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The first edition of the Abdulaziz Belhaif International Classical Chess Championship began on Friday, organized by the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club over three days, with the participation of 240 male and female players representing
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Pep Guardiola bid an emotional farewell to Manchester City as a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday brought down the curtain on a glittering decade under the Catalan. The 55-year-old announced Friday that he is set to depart after winning 20 trophies in 10 seasons that made City the dominant force of English football. Guardiola made his entrance to a rousing reception alongside a giant banner bearing his face and the message 'Game changer. History maker. City forever.' Catalan flags were unfurled behind one goal, while at the other end the newly named and expanded Pep Guardiola Stand was in operation for the first time. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss won six Premier League titles and City's only Champions League among his haul of 17 major pieces of silverware. Bernardo Silva and John Stones were part of the squads that won all of those trophies and were also given a fitting send-off in their final game for the club after a combined 19 seasons of service. Silva was in tears even before kick-off as he led City out as captain for the day. But there was little on the line for both sides on the field. City fell short in their quest to chase down Arsenal at the top of the table as a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Tuesday saw the Gunners crowned champions. Villa were still in celebratory mood after winning their first trophy for 30 years on Wednesday by claiming the Europa League. But victory for Unai Emery's men did ensure they finished in fourth ahead of Liverpool. Guardiola made nine changes from the side that started at Bournemouth with Erling Haaland among those to not even make the bench. Antoine Semenyo was one of the few City regulars to start and he put the home side in front with a clever finish from a corner. Decked in a resplendent white t-shirt and khaki trousers for the uncharacteristically searing temperates in England's north-west, Guardiola remained an animated figure on the touchline despite the dead rubber nature of the contest. However, he suffered a rare home defeat after Ollie Watkins struck twice in the second half to further justify his inclusion in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the World Cup. Watkins pounced on a poor header by England team-mate Stones to prod home from a corner. Both sides then stopped to make a guard of honour for Silva as he was substituted, prompting more tears from the Portugal international and Guardiola. Villa took advantage as City struggled to compose themselves moments later, Watkins surging clear and producing a classy finish for his 21st goal of the season. The testimonial nature of the afternoon continued as play was stopped once more for Stones to this time receive a guard of honour and appreciation from the City support. City thought they had salvaged at least a point when Phil Foden crashed in off the underside of the crossbar. But a controversial VAR review deemed Foden was offside despite inconclusive evidence.
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Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates after the win over Everton secured Spurs' Premier League survival in London. (Reuters) Tottenham secured Premier League survival on a dramatic final day of the season on Sunday as West Ham's 14-year stay in the top division came to an end. Spurs kicked off against Everton needing, realistically, only a draw to avoid relegation for the first time since 1977 – as they sat two points clear of the Hammers with a significantly better goal difference. Joao Paulinha released the mounting pressure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium just before half-time, poking home after his header thundered back off a post. The Portugal midfielder was mobbed by his teammates as head coach Roberto De Zerbi sprinted down the touchline, turning to celebrate with ecstatic fans in the London sunshine. That goal left Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham, then drawing 0-0 with Leeds, needing a favour from Everton, even if they went on to win their match. Just a few miles away, at the London Stadium, Valentin Castellanos gave West Ham some hope midway through the second half as he fired the Irons in front. Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson made it 3-0 at the full-time whistle but it was too little too late for the Hammers as a nervy Spurs held on to secure all three points. Spurs have enjoyed a mini-revival in recent weeks under De Zerbi, who arrived in late March as the club's third manager of the season. Relegation would have been financially disastrous for the ninth-richest club in world, who won the Europa League last season under former boss Ange Postecoglou. The Hammers, who were promoted to the English top division in 2012, will join Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next season. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola walked out at the Etihad for the final time as manager after a decade of almost unbroken success, with newly crowned Europa League winners Aston Villa the visitors. The Catalan on Friday confirmed reports that he was leaving the club after 10 years in charge, with six Premier League titles and the Champions League in his huge collection of silverware. A huge banner rippled over the heads of the fans bearing a giant image of Guardiola, with the messages "Game Changer" and "History Maker". There were smaller banners either side to mark the departures of long-serving defender John Stones and midfielder Bernardo Silva. Antoine Semenyo gave the home side the lead but Ollie Watkins, named this week in England's World Cup squad, scored twice to secure fourth spot in the table for Villa. Liverpool's striker Mohamed Salah kisses the grass as he leaves the pitch after being substituted off
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Arsenal's captain Martin Odegaard lifts the Premier League trophy as he celebrates with his teammates in London. (AFP) Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy after celebrating their first game as champions with a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday.Mikel Arteta's side clinched their first English title for 22 years on Tuesday when second-placed Manchester City drew at Bournemouth.In action for the first time since the celebrations of their long-awaited triumph, the Gunners took the lead through Gabriel Jesus late in the first half at Selhurst Park. Noni Madueke scored Arsenal's second goal after the interval to ensure the champions ended the league campaign with 26 wins from 38 games.Since losing at City on April 19 in a game that appeared to have tilted the balance of power in their rivals' favour, Arsenal have reeled off five successive league victories to finish seven points above Pep Guardiola's team. Once the match was over, the main event could take place as Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard got his hands on the trophy after medals were presented to Arteta and his squad.Red confetti and fireworks exploded into the air as he hoisted the silverware, while Arsenal's stars sprayed champagne in front of thousands of Gunners fans in the Arthur Wait Stand. Arteta was tossed into the air by his players, while Arsenal's United States-based owner Stan Kroenke and his son Josh had carried the trophy onto the pitch for the presentation ceremony.Those ecstatic supporters kept the party going, singing songs of praise for the champions, waving inflatable replicas of the trophy and joining the players in a rendition of club anthem 'North London forever'. Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta is thrown into the air by his players as they all celebrate
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Mohamed Salah with his daughters after playing his final match for Liverpool on Sunday. (AFP) An emotional Mohamed Salah said "we put the club back where it belongs" after playing his final game for Liverpool on Sunday.A 1-1 draw at home to Brentford on the last day of the Premier League season marked the end of the Egyptian forward's nine-year spell at Anfield.Salah, 33, bid farewell alongside Scotland defender Andy Robertson, who also joined in 2017. Salah scored 257 goals for Liverpool, behind only Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285) in the club's list of leading goalscorers.He has also won multiple trophies at the club including the Champions League and two Premier League titles."I think I cried more than in my whole life," Salah said after the Brentford match. "I'm not really an emotional guy. We lived our youth here, sharing everything from the beginning to the end," said Salah of the time he shared with Robertson at Anfield. "We put this club back where it belongs."Salah's departure was announced in March after he told reporters in December his relationship with Liverpool manager Arne Slot had broken down. And in a social media post following last week's defeat at Aston Villa, Salah said he wanted to see a return to "heavy metal football", referring to the approach under former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.But he still started the match against Brentford, with the names of both Salah and Robertson met with a deafening roar when introduced by the stadium announcer.Banners in the crowd celebrated both players, one saying "Thank you legends". Another said: "We Have Gone From Great To Glory. Salah Is Our King".Salah was the Premier League's top-scorer last season, with 29 goals, as Liverpool won the title, but his form dipped dramatically this term and he managed just seven goals in the league.The draw with Brentford, allied to Bournemouth's defeat by Manchester United, ensured Liverpool secured fifth position in the Premier League, guaranteeing the six-time European champions a place in next season's Champions League."It's tricky to leave Liverpool," said Salah, adding: "It's life. I look back and wonder if I would have wanted more than I achieved. Not really. We won it all. We see the love from the fans and this is the most important thing for me. I will be far away from here. I will be emotional every time. I hope the team stays in the position, fighting for everything." Related Story
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Uno X Mobility Norwegian rider Fredrik Dversnes celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2026 - Tour of Italy cycling race between Voghera and Milan, Italy,
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Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk beat Oksana Selekhmeteva, who was born in Russia but obtained Spanish nationality four days ago, 6-2, 6-3 to get her French Open campaign off to a strong start. (Reuters) Marta Kostyuk dedicated her first-round win on Sunday at Roland Garros to her home country of Ukraine, saying the war got "the closest it has ever been to my house" after her family home narrowly avoided being struck by a missile.The Kyiv native beat Oksana Selekhmeteva, who was born in Russia but obtained Spanish nationality four days ago, 6-2, 6-3 to get her campaign in Paris off to a strong start."I'm incredibly proud of myself today, I think it was one of the most difficult matches of my life," 15th seed Kostyuk said on court. "This morning, 100 metres from my parent's house, a missile fell. I'm obviously very happy to be in the second round. All my thoughts and all my heart was to the people of Ukraine today. My biggest example are Ukrainian people today."Kostyuk, 23, told reporters that the missile landed during a massive Russian bombardment of the Ukrainian capital earlier Sunday. "(The) majority of Kyiv suffered from something like this this morning," she said. "It was half of the night, it was happening throughout, like, four hours."(My family) feel okay. Obviously very scary, but, you know, it's not the first very difficult night, not the last, so, you know, they are adapting."Kostyuk said that the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was the hardest moment because of the "unknownness" of the situation, but admitted Sunday's bombardment had shaken her."Right now, I think it was just the closest that it has ever been to my house, and this what probably makes it the most emotional," she said. "There are better days, worse days, but yeah, this one was, I would say top three worst ones, for sure."Although Kostyuk said she felt "sick" upon hearing the news, she never considered pulling out of the tournament. "Everyone is healthy, alive... So these things, you know, it's difficult, but none of my close friends or people I know is injured or dead," she said."I don't want to think what I would do if something worse happened, but I knew that this is the day to go out and play, and it didn't cross my mind today that I shouldn't go out. There were obviously times in the match when I would go in back to thinking about it, because most of the morning I felt sick just for my thought that see if it was 100 metres closer, I probably wouldn't have a mom and a sister today."Since the outbreak of the war, Kostyuk has not shaken hands with Russian players before or after her matches. The Madrid Open winner said the tour had "forgotten" about Ukraine in recent years."I live it always, and I have also adapted to the fact that the tour forgot about it," she said. "I'm still trying to do things that I can do and to what I can to influence, and I use my platform, I use my speeches or, you know, whenever I have a moment to remind about it, to remind of the horror of, you know, everyday lives of people."People adapt, people forget, people move on. There is a lot of issues in the world, a lot of wars, and things that people want to support or people are thinking about."Kostyuk's next opponent will be Katie Volynets after the American beat France's Clara Burel in straight sets. Related Story
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Rajasthan Royals' Jofra Archer struck a 15-ball 32 and took 3-17 against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. (AFP) England's Jofra Archer starred with bat and ball as Rajasthan Royals sealed the last play-off spot in the Indian Premier League with a 30-run win over Mumbai Indians on Sunday.Archer struck a 15-ball 32 after being promoted to number seven in the batting order to lift Rajasthan to 205-8 from a precarious 119-5 at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.He then turned up in his primary role as a fast bowler, taking 3-17 as Mumbai finished on 175-9 despite Suryakumar Yadav's 60. Archer has 21 wickets in 14 matches this season and is third on the list of wicket-takers below Gujarat quick Kagiso Rabada and Bengaluru seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who both have 24."I don't think this is my best season," said Archer. "Every time I take the ball, I have to hit good areas. Not always rewarded, happy it came on an important day. I class myself as an all-rounder but folks call me a bowler."Former champions Rajasthan, who have been driven by strong performances including by their 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, knocked Punjab Kings from fourth place to complete the play-off line-up with 16 points.Punjab ended the league stage with 14 points and needed Rajasthan to lose the game to prolong their season. The result also ended Kolkata Knight Riders' slim chances.Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad had already booked their play-off spots. Bengaluru will face Gujarat in the first qualifier on Tuesday. The winner will reach the final to be played in Ahmedabad on May 31. Hyderabad and Rajasthan will clash in the eliminator on Wednesday, with the loser out of the tournament and the winner heading into the second qualifier.Put in to bat first, Rajasthan lost their openers Yashasvi Jaiswal, for 27, and teenage prodigy Sooryavanshi, for four, to England spinner Will Jacks and Indian seamer Deepak Chahar.Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel hit 38 and Sri Lanka's Dasun Shanaka struck 29 off 15 balls before Rajasthan were five down in the 13th over. Archer walked in two places above his usual number nine, and counter-attacked with three sixes and a four.He departed in the 18th over but inspired Ravindra Jadeja, who hit an 11-ball 19, and Nandre Burger, who struck 10 off three balls, to help Rajasthan plunder 73 runs from the last five overs. "Last five overs are always difficult. If you can stop one, two boundaries, you can keep teams 12-15 runs short," said Mumbai captain Hardik Pandya. "Conceding 73 in the last five cost us too."An upbeat Archer then rattled Mumbai with the ball as he sent back Rohit Sharma, caught behind for a fourth-ball duck in the first over. He bowled Naman Dhir for six and fellow quick Burger dismissed Ryan Rickelton for 12 as five-time champions Mumbai soon slipped to 38-4.Suryakumar put on key stands including a sixth-wicket partnership of 48 with Pandya, who made 34, to keep Mumbai in the contest. Archer broke the stand with the wicket of Pandya and Suryakumar's exit in the 18th over cleared Rajasthan's path to the play-offs. Brief Scores Rajasthan Royals 205/8 in 20 overs [Jofra Archer 32 (15), Dhruv Jurel 38 (26), Ravindra Jadeja 19* (11); Shardul Thakur 2-41] beat Mumbai Indians 175/9 in 20 overs [Suryakumar Yadav 60, Hardik Pandya 34; Jofra Archer 3-17, Brijesh Sharma 2-26, Yash Raj Punja 2-44] by 30 runs Related Story
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Experienced defender Pedro Miguel on Sunday said Qatar will aim to reach the second round when they arrive in the US for their opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Two-time Asian champions, Qatar will land in the United States after playing an international friendly against Ireland in Dublin on May 28. Pedro, who plays for Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League (QSL), was a member of the Qatar side that won the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The 35-year-old was also in the Qatar squad that defended their Asian Cup title on home soil in Feb 2024.“We learned a lot from our performance at the 2022 World Cup,” Pedro said yesterday while answering a question at the media day activities at the iconic Khalifa International Stadium. “The last four years went very fast. I feel now we are ready for this World Cup,” Pedro said. “We have more experience as a team. We have many players who can make a difference. This is very important. These players are coming with a lot of energy. We are looking forward to the World Cup. Our target is to reach the second round,” he added. Qatar, coached by Julen Lopetegui, will face Switzerland on June 13 and Canada on June 19. The third match will be against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 24.The 35-member Qatar squad includes Akram Afif, a two-time Asian Player of the Year, and long-serving forward Hasan al-Haydos. Qatar’s strike force also includes forward Al-Moez Ali. Goalkeeper Meshal Barsham is also key to Qatar’s possible shot at the second round. At the FIFA World Cup on home soil in 2022, Qatar lost 2-0 to Ecuador followed by a 3-1 defeat against Senegal. In their last group stage match, the Netherlands beat Qatar 2-0. “There was a lot of pressure in 2022. There was immense pressure to do well in front of our fans. We didn’t play the way our fans expected. But now we are playing another World Cup. We have another chance to show what we can do,” Pedro said before his team’s open training session on the pitch at the air conditioned Khalifa International Stadium. “Now I feel there will be less pressure than the last one because we are playing away from home. We don’t play at home this time,” Pedro said as he smiled.“Our first aim is to arrive in the best shape for the first game against Switzerland. We are working very hard. All the players are giving 100% in the training to be in the best shape in the first game,” Pedro said. “To play in the World Cup - the best tournament in the world – is something we are looking forward to. All the players are very excited to start the tournament. It’s a difficult group. We play against strong national teams. They have good players. But I feel my teammates are ready for this tournament. We will show what we can do. It won’t be like the last World Cup.”Qatar centre back Tarek Salman, 28, said on Sunday: “There’s an eagerness from our players to go out and give their best. This will be our second World Cup appearance. I can safely say our preparations are progressing really well following the end of the football season We are looking forward to playing positively against Ireland and El Salvador (on June 6 in Los Angeles). These two friendly games will give us the chance to fine-tune the technical aspects of our preparations. I say these two matches will be very important for us,” Salman said. Salman echoed Pedro’s sentiments on Sunday, saying: “Most of the players have gained significant experience since our first World Cup appearance in 2022. The experience players have now is of great importance. I think this experience will have a major impact on our performance at the World Cup.” Qatari left back Homam El-Amin said on Sunday: “Qatar has done really well since the 2022 World Cup. We played some tough qualifying matches. We acknowledge we have to face tough teams like Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina. But we feel ready at this point in time.”
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An exciting and highly competitive final round held at the indoor arena of the Qatar Equestrian Federation marked the finale of the ninth edition of the Qatar Equestrian Tour - Longines Hathab Saturday evening.Organised by the Qatar Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon Federation in partnership with Al Shaqab, the championship spanned 14 rounds throughout the 2024-2025 season.The closing competitions, staged over three consecutive days, drew a distinguished audience and showcased strong performances across all categories, reaffirming the championship’s growing stature as one of the region’s premier equestrian events.At the conclusion of the event, Sheikh Ahmad bin Nooh al-Thani, Secretary-General of the Qatar Equestrian Federation and Chairman of the Championship Organizing Committee, crowned the winners across all categories.The sponsors for the 2025-2026 season were also honoured: Doha Bank (represented by Sheikh Fahad bin Jassim al-Thani, Head of Business Development); Al Shaqab (represented by Khalid alHitmi, Deputy CEO); Al Salam International (represented by Abdul Salam Issa Abu Issa, CEO); Al Kass Sports Channels (represented by Salem al-Nabet, Director of Legal Affairs); and Sahil Media Production (represented by Faisal Fallah al-Marri, CEO).Mohammed Saeed Haidan claimed the overall Diamond Tour title for 2025-26 season with a tally of 261 points. The Gold Tour individual title went to Salman Mohammed al-Emadi, who finished atop the standings with 254 points, while the Wathnan team claimed first place in the team standings with 270 points.In the Silver Tour, Hussein Saeed Haidan emerged as champion with a total of 260 points.Khalid al-Hadi claimed the Bronze Tour individual title after accumulating 270 points.In the amateur category, Mariam Abdulkarim Abed finished first overall with 236 points.Among the Future Riders, Hissa Ali al-Jaber topped Level 1 with 245 points, while Fahad Talal al-Naimi led Level 2 with 259 points.In dressage, Aisha Abdullah al-Naemi won the Level 1 standings with 177 points, while Moza Hamza al-Kuwari topped Level 2 with 183 points.The final day of Hathab saw Sheikha Hamad al-Yafei win the Future Riders 90cm class with a time of 16.89 seconds riding Violet Van Het Koetshius.She was followed in second place by Alqaqaa bin Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with a time of 17.07 seconds astride Bon Suela, while Alanoud Rashid al-Hajri was third on 18.15 seconds on Beyonce. Ahmed al-Badawi, Head of the Championship’s Judging Committee awarded the winners.In the Bronze Tour, Ahmed Jassim al-Suwaidi topped the 120cm class clocking 45.76 seconds on Power Girl Jmg, followed by Khalid al-Hadi in second place with a time of 48.25 seconds on Doremi du Flot Z, while Khalid Jassim al-Suwaidi came in third in 48.65 seconds on E.T’s Queeny Z.In the Bronze Tour team competition, Team Al Shaqab stood first place with a total time of 104.42 seconds, followed by Team Ajwad in second place (111.41 seconds), and Team Marwan Al Shaqab in third place (119.74 seconds). Saeed al-Rashdi, Deputy Director of the championship, honoured the winners.The championship concluded with a celebratory closing ceremony featuring a special performance by members of the Future Riders’ Academy. The showcase highlighted the academy’s progress in developing young riders, as participants demonstrated impressive horsemanship skills, precision, and harmony with their horses, drawing enthusiastic applause from spectators. ‘An exceptional edition’Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Sheikh Ahmad bin Nooh al-Thani described the 9th edition of Longines Hathab as “exceptional by all standards,” praising the advanced technical levels displayed throughout the championship.He noted that the riders’ performances during the season were reflected positively in international competitions where they represented Qatar, emphasizing that participation in the Doha International Equestrian Tour 2026 had contributed significantly to improving riders’ readiness and experience.He added competing alongside internationally ranked riders helped elevate performance standards and intensified competition among participants.Sheikh Ahmad further stressed that the Longines Hathab championship has grown into one of the region’s leading showjumping and dressage events, thanks to its high organizational standards and competitive quality.“The championship continues to witness remarkable growth in participation year after year, whether from Qatari riders or competitors from across the region, reflecting the prestigious status it has achieved at both the regional and technical levels,” he said.He also highlighted the increasing presence of riders from GCC and neighbouring countries, noting that each edition demonstrates clear progress in both technical and organizational aspects.“The championship has become an exceptional platform for developing riders’ skills and supporting the continued advancement of Qatar equestrian sport toward greater excellence,” Sheikh Ahmad remarked.Ali bin Yousef al-Rumaihi, Assistant Secretary of Qatar Equestrian Federation and Vice Chairman of the championship’s Organizing Committee, said that preparations for the new season of Qatar Equestrian Tour have already commenced according to a strategic vision aimed at building upon the accumulated successes achieved by the Tour in previous seasons. These successes have contributed to solidifying its position as one of the most prominent platforms for equestrian sports in the region, whether in showjumping or dressage competitions.He added that the championship has become a fundamental pillar in developing equestrianism at the regional level, given its continuous growth in participation and the level of competition, as well as its attraction of riders from Qatar and various countries in the region. Related Story
