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Messi, Argentina Set to Pull a Big Crowd in Beijing Exhibition Game

Chinese fans hold a photo of Lionel Messi while they cheer to a camera, as they wait to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi and other members of the Argentina national soccer team outside a hotel in Beijing, China June 13, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
Chinese fans hold a photo of Lionel Messi while they cheer to a camera, as they wait to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi and other members of the Argentina national soccer team outside a hotel in Beijing, China June 13, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
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Messi, Argentina Set to Pull a Big Crowd in Beijing Exhibition Game

Chinese fans hold a photo of Lionel Messi while they cheer to a camera, as they wait to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi and other members of the Argentina national soccer team outside a hotel in Beijing, China June 13, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
Chinese fans hold a photo of Lionel Messi while they cheer to a camera, as they wait to catch a glimpse of Lionel Messi and other members of the Argentina national soccer team outside a hotel in Beijing, China June 13, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Lionel Messi and his World Cup-winning Argentina teammates are expected to draw almost 70,000 fans to Beijing Worker’s Stadium for an exhibition against Australia.

With tickets starting at around $80 for Thursday’s game, local supporters are excited to see Messi and continue the World Cup celebrations. Fans have flocked to all opportunities to see the Argentine star since the team arrived in China, with large crowds angling for photographs and chanting his name.

Messi’s move to “continue my path” in Miami last week made global headlines.

He said that after winning the World Cup, it was his time to go the United States and “live football in another way.”

Before then, he’s with the Argentina squad that is scheduled to play Australia in the Chinese capital and take on Indonesia in Jakarta four days later.

Australia coach Graham Arnold said he was looking forward to giving a selection of young players some valuable experience.

“There's no better team to test yourself against than he best in the world,” Arnold said in an interview for Chinese TV. “It's going to be great for the players — not only the players, but for everyone here in China and back in Australia — to see Lionel Messi play.

"He's such a wonderful player and obviously best in the world. To have those privileges to test yourself against him, it's important.”

Messi led Argentina to a 2-1 win over the Australians in the Round of 16 at the World Cup last year in Qatar.

For the Socceroos, though, this rematch is not about revenge for a defeat but more the journey to the next Asian Cup, at Qatar in January, and beyond.

“It’s a younger squad but I’m also looking with one eye on the World Cup in 2026 and getting players ready for that,” Arnold said. “I don’t believe there’s a better way to test them out."

Australia, which joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006 and won the regional title on home soil in 2015, will take on India, Syria and Uzbekistan at the Asian Cup.

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Sports

Tunisia’s Miserable Run Continues After Botswana Draw in AFCON Qualifiers

Tunisia's Montassar Talibi (R) fights for the ball with player of Botswana's Thero Setsile (L) during the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying Group H match between Tunisia and Botswana in Tunis, Tunisia, 28 September 2026. (EPA)
Tunisia's Montassar Talibi (R) fights for the ball with player of Botswana's Thero Setsile (L) during the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying Group H match between Tunisia and Botswana in Tunis, Tunisia, 28 September 2026. (EPA)
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Tunisia’s Miserable Run Continues After Botswana Draw in AFCON Qualifiers

Tunisia's Montassar Talibi (R) fights for the ball with player of Botswana's Thero Setsile (L) during the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying Group H match between Tunisia and Botswana in Tunis, Tunisia, 28 September 2026. (EPA)
Tunisia's Montassar Talibi (R) fights for the ball with player of Botswana's Thero Setsile (L) during the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying Group H match between Tunisia and Botswana in Tunis, Tunisia, 28 September 2026. (EPA)

Tunisia’s poor ‌form continued as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Botswana in their Africa Cup of Nations Group H qualifier in Rades on Monday, extending their winless run to eight games.

It is a second successive draw for the North African side at the start of the continental qualifiers having been held to a 1-1 home draw by Uganda on Thursday.

Botswana lead the pool with two points from as many matches, the same as Tunisia, while Libya and Uganda have a point ‌each. They ‌meet in Hoima on Tuesday.

Thatayaone Kgamanyane put ‌Botswana ⁠ahead on 37 ⁠minutes but two goals from Hazem Mastouri either side of halftime turned the fixture in the favor of the hosts.

But Tunisia were denied victory when Lebogang Ditsele equalized for Botswana on the hour mark and the sparse home crowd left disappointed once again.

Yoane Wissa was on target as the Democratic Republic of ⁠Congo claimed a 2-1 win over Zimbabwe ‌in Harare to move top of ‌Group E with a full haul of six points.

Wissa opened the ‌scoring before turning provider for Samuel Moutoussamy to net a ‌second on the stroke of halftime. Marshall Munetsi scored his third goal in two games late on for the hosts, but the Congolese hung on for the win.

Equatorial Guinea defeated Sierra Leone 1-0 ‌in the other match in the group thanks to a strike from Spanish-born forward Loren Zuniga ⁠inside the ⁠first minute in neutral Yaounde.

DR Congo head Group E with six points from their two games, followed by Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea with three each, while Sierra Leone are yet to get off the mark.

Burkina Faso moved to the top of Group F as they defeated Central African Republic 1-0 in neutral Casablanca.

RB Salzburg teenager Aboubacar Camara scored the only goal of the game on the hour-mark in his second appearance for the senior national team.

The top two nations in each pool qualify for the 24-team continental finals that will be staged in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17 next year.

Sports

Olise Wonder Strike Gives Zidane’s France Win in Belgium

France's midfielder #11 Michael Olise celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Nations League Group A1 football match between Belgium and France at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on September 28, 2026. (AFP)
France's midfielder #11 Michael Olise celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Nations League Group A1 football match between Belgium and France at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on September 28, 2026. (AFP)
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Olise Wonder Strike Gives Zidane’s France Win in Belgium

France's midfielder #11 Michael Olise celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Nations League Group A1 football match between Belgium and France at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on September 28, 2026. (AFP)
France's midfielder #11 Michael Olise celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Nations League Group A1 football match between Belgium and France at King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on September 28, 2026. (AFP)

Michael Olise's magnificent late strike gave France a 1-0 victory in Belgium in the UEFA Nations League on Monday as Zinedine Zidane made it two wins out of two since being named coach.

Bayern Munich star Olise, who was one of the outstanding players at the World Cup in which France reached the semi-finals, came off the bench late on with the game in Brussels goalless, and set off from inside his own half to score the winner in the 88th minute.

"He is a pure talent and he loves to just play. You can see it. He feels the game. I am pleased to be at his side," Zidane, who sprinted down the touchline and booted a ball to celebrate the goal, told broadcaster TF1.

The win follows a 1-0 success away to Turkey last Friday in Zidane's first game at the helm after succeeding Didier Deschamps as coach following the World Cup.

France are therefore top of Nations League Group A1 with six points, three points ahead of Belgium and Italy, who won 4-1 in Türkiye on Monday.

Les Bleus play host to Italy next at the Stade de France on Friday on what will be Zidane's homecoming. France will then entertain Belgium next Monday.

"We need a rest now. We have done a lot of travelling and not much training or resting," said Zidane.

"We were really good in every department. Against a really good Belgium side who made us suffer we held out, we played really well, and we were brave.

"We had some difficulties in the second half at times but that was to be expected with all the changes we made. I think we dominated the game. Overall we deserved to win and we got the goal towards the end."

- Mbappe missing, Jacquet debut -

Zidane was without captain Kylian Mbappe here with the Real Madrid striker having returned to his club for treatment after injuring his left knee while scoring the winner against Türkiye.

The French line-up at the King Baudouin Stadium showed nine changes, with goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Chelsea defender Maxence Lacroix the only players to keep their places.

There were notably debuts in defense for Liverpool's Jeremy Jacquet, in midfield for Lucas Da Cunha of Como in Italy, and in attack for Esteban Lepaul of Rennes, the top scorer in France's Ligue 1 last season.

Belgium, in contrast, made only two changes to the team that started last Friday's 2-0 win in Italy for what was new coach Mark van Bommel's home bow.

France had the better of the chances with Paris Saint-Germain's Desire Doue cracking a shot off the bar in the first half and Da Cunha striking the post early in the second half.

But the contest was heading to an unremarkable goalless conclusion until Olise intervened, having been sent on in the 77th minute in place of Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola.

The London-born player collected possession inside his own half and advanced all the way to the edge of the Belgian box before curling a shot beyond the reach of Senne Lammens into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Sports

Djokovic Says Body Feeling Good Ahead of China Open Comeback

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after wining a point against John Isner of US during their men's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, October 9, 2015. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after wining a point against John Isner of US during their men's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, October 9, 2015. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
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Djokovic Says Body Feeling Good Ahead of China Open Comeback

Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after wining a point against John Isner of US during their men's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, October 9, 2015. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts after wining a point against John Isner of US during their men's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, October 9, 2015. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

Novak Djokovic said he was encouraged by the way his body was responding ahead of the China Open as the 24-times Grand Slam champion looks to regain momentum at a happy hunting ground after recent fitness concerns.

Djokovic will return to action for the first time since his shock opening-round defeat by Mariano Navone at the US Open late last month, when the 39-year-old struggled with shoulder and back problems and vomited midway through the match.

The world number 11 will look to put those problems behind him when he takes on Portugal's Nuno Borges in the first round in Beijing ⁠this week.

"Yeah, feeling ⁠good so far," six-times China Open champion Djokovic told reporters on Monday.

"Let's see. Obviously it's completely different when you're playing an official match compared to practice sets or practice sessions. But so far so good.

"I was looking forward to coming to China, as I always have. My record speaks for itself on ⁠Chinese soil.

"Knowing that, it also brings this dimension of confidence that I really need. Overall, it's been really good so far with the body, the way I'm feeling and playing."

The former world number one is a massive draw in Beijing, where he won the title in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and holds a 29-0 win-loss record at the ATP 500 tournament.

The pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title remains one of the few major targets left for Djokovic, who has ⁠become increasingly ⁠selective about his tournament schedule in recent years.

"At this stage of my career it's really also about the tournaments where I enjoy to play, where I've had the success in the past, where I feel like I'm also welcomed by the fans in a positive light, in a positive way," Djokovic added, according to Reuters.

"The history of my results on Chinese soil has been incredible. I haven't played here 11 years. I was trying to make it work in the past years with the schedule, but it worked in such way where I played only Shanghai.

"This year Beijing was on the priority list."