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Sporting Sack Pereira, Borges Appointed as Replacement

Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Joao Pereira is pictured during the Portuguese League football match between Gil Vicente FC and Sporting CP at the at the Cidade de Barcelos stadium in Barcelos, on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Joao Pereira is pictured during the Portuguese League football match between Gil Vicente FC and Sporting CP at the at the Cidade de Barcelos stadium in Barcelos, on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
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Sporting Sack Pereira, Borges Appointed as Replacement

Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Joao Pereira is pictured during the Portuguese League football match between Gil Vicente FC and Sporting CP at the at the Cidade de Barcelos stadium in Barcelos, on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Joao Pereira is pictured during the Portuguese League football match between Gil Vicente FC and Sporting CP at the at the Cidade de Barcelos stadium in Barcelos, on December 22, 2024. (AFP)

Sporting have appointed Rui Borges as head coach, the Portuguese champions announced on Thursday, following the sacking of Joao Pereira.

Sporting said Borges has signed a contract until June 2026, with an option to further extend it by a year.

Pereira, who took over after Ruben Amorim's departure to Manchester United in November, was in charge for eight matches, of which Sporting won just three.

Under the former Portugal and Sporting defender, the Lisbon club suffered successive Champions League defeats and fell to second in the Primeira Liga standings behind cross-town rivals Benfica.

Pereira's replacement Borges takes charge of the club after stepping down from his role at fellow Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes.

Sporting paid Vitoria a settlement of 4.1 million euros ($4.26 million) for the 43-year-old's services.

Borges, who has coached a string of Portuguese clubs, took charge of Vitoria in May. He guided them to the knockout stages of the Conference League, where they finished the group stage as one of only two unbeaten clubs alongside England's Chelsea.

Sporting next host Benfica in a top-of-the-table clash on Sunday.

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Al Ahly Goalkeeper El Shenawy Suspended for 4 Matches for Assaulting Referee

Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly official website)
Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly official website)
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Al Ahly Goalkeeper El Shenawy Suspended for 4 Matches for Assaulting Referee

Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly official website)
Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy (Al-Ahly official website)

Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy was handed a four-match ban after striking a referee on the head following a 1-1 draw with Ceramica Cleopatra, the Egyptian Pro League said on Thursday.

The Egypt international, who was on the ⁠bench for Tuesday's ⁠game, was incensed after Al-Ahly's appeal for a penalty following a handball in stoppage time was denied.

"He handed a ⁠four-match ban and fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($942) for assaulting the referee by pushing or pulling (use of the hand without violence)," the league said in a statement.

The ban means El-Shenawy, who is expected to be Egypt's starting ⁠goalkeeper ⁠at the World Cup in North America, will be sidelined until the final week of the league play-offs, Reuters reported.

Al-Ahly are third on 41 points, five points behind leaders Zamalek.

Sports

FIFA Selects Saudi Refereeing Crew for 2026 World Cup

The newly completed 7,000 seats (grey area) in the south end of BMO Field are shown as part of the stadium's upgrades ahead of hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches in Toronto, March 24, 2026. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press via AP)
The newly completed 7,000 seats (grey area) in the south end of BMO Field are shown as part of the stadium's upgrades ahead of hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches in Toronto, March 24, 2026. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press via AP)
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FIFA Selects Saudi Refereeing Crew for 2026 World Cup

The newly completed 7,000 seats (grey area) in the south end of BMO Field are shown as part of the stadium's upgrades ahead of hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches in Toronto, March 24, 2026. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press via AP)
The newly completed 7,000 seats (grey area) in the south end of BMO Field are shown as part of the stadium's upgrades ahead of hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 soccer matches in Toronto, March 24, 2026. (Eduardo Lima/The Canadian Press via AP)

FIFA has selected the Saudi refereeing crew, comprising referee Khalid Al-Turais, assistant referee Mohammed Al-Abakry, and VAR official Abdullah Al-Shehri, to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 18.

The selection follows the crew's distinguished performances in various regional, continental, and international refereeing assignments, most notably their successful participation in the FIFA U-20 World Cup held last year in Chile.

Saudi Arabian Football Federation President Yasser Almisehal congratulated the selected officials, wishing them success at the World Cup and expressing hope that they would represent Saudi refereeing with distinction at the global football event.

Almisehal affirmed that FIFA's selection of a Saudi refereeing crew reflects the continued confidence the international federation places in Saudi officials, in recognition of their performances that have been widely praised in recent times.

Sports

Sabalenka Pulls Out of Stuttgart Open with Injury

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 28: Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot against Coco Gauff of the United States during the Women's Singles Final on Day 12 of the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Hard Rock Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 28: Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot against Coco Gauff of the United States during the Women's Singles Final on Day 12 of the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Hard Rock Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP
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Sabalenka Pulls Out of Stuttgart Open with Injury

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 28: Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot against Coco Gauff of the United States during the Women's Singles Final on Day 12 of the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Hard Rock Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 28: Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot against Coco Gauff of the United States during the Women's Singles Final on Day 12 of the Miami Open Presented by Itau at Hard Rock Stadium on March 28, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images/AFP

World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday pulled out of next week's Stuttgart Open citing an injury sustained at the Miami Open in March.

The Belarusian wrote on social media that she had failed to recover in time for the clay court tournament, which starts on Monday, AFP reported.

"Unfortunately, I suffered an injury after Miami, and even though I tried everything to recover in time, I'm not ready to compete," Sabalenka said Thursday.

The 27-year-old did not specify the nature of the injury.

The four-time Grand Slam winner has made it to the final in Stuttgart in four of the past five years but is yet to win the tournament.

"I always love coming back to Stuttgart. The atmosphere, the fans, and the support I feel there are so special to me. And of course, I was really hoping to have another chance."

Sabalenka beat local favorite Coco Gauff 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to win the Miami Open to make it a "sunshine double," having won the WTA 1000 at Indian Wells two weeks prior.