AL KHOR, Qatar: Olivier Giroud scored the winner and Harry Kane missed a late penalty as holders France beat England 2-1 in a tense World Cup quarter-final on Saturday.
Aurelien Tchouameni had swept France into a first-half lead only for Kane to equalize from the spot nine minutes into the second half.
England were the better side for long stretches of the game at Al Bayt Stadium but, almost from nowhere, France went back in front when Giroud headed home with 11 minutes left.
Kane than blazed his second penalty of the game over the bar as England’s wait to win a first major international trophy since the 1966 World Cup goes on.
France though remain on course to become the first side since Brazil 60 years ago to successfully defend the World Cup.
With Brazil having been eliminated on Friday and England dealt with here in the desert north of Doha, France are now surely the favorites to retain their crown as they prepare to face Morocco in the semifinals.
This, remarkably, was the first meeting of these two great rivals in a major tournament knockout game, with Croatia’s victory in extra time preventing England from joining France in the final four years ago.
England had found their stride after a sluggish start in the last-16 win over Senegal and it was no surprise to see Southgate name an unchanged side, with Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden either side of Kane in attack.
That meant he resisted any temptation to revert to a back five in an attempt to counter the threat posed by Kylian Mbappe, the tournament’s top scorer with five goals.
There is no shortage of goal threats in the French side but few could have predicted that the opener would come from Tchouameni, the midfielder who is just 22 and had scored only once for his country before this game.
There was a touch of controversy to the goal, as it came from a France break which started with what looked like a foul by Dayot Upamecano on Saka.
Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio waved play on, and Mbappe cut inside from the left before Ousmane Dembele and Griezmann combined to set up Tchouameni to hit a superb shot from 25 meters that curled away from Jordan Pickford and into the corner.
France had looked the more dangerous team before that, but England grew into the contest after falling behind.
Kane spun away from Upamecano in the box but was denied as his Tottenham teammate Hugo Lloris came out to dive at his feet.
Another moment of controversy followed as England thought they should have had a penalty when Kane was clearly fouled in a tangle of legs with Upamecano.
However, a VAR check ruled out a spot-kick with the officials judging that any infringement took place outside the box.
Not to be discouraged, Kane forced Lloris to tip a shot behind just before the half-hour mark and the France goalkeeper — winning a national record 143rd cap — was called into action again just after the restart to tip over a Jude Bellingham volley.
The pressure eventually told when Saka was brought down by Tchouameni in the area seven minutes into the second half and this time a spot-kick was given.
Kane stepped up to beat Lloris and score his 53rd goal to equal Wayne Rooney’s record England tally.
The holders may not have been rattled, but England had the upper hand, and Harry Maguire headed agonizingly wide from a free-kick.
France had created nothing in the second half, but then Giroud forced an excellent save from Pickford following a Dembele knockdown, and moments later they struck.
Griezmann whipped in a tremendous cross from the left for Giroud to head in with the aid of a touch off Maguire.
That was not game over, as Theo Hernandez was penalized for a shove on substitute Mason Mount when the referee gave a spot-kick following a VAR review.
But this time Kane — with his country’s outright goal record in sight — blazed over, and England’s World Cup dream was over too.
Giroud takes France into World Cup semis as Kane penalty miss costs England
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Giroud takes France into World Cup semis as Kane penalty miss costs England
- Aurelien Tchouameni had swept France into a first-half lead only for Kane to equalise from the spot nine minutes into the second half
- Kane than blazed his second penalty of the game over the bar as England's wait to win a first major international trophy since the 1966 World Cup goes on
Saudi table tennis stars get ready to compete in Saudi Smash 2024 championship
Saudi table tennis stars are getting ready to compete in the Saudi Smash 2024 championship, one of the most important table tennis tournaments in the world, taking place in Jeddah from May 1-11.
The championship will feature elite players from around the world competing in singles (men and women), doubles (men and women), and mixed doubles, organized by the Saudi Table Tennis Federation, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports and in collaboration with the World Table Tennis organization.
Among the Saudi players on the list is captain Ali Al-Khadrawi, one of the Kingdom’s top table tennis players. He started playing the game in 2007 and has a successful track record in both local and international competitions, including his distinguished participation in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Al-Khadrawi played 382 professional matches, with 14 appearances in the WTT matches, and maintained a win percentage of 54.5 percent throughout his career.
Ali-Al Khadrawi said: “I am delighted to participate in the Saudi Smash, a premier event hosted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is an opportunity to compete with my Saudi teammates against elite table tennis players from around the world. We look forward to the challenges of this championship, which will play a good role in promoting table tennis popularity in the Kingdom and inspiring the next generation of Saudi athletes.”
Another prominent player in the tournament is Abdulaziz Boushlybi, who began his career in 2007 and has achieved various individual and team titles, including a silver medal in the men’s singles at the 2022 Gulf Games in Kuwait.
He also won a gold medal in the team event at the same games with Al-Khadrawi and others. Boushlybi has played 277 professional matches, with 13 appearances in WTT matches, maintaining a win percentage of 63.2 percent.
Another Saudi player is Khalid Al-Shari, who started his table tennis journey in 2012 and has a record of individual and team victories, including a bronze medal in men’s singles at the 2021 World Championship qualifiers in Qatar.
Al-Sharif played 257 professional matches, with 12 appearances in WTT matches, achieving a win percentage of 51.4 percent throughout his career.
Other players participating in the championship are Hadi Abu Al-Raha, Turki Al-Mutairi, Salem Al-Suwailm, and Mohammed Al-Qasab.
Their participation in the Saudi Smash 2024 championship is a unique opportunity to showcase their abilities and talents and compete with some of the best international names in table tennis.
The Saudi Smash championship is one of the three Grand Smash tournaments for 2024, alongside the Singapore Smash and China Smash.
Haliburton hits winner as Pacers hold off Bucks, Timberwolves push Suns to brink
- Tyrese Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists
LOS ANGELES: Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning basket lifted the Indiana Pacers to a 121-118 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday as Minnesota put Phoenix on the verge of elimination in the NBA playoffs.
The Pacers let a 19-point lead get away, but finally thwarted the short-handed Bucks’ rally to gain a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first round series.
The Dallas Mavericks also won at home, cruising to a 101-90 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers for a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference set.
But a return to Phoenix provided no respite for Kevin Durant and the Suns, who were one defeat away from elimination after falling 126-109 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In Indianapolis, Haliburton delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists to help the Pacers withstand a 42-point performance from Milwaukee forward Khris Middleton, who drilled a three-pointer to tie it with 2.3 seconds left in regulation and made another trey to knot it at 118-118 with eight seconds left in overtime.
With 1.6 seconds remaining in overtime, Haliburton took an inbound pass and split the Bucks’ defense as he drove for a one-handed floater.
Fouled on the play, he made the free throw to cap the scoring. Middleton, playing through a sprained right ankle, was unable to work another three-point miracle as time expired.
“I just knew I was shooting it no matter what,” Haliburton said.
The Pacers escaped with the win in a game they led by 19 points in the first quarter and by 17 in the third.
With two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo still sidelined by a calf injury, the Bucks couldn’t match Indiana’s early pace.
An early injury scare saw Damian Lillard limp off with a sore knee briefly in the first quarter. He returned to score 19 of his 28 points in the second half before aggravating an Achilles tendon injury in late in regulation.
The Bucks took the lead for the first time on Lillard’s three-pointer early in the fourth quarter, the lead changing hands six times in the fourth as they battled to overtime.
“Every possession is so valuable,” Haliburton said. “You’ve got to dig in. The game’s never over.”
Myles Turner scored 29 points for the Pacers, who will try to stretch their lead when they host game four on Sunday.
In Phoenix, Anthony Edwards scored 36 points to lead a comprehensive Timberwolves team effort that included 19 points and 14 rebounds from Rudy Gobert and 18 points and 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Six players scored in double figures for the Timberwolves, who led by as many as early in the fourth quarter.
Bradley Beal led the Suns with 28 points. Durant scored 25 and Devin Booker added 23, but had no answer when the Timberwolves broke open a six-point game with a third-quarter scoring surge.
The Timberwolves have a 3-0 series lead for the first time in franchise history.
They’ll try on Sunday to close out the Suns, and even though both teams are well-aware that no NBA team has rallied from 0-3 down to win a series Edwards said the Timberwolves would take nothing for granted.
“We can’t look past the next game,” he said.
In Dallas, NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic limped out early but returned to sink 22 points with 10 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Mavericks in a testy clash with the Clippers.
Los Angeles’ Russell Westbrook and P.J. Washington of Dallas were both ejected after a shoving match that started with Westbrook’s hard foul on Doncic midway through the fourth quarter — when the Mavs were up by 16 points.
The Clippers had sliced an 18-point deficit to six late in the third quarter, but Kyrie Irving, who had just two points until the final two minutes of the third period, scored 19 the rest of the way to help Dallas rebuild their lead.
James Harden and Norman Powell both scored 21 for the Clippers, but Harden had just seven points in the second half and the Mavs held Clippers star Paul George to seven points and Kawhi Leonard, who was clearly hindered by his continuing knee inflammation, to nine.
Defending champs Alcaraz and Sabalenka win opening matches at Madrid Open
- The two-time defending champion was playing for the first time in nearly a month after his injured arm ruled him out of Monte Carlo and Barcelona
- Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, another two-time Madrid champion, saw off Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 and will face Denis Shapovalov next
MADRID: Carlos Alcaraz didn’t need to put his tender right arm to the test while easing to victory in his opening match at the Madrid Open on Friday.
The two-time defending champion was playing for the first time in nearly a month after his injured arm ruled him out of Monte Carlo and Barcelona. And after doubting this week he would be good to go in Spain’s capital, Alcaraz admitted he could afford to hold back a little in a 6-2, 6-1 win over Alexander Shevchenko.
“I didn’t hit my forehand 100 percent. I hit it softer than I used to hit it, but I think it helped me, you know, to, let’s say, stay relaxed,” Alcaraz said. “But the first thing that I was thinking about when I was stepping on the court is to stay healthy.
“I was really happy to not feel anything in the forearm, and after that I could increase my intensity a bit. It was great for me this match.”
Defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka faced tougher resistance in her opening match while beating Magda Linette 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on the Caja Magica clay.
This was Alcaraz’s first match since the Miami Open quarterfinals nearly one month ago. Madrid is the Spaniard’s first appearance on the European clay court swing — he struggled in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro in February — as he aims to win his first French Open title next month.
“Right now I’m thinking to be better or get better every day, and I’m thinking to be closer to my 100 percent here in Madrid.” the two-time major champion said. “Let’s see how it’s going to be the next few weeks. But the main thing is to be ready for next tournament and obviously to Roland Garros.”
In Madrid, the third-ranked Alcaraz is seeded second behind Jannik Sinner and both enjoyed first-round byes.
Alcaraz played with a compression sleeve on his right arm from his wrist up past his elbow. But he looked pretty much like the same aggressive player who has dominated here for the past two years and given Spanish tennis fans hope there is life after Rafael Nadal.
Alcaraz broke Shevchenko’s serve four times and will next face Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil.
Seyboth Wild upset Daniil Medvedev at last year’s French Open and should offer a stiffer challenge to Alcaraz in the round of 32.
Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, another two-time Madrid champion, saw off Borna Coric 6-3, 6-2 and will face Denis Shapovalov next.
Seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating Facundo Bagnis 6-1, 6-4. Rublev’s last win came at Indian Wells in March.
Holger Rune was just two points from defeat against Mariano Navone before he rallied to force a second-set tiebreaker and finally prevailed 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
Eighth-seeded Hubert Hurkacz beat Jack Draper 6-1, 7-5. Last year’s finalist Jan Lennard Struff, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Alejandro Davidovich, and Sebastian Baez also moved on.
SABALENKA’S SLOW START
The second-ranked Sabalenka struggled with her serve at times against Linette, but the two-time Australian Open winner struck her 10th ace on match point.
Sabalenka got some help from the net to get a key break and go up 5-3 in the third set when Linette was unable to reach a shot by the Belarusian that clipped the top of the tape.
Sabalenka has either won it all in Madrid as she did in 2021 and last year, or gone out in the first round as she did in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
“Hopefully it’s going to be a good sign and I will keep it like that,” she said. “I either lose in the first or I win (the title).”
Fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-3 to take her season-leading win haul to 27 as she seeks her fourth title of 2024.
Rybakina will next face Egypt’s Mayar Sherif after she upset Marta Kostyuk 6-2, 7-5 to reach the third round.
Danielle Collins extended her career-best win streak to 14 matches after beating Serb qualifier Olga Danilovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (8) from 6-4, 3-1 down.
Fifth-seeded Zheng Qinwen, who lost the Australian Open final to Sabalenka, withdrew with a right thigh injury while trailing Yulia Putintseva 7-5, 2-0.
Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who made her breakout at Madrid last year, bettered 19-year-old Linda Noskova 4-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Carolina Garcia, and Jasmine Paolini also advanced.
Ahly, Esperance book CAF Champions League final places
- Ahly are seeking a record-extending 12th victory in the premier African club competition
- Both clubs have booked final places after 11 clean sheets in 12 qualifying, group and knockout matches
JOHANNESBURG: Title-holders Al Ahly of Egypt and long-time rivals Esperance of Tunisia will meet in the two-leg CAF Champions League final during May.
Ahly overpowered TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0 in Cairo to win a semifinal by the same score on aggregate after a goalless first leg last Saturday.
Esperance soaked up constant pressure from Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in Pretoria before snatching a 1-0 win to advance 2-0 overall after also winning 1-0 at home.
Mohamed Abdelmonem, Wessam Abou Ali and Akram Tawfik scored in the second half for Ahly, who are seeking a record-extending 12th victory in the premier African club competition.
Raed Bouchniba came off the bench to score 12 minutes into the second half against Sundowns in a match that lasted 190 minutes after a storm halted play midway through the opening half.
It will be the third time Ahly and Esperance face each other in the final of the Champions League with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians succeeding in 2018.
They also clashed in the semifinals last season with Ahly winning home and away for a 4-0 aggregate triumph.
Both clubs have booked final places after 11 clean sheets in 12 qualifying, group and knockout matches.
Esperance, seeking a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on the outskirts of Tunis on May 18 with the return match in Cairo seven days later.
Sundowns had their chances against Esperance with Peter Shalulile and Aubrey Modiba hitting the woodwork and Namibia captain Shalulile coming close several times.
But the first time Esperance threatened to score they did so as a counterattack ended with Bouchniba racing into the area and firing across goalkeeper Ronwen Williams into the far corner.
Since their lone Champions League title in 2016, Sundowns have reached the semifinals three times and lost on each occasion to north African opponents.
In Cairo, Joel Beya had a goal for Mazembe early in the second half disallowed before a powerful header from Abdelmonem off a corner broke the deadlock on 68 minutes.
A superb cross from veteran Tunisia defender Ali Maaloul was fired into the net by Abou Ali on 83 minutes for his first goal of the African campaign.
Tawfik struck 12 minutes into added time by racing through and slamming the ball across Senegalese goalkeeper Alioune Faty into the far corner.
Arda Guler stretches Real Madrid’s vast Liga lead at Real Sociedad
- The playmaker, 19, has endured an injury-hit season but on his first league start snatched a heavily rotated Madrid side a tight victory at the Reale Arena
- The match was brought forward to Friday from Saturday at little more than a week’s notice, to help Madrid prepare for their Champions League match at Bayern
SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain: Turkish teenager Arda Guler’s strike helped Real Madrid close in on the Spanish title with a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Friday, moving 14 points clear at the top of La Liga.
After last weekend’s Clasico win over second place Barcelona it appears a formality for Madrid to take the title back from their arch-rivals, and Guler helped them move one step closer.
The playmaker, 19, has endured an injury-hit season but on his first league start snatched a heavily rotated Madrid side a tight victory at the Reale Arena.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti rested virtually his entire first choice team with Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal visit to face Bayern Munich in mind.
Top scorer Jude Bellingham was on the bench after recovering from a stomach problem to earn a late addition to the squad list, alongside Vinicius Junior, Toni Kroos and various other stars.
As a result Madrid conjured little in attack beyond Guler’s goal, with the hosts, sixth, on top in driving San Sebastian rain.
“Arda scored a goal, Arda will be an important player for us in the future, there’s no doubt he’ll be here next year,” Ancelotti told reporters, also praising his team’s commitment despite the rotations.
“It was quite clear that everyone thought we were coming here for a stroll, the only ones who didn’t think so were the players,” he continued.
“I am proud of the players because they had the desire and will to keep winning... I have to thank them because from that point of view, they were spectacular.”
Madrid goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, on loan from Chelsea, pushed away a Takefusa Kubo effort as La Real continued to probe.
Ancelotti also gave defender Eder Militao his first start after his long-term knee injury.
The Brazilian looked uncertain but Real Sociedad could not capitalize, with Benat Turrientes firing narrowly over.
Despite previously failing to generate openings of their own, Madrid took the lead in the 29th minute.
Aurelien Tchouameni swept the ball out to Dani Carvajal on the right, who stroked a low ball across the area.
It was a perfectly placed pass by the Spain international — playing seemingly only as he is suspended for the visit to Munich — and Guler arrived in the right place at the right time to finish.
Kubo thought he had pulled Real Sociedad level against his former side before the break when he beat Militao and slotted home, but Ander Barrenetxea was penalized for a foul on Tchouameni in the buildup.
“Barrene went to steal the ball and the only thing I can say is that the player who loses it was sleeping,” Kubo told Movistar.
Arrizabalaga pushed a Turrientes effort wide in the second half and Ancelotti called on the cavalry for the final 25 minutes, sending Vinicius Junior and Fede Valverde into the fray.
Another substitute, Antonio Rudiger, made a vital block on an attempted Oyarzabal dink to deflect the forward’s effort behind for a corner.
Alex Remiro made a fine save to deny Eduardo Camavinga late on as the reinforced visitors took control in five minutes of added time to see out the win.
The match was brought forward to Friday from Saturday at little more than a week’s notice, to help Madrid prepare for their Champions League match at Bayern.
“It’s a pity, whoever watched the game knew that we deserved to win,” added Kubo.
“It’s a pity for the fans, because of the rain, the change of schedule... all that rubbish.”
Barcelona face Valencia on Monday in La Liga but the Catalans have all but thrown in the towel in the title race.
Madrid’s performance was decidedly forgettable but they are eyeing a league and Champions League double for the fifth time in their history — and that would be something to remember.
