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Australia Happy to Reach World Cup Finals 'the Hard Way'

Australia happy to reach World Cup finals the hard way. AFP
Australia happy to reach World Cup finals the hard way. AFP
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Australia Happy to Reach World Cup Finals 'the Hard Way'

Australia happy to reach World Cup finals the hard way. AFP
Australia happy to reach World Cup finals the hard way. AFP

Coach Graham Arnold is counting on "Aussie mental strength" to see his side to victory over the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and through to another playoff battle for a place in the World Cup finals.

Arnold said that Australia seem to like qualifying the "hard way" but insisted that they are ready for the showdown in the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Doha, AFP said.

The winner will take on Peru in the same air-conditioned stadium on June 13 for a place in the finals that start in Qatar in November.

New Zealand will play Costa Rica a day later to decide the final qualifying spot.

Arnold said that, because of coronavirus travel restrictions, Australia have played 14 of their 18 qualifying round games in the Middle East and also acknowledged the team's record of scraping into the finals through playoffs.

"Australia is pretty much used to doing it the hard way. This is the fifth time in the playoffs and it is an experience that we are used to," the coach told a press conference before their final training session on Monday.

He admitted his team can struggle after conceding first, so his main task had been to prepare the players mentally as they look to reach the World Cup for the fifth time in a row.

"We have got a very strong group of players at the moment that have a strong belief in themselves. Physically we are really ready for this game.

"In the past we have had a lot of players that have missed games because of Covid and international travel. But now all those type of things have been removed," he said.

"Mentally the boys are in great spirits and I believe with that mental Aussie strength that we will come through."

Forward Mitchell Duke, who plays in Japan's second division, said the game would be "a great occasion. All the boys know what's at stake.

"There has been a good atmosphere around training and all the boys can't wait to get on that pitch and do the job."

A few hundred Australian fans are expected to be in the stadium against several thousand UAE fans who are flying in hoping to see their side qualify for only the second time since their debut in 1990.

"We are playing the most important match in the history of our country," said the UAE's Brazilian-born striker Caio Canedo.

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Kvaratskhelia Named Champions League Player of the Season

(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's Georgian forward #07 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates at the end of the UEFA Champions League second-leg, semi-final football match between FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Munich, southern Germany on May 6, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's Georgian forward #07 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates at the end of the UEFA Champions League second-leg, semi-final football match between FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Munich, southern Germany on May 6, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
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Kvaratskhelia Named Champions League Player of the Season

(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's Georgian forward #07 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates at the end of the UEFA Champions League second-leg, semi-final football match between FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Munich, southern Germany on May 6, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's Georgian forward #07 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates at the end of the UEFA Champions League second-leg, semi-final football match between FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Munich, southern Germany on May 6, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Paris Saint-Germain's Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was named Champions League player of the season on Sunday by a UEFA panel of judges.

Kvaratskhelia was a constant menace in PSG's defence of the title with ten goals and six assists from his 16 games.

PSG came from a goal down against Arsenal on Saturday to equalise from the spot on 65 minutes after Kvaratskhelia was scythed to the floor inside the box with Ousmane Dembele converting the spot-kick.

Both had left the fray before the game went to extra-time and ended 1-1, before PSG emerged from a shoot-out as narrow 4-3 winners.

UEFA's technical observer board of around 30 football dignitaries such as Gareth Southgate, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rafa Benitez voted for the award.

The panel's statement described his season as pivotal and dazzling, AFP reported.

"Arguably Kvaratskhelia's finest performance came in the unforgettable 5-4 semi-final first-leg win over Bayern, as he curled in a beauty to draw his side level at 1-1 before adding a fierce drive in the second period to complete a fine double," they said.

He also scored three goals over the two legs against Chelsea in the last 16 and another at Liverpool in the quarter-finals.

The now 25-year-old was also on the score sheet in the 2025 final as PSG thumped Inter Milan 5-0.

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Kostyuk Stuns 4-time Champion Swiatek on Big Day for Ukraine at French Open

31 May 2026, France, Paris: Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk celebrates a point against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their Women's Singles Match on Day 8 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
31 May 2026, France, Paris: Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk celebrates a point against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their Women's Singles Match on Day 8 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Kostyuk Stuns 4-time Champion Swiatek on Big Day for Ukraine at French Open

31 May 2026, France, Paris: Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk celebrates a point against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their Women's Singles Match on Day 8 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
31 May 2026, France, Paris: Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk celebrates a point against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their Women's Singles Match on Day 8 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

There will be a first-time women’s champion at the French Open this year, and two Ukrainian players are among the strongest contenders.

Undefeated this season on clay, 15th-seeded Marta Kostyuk showed her strong credentials as she reached the quarterfinals in Paris for the first time on Sunday by taking out four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 and ruining her birthday.

She will be up against her compatriot Elina Svitolina next, ensuring there will be an Ukrainian woman semifinalist at Roland Garros for the first time in the professional era (1968). The seventh-seeded Svitolina rallied past Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.

“There’s going to be Ukraine in the semifinals, so it’s already amazing,” said Svitolina, whose country is in a 4-year-old war with Russia.

“I think it couldn’t be a better, amazing achievement for Ukrainian tennis. I think in such a difficult situation right now in the war, with the invasion, it’s really, really difficult, and I think it’s really inspiring for the next generation to really believe that it is possible one day to play on this court and win.”

None of the players still in the draw have yet lifted the trophy in Paris, following Coco Gauff’s elimination on Saturday and Swiatek's exit. It's the same in the men’s draw, after the defeats of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic and with Carlos Alcaraz absent because of an injury.

Kostyuk had lost her three previous matches against Swiatek and never taken a set against the former top-ranked player, who turned 25 on Sunday.

“I’m still in shock. To beat such an unbelievable player, who won four times here," The Associated Press quoted her as saying.

Kostyuk has been the best player of the clay-court season. She defended extremely well, chasing Swiatek’s shots all over the court, and also produced some stunning groundstroke winners while her rival was also undone by her own mistakes.

Poland's Iga Swiatek leaves the court after losing to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk in the fourth-round tennis match at the French Open in Paris, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

An intense baseline battle unfolded from the outset. Swiatek showed signs of nerves as she double-faulted, shanked a forehand wide and then missed a volley at the net, allowing Kostyuk to level at 5-5 in the opener. Swiatek hit two more double faults in the 12th game and the 15th-seeded Ukrainian player sealed the set with a backhand passing shot.

Swiatek then briefly left the court. Meanwhile, Kostyuk kept herself warm by stretching and hopping beside her chair, then received some applause as she did a few dance moves to the music playing in the stadium.

Following a first week marked by a suffocating heatwave, relief finally arrived in Paris on Sunday, with temperatures dropping to 21 degrees C (70 F) around midday. When play resumed, Swiatek broke but another double fault coupled with more unforced errors brought her opponent back at 1-1. Kostyuk then won the last five games.

Kostyuk, who had reached the fourth round at Roland Garros in 2021 when she lost to Swiatek, extended her winning streak on clay to 16 matches. Ahead of the French Open, she won in Madrid, the biggest title of her career, after she claimed another clay-court title in Rouen, France.

“The most important thing that I’ve been doing this whole time is really just trying to enjoy,” she said. “It’s helping. I want to keep enjoying. I try not to focus at all on winning or losing because I’m not playing tennis to win, I’m playing tennis because I love it."

17 years later Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea, who is planning to retire at the end of the season, beat Chinese qualifier Wang Xiyu 6-3, 7-6 (4) to reach her second Roland Garros quarterfinal, 17 years after first making it to the last eight.

The gap between Cirstea’s first and second Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances in Paris is the longest at a single major by any woman in the Open Era.

“There is no expiration date for ambition and for dreams,” Cirstea said. “I think back then I was a kid, just started on tour. Now I have so many years behind me. I have so much experience, maturity. I feel I’m a completely different player.”

Sports

Jordan to Let Fans Start Work Late for World Cup Debut

Jordan's defender #2 Mohammad Abu Hashish (L) fights for the ball with Switzerland's midfielder #16 Christian Fassnacht next to Jordan's forward Mohammad Abu Zraiq (R) during a friendly match between Switzerland and Jordan ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup football tournament at the Kybunpark stadium, in St. Gallen on May 31, 2026. (Photo by Ennio LEANZA / AFP)
Jordan's defender #2 Mohammad Abu Hashish (L) fights for the ball with Switzerland's midfielder #16 Christian Fassnacht next to Jordan's forward Mohammad Abu Zraiq (R) during a friendly match between Switzerland and Jordan ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup football tournament at the Kybunpark stadium, in St. Gallen on May 31, 2026. (Photo by Ennio LEANZA / AFP)
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Jordan to Let Fans Start Work Late for World Cup Debut

Jordan's defender #2 Mohammad Abu Hashish (L) fights for the ball with Switzerland's midfielder #16 Christian Fassnacht next to Jordan's forward Mohammad Abu Zraiq (R) during a friendly match between Switzerland and Jordan ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup football tournament at the Kybunpark stadium, in St. Gallen on May 31, 2026. (Photo by Ennio LEANZA / AFP)
Jordan's defender #2 Mohammad Abu Hashish (L) fights for the ball with Switzerland's midfielder #16 Christian Fassnacht next to Jordan's forward Mohammad Abu Zraiq (R) during a friendly match between Switzerland and Jordan ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup football tournament at the Kybunpark stadium, in St. Gallen on May 31, 2026. (Photo by Ennio LEANZA / AFP)

Jordan said on Sunday it will allow a late start to work for public sector employees on World Cup matchdays to let fans enjoy the national team's debut appearance at the tournament.

A decree from Prime Minister Jafar ⁠Hassan said official ⁠working hours would begin at 10 a.m. instead of 8:30 a.m. for its Group J games against Austria, Algeria and ⁠Argentina which are being played in the US on June 17, 23 and 28.

"The decision aims to enable citizens to follow and rally behind our national football team during its historic participation in this tournament," Reuters quoted a ⁠government ⁠statement as saying.

Jordan, popularly known as Al-Nashama (The Chivalrous Ones), qualified for the World Cup after finishing second behind South Korea in their Asian qualifying group, an unprecedented achievement that sparked nationwide celebration.