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Egypt Omit Nantes Forward Mostafa Mohamed from World Cup Squad

A partial covering is seen over Lumen branding at Lumen Field, which will be named Seattle Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
A partial covering is seen over Lumen branding at Lumen Field, which will be named Seattle Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
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Egypt Omit Nantes Forward Mostafa Mohamed from World Cup Squad

A partial covering is seen over Lumen branding at Lumen Field, which will be named Seattle Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
A partial covering is seen over Lumen branding at Lumen Field, which will be named Seattle Stadium during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed has been left out of Egypt's preliminary squad for next month's World Cup but uncapped teenager Hamza Abdelkarim, who plays for the Barcelona under-19 team, was included.

Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah will captain the squad and combine with Manchester City's Omar Marmoush to lead the attack at the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Coach Hossam Hassan will drop one player to reduce the squad to the FIFA-mandated 26 players after ⁠Egypt take on ⁠Russia in Cairo on May 28 in their last home friendly before heading to the United States, Reuters reported.

Mohamed was a surprise omission even if he has struggled for form with only four goals in 24 matches this season for Nantes as the French club were relegated ⁠from Ligue 1.

Abdelkarim, by contrast, has been in great form for the Barcelona youth team and is one of the most promising forward talents in Egyptian football.

Egypt will play Brazil in a friendly in Cleveland on June 6 before opening their World Cup campaign against Belgium in Seattle nine days later.

They then face New Zealand in Vancouver on June 21 before returning to Seattle five days later to round out their Group G ⁠matches ⁠against Iran.

Egypt squad:

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), El Mahdi Soliman (Zamalek), Mohamed Alaa (El Gouna)

Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Tarek Alaa (Zed), Hamdy Fathy (Al Wakrah), Rami Rabia (Al Ain), Yasser Ibrahim (Al Ahly), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdelmonemn (Nice), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Karim Hafez (Pyramids)

Midfielders: Marwan Ateya (Al Ahly), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Nabil Emad (Al Najma), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Ahmed Zizo (Al Ahly), Emam Ashour (Al Ahly), Mostafa Ziko (Pyramids), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjaelland), Haissem Hassan (Real Ovideo)

Forwards: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Aqtay Abdallah (Enppi), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona U19)

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Archie Owen Claims Maiden F4 Victory in Aramco Saudi Arabian Championship Opener

Archie Owen claims Maiden F4 Victory in Aramco Saudi Arabian Championship Opener. (SPA)
Archie Owen claims Maiden F4 Victory in Aramco Saudi Arabian Championship Opener. (SPA)
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Archie Owen Claims Maiden F4 Victory in Aramco Saudi Arabian Championship Opener

Archie Owen claims Maiden F4 Victory in Aramco Saudi Arabian Championship Opener. (SPA)
Archie Owen claims Maiden F4 Victory in Aramco Saudi Arabian Championship Opener. (SPA)

Welsh driver Archie Owen secured his maiden Formula 4 career victory in only his second appearance in the category, winning the first race of the opening round of the 2026 Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, the Saudi Press Agency said on Saturday.

Organized by ALTAWKILAT Motorsport under the sporting supervision of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), the FIA-certified championship launched its opening round on Friday.

Following the race, SAMF Acting CEO and Saudi Motorsport Company CEO Mansour Almokbel presented trophies to the podium finishers.

Owen (7.23 Racing) clinched the top spot, followed by British driver Harrison Mackie (iCONNA) in second (+4.232s) and Austrian Marlon Bayer (Wrap & Fly) in third (+4.521s).

The opening day's action commenced with free practice and qualifying sessions ahead of the evening race, alongside the Motor Mania JDM Cup.

Sports

He's Here with Me': Japan Cycle Queen Dedicates Gold to Late Brother

Japan's Yumi Kajihara has dedicated her latest Asian Games gold to her brother who died this year. Peter PARKS / AFP
Japan's Yumi Kajihara has dedicated her latest Asian Games gold to her brother who died this year. Peter PARKS / AFP
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He's Here with Me': Japan Cycle Queen Dedicates Gold to Late Brother

Japan's Yumi Kajihara has dedicated her latest Asian Games gold to her brother who died this year. Peter PARKS / AFP
Japan's Yumi Kajihara has dedicated her latest Asian Games gold to her brother who died this year. Peter PARKS / AFP

Japan cycling queen Yumi Kajihara broke down after her latest Asian Games gold as she dedicated victory to her brother who died of cancer this year, saying: "He's here with me".

Kajihara claimed her third consecutive omnium gold at the Izu Velodrome on Friday and dissolved into tears as she talked about how her younger brother Hyogo had helped her cope with some dark moments.

"After I missed a medal at the Paris Olympics (2024) I was really depressed," said the 29-year-old Kajihara, the first woman cyclist from Japan to win an Olympic medal -- omnium silver at the Tokyo Games in the same Izu velodrome, said AFP.

"I hit rock-bottom. And my brother said: 'Why do you look so down? Even though I have cancer, I'm this happy'," she said.

"He was going through an incredibly difficult battle with cancer, alone in a Tokyo hospital.

"It must have been so hard for him but he never once complained. He told me: 'Just being alive means you've already come out ahead'.

"I thought: Yes, he's right.

"It made me realize I needed to be grateful simply to be alive, grateful to those supporting me, and that I needed to enjoy life."

It was Kajihara's fourth Asian Games gold having also won the team pursuit at Hangzhou three years ago.

"Every single day my brother told me to 'enjoy'. I think I've finally begun to understand what it really means," said Kajihara, who also claimed team pursuit silver on Tuesday.

"Whenever I competed here (before) in Izu, he came to watch and stayed with me," she said.

"So today I kept thinking: Maybe he's here at the venue? I'm sure he's here, and I thought about him over and over as I raced.

"I felt as though he was saying to me: 'Enjoy yourself, Yumi, you'll be OK'."

Sports

Sabalenka Makes Dominant Start in China Open Title Bid

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Renata Zarazua of Mexico during their women’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 02 October 2026. EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Renata Zarazua of Mexico during their women’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 02 October 2026. EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES
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Sabalenka Makes Dominant Start in China Open Title Bid

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Renata Zarazua of Mexico during their women’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 02 October 2026. EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in action against Renata Zarazua of Mexico during their women’s singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, China, 02 October 2026. EPA/ANDRES MARTINEZ CASARES

Aryna Sabalenka sent down 11 aces as she dismissed Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-3 to launch her China Open title charge on Friday in Beijing.

The world number two from Belarus next faces Czech player Nikola Bartunkova in the round of 32.

Sabalenka groaned over a smattering of unforced errors during the 62-minute match but had the clear edge over Mexico's Zarazua, ranked 94th, breaking to win on the second time of asking.

"I was just trying to stay focused on myself. Tried to stay aggressive on my serve, on the return as well," the 28-year-old said, according to AFP.

"So happy with the game I played today."

Next on center court Novak Djokovic was scheduled to play Chinese world no. 104 Bu Yunchaokete in the second round of the men's 500-level event also taking place.

The 39-year-old Serbian great owns six titles from the China Open and is looking to extend an extraordinary unbeaten streak in Beijing.

Earlier on Friday, Japan's Naomi Osaka wrestled back control to survive her second-round clash with Uzbekistan's Maria Timofeeva 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

The four-time Grand Slam champion next plays Sara Bejlek of the Czech Republic.

French Open champion Mirra Andreeva of Russia overcame a first-set wobble to beat Chinese wildcard Yuan Yue 3-6, 6-0, 6-0.

Wimbledon winner Linda Noskova, a 2025 Beijing finalist, beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-4, 6-1.

Andreeva next faces Uzbekistan's Polina Kudermetova and Noskova will meet Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic in the third round.

In the men's draw, a series of searing forehands from Daniil Medvedev sent qualifier Pablo Carreno Busta home 6-4, 6-2, earning the Russian world number six a second-round meeting with Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.