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Gulf Insider
2 days ago
- Sport
- Gulf Insider
UAE To Face Qatar, Oman In World Cup Qualifiers
The United Arab Emirates were drawn to take on Qatar and Oman in the fourth phase of Asia's preliminaries for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday. According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the winners of each of the three-team groups, which will be played in October, will join already-qualified Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran and Jordan at next year's expanded 48-nation finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Saudi Arabia will host Group A and open against Indonesia on October 8. Indonesia will then play Graham Arnold's Iraq on October 11 before the Saudis and Iraq face off on 14th October. Group B hosts Qatar, organisers of the 2022 World Cup, will take on Oman in their first game on October 8. The UAE will face Oman on October 11, with Qatar and the UAE meeting on October 14. The nations finishing in second place in each group will advance to a further round of qualifying, which will be held over two legs in November on a home-and-away basis. Source Bahrain News Agency
The Guardian
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Trump's presence at Chelsea's trophy lift was a fitting coda to a misguided tournament
For the first four weeks of the 2025 Club World Cup, there had been the danger that the tournament would soon be largely forgotten. There is no danger of that after the final. There had been unease after the 2022 World Cup final at the way Qatar inserted itself into the trophy presentation by draping a bisht over Lionel Messi, but at least the Emir kept his distance. Donald Trump, by contrast, placed himself front and centre of the celebrations – and he was soon joined by the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, who has a pathological fear of missing out, and must follow his great ally in all things. And so we were presented with a grimly perfect image of this misguided tournament, a celebrating football team struggling to be seen from behind the politicians who took centre stage. The confusion of Cole Palmer and Reece James at Trump's continued presence was clear. History, and not just football history, will not forget such shameless grandstanding, or Fifa's complicity in allowing football to be hijacked by a national leader. It was a day the ramifications of which will be sifted for years. As a footballing spectacle, it was remarkable, a game in which Palmer produced a performance to elevate him to global stardom, in which Robert Sánchez did much to quiet his many critics, in which Enzo Maresca announced himself as a tactician of the highest rank. There had been plenty of intrigue earlier in the tournament – Al-Hilal's last-16 victory over Manchester City and Real Madrid's capitulation in the semi-final perhaps most notably – but they had always been undercut by doubts as to how seriously each side was taking it. But PSG's determination to add the world title to the Champions League crown they won in May was obvious and, in the final, they were outplayed to a startling degree. Luis Enrique's side had essentially been untouchable since the turn of the year, not just winning games but looking sharper than opponents, on another tactical level. They had outclassed Madrid in the semi-final to the extent that the game was done within 20 minutes. Yet the final was lost by half-time as their left flank was repeatedly over-run. Khvicha Khvaratskelia, whose defensive work is usually so striking, didn't make a single tackle or interception (PSG's front three as a whole managed just one regain between them) and Fabián Ruiz was bypassed so that Nuno Mendes, who for a year has seemed obviously the best left-back in the world, was repeatedly exposed, sometimes to Malo Gusto but sometimes, more dangerously, to Palmer. Palmer produced one of the great final performances, scoring the first with a great finish, the second with a great finish after a dummied pass of almost comical effectiveness and then setting up the third with a barrelling run and perfectly calibrated pass for João Pedro. Perhaps PSG were disadvantaged by having played in the second semi-final; perhaps in the extreme heat an extra 24 hours of rest makes a huge difference. Still, it's been a long time since anybody has taken Luis Enrique's PSG apart like that – even if it took two exceptional saves from Sánchez to prevent PSG getting a second-half goal that might have made the denouement more anxious than it was. There have been plenty who have doubted Maresca's tactical approach, his apparent over-caution, his obsession with avoiding risk. But on Sunday, he clearly got the gameplan right. Using Pedro Neto as an auxiliary wing-back helped negate the forward surges of Achraf Hakimi but it was on the other flank, the way space was created for Palmer, that the game was won. These were moments that will define careers and, in so doing, offer legitimacy and prestige to the Club World Cup. As world champions, after a performance like that, with a squad of such depth, Chelsea have to be considered serious contenders for the Premier League title. But in the end, the football seemed an afterthought. There is always something uncomfortable to the European mind in the militarism of US sporting fanfare (which has begun, regrettably, to seep into the FA Cup final). Why was the Star-Spangled Banner played before kick-off? When has the host's anthem ever previously been played like that at a Fifa event? Why was there a fly-over of military planes? Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion By the trophy presentation, that had become something much more sinister. Was the US hosting football, or was football hosting the US? Or rather a particular vision of the US represented by Trump? Fifa has just opened offices in Trump Tower: Infantino's alliance with the president is both committed and alarming. And having pushed through his vision of the Club World Cup with all its flaws without meaningful consultation, what next for Fifa? Checks and balances simply don't apply any more. This is an extract from Soccer with Jonathan Wilson, a weekly look from the Guardian US at the game in Europe and beyond. Subscribe for free here. Have a question for Jonathan? Email soccerwithjw@ and he'll answer the best in a future edition.
NDTV
04-07-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Takehiro Tomiyasu Leaves Arsenal After Injury-Riddled Spell
Arsenal have announced that the club have reached a mutual agreement with Takehiro Tomiyasu to end his contract with immediate effect. The Japanese international spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season on the sidelines, barring one appearance. The 26-year-old defender, who joined Arsenal from Bologna in August 2021, made 84 appearances in all competitions during his time with the club. Having begun his career at J1 League side Avispa Fukuoka, Tomi moved to Belgian outfit Sint-Truiden in 2018 and won the club's Player of the Season award before moving to Italy. A senior international since 2018, Tomi has represented Japan 42 times and was part of his country's squad at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Cup, as well as helping his nation reach the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup in February 2024. "After 4 unforgettable years, the time has come for me to say goodbye to this incredible club. Obviously, I have got many things to say, but the thing that I want to tell you guys the most is just thank you for the love you guys gave me. I was so happy to be here with my teammates, Mikel, the coaching staff, supporting staff, and everyone who was around me in this club. "From my first day at the Emirates to every moment wearing the red and white, it has truly been an honor to represent this badge. To the supporters, thank you for the love you've been giving me on and off the pitch. I will never forget it, and it will stay in me forever," Tomiyasu posted on Instagram. Unfortunately, injuries have limited Tomi's time on the pitch in the past two seasons, with the defender making just one substitute appearance last season. It was therefore mutually agreed to end Tomi's contract in order for him to start a new chapter in his career, with reports suggesting interest from the Saudi Pro League. "To the teammates, I'm so happy that we've shared many memories with you guys, because I know how good you guys are, not only as a player but as a person. I'm looking forward to seeing each of you guys ON the pitch soon. It's time for a new chapter, but I'm forever proud to have been a Gunner. Once a Gunner, always a Gunner. ARIGATO and all the best, Tomi," the post further read.
Welcome Qatar
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Welcome Qatar
News
Qatar to raze and rebuild Al Rayyan stadium ahead of 2022 World Cup In a change of plans, Qatar's Al Rayyan Stadium will be deconstructed before...
Fox Sports
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Matt Freese shined in his shootout moment, and the Americans are moving onto the Gold Cup semifinals
Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — After losing a second-half lead to Costa Rica, this young U.S. side was forced into a shootout with the daunting task of facing goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Matt Freese studied for this. Literally. The late-blooming national team rookie, who made a costly mistake in the previous match, actually conducted an in-depth research project in college at Harvard about penalty kicks. Freese spent the flight to Minneapolis reviewing his findings and examining Costa Rica's tendencies, time well spent that fueled his steely performance in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal victory on Sunday night. 'To be able to rely on that type of thing and deal with a lot of statistics and read the game and read their hips, things like that, is massive,' Freese said after making three saves in the six-round shootout won 4-3 by the Americans after a 2-2 tie in regulation. The Americans play Guatemala in the semifinals on Wednesday in St. Louis. If the U.S. can rely on Freese like this moving forward, that too would be an enormous boost. The 26-year-old native of Pennsylvania, who has displaced for now 2022 World Cup and 2023 Gold Cup starter Matt Turner, knocked away shootout attempts by Juan Pablo Vargas, Francisco Calvo and Andy Rojas. Calvo scored on Freese in the 12th minute on a penalty kick. Freese, a little-used backup for Major League Soccer's Philadelphia Union before a trade to New York City FC in 2023 jump-started his career, has had little time with the national team for training. His path was only cleared this spring by injuries to Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen. But new coach Mauricio Pochettino has been determined to push his young players into the deep end during this biennial championship for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, with Freese at the forefront of the experiment. 'I've just got to be ready for whatever game I get, for whatever moment is there for me,' said Freese, who gave up one goal in three group stage matches. 'He's shown a lot of faith in me. That's something I'm really grateful for, and it's my job to repay him and help the team win.' The goal Freese gave up during the group stage was quite a gaffe, a misfired clearing attempt against Haiti that set up the tying goal in a game the U.S. won 2-1. But Pochettino and his staff had no problem sending Freese back to the net for the knockout rounds. 'It's an opportunity to show you can bounce back, an opportunity to learn and quickly move on to the next,' Freese said. Turner played only three club matches in the recently ended season for Crystal Palace, all in the FA Cup and none since March 1. The critical position is wide open for Freese — or anyone — to seize it with the North American World Cup looming next summer. 'I think it's good for Matt, for the rest of the keepers, to see that they can have the possibility and deal with the pressure,' Pochettino said. 'Because you never know what's going to happen in one year. Now is the moment to test or to give the possibility to show that they can deal with that stress and perform.' Pochettino didn't directly answer a question about whether Freese has passed Turner on the depth chart. But the native of Argentina, who began his playing career with the same club that Navas stars for and briefly managed him with Paris Saint-Germain, was clearly pleased by the way his keeper stepped up with one of the best in the world during the dramatic shootout. After each save, Freese told himself he wanted another one. After the third diving stop, he became especially demonstrative — nodding his head and sticking out his tongue toward his cheering teammates at midfield. 'He's done extremely well. He's worked extremely hard," said Diego Luna, who scored his first international goal for the U.S. in the first half. 'These are the type of moments that we live for.' ___ AP soccer: recommended
