LONDON: Shakhtar Donetsk led the way for the Champions League underdogs as they beat holders Chelsea 2-1 while former European champions Barcelona and Manchester United came from behind to maintain perfect starts on Tuesday.
Danish debutants FC Nordsjaelland were within nine minutes of a memorable win over Juventus before having to settle for a 1-1 draw while last season’s beaten finalists Bayern Munich bounced back from a shock defeat by BATE Borisov on Matchday Two to beat Lille 1-0 in France.
A year to the day since Chelsea captain John Terry racially insulted Anton Ferdinand of Queens Park Rangers, for which he is now serving a four-match domestic ban, he is eligible to play in Europe but could not stop Shakhtar scoring after three minutes.
He failed to clear a pass to Alex Teizera who took advantage of poor defending to angle a shot past Chelsea’s Petr Cech who then made a succession of good saves to keep the score down. Fernandinho doubled the home side’s lead after halftime before Oscar became the third Brazilian to score in the match with a late consolation for the well-beaten visitors.
“We are not afraid of playing against teams like Chelsea,” said Shakhtar’s Romanian coach Mircea Lucescu. “I think we deserved this victory — we created many more opportunities and the score could have been 4-1.
“Cech had an extraordinary game tonight. Maybe Chelsea started a bit too relaxed.”
Roberto Di Matteo, whose Chelsea side lost their first Champions League game since he became manager in March, said: “Shakhtar have a good track record at home, particularly against the English teams.
“It’s very difficult when you concede a fast goal. It’s a shame we got back into the game a bit late. I believed we could score a goal at least but they punished us after we lost the ball in midfield. We have to do better as a team in those situations.”
The result left the Ukrainian side at the top of Group E with seven points, three more than Chelsea. Juventus have three and Nordsjaelland one.
Juve have now drawn their last nine European matches, and salvaged a point when Mirko Vucinic equalized nine minutes from time. Nordsjaelland, ahead through a 50th minute Mikkel Beckmann goal, at least hung on for their first point in the competition.
“That was a fantastic achievement but I think we can get even better,” Nordsjaelland coach Kasper Hjulmand told TV 3Plus.
Unlike Chelsea, who failed to come back after falling behind, Barcelona, European champions three times in the last seven seasons, did just that.
But they needed a goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time from Jordi Alba to beat Celtic 2-1 after the 1967 European champions had taken the lead at the Nou Camp through Javier Mascherano’s own goal after 18 minutes before Andres Iniesta’s brilliantly-worked equalizer just before halftime.
Alba told Spanish TV he was lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
“It was a move involving the whole team and I just had the good fortune to be in the right place,” he said. “I don’t know what the Celtic players eat, but they are very powerful in the air, in defense as well as attack,” he added.
Barca lead Group G with nine points from three wins, ahead of Celtic on four while Spartak Moscow have moved on to three points after their first win of the campaign, 2-1 at home to Benfica thanks to Jardel’s own goal.
Manchester United avoided an upset at Old Trafford, coming from behind to beat Braga 3-2 after being 2-0 down inside the first 20 minutes as Alan found the key to unlocking United’s defense with two crisp finishes.
United fought back with two headers from Javier Hernandez either side of a Jonny Evans goal which he scrambled in with his left foot after missing his kick with his right one.
United manager Alex Ferguson told ITV that conceding early goals was a fault they needed to correct.
“It has been the story of our season at home, starting badly and losing goals,” he said. “We have had to rescue games and it is the front players doing that. We played some terrific football tonight, but it is a concern losing the goals.”
It was United’s third successive win and they top Group H with nine points, followed by CFR Cluj on four after they drew 1-1 at Galatasaray. Braga have three and the Turkish side one.
In a lively match in Istanbul, Cluj had Matias Aguirregaray sent off after 28 minutes and Felipe Melo missed a penalty for Galatasaray seven minutes later.
Dany Nounkeu put through his own net to give Cluj the lead after 19 minutes before Burak Yilmaz equalized for the home side 13 minutes from time.
Valencia ended BATE Borisov’s perfect start in Group F with Roberto Soldado’s hat-trick securing a 3-0 win in Belarus. With Bayern winning 1-0 at Lille with a Thomas Mueller penalty, Valencia, BATE and Bayern all have six points with Lille on none.
Shakhtar downs Chelsea; Barca and United recover
Shakhtar downs Chelsea; Barca and United recover
PIF, WTA sign multiyear partnership to speed up global growth of women’s tennis
- PIF will become first naming partner of the WTA rankings
- PIF to continue to be a catalyst for growth of women’s sport
NEW YORK: The Public Investment Fund and the Women’s Tennis Association on Monday signed a multiyear partnership to support the growth of women’s professional tennis and inspire more females around the world to take up the sport.
The partnership also aims at enhancing and developing initiatives that support players at all levels.
As a global partner of the WTA, the PIF will become the first naming partner of the organization’s rankings, the highest official rankings for professional women tennis players.
And through the partnership with the WTA, the PIF will continue to be a catalyst for the growth of women’s sport, according to Mohamed Al-Sayyad, the fund’s head of corporate brand.
Al-Sayyad said: “We look forward to working with the WTA to increase participation and inspire the next generation of talent. Underpinned by PIF’s four strategic sponsorship pillars, this partnership aligns with our ambition to elevate the game and bring positive growth to the sport around the world.”
The PIF WTA rankings will track players’ journeys, and the PIF will work with the WTA to celebrate and support players’ progress.
WTA’s CEO Marina Storti said: “We are delighted to welcome PIF as a global partner of the WTA and our first-ever official naming partner of the WTA rankings.
“Together, we look forward to sharing the journey of our talented players across the season, as we continue to grow the sport, creating more fans of tennis and inspiring more young people to take up the game.”
As part of its commitment to inspire youngsters, the PIF will work with the WTA to expand existing initiatives and develop new opportunities for young players, providing a significant boost to the game’s next generation of stars.
The PIF announced its partnership with the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) in February and became the official naming partner of the PIF ATP rankings. The PIF has now become the only global partner across both the WTA and ATP tours.
The new partnership between the WTA and the PIF follows the recent announcement that the season-ending WTA Finals will be hosted in Riyadh for the next three years, starting in 2024.
Liverpool confirm Slot will replace Klopp as manager
- Liverpool said in a statement that the Dutchman, 45, would take up the position of head coach on June 1, subject to a work permit
- Slot’s arrival has been an open secret, with Liverpool reportedly agreeing a compensation deal worth up to $12 million
LONDON: Feyenoord coach Arne Slot was Monday confirmed as Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Liverpool by the Premier League club.
Liverpool said in a statement that the Dutchman, 45, would take up the position of head coach on June 1, subject to a work permit.
The club did not specify the length of his contract in their statement but Sky Sports said it understood Slot had signed a three-year deal.
Slot’s arrival has been an open secret, with Liverpool reportedly agreeing a compensation deal worth up to £9.4 million ($12 million).
He confirmed Anfield was his next destination at his final pre-match press conference at the Eredivisie club on Friday.
Klopp announced his departure in January and took charge of his final game on Sunday, a 2-0 win against Wolves.
In his final speech to the Anfield crowd, the German urged fans to throw their full support behind Slot.
“You welcome the new manager like you welcomed me,” he said. “You go all-in from the first day. And you keep believing and you push the team.”
Slot moved to Feyenoord in 2021 after impressing in his first managerial role at AZ Alkmaar.
He led the Dutch giants to the inaugural Europa Conference League final at the end of his first season. They narrowly lost 1-0 to Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Slot then delivered just a second league title in 24 years to De Kuip last season before penning a new three-year deal.
“You can see people are genuinely sorry you are leaving,” he said on Friday.
“You can say that with words, but when you see it in people’s faces, it affects me quite a lot.”
Feyenoord have enjoyed a strong season, winning the Dutch Cup and coming second to an all-conquering PSV Eindhoven side.
Liverpool captain and fellow Dutchman Virgil van Dijk has hailed Slot’s attacking mindset, saying it would suit the philosophy at Anfield.
Initially, Bayer Leverkusen boss and former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso was the favorite to succeed Klopp at Anfield.
However, Alonso has committed to staying at Leverkusen after leading them to a first-ever Bundesliga title.
Liverpool won the League Cup in Klopp’s final season in charge and finished third in the Premier League, qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
England relish ‘fear factor’ of returning paceman Archer against Pakistan
- Injuries have blighted Archer’s international career and he has not played top-level cricket for 14 months
- But he is in England squad for four-match T20 series against Pakistan, starting this week, and the World Cup
LONDON: England are eager to unleash Jofra Archer’s “fear factor” against Pakistan as the paceman prepares to return from a long injury lay-off ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup, says team-mate Sam Curran.
Injuries have blighted Archer’s international career and he has not played top-level cricket for 14 months due to back and elbow issues.
He has managed just 15 Twenty20 appearances for England since making his international debut five years ago but is in the squad for their four-match T20 series against Pakistan, starting this week, and the World Cup.
The 29-year-old has been building up his fitness by playing club cricket in Barbados and last week took a wicket for Sussex’s second XI.
“It’s incredibly exciting to have a player of his quality,” all-rounder Curran said on Monday. “I’m sure England fans and players are extremely buzzed to have him back.
“He’s obviously got that extra pace and fear factor we can bring to opposition. We all hope his injuries are behind him now.
“Jof’s had a really tough couple of years — we all hope he can come back and do what he does for England and bring the A game that we know he’s got.”
England, who are reigning T20 world champions, are desperate to find form ahead of the tournament in the West Indies and the United States after a dismal 50-over World Cup defense in India last year.
Curran is one of eight squad members who returned early from the Indian Premier League ahead of the Pakistan series.
The players had little time together before the defense of their 50-over title.
“The messaging from (captain) Jos (Buttler) and the coaching staff was they wanted to get the group back together and we probably didn’t have that last time,” said Curran.
“We’ve been apart for a while so these games are going to be really crucial. We want to be playing as a team and get used to our roles.
“There’s a lot of buzz around the group, it seems like we’re back to our energy and it seems like the boys are really fizzed about this trophy hopefully coming back.”
The first game of the four-match T20 series against Pakistan takes place at Headingley on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabian Football Federation hosts women’s coaching workshop
- Topics included data analytics, injury prevention and team-building
- Event attended by 32 coaches from Kingdom, Africa
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation held a five-day educational workshop on women’s football aimed at empowering coaches from the Kingdom and Africa.
The event in Riyadh, held in partnership with the Confederation of African Football, ran from May 14-18 and was attended by 32 coaches — 16 from CAF member associations and 16 from local sports clubs, regional training centers as well as the Saudi Arabian women’s national teams.
Lluis Cortes, head coach of the Saudi Arabia women’s national team, led the workshop, which also featured Aalia Al-Rasheed, head of the Women’s Football Department at SAFF, as well as elite international women’s football experts and prominent CAF officials.
“The success of this event demonstrates our commitment to fostering the growth and development of women’s football both in Saudi Arabia and across Africa,” Lamia Bahaian, vice president of the SAFF, said in a statement.
“Through these collaborative efforts, we aim to create a strong network of coaches who can share their experiences, support one another, and contribute to the global advancement of women’s football. The enthusiasm and dedication shown by the participants has been truly inspiring, and we are confident that their influence will be felt on and off the field.”
Aimed at improving coaching capabilities and expertise, the SAFF-CAF workshop included a variety of panel discussions, practical lessons and theoretical sessions.
Key football-related topics covered in the workshop included data analytics, female health and injury prevention, leadership and communication, and team-building.
The CAF member associations represented in Riyadh included Botswana, Burundi, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Liberia, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.
Maradona’s 1986 World Cup Golden Ball up for auction, a reminder of Argentine’s genius
- FIFA award for devastating displays in Mexico will be up for auction on June 6 at the world famous Aguttes International Auction House in Paris
Diego Maradona played once in Saudi Arabia, incredibly wearing the shirt of Jeddah powerhouse Al-Ahli in 1987, for a friendly game against Brondby of Denmark.
Yet it was the year before when he really made football history.
Many think Maradona is the best to have ever played the game, but all would surely agree that he was the star of the 1986 World Cup, and dragged Argentina to the title in heroic fashion. FIFA certainly thought so, and awarded the legend the Adidas Golden Ball trophy after it all finished, the prize given to the tournament’s best player.
Now, a piece of World Cup history is up for grabs, as the award is set to go up for auction on June 6 at the world famous Aguttes International Auction House in Paris. Serious interest is expected.
“At that 1986 World Cup, Diego shone like never before or since in his career; it was his monument,” Jorge Burruchaga, Argentina teammate of Maradona and scorer of the winning goal in the 1986 World Cup final as the South Americans defeated West Germany 3-2, said. “We knew we had the best player in the world, there was no doubt about it, we knew it for a fact.”
As dramatic as that final was, it is the 2-1 quarterfinal win against England in Mexico City that everyone remembers. Maradona’s first goal was the “Hand of God” goal, when he punched the ball into the net. It remains one of the most famous goals ever scored, matched only, perhaps, by the second he scored that day. Maradona picked the ball up from inside his own half, ran past half the England team, and the rest is history.
“My favorite recollection of this World Cup is the second goal he scored against England, which remains the most beautiful in history for me, because you must consider the state of the pitch, the altitude, the context between the two countries, and what he managed to do,” said Burruchaga.
“He breezed past six players ... It was divine. On that day, he created a lasting legacy for all Argentinian sportsmen and women, not just footballers, showing just how much you have to fight to be worthy of wearing the Argentine jersey.”
That shirt was handed by the man himself to England midfielder Steve Hodge at the final whistle. In 2022, it was sold at auction by Hodge for a figure reported to be around $7 million.
The golden ball, which was fittingly awarded to Maradona in Paris 38 years ago, is another piece of football history according to Francois Thierry, sports expert for Aguttes Auction House.
“Used far too often wrongly, the word ‘legend’ fits Diego Maradona perfectly,” Thierry said. “He is to football what Muhammad Ali is to boxing or Michael Jordan to basketball — an icon who goes far beyond the boundaries of his sport. He is certainly one of the most human athletes we have ever known, with his strengths and weaknesses. The golden kid, ‘El Pibe de Oro,’ is a special case … The history of football with a capital H is closely linked to that of Maradona.”
