Saturday Sport: Irish Open third round, Ireland face Hungary in World Cup qualifier
Republic of Ireland captain Nathan Collins says confidence among the players has grown sharply in the last 12 months.
Spain Sport News
Morocco Becomes First African Team to Clinch 2026 World Cup Spot
The Atlas Lions will be roaring once again at the 2026 World Cup.
Mbappe says tying Henry an honour but not dwelling on all-time record
France forward Kylian Mbappe said equalling Thierry Henry's tally of 51 international goals was an honour, but added that surpassing Olivier Giroud's all-time record was not something he dwells on, as his focus stays on winning titles with Les Bleus.
Depleted Afghanistan edge UAE in a last-over thriller
SHARJAH: Pace bowler Fareed Ahmad kept cool in the last over Friday to foil Asif Khan’s aggressive hitting as a depleted Afghanistan beat United Arab Emirates by four runs in a tri-series match. After Asif opened the final over with a four, a six and a two, Ahmad beat the bat with the next two balls.
Trump to attend US Open men’s final: White House
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump will attend the men’s final of the US Open tennis championship in New York on Sunday, a White House official said, marking the latest in a series of visits to major sporting events. Trump’s visit, confirmed to AFP on Friday by an official on condition of anonymity, comes after his attendance at the NFL’s Super Bowl in February and the FIFA Club World Cup championship final in July.
Spanish minister says Israeli cycling team should be expelled from Vuelta after protest
Albares said he would “understand and be in favor” of the Israeli team being removed“We have to send a message to Israel and the Israeli society that Europe and Israel can only have normal relations when human rights are respected”BARCELONA: Spain’s foreign minister has said he would support the expulsion of Israel Premier Tech from the Spanish Vuelta after the cycling team was targeted by a pro-Palestinian protest that disrupted the race.Spain’s top diplomat, José Manuel Albares, said late Thursday he would “understand and be in favor” of the Israeli team being removed, while adding his government doesn’t have the power to do so. He made the statement in response to a question by a journalist on Spain’s national radio RNE.“We have to send a message to Israel and the Israeli society that Europe and Israel can only have normal relations when human rights are respected,” Albares said.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support of the team, which is owned by Israeli-Canadian businessman Sylvan Adams, in a message on X on Friday.
Hamilton leads Ferrari one-two in first Monza practice
MONZA, Italy: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc delighted the Ferrari fans with a surprise one-two in first practice for the Italian Formula One team’s home grand prix at Monza on Friday. Making his first appearance at Monza in Ferrari red, seven-times world champion and five-times Italian GP winner Hamilton lapped the super-fast ‘Pista Magica’ with a best time of one minute 20.117 seconds. Leclerc, last year’s winner, was 0.169 slower with former Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz — the man Hamilton replaced in January after moving from Mercedes — third for Williams but 0.533 off the pace. Hamilton has yet to stand on the podium for Ferrari and Friday’s opening session, held in bright sunshine at the ‘Temple of Motorsport’, was a boost after the team’s double blank in the Netherlands last weekend when both cars crashed. Hamilton will have a five-place grid penalty for Sunday, however, after it was carried over from Zandvoort. Red Bull’s four-times world champion Max Verstappen was fourth fastest ahead of Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli for Mercedes. McLaren’s title contender Lando Norris was sixth after a trip through the gravel, with championship-leading teammate Oscar Piastri sitting out the session while Irish Formula Two driver Alex Dunne took his place and ended up 16th. Alex Albon was seventh fastest for Williams with Mercedes’ George Russell — who lost power and pulled over toward the end — eighth and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso ninth with Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar completing the top 10. French rookie Hadjar, third last weekend for his first career podium in Formula One, triggered a red flag when he went off at the Ascari Chicane with 25 minutes to go and scattered gravel across the track. Alpine had Estonian
Formula 1 extends Monaco Grand Prix contract until 2035
MONACO: Formula 1 extended its contract with the Monaco Grand Prix for four more years on Friday, keeping one of the sport’s most iconic races on the calendar until 2035. It is the second contract renewal in less than 12 months for Monaco, which signed a six-year extension to 2031 last November. Monaco was first raced in 1929 and held the second official Formula 1 World Championship race on its twisty streets back in 1950. It has been part of the F1 calendar since 1955, excluding the COVID-hit 2020 season. “The renewal of the Monaco Grand Prix until 2035 is in keeping with a sporting and historical tradition to which the principality remains deeply attached,” Monaco’s head of state Prince Albert II said. “I can only welcome this renewed commitment, which is testament to our collective success, the excellence of our collaboration with Formula 1, and the unique place that Monaco occupies in the international motorsport landscape.” With old-school glamor and a harbor filled with luxury yachts, Monaco is known as “the jewel in the crown” of F1, but it’s by far the slowest circuit of the year. Tight, twisty and not really suited to modern F1 cars, Monaco is a throwback to the series origins in the 1950s.