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Australia and Saudi Arabia Draw 0-0 in World Cup Qualifier

Australia’s Lewis Miller, left, and Saudi Arabia’s Feras Albrikan compete for the ball during the 2026 World Cup qualifier between Australia and Saudi Arabia in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP)
Australia’s Lewis Miller, left, and Saudi Arabia’s Feras Albrikan compete for the ball during the 2026 World Cup qualifier between Australia and Saudi Arabia in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP)
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Australia and Saudi Arabia Draw 0-0 in World Cup Qualifier

Australia’s Lewis Miller, left, and Saudi Arabia’s Feras Albrikan compete for the ball during the 2026 World Cup qualifier between Australia and Saudi Arabia in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP)
Australia’s Lewis Miller, left, and Saudi Arabia’s Feras Albrikan compete for the ball during the 2026 World Cup qualifier between Australia and Saudi Arabia in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (Joel Carrett/AAP Image via AP)

Australia and Saudi Arabia drew 0-0 in Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday.
Near time, Sultan Al-Ghannam's low shot from just inside the area went in and seemed to give a vital win for Herve Renard, the second-time Saudi coach who replaced Roberto Mancini last month. To the relief of the majority of the 27,491 fans, the goal was disallowed for offside.
Australia was given a penalty after 12 minutes after Mitch Duke went down under a challenge from Saudi goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Kassar but VAR ruled the foul was outside the area.
Saudi Arabia, like Australia aiming for a seventh World Cup appearance, went closest with a shot from Nasser Al-Dawsari forcing a save from Joe Gauci at the near post.
There were fewer opportunities in the second half, the best falling to Australia six minutes from the end. In a two-on-one situation inside the area, Riley McGree's goal-bound shot was blocked by Saud Abdulhamid.
Both teams remained level on six points from five games, four points behind Group C leader Japan.
Only the top two of six in each group will qualify automatically. The third- and fourth-place finishers will advance to the next stage.

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Blow for Algeria as Key Midfielder Ruled out of Cup of Nations

Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Al Ittihad - Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 7, 2025 Al Ittihad's Houssem Aouar REUTERS/Stringer
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Al Ittihad - Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 7, 2025 Al Ittihad's Houssem Aouar REUTERS/Stringer
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Blow for Algeria as Key Midfielder Ruled out of Cup of Nations

Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Al Ittihad - Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 7, 2025 Al Ittihad's Houssem Aouar REUTERS/Stringer
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Nassr v Al Ittihad - Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 7, 2025 Al Ittihad's Houssem Aouar REUTERS/Stringer

Algeria have been dealt a blow to their Africa Cup ​of Nations hopes with the withdrawal of key midfielder Houssem Aouar on Friday.

He was injured in training on Thursday, an Algerian football federation ‌statement said, ‌and will ‌be ⁠replaced for ​the ‌tournament in Morocco by Himad Abdelli from French club Angers. No details of the injury were given, Reuters reported.

Aouar, who won a cap ⁠for France before switching his ‌international allegiance to Algeria, ‍played at ‍the last Cup of ‍Nations in the Ivory Coast two years ago where Algeria were shock early casualties.

In ​Morocco, Algeria compete in Group E, starting against ⁠Sudan in Rabat on Wednesday before playing Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea.

Abdelli was a surprise omission from Algeria’s initial 28-man squad list announced last week. The 26-year-old is French-born but has won four caps ‌for Algeria.

 

 

 

 

 

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Liverpool Have 'Moved On' from Salah Furor, Says Upbeat Slot

Liverpool manager Arne Slot (L) looks on towards Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (R) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion, in Liverpool, Britain, 13 December 2025. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
Liverpool manager Arne Slot (L) looks on towards Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (R) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion, in Liverpool, Britain, 13 December 2025. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
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Liverpool Have 'Moved On' from Salah Furor, Says Upbeat Slot

Liverpool manager Arne Slot (L) looks on towards Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (R) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion, in Liverpool, Britain, 13 December 2025. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN
Liverpool manager Arne Slot (L) looks on towards Mohamed Salah of Liverpool (R) during the English Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion, in Liverpool, Britain, 13 December 2025. EPA/ADAM VAUGHAN

Arne Slot said Liverpool have "moved on" from the furor caused by Mohamed Salah's explosive outburst at being dropped and are showing signs of growing into the side he wants to see.

The Reds begin what could be up to a month without Salah, who is representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), away at Tottenham on Saturday.

After a run of nine defeats in 12 games, Slot has steadied the ship in a five-game unbeaten run, during which Salah did not start a single game.

"Actions speak louder than words. We moved on," Slot told reporters on Friday, referring to his decision to bring Salah on as a substitute in last week's 2-0 victory over Brighton, AFP reported.

"Now he's at the AFCON playing big games for himself and the country. All the focus for him is over there and there should not be any distraction of me saying anything because we moved on after the Leeds interview and he played against Brighton."

Despite a difficult second season for Slot in England, Liverpool sit seventh in the Premier League and would move into the top four with victory against struggling Spurs.

The English champions transformed their squad over the summer transfer window, spending nearly £450 million ($602 million) to bring in Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

Apart from the impressive Ekitike, all the new signings have struggled and Slot conceded he had been overly optimistic over how long it would take for his new-look squad to perform consistently.

"I think we are getting closer and closer to the team I want us to be and that has gone with ups and downs," said the Dutchman.

"But for me that makes complete sense because all the changes we've made during the summer and we made them on purpose because we thought we needed to.

"If I'm completely honest, maybe I didn't expect it to take maybe as long as it did, but, looking back on it, reflecting on it now, I think I've been too positive because if you go with a new group where not all of them are completely ready to play every single game, 90 minutes in this intensity, you have to adapt.

"Sometimes he can play, then he cannot play. So it takes maybe a bit of time, and we've been very unlucky."

Joe Gomez and Cody Gakpo will miss the trip to Tottenham due to injury, but Slot is hopeful that Dominik Szoboszlai will be fit to start. Frimpong returns after a two-month absence.

Sports

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla to Host Endurance Race with Riders from 12 Countries

The race is organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation. SPA
The race is organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation. SPA
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Saudi Arabia’s AlUla to Host Endurance Race with Riders from 12 Countries

The race is organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation. SPA
The race is organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation. SPA

AlUla Governorate is scheduled to host on Saturday the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee Endurance Cup, which will be held at AlFursan Equestrian Village with the participation of 200 male and female riders representing 12 countries.

The race is organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation. It features a main 120-kilometer race (CEI2*) divided into four stages, in addition to an international 100-kilometer race (CEI1*), as well as two local races over distances of 40 and 80 kilometers.

The organizing committee has set Friday as the date for the veterinary inspection of the participating horses, along with a briefing meeting for riders to explain the race regulations and instructions. The competitions will begin at dawn on Saturday.