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Esports World Cup to host Neymar celebrity gaming match in Riyadh

Esports World Cup to host Neymar celebrity gaming match in Riyadh
Neymar during a visit to the Esports World Cup in July. (Supplied)
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Updated 14 August 2024
Arab News
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Esports World Cup to host Neymar celebrity gaming match in Riyadh

Esports World Cup to host Neymar celebrity gaming match in Riyadh
  • Al-Hilal’s Brazilian superstar to perform in ‘Counter-Strike 2,’ ‘Rocket League’ and ‘Tekken 8’ tournaments on Aug. 20 at Boulevard Riyadh City
  • Neymar’s visit is another step in mission to elevate esports and attract a broader global audience, says Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation
Updated 14 August 2024
Arab News
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RIYADH: The Esports World Cup is set to host Al-Hilal’s Brazilian superstar Neymar for a unique showmatch experience in Riyadh on Aug. 20.

Neymar now calls Riyadh home after joining Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023.

Hosted at the Qiddiya Arena, the event will see Neymar play games in “Counter-Strike 2,” “Rocket League” and “Tekken 8.” Fans can also look forward to mini challenges, interviews, exclusive interactions, and raffles for signed merchandise.

In another first for Saudi Arabia’s esports scene, Neymar will enlist the help of professionals in “Counter-Strike 2” and “Rocket League.” Teams will be a mix of professional esports players, local talent, and special guests.

The inaugural Esports World Cup, which features 22 games across 21 titles over a two-month period, has a record-breaking industry prize pool of $60 million.

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, the hosting entity of the global event, said: “Neymar’s visit to the Esports World Cup is another step in our mission to elevate esports and attract a broader global audience.

“I’m excited to welcome Neymar back to EWC for the second time this year. Last month, he joined us to watch the incredible Counter-Strike 2 Esports World Cup Game Championship, and now he’ll showcase his own gaming skills in a celebrity showmatch.

“With his profound passion for gaming and competitive spirit, it’s sure to be thrilling for fans worldwide.”

Neymar, 32, who was pictured celebrating Esports World Cup action during a visit to Boulevard Riyadh City in July, is an Olympic gold medalist with Brazil, and won the UEFA Champions League with former club FC Barcelona.

The EWC Celebrity Showmatch featuring Neymar will be shown live on the Esports World Cup Central broadcast channel, and via media partners.

Topics: Esports World Cup Neymar

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Arnold eager to steer Iraq to 2026 FIFA World Cup

Arnold eager to steer Iraq to 2026 FIFA World Cup
Updated 10 May 2025
Reuters
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Arnold eager to steer Iraq to 2026 FIFA World Cup

Arnold eager to steer Iraq to 2026 FIFA World Cup
  • Iraq's only appearance at the tournament was in 1986
  • “What is important is we all believe we can win the next two games,” Arnold said
Updated 10 May 2025
Reuters

BAGHDAD: Graham Arnold is confident he can help Iraq qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time in 40 years after he was appointed as the country's national coach on Friday.

Asked whether Iraq can make the cut for the 2026 tournament which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S., the Australian told the federation’s website: "That’s my goal.


“That’s what I want to do. I haven’t come here to not be successful, and everyone in this room has to believe that. We can do it.

Iraq's only appearance at the tournament was in 1986, when they were eliminated after the group phase.

Arnold replaced Spaniard Jesus Casas whose contract was terminated by the local soccer governing body in the wake of a 2-1 loss to Palestine in March.

That result left the Iraqis in third place in the standings in Group B, four points adrift of leaders South Korea and one behind Jordan with two games left.

The top two nations in each of Asia's three qualifying groups advance automatically for the World Cup while the teams in third and fourth progress to another round of preliminaries.

“What is important is we all believe we can win the next two games, that is my first objective for Iraq,” he said.

Arnold's first game in charge will be against South Korea in Basra on June 5. They then face Jordan in Amman five days later.

Topics: Graham Arnold Iraq 2026 World Cup

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Sinner wins in return from doping ban before home crowd at Italian Open

Sinner wins in return from doping ban before home crowd at Italian Open
Updated 10 May 2025
AP
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Sinner wins in return from doping ban before home crowd at Italian Open

Sinner wins in return from doping ban before home crowd at Italian Open
  • The top-ranked player made a solid return from his three-month doping ban by beating 99th-ranked Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4
  • “Amazing feeling. I have waited quite long for this moment,” Sinner said
Updated 10 May 2025
AP

ROME: After a wait of more than 100 days, Jannik Sinner still knows how to win a tennis match.

The top-ranked player made a solid return from his three-month doping ban by beating 99th-ranked Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4 before an adoring home crowd at the Italian Open on Saturday.

It was Sinner’s first match since he won his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.

“Amazing feeling. I have waited quite long for this moment,” Sinner said. “I am very happy to be back.”

There weren’t too many signs of rust and it didn’t take long for Sinner to start crushing his groundstrokes on or near the lines. When the Italian broke for 3-1 in the first set, the crowd inside Campo Centrale sang “Ole, ole, ole, Sin-ner, Sin-ner.”

Many fans in the soldout crowd of 10,500 were dressed in orange, Sinner’s theme color. And there were plenty of signs that said “Bentornato Jannik” (“Welcome back Jannik”).

The victory extended Sinner’s winning streak to 22 matches, dating to October.

“It went very well at times,” he said. “Could be better, yes, but in any case it doesn’t matter about the result today. It has been a remarkable day for me.”

In February, Sinner agreed to the three-month ban in a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency that raised some questions, since it conveniently allowed him not to miss any Grand Slams and come back at his home tournament.

The settlement was made after WADA appealed a decision last year by the International Tennis Integrity Agency to fully exonerate Sinner for what it deemed to be an accidental contamination by a banned anabolic steroid in March 2024.

Many fellow pros feel Sinner was treated too lightly.

But the crowd at the Foro Italico night session was fully behind Sinner, who has remained Italy’s most popular athlete despite his suspension.

When Sinner unleashed a backhand approach winner up the line early in the first set — the game in which he eventually broke Navone’s serve — one Sinner fan yelled, “Destroy him.”

Another sign in the crowd translated to “Make our hearts beat.” One more referred to this week’s election of a new pope just down the road at the Vatican, joking that “After three months of conclave, Habemus Papam!” — using the Latin words that are announced from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica when a pope is elected.

“The crowd was incredible,” Sinner said. “They always give me strength to continue even in tough times. So it was a very, very special moment.”

His only real lapse came late in the second set when he failed to consolidate a break and dropped his serve. But he broke again in the next game and then served the match out.

Sinner hit twice as many winners as Navone, 21-10; but had more unforced errors, 24-19.

“It’s very difficult to have the right feedback when you don’t have any matches,” Sinner said. “But exactly that’s what I need. Now I think the best practice is the match itself.”

Sinner will next face 93rd-ranked Dutch qualifier Jesper De Jong, who beat 25th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-0, 6-2.

The last Italian man to win the Rome title was Adriano Panatta in 1976.

Swiatek loses to Collins
In the women’s tournament, three-time champion Iga Swiatek was beaten by Danielle Collins 6-1, 7-5. The third-round loss marked Swiatek’s earliest defeat at a big WTA event in nearly four years.

Swiatek, the top clay-court player on the women’s tour, was coming off a lopsided loss to Coco Gauff in the Madrid Open semifinals last week. She has 15 days to rediscover her form before the French Open starts on May 25.

Swiatek has won four of her five Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros.

Topics: Jannik Sinner Italian Open doping

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Bayern Munich celebrate Bundesliga title with last home win for Thomas Müller

Bayern Munich celebrate Bundesliga title with last home win for Thomas Müller
Updated 10 May 2025
AP
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Bayern Munich celebrate Bundesliga title with last home win for Thomas Müller

Bayern Munich celebrate Bundesliga title with last home win for Thomas Müller
Updated 10 May 2025
AP


BERLIN: Thomas Müller led Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga title celebrations after helping the team beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 in his last home game for the club on Saturday.

After being presented with the trophy, Bayern captain Manuel Neuer gave it to Müller to hoist toward the Munich sky and start the confetti-filled celebrations.

There was another outpouring of emotion when Harry Kane got his chance to lift the “salad bowl” — it’s the England captain’s first team trophy after a career of near-misses.

Bayern won the title last weekend and Michael Olize made sure of this win by scoring one goal and setting up the other for Kane’s league-leading 25th of the season to get the party underway in Munich.

Relegation decided
Bochum and Holstein Kiel were relegated while Leipzig’s hopes of Champions League qualification were over after drawing at Werder Bremen 0-0.

Last-placed Bochum lost at home to Mainz 4-1, and Kiel lost at home 2-1 to Freiburg, which consolidated fourth place and were well-placed for Champions League qualification.

Leipzig’s scoreless draw in Bremen left them four points behind Freiburg with one round remaining, meaning they can no longer qualify for Europe’s lucrative premier competition.

Neither Bochum nor Kiel have any possibility of catching third-from-bottom Heidenheim following the latter’s 3-0 win at Union Berlin. Heidenheim made sure of at least a relegation playoff place.

With one game left to play, Bochum had 22 points, Kiel 25, and Heidenheim 29 – just two behind St. Pauli, which had two matches remaining. St. Pauli play their penultimate match at third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

Bochum needed to avoid defeat and hope for a favor from Union against Heidenheim at the same time. But Mainz were 3-0 up before Bochum scored. Mainz confirmed Bochum’s seventh demotion from the top division.

Bochum were promoted to the Bundesliga as the second division champion in 2021, ending an 11-year absence from the top division.

Bochum defeated Bayern 3-2 away in March, but they were Dieter Hecking’s team’s only win in their last 11 games.

“I’ve been relegated before, it’s anything but nice. You could see it with the lads, tears were flowing,” Bochum captain Maximilian Wittek said. “It’s among the worst things that can happen in football.”

Kiel also gone
Kiel were promoted for the first time only last season and coach Marcel Rapp’s team have quickly returned to the second division.

Kiel scored first but Johan Manzambi equalized before the break and Lucas Höler headed Freiburg toward the Champions League.

Freiburg moved four points clear of Borussia Dortmund, which visit Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday for Xabi Alonso’s last home game as Leverkusen coach. A Leverkusen win would send Freiburg to the Champions League.

Later, Hamburger SV had the chance to be promoted back to the division with a win at home against Ulm in the second division. Thousands of blue-clad fans greeted the team bus on its way to the stadium with songs, flags and flares.

Topics: Bayern Munich Thomas Müller Harry Kane Bundesliga

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Lazio snatch last-gasp draw with Champions League rivals Juve

Lazio snatch last-gasp draw with Champions League rivals Juve
Updated 10 May 2025
AFP
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Lazio snatch last-gasp draw with Champions League rivals Juve

Lazio snatch last-gasp draw with Champions League rivals Juve
  • Igor Tudor’s team are level on 64 points with Lazio in fifth
  • Randal Kolo Muani netted Juve’s goal in the 51st minute
Updated 10 May 2025
AFP

ROME: Matias Vecino snatched a precious 1-1 draw for Lazio against 10-man Juventus with a stoppage-time equalizer in an enthralling battle between top-four rivals.

Uruguayan Vecino tapped home from close range after a miraculous Michele Di Gregorio save from Valentin Castellanos to spare Lazio from what would have been a painful defeat.

Juventus, who played for over half an hour with 10 men after Pierre Kalulu was sent off for striking out at Lazio striker Castellanos, stay fourth.

But Igor Tudor’s team are level on 64 points with Lazio in fifth, with sixth-placed Roma a point behind ahead of their clash at Atalanta on Monday night.

Randal Kolo Muani netted Juve’s goal in the 51st minute at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, his seventh goal in Italy’s top flight since signing on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January.

Juve thought they were set to win when they survived a penalty scare moments before Vecino’s leveller, when Di Gregorio brought down Castellanos who was then ruled by VAR to have been offside.

But Vecino stepped up to save a point for Lazio and leave the fight for the final two Champions League spots firmly in the balance.

Topics: Juventus Lazio Italian Serie A

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Man City’s surprising draw at Southampton throws Champions League hopes into doubt

Man City’s surprising draw at Southampton throws Champions League hopes into doubt
Updated 10 May 2025
AP
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Man City’s surprising draw at Southampton throws Champions League hopes into doubt

Man City’s surprising draw at Southampton throws Champions League hopes into doubt
  • It could prove to be two crucial dropped points for third-placed City
  • Haaland’s return after a six-week absence because of injury couldn’t inspire City
Updated 10 May 2025
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LONDON: Manchester City’s Champions League qualification ambitions were thrown back into doubt on Saturday after a surprising 0-0 draw at already-relegated Southampton, the Premier League’s last-placed team.

It could prove to be two crucial dropped points for third-placed City in a six-team race for the four remaining spots to get into the Champions League, along with champion Liverpool.

Even Erling Haaland’s return after a six-week absence because of injury couldn’t inspire City, which dragged themselves into a better position in the league on the back of four straight wins.

City had two points more than Newcastle and Chelsea — who meet at St. James’ Park on Sunday — and four more than Nottingham Forest, which host already-relegated Leicester on Sunday.

Seventh-placed Villa were a further point back and visit Bournemouth later Saturday.

City’s unprecedented four-year reign as champion was ended by Liverpool this season.

The draw lifted Southampton onto 12 points — one more than the lowest ever points haul in a single season, set by Derby County in 2007-08.

Topics: Man City UEFA Champions League Southampton

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