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Mallorca Beats Real Sociedad on Penalties to Return to Copa Del Rey Final Two Decades Later 

RCD Mallorca's players celebrate after the Spanish King's Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and RCD Mallorca at Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain, 27 February 2024. (EPA)
RCD Mallorca's players celebrate after the Spanish King's Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and RCD Mallorca at Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain, 27 February 2024. (EPA)
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Mallorca Beats Real Sociedad on Penalties to Return to Copa Del Rey Final Two Decades Later 

RCD Mallorca's players celebrate after the Spanish King's Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and RCD Mallorca at Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain, 27 February 2024. (EPA)
RCD Mallorca's players celebrate after the Spanish King's Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Real Sociedad and RCD Mallorca at Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain, 27 February 2024. (EPA)

More than two decades later, Mallorca is back in the Copa del Rey final.

The Spanish club partly owned by Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and former NBA great Steve Nash defeated Real Sociedad 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday to make it to the final 21 years after it won the competition for the only time.

Mallorca goalkeeper Dominik Greif saved the opening penalty by Mikel Oyarzabal, then Sergi Darder converted the decisive kick to put Mallorca in the final. The teams drew 1-1 in regulation and were scoreless in extra time at Sociedad's Reale Arena.

The teams had drawn 0-0 in the first leg in Mallorca on Feb. 6.

Mallorca will play the April 6 final in Seville against either Atletico Madrid or Athletic Bilbao, which will play the second leg of the other semifinal on Thursday in Bilbao. Athletic won the first leg 1-0 in Madrid.

It will be the fourth Copa final for Mallorca, which hadn't made it the title game since it won the tournament in 2003 against Recreativo Huelva. Its other final appearances were in 1991 and 1998. It hadn't made it to the semifinals since 2009.

Mallorca's Mexican coach Javier Aguirre had taken Osasuna to the 2005 final, when it lost to Real Betis.

Sociedad was trying to return to the Copa final for the first time since it beat rival Athletic to lift the trophy in the 2019-20 season.

Vedat Muriqi, Manu Morlanes, Omar Mascarell and Nemanja Radonjic also scored for Mallorca in the penalty shootout. Beñat Turrientes, Jon Ander Olasagasti, Martín Zubimendi and Sheraldo Becker scored for Sociedad.

Mallorca took the lead in the 50th with a header by Gio González into the far corner in what was the visitors' only attempt on target during regulation. There was a long delay before the goal was confirmed as video review looked for a possible offside in the buildup.

The hosts, which had nearly 30 attempts throughout the match, equalized in a breakaway in the 71st with Oyarzabal finding the net with a low shot after a nice through ball by Brais Méndez.

Mallorca, which sits just outside the relegation zone in the Spanish league, had won only one of its last six games.

Sociedad, seventh after 26 league rounds, had one win in its last seven matches across all competitions. The Basque Country club is in the round of 16 of the Champions League, having lost the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in France.

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Prince Abdul Mohsin Airport Receives First Dakar Rally 2026 Arrivals

This comes as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event - SPA
This comes as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event - SPA
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Prince Abdul Mohsin Airport Receives First Dakar Rally 2026 Arrivals

This comes as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event - SPA
This comes as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event - SPA

Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Yanbu has received the first arrivals of competitors participating in the Dakar Rally 2026, as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event.

Cluster2 Airports, the operator of Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Abdulaziz International Airport, stated that arrivals will continue from December 28 to December 31, with approximately 17 flights, both private and commercial, designated for the arrival of competitors and participating teams, SPA reported.

The process is being handled with a high level of operational readiness and full coordination among the relevant authorities.

Cluster2 Airports affirmed that operational and service preparations at the airports have been completed to ensure smooth passenger movement and the provision of high-quality services to participating delegations, reflecting the efficiency of the affiliated airports and their ability to accommodate major international events.

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Knee Injury for Shaheen Shah Afridi Forces Early Exit from Big Bash League

Pakistan’s ODI’s team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attends a press conference, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)
Pakistan’s ODI’s team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attends a press conference, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)
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Knee Injury for Shaheen Shah Afridi Forces Early Exit from Big Bash League

Pakistan’s ODI’s team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attends a press conference, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)
Pakistan’s ODI’s team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attends a press conference, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)

A knee injury has forced fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi to return home after playing four games for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League.

“Due to an unexpected injury; I have been called back by the PCB and will have to take a rehab. Hopefully, I will be back in the fields soon,” Afridi wrote on X on Tuesday.

Afridi limped off the field when he picked up the injury on his right knee while bowling against Adelaide Strikers last Saturday, The AP news reported.

Apparently the Pakistan Cricket Board has called back Afridi as a precautionary step with T20 World Cup due to start from February 7.

“I’m massively thankful to the Brisbane Heat team and fans for showering me with immense love and support,” Aridi said, while adding: “Meanwhile, I will be cheering for the amazing team.”

Afridi had a challenging short stint at Brisbane Heat where he picked up just two wickets in four matches at an expensive economy rate of 11.19. In his first game of the season he was removed from the attack in the 18th over when he bowled to waist-high full tosses to Melbourne Renegades’ batters Tim Seifert and Oliver Peake.

It is not the first time that Afridi has hurt his right knee. He sustained an injury on that knee while fielding during a test match in Sri Lanka in 2022 that also ruled him out from the early stages of the T20 World Cup in Australia.

He returned at the later stages of the tournament, but again picked up injury on the same knee during the death overs of the final against England that let the title match slip away from Pakistan.

Pakistan didn’t name Afridi for next month’s three-match T20 series in Sri Lanka as a rotation policy, but he remains one of the key players for the T20 World Cup to be jointly hosted by Sri Lanka and India.

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Injured Aubameyang to Miss International Swansong with Gabon

Gabon's forward #09 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores a goal in front of Mozambique's defender #17 Edson Sitoe during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Gabon and Mozambique at Grand Stadium in Agadir on December 28, 2025. (AFP)
Gabon's forward #09 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores a goal in front of Mozambique's defender #17 Edson Sitoe during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Gabon and Mozambique at Grand Stadium in Agadir on December 28, 2025. (AFP)
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Injured Aubameyang to Miss International Swansong with Gabon

Gabon's forward #09 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores a goal in front of Mozambique's defender #17 Edson Sitoe during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Gabon and Mozambique at Grand Stadium in Agadir on December 28, 2025. (AFP)
Gabon's forward #09 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores a goal in front of Mozambique's defender #17 Edson Sitoe during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group F football match between Gabon and Mozambique at Grand Stadium in Agadir on December 28, 2025. (AFP)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s international career looks to have ended with a whimper as he headed back to France on Tuesday and will miss Gabon’s last game at the Africa Cup of Nations ​finals.

After losing their opening two matches in Group F to Cameroon and Mozambique, Gabon have been eliminated with one match left to play against holders Ivory Coast in Marrakech on Wednesday.

At the age of 36, it was expected the clash against the Ivorians would bring down the curtain on his 16-year international career, but he will skip the last group game as he returns to his club ‌Olympique de Marseille. ‌

A thigh injury on the eve of ‌the ⁠tournament ​in Morocco ‌meant his participation was in doubt, but he came on after 30 minutes against Cameroon in Gabon’s opening game on Christmas Eve and played the full game against Mozambique on Sunday, scoring in the 3-2 defeat.

“Following the established medical protocol between Marseille and Gabon medical staff regarding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, clinical examinations were conducted daily,” said a statement on Tuesday from the ⁠Gabon football federation.

“The most recent examination confirmed the discomfort he experienced in his left thigh ‌the day after the Gabon-Mozambique match. Given the ‍disappointing results, which cut short ‍Gabon’s participation, the medical staff, in consultation with his club, agreed to ‍protect the player's physical well-being by exempting him from the final, inconsequential match."

GABON’S LONG TIME TALISMAN

Aubameyang has long been Gabon’s talisman, electing to play for the team his father had captained, even after playing for France, where he ​was born, at junior level.

He made his debut for Gabon in 2009, scoring against Morocco in a World Cup qualifier, ⁠and went on to win 82 caps and score 39 goals.

Aubameyang helped Gabon reach the Cup of Nations quarter-final when they hosted the tournament in 2012 but was the only player to fail to convert his penalty in a post-match shootout loss to Mali.

The tournament in Morocco was Aubameyang’s sixth Cup of Nations finals appearance. He was African Footballer of the Year in 2015.

Earlier this year, he helped Gabon finish as one of the four best runners-up in the World Cup qualifiers, including four goals in the game against Gambia in October.

Gabon, however, lost in ‌last month’s Africa playoffs, ending hopes of qualifying for a first-ever World Cup finals appearance in North America next June.