LYON: Moroccan soccer is having a moment.
Surprise semifinalists at the World Cup two years ago, the men’s team has emulated that achievement at the Paris Olympics.
Morocco routed the United States 4-0 in the quarterfinals and plays Spain on Monday for the chance to reach the final.
“I have one goal here, which is to win the medal,” Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi said, referring to gold.
A place in the final would be extra special for Hakimi, who plays his club soccer for Paris Saint-Germain, and would compete at his home stadium, Parc des Princes, if Morocco advances.
Then again, most Morocco matches have felt like home games for the team, given the fervent support it has enjoyed in France, which has a large Moroccan population. Moroccan fans packed Parc des Princes for the victory over the Americans.
It will be the same again for the semifinal in Marseille, France’s oldest city, which has deep North African connections.
“The fans follow us everywhere we go. Let’s hope it continues like this until the end of the tournament. We are here to make them feel proud of us,” Hakimi said.
That support has overstepped the mark at the Games when fans rushed the field and threw bottles in Morocco’s 2-1 win over Argentina in the group phase and caused the game to be suspended for around two hours.
Against the US, fans were warned by the stadium announcer not to light flares after several were set off following Morocco’s first goal.
Morocco’s supporters lit up the Qatar World Cup in 2022 in a different way — uniting many fans in the region as the first Arab and African team to advance to the semifinals — eventually taking fourth place.
It couldn’t follow that success at this year’s African Cup of Nations — being eliminated by South Africa in the round of 16 — but it did win the Under-23 version of the tournament to qualify for the Olympics and showcase its depth of talent.
At these games, the Moroccans have advanced to the semifinals for the first time and has the chance to medal. The win against Argentina started its tournament off with a bang.
“We are a proud, proud country. We love our country,” Morocco coach Tarik Sektioui said. “We all love to be Moroccan and, it’s (taken) a lot of work. We as coaches or players are determined to improve and (show) to everybody that Moroccan players can be world players and the Moroccan coach can be also a good, world, coach. It’s just a question of work and mentality.”
Morocco’s senior team shocked Spain by eliminating it from the last World Cup and its Olympic team is aiming to emulate that feat and secure a place in the final against France or Egypt.
Spain won gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and has taken silver on three other occasions, including the last Games in Tokyo when it lost to Brazil in the final.
Spanish soccer is also enjoying a boom period after the men won the European Championship this summer and the women were crowned world champion last year.
Both the men’s and women’s teams are into the semifinals at the Olympics.
If Morocco wins, it could be down to the tournament’s leading scorer Soufiane Rahimi.
The 28-year-old striker was one of Sektioui’s overage picks. The Olympic men’s tournament is restricted to under 23s with the exception of three overage players.
Rahimi’s selection has certainly paid off, with the forward scoring five goals so far.
Rahimi plays his club soccer for Al Ain in United Arab Emirates and won the Asian Champions League last season when he was top scorer with 13 goals. Al Ain eliminated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in the quarterfinals.
Sektioui believes Rahimi has the ability to play in one of Europe’s top leagues.
“Last year he was one of the best strikers in Asia and won the Asian Cup (Champions League). That means everything,” the Morocco coach said. “He has everything... he’s explosive, he’s clever, he can score.”
France vs. Egypt
Also Monday, host nation France plays Egypt in Lyon and is looking to end a 40-year wait for Olympic gold in the men’s soccer.
France’s only gold came at Los Angeles 1984.
This is Egypt’s third time in the semifinals having has twice finished in fourth place — at Amsterdam 1928 and Tokyo 1964.
If Egypt and Morocco both win it would set up the first all-African final in Olympic men’s soccer.
Morocco making waves with polished play and fervent fans at Olympics, Spain awaits in soccer semis
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Morocco making waves with polished play and fervent fans at Olympics, Spain awaits in soccer semis

- Morocco routed the United States 4-0 in the quarterfinals
Leclerc fastest in Monaco practice as Hamilton crashes

Ferrari and Leclerc are hoping for a repeat of their emotional 2024 triumph
MONACO: Charles Leclerc completed a hat-trick of perfect practice runs on Saturday when he topped the times for Ferrari at the Monaco Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton crashed into the barriers.
Leclerc, who last year became the first Monegasque winner of his home event in the Formula One era, clocked a best lap of one minute and 10.953 seconds — the only driver to dip below one minute and 11 seconds — to beat Max Verstappen by 0.280 seconds.
Ferrari and Leclerc are hoping for a repeat of their emotional 2024 triumph, but their mood was spoiled when the Monegasque’s teammate Hamilton crashed on entry to Casino Square to end the session with a red flag.
He was unhurt, but it was an uncharacteristic setback for the Briton who had looked fast and strong.
Hamilton was running in the turbulent air behind Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes and Esteban Ocon of Haas when he lost downforce and hit the barriers.
Lando Norris was third fastest for McLaren ahead of team-mate and championship leader Oscar Piastri, Hamilton and Williams’ Alex Albon.
Liam Lawson of Racing Bull was an impressive seventh ahead of Carlos Sainz in the second Williams, Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull and Antonelli.
After a slow start the session burst into life by the halfway mark with Hamilton, Norris and Leclerc trading fastest laps before Verstappen took control.
To the delight of the local audience, Leclerc regained top spot in 1:11.179 on his softs and then went even quicker to move two-tenths clear before the session stopped for a red flag when Hamilton smacked the barriers at Massenet, damaging his right front and rear wheels.
He was unhurt and climbed clear.
“Sorry guys, I’ve hit the wall,” said Hamilton, left hoping his car could be repaired in time for qualifying later Saturday.
Liverpool’s Salah named Premier League player of the season, Gravenberch best youngster

- Having also earned the award in 2017-18, Salah became only the fifth player to win it twice
- The 32-year-old Egyptian is on course to win another Golden Boot
LONDON: Mohamed Salah was named the Premier League player of the season on Saturday after a stellar individual campaign as Liverpool cruised to their second Premier League title while his team mate Ryan Gravenberch was named the young player of the season.
Salah scored 28 goals and provided 18 assists to guide the Anfield club to the title, with Arne Slot’s side winning it with four games to spare.
Having also earned the award in 2017-18, Salah became only the fifth player to win it twice after Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Nemanja Vidic and Kevin De Bruyne.
The 32-year-old Egyptian is on course to win another Golden Boot for most goals in a season and is five strikes ahead of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak going into the final day of the season on Sunday.
No player before has had 46 goal involvements in a 38-game season and Salah could even break the record of 47 held by Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole, who achieved the feat in a 42-game campaign, when Liverpool host Crystal Palace at Anfield.
With six more assists than any other player, Salah can become the first footballer to win the Golden Boot, Golden Playmaker and player of the season awards.
Salah also won the Football Writers’ Association men’s player of the year for the third time earlier this month.
Gravenberch became one of the first names on the team sheet under Slot, who deployed the Dutchman as a deep-lying midfielder, and the 23-year-old has become a crucial part of Liverpool’s spine, making 36 appearances this season.
His versatility to shield Liverpool’s back line has come to the fore this season while his ability to quickly initiate attacks, cutting out passing lanes and winning back possession, has made him indispensable.
No midfielder has made more interceptions this season than Gravenberch (59).
Gravenberch was also nominated for the Player of the Season award along with Virgil Van Dijk — the three Liverpool players who have clocked the most minutes in the team in the Premier League this season.
He is also the second Liverpool player to win the youngsters’ award after Trent Alexander-Arnold won it in 2019-20, the season it was introduced.
Blind tennis champion Naqi Rizvi lobbies for sport’s awareness and Paralympic inclusion

- Invented in Japan by Takei Miyoshi in 1984, blind tennis is played around the world
- Rizvi, who is married and works in finance, originally represented his native Pakistan
LONDON: Naqi Rizvi loves the “absolute freedom” he feels on the tennis court. Winning titles is fun, too.
The 34-year-old blind tennis champion is on a mission to not only raise awareness but also elevate the sport into the Paralympics.
“That would be the dream, and I’d love to be the first Paralympic champion if I can,” Rizvi said.
The London resident, fully blind from the age of 7 because of congenital glaucoma, only took up the sport a decade ago and is now the No. 1-ranked men’s player in the world for his category.
Also an avid runner, Rizvi has completed two marathons and although jogging with a guide is great, tennis offers more.
“On a tennis court, I have absolute freedom because I know where the boundaries are, no one needs to tell me which way to turn, I don’t need to have a cane or anything of this sort,” he told The Associated Press during a practice session at the National Tennis Center in southwest London.

“It’s just the absolute sense of freedom to know that I can run comfortably, make my own decisions, and then be able to play points or rallies. It’s just incredible.”
HOW IT WORKS
The rules are basically the same as mainstream tennis just with smaller dimensions and slightly lower net. Tactile lines are taped onto the court so players like Rizvi can feel the boundaries. Depending on the level of visual impairment, you are allowed up to three bounces of the ball. The foam ball contains a bell so players can audibly track it.
“What I find interesting about blind tennis is it’s incredibly technical,” said Rizvi, who also possesses a big serve.

The problem-solving aspect of the sport is something Rizvi enjoys — no surprise given that he studied engineering at University College London.
“You really need to anticipate after you’ve heard the first bounce where the second and third will be,” he said. “You obviously can’t see how your opponent has hit the ball, so it’s a lot of anticipation and a lot of practice and getting used to different trajectories that the ball can take.
RAISING AWARENESS
Rizvi didn’t even know that tennis was an option until he visited Metro Blind Sport in London a decade ago. He was hooked right away.
“I can almost assure you that if you did a survey of blind and partially sighted people,” he said, “the majority of them wouldn’t have any idea because it’s not televised, it’s not in any other mainstream events, so how are people supposed to find out?”

The Lawn Tennis Association supports a visually impaired program that includes practice sessions at the governing body’s National Tennis Center. That’s where Jack Draper, the world No. 5 player, tried out the different levels. The LTA also runs tournaments each year and sends “Team GB” to an international competition.
Rizvi noted that there’s not much financial backing in the sport. There’s no prize money at tournaments and players often fund their own travel.
“Unless you obviously have the visibility and the money behind it, it’s really hard,” he said. “Governing bodies need to take a more active role and try and give parity to all forms of disability tennis not just the ones that have made it big like wheelchair tennis, for example.”
PARALYMPICS AND GRAND SLAM EVENTS
Rizvi, who is married and works in finance, originally represented his native Pakistan but for the past year has been part of England’s program since gaining British citizenship. He discussed his childhood — his father is Pakistani and his mother is Indian — in a TEDx Talk he gave as a student at UCL.
Invented in Japan by Takei Miyoshi in 1984, blind tennis is played around the world. Last year’s world championships in Italy were the largest to date with 117 players from 20 countries, the International Blind Tennis Association said.

Rizvi has won several national titles, a European championship, the world championship in 2023 — as well as gold that year at the ISBA World Games. He is also the two-time defending champion of the Play Your Way to Wimbledon tournament.
The International Paralympic Committee handbook spells out that the sport or discipline must be “widely and regularly practiced” in at least 32 countries and three continents.
“I really want it to be in the Paralympics,” Rizvi said, “but I also want this to be a mainstream sport which can be part of the ATP Tour, part of Grand Slam tournaments, just like wheelchair tennis has made such amazing leaps forward. I’d love for blind tennis to be there as well because it’s definitely got the potential.
“It’s got the countries, the continents, the people, the passion behind it.”
Pacers take 2-0 lead over Knicks as Pascal Siakam scores 39 points in 114-109 victory

- Myles Turner added 16 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who head home halfway to their second trip to the NBA Finals
- No team has lost the first two games at home and come back to win a series in the conference finals
NEW YORK: Pascal Siakam scored a playoff career-high 39 points, and the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 114-109 on Friday night for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
Myles Turner added 16 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who head home halfway to their second trip to the NBA Finals. They lost to the Lakers in 2000 in their only shot at the title.
Game 3 is Sunday in Indiana, though the Pacers might prefer to keep it right where it is. They have won six straight road games since falling at Milwaukee in Game 3 of the first round.
Siakam finished 15 for 23 from the field on a night nobody else on the high-scoring Pacers had more than five baskets.
“Special game,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “In the first half he was the guy that got us going and got us through some difficult stretches.”
Jalen Brunson had 36 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who need a quick turnaround or their first appearance in the conference finals in 25 years will be a brief one. They defended much better after their crushing collapse in a 138-135 overtime loss in Game 1, but couldn’t find enough scoring to come back after a bad start to the fourth quarter.
Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Knicks, but Towns played just 28 minutes as coach Tom Thibodeau went longer with backup Mitchell Robinson, a much better defender who grabbed nine rebounds.
No team has lost the first two games at home and come back to win a series in the conference finals.
“Going into the fourth quarter it’s a tie ballgame. We’ve just got to make better plays, more winning plays,” Thibodeau said.
It was tied at 81 after three, before the Pacers opened the fourth with a 13-4 run to move ahead 94-85 on Siakam’s 3-pointer with 9:17 remaining. They would quickly push the margin back to around there every time the Knicks got any momentum, and it was 110-100 after another basket by Siakam with 2:45 to play.
The Knicks scored nine straight to make it 110-109 on Josh Hart’s basket with 14 seconds to go. Aaron Nesmith made two free throws for the Pacers, Brunson was well off on a 3-point attempt and Turner finished it out with two free throws.
The 50th playoff meeting between the rivals — the Pacers lead 28-22, all since 1993 — more closely resembled their defensive battles of the 1990s than the shootout of two nights earlier. The Knicks led that one by 14 with 2:45 to play before the Pacers caught them on Haliburton’s jumper as time expired and won it in OT.
This time, Indiana raced to a 19-9 lead, but the Knicks quickly caught them when Robinson and Deuce McBride entered and the game remained within a single-digit margin nearly the entire rest of the night.
Arsenal seek to defy the odds against mighty Barcelona in women’s Champions League final

- Manager Renee Slegers believes her disciplined side can triumph over the Catalan giants of women’s football, who are the strong favorites to win their fourth European title
- Alessia Russo: They (Barca) are a really good football team, but we are here to win
LISBON: Arsenal will bid to defy the odds against Barcelona in Saturday’s women’s Champions League final in Lisbon, aiming to secure their second title with courage and underrated defiance.
Manager Renee Slegers believes her disciplined side can triumph over the Catalan giants of women’s football, who are the strong favorites to win their fourth European title.
“We want to show courage tomorrow. We respect Barca as a team. They are a really good football team, so we are humble, but we are here to win,” she told reporters on Friday.
“We have to find ways to win, and I am confident that the momentum of the game will shift. It’s important that we deal with every moment really well. We need courage and discipline, and we need to be switched on. If we do all those things well, we can perform well. We believe in our ability tomorrow.”
Arsenal forward Alessia Russo echoed Slegers’ sentiments.
“We want to show courage tomorrow. We respect Barca as a team,” she said. “They are a really good football team, but we are here to win. We have to find ways to win, and I am confident that, if we handle all situations well and stay focused, we can perform well.
“Belief is something we have spoken about a lot as a team this season. We have found lots of different ways to win. It’s been a season full of highs and lows, but we’ve learnt a lot,” the former Chelsea and Manchester United striker added.
Veteran midfielder Kim Little, who played in the 2007 final victory against Sweden’s Umea, looked back in time when asked about Arsenal’s first meeting with Barca in Europe’s top club competition during the 2012–13 season, when the London team won 7–0 on aggregate.
“It’s incredible for me to still be at the club. We came out on top,” Little said. “After 2007 and everything the club has achieved since then, leading the team on this occasion is so special.”