'Let's be Realistic': Haaland Cools Norway's World Cup Expectations

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - Norway v Senegal - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 22, 2026 Norway coach Stale Solbakken, Erling Haaland and teammates perform the traditional Viking rowing celebration for their fans after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - Norway v Senegal - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 22, 2026 Norway coach Stale Solbakken, Erling Haaland and teammates perform the traditional Viking rowing celebration for their fans after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar
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'Let's be Realistic': Haaland Cools Norway's World Cup Expectations

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - Norway v Senegal - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 22, 2026 Norway coach Stale Solbakken, Erling Haaland and teammates perform the traditional Viking rowing celebration for their fans after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - Norway v Senegal - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, US - June 22, 2026 Norway coach Stale Solbakken, Erling Haaland and teammates perform the traditional Viking rowing celebration for their fans after the match REUTERS/Mike Segar

Erling Haaland said Norway must be realistic about what they can achieve at the World Cup after qualifying for the last 32 on Monday with a 3-2 win over Senegal.

Haaland followed up his brace in the opening 4-1 victory over Iran with two more goals as Norway won consecutive games at the World Cup for the first time.

Norway have lost just one of their past 18 matches and will take on 2022 runners-up France in Boston on Friday to determine the winners of Group I.

However, Haaland cautioned against getting carried away after the team's strong start to their first World Cup since 1998.

"To qualify for the first time in 28 years and going through the group stage I would say, yes. To win the World Cup, absolutely not," said Haaland.

"We've won 12 competitive games in a row now. I'm part of something special, making history, and I'm extremely proud to be Norwegian."

Erling Haaland of Norway celebrates goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage match between Senegal and Norway, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, 22 June 2026. EPA/OLGA FEDOROVA

In this tournament, the Manchester City striker is level with Kylian Mbappe on four goals and one behind Lionel Messi, who has netted all five of Argentina's goals at the tournament so far and in the process has become the World Cup's highest scorer in history with 18 goals.

Haaland meanwhile took his international tally to a remarkable 59 goals in 52 games.

"I think it's my specialty, to score goals," said Haaland.

"It's like many others things, I'm just really good at scoring goals and I'm quite lucky. I don't know what I'm doing. It's just how it is."

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw must hold out hope his team can beat Iraq in their final game to have a chance of reaching the knockout phase.

"A tough match against a team that caused us problems; they were very clinical and scored two goals at the worst possible times," said Thiaw.

"After the first goal we regrouped, but we conceded a second. We have to encourage the players because it's not easy.

"We need to focus on this last match and give everything to get the three points and keep hoping. It's difficult, but we're not dead yet."



Fleet Races Continue at Arab Sailing Championship in Jeddah

Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center. (SPA)
Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center. (SPA)
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Fleet Races Continue at Arab Sailing Championship in Jeddah

Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center. (SPA)
Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center. (SPA)

Fleet races continued Sunday at the Arab Sailing Championship for the Optimist class at the Jeddah Sailing Center, with strong competition for the top positions and Arab titles, the Saudi Press Agency said.

After seven races, Jean Luc Soares Herve leads the overall standings, followed by Tong Xuan Ya of the Saudi Optimist team in second place and Saudi sailor Ahmad Alshammari in third.

Under the championship regulations, competition for the titles of Arab champion and Arab female champion is limited to sailors from Arab countries. Alshammari, competing in the under-12 category, leads the standings among sailors eligible for the title of Arab champion.

Egypt's Laila Abdelazim leads the standings among sailors eligible to compete for the title of Arab female champion after placing sixth overall. The list of the top 10 includes four female sailors. The championship, organized by the Saudi Sailing Federation, concludes Monday.


Resurgent Acosta Beats Martin for Maiden MotoGP Win in Austria

Spanish MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrates after winning the Grand Prix of Austria at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, 20 September 2026.  EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
Spanish MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrates after winning the Grand Prix of Austria at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, 20 September 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
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Resurgent Acosta Beats Martin for Maiden MotoGP Win in Austria

Spanish MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrates after winning the Grand Prix of Austria at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, 20 September 2026.  EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK
Spanish MotoGP rider Pedro Acosta of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrates after winning the Grand Prix of Austria at the Red Bull Ring race track in Spielberg, Austria, 20 September 2026. EPA/MARTIN DIVISEK

Pedro Acosta claimed the first MotoGP victory of his career in the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, bouncing back from his sprint-race crash to beat world championship leader Jorge Martin at KTM's home Red Bull Ring circuit.

The 22-year-old Spaniard, who qualified third before crashing out while leading Saturday's sprint, seized the lead from polesitter Martin on lap nine of the 28-lap race and never looked back.

Aprilia's Marco Bezzecchi completed the podium, while Trackhouse rider Ai Ogura finished fourth.

It was an emotional moment for Acosta, nicknamed 'The Shark', who arrived in MotoGP with ⁠huge expectations after ⁠winning the Moto3 world title in 2021 and the Moto2 crown in 2023.

"The first one is always special," Reuters quoted Acosta as saying. "Nice way to close a season like this with KTM in front of all Austrian fans. Super happy for them because they deserve it even more than me."

Acosta is set to leave KTM at the end of 2026 to join the factory Ducati team.

Martin, the 2024 ⁠MotoGP champion, got off to a brilliant start but was overtaken by teammate Bezzecchi for the lead at Turn One on lap two. The 28-year-old responded immediately, reclaiming top spot at Turn Three on the same lap.

However, Acosta's pace proved decisive and he passed Martin for the lead on lap nine before pulling away.

"I want to congratulate Pedro. He fought a lot during the last few years to get this victory. This feeling is amazing for him, so I'm really happy for him," Martin said of his fellow Spaniard.

"For myself, I think I did a great race. I was trying to manage the ⁠fuel. Then Pedro ⁠took me but I thought everything was under control. But step by step, he was stepping away. I tried to push a bit more but my rear tire was completely destroyed. I did my best.

"This is what we have to do every weekend for the rest of the season, and the fight is on. So I am really looking forward to continuing like this."

Martin now has 306 points in the standings, a 12-point lead over compatriot and reigning MotoGP champion Marc Marquez ahead of next month's Japanese Grand Prix. Italian Bezzecchi is third with 264 points.

Marquez endured a frustrating weekend as Ducati lacked the outright pace of the Aprilias. The seven-time MotoGP champion qualified second but slipped back on the opening lap and eventually finished fifth.


Britain, Zverev-inspired Germany Book Davis Cup Finals Spots

Germany's Alexander Zverev, right, after defeating Croatia's Dino Prizmic in their Davis Cup second qualifying round tennis match in Halle, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev, right, after defeating Croatia's Dino Prizmic in their Davis Cup second qualifying round tennis match in Halle, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)
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Britain, Zverev-inspired Germany Book Davis Cup Finals Spots

Germany's Alexander Zverev, right, after defeating Croatia's Dino Prizmic in their Davis Cup second qualifying round tennis match in Halle, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev, right, after defeating Croatia's Dino Prizmic in their Davis Cup second qualifying round tennis match in Halle, Germany, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)

Great Britain stamped their ticket to the Davis Cup finals with a 3-0 win over Ecuador in London on Sunday, while US Open champion Alexander Zverev sealed Germany's place in the last eight.

Henry Patten and Neal Skupski wrapped up the victory for Britain with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Diego Hidalgo and Gonzalo Escobar, consolidating the work put in in the singles the day before by debutant Toby Samuel and Arthur Fery.

Top-ranked doubles player Patten and his partner Skupski, the world number three, secured a sole break of serve in the first set to take control against their 91st and 93rd-ranked opponents.

In the second set, the British duo got their noses in front in the ninth game, before promptly serving out for the 10-time Davis Cup champions.

"We're feeling great," Patten said on-court, according to AFP.

"We're very, very happy to get it done on the first match."

On Saturday in the British capital, 23-year-old Samuel overcame Andres Andrade and Wimbledon semi-finalist Fery saw off Alvaro Guillen Meza to set up the victory.

Germany's Zverev then put the elation of claiming the second Grand Slam of his career firmly behind him as he led his country into the finals.

The world number two beat 103rd-ranked Croatian Dino Prizmic 6-2, 6-4 to take Germany one step closer to a first Davis Cup title since 1993.

Zverev broke his 21-year-old opponent three times, without facing a break point himself, to win in 77 minutes in Halle.

The 29-year-old had got the Germans off to a winning start against Croatia on Saturday with a straight-sets success against Matej Dodig.

Prizmic hit back instantly for the away side but Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz's win in the doubles rubber tipped the tie back in Germany's favor.

Spain also stand on the brink of a return to the finals as they lead hosts Chile 2-0 in Santiago following Daniel Merida and Rafael Jodar's victories in Saturday's singles rubbers.

Jaume Munar and Pedro Martinez will meet Tomas Barrios Vera and Alejandro Tabilo in the first of three possible matches on Sunday.

The winners of that final tie will join triple defending champions and finals hosts Italy, as well as Britain, Germany, Czech Republic, South Korea, Austria and Canada in the Davis Cup Final 8, which will run from November 24-29 in Bologna.