Latest news with #Charleroi
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Belgian Pro League Season Review: Antwerp
Finish position: 5th Overview: Antwerp missed out on European football with almost the last kick of the Pro League season. The defeat to Charleroi in the play-off clash for the final European ticket will have real ramifications on the side going into the 2025/2026 campaign. That the side, clearly in transition, were able to make it into the top six was a positive sign. However, not achieving European football when having the advantage of playing at home is a real disappointment. The sacking of Jonas De Roeck just prior to the play offs seemed strange, with his replacement Andries Ulderink hardly improving things. It appears that, for the former, off the field issues proved too much for the board. Player of the Season: Tjaronn Chery Former QPR man Tjaronn Chery, at the age of 37, was one of the signings of the season. Off the back of a strong half season in the Eredivisie with NEC, the winger/attacking midfielder scored 18 goals in 45 games while also providing seven assists. It looks like it may just be a one season wonder for Antwerp, as Chery could be moving back to the Netherlands this summer. Young Player of the Season: Mahamadou Doumbia Doumbia really solidified himself this season with the side. The 21-year-old Malian central midfielder scored three goals and grabbed two assists as he stepped into the shoes of Mandela Keita. He certainly looks to be a great prospect with an eye for the spectacular. Summer needs: It's likely that a few of the higher earners will be sold this summer. They will certainly need to be replaced, especially if one of those is striker Vincent Janssen. If he and Chery leave the side will be struggling for goals. First of all though, they need to find a new head coach. If they can snatch Rik De Mil from Charleroi then fans will likely be feeling positive going into the new Pro League campaign. Grade: C GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson
CNN
5 days ago
- General
- CNN
Representing nation is one of the ‘greatest honors,' says history-making Palestinian soccer star Oday Dabbagh
Not many players could take a more perfect penalty: the ball confidently drilled into the top-left corner, a near-impossible save for any goalkeeper. That was how Palestinian forward Oday Dabbagh executed one of the most high-pressure scenarios of his career to date, helping his Aberdeen side to a shootout victory over Celtic in the Scottish Cup final. This was the first time in 35 years that Aberdeen had lifted the Scottish Cup, and for Dabbagh the victory was a moment of instant, undiluted joy. The sight of his penalty flying into the back of the goal, he says, is one that will 'stay with me forever.' A month earlier, Dabbagh had played an even more crucial role in Aberdeen's Scottish Cup campaign, prodding in a goal against Hearts during the final minutes of extra-time. Despite only being at the club for a four-month period, on loan from Belgian side Charleroi, the 26-year-old had quickly earned legendary status. 'It's a big one for me,' Dabbagh told CNN Sports, 'and the excitement and atmosphere here in Scotland is an unforgettable feeling. It means a lot … and at the same time, it motivates me even more for what's next.' As for what comes next in Dabbagh's club career – after his loan spell with Aberdeen ended on a spectacular high, he is set to return to Charleroi, with his current contract reportedly running until 2026. But at the forefront of his mind right now will be the Palestinian national team's attempt to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 75% of all United Nations members, but it is a non-member observer state of the UN General Assembly as the United States has consistently blocked full UN membership. As a soccer team though, Palestine has been recognized by the sport's world governing body FIFA since 1998. Despite three Asian Cup appearances since then, the national team is yet to qualify for a World Cup, but the current players, including top-scorer Dabbagh, now have a chance to make history. Up next for the Palestinian national team are two crunch World Cup qualifiers against Oman and Kuwait. Currently fifth in its qualifying group, the team needs to finish third or fourth to enter the fourth round of qualifying. The odds of leapfrogging above Oman in the group are long, but the team will be well supported by those back home. For the people of Gaza, seeing its soccer team qualify for the World Cup would be a beacon of light in an otherwise harrowing period of war and bloodshed. In March, the Palestine Football Association told CNN Sports that 408 athletes have been killed in the conflict with Israel – players, officials and the majority children, including 270 soccer players. Susan Shalabi, vice president of the Palestine FA, said at the time that the organization's offices in Gaza have been either destroyed or severely damaged, and what remains is now being used to accommodate families who have lost their homes. As for home games, they have been switched to locations all over the world – Jordan, Qatar, and even Malaysia. 'In spite of the genocide our people are subjected to in Gaza,' Shalabi told CNN Sports in March, 'the will to live as a nation remains. The national team has become a symbol of our national aspirations, of the longing to live in peace like other nations under the sun.' Dabbagh is a crucial player in the Palestinian national team's bid to qualify for the World Cup. The all-time top scorer with 16 goals, including a hat-trick against Bangladesh in the first round of qualifying last year, he embraces every opportunity to represent the Lions of Canaan, long dreaming of doing so on the biggest stage. 'It's one of the greatest honors in my life,' he says to CNN. 'To wear the Palestine shirt, knowing what it means to so many people, my family, my team, and myself … it is powerful.' Dabbagh is reluctant to see himself as a trailblazer, despite being the first home-grown Palestinian player to appear in a major European league – first with Arouca in Portugal before moving to Charleroi in 2023. 'I do hope what I can achieve helps make the path a little clearer for others,' he says. 'I know how much football means to everyone back home, and I don't take that lightly. Everyone has a dream. If a kid back home sees me and starts to believe it's possible, that means everything. And I do carry that with me every time I play.' Dabbagh made his professional debut for Hilal Al-Quds in the West Bank Premier League, aged only 16. He went on to win three league titles before representing a series of teams in Kuwait, winning another title with Al-Arabi in 2021. Moves to Portugal, Belgium, and then Scotland followed – an unprecedented career arc for a player who grew up kicking a ball on the streets of Jerusalem. He hopes to send a clear message to other young boys and girls now in the same situation he once was. 'Never stop believing,' says Dabbagh. 'Work hard, stay focused, and never lose your passion. You belong on the world stage.' Dabbagh and his teammates could be on the biggest stage of them all should the Palestinian national team qualify for the World Cup. For the forward, that would surely be the high point in an unlikely and trophy-laden career. CNN's Don Riddell contributed to reporting.
CNN
5 days ago
- General
- CNN
Representing nation is one of the ‘greatest honors,' says history-making Palestinian soccer star Oday Dabbagh
Not many players could take a more perfect penalty: the ball confidently drilled into the top-left corner, a near-impossible save for any goalkeeper. That was how Palestinian forward Oday Dabbagh executed one of the most high-pressure scenarios of his career to date, helping his Aberdeen side to a shootout victory over Celtic in the Scottish Cup final. This was the first time in 35 years that Aberdeen had lifted the Scottish Cup, and for Dabbagh the victory was a moment of instant, undiluted joy. The sight of his penalty flying into the back of the goal, he says, is one that will 'stay with me forever.' A month earlier, Dabbagh had played an even more crucial role in Aberdeen's Scottish Cup campaign, prodding in a goal against Hearts during the final minutes of extra-time. Despite only being at the club for a four-month period, on loan from Belgian side Charleroi, the 26-year-old had quickly earned legendary status. 'It's a big one for me,' Dabbagh told CNN Sports, 'and the excitement and atmosphere here in Scotland is an unforgettable feeling. It means a lot … and at the same time, it motivates me even more for what's next.' As for what comes next in Dabbagh's club career – after his loan spell with Aberdeen ended on a spectacular high, he is set to return to Charleroi, with his current contract reportedly running until 2026. But at the forefront of his mind right now will be the Palestinian national team's attempt to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 75% of all United Nations members, but it is a non-member observer state of the UN General Assembly as the United States has consistently blocked full UN membership. As a soccer team though, Palestine has been recognized by the sport's world governing body FIFA since 1998. Despite three Asian Cup appearances since then, the national team is yet to qualify for a World Cup, but the current players, including top-scorer Dabbagh, now have a chance to make history. Up next for the Palestinian national team are two crunch World Cup qualifiers against Oman and Kuwait. Currently fifth in its qualifying group, the team needs to finish third or fourth to enter the fourth round of qualifying. The odds of leapfrogging above Oman in the group are long, but the team will be well supported by those back home. For the people of Gaza, seeing its soccer team qualify for the World Cup would be a beacon of light in an otherwise harrowing period of war and bloodshed. In March, the Palestine Football Association told CNN Sports that 408 athletes have been killed in the conflict with Israel – players, officials and the majority children, including 270 soccer players. Susan Shalabi, vice president of the Palestine FA, said at the time that the organization's offices in Gaza have been either destroyed or severely damaged, and what remains is now being used to accommodate families who have lost their homes. As for home games, they have been switched to locations all over the world – Jordan, Qatar, and even Malaysia. 'In spite of the genocide our people are subjected to in Gaza,' Shalabi told CNN Sports in March, 'the will to live as a nation remains. The national team has become a symbol of our national aspirations, of the longing to live in peace like other nations under the sun.' Dabbagh is a crucial player in the Palestinian national team's bid to qualify for the World Cup. The all-time top scorer with 16 goals, including a hat-trick against Bangladesh in the first round of qualifying last year, he embraces every opportunity to represent the Lions of Canaan, long dreaming of doing so on the biggest stage. 'It's one of the greatest honors in my life,' he says to CNN. 'To wear the Palestine shirt, knowing what it means to so many people, my family, my team, and myself … it is powerful.' Dabbagh is reluctant to see himself as a trailblazer, despite being the first home-grown Palestinian player to appear in a major European league – first with Arouca in Portugal before moving to Charleroi in 2023. 'I do hope what I can achieve helps make the path a little clearer for others,' he says. 'I know how much football means to everyone back home, and I don't take that lightly. Everyone has a dream. If a kid back home sees me and starts to believe it's possible, that means everything. And I do carry that with me every time I play.' Dabbagh made his professional debut for Hilal Al-Quds in the West Bank Premier League, aged only 16. He went on to win three league titles before representing a series of teams in Kuwait, winning another title with Al-Arabi in 2021. Moves to Portugal, Belgium, and then Scotland followed – an unprecedented career arc for a player who grew up kicking a ball on the streets of Jerusalem. He hopes to send a clear message to other young boys and girls now in the same situation he once was. 'Never stop believing,' says Dabbagh. 'Work hard, stay focused, and never lose your passion. You belong on the world stage.' Dabbagh and his teammates could be on the biggest stage of them all should the Palestinian national team qualify for the World Cup. For the forward, that would surely be the high point in an unlikely and trophy-laden career. CNN's Don Riddell contributed to reporting.
CNN
5 days ago
- General
- CNN
Representing nation is one of the ‘greatest honors,' says history-making Palestinian soccer star Oday Dabbagh
Not many players could take a more perfect penalty: the ball confidently drilled into the top-left corner, a near-impossible save for any goalkeeper. That was how Palestinian forward Oday Dabbagh executed one of the most high-pressure scenarios of his career to date, helping his Aberdeen side to a shootout victory over Celtic in the Scottish Cup final. This was the first time in 35 years that Aberdeen had lifted the Scottish Cup, and for Dabbagh the victory was a moment of instant, undiluted joy. The sight of his penalty flying into the back of the goal, he says, is one that will 'stay with me forever.' A month earlier, Dabbagh had played an even more crucial role in Aberdeen's Scottish Cup campaign, prodding in a goal against Hearts during the final minutes of extra-time. Despite only being at the club for a four-month period, on loan from Belgian side Charleroi, the 26-year-old had quickly earned legendary status. 'It's a big one for me,' Dabbagh told CNN Sports, 'and the excitement and atmosphere here in Scotland is an unforgettable feeling. It means a lot … and at the same time, it motivates me even more for what's next.' As for what comes next in Dabbagh's club career – after his loan spell with Aberdeen ended on a spectacular high, he is set to return to Charleroi, with his current contract reportedly running until 2026. But at the forefront of his mind right now will be the Palestinian national team's attempt to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 75% of all United Nations members, but it is a non-member observer state of the UN General Assembly as the United States has consistently blocked full UN membership. As a soccer team though, Palestine has been recognized by the sport's world governing body FIFA since 1998. Despite three Asian Cup appearances since then, the national team is yet to qualify for a World Cup, but the current players, including top-scorer Dabbagh, now have a chance to make history. Up next for the Palestinian national team are two crunch World Cup qualifiers against Oman and Kuwait. Currently fifth in its qualifying group, the team needs to finish third or fourth to enter the fourth round of qualifying. The odds of leapfrogging above Oman in the group are long, but the team will be well supported by those back home. For the people of Gaza, seeing its soccer team qualify for the World Cup would be a beacon of light in an otherwise harrowing period of war and bloodshed. In March, the Palestine Football Association told CNN Sports that 408 athletes have been killed in the conflict with Israel – players, officials and the majority children, including 270 soccer players. Susan Shalabi, vice president of the Palestine FA, said at the time that the organization's offices in Gaza have been either destroyed or severely damaged, and what remains is now being used to accommodate families who have lost their homes. As for home games, they have been switched to locations all over the world – Jordan, Qatar, and even Malaysia. 'In spite of the genocide our people are subjected to in Gaza,' Shalabi told CNN Sports in March, 'the will to live as a nation remains. The national team has become a symbol of our national aspirations, of the longing to live in peace like other nations under the sun.' Dabbagh is a crucial player in the Palestinian national team's bid to qualify for the World Cup. The all-time top scorer with 16 goals, including a hat-trick against Bangladesh in the first round of qualifying last year, he embraces every opportunity to represent the Lions of Canaan, long dreaming of doing so on the biggest stage. 'It's one of the greatest honors in my life,' he says to CNN. 'To wear the Palestine shirt, knowing what it means to so many people, my family, my team, and myself … it is powerful.' Dabbagh is reluctant to see himself as a trailblazer, despite being the first home-grown Palestinian player to appear in a major European league – first with Arouca in Portugal before moving to Charleroi in 2023. 'I do hope what I can achieve helps make the path a little clearer for others,' he says. 'I know how much football means to everyone back home, and I don't take that lightly. Everyone has a dream. If a kid back home sees me and starts to believe it's possible, that means everything. And I do carry that with me every time I play.' Dabbagh made his professional debut for Hilal Al-Quds in the West Bank Premier League, aged only 16. He went on to win three league titles before representing a series of teams in Kuwait, winning another title with Al-Arabi in 2021. Moves to Portugal, Belgium, and then Scotland followed – an unprecedented career arc for a player who grew up kicking a ball on the streets of Jerusalem. He hopes to send a clear message to other young boys and girls now in the same situation he once was. 'Never stop believing,' says Dabbagh. 'Work hard, stay focused, and never lose your passion. You belong on the world stage.' Dabbagh and his teammates could be on the biggest stage of them all should the Palestinian national team qualify for the World Cup. For the forward, that would surely be the high point in an unlikely and trophy-laden career. CNN's Don Riddell contributed to reporting.
Bloomberg
01-06-2025
- General
- Bloomberg
Immigrants Rebuilt a Pennsylvania Town — Then Became Targets
Larry Celaschi summons me to look at his cell phone, which displays a photo of a truck. The picture, which someone shared with Celaschi, features the awkward angle and hazy resolution of amateur surveillance. It depicts Black people loading a U-Haul with household belongings. We are standing on the sidewalk near the McDonald's on McKean Avenue in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, a small town on the Monongahela River, about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh. Charleroi, with a population around 4,200, is the sort of insular place that might once have seemed far removed from national politics. But one consequence of the Donald Trump era is that the president's animus bears down on distant corners of the earth in a political butterfly effect: Trump billows in Tucson, Arizona in September. Eight months later, Haitian immigrants load a U-Haul in the Monongahela Valley.
