  • 1,000 international triathletes, coaches, team officials attend

NEOM: The NEOM Beach Games launched its third edition on Sunday with the much-anticipated Supertri NEOM event, which drew 1,000 international triathletes, coaches, and team officials.

The opening competition featured Olympic gold medalists Cassandre Beaugrand and Alex Yee, who claimed victory in the women’s and men’s Supertri NEOM categories.

The event served as the season’s finale of the Supertri League, with Georgia Taylor-Brown and Hayden Wilde emerging as champions for 2024, while Crown Racing triumphed in the teams category.

Jan Paterson, managing director of NEOM Sport, highlighted the significance of this year’s event, saying: “The launch of NEOM Beach Games for the third consecutive year reflects NEOM’s commitment to providing a unique environment that enables emerging and competitive sports talent.

“It fulfills NEOM’s aspirations to build a global, multicultural society, with sport acting as a bridge between peoples and cultures. The success of Supertri NEOM highlights its aspiration to become a premier destination for high-performance sports.”

As part of NEOM’s broader mission to support the development of triathlon, Supertri partnered with local initiatives like the Stars of Tomorrow program, allowing young Saudi athletes to train alongside elite Olympic and world champions.

Race weekend activities included school visits, clinics with professional triathletes, and training sessions for officials, underscoring NEOM’s commitment to empowering the Saudi Triathlon Federation and fostering homegrown talent in the sport.

Supertri CEO and co-founder Michael D’hulst praised the event’s success, saying: “(It) was a fitting conclusion to a spectacular season, delivering thrilling racing in an incredible setting. It has been a brilliant Supertri League season, and I am very happy that we were able to finish it again in NEOM, bringing a unique blend of entertainment and inspiration.

“I am proud of the work we’ve done together with NEOM to grow and develop the sport in the Kingdom and look forward to continuing to build on this legacy.”

The action continues this week with the FIBA 3x3 World Tour NEOM 2024, which is set to begin on Thursday.


Sabalenka beats Paolini in straight sets to reach last four of WTA Finals

Sabalenka beats Paolini in straight sets to reach last four of WTA Finals
Updated 05 November 2024
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Sabalenka beats Paolini in straight sets to reach last four of WTA Finals

Sabalenka beats Paolini in straight sets to reach last four of WTA Finals
  • Top-ranked Sabalenka cruised in the first set after building a 4-0 lead, then saved two set points in the second to advance at the year-ending tournament
  • Sabalenka has won 22 of her last 23 matches, and three of the last four tournaments in which she played

RIYADH: Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals of the WTA Finals with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Jasmine Paolini on Monday for a second straight victory in the group stage.
The top-ranked Sabalenka cruised in the first set after building a 4-0 lead, then saved two set points in the second to advance at the year-ending tournament for the top eight ranked players.
Sabalenka will face already eliminated Elena Rybakina on Wednesday in the final group match of the week.
Sabalenka has won 22 of her last 23 matches, and three of the last four tournaments in which she played.
Another round-robin win will secure her the year-end No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career.
In the other Purple Group match, Zheng Qinwen defeated Rybakina 7-6 (4) 3-6, 6-1 to maintain chances of advancing.
It was Zheng’s first career win over Rybakina in three tries.
Rybakina sits at 0-2 and can’t advance to the semifinals. She lost to Paolini on Saturday, while Sabalenka eased to a straight-set victory over Zheng in the opening match in Saudi Arabia.
Zheng and Paolini will play each other on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to her first WTA Finals semifinal to face the winner of the Orange Group.


NEOM Sports Club appoint Alex Leitao as CEO

NEOM Sports Club appoint Alex Leitao as CEO
Updated 04 November 2024
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NEOM Sports Club appoint Alex Leitao as CEO

NEOM Sports Club appoint Alex Leitao as CEO
  • New boss says he is delighted to join club at ‘significant phase’ in Kingdom’s sporting evolution
  • Team currently tops Saudi First Division

NEOM: NEOM Sports Club has appointed Alex Leitao as their new CEO, the club said on Monday.

The former boss of Brazil’s Club Athletico Paranaense and Major League Soccer’s Orlando City joins NEOM as they continue to progress through the ranks of Saudi football.

The club said Leitao would focus on driving the team’s performance, development and brand in alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

Moaath Alohali, who was the club’s CEO since its acquisition by NEOM in June last year, will transition to an advisory role. Under his leadership, the club secured the services of several top players and coaching staff and won the Second Division title.

Alohali also established a women’s team, which is currently seeking promotion to the Women’s Premier League, and a youth development program to nurture the next generation of Saudi players.

Club Chairman Mishari Al-Mutairi said: “As part of our development efforts to elevate the club’s sporting standards, we are pleased to welcome Alex Leitao as the club’s CEO and to benefit from his extensive experience in leading global clubs.

“The performance achieved by the club thus far reflects our commitment to attracting the best talents and coaches to NEOM, aligning with our goals of reaching the highest levels. We are currently looking forward to new seasons filled with success.”

Leitao said he was delighted to be a part of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving sporting landscape.

“As we enter a significant phase with the Kingdom’s transformation into a global sports hub, I am delighted to join a sports club to contribute to achieving its sporting and social objectives, adding further distinction to its national journey.

“The rapid growth of NEOM Sports Club, with a focus on professional football as the club’s core sport, is a key factor that enables us to compete, support promising talents, and enhance community engagement in this pioneering region.”

NEOM Sports Club are currently top of the First Division, the second tier of Saudi football.