Competitors in Saudi Dakar Rally Highlight Next Week’s Event

Saudi Arabia hosted the Dakar Rally in 2020, the first time it was held in the Middle East. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia hosted the Dakar Rally in 2020, the first time it was held in the Middle East. (SPA)
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Competitors in Saudi Dakar Rally Highlight Next Week’s Event

Saudi Arabia hosted the Dakar Rally in 2020, the first time it was held in the Middle East. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia hosted the Dakar Rally in 2020, the first time it was held in the Middle East. (SPA)

A number of racers who are set to take part in Saudi Dakar rally 2021 held a press conference in Jeddah on Thursday to highlight the international event.

They expressed happiness to be in the Kingdom for the second edition of the rally.

The 2021 race kick off from Jeddah on January and end on January 15.

The racers lauded the natural topography of the Kingdom that would test their skill and experience.

Saudi Arabia’s Yazid Al-Rajhi, who came in fourth position in the 2020 event, vowed to overcome previous problems, hoping to win the race.

The Dakar started in 1977 as a race from Paris and across the Sahara desert to the Senegalese capital in West Africa and has long been regarded as the world’s toughest motorsport challenge.

It has been staged in South America since 2009 after leaving Africa for security reasons.

Saudi Arabia’s staging of the event in 2020 marked the first time it was held in the Middle East.

Veteran Spanish driver Carlos Sainz was the winner.



West Ham Surprise Newcastle with 2-0 Away Win

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Ham United - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - November 25, 2024 West Ham United's Tomas Soucek celebrates after the match with Aaron Wan-Bissaka Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Ham United - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - November 25, 2024 West Ham United's Tomas Soucek celebrates after the match with Aaron Wan-Bissaka Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
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West Ham Surprise Newcastle with 2-0 Away Win

Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Ham United - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - November 25, 2024 West Ham United's Tomas Soucek celebrates after the match with Aaron Wan-Bissaka Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Ham United - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - November 25, 2024 West Ham United's Tomas Soucek celebrates after the match with Aaron Wan-Bissaka Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

Newcastle’s winning run in the English Premier League came to an abrupt end when goals from Thomas Souček and Aaron Wan-Bissaka gave West Ham a surprise 2-0 win at St. James’ Park on Monday.
The Hammers rose into 14th place and the pressure on coach Julen Lopetegui was eased.
The London club has been inconsistent all season and Monday’s win was just its fourth in 12 league games, The Associated Press reported.
West Ham was worth it in the end but the three points came courtesy of slack defending by the home side. Emerson whipped in an out-swinging corner after 10 minutes and, with Newcastle defenders rooted to the spot, Souček stole in to nod home the opener.
Then eight minutes into the second half, captain Jarrod Bowen found Wan-Bissaka in the penalty box and he was left unchallenged and had time to fire an angled drive past Nick Pope.
“The second goal ... if you settle on a lead it can come back to haunt you,” Bowen said.
Newcastle brought on Harvey Barnes, and then Callum Wilson returned from a long-term back injury to make his first appearance of the season, but to no avail.
“I said we needed a performance and we did that," Bowen said. “Newcastle always score at home so to keep them to a clean sheet and score twice ... it’s a tough place to come to. We did that perfectly.”
The defeat ended a three-game winning streak for Newcastle and left the Saudi Arabia-owned club in ninth place, four points outside the top four.