Saudi U-20 wrestlers scoop 4 medals at Arab Championship in Algeria

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The team captured three gold and one silver at the event held from July 2 to 5. (@KSA_Wrestling)
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Updated 08 July 2024
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Saudi U-20 wrestlers scoop 4 medals at Arab Championship in Algeria

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s under-20 wrestling team have secured four medals at the Arab Championship in Algeria.

The team captured three gold and one silver at the event held from July 2 to 5, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

In the Greco-Roman category, Hassan Al-Harthy and Munthir Jandu both clinched gold in the 60 kg and in 63 kg divisions, respectively.

In the same category, Saud Al-Subaie took gold and Mahmoud Hawsawi silver in the 67 kg and 87 kg divisions, respectively.

The tournament brought together 165 male and female wrestlers from Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Jordan and hosts Algeria.


Nketiah and Eze on target on Palace party night

Updated 56 min 13 sec ago
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Nketiah and Eze on target on Palace party night

  • There was a carnival atmosphere at Selhurst Park
  • Palace’s FA Cup win means they will play in next season’s Europa League

LONDON: Eddie Nketiah scored twice on Crystal Palace’s party night as they celebrated their FA Cup triumph in style with a 4-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Palace’s last home game of the season came three days after they beat Manchester City at Wembley to claim the first major silverware in the south London club’s history and there were euphoric scenes as they hit back to take the three points.
The carnival atmosphere was interrupted briefly when Wolves took the lead through Emmanuel Agbadou’s 24th-minute header but Selhurst Park was really rocking when Nketiah struck twice in the space of five minutes before halftime.
Ben Chilwell’s free kick deflected off of Agbadou’s head to make it 3-1 in the 50th minute and the noise in the stadium barely diminished when Wolves reduced the deficit with a glancing header from Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Twelfth-placed Palace, who made six changes to the side that started against City, brought on Cup final goal hero Eberechi Eze in the 81st minute and he put the icing on the cake with a clinical angled finish after a jinking run.
Oliver Glasner’s side have 52 points, the highest total Palace have collected in the Premier League, and they will end a momentous season at champions Liverpool on Sunday.
After the historic events of Saturday it looked like Palace might be suffering an FA Cup hangover when Agbadou’s header from a corner just about crossed the line.
Nketiah came off the bench at Wembley and had been on the fringes at Palace but he was given a start and took full advantage to score his first league goals for three months.
Three minutes after Palace fell behind, former Arsenal forward Nketiah received a cut back from Romain Esse and fired a shot past Wolves keeper Dan Bentley who could gave done better.
Nketiah was at it again soon after, guiding in a low cross by Ismaila Sarr for his 50th senior career goal.
“We’re buzzing, we’re happy and it’s a massive day for us. Our manager was keen to keep it going and keep the celebrations going. Everyone was firing and we got the win,” Nketiah said.
“The unity between the fans and the players is amazing and it will be amazing to have European nights here.”
It was a memorable night for Palace’s long-serving defender Joel Ward who wore the captain’s armband in his last appearance for the club after a 13-year stint.
Palace’s FA Cup win means they will play in next season’s Europa League.


Man United gets boost ahead of Europa League final against Tottenham as 3 players return

Updated 20 May 2025
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Man United gets boost ahead of Europa League final against Tottenham as 3 players return

  • All three players took part in training on Tuesday and could play at least a few minutes
  • Amorim said: “Of course, they are limited in the minutes for the game but they can help us win the game”

BILBAO, Spain: Manchester United will have a trio of players back from injury for the Europa League final against Tottenham, coach Ruben Amorim said Tuesday, with Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee all available to come off the bench.

All three players took part in training on Tuesday and could play at least a few minutes if needed.

“Very good for us,” Amorim said. “Of course, they are limited in the minutes for the game but they can help us win the game.”

Matthijs de Ligt will not be available but traveled to Bilbao to support his teammates. Lisandro Martinez is the only other first-team player not available as he remains out with a serious knee injury.

The return of Zirkzee was the biggest surprise as he had initially been ruled out for the season because of a hamstring injury he picked up in April.

“Me neither,” Amorim said when told nobody expected the forward’s return. “They recover quite well. They push, of course, and we have to respect the feeling of the player but we push a little bit, as they wanted to be part of the team. That is a very good sign.”

Dalot was nursing a calf injury since April, and Yoro had been out since earlier this month.

United have had a dismal season but are hoping to finish it with a European title. The club are in 16th place in the league standings after 18 defeats, their most in a single campaign since the Premier League began in 1992. They are also certain to register their worst-ever points total in that era, as well as their lowest finish.

Tottenham injuries
Tottenham coach Ange Postecoglou said midfielder Lucas Bergvall has not recovered from an ankle injury in time for the final. He was with the squad in Bilbao but won’t play.

Midfielder Pape Sarr will be available despite not finishing the league match against Aston Villa on Friday because of a back issue.

Tottenham are in 17th place in the Premier League, having lost 21 times — also a club record in the modern era. The Champions League runner-up in 2019, Tottenham are seeking their first trophy since the 2008 English League Cup.


New York Knicks take on Indiana Pacers in NBA 2025 Eastern Conference finals

Updated 20 May 2025
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New York Knicks take on Indiana Pacers in NBA 2025 Eastern Conference finals

  • Teams meet in playoffs for 2nd-successive season; Pacers won in 7 games at the semi-final stage last year

DUBAi: Beginning on Wednesday, New York and Indiana will meet in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoffs for a second straight season as they continue to put a modern twist on a classic NBA rivalry.

This season, they face each other in the conference final; last year, the Pacers defeated the Knicks in seven games at the semi-final stage, rallying from series deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 along the way.

The drama was reminiscent of matchups from a generation ago, when the teams faced each other in the playoffs six times in the space of eight years between 1993 and 2000. During that time Patrick Ewing of the Knicks and Reggie Miller of the Pacers went head-to-head in one thriller after another, helping to define a decade of NBA competition.

• Opportunity knocks: The most recent appearances by the teams in the NBA Finals came 26 years ago for New York and 25 years ago for Indiana. In both cases, one of them beat the other in the conference finals: In 1999, the Knicks defeated the Pacers during a historic run to the Finals as No. 8 seeds.

The following season, Indiana got the better of New York to reach the championship showdown for the first (and still the only) time in franchise history.

The Knicks’ appearance in the conference finals this year is their first since that series defeat by the Pacers in 2000.

• Marquee matchup: Two-time NBA All-Stars Jalen Brunson of New York and Tyrese Haliburton of Indiana will square off in a battle of ascendant point guards who are at their best in the biggest moments.

Brunson’s barrage of late-game buckets and Haliburton’s pair of game-winning shots have been key features of the 2025 playoffs so far. Both players, who helped jump-start their respective franchises upon arrival a few years ago, are now just a step away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time.

• Winning ways: After a sluggish 10-15 start to the season, the Pacers have been dominant over the past five months, with a 40-17 finish to the regular season, and five-game playoff-series victories over the 2020-21 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks and the 64-win, top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.

A relentlessly fast-paced offense, much-improved defense and impressive depth have helped Indiana become the first team ranked No. 4 seed or lower to advance to the conference finals in back-to-back seasons under the current playoff format, which has been in place since 1984.

With almost the same team rotation as they had last season, under the guidance of championship-winning head coach Rick Carlisle, the Pacers have perfected their distinctive style of play.

• Step forward: After back-to-back Eastern Conference semi-finals appearances in the previous two seasons, the Knicks have taken the next step by reaching the finals for the first time in 25 years. They did so with a retooled roster after acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, who joined Brunson, O.G. Anunoby and Josh Hart in a superb starting lineup.

A 4-2 series victory over defending NBA champions the Boston Celtics in the semi-finals has given New York a chance to avenge last season’s playoff defeat by Indiana.

• Snappy comebacks: Both Indiana and New York have shown strong resolve this season by repeatedly erasing big deficits to win playoff games. In the first two rounds, the Pacers won three games in which they trailed by 19 points or more, making them the first team to record at least three 19-point playoff comebacks in a single season since 1998.

The Knicks, meanwhile, rallied from a 20-point deficit in each of their first two games against the Celtics, and a 14-point deficit on the way to another victory.

Clearly, no lead is safe against these two resilient teams.

• Halfway home: Eight more victories would give the Pacers their first-ever NBA championship appearance, and the Knicks their first in 52 years.

Indiana won three ABA championships before joining the NBA in 1976. New York claimed their two NBA championships in 1970 and 1973.

• Friendly foes: The head-to-head matchup between Pascal Siakam of Indiana and New York’s Anunoby, standout forwards and former longtime teammates, could go a long way in determining the series winner.

The two spent seven seasons together with the Toronto Raptors, helped the franchise win the 2019 NBA championship before both were traded in the middle of last season. Siakam earned his third NBA All-Star selection this season, and Anunoby has had his best scoring season to complement his stellar defense.

• Talk of the Towns: In back-to-back seasons, Karl-Anthony Towns has helped two franchises end decades-long droughts without a conference finals appearance: the Minnesota Timberwolves last season (for the first time in 20 years) and the Knicks this season.

With his first NBA Finals in sight, the five-time NBA All-Star will take on another highly skilled big man, Indiana’s Myles Turner, who is also eyeing his first NBA Finals appearance as he completes his 10th season with the Pacers.


Klopp to Roma could be a rumor created by amateur sleuths

Updated 20 May 2025
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Klopp to Roma could be a rumor created by amateur sleuths

  • The rumor of his imminent arrival stems from a social media post
  • Roma owner the Friedkin Group posted a video on Friday celebrating the capital club and its legacy

ROME: Roma fans have been driven into a frenzy by Italian media reports that Jürgen Klopp has agreed to be the team coach from next season.

However, the rumor of his imminent arrival stems from a social media post that some may be reading far too much into.

Roma owner the Friedkin Group posted a video on Friday celebrating the capital club and their legacy.


The video included images of iconic Rome sites: Colosseum (Kolosseum in German), Lupa Capitolina, Olimpico, (St.) Peter’s and Pantheon in that order.

Someone pointed out the starting letters of those words — some in Italian, some in German, some omitting part of the name — spell Klopp. And it spiralled from there.

In the past two days, people on social media have been saying they have spotted former Liverpool coach Klopp, his agent and even his dog in Rome.

Italian newspaper La Stampa proclaimed that Klopp accepted Roma’s offer shortly after the Giallorossi’s final home match of the season on Sunday, when a packed Stadio Olimpico paid tribute to current coach Claudio Ranieri, who is set to depart at the end of the season.

Other media outlets picked up La Stampa’s story, but the same newspaper said on Tuesday that Roma have “categorically denied” the news.

Klopp, who is Red Bull’s head of global soccer, left Liverpool in 2024 after steering the team to seven major trophies over nearly nine years.

The Friedkin Group also owns Liverpool’s city rival, Everton.


‘I’m not a clown’: Spurs boss Postecoglou hits out ahead of Europa League final

Updated 20 May 2025
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‘I’m not a clown’: Spurs boss Postecoglou hits out ahead of Europa League final

  • Postecoglou said he had not addressed his future with his players because it would not be “helpful“
  • “I’ve said to the lads from day one, nothing is guaranteed in life, nothing is guaranteed in sport”

BILBAO, Spain: Ange Postecoglou angrily defended his managerial record ahead of Tottenham’s Europa League final against Manchester United after a disastrous Premier League season, stating: “I’m not a clown.”

Spurs face United in Bilbao on Wednesday with a chance to win their first trophy for 17 years, which would mean qualification for next season’s Champions League.

Postecoglou, whose side are 17th in the Premier League — a place below United — has been under mounting pressure over recent months as results have nosedived.

Many observers believe the Spurs manager could be out of a job regardless of the result at the San Mames stadium in northern Spain against Ruben Amorim’s fellow strugglers.

Postecoglou was asked at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday whether he was aware he was walking a fine line between infamy and history ahead of the match.

“That depends on your outlook but I’ll tell you one thing — irrespective of tomorrow, I’m not a clown, I never will be mate,” he said, directly addressing a reporter who had used the word in an article.

“It’s really disappointing that you use such terminology about a person who for 26 years, without any favors from anyone, who’s worked his way to being in a position where he’s leading out a club in a European major competition, for you to suggest that somehow us not being successful means that I’m a clown.”

The former Australia and Celtic boss said he had worked tirelessly to turn things around at Spurs, who have not won a trophy since 2008 and have not tasted European success since 1984.

“I’ve tried as hard as I can to stick to that process in getting the club to a position where they can challenge for trophies and at the same time, rejuvenate the squad and change the playing style,” he said.

“It has been a fair assignment with plenty of challenges along the way.

“With such a big game tomorrow, there is an opportunity to fulfil at least the main task I was given which was to bring trophies to the club.”

Postecoglou said he had not addressed his future with his players because it would not be “helpful.”

“I’ve said to the lads from day one, nothing is guaranteed in life, nothing is guaranteed in sport. You’ve just got to try and make sure you take every opportunity before you and that’s what I’ve done my whole career,” he added.

“I’ve been in this position before, where the big game was the last game I managed. It’s not unusual territory for me.”

He said: “My future is assured. I wouldn’t be the first person who changes jobs. We all change jobs. I’m sure you’ve had more than one job. My future is assured. I’ve got a beautiful family, I’ve got a great life.

“I’ll keep on winning trophies until I finish, wherever that is. Don’t worry about my future mate.”

But the 59-year-old feels he still has a job to do at Spurs, who finished fifth in the Premier League in his first season in charge, in 2023/24.

“I really feel like we’re building something and what a trophy does is hopefully accelerates that,” he said.

“So I still think there’s a lot of work to be done. That’s quite obvious with the challenges we’ve had this year, but also there’s been some growth that I’d like to see through.”

Postecoglou confirmed that Lucas Bergvall would not be fit to face United. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are also out.

But Pape Matar Sarr is available after he was taken off in the 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa on Friday.