Al-Riyadh’s Andre Gray confident of Saudi Pro League survival

Special Al-Riyadh’s Andre Gray confident of Saudi Pro League survival
Andre Gray closes in on Neymar during an RSL encounter. (Getty Images)
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Updated 07 March 2024
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Al-Riyadh’s Andre Gray confident of Saudi Pro League survival

Al-Riyadh’s Andre Gray confident of Saudi Pro League survival
  • Former Burnley and Watford player scored a vital winner against Al-Okhdood to take Al-Riyadh 5 points clear of the relegation zone
  • Andre Gray: The table’s really tight at the moment, so three points are really, really important to us right now with the battle at the bottom

Andre Gray’s 87th-minute intervention last Friday may have been his most crucial yet as an Al-Riyadh player. Against fellow Saudi Pro League strugglers Al-Ohkdood, he grabbed the decisive goal in a 2-1 victory — the third time this season that a Gray strike has handed Al-Riyadh all three points.

It means the team from the Saudi capital are now five points clear of the relegation zone, but Gray, who played four seasons in the English Premier League with Burnley and Watford, knows that it is not the time to get complacent.

“I think the last one was the most important goal I’ve scored this season,” Gray told Arab News. “The table’s really tight at the moment, so three points are really, really important to us right now with the battle at the bottom.

“Every win is going to boost our confidence, so I think after Friday, it’s given give us a big boost. But you can see how tight it is. One win and you feel like you’re completely out of it, then one defeat and you’re back in it again.

“The game before that (a 1-1 draw with Al-Raed) was a tough one, too, but those are ones you can’t afford to lose, so a draw was fine. I think taking four points from the past three games is OK.”

Al-Riyadh appear unlikely to extract any points from their next fixture as they host runaway league leaders Al-Hilal in a derby clash at the Prince Turki bin Abdul Aziz Stadium this Friday.

Al-Hilal have been in irresistible form this campaign and last weekend beat Al-Ittihad 3-1 in the Saudi Clasico, a record-extending 15th successive league win. Victory over Al-Riyadh will mean 27 straight wins in all competitions, equalling the world record set by Welsh side the New Saints FC in 2017.

“In any league, when you play against the top team, you need a lot of things to go in your favor; you need a lot of luck if you want to get a result. The goalkeeper probably needs to be man of the match,” Gray said.

“We’ve played Al-Hilal already (a 6-1 loss in September) and it didn’t go too well, but to be honest it’s one of those games that you don’t mark on the calendar as a must-win.”

It has not been an easy first season for Gray on the pitch, with Al-Riyadh struggling at the wrong end of the table. But the Jamaica international, who a decade ago went from non-league football with Luton Town to the English Premier League with Burnley in just two years, insists he is relishing the challenge of playing in the Kingdom.

“I’ve really enjoyed it,” Gray said. “It’s very competitive — if you just look at the table, you can see there’s not much in between the clubs outside of the top six, which I think it speaks volumes about the quality.

“It’s an exciting time to be here — not just football. I think life here as well. You’re seeing things being built, all the events that are happening, the changes that have come in.

“It’s strange because I’ve never really witnessed anything like that in England. But coming here and being at the start of things — you get a feel for how this project is going to be, both in terms of football and outside of football. It was the perfect time to come.”

Gray has already played under three coaches at Al-Riyadh, with Bandar Al-Kubaishan taking caretaker charge after Belgian Yannick Ferrara left his post in September, before current boss — Brazilian Odair Hellmann — arrived in October.

“The coach (Hellmann) has been great,” said Gray. “He pushes us a lot, wants a lot of energy from us. Like everyone here, he has had to adapt and navigate his way through, but he’s just trying to get the best out of the players.

“We all have one goal and I feel like he’s got us all on the same page together. That’s the only way we’re going to achieve what we want to achieve: to stay in the top division.”

Away from the pitch, Gray has long been a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement and has a number of tattoos of historic civil rights leaders. It is little surprise, then, that the deterioration of the rights of the Palestinian people is something that has affected him.

“You can see a lot of the news here, but you mostly see stuff now on social media,” he said. “It’s just not right and I think any person on a human level knows it’s not right.

“It needs to stop; it’s horrific, there are no actual words to explain the suffering in Palestine and all the things that are going on. All the world leaders, they need to step up because they’re they are the ones with power.”

Gray has found plenty who share his outlook in the Kingdom, where he has settled quickly since joining Al-Riyadh last summer. A major comfort has been the plethora of sporting events now hosted in Saudi Arabia, which has made the transition from the UK a little easier.

“I’ve been trying to go to all of the sport, to be honest,” Gray said. “I went to the MMA last week and I’ll be going to the boxing this week. Hopefully, if we have a day off, I’ll get to Jeddah for the Formula One. They really know how to do sport and entertainment out here.”

Before a potential trip to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix comes the trickiest of Pro League matches against Al Hilal on Friday. Despite being overwhelming underdogs, Gray said nothing is a foregone conclusion. 

“It’s about trying to stick to the system and be disciplined and stay focused, and we will see what happens. Football’s a strange old game, so you just never know.”


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 19 sec ago
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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
  • 2 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.


China’s Zheng downs Rybakina at WTA Finals

China’s Zheng downs Rybakina at WTA Finals
Updated 04 November 2024
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China’s Zheng downs Rybakina at WTA Finals

China’s Zheng downs Rybakina at WTA Finals
  • Zheng rebounded from her opening round-robin defeat by Aryna Sabalenka by claiming her first win from three meetings with Rybakina

RIYADH: Zheng Qinwen improved her chances of advancing to the semifinals at the WTA Finals with a 7-6 (7/4), 3-6, 6-1 victory over world No. 5 Elena Rybakina in Riyadh on Monday.

The seventh-seeded Zheng rebounded from her opening round-robin defeat by Aryna Sabalenka by claiming her first win from three meetings with Rybakina.

Meanwhile, Rybakina suffered a second defeat in as many matches this week in Saudi Arabia and is facing elimination, with one more round-robin clash to go against Sabalenka on Wednesday.

During her on-court interview, Zheng apologized to the Chinese fans in the stands for “losing control” of her emotions at one point during the match, admitting she was “harsh” in her reaction to them, and thanked them for their support.

“I’m really happy to have won this match because I never beat her before and she’s one of the greatest players right now on tour, huge serve and great groundstrokes,” said Zheng.

“I didn’t take my chances in the second set but I was able to come back in the third and I stayed focused.

“I had to stay really focused on my service games, because here, both of us are destroying our serves, it’s really tough to return.”

Zheng arrives in Riyadh on the back of an impressive second half of the season that saw her win titles in Palermo and Tokyo, and an Olympic gold medal in singles in Paris. No woman has won more matches than her within that span.

The first Chinese player to qualify for the WTA Finals since Li Na in 2013, Zheng amassed a 12-2 win-loss record during the Asian swing last month and is the tour leader in most aces struck and percentage of first-serve points won.

Rybakina’s second part of 2024 could not have been more different.

The Kazakh had played just two matches between Wimbledon and the WTA Finals as she struggled with allergies, insomnia, and a back injury.

After saving a pair of break points on her own serve in the third game, Zheng made her move, breaking Rybakina en route to a 4-1 advantage.

Rybakina wiped out her deficit, attacking Zheng’s second serve, and was soon on level terms at 4-4.

The set fittingly went to a tie-break which Zheng sealed on a long forehand from Rybakina on the 58-minute mark.

In a pattern similar to the opening set, Zheng carved out a lead in the second frame, only for Rybakina to strike back and even the score. This time though, the big-hitter took four games in a row to claim the second set and force a decider.

Zheng shook off early trouble on her serve in the final set before surging ahead 4-1. It was the boost she needed to wrap up the win — the ninth of her career against a top-10 opponent.


Saudi Arabia’s Nouf Al-Marwaai appointed president of Asian Yogasan Sports Federation

Saudi Arabia’s Nouf Al-Marwaai appointed president of Asian Yogasan Sports Federation
Updated 04 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s Nouf Al-Marwaai appointed president of Asian Yogasan Sports Federation

Saudi Arabia’s Nouf Al-Marwaai appointed president of Asian Yogasan Sports Federation
  • Al-Marwaai, who is also president of the Saudi Yoga Committee, was appointed unanimously during the Asian federation’s sixth general assembly meeting

RIYADH: Saudi Nouf Al-Marwaai has been appointed as the president of the Asian Yogasan Sports Federation, it was announced on Monday.

Al-Marwaai, who is also president of the Saudi Yoga Committee, was appointed unanimously during the Asian federation’s sixth general assembly meeting, held in Dubai.

The event saw participation from representatives of national yoga federations across 13 countries.

Expressing her gratitude, Al-Marwaai highlighted the trust placed in her by the general assembly members and attributed her selection to Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in the sports sector.

She emphasized her commitment to furthering yoga across Asia while representing Saudi Arabia’s dedication to promoting wellness and fitness.

“Serving Saudi as the president of the Saudi Yoga Committee has been a privilege, and I am proud to now build on that honor by serving the country as the president of the Asian Yogasan Sports Federation,” said Al-Marwaai.

She also extended thanks to the federation, member countries, the UAE Yoga Federation for their hospitality, and the Saudi leadership for their unwavering support, particularly in empowering Saudi women in sports.


Countdown begins: 60 days until Dakar Rally returns to Saudi Arabia

Countdown begins: 60 days until Dakar Rally returns to Saudi Arabia
Updated 04 November 2024
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Countdown begins: 60 days until Dakar Rally returns to Saudi Arabia

Countdown begins: 60 days until Dakar Rally returns to Saudi Arabia
  • This year, the rally will be run on an entirely new route, beginning in Bisha

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia is preparing to host the Dakar Rally for a sixth consecutive year, with just 60 days remaining until the off.

Known as one of the world’s most prestigious and grueling off-road races, the rally will run from Jan. 3-17 next year, bringing new challenges and routes for pilots to navigate across the Kingdom.

This year, the rally will be run on an entirely new route, beginning in Bisha, a southern Saudi city that serves as a gateway between the Asir, central and western regions.

From Bisha, pilots will travel north across Saudi Arabia before venturing into the Empty Quarter — the world’s largest contiguous sand desert — with the finish line in Shubaytah.

The 2024 Dakar Rally, held from AlUla to Yanbu, captivated a global audience as Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, representing Audi, clinched his fourth career win in the car category and his second on Saudi soil.

In other categories, American rider Ricky Brabec triumphed in the bike class, Argentine racer Manuel Andujar took the quad title, and Spanish driver Cristina Gutierrez emerged victorious in the Challenger desert vehicle category.

Frenchman Xavier de Soultrait won in the side-by-side production class, while Czech driver Martin Macík made history with his first win in the truck category after 12 attempts.

The 2025 route will explore previously unvisited regions to highlight what Saudi Arabia has to offer tourists, according to a statement on Monday from the organizers.