Neymar Sent off, PSG Title Chase Hit by Loss to Leader Lille

PSG's Neymar, center, talks with Lille's Tiago Djalo after he receives a red card from referee during the match against Lille, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, France, Saturday, April. 3, 2021. (AP)
PSG's Neymar, center, talks with Lille's Tiago Djalo after he receives a red card from referee during the match against Lille, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, France, Saturday, April. 3, 2021. (AP)
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Neymar Sent off, PSG Title Chase Hit by Loss to Leader Lille

PSG's Neymar, center, talks with Lille's Tiago Djalo after he receives a red card from referee during the match against Lille, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, France, Saturday, April. 3, 2021. (AP)
PSG's Neymar, center, talks with Lille's Tiago Djalo after he receives a red card from referee during the match against Lille, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, France, Saturday, April. 3, 2021. (AP)

Neymar was sent off late and then tried to confront a player after the game as defending champion Paris Saint-Germain lost 1-0 at home to Lille on Saturday, falling three points behind the new French league leader in a tense title race.

PSG is only one point ahead of Monaco, which earlier beat Metz 4-0 to take third place. Lyon is fourth after drawing 1-1 at Lens.

Neymar was shown a second yellow card in the 90th minute for kicking right back Tiago Djalo off the ball, having been booked in the first half for shoving midfielder Benjamin Andre in the face. Djalo was also sent off and remonstrated angrily with the referee.

As both players argued as they walked back to the locker rooms, footage from broadcaster Canal Plus captured Neymar pushing Djalo on the shoulder and then trying to get past some security officials to confront him.

An angry Djalo also reacted, trying to reach Neymar, causing one security official to fall over, while another intervened swiftly to block Neymar and lead him away.

Canada forward Jonathan David scored Lille's goal in the 20th minute with a slightly deflected strike, as PSG slipped to a fifth home defeat and eighth overall, with a tough trip to Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the Champions League.

“Each time we lose we say the same thing, that we lacked commitment. We shouldn’t find any excuses,” PSG captain Marquinhos said. “We need to be stronger than that at home. A lot of teams have come here and won, which we’re not used to. We’re at an important point of the season and must improve.”

PSG has been poor against the other sides in the top four, twice losing to Monaco, losing once to Lyon and drawing its other game against Lille 0-0.

“We need more consistency because there have been too many ups-and-downs,” Marquinhos said. “Our next match is one of the biggest.”

Frustration got to Neymar, who now faces another suspension after getting red-carded against Marseille at the start of the campaign. Shortly after shoving Andre in the face, he fell to the ground in a failed bid to win a penalty.

Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who came through PSG's youth ranks before leaving, kept out Neymar's shot on the hour mark and was relieved to see Neymar's diving header go wide in the 70th.

Starting his first game for two months after recovering from a torn adductor muscle, Neymar was wasteful, volleying a cross wide from a good position and squandering two free kicks.

After Maignan got a hand to Kylian Mbappe's low shot in the 15th, Lille caught PSG cold five minutes later on a classic counterattack.

Jonathan Ikone found space down the right and pulled the ball back to David, whose shot from just inside the penalty area looped over goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Andre and Boubakary Soumare, another promising player released by PSG, controlled midfield with relative ease in the absence of PSG's Marco Verratti.

With PSG camped in Lille's half, a counterattack was waiting to happen.

It arrived in the 78th as Timothy Weah squared the ball from the right to Turkey striker Burak Yilmaz, but Navas read his first-time shot well.

Verratti, already ruled out with a thigh injury, tested positive for the coronavirus for the third time. He will miss the first leg against Bayern.

Two hours before facing Lille, right back Alessandro Florenzi was removed from PSG’s squad as a precaution, even though he tested negative, the club said. He was on international duty for Italy recently with Verratti.

Lille was without attacking midfielder Yusuf Yazici, who has the virus.

Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta equalized in the 81st after Lens right back Jonathan Clauss struck midway through the second half.

Lyon forward Karl Toko Ekambi saw his shot saved by goalkeeper Jean-Louis Leca in the 55th after going through on goal. Leca blocked Tino Kadewere's effort in the 63rd and Memphis Depay's low strike moments later.

Monaco, which has now lost only once in 16 league games, struck a double blow early in the second half.

Former Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas scored a penalty in the 49th minute after forward Stevan Jovetic was fouled, and striker Kevin Volland finished confidently two minutes later from Belgian midfielder Eliot Matazo’s pass.

Striker Wissam Ben Yedder was surprisingly left on the bench but came on to notch a fine third when he cut inside a defender and thumped the ball under the crossbar in the 76th.

Ben Yedder was fouled by central defender John Boye and took the penalty to make it 4-0 in the 88th and move onto 15 league goals, one more than Volland.



SDRPY Handball Championship Wraps up in Marib, Yemen

The program has supported the youth and sports sector through a wide range of projects and initiatives - SPA
The program has supported the youth and sports sector through a wide range of projects and initiatives - SPA
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SDRPY Handball Championship Wraps up in Marib, Yemen

The program has supported the youth and sports sector through a wide range of projects and initiatives - SPA
The program has supported the youth and sports sector through a wide range of projects and initiatives - SPA

The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) Handball Championship in Marib Governorate concluded with Al-Watan Club claiming the title after a 27-23 victory over Al-Sadd Club in the finals. Overall, 16 local clubs competed for the championship, SPA reported.

The championship is part of SDRPY’s efforts to support the youth and sports sector and promote sporting activities across governorates.

The program has supported the youth and sports sector through a wide range of projects and initiatives, including rehabilitating sports facilities, constructing stadiums, sponsoring tournaments, and providing technical expertise and knowledge transfer.

The SDRPY has implemented development projects and initiatives across vital sectors, including education, health, water, energy, transportation, agriculture and fisheries, and capacity building to support the Yemeni government and its development programs.


ATP Roundup: Tommy Paul Wins all-American Semi to Reach Houston Final

Mar 25, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Tommy Paul of the United States hits a backhand during his match against Arthur Fils of France in the quarter finals of the men’s singles at the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images - Reuters
Mar 25, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Tommy Paul of the United States hits a backhand during his match against Arthur Fils of France in the quarter finals of the men’s singles at the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images - Reuters
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ATP Roundup: Tommy Paul Wins all-American Semi to Reach Houston Final

Mar 25, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Tommy Paul of the United States hits a backhand during his match against Arthur Fils of France in the quarter finals of the men’s singles at the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images - Reuters
Mar 25, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Tommy Paul of the United States hits a backhand during his match against Arthur Fils of France in the quarter finals of the men’s singles at the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images - Reuters

No. 4 Tommy Paul rallied for his fourth consecutive win over fellow American and second-seeded Frances Tiafoe, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7), on Saturday in the US Men's Clay Court Championship semifinals at Houston.

Paul clinched his first ever ATP clay-court final ​appearance in a grueling 2-hour, 45-minute match that was marred by rain throughout, including a 90-minute ‌delay during the second set. Paul thrived behind 14 aces and no double faults while converting two of five break-point opportunities in the pivotal deciding set.

It was back-and-forth in the final set with Tiafoe notching the first break and Paul breaking him right back in the next ​service. Then the reverse happened with Paul grabbing a break and Tiafoe nabbing it right back a service ​game later. In the deciding tiebreaker, Paul squandered two match points up 6-4 before advancing ⁠by winning two straight points to break a 7-7 tie.

In another semifinal between competitors from the same country, Argentina's Roman ​Andres Burruchaga easily dispatched Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-1, 6-1 to set up a date with Paul. Burruchaga converted 5 of ​8 break opportunities while never facing one. Tirante had 25 unforced errors to Burruchaga's 10, Reuters reported.

Grand Prix Hassan II

Qualifier Marco Trungelliti (ATP No. 117) of Argentina continued his Cinderella run by taking down top-seeded Italian Luciano Darderi 6-4, 7-6 (2) in Marrakech, Morocco.

Trungelliti clinched a spot in the final and ​is the oldest first-time finalist in ATP Tour history at 36. En route to the final, Trungelliti took down the ​fifth, third and first seeds. Trungelliti converted four of six break-point opportunities and capitalized on Darderi's eight double faults to deny the ‌Italian a ⁠repeat championship in the event.

Spain's Rafael Jodar will try to halt Trungelliti's magical run after he took down Argentinian Camilo Ugo Carabelli in straight sets 6-2, 6-1 in just 63 minutes. Jodar was never broken and held a 23-8 advantage in winners. This would also be the first title for Jodar, who at 19 years old, made his tour debut earlier ​this year at the Australian ​Open and is competing in ⁠his first tour-level clay tournament.

Tiriac Open

Qualifier Daniel Merida Aguilar of Spain came back from a set down to upset Hungarian third seed Fabian Marozsan 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1 in a semifinal ​match in Bucharest, Romania.

After dropping the first set, Merida Agular knocked home four of his ​six break-point attempts ⁠over the final two sets, finishing with 35 winners. He defended his serve well throughout as he saved 17 of the 18 break points he faced to overcome his 39 unforced errors and reach his first tour-level final.

Seventh-seeded Argentinian Mariano Navone saved ⁠two match ​points to come back and beat eighth-seeded Botic van de Zandschulp of ​the Netherlands 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-5. Navone capitalized on 65 unforced errors from van de Zandschulp and broke him six times. He hit 82% of his ​first serves and will also be looking for his first tour-level title after losing the 2024 Bucharest championship match.


Schouten to Miss World Cup after Surgery on Cruciate Ligament Injury

Soccer Football - Champions League - PSV Eindhoven v Sporting CP - Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands - October 1, 2024 PSV Eindhoven's Jerdy Schouten scores their first goal REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw/File Photo
Soccer Football - Champions League - PSV Eindhoven v Sporting CP - Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands - October 1, 2024 PSV Eindhoven's Jerdy Schouten scores their first goal REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw/File Photo
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Schouten to Miss World Cup after Surgery on Cruciate Ligament Injury

Soccer Football - Champions League - PSV Eindhoven v Sporting CP - Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands - October 1, 2024 PSV Eindhoven's Jerdy Schouten scores their first goal REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw/File Photo
Soccer Football - Champions League - PSV Eindhoven v Sporting CP - Philips Stadion, Eindhoven, Netherlands - October 1, 2024 PSV Eindhoven's Jerdy Schouten scores their first goal REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw/File Photo

PSV Eindhoven captain Jerdy Schouten sustained a cruciate ligament injury in the match against Utrecht that required surgery, his club said on Sunday, ruling the Netherlands midfielder out of the World Cup.

Schouten suffered the injury in the second half of Saturday's 4-3 victory when he twisted his knee and the 29-year-old was taken off on a stretcher.

PSV said further examinations on Sunday confirmed the injury which generally takes six to nine months for a full recovery.

"When it happened, I actually felt immediately that something was wrong," Schouten said, Reuters reported.

"You still have a glimmer of hope that it isn't too bad, but unfortunately that turned out not to be the case. The blow is big right now, but I will move on quickly.

"Great things are about to happen for PSV again and I will do everything I can to be involved in everything."

Schouten made 40 appearances for PSV across all competitions this season, including 28 league games as they inch closer to a third straight title.

Having made his international debut in 2022, Schouten has played 17 times for the Netherlands, last playing the full 90 minutes in a friendly draw with Ecuador last week.