Rozner shoots 64, wins in Dubai for 1st European Tour title

Antoine Rozner
Short Url
Updated 05 December 2020
Follow

Rozner shoots 64, wins in Dubai for 1st European Tour title

  • Rozner’s triumph caps a strong rookie season on the European Tour, having won two titles on the second-tier Challenge Tour last year

DUBAI: France’s Antoine Rozner powered to a two-shot victory at the Golf in Dubai Championship on Saturday to claim his first European Tour title.

The 27-year-old started the final round four strokes adrift of Englishman Andy Sullivan, but carded an eight-under 64 to finish the event on a winning score of 25 under par.

Rozner’s triumph caps a strong rookie season on the European Tour, having won two titles on the second-tier Challenge Tour last year.

“It means a lot. It’s been such a strange year, we have been through so much all over the world and to be able to get it done in such nice fashion, eight under, it’s amazing,” the world number 204 told europeantour.com.

Sullivan, bidding for a wire-to-wire win after starting the tournament with an 11-under 61 on Wednesday, led Rozner’s compatriot Mike Lorenzo-Vera by two shots heading into the back nine.

But Rozner flew out of the chasing pack with three straight birdies from the ninth, before an eagle on the par-five 13th gave him the lead.

Sullivan stuttered with a bogey on the 16th and had to settle for a 70, ending in a tie for second with Lorenzo-Vera, Francesco Laporta and Matt Wallace.

Rozner birdied the 18th to set a clubhouse target which proved too challenging for his rivals to match.


Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League in style

Updated 18 sec ago
Follow

Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League in style

MUNICH, Germany: Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time by thrashing Inter Milan 5-0 on Saturday in the most one-sided final in the competition’s history.
Teenager Desire Doue scored twice for PSG and set up the opening goal for Achraf Hakimi in Munich’s Allianz Arena before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made it four and then 19-year-old substitute Senny Mayulu completed the scoring.
PSG took the lead after 12 minutes when Hakimi sidefooted home a pass from Doue.
The Parisians went 2-0 ahead eight minutes later when their defender Willian Pacho improbably kept the ball from going out at the PSG end and the resulting fast-flowing move led to Doue firing in a deflected shot that evaded Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
PSG made it 3-0 with a goal created by Vitinha’s surging run. He exchanged passes with Ousmane Dembele, before delivering a pass into the path of 19-year-old Doue who drilled the ball into the net.
The match was put beyond doubt by Georgian international Kvaratskhelia’s brilliant low finish before Mayulu rounded off a slick passing move.
Qatari-owned PSG are just the second French club since Marseille in 1993 to win European football’s top trophy.
 


PSG fans display banner calling for end to ‘genocide’ in Gaza during Champions League final

Updated 44 min ago
Follow

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

Updated 31 May 2025
Follow

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

Updated 31 May 2025
Follow

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.


Green Falcons hold Alkhobar training session in preparation for World Cup qualifiers

Updated 31 May 2025
Follow

Green Falcons hold Alkhobar training session in preparation for World Cup qualifiers

  • French coach Herve Renard supervised the team as they held a light recovery session
  • Team preparations resume tomorrow night with full training session

KHOBAR: The Saudi national football team held a training session on Saturday in Alkhobar, as they continue preparing for the decisive ninth and 10th rounds of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

French coach Herve Renard supervised the team as they held a light recovery session at the health facilities of the Green Falcons’ base camp, a media statement said.

Injured left back Muteb Al-Harbi continued his rehabilitation program under the medical staff’s supervision, while teammate Mohammed Bakr resumed physical training with the team’s fitness coach.

After the recovery session ended, Renard gave the players some free time, with the squad scheduled to return later this evening at their base.

The Green Falcons’ preparations resume tomorrow night with a full training session at 7 p.m. in Ettifaq Club Stadium.

The first 15 minutes of the session will be open to the media to offer a glimpse into the team’s readiness as the qualifiers draw near.

Saudi Arabia stands at third place in Group C with 10 points from eight matches. Japan tops the group on 20 points, while second-place Australia has 13 points.

The Green Falcons play against Bahrain on June 5 and Australia on June 10.