African Players in Europe: Klopp Salutes Calm Match-winner Salah

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Salah - File Photo DPA
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Salah - File Photo DPA
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African Players in Europe: Klopp Salutes Calm Match-winner Salah

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Salah - File Photo DPA
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Salah - File Photo DPA

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hailed the composure of Mohamed Salah after his goal delivered a 2-1 Premier League win over Brighton at the weekend, and first place with nine matches remaining.

"Being that calm in the decisive moment with the biggest chance we had from the best football we played, then that makes a real goalscorer so we are happy with everything," said Klopp.

Liverpool lead Arsenal by two points and defending champions Manchester City by three, but face three away matches in eight days during a challenging run-in.

- MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

Egypt's captain sent the Reds to the top with his second-half winner against Brighton. Klopp's side trailed to Danny Welbeck's second-minute goal at Anfield, but Salah's deflected header set up Luis Diaz for a volleyed equaliser before the interval, AFPreported. After missing several chances, Salah sealed three priceless points for Liverpool when he calmly slotted home from Alexis Mac Allister's pass in the 65th minute. Salah's third goal in his last three games was his 22nd in all competitions this term.

- MOHAMMED KUDUS (West Ham)

The Ghana midfielder scored for the east London club in a dramatic 4-3 defeat at Newcastle. Kudus fired home from Jarrod Bowen's pass in the first half to put West Ham 2-1 ahead. But the Hammers eventually blew a two-goal lead as Newcastle's Harvey Barnes struck twice in the closing stages. Kudus was also less than impressed when one of the ball-boys at St James' Park refused to give up his stool to allow him to do his 'take-a-seat' celebration after scoring.

- SERHOU GUIRASSY (Stuttgart)

Guirassy scored the opener in Stuttgart's pulsating 3-3 Bundesliga draw with visiting Heidenheim, tapping in a cross from Angelo Stiller after 41 minutes. The goal was Guirassy's 23rd in 21 league games this season. The Guinea international has now scored in his past four matches. His tally is eight less than Bundesliga top scorer Harry Kane of Bayern Munich, but Guirassy has played six games fewer.

- SEBASTIEN HALLER (Borussia Dortmund)

Haller returned from an ankle injury in Borussia Dortmund's 2-0 win at Bayern Munich. He came off the bench late, his first match for Dortmund since December and his first game since he scored the winner in Ivory Coast's 2-1 victory over Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations final in February. Nine minutes after coming on, the 29-year-old forward found Julian Ryerson in the box, and the Norwegian scored Dortmund's second goal to seal their first league win in Munich since 2014.

- MOSTAFA MOHAMED (Nantes)

The Egypt striker's late penalty gave struggling Nantes a 2-1 Ligue 1 win at Nice in their first game under new coach Antoine Kombouare. The goal was an eighth of the season for his club for Mohamed, who had an impressive Cup of Nations at the beginning of the year as Egypt went out in the last 16. The result lifted Nantes out of the bottom three in Ligue 1. Nigeria's Terem Moffi netted a penalty for Nice in the same game.

- JOSEPH OKUMU (Reims)

The 26-year-old Kenyan international central defender scored his first goal since moving to France from Belgian side Gent last year to put Reims ahead at Lyon. However, it was not enough to earn his side all three points as Ghana's Ernest Nuamah equalised at the other end to secure a 1-1 draw for Lyon.



Egypt, Saudi Move Camps from Qatar and Set March 27 Friendly in Jeddah

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Egypt, Saudi Move Camps from Qatar and Set March 27 Friendly in Jeddah

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Egypt will play Saudi Arabia in a friendly in Jeddah on March 27 after both sides shifted their international-window training camps from Qatar due to travel disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East, the federations said on Sunday.

Qatar had planned to stage a wider ⁠football festival this ⁠month that would have included the 'Finalissima' between Spain and Argentina, but the event was scrapped after UEFA cancelled the match due to regional instability.

The Saudi ⁠federation said their squad would now train in Jeddah and Serbia and play an additional friendly away to Serbia in Belgrade on March 31 as part of preparations for the 2026 World Cup.

Egypt said the Jeddah match was arranged to secure strong preparation for ⁠the ⁠finals in North America later this year, thanking Qatar for its initial efforts to host the festival.

Egypt will play in Group G in the June-July tournament alongside Belgium, Iran and New Zealand, while Saudi Arabia are drawn in Group H with Spain, Uruguay and Cape Verde.


Sinner Says Arriving Early to Acclimatize Helped Indian Wells Title Bid

Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with his trophy after defeating Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with his trophy after defeating Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Sinner Says Arriving Early to Acclimatize Helped Indian Wells Title Bid

Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with his trophy after defeating Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with his trophy after defeating Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Sunday, March 15, 2026, in Indian Wells, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Jannik Sinner said his first Indian Wells title was the result of meticulous preparation in the heat of the Californian desert after the Italian arrived a week before the tournament began to train and acclimatize.

The world number two has sometimes struggled in hot and humid conditions, most notably when severe cramp nearly forced him to quit his Australian Open third-round match in January and when he retired in retired in Shanghai last year.

However, he showed little sign of discomfort during his 7-6(6) 7-6(4) win over Daniil Medvedev ⁠on Sunday, when ⁠the temperature approached 35 degrees Celsius shortly before the final's scheduled start time of 2 p.m.

"It was hot but it wasn't humid, so it makes a difference," Sinner told reporters, according to Reuters.

"But I've been here a week before the tournament started. Very similar conditions as it was today. We ⁠put in long days of practice. I felt very well prepared, so I wasn't having issues with the weather and the heat, which is very positive for me.

"It's all part of the process we're trying to do and becoming the best possible athlete. We definitely do a lot of work in the gym to play at this level."

Victory meant Sinner has now collected titles at all six ATP Masters 1000 events on hardcourts, as well as ⁠the ATP ⁠Finals, Australian Open and US Open on the surface, to join an elite group also comprising Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

"I knew that this was a tournament I haven't won, so I wanted to prepare in the best possible way, as professionally as possible," he said.

"Having this achievement now means a lot to me. Now I have couple of days to relax ... there is not so much time in between here and Miami.

"It's again an important tournament in Miami, but we try to play the best tennis possible there too."


McLaren Launches Investigation After Norris and Piastri Unable to Start F1’s Chinese Grand Prix

Mechanics work on the car of McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri during the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)
Mechanics work on the car of McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri during the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)
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McLaren Launches Investigation After Norris and Piastri Unable to Start F1’s Chinese Grand Prix

Mechanics work on the car of McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri during the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)
Mechanics work on the car of McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri during the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)

McLaren has launched an investigation with engine supplier Mercedes to investigate why both of its cars suffered terminal electrical faults that ruled them out of the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, as Formula 1 champion Lando Norris said the team must rule out a repeat.

Norris was stuck waiting in his car in McLaren's garage before time ran out for him to join the grid, and teammate Oscar Piastri had to be withdrawn from the grid minutes before the start with what McLaren termed separate electrical problems with its Mercedes-supplied power unit.

It was the first time in Norris' eight-season F1 career that he has missed a race and Piastri's second missed race in a row after crashing on his way to the grid at his home race in Australia.

“We just have to take it on the chin, learn what the problem was, and make sure it never happens again,” Norris said. “Everyone in the team is frustrated, our engineers, mechanics and HPP (Mercedes High Performance Powertrains) teammates. All of us want to go racing and score points.”

McLaren said a “joint investigation” with Mercedes' HPP engine operation would be launched.

McLaren has so far failed to match the pace of the works Mercedes team, whose drivers have won both Grand Prix races and the sole sprint race under the new 2026 regulations, which put more emphasis on electrical power. McLaren has previously said it's concerned with what it considers a lack of information on how to get the best out of the Mercedes systems.

Four cars in total failed to start Sunday, including Gabriel Bortoleto's Audi and the Mercedes-powered Williams of Alex Albon, which had a hydraulic-system failure.

There are also concerns at Aston Martin after a double retirement for the reliability-plagued team. Lance Stroll's race ended early with a battery failure, a repeat issue with its Honda power unit. Aston Martin said “discomfort from vibrations” forced Fernando Alonso to stop.

Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey this month said his car was shaking so much it risked “permanent nerve damage” in its drivers' hands without major improvements.