5 things we learned from Saudi’s World Cup qualifiers

Analysis 5 things we learned from Saudi’s World Cup qualifiers
Salem Al-Dawsari in action during Saudi’s 0-0 draw against Japan. (X/@SaudiNT)
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Updated 25 March 2025
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5 things we learned from Saudi’s World Cup qualifiers

5 things we learned from Saudi’s World Cup qualifiers
  • Four points from a win over China and a draw with Japan is probably what Herve Renard had set as an acceptable return from this international week

LONDON: Saudi Arabia drew 0-0 in Japan on Tuesday to follow the 1-0 win over China last Thursday. The results leave the Green Falcons on 10 points in Group C in the third round of 2026 World Cup qualification, three points behind Australia in second. Japan are already sure of first.

Only the top two from each of the three groups of six are guaranteed a place in North America next summer, while those that finish third and fourth advance to another stage of qualification.

It goes without saying that Saudi Arabia want to take the direct route. Here are five things we learned from this World Cup qualification window.

The Japan result was a good one

Four points from the two games is a good showing. The China game should have ended with a more emphatic scoreline and ideally would have been followed by victory in Japan.

Coach Herve Renard said after the 0-0 draw that he would have taken the point if he had been offered it 24 hours earlier, and understandably so. Japan are the best team in Asia by some distance, even if they had already qualified.

If Saudi Arabia do miss out on the automatic places for the World Cup it will not be because of the stalemate in Japan but because of earlier home draws with Indonesia and Bahrain. If six points had been taken in those two games under Roberto Mancini, then the result in Saitama Stadium would have been hailed as an excellent one. The same could be said if Australia had not picked up six points in the last five days.

Attacking threat sacrificed for defensive solidity

Renard did not need to say that he would have taken a point: His game plan and tactics made it obvious that this was what he wanted.

There was talk about keeping it tight for the opening exchanges and then perhaps getting down the wings to cause problems for the East Asians.

The first part of that equation happened, but the second? Not really. There was little in terms of attacking threat from the visitors. There were long balls out of defence but Firas Al-Buraikan was often left isolated on the rare occasions that the ball went into dangerous areas.

Yet the concentration, the tactical discipline and hard work were impressive. Saudi Arabia frustrated a better team away from home and while there was luck at times, they are only the second team to take points from Japan in 14 World Cup qualifiers.

Jehad Thakri impresses

With injuries at the back, a problem not helped by Hassan Kadesh getting carried off against China, there were some understandable worries against the team with the most firepower in Asia. There may have been a few nerves when Renard handed a debut to Jehad Thakri but the Al-Qadsiah center-back did not display any signs of them as he took the field at Saitama Stadium on the right side of a three-man defense.

The 23-year-old has made a name for himself this season in the Saudi Pro League and looks like he belongs on the international stage too as he was confident, strong and hard to beat. His distribution was not quite as impressive but there is time for that to develop, especially as there will not be many games when Saudi Arabia are under so much pressure. With Nawaf Boushal also impressing, there are some new names coming through.

Fatigue and injuries play a part

Following the Japan game there has been plenty of reaction on social media about how extending the number of foreign players allowed in Saudi Pro League squads to 10 has negatively affected the national team. 

That is perhaps a debate for another day, but it should not be forgotten that the Green Falcons have had to deal with numerous injuries. Just before the China game, midfielder Mohamed Kanno was ruled out, then Kadesh was also unavailable and, perhaps most damaging of all, Roma star Saud Abdulhamid picked up an injury. There are also longer-term knocks such as Yasser Al-Shahrani and others. 

And then there is the travel factor. There was a hard-fought game at home and then a long, long trip east, across six time zones, to face the best team in Asia. This should not be underestimated (and will work against Australia in the final window).

Renard has gambled on Japan

There are two games remaining, with the final clash between Saudi Arabia and Australia on June 10 — and this cannot be a dead rubber. The problem is that the Socceroos are three points clear with a much superior goal difference. 

Whatever happens, Renard and his men have to win in Bahrain in the penultimate match. Then the hope is that Japan get something in Perth on the same day. Even though they have already qualified, the Samurai Blue are certainly capable of winning Down Under. There is a rivalry between the two teams and Japan would enjoy denting Australia’s World Cup hopes.

It would mean then that it all comes down to the last game. If Saudi Arabia go into the Australia match knowing that a win means second place and the World Cup, then Renard will be happy.


Amorim tells Man Utd players they cannot ‘hide’

Amorim tells Man Utd players they cannot ‘hide’
Updated 4 sec ago
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Amorim tells Man Utd players they cannot ‘hide’

Amorim tells Man Utd players they cannot ‘hide’
“It’s a moment that is hard for us and we want to finish the season,” Amorim said
“But at the same time we want to give something to the fans”

HONG KONG: Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said Thursday that his players cannot “hide” after a dismal season hit a fresh low when they were booed off following a friendly defeat in Malaysia.

United finished 15th in the Premier League and failed to win a trophy, then immediately jetted out Sunday for lucrative friendlies in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.

But if his squad were hoping for some respite in Asia, they did not get it, suffering a 1-0 defeat to a Southeast Asian XI in the Malaysian capital on Wednesday.

United’s players trudged off with boos ringing in their ears and now face Hong Kong’s representative team in another friendly on Friday.

“We’ve had the season that we had and it’s not easy to face the fans around the world, so it’s a moment that is hard for us and we want to finish the season,” Amorim said of the tour at the end of a long and poor campaign.

“But at the same time we want to give something to the fans. We are traveling, we don’t have time to adapt, we don’t have so much time to have contact with the fans and give everything they deserve.

“But it’s clear that we cannot hide... if there is one thing that is really important in this club, it’s that we need to face our fans in this moment and give something to our fans around the world.”

Amorim, who took over from Erik ten Hag during the season but failed to spark an improvement in performances, said his side of first-teamers and youngsters was “not really focused” in Wednesday’s loss.

“Everybody can feel it. But I understand the fans (booing), I understand the players and you also understand that we want to give something to the fans, but it’s hard in this moment,” he said.

The 40-year-old Portuguese said he had learned that being Manchester United manager meant being “more than a coach.”

“You have to improve as a person, you have to improve as a leader. Sometimes after the games you see I am frustrated, I am trying to control that.

“When you have results, you can manage everything so much easier,” he added.

Heavy rain lashed the 40,000-capacity Hong Kong Stadium on the eve of the game and Amorim will be desperate not to have any fresh injuries to finish off the campaign.

“The weather looks like Manchester so we feel at home,” Amorim joked.

“If we are professional and we focus on the game it is the best way to protect our players from injuries,” he added.

Teenager Andreeva shows her mettle, Pegula advances at French Open

Teenager Andreeva shows her mettle, Pegula advances at French Open
Updated 47 min 5 sec ago
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Teenager Andreeva shows her mettle, Pegula advances at French Open

Teenager Andreeva shows her mettle, Pegula advances at French Open
  • The 18-year-old sixth seed found herself an early break down on Court Simonne Mathieu
  • “This match wasn’t easy, I’d lost to her at the US Open,” Andreeva said

PARIS: Mirra Andreeva underlined her claycourt credentials again at the French Open when the Russian teenager methodically took apart Ashlyn Krueger, and third seed Jessica Pegula also moved into the third round on Thursday.

Andreeva, a surprise Roland Garros semifinalist in 2024, confirmed her calibre on the sport’s slowest surface with runs to the Madrid and Rome quarter-finals this season, and she had to be at her inventive best to beat the powerful Krueger 6-3 6-4.

The 18-year-old sixth seed found herself an early break down on Court Simonne Mathieu but fought back to secure the first set, before mixing up her game with exquisite sliced forehands in the next to see off her American opponent.

“This match wasn’t easy, I’d lost to her at the US Open,” Andreeva said, reflecting on her second-round defeat by Krueger in New York last August.

“She’s a powerful and aggressive player. I knew I had to play well ... I suffered and struggled with my serve, but I’m happy I found a way to stay calm.

“I pushed myself to fight until the end.”

Pegula, Krueger’s frequent doubles partner this season and French Open third seed, had to battle hard against fellow American Ann Li but found her best level when it mattered to prevail 6-3 7-6(3) in windy conditions.

Up next for the 2024 US Open runner-up is former Paris finalist Marketa Vondrousova, after the Czech sent 25th seed Magdalena Frech packing 6-0 4-6 6-3.

On the men’s side, Vondrousova’s compatriot Jiri Lehecka took out Spanish 26th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3 3-6 6-1 6-2 while Kazakh Alexander Bublik upset Australian ninth seed Alex De Minaur 2-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2.

Three-times French Open champion Novak Djokovic continues his bid for more history and a record 25th Grand Slam trophy when he plays Frenchman Corentin Moutet later on Thursday.

Top seed Jannik Sinner resumes his hunt for a maiden title on Parisian clay when he meets another local favorite in Richard Gasquet, who will retire when his campaign at his home Grand Slam comes to an end.


Benzema named Saudi Pro League’s Player of the Season after Al-Ittihad title triumph

Benzema named Saudi Pro League’s Player of the Season after Al-Ittihad title triumph
Updated 29 May 2025
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Benzema named Saudi Pro League’s Player of the Season after Al-Ittihad title triumph

Benzema named Saudi Pro League’s Player of the Season after Al-Ittihad title triumph
  • Salem Al-Dawsari named Best Saudi Player, Cristiano Ronaldo retains the Golden Boot as competition’s top scorer

JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema was declared the winner of 2024-2025 Saudi Pro League’s Player of the Season award after the season’s conclusion on Monday.

According to the league's official X account on Wednesday, the French forward claimed the award after scoring 21 goals and providing nine assists during the Jeddah club’s title-winning campaign.

The award for Best Saudi Player went to Al-Hilal captain Salem Al-Dawsari who enjoyed the most productive season of his career, scoring 15 goals and making 15 assists as his team finished second in the league.

Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo won the Golden Boot award for the second consecutive season after topping the league’s scorers list with 25 goals.

Al-Ittihad’s French coach Laurent Blanc took the Best Coach award after leading his team to the league title with two rounds remaining.

The Young Player of the Year award went to Musab Al-Juwair, the 21-year-old Al-Shabab team midfielder, who impressed throughout the season with 15 goal contributions (five goals, 10 assists) in 31 matches. Al-Ettifaq’s Marek Rodak collected the Goalkeeper of the Season award after an exceptional season.

The winners of the Saudi Pro League awards are selected through a vote in which coaches and team captains each make up 40 percent, sports media professionals 15 percent, and fans five percent.


Signs of hope for a cricket nation in transition

Signs of hope for a cricket nation in transition
Updated 29 May 2025
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Signs of hope for a cricket nation in transition

Signs of hope for a cricket nation in transition
  • In 2019 Zimbabwe Cricket was suspended from ICC tournaments because of government interference. Only recently has optimism for the future of cricket in the African country returned

On May 23, a one-off, four-day Test match began at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, between England and Zimbabwe. It was the first match in any format between the countries since 2007 and only the seventh Test match played between them. The last meeting was in 2003 when England hosted two Tests, winning both by an innings.

Overall, England has won four of the seven Tests, with three drawn. Two of these were in December 1996, the first time England toured Zimbabwe, which was granted full membership of the International Cricket Council in 1992.

Zimbabwe’s playing performances over the last three decades have fluctuated drastically. In the first 30 Test matches, only one was won, at home to Pakistan in early 1995. This prompted discussion that the granting of Test status had been premature. However, a talented group of players emerged to provide the basis for a Test team that became one of the hardest to beat in the late 1990s. It won a one-off Test against India in October 1998, following up on this by beating Pakistan 1-0 in a three-match Test series in November and December 1998. The one-day international team qualified for the 1999 World Cup, narrowly missing out to New Zealand on a semi-final place because of an inferior net run-rate.

These golden years were ended by political turmoil. The 2003 World Cup was jointly hosted by Zimbabwe, Kenya and South Africa. Concerns over security of players caused England to forfeit a match scheduld to be played in Harare. A desperate shortage of food, a deteriorating economic situation and violent clashes between rival factions led two Zimbabwean players, Andy Flower and Henry Olonga, to stage a protest. In a long statement they said that they could not “ignore the fact that millions of our compatriots are starving, unemployed and oppressed … that thousands of Zimbabweans are routinely denied their right to freedom of expression.” They wore black armbands, “mourning the death of democracy.”

Unsurprisingly, the government was embarrassed, both players were dismissed from the team and felt compelled to leave Zimbabwe. Team harmony, already affected by government involvement in selection, was further disrupted, with a succession of players deciding to end their international careers prematurely. In 2004, the team captain, Heath Streak, was sacked by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, prompting 14 other players to walk out.

Despite attempts at rapprochement, results failed to improve in an environment of mistrust. Another bout of player resignations led the cricket board to voluntarily suspend the team from Test cricket in late 2005. After a six-year exile, Test cricket returned to Zimbabwe in August 2011 when Bangladesh was beaten in a one-off match in Harare. In subsequent years, off-the-field issues continued to dominate, whilest performances on the field were patchy and disappointing. 

In July 2019, the ICC voluntarily suspended Zimbabwe Cricket from ICC tournaments because it had failed to ensure that it was free from government interference. This meant that ICC funding was frozen and that neither men’s nor women’s teams could compete in T20 World Cup preliminaries and qualifiers, despite a lifting of the suspension three months later.

It is only recently that greater optimism for the future of cricket in Zimbabwe has emerged. Control over finances seems to have been established, ICC funding of $13.5 million being used to support a five -team domestic structure, national sides and the expensive business of hosting Test matches. Since 1992, the men’s Test team has played 124 Test matches, winning only 14, drawing 30 and losing 80. It would be easy for ZC to downplay Test cricket at a time when its relevance is being questioned.

The stance of ZC’s chair, Tavengwa Mukhulani, is diametrically opposite. He wants to see all Full Member teams play each other on a home and away basis, believing that the way for Zimbabwean cricketers to improve is by playing the stronger teams. Consequently, Mukuhlani is not in favor of a two-tier Test system. It is also an issue for him that Zimbabwe is not part of the World Test Championship, for reasons which are not clear to him. Zimbabwe’s commitment to Test cricket is clear. In 2025, it will play 11 Tests, joint highest with Australia.

The issues for Zimbabwe at Test level were illustrated at Trent Bridge. England was invited to bat first and raced to score almost 500 runs on Day 1, against bowling that betrayed a lack of knowledge of how to perform on an English pitch. In reply to England’s 565 for six, declared, Zimbabwe’s batters attacked, none more so than Brian Bennett, 21. He wrote himself into the history books by scoring the fastest Test century for Zimbabwe. Although England ultimately won by an innings and 45 runs, it was clear that Zimbabwe has talent to nurture. 

Some of this nurturing will fall to experienced team members. One of them, Sikandar Rasa, has played for Zimbabwe since 2013. Prior to the Test at Nottingham, he was playing in the Pakistan Super League for Lahore Qalandars. Once the Test, in which he bowled 25 overs and batted for 20 overs, had finished a day early, he flew back to Lahore via Birmingham, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, arriving minutes before play started. Lahore was set 202 to win. When Rasa went out to bat, 57 runs were needed from 3.2 overs. He immediately hit a four and six and, in the final over, repeated the feat to secure victory with one delivery remaining.

Zimbabwean cricket has suffered tough times over the past 20 years. Superhuman feats such as Rasa’s and the individual performances witnessed at Nottingham, where the team enjoyed colourful and musical support, provide hope for a brighter future. In Zimbabwe's first World Cup match at Trent Bridge in June 1983, when Australia was dramatically beaten by 13 runs, a bright future was suggested. Then, the team consisted almost entirely of white players, Ali Shah being the exception. Fifteen years later, nine of the team were white. At Trent Bridge last week, seven of the team were black, including the 6 foot, eight inches tall fast bowler, Blessing Muzarabani, who had claimed 26 Test wickets in 2025 prior to Nottingham.

Robert Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe between 1980 and 2017, is attributed with saying that “Cricket civilises people and creates good gentlemen. I want everyone to play cricket in Zimbabwe. I want ours to be a nation of gentlemen.” Noticeably, there was no mention of women.

Zimbabwe’s women’s team made its international debut in 2006 at the ICC Africa Regional Qualifier for the Women’s Cricket World Cup. The team has yet to reach the final stages of a World Cup although it did win a gold medal at the Africa Games in 2023. Currently, the team consists entirely of black players.

In the past two decades, a transformation has taken place that has turned the men’s national cricket team into one that more closely represents Zimbabwe’s demographics, in which white Zimbawean’s make up less than 1 percent of the 17 million population. The women’s team is totally reflective of that fact. Zimbabwean cricket needs an era of stability and support to allow its new generation of cricketers to mature.    


Ben Sulayem backed to seek new FIA term

Ben Sulayem backed to seek new FIA term
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem pictured during a recent meeting with FIA Americas member clubs
Updated 29 May 2025
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Ben Sulayem backed to seek new FIA term

Ben Sulayem backed to seek new FIA term
  • Member clubs in the Americas send letter of support commending president for achieving ‘extraordinary’ turnaround

DUBAI: Mohammed Ben Sulayem is being backed to seek a second term of office as president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile after achieving an “extraordinary” turnaround in its fortunes.

A letter of support from 36 FIA Region III and IV clubs encompassing the Americas, and the vice presidents for sport in North and South America, strongly urges Ben Sulayem to continue his work to secure the future of the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide.

Representing clubs from South America, Central America, and Canada, and signed under the name “Hermanos” (brothers), the letter thanks the FIA president “for your service, commitment, vision, and, above all, the delivery of your Manifesto promised to us, the members.”

It goes on to say: “We are all acutely aware of the catastrophic financial situation you inherited. Without the decisive and bold actions you took from day one, the very future of the FIA would have been at risk.

“The turnaround achieved in less than four years is nothing short of extraordinary, especially when coupled with the implementation of professional management systems that you deployed in parallel.

The letter adds: “As club Presidents, we have personally felt and experienced the daily focus you and your leadership team have placed on supporting and engaging with us — the members — treating each of us with equal respect. This inclusive approach is deeply appreciated.

“We also recognize and commend the significant efforts made by you and your team to reposition the FIA as a global leader in both mobility and motorsport. The strength and reputation of the FIA brand have clearly grown as a result of your leadership.” 

The Americas club presidents conclude their message to Ben Sulayem by saying: “We understand that four years is a short time to complete the ambitious reforms you have initiated. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to seek re-election at the upcoming AGA, (FIA Annual General Assembly) so that you may continue the important work you have started, with our full support.”

Among those who signed the letter of support was Ricardo Morales Rubio, FIA Region IV (South America and Central America) president, and Fabiana Ecclestone, FIA vice president for sport — South America.

The FIA recently announced a significant turnaround in its financial health under the leadership of Ben Sulayem. At the end of the fiscal year 2024, the federation reported that it had achieved a robust operating result of €4.7 million ($5.3 million), and an operating income of €182 million. This takes it from a considerable financial loss of €24 million in 2021, before Ben Sulayem was elected.

Since Ben Sulayem’s election as president in 2021, the organisation has undergone a strategic transformation process, designed to improve internal systems and processes. The FIA has strengthened its teams, optimised its working practices and shifted to a more efficient and financially sustainable model.