‘I take full responsibility’: Renard disappointed after Saudi exit from CONCACAF Gold Cup
‘I take full responsibility’: Renard disappointed after Saudi exit from CONCACAF Gold Cup/node/2606277/sport
‘I take full responsibility’: Renard disappointed after Saudi exit from CONCACAF Gold Cup
Herve Renard has accepted responsibility for Ƶ’s 2-0 loss to Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. (AN photo)
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Updated 29 June 2025
SALEH FAREED
‘I take full responsibility’: Renard disappointed after Saudi exit from CONCACAF Gold Cup
Green Falcons 2-0 loss to Mexico in Arizona saw side leave tournament at quarterfinal stage
Updated 29 June 2025
SALEH FAREED
JEDDAH: Saudi coach Herve Renard expressed his disappointment and accepted the blame after his team’s 2-0 loss to Mexico, which saw them exit the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the quarterfinals.
“We did not perform at the (right) level, and the Mexican team deserved to win,” Renard said during the press conference following the match held in Arizona on Sunday morning.
“Sometimes the coach makes wrong decisions, and that’s part of football. I take full responsibility for today’s loss.”
He added: “We have to work on developing the offensive side of the national team, and we have benefited from our interactions with other teams during the tournament.
“We were lucky that Mexico did not play at 100 percent. I asked the players to put pressure on their defense, but we did not do it well and kept the ball.”
The French coach said that his time with the players was fruitful in terms of gaining experience, but admitted that the team failed to perform at its best during the crucial match. Focus will now shift to preparing well for the World Cup playoffs, Renard said.
‘Bigger and bigger’: Baseball United inaugural season edges closer
All games will be played at Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai, starting Nov.14
Updated 02 October 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: The inaugural season of Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, edged closer with the announcement that tickets are now on sale. The competition will feature Baseball United’s four founding franchises — Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Arabia Wolves, and Mid East Falcons — playing a total of 21 games in 30 days at Baseball United Ballpark at The Sevens in Dubai.
The season will begin with a three-game series between Mumbai and Karachi on Nov. 14, 15 and 16, and conclude with a best-of-three championship series on Dec. 12, 13 and 14 (if necessary). Dubai’s home team, the Wolves, play their first game on Nov. 18 against the Cobras.
The teams feature top professional players from 25 countries, including Japan, Philippines, Canada, Mexico, India, Pakistan, Germany, and the United States. Players have competed in top leagues such as Major League Baseball and the Nippon Professional Baseball League, and several were part of Baseball United’s previous events in Dubai over the past two years.
“After more than three years of building and so much work from so many people, we are finally ready for Season One,” said Kash Shaikh, chairman, CEO, and co-founder, Baseball United. “Each event we’ve hosted here in Dubai has gotten bigger and bigger, as more and more fans continue to fall in love with the ballpark experience. The grandstands at our games are full of families from all over the world, with a mix of new fans and longtime baseball lovers.
“We are grateful for the support from the community here in Dubai and across the GCC, and hope to host even more people at Baseball United Ballpark.”
Ticket prices range from 49 UAE dirhams ($13) for general admission seating, to 119 dirhams ($32) for reserved diamond club seating behind home plate. The games include a full food and beverage experience, with several local and international food vendors, and numerous bars.
Games will be played every day except Monday, with reduced pricing on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Following last month’s pre-sale, limited tickets remain for the opening weekend series between Mumbai and Karachi.
The league will also take a short break during the National Day holiday, with promotional activities scheduled in partnership with Emirates Dubai 7s. The season’s full schedule is available on baseballunited.com.
Baseball United was co-founded by Shaikh and several MLB legends, including Hall of Famers Barry Larkin, Mariano Rivera, and Adrian Beltre. The league’s February event averaged nearly four million viewers per game. Season One will be broadcast internationally, with official partners announced later this month.
Tickets for Baseball United Season One are on sale now exclusively on the District by Zomato app
Hall-of-Famer Oscar Robertson recalls 60s international showcase ahead of NBA Abu Dhabi Games
NBA great ‘Big O’ spoke to Arab News, about triple-doubles, overseas tours, and weighed in on Knicks, Bucks and Sixers ahead of the Abu Dhabi Games
Updated 02 October 2025
Mohammad Akkawi
ABU DHABI: Few basketball players have shaped the game the way Oscar Robertson has. The Hall of Famer, known as The Big O, was the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double over an entire season — a feat not repeated until Russell Westbrook managed it more than 50 years later. He was also the league’s inaugural Rookie of the Year in 1961 and later captured an NBA championship with Milwaukee.
Now Robertson is making his Abu Dhabi debut, attending The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 where the New York Knicks face the Philadelphia 76ers at Etihad Arena on Oct. 2 and 4.
Robertson told Arab News in an exclusive interview that his first taste of basketball outside the US came not through the NBA but on a goodwill tour in 1964 — one of the earliest efforts to take the game to an international audience.
“In 1964, we took a trip overseas to Yugoslavia, Poland, Romania, and Egypt. We thought we’d play a couple of games, but we ended up playing 16,” he recalled. “It was a lot of basketball, but I enjoyed it. For the first time in my life, I went to the pyramids, saw the camps in Poland, and visited Romania — nice place, Count Dracula, Bucharest.”
NBA Hall-of-Famer Oscar Robertson will be at the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025. (Supplied)
Although not officially part of the NBA calendar, the trip gave Robertson a glimpse of basketball’s global potential and left a lasting impression on his career.
Looking at how far the sport has come, Robertson praised the impact of modern visibility.
“Once it’s on social media, people can see the players no matter the time difference. That means a lot. And then you see how well international players are doing in the NBA. It’s wonderful, truly wonderful.”
While his triple-double record defines his legacy today, Robertson said that the stat was not even recognized in his era.
“When I was playing, I didn’t even know about triple-doubles. No one ever mentioned them. I only heard about it in the mid-70s, when Magic Johnson came into the league and started competing with Larry Bird. That’s when people began talking about triple-doubles, and they went back into the archives and discovered mine.
“They didn’t get them all, though,” he added with a grin.
It was a reminder, he said, that “even the record books don’t fully capture” the scale of his dominance.
Robertson is a keen follower of the global game and said that last summer’s Olympics proved once again that experience matters.
In July last year, Team USA staged its pre-Olympic training camp in Abu Dhabi, playing practice games against Australia and Serbia before heading to Paris. The camp was billed as a redemption tour after the Americans’ fourth-place finish at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
This time, LeBron James rallied the biggest names in basketball, assembling what was dubbed the sport’s “Avengers” squad — with James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis among those committing to restore US dominance.
Reflecting on their gold-medal win against France, Robertson highlighted the difference that the veterans made.
“Had it not been for Curry … even though we had some great players on the court, so did the French, whom the US faced in the final. You don’t realize how strong they are until you see them play. But when you’ve got LeBron, Curry and those guys with all their experience, it makes the difference.”
With the Knicks and Sixers bringing their historic rivalry to Abu Dhabi this week, Robertson shared his thoughts on the teams headlining this year’s double-header, as well as his former franchise Milwaukee.
On the Knicks, who reached the Eastern Conference finals last season for the first time in 25 years, he praised their promise but warned that balance is crucial in today’s NBA.
“They’ll have a really good team and will be one of the favorites, no doubt about that. But the three-point shot only works if you’re making them — if not, it hurts you. You need another plan, to go inside and mix things up. Without an inside game, you’re not going to win.”
Turning to the 76ers, Robertson said all eyes will be on Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, as he looks to bounce back from an injury-hit campaign last season.
“Every team has injuries, you have to overcome them. Embiid is a big part of Philadelphia’s basketball team. Is he going to be OK this year? I don’t know. We’ll find out if he plays here tomorrow night.”
But he cautioned that even a dominant player like Embiid cannot do it all alone.
“If he’s healthy, Embiid will be tough to guard. He’s a big man with the size and strength to make Philadelphia much better. But the other guys have to play well, too. You can’t leave it all up to one guy.”
He pointed to Wilt Chamberlain’s historic 1961-1962 season as proof: “Wilt averaged 50 points a game, but the Philadelphia Warriors still fell short of a championship.”
Finally, on Milwaukee, where he won the championship in 1971, Robertson noted a period of transition despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s continued presence.
“They have some new players. Giannis has been there maybe 12 years or so, but around him it’s almost a brand new team. They let go of Damian Lillard, brought in a new forward and Myles Turner from the Pacers. They’ve got to prove themselves.”
As Abu Dhabi prepares for two nights of NBA action, Robertson’s reflections bridge generations. From pioneering overseas tours in the 1960s to redefining the triple-double and analysing today’s stars, The Big O remains a voice of authority on what truly wins in basketball: teamwork, experience, and an inside game that never goes out of style.
Andre Fletcher commands big payday of $260,000 at historic DP World ILT20 Season 4 Player Auction
Fletcher of MI Emirates, Scott Currie (Dubai Capitals, $250,000) and Liam Dawson (Gulf Giants, $170,000) among the top signings at the auction
UAE pacers were in top demand as Junaid Siddique fetched $170,000 with Sharjah Warriorz, Muhammad Rohid was secured by MI Emirates for $140,000, and Wasim Akram joined Warriorz for $55,000
Updated 02 October 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: The West Indies’ Andre Fletcher capped a day of drama at the first-ever DP World ILT20 player auction, emerging as the most expensive player with a price tag of a whopping $260,000.
MI Emirates outbid rivals to secure the explosive batter for a fourth consecutive season. Close behind was England’s Scott Currie, snapped up by Dubai Capitals for $250,000.
England’s Liam Dawson led the pack amongst the pacers acquired for $170,000 by Gulf Giants while Naveen-ul-Haq was secured for $100,000 by MI Emirates.
UAE pacers were the flavor of the auction, with Junaid Siddique going to Sharjah Warriorz for $170,000 (Right-to-Match), making him their most expensive buy. Muhammad Rohid also drew a six-figure deal, going to MI Emirates for $140,000 (RTM).
Some of the standout performers from the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament also converted their success into franchise deals at the auction.
UAE pacer Haider Razzaq, the leading wicket-taker in Sharjah Warriorz Development’s title-winning campaign earlier this year, was purchased by Gulf Giants for $50,000.
Player of the Tournament, Sanjay Pahal, an all-rounder who impressed throughout, was retained by Desert Vipers for $10,000. Raees Ahmed, who was amongst the top three run-getters, went back to Sharjah Warriorz at his base price of $10,000.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders eagerly pursued Scotland’s Brandon McMullen for $110,000, while also picking up Michael Pepper and Unmukt Chand at their base price of $40,000, along with England’s George Garton for $10,000.
Their Associate Nation pool was reinforced by Kuwait’s Adnan Idrees ($10,000), while the UAE core featured Ibrar Ahmad ($22,000, RTM), Ajay Kumar ($10,000) and Abdul Manan Ali ($10,000).
Desert Vipers acquired Pakistan stars Fakhar Zaman and Naseem Shah at their base price of $80,000 apiece, along with Afghanistan leggie Qais Ahmed ($40,000). They also secured Scotland’s Tom Bruce for $80,000 and brought in Pakistan’s Hasan Nawaz at $40,000.
Their Associate signings saw UAE keeper Vriitya Aravind ($10,000) join Bilal Tahir ($10,000), while Faisal Khan made history as the first Ƶn player bought at the auction, picked up at his base price of $10,000.
The Dubai Capitals followed their big splash for the young Currie by opting for experience.
Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi and England’s Tymal Mills were among their headline overseas pick at $80,000, while the UAE’s Farhan Khan and Muhammad Farooq were secured for $10,000 each.
To round out their haul, they added Kuwait’s Anudeep Chenthamara ($10,000) and Ƶ’s Usman Najeeb ($10,000).
Gulf Giants became the first team to complete their squad. They snapped up South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi and Netherlands’ pacer Fred Klaassen for $40,000 each, and England’s Sean Dickson at $10,000.
The franchise also strengthened their bowling department through England’s Chris Wood and West Indies’ Ramon Simmonds with both pacers coming in at $40,000 each.
Their Associate Nation haul included Kuwait’s Meet Bhavsar ($14,000) and Ƶ’s Ishtiaq Ahmad ($16,000), with the UAE’s Asif Khan ($26,000) and Zuhaib Zubair’s $10,000 (RTM) adding to their UAE core.
The MI Emirates, alongside their record signing of Fletcher, added Bangladesh’s Shakib Al-Hassan for $40,000 and England all-rounder Jordan Thompson for $48,000.
They further diversified with Associate Nations players including the US’ Nosthush Kenjige, UAE’s Zahoor Khan, Kuwait’s Mohammad Shafiq and Ƶ’s Zain ul-Abidin, all at $10,000.
Sharjah Warriorz roped in South African all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius at $120,000 and English leg-spinner Nathan Sowter for $100,000. They also locked in pacers Jayden Seales and Taskin Ahmed at $80,000 each.
Warriorz spent big on the UAE’s Wasim Akram, bagging the pacer for $55,000. Kuwait’s Mohamed Nawfer and Mohammed Aslam were picked up for $14,000 each. Also, the UAE’s Ethan D’Souza, Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava and US’ Harmeet Singh went to Warriorz for $10,000 each.
The DP World ILT20 season four begins on Tuesday, Dec. 2 and concludes with the final on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.
Muhammad Waseem to lead UAE in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualifier
UAE to play Qatar and Malaysia in their two group fixtures
Nine teams to compete in the qualifier, with top 3 progressing to the finals in India and Sri Lanka
Updated 02 October 2025
Arab News
DUBAI: The UAE will compete in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia and East Asia Pacific Qualifier next month with prolific opener Muhammad Waseem leading the 15-member squad.
Three teams will qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. Nine teams will compete in the tournament, divided into three pools. The UAE are in Group 1 alongside Malaysia and Qatar.
The team will play Qatar on Wednesday, Oct. 8 and Malaysia on Friday, Oct. 10. The top two teams from each pool will progress to the Super Six Stage.
Super Six matches will take place from Oct. 12 to 17, with the top three teams earning ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 qualification.
UAE squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia and EAP Qualifier:
Muhammad Waseem (captain), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Jonathan Figy, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Irfan, Rahul Chopra (wicketkeeper), Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh and Zahid Ali.
Support staff: Amjad Ezzi (team manager), Lalchand Rajput.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia and EAP Qualifier – Oman – UAE matches schedule:
Wednesday, Oct. 8: UAE vs. Qatar – Al-Amerat Cricket Stadium.
Friday, Oct. 10: UAE vs. Malaysia – Al-Amerat Cricket Ground Turf 2.
Super Six Stage, Oct. 12-17: Al-Amerat Cricket Stadium and Al-Amerat Cricket Ground Turf 2.
Ramos snatches Champions League holders PSG late win at Barca
It was an even and thoroughly entertaining bout between two of the competition’s favorites at the Olympic stadium which was eventually settled by Ramos’ late strike, as PSG exploited Barca’s high defensive line
Updated 02 October 2025
AFP
BARCELONA: Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain stunned Barcelona with a 90th-minute Goncalo Ramos winner to claim a 2-1 away victory in the league stage on Wednesday.
Ferran Torres sent Hansi Flick’s Barcelona ahead with a cool finish but Senny Mayulu fired a depleted PSG level before half-time.
It was an even and thoroughly entertaining bout between two of the competition’s favorites at the Olympic stadium which was eventually settled by Ramos’ late strike, as PSG exploited Barca’s high defensive line.
“After scoring the (first) goal we got a confidence boost and in the second half we were better,” Luis Enrique told reporters.
“I’m happy... because it’s an important victory and playing against Barcelona is always difficult.”
Luis Enrique, who won the treble coaching Barcelona in 2015, was lacking several key players and his team held on at times but eventually got the better of last season’s semifinalists.
“If you let in a goal in the last minute and you lose at home, you’re going to be disappointed,” Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong told Movistar.
“There’s a long way to go in the Champions League. It was a good game to test where we are — we have to improve. We know that and we will do it.”
Barcelona and PSG have not been on the best of terms over the past decade, with the Catalans recording one of the sport’s greatest comebacks in 2017 with a 6-1 win over the Parisians.
PSG snatching Neymar and going on to sign all-time Barca great Lionel Messi worsened relations, although Luis Enrique’s approach and a spate of injuries left the visitors shorn of star names on their return to Catalonia.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and his usual attacking partners Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia all missed out, but PSG midfielders Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz were fit to start.
From kick-off Barca starlet Lamine Yamal was out to prove a point. After finishing as runner-up behind Dembele, the teenager started stating his case for next year’s award.
Yamal pirouetted away from two defenders and dodged Nuno Mendes, starting an enthralling battle with PSG’s left-back.
The defender shut him down for Portugal in the Nations League in the summer and managed to dispossess the winger in the box a few minutes later to strike back in their individual tussle.
Yamal created the first clear chance with a sensational pass using the outside of his boot to send Torres through.
The Spaniard rounded goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier but Illia Zabarnyi slid in to block his goal-bound effort.
Barcelona took the lead in the 19th minute after Yamal and Pedri combined and Torres slotted home from Marcus Rashford’s quick first-time pass.
PSG started to grow into the game and forced Wojciech Szczesny into his first save, tipping Achraf Hakimi’s free-kick around the post.
Mendes gave Yamal a taste of his own medicine by blazing away from the youngster downfield, cutting through Barcelona players, only to be felled by a desperate De Jong.
Mendes repeated the trick to set up the equalizer, tearing into Barca territory. Pau Cubarsi misjudged a lunge to try and cut out his pass for 19-year-old striker Mayulu, who beat Szczesny in the 38th minute.
- Marauding Mendes -
Bradley Barcola fired narrowly over and then forced Szczesny into a solid save either side of the interval as the European champions clicked into a higher gear.
PSG were fortunate Mendes was not issued a second yellow for felling Yamal in full flow on the edge of the box as the pendulum swung back the other way.
Dani Olmo’s shot was cleared off the line by Hakimi and PSG’s Kang-in Lee curled against the post as the clock ticked down and Barca started to tire.
Eventually Ramos grabbed three points for PSG as he stayed onside to collect Hakimi’s pass, after the Moroccan got in behind Barca’s defense, and slot home.
“We’re happy with what we showed today,” said Luis Enrique, after PSG sealed their second win from two league stage games.
The coach hailed his full-backs Mendes and Hakimi, calling them the finest in their positions in the world.
“No doubts, the two best,” added Luis Enrique. “Nuno and Hakimi played excellently.”
