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Arsenal Moves up to Second in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Ipswich

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, left, kicks the ball ahead of Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, left, kicks the ball ahead of Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
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Arsenal Moves up to Second in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Ipswich

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, left, kicks the ball ahead of Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, left, kicks the ball ahead of Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal moved up to second place in the Premier League with a 1-0 home win against Ipswich on Friday.

Mikel Arteta’s side is six points behind leader Liverpool, which has a game in hand.

Second-bottom Ipswich had won two of its last three away games but was up against it from the start at the Emirates.

The visitors did not have one touch in the Gunners’ box during the first 45 minutes and, although Ipswich showed signs of life after the break, it was Arsenal which continued to dominate the game, marshaled by Declan Rice in midfield, The AP reported.

Kai Havertz got the only goal midway through the first half when he knocked in a cross from Leandro Trossard.

Havertz, Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus all had chances but none of them could add to Arsenal’s tally.

“It’s so tough, every team is tough to break down," Havertz said. "They fight for each other and at the end we’re very proud for the win.”

Arsenal is a point above third-place Chelsea and two points clear of season surprise team Nottingham Forest in fourth.

Seagulls and Bees share the points on south coast Brighton had most of the chances but could not find the net in a 0-0 draw with Brentford that extended the south coast club’s winless run to six league games.

It was a frustrating night for the home side and especially Julio Enciso. The Paraguay striker had a host of opportunities to score but couldn’t make them count.

Along with Southampton, Brentford has the worst away record in the league with seven losses and two draws and it was easy to see why in this toothless performance.

Brentford had an early goal from Yoane Wissa ruled out for offside and, although it came a bit more into the game in the second half, it failed to pressure Icelandic goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson, who made his Premier League debut eight minutes before halftime when Mark Flekken went off with a thigh injury.

One bright spot for the home side was the return of winger Solly March. He came on as a late substitute to make his first appearance for Brighton since injuring a knee against Manchester City 14 months ago.

The result leaves Brighton in 10th place with 26 points, one spot and two points ahead of the Bees.

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Iran Says Wants to Play World Cup Matches in Mexico

Will Iran play its World Cup matches in Mexico? (Reuters)
Will Iran play its World Cup matches in Mexico? (Reuters)
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Iran Says Wants to Play World Cup Matches in Mexico

Will Iran play its World Cup matches in Mexico? (Reuters)
Will Iran play its World Cup matches in Mexico? (Reuters)

Iran has suggested to move its World Cup matches from the United States to co-hosts Mexico in connection with the Middle East war.

Sports minister Ahmad Donyamali was quoted by state news agency Irna as saying that they would look into the proposal together with the world governing body FIFA.

"I hope that conditions can be created so that our boys can take part at the World Cup after all," Donyamali said.

"It is important to make careful use of all sporting aspects to ensure that participation is still possible.”

Iran are set to face Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt in the group stage with all three matches to be played in the US, which hosts the June 11-July 19 tournament together with Mexico and Canada.

The US and Israel have been carrying out air strikes against Iran since February 28. Tehran is carrying out counterstrikes in the region.

Donyamali ruled out Iran's participation at the World Cup on Wednesday.

US President Donald trump said the next day it was not "appropriate" for Iran to play for safety reasons. Iran dismissed this, saying that decisions were made solely by FIFA.

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Iran State Media Says Two More Footballers Pull Australia Asylum Bids

The members of Iran's women's football team who did not claim asylum in Australia arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 11, 2026 © ARIF KARTONO / AFP
The members of Iran's women's football team who did not claim asylum in Australia arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 11, 2026 © ARIF KARTONO / AFP
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Iran State Media Says Two More Footballers Pull Australia Asylum Bids

The members of Iran's women's football team who did not claim asylum in Australia arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 11, 2026 © ARIF KARTONO / AFP
The members of Iran's women's football team who did not claim asylum in Australia arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 11, 2026 © ARIF KARTONO / AFP

Two more players of the Iranian women's football team, which competed in the Asian Cup in Australia, and one member of the backroom staff have withdrawn their requests for asylum in the country, Iranian state media said on Saturday.

Seven members of the visiting women's football delegation -- six players and one backroom staff member -- had sought sanctuary in Australia after they were branded "traitors" at home for refusing to sing the national anthem during the ongoing war between Iran and the US and its ally Israel, AFP reported.

One of the players had withdrawn her request earlier in the week and linked up with the rest of the team who are returning to Iran via Malaysia, according to Iranian media and Australian authorities.

State broadcaster IRIB said on Saturday "two players and a member of the technical staff of the women's national football team, have given up on their asylum application in Australia and are currently heading to Malaysia."

It posted a picture of the three women -- wearing the Islamic hijab -- as they were apparently about to board a plane.

The rest of the team are believed to still be in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur awaiting their return to Iran.

According to Australian authorities, the first woman who changed her mind over the asylum application exposed the location of the other asylum seekers when she contacted Iran's embassy in Australia.

They were then forced to change the safe house where they were living.

Rights groups have repeatedly accused Iranian authorities of pressuring athletes abroad by threatening relatives or with the seizure of property if they defect or make statements against the Islamic republic.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has lauded the bravery of the women, vowing they would be welcomed with open arms.

But Iran's governing football body has accused Australia of kidnapping the players and forcing them to forsake their home nation against their will.

Iranian players fell silent as the national anthem played ahead of a tournament match in Australia, an act seen as a symbol of defiance against the Islamic republic.

A presenter on Iranian state TV branded the players "wartime traitors", fuelling fears they faced persecution, or worse, if they returned home.

Five players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, slipped away from the team hotel under the cover of darkness to claim asylum in Australia.

Two more team members -- a player and a support staffer -- claimed asylum before the team flew out of Sydney earlier this week.

Sports

African Champions Pyramids Hit Back to Draw in Morocco

An aerial view shows Cairo's traffic with buildings and houses, through the window of a Turkish Airlines plane, in Cairo, Egypt March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
An aerial view shows Cairo's traffic with buildings and houses, through the window of a Turkish Airlines plane, in Cairo, Egypt March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
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African Champions Pyramids Hit Back to Draw in Morocco

An aerial view shows Cairo's traffic with buildings and houses, through the window of a Turkish Airlines plane, in Cairo, Egypt March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
An aerial view shows Cairo's traffic with buildings and houses, through the window of a Turkish Airlines plane, in Cairo, Egypt March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Pyramids of Egypt preserved an unbeaten record in defense of the CAF Champions League title by coming from behind to draw 1-1 at FAR Rabat of Morocco late on Friday.

The home team were ahead after just eight minutes of the quarter-final first leg when Ahmed Hammoudan scored his first goal of the campaign.

Mahmoud Zalaka equalized in the seventh minute of the second half in a match staged behind closed doors due to crowd trouble during an earlier FAR match.

The second leg is set for March 21 in Cairo and the overall winners will face another Moroccan club, Renaissance Berkane, or Al Hilal of Sudan in the semi-finals during April.

Pyramids and FAR also clashed in the quarter-finals last season with the Cairo club winning 4-3 on aggregate.

Surprise winners of the premier African club competition last season, Pyramids have won eight matches and drawn three in pursuit of back-to-back titles.

They pocketed four million dollars (3.5 mn euros) after defeating Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the 2024/25 final.

This week, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that first prize had been increased by 50% to six million dollars. The runners-up prize is unchanged at two million dollars.

FAR rattled Pyramids by taking an early lead amid the silence of the Olympic Stadium in the Moroccan capital, AFP reported.

A pass into space behind the Pyramids defense found Hammoudan, who raced in from the left flank and beat veteran goalkeeper Ahmed El Shenawy with an angled shot into the far corner.

Both sides had spells of territorial dominance in the opening half, but there were no further goals before half-time with few clearcut chances.

Pyramids pressed for an equalizer from the restart and were rewarded on 52 minutes when Zalaka claimed his second goal of the African campaign.

FAR goalkeeper Ahmed Tagnaouti parried a close-range shot from Ahmed Atef after a corner and Zalaka reacted quickest to poke the loose ball into the net.

Mahmoud Mayele, the Democratic Republic of Congo striker and leading scorer in the Champions League last season with nine goals, was substituted after 83 minutes.

After scoring three goals in qualifiers this season, the 31-year-old has gone eight matches without adding to his tally.

The quarter-final in Rabat kicked off only at 2200 local time due to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.