JOHANNESBURG: Prolific Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah was the architect of the only goal as Egypt edged Senegal 1-0 in Cairo on Friday in a high-profile World Cup play-off first leg.
Salah turned inside the box and slammed the ball against the crossbar with the rebound hitting Senegal defender Saliou Ciss and rolling into the net for an own-goal.
The eagerly awaited clash was a repeat of the Africa Cup of Nations final last month, which Senegal won 4-2 on penalties in Cameroon after 120 goalless minutes.
It was one of three first legs decided by a solitary goal with Algeria winning 1-0 against Cameroon in Douala and Tunisia achieving a similar result against Mali in Bamako.
Ghana and Nigeria played a 0-0 draw in Kumasi and Morocco came from behind to hold the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-1 in Kinshasa.
The five second legs are scheduled for Tuesday and the aggregate winners will represent Africa at the World Cup in Qatar from November 21.
Nigeria had to settle for a 0-0 draw in Ghana after VAR overruled a decision to award the visitors a penalty.
A review of the decision in the closing stages of the west African showdown found that Ghana midfielder Iddrisu Baba was fouled before he handled.
Ghana came closest to breaking the deadlock with Nigerian goalkeeper Francis Uzoho pulling off a superb save to deny Fatahu Ishaku in the first half.
Veteran Lyon forward Islam Slimani scored five minutes before half-time to give Algeria victory over Cameroon.
Slimani, 33, soared in a crowded goalmouth to head a Youcef Belaili free-kick powerfully past goalkeeper Andre Onana into the roof of the net.
Even 11 minutes of added time could not bring Cameroon an equalizer and they must win in Blida to avoid missing successive World Cups.
Cameroon hold the record for World Cup appearances by an African nation with seven and have not missed two in a row since first qualifying in 1982.
Success was particularly sweet for Algeria as they fared disastrously in the Atlantic port city of Douala when defending the Africa Cup of Nations title two months ago.
Algeria began the tournament boasting a 34-match unbeaten record only to draw with Sierra Leone and lose to Equatorial Guinea and the Ivory Coast to make a humiliating first-round exit.
Mali defender Moussa Sissako conceded an own-goal and was sent off within four minutes as they lost 1-0 to Tunisia.
Under pressure from Seifeddine Jaziri, Sissako pushed the ball toward his own goal on 36 minutes, unaware that goalkeeper Ibrahim Mounkoro had strayed off his line, and the ball landed in the net.
When Sissako committed a last-defender foul on Jaziri soon after he was shown a red card and although Mali created the better second-half chances, they failed to convert any into goals.
Mali gave a first cap to France-born Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, who had long hoped to play for his country of birth before agreeing to represent the homeland of his parents.
Tarik Tissoudali scored a brilliant equalizer as Morocco moved closer to a sixth World Cup appearance by drawing with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A move that began with a superb slide tackle by Moroccan defender Romain Saiss ended with Tissoudali rifling the ball into the net on 76 minutes.
Yoane Wissa had given DR Congo a 12th-minute lead, sprinting down the wing, cutting inside and unleashing a shot from just outside the box that brushed Saiss and beat goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
With away goals counting double if teams finish level on aggregate, a 0-0 draw in Casablanca would take Morocco to Qatar.
Morocco were unsettled after falling behind and Cedric Bakambu and Dieumerci Mbokani wasted chances to put the Congolese further ahead lead on a gloomy and windy evening.
The visitors squandered an early second-half chance to equalize when Ryan Mmaee blazed a penalty over the crossbar.
DR Congo were reduced to 10 men with five minutes remaining when Ngonda Muzinga was sent off after being yellow-carded twice. He will miss the return match.
Mohamed Salah sets up win for Egypt over Senegal, Slimani stuns Cameroon
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Mohamed Salah sets up win for Egypt over Senegal, Slimani stuns Cameroon
- The eagerly awaited clash was a repeat of the Africa Cup of Nations final last month
Nadal says he is not 100% fit ahead of Madrid debut. Spaniard still unsure about playing French Open
Nadal says he is not 100% fit ahead of Madrid debut. Spaniard still unsure about playing French Open
- Rafael Nadal: The sensations haven’t been perfect this week. If it wasn’t Madrid, maybe I wouldn’t play. But there are a lot of emotions involved
- Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka earned her first win on clay in two years by defeating lucky loser Greet Minnen 6-4, 6-1 in the first round
MADRID: Rafael Nadal will play in the Madrid Open despite not being fully fit and didn’t seem too optimistic about his chances of being ready for the French Open next month.
The 37-year-old Nadal said Wednesday he would not play in Paris if he arrives there feeling the same way that he is feeling ahead of his opening match in Madrid this week.
“The sensations haven’t been perfect this week. If it wasn’t Madrid, maybe I wouldn’t play. But there are a lot of emotions involved,” Nadal said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the following three weeks. I’ll keep fighting and doing the things that I think I need to do to play in Paris. And if it’s possible, then it’s possible. If not, then not. I’m not going to play in Paris the way I’m feeling today. It it was Paris, I wouldn’t be playing.”
Nadal has said this is likely his farewell year on tour, and is hoping to be competitive one last time at Roland Garros, where he is a 14-time champion.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion has won a record five times in Madrid, with his last title in the Spanish capital coming in 2017. He is scheduled to debut on Thursday against 16-year-old American Darwin Blanch.
“Hopefully I can play without many limitations,” Nadal said. “Then we’ll see what happens. If I play without limitations, even if I lose, then it will be positive.”
Nadal, who had hip surgery last summer, lost to Alex de Minaur in the second round in Barcelona in what was his first tournament in more than three months.
“The goal is be on court. Enjoy as long as possible,” he said. “I mean, that’s the thing. Try to finish the tournament alive in terms of body issues, and enjoy the fact that I will be able to compete one more time in the professional tour and here at home in Madrid, a place that give me everything, no, in terms of support.”
He said he is giving himself “a chance” and hopes to “find better feelings” in his body going forward.
“I don’t lose hope. I just accept the situation that I have today,” Nadal said. “I mean, I am not playing bad. It’s about more body limitations. ... That’s not allowed me to compete the way that I would like to compete.”
WOMEN’S DRAW
Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka earned her first win on clay in two years by defeating lucky loser Greet Minnen 6-4, 6-1 in the first round.
Osaka had eight aces and faced one break point for her first clay win since beating Anastasia Potapova in the first round in Madrid in 2022.
“There’s a basis to my game and I want to stick to that, but also respect the court,” said Osaka, who returned from maternity leave in January. “It’s a work in progress for me, but I’m watching a lot more matches on clay, I’m trying to do my homework as best as I can.”
Qualifier Jessica Bouzas Maneiro rallied to defeat fellow Spaniard Paula Badosa 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 to earn her first WTA 1000 main-draw victory and improve her 2024 record to 30-7.
“The tennis level is there, but I need to recover emotionally,” said Badosa, a former No. 2 in the world. “Every week is a disappointment. I’ve been at the top and it’s tough to see myself at the bottom right now.”
American Sloane Stephens beat Martina Trevisan 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, while compatriot Bernarda Pera lost 7-5, 6-2 to Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Maria Lourdes Carle posted her first WTA 1000 victory by defeating 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-2, 6-2, while Italian qualifier Sara Errani beat former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki 3-6, 7-5, 7-5.
MEN’S DRAW
Luciano Darderi defeated two-time Madrid quarterfinalist Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-2 to set up a meeting with 12th-seeded Taylor Fritz.
Alexander Shevchenko beat Arthur Rinderknech 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 and will be the second-round opponent of two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.
Jaume Munar, Mariano Navone and Taro Daniel were also winners in Madrid on Wednesday.
Atalanta beat 10-man Fiorentina 4-1 to reach Italian Cup final vs. Juventus
- The decisive goal by Ademola Lookman in stoppage time was initially ruled offside. Then the goal was awarded following a VAR review
- The final is scheduled for May 15 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome
BERGAMO, Italy: Atalanta advanced to the Italian Cup final with a 4-1 win over 10-man Fiorentina on Wednesday to set up a meeting with Juventus for the trophy.
The decisive goal by Ademola Lookman in stoppage time was initially ruled offside. Then the goal was awarded following a VAR review.
Teun Koopmeiners, Gianluca Scamacca and Mario Pasalic also scored for Atalanta, while Lucas Martinez Quarta scored for Fiorentina, whO had Nikola Milenkovic sent off early in the second half for a foul on Scamacca.
Atalanta advanced on 4-2 aggregate after Fiorentina won the opening leg 1-0.
Juventus eliminated Lazio on Tuesday.
The final is scheduled for May 15 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Atalanta also face Marseille in the Europa League semifinals as coach Gian Piero Gasperini — who was suspended Wednesday — chases the first trophy of his career. Atalanta eliminated Liverpool in the quarterfinals.
Atalanta’s only top-level trophy was the Italian Cup in 1963.
The aggregate was level at 2-2 when Lookman was whistled for offside after finishing off a counterattack. The crowd at the Gewiss Stadium went wild when the referee pointed to the center circle to award the goal after a video review.
Then Pasalic sealed it for Atalanta.
Earlier, Scamacca scored with an acrobatic overhead goal.
Fiorentina face Club Brugge in the Europa Conference League semifinals.
Mbappe stars in win over Lorient but PSG’s title party delayed by Monaco victory
- Defending champion PSG can clinch their record-extending 12th French league title at home on Saturday against Le Havre
- Marseille’s European hopes took a hit after a 2-2 draw with fifth-place Nice
LORIENT, France: Paris Saint-Germain will have to wait at least a few more days to try to clinch the French league title.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice and provided an assist in a 4-1 win over Lorient on Wednesday, but there were no celebrations because second-place Monaco beat Lille 1-0 later in the evening.
The lead atop the standings is 11 points with four games remaining. Defending champion PSG can clinch their record-extending 12th French league title at home on Saturday against Le Havre.
PSG remain on course for a treble of trophies in Mbappe’s final season with the club, as they will play Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semifinals and face Lyon in the French Cup final next month.
In a match between the most prolific attack and the most porous defense in the league, PSG winger Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring in the 19th minute in Lorient, a sleepy seaport in Brittany.
Mbappe doubled the lead by nonchalantly flicking a cross from Nuno Mendes into the far corner in the 22nd.
The France forward set up the third goal by dribbling past Nathaniel Adjei to square the ball back to Dembele, who tapped into an empty net.
Mbappe sealed the win in the 90th with a curler into the far corner to solidify his spot as the top scorer in the league by raising his tally to 26 goals.
“We had a good game, we were serious, we deserve the three points,” Dembele told Amazon Prime. “Now we must finish the job to be champions as quickly as possible.”
Relegation-threatened Lorient scored a consolation goal with a powerful header from Mohamed Bamba off a cross from Benjamin Mendy in the 73rd.
Gianluigi Donnarumma prevented a nervy finish by saving a low strike from Lorient substitute Panos Katseris in the 80th.
PSG coach Luis Enrique fielded a makeshift team that included academy players Senny Mayulu and Yoram Zague. Managing his players’ minutes, Luis Enrique even left Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery out of the matchday squad.
PSG have only lost one league game this season, and that was in September.
Monaco won a fourth straight game to go six points clear of fourth-place Lille and move closer to an automatic Champions League spot.
France midfielder Youssouf Fofana won the ball in midfield and scored the lone goal with a low drive from the edge of the box in the 61st.
Lille trail third-place Brest by a point and still occupies the spot for the third qualifying round of the Champions League.
Also Wednesday, Marseille’s European hopes took a hit after a 2-2 draw with fifth-place Nice.
Nigeria forward Terem Moffi put Nice ahead in the 13th after goalkeeper Pau Lopez came off his line and missed the ball.
Marseille right back Jonathan Clauss leveled the game with a powerful strike from the edge of the box in the 31st.
Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave Marseille the lead with a penalty in the 56th after Mohamed-Ali Cho had fouled Leonardo Balerdi.
But Nice left back Melvin Bard equalized with a low diagonal shot in the 72nd.
Marseille leapfrogged Lyon into eighth place, five points off the last European spot.
Those three games were rescheduled to help PSG, Marseille and Lille prepare for European games.
Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes hit by 2-0 loss to Everton. Man United survives another scare
Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes hit by 2-0 loss to Everton. Man United survives another scare
- Man. United came from behind twice to beat last-place Sheffield United 4-2.
- Crystal Palace ensured top flight safety after 2-0 win against Newcastle
LIVERPOOL, England: Jurgen Klopp’s hopes of a dream send-off were left in tatters after a 2-0 loss at Everton dealt a major blow to Liverpool’s Premier League title bid on Wednesday.
Goals from Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Goodison Park meant Klopp tasted a bitter defeat in his last Merseyside derby before standing down at the end of the season.
The loss keeps Liverpool three points behind league leader Arsenal in second place and one ahead of defending champion Manchester City, which is in third and has two games in hand on both of its rivals.
Klopp had spoken last week of needing perfection to win his second title at the club. But this was the latest setback for his team, which has lost two of its last three games in the league.
While the result hurt Liverpool’s title chances, it delivered a boost to Everton’s survival bid, with the win moving Sean Dyche’s team eight points above the relegation zone.
That fact seemed to be of less concern to the home fans, who were too busy reveling in the damage caused to Liverpool’s season.
“You lost the league at Goodison Park,” they chanted as the final whistle approached and the majority of the 39,000 crowd remained inside the stadium to drink in the atmosphere as the players celebrated on the field.
Klopp had dominated this fixture since taking over at Anfield in 2015, winning nine of the past 16 derbies before Wednesday’s match.
Statistics showed Everton won 75 percent of all duels in the opening half hour, a league record for any top flight team this season.
After just six minutes, Liverpool was grateful for VAR as it escaped an early penalty when Alisson brought down Calvert-Lewin in the box and referee Andrew Madley pointed to the spot. The decision was overturned because of an offside in the build up.
That pressure was made to count when Everton took the lead in in the 27th. Liverpool’s defenders repeatedly failed to clear the danger from a free kick and Branthwaite’s shot squirmed through the hands of Alisson and off the post before crossing the line.
Again there was an agonizing wait for a VAR check, but on this occasion there was no reprieve for Liverpool.
Luis Diaz had the chance to level before the break, but was denied by the legs of Jordan Pickford from close range.
Liverpool came out with more intent for the second half without forcing Pickford into serious action before conceding a second goal.
Again the visitors failed to deal with a set piece when Dwight McNeil swung a deep corner to the far post and Calvert-Lewin rose unmarked to head home.
Liverpool came close to pulling one back in the 69th, but Diaz’s effort came back off the post.
United scare
Manchester United survived another scare — twice coming from behind to beat last-place Sheffield United 4-2.
Having been taken to the wire by second-tier Coventry in the FA Cup semifinals on Sunday, Erik ten Hag’s team looked in danger of dropping points in its bid qualify for Europe.
Sheffield United led 1-0 and then 2-1 through goals from Jayden Bogle and Ben Brereton in each half at Old Trafford. But Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes from the penalty spot leveled on each occasion.
Fernandes put United ahead in the 81st and and Rasmus Hojlund sealed the points four minutes later.
United is up to sixth in the standings, 13 points behind fourth-place Aston Villa.
Palace safe
Crystal Palace ensured top flight safety after Jean-Philippe Mateta struck twice in a 2-0 win against Newcastle.
Palace is on 39 points — 14 clear of 18th-place Luton, which can only pick up a maximum of 37 if it wins its last four games of the season.
It was Palace’s third-straight win to erase fears of being relegated. Defeat saw Newcastle drop to seventh.
Bournemouth beat Wolves 1-0 at Molineux through Antoine Semenyo’s first-half strike.
Riyadh Season to host Crawford-Madrimov world title clash in Los Angeles
RIYADH: Riyadh Season will hold the first boxing event outside Saudi Arabia as Terence Crawford challenges Israil Madrimov for the WBA and WBO interim World Super-Welterweight title.
The event will take place at Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium on Aug. 3, 2024, the Kingdom’s entertainment authority said on Wednesday.
Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, announced that Visit Saudi, MDL Beast and Red Sea Global will be the sponsors of the event.
Promotion will be handled by Riyadh Season Card, Sela, League 1 and Matchroom Boxing in association with World Of Boxing, TGB Promotions, Golden Boy, Goldstar, Queensberry, Salita Promotions and Warriors Boxing Promotions.
“We are delighted for Riyadh Season to host its first overseas event in Los Angeles and this fight in the United States is a special one to mark this moment,” Alalshikh said.
“We want to give people around the world the opportunity to enjoy their own Riyadh Season experience and this is exactly what we hope to achieve by staging this and also future events around the world.”
Crawford (40-0 31 KOs) is gunning to become a Four-Weight World champion as he moves up to 154lbs after conquering the Welterweight division with a stunning KO win over Errol Spence to be crowned the undisputed champion at 147lbs in Las Vegas in July.
The Omaha star has already ruled the roost at Super-Lightweight and Lightweight, and now the pound-for-pound great is arrowing in on cementing greatness by claiming honors at a fourth weight.
Madrimov (10-0-1 7 KOs) is the man that stands in Crawford’s way, and the Uzbek champion makes his first defense of his title against the toughest opposition possible after winning the belt in spectacular fashion in his last outing in Saudi Arabia.
The 29 year old took on Magomed Kurbanov for the vacant title in Riyadh in March, and stopped the Russian in five rounds with a dominant performance to continue his impressive unbeaten run in the paid ranks, following a glittering amateur career.
British boxing promotor Eddie Hearn said: “This is a fantastic fight between a pound-for-pound great and one of the best World champions in the sport.”
“Terence is a pound-for-pound great and continues to strive to be the very best, but in Israil, he meets a hungry champion that has no intention of relinquishing his title in his first defense - this promises to be one of the fights of the year.”
“I cannot wait to get back in the ring in my fourth weight class and remind the world why I’m the best pound for pound fighter in the world,” said Terence Crawford. “Israil Madrimov is a tremendous and entertaining fighter, but on August 3, he will be my next victim. This is the Terence Crawford era.”
“Terence Crawford is one of my favorite boxers and one of the best boxers in the world,” said Israil Madrimov. “I am very excited to get this opportunity to make a statement, and I will Inshallah.”
The main event is complemented by an undercard that is set to captivate fight fans.
Recently crowned WBA Super-Lightweight champion Isaac Cruz defends his title for the first time against United States southpaw Jose Valenzuela.
Two of the United States’ most fearsome boxing Heavyweights will do battle with former unified Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz returning to the ring for the first time since a unanimous decision win against Luis Ortiz in September 2022, to face Jarrell Miller, who will be going all out to produce a winning outcome after losing his undefeated record in Riyadh in December last year.
Former Super-Welterweight world champion Tim Tszyu awaits Vergil Ortiz Jr, subject to the outcome of his fight against Thomas Dulorme this weekend, while David Morrell of Cuba will seek to preserve his unbeaten record in a Light Heavyweight contest against US fighter Radivoje Kalajdzic.
Andy Cruz, the Olympic Lightweight gold medalist, continues his Lightweight campaign when he takes on Mexico’s Antonio Moran.
