ROSTOV-ON-DON: Following a white-knuckle week of hand-wringing, Juan Antonio Pizzi and his Saudi Arabia team will on Wednesday return to the international spotlight keen to put the events of the past seven days behind them and demonstrate to the world an improved image of team.
The Green Falcons were humiliated 5-0 by hosts Russia in the opening match of the World Cup last Thursday, prompting much criticism from their own football federation and the country’s General Sports Authority. Then, after leaving their base in Saint Petersburg for Rostov-on-Don where they will meet Uruguay in their second Group A match, a technical fault aboard their plane caused an engine to catch fire as it prepared to land.
Pizzi, playing down the incident and insisting it has not affected their preparations, said expectations have had to be recalibrated after last week’s defeat. He made a point in stressing that the result is less important than the performance and insisted he trusts his players to demonstrate their true level against a Uruguay side boasting world-class players such as Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez.
“We have an opportunity to try and turn around our results so far,” Pizzi said.
“Our performance against Russia was not what we expected nor wanted. Against Uruguay, we need to try to match the level of our opponents and try to win it. But we have other priorities that are more important than worrying about Suarez and Cavani. We have to show that we deserve to be here.
“As for the events (with the plane), we have had no further information. There was no panic; we were not afraid. We fully trust the pilot, staff and plane. The pictures point to something else, but we were very calm and it will not effect our performance.”
After the Russia match, Turki Al-Sheikh, the head of the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia, called it a “fiasco,” and criticized the players, but refused to blame Pizzi. Asked for his thoughts on Al-Sheikh’s comments, Pizzi preferred to focus on the next game.
“I really do not want to have an opinion on what people say,” he said. “We too are being very critical about our first match. I am the top person in charge here and want to change the perception people now have of this team. It is clear in my mind, these players have demonstrated to me that they can compete. We have played games against some very strong teams and in almost all of them we have shown a level of competitiveness.
“We have to demonstrate that we have the ability to compete, especially against a team that is combative. We have to compete with the same energy as them and that is what we will try to do.”
Midfielder Taiser Al-Jassem reiterated his coach’s words, insisting that he and his teammates are focused solely on righting last week’s wrong. Everything that has gone before is forgotten.
“We were all very upset after the Russia game,” he said. “We are all determined to change this image because it is not the true image of Saudi football, Saudi players. We want to make our country proud. It’s the scoreboard that wins the day. We have encountered similar problems in the past but we need to forget this and focus on the next game. We are all very anxious to change this image.”
While Pizzi played a very attack-minded side in the opening game, it is widely accepted that Uruguay — ranked 14th in the world — could wreck havoc if given space in front of goal. With that in mind, he is expected to call upon Abdulmalek Al-Khaibri to sit in front of his four-man defense. Fahad Al-Muwallad may also be given a starting berth in place of Mohammed Al-Sahlawi, despite some players making it known they feel more comfortable playing behind the veteran striker.
“Tactics, strategy, system, individual qualities … we have different priorities,” Pizzi concluded.
“Uruguay are a very difficult team with players who are world class. But I want to reiterate that it’s not about our players. I just want to see a competitive performance on the pitch. We want to show that we can be competitive and have the ability to compete at a World Cup. That is the priority.”
Juan Antonio Pizzi confident the real Saudi Arabia will turn up to face Uruguay in crunch World Cup clash
Juan Antonio Pizzi confident the real Saudi Arabia will turn up to face Uruguay in crunch World Cup clash
FIA President Ben Sulayem welcomes Trump to Miami Grand Prix
- The former US president witnessed maiden Formula 1 win for McLaren’s Lando Norris
MIAMI: Former US president Donald Trump was welcomed to the Miami Grand Prix by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, where he saw McLaren’s Lando Norris notch up his first Formula 1 victory.
Sunday’s race saw British driver Norris take the checkered flag from three-time world champion Max Verstappen in the Red Bull Racing car. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc came third.
Trump, along with a number of famous athletes and other celebrities, delighted the audience by engaging with fans and attendees. He was also invited behind the scenes to tour the McLaren pit garage accompanied by the team’s CEO, American Zak Brown.
A spokesman for the Miami Grand Prix said the race weekend had sold out, with more than 275,000 fans in attendance to witness the high-octane atmosphere and exciting result.
Sandhagen to face Nurmagomedov at UFC fight night in Abu Dhabi
- The event will take place at the Etihad Arena on Aug 3
ABU DHABI: UFC has announced that its return to Abu Dhabi will see No. 2 ranked bantamweight Cory Sandhagen face No. 9 ranked Umar Nurmagomedov on Saturday, Aug. 3 at Etihad Arena.
Tickets for the event, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi go on sale from on Tuesday, May 7
Sandhagen, with a record of 17-4 and fighting out of Aurora, Colorado, returns to the UAE capital to cement his status as top contender in the bantamweight division. The Colorado native boasts wins over Rob Font, Chito Vera, and soon-to-be UFC Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar. He now hopes for a convincing win over rising star Nurmagomedov to make his case for a title shot.
Nurmagomedov, 17-0, fighting out of Chelyabinsk, Russia, looks to put the division on notice by taking out a top-ranked opponent and making his first Octagon appearance in Abu Dhabi. He made his mark in the division after delivering dominant performances over Raoni Barcelos, Brian Kelleher and Sergey Morozov.
Now, he sets his sights on securing the biggest win of his career by getting his hand raised against Sandhagen.
Al-Itttihad fined $37,000 for King’s Cup misconduct
- The reigning Saudi Pro League champions lost 2-1 to Al-Hilal last week in the semifinals of the Kingdom’s renowned competition
RIYADH: Al-Ittihad Football Club have been fined $37,000 (SR140,000) for misconduct by players and fans in its recent 2-1 defeat by Al-Hilal in the semi-final of the King’s Cup.
A statement issued by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s disciplinary and ethics committee said Abderrazak Hamdallah and Saad Al-Mousa were each fined around $5,300 for not fulfilling their post-match media duties.
The committee also imposed a fine of $27,000 on the Jeddah club after fans threw bottles at opposition players from the stands. Nobody was harmed as a result of the incidents.
The authorities stressed that the three decisions are not subject to appeal.
Mitchell rallies Cavs for series-clinching Game 7 win over Magic
- Cavs move on to second round a year after a stinging first-round loss to the New York Knicks
- The Celtics will host Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Tuesday
LOS ANGELES: Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers silenced the young guns of Orlando, beating the Magic 106-94 in Game 7 of their NBA playoffs first-round series Sunday to book a meeting with Eastern Conference top seeds Boston.
It was another magisterial performance from Mitchell, who scored 39 points two days after pouring in 50 in the Cavs’ Game 6 defeat.
This time he had plenty of scoring support from teammates as the Cavs erased an 18-point second-quarter deficit to clinch a series in which the home team won every game.
Caris LeVert scored 15 points off the bench and Max Strus scored 11 of his 13 points in the third quarter, when the Cavs outscored the Magic 33-15 to take charge.
Evan Mobley scored 11 points with 16 rebounds and five blocked shots and Darius Garland chipped in 12 points to help Cleveland withstand a 38-point performance from Paolo Banchero.
The Cavs, with starting center Jarrett Allen sidelined a third straight game with bruised ribs, moved on to the second round a year after a stinging first-round loss to the New York Knicks.
“I didn’t want to go home,” Mitchell said of the mindset that saw him score 17 points in the third quarter as he virtually willed Cleveland to the lead.
The Magic delivered a strong first punch, Banchero scoring 10 points in the first period as Orlando grabbed a 24-18.
In the face of Orlando’s suffocating defense the Cavs connected on just six of 22 shots in the first quarter and didn’t make a three-pointer until Sam Merrill drilled one midway through the second quarter.
The Magic pushed their lead to as many as 18 points in the second quarter before the Cavs clawed back to cut the lead to single digits.
Banchero’s layup in the closing seconds of the first half saw Orlando take a 10-point lead into the break, but momentum was on Cleveland’s side and they overwhelmed the Magic in the third.
“I didn’t feel our confidence waver much, even when we had 18 points in the first quarter,” Mitchell said.
“They came out and jumped on us,” he added, saying the key was for the Cavs “to respond the way we did, keep plugging, just keep chipping away.”
Mitchell, again relentless in the paint, tied it at 64-64 with a floater and LeVert drained a pair of free throws to give the Cavs their first lead since the first quarter.
Strus hit back-to-back three-pointers as Cleveland built a 76-68 lead going into the final period.
The Cavs pushed their advantage to 14 points in the final frame, fans chanting “We want Boston” as the final minutes ticked off.
The Celtics will host Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Tuesday, and Mitchell vowed the Cavaliers will be ready for the team that posted the best record in the regular season.
“We didn’t make the group we made just to win the first round,” he said. “We accomplished one goal. Now we have to do it again.”
It was a crushing end to a strong season for the Magic, collectively the second-youngest team in the playoffs behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Wendell Carter Jr. scored 13 points and Jalen Suggs added 10 for the Magic, but Franz Wagner was held to just six as Orlando remained in search of a first playoff series victory since 2010.
Mitchell heaped praise 21-year-old Banchero, the top pick in the 2022 draft.
Banchero himself said the Magic’s fight back from 0-2 down in the series to force game seven “just shows where we’re headed.”
Sporting Lisbon win Portuguese league after Benfica stumble
- Last season’s victors stumbled 2-0 at Famalicao to complete Sporting’s triumph after Ruben Amorim’s triumphant side thrashed Portimonense 3-0 on Saturday
- Sporting will face Porto in the Portuguese Cup final on May 26, aiming to secure a double
LISBON: Sporting Lisbon were crowned champions of Portugal for only the second time in 21 years on Sunday after second-placed Benfica lost.
Last season’s victors stumbled 2-0 at Famalicao to complete Sporting’s triumph after Ruben Amorim’s triumphant side thrashed Portimonense 3-0 on Saturday.
Sporting, the division’s top scorers by far with 92 goals in 32 matches, are eight points clear of Benfica with just two games remaining.
Amorim’s side have lost just two times this season on the way to securing the club’s 20th league title, trailing Porto on 30 and record winners Benfica on 38.
Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres’ goals have powered Sporting’s title success and he netted his 27th of the campaign on Saturday to wrap up their victory.
The striker signed from Coventry City last summer for a club record fee of 20 million euros ($21.5 million) plus add-ons.
It is the second league trophy brought to the club by former Benfica player Amorim, who led Sporting to glory in the 2020/21 season.
Sporting will face Porto in the Portuguese Cup final on May 26, aiming to secure a double.
