ABIDJAN: Egypt coach Rui Vitoria said it was “too early to say” whether Mohamed Salah would play again at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations after he sustained an injury in Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Ghana.
The Liverpool striker went off late in the first half of the Group B game in Abidjan after appearing to clutch the back of his left leg.
“We don’t know yet what is the problem. I hope not a big problem...It is too early to say something,” said Vitoria after his team’s second successive 2-2 draw in the tournament.
“Salah is an amazing player, one of the best players in the world, so we want to have this kind of player always with us.”
Salah’s penalty in stoppage time spared Egypt from a shock loss to Mozambique in their opening game, and the Pharaohs were up against it once more against a much-improved Ghana side.
The Black Stars, who were stunned 2-1 by Cape Verde to begin the competition, took the lead after Salah’s injury when Mohammed Kudus hammered in a long-range shot in first-half stoppage time.
Omar Marmoush equalized before Kudus struck again, but Mostafa Mohamed ensured Egypt came away with a point as the Nantes forward netted for the second game in a row.
“The players were upset after conceding at the end of the first half...but it’s football, we changed the mindset in the second half, we went for the game with positive energy,” said Vitoria.
“Not because of Salah, but because the result was not good. The reaction and commitment of the team were good, but Salah is an amazing player and we cannot forget that.”
Vitoria insisted that regardless of the nature of Salah’s injury his team is still capable of winning a record-extending eighth AFCON title.
“Nobody wins the title without coming through difficult games...today we showed, mainly in the second half, the courage and quality of this team.”
‘Too early to say’ as Egypt sweat on Salah injury in Africa Cup of Nations
https://arab.news/jrc59
‘Too early to say’ as Egypt sweat on Salah injury in Africa Cup of Nations
Djokovic races into French Open fourth round
- The sixth seed will face 81st-ranked Cameron Norrie for a spot in the quarter-finals
PARIS: Novak Djokovic was in a hurry on Saturday as the 24-time Grand Slam winner dismissed world number 153 Filip Misolic 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to book his place spot in the last 16 at Roland Garros.
The three-time French Open champion needed just over two hours to beat his Austrian opponent in the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Djokovic had previously joked that he was not keen on potentially playing the late match on center court on Saturday as it would overlap with the UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan.
“It’s going to be PSG that I will support. I will definitely watch it if I’m not playing night session,” said AC Milan fan Djokovic.
“Yeah, that will be nice. FYI, Roland Garros schedule...”
With the umpire obliged to request excited local spectators concentrate on the match happening in front of them, the Serb was likely in little doubt as to the situation of the football match taking place in Munich.
But Djokovic put his quest for a record-breaking 25th major title firmly to the forefront of his mind as he overwhelmed Misolic with a typically clinical performance.
“I think I was solid in the important moments across the three sets,” said Djokovic who praised his opponent with whom he regularly practices.
“I would like you to give him a big round of applause,” he requested of the crowd in Paris.
The 38-year-old faced only one break point, which he saved, while hitting just 14 unforced errors to 33 winners.
The sixth seed will face 81st-ranked Cameron Norrie for a spot in the quarter-finals, after the former top 10 Brit earlier beat his compatriot Jacob Fearnley in straight sets.
Brilliant PSG demolish Inter Milan to win first Champions League title
- Qatari-owned club thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 in the most one-sided final in the competition’s history
- PSG's teenage midfielder Desire Doue was the star of the night, delivering a masterclass by scoring twice
MUNICH, Germany: Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time in their history as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter Milan on Saturday in the most one-sided final ever and teenager Desire Doue scored twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory.
Achraf Hakimi, playing against his former club, gave PSG an early lead and Doue went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled their advantage in the 20th minute.
Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu made it five.
Inter were simply no match for the French club, who recorded the biggest victory by any team in the final in the 70-year history of the European Cup and Champions League.
“This means everything. It’s my dream, it’s our dream. It’s incredible. The result is not by magic. I’m happy we did it like this, we’re now going to celebrate,” said Portuguese midfielder Vitinha, who was one of PSG’s creative sparks.
The triumph for the Parisians comes after more than a decade of huge investment from their Qatari owners, and five years after they lost to Bayern Munich in their only previous final appearance.
Already French league and cup double winners, they are remarkably just the second ever French winners of European football’s biggest prize — Marseille were the first in 1993, when they beat AC Milan in a final also played in Munich.
It is also a second Champions League for PSG coach Luis Enrique, who won with Lionel Messi’s Barcelona a decade ago.
This youthful PSG side is the best the competition has seen since, one that has been intelligently pieced together over the last two years and fully unleashed this season following the departure of Kylian Mbappe.
Indeed the star on the night was teenager Doue, who delivered a masterclass just before he turns 20 on Tuesday.
For Inter, there was to be no first Champions League title since 2010 as they failed to add to their three previous triumphs in the competition.
Simone Inzaghi’s side have now got to the final twice in three seasons and lost both, and this defeat comes a week after they missed out on the Serie A title to Napoli.
They end the campaign trophyless, and their aging side will need to be rebuilt.
Taking no chances
PSG gave their opponents no chance from the off on a sweaty night at the Allianz Arena, and they were ahead in the 12th minute.
It was a glorious goal, Vitinha threading a pass to Doue who squared for Hakimi to finish into an empty net, before refusing to celebrate against his former club.
It was also the earliest goal in a Champions League final since 2019, and recent history was already firmly against Inter.
The last final in which both teams scored was in 2018, while the last team to concede the first goal but still win were Real Madrid in 2014.
But soon Inter were further behind with a goal that came on a counterattack.
Willian Pacho prevented Inter from winning a corner, his clearance falling to Kvaratskhelia, who released Ousmane Dembele. His pass found Doue, and the youngster who was preferred in the starting line-up to Bradley Barcola fired past Yann Sommer, via a deflection off Federico Dimarco.
Inter only really came close to scoring in the first half when Marcus Thuram headed just wide at a corner, but things got worse after the break.
The night for Inzaghi’s side was summed up by defender Yann Bisseck, who came on for Benjamin Pavard early in the second half but limped off less than 10 minutes later.
Their back line was at sixes and sevens as PSG made it 3-0 on 63 minutes, Dembele’s flick releasing Vitinha before the little Portuguese playmaker set up Doue to beat Sommer at his near post.
Doue came off shortly after to rapturous applause, but his teammates were far from done.
Dembele sent Kvaratskhelia away to to make it 4-0 in the 73rd minute, and the 19-year-old Mayulu then played a one-two with Barcola before lashing in the fifth on 86 minutes.
That rounded off an incredible night, with PSG becoming the first team to score five goals in the final since Benfica in 1962.
PSG fans display banner calling for end to ‘genocide’ in Gaza during Champions League final
- PSG fans are known for their stance against the war in Gaza
- The latest banner was likely to lead to disquiet among local authorities in Munich
MUNICH: Paris Saint-Germain supporters displayed a banner saying “Stop genocide in Gaza” during the Champions League final on Saturday.
They raised it shortly after Achraf Hakimi gave their team a 1-0 lead against his former side Inter Milan in the 12th minute. Désiré Doué scored PSG’s second after the banner was raised for a 2-0 halftime lead.
PSG fans are known for their stance against the war in Gaza. They previously displayed a giant banner saying “Free Palestine” in November during the Champions League match against Atlético Madrid.
The latest banner was likely to lead to disquiet among local authorities in Munich. Munich’s city hall displays an Israeli flag as well as a Ukrainian one, and German support for Israel is strong for historical reasons.
PSG could also face a fine. UEFA bans the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit a provocative message that is judged not fit for a sports event, particularly provocative messages that are of a political, ideological, religious or offensive nature.
Financial penalties are typical for a first offense — 10,000 euros ($10,700) for a political banner or disturbances.
Israel’s nearly three-month blockade on Gaza has pushed the population of over two million to the brink of famine. It has allowed some aid to enter in recent days, but aid organizations say far from enough is getting in.
The UN World Food Program said the fear of starvation in Gaza is high.
21 athletes killed in Nigeria road crash
- The Federal Road Safety Corps said the afternoon crash “might have occurred as a result of fatigue and excessive speed“
- The athletes were returning from the 22nd National Sports Festival
ABUJA: A bus crash on a Nigerian highway on Saturday killed 21 athletes returning from a national sports tournament, with authorities saying the accident might have been the result of driver fatigue or excessive speed.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said the afternoon crash, which did not involve other vehicles, “might have occurred as a result of fatigue and excessive speed” after a long overnight trip.
The athletes were returning to Kano, in Nigeria’s north, from the 22nd National Sports Festival, held around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to the south in Ogun state.
President Bola Tinubu had recently said the games, which included sports ranging from wheelchair basketball to traditional west African wrestling, represented “the unity, strength and resilience that define us as a nation.”
Road accidents are common on Nigeria’s poorly maintained roads due largely to speeding and a disregard for traffic rules.
Last year Nigeria recorded 9,570 road accidents that resulted in 5,421 deaths, according to FRSC data.
Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio joins Al-Ain for Club World Cup
- “Patricio will arrive to the UAE tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests,” Al-Ain said
- Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal
ABU DHABI: Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio will join Al-Ain on a short-term contract for the Club World Cup, the team from the United Arab Emirates said on Saturday.
“Al-Ain has signed Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio to participate with the team in the 2025 Club World Cup,” the club said on X about the 37-year-old Portugal international who is joining them from Atalanta.
“Patricio will arrive to the United Arab Emirates tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests and join the first-team training,” Al-Ain added.
Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal, helping them win Euro 2016, and has had spells with Sporting Lisbon, Wolverhampton Wanderers and AS Roma.
Al-Ain, who won the AFC Champions League title in 2024, reached the final of the 2018 Club World Cup final in front of their home fans.
This year’s revamped 32-team tournament will take place in the United States in June and July.
Al Ain have been drawn in Group G with Juventus, Manchester City and Morocco’s Wydade.
FIFA opened an exceptional transfer window from June 1-10 to allow players to be signed for the tournament.
