Jasmine Paolini - players.bio

Postecoglou fired around 20 minutes after Forest lose 3-0 to Chelsea in Premier League

LONDON: Around 20 minutes. That’s how long it took Nottingham Forest to fire Ange Postecoglou after the team’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday. It left Postecoglou without a win in eight matches since taking charge as the replacement for Nuno Espirito Santo on Sept. 9. In a 39-word statement, Forest said Postecoglou was “relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect” after “a series of disappointing results and performances.” British media has already been linking former Burnley and Everton manager Sean Dyche with the job, should Postecoglou get fired.

Marc Guehi to leave Crystal Palace, says Glasner

LONDON: Marc Guehi has told Crystal Palace he will not sign a new deal at the club, manager Oliver Glasner has said. The England center-back almost joined Liverpool on transfer deadline day last month, but Palace pulled the plug at the last minute, missing out on a sizeable fee. Glasner revealed the defender, in the final 12 months of his contract, has already informed the club this will be his final season at Selhurst Park. “The club wanted (him to stay). They offered Marc a new contract but he said, ‘No, I want to make something different’, and that’s normal,” he said. “And for us, it’s how we can deal with this situation.

Minnows Mjallby on verge of ‘impossible’ Swedish title win

Should the tiny club from a fishing village on the Listerlandet peninsula do so it will be the greatest shock in the history of footballA combination of superb scouting and a science-based approach have helped Mjallby top the 16-team leagueSTOCKHOLM: The nervousness of Hammarby and AIK fans ahead of Sunday’s Stockholm derby will pale into insignificance compared to those of Swedish minnows Mjallby AIF, who will become Swedish champions if Hammarby fail to beat their city rivals.Should the tiny club from a fishing village on the Listerlandet peninsula do so it will be the greatest shock in the history of football, according to Torbjorn Andersson, an academic specializing in football at Malmo University.“(It would be) completely unique in the history of football, and that it’s happening now is even more unlikely,” he told broadcaster Radiosporten ahead of what could be the decisive weekend in the Allsvenskan title race.A combination of superb scouting and a science-based approach have helped Mjallby top the 16-team league on 63 points after 26 games, 11 points ahead of second-placed Hammarby, whose resources dwarf those of their smaller southern rivals.Though the club draws support from all over the county of Solvesborg, the town of Mjallby has a tiny population of just over 1,200, and academic Andersson said that, on paper, a club of their stature should have no chance of winning the title.“There’s so much money in it (football), it should be totally impossible,” he said as Mjallby look to replace Malmo, who have won the title a record 27 times, as champions.“If you look at the annual reports the (Swedish) football association has published ...

Rain washes out the 1st T20 international between New Zealand and England

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: Rain forced the abandonment of the first Twenty20 international between New Zealand and England after the visitors posted 153-6 in their completed innings Saturday. Sam Curran top-scored with 49 not out from 35 balls. He hit three fours and two sixes — and 19 runs from the final over of the England innings. Jos Buttler with 29 from 25 balls and Harry Brook with 20 from 14 both made starts but were unable to go on as the England batters struggled when the New Zealand bowlers took the pace off the ball. A shower caused a 15-minute break while England was batting, then returned more heavily between innings, finally causing the match to be abandoned around 10.10 p.m.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner opens Six Kings Slam with dominant win in Riyadh

RIYADH: World No. 1 Jannik Sinner made a powerful start to his Six Kings Slam title defence in Riyadh by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets on the opening day of the tournament.

Italy boost World Cup qualifying chances with 3-1 win in Estonia

TALLINN: Italy’s hopes of at least making the World Cup qualifying playoffs were given a boost with a 3-1 win away to Estonia on Saturday thanks to goals from Moise Kean, Mateo Retegui and Francesco Pio Esposito. Italy failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, twice missing out in the playoffs, and the dreaded backdoor route now looks their most likely chance after Norway’s 5-0 hammering of Israel in Group I earlier on Saturday. The Norwegians are top on 18 points from six games. Italy have 12 points with a game in hand on their rivals and are three points clear of Israel. Estonia remain fourth on three points. The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup with the runners-up going into the playoffs. Italy raced into a fourth minute lead when Federico Dimarco played the ball into the feet of Kean who twisted and turned his way into the area before unleashing a shot into the far corner. That was Kean’s fourth goal in three games for Italy, but the striker was forced off through injury shortly afterwards, replaced by Esposito whose only previous international appearance also came off the bench against Estonia in September. Retegui won a penalty when fouled by Marten Kuusk but failed to convert as Karl Hein tipped his effort onto the post. “The important thing is to create — missing goals and penalties can happen,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso told RAI Sport. “The boys are eager and continuing on the right path.” The Italian forward made up for that miss when doubling the visitors’ lead seven minutes before the break. Riccardo Orsolini played a pass back from the byline and Retegui smashed the ball past Hein from just outside the six-yard box.

UAE move closer to World Cup as late goals seal win over Oman

DOHA: The United Arab Emirates struck late goals through Marcus Meloni and Caio Lucas to earn a 2-1 win over Oman in Doha on Saturday as Cosmin Olaroiu’s side battled back to keep their hopes of qualifying for next year’s World Cup alive. Caio Lucas hit the fortuitous winner seven minutes from time after Meloni scored with a 76th minute header to cancel out an own goal by Kouame Kouadio that gave Oman a 12th minute lead. The win moves the UAE to the cusp of their first appearance at the World Cup since 1990 with Olaroiu’s team only needing a draw away to Qatar on Tuesday to progress as winners of Group A in the fourth phase of Asia’s preliminaries. The Omanis threatened in the early exchanges when Issam Al-Sabhi stole possession inside the UAE half only for the attack to fizzle out when his shot was eventually blocked.

Norway sweep Israel aside 5-0 as Haaland scores hat-trick

OSLO: Norway secured a commanding 5-0 win at home to Israel in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday, as Erling Haaland struck a hat-trick to celebrate his 50th international goal and helped move his side to the brink of a place at next year’s tournament. Norway had tightened security ahead of the match due to scheduled protests, closing off the stands around a section of roughly 100 Israel supporters waving national flags. Norwegian fans are divided over Israel’s participation in the World Cup qualifying competition due to the war in Gaza. Norway have now won all six of their Group I matches, boasting a goal difference of plus 26 ahead of their remaining two fixtures against Estonia and second-placed Italy, who sit nine points behind with two games in hand. Despite missing a twice-taken penalty early on, Haaland found his rhythm, scoring once in the first half and twice after the break to reach his 50-goal milestone and finishing the night with an incredible 51 in 46 internationals. Israel added to their own misery with two own goals in the first half from Anan Khalaili and Idan Nachmias.

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Jasmine Paolini Sport News

Postecoglou fired around 20 minutes after Forest lose 3-0 to Chelsea in Premier League

Marc Guehi to leave Crystal Palace, says Glasner

Minnows Mjallby on verge of ‘impossible’ Swedish title win

Rain washes out the 1st T20 international between New Zealand and England

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner opens Six Kings Slam with dominant win in Riyadh

Italy boost World Cup qualifying chances with 3-1 win in Estonia

UAE move closer to World Cup as late goals seal win over Oman

Norway sweep Israel aside 5-0 as Haaland scores hat-trick