Page 39 - Football

Soccer-mad Italy now obsessed with Australian Open winner Jannik Sinner

Soccer-mad Italy has a new obsession. Jannik Sinner's performance on the tennis court has captured the country's attention. And not just for the way Sinner rallied from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev and win the Australian Open title on Sunday. Ever since Sinner reached the ATP Finals championship match at home in Turin and then played a leading role in leading Italy to the Davis Cup title on consecutive weeks in November, he's been taking over the headlines from soccer. "Jannik Sinner wrote a new page of history today that fills us with pride, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni wrote on Facebook. It's an achievement worthy of a real champion. The Turin final was the most watched tennis match of all time on Italian television, with 6.7 million viewers. It wouldn't be surprising if Sunday's match turns out to have an even bigger audience, even though it was shown only on Pay TV, starting at 9:30 a.m., in Sinner's home country. It's a testament to the 22-year-old Sinner's clean-c

Afcon 2024: Congo knocks Egypt out, will play Guinea in quarterfinals

Congo knocked seven-time champion Egypt out of the Africa Cup of Nations with an 8-7 win on penalties after the teams finished 1-1 after extra time in the round-of-16 match. Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal struck the crossbar with his spot kick before Congo counterpart Lionel Mpasi stepped up to send the Leopards into the quarterfinals. Also known as Gabaski, Abou Gabal whose saves almost won the title for Egypt in the last edition was playing because regular goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy dislocated his shoulder in the team's final group game against Cape Verde. It was the latest misfortune for Egypt, which lost Liverpool star Mohamed Salah to a hamstring injury during the 2-2 draw with Ghana in their second match. The Egyptian Football Association sacrificed a cow on Thursday in an effort to change the team's luck. However, the Pharaohs' defense was caught out by a quick throw in for Congo's opening goal, scored by Meschack Elia in the 37th. Mostafa Mohamed equalized from

Messi to make his Super Bowl debut, set to appear in Michelob Ultra ad

Lionel Messi has won global futbol's biggest prize. He'll now be part of American football's biggest day. The Inter Miami star, World Cup champion and global soccer icon will headline a Super Bowl ad for Michelob Ultra, the brand announced Thursday. A teaser to what will be a 60-second spot shows Messi ordering a beer as he walks up to a beachside bar, and his reaction when the tap stops pouring. It'll be Messi's first Super Bowl commercial and adds to his massive advertising reach in the U.S. and globally. The game is on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas. Having the GOAT himself, Lionel Messi, and the Super Bowl as a stage to kick it all off and start the year with a bang, that gets us incredibly fired up, Ricardo Marques, Ultra's vice president of marketing, said in an interview with The Associated Press. Messi needs no introduction. The power that he has, the impact that he had upon his arrival in Miami, in the world of soccer and beyond, he's clearly a cultural icon right now. Messi's ...

Liverpool defends Salah against accusations he is not committed to Egypt

Liverpool defended Mohamed Salah against accusations he was showing a lack of commitment to Egypt by returning to his club from the Africa Cup of Nations to get treatment for a hamstring injury. Salah, one of the most high-profile players at the Africa Cup, is scheduled to fly back to England on Wednesday and will begin an intensive rehabilitation program, Liverpool said, to get him healthy again before the end of the competition. Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders said on Tuesday that Salah has a proper tear in his hamstring, which is expected to keep the winger out for three to four weeks, backing up a timeline given by Salah's agent on X, formerly Twitter. Former Egypt international Ahmed Hassan said in the British newspaper The Daily Mirror that Salah should be staying with the Egypt squad no matter what, even if he only had one leg to stand on, adding that the team captain was plotting his departure from the Egypt camp. Lijnders was quick to downplay those comments. The o

AFC Asian Cup 2023: India must win against Syria to keep alive faint hopes

Winless, and pointless, after losing two group matches, India need nothing more than a win against a tricky Syria to keep alive their faint hopes of making the knockout stage of AFC Asian Cup football tournament here on Tuesday. A 0-2 and 0-3 defeat to Australia and Uzbekistan laid bare India's inability to give strong competition to the top teams of the continent but a win against Syria can salvage some pride for the Sunil Chhetri-led side. Syria are currently ranked at 91st in the FIFA chart, 11 places above India (102nd) but a victory is not impossible for the Igor Stimac-coached side as they had won in the past -- in 2007, 2009 and 2012 Nehru Cup tournaments. The last time the two sides met, the match ended in a 1-1 draw in the 2019 Intercontinental Cup in Ahmedabad, and Stimac was also in charge of the Indian team then. India will finish third in Group B if they beat Syria at Al Bayt Stadium but even that will not guarantee them a place in the round of 16. With a goal differe

Africa Cup 2024: Egypt loses Mo Salah to injury in 2-2 draw with Ghana

Egypt lost Mohamed Salah to injury before coming from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Ghana in their potentially decisive Africa Cup of Nations match on Thursday. Mohammed Kudus scored both goals for Ghana but the Black Stars were let down by defensive mistakes as Omar Marmoush and Mostafa Mohamed capitalized to dent the four-time champion's hopes of making the knockout stage. We made careless mistakes, Kudus said. "Now we'll have to get back to work, win the next one and then see what happens. Ghana remained bottom of Group B with just one point, level with Mozambique, while Egypt was second two points behind group leader Cape Verde. Cape Verde and Mozambique play their second game of the tournament on Friday. Only the top two in each group are assured of advancing. Egypt's hopes of a record-extending eighth Africa Cup title suffered a blow before halftime when Salah limped off holding the back of his left thigh. Ghana was boosted by the return of Kudus, fit again after recovering

Pro-Palestinian chants ring out again during AFC Asian Cup game vs UAE

Chants of free, free Palestine rang out again from the crowd during the Palestinian soccer team's game against United Arab Emirates at the Asian Cup on Thursday. Similar chants were made at the Palestinian team's game against Iran on Sunday. Just as for that game, a moment's silence was held before kickoff for the lives lost as a result of the "ongoing situation in Palestine". Loud chanting had already rung out around Al Janoub Stadium before the two teams lined up in the center to observe the silence, and it started again shortly after. Earlier, the Palestinian players applauded fans following the playing of the national anthem and then held a team huddle on the field. Chants could be heard again after the Group C game kicked off.

Jordan Henderson eyes move to Dutch club Ajax, blow to Saudi soccer league

England soccer international Jordan Henderson arrived in Amsterdam on Thursday amid reports he was about to sign a deal with struggling Dutch powerhouse Ajax to end his troubled six-month spell in the Saudi Pro League. Henderson was pictured in the Dutch city by British broadcaster Sky Sports, which said he met with Ajax representatives and would be signing a 2 1/2-year contract after taking a medical examination. The 33-year-old Henderson's transfer is seen as a move to consolidate his place in the England squad ahead of the European Championship in Germany starting in June. But it also is a blow for the Saudi league, whose cashed-up clubs have signed a slew of big-name stars, most notably Cristiano Ronaldo. Henderson signed in July for Al-Ettifaq where he joined another former Liverpool captain in Steven Gerrard, who manages the team. The move sparked a fierce backlash from the LGBTQ+ community. Amnesty International cautions that in Saudi Arabia, members of the LGBT community, .

Messi edges Haaland in tiebreaker for FIFA's best men's player award

Lionel Messi landed another prestigious award in soccer barely. The Argentina star needed a tiebreaker with Erling Haaland to win FIFA's best men's player prize on Monday. He has national team captains to thank. The voting breakdown showed Messi and Haaland with 48 points each after voting by a global panel of national team coaches and captains, selected journalists, plus fans online. The tiebreaker was whoever had more first-place or 5-point scores from the votes of national team captains. That category was 107 to 64 for the Inter Miami forward. Neither player showed up at the awards ceremony at Hammersmith Apollo theater in west London. Kylian Mbapp, the third finalist, skipped it too. Messi had moved from Paris Saint-Germain to Inter Miami and led the David Beckham-owned team to a little-known Leagues Cup title all while single-handedly elevating soccer's relevance in the United States. The 36-year-old Argentina star also topped Haaland and Mbapp for his eighth Ballon d'Or a

Premier League: Tottenham twice comes from behind to draw 2-2 at Man United

Tottenham twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday as British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe attended his first match since agreeing a deal for a partial takeover at Old Trafford. Ratcliffe's agreement to buy a 25% stake and take control of soccer operations has brought some hope to a club that has fallen off the top of the English game under its owners, the Glazer family. But it is a long way back and fans will continue to protest the Americans' involvement, no matter how diminished, with Ratcliffe getting a first-hand look at the challenge he is taking on in the draw with Spurs. The 71-year-old Ratcliffe, who grew up supporting United, sat next to former manager Alex Ferguson in the directors' box at Old Trafford and only had to wait three minutes to celebrate as summer signing Rasmus Hojlund hammered home a shot into the roof of the net. Richarlison headed in a 19th-minute equalizer from a corner for his sixth goal in as many Premier Lea

Vincius' hat trick helps Real Madrid beat Barcelona, win Super Cup in Saudi

Vincius Jnior did his best Cristiano Ronaldo impression in Saudi Arabia, scoring a hat trick and leading Real Madrid to a 4-1 rout of Barcelona and the Spanish Super Cup trophy. Vincius scored his three goals in the first half as Madrid beat Barcelona to lift its first trophy of the season on Sunday. After his first goal, the Brazil forward imitated the trademark celebration of the former Madrid great, with Ronaldo reportedly at the Riyadh stadium. It was for Cris, because he is my idol and now he is playing here, said Vincius, who was named the best player of the final. I'm very happy with myself and with my team. It's not easy to play against Barcelona and to win 4-1 is tough. We played an almost perfect match. Rodrygo also scored for Madrid, which now has 13 Super Cup trophies, one less than the Catalan club. It was Madrid's second Super Cup triumph since the tournament was moved to Saudi Arabia four years ago. Robert Lewandowski scored Barcelona's goal to make it 2-1 in the firs

Turkey detains Israeli footballer for showing support for hostages

Turkish authorities have detained soccer club Antalyaspor's Israeli player Sagiv Jehezkel for questioning after he displayed solidarity with people held hostage by the Hamas militant organisation during a top-flight league game. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Sunday the Israeli is under investigation over possible charges of openly inciting the public to hatred and hostility. Tunc maintained in a statement posted on X that Jehezkel had engaged in an ugly gesture in support of the Israeli massacre in Gaza. After scoring an equalizer against Trabzonspor during a home game, the 28-year-old Israeli player displayed a bandage around his wrist with an inscription marking the 100 days since the hostages were abducted on Oct. 7. The gesture was deemed to be provocative in Turkiye where there is widespread public opposition to Israel's military actions in Gaza and overwhelming support for the Palestinians. Antalyaspor suspended Jehezkel from the team and announced that it was speak

Luis Suarez training alongside Messi, Busquets and Alba with Inter Miami

There they all were, sitting next to each other on a couple of benches in their practice attire, all of them smiling. Lionel Messi was sipping on a drink at one end, Luis Surez next to him, then Sergio Busquets, then Jordi Alba on the other end. This wasn't Barcelona in 2014. This was Inter Miami on Saturday. It's official: Messi, Busquets, Alba and Surez are together again, this time in Major League Soccer. Preseason training for Inter Miami officially opened Saturday, with Surez being seen in his new colors for the first time after signing a one-year deal last month to join the trio of his former teammates who arrived last summer. To come help a team that has well-known players that everyone knows and (adjust) to the other players and what is a new club and do what the club wants which is to attempt to win an MLS Cup and do it with professionalism is what is wanted of me, Surez said. Surez and Messi spent six seasons together at Barcelona, winning four Spanish league titles a

Santosh Trophy final round to begin on February 21

The final round of the National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy will begin on February 21 in Itanagar and all the matches will be played at Golden Jubilee stadiu, the AIFF announced on Sunday. Hosts Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Meghalaya have earned direct entries in the 12-team tournament which will conclude on March 9. The other teams in the fray are Goa, Delhi, Manipur, Assam, Services, Maharashtra, Kerala, Mizoram and Railways. Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Goa, Assam, Services and Kerala have been clubbed in Group A. The Group B consists of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Manipur, Mizoram and Railways.

AFC Asian Cup: Sunil Chhetri targets Uzbekistan tie to get important points

Talismanic Indian forward Sunil Chhetri has urged his teammates to look forward and focus on the match against Uzbekistan after the 0-2 loss to heavyweights Australia in their AFC Asian Cup opener. The Blue Tigers put up a gritty show to hold the Asian giants for a goalless stalemate in the first-half. But Australia, who were the World Cup 2022 pre-quarterfinalists, demonstrated their superiority with goals from Craig Irwine (50') and substitute Jordan Bos (73'). "There are pros and cons to this game. It's not easy to play the best team in Asia," Chhetri said in AIFF website. "We are not used to playing sides like these, as we don't play against them very often, so you never know what to expect." The Indian skipper, who began his career in 2005, failed to add to his tally of 93 goals but he said the focus is now on their match against Uzbekistan on January 18. It's a mixed bag of feelings right now. Once we watch the videos, perhaps we will gain more confidence and work on the th

India vs Australia, AFC Asian Cup Highlights: Blue Tigers go down defending

India vs Australia Highlights, AFC Asian Cup 2024: The Blue Tigers gave it their all, but two moments of chaos, one by Gurpreet Singh and another by defenders meant they lost the game 0-2 to Socceroos

Asian Cup: Bhutia feels India have the team to surprise Australia this time

The tag of favourites might be pinned on Australia, but former striker Bhaichung Bhutia insisted that India have the ammunition to surprise the world No. 25 Socceroos in their AFC Asian Cup group match in Qatar on Saturday. India are clubbed with title contenders Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria in Group B. You never know. I will not be surprised if India get a good result tomorrow, I mean we have the team to surprise them. You know, Australia is not the Australia of a decade ago. We also have made progress as a team," Bhutia told PTI on Friday. "Yes, it will be a tough match, but it is not an impossible task (to get a good result) for this side against them, said the former captain, who is in town for the Masterclass programme organised by Orchids School. So, can India reach the Round of 16 in the tournament? First thing first, we need to tackle Australia. If we can get a good result against them, who knows, said Bhutia. However, Bhutia, who played more than 100 matches for the .

City's Haaland to miss 9th straight game, Guardiola hopeful of early return

Erling Haaland has been ruled out of Manchester City's Premier League game at Newcastle on Saturday because of a foot injury, and he is likely to be out until the end of January. The Norway striker has missed the past eight games in all competitions though he's still the co-leading scorer in the league with 14 goals. Haaland hasn't played since a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Dec. 6. Hopefully at the end of this month he'll be ready," City manager Pep Guardiola said. "It was a little bit more than we expected in the beginning. It's the bone. It needs time. With every injury you can do whatever you want but it's a question of time. On Friday, Guardiola also confirmed that defender John Stones (ankle) won't suit up against Newcastle. Erling is out and John is out, the manager said. The 23-year-old Haaland, who has returned to training, has also scored five goals in Champions League play this campaign. Playmaking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is set for more minutes Saturday, possibly as

The Total trinity

Footballing greats Mario Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer leave an enduring legacy, revolutionising the game's tactics and shaping its modern era

AFC Asian Cup: India football full schedule, match timings, live streaming

The Indian football team is set to begin their campaign against Australia on January 13. Jio Cinemas will livestream AFC Asian Cup matches in India.