Category: 6. Sports

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score 100 competitive goals for four different clubs on Saturday, though Al-Nassr lost to Al-Ahli in a penalty shootout after the Saudi Super Cup final ended 2-2.

The first half strike at Hong Kong Stadium took the 40-year-old to his century for the Saudi Arabian club, which he joined in Dec.2022.

It adds to his 450 goals for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United and 101 for Juventus and moves Ronaldo ahead of the three players who had scored 100 times for three clubs: Isidro Langara, who played in Spain from 1930 to 1948, as well as Brazilian stars Romario and Neymar.

Ronaldo, who has yet to win a major trophy in Saudi Arabia, is also the leading international goalscorer with 138 goals for Portugal.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner put Al-Nassr ahead after 41 minutes with a penalty, though Franck Kessie quickly equalized for Al-Ahli.

With seven minutes remaining, Marcelo Brozovic restored Al-Nassr’s lead but there was still time for Brazilian defender Ibanez to head home a corner and take the game into a penalty shootout.

Ronaldo scored once more from the spot but his teammate Abdullah Al-Khaibari did not and Al-Ahli won 5-3 to lift the first trophy of the Saudi Arabian season.

The Pakistan 12 & Under Tennis Team has departed for Singapore to participate in the finals of the ATF 12 & Under Team Competition, scheduled to be held from August 25 to 30.
Pakistan secured their place in the final after clinching the ATF 12 & under Regional Qualifying Event of South Asia in Sri Lanka in May this year, said a press release.
The participating nations in the tournament include Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China, Korea, and Chinese Taipei.
The Pakistan team comprises Shayan Afridi, Rashid Bachani, Muhammad Ibraheem Hussain Gill, Muhammad Nameer Shamsi (captain).
Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, President PTF, extended his best wishes to the squad and expressed confidence in the team’s abilities. Our side is strong, and I am hopeful they will deliver excellent results in the tournament, he said.
Col. (R) Zia-ud-din Tufail, Secretary General PTF, also said we look forward to the players best performance in this important competition.

Frisco (USA): The South Korean superstar and MLS record signing Son Heung-Min opened his Los Angeles FC account with an unstoppable direct free kick as the Black & Gold salvaged a 1-1 draw at FC Dallas on Sunday (IST).

One of the most talented and popular Asian players in football history, Son joined LAFC earlier this month for a record USD 26 million transfer fee after an iconic 10-year run with Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League.

After drawing a late penalty to secure a debut draw at the Chicago Fire in Matchday 28, the Tottenham Hotspur legend continued to make waves, earning his first start and providing his first assist to secure a 2-0 win at the New England Revolution last Saturday. Son’s jaw-dropping first goal on Sunday was the cherry on top of a stellar opening MLS road trip, reports MLS.

“It’s been only… a little bit more than two weeks, but I’m enjoying every moment. I’m glad I scored the first goal for the MLS and also for LAFC, but for me, the most important thing is to get us three points. I’m really, really disappointed for that,” Son told MLS Season Pass postgame.

LAFC’s unbeaten record since Son’s arrival has propelled the Black & Gold into a top-four spot in the Western Conference on 41 points, positioning them to secure home-field advantage in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

“He’s a competitor, and he’s a winner, and on top of that, he has qualities that not a lot of players have in this league. So it’s a much-needed breath of fresh air and sense of motivation or wind in our sails that we definitely can feel, and you know, it’s pushing us,” head coach Steve Cherundolo said.

“We’ve had three tough road games. It’s not easy places to play. A lot of travel, some weather, and you come away with five points. But you also put yourselves in position to win these games too, so from my perspective, it’s been a very positive road trip,” he added.

The team’s strong form and Son’s spectacular first goal only add to the anticipation for his home debut next weekend, a Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire clash with in-state rival San Diego FC (MLS Season Pass).

Son will make his home debut next weekend against in-state rival San Diego FC. “Now, we have a full week to recover and then prepare well for the important game,” said Son.

“I can’t wait to play a home game because it’s my first home game for the LAFC, and also against good opponents. So, yeah, we have to prepare well and recover well to get three points,” he said.

Raducanu rocketed to fame by creating one of the biggest shocks in British sporting history, but found the aftermath – in terms of the transition to becoming a full-time WTA Tour player and the stratospheric scrutiny – extremely difficult.

After being ruled out of the 2023 tournament through injury, she made her return last year but rued being under-prepared after losing again in the first round.

Raducanu fought back tears after her loss to fellow Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin, saying she felt “sad” and “down”.

This year, she has returned to New York riding a wave of optimism.

Looking more carefree and content, she has played some of her best tennis since the US Open triumph and is close to climbing back into the world’s top 30.

“I feel relaxed, I feel happy, I feel in a way like the same off court in terms of just enjoying my tennis, enjoying practicing, enjoying competing, and the process of getting better,” said the former world number 10.

“I think I feel the same [as 2021] in that sense.”

LAHORE:

The main event of the Pakistan Open MMA Champion, Pakistan Combat Night 2025, will take place on Sunday under overcast weather conditions at the DHA Phase 6 Sports Complex in Lahore.

The event features international fighters, including Egypt’s Adham, also known as The Warrior, who will take on Pakistan’s Rizwan Ali at the mega event.

There are two events to have their finales on Sunday, the Pakistan Open MMA Championship and Road to BRAVE 100.
The winners of the Pakistan MMA Open represent Pakistan at the IMMAF World Championships in Georgia later this year.

On the other hand, the winners of the Road to Brave 100 will qualify for BRAVE CF 100, which is a global flagship event of BRAVE Combat Federation, held in Bahrain under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Pakistan Open qualifiers

In the Pakistan Open MMA Championship, the quarterfinals took place on Friday, and the semifinals were decided on Saturday at the Brave Gym in an atmosphere that can only be described as communal, high-energy, and safe, despite the intense bouts in the cage.

The first fight on Friday was between Tayab of Punjab and Bismillah Khan of Balochistan, which the former won on a unanimous decision by the three judges present at the side of the cage.

“It is all very statndard, and the fighters are giving there all, so you ca see everyone is enjoying,” the Brave Gym caretaker Zubair told The Express Tribune, who was disciplining the crowd from using gym equipment, but elaborated that his main job is to make sure that the fighters are safe and he guides them properly, none of the fighters are allowed to train during the breaks and he keeps them in line too.

There were fighters from all over Pakistan who were featured in the preliminaries of the event. There were 14 fights decided on the penultimate day of the event.

The cards for the final day will start with a Strawweight fight between Tayab and Islamabad’s Abdul Mannan vying for the belt.
In the flyweight division, the all-Islamabad final will feature Muhibullah and Mohiz Satti, whereas in the Bantamweight Asghar Kahn, the defending champion, will be challenged by Siddiullah, who is coming into it after fighting the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Ayyan Hussain, the champion of the featherweight category, will meet Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tanzil, who defeated Hussain Malik in the semifinal on Saturday.

Shahab Ali and Jibran will fight for the title in the lightweight final, and Asif Khan will face Sajid Qutoshi in the welterweight final.
The middleweight final will be between Muhammad Hassan and Muhammad Sami, whereas Roman Khan and Asmatullah will be vying for the light heavyweight final.

Women’s finals of Pak Open
The women’s card will also be lit up by champion Bano Butt taking on Saira Kahn in the atomweight final, Maham Baig will play Arusha Saeed in the flyweight final, Bushra will be up against Shagufta Asif in the bantamweight final, whereas Marwa Kashani will be fighting with Imama Siddiqui in the featherweight final.

After receiving criticism for having selected a squad excluding Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for the Asia Cup, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has clarified his stand on the snub, confirming that he has no role behind it.

The Pakistan Cricket Team had announced their final squad for the UAE tri-series and the Asia Cup before any other team, and they had received widespread criticism over the non-selection of players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Neither of these cricketers had featured in international T20I cricket since 2024 for Pakistan after their humiliating exit from the ICC T20 World Cup of 2024. They have been further snubbed from the Pakistan national team due to their disastrous strike rate in international cricket.

PCB Chief claims ‘no role’ in Babar Azam’s snub from Asia Cup

Babar was not included in the final 17-member squad of the Asia Cup, since Fakhar Zaman returned to the side post his injury. Amid the speculation, Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chief, has clarified that this decision was purely on the word of selectors and he had no role to play in it.

“First of all, I don’t have even 1% role in putting players into the team or taking them out,” Naqvi told reporters on Saturday.

“We have a selection committee and then an advisory body; they all sit together. The process goes through a lot — discussions that last 8–10 hours, sometimes for 2–3 days.”

“Definitely, if a team is being selected, it’s in good hands, all professionals are there. I’ve only told them one thing — whatever decision they take, it should be on merit, and I will support that,” Naqvi added.

“More competition in cricket and the best of the best can come forward,” Naqvi claims, PCB’s latest goals

The Asia Cup 2025 squad for the Pakistan team has seen two new additions as per Mike Hesson’s plans. First of all, it includes several players who are not only specialist batters but can contribute occasionally with the ball as well, since that has emerged as a huge demand for the shortest format of the game.

On the other hand, they have also emphasized players with a greater ability to hit the ball to the fence; the likes of Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, and Sahibzada Farhan all have greater strike rates in the format as compared to players like Babar Azam or Rizwan.

Naqvi underlined the long-term vision, adding, “With whatever lot was available, I polished it and carried it forward. Now our effort is to bring in as many new players as possible so that there is more competition in cricket and the best of the best can come forward.”

Mike Hesson cited BBL as an opportunity for Babar Azam to reclaim form

During the press release following Pakistan’s announcement of the Asia Cup squad, the head coach, Mike Hesson, elaborated that Babar Azam has been asked to improve in some areas, which include batting against spin and his strike rate.

“At the moment, the players that we have, they have performed exceptionally well,” Hesson had said. “But certainly a player like Babar has an opportunity to play in the BBL and start to show that he’s improving in those areas in T20s. He’s too good a player for us not to consider.”

Salman Ali Agha has been named the new skipper of the Pakistan side for the Asia Cup.

ALSO READ: Afghanistan T20 squad for Asia Cup 2025 announced; Rashid Khan to lead

If any of the four Slams could throw up a different winner, then recent history suggests it could happen at the US Open.

The slightly slower hard courts, humid conditions and its slot as the final major in a busy season have been contributing factors to six different champions in the past seven years.

Novak Djokovic is the only man to win it twice during that period. Even though he is now 38, the Serb remains the leading contender to stop defending champion Sinner and 2022 winner Alcaraz.

German third seed Alexander Zverev has not yet won a Grand Slam title despite his his pedigree, appearing to lack belief against the very best at the business end of majors.

In a bid to get over the line, the three-time major finalist recently enlisted the help of Toni Nadal – who coached his nephew Rafael to 16 of his 22 Grand Slam titles.

The trip to Nadal’s academy in Majorca came after Zverev’s first-round exit at Wimbledon, where he opened up about receiving psychological help to get “out of the hole” he was in.

“Of course to beat Alcaraz and Sinner is not easy but he has more chances to beat these two guys more than most others,” Nadal told BBC Sport.

“This is what I explained to him.

Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. File.
| Photo Credit: AP

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MARSEILLE:

Marseille put a week of turmoil behind them as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in a 5-2 win over Paris FC on Saturday before coach Roberto De Zerbi opened up the possibility of bringing banished star Adrien Rabiot back into the fold.

Aubameyang won a penalty which was converted by Mason Greenwood before the Gabon striker doubled Marseille’s lead just past the midway point in the first half at the Velodrome.

Newly-promoted Paris FC hit back to draw level with goals by Ilan Kebbal and Moses Simon, only for Aubameyang to restore Marseille’s lead before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and youngster Robinio Vaz added further goals late on.

Marseille were plunged into crisis last weekend when a fight broke out between star player Adrien Rabiot and English winger Jonathan Rowe in the dressing room at the end of the 1-0 opening-round defeat at Rennes.

France midfielder Rabiot was later put up for sale, while Marseille sought to accelerate plans to move on Rowe after the bust-up which club president Pablo Longoria described as “extremely violent”.

“He made a mistake, but I hope there is a chance we can put things back together. I am not going to close the door on anyone,” De Zerbi said when asked if he would like Rabiot to stay.

“It is not me who decides, but I am willing to offer my hand to anyone and if I can help in any way to resolve things I am ready to do whatever it takes.”

For now, Rabiot is on the market with just over a week of the transfer window left, and last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up took to the field without him against the team from the capital.

The 36-year-old Aubameyang, who is back in Marseille for a second spell after spending the last campaign in Saudi Arabia, hit the post early on and then won a penalty after being brought down by Paris FC’s Brazilian centre-back Otavio.

Greenwood, who scored 21 goals in Ligue 1 last season, converted from the spot.

The former Manchester United man then set up the second as his corner was turned in by Aubameyang, but Marseille looked fragile at the back and gifted the visitors a quick route back into the contest.

Winger Kebbal, who was born in Marseille, brought it back to 2-1 before the half-hour and produced a brilliant pass to set up Nigeria winger Simon for the equaliser on 58 minutes.

With Rabiot absent, De Zerbi looked to some of his youngsters to make an impact off the bench and Bilal Nadir helped make the goal which Aubameyang scored to restore the hosts’ lead on 73 minutes.

Nadir then set up Hojbjerg’s thumping long-range strike to make it 4-2 before Greenwood squandered a second penalty of the day by firing wide from the spot after Vaz had been fouled.

The 18-year-old Vaz then completed the scoring in stoppage time, as Paris FC — owned by the mega-rich Arnault family — suffered a second loss in as many games since winning promotion.

“I don’t think we played well but the explanation for that is that it has been a very difficult last week and the squad is made up of human beings, not robots,” De Zerbi added.

Elsewhere, Lyon continued their good start to the campaign after a turbulent summer beset by financial problems.

Paulo Fonseca’s team followed a 1-0 opening-day victory at Lens by beating Metz 3-0 at home with Malick Fofana, Corentin Tolisso and new Czech signing Adam Karabec all on target.

Saturday’s other game saw Nice get their first points by winning 3-1 at home to Auxerre.

Jeremie Boga’s opener for the hosts was cancelled out by Lassine Sinayoko, only for a Clement Akpa own goal to restore Nice’s advantage.

Auxerre goalkeeper Donovan Leon was sent off in first-half stoppage time and substitute Terem Moffi then made sure of the win for Nice on 76 minutes.

European champions Paris Saint-Germain made it two wins from two to start the season by beating Angers 1-0 on Friday thanks to a solitary Fabian Ruiz goal.