LONDON: Chelsea opened up a four-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 7-0 demolition of Norwich on Saturday.
Mason Mount scored a hat-trick for the Blues at Stamford Bridge as the European champions coped easily without first-choice strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner.
Mount started the rout after just eight minutes and finished it with two more in the closing stages after Ben Gibson had been sent-off for the visitors.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James and Ben Chilwell were also on target for Thomas Tuchel’s men, while Max Aarons’ own goal summed up a sorry day for the Canaries.
He had not scored since May and Tuchel welcomed his return to scoring form with Lukaku and Werner expected to be out for some time.
“No matter how satisfied the coach is, the offensive guys need goals to be fully happy,” said Tuchel.
“He waited too long, so it was good that he got some goals. I agree he looked fresh again today.”
Manchester City can close the gap at the top to two points and leapfrog Liverpool into second when they face Brighton later on Saturday.
Claudio Ranieri got his first win as Watford manager as the Hornets twice came from behind to stun Everton 5-2 at Goodison Park.
Josh King failed to score as an Everton player last season, but hit a hat-trick to help move Watford six points clear of the relegation zone.
Juraj Kucka and Emmanuel Dennis were also on target for the visitors, who scored four times in the final 12 minutes.
Leeds needed a stoppage-time penalty to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Wolves.
South Korean international Hwang Hee-chan opened the scoring at Elland Road.
Wolves were set to move up to fifth until Joe Gelhardt was fouled inside the area in the 94th minute and Rodrigo slotted home the penalty.
Burnley remain in the bottom three, but Maxwel Cornet is proving himself a shrewd signing for Sean Dyche’s men as the Ivorian scored twice in a 2-2 draw at Southampton.
Saints turned the game around after Cornet opened the scoring to take the lead with goals from Tino Livramento and Armando Broja.
The former Lyon winger then salvaged a point for the Clarets with a thumping finish on the volley from outside the area.
Chelsea hit Norwich for seven
https://arab.news/j357k
Chelsea hit Norwich for seven
- Mason Mount scored a hat-trick for the Blues at Stamford Bridge
- Mount had not scored since May and Tuchel welcomed his return to scoring form with Lukaku and Werner expected to be out for some time
Thrilling matches herald end of Saudi’s annual Ramadan flag football tournament
- This year’s saw the event’s first all-women game
JEDDAH: The second annual Ramadan Flag Football tournament ended on a high note at Jeddah United Fields on Friday, following two action-packed days of elite competition and community spirit.
The Kingdom’s largest flag football event welcomed 63 players and eight teams, including Jeddah Al-Baharah, Riyadh Titans, Jeddah Tigers, Jeddah Hunters, Riyadh Cheetahs and JFC from Riyadh and Jeddah, who demonstrated their skills, teamwork and sportsmanship.
The event drew a large crowd of American football enthusiasts, who enjoyed the thrilling on-field action.
In the men’s final, Jeddah Al-Baharah claimed the title in the men’s event, beating JFC 20-06 in the final. Their performance showed off their offensive abilities and solid defense with the help of quarterback Ali Tewfik and wide receivers Tyron Jones and Tawfig Asaad.
Meanwhile, in the women’s group, Teamup Sandstorm took on Teamup Phoenix Blaze in the final game, securing a 06-02 victory after a great performance by wide receiver Esin Bayir.
Ali Tewfik, head of the Saudi Flag football community, told Arab News after the tournament that it had highlighted the enormous talent and passion for the game that exists across the Kingdom.
“What excites me most is seeing the flag football community in Saudi Arabia grow every year,” he said. “We now have men’s and women’s teams, players from different backgrounds, and a shared passion for the game. Everything we have achieved so far from building the local community to participating in regional and international tournaments.”
He added: “It has been driven entirely by passionate Saudis who share a common goal of growing this sport. Our dream is to see flag football officially recognized in the Kingdom, continue developing Saudi talent, and ultimately watch a Saudi national team compete on the Olympic stage.”
Tewfik said this year’s edition had witnessed the first all-women flag matches in the Kingdom: “We are all thrilled to share that those women are participating in the first-ever women’s Flag Football. Seeing them enjoying the game was such a proud moment for all of us.”
The tournament’s outstanding performers were:
Tournament winners: Al-Baharah — Jeddah
Tournament MVP: Tawfig Asaad
Passing Touchdowns Leader: Ali Tewfik
Receiving Touchdowns Leader: Tyrone Jones
Interceptions Leader: Majd Zaini
Tewfik said the first American football team in Saudi Arabia was the Jeddah Jaws, established in Jeddah in 2012. It marked the beginning of the sport’s grassroots development in the Kingdom and helped lay the foundation for today’s growing flag football community.
“Currently, there are around 10 teams across Saudi Arabia. Six of them are based in Jeddah — four men’s teams and two women’s teams, while four teams are based in Riyadh. At the moment, American football is not yet officially recognized as a sport in Saudi Arabia. However, we have been in discussions with the Ministry of Sport and the Saudi Olympic Committee with the goal of establishing an official Saudi Flag Football Federation.
“At present, around 150 to 200 people are actively involved in the flag football community in Saudi Arabia, with approximately 90 percent of participants being Saudi nationals. Our long-term goal is to see flag football officially recognized as a sport in Saudi Arabia under its own national federation. This would open the door for structured growth, youth development and international participation. Ultimately, we hope to represent Saudi Arabia in global competitions, including the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.”
