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Mbappe and Konate out of France’s World Cup qualifier in Iceland

PARIS: Kylian Mbappe and Ibrahima Konate have been ruled out of Monday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier in Iceland where France could book their ticket to next year’s tournament. Already suffering from a “small niggle” in his right ankle from playing for Real Madrid, Mbappe took two knocks during Friday’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan in Paris, where he opened the scoring but was substituted before the end of the match. Liverpool defender Konate remained on the bench with a right thigh problem with his place against Iceland now taken by Marseille’s Benjamin Pavard. Mbappe’s absence adds to the long list of forward unavailable for October’s World Cup qualifiers, which includes Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Marcus Thuram and Bradley Barcola. After returning to the Clairefontaine training ground on Friday night, “the French team captain spoke with (coach) Didier Deschamps who acknowledged his absence,” the French federation (FFF) said in a statement. Mbappe “has been released to his club (Real Madrid) and will not be replaced,” the FFF added, confirming hours later that Konate “has returned to his club’s availability.” Konate had joined the team with a slight injury and “underwent treatment and a specific protocol but will not be able to play Monday in Reykjavik,” the FFF said. Mbappe scored on the stroke of half-time against Azerbaijan and was then struck by a tackle from Rustam Ahmedzade. He took another knock to the same ankle late in the game, and was replaced by Florian Thauvin. “He has a sore ankle and he took a knock there.

Coco Gauff overcomes 7 double faults to beat Jasmine Paolini and reach Wuhan final

WUHAN: Coco Gauff had more struggles with her serve but overcame seven double faults to beat Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-3 and reach the Wuhan Open final on Saturday. With both top-10 players struggling with their service games, Gauff edged Paolini winning the battle of converted breaks seven-to-five. The third-ranked Gauff fought back from three breaks in the second set and won the final four games to advance to the final. Gauff, who changed her serving coach in August, leads the women’s circuit this season with 378 double faults, over 120 more than the next player. Fifth-ranked Paolini had eliminated Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals. Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka faces Jessica Pegula in the other semifinal on Saturday.

‘Filling a moral vacuum’: Ashish Prashar leads global campaign to eject Israel from football

DUBAI: On Sept. 17, New Yorkers and tourists in Times Square were greeted by a billboard that said: “Israel is committing genocide. No genocide on the pitch.”

Ratcliffe gives Amorim three years to prove himself at Man Utd

LONDON: Ruben Amorim has been given three years to prove himself at Manchester United after co-owner Jim Ratcliffe insisted he will not make a knee-jerk decision about the under-fire manager’s future. Amorim has endured constant speculation that he faces the sack throughout this season as United lurched from one crisis to another. The former Sporting Lisbon boss, who was hired by Ratcliffe in November 2024, admitted earlier this term that he had considered quitting during United’s darkest moments. Amorim’s side finished 15th in the Premier League last season — their lowest final top-flight position since 1973-74 — and squandered a chance to qualify for the Champions League when they lost the Europa League final to fellow strugglers Tottenham. Tenth-placed United have fared little better this season, losing three of their first seven league games and crashing to a shock League Cup defeat at fourth-tier Grimsby. Amorim has yet to record successive Premier League wins since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag, with a trip to champions Liverpool next up for United after the international break. Despite the talk that Amorim, whose side beat promoted Sunderland in their last game, remains in danger of being axed Ratcliffe said the 40-year-old would be given time to turn things around. “He has not had the best of seasons. Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years.

Zidane’s son Luca ‘proud’ to play for Algeria

“It makes me proud and I will give everything at 100 percent to make the Algerian people proud,” the goalkeeper saidHe received his first call up for Algeria in a 26-man squad for the next two qualifiersORAN, Algeria: French football legend Zinedine Zidane’s son Luca said on Wednesday he is “proud” to represent Algeria ahead of the north African country’s World Cup qualifier against Somalia.Luca Zidane, 27, turned out for France’s youth team but has chosen to play for Algeria where his grandparents were born.“I’m very happy to be here. It makes me proud and I will give everything at 100 percent to make the Algerian people proud,” the goalkeeper told a press conference in Oran.Zidane junior, who plays for Spanish second tier side Granada, changed sporting nationality last month having never represented France at senior level.He received his first call up for Algeria in a 26-man squad for the next two qualifiers.“All my family are proud of me and back my choice, my grandfather is happy that I’m in Algeria and that I’ve made this decision,” he added.His father, who was a World Cup winner for France in 1998, “had his journey, his career.

Saudi Arabia in sight of World Cup finals thanks to Al-Shamat strike and Al-Buraikan double

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia came from behind to defeat Indonesia 3-2 on Wednesday and take a giant step toward the 2026 World Cup finals. Two goals from Firas Al-Buraikan and a fine strike from his Al-Ahli team-mate, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, at their home ground in Jeddah means a victory over Iraq on Tuesday will ensure Herve Renard’s men make their seventh appearance at the World Cup finals, and even a point might be enough to book their tickets to North America. This opening game of the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers began, and would end, as a tense affair. The crowd at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, which is hosting all three Group B games, was silenced, aside from a small pocket of away fans, when Indonesia took the lead in the 11th minute. After a cross into a crowded area was adjudged to have been handled by Hassan Tambakti, Kevin Diks stepped up to take the spot kick and found the bottom corner of the net despite the best efforts of Nawaf Al-Aqidi. Given that the Saudis scored only seven goals across all 10 games in the third round of qualifiers, there was plenty of apprehension among the home crowd, but just six minutes later the hosts equalized and did so in style. Musab Al-Juwayr flicked a pass to Al-Shamat, who turned inside a defender just outside the area and then fired a left-footed shot into the bottom corner of the goal past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Maarten Paes. Ten minutes before the break, Saudi Arabia were in front.

First 2 championship titles of the Saudi eLeague season decided

RIYADH: The first two championship titles of the Saudi eLeague season have been decided, with team Bright Future lifting their first-ever trophy in the EA FC25 competition, and team The Vicious claiming the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 crown.

Jeddah Season gearing up to host 4th round of F1 Powerboat World Championship

JEDDAH: The city of Jeddah is gearing up to host the fourth round of the Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship on Nov. 27-29.

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Mbappe and Konate out of France’s World Cup qualifier in Iceland

Coco Gauff overcomes 7 double faults to beat Jasmine Paolini and reach Wuhan final

‘Filling a moral vacuum’: Ashish Prashar leads global campaign to eject Israel from football

Ratcliffe gives Amorim three years to prove himself at Man Utd

Zidane’s son Luca ‘proud’ to play for Algeria

Saudi Arabia in sight of World Cup finals thanks to Al-Shamat strike and Al-Buraikan double

First 2 championship titles of the Saudi eLeague season decided

Jeddah Season gearing up to host 4th round of F1 Powerboat World Championship