Nottm Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid

Newcastle United’s Lewis Miley celebrates scoring their first goal with Jacob Murphy in the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. (Reuters)
Newcastle United’s Lewis Miley celebrates scoring their first goal with Jacob Murphy in the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. (Reuters)
Short Url
Updated 23 February 2025
Follow

Nottm Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid

Nottm Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid
  • Eddie Howe’s side recovered from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s early opener to run riot

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle blew Nottingham Forest away with four goals in 11 minutes as Alexander Isak’s double inspired a vital 4-3 win in the race to finish in the Premier League’s top four.

Eddie Howe’s side recovered from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s early opener to run riot with a first half goal spree at St. James’ Park on Sunday.

Lewis Miley bagged Newcastle’s equalizer, sparking an astonishing spell of dominance as Jacob Murphy put the hosts ahead.

Isak netted twice in less than two minutes to reach 50 Premier League goals and leave Forest in tatters.

The Sweden striker has 19 league goals this season, taking him level with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in second place behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in this season’s scoring chart.

Nikola Milenkovic and Ryan Yates scored for Forest in the second half, but it was too late for an incredible escape act.

After three defeats in their previous four league games, fifth-placed Newcastle are back in the hunt to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top four finish.

The Magpies are behind fourth-placed Manchester City on goal difference, with third-placed Forest just three points above them.

“I’m trying to control my thoughts and stay positive. We won the game and that’s what we needed to do,” Howe said.

“It was a great performance in the first half, then a couple of frailties showed in terms of defending set plays.

“We can reflect on that. There are things we can do better. We pride ourselves on getting the details right.”

Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo added: “In the first half I didn’t recognize our team. In the second half we were much better.

“We made mistakes. It was two totally different halves. We started well and then they just rolled over us.”

Newcastle keeper Nick Pope made his first league start since early December in place of Martin Dubravka.

But Pope was partially at fault as Newcastle gifted Forest the lead in sloppy style after just six minutes

Jacob Murphy lost the ball in his own half as Hudson-Odoi pressured the Newcastle midfielder into conceding possession.

Hudson-Odoi wasn’t closed down quickly enough by Dan Burn and the winger unloaded a powerful low drive that caught Pope out of position as it flashed into the net.

Miley ensured Newcastle’s strong response to that early setback was rewarded in the 23rd minute.

With Forest’s usually rock-solid defense slow to react, Miley had time to control Lewis Hall’s pass inside the penalty area and drill his shot through a sea of legs past unsighted keeper Matz Sels.

Murphy made amends for his earlier mistake to put Howe’s team ahead two minutes after Miley’s equalizer.

Hall’s driving run was the catalyst as the defender took Isak’s return pass and hit a deflected cross that looped over Sels for Murphy to bundle home from virtually on the goal-line.

Newcastle were firing on all cylinders and they struck again in the 33rd minute.

Ola Aina used his arm to block Hall’s cross, conceding a penalty that Isak dispatched past Sels with an audacious lofted effort that left the keeper sprawled on his back as he tried in vain to claw it out.

Forest had no answer to Newcastle’s intensity and it was no surprise when they conceded a fourth just 60 seconds later.

Joe Willock raced unchecked through the Forest midfield and slipped his pass to Isak, whose shot from 12 yards took a deflection on its way past the wrong-footed Sels.

Newcastle eased up in the second half and Milenkovic reduced the deficit in the 63rd minute, flicking Chris Wood’s cross past Pope from close-range.

When Yates steered home in the 90th minute, a nervous hush descended on St. James’ Park, but Newcastle held on by their fingernails.


Lewandowski a doubt for Barca’s season opener after thigh issue

Updated 11 sec ago
Follow

Lewandowski a doubt for Barca’s season opener after thigh issue

Lewandowski a doubt for Barca’s season opener after thigh issue
  • Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has suffered a hamstring injury and may miss the start of the La Liga season, the Catalan club announced on Friday
BARCELONA: Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski has suffered a hamstring injury and may miss the start of the La Liga season, the Catalan club announced on Friday.
“The first team player Robert Lewandowski has a hamstring problem in his left thigh,” Barcelona said in a statement, without specifying how long the Polish striker would be out of action.
The 36-year-old is “unavailable” for Sunday’s friendly match against Como, which casts doubt on his presence in the matchday squad for Barcelona’s La Liga opener against Mallorca on August 16.
Lewandowski netted 42 times in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan club last season as Hansi Flick’s side won the Spanish league, cup and super cup.

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in contention for Crystal Palace match after recovering from injury

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in contention for Crystal Palace match after recovering from injury
Updated 08 August 2025
Follow

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in contention for Crystal Palace match after recovering from injury

Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in contention for Crystal Palace match after recovering from injury
  • The Argentina international missed some of Liverpool’s preseason preparations when recovering from injury

LIVERPOOL: Alexis Mac Allister will be in Liverpool’s squad for Sunday’s Community Shield match against Crystal Palace.

The Argentina international missed some of Liverpool’s preseason preparations when recovering from injury. But he played in the last two friendlies against Yokohama F. Marinos and Atletico Madrid and will be in contention to play some part of the game against Palace at Wembley, coach Arne Slot said.

“He was out for two months I think, or longer because we didn’t play him in the last four games of the season. He trained with us since a week now, played 30 minutes, 45 minutes,” Slot said Friday. “So that’s not a situation where you would start a player... play him for 90 minutes. Starting is possible but definitely not for 90 minutes.”

The 26-year-old Mac Allister’s last competitive game was against Arsenal on May 11. He missed the Premier League champion’s last two games of the season.

Last month the midfielder said his absence was due to a series of issues, rather than one specific injury.

“It’s hard to explain because it’s not just one spot that you say, ‘OK, we have to focus on this,’” Mac Allister said. “It’s like two or three different things that I’ve been struggling (with) for a couple of months.

“At the end, we found the solution; we have been working a lot in the gym, on my structure.”

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has been ruled out of the match with a “minor” injury, Slot said.


PSG to sign Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier: source

PSG to sign Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier: source
Updated 08 August 2025
Follow

PSG to sign Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier: source

PSG to sign Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier: source
  • European champions Paris Saint-Germain have reached agreement with Lille to sign highly-rated goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, a source close to the negotiations told AFP on Friday

PARIS: European champions Paris Saint-Germain have reached agreement with Lille to sign highly-rated goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, a source close to the negotiations told AFP on Friday.

The move is likely to pose questions over the future of Italian international ‘keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma at PSG.

Donnarumma, who was outstanding in PSG’s 5-0 demolition of Inter Milan in the Champions League final in May, is in the final year of his contract and would likely interest Premier League clubs.

Chevalier, 23, will sign a five-year contract and command a fee of around 40 million euros ($46.5 million).

He was nominated on Thursday for this year’s men’s Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper at the Ballon d’Or gala after exceptional performances in Ligue 1 and the Champions League last season.

Lille finished fifth in Ligue 1 last season and qualified for the Europa League.


UAE national jiu-jitsu team in China for 2025 World Games 

UAE national jiu-jitsu team in China for 2025 World Games 
Updated 08 August 2025
Follow

UAE national jiu-jitsu team in China for 2025 World Games 

UAE national jiu-jitsu team in China for 2025 World Games 
  • The event brings together nearly 5,000 athletes from 118 countries competing across 34 sports

ABU DHABI:  The UAE national jiu-jitsu team landed in China on Thursday to take part in the 2025 World Games, hosted in Chengdu from Aug. 7-17.

The UAE team, sponsored by Mubadala Investment Company, will begin its campaign on Aug. 10 when the jiu-jitsu competitions kick off, running through to Aug. 12.

The national team previously participated in the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw, Poland, winning two medals — one gold and one silver. They delivered a strong showing again at the 2022 event in Birmingham, the US, securing five medals: Two gold, one silver and two bronze.

The 2025 event will bring together nearly 5,000 athletes from 118 countries competing across 34 sports, making it one of the most prominent international sporting events.

Mubarak Saleh Al-Menhali, director of the technical department at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, or UAEJJF, said that the team was aiming to achieve a new milestone that would further strengthen the UAE’s position regionally and globally. He said that the current squad featured experienced male and female athletes who had consistently performed at the highest level.

“We are confident our athletes are fully prepared for the championship. They’ve put in a lot of work through both local and overseas training camps, which helped enhance their physical and mental readiness. They also completed intensive technical and fitness sessions to ensure they are in peak condition heading into the competition.”

Former Emirati jiu-jitsu champion, Faisal Al-Ketbi, who is traveling with the team, added: “Our team has a good chance of winning medals at the World Games, especially as they’re currently among the top-ranked. We held a training camp in Brazil before the event, focusing on sharpening technique and improving overall fitness. The team is ready, morale is high, and after winning two gold medals last time, we’re aiming for more this year.”

The men’s team includes Mohammed Al-Suwaidi (69kg), Mehdi Al-Awlaki (77kg) and Saeed Al-Kubaisi (85kg). On the women’s side, the team features Asma Alhosani (52kg), Shamsa Al-Amri (57kg) and Shamma Al-Kalbani (63kg).


Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation unveils new logo ahead of world masters championship

Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation unveils new logo ahead of world masters championship
Updated 08 August 2025
Follow

Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation unveils new logo ahead of world masters championship

Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation unveils new logo ahead of world masters championship
  • One of the sport’s four major global tournaments underway in Jeddah from Aug. 8-16

JEDDAH: The Saudi Billiards and Snooker Federation has launched its new logo ahead of the World Masters Snooker Championship — one of the sport’s four major global tournaments — scheduled from Aug. 8 to 16.

The launch took place on Thursday evening on the sidelines of the Roundtable Conference at the Media Center in the Green Halls of Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City in Jeddah.

The unveiling ceremony brought together the federation’s President Naif Al-Jaweini, World Snooker Tour CEO Simon Brownell, former world champion Ken Doherty, and Saudi Arabia national team player Ziyad Al-Qabbani.

The logo features a modern, stylized aesthetic with symbolic elements, including a depiction of Saudi Arabia’s map, reflecting the federation’s national identity and its alignment with future strategic goals.

Al-Jaweini said the new logo represents a pivotal milestone in the federation’s journey to build a distinctive visual identity that embodies its ambitions.

He said the timing of the launch coincides with the Kingdom’s hosting of the World Masters Snooker Championship, one of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments.