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Benzema’s double strike gives Al-Ittihad the double

Benzema’s double strike gives Al-Ittihad the double
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Karim Benzema scored twice as Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Qadsiah 3-1 on Friday to lift the King Cup and complete the double after winning the Saudi Pro League title earlier in May. (Photos:X/@HQpcrt & @SPL_EN/AFP))
Benzema’s double strike gives Al-Ittihad the double
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Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates during their Saudi King Cup — Final — against Al-Qadsiah — King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, May 30, 2025. (Reuters)
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Updated 31 May 2025

Benzema’s double strike gives Al-Ittihad the double

Benzema’s double strike gives Al-Ittihad the double
  • The Frenchman scored in each half to give the Tigers another trophy to celebrate
  • There was an explosion of goalmouth action in the closing stages of the first half

JEDDAH: Karim Benzema scored twice as Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Qadsiah 3-1 on Friday to lift the King Cup and complete the double after winning the Saudi Pro League title earlier in May.

At a delighted King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, the Frenchman scored in each half to give the Tigers another trophy to celebrate with their fans. It marked a 10th King Cup triumph for the club to go along with its 10th league success.

There was an explosion of goalmouth action in the closing stages of the first half. Al-Ittihad had been on top for much of the game but both teams had come close. Fans had to wait until the 34th minute, however, to break the deadlock.

First, Benzema, who scored 21 league goals, did what he does best. Moussa Diaby freed Steven Bergwijn down the right and his cross was chested home by Benzema.

Then, after 43 minutes, Diaby floated a ball over from the right to Benzema at the far post and while the Frenchman’s header was saved, there was Houssem Aouar to finish from close range.

Just when the Tigers were set to head back in at the break in a very good position, Al-Qadsiah were back in the game. Cameron Puertas was bundled over the box and up stepped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to send Predrag Rajkovic the wrong way.

After the restart, the next goal was always going to be crucial and though Al-Qadsiah pushed for an equalizer, it was Benzema who settled the tie and won the cup in added time after Qadsiah’s Ezequiel Hernandez had been sent off for a second bookable offense.

Not for the first time in the game or the season, much of the good work was done by Diaby. The winger broke free on the left to put the ball across the goal for his fellow Frenchman to score from close range to seal the cup and the double with almost the last kick of a hugely successful — and long — season for Al-Ittihad.


Haaland scores again as Norway crushes Italy in World Cup qualifier and Croatia cruises

Haaland scores again as Norway crushes Italy in World Cup qualifier and Croatia cruises
Updated 9 sec ago

Haaland scores again as Norway crushes Italy in World Cup qualifier and Croatia cruises

Haaland scores again as Norway crushes Italy in World Cup qualifier and Croatia cruises
  • Italy was missing some regulars for its first qualifying match, while others failed to impress, including Mateo Retegui, the best Serie A scorer

Erling Haaland scored and Norway humbled Italy 3-0 for the first time in 25 years in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Friday.
Haaland collected a through ball from playmaker Martin Odegaard and rounded goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the box for the third goal three minutes before halftime.
It was his 41st goal in his 42nd match for Norway to the delight of the spectators at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo, including King Harald V of Norway.
Haaland also scored when Moldova was beaten 5-0 and Israel 4-2. Norway remained perfect in qualifying after three games in Europe Group I.
Striker Alexander Sorloth received a precise pass from Antonio Nusa then beat Donnarumma with a left foot shot. Nusa, the 20-year-old attacking midfielder, was a constant threat to the Italian defense. He left behind two defenders and doubled the advantage with a rising shot from inside the area.
Italy was missing some regulars for its first qualifying match, while others failed to impress, including Mateo Retegui, the best Serie A scorer.
Defenders Alessandro Buongiorno and Mattia Gabbia, defensive midfielder Manuel Locatelli and forward Moise Kean were all injured while key center back Francesco Acerbi, who was meant to mark Haaland, turned down his callup.
Diego Coppola played center back in the three-man defensive line used by coach Luciano Spalletti that was not able to stop Norway.
Norway dominates, Italy in trouble
In the other Group I game, Israel won in Estonia 3-1 for a second win and second place.
The Azzurri are under pressure from the start of their qualifying after failing to reach the last two World Cups.
Winning the group is the only way to ensure direct qualification to next year’s tournament in North America. The second-placed team goes into the playoffs — the stage where Italy was eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia and ruled out of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively.
A four-time World Cup champion, the only other time Italy didn’t qualify was for the 1958 edition.
Italy hosts Moldova on Monday when Norway will be in action at Estonia.
Croatia cruises, Belgium held
Croatia opened its qualifying with a 7-0 rout of minnow Gibraltar.
Mario Pašalić and Ante Budimir struck twice for Croatia within two minutes to break the deadlock after half an hour. In the second half, substitutes Andrek Kramaric and Franjo Ivanovis scored a couple each and Ivan Perisic piled on.
Croatia was runner-up in the 2018 World Cup and third in 2022.
In the same Group L, Adam Hložek and Patrik Schick each scored as the unbeaten Czech Republic beat Montenegro 2-0 for a third straight win.
Belgium was 1-0 up on a goal by defender Maxim De Cuyper but Ezgjan Alioski salvaged a draw for North Macedonia in a surprise in Group J.
Wales tops the group with seven points from three games after a 3-0 victory over Liechtenstein. North Macedonia was two points behind.
Europe to contribute a third of all teams
Europe will have 16 teams in the expanded 48-team field for the World Cup.
They will come from the winners of the 12 qualifying groups plus four from a playoff of the 12 group runners-up together with four best-ranked group winners in the Nations League that don’t finish first or second in the qualifying.
The group stage of European qualifying runs through November.


Sinner sets up Alcaraz French Open final with victory over Djokovic

Sinner sets up Alcaraz French Open final with victory over Djokovic
Updated 40 min 36 sec ago

Sinner sets up Alcaraz French Open final with victory over Djokovic

Sinner sets up Alcaraz French Open final with victory over Djokovic
  • Sinner wrapped up an ultimately comfortable opening set with a hold to love, finished off by a backhand winner

PARIS: Jannik Sinner will face Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final after ending Novak Djokovic’s latest tilt at a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title in the last four on Friday.
The world number one held off a battling Djokovic with an impressive 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) win on Court Philippe Chatrier to reach his first Roland Garros final.
“It was such a special occasion for me playing against Novak in the semifinal,” said the three-time Grand Slam champion, who is now on a 20-match winning streak in majors.
“I had to step up and play the best tennis I could. I’m very happy.”
Djokovic battled hard in a dramatic contest that lasted three hours and 16 minutes, but three missed set points late in the third set ultimately put paid to his hopes of a comeback.
Sinner, who is yet to drop a set in the tournament, will be hoping to gain revenge on Alcaraz after losing to the Spaniard in five sets in the semifinals last year.
The Italian will be playing in a maiden Slam final not on hard courts after edging 5-4 ahead in his head-to-head record with Djokovic with his fourth successive victory over the 38-year-old.
Djokovic’s exit ensures that a sixth successive major title will be lifted by either Sinner or world number two Alcaraz, in what appears increasingly likely to be a permanent changing of the guard.
It will be the first Grand Slam final to be played between two men born in the 2000s.
Alcaraz has won his last four matches against Sinner, including in the Italian Open final in May when Sinner returned from a three-month doping ban.
“Sunday is going to be very difficult, I know my head-to-head lately doesn’t look great against Carlos but let’s see what I can do,” said the 23-year-old.
Djokovic was bidding to become the first man to win a Slam with victories over all of the world’s top three players after beating Alexander Zverev in the quarters.
Instead, he will turn his attentions to his seventh attempt to break out of a tie with Margaret Court on 24 major titles at Wimbledon next month.
The top seed broke in the fifth game as Djokovic followed a netted backhand with an air-shot as a Sinner return skipped off the clay.
Sinner wrapped up an ultimately comfortable opening set with a hold to love, finished off by a backhand winner.
Djokovic was the better player at the start of the second set, but could not find a way through against an opponent who had not dropped serve since his opening-round win over France’s Arthur Rinderknech.
The Djokovic errors started to rack up in crucial points, although the three-time champion dug deep and broke Sinner when he was serving for a two-set lead.
Djokovic could not back up his break, though, despite leading 40-15 in the next game, and then received treatment from the trainer on his right leg.
Sinner closed out the set at the second time of asking courtesy of another battling hold that featured two aces, one from a second serve.
Djokovic called for the physio for lengthier treatment ahead of the third set.
He missed a break point in the fourth game, but refused to give in and eventually edged 5-4 in front on serve to put some pressure on Sinner.
A cacophony of noise greeted a brilliant rally that saw Djokovic bring up two set points.
Sinner fended them both off, and then a third, before Djokovic became incensed by a line call that didn’t go his way as the set headed toward a tie-break.
The end appeared nigh when Djokovic dumped the simplest of overheads into the net to gift Sinner a 3-0 edge in the breaker.
Sinner, who like Alcaraz has never lost a Grand Slam final, completed the job on his second match point as Djokovic netted.


Tuchel wants relentless energy in attack from England against Andorra

Tuchel wants relentless energy in attack from England against Andorra
Updated 06 June 2025

Tuchel wants relentless energy in attack from England against Andorra

Tuchel wants relentless energy in attack from England against Andorra
  • England are top of Group K after two games with a perfect record while Andorra are bottom
  • Tuchel said England are fully committed to the qualifier where he wants “a win that is never in danger”

BARCELONA: England go into their World Cup qualifier against Andorra as heavy favorites but the players will find it challenging to find the energy to attack relentlessly after a long and gruelling season, coach Thomas Tuchel said on Friday.

England are top of Group K after two games with a perfect record while Andorra are bottom with two losses ahead of Saturday’s game in Barcelona.

Tuchel said England are fully committed to the qualifier where he wants “a win that is never in danger” but also said fans should not “over-expect” them to go all guns blazing right from the start of the game.

“It will be on us to get going, it is on us to keep the tempo high, to bring the attacking energy to the pitch and to do this in a relentless way,” Tuchel told reporters.

“I can fully understand that this is not the easiest time of the season for an international break. The players come from a long and tiring season and then again accepting the role to be responsible for the majority of the game can be demanding.

“But at the same time, what I feel from the group is that they are happy to be here. We are quite new together, it is our second camp and I have trust and belief that we will do what is necessary to get the result that we want.”

Tuchel said England have embraced the tag as huge favorites, promising an attacking lineup that will dominate possession while he is not looking to experiment by using this match as an audition for new players.

“The focus will be on the attacking patterns, on our hunger for and the reaction after ball losses, for the counter-pressing,” he added.

“These will be the main topics for tomorrow and this will then guide and demand the tactics.

“My thoughts are not so much whom can we see and what do we try. It’s more about the game plan since two days and who trains well... After a long season, putting players together from which we feel they have a connection and then they can show.”

Tuchel has also done his homework on Andorra, describing the European minnows as a well-drilled and well-organized side in a 5-4-1 formation.

“They don’t allow a huge amount of big chances,” the German coach said.

“So we need a mix between being patient and at the same time speed the game up, bring the speed to the game and try to never lose the focus.”


Saudis resume preparation for their Australia clash of the World Cup Asian qualifiers

Saudis resume preparation for their Australia clash of the World Cup Asian qualifiers
Updated 06 June 2025

Saudis resume preparation for their Australia clash of the World Cup Asian qualifiers

Saudis resume preparation for their Australia clash of the World Cup Asian qualifiers
  • Tuesday’s match is the final round of the third stage of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
  • Head coach Herve Renard limited the session to a recovery workout at the team’s health club

JEDDAH: The Ƶn national football team resumed training on Friday at their Jeddah camp as they gear up for their AFC World Cup qualifier against Australia.

Tuesday’s match is the final round of the third stage of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

On the field, head coach Herve Renard limited the session to a recovery workout at the team’s health club, involving all players following previous intensive training days.

Players Muhannad Al-Saad and Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti have started their individual rehabilitation programs under the supervision of the fitness coach working their way back to full strength.

Following the recovery session, Renard gave the squad a period of free time, with players scheduled to regroup at the team’s camp later on Friday evening.

The Green Falcons will continue their training on Saturday with a closed-door session set to take place at the reserve pitch of King Abdullah Sports City at 7:00 p.m.

On Thursday, Ƶ beat Bahrain 2-0 in Riffa to tee up a showdown with Australia for the second automatic spot in AFC FIFA World Cup qualifying Group C.

Thursday’s win keeps Saudi third, three points behind Australia, although with a far inferior goal difference. The Socceroos stand at second place with 16 points from nine matches, having scored 14 goals and conceded 6.

The Green Falcons have so far bagged six goals and conceded the same with 13 points in third spot. They have to win 8-0 against Australia to climb up to second place and qualify directly, otherwise they move on to the next group phase.


Postecoglou sacked by Spurs despite ending trophy drought

Postecoglou sacked by Spurs despite ending trophy drought
Updated 06 June 2025

Postecoglou sacked by Spurs despite ending trophy drought

Postecoglou sacked by Spurs despite ending trophy drought
  • The Australian paid the price for Tottenham’s worst domestic season
  • “The Club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties,” a statement said

LONDON: Ange Postecoglou was sacked as Tottenham manager on Friday, just 16 days after the Australian ended the club’s 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League.

Postecoglou led Tottenham to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in Bilbao to clinch the north Londoners’ first European prize in 41 years and secure a place in next season’s Champions League.

But the Australian paid the price for Tottenham’s worst domestic season since they were relegated from the top flight in 1976-77.

“Following a review of performances and after significant reflection, the Club can announce that Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties,” a statement on Tottenham’s official X account said.


Exactly two years after he was hired from Celtic, Postecoglou’s eventful spell in north London was brought to a end by chairman Daniel Levy.

Tottenham lost 22 of their 38 Premier League games to finish 17th in the table, above only relegated trio Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton.

“The Board has unanimously concluded that it is in the best interests of the club for a change to take place,” the statement said.

“Whilst winning the Europa League this season ranks as one of the club’s greatest moments, we
cannot base our decision on emotions aligned to this triumph.”