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Paris St Germain’s Nuno Mendes celebrates scoring their second goal against Strasbourg in the Ligue 1 match. (Reuters) ‘In the end I don’t know if we deserved to win or not but it was important’ Nuno Mendes scored a late winner as Paris Saint-Germain survived the second-half sending-off of Achraf Hakimi to beat Strasbourg 2-1 on Sunday and reclaim top spot in Ligue 1. A dramatic game in Alsace saw PSG goalkeeper Matfei Safonov save Joaquin Panichelli’s early penalty for Strasbourg, before Senny Mayulu gave the visitors the lead. Guela Doue, elder brother of PSG star Desire, levelled for the home side before the half-hour mark, but Portugal left-back Mendes headed in the winner for the reigning French and European champions in the 81st minute. Luis Enrique’s team had been reduced to 10 men on 74 minutes as Moroccan star Hakimi was sent off for a high tackle on Panichelli – he was initially shown a yellow card only for the punishment to be upgraded to red after a VAR check. Having missed out on direct qualification for the Champions League last 16 in midweek following a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, PSG bounced back here to make it six successive Ligue 1 victories.As a result, they are two points clear at the top of the table from Lens, who defeated Le Havre 1-0 on Friday. “We were fortunate to win this match when most people would have thought it was impossible,” said Luis Enrique.“It was not our best performance. In the end I don’t know if we deserved to win or not but it was very important.” For Strasbourg, the defeat was their first in four matches under new English coach Gary O’Neil, appointed last month after Liam Rosenior left for Chelsea.They remain seventh, but are only two points adrift of Lille in fifth. Strasbourg were awarded a penalty following a VAR check after PSG captain Marquinhos blocked a shot with his arm. However, Safonov dived to his right to keep out the penalty by Argentina striker Panichelli.“He is the best goalkeeper I have ever worked with when it comes to stopping penalties,” Luis Enrique said of the Russian. Mayulu then prodded PSG into the lead, only for Doue to finish off a fine move to equalise by turning in Ben Chilwell’s cross. Strasbourg must have hoped they could go on to win the game after Moroccan star Hakimi was sent off on his first Ligue 1 appearance in three months, but Mendes headed in Warren Zaire-Emery’s cross to take the points back to Paris. “I am really proud of the team but really disappointed that we somehow found a way to lose, because I thought we were excellent and created the better chances,” said O’Neil.“Many teams lose to PSG just defending but we were in the game the whole way – it does give us the belief that we can go again.” Elsewhere, Lyon continued their excellent run of form with a 1-0 win over Lille to make it 10 straight victories in all competitions and further boost their chances of Champions League qualification.Danish midfielder Noah Nartey scored the only goal late in the opening half, a first for the 20-year-old since his arrival from Brondby last month. The seven-time French champions have now won every game since losing at Lorient in early December, including five on the bounce in Ligue 1. That form has allowed Paulo Fonseca’s side – also boosted by the arrival of Brazil striker Endrick on loan from Real Madrid – to cement their grip on fourth place, which brings with it a spot in next season’s Champions League qualifying rounds.With 39 points, Lyon trail Marseille in third only on goal difference and are seven clear of Lille, for whom this was a sixth loss in seven matches in 2026.Marseille followed their exit from the Champions League during the week by squandering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Paris FC on Saturday – OM and OL are nine points worse off than PSG. Source link
Organisers of the Doha Diamond League Meeting on May 8 have confirmed that athletes who set new meeting records at the 2026 event will be awarded a $5000 bonus, an innovative concept that was first introduced in 2025.The Diamond League series broke new ground in 2025 with $9.84mn awarded in prize money across the series as a whole, the largest prize pool in Diamond League history.While the introduction of meeting record bonus payments in Doha provided another welcome incentive for athletes, the high standard of past-performances meant that only Bahrain’s Olympic silver medallist Salwa Eid Naser came close. Her winning time of 49.83 in the women’s 400m matched the meeting record set by Allyson Felix of USA in 2008, but it wasn’t quick enough for the outright best required to meet the criteria for the $5000 bonus payment.Mohammed al-Fadala, Qatar Athletics Federation president, said: “The Doha Meeting has established itself as one of the leading Wanda Diamond League fixtures and feedback from our athletes, their coaches and their managers, repeatedly tells us that our exceptional hospitality is a key factor in them wanting to return.“As Mutaz Barshim said in last year’s press conference, track and field isn’t an easy job, so it’s very important that we value our athletes and take care of them, as well as providing the perfect stage for top quality competition. By continuing to award bonus payments for new meeting records we are incentivising athletes to perform, but we are also rewarding them for their efforts.“Mutaz acknowledged that change is positive and that as a meeting, and across the sport as a whole, we were moving in the right direction. We in Doha remain committed to innovation and change and that remains crucial if we’re to continue to grow our reputation and profile globally.”Earlier, multiple Olympic, world and European champion Mondo Duplantis of Sweden confirmed he will compete in Doha. The 26-year-old, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and six-time world champion, is also the meeting record holder in Doha with 6.02m, set in 2022. He arrives following another standout season, having broken the world record for the 14th time, most recently with 6.30m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.Duplantis is unbeaten in this Doha Diamond League fixture, but it’s been far from plain sailing. The 2020 event was postponed due to the pandemic (he won the rescheduled competition with a best of 5.82m), while in 2022 the men’s pole vault was delayed by one day and moved indoors due to high winds. Duplantis cleared 6.02m for the win on that occasion – a mark that still stands as the meeting record.“We’ve had a couple of challenges in the past for sure, but I’ve always loved coming to Doha,” said the 2025 World Athlete of the Year. “Last year was amazing for me. I ticked off a couple of really big goals, stuff that was high up on my bucket list, but my hunger and motivation is still 100% there. My training has gone well over the winter and I’m looking forward to competing indoors – it’s important to have something new to aim for, and for me, I want to successfully defend my European title. Doha will follow and it’s the perfect meet to kick off my outdoor season. I definitely prefer the warm weather to the cold, so hopefully conditions will be conducive to jumping high, challenging my meeting record, and setting a solid benchmark – and new goals – for the year ahead.”The azzraty Doha Meeting is the opening meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League. The series comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field across four different continents. It concludes with a single final across two days in Brussels on September 4 and 5. Related Story Source link
Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the touchline during the Premier League against Leeds United at Elland Road in Leeds. (AFP) Mikel Arteta said Arsenal are “actively looking” for a replacement for the injured Mikel Merino in the closing hours of the transfer window. Merino, who has been a valuable contributor in midfield and attack for the Gunners, could miss the rest of the season with a fractured right foot that requires surgery. Arteta stressed how significant the Spain international’s absence as Arsenal compete to win four trophies. The Arsenal boss hopes his club can come up with a new signing to fill the void before Monday’s 1900GMT deadline. “We are actively looking at options and we will continue to do that,” Arteta told reporters Monday. “When you lose a big player like this with four months to go, and all the competitions to play for, you need to look and we need to do everything we possibly can to see if a player is available.” The loss of Merino has been tempered by the return to fitness of Germany forward Kai Havertz. There was further good news for Arsenal as Arteta revealed an injury that kept England winger Bukayo Saka out of Saturday’s 4-0 win over Leeds is only minor. “Today, he (Saka) was better. Let’s see how he responds. It doesn’t look like something too serious,” Arteta added ahead of today’s League Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea“Whether he is available for tomorrow or the weekend, we will have to wait and see.” Arsenal remain on course for an unprecedented quadruple. Arteta’s side hold a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, have progressed to the last 16 of the Champions League and face third-tier Wigan in the FA Cup fourth round. But the Spaniard is focused on reaching the League Cup final as his side’s first opportunity to end a six-year trophy drought. Arsenal hold a 3-2 lead over Chelsea ahead of the second leg on home soil at the Emirates Stadium. “The next one is always the most important one. And it is the closest, at least, to reach a final,” said Arteta. “We really need to create the atmosphere, the energy, the belief that we’re going to do it.” Related Story Source link
The fourth and penultimate round of the Qatar Superstock 600 (QSTK 600) Championship delivered another weekend of thrilling action as the title race tightened up at the Lusail International Circuit. In QSTK 600, Mashal al-Naimi opened the round with a commanding victory in Race 1, completing 12 laps in 25:18.209 to lead in his Yamaha R6. Russia’s Dmitry Sedin finished second on a Kawasaki ZX-6, while Abdulla al-Qubaisi completed the podium. Sedin booked another podium spot when he topped the QSTK Trophy Class while India’s Jonathan Emmanuel came second and Hungary’s Marton Belleli finished third. Race 2 saw al-Qubaisi strike back in style, taking a dominant win in 20:48.010 in the 10-lap race ahead of al-Naimi and al-Mutawa who finished second and third respectively. This time, Emmanuel topped the QSTK Trophy class ahead of Belleli and Russia’s Yuri Nekrasov. After Race 2, al-Naimi and al-Qubaisi are locked at the top of the Superstock 600 standings on 180 points each, with Geoffrey Emmanuel third on 115. In Supersport 300 category, Mahmoud Elbanna leads the championship standings with 157 points, followed by Andrea Giacchero (109) and Nolan Macary (100), with riders now heading to the final round which will take place on February 27-28. Related Story Source link
The referee (right) looks on as Tottenham Hotspur’s Xavi Simons (left) clashes with Manchester City’s Rodri (centre) during the Premier League match at the Tottenham Hotspur…
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup trophy at the Royal Exhibition Building following his victory against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the Australian…
British F1 driver for Mercedes George Russell at the team’s digital launch Monday. (@MercedesAMGF1) George Russell believes he has been handed a car ready to win the world championship as Mercedes head into a new era for Formula One as the title favourites. Under the leadership of Toto Wolff, Mercedes won eight consecutive constructors’ championships and seven drivers’ titles between 2014 and 2021. Since Russell joined in 2022 they have struggled to keep pace with Red Bull and McLaren. However, a major upheaval of the sport’s technical rulebook for the new season means a fresh start for all the teams on the grid. Mercedes caught the eye in last week’s first test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya by boasting both impressive speed and reliability, with the bookmakers making Russell favourite for his first world title. “I feel ready to fight for a world championship, and whether we have that tag as favourites above us or not, it doesn’t change my approach one single bit,” said the British driver at Mercedes’ digital launch Monday. “There are a lot of things we need to learn very quickly, but I feel I can take advantage of that and I feel confident in myself and in the team.” Four-time world champion Max Verstappen will lead Red Bull’s challenge, aiming to regain the title after losing out to Lando Norris last season. Russell and Verstappen have clashed on and off the track in recent years and the former is relishing the prospect of a title battle to add to the feud between the pair. “I would love that. He is very much going to be in the fight this year,” added Russell. “You obviously wish you had a slightly easier time of it, but it should never be easy, and if you are going to win, you want to have fought for it and won it fair and square on track. “The best-case scenario is if you have a number of teams battling it out, and at the moment it does look like Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and ourselves are the four teams that are quite close,” Russell said. Wolff is relieved to have what appears a competitive car at the front of the grid after four seasons of disappointment, but is not getting carried away despite a positive first test session. “It is always nice if your driver is the favourite with the bookmakers, and he (Russell) deserves it because he is one of the best,” said the Austrian. “But it is always the best driver and the best car that wins, and we have not proven yet that we have a package that is good enough.” There will be two three-day tests in Bahrain later this month before the season begins in Australia on March 8. Related Story Source link
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, the Katara International Arabian Horse Festival will begin Wednesday at Katara Cultural Village. Against a backdrop of striking cityscapes and the beautiful Katara shoreline, the event will honour the grace, power, and timeless tradition of the Arabian horse. With a total prize fund of $1,050,000, the Doha stage stands amongst the most prestigious events of the season. The Katara Cultural Village Foundation announced the sponsors of the festival during a press conference held Monday, attended by Professor Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, Director General of the Foundation and Chairman of the Festival Organising Committee. In his address, Dr al-Sulaiti said the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani reflects the esteemed position of the Arabian horse in Qatari and Arab culture as a symbol of identity and authentic heritage. He noted that the sixth edition of the festival continues a sustained journey of development, adding that the event has evolved beyond a seasonal occasion to become a firmly established fixture on the Arabian horse calendar. He highlighted that six years of continuous progress have been reflected in growing attendance and rising confidence among breeders, owners, and enthusiasts from Qatar and abroad. This position, he stressed, is the result of a clear vision and cumulative effort built on discipline and consistency. Dr al-Sulaiti revealed that the 2026 edition features 545 horses registered across two championships – the Arabian Horse Tour and the Arabian Peninsula Purebred Championship. He explained that the diversity of bloodlines and artistic characteristics across both championships adds depth and balance to the festival, reinforcing the Arabian horse as a living cultural value rather than a relic of the past. Tournament Director and Organising Committee member Bader Mohammed al-Darwish said the achievements of the sixth edition reflect a clear strategic vision to strengthen the festival’s global standing and enhance the international presence of Arabian horses. He confirmed that the Arabian Horse Tour – Doha returns for the second consecutive year as the centrepiece of the festival, with more than 200 horses competing for qualification towards the World Arabian Horse Championship Supreme title. Al-Darwish noted that the Doha leg holds particular significance within the global tour, given its historical association with Arabian horses and traditional horsemanship. He added that the Doha round follows the season opener in Abu Dhabi and coincides with a renewed celebration of the breed in a country regarded as a major centre for Arabian horses. The festival will also host the Arabian Peninsula Purebred Championship, featuring 180 horses. The Katara International Arabian Horse Festival 2026 will run from Wednesday until February 12 and remains one of the flagship events organised by the Katara Cultural Village Foundation, reflecting its mission to preserve Arab heritage and promote the Arabian horse as a timeless symbol of authenticity and belonging. Source link
Nelly Korda poses with the trophy after winning Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando. (AFP) Nelly Korda captured her 16th career LPGA title on Sunday at the season-opening Tournament of Champions after the event was shortened to 54 holes by sub-freezing temperatures. Korda completed an eight-under par 64 in the third round on Saturday at Lake Nona Country Club but six leaders were left on the course when play was halted on the Orlando, Florida, layout. They finished Sunday afternoon but none could catch Korda, the 27-year-old American winning for the first time since November 2024 in a seven-win season that qualified her for the tournament. “I really, over the off-season, was motivated to get back in the winner’s circle,” Korda said. Tokyo Olympic champion Korda, a two-time major winner, called her Saturday 64 in blustery and cold conditions among her greatest career rounds. “I would probably say a top-three round of my career,” Korda said. “Conditions were brutal and they just got worse and worse throughout the day. Korda added that holes “17 and 18 were brutal. I think they were probably the hardest holes I’ve ever played in professional golf.” After consulting with players and the grounds crew on Sunday, officials made the decision to complete 54 holes but cancel Sunday’s scheduled final round. “Play will continue with Lake Nona Golf and Country Club becoming playable in competitive competition at its peak temperature, but conditions will deteriorate later today and tomorrow making it difficult to complete 72 holes,” the LPGA said in a statement. Ricki Lasky, the LPGA chief tour business and operations officer, spoke with players, who struggled to practice in frigid weather. “As I was driving up this morning it was 23 degrees (-5 Celsius), feels like temperature of 11, so pretty shocking,” she said. “The ground was really hard and it was changing the trajectory of their shots as they were practising.” Poor forecasts put a Monday finish out of reach, she said. Source link
The fourth round of the 2026 Arabian Drag Racing League (ADRL) wrapped up at Qatar Racing Club (QRC), drawing a record 190 racers – 20 more than the previous round. Five drivers won their first-ever titles, intensifying the season title race with just two rounds left.The championship is held under the patronage of QRC Chairman His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad al-Thani. QRC Director General Sheikh Jabor bin Khalid al-Thani crowned the podium winners.The Index categories for cars competing over the quarter-mile distance recorded the highest participation, with 63 competitors. In the (INDEX 9.0) category, opening-round champion Sulaiman Al-Sanousi claimed his second title of the season after defeating Jarrah al-Mutairi in the final race.The (INDEX 8.50) category featured an entirely new podium, as Fahad al-Ajmi secured his first title of the season. Fahd al-Sharah finished second, while Saleh al-Misbah completed the podium in third place.The most intense racing came in the eighth-mile Index categories, peaking in Index 4.0. After losing the opening-round final, Badr Khurshid bounced back to face two-time winner Tareq al-Bastaki in the final. Khurshid won, claiming his first title of the season. In the Index 4.50 category, Ibrahim Abbas Ibrahim and Abdullah al-Yaseen met in their first-ever final, with Ibrahim taking the Round Four title.Meanwhile, the winner of the previous round, Shaun Langdon, returned to claim his second title of the championship after winning the final race of the (INDEX 4.80) category against Ahmed Saad al-Harbi. Third place on the podium went to the runner-up of the previous round, Batti al-Ali.As usual, the Pro Modified category stole the spotlight, starting from the qualifying runs, which were topped by last round’s winner JR Gray. Champion of Rounds One and Two, Mike Stavrinos, set the second-fastest time, while fellow American Mike Castellana placed third in qualifying. However, that did not stop Castellana from advancing past the first round after defeating the runner-up of the previous two rounds, Rashid al-Balushi.Castellana then faced Gray in the semifinals and managed to overcome him, setting up a final showdown with Stavrinos, who was aiming for his third title of the championship. The final result, however, delivered Castellana his first-ever title in the series.In Super Street Pro, last round’s winner Jaber al-Maghrabi reached his fourth straight final, but Yousuf al-Ali — winner of the first two rounds — claimed his third title after missing the podium in the previous round.After two challenging rounds, Turki al-Dhafeeri reached his second Super Street Outlaw final of the season and beat three-time winner Mustafa Atat, who finished second. Badr al-Sharshani took third, his second podium of the championship.The final of the most competitive motorcycle category repeated last round’s matchup, with Mishaal al-Sabr and Christopher Garner facing off again. Al-Sabr reached his third straight final but finished second once more, while Garner claimed his second title of the season.Mishari al-Turki returned to winning form by securing his second victory of the season after claiming the Super Street Bike category title with a win over Round Two champion Mohammed Bourashed in the final race.In the final motorcycle category, Mustafa Mahmoudi continued his dominance by securing his third consecutive title, while Mohammed al-Salem and Abdulwahab Bouqmaz finished second and third respectively.The fifth and penultimate round will get underway Wednesday. Related Story Source link