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Barca lure goalkeeper Szczesny out of retirement

Barca lure goalkeeper Szczesny out of retirement
Wojciech Szczesny, center, a new goalkeeper for Barcelona is on stands during the Champions League match between Barcelona and Young Boys at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on Oct. 1, 2024. (AP)
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Updated 02 October 2024
AFP
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Barca lure goalkeeper Szczesny out of retirement

Barca lure goalkeeper Szczesny out of retirement
  • “Barcelona and the player Wojciech Szczesny have reached a deal for his signing until June 30, 2025,” said the La Liga leaders
  • Szczesny retired this summer after featuring at Euro 2024 for Poland
Updated 02 October 2024
AFP
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BARCELONA: Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has come out of retirement to sign for Spanish giants Barcelona on Wednesday.
“Barcelona and the player Wojciech Szczesny have reached a deal for his signing until June 30, 2025,” said the La Liga leaders in a statement.
The former Arsenal and Juventus goalkeeper, 34, joins after Barca’s first choice stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was ruled out potentially until the end of the season with a severe knee injury, sustained on September 22.
Szczesny retired this summer after featuring at Euro 2024 for Poland but has now returned to the game to play in La Liga for the first time.
The goalkeeper had said his “heart (was) not there any more” to play football after leaving Juventus by mutual agreement in August.
Szczesny has made over 600 appearances for club and country over his career, winning three Serie A titles and three Italian cups with Juventus, as well as two FA Cups with Arsenal.
Barca’s reserve goalkeeper Inaki Pena started in place of the stricken Ter Stegen in recent matches.

Topics: Barcelona UEFA Champions League Wojciech Szczesny Marc-Andre ter Stegen

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SAMF honors winners of 2024 Saudi Toyota Championship at end-of-season awards night

SAMF honors winners of 2024 Saudi Toyota Championship at end-of-season awards night
Updated 43 sec ago
SALEH FAREED
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SAMF honors winners of 2024 Saudi Toyota Championship at end-of-season awards night

SAMF honors winners of 2024 Saudi Toyota Championship at end-of-season awards night
  • The ceremony, held in Jeddah, was attended by Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Faisal, SAMF Chairman
Updated 43 sec ago
SALEH FAREED

JEDDAH: The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) hosted its annual End-of-Season Awards Night on Sunday, celebrating the champions of the 2024 Saudi Toyota Championship.

The ceremony, held in Jeddah, was attended by Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Faisal, SAMF Chairman and CEO of the Saudi Motorsport Company; Khalid Al-Suwaidan, SAMF CEO;  representatives from the Ministry of Sports; and members of the local and regional media.

Prince Khalid opened the evening with a keynote speech, commending the champions and highlighting the championship’s high technical standards, successful partnerships, and future ambitions. 

“The Saudi Toyota Championship has become a landmark on the Saudi sports map, reflecting a new history and a promising future,” he said.

“With your efforts and support, the championship has grown to become the largest motorsports competition in the Kingdom. Today, we celebrate the success of this year’s edition and honor the champions who excelled throughout the season,” he added.

Prince Khalid also thanked King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the Minister of Sport for their unwavering support. 

Al-Suwaidan added that SAMF was committed to enhancing motorsports in Saudi Arabia, fostering growth and innovation in the field.

The evening also included a presentation summarizing Saudi motorsports’ achievements in 2024 and outlining SAMF’s vision, goals, and aspirations for the coming year.

The awards recognized excellence across various categories.

In the Rally Championship, Yazeed Al-Rajhi continued his dominance in the car category. In the Drag Racing Championship, UAE racer Saeed Al-Balooshi claimed first place.

The Autocross Championship saw Jordanian racer Mustafa Al Attari secure the top spot, while in the Time Attack Championship, racer Fadi Hamada took first place. Hamada also emerged victorious in the Hill Climb Championship.

The Drift Championship ended with Mohammed Al-Orabi finishing in first place, and the Karting Championship title was claimed by racer Malik Mustafa.

The event also honored Saudi motorsports icons, including Yasser bin Saidan, FIA World Rally Raid (W2RC) champion in the SSV category; Hani Al-Noumasi, FIM Baja World Cup champion in the Quad category; Dania Aqeel, FIA Middle East Baja Cup champion; and Fahad Al-Sufyani, FIA Middle East Baja Cup co-drivers champion.

Topics: Motorsport Saudi Arabia Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF)

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Gulf Cup final rescheduled, competition organizers announce

Gulf Cup final rescheduled, competition organizers announce
Updated 29 December 2024
Arab News
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Gulf Cup final rescheduled, competition organizers announce

Gulf Cup final rescheduled, competition organizers announce
  • Committee did not give reason for change of date
  • First semifinal sees Saudi Arabia face Oman
Updated 29 December 2024
Arab News

KUWAIT CITY: The final match of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup will now be played on Saturday, Jan. 4, the Competitions Committee of the Gulf Football Federation announced on Sunday.

Originally scheduled for Jan. 3, the championship match will now take place a day later at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City.

Khaled Al-Muqrin, head of the committee, said that the decision to reschedule the final had been reached during a committee meeting on Sunday and followed consultations with Gulf football federations, all of which unanimously approved the change.

The committee did not give a reason for the change of date.

While the final has been moved, the semifinal matches will proceed as planned.

The first semifinal sees Saudi Arabia face Oman on Tuesday afternoon. Later that evening, Bahrain will take on hosts Kuwait.

The Green Falcons reached the last four after a convincing 3-1 win over Group B rivals Iraq on Saturday and will hope to reach their fifth final since 2009 and secure a first Gulf Cup title since 2004.

Topics: football soccer Arabian Gulf Cup Gulf Cup 26th Gulf Cup

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Manchester City stop the rot with victory at Leicester

Manchester City stop the rot with victory at Leicester
Updated 29 December 2024
AFP
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Manchester City stop the rot with victory at Leicester

Manchester City stop the rot with victory at Leicester
  • Savinho and Erling Haaland struck either side of half-time
  • City ended a run of eight away games without a win
Updated 29 December 2024
AFP

LEICESTER: Manchester City provided Pep Guardiola some relief with a 2-0 victory at Leicester to secure just a second win in 14 games for the crisis-hit English champions on Sunday.
Savinho and Erling Haaland struck either side of half-time as City ended a run of eight away games without a win.
The performance was still far from the standards that Guardiola’s side have set in winning an unprecedented four consecutive English top-flight titles.
But the effusive celebrations of Haaland’s header 16 minutes from time showed that three points was all that mattered for the visitors to at least temporarily halt their remarkable slump.
Victory lifts City up to fifth but they are still 11 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand.
Defeat leaves Leicester still rooted in the bottom three.
Guardiola made just one change from the 1-1 Boxing Day draw against Everton as Kevin De Bruyne replaced his Belgian international colleague Jeremy Doku.
De Bruyne’s fitness struggles have played a part in City’s slump and he immediately showed what Guardiola’s men have been missing for most of the season.
Rico Lewis picked out De Bruyne, who cushioned a cross into the path of Haaland but his low effort was well saved by Leicester’s stand-in goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk.
Leicester have now lost their last four games after a bright start to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s reign.
The Foxes were left to rue not taking their chances to inflict more misery on a City side still showing a clear lack of confidence.
Any time the home side crossed into City territory in the first half they appeared a major threat.
Jamie Vardy would surely have won a penalty had he not strayed offside before being brought down by Stefan Ortega, while James Justin’s header hit the post after a goalmouth scramble.
City, though, got the crucial opening goal on 21 minutes.
Stolarczyk should have done better than to parry Phil Foden’s long-range effort into the path of Savinho, who swept the rebound into the roof of the net for his first City goal.
Chances continued to come and go for Leicester early in the second half.
Justin should have levelled but his mishit finish from close range allowed Manuel Akanji to clear off the line.
Vardy then had the biggest chance to level when he prodded over Stephy Mavididi’s brilliant in-swinging cross.
However, they were hit by a City sucker punch to end the defending champions’ miserable run on the road.
Savinho was the creator this time as his cross perfectly picked out Haaland, who powered home his 19th of the season ending his four-game goal drought.

Topics: football soccer England Premier league Manchester city Leicester City

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ICC nominates Pakistan’s Babar Azam for T20I Cricketer of the Year award

ICC nominates Pakistan’s Babar Azam for T20I Cricketer of the Year award
Updated 29 December 2024
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ICC nominates Pakistan’s Babar Azam for T20I Cricketer of the Year award

ICC nominates Pakistan’s Babar Azam for T20I Cricketer of the Year award
  • Azam played 24 matches and collectively scored 738 runs at an average 33.54 run in last 12 months
  • Others nominated for award include Sikandar Raza, Australian Travis Head and India’s Arshdeep Singh
Updated 29 December 2024
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has nominated Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam for its Twenty20 International (T20I) Cricketer of the Year award, saying no other Pakistan batter scored as many T20I runs as Azam in the last 12 months.
Other players nominated in the category include Sikandar Raza from Zimbabwe, Australian Travis Head and India’s Arshdeep Singh, according to the ICC.
Azam played 24 matches and collectively scored 738 runs at an average 33.54 run. His highest score was 75 against Ireland.
“With six fifties and close to a hundred boundaries, Babar was Pakistan’s mainstay and the year saw an improvement in his strike rate, with the batter clocking 133.21 runs every 100 deliveries,” the ICC said on its website.
“Still only 30, Babar is primed to break Rohit Sharma’s record as the highest run-getter in T20I cricket soon, sitting just eight behind the Indian’s mark of 4231 runs.”
The winners of the awards are likely to be announced in late January, 2025.
Pakistani Saim Ayub has also been nominated in the category of Emerging Cricketer of the Year along with Sri Lankan Kamindu Mendis, Shamar Joseph of West Indies and England’s Gus Atkinson.
Ayub scored 515 runs from nine one-day internationals (ODIs), averaging at 64.37.
“In Ayub, Pakistan found a new flamboyant southpaw at the top of their batting order. While Ayub was a consistent feature across all three formats, many of his best performances in 2024 came in ODIs,” the ICC said.
“As Pakistan won multiple away series in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa to prime themselves for the ICC Champions Trophy defense, Ayub went big as an opener.”
In South Africa, the left-hander sizzled with two tons from the three games and finished as the Player of the Series in a 3-0 clean sweep — South Africa’s first at home. Ayub was also impressive in a low-scoring affair in Australia that saw Pakistan edge past the hosts to clinch their first ODI series triumph Down Under in 22 years.
The 22-year-old also provided Pakistan a handy option with the ball, claiming five wickets and boasting an economy rate of 4.63.

Topics: Babar Azam ICC Awards Pakistan cricket

South Africa seal place in World Test Championship final with a tense 2-wicket win against Pakistan

South Africa seal place in World Test Championship final with a tense 2-wicket win against Pakistan
Updated 29 December 2024
AP
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South Africa seal place in World Test Championship final with a tense 2-wicket win against Pakistan

South Africa seal place in World Test Championship final with a tense 2-wicket win against Pakistan
  • Needing 148 runs to win, South Africa crashed to 99 for eight owing to superb bowling by Mohammad Abbas
  • But Kagiso Rabada went on the attack, hitting 31 not out, before Marco Jansen hit the winning 16 runs
Updated 29 December 2024
AP

CENTURION: South Africa tailenders Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen hung in against relentless fast bowler Mohammad Abbas for a tense two-wicket win in the first test on Sunday and sealed the Proteas’ place in next year’s World Test Championship final.
Jansen (16 not out) overshadowed Abbas’ brilliant figures of 6-54 with a square driven boundary against the fast bowler as South Africa reached 150-8 just after lunch on Day 4 and escaped with a close win in the two-match series.
Abbas, making a comeback after more than three years in the test wilderness, had knocked back South Africa’s tricky chase of 148 runs in a marathon 13-over spell before lunch on Day 4 as the home team limped to 99-8, losing four wickets for three runs.
However, Rabada changed gears in an unbroken 51-run stand with Jansen and made an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls with five fours to seal a memorable victory and denied Pakistan its first test win in South Africa in almost 18 years.
South Africa had started this WTC cycle with a loss against New Zealand, but since then the Proteas drew 1-1 in India and then went on to beat West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to stay on top of the table.
India, Australia and Sri Lanka are the other teams still in contention for next June’s WTC final against South Africa at Lord’s.
Captain Temba Bavuma (40) and Aiden Markram (37) had thwarted Abbas for an hour after South Africa resumed at a wobbly 27-3, still needing 121 for victory.
Bavuma’s controversial dismissal punctuated a South Africa collapse in the latter half of first session with Abbas grabbing three off his six balls in a sensational home team collapse.
Bavuma, who made 40, surprisingly didn’t request a television review when replays suggested that Abbas’ ball had brushed the batter’s pocket and didn’t make contact with the inside edge of the bat but the South African skipper walked back to the dressing room.
Abbas bowled an unchanged marathon spell of 13 overs, but had to wait as Markram and Bavuma saw off eight overs from the fast bowlers.
Resuming at 27-3, Bavuma and Markram showed plenty of patience against Abbas’ probing line and length before the fast bowler finally got the breakthrough after the first drinks break.
Abbas was rewarded for his brilliant seam bowling when he beat the outside edge of Markram’s bat and knocked back the off stump.
Bavuma survived a couple of close chances when he successfully overturned an on-field lbw decision against him early in the day and Naseem Shah couldn’t hold onto a sharp catch at fine leg as he overstepped the boundary cushion while grabbing the ball over his head.
South Africa had controlled the game at 96-4 before Bavuma’s dismissal saw Abbas finding the outside edges of David Bedingham (14) and Corbin Bosch’s (0) bat off successive deliveries and in between Kyle Verreynne dragged Naseem Shah’s delivery back onto his stumps.
Abbas found the outside edge of Rabada’s bat in his first over after lunch that fell just short of wicketkeeper Rizwan before both tailenders took the team home.

Topics: Pakistan vs South Africa Pakistan cricket South Africa cricket Kagiso Rabada

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