DUBAI: Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first Europa League goal of his career to help Manchester United rebound from an opening loss in the second-tier competition with a 2-0 victory over Sheriff Tiraspol on Thursday.
The Champions League record scorer converted from the spot after Jadon Sancho gave United a 1-0 lead in Moldova. It was the 37-year-old Ronaldo’s first goal of the season and 699th in club competition.
After failing to secure a transfer to a club in the Champions League — where he’s scored 141 goals — the Portugal striker had to settle for playing in the Europa League for the first time since 2002 with Sporting Lisbon.
Ronaldo was given a second straight start, including last week’s 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad at Old Trafford, after he was used as a substitute in four straight wins by United in the Premier League.
Last weekend’s Premier League games were postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Arsenal, another favorite of the competition, had their game against PSV Eindhoven postponed from Thursday to Oct. 20 because of limited police resources in London during preparations for the queen’s state funeral.
Though Chelsea’s Champions League game against Salzburg went ahead Wednesday, the visit of a large group of PSV fans traveling from the Netherlands proved more challenging.
Feyenoord recorded their first win by routing Sturm Graz 6-0, Freiburg won 3-0 at Olympiacos for their second victory, and Monaco were upset 1-0 at home by Hungary’s Ferencváros.
In the third-tier Europa Conference League, Ukrainian club Dnipro-1 registered a 3-1 victory at Apollon Limassol, and Alkmaar beat Vaduz 4-1.
EUROPA LEAGUE
Ronaldo shot his spot kick straight, sending Sheriff goalkeeper Maxym Koval to his right six minutes from halftime. It was awarded after Patrick Kpozo brought down Diogo Dalot.
Sancho put United 1-0 ahead in the 17th after collecting a pass from Christian Eriksen at the edge of the area.
The game was moved from the tiny Sheriff Stadium in its breakaway home region of Transnistria that borders Ukraine after UEFA blocked Sheriff from playing there this season following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It took place in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, in the center of the country, at the Zimbru Stadium.
In the same Group E, Real Sociedad needed substitute Alexander Sørloth’s 80th-minute goal to beat Omonoia 2-1.
Alireza Jahanbakhsh scored twice for Feyenoord in Group F to jump to a 4-0 after the first half. The Iranian forward had his third disallowed after a video review.
Dávid Hancko, Danilo Pereira, Santiago Gimenez and Oussama Idrissi also scored for the Dutch club to recover from a 4-2 defeat at Lazio in the previous round.
Also in Group F, Denmark’s Midtjylland routed Lazio 5-1.
Michael Gregoritsch scored twice for Freiburg to move to six points in Group G where Qarabağ blanked Nantes 3-0 in Baku.
EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Slavia Prague, whose stadium will host the final in May, twice came back from a goal down before Lukáš Masopust scored the winner in a 3-2 victory over Ballkani, the first team from Kosovo to reach a UEFA competition group stage.
Slavia are tied atop Group G with Sivasspor after the Turkish team won 1-0 at Cluj.
Alkmaar dominate Group E with two wins from two.
Ronaldo nets 1st Europa League goal as United beats Sheriff
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Ronaldo nets 1st Europa League goal as United beats Sheriff
- It was Ronaldo's first goal of the season and 699th in club competition
- He was given a second straight start, including last week’s 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad at Old Trafford
World No. 5 Elena Rybakina to headline strong field at 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
- The 2022 Wimbledon champion joins defending champion Belinda Bencic and Spanish favorite Paula Badosa for the event from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7
- Rising stars Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala continue breakthrough journeys at WTA 500 platform
ABU DHABI: One of the strongest fields in its history has been unveiled for this year’s Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open.
The 2022 Wimbledon champion and world No. 5 Elena Rybakina will head an exciting line-up featuring Grand Slam winners, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting rising stars when the WTA 500 tournament returns to the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7.
The Kazakh powerhouse, who won the tournament in 2024, has established herself as one of the game’s elite competitors. Since her triumph at Wimbledon, she has reached the 2023 Australian Open final and secured multiple WTA 500 and 1000 titles, including the 2025 WTA Finals Riyadh where she brushed aside World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets.
“I really enjoyed my time in Abu Dhabi last year,” said Rybakina, who was defeated in the semi-finals by Bencic. “The city’s support for tennis is amazing, and reaching the semifinals was a solid way to begin 2025. This year, I’m coming back with the goal of going all the way again. The competition will be fierce, but that’s what makes it exciting.”
Rybakina will be joined by Belinda Bencic, who returns to defend her unbeaten record at the event. The Swiss Olympic gold medalist has lifted the trophy in both 2023 and 2025 and remains the only player never to have lost a match at the tournament.
Spanish favorite Paula Badosa adds further depth to the elite contingent. A former world No. 2 and Indian Wells champion, Badosa brings explosive power and fierce competitiveness to a field that promises compelling matches throughout the week.
The tournament’s commitment to the next generation is underlined by the confirmation of two of 2025’s most compelling breakthrough stars. Canadian sensation Victoria Mboko, who rocketed from outside the world’s top 300 at the start of 2025 to inside the top 20 following titles in Montreal and Hong Kong, continues her remarkable rise on the WTA Tour.
Joining her is Filipina star Alexandra Eala, who returns to Abu Dhabi following her 2024 debut. The 20-year-old former US Open girls’ champion has continued her steady climb through the rankings and remains the highest-ranked Filipino player in tour history.
Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova, a multiple Grand Slam champion in both singles and doubles, and Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, bring proven track records while American rising star Emma Navarro, Denmark’s Clara Tauson and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez — the 2023 French Open finalist — add further depth to an already formidable lineup.
The field also features former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, who captured the 2025 doubles title in Abu Dhabi alongside Ellen Perez. Chinese star Qinwen Zheng, Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska and 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin round out a top 20 that promises world-class tennis from the opening qualifiers through to the championship weekend.
Further elite talent includes Ekaterina Alexandrova and Liudmila Samsonova, Belgium’s Elise Mertens, Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia, American McCartney Kessler and Australian Maya Joint.
Nigel Gupta, MARI tournament director, said: “The 2026 Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open field represents everything this tournament has become — a compelling blend of Grand Slam champions, Olympic medalists and the sport’s most exciting emerging talent. Elena Rybakina’s arrival as our top seed adds tremendous star power, while Belinda’s pursuit of a third title and the inclusion of breakthrough stars like Victoria Mboko and Alexandra Eala demonstrate our commitment to showcasing both today’s champions and tomorrow’s legends. This is shaping up to be our strongest edition yet.”
