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Kuwait head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi on Friday said his team was brimming with confidence going into today’s Gulf Cup 26 opener against former champions Oman.“We are feeling positive going into the game because we have good preparations at our camp in Qatar. It will be a very difficult competition but we are happy with how we have prepared,” coach Pizzi said on Friday.“No, there’s no pressure. We are feeling very positive. There is no pressure on the players who have gone through some tough training and preparations to be ready. We need the support of the fans to be behind us. We have prepared for both defence and offence in preparing for this tournament. All situations have been worked on so that we will be ready for the competition,” he saidWhen reminded that it have been 25 years since Kuwait beat Oman, Pizzi said: “No, statistics are history and in the past and we don’t care. We are just focused on the first game and, again, we need the support of the fans behind us to make a difference.” He added: “The preparation has been really excellent. But we have to now perform in the games. The players must be at their maximum level so that Kuwait can perform at our best to be in with a chance.”Oman head coach Rasheed Jabir said on Friday: “We have had good preparations – we are ready for this competition and have been working hard since our World Cup qualifiers last month. All the teams are here to compete for the competition so it will be very tough.”When reminded about Oman’s 4-0 win over Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers, Jabir said: “It is a different match this time. Kuwait have had a good preparation and it is the opening game so it will be difficult and especially in front of their fans.“The pressure is always there and we can cope with it. We have ambition to get good results in this competition. This match against Kuwait is the first step which is very important and we will learn from any mistakes made to perform better and hopefully win. We learned from past experiences that the Khaleeji has surprise results, and there is always pressure from playing in such a big competition.“Except for Iraq, not everyone got the results they wanted in the latest World Cup qualifiers. If we reach the final and if we play all the games, it is five matches. The Arabian Gulf has different situations for all of the teams here, with all of us knowing that the results are very important to change the minds of the media and fans.“We are here to compete and qualify through the group. But the first step is against Kuwait so we are not looking beyond that. We have to be prepared mentally as well as physically for this competition,” Jabir said.

Three-time champions Qatar feel ‘excited’ about facing a fresh challenge at Gulf Cup 26, new coach Luis Garcia said on Friday.Asian champions Qatar, who will be without mercurial play-maker Akram Afif, face the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday.Kuwait and Oman are the other two teams in Group A along with Qatar and the UAE.In Group B, Saudi Arabia are joined by Bahrain, Yemen and Iraq who won the tournament at the start of 2023 in Basra.The hugely popular eight-team tournament will be played from Dec 21-Jan 3.“I’m truly excited to work with Al Annabi and I’m driven by a strong ambition to achieve great things in this tournament,” Garcia said on Friday.When asked about the upcoming match against the UAE, Garcia stated: “We’re highly focused on facing the UAE team. The first match is always challenging, but every match is crucial. We have a young team that will work diligently to achieve positive results in the Gulf Cup.”Addressing the recent loss to the UAE in the World Cup qualifiers, Garcia said: “The team’s morale is high. We understand the significance of this tournament for the Qatari people, and we’re motivated and fully focused on achieving positive results. Our players possess a professional mindset, and we’ve moved on from the last match and the World Cup qualifiers. The players are ready to represent Qatar at their best and deliver exceptional performances.”Regarding addressing the team’s mistakes, Garcia said: “I’m committed to improvement and have focused on all aspects of the game – defence, attack, and midfield. I’m confident that we can achieve good results in this tournament. We’re collectively analysing the issues and focusing on the team as a whole. I’m striving to balance defence and attack, creating a more cohesive and solid team.”He added: “We know the importance of this tournament for Qatar, and I’m aware of the capabilities of my players. This team has previously won the Asian Cup, and we’ll approach every match with a final-like mentality.”Garcia on Friday also provided an update on Afif’s delayed arrival in Kuwait.“I’ve known Akram for nine years, and I’m aware of his commitment, seriousness, and professionalism. He’s currently dealing with some personal circumstances, and we’re working hard to ensure he’s ready to join the national team. Ultimately, he’s human, and we respect his personal situation. Akram is part of the 26-player squad for the tournament, and if circumstances permit, he’ll be joining us in Kuwait.”Paulo Bento, the UAE coach, said during a press conference on Friday: “Ours was a difficult preparation due to lack of time to prepare the players and the strategy. Some of the players played their last league game on the 17th so we just met them yesterday (Thursday) and then we had to travel. It is our role and obligation to try and do our best even in these kinds of conditions.”Bento added: “Training yesterday was important of course. Today, we can’t make many things because it is the day before the game. We will try our best to perform in the best possible way to make a good game.”When asked about Afif’s absence from the match, Bento told reporters: “We try to prepare the strategy looking at different possibilities, and we think always that the opponent will play with the best players, and of course Afif is one of their best (players). We know how influential he is in their style of play, especially in the offensive process. But if he doesn’t play, it will not be a different game or become easier because their coach will find other solutions. So, we focus on our strategy and our team only.”When asked if his side were the favourites for the title, Bento said: “Did you ask them (the fans) why they consider us as favourite? We are not the favourite. We are one of the teams that wants to make the best (results) for the country and show a good organisation as a team. That’s it. We will try to keep competing in the proper way and in a good spirit.Friday’s fixturesKuwait vs Oman 8:00pmQatar vs UAE 10:00pm

Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim al-Malki-owned and trained Jungle Mate delivered a stunning front-running performance to win Ras Laffan Cup at the QREC’s Al Rayyan Racecourse on Friday.In the hands of jockey Tomas Lukasek, the three-year-old gelding secured a dominant 7½-length victory in the 1,100m sprint for three-year-old+ Thoroughbreds, securing his second straight win in just three starts this season. Al Jasra Stud’s Crush and Run came second.Abdulla Rashid al-Kubaisi, QREC Racing Manager, presented the trophies to the winners.In the penultimate race of the day, Rammah, in the colours of Hamad Nasser al-Naimi, won the 1,200m contest - Purebred Arabian Handicap (75-95) for the three-year-old+.Jockey Jefferson Smith rode the Ahmed Kobeissi-trained eight-year-old gelding to beat Mohammed bin Fahad A H al-Attiya-owned and Mohammed Ghazali-trained Al Zain by 2½ lengths.In the card opener, Mashhoor, in the silks of Saif Rashid Saif al-Khayarin, convincingly won the 1,700m Thoroughbred Handicap (45-65) race for three-year-old+.The Ahmed al-Jehani-trained 4-year-old gelding defeated Nasser Saeed M S al-Eida-owned and Jassim Ghazali-trained Dawn Vega by three lengths.RESULTS15th Al Rayyan Meeting - Ras Laffan CupWINNERS: (Horse, Trainer, Jockey)1. Ras Laffan Cup, Thoroughbred Open Race, 3YO+, 1,100mJungle Mate, Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim al-Malki, Tomas Lukasek2. Purebred Arabian Handicap (75-95), 3YO+, 1,200mRammah, Ahmed Kobeissi, Jefferson Smith3. Thoroughbred Handicap (60-80), 3YO+, 1,700mBlessed Boy, Rashid Mohammed Alathba, Maikon De Souza4. Local Thoroughbred Handicap (40-60), 3YO+, 2,500mDukhan, Mohammed Hussain Afroz, Maxim Bozzio5. Local Purebred Arabian Handicap (55-75), 3YO+, 1,700mMukabr, Dr Fahad Salman al-Hajri, Salman Fahad al-Hajri6. Thoroughbred Handicap (0-75), 3YO+, 1,200mEthandun, Hamad al-Jehani, Meteb Ali al-Marri7. Purebred Arabian Maiden Plate, 4-6YOs, 2,500mFarhan, Mohammed Ghazali, Lukas Delozier8. Thoroughbred Handicap (45-65), 3YO+, 1,700mMashhoor, Ahmed al-Jehani, Saleh Faraj al-Otaibi

Manchester City will be without defender Ruben Dias for three to four weeks with a muscle injury, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday, anotherblow for the reeling champions whose hopes of hanging on to the Premier League title are dwindling.City travel to Aston Villa today hoping to right the ship amid the worst run of results in Guardiola’s managerial career that has them languishing fifth in the league table.They also have just one victory to show for their last 11 games across all competitions.Dias was injured in City’s calamitous 2-1 derby loss to Manchester United on Sunday.“It was a muscular injury, (after) 75 minutes against Manchester United he felt something. He is so strong and he stayed on the pitch and now he is injured,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.Fellow defender Manuel Akanji, however, returned to training this week after suffering an injury early this month, “which is good for us,” Guardiola said.City lost to United in spectacular fashion last weekend, leading in the 88th minute before their cross-town rivals scored two goals in less than two minutes.Guardiola looked disconsolate after, and pointed the finger squarely at himself for the shocking run, telling reporters during a long and heartfelt post-game press conference that “I am not good enough.”His mood had improved by Friday.“I just finished a game where we were close to winning and we lost. For the sequences that happened I was not happy,” Guardiola said. “I tried to be honest with myself here right now in six or seven days ago, (but) if you fall down six times you have to stand up seven.“I am fine. I am a normal person with feelings like all of us. When a situation is going well we are better and when it is not going well professionally we are more (focused) on what we have to do.”Just two points and two places behind Guardiola’s team in the league table, Aston Villa will climb over City with a victory on Saturday at Villa Park.Unai Emery’s team have also had significantly more success than City in their Champions League campaign, where they are fifth in the standings with two games left in the league phase while City are languishing in 22nd.“I’m not surprised. Top, excellent manager. (They had good success) qualifying for the Champions League and the results in the Champions League they speak for themselves,” Guardiola said.“They are handling it well because when I have been in many clubs handling both competitions, they have done really well.”City lost 1-0 at Villa Park just over a year ago before rebounding to thrash Emery’s side 4-1 in early-April. Guardiola said, however, there was little he could glean from those games.“Why do you have to compare what happened?” the Spaniard said.“The past is the past, this is a new moment, you have to deal with it.”

Yuki Tsunoda will represent experience and continuity at Racing Bulls next year but, passed over for promotion, the Japanese looks to be running out of road at the Red Bull-owned Formula One team.A flurry of Red Bull announcements culminated on Friday with 20-year-old Isack Hadjar confirmed as Tsunoda’s teammate.The Frenchman takes the seat vacated by New Zealander Liam Lawson, who joins four times champion Max Verstappen at the main team after Mexican Sergio Perez was dropped.Tsunoda, 24, will be starting his fifth year with the team previously known as AlphaTauri and RB and has close ties to Red Bull’s engine partners Honda. The Japanese manufacturer is leaving Red Bull at the end of 2025, however, to work with Aston Martin.“We’re acutely aware that if we’re not able to provide an opportunity for Yuki (at Red Bull) in all honesty this year, does it (keeping him on) make sense?,” Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told reporters.“You can’t have a driver in the support team for five years. You can’t always be the bridesmaid. You’ve either got to let them go at that point or look at something different.”Horner said he had spoken with Tsunoda, a fan favourite currently enjoying time off in Japan, and the driver was determined to show what he could do. “I think he’s very determined. He knows that things change very quickly,” said the Briton.“Who would have thought nine months ago that we’d be sitting here talking about Liam Lawson being our driver for 2025?“Things change quickly in this industry and he’s aware of that and he knows that he needs to be the one demonstrating that he’s the one knocking on the door.”Italy-based Racing Bulls, who have had several name changes after Red Bull bought Minardi in 2005 and renamed them Toro Rosso, have always been a feeder for the title-winning main Milton Keynes team.Drivers to have come through their ranks include four times world champions Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen as well as race winners Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz.Hadjar is one of a group of young prospects coming into the sport and Red Bull also have Arvid Lindblad as an exciting talent on the horizon. Horner rates the 17-year-old, who has both British and Swedish nationality, particularly highly after a strong rookie season in Formula Three including a Silverstone double win.Currently without a super-licence, Lindblad will be seeking the necessary points in New Zealand early next year before a full F2 season that could set him up for promotion in 2026 at Tsunoda’s expense.

Goalkeeper Bautista Burke produced a stunning performance as Al Duhail prevailed over Al Arabi 2-1 in a thrilling final to lift the QSL Cup at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium on Friday.The Argentine was instrumental in Al Duhail’s triumph, frustrating Al Arabi side with his exceptional saves throughout the match.The 22-year-old goalkeeper made two crucial saves in stoppage time besides earlier denying the rivals’ golden chance to equalize as he stopped an Al Arabi penalty kick from Hasan Mohammed Alaaeddin diving full length to his right in the 81st minute.Earlier, Michael Olunga (27th minute) and Benjamin Bourigeaud (39th minute) scored the goals for Al Duhail, while Isaac Lihadji scored for Al Arabi in the 55th minute.Both of Al Duhail’s goals came from the assist of livewire Under-21 player Ghanem al-Minhali, who also stood out with his performance.The final had a slow start, with either team trying to make forays and gauge the rival defence. But Al Duhail soon changed gears and in a sudden burst of charge made a fast move down the left as al-Minhali sent in a flying cross which was equally superbly taken on the volley by Olunga with his left foot strike rattling the Al Arabi net for The Red Knights to gain the lead.Al Arabi tried to retaliate immediately and in the 31st minute Rodrigo Sanchez (Rodri) made an attempt at the Al Duhail goal, but his shot was cut off by an alert Burke.Seven minutes later, Al Duhail on a counter broke into the Al Arabi danger area, but this time Karim Boudiaf’s kick went straight to goalkeeper Mohammed Ibrahim.The disappointment for Al Duhail, however, lasted only a minute as al-Minhali provided a fine pass to Benjamin, who went on to strike from inside left of the box for his team to go up 2-0.Al Duhail again came close to scoring in the 43rd minute and again it was al-Minhali making a cross from the left, but this time Olunga’s solid header was pushed over the bar by a leaping goalkeeper Ibrahim. In the second half, a determined Al Arabi came about charging at Al Duhail and soon were almost rewarded in the 49th minute as Alaaeddin lunged in front of the goal to reach for a cross from captain Abdullah al-Marafi, but fell while being tackled by Al Duhail’s Lucas Verissimo.Alaaeddin still managed to kick the ball into the goal. The referee, however, after a VAR check ruled out the goal as the ball had hit Alaaeddin’s hand before going in.Al Arabi hit back a few minutes later, with Lihadji latching on to a fabulous diagonal through pass from Rodri before going on to push the ball past an advancing Burke.The goal also added a spring to Al Arabi’s feet as midway through the session they became robust in both their attack and defence, also making some rough tackles in a bid to fetch the equaliser. With minutes ticking, the game got more exciting and a frenetic action inside the Al Duhail danger area saw Al Arabi’s al-Marafi fall down with Al Duhail’s Ibrahim Kader’s (Bambi) boot hitting his shoe as the latter went for a clearance kick.The referee called for a penalty against Al Duhail and reconfirmed his decision after a VAR check.The spot kick was a golden chance for Al Arabi to equalise, but Burke foiled Alaaeddin’s attempt, much to Al Duhail’s big relief.Later, with 10 minutes added to the game as stoppage time, there was more thrill for the large number of fans at the stadium as Burke stood tall guarding Al Duhail’s fort.First, he cut off a strong kick Helal Mohammed’s kick from a short distance and later staved off a substitute Abdullah al-Sulaiti’s attempt.With two minutes left, there was more drama as Bambi pushed Rodri a few yards outside the box and the referee awarded Al Arabi a free-kick, but it went on to hit the Al Duhail wall.the dying moments, tempers ran high as Al Duhail’s Luis Alberto making a charge with the ball was held by Al Arabi’s Luiz Martin Junior.The referee flashed the latter with a yellow card before soon blowing the final whistle as Al Duhail players celebrated a memorable victory.

Tottenham survived two calamitous errors from stand-in goalkeeper Fraser Forster on Thursday to beat Manchester United 4-3 and set up a League Cup semi-final against Liverpool, staying on track for their first trophy since 2008.The home side were cruising at 3-0 in the 54th minute of a captivating tie in London after two goals from Dominic Solanke and one from Dejan Kulusevski.But Forster’s mistakes allowed substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo to pull the score back to 3-2 with 20 minutes to go.It was one-way traffic after that, with United totally on top, but Spurs scored a fourth as Son Heung-min found the net from a corner and they held on despite a late Jonny Evans goal.Tottenham will face Premier League leaders Liverpool in the two-legged semi-finals, with Arsenal taking on Newcastle.Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou said his injury-hit team inflicted pain on themselves but gave a passionate defence of his gung-ho approach.“It should have been a lot more comfortable there, but having said that, I still can’t get away from the fact that this group of players have done an unbelievable job at the moment to get us through this,” he said.The Australian added: “I know people will say, “Well, don’t take any risks’ and all that sort of stuff, but we wouldn’t be scoring four goals and five goals.“It’s the hardest thing in the game to do, score goals, and we’re doing it with bare bones.”Tottenham, 10th in the Premier League, have not won silverware for 16 years, when they lifted the League Cup under Juande Ramos.But they are now just one stage away from a Wembley final in March, with Postecoglou still on track to deliver on his bold statement that he always wins a trophy in his second season at a club.New United boss Ruben Amorim is back down to earth with a bump after his side’s dramatic 2-1 Premier League win at Manchester City on Sunday.Amorim made five changes from the team that beat City while Spurs had six academy players on their bench.Marcus Rashford was left out of United’s squad for the second consecutive game but Alejandro Garnacho, also absent on Sunday, was on the bench and came on as a second-half substitute.Tottenham opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Solanke reacted quickest after United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, in for Andre Onana, parried a shot from distance into his path.Kulusevski doubled Tottenham’s lead moments after the restart, finishing unerringly when Lisandro Martinez failed to deal with a James Maddison cut-back, only succeeding in diverting the ball into the Sweden international’s path. Spurs were 3-0 up when Solanke ran onto a long ball over the top, drifting inside Martinez and Evans and finishing with confidence.But control turned to chaos just after the hour mark following some incredible goalkeeping errors from Forster, deputising for the injured Guglielmo Vicario.Forster, being closed down by Zirkzee, passed straight to Bruno Fernandes, whose ball found Zirkzee and the Dutchman slotted the ball into an empty net in the 63rd minute.Minutes later United scored again when Forster dithered after receiving a back pass.Diallo closed him down in a flash and slid in as Forster tried to clear, with the ball hitting Diallo and ending up in the net.United had further chances but instead Son gave Tottenham a cushion in the 88th minute.Even then United had time to find another, with Evans heading in from a corner, but they ran out of time.“We were not the best team in all of the game, but most of the parts I think we were the best team,” said Amorim.“I think we disconnected for eight minutes. It was really hard to recover from that, but then the lads did a great job.”

Australia have dumped Nathan McSweeney after three Tests and rushed uncapped teenager Sam Konstas into the squad for the Boxing Day Test against India in the search for more runs from the top order.Makeshift opener McSweeney scored 72 runs from 212 deliveries at an average of 14.4 over six innings as Australia were thrashed in the series opener, won handsomely in the second Test and drew the third in Brisbane this week.Konstas has been scoring runs for fun in first class cricket this season, including a century against an Indian selection in the tour match in Canberra.The 19-year-old also became the youngest player to score a half-century in the Big Bash League this week on his debut in Australia’s domestic T20 competition, making 56 from 27 balls for Sydney Thunder.“Sam gets a call up to the Test squad for the first time. His style of batting offers a point of difference and we look forward to watching his game develop further,” said head selector George Bailey.“We remain confident Nathan has the ability and temperament to succeed at Test level in the future. It was a difficult decision to leave him out.”Experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis and all-rounder Beau Webster, both uncapped, also remain in the squad as options to replace McSweeney in the opening partnership with Usman Khawaja if Australia decide not to field Konstas. McSweeney was not the only top order batter struggling for runs in the series with Khawaja averaging 12.6 and number three Marnus Labuschagne 16.40 despite a half-century in the second Test in Adelaide.“It has clearly been a challenge at the top of the order for batters throughout the series and we want to provide the option of a different line up for the next two matches,” Bailey added.Jhye Richardson and Sean Abbott are in the squad as cover for Josh Hazlewood but Scott Boland is expected to take the injured fast bowler’s place in the pace attack in the fourth Test, as he did in the second.“In the absence of Josh Hazlewood, Jhye provides further options in the fast bowling space,” Bailey said. “It has been pleasing to see his successful return throughout the early part of the domestic summer.”The fourth Test starts at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Dec 26 with the fifth and final match taking place in Sydney from Jan 3.Australia squad: Pat Cummins (captain), Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Mitchell Marsh, Beau Webster, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Sean Abbott, Jhye Richardson.

Jaker Ali’s blistering unbeaten 72 highlighted a dominant Bangladesh effort as the visitors thrashed the West Indies by 80 runs in the third and final T20 International to sweep the series 3-0 at the Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent on Thursday.Benefiting from a huge reprieve when he thought he had been run out on 18, the attacking right-hander took heavy toll of an uninspired Caribbean team, belting six sixes and three fours off just 41 balls to pace his side to a challenging 189 for seven after skipper Litton Das opted to bat first.Beaten in the first two low-scoring matches at the same venue, the West Indies were never in the hunt for a consolation victory after losing Brandon King to the second delivery of their reply and were eventually bundled out for 109 off 16.4 overs.All-rounder Romario Shepherd top-scored with 33.Wrist-spinner Rishad Hossain led the rout with three for 21 while there were two wickets each for fellow spinner Mahedi Hasan, the “Man of the Series,” and seamer Taskin Ahmed, who had the distinction of starting the slide when the trapped King leg-before and then sealed victory by bowling local hero Obed McCoy.Debutant opener Parvez Hossain Emon, playing in the absence of the injured Soumya Sarkar, set the tone for the Bangladesh innings with 39 off 21 balls before “Man of the Match” Jaker took over the show with a display typical of his uninhibited batting style. However, it could all have been very different had the on-field run out decision against him stood following a terrible mix-up with Shamim Hossain. A fuming Jaker, believing that a second run was always on, could not disguise his rage when Shamim opted to return to the striker’s end and bowler Roston Chase effected the dismissal.Yet even as he continued to vent his frustration in the dressing room, television replays showed he had made his ground at the striker’s end just before his partner returned to safety, meaning that Shamim was the man eventually on his way back to the pavilion. All was forgiven at the end of the innings, though, as Shamim was first to embrace his teammate after his power-hitting drained any enthusiasm left in a deflated West Indies side.BRIEF SCORESBangladesh 189-7 off 20 overs (Jaker Ali 72 n.o., Parvez Hossain Emon 39, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 29; Romario Shepherd 2-30, Roston Chase 1-15, Gudakesh Motie 1-30) vs West Indies 109 all out off 16.4 overs (Romario Shepherd 33, Johnson Charles 23, Nicholas Pooran 15; Rishad Hossain 3-21, Mahedi Hasan 2-13, Taskin Ahmed 2-30)Result: Bangladesh won by 80 runsToss: Bangladesh

Spanish runner Mohamed Katir has been banned for four years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for falsifying documents during a probe into his whereabouts failures for which he was already suspended for two years earlier this year. Katir had admitted to three whereabouts failures during 2023. Under WADA’s “whereabouts” rule, all athletes must make themselves available to drug testers for one hour a day for out-of-competition testing. Under the World Athletics anti-doping rules, three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period result in a rule violation. The 26-year-old, who won the silver medal in the 5,000m at the World Athletics Championships last year, will serve both bans concurrently, extending his ineligibility to compete until February 2028. “Katir...was found to have falsified travel documents (namely a travel itinerary, boarding pass and booking confirmation) in an attempt to mislead investigators,” the AIU said in a statement. However, the Disciplinary Tribunal that ruled in the case denied the AIU’s request to have Katir’s results to be disqualified from March 9, 2023 because he had not benefited from a competitive advantage, the statement added. “The vast majority of our elite athletes respect the strict rules and processes of the sport and they should take heart at the action being taken to ensure a level playing field,” AIU head Brett Clothier said.

US ski legend Lindsey Vonn will make her return to World Cup skiing today in St Moritz at the age of 40, after a near six-year absence and with the 2026 Winter Olympics her ultimate goal. Fans and sceptics alike will be watching closely as Vonn, arguably the greatest speed racer in the sport’s history, hits the slopes for the first of two super-G events this weekend at the Swiss resort. “’Why are you doing this?’ It’s a question I’ve been asked a lot lately. So I will tell you why...,” Vonn, a winner of 82 World Cup races, wrote this week on her Instagram account. “My life has taken me on a crazy roller coaster of ups and downs but despite everything I’ve been through, my ‘why’ has always been, and always will be, my love for skiing.” Today, 20 years after her first World Cup win, Vonn will take to the start gate with Sofia Goggia, Lara Gut-Behrami and Cornelia Huetter, heavyweights in a discipline the American once dominated. “I feel stronger now than I did in my mid, late 20s, and I feel like the passion for skiing has never gone away,” Vonn said last week in Beaver Creek, where she served as a forerunner for the downhill and super-G races. “So now that I have the chance to physically do what I love. Why? Why would I not try? Life is short. You gotta live every day as to the maximum, and that’s all I’m doing.” Titanium kneeVonn left the sport in 2019 after a series of major injuries but she has been free of pain since a right knee replacement in April, when part of the bone was cut off and replaced by two titanium pieces. She was the most decorated women’s skier with 82 World Cup victories when she retired. Her mark has since been eclipsed by fellow American Mikaela Shiffrin’s 99. Vonn, the 2010 Olympic downhill champion, also won 20 World Cup titles, including four overall crystal globes, eight world championship medals and secured 137 World Cup podiums. As the months went by, there were whispers in the skiing world that Vonn was back in training and perhaps targeting a comeback. Her return followed that of another legend in the form of Marcel Hirscher. The Austrian, now competing for the Netherlands, however seriously injured his knee in early December and ended his season - and his second career - after only three races. While Hirscher’s return was generally welcomed, Vonn’s decision to come out of retirement was not universally celebrated, with some former skiers suggesting she was putting herself at serious risk. “I’m getting pretty tired of people predicting negative things about my future,” Vonn responded on social media. “Did they all become doctors and I missed it, because they talk like they know more than the best doctors in the world.” Italy’s Federica Brignone, 34, is the oldest woman to win a World Cup race, triumphing in the season-opening giant slalom in Soelden in October. Vonn said that while she plans to take her comeback day-by-day, she also signalled that her overriding goal is to compete at the highest level once more. “I don’t need the spotlight or attention,” she said. “I don’t need to prove anything to anyone.” Vonn took part in two super-Gs in a lower-level competition at Copper Mountain in the United States earlier this month and finished 19th and 24th, just over two seconds behind the winner each time. “You know me well enough to know that success is not just participating,” she said. “I know my way back to a competitive level might take a race or two, but I certainly intend on getting back to where I was before.” The next Winter Olympics take place in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in 2026. “Ultimately, if I can make it to Cortina, that would be my goal.”

Kuwait head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi on Friday said his team was brimming with confidence going into Saturday's Gulf Cup 26 opener against former champions Oman. “We are feeling positive going into the game because we have good preparations at our camp in Qatar. It will be a very difficult competition but we are happy with how we have prepared,” coach Pizzi said on Friday. “No, there’s no pressure. We are feeling very positive. There is no pressure on the players who have gone through some tough training and preparations to be ready. We need the support of the fans to be behind us. “We have prepared for both defence and offence in preparing for this tournament. All situations have been worked on so that we will be ready for the competition,” he said When reminded that it have been 25 years since Kuwait beat Oman, Pizzi said: “No, statistics are history and in the past and we don’t care. We are just focused on the first game and, again, we need the support of the fans behind us to make a difference.” He added: “The preparation has been really excellent. But we have to now perform in the games. The players must be at their maximum level so that Kuwait can perform at our best to be in with a chance.” Oman head coach Rasheed Jabir said on Friday: “We have had good preparations – we are ready for this competition and have been working hard since our World Cup qualifiers last month. All the teams are here to compete for the competition so it will be very tough.” When reminded about Oman’s 4-0 win over Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers, Jabir said: “It is a different match this time. Kuwait have had a good preparation and it is the opening game so it will be difficult and especially in front of their fans. “The pressure is always there and we can cope with it. We have ambition to get good results in this competition. This match against Kuwait is the first step which is very important and we will learn from any mistakes made to perform better and hopefully win. “We learned from past experiences that the Khaleeji has surprise results, and there is always pressure from playing in such a big competition. Except for Iraq, not everyone got the results they wanted in the latest World Cup qualifiers. If we reach the final and if we play all the games, it is five matches. The Arabian Gulf has different situations for all of the teams here, with all of us knowing that the results are very important to change the minds of the media and fans. “We are here to compete and qualify through the group. But the first step is against Kuwait so we are not looking beyond that. We have to be prepared mentally as well as physically for this competition,” Jabir said.

New coach Luis Garcia on Friday said Asian champions Qatar feel 'ready' ahead of the team's clash on Saturday against the United Arab Emirates on the opening day of Gulf Cup 26.Last week Garcia replaced coach Marquez Loepz ahead of the Dec 21-Jan 3 tournament that starts in Kuwait on Saturday with a game involving the hosts and former champions Oman.Kuwait and Oman are the two other teams in Group A along with Qatar and the UAE. In Group B, Saudi Arabia are joined by Bahrain, Yemen and defending champions Iraq.The top two sides from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.The Qatar squad arrived in Kuwait City on Friday following a week of training sessions in Doha. The entire QFA delegation was warmly received at the airport by the Kuwait Football Association.Speaking at his first press conference as the coach of Qatar team, Garcia said on Friday: "We have included some new players but we feel ready for the match against UAE. I have to say I am happy to be with the national team although our preparation period was very short due to time constraints."We feel ready as we have players with a professional mentality. We will deal with the competition match by match and we will strive to win every match as we are the champions of the Asian Cup," Garcia said on Friday.Garcia, who will coach Al-Annabi for the first time in an official match on Saturday, continued: "We have prepared well for a new tournament and as you know the opening match is always difficult but we aim to secure a victory. We have a young team and enthusiastic players in the Gulf Cup. Some of whom have joined the Qatari national team for the first time.""We have achieved a lot in the recent past and we must continue on the same path. Yes, the Qatari team won two continental titles (in the last five years) and we are the Asian Cup title holders. The Qatar football family is happy with what the team has achieved in such a short period (of time). We have ambitions to win the Gulf Cup and keep pace with these achievements," he added."I have a fantastic group of young players in the team. They have a great mindset and always aspire to achieve more," he added.Qatar player Assim Madibo said on Friday: "We are thankful to Kuwait for their warm hospitality and generous welcome. I can assure our fans that we will play to win and get positive results. We aim to give our best."The kick-off on Saturday is set for 10:00pm Qatar time.

The Qatari national team will face its UAE counterpart tomorrow, Saturday, at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium, marking the start of its journey in Group A of the 26th edition of Arabian Gulf Cup, hosted by Kuwait and continuing until January 3."Al-Annabi" team seeks an ideal start in "Gulf 26" to pave its way toward qualifying for semifinals from a group that also includes the host team Kuwait and Oman, who will meet on the same day at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium following the tournament's opening ceremony.The Qatari team arrived in Kuwait on Thursday evening after concluding a training camp in Doha that began on December 12 under the guidance of its new coach, Luis Garcia, recently appointed to replace his compatriot, Marquez Lopez.Garcia has announced a final squad of 26 players for the tournament, including three goalkeepers: Marwan Sharif (Al-Ahli), Meshaal Barsham (Al-Sadd), and Salah Zakaria (Al-Duhail).The squad also includes Ahmed Al-Rawi (Al-Rayyan); Sultan Al-Brek, Almoez Ali, Abdullah Al-Ahrak, Homam Al-Amin, and Mubarak Shannan (Al-Duhail); Ibrahim Al-Hassan and Mohammed Khalid (Calahorra, Spain); Abdulrahman Mustafa and Baha Lythy (Al-Ahli); Lucas Mendes and Abdulaziz Khalid (Al-Wakrah); Akram Afif, Youssef Abdulrazzaq, Tarek Salman, and Mustafa Tariq (Al-Sadd); Ahmed Fathi and Jassem Jaber (Al-Arabi); Rabah Boussafi, Asim Madibo, Abdullah Youssef, and Mohammed Muntari (Al-Gharafa); and Al-Hashemi Al-Hussein (Alcorcon, Spain).The Qatari team will hold its final training session today at Kazma Club Stadium in Kuwait, preparing for the match against UAE. The technical staff will finalize the lineup and tactical plan, while coach Garcia will hold a press conference at the main media center to discuss the opening match of the tournament.The Asian champion in last two editions (2019 and 2023) aims for a turnaround, correcting the image shown in the six rounds of Group A matches in World Cup qualifiers, where the team managed only two wins and a draw against three losses.The Qatari team finished fourth in Group A with 7 points, three points behind third-placed UAE, six points behind second-placed Uzbekistan (13 points), and nine points behind group leader Iran (16 points). This position complicated chances of direct qualification to World Cup finals by securing one of top two spots in the group. Consequently, Qatar may need to seek qualification through fourth stage, which involves six teams divided into two groups. The winners of each group qualify for the World Cup, while the runners-up compete in a continental playoff for a spot in the intercontinental playoff.This situation prompted a change in coaching staff, with Marquez Lopez being replaced despite leading the team to win the 2023 Asian Cup title. The federation entrusted assistant coach Luis Garcia with steering the team back on track and regaining its shine in crucial competitions like the Gulf Cup.The Qatari team possesses all the elements to revive its stellar form from the continental tournament, with influential players like Akram Afif, Asia's Best Player in 2023, top scorer, and Best Player of the last Asian Cup, alongside Almoez Ali, the top scorer and Best Player of the 2019 Asian Cup.The squad for the Gulf tournament includes several young players with promising potential seeking opportunities to showcase their talent. However, some notable names are absent, such as Al-Duhail's Edmilson Junior, Al-Wakrah defender Abdelkarim Hassan, Al-Sadd's Boualem Khoukhi, and Al-Rayyan's Abdulaziz Hatem.The clash with UAE will be a repeat of two recent encounters in the World Cup qualifiers, where Emirati team prevailed with a 3-1 victory in Doha and a 5-0 win in the UAE, making this match an opportunity for Qatar to amend its course.On the other hand, UAE team enters the game with high morale following positive results in the last two rounds of World Cup qualifiers, defeating Kyrgyzstan and Qatar to secure 10 points and third place in the group.In their last 15 Gulf Cup encounters, Qatar has held the upper hand against the UAE, winning six matches compared to three victories for the Emirati team, with six draws. Qatar scored 17 goals in these matches while conceding 14.

Qatar national football team arrived in Kuwait today to participate in the 26th Gulf Cup (Khaleeji 26), which will be hosted by Kuwait from December 21 to January 3.The team is competing in the 26th Gulf Cup in Group A, and will begin its campaign on Saturday by facing UAE national team at Jaber Al Mubarak Stadium in the first round, before meeting Oman national team on December 24 at the same stadium. The first round will conclude with a match against hosts Kuwait national team, on December 27 at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium.Qatar coach Luis Garcia had announced today the final list of players, including three goalkeepers: Marwan Sharif (Al Ahli), Meshaal Barsham (Al Sadd), and Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail).It also included Ahmed Al Rawi (Al Rayyan), Sultan Al Brake, Almoez Ali, Abdullah Al Ahrak, Homam Al Amin and Mubarak Shanan (Al Duhail), Ibrahim Al Hassan and Mohamed Khaled (Calahorra, Spain), Abdulrahman Mustafa and Bahaa Al Leithi (Al Ahli), Lucas Mendez and Abdulaziz Khaled (Al Wakrah), Akram Afif, Yousef Abdulrazaq, Tariq Salman and Mustafa Tariq (Al Sadd), Ahmed Fathi and Jassim Jaber (Al Arabi), Rabah Boussaf, Asim Madibo, Abdullah Youssef and Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa), and Al Hashemi Al Hussein (Alcorcon, Spain)

David Prats Racero will be Al Shamal SC coach until the end of this season, the Qatari club announced Thursday.The Spaniard will start his spell with the fifth spot side in the coming hours, revving up for the resumption of the Ooredoo Stars League 2024-2025 following the end of Gulf Cup 26 in Kuwait.The former assistant of Xavi Hernandez replaces Portuguese Nuno Almeida whose contract was terminated by mutual consent in early December.Omani Ahmed Kanoo led the team as a caretaker manager in their the 3-0 victory over Al Wakrah in Week 11.

Al Duhail and Al Arabi will battle it out for the QSL Cup trophy when they meet in the final at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium on Friday at 5.30pm. The clash is sure to produce great excitement given the strong challenge between both teams and their good show throughout the tournament. While Al Duhail made it to the final beating Al Wakrah 3-1 in the semi-final that went into extra time after a 1-1 draw in regular time, Al Arabi made the grade defeating Umm Salal 2-1. Both Al Duhail and Al Arabi had earlier faced-off in the fourth round at the Al Khor Stadium where Al Arabi edged Al Duhail 1-0 and the Red Knights would be keen to make up for that and win their first title of the season. Meanwhile, Al Arabi would also be eager to clinch the title they missed last season having lost to Umm Salal 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out in the final. Al Duhail’s star coach Christophe Galtier, addressing the media on eve of the final, said, “The team is missing the efforts of more than 12 players due to international commitments. We made a great effort in the last match after it went into extra time, but we focused on the physical efforts to prepare the players for the final and we hope to win our first championship this season. “The team has 6 to 7 young players who will be on the list to rely on and I hope that we will appear at the desired level and cap the great efforts we have made since the beginning of the tournament by winning the title. “I am trying to combine youth with experience. We tried during the past days to improve the game and focus on the physical and psychological side. The final against Al Arabi is of great importance and everyone is looking forward to winning the championship.” Al Duhail player Ahmed Abdelmaksoud said, “The final matches do not favour any team and the chances are therefore equal as both teams have international players of the highest level. So we have to do our best and, God-willing, our efforts will be capped with success and that we will win the cup.” Al Arabi coach Yeray Rodriguez said the ball is now in the players’ court and it is now for them to deliver their best. “We have prepared well for the match despite the short time and studied the opposing team and analysed their style of play. Now the ball is in the players’ court to present their best in this match,” said Rodriguez. “I have great confidence in all our players. Al Arabi are a distinguished team with a great history and always play for titles. The mixed fortunes in results happen in football and there is nothing to worry about as the team is able to rise from its slump. The good thing is that the players’ morale is in a state that calls for optimism in this match,” he said. “Regarding the absences, I would say that the team has 22 players and whatever the absences, the important thing is to focus on the existing group, and we hope to perform well and win this match.” Al Arabi player Helal Mohammed, said, “The team’s presence in the final for the second time in a row is a good thing, but all players are looking forward to winning the title after losing out on it last season. “We faced Al Duhail in the group stage and beat them. Cup matches are different from league matches and no matter the advantage on paper, that does not mean that one team is superior to the other. Chances are equal for both teams. We have great confidence in ourselves and our ability to achieve the title. “Our team is ready and our aspirations are great in order to win the cup and we will try to do our best to win. Simple details will help decide the title.”

Talismanic Akram Afif will be spearheading Qatar’s squad along with Almoez Ali at the 26th edition of Arabian Gulf Cup “Gulf 26” which will kick-off at the Jaber International Stadium in Kuwait when hosts Kuwait take on Oman tomorrow (December 21). Qatar’s 26-man squad was announced on Thursday with players making the grade from coach Luis Garcia’s preliminary list following a brief training camp in Doha. Garcia’s squad was revealed by Qatar legend Younus Ahmed in a video posted on Qatar Football Association’s (QFA) social media handle. The squad also includes Al Gharafa’s Assim Madibo, who is set to make his return to the national team. Afif and Ali will be leading Qatar’s attack with Al Rayyan starlet Ahmed al-Rawi – making a comeback. Lucas Mendez will be leading the defence line in the absence of injured Pedro Miguel. The QFA also announced that Mohammed Ayash will miss the tournament as he pulled up a hamstring during the training camp. Twice Asian champions Qatar will kick off their Group A campaign against the United Arab Emirates tomorrow at the newly-built Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah Stadium and will play their next tie against Oman on Tuesday. Al Annabi’s final group stage match will be against hosts Kuwait at the Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium on December 27. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals to be played on December 31, with the final set for January 3, 2025. squad: Marwan Sherif (Al Ahli), Meshaal Barsham (Al Sadd), Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail), Ahmed al-Rawi (Al Rayyan), Ahmed Fathy (Al Arabi), Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Ibrahim al-Hassan (Calahorra), Almoez Ali (Al Duhail), Al Hashemi al-Hussain (AD Alcorcon B), Bahaa al-Leithi (Al Ahli), Jassim Jaber (Al Arabi), Rabeh Boussafi (Al Gharafa), Sultan al-Brake (Al Duhail), Tarek Salman (Al Sadd), Assim Madibo (Al Gharafa), Abdulaziz Khalid (Al Wakrah), Abdullah al-Ahrak (Al Duhail), Abdullah Youssef (Al Gharafa), Abdelrahman Moustafa (Al Ahli), Mohamed Khaled (Calahorra), Mubarak Shanan (Al Duhail), Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa), Moustafa Meshaal (Al Sadd), Homam Al Amin (Al Duhail), Lucas Mendez (Al Wakrah), Yusuf Abdurisag (Al Sadd).

Shaheen Shah Afridi produced a spell of high-quality seam bowling as Pakistan claimed their One-Day International series against South Africa with a game to spare following a comprehensive 81-run victory at Newlands on Thursday.Pakistan have an unassailable 2-0 lead ahead of the third and final fixture in Johannesburg on Sunday. South Africa surprisingly sent the visitors into bat on a ground where it is known to be difficult to chase under lights, and Pakistan posted an above-par 329 all out.Heinrich Klaasen provided the only real resistance for South Africa with an excellent 97 from 74 balls but was the last man out as they were dismissed for 248 in 43.1 overs, having been outplayed in all facets of the game.Captain Mohammad Rizwan scored 80 from 82 balls to anchor the Pakistan innings, but the impetus for their total came from a superb 63 from 32 deliveries by Kamran Ghulam.Former skipper Babar Azam provided 73 in 95 deliveries with the visitors profiting from some sloppy South African fielding as they dropped numerous catches and were not accurate enough with the ball. Debutant fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, 18, returned figures of 4-72 in his 10 overs, the pick of a disappointing bowling effort from South Africa.Several of the home side’s batters got starts but Pakistan picked up wickets at regular intervals and Klaasen ran out of partners in the chase. Afridi showed superb control as he ripped through the South African middle order, removing the dangerous Miller for 29 to take the game away from the home side.BRIEF SCORES49.5 overs Pakistan 329 (Rizwan 80, Babar 73, Ghulam 63, Maphaka 4-72) beat South Africa 248 in 43.1 overs (Klaasen 97, Tony de Zorzi 34; Afridi 4-47, Naseem 3-37) by 81 runsNext match: Dec 22, Sunday.

India will play next year’s Champions Trophy matches on neutral ground after refusing to visit tournament host and arch-rival Pakistan, the International Cricket Council said on Thursday following weeks of wrangling.The announcement ended a month-long standoff after India told the ICC it would not send its team to Pakistan because of security fears and political tensions.Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier refused to play the Champions trophy on a so-called hybrid model, but backed down after settling on neutral venues – yet to be announced – for both sides in ICC tournaments.“India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue, the ICC board confirmed,” said a statement released by the council.“This will apply to the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 (hosted by Pakistan).”The agreement will extend to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 hosted by India, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the statement added.The nuclear-armed, cricket-obsessed neighbours have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected in cricket matters.Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram described the decision as “the best solution” but a loss for his country’s young cricket fans.“Like millions of Pakistan fans I would have wanted the whole tournament to be played in Pakistan, and India touring our country,” Wasim told AFP. “But if this is the solution then it’s the best one.“It’s not a win for any country but I am saddened that this is a loss for millions of Gen Z Pakistani fans who wanted to see (Virat) Kohli, Rohit (Sharma), (Rishabh) Pant, (Jasprit) Bumrah playing in their country.”The Champions Trophy will also feature Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.Former pacer Mohammad Amir said he wanted to host Kohli at his house in Lahore. “It is disappointing that India will not be playing in Pakistan,” Amir told AFP on the phone from Sri Lanka. “I would have loved to host Kohli at my home but it’s not to be.”Amir, who retired from international cricket last week, said Indian players would have been overwhelmed by the welcome in Pakistan.“Had they come to Pakistan they would have realised how much fan following they have here,” said Amir. “We went to India for the Twenty20 World Cup in 2016 and were welcomed with open hearts by the fans.”India’s latest defiance is a progression of New Delhi’s refusal to play bilateral cricket with Pakistan, initiated after the 2008 attacks on Mumbai which India blamed on militants based across the border.Pakistan was also forced to host last year’s Asia Cup on a hybrid model with India’s matches and the final hosted in Sri Lanka.Pakistan did, however, play in India during the 2023 ICC World Cup.The arch-rivals only meet in ICC multi-national events like ODI and T20 World Cups, with the last bilateral series held when Pakistan toured India in 2012-13.India last toured Pakistan to feature in the 2008 Asia Cup and have not played a bilateral series across the border for 18 years.In the last few years, Pakistan has hosted the world’s top teams after improving security, emerging from cricketing isolation that began after a militant attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 in Lahore.