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Curaçao Makes History as Smallest Nation by Population to Qualify for a World Cup 

Curaçao players celebrate qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a soccer match against Jamaica in Kingston, Jamaica, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (AP)
Curaçao players celebrate qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a soccer match against Jamaica in Kingston, Jamaica, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (AP)
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Curaçao Makes History as Smallest Nation by Population to Qualify for a World Cup 

Curaçao players celebrate qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a soccer match against Jamaica in Kingston, Jamaica, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (AP)
Curaçao players celebrate qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a soccer match against Jamaica in Kingston, Jamaica, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (AP)

Curaçao salvaged a 0-0 draw with Jamaica on Tuesday to become the smallest nation by population to qualify for a World Cup and will be joined by CONCACAF sides Panama and Haiti which also booked their spots.

Curaçao finished as the only undefeated nation in the tournament and finished atop of Group B with 12 points to advance to the World Cup for the first time in its history.

Curaçao got the historic result despite not having his coach Dick Advocaat on the bench. The 78-year-old Advocaat missed the crucial match because he had to return to the Netherlands last weekend for family reasons.

Advocaat was at the helm of the Netherlands national team for three stints and managed South Korea, Belgium and Russia before taking the job with Curaçao.

Jamaica came close to taking the lead in the 54th minute with a header from Greg Leigh that bounced off the right post. Two more headers rattled the posts as Jamaica pushed in search of the winner, with Shamar Nicholson hitting the crossbar in the 70th minute and Bailey Cadamarteri the right post in the 87th.

In stoppage time, Jamaica was awarded a penalty after substitute Jeremy Antonisse’s sliding tackle brought down Dujuan Richards in the area. But it was overturned after a video review.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics in Curaçao, the country has a population of 156,115 persons as of last January. Iceland, with a population of just over 350,000 was the smallest country to reach the World Cup when it qualified for the tournament in Russia in 2018.

Panama advanced to its second World Cup after defeating El Salvador 3-0 on first-half goals from César Blackman (17) and Erick Davis (45). Jose Luis Rodriguez (85) added a goal for the Panamanians, who have Russia 2018 as their only World Cup appearance.

Panama finished as the best team in Group A with 12 points while Suriname, which came into the last round leading the way on goal difference, lost 3-1 against Guatemala and finished in second place with nine points.

Haiti, a troubled Caribbean country, had a surprising campaign, winning Group C over favorites Honduras and Costa Rica after beating Nicaragua 2-0.

Loicious Deedson opened the scoring in the ninth minute and Ruben Providence added a goal in the 45th. Haiti’s only previous trip to the World Cup was in Germany in 1974.

The CONCAFAC results Tuesday finalized the six teams which will take part in the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico in March of next year. Two teams will qualify from the playoffs which includes Iraq in Asia, Congo in Africa, Jamaica and Suriname from CONCACAF, Bolivia from South America and New Caledonia from Oceania.

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Sabalenka Advances to the Brisbane International Final After Beating Muchova

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates winning her match against Sorana Cirstea of Romania during day five of the Brisbane International tennis tournament at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, Australia, 08 January 2026. (EPA)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates winning her match against Sorana Cirstea of Romania during day five of the Brisbane International tennis tournament at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, Australia, 08 January 2026. (EPA)
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Sabalenka Advances to the Brisbane International Final After Beating Muchova

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates winning her match against Sorana Cirstea of Romania during day five of the Brisbane International tennis tournament at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, Australia, 08 January 2026. (EPA)
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus celebrates winning her match against Sorana Cirstea of Romania during day five of the Brisbane International tennis tournament at Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, Australia, 08 January 2026. (EPA)

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka has advanced to the Brisbane International final for the third year in a row after a 6-3, 6-4 win Saturday over Karolina Muchova.

Sabalenka clinched the semifinal at Pat Rafter Arena on her fourth match point to advance to Sunday's final against Marta Kostyuk, who beat fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-0, 6-3.

It was Kostyuk's third win in a row over a top-10 opponent. She came into the match with only one win in five previous matches against the American.

On Friday, in a rematch of last year's Australian Open final, Sabalenka broke Madison Keys in five straight service games on the way to a 6-3, 6-3 win. Last year at Melbourne Park, Keys beat Sabalenka for her first Grand Slam singles title.

The Brisbane International is a tuneup event for this year's Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18.

Although three match points slipped away amid a late flurry of pressure from the Czech player, Sabalenka sealed victory when a Muchova shot sailed long.

“I always try to stay in the present,” Sabalenka said. “I worked really hard and each match against her is just another opportunity to get the win and I’m super happy that today was the day when I was able to get the win. She is such a great player and I always enjoy battles against her.”

With 32 winners and all four break points saved, Sabalenka will look to carry that momentum into her 13th WTA 500-level final on Sunday.

In the men's tournament at Brisbane, Brandon Nakashima beat Aleksandar Kovacevic 7-6 (4), 6-4 in an all-American semifinal. Nakashima will play the winner of the later semifinal between top-seeded Daniil Medvedev and American Alex Michelsen in Sunday's final.

It will be Nakashima's first ATP Tour final in four years. The 24-year-old American has not lost a set this week.

“We’re really good friends,” Nakashmia said of Kovacevic. “We have been practicing a lot the last month or so and it’s great to see him playing well at these kind of tournaments. It was a super tough match, right from the beginning.”

Sports

Al-Attiyah Regains Dakar Rally Lead in Saudi Arabia, Sanders’ Penalty Gives Brabec Motorbike Win

Rallying - Dakar Rally - Stage 6 - Hail to Riyadh - Hail, Saudi Arabia - January 9, 2026 Dacia's Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin in action during stage 6. (Reuters)
Rallying - Dakar Rally - Stage 6 - Hail to Riyadh - Hail, Saudi Arabia - January 9, 2026 Dacia's Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin in action during stage 6. (Reuters)
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Al-Attiyah Regains Dakar Rally Lead in Saudi Arabia, Sanders’ Penalty Gives Brabec Motorbike Win

Rallying - Dakar Rally - Stage 6 - Hail to Riyadh - Hail, Saudi Arabia - January 9, 2026 Dacia's Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin in action during stage 6. (Reuters)
Rallying - Dakar Rally - Stage 6 - Hail to Riyadh - Hail, Saudi Arabia - January 9, 2026 Dacia's Nasser Al-Attiyah and Fabian Lurquin in action during stage 6. (Reuters)

Nasser Al-Attiyah regained the lead of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia after blasting the first all-sand stage of the race on Friday.

After the neutralized zone, five-time champion Al-Attiyah dominated the second half of the 331-kilometer stage between Hail and Riyadh, increasing his lead from nine seconds to nearly three minutes at the finish over teammate Sébastien Loeb for the first Dacia 1-2 in Dakar history.

“The car is working very, very well, I'm really happy,” Al-Attiyah said.

Al-Attiyah has now won a stage in an unprecedented 19 consecutive Dakar editions. It was his 49th stage win overall, just one behind the record shared by Ari Vatanen and Stéphane Peterhansel.

Taking stage six lifted Al-Attiyah back atop the general rankings, his four-minute deficit to Toyota's Henk Lategan overturned into a six-minute lead.

For the first time since the 2019 Dakar, Ford's Nani Roma was in the overall podium places at third, nine minutes off the pace with four-time champion Carlos Sainz on his tail.

Roma quickly caught up to stage five winner Mitch Guthrie and the teammates opened the way together. Toyota's Seth Quintero was Al-Attiyah's closest challenger for much of the day until the last 80 kilometers when he was overtaken by Loeb, the nine-time world rally champion trying to win his first Dakar at his 10th attempt.

Quintero, the stage two winner, was 21 seconds behind Loeb in third.

Al-Attiyah's win by 2:58 was the biggest margin of the first week going into the only rest day.

Sanders goes too fast

A speeding penalty cost defending motorbike champion Daniel Sanders the stage win and a bigger lead overall.

Sanders knew he made a mistake early on — he was clocked doing 98 kph in a 50 kph zone — and pushed his KTM harder than usual. He caught teammate Luciano Benavides soon after the neutralized zone and together they opened the way and gobbled up the time bonuses.

After about 30 kilometers, Sanders was opening the trail on his own and led his closest rival, 2024 champion Ricky Brabec, by more than five minutes. Sanders eventually finished just under five minutes ahead of Brabec.

But a six-minute penalty for the speeding gave Brabec his 12th career stage win and first of the week by just over a minute over Honda teammate Tosha Schareina and dropped Sanders to third, three seconds further back.

Sanders held on to the overall lead but it was cut to 45 seconds over Brabec, 10:15 over Benavides and 11:56 over Schareina.

“I'm not happy with the first week. I should have done a lot better,” Sanders said. “Just silly mistakes. We should have a bigger lead in the overall. So many things change every day and you just got to keep pushing to the limit.”

Brabec said: “My only goal is to catch Daniel on the day after the rest day and try to take some bonus time. That's how the rally works now, you have to open to win.”

Sports

Real Madrid Beats Atletico to Set Up Clasico Final at the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, right, is congratulated by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, right, is congratulated by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP)
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Real Madrid Beats Atletico to Set Up Clasico Final at the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia

Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, right, is congratulated by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP)
Real Madrid's Federico Valverde, right, is congratulated by Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish Super Cup semifinal soccer match against Atletico Madrid at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP)

Real Madrid got goals from Federico Valverde and Rodrygo to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 on Thursday, setting up a clasico final at the Spanish Super Cup played in Saudi Arabia.

Valverde put Madrid ahead just two minutes into the match in Jeddah when the Uruguay midfielder scored directly from a free kick with a fierce strike that Jan Oblak could not keep out.

Valverde then helped make it 2-0 in the 55th when he threaded a pass through the middle of Atletico’s defense to meet Rodrygo’s run. The Brazil forward, who is playing well after a subpar season last year, did the rest by beating Oblak with a low strike for the winner.

Alexander Sorloth pulled Atletico close three minutes later when the striker headed in a cross by Giuliano Simeone. Atletico pressed for the equalizer but came up short.

Madrid was playing without the injured Kylian Mbappé, sidelined with a left knee sprain for a second straight game.

Xabi Alonso’s team will face Barcelona in the final of four four-team tournament on Sunday.

Valverde’s goal was his first of the season. He has struggled to join the attack this campaign because he has been forced to play out of position at right back due to injuries to Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

“After so many games without scoring, today was a great day to find the net again and for the team to win,” Valverde said. “We must be prepared, rested and focused to win the final.”

Atletico created several chances to score in the final half but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois did well to parry a point-blank header by Sorloth and a long strike by Alex Baena.

Atletico had beaten Madrid 5-2 when they met in La Liga in September.

Barcelona routed Athletic Bilbao 5-0 on Wednesday in the other semifinal. Last year, Barcelona thumped Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final.

Derby record for Koke Atletico midfielder Koke Resurrección set a new record for Madrid derbies after playing his 44th game against his crosstown rival. That broke a tie he had with former Madrid star defender Sergio Ramos.

But after the loss, Koke concentrated on the missed opportunity for his team.

“It hurts because we wanted to be in the final,” the 34-year-old Koke said. “We got off on the wrong foot after (Valverde’s) great goal. We had our chances, but the ball wouldn’t go in.”