Turkey beat Bulgaria 2–0 to secure playoff place
ANKARA :Turkey beat Bulgaria 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday to confirm second place in Group E and a spot in the playoffs for next year's finals.
Spain Sport News
Oyarzabal nets double as Spain beat Georgia to all but seal World Cup spot
TBILISI :In-form striker Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain thrashed Georgia 4-0 away on Saturday to set a national record and all but guarantee their place in next year's World Cup finals.
2026 FIFA World Cup: Spain on Cusp of Qualifying; Belgium Held
Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain maintained its perfect form in World Cup qualifying with a 4-0 win in Georgia on Saturday as it closed in on a berth at next year’s showpiece tournament.
Mikel Oyarzabal stars as Spain remain perfect in World Cup qualifying, Belgium held
BARCELONA, Spain: Mikel Oyarzabal scored twice as Spain maintained their perfect form in World Cup qualifying with a 4-0 win in Georgia on Saturday as they closed in on a berth at next year’s showpiece tournament. Luis de la Fuente’s side has scored 19 times while conceding zero goals in five group victories. The European champion are poised to wrap up a spot in the finals when they meet Turkiye on Tuesday in their last qualifier. Spain lead Group E by three points over Turkiye, which beat Bulgaria 2-0 on Saturday. The only way the Turks could pip Spain for the top spot and grab a direct ticket to the World Cup would be by winning in Seville by a huge margin. A tiebreaker would be decided by goal difference. Spain is on +19, while Turkiye is on +5. The home side didn’t miss injured stars Lamine Yamal, Pedri González or Rodri against the overmatched Georgia. The Real Sociedad striker Oyarzabal led Spain with his two goals and an assist.
Turkiye beat Bulgaria 2–0 to secure playoff place
ANKARA: Turkiye beat Bulgaria 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday to confirm second place in Group E and a spot in the playoffs for next year’s finals. Captain Hakan Calhanoglu put Turkiye ahead in the 18th minute from the penalty spot after a handball.
Estevao, Casemiro on target for Brazil in Senegal win
LONDON: Brazil beat fellow World Cup qualifiers Senegal 2-0 at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on Saturday thanks to goals from teenager Estevao and veteran Casemiro. Carlo Ancelotti’s team, featuring a mouthwatering attacking combination of Estevao, Matheus Cunha, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr, dominated the first half of the friendly in London. Manchester United’s Cunha headed against the bar as Brazil took a firm grip on the game but Chelsea’s Estevao gave the South Americans the lead they deserved in the 28th minute. The 18-year-old was fortunate that the ball fell to his feet on the right side of Brazil’s attack but he produced an unerring finish across Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy into the far corner. It was his fourth goal in his 10th game for Brazil and another reminder that he could be one to watch at next year’s World Cup in North America. Captain Casemiro, 33, doubled Brazil’s lead in the 35th minute, beautifully controlling a free-kick from Rodrygo and curling the ball into the top corner after finding space at the back post. Iliman Ndiaye should have pulled one back for the West African team shortly after the break after sloppy play from Brazil goalkeeper Ederson but hit the outside of the post. Two-time African player of the year Sadio Mane was unable to provide the spark his team needed and was withdrawn in the 75th minute, one of a number of changes for both teams. Five-time world champions Brazil reached next year’s World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States after a lacklustre campaign in which they finished fifth in South American qualifying. Senegal, the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations champions, beat Mauritania last month to seal their spot at the World Cup.
Palestinian national team on ‘mission’ for peace in Spain visit
BILBAO, Spain: On a “mission” in Spain, Palestinian national team coach Ehab Abu Jazar and his players will play symbolic friendlies against the Basque Country and Catalan national teams in the hopes of working toward safety and freedom for their people. Dressed in a black tracksuit, whistle in mouth, Palestinian coach Abu Jazar leads the team’s training session with authority at Lezama, Athletic Bilbao’s training ground on Friday. On one of the pitches offered by the top-flight club he tries to prepare his players as best he can for what will be much more than just a match at the grand San Mames stadium, in front of 50,000 spectators supporting the Palestinian cause on Saturday. As seen during the pro-Palestinian protests that heavily affected cycling’s Vuelta a Espana Grand Tour this summer, there is heavy support for them in the region as they play their first match in Europe. They are 98th in the FIFA rankings, and their dream of playing in their first World Cup vanished this summer in the third round of the Asian qualifiers. Abu Jazar has lost many family members to the Israel-Hamas war and some of his relatives are still at risk, a situation always present in his thoughts. “I am from the Gaza Strip, from a large family in the Gaza Strip. We have almost 200 martyrs from the family.
Alcaraz keen to break Australian Open duck
Carlos Alcaraz would rather win his first Australian Open than retain his French Open and U.S. Open titles next year, the Spaniard said late on Friday, a day after sealing the year-end world number one ranking at the ATP Finals.