Finland stun defending champions Canada to reach semifinals of Davis Cup in Spain
MALAGA, Spain: Feeling at home, Finland upset defending champions Canada to reach the semifinals of the Davis Cup for the first time on Tuesday.
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MALAGA, Spain: Feeling at home, Finland upset defending champions Canada to reach the semifinals of the Davis Cup for the first time on Tuesday.
LONDON: Croatia overcame some nerves and a stubborn Armenia team to win 1-0 and secure the last automatic qualifying spot for next year’s European Championship on Tuesday.
AL-AHSA: The Saudi national football team’s match against Pakistan on Thursday “is our first official match and of course, beginnings are always challenging,” said head coach Roberto Mancini. The match, at Al-Fateh’s Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, kicks off the first round of the second stage of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which also serve as qualifiers for the 2027 Asian Cup. It is the first competitive game since Mancini took control of the team in late August, and the squad has been preparing this week in Al-Ahsa. “I would like to thank the people of Al-Ahsa for the warm welcome we have received in the past few days,” said Mancini. Regarding the readiness of the players for their first competitive game since the Gulf Cup in January, he added: “We are aiming to perform well and secure the points from the match.” There are a number of new faces in his squad and Mancini said: “I believe it is the right time to call up new players, especially after observing several players over the past three months. I am confident that we have talented young players who deserve the opportunity.” The Saudis will also take on Jordan in the qualifiers on Tuesday, and Mancini said: “Our goal is to give our best effort in all the matches but right now we need to focus on the match against Pakistan, where we aim to perform well and win all three points.” Midfielder Faisal Al-Ghamdi said: “The match will not be easy, especially as it comes at the beginning of the qualifiers.
NYON, Switzerland: A high-tech soccer ball that helps with more accurate offside decisions will make its European Championship debut next year in Germany after being used at the 2022 World Cup. European soccer governing body UEFA and manufacturer Adidas unveiled the ball for Euro 2024 in Berlin on Wednesday. It is named “Fussballliebe,” the German word for “love of soccer,” and will be used at next year’s 51-game tournament from June 14-July 14. A chip fixed on a gyroscope inside the ball sends data 500 times per second to record the point at which it is kicked.
RIYADH: Few Formula E drivers will be looking forward to the Diriyah E-Prix double-header on Jan. 26 and 27 as much as Sam Bird.
DUBAI: Another ticket to the World Cup after more than three decades away, or another false dawn?
AL-AHSA: An injury to winger Salem Al-Dawsari has hit the Saudi national team’s preparation in Al-Ahsa for the second stage of Asian qualifiers to the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Asian Cup. The Green Falcons’ head coach Roberto Mancini has given Al-Dawsari permission to leave the side’s training camp to receive treatment on an ankle injury that the player received while playing for Al-Hilal against Al-Taawoun. The player was ruled unfit to participate in upcoming qualification matches following checks by the team’s medical staff, and will now receive treatment at his club. However, Al-Hilal’s Hassan Al-Tambakti is back in training after suffering health issues on Monday, although teammate Yasser Al-Shahrani was missing from the session due to muscle pain. The Green Falcons were expected to continue their program with an evening training session at Al-Fateh Sports Club at 5:30 p.m.
BARCELONA, Spain: Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves will face trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a night club last year, a Spanish court said Tuesday. The Barcelona-based court said “there was enough evidence to open the trial” considering the statements given to court and the evidence presented in the investigation phase. A date for the hearings was yet to be set. The 40-year-old Alves has been in pre-trial jail since January when he was arrested for allegedly assaulting the woman at a nightclub in Barcelona on Dec. 30.