I have what it takes to be world champion – Lando Norris
Lando Norris believes he can become world champion next season after his Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victory secured McLaren their first constructors’ championship since 1998.
ABU DHABI Sport News
Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship returns to Al-Ain for 11th edition
ABU DHABI: International Vision Sports Management has announced that the 11th edition of the Abu Dhabi Extreme Championship will take place on Nov. 14 in Al-Ain.
Aston Villa, Roma stunned in Europa League, Nottingham Forest wins under new coach Sean Dyche
Sean Dyche achieved in his first game what predecessor Ange Postecoglou couldn’t in eight matches in charge: win. Under its new coach, Nottingham Forest presented a concentrated display resulting in a 2-0 victory over Porto in the Europa League on Thursday. It was the first victory for Nottingham in the competition and only the second overall this season, while Porto was defeated for the first time this term. Morgan Gibbs-White converted from the penalty spot in the 19th minute at the City Ground. Igor Jesus doubled the advantage from another penalty in the 77th. Former Burnley and Everton manager Dyche replaced Postecoglou, who was fired in ruthless fashion on Saturday around 20 minutes after Forest’s 3-0 home loss to Chelsea that left the team in the Premier League relegation zone. Postecoglou had been in the job for only 39 days and didn’t win any of his eight matches in charge. Roma upset Czech team Viktoria Plzeň scored twice through Prince Kwabena Adu and Cheick Souaré within two minutes in the first half to stun Roma 2-1 at Stadio Olimpico. Paulo Dybala reduced the deficit from the spot early in the second half. Elsewhere, Braga.
Messi signs new Inter Miami contract through 2028: club
MIAMI: Lionel Messi has agreed a contract extension with Inter Miami which will see the Argentine superstar remain in Major League Soccer until the end of the 2028 season, the club confirmed on Thursday. Inter Miami’s X feed posted a video of Messi signing a contract sitting at a table in the middle of the club’s new Freedom Park stadium, which is under construction, with the simple caption: “He’s Home.”
NBA coach, player arrested in illegal gambling probes
NEW YORK: NBA head coach Chauncey Billups of the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested on Thursday for alleged involvement in illegal gambling on a “mind-boggling” scale, US officials said. Billups, a former Detroit Pistons star and a member of the National Basketball Association Hall of Fame, was arrested in connection with rigged illegal poker games tied to Mafia crime families, FBI Director Kash Patel said. Rozier and a former NBA player and assistant coach, Damon Jones, were among six people arrested in a sports betting case, Patel said at a press conference in New York. “The fraud is mind boggling,” Patel said. “It’s not hundreds of dollars, it’s not 1000s of dollars, it’s not 10s of 1000s of dollars. It’s not even millions of dollars. “We’re talking about 10s of millions of dollars in fraud and theft and robbery across a multi-year investigation.”
Kite World Cup set to make debut at Fahid Island Watersports Festival in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI: For the first time in Abu Dhabi, more than 150 kitesurfing athletes will descend on the UAE capital for the Kite World Cup at the Fahid Island Watersports Festival, taking place Oct. 25-Nov. 2.
Goal-shy Salah seeks change as Egypt eye World Cup place
JOHANNESBURG: Mohamed Salah wants to put a disappointing start to his season with Liverpool behind him on Wednesday and help Egypt beat Djibouti and qualify for the 2026 World Cup. A win for the record seven-time African champions over one of the lowest ranked teams in the continent will give them an unassailable lead over second-placed Burkina Faso in Group A with one match to spare. A two-time African Footballer of the Year, Salah has lost his spark with the Premier League champions, scoring just three goals in nine appearances in all competitions this season. Last season, the 33-year-old netted 29 times in 38 league matches to win the Golden Boot award as Liverpool surged to a record-equalling 20th Premier League title. Salah has fond memories of playing against Djibouti, scoring four goals in a 6-0 Cairo romp in the opening round of World Cup qualifying two years ago. It does not help Djibouti that they do not have a FIFA-approved stadium, so their ‘home’ match against Egypt will be staged in the Moroccan commercial capital Casablanca. Three subsequent goals took Salah to seven in the qualifying campaign, one less than chart-topper Denis Bouanga of Gabon with two rounds remaining. Fellow Egypt forward Mostafa Mohamed, who plays for French Ligue 1 outfit Nantes, is not concerned about Salah, telling reporters the lack of goals is “a temporary setback.” “Mo is a big star, and we are lucky to have him in our team. He is the best player in the history of Egypt,” he told the FIFA website. “He is amazing.
UEFA ‘reluctantly’ approves European league games in US, Australia
LAUSANNE: European football governing body UEFA on Monday said it had “reluctantly” approved the staging of a Spanish La Liga and an Italian Serie A match in the US and Australia respectively despite fan protests.
Zverev dumped out of Shanghai Masters by France’s Rinderknech
SHANGHAI: World No. 3 Alexander Zverev was knocked out of the Shanghai Masters by France’s Arthur Rinderknech 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday, leaving Novak Djokovic as the tournament’s top-ranked player.