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.”


Perfect 11: Cavaliers score comeback win over Nets

Perfect 11: Cavaliers score comeback win over Nets
Updated 1 min 12 sec ago
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Perfect 11: Cavaliers score comeback win over Nets

Perfect 11: Cavaliers score comeback win over Nets
  • Collin Sexton scored 23 points and Lauri Markkanen added 20 as the Utah Jazz held off San Antonio 111-110
  • Chicago Bulls produced a balanced offensive performance to take down the Hawks 125-113

LOS ANGELES: The Cleveland Cavaliers staged a sensational second-half comeback to preserve their perfect start to the season with a 105-100 defeat of the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.

A superb defensive performance from Evan Mobley and 22 points from Donovan Mitchell laid the foundations for an unlikely victory that saw Cleveland improve to 11-0.

Mobley led the Cleveland scoring with 23 points, but it was his work at the other end of the court which proved decisive.

The 23-year-old power forward pulled down 13 defensive rebounds and made four steals and a block as Cleveland dug themselves out of a 14-point hole in the third quarter to snatch victory.

The Cavaliers outscored Brooklyn 35-18 in the final period, but only edged into the lead after two Garland free throws put them 97-96 ahead with just over two minutes remaining.

Cleveland held onto that slender advantage for the remainder of the game, with Mobley bringing loud roars of approval after an emphatic block of a Cameron Johnson layup in the closing seconds that was emblematic of his display.

Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson admitted his team had been below-par for long periods, but praised their resilience in grinding out a win.

“We weren’t great, but it’s a sign of a really good team that they can pull something like that out when you’re not playing your best,” Atkinson said afterward. “That was a heck of a comeback.”

Atkinson added that preserving the team’s unbeaten start to the season was also a key motivator to his players.

“Normally you know after 11 games, you’re not thinking about a streak,” Atkinson said. “But tonight you’re thinking ‘I don’t want it to end this way.’

“When you’re out there it’s in the back of your mind, and you’re thinking ‘we got to keep this thing going’.”

Johnson led Brooklyn’s scoring with 23 points, while Cam Thomas and Dennis Schroder both finished with 22 points apiece.

In other games on Saturday, Collin Sexton scored 23 points and Lauri Markkanen added 20 as the Utah Jazz held off San Antonio 111-110 for their second win of the NBA season.

Victor Wembanyama, last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year, scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds with seven blocked shots as well, but the 20-year-old French star was whistled for a costly offensive foul in the final seconds.

Jordan Clarkson added 16 points off the bench for the Jazz, who rose to 2-7 but remain last in the Western Conference.

Stephon Castle contributed 23 points for the Spurs and Devin Vassell added 21 off the bench for San Antonio, which fell to 4-6.

Keldon Johnson’s 3-pointer lifted San Antonio within a point with 31 seconds remaining but Clarkson answered with two free throws to pull Utah ahead 107-104.

“Wemby” was whistled for an offensive foul while making a screen on the next Spurs possession, a call that held up on a video review, and Clarkson added two free throws.

Julian Champagnie answered with a corner 3-pointer for the Spurs with five seconds remaining but Sexton sank two final Jazz free throws and Vassell’s 3-pointer at the buzzer for San Antonio was too little and too late.

In Atlanta, meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls produced a balanced offensive performance to take down the Hawks 125-113.

No fewer than eight Chicago players finished in double figures, with Ayo Dosunmo leading with 19 off the bench and Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Coby White all bagging 18 points each.


Pakistan win toss, put Australia to bat in ODI series decider

Pakistan win toss, put Australia to bat in ODI series decider
Updated 3 min 54 sec ago
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Pakistan win toss, put Australia to bat in ODI series decider

Pakistan win toss, put Australia to bat in ODI series decider
  • Australia rest Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith for today’s match
  • After losing first ODI in Melbourne, Pakistan bounced back strongly in second one at Adelaide to level series 1-1

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to field first against Australia on Sunday as the South Asian country eyes a much-awaited ODI series victory against the world champions today.
Pakistan lost the three-match series opener on Nov. 4 against Australia in a close contest before coming back strongly on Friday to demolish the hosts in Adelaide by nine wickets.
Australia have rested veteran cricketers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith for Sunday’s third ODI ahead of Australia’s Test series against India beginning later this month.
“Our team for the series decider” unchanged playing XI,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wrote on social media platform Instagram.
Pakistani pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah struck early to deal Australia quick blows, removing the hosts’ opener Jake Fraser-McGurk and Aaron Hardie in the first 10 overs of the match.
Pakistan last won an ODI series against Australia in Australia in 2002. Their win against the Australian cricket team on Friday made it the first time since 2017 that the green shirts had beaten the opposition in an ODI at their backyard.
PLAYING XI:
Australia: 1 Matt Short, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Aaron Hardie, 4 Josh Inglis (capt, wk), 5 Cooper Connolly, 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Spencer Johnson, 11 Lance Morris
Pakistan: 1 Saim Ayub, 2 Abdullah Shafique, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Kamran Ghulam, 6 Salman Agha, 7 Irfan Khan, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Mohammad Hasnain


Messi and Miami eliminated from MLS Cup playoffs in first round

Messi and Miami eliminated from MLS Cup playoffs in first round
Updated 52 min 28 sec ago
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Messi and Miami eliminated from MLS Cup playoffs in first round

Messi and Miami eliminated from MLS Cup playoffs in first round
  • Miami had won the regular season campaign with a record points total but the MLS Cup favorites and their eight-times Ballon d’Or winner are out

FORT LAUDERDALE, United States: Lionel Messi’s goal of winning the MLS Cup title came to an abrupt end on Saturday with his Inter Miami suffering a shock first-round elimination from the playoffs after a 3-2 home defeat to Atlanta United.
Miami had won the regular season campaign with a record points total but after losing twice in the best-of-three series, the MLS Cup favorites and their eight-times Ballon d’Or winner are out.
All the accolades Miami received for their regular season ‘Supporters’ Shield’ triumph count for little after an Atlanta team which finished ninth in the Eastern Conference pulled off a stunning upset.
Inter took the lead in the 17th minute when Messi was denied by a diving save from Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan but Matias Rojas followed in to slot home the loose ball.
Just two minutes later though the visitors levelled when a deflected pass from Dax McCarty fell to Jamal Thiare who confidently fired home with a sweet strike.
Miami were stunned when moments later Thiare struck again — the 37-year-old McCarty lifted the ball forward to Russian Aleksei Miranchuk who slipped the ball inside to the Senegalese striker who blasted home to make it 2-1.
Diego Gomez thought he had brought Miami level in the 23rd minute but his effort was ruled out for offside.
The 40-year-old former USA and Aston Villa keeper Guzan was in inspired form as he frustrated Miami’s search for an equalizer.
It was Messi who finally broke through in the 65th minute, meeting a Marcelo Weigandt cross from the right with a thundering header.
Miami pushed forward in search of the winner but instead they were caught out once again with Pedro Amador’s cross from the left headed home at the back post by Polish midfielder Bartosz Slisz.
Atlanta will now face Orlando in the Eastern Conference semifinals with New York Red Bulls and New York City clashing in the other conference semi.


Weah scores for Juventus in Turin derby win and Leao nets 2 in AC Milan draw at Cagliari

Weah scores for Juventus in Turin derby win and Leao nets 2 in AC Milan draw at Cagliari
Updated 10 November 2024
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Weah scores for Juventus in Turin derby win and Leao nets 2 in AC Milan draw at Cagliari

Weah scores for Juventus in Turin derby win and Leao nets 2 in AC Milan draw at Cagliari
  • Weah’s father, former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, was watching from the stands
  • Parma came back from a goal down for a 2-1 win at last-placed Venezia with goals from Emanuele Valeri and Ange-Yoan Bonny

ROME: Timothy Weah’s first-half goal for Juventus in a 2-0 derby win over Torino on Saturday marked the US international’s third goal in four Serie A matches.

Weah, who also scored recently against Inter Milan and Parma, was in the right spot to redirect in a rebound of a shot from Andrea Cambiaso.

Weah’s father, former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah, was watching from the stands. Timothy Weah had another potential goal waved off for a handball.

Kenan Yildiz sealed it for Juventus with a crouching header late in the second half.

Juventus moved up to third, level on points with second-placed Inter Milan, who host league leaders Napoli on Sunday.

Leao scores 2 in AC Milan draw

Rafael Leao took advantage of his spot in AC Milan’s lineup after surprisingly being benched lately, scoring twice and helping to set up a third in a 3-3 draw at Cagliari.

Still, Milan struggled at relegation-threatened Cagliari just four days after a win at Real Madrid in the Champions League.

The pre-game attention was on 16-year-old Francesco Camarda getting the nod at center forward following an injury to Alvaro Morata, but it was Leao who made the biggest impact.

Nadir Zortea put Cagliari ahead in the second minute before Leao struck back with a brace before halftime.

First, Leao scored with a lob following an excellent setup from Tijjani Reijnders. Then the Portugal winger took a throughball from Youssouf Fofana and dribbled around the goalkeeper for his second.

Gabriele Zappa equalized for Cagliari shortly after the break and Milan went ahead again with a goal from Tammy Abraham, who had just come on for Camarda.

On a play that began with Leao inside Milan’s half, Abraham redirected in a rebound following a shot from Christian Pulisic.

Zappa then completed a brace, too, with a spectacular volley.

Milan remained seventh.

Parma win matchup of promoted clubs

Parma came back from a goal down for a 2-1 win at last-placed Venezia with goals from Emanuele Valeri and Ange-Yoan Bonny. Hans Nicolussi Caviglia put Venezia ahead five minutes into the matchup of promoted clubs.

Parma hadn’t won since beating Milan in August.

Lecce fire Gotti

Relegation-threatened Lecce fired Luca Gotti following a 1-1 draw with Empoli on Friday. The southern club did not immediately name a new coach.

It’s the second coaching change in Serie A after Daniele De Rossi was replaced by Ivan Juric at Roma.
 


Coco Gauff wins WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Zheng Qinwen

Coco Gauff wins WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Zheng Qinwen
Updated 10 November 2024
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Coco Gauff wins WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Zheng Qinwen

Coco Gauff wins WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Zheng Qinwen
  • The 20-year-old American came from 2-0 and 5-3 down in the final set and was two points from defeat at one stage
  • Gauff beat the world’s top two players — Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek — on her run to the final at the season-ending event in Riyadh

RIYADH: Coco Gauff won the WTA Finals for the first time by rallying to beat Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2) in the final on Saturday.
The 20-year-old American came from 2-0 and 5-3 down in the final set and was two points from defeat at one stage.
Yet she took the set to a tiebreaker and won the first six points. Zheng threatened a comeback but Gauff took the victory off her third match point with a forehand winner as she came into the net.
She is the first American to win the Finals since Serena Williams in 2014, and received $4.8 million in prize money.
Gauff beat the world’s top two players — Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek — on her run to the final at the season-ending event in Riyadh.
Zheng was looking to complete a season in which she reached a grand slam final for the first time at the Australian Open and delivered China’s first Olympic tennis singles gold medal.
But Gauff edged the three-hour final which included 26 break points. Gauff also won their only previous meeting, in the Rome quarterfinals on clay in May.
Gauff beat Sabalenka at age 19 in last year’s US Open final to win her only major in singles to date. She teamed with Katerina Siniakova to win the French Open doubles this year.
In the WTA doubles final, Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand beat Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic and Taylor Townsend of the United States 7-5, 6-3. They are the first players from Canada and New Zealand to win the doubles title.