Salah Grabs Winner as Liverpool Beats Forest 3-2

Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 22, 2023. (AFP)
Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 22, 2023. (AFP)
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Salah Grabs Winner as Liverpool Beats Forest 3-2

Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 22, 2023. (AFP)
Liverpool's Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 22, 2023. (AFP)

Liverpool twice relinquished a lead before scoring a winner through Mohamed Salah as a 3-2 result over relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest preserved hopes of a top-four finish in the English Premier League on Saturday.

Diogo Jota put Liverpool 1-0 and 2-1 ahead at Anfield only for goals by Neco Williams — a former Liverpool player — and Morgan Gibbs-White to pull Forest level.

The last of five goals in a wild spell of 23 second-half minutes was converted by Salah, who side-footed in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free kick in the 70th minute for his 16th of the league campaign.

Liverpool jumped to seventh in the standings, six points behind fourth-placed Newcastle and three behind Tottenham in fifth. Newcastle hosts Tottenham on Sunday.

Forest, which is in next-to-last place, remained without a win since Feb. 5 and has lost six of its last seven games, leaving manager Steve Cooper under lots of pressure after he was told results had to improve by owner Evangelos Marinakis this month.



Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
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Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)

Hady Habib isn't likely to find anything too daunting at the Australian Open now that he's become the first Lebanese player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam men's singles draw.
He advanced through three rounds of the qualifying at Melbourne Park, winning his third match in a tiebreaker 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8) over Clement Chidekh of France on Thursday to secure a place in the main draw of the tournament that starts Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
It continued a rapid rise for Habib, who made his Olympic debut last year in Paris, running into eventual silver medalist Carlos Alcaraz, a four-time major winner, in the first round. It was two sets he'll long remember.
Late last year, he made history at Temuco, Chile by becoming the first ATP Challenger Tour champion from Lebanon.
The 26-year-old Habib was born in Houston, Texas and moved to Lebanon as a young child, learning how to play there. He returned to the US to pursue a pro career and feels now like he's representing of the spirit of Lebanese people.
“I know it’s just a sport, but I feel like representing Lebanon and sacrificing all the things I had to do to get here, it kind of resembles how our nation has fought back,” Habib told Australia's SBS News this week.
His personal success has come at a difficult time during the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“Every morning, I was waking up during that challenging time, I was contacting all my family members, my friends, making sure they’re okay,” Habib told SBS News. "My heart’s just shattered to see what’s happening to our country and people.
“It was a hard time mentally for me, knowing that you can’t do anything to help, but I’m glad things are calming down now. Hopefully we’ll find some peace.”
Habib's first-round opponent at Melbourne Park will be determined when all qualifiers are inserted into the main draw.