Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League
Lyon's Canadian defender #21 Vanessa Gilles (C) celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the Women Champions League football match AS Roma vs Lyon at the Tre Fontane stadium in Rome on November 13, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 14 November 2024
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Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

PARIS: Lyon beat Roma 3-0 to maintain their 100 percent record in Group A of the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday, while Wolfsburg thrashed Galatasaray to pick up their first points.
In Group B, Chelsea came from behind against Celtic to preserve their perfect record and Real Madrid put seven past Twente.
Record eight-time winners Lyon traveled to the Italian capital with both sides level at the top of the group on two wins apiece.
Melchie Dumornay’s first-half brace put the French side firmly in control, her second coming three minutes before the interval via an audacious chip from inside the center circle.
Vanessa Gilles poked in from close range in the 52nd minute to rubber-stamp an authoritative performance by Joe Montemurro’s side.
Wolfsburg, the 2013 and 2014 Champions League winners, started their latest campaign with back-to-back defeats against Lyon and Roma — leaving them third in Group A with no goals scored and in real danger of elimination.
Their 5-0 win in Istanbul keeps them third place, three points behind Roma in second.
“We want to get out of the group by working hard and doing our best for the (three) remaining matches,” said Wolfsburg forward Rebecka Blomqvist.
“We are in a very tough group. But we also have the power to achieve this.”
Defender Joelle Wedemeyer’s 24th-minute header from a corner gave the Germans the lead. Blomqvist tapped in on 63 minutes to double the advantage.
The Swedish striker stroked home a third for the team with 13 minutes remaining and then rounded off her hat-trick six minutes into added time.
Vivien Endemann smashed home a fifth for Wolfsburg in the 97th minute.
“We are very happy with the result,” added Blomqvist. “I am proud to show my best out on the pitch. It’s great to contribute to the team.”
A third successive defeat in three outings leaves the Turks bottom of the table with just one goal scored and 14 conceded.
At Parkhead, Chelsea moved to nine points with a 2-1 victory over winless Celtic.
The hosts took a surprise lead with just over 20 minutes gone when Murphy Agnew raced through and lifted a finish past goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.
It took the English champions only six minutes to respond, first through Maika Hamano in the 28th minute and then Ashley Lawrence tucked home a rebound four minutes later.
Chelsea were unable to kill off the match in the second half but succeeded nonetheless in holding Celtic at arm’s length to see out a narrow victory, despite Aggie Beever-Jones picking up a second yellow card deep in injury time.
Real Madrid strolled past Dutch side Twente with a 7-0 win in Spain.
Signe Bruun opened the scoring in the third minute, before center-half Maria Mendez nodded in her first goal in European football 13 minutes later.
Naomie Feller guided in a third on 50 minutes and Caroline Weir soon after curled an unstoppable free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.
Mendez then doubled her tally in the competition with a second header from a corner three minutes after the hour, before Oihane Hernandez and Carla Camacho completed the rout.
The Spaniards sit second in the group with six points.


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 19 sec ago
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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.


Professional Fighters League strikes deal to run events in Dubai

Professional Fighters League strikes deal to run events in Dubai
Updated 20 November 2024
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Professional Fighters League strikes deal to run events in Dubai

Professional Fighters League strikes deal to run events in Dubai
  • PFL struck a deal with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and the Dubai Sports Council to hold fights in United Arab Emirates

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: The Professional Fighters League, the only MMA promotion with a regular season and playoff format, is set to expand its global footprint and run events next year in Dubai.
The PFL also owns Bellator, which it bought in 2023, and will promote its fighters as well in the Champions Series World Title event scheduled for Jan. 25, 2025, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai’s City Walk.
Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will defend his title against Paul Hughes in the main event.
PFL struck a deal with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and the Dubai Sports Council to hold fights in United Arab Emirates. As part of the deal, PFL will look to sign Emirati fight prospects.
PFL’s purchase of MMA rival Bellator was aided in part by Saudi Arabia’s recent purchase into PFL. The purchase for a relatively modest $100 million by Saudi-backed SRJ Sports Investments ensured mixed-martial arts events would take place in that country.
The agreement allowed the PFL to encroach into the UFC’s Middle East territory. The UFC regularly holds events in Abu Dhabi.
On a larger scale, the investment into PFL fit into Saudi Arabia’s overall strategy of having a major presence in the sports world while putting forward the message it is a much more open society, particularly as it relates to women’s rights.
SRJ is under Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund fueled by the kingdom’s oil resources that’s made a series of moves into international sports at what appears to be Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s direction. Chief among them was creating the LIV Golf tour and enticing some of the world’s top players with signing bonuses that included some in six figures.


Pakistan’s white-ball coach urges new players to take ‘advantage’ of Zimbabwe series

Pakistan’s white-ball coach urges new players to take ‘advantage’ of Zimbabwe series
Updated 20 November 2024
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Pakistan’s white-ball coach urges new players to take ‘advantage’ of Zimbabwe series

Pakistan’s white-ball coach urges new players to take ‘advantage’ of Zimbabwe series
  • Pakistan will rest star cricketers Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi
  •  Pakistan will play three ODIs and three T20Is from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5 against Zimbabwe

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s new interim-white ball Head Coach Aqib Javed on Wednesday urged upcoming cricketers selected for the Zimbabwe series to take advantage of the matches and cement a place for themselves in the squad, as Pakistan rests key players for the series. 

Pakistani cricket stars Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Naseem Shah will be rested for the Zimbabwe ODI and T20I series while skipper Mohammad Rizwan will be rested for the T20I series against the African country.

Pakistan will play their first white-ball match against Zimbabwe on Nov. 24. The green shirts’ tour of Australia ended on a mixed note following the three-match T20I series 3-0 loss after they won the ODI series 2-1. The Zimbabwe series features three ODIs and three T20Is, which will serve as preparation for Pakistan ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament in February-March next year. 

“Similarly in Zimbabwe, both the teams that we have selected, the main players have been rested and a message has also been given to new players that if they’re getting an opportunity, they should take advantage of it,” Javed said, speaking to the media. 

“If we don’t open options the pool of choices and players will never increase.”

 

 

Pakistan ODI squad: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir

Pakistan T20I squad: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan

Zimbabwe ODI squad: Craig Ervine (capt), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Joylord Gumbie, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams

Zimbabwe T20I squad: Sikandar Raza (capt), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava