GLASGOW: Scotland manager Steve Clarke reiterated his support to the Ukrainian national team, but he is desperate to deny them a place in the World Cup later this year in Qatar.
Ukraine will play a competitive fixture for the first time since Russia’s invasion of their homeland in a World Cup playoff semifinal against Clarke’s side at Hampden on Wednesday.
The match was originally scheduled to take place in March, weeks after the war began, but was delayed to give Ukraine the chance to fulfil the fixture.
Players contracted to Ukrainian clubs have been able to leave the country to prepare at a training camp in Slovenia in recent weeks.
“The game goes ahead but with the horrific outside influence,” said Clarke at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
“It’s an incredible situation they all find themselves in.
“Nothing but good thoughts and wishes for them, except during the game because obviously they want to go to Qatar and represent their country.
“But I am desperate to go to Qatar with my country.”
Former Scotland skipper Graeme Souness has said even he is supporting Ukraine at Hampden.
But goalkeeper Craig Gordon said the Scotland players have to focus on their chance to reach a first World Cup in 24 years rather than their solidarity with Ukraine.
“It doesn’t change anything from our point of view. It’s still a football match,” said Gordon.
“It’s still 11 versus 11 and no matter what is going on out with that it’s about us sticking together and putting our game plan in place.”
Scotland’s sympathy with Ukraine to stop for 90 minutes — Clarke
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Scotland’s sympathy with Ukraine to stop for 90 minutes — Clarke
- Ukraine will play a competitive fixture for the first time since Russia's invasion of their homeland
- Players contracted to Ukrainian clubs have been able to leave the country to prepare at a training camp in Slovenia in recent weeks
Sixth Dakar Rally win for Al-Attiyah as Benavides triumphs on two wheels
Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally for the sixth time in the car category on Saturday as Argentina’s Luciano Benavides won by two seconds on two wheels, the narrowest margin ever.
Al-Attiyah, with Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin, had led overnight after taking his 50th career stage win and made no mistakes as he handed Dacia a first victory at their second attempt in the two-week event held entirely in Saudi Arabia.
The 55-year-old Qatari also won in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
Ford’s Nani Roma finished second, nine minutes and 42 seconds behind, and teammate Mattias Ekstrom was third after winning the final stage.
Last year’s winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi of Saudi Arabia withdrew in the opening week after mechanical problems.
Benavides had earlier taken the motorcycle title after American Ricky Brabec lost his way and saw victory slip through his fingers.
The KTM rider, whose older brother Kevin won the Dakar in 2021 and 2023, came home second in the 105-km stage in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu, with Honda’s overnight leader Brabec 10th.
In a grueling endurance event spanning two weeks and 8,000km over rocky roads, through canyons and vast expanses of desert dunes, twice winner Brabec blew his chances with only a few kilometers remaining.
Spaniard Tosha Schareina finished third overall for Honda.
“From the start to the finish I never stopped dreaming, I never stopped believing,” said Benavides, who had trailed Brabec by three minutes and 20 seconds after Friday’s penultimate stage.
“I said to all my people around ‘I don’t know why but I still feel it’s possible, I still believe I can win and it’s going to go my way’.
“In the last three kilometers, Ricky took a wrong piste and I took a good one... I just saw the opportunity and I took it.”
American Skyler Howes was fourth overall for Honda, ahead of Australia’s 2025 champion Daniel Sanders on a KTM.
Sanders crashed on stage 10 but refused to retire and raced on despite a suspected broken collarbone.
