Category: Sports

Barcelona were hit with a double injury blow which marred their goalless draw against Athletic Club at San Mames.

Barcelona failed to take advantage of Real Madrid’s slip-up in the title race.

Fresh off the back of their 4-0 drubbing of Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey in midweek, Athletic would have been brimming with confidence about closing the gap on the top four.

But with Real Madrid only drawing 2-2 with Valencia last Saturday and Girona suffering a surprise defeat to Mallorca, Barcelona had the opportunity to close the gap at the top to four points.

With few chances to speak of in the early exchanges, Barca were dealt a massive blow in the 26th minute when Frenkie de Jong was forced off with an ankle injury and replaced by Joao Cancelo. The Portuguese full-back nearly put the visitors in front minutes later, only to see his effort hacked clear off the line on the half-hour mark, the Spanish MARCA newspaper reported.

Ronald Araujo and head coach Xavi Hernandez were both cautioned midway through
the first half, meaning the pair will be suspended for their next fixture against Mallorca on 8 March.

But Barca’s already bad evening turned into a nightmare when Xavi was forced into another change on the stroke of halftime.

Pedri, who has been plagued by injury over the past two seasons, had to be consoled by medics as he broke down in tears while walking off, suggesting his latest injury could keep him out for a lengthy period. Lamine Yamal was brought on in his place as Barca looked to spark the game into life.

The 17-year-old made an impact and felt he should have been awarded a penalty after going down under a challenge from Imanol Garcia, but the referee waved away his appeals.

With the clock running down, Xavi sent on fresh legs in the form of Joao Felix, Inigo Martinez and Oriol Romeu for Raphinha, Pau Cubarsi and the booked Andreas Christensen. But in a stop-start game of few chances, Barca never truly looked like finding the back of the net.

With De Jong and Pedri joining Gavi, Ferran Torres,
Marcos Alonso and Alejandro Balde on the ever-increasing list of injuries, Barca’s hopes of catching Real Madrid look slim at best with only 12 games

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: Following the success of the inaugural diplomatic initiative held in partnership between the public and private sectors from 2022 to 2023 in Italy and the Sultanate of Oman, the Foreign Ministry, in collaboration with relevant entities, revealed the details of the second edition of the Oman Golf Trophy 2024 in a press conference held this morning at the Royal Opera House Muscat.

The event was attended by Khalid bin Hashil Al Muselhi, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Administrative and Financial Affairs and Basil bin Ahmed Al Rowas, Undersecretary for Sports and Youth at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and Eng. Munthir Al Barwani, President of the Oman Golf Association.

The upcoming tournament is set to attract a diverse mix of local and international golf enthusiasts, bolstering Oman’s standing as a premier sports tourism destination.

Across seven countries, 80 qualifying rounds will take place from April to October 2024 and will see 7,400 participants vie for a spot in the fin
al.

The finale of the Oman Golf Trophy 2024 will be held at Al Mouj Golf in December 2024, featuring 140 players, accompanied by guests, who will compete for victory. Notable economic and media figures from participating nations will gather in Muscat, adding prestige to the championship’s conclusion.

Commenting on the launch of the second edition, Khalid bin Hashil Muselhi stated, “The initiative aims to introduce Oman as a tourism destination and to establish a connection with golf enthusiasts, made up of businesspeople and high net worth individuals. It also aims to highlight Oman’s potentials by attracting investors, business owners, tourists, and media from participating countries, promoting it as an attractive destination for golf and other sports.”

Basil bin Ahmed Al Rowas emphasized that the Oman Golf Trophy is the first sports championship bearing the name “Sultanate of Oman” held abroad. He highlighted that this year’s edition saw the event grow to seven participating countries in the qualifying r
ounds, compared to the initial version which included only Italy and Oman. This presents a significant opportunity to promote investment opportunities, especially in sports tourism, in line with Oman Vision 2040.

Al Rowas pointed out that organizing the tournament aligns with the ongoing diplomatic and cultural efforts of the Sultanate of Oman on the international stage, providing an opportunity to showcase Oman in those countries through the globally popular sport of golf.

He stressed the importance of supporting the tournament to ensure its sustainability and development, stating that this support plays a significant role in building a sports foundation that enables Omani athletes to compete at the global level.

In conclusion, he expressed his anticipation for organizing similar events in various sports, in collaboration with international partners and with the joint support of the public and private sectors.

Eng. Munthir bin Salem Al Barwani, President of the Oman Golf Association, stated, “The Oman Go
lf Trophy is an initiative from the Unified National Plan team to promote Oman under the auspices of the Omani Foreign Ministry. The first edition of the tournament was held in Italy from September to November 2022, with 800 participants in the qualifying rounds. Fourteen players qualified to compete in the final round at the Al Mouj Golf Course, where Enrico Pardazi won the men’s category and Barbara Moratti the women’s category.”

This initiative demonstrates the strength of the partnership between the public and private sectors, working together towards a common goal of promoting Oman. The success of the Oman Golf Trophy extends beyond Italy and Oman, reaching a global audience and conveying the message that Oman is an open country welcoming investor, tourists, athletes, adventurers, luxury enthusiasts, and people from all walks of life.

The Oman Golf Trophy will be held at several renowned golf courses worldwide, with the final event taking place in Muscat from 9 to 12 December 2024. Qualifying rounds wi
ll be held in various countries, including Italy (April to October), Austria (April to September), Germany (April to October), South Africa (May to August), India (August to November), France (September to October), and Japan (August to October). Omani players will have the opportunity to interact with international players and compete in an atmosphere blending fun and challenge.

The first edition of the Oman Golf Trophy took place on seven famous golf courses in Italy from September to November 2022, with 800 players participating in the qualifying rounds. Fourteen players qualified for the final round, held at the Muscat Hills Golf Course, where Enrico Pardazi and Barbara Moratti won the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. The initiative is supervised by the Oman Golf Federation (www.golfoman.com) and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, with technical and financial support from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and In
vestment Promotion, and several prestigious Omani companies

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: Following the success of the inaugural diplomatic initiative held in partnership between the public and private sectors from 2022 to 2023 in Italy and the Sultanate of Oman, the Foreign Ministry, in collaboration with relevant entities, revealed the details of the second edition of the Oman Golf Trophy 2024 in a press conference held this morning at the Royal Opera House Muscat.

The event was attended by Khalid bin Hashil Al Muselhi, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Administrative and Financial Affairs and Basil bin Ahmed Al Rowas, Undersecretary for Sports and Youth at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and Eng. Munthir Al Barwani, President of the Oman Golf Association.

The upcoming tournament is set to attract a diverse mix of local and international golf enthusiasts, bolstering Oman’s standing as a premier sports tourism destination.

Across seven countries, 80 qualifying rounds will take place from April to October 2024 and will see 7,400 participants vie for a spot in the fin
al.

The finale of the Oman Golf Trophy 2024 will be held at Al Mouj Golf in December 2024, featuring 140 players, accompanied by guests, who will compete for victory. Notable economic and media figures from participating nations will gather in Muscat, adding prestige to the championship’s conclusion.

Commenting on the launch of the second edition, Khalid bin Hashil Muselhi stated, “The initiative aims to introduce Oman as a tourism destination and to establish a connection with golf enthusiasts, made up of businesspeople and high net worth individuals. It also aims to highlight Oman’s potentials by attracting investors, business owners, tourists, and media from participating countries, promoting it as an attractive destination for golf and other sports.”

Basil bin Ahmed Al Rowas emphasized that the Oman Golf Trophy is the first sports championship bearing the name “Sultanate of Oman” held abroad. He highlighted that this year’s edition saw the event grow to seven participating countries in the qualifying r
ounds, compared to the initial version which included only Italy and Oman. This presents a significant opportunity to promote investment opportunities, especially in sports tourism, in line with Oman Vision 2040.

Al Rowas pointed out that organizing the tournament aligns with the ongoing diplomatic and cultural efforts of the Sultanate of Oman on the international stage, providing an opportunity to showcase Oman in those countries through the globally popular sport of golf.

He stressed the importance of supporting the tournament to ensure its sustainability and development, stating that this support plays a significant role in building a sports foundation that enables Omani athletes to compete at the global level.

In conclusion, he expressed his anticipation for organizing similar events in various sports, in collaboration with international partners and with the joint support of the public and private sectors.

Eng. Munthir bin Salem Al Barwani, President of the Oman Golf Association, stated, “The Oman Go
lf Trophy is an initiative from the Unified National Plan team to promote Oman under the auspices of the Omani Foreign Ministry. The first edition of the tournament was held in Italy from September to November 2022, with 800 participants in the qualifying rounds. Fourteen players qualified to compete in the final round at the Al Mouj Golf Course, where Enrico Pardazi won the men’s category and Barbara Moratti the women’s category.”

This initiative demonstrates the strength of the partnership between the public and private sectors, working together towards a common goal of promoting Oman. The success of the Oman Golf Trophy extends beyond Italy and Oman, reaching a global audience and conveying the message that Oman is an open country welcoming investor, tourists, athletes, adventurers, luxury enthusiasts, and people from all walks of life.

The Oman Golf Trophy will be held at several renowned golf courses worldwide, with the final event taking place in Muscat from 9 to 12 December 2024. Qualifying rounds wi
ll be held in various countries, including Italy (April to October), Austria (April to September), Germany (April to October), South Africa (May to August), India (August to November), France (September to October), and Japan (August to October). Omani players will have the opportunity to interact with international players and compete in an atmosphere blending fun and challenge.

The first edition of the Oman Golf Trophy took place on seven famous golf courses in Italy from September to November 2022, with 800 players participating in the qualifying rounds. Fourteen players qualified for the final round, held at the Muscat Hills Golf Course, where Enrico Pardazi and Barbara Moratti won the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. The initiative is supervised by the Oman Golf Federation (www.golfoman.com) and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, with technical and financial support from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and In
vestment Promotion, and several prestigious Omani companies

Source: Oman News Agency

Liverpool moved four points clear atop the English Premier League standings with a dramatic 99th-minute 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest courtesy of Darwin Nunez.

The victory could prove crucial for the Reds as they battle it out with Manchester City for the title, as a draw looked likely with each passing minute at City Ground.

However, just when it seemed the two sides were set to share the spoils, Nunez, in what was his first game since 17 February, managed to send Alexis Mac Allister’s cross into the back of the net with a glancing header.

The victory crucially moves Liverpool four points clear of Manchester City in the standings, ahead of the Citizens’ derby clash with United later today. It’s also their first win at the City Ground since 1984.

Neither side were able to create much of substance in the first half, with the best chance falling to Forest.

Former Liverpool forward Divock Origi’s pass sent Anthony Elanga in on goal, but the forward failed to send his effort past the leg of Caoimhin Kel
leher.

The Reds responded through Luis Diaz, but the Colombian could only push the ball over the bar.

Liverpool seemed to wake up after the restart when Andy Robertson was presented with a chance, but Matz Sels denied him with his boot.

Forest responded, Elanga firing just wide of the mark as both teams tried to find the breakthrough despite creating few clear cut chances.

In the end Liverpool did find a winner, though they couldn’t have left it any later. Forest couldn’t clear their lines, which allowed the Reds to recycle the ball from a corner.

This allowed Mac Allister to chip a left-footed cross into the box, with Nunez getting between two defenders to send his glancing header home to the despair of the home fans.

Source: Oman News Agency

Members of the International Tent Pegging Federation (ITPF)’s general assembly, who convened in Muscat today, discussed a variety of issues, most notably Turkey’s accession to membership of the ITPF.

Through a unanimous vote, the ITPF’s general assembly endorsed amendments to the laws of the game and agreed to hold the next ITPF World Cup in 2026.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Mohammed bin Issa Al Fairuz, President of the International Tent Pegging Federation, and attended by representatives of member states.

Al Fairuz said that the meeting discussed the most important international championships, programmes, events and training courses organized by the ITPF. The discussions dealt with the ITPF World Cup’s qualifying tournaments.

In his speech, Al Fairuz also touched on joint cooperation agreements inked with the Asian Equestrian Federation and Qatar Equestrian Federation.

During the meeting, the ITPF general assembly accepted Russia’s request to organize two tournaments, the first in tr
aditional sports uniforms in July 2024 and the second a friendship tournament in August 2024. It also approved Pakistan’s request to hold a Youth Tournament (U-21) and it endorsed the ITPF Board of Directors’ report and its 2023 financial report.

Source: Oman News Agency

Vinicius Junior responded to a hostile reception from Valencia fans with a brace to rescue Real Madrid with a 2-2 draw at Estadio Mestalla in a game that ended with referee controversy.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side had a golden opportunity to go nine points clear of second-place Girona as the title race begins to reach its climax, but Real Madrid may live to rue their lackluster first-half performance if their title rivals win their game in hand.

Hugo Duro put the hosts in front on 27 minutes after heading home from a Fran Perez ball into the box, with Valencia looking dangerous on the counter.

And only three minutes later, Los Che doubled their lead. Roman Yaremchuk stunned the visitors after pouncing on a miscommunication between Dani Carvajal and Andriy Lunin, tapping home into the empty net to leave his compatriot looking red-faced.

But right on the stroke of halftime, Real Madrid clawed their way back into the contest – and it simply had to be Vinicius Junior to score the goal. After boos and jeers every t
ime he received the ball, he stepped up to bring the leaders back from the brink, the Spanish MARCA newspaper reported.

The Brazilian, back at the Mestalla a year after accusing fans of allegedly racially abusing him, had the last laugh with a goal in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time, bundling home at the far post.

Both goalkeepers were forced to make decent stops, with Lunin keeping out Duro this time with a smart stop and Giorgi Marmardashvili denying Jude Bellingham a goal on his return to the team.

Ancelotti sent on Brahim Diaz and Luka Modric in search of an equalizer midway through the second half, and the pair would repay their boss by having a part to play in the equalizing goal.

Modric and Brahim combined in the build-up before the latter sent in a cross to the far post. Unmarked, Vinicius met the delivery with a header into the ground to bring the score level to 2-2. A brief VAR check deemed that he was onside when the ball was played and the comeback was complete.

The game didn’t e
nd without some controversy as Real Madrid were handed a corner in the closing stages. Just when Bellingham headed the ball into the back of the net, the goal was ruled off.

While unclear at first, the goal was called back after the referee had already blown the whistle as the ball crossed the line, much to the anger of Real Madrid.

It means Real Madrid have still only tasted defeat once in the Spanish LaLiga this season, although they now face an anxious wait to see if their advantage will be cut to four points, with Girona travelling to Mallorca and Barcelona facing a tough test against Athletic Club today.

Source: Oman News Agency

Syria’s men basketball team beat its Emirati counterpart 78-63 points in the 2nd round of the first window of Asian Cup Qualifiers, in a match that brought them together Monday in the United Arab Emirates(UAE).

Meanwhile, the Syrian team lost to its Lebanese counterpart 87-78 points in the first round of the 1st stage.

24 teams are participating in the current qualifiers, and they are distributed into six groups, and the first and second teams in each group will qualify directly for the next Asian Cup.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

United States Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, attended on Sunday the embassy team’s match in the second division volleyball tournament in the hall of the Al-Rusul School in Jounieh, alongside the club president, vice president of the Olympic Committee, Asaad al-Nakhl, and Mr. George al-Hani.

The match ended with the US embassy team defeating Mont La Salle 3-1.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

The Lebanese basketball national team achieved its second victory over the Palestine national team this afternoon (84-55), in the ‘Beirut Cup’ quadrennial international tournament held in the Ghazir Sports Club hall.

Lebanon began the tournament by defeating Iraq yesterday, and will conclude it on Tuesday by meeting Syria, while Palestine won over Syria, and will meet Iraq on Tuesday.

The tournament serves as preparation for the participating teams for the first window of qualifiers for the continental championship finals in Saudi Arabia next year. Each team plays two matches in this window.

Global Active Sports, the tournament organizer, will host an official dinner banquet for the delegations, at 8:30 pm tomorrow at the Palms Beach House restaurant in Jounieh, under the patronage of the President of the Lebanese Basketball Federation and First Vice President of the AFC, Akram Halabi.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Adam Yates of UAE Team Emirates delivered an outstanding performance to overcome Jan Hirt of Soudal Quick-Step by few seconds in style to lift his professional overall victory in Tour of Oman 2024 in Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain). The British rider crossed the finish line in few seconds advance to take the title honours and leader’s red jersey.

Adam Yates completed the full tour within 14 hours, 22 minutes and 30 seconds while Jan Hirt of Czech Republic finished as runners up after ending the full tour within 14 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds. The New Zealander rider, Finn Lachlan Fox Fisher, ended in third place as he clocked 14 hours, 23 minutes and 9 seconds.

UAE Team Emirates riders managed to end all the stages of the tour in the first place and followed by Soudal Quick-Step team while Intermarche – Wanty riders finished in third place.

‘We came to Oman with high ambitious in Tour of Oman 2024 and I am happy that the team ended all the races with some wins. It was a nice week for us. This race w
as great,’ Adam Yates said.

‘I saw many nice places in Oman in my first attendance to this beautiful country. I will be back again for more wins,’ he added.

The peloton roll began from Samail ‘Al Feyhaa Resthouse’ for a short stage, with a 72-km course adapted to the exceptional weather conditions in the Sultanate of Oman. The iconic ascent up Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain) looms on the horizon and it appeared contestants were eager to get there as soon as possible.

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: New Zealand’s rider Finn Fisher-Black of UAE Team Emirates put up a dominating performance to win the dramatic 170.4 km stage two of 13th edition for Tour of Oman today in Qurayat.

On a day of heavy rains, the Kiwi youngster picked up a spectacular victory after more than four hours of racing that began at As Sifah in a cloudy weather. This is the second successive triumph for the rider Finn in Muscat following his earlier title of the second edition of Muscat Classic event on Friday after an impressive show.

The star of UAE Team Emirates claimed the overall leader’s red jersey (general individual time) after he completed the race within 4 hours, 4 minutes, and 4 seconds ahead of the rider Luke Lamperti (USA) of SOUDAL QUICK-STEP team who came in second place within a timing of 4H, 04 minutes and 06 seconds.

Italian rider Diego Ulissi finished third as he clocked 04 hours, 04 minutes and 06 seconds with minor difference in the seconds. The champion Finn Fisher received red (individual time classifi
cation), green (general points classification) and white (young rider) jerseys, while rider Oscar Pelegri Ferrnandis from Burgos-BH team of Spain got the golden jersey as he claimed the most aggressive rider for the second straight stage as he claimed the same jersey in the previous stage.

‘It is nice to have two victories in three days after my opening triumph in Muscat classic race and then in Tour of Oman in the second stage. It was a tough race and competitions in this weather conditions.’ New Zealand’s rider Finn Fisher-Black said

The Spanish rider Oscar Pelegri Ferrnandis from Burgos-BH team of Spain remained the champions of the golden jersey for the second straight stage. Oman’s national team rider Said al Rahbi finished the second stage race in the 67th position in a timing of four hours, six minutes and 23 seconds.

On Monday, The road keeps rising in the Tour of Oman with an even harder finish up Eastern Mountain. The stage three will start from Bidbid and will end in Easter Mountains for a dista
nce of 169.3 km. The finishes will occur at the top of the hill at the end of a 180 m final.

Source: Oman News Agency

Muscat: New Zealand’s rider Finn Fisher-Black of UAE Team Emirates put up a dominating performance to win the dramatic 170.4 km stage two of 13th edition for Tour of Oman today in Qurayat.

On a day of heavy rains, the Kiwi youngster picked up a spectacular victory after more than four hours of racing that began at As Sifah in a cloudy weather. This is the second successive triumph for the rider Finn in Muscat following his earlier title of the second edition of Muscat Classic event on Friday after an impressive show.

The star of UAE Team Emirates claimed the overall leader’s red jersey (general individual time) after he completed the race within 4 hours, 4 minutes, and 4 seconds ahead of the rider Luke Lamperti (USA) of SOUDAL QUICK-STEP team who came in second place within a timing of 4H, 04 minutes and 06 seconds.

Italian rider Diego Ulissi finished third as he clocked 04 hours, 04 minutes and 06 seconds with minor difference in the seconds. The champion Finn Fisher received red (individual time classifi
cation), green (general points classification) and white (young rider) jerseys, while rider Oscar Pelegri Ferrnandis from Burgos-BH team of Spain got the golden jersey as he claimed the most aggressive rider for the second straight stage as he claimed the same jersey in the previous stage.

‘It is nice to have two victories in three days after my opening triumph in Muscat classic race and then in Tour of Oman in the second stage. It was a tough race and competitions in this weather conditions.’ New Zealand’s rider Finn Fisher-Black said

The Spanish rider Oscar Pelegri Ferrnandis from Burgos-BH team of Spain remained the champions of the golden jersey for the second straight stage. Oman’s national team rider Said al Rahbi finished the second stage race in the 67th position in a timing of four hours, six minutes and 23 seconds.

On Monday, The road keeps rising in the Tour of Oman with an even harder finish up Eastern Mountain. The stage three will start from Bidbid and will end in Easter Mountains for a dista
nce of 169.3 km. The finishes will occur at the top of the hill at the end of a 180 m final.

Source: Oman News Agency