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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
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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.

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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)
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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.

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Lewis Hamilton 'Incredibly Grateful' to Ferrari as Long Wait for F1 Podium Ends

Formula One F1 - Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China - March 14, 2026 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton after qualifying in third place REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki
Formula One F1 - Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China - March 14, 2026 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton after qualifying in third place REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki
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Lewis Hamilton 'Incredibly Grateful' to Ferrari as Long Wait for F1 Podium Ends

Formula One F1 - Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China - March 14, 2026 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton after qualifying in third place REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki
Formula One F1 - Chinese Grand Prix - Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China - March 14, 2026 Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton after qualifying in third place REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki

Lewis Hamilton says he is “incredibly grateful” to Ferrari for letting him guide the development of the car that put him back on a Grand Prix podium for the first time since 2024.

Hamilton's third-place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix followed a race-long battle with teammate Charles Leclerc and what Hamilton called “just a kiss” of contact between the pair.

It ended a long wait for a finish in the top three for Hamilton in a full Formula 1 race since his blockbuster move from Mercedes, which took the win Sunday with the driver who replaced him at the team, Kimi Antonelli.

“To see them listen and put some of those things that I’d asked for on the car I’m just incredibly grateful to them for listening on that side of things," Hamilton said.

"It just makes you feel more united with everyone because you’re moving in the same direction. I’m looking forward to getting back next week to (Ferrari HQ in) Maranello and seeing everybody. Big, big push.”

Hamilton’s first year with Ferrari was full of frustration as he and the team failed to get to grips with a car that was very sensitive to setup changes, except for a sprint race win in China a year ago. Ferrari failed to win a single Grand Prix all year.

At times, Hamilton blamed himself, even suggesting in August the team consider a driver change after he was far off Leclerc's qualifying pace. He's said a big part of preparing for 2026 was to come back with a fresh mindset.

Ferrari's fast-starting car helped Hamilton to charge past Antonelli into the lead at the start Sunday, but holding onto that place proved too difficult against a Mercedes pair with what's widely considered to be the best all-round car on the grid. Hamilton said Ferrari would double down on working to out-develop Mercedes for the rest of the year.

“It’s really special to see them back at the front, because this is a phenomenal team. And I know we’ve got our work cut out to beat them, because when they’re on form like this, it’s not easy to beat,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton was Russell's teammate and helped mentor Antonelli before his debut. Also on the podium as Mercedes representative was Hamilton's longtime race engineer Peter “Bono” Bonnington, who now works with Antonelli.

“It’s like sitting here with my whole family, so that’s great,” Hamilton said.

Sports

Antonelli Takes His First Win in China to Extend Mercedes’ Dominant Start to New F1 Era

First-placed Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli (2L) celebrates winning alongside Mercedes' British driver George Russell (2R) and Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton (R) after the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)
First-placed Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli (2L) celebrates winning alongside Mercedes' British driver George Russell (2R) and Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton (R) after the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)
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Antonelli Takes His First Win in China to Extend Mercedes’ Dominant Start to New F1 Era

First-placed Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli (2L) celebrates winning alongside Mercedes' British driver George Russell (2R) and Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton (R) after the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)
First-placed Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli (2L) celebrates winning alongside Mercedes' British driver George Russell (2R) and Ferrari's British driver Lewis Hamilton (R) after the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 15, 2026. (AFP)

Kimi Antonelli became Formula 1’s second-youngest race winner with a composed drive to victory for Mercedes in an eventful Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday.

The 19-year-old Italian was the youngest pole position starter and briefly lost the lead to Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari at the start but retook it soon after and was in control after that.

It was another 1-2 finish for Mercedes to start the season as Antonelli’s teammate George Russell came through a battle with both Ferraris to finish second. Lewis Hamilton was third for his long-awaited first Grand Prix podium finish for Ferrari.

The only driver younger than Antonelli to win a Grand Prix was Max Verstappen, who was 18 when he took his first victory in 2016.

Formula 1 champion Lando Norris and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri were both unable to start the Chinese Grand Prix after hitting technical problems minutes before the race began.

Piastri was due to start fifth and Norris sixth for Sunday's race. Norris was in his car in the pits but didn't leave for the grid, before Piastri was then withdrawn from the grid following a radio message which indicated an electrical issue.

“Unfortunately, we identified separate issues on both cars which prevented them from starting the Chinese GP, with Oscar’s being removed from the grid shortly before the formation lap. We will now work to identify each issue,” the McLaren team said.

It's the second time Piastri has failed to start in 2026 after he crashed before the start of last week's race in Australia.