Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London

Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Update Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua during the Weigh-in. (Action Images via Reuters.
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Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua during the Weigh-in. (Action Images via Reuters.
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Boxing fans entering Wembley Stadium to enjoy fights between a number of the world’s greatest fighters competing tonight for the IBF world heavyweight title in the headline event of Riyadh Season. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Boxing fans entering Wembley Stadium to enjoy fights between a number of the world’s greatest fighters competing tonight for the IBF world heavyweight title in the headline event of Riyadh Season. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Boxing fans entering Wembley Stadium to enjoy fights between a number of the world’s greatest fighters competing tonight for the IBF world heavyweight title in the headline event of Riyadh Season. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Boxing fans entering Wembley Stadium to enjoy fights between a number of the world’s greatest fighters competing tonight for the IBF world heavyweight title in the headline event of Riyadh Season. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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A reported record crowd of 96,000 spectators prepare to watch boxers compete for the IBF world heavyweight title in the headline event of Riyadh Season at WembleyStadium. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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A reported record crowd of 96,000 spectators prepare to watch boxers compete for the IBF world heavyweight title in the headline event of Riyadh Season at WembleyStadium. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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A reported record crowd of 96,000 spectators prepare to watch boxers compete for the IBF world heavyweight title in the headline event of Riyadh Season at WembleyStadium. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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The atmosphere inside Wembley Stadium was energetic ahead of the highly anticipated Riyadh Season Card match between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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The atmosphere inside Wembley Stadium was energetic ahead of the highly anticipated Riyadh Season Card match between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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The atmosphere inside Wembley Stadium was energetic ahead of the highly anticipated Riyadh Season Card match between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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The atmosphere inside Wembley Stadium was energetic ahead of the highly anticipated Riyadh Season Card match between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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The atmosphere inside Wembley Stadium was energetic ahead of the highly anticipated Riyadh Season Card match between Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Anthony Joshua during the press conference after losing his fight against Daniel Dubois. (Reuters)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Daniel Dubois knocked out Anthony Joshua in the fifth round of their mouthwatering clash during the Riyadh Season event at a full-house Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday. (Arab News)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Daniel Dubois celebrates after winning his fight against Anthony Joshua. (Reuters)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Daniel Dubois during the press conference after winning his fight against Anthony Joshua. (Reuters)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Britain's Anthony Joshua (L) and Britain's Daniel Dubois fight during their heavyweight boxing match for the IBF world title at Wembley Stadium in London on September 21, 2024. (AFP)
Update Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
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Anthony Joshua after being knocked down by Daniel Dubois. (Reuters)
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Updated 22 September 2024
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Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London

Daniel Dubois knocks out Anthony Joshua at Riyadh Season event in London
  • Riyadh Season event draws 98,128 people, setting postwar British record

LONDON: Billed as Anthony Joshua’s next stop on a comeback tour, a record Wembley crowd of 98,128 were left stunned as Daniel Dubois confirmed his credentials on the world heavyweight stage by dismantling the former two-time world champion.

Looming over the Wembley Edition of this Riyadh Season was the specter of Tyson Fury, who took a seat for the first of the undercards, the camera repeatedly cutting to him amid great applause from the gathering crowd.

Fury’s presence added only further fuel to the fiery demand for a long sought-after Joshua-Fury bout, which would bring the two biggest names in British boxing of the past decade together, but Joshua first had to get past IBF Heavyweight Champion Dubois.

It may have been Dubois’ belt at the start of the night, but Joshua entered to a medley beginning with “The Godfather” theme, before Jay Z’s “Public Service Announcement.”With the song’s line “allow me to reintroduce myself,” here was the main man.

Certainly, the crowd — pumped by a three-song Oasis set from the frontman of the newly reformed band, Liam Gallagher — and the experts concurred with that assessment.

Dubois’ opening volley, however, suggested that he was unphased by his underdog status.

And it was not long before he connected with a thunderous, and likely decisive, overhand right, putting Joshua to the floor for the first of what would be four times over the course of the bout, leaving the bumper crowd in shock.

Dubois carried the momentum into the second, and that overhand right seemed to hang over Joshua, whose legs trembled throughout as multiple shots from the champion hit hard and true.

Another hard left from Dubois unnerved Joshua as he stumbled in the final 10 before going down as the bell tolled. Nearby spectators were shocked, with one saying: “I can’t believe what I’m seeing here.”

Two more knock-downs followed in the third, although the second rather unconvincingly was ruled a slip as unified champion Oleksandr Usyk watched on, likely growing more and more convinced that Dubois would be among his pending fights.

Dubois was unrelenting, but in the fourth, Joshua showed signs of the determination that had seen him previously rebuild from career setbacks; after goading and mocking the titleholder, Joshua finally landed a convincing shot before the bell went.

That new momentum carried into the fifth and it seemed that a miraculous comeback could be on the cards as again Joshua connected with Dubois. Sensing an opening, he went for the double, in a move that his manager Eddie Hearn would later call greedy.

In that moment, Dubois spotted a chance, landing a counter-right that put the challenger down for the fourth and final time, his team in the corner moving to save him from himself as he scrambled to beat the count. It was to be Joshua’s fourth loss in 32 bouts.

After the winner had been declared he took to the mic, though, to suggest that he was not done yet, despite many already suggesting this had been something of a last chance saloon for the fighter.Seemingly, the commentariat’s short memories drove that narrative; had Joshua won, he would have emulated the likes of Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis as a three-time world champion.

 

Confident that he was not yet set for retirement, Joshua recognized his own failings over the course of the five rounds, admitting that he had come up against a “fast and sharp opponent … a lot of mistakes from my end.”

Dubois, though, delivered not only the best shots of the night, but also the best line, yelling to the crowd “Are you not entertained?” He was quoting the Russell Crowe movie “Gladiator,” in reference to Joshua having described himself as just that.

“I’ve been on a rollercoaster run; this is my time, my redemption story,” Dubois added, after it appeared that he may have silenced those critics who had doubted his true potential in the buildup.

“I want to get to the top of this sport and reach my full potential,” he said.

A Joshua win would almost certainly have ramped up expectations that, finally, now would be the time the much-hyped, long sought-after dust-up with Fury happened — a fight the Saudi sport authority would have been only too keen to host.

But as Joshua dusted off his wounds, it appeared that Fury had already left the stage, leaving hopes of that prospective bout in tatters, as one spectator walked past asking: “What have we just witnessed here?”

 


AS IT HAPPENED (All times BST):

22:30 - Game over

Daniel Dubois, IBF heavyweight champion, walked into the ring as the underdog against Anthony Joshua on Saturday night in front of a sold-out Wembley crowd, but showed the world why he needs to be taken more seriously with a statement-setting knock-out of the favorite in the 5th round. Dubois had Joshua reeling from a damaging blow in round one, which the two-time former unified world champion never recovered from. Dubois gains more admirers and retains his belt, Joshua now ponders where he goes from here.

A spectacular Riyadh Season show in London comes to an end with a number of impressive fights and a dramatic main card that has the boxing world in shock. 

That’s all from us tonight. Check out more on Arab News Sport.

22:30 - Main event

Hanging over this fight was the spectre of Tyson Fury. A match between Joshua and Fury has long been touted, and it didn’t take long for Fury to appear. Throughout the undercard fights cameras would pan to him, eliciting roars of delight from the ever increasing crowd.

If Fury is the superstar on Joshua’s mind, Usyk was also not to be forgotten, the pair sat front row.

It may have been Dubois’ belt at the start of the night but AJ, as he’s colloquially known entered the ring with a clear message: here was the boss, as the theme from mafia movie The Godfather blared out, followed precipitously by Jay Z’s HoVA, beckoning the crowd to let him reintroduce himself.

All the experts we spoke too, were unified in their belief that the challenger was the favourite. Dubois seemingly welcomed the underdog status unbecoming his title.

He started well, setting out his stall with a volley of shots that immediately appeared to ask questions of Joshua, an overhand right landing heavily. It was just before the end of the first round that the crowd erupted as the challenger went down. Dubois had dropped Joshua.

He opened the second round with that same level of ferocity. Joshua appeared stunned, his legs seemingly having given up, and then a left hook making contact with his face further unnerved him. 

Nearby spectators were shocked, one noting “I can’t believe what I’m seeing here”.

By the end of the third, Joshua’s legs were clearly failing him, and in the final 10 of he stumbled, before going down again as the bell tolled.

More followed, within 15 seconds of the fourth he was again down before jumping up only to be put down again. Joshua may have looked lost but there remained a determination as he sought to fight on, but Dubois was unrelenting.

Finally, after goading Dubois, Joshua made contact and then the bell went.

That seemed to spark the fight into Joshua, who began the fifth strongly. The crowd clearly in his corner as they cheered him on.

Now it was his turn to send a message. Dubois was as in pain but not for long. It was all too little too late from Joshua.

Dubois had him down again. That was it. Game over. 

Fury didn’t appear to stick around, turning his back on the ring and walking off.

"What have we just seen?" one spectator asked. 


20:44 - With the main event looming, the penultimate fight of the night featured Tyler Deeny and Hamzah Sheeraz battling it out for the European Middleweight Title.

The hype was certainly flowing in Sheeraz’s favour and, with what was the first shot of the night he had Deeny on the mat.

After eight seconds he was up but it was an auspicious start, which Sheeraz followed up by backing him into the rope and unleashing blow after blow.

His height advantage showed. And in the second he had it, knocking Deeny down and rewarding Frank Warren’s faith in him.

There was more excitement emanating outside the ring as frontman of the newly reformed Oasis, Liam Gallagher, was spotted for the first time tonight.

Gallagher’s performance immediately before the main event tonight had been known for some time. But earlier this month, he and his brother Noel announced the first Oasis shows for 15 years. 

Now the hype was mounting that maybe tonight there would be a preview of what those who landed tickets to next year’s shows could expect.


20:20 - This was a fight that really opened up in the sixth, with Britain’s Joshua Buatsi - entering the match up with 18 win, 13 by knock out - putting Scotland’s Willy Hutchinson - with 18 wins, 13 by KO and one loss - down.

The Scot was back up on the eight count but Buatsi went straight back in. If the preceding rounds had been tight, this was definitely the Brit’s.

And he opened the seventh in similar fashion, clearly hoping to capitalise on his success in the closing stages of the preceding round.

Hutchinson though wasn’t prepared to surrender, stirring the crowd with his own volley of attacks.

At the end of the seventh, the first images of Dubois flashed across the screens, garnering whoops for a now nearly full Wembley audience. It bears repeating that tonight, will see a record 96,000 at the home of English football.

Two minutes into the eighth and it seemed Hutchinson may again taste the mat, but he managed to keep to his feet and see the round out, before opening the ninth with a series of attacks that could have flipped things on their head before Buatsi again had Hutchinson down for another eight count, having pinned him into a corner with an uppercut before unleashing a left that sent him to the ground.In the tenth, Buatsi was wrong-footed, tripping onto the rope, but it remained very much his to lose.

Having gotten Hutchinson to the mat twice, Buatsi was not going to be rushed in the final round, instead willing to absorb the Scot’s final few attacks. 

And then the bell went. We were again back to the judges.

As it did, the Scot was at a self-inflicted disadvantage, having been docked points for use of the head following repeated warnings in the earlier half of the bout.

Catching everyone in attendance off guard, the judges came to a split decision, but this was Buatsi’s night as he was crowned WBO Interim Light Heavyweight Title.


19:15 - Tonight’s first title fight as Ireland’s Anthony Cacace put the IBO Super Featherweight Championship he won in May on the line against Britain’s Josh Warrington.

Again, with the fight having gone the distance, it was fair to say a theme was emerging in the early stages of this Riyadh Season event, with the judges deciding the outcome.

Watching on in the role of commentator, former WBC Cruiserweight Champion Tony Bellew consistently rated Cacace as the better.

The positivity surrounding Cacace did not match his experience, the Irishman the less seasoned of the two, having won 22 of his 23 compared to his competitor’s 31 wins and 3 losses.

Bellew, providing his own scores throughout, considered it tight between the pair.

For the judges though, the situation was more clear cut, scoring it 118-110, 117-111, and 117-111, all in Cacace’s favour, as he retained the belt he’d won just four months earlier.

It seems that this may have also been the last of Warrington’s fights in what has been a glittering career for the proud Leeds man. 

Those 31 wins of his twice brought him the IBF title he was vying for, with victories against the likes of Carl Frampton, Kiko Martinez, and Lee Selby.


18:15 - If the opening fight of this Riyadh season was a trial in patience, the second bout was its opposite.

A middleweight division fight, it featured Team GB representative at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Josh Kelly - who started today having fought 15 times, with 13 wins, 8 of which were by knock out - against the undefeated Ishmael Davis who’d stopped four of his last five fights.

Kelly was the clear favourite as far as the audience were concerned, having the back of 69 percent of those who voted.

And in the early rounds he certainly evidenced that faith.

Davis, however, seemed happy to absorb Kelly’s efforts in the early rounds.

The closing seconds of the fourth round whipped the audience up as both fighters traded blows.

But it would be in the final round that things heated up.

Barely a minute in, Davis elicited audible gasps from the watching crowd as shot after shot rained down on Kelly, opening up his face.

Davis could, metaphorically and literally, smell blood now. 

And Kelly appeared shaken. But the bell went before a knock out.

Off the back of those three minutes, Kelly appeared the less assured of the two, seeming to motion to his team that he’d messed it up.

Again, we went to the judges.

The first scored it a draw at 114-114 each. The other two, though, determined a clear winner, scoring it 115-114 and 115-113 in Kelly’s favour.


17:00 Opening the Riyadh Season, super lightweight fighters Mark Chamberlain and Josh Padley squared off at a rapidly filling Wembley Stadium.

With 96,000 due for the main event, those who were gathered for this first bout certainly made their voices heard.

Neither Chamberlain nor Padley had lost in their preceding respective 16 and 14 fights.

For Chamberlain, 12 of those victories had come by knock out, while Padley had landed knock outs in all of his. 

This fight wasn’t to go that way, as chants of “Blue Army” - in reference to Chamberlain’s home city of Portsmouth - and “Padley” rang out.Indeed both pugilists seemed to recognise the quality of their opponent with the opening rounds proving tentative.

Of the two, Padley was the more aggressive, hurling a volley of shots.

Later, the stats would show Chamberlain had landed an ever so slightly higher percentage of his shots.

Eventually Padley’s determination would pay off, a left hook knocking chamberlain down halfway through the 8th round.

He was not down for long though.

And it seemed to spark some urgency in the Pompey lad.

But as the bell rang out to end the 10th round, Padley seemed far more assured he’d done enough to gain the judges favour.

And the audience agreed, with just 37 percent giving the win to Chamberlain. When the results were announced Padley had won unanimously, with the judges scoring it 95-93, 96-92, and 96-92 in his favour.


Paolini’s Italy beat Slovakia to win Billie Jean King Cup

Paolini’s Italy beat Slovakia to win Billie Jean King Cup
Updated 22 sec ago
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Paolini’s Italy beat Slovakia to win Billie Jean King Cup

Paolini’s Italy beat Slovakia to win Billie Jean King Cup
  • The victory capped a stunning year for Paolini who finished as runner-up at Roland Garros and Wimbledon
  • Italy, captained by Tathiana Garbin, defeated Iga Swiatek’s Poland as well as Japan at the finals on the way to winning the tournament dubbed the ‘World Cup of Tennis’

MALAGA, Spain: Italy won the Billie Jean King Cup for the fifth time as Jasmine Paolini beat Rebecca Sramkova to secure a dominant 2-0 win over Slovakia on Wednesday.

World No. 4 Paolini triumphed 6-2, 6-1 in the second singles rubber to follow up Lucia Bronzetti’s 6-2, 6-4 victory against Viktoria Hruncakova.

Italy were runners-up to Canada in last year’s final but went one better in Malaga to become world champions for the first time since 2013.

The victory capped a stunning year for Paolini who finished as runner-up at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

“Unbelievable year, unbelievable, to finish like this with the Billie Jean King cup, it’s amazing, I don’t have words to describe it,” said Paolini.

“I’m trying just to enjoy it, it’s important to understand where you are, I feel lucky to be in this position, I feel lucky to be part of this team...

“I’m really happy that this year we could bring the trophy home again.”

Slovakia, who won the competition in 2002, had never lost a BJK Cup tie in Spain.

The underdogs defeated USA, Australia and Great Britain on a stunning run to this year’s final, but Bronzetti breezed past Hruncakova in under 90 minutes.

The in-form Sramkova, ranked 43rd, survived two break points to hold for 2-2 in the first set but the superior Paolini broke for a 4-2 lead, which she consolidated.

The Slovakian double faulted to hand Paolini two set points and the Italian took the first of them when Sramkova slapped a shot into the net.

Paolini broke in the second game of the second set and it looked like she might power to victory without a fight, but Sramkova immediately hit back to get back on serve.

Sramkova defeated Danielle Collins, Ajla Tomljanovic and Katie Boulter on Slovakia’s charge to the final but Paolini was a bridge too far.

The 28-year-old Italian restored her advantage with a fizzing forehand to move 3-1 ahead and then consolidated.

Having spent most of her career outside the top 50, 2024 has been a huge leap forward for Paolini.

She broke again when Sramkova went long and served it out to seal an emphatic victory in one hour and five minutes.

“I feel so sad now, disappointed, but all respect to (Italy), for what they did,” a deflated Sramkova told reporters.

“Maybe in a few days we will enjoy that we are second and take something for the future from those matches.”

In the first match world No. 78 Bronzetti denied the experienced Hruncakova the chance to use her power and forced her opponent to move around the court.

“I am very proud to be here, to represent Italy and I am so happy for this win,” said Bronzetti.

“(The plan was) to hit the ball, stay solid and try to move her when I had the chance.”

Bronzetti secured three breaks in the first set, conceding just one in her first service game as she hit her stride.

Hruncakova, ranked 159th, battled gamely in the second set, breaking for a 4-2 lead, but the Italian immediately hit back, winning the last four games to triumph.

Bronzetti sealed her victory serving to love when the Slovakian sent a return long, before Paolini finished the job for Italy.

“For now the emotions are a little bit sad but we need to look at the whole picture and what we did here was actually amazing,” said Hruncakova.

“Before the tournament if someone told this to us we would be thrilled.”

Italy, captained by Tathiana Garbin, defeated Iga Swiatek’s Poland as well as Japan at the finals on the way to winning the tournament dubbed the ‘World Cup of Tennis’.

“It’s a dream come true... I’m so proud of the (players), they fight every day and this journey was incredible,” said Garbin.

“(They) never give up and stayed focused on the goal and they still keep trying to work to be better people and players.”


LPGA Tour sets another record with $127.5m in prize money for 2025

LPGA Tour sets another record with $127.5m in prize money for 2025
Updated 21 November 2024
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LPGA Tour sets another record with $127.5m in prize money for 2025

LPGA Tour sets another record with $127.5m in prize money for 2025
  • The official prize money does not include the $2 million International Crown, held every two years as the only team event in golf where countries compete against each other
  • The tour also announced that Chicago-based CME Group has extended its sponsorship of the Race to CME Globe for two years through 2027

NEW YORK: The LPGA Tour will play for $127.5 million in official prize money in 2025, another record for the circuit that has worked independently of the PGA Tour for 75 years.

The schedule announced Wednesday at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida, has a few moving parts that include new tournaments in Utah and Mexico, the end of a 40-year run in Ohio and its Founders Cup merging into a previous tournament.

The official prize money does not include the $2 million International Crown, held every two years as the only team event in golf where countries compete against each other; and the $2 million Grant Thornton Invitational, a mixed team event with the PGA Tour.

The LPGA Tour is playing for $123.75 million in official prize money in 2024.

The tour also announced that Chicago-based CME Group has extended its sponsorship of the Race to CME Globe for two years through 2027.

The CME Group Tour Championship has more than doubled its purse to $11 million, with $4 million going to the winner this week. The only bigger payoff in women’s sport is the WTA Finals. Coco Gauff won $4.8 million earlier this month.

The Players Championship ($4.5 million) and US Open ($4.3 million) are the only golf tournaments that paid more than what the CME Group Tour Championship winner will get.

“The metrics and the numbers are eye-popping in terms of the growth that we’ve had over the last several years,” LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said Wednesday.

“We’re really proud that other women’s sports are starting to get the financial investment that women’s golf has enjoyed, and we’re proud of the role that we’ve played in elevating women’s sports in general,” she said. “The best women in the world need to make a living that matches their level of excellence, and we’re fighting every day to achieve that goal.”

The prize money has increased nearly 90 percent in four years, led by the majors and CME Group boosting purses at the biggest events.

Marcoux Samaan said the LPGA tried to improve the geographic flow of the schedule and it avoided playing the same week as five of the six biggest events in men’s golf next year. It plays only the same week as the US Open (Meijer LPGA Classic).

The LPGA will be off during The Players Championship, Masters, PGA Championship, British Open and Ryder Cup.

The Chevron Championship, the first major, was moved back one week so it doesn’t start just four days after the Masters.

Marcoux Samaan also said the LPGA will have fully subsidized health insurance for its players next year. Previously, they had a $1,800 stipend in 2021 that grew to $4,000 this year. Full coverage is “something we’ve been working on in this organization for a really long time, and we’re really proud of that,” she said.

Among the tweaks to the 2025 schedule was starting two weeks later for a slightly longer offseason. The Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Florida starts Jan. 30.

Cognizant no longer sponsors the $3 million Founders Cup in New Jersey. Instead, the Founders Cup replaces the LPGA Drive On Championship in Bradenton, Florida, with a $2 million purse.

New to the schedule is a return to Mexico for the Riviera Maya Open in Cancun, and the Black Desert Championship in Utah, which hosted a PGA Tour event on the same course this fall.

The LPGA also put the Hawaii stop on the front end of the fall Asia swing, instead of behind it as players made their way back to the mainland.

Ten of the tournaments had slight increases in prize money. All but two tournaments, the Honda LPGA Thailand and the ShopRite LPGA Classic, have at least $2 million purses. Ten tournaments have prize money of $3 million or more, with the new FM Championship at the TPC Boston raising its purse to $4.1 million.

That doesn’t include the majors or the CME Group Tour Championship. The US Women’s Open, run by the USGA, again has the highest purse at $12 million. It will be played next year at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, where Brooks Koepka won his first major in the 2017 US Open.


Lyon late surge routs Roma in Women’s Champions League. Chelsea, Real Madrid also into quarterfinals

Lyon late surge routs Roma in Women’s Champions League. Chelsea, Real Madrid also into quarterfinals
Updated 21 November 2024
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Lyon late surge routs Roma in Women’s Champions League. Chelsea, Real Madrid also into quarterfinals

Lyon late surge routs Roma in Women’s Champions League. Chelsea, Real Madrid also into quarterfinals
  • Germany great Alexandra Popp scored a hat trick and had two assists in Wolfsburg’s 5-0 win against overmatched Galatasaray
  • That set up a key game on Dec. 11 when Wolfsburg host Roma, both on six points, with second place behind Lyon at stake

LONDON: Two goals in two minutes by substitute Kadidiatou Diani roused Lyon to a late-surging 4-1 win over Roma on Wednesday and a place in the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals.

Roma stung the record eight-time European champions by taking a 74th-minute lead that provoked a fierce fightback, started by veteran France forward Diani scoring from close range on corners in the 77th and 79th.

Chelsea and Real Madrid also won in Group B to join Lyon in the knockout stage with two rounds to spare.

Lucy Bronze’s spectacular volley after just 64 seconds set Chelsea on their way to a fourth straight win, 3-0 over last-place Celtic.

Teenager Linda Caicedo, the 2023 World Cup star for Colombia, was Madrid’s standout in a 3-2 win at Twente after trailing in the first half.

Germany great Alexandra Popp scored a hat trick and had two assists in Wolfsburg’s 5-0 win against overmatched Galatasaray.

That set up a key game on Dec. 11 when Wolfsburg host Roma, both on six points, with second place behind Lyon at stake.

Lyon late show

Heavily favored Lyon had not conceded a goal in three straight wins in the Champions League before being stunned by Roma’s 18-year-old Giulia Dragoni. The on-loan forward from Barcelona scored with a left-footed shot that was Roma’s only on-target effort all game.

Lyon awoke and from near identical spots from the right flank, Kadidiatou Diani pounced on loose balls to score from three yards each time. Another substitute, Eugenie Le Sommer, had an immediate impact by scoring in the 89th and captain Wendie Renard rose in stoppage time with a header from another corner.

Chelsea turn it up to 11

Chelsea’s winning run is now all 11 games under new coach Sonia Bompastor, who led Lyon to their last Champions League title in 2022.

The English league leader had too much quality for Celtic. After Bronze’s opener, Chelsea added a header in the 25th by Wieke Kaptein and a stoppage-time penalty by Eve Périsset.

Caicedo lift Madrid

Teenage star Linda Caicedo’s twisting dribbles tormented the Twente defense and helped seal Real Madrid’s place in the quarterfinals.

The Colombian scored in first-half stoppage time and set up Signe Bruun for a simple finish in the 71st minute to rally Madrid for a 3-2 win, one week after beating Twente 7-0 at home.

Madrid were tested in the first half and Twente led in the 29th when Jaimy Ravensbergen connected on a free kick curled into the goalmouth.

Caicedo turned the game just before halftime finishing off an attack she started with a direct run into the penalty area. Her first shot was saved, and when a followup effort was deflected to her feet, Caicedo calmly scored from close range.

When Caicedo ran at the Twente defense in the 71st, she created space to cross the ball low for Denmark forward Bruun to score.

Madrid’s win was assured in stoppage time when Alba Redondo ran clear to score, though Twente closed the gap with almost the last kick, a 20-yard (meter) shot by Sophie Te Brake.

Madrid has nine points, six clear of Twente, and advances as it also holds the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Popp is tops for Wolfsburg

While the 19-year-old Caicedo was starring in the Netherlands, the 33-year-old Popp was as good as ever in Germany.

Wolfsburg had won 5-0 in Istanbul last week, and Popp set the two-time European champion on course for a repeat result in the third minute. Her first goal was a low shot from near the penalty spot, and she added headers in the 15th and 88th.

Popp also created chances for Janina Minge to shoot in the 31st from the edge of the penalty area, and crossed for Lena Lattwein to score with a header in stoppage time.


A Costa Rican team threatens FIFA with legal action in bid for spot at Club World Cup

A Costa Rican team threatens FIFA with legal action in bid for spot at Club World Cup
Updated 20 November 2024
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A Costa Rican team threatens FIFA with legal action in bid for spot at Club World Cup

A Costa Rican team threatens FIFA with legal action in bid for spot at Club World Cup
  • Team spokesman Marco Vazquez noted that Mexican clubs Leon and Pachuca belong to the same owner, Jesus Martinez, of Grupo Pachuca
  • “We hired a law firm in Spain, and they have all the details,” Vazquez said of potential legal action

COSTA RICA: The winningest team in Costa Rica are asking FIFA for a spot in next summer’s Club World Cup and are willing to take legal action if denied.
Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, which have won 30 league titles, want FIFA to enforce the rule that forbids clubs from the same ownership to participate in the tournament.
“The claim is based on the principles of eligibility set in the rules of the tournament,” the club said in a press release.
Team spokesman Marco Vazquez noted that Mexican clubs Leon and Pachuca belong to the same owner, Jesus Martinez, of Grupo Pachuca.
“Those are the rules that FIFA established — there cannot be multi-ownership,” Vazquez said Wednesday. “There are two Mexican clubs from the same owner and the rulebook is clear. What we are asking is to review what FIFA itself established.”
The FIFA-run competition has been expanded from seven teams to 32 and will be staged in the United States from June to July next year.
“We hired a law firm in Spain, and they have all the details,” Vazquez said of potential legal action.
FIFA has not publicly reacted to the team’s announcement and didn’t immediately answer a request for comment.
Alajuelense are the best-ranked team in Central America for the CONCACAF but 40th overall in the region.
CONCACAF has four spots in the Club World Cup. The teams that qualified are: the Seattle Sounders, Monterrey, Leon and Pachuca. Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will participate as guests of the host.
All five clubs were announced for the Dec. 5 draw in Miami.
In Mexico, besides Leon and Pachuca, there are another two companies that own two or more clubs in the first division. Grupo Caliente owns Tijuana and Queretaro, while Grupo Orlegi controls Atlas and Santos. TV Azteca owns Mazatlan and has partial ownership of Puebla.
On May 2023, the Liga MX announced that multi-ownership will be forbidden but gave owners four years to sell.
Jesus Martinez Murguia, who runs the Leon club, said they will sell part of the team to comply with the rules but will still have a partial ownership.


Saudi Arabia edged out by UAE in T20 World Cup qualifier

Saudi Arabia edged out by UAE in T20 World Cup qualifier
Updated 20 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia edged out by UAE in T20 World Cup qualifier

Saudi Arabia edged out by UAE in T20 World Cup qualifier
  • Saudi Arabia registered 145 runs at the expense of six wickets in reply to the UAE’s 162-5 in 20 overs
  • Partnership between Rahul Chopra and Asif Khan put the UAE on the front foot

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia lost their second match in a row as the UAE registered their second consecutive win in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier B in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday.

The UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 17 runs to go top of the table. Saudi Arabia could only muster 145 runs at the expense of six wickets in reply to the UAE’s 162-5 in 20 overs.

The UAE’s decision to bat first at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium did not go their way at the start, as right arm seamer Ishtiaq Ahmad bowled a maiden over in the first over against Alishan Sharafu. Usman Najeeb continued the momentum in the second over, conceding just four runs. Sharafu fell to Ishtiaq in the fifth over for 19, and skipper Muhammad Waseem was out in the next over, leaving the UAE at 38-2.

It was the partnership between Rahul Chopra and Asif Khan that put the UAE on the front foot. Asif Khan scored 45 runs off 37 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes before being bowled by Usman Khalid in the 16th over.

Chopra, who was later announced the player of the match, took the score past 150 as he completed his half-century in 32 balls. In total, he faced 36 balls and hit six fours and two sixes in his innings of 58 runs. He was out caught on the last ball of the innings. Usman Khalid took two wickets, while Ishtiaq and Shahzaib took one each.

In reply, Faisal Khan started off well for the Kingdom, but he lasted only 17 balls. Faisal scored 27 runs as he sent one straight to skipper Waseem off 35-year-old debutant Simranjeet Kang, who got the prized wicket in only his second ball of his T20I career.

A centurion in the previous match, Abdul Waheed failed to continue the momentum as he struggled to get the runs going. Usman Khalid (four) and Abdul (six) were back in the hut by the eighth over, with the score at just 43. Skipper Waji Ul Hasan saved his wicket to let Manan Ali fire, but the required run rate kept going up. Waji was run out for 17 runs off 27 balls, with no boundaries. Manan’s counter-attacking play soon ended as Kang got another much-needed breakthrough for the UAE. Manan scored one four and three sixes in his 28-ball 33.

With 67 runs needed off 24 balls to win, the lower middle order had a go. Abdul Wahid hit 15 runs off 10 balls, Zain Ul Abidin remained not out on 19 off nine, while Usman Najeeb added 18 runs in 11 balls. All three hit a four and a six each. Teenager Dhruv Parashar shared two wickets with Kang for the UAE, while Mohammad Jawadullah took one wicket.

The result meant the UAE would overtake hosts Qatar in the table. Both teams have four points from two matches, but the UAE is ahead on net run rate. Qatar had earlier beaten Bhutan by six wickets. Thailand also overcame their loss the previous day by beating Cambodia by 16 runs.

Bahrain, who beat Saudi Arabia on the first day, has two points. Bhutan, Cambodia and Saudi Arabia are yet to open their accounts. Winless Saudi Arabia and Bhutan will face each other on Friday.

Hosts Qatar are joined by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, Thailand and the UAE in the tournament. The top two teams from this qualifier will play in the regional final, which serves as a pathway for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held in 2026.

Malaysia and Kuwait have already booked their spots from the Asia Group A qualifier, while Samoa and Japan are representing the East Asia-Pacific region. Nepal, Oman and Papua New Guinea will also compete in the regional finals.