Sports

Preview: Top-flight teams gear up for FA Cup at weekend

Published

4 months ago

27/01/2024

LONDON, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) — This weekend sees the fourth round of the FA Cup in England, with no matches in either the Premier League or the second-tier Championship.

Bournemouth opened the 4th round of the cup with a 5-0 win at home to Swansea on Thursday night, ahead of four matches played on Friday.

The most attractive of those sees Tottenham, who could have James Maddison fit after three months out and who have reasons for optimism against Manchester City, who have lost and failed to score in their last five visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Chelsea booked a place in the Carabao Cup final in midweek, but Aston Villa will be a difficult obstacle as Mauricio Pochettino’s side looks to progress in the FA Cup.

Villa won at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League and has just two defeats in their last 21 games in all competitions.

Bristol City knocked West Ham out of the last round and the Championship side could have a chance against Nottingham Forest, a rival focused on avoiding relegation from the Premier League and with the threat of a points deduction hanging over them for breaching financial fair play regulations.

Saturday sees some all-Premier League clashes, with Everton at home to Luton, while bottom side Sheffield United entertains Brighton and Fulham hosts Newcastle United.

Fulham lost their Carabao Cup semifinal to Liverpool on Wednesday and has little recovery time against a rival that will see the Cup as the hope of saving a season that has been hit badly by suspension and injury.

Saturday’s game between Championship high-fliers Ipswich Town and Maidstone will also attract a lot of attention as the side from the National League South looks to continue their incredible FA Cup adventure that began back in September in the second qualifying round.

Sunday starts with a Black Country derby that renews the traditional rivalry between West Brom and Wolves in the first competitive match between the two sides in 12 years.

Wolves is favorites after a six-game unbeaten run, but their Championship rivals have won their last four home games and the Hawthorns will be a hostile place for the visitors.

Liverpool should have few problems as they take on Championship rivals Norwich City, with the big question being how many changes coach Jurgen Klopp will make to his starting 11.

Fourth-tier Newport County entertains Manchester United looking for a giant-killing act. Erik Ten Hag’s side clearly has a lot more quality than Newport, but a hostile crowd and a tight, muddy ground will test their determination and defeat would be a huge blow to an already questioned coach.

Source(s): Xinhua

Sports

The table tennis star Dheema, first Maldivian athlete to qualify for Olympics

Published

9 hours ago

18/05/2024

The table tennis star, Fathimath Dheema Ali, who will be partaking in the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, has received a warm welcome upon returning to Male’ City. Dheema showcased her exemplary skills amidst stiff competition from the finest table tennis players in South Asia and emerged victorious in the South Asia Regional Olympic Qualifications. Her triumph signifies a momentous milestone for the Maldives in the realm of international sports.

Upon arrival back to the Maldives, the Minister of Sports, Fitness and Recreation Abdulla Rafiu and senior officials of the ministry along with the President of Maldives Olympic Committee (MOC) Mohamed Abdul Sattar and key figures from the Table Tennis Association of the Maldives extended their heartfelt and warm welcomes to Dheema. The minister organised a special ceremony held in the Youth Centre, commemorating the groundbreaking achievement of Dheema.

Speaking at the ceremony, President of the table Tennis Association Ali Rasheed rejoiced, stating that Dheema’s historic performance marked a significant milestone in the history of the Maldives. Highlighting that this remarkable victory was a result of 10 years of her unwavering commitment and dedication, Ali affirmed that the administration and countries in which she received training played a pivotal role for her success. On this stance, he expressed heartfelt gratitude towards all who were engaged in assisting to ensure this significant opportunity was secured.

While Dheema successfully qualified for the Olympic Games, previously Maldivian athletes competed in the games in invitational (tripartite) opportunities provided. As such, Maldivian athletes have been actively participating and competing in athletics, badminton and swimming since 1988.

Source(s): PsmNews

Sports

Minister announces survey for 20-year sports development plan

Published

3 days ago

15/05/2024

Minister of Sports, Fitness, and Recreation Abdulla Rafiu has announced a special survey for the Maldives’ 20-year sports development plan.

The draft plan was developed in February and focuses on cultivating top athletes by training coaches in schools, hosting major tournaments in the Maldives, and expanding sports associations’ activities in the atolls.

At a press conference, Minister Rafiu highlighted ongoing collaboration with sports associations. He said that detailed work on the long-term policy is available on the ministry’s website. He also said that the survey is a critical part of the process and spans 22 pages and requires time for completion by each association.

Additionally, Minister Rafiu mentioned agreements with Malaysia for training athletes and administrators. He also said that discussions about the plan have taken place with France, and talks are ongoing with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Source(s): PsmNews

Sports

Mbappe announces PSG departure at end of season

Published

1 week ago

11/05/2024

MARSEILLE, May 10 (Xinhua) — Kylian Mbappe confirmed on Friday that he will leave French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season, without revealing his next destination.

But according to multiple media reports, he will join the La Liga powerhouses Real Madrid after the season ends.

“I wanted to announce to you all that it’s my last year at Paris Saint-Germain. I will not extend and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks,” Mbappe said in a video posted on social media.

“I will play my last game at the Parc des Princes on Sunday.”

The French international joined PSG on loan from Monaco in 2017 and officially signed with the capital-based side after the season ended for a transfer fee of 180 million euros.

During his seven years with the team, Mbappe helped the club claim six league titles and three French Cup victories, making 306 appearances and scoring 255 goals, becoming the top scorer in the team’s history.

“It’s a lot of emotions, many years where I had the chance and the great honor to be a member of the biggest French club, one of the best in the world,” said the 26-year-old.

“It allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure, to grow as a player of course, by being alongside some of the best in history, some of the greatest champions,” he added.

“It’s hard and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that… but I think I needed this, a new challenge, after seven years.”

PSG have already secured the Ligue 1 title of this season and reached the French Cup final, where they will compete for the championship against Lyon on May 25th.

However, in the Champions League where the team most aspired to make a mark, they suffered another disappointing exit as they were eliminated in the semifinals after being defeated in both legs by Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund.

Source(s): Xinhua