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Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Eintracht Frankfurt in their Bundesliga match in Munich Saturday. (AFP) Harry Kane scored his third straight Bundesliga brace as Bayern Munich beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 Saturday to move nine points clear of chasers Borussia Dortmund atop the table.Dortmund, who have won six consecutive Bundesliga matches, play at RB Leipzig in Saturday’s late game.Aleksandar Pavlovic’s low strike gave Bayern the lead and Kane added goals either side of half-time, before giving away a penalty converted by Germany forward Jonathan Burkardt with 13 minutes remaining.Bayern captain Joshua Kimmich gifted Frankfurt’s Arnaud Kalimuendo a late goal with a poor pass but the hosts held on.Kane has now scored more than one goal in a match 13 times this season in all competitions.The England captain has netted 28 goals in 23 Bundesliga appearances and 43 in total this campaign.The only negative for Bayern was a second-half injury to wing-back Alphonso Davies.The Canada captain, who returned after eight months out with an ACL injury in December, clutched his ankle after a tackle and pulled his jersey over his face as he was substituted.Bayern earlier burst out of the blocks and Pavlovic broke through on 16 minutes.The Germany midfielder latched onto a failed clearance and blasted in a low shot, which slipped through Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos’ fingers and trickled over the line.Kane doubled Bayern’s lead four minutes later, heading in a corner from close range.The England captain added another midway through the second half, sneaking the ball just inside the post with his left foot.Burkardt’s penalty looked a mere consolation until Kalimuendo jumped on Kimmich’s mistake to cut Bayern’s lead to one with four minutes remaining, but the hosts kept Frankfurt at arm’s length in the final stages.Bayer Leverkusen’s top-four hopes took a hit with a 1-0 defeat at Union Berlin, days after an impressive Champions League win at Olympiacos.Home captain Rani Khedira overpowered former Union midfielder Robert Andrich to pounce on a loose ball and hammer home in the 28th minute.The defeat leaves Leverkusen in sixth, three points behind fourth-placed Stuttgart.Elsewhere, third-placed Hoffenheim dropped points for just the second time in eight matches in a 2-2 draw at Cologne.Cologne took the lead thanks to an incredible bicycle kick from Ragnar Ache but Hoffenheim hit back either side of the break to take the lead thanks to goals from Ozan Kabak and Andrej Kramaric.Teenage winger Said El Mala put Cologne level with an excellent solo goal on 63 minutes and the hosts held on to grab a valuable point against the in-form visitors.Augsburg were behind twice but won 3-2 at Wolfsburg, with Elvis Rexhbecaj scoring in stoppage time to lift the visitors nine points clear of the relegation play-off place. Related Story Source link
Action from the Al Thumama Ramadan Tournament. The third edition of the Al Thumama Ramadan Tournament kicked off at Al Furjan Stadium in cooperation with the Qatar Sports for All Federation, featuring 13 teams in the 10–14 age category (born 2012–2016).Opening day delivered excitement and plenty of goals. Abdullah Bin Turki’s team stormed to a 9–0 win over Doha, with Ibrahim Hassan al-Emadi named Man of the Match. Al Zaeem and Al Wajba shared a 1–1 draw, as Adam Mazen earned the individual award. In the third match, Al Rayyan defeated Al Thumama 3–1, with Taim Allah Ayman taking Man of the Match honors.The tournament is divided into two groups. Group A includes Doha, Turki Bin Abdullah, Al Wajba, Al Zaeem, Al Rayyan and Al Thumama. Group B features Al Dafna, Al Shaab, Al Waab, Medical Care, Palestine, Al Shaqab and Al Shahaniya.Hassan al-Ishaq, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, praised the strong start and growing stature of the tournament, highlighting its role in developing young talent and the added value of cooperation with the Qatar Sports for All Federation. Related Story Source link
(FILES) US boxer great Floyd Mayweather takes part in a training session at a gym in Tokyo on September 22, 2022, ahead of his planned exhibition…
A fabulous free kick from Edmilson Junior saw Al Duhail hold Al Arabi 1-1 in their Qatar Stars League (QSL) match at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium Saturday.The Dream Team had fetched the lead in the 23rd minute after Karl Toko Ekambi chested down a long ball in front of the six-yard box before scoring off a rebound from the rival goalkeeper’s block. The Red Knights got the equalizer in the 65th minute as Al Arabi goalkeeper Jassem al-Hail was beaten by Edmislon’s powerful kick – taken from five yards away of the goalline on the left. The flying ball also took Al Hail into the net with its force. The shared spoils meant that Al Arabi moved down a rung to sixth place in the standings with a total tally of 24 points while Al Duhail remained eighth, moving up by a point to 21. Related Story Source link
Team Qatar is set to make history this June by participating for the first time ever in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking a milestone moment for Qatari motorsport on the global endurance racing stage.Held annually at the iconic Circuit de la Sarthe, the 24-hour endurance race is regarded as one of the most prestigious and demanding events in world motorsport. The 2026 race will take place on 13–14 June 2026, bringing together leading manufacturers and elite teams from around the world.Team Qatar will compete in partnership with the renowned Italian squad Iron Lynx for the 2026 edition, combining international endurance expertise with Qatar’s growing ambitions in global circuit racing.First held in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest active endurance race and forms part of the prestigious Triple Crown of Motorsport. Over the decades, it has become a symbol of technological innovation, reliability, and human endurance, attracting legendary manufacturers and drivers who have shaped the history of circuit racing.This participation reflects Qatar’s strategic expansion into top-tier international motorsport platforms and reinforces the nation’s commitment to competing at the highest levels across disciplines. A Landmark Step for Qatari MotorsportTaking part in Le Mans represents more than a race entry — it is a statement of intent. Competing in the world’s most demanding endurance event requires precision, resilience, and technical excellence, qualities that mirror Qatar’s long-term motorsport development strategy.The collaboration with Iron Lynx highlights a focused and professional approach aimed at delivering a competitive and credible debut on one of motorsport’s greatest stages.Abdulrahman Bin Abdulatif Al Mannai, President of the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation and Lusail International Circuit, commented: “We are proud to announce Qatar Team’s participation in the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans, a landmark moment that reflects our strategic commitment to international motorsport and strengthening Qatar’s presence on the global racing stage.Le Mans stands as one of the world’s most prestigious endurance races, and competing at this level is both an honour and a responsibility. Our team has undertaken extensive preparation, and we are confident in their professionalism, technical capability, and determination to represent Qatar with excellence.This participation goes beyond competition. It forms part of our long-term vision to create meaningful pathways for drivers and engineers, and inspire the next generation of Qatari motorsport professionals.” Looking Ahead to June 2026The 2026 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking place on 13–14 June 2026, is expected to feature one of the most competitive endurance grids in recent years.For Team Qatar, this debut is not only participation — it is the beginning of a new chapter in Qatar’s international motorsport ambitions.Further details regarding the driver lineup, car category, and official presentation will be announced in due course. Source link
The 12th edition of the “Ramadan Sports Festival 2026,” organized by Aspire Zone Foundation, will kick off on Sunday evening, February 22, 2026, the festival has established itself as one of Qatar’s leading Ramadan sporting events. The festival will start from February 22 to March 6, 2026, daily from 8pm until midnight, featuring a comprehensive program of championships and activities across the foundation’s various venues. The festival is organised in line with the foundation’s strategy to promote physical activity and encourage a healthy lifestyle during the holy month. It offers a fully integrated sporting experience that combines fair competition with community engagement, reflecting the sporting and humanitarian values that Aspire Zone has upheld since its inception. Spanning 12 consecutive days, the festival includes 11 sports and fitness events targeting various age groups and interests, highlighting diversity and openness to both competitive and community-based sports. The programme features football tournaments — “Embassies” and “Aspetar” — in addition to basketball competitions for men, women, and youth; table tennis for people with disabilities; swimming competitions at the Hamad Aquatic Centre; Aspire Academy’s beach volleyball championship on the academy’s outdoor courts; a women’s padel tournament at Padel In Courts; and a women’s futsal championship. The programme also includes the Night Family Run, organised in cooperation with the Qatar Sports for All Federation at Aspire Park, adding a strong community dimension that encourages family participation and reinforces the concept of sport as a way of life. The opening chapter of the festival will feature the “Embassies” football tournament at Pitch No 5, from February 22 to March 6, with the participation of 24 teams divided into eight groups, reflecting remarkable cultural diversity and international representation. Group One includes South America, Tanzania, and Senegal; Group Two includes South Africa, Spain, and Oman; Group Three includes Chad, Jordan, and Mali; Group Four includes Finland, Algeria, and India; Group Five includes Syria, Ghana, and Thailand; Group Six includes Togo, Russia, and Iraq; Group Seven includes Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia; and Group Eight includes Iran, Egypt, and Malaysia. The opening day will feature three strong matches: South America vs Tanzania at 9pm (Group One), followed by South Africa vs Spain at 10pm (Group Two), and Chad vs Jordan at 11pm (Group Three). The preliminary round matches will continue until March 1. The Round of 16 will take place on March 2 and 3, followed by the quarterfinals on March 4 and the semifinals on March 5. The championship will conclude with the final match on March 6 in a highly anticipated Ramadan evening for football fans. In this context, Nasser Abdullah al-Hajri, Chief Marketing officer at Aspire Zone Foundation, said: “At Aspire Zone Foundation, we take pride in the Ramadan Sports Festival becoming an annual gathering point for different segments of the community in a refined sporting atmosphere that reflects the spirit of the holy month. Organising the 12th consecutive edition embodies our strategic commitment to promoting physical activity and establishing a healthy lifestyle, not only during Ramadan but throughout the year. Nasser Abdullah al-Hajri, Chief Marketing officer at Aspire Zone Foundation. “This year, we ensured a diverse program featuring 11 sports and fitness events to guarantee broader participation across different segments of society — men, women, youth, people with disabilities, and families. Our goal is for Aspire Zone to remain an open space for all and a platform where sport meets community and humanitarian values.” Al-Hajri added: “We believe that sport is a universal language that unites nations. The Ramadan Sports Festival is a living embodiment of this concept, bringing together diverse cultures under the umbrella of fair competition and mutual respect. We look forward to an exceptional edition that further strengthens the festival’s position as one of Qatar’s premier Ramadan events.” Aspire Zone Foundation remains committed to providing an integrated sporting environment in terms of infrastructure, organisation, and technical standards, ensuring an outstanding experience for participants and spectators alike, and reinforcing the festival’s status as a key annual event in Qatar’s Ramadan sports calendar. Related Story Source link
Wang Xindi won the freestyle skiing men’s aerials at the Winter Olympics yesterday, strengthening China’s dominance in the discipline and bringing another gold medal into the family. The victory came two days after Wang’s wife Xu Mengtao retained her Olympic title in women’s aerials, and the couple could be set for more glory in today’s mixed team final.“We celebrated her gold, but I was also quick to refocus on to my own event”, he said. “We’ve battled together for years, but we’re also professionals.” He said Xu, a five-times Olympian with a record number of World Cup victories, sometimes shares “pointers” with him, “but also doesn’t want to say so much. But in my heart, I also understand what she wants to say.” The couple’s Milano Cortina double-act adds to China’s Beijing 2022 tally of two gold medals in men’s and women’s aerials and silver in mixed teams. Yesterday, world champion Noe Roth of Switzerland won silver, while another Chinese freeskier, Olympic first-timer Li Tianma, got bronze. “We knew we (Chinese) had an advantage because of the quality of our squad. We were pretty confident of winning a gold today, it’s just down to who performs on the day,” Li said. All four Chinese competitors made it to the final, from an initial pack of 24, including defending champion and five-times Olympian Qi Guangpu, who came sixth. Qi, who is 35, said it was the end of his Olympic career, even if Wang urged him not to retire and hailed him as a role model. The new Olympic champion took top spot with a remarkable score of 132.60, out of a maximum of 150. Roth was close behind on 131.58, while Li got 123.93. The field was whittled down over four rounds held in snowy, overcast conditions in the Alpine resort of Livigno, leaving six competitors, four from China and two Swiss – with Roth joined by compatriot Pirmin Werner – to contest the final run. “I want to thank myself for not giving up,” Wang said. “For my dedication. When things were hard, when I was down … I’d like to give myself a big hug.” American Quinn Dehlinger had to pull out before the start, due to a knee injury suffered during training. Aerials is a gravity-defying discipline that has been part of the Winter Games since 1994. Athletes jump off a near vertical ramp, launching themselves in the air and performing complex aerobatics, reaching speeds of up to more than 65 km per hour. They are judged on height, distance, style, degree of difficulty and landing. Netherlands’ Rijpma-de Jong grabs 1,500m gold Dutchwoman Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong won the women’s 1,500 metres at the Milano Cortina Games yesterday, securing the first Olympic gold of her career and her nation’s third speed skating title of these Games. Norway’s Ragne Wiklund took silver, while Canada’s Valerie Maltais claimed bronze to round out the podium. Rijpma-de Jong – who finished behind now-retired Dutch great Ireen Wust and Japan’s Miho Takagi to take bronze in this distance at Beijing 2022 – stopped the clock at one minute 54.09 seconds, earning her second medal of these Games after winning silver in the team pursuit. She finished 0.06 seconds ahead of Wiklund. Competing at her fourth Olympic Games, the 30-year-old Rijpma-de Jong joins Jutta Leerdam and Femke Kok as Dutch speed skating champions at Milano Cortina. Considered one of the favourites in the distance after finishing second behind Takagi in the 2025-26 ISU Speed Skating World Cup standings, Rijpma-de Jong was drawn in the penultimate pairing. She skated in the outer lane, with American Brittany Bowe alongside her in the inner lane. Once she crossed the line, all eyes turned to Takagi, who set off in the 15th and final pair with the Czech Republic’s Nikola Zdrahalova, but the 31-year-old Japanese great could only manage the sixth-fastest time. Source link
Feb 19, 2026; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Rory McIlroy lines up his putt on the 18th green during the first round of the The Genesis Invitational…
Jessica Pegula shook off a first-set stumble to beat fellow American Amanda Anisimova 1-6 6-4 6-3 in the semi-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships yesterday, reaching the eighth WTA 1000 final of her career. World number six Anisimova took less than half an hour to win the first before building a 3-1 lead in the second set. But Pegula held her nerve and broke Anisimova three times in a row to win the second set, before securing victory in the decider. In the final today, Pegula will take on Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina who beat world number four Coco Gauff in the second semi-final. Svitolina won 6-4, 6-7, 6-4 in the three gruelling sets. “It’s not like we have really easy matches … we had a lot of cat and mouse points and they mostly went my way so that was good,” world number five Pegula said after her fifth straight win over Anisimova. Anisimova, who reached the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open last year, yesterday frustrated Pegula with aces throughout the match. But Pegula, who won only six of her 16 service points in the first set, drew her opponent into longer rallies as she plotted her comeback. Pegula made Anisimova run back and forth with short slices and won the second set with a powerful backhand, as Anisimova’s hasty return went long. An exhausted Anisimova found the net while attempting a drop shot, setting up Pegula’s break point to take a decisive 3-1 lead in the third set. Source link
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football – Carabao Cup – Semi Final – Second Leg – Manchester City v Newcastle United – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – February…