News

Arnautovic Scores as Inter Beat Red Star Belgrade Milan, 2 Oct (ONA) --- Inter Milan cruised to their first Champions League win of the season with a fine victory over Red Star Belgrade. Hakan Calhanoglu gave his side an 11th-minute lead with a fine curling free-kick that went in off the post. Former Stoke and West Ham striker Marko Arnautovic doubled Inter's lead in the 59th minute with a simple finish after Mehdi Taremi won the ball high up the pitch and played in the 35-year-old, BBC sports reported. Taremi also pinched the ball in a dangerous area ...

Foden Shines as Man City Stroll Past Slovan Bratislava Bratislava, 2 Oct (ONA) --- Phil Foden scored and got an assist as Manchester City claimed a comfortable first UEFA Champions League win of the season at Slovan Bratislava. The England midfielder has struggled to find the form that saw him named PFA Player of the Season last year (2023), but he made the most of only his second start this term. After Ilkay Gundogan had scored his first goal since his return to City with a deflected strike in the eighth minute, Foden opened his own account for the campaign with a ...

Lewandowski Scores Twice as Barca Thrash Young Boys Barcelona, 2 Oct (ONA) --- Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Barcelona comprehensively beat Young Boys in the UEFA Champions League. Lewandowski struck after eight minutes for the hosts, poking home Raphinha's ball across the box at the back post. Barca doubled their lead as Brazil forward Raphinha netted the rebound from Pedri's blocked shot, BBC sports reported. The Spanish La Liga leaders continued to dominate as Inigo Martinez added another goal three minutes later, heading in from close range after ...

France's Griezmann Retires from Internationals Paris, 30 Sep (ONA) --- France forward Antoine Griezmann has announced his retirement from international football. The Atletico Madrid player, 33, made 137 appearances for his country, scoring 44 goals, and helped them win the 2018 World Cup, converting a penalty in the final as France beat Croatia 4-2 in Moscow. He also won the 2021 Nations League with his country. Griezmann started for France in a 3-1 Nations League defeat by Italy in September before his last appearance came as a substitute in a 2-0 win ...

Madrid Derby Drawn after Disruption Madrid, 30 Sep (ONA) --- Angel Correa scored a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser for Atletico Madrid against city rivals Real Madrid in a derby that was halted for about 20 minutes midway through the second half following crowd issues. Shortly after Eder Militao scored Real's opener in the 64th minute, visiting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois complained to officials that home fans behind his goal were throwing objects on to the field. An announcement was made over the public address system inside Atletico's stadium and, after speaking ...

Club World Cup 2025 in 12 Stadiums in 11 American CitiesNew York, 29 Sep (ONA) --- The new-look Club World Cup with 32 teams will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 American cities next year (2025), culminating in the final in New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, the ruling body FIFA said. The announcement was made at the Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park in the presence of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, actor Hugh Jackmann und music producer DJ Khaled. The other venues for the 15 June to 13 July, tournament are in Miami, Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington, ...

Osasuna Hits Four to Dismantle Barcelona Pamplona, 29 Sep (ONA) --- In a stunning turn of events, Osasuna delivered Barcelona their first LaLiga loss of the season, defeating the Catalan side 4-2 at El Sadar. The German coach of Barcelona, Hansi Flick's bold decision to field a youthful starting lineup backfired, as the team struggled to cope with Osasuna's well-organized counterattacks and defensive solidity. This defeat not only stopped Barcelona's winning streak, but also raised questions about Flick's tactical approach and use of squad rotations. Facing a packed ...

Lewandowski Goal Enough to Lead Barcelona Past Getafe in Spanish LaLigaBarcelona, 26 Sep (ONA) —- Barcelona weren't at their best in Wednesday's matchup against Getafe, but in the end it didn't matter as Robert Lewandowski first-half strike was enough to claim all three points.The Blaugrana have enjoyed a sparkling start under German tactician Hansi Flick, winning all six of their LaLiga matches heading into Getafe fixture.They made it seven from seven despite failing to put away Getafe, as Barcelona struggled to put the match away despite plenty of chances.Barcelona needed just 19 minutes ...

EPL Spends over £45 Million on Legal Costs over RulesLondon, 26 Sep (ONA) —- The English Premier League (EPL) spent more than £45 million ($60 million) on legal costs last season as it fights to uphold its rules. The league is involved in two separate legal disputes with four-times-in-a-row champions Manchester City, while it is also investigating Chelsea over alleged irregular payments linked to the club’s former owner Roman Abramovich. On top of that, there have been legal cases connected to its profit and sustainability rules (PSR) involving Everton and ...

Real Madrid Striker Mbappé Sidelined with Hamstring InjuryMadrid, 25 Sep (ONA) —- Kylian Mbappé will be sidelined with a hamstring injury, the Spanish Giant Real Madrid Club said today.“Following tests carried out today by Real Madrid’s medical services on our player Kylian Mbappé, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg,” Madrid said. “His progress will be monitored.”The club did not give a time frame for Mbappé’s recovery, but he is set to miss at least Sunday’s derby at Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league. He could also miss ...

Man City Rescue Dramatic Late Draw against 10-man Arsenal Manchester, 23 Sep (ONA) --- John Stones scrambled home an equaliser seconds from time amid chaos and controversy to deny Arsenal a famous victory against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium. Arsenal had mounted a magnificent rearguard action following the first half-dismissal of Leandro Trossard - and stood moments away from arguably the finest moment in manager Mikel Arteta's reign - until substitute Stones forced in following a well-worked short corner at the end of seven minutes of added time, BBC sports ...

Barcelona Maintain Perfect Run After Beating Villarreal Villarreal, 23 Sep (ONA) --- Barcelona maintained their flawless start in the Spanish LaLiga EA Sports, securing a commanding 5-1 victory against Villarreal at Estadio La Ceramica. The Catalans sit comfortably at the top of the standings, showcasing their attacking talent, although the match was overshadowed by a serious injury to goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. From the outset, the match was filled with intensity, featuring rapid chances for both teams. Villarreal thought they had taken an early lead when ...

Vinícius Sets up One and Scores Another as Real Madrid Beats EspanyolMadrid, 22 Sep (ONA) —- Vinícius Júnior went off the bench to set up one goal and score another as Real Madrid topped a tenacious Espanyol 4-1 in the Spanish league.Espanyol goalkeeper Joan García made several saves including of shots by Kylian Mbappé before the Olympic gold medalist started an attack with a long pass from his box that ended with an own goal by counterpart Thibaut Courtois in the 54th minute.García's only slip of the match let Dani Carvajal equalize four minutes later when Jude Bellingham's low pass ...

Rashid Jabir Appointed as Coach of Oman National Football TeamMuscat, September 19 (ONA) --- Oman Football Association (OFA) announced the appointment of Rashid Jaber Al Yaf’ee as coach of the National Football Team in lieu of Czech Jaroslav Šilhavý, who was dismissed recently.Rashid Jaber qualified to the new position through his extensive experience in training national teams and local and Arab clubs.His most prominent achievements included winning the AFC Cup title in 2022/2023 when he coached Oman’s A’Seeb Club. --- Ends/Bishara/AG ...

Talented Young Sailors from 9 Nations Ready to Set Sail at 13th Mussanah Race Week Muscat, 18 Sep (ONA) --- The 13th edition of Oman Sail’s Mussanah Race Week gets underway on 4 October 2024 where 100 sailors from nine countries will come together at the Barceló Mussanah Resort for a week of competition, camaraderie and knowledge sharing. New this year will be a programme for local schools which, for the first time in event history, offers 75 students the chance to race for three days during the competition. Sailors from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, India, Kuwait, United ...

Mbappe Enjoys Real Madrid European Debut in Victory over StuttgartMadrid, 18 Sep (ONA) ---Stuttgart couldn't have wished for a more challenging return to the UEFA Champions League, being drawn to play away to the defending Champions, Real Madrid, yet their task was made even more gargantuan with the inclusion of Kylian Mbappe, who opened the scoring in what was a 3-1 victory.The French international was making his European bow at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, with fans having only previously seen him grace the famous stage in the competition with Paris Saint-Germain. Expectation is high ...

Oman Shooting Association Holds Annual MeetingMuscat, 16 Sep (ONA) —— The Board of Oman Shooting Association today held its annual meeting at the olympic shooting complex in Muscat under the chairmanship of Vice Admiral Abdullah Khamis Al Raisi, Chief of Staff of the Sultan’s Armed Forces, Board Chairman of Oman Shooting Association.The meeting discussed a set of topics, including the training plan for the national and military shooting team, the Olympic shooting complex and flying target shooting ranges, and private Olympic shooting clubs.In addition, it reviewed the annual plan for ...

Argentina and Brazil Both Lose as World Cup Qualifying Hots upBogota, 11 Sep (ONA) —- Argentina and Brazil, without injured stars Lionel Messi and Neymar, both lost in 2026 World Cup qualifying. While world champions Argentina still top South American qualifying for the 2026 tournament despite their 2-1 defeat against Colombia, record winners Brazil are in crisis after their 1-0 loss in Paraguay. Brazil have suffered four defeats in five World Cup qualifying matches and sit fifth. The top six nations in the 10-team group qualify for the expanded ...

Oman Table Tennis Association Elects New Board of DirectorsMuscat, September 10 (ONA) --- The general assembly of the Oman Table Tennis Association (OTTA) today elected Abdullah Mohammed Bamkhalif as Chairman of the OTTA Board for the period 2024/2028 by acclamation.The election was held with the participation of 7 member-clubs that have a right to attend the meeting and vote.OTTA general assembly also nominated Sajjad Mohammed Baqir to the position of Deputy Chairman and Samira Shaneen Al Shukaili to “women’s mandatory seat”.Majid Marhoon Al Alawi and Mohammed Hamid Al Jassasi ...

Oman Participates in Olympic Council of Asia's General Assembly Meeting in India New Delhi, 9 Sep (ONA) --- Represented by Oman Olympic Committee, the Sultanate of Oman took part in the 44th general assembly meeting of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), held in New Delhi today. The meeting was attended by representatives of 45 national Olympic committees in the Asian continent affiliated to the OCA. During the meeting, Randhir Singh was announced as the President of the Olympic Council of Asia — being the only candidate who contested the position. The OCA general assembly ...

Oman Basketball Association Elects New Board of Directors Muscat, 8 Sep (ONA) --- The general assembly of Oman Basketball Association (OBA) today elected Eng. Khalfan Saleh Al Naabi as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Basketball Association 2024-2028 after he earned 6 votes out of the total number of candidates who contested the position of OBA Chairman. The election was held with the participation of 9 clubs comprising general assembly members eligible to attend the meeting and vote. Abu Bakr Ahmed Al Jahwari won the position of Deputy Chairman, while the following ...

Bahrain Frustrate 10-man Australia in Horror Start to World Cup Qualifier Round Gold Coast, Australia, 5 Sep (ONA) --- A 10-man Socceroos outfit has suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Bahrain on the Gold Coast, Australia in a disastrous setback to their hopes of direct FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification. Striker Kusini Yengi was red-carded for a high challenge. Then, the Socceroos were red-faced by an 89th-minute own goal, against the run of play, as Bahrain frustrated their way to a maiden win over Australia. The loss, in the side’s first game on the Gold Coast, is a ...

Palestinians to Face South Korea to Start 3rd Round of World Cup Qualifying Kuala Lumpur, 4 Sep (ONA) --- The Palestinian team is closer to the World Cup than ever after reaching the third round of qualifying in Asia as one of the top 18 on the continent. The next phase starts with one of the toughest possible football assignments in Asia, with the Palestinians taking on South Korea in front of 66,000 fans in Seoul tomorrow (Thursday). The South Koreans have qualified for the past 10 World Cup tournaments, and were semi-finalists in 2002. The top two from each of ...

OHA Outlines First Edition of Oman Open Hockey 5-Asides ChampionshipsMuscat, 2 Sep (ONA) --- Oman Hockey Association (OHA) today announced details of the First Edition of Oman Open Hockey Five-a-Asides (Hockey5s) Championships Schedule.The tournament, to be held from 8 to 11 September, will see the participation of 8 teams: Those of the Royal Army of Oman, the Royal Guard of Oman, the Royal Navy of Oman, Al Fayhaa Establishment, Security and Safety Corporation, Jindal Shadeed Company, Badr Al Samaa Group and FAB Company.The tournament’s schedule was unveiled during the press ...

Diaz Double Helps Liverpool to Thumping Win at Man United Manchester, 2 Sep (ONA) --- Liverpool maintained their flawless start under new manager Arne Slot as they outclassed woeful Manchester United at Old Trafford. The visitors were on a different level to United in a win so comprehensive that it will bring renewed scrutiny on Slot's fellow Dutchman Erik ten Hag, who survived a summer review to win a new contract following last season's FA Cup win. Liverpool have barely missed a beat since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp, recording three straight English ...

Mbappe Opens his LaLiga Account and Leads Real Madrid Past Real Betis Madrid, 2 Sep (ONA) --- Kylian Mbappe put his early LaLiga struggles behind him, firing home a brace to lead Real Madrid to a 2-0 victory over Real Betis. Although the Frenchman scored his first goal for Los Blancos during the club's UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta, things hadn't gone to plan domestically so far. With no goals to his name, and Real Madrid winning just one of their opening three matches, the pressure was on heading into the match at the Bernabeu. It increased after a first ...

Aston Villa Survive Leicester Fightback to Edge Narrow Win in EPL Leicester, 1 Sep (ONA) --- Aston Villa survived a second-half Leicester fightback as Unai Emery’s side held on for a narrow victory at King Power Stadium. The visitors dominated the opening stages and took a deserved lead shortly before the half-hour mark when Amadou Onana finished off a well-rehearsed free-kick routine involving Youri Tielemans and Jacob Ramsey. Leicester improved after the break, but Villa doubled their advantage when Jhon Duran – who had only just come on for Ollie Watkins ...

Barcelona Run Riot and Hit Real Valladolid for Seven Barcelona, 1 Sep (ONA) --- Barcelona were insatiable in front of goal as they sent Real Valladolid packing from Catalonia having suffered a 7-0 humiliation at the hands of Raphinha, Dani Olmo and company. Raphinha bagged a hat-trick for himself, while new signing Dani Olmo was again on target for the Catalans as well, alongside Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, and Ferran Torres. It took 20 minutes for the hosts to find the breakthrough on Matchday 4, with Raphinha getting in behind the visitors' backline and ...

Oman National Paralympic Team Participates in Paris GamesParis, 29 Aug (ONA) --- Oman national paralympic team is taking part in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, which kicked off at the Place de la Concorde on 28 August and will run until 8 September.As many as 4,400 athletes from 168 countries are contesting the tournament’s 22 sports. The Omani Paralympic Committee (at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth) is participating with two players. They are Mohammed Al Mashaykhi and Sarah Al Anbouri, who will both compete in the shot put event.Mohammed and Sarah will join the shot put ...

Gundogan Ends His International Career with German Football Team Berlin, 20 Aug (ONA) --- Ilkay Gundogan, captain of the German national football team, has announced his retirement from international football and his absence from the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.Gundogan decided to end his football career with the German national team, which he began with his first appearance in 2011.Gundogan participated in 82 matches with the German national team, and led his country in the last European Nations Championship (Euro 2024) in Germany ...