From Palestine to Pittodrie: Oday Dabbagh proving a popular addition to Aberdeen’s attack

From Palestine to Pittodrie: Oday Dabbagh proving a popular addition to Aberdeen’s attack
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Dabbagh flashed a header wide just wide of the post, produced a lovely back heel to set up Topi Keskinen for a blocked shot and impressed with his hold up and link play. (VIA @oday_dabbagh)
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From Palestine to Pittodrie: Oday Dabbagh proving a popular addition to Aberdeen’s attack

From Palestine to Pittodrie: Oday Dabbagh proving a popular addition to Aberdeen’s attack
  • Club’s manager and supporters have taken the 26-year-old to their hearts after he scored 3 times since joining in February
  • Dabbagh’s next matches will be the World Cup qualifiers for Palestine against Jordan on Thursday, and then Iraq on March 25

PERTH: From Palestine to Pittodrie is a road less travelled, let alone by talented center-forwards, but Oday Dabbagh’s move to Aberdeen Football Club is proving to be a fruitful one.

Dabbagh has scored three goals in six games since he joined Aberdeen on loan at the beginning of February from Charleroi in Belgium, with the Scottish Premiership club securing an option to buy this summer.

There were no goals on Saturday at McDiarmid Park in Perth as his fourth-placed side drew 0-0 at relegation battlers St Johnstone. But there were plenty of examples of why the 26-year-old Palestinian has quickly become a popular figure at Aberdeen.

Dabbagh flashed a header wide just wide of the post, produced a lovely back heel to set up Topi Keskinen for a blocked shot and impressed with his hold up and link play.

The latter is especially true with Scotland international Kevin Nisbet, whom manager Jimmy Thelin has recently chosen to play just behind Dabbagh in Aberdeen’s attack.

“Oday is a good combination player,” Thelin told Arab News after the match. “He connects well with other players. I think him and Kevin have got a good relationship in the team. Oday has strengths.

“Today, we couldn’t give him so much to work on with the passes into the box, but he’s good at finding spots in the box and when he gets opportunities he’s really calm and finds the goals.”

The Swedish manager’s thoughts were echoed by St Johnstone defender Zach Mitchell, who described Dabbagh and the Aberdeen attack as a “threat” and that shutting them out was a “tough challenge.”

In Dabbagh’s previous match, Queen’s Park proved not as fortunate. That day Palestine’s record scorer — 16 goals from 45 caps — netted a double in the quarterfinal of the Scottish Cup at Pittodrie, Aberdeen’s home ground, in a 4-1 victory that earned a semifinal versus Hearts in April.

In a rollercoaster season for Aberdeen, the semifinal is an opportunity to get one step closer to winning silverware for the first time since 2014.

It is a bristling statistic for a club that enjoyed great success under the legendary Alex Ferguson in the 1980s, including three league title triumphs and the UEFA Cup Winners Cup and Super Cup trophies.

Under the guidance of Thelin, the club’s fifth manager since 2021, Aberdeen had a remarkable start to the season, winning 10 of their first 11 league matches and even briefly topping the Scottish Premiership table.

A dramatic decline that can be attributed to injury woes, defensive frailties and a lack of goals leaves Aberdeen a point behind third-placed Hibernian — who were bottom in November. The gap between Hibernian and Edinburgh rivals Hearts in sixth is a mere five points.

With champions Celtic once again comfortably ahead of second-placed Rangers, finishing third is the aim for Aberdeen in the league. Third place earns a spot in the second round of Europa League qualifying, while fourth seals the equivalent starting point in the Conference League.

Winning the Scottish Cup would earn Aberdeen coveted silverware and a Europa League playoff-round spot next season.

That leaves ample opportunity for Jerusalem-born Dabbagh to further endear himself to the Dons supporters. In the games prior to Dabbagh signing, Aberdeen had failed to score in five league matches and not won in the Scottish Premiership since Nov. 9.

“He’s the new type of striker that Aberdeen have needed this season,” Aberdeen fan Cameron Carnie told Arab News outside McDiarmid Park before the match on Saturday.

“He’s going to do well. He’s a lot more direct than the strikers we’ve had this season. I think it’s a different dynamic, and he’s good in the air as well. The fans have absolutely taken to him pretty well.

“Everyone wants him on a permanent deal. He’s shone enough already. Hopefully he just keeps on banging in the goals.”

Fellow fan Alan Hay, like Carnie from Aberdeen, a city in the northeast of Scotland famous for being the country’s oil capital, was of a similar mindset with regards to Dabbagh’s stint in a red shirt.

“It’s early days but there’s signs of promise,” said Hay. “He’s maybe trying a little bit hard at times but I’m feeling quite positive. There’s a quickness, an awareness and an alertness to his game.

“He’s willing to run. People love an exotic striker so it’s something a bit different. He’s got a bit of personality about him.”

Dabbagh is the first Palestine international to play in Scottish football’s top flight. The striker began his career with Palestinian club Hilal Al-Quds before moving to Kuwait.

He then signed with Al-Salmiya, Qadsia, Al-Yarmouk and then Al-Arabi where he won the Kuwait Premier League and became the league’s top scorer.

Dabbagh moved to Europe for the first time when he joined Portuguese side Arouca in 2021 before joining Charleroi on a three-year deal in 2023.

Dabbagh’s next matches will be for his national team against Jordan on Thursday, and then Iraq on March 25 in World Cup qualifiers. Both matches are taking place at the Amman International Stadium due to the situation in his homeland.

When Dabbagh returns to Aberdeen, for whom he wears the No. 11 shirt, there is much to play for.

At the end of Saturday’s match at McDiarmid Park, Dabbagh and the rest of the Aberdeen players walked to their supporters to applaud them before leaving the field.

Among the throng of red shirts and scarves, a Palestinian flag was proudly waved in the air.

Should the next stage of Dabbagh’s footballing journey include the goals that propel Aberdeen to European football and — even more enticing — silverware, there will be many more Palestinian flags hoisted in celebration.


Campaign urges fans to watch SAFF Women’s Cup final between champions Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah

Campaign urges fans to watch SAFF Women’s Cup final between champions Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah
Updated 27 sec ago
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Campaign urges fans to watch SAFF Women’s Cup final between champions Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah

Campaign urges fans to watch SAFF Women’s Cup final between champions Al-Ahli and Al-Qadsiah
  • Saudi Arabian Football Federation launches #SeeOurGlory for Wednesday’s showdown at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh

RIYADH: A new campaign has been launched to inspire football fans to attend, watch and follow the SAFF Women’s Cup final on Wednesday.

The hashtag #SeeOurGlory will feature across the social media channels of the SAFF, clubs and players ahead of the highly anticipated clash between defending champions Al-Ahli and first-time finalists Al-Qadsiah.

This is the second edition of the SAFF Women’s Cup, which began in October, and had 16 teams from both the Saudi Women’s Premier League and the Saudi Women’s First Division League competing.

Taking place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, the match will feature two of the top teams in Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning women’s football scene. Tickets for the final are available now at cup.saffwfd.com.

This year’s competition has seen more goals scored than last season’s inaugural edition, with players from more than 20 countries now competing professionally in Saudi Arabia.

“This year’s SAFF Women’s Cup Final is a testament to the rapid growth and success of women’s football in Saudi Arabia,” said Lamia Bahaian, vice president of the SAFF.

“We are thrilled to see two exceptional teams compete at the highest level, showcasing the talent, passion, and progress that define this competition.

“This match is not just about crowning a champion; it’s about celebrating the remarkable strides that the domestic game has taken in the Kingdom and we couldn’t be prouder.”

The journey to the 2025 final has seen milestones reached by both clubs.

For defending champions Al-Ahli, their path featured a thrilling 3-2 victory in a rematch of last year’s final against Al-Shabab to secure their place.

Head coach Manar Fraij is in her third season in charge at Al-Ahli and is aiming to secure her second major trophy with the Jeddah club.

Al-Qadsiah, who finished third in last year’s edition having been defeated by Al-Ahli in a 3-2 semifinal thriller, have made a remarkable push to the final this season.

Their journey saw them eliminate league leaders Al-Nassr on penalties in the semifinals.

They have young talent including Sulaf Asseri, an emerging under-20 national team star who was the first player to score for her team in this year’s SAFF Women’s Cup.

To win, Al-Qadsiah will need to find a way to stop Al-Ahli’s prolific forward Ibtissam Jraidi. The Moroccan star has been lethal in the tournament, top-scoring with eight goals to complement her league-leading 22 goals.

The SAFF Women’s Cup continues to be a key pillar in the SAFF’s mission to empower female athletes across the Kingdom, in alignment with Vision 2030.


No Jokic, no problem as Gordon, Nuggets stun Warriors

No Jokic, no problem as Gordon, Nuggets stun Warriors
Updated 18 March 2025
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No Jokic, no problem as Gordon, Nuggets stun Warriors

No Jokic, no problem as Gordon, Nuggets stun Warriors
  • A dazzling display from Aaron Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for the Denver Nuggets
  • Gordon scored 38 points, six rebounds and three assists to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak

LOS ANGELES, United States: Aaron Gordon scored 38 points as the Denver Nuggets shrugged off the absence of Nikola Jokic to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak with a 114-105 victory over their NBA Western Conference rivals on Monday.
A dazzling display from Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for Denver, who were missing regular starters Jokic and Jamal Murray from their line-up.
The absentees were barely felt by Denver though, who startled the Warriors early at San Francisco’s Chase Center and led for most of the game.
The Warriors threatened to stage a late rally after slashing the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter lead from 15 points to three points, but Denver pulled away in the closing stages to secure a deserved win.
Gordon finished with 38 points, six rebounds and three assists while Michael Porter Jr. provided offensive support with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
The Warriors were always chasing the game after failing to threaten from long range, making just eight of 33 three-point attempts. Jimmy Butler led the Golden State scorers with 23 points.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr lambasted his side’s “awful” performance.
“We played poorly out of the gate and never found rhythm and they played great,” Kerr said. “The right team won. We didn’t deserve that. We were awful.”
Denver improved to 44-25 to remain in third place in the West. The Warriors dropped to 39-29 and are sixth in the standings.
The Los Angeles Lakers are just behind Denver in fourth place in the West after a 125-109 blowout over the San Antonio Spurs.
With LeBron James still injured, Austin Reaves led the Lakers scoring with 30 points while Luka Doncic had 21 points with nine rebounds and 14 assists.
Elsewhere, the in-form Houston Rockets staged an incredible second-half comeback to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers, overturning a 25-point third-quarter deficit to win 144-137 in an overtime thriller.
The struggling Sixers – who received another gloomy injury bulletin with news that Paul George would miss the remainder of the regular season – stunned Houston after outscoring the hosts 44-28 in the first quarter.
After leading 78-57 at half-time, the Sixers stretched their advantage to 25 points early in the third quarter.
But Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks led a dramatic turnaround as the Rockets suddenly began to find their shooting range, outscoring the Sixers 45-24 in the third quarter.
The Rockets knotted the score at 131-131 with 3.9secs remaining, before dominating overtime to bring up their seventh straight win to remain second in the Western Conference on 44-25, 12.5 games behind leaders Oklahoma City.
Quentin Grimes led Philadelphia with 46 points including eight three-pointers, while Green and Jabari Smith Jr. topped the Houston scoring with 30 points apiece.
There was another overtime thriller in Minnesota, where Obi Toppin finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and two assists to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 132-130 win over the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards led the Wolves scoring with 38 points.
In New York, 28 points from Mikal Bridges powered the Knicks to a 116-95 defeat of the visiting Miami Heat.
The Knicks, who improved to 43-24 to remain third in the Eastern Conference rankings, effectively decided the contest after blitzing Miami 41-15 in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 27 points early in the fourth before cruising home.
Miami fell to 29-39 and are ninth in the East.
The Detroit Pistons continued their pursuit of the Knicks in the East with a 127-81 thrashing of the New Orleans Pelicans in the Big Easy.
Detroit improved to 38-31 to stay in sixth place in the East.
The Pelicans are now 18-51, one place off the bottom of the Western Conference ahead of Utah, who slumped to their 54th defeat of the campaign in a 111-97 loss to Chicago.


Big-hitting New Zealand crush Pakistan by five wickets for 2-0 lead

Big-hitting New Zealand crush Pakistan by five wickets for 2-0 lead
Updated 18 March 2025
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Big-hitting New Zealand crush Pakistan by five wickets for 2-0 lead

Big-hitting New Zealand crush Pakistan by five wickets for 2-0 lead
  • New Zealand reached 137-5 with 11 balls to spare after Pakistan posted 135-9 off 15 overs
  • New Zealand can wrap up series if they are victorious in game three in Auckland on Friday

Dunedin, New Zealand: New Zealand’s openers went on a six-hitting blitz on Tuesday to thrash Pakistan by five wickets and go 2-0 up in their Twenty20 series.

The home side reached 137-5 with 11 balls to spare in Dunedin to take control of the five-match series after Pakistan posted 135-9 off 15 overs in a rain-reduced second match.

New Zealand’s highlight was a ferocious opening stand between Tim Seifert and Finn Allen in which seven of the first eight scoring shots were sixes.

Remarkably, Seifert played out a maiden off Shaheen Shah Afridi’s opening over before Allen cleared the small University Oval boundary three times in the second over, bowled by Mohammad Ali.

Seifert then smashed 26 off Afridi’s second over, including four sixes.

Seifert, who top-scored with 44 in the nine-wicket win in Christchurch on Sunday, departed on 45 off 22 balls.

Allen fell soon afterwards for 38 off 16, with the openers hammering five sixes each.

Four New Zealand wickets fell in the space of four overs midway through the chase before Mitch Hay’s unbeaten 21 made the outcome safe.

Earlier, captain Salman Agha top-scored with 46 off 28 balls, launching a recovery after Pakistan were sent in and lost opener Hasan Nawaz without scoring for the second time in the series.

They were 19-2 in the fourth over before the skipper embarked on a knock that featured four fours and three sixes.

Shadab Khan was aggressive in the middle order with 26 off 14 balls and Afridi was not-out 22 off 14.

Four New Zealand bowlers took two wickets, including seamer Ben Sears and all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, who were both recalled, in place of Tim Robinson and Kyle Jamieson.

New Zealand can wrap up the series if victorious in game three in Auckland on Friday.


Pakistan Tekken 8 team delivers historic victory in Seoul, dismantling South Korea

Pakistan Tekken 8 team delivers historic victory in Seoul, dismantling South Korea
Updated 18 March 2025
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Pakistan Tekken 8 team delivers historic victory in Seoul, dismantling South Korea

Pakistan Tekken 8 team delivers historic victory in Seoul, dismantling South Korea
  • Pakistan wins with seven of the best players from both countries taking part in special Tekken 8 team event
  • Winning team included Pakistan’s Arslan Siddique, considered one of the greatest Tekken players in the world currently

ISLAMABAD: A team from Pakistan delivered a historic victory in Seoul this week in a special Tekken 8 event, dismantling South Korea’s long-standing dominance in competitive Tekken esports.

South Korea had for years been the leading force in competitive Tekken until Pakistan’s Arslan Siddique, better known as Arslan Ash, began to gain prominence by winning major international tournaments. He is a five-time EVO champion, having emerged victorious in EVO Las Vegas 2019, 2023, 2024 as well as EVO Japan 2019 and 2023.

Considered one of the greatest Tekken players in the world currently, Ash became the first professional gamer in 2023 to win the global Tekken 7 title four times. Ash also won the Tekken World Tour Finals 2023 and has made the Tekken battle between Pakistan and South Korea one of the most enduring and celebrated storylines in the esports community.

“Pakistan is the best Tekken region in the world again,” Ash posted on X, after Pakistan’s win against South Korea, with seven of the best players from each country taking part. 

The players participating in the Pakistan team event were TM|Arslan Ash, DRX|Knee, Falcons|Atif, KDF|Ulsan, Falcons|Farzeen, Varrel|Rangchu, QAD|TheJon, KDF|CBM, Fate|Numan Ch, VIT|JeonDDing, ROC|Usama Abbasi, KDF|Mulgold, TM|Hafiz Tanveer and DRX|Chanel.

“With yet another Pakistan Tekken victory, the nation has cemented its position at the pinnacle of competitive Tekken,” Pakistan’s top tech news and media outlet, TechJuice, reported on Monday.

“Once seen as challengers, Pakistan’s Tekken warriors have rewritten history, proving that the Tekken esports landscape belongs to them.”


March Madness tips off with First Four in Dayton

March Madness tips off with First Four in Dayton
Updated 18 March 2025
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March Madness tips off with First Four in Dayton

March Madness tips off with First Four in Dayton
  • The Tar Heels (22-13) seemed a long shot to make the tournament with a 1-12 record in Quadrant 1 games, but were chosen Sunday
  • The No. 11 seed is the lowest ever for North Carolina, who are making their 54th NCAA Tournament appearance, second-most to Kentucky’s 62

DAYTON, Ohio: North Carolina was a controversial selection for the NCAA Tournament, but the Tar Heels can silence some skeptics with a win over San Diego State on Tuesday night at the First Four.

The winner will face No. 6 seed Mississippi on Friday in Milwaukee.

The Tar Heels (22-13) seemed a long shot to make the tournament with a 1-12 record in Quadrant 1 games, but were chosen Sunday thanks to a strong nonconference schedule and other metrics.

“I didn’t listen to bracketology,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said Monday. “I didn’t listen after our name was selected on CBS. I didn’t listen to the telecasts. I haven’t listened to anybody’s comments in regards to selections, seedings. I know that we’re really excited to be a part of this, and we’re looking forward to tomorrow night.”

UNC’s inclusion fueled some conspiracy theories, with athletic director Bubba Cunningham being chair of the selection committee.

Rules state that Cunningham could not participate in the debate about his team, so the vice chair, Sun Belt Conference commissioner Keith Gill, presided over discussions about the Tar Heels.

The knock against North Carolina was a lack of Quad 1 wins. But the Tar Heels played the nation’s fifth-toughest nonconference schedule, which included games against No. 1 NCAA Tournament seeds Auburn and Florida, No. 2 seeds Alabama and Michigan State, and a trip to Kansas, which earned a No. 7 seed.

And the Tar Heels had higher rankings in the NET (36th), KenPom (33rd) and BPI (25th) than West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio State and Boise State, the first four teams left out of the field.

Additionally, they finished slightly ahead of the Mountaineers for best among that group in Wins Above Bubble (WAB), a metric added this year looking at how many more or fewer wins a team has against its schedule compared to what a bubble team would expect.

Regardless, San Diego State (21-9) isn’t going to make things easy for the Tar Heels.

The Aztecs lead the nation in field goal percentage defense (.378) and rank 13th in defensive efficiency.

“I think our identity is in our defense and our effort,” forward Jared Coleman-Jones said. “I think that if we play really good defense and we play with effort and we play with swagger, I think everything else is going to handle itself.”

RJ Davis carries the load for the Tar Heels, averaging 17 points and 3.7 assists per game.

The No. 11 seed is the lowest ever for North Carolina, who are making their 54th NCAA Tournament appearance, second-most to Kentucky’s 62.

Despite the questions about their resume, the Tar Heels practiced on Sunday and prepared to play.

“I think we’ve all kind of felt the hate, the disagreement, all that,” guard Seth Trimble said. “We’re just running with it. We definitely feel like we’ve got something to prove.”

Familiar foes

When No. 11 seeds Texas and Xavier play on Wednesday night in Dayton, it will mark the fourth time since 1990 the teams have met in the NCAA Tournament.

The Longhorns (19-15) beat the Musketeers 83-71 in the 2023 Sweet 16. In 2004, Xavier beat Texas 79-71 to reach the Elite Eight before losing to top-seeded Duke 66-63.

Zach Freemantle returned from injury and averaged 19.8 points during a seven-game winning streak to close the regular season, helping the Musketeers (21-11) return to the tournament after missing out last year.

The First Four extends the standout freshman season for Longhorns guard Tre Johnson, who led the SEC in scoring with 19.8 points per game.

The Longhorns and Musketeers were firmly on the bubble entering Selection Sunday. The winner will face No. 6 seed Illinois on Friday night in Milwaukee.

“It’s so difficult to make the tournament,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said. “There’s so much invested. We played our best basketball as we entered March.”

Unlikely dancers

Saint Francis (PA) made an unlikely return to the University of Dayton Arena after becoming the 19th team to reach the NCAA Tournament with a losing record.

The Red Flashes (16-17) lost their season opener 87-57 to the Dayton Flyers on Nov. 4, and few would have predicted they’d return to the same building in March.

“We’re obviously very excited we’ve already played here before,” Saint Francis guard Riley Parker said. “The first game we played here didn’t turn out our way, so we’re just trying to come back here and make it right.”

Saint Francis are making theirvsecond NCAA Tournament appearance, first since 1991.

The Red Flashes face Alabama State (19-15) in a matchup of No. 16 seeds on Tuesday night. The Hornets’ last tournament appearance was in 2011. The winner will face No. 1 overall seed Auburn on Thursday in Lexington, Kentucky.

Teams with losing records entering the NCAA Tournament have gone 0-18.

Deep threat

No. 16 seeds American (22-12) and Mount St. Mary’s (22-12) meet in Dayton on Wednesday night, with the winner earning a date with No. 1 seed Duke in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday.

The player to watch for American is 6-foot-9 Matt Rogers, who leads the team with 59 3-pointers. His 1.7 made 3s per game ranked 12th in the Patriot League.

Dola Adebayo leads Mount St. Mary’s with 13.2 points per game. The Mountaineers averaged more than 70 points per game and shot 34 percent from 3-point range this season.

The two Washington D.C. area programs have a long history. This will be the 71st meeting between the schools. American leads the series 37-33, including four straight wins entering Wednesday.