Football

Doha: Nizar Al Rashdan’s second-half header sent Jordan into the FIFA Arab Cup final as they edged Saudi Arabia 1-0 in a tense semi-final at Al Bayt Stadium on Monday. Jordan, now winning five consecutive matches in Qatar, will face Morocco in Thursday’s much-anticipated final at the iconic Lusail Stadium, coinciding with Qatar National Day celebrations. Morocco booked their place earlier with a commanding 3-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates at Khalifa International Stadium. Al Rashdan’s 66th-minute goal ended Herve Renard’s side’s impressive run in the tournament, withJamal Sellami's Jordan producing a disciplined display in a cagey contest despite the absence of injured star forward Yazan Al Naimat. The players paid tribute to Al Naimat - who was watching from the stands - by holding up his jersey during the official team photo before kick-off. The forward was ruled out after picking up an injury in the quarter-final against Iraq. With around 63,000 spectators attending the match, the first half was evenly balanced, while Jordan grew in confidence after the break and showed defensive resilience once they took the lead. Saudi Arabia’s disappointing night ended with a last-gasp red card to Waleed Al Ahmad. Ahmad Ersan had the first effort of the match after 10 minutes, but his shot was comfortably gathered by Nawaf Alaqidi as the semi-final began at a brisk yet cautious pace. Saudi Arabia later won a free-kick on the right edge of the box but failed to make it count, before Nawaf Bu Washl fired wide from distance. An appeal for a penalty following an apparent handball by Mohannad Abu Taha was dismissed after a VAR check, with only a corner awarded. Despite enjoying more possession late in the first half, Saudi Arabia struggled to create clear chances and the sides went into the break goalless. Both coaches made changes early in the second half, with Abdulrahman Alobud replacing Saleh Abu Alshamat and Mohammad Abuzraiq coming on for Ersan. Al Rashdan soon tested Alaqidi with a low effort, while openings remained limited as both sides stayed compact. Jordan gradually increased the pressure, and two minutes after Renard introduced Nasser Al Dawsari for Musab Al Juwayr in the 64th minute, the breakthrough arrived. Mahmoud Al Mardi saw his initial attempt blocked but quickly recovered to deliver a precise cross, allowing Al Rashdan to rise and head home. Saudi Arabia responded with urgency, forcing Yazeed Abulaila into a fine save from Feras Albrikan. Captain Salem Al Dawsari, who had endured a quiet outing, then began to influence proceedings, stepping up to create chances as Renard’s side pushed for an equaliser. Saleh Al Shehri was later introduced for Bu Washl, and he narrowly missed connecting with a superb delivery from Al Juwayr. A late appeal for a penalty by Al Dawsari was turned down, reflecting a frustrating evening for Saudi Arabia, which ended with Al Ahmad’s yellow card being upgraded to a red after VAR ruled he had denied Ali Olwan a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Football

New Delhi: Football superstar Lionel Messi ended his whirlwind tour of India on Monday with a lap of honour in New Delhi, thrilling thousands of fans and thanking them for "all the love and support". The 38-year-old Argentine great greeted chanting supporters at a nearly packed Arun Jaitley Stadium, usually home to cricket, with fans dressed in Argentina jerseys waving flags and shouting his name. "It was beautiful to receive all the love and support. I knew it was there, but to receive it first-hand was, well, amazing", Messi told the crowd, speaking in Spanish, saying he will "definitely be back". Clad in a pink jersey and black trousers, Messi enthralled the audience with his charm as he kicked footballs into the crowd and obliged star-struck delegates and fans with selfies. Messi and his fellow stars played football with children before being presented with a T20 World Cup ticket and an Indian jersey by the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Jay Shah. India -- a nation of 1.4 billion -- are a cricket powerhouse, but struggles on the football pitch and are 142nd on the FIFA rankings. Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia took the stage with Messi, who signed Argentine jerseys for the Indian star and his family. His final stop in India went smoothly after a chaotic opening day on Saturday, when fans vandalised a stadium in the city of Kolkata, where his brief presence left the crowd frustrated. Heavy security left fans struggling to catch a glimpse of him. Many had paid more than $100 for tickets, and they broke down barricades and stormed the pitch after the superstar abruptly left the arena. In New Delhi on Monday, thousands of excited fans dismissed hazardous choking air pollution to see their hero. "I'm very excited to see Messi, I have been watching him since my childhood", said 29-year-old fan Sumesh Raina. New Delhi, and its wider sprawling metropolitan region of 30 million residents, is regularly ranked among the world's most polluted capitals, due to a deadly mix of emissions from power plants, heavy traffic, as well as the burning of rubbish and crops. Levels of cancer-causing PM 2.5 microparticles hit more than 300 micrograms per cubic metre in parts of New Delhi on Monday, according to monitoring organisation IQAir, 20 times the World Health Organization's recommended daily maximum. A study in The Lancet Planetary Health last year estimated that 3.8 million deaths in India between 2009 and 2019 were linked to air pollution. Messi, who is in India as part of his so-called GOAT Tour along with his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo de Paul, seemed unperturbed by the toxic air. He looked in good spirits as he kept up his energy with fans and football enthusiasts in his 35-minute stay at the stadium. Messi had also visited the cities of Hyderabad and Mumbai, where he met cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar and Indian football star Sunil Chhetri. The footballer won his second consecutive Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player award last week after propelling Inter Miami to the MLS title and leading the league in goals. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward will spearhead Argentina's defence of the World Cup in June-July in North America.

Football

Doha, Qatar: Doha is set to host the Best FIFA Football Awards 2025, where the winners will be revealed at a special event at Fairmont Katara Hall tomorrow. The event will be broadcast live on FIFA.com at 8pm Doha time. On the eve of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025 final between Paris Saint-Germain and CR Flamengo at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, the world’s best players and coaches for 2025 will be announced during the FIFA Celebration 2025 Dinner. Prior to that, the best fans, goalkeepers, and goals will be revealed in digital videos on FIFA platforms and across social media, along with the winner of the FIFA Fair Play Award. The gala dinner will be attended by 800 guests, including the FIFA President, FIFA Council members, FIFA Legends, Member Association representatives from around the world, as well as local and regional ambassadors and trailblazers of the beautiful game. Fans have once again played a key role in choosing the winners, casting over 16 million votes and having a say in the destiny of multiple awards, including The Best FIFA Women’s Player, The Best FIFA Men’s Player, The Best FIFA Women’s Coach, The Best FIFA Men’s Coach, The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper, and The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper. All of these award winners have been decided through an equally weighted voting system between fans, the current captains and coaches of all women’s and men’s national teams, and media representatives. In addition, fans have also participated in the vote for The Best FIFA Women’s 11 and The Best FIFA Men’s 11.