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            <title>
                    <![CDATA[ The Peninsula Qatar ]]>
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            <![CDATA[ https://thepeninsulaqatar.com ]]>
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                    <![CDATA[ The Peninsula brings the latest news from Qatar and around the world. We also cover in detail football, cricket, business, entertainment, Bollywood, Hollywood, Science, Technology, Health, Fitness and opinions from leading columnists. ]]>
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            <lastBuildDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:46:46 +0300</lastBuildDate>
            <pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:46:46 +0300</pubDate>
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                    <![CDATA[Copyright  2026 , The Peninsula Qatar]]>
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                    <title>The Peninsula Qatar</title>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[PSG strike late to get better of Yamal and Barcelona in Champions League]]>
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                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/21/10/2026/psg-strike-late-to-get-better-of-yamal-and-barcelona-in-champions-league]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
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                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Paris: Vitinha&amp;amp;#39;s superb late strike proved crucial as reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain saw off rivals Barcelona 4-2 on Tuesday in a dramatic game between two of the leading contenders to win this season&amp;amp;#39;s Champions League.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The match was poised at 2-2 when the Portuguese playmaker, who came third in last year&amp;amp;#39;s Ballon d&amp;amp;#39;Or ranking, controlled on his chest and fired in from just outside the box in the 81st minute at the Parc des Princes.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Fabian Ruiz then sealed PSG&amp;amp;#39;s third victory in as many matches in this season&amp;amp;#39;s competition, as they aim to win the Champions League for the third season running.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It had briefly looked as though Barcelona would leave the French capital with a point when Lamine Yamal, who is hoping to win this year&amp;amp;#39;s Ballon d&amp;amp;#39;Or, stabbed in Barcelona&amp;amp;#39;s second equaliser on the night.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Desire Doue had earlier opened the scoring for PSG, and Lucas Hernandez got their second goal after teenager Xavi Espart found the net for the Catalans.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The defeat is a setback for Barcelona, albeit not one that is likely to seriously hurt their prospects of advancing further in Europe&amp;amp;#39;s elite club competition.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;They had travelled to France on a run of 11 consecutive wins at the start of the season in all competitions. That sequence is now over, but the goals keep coming, and Yamal&amp;amp;#39;s strike here was Barcelona&amp;amp;#39;s 50th of the season all told.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;PSG, meanwhile, have now won seven games in a row between Ligue 1 and Champions League, but they lost both Ousmane Dembele -- last year&amp;amp;#39;s Ballon d&amp;amp;#39;Or winner -- and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to injury on the night.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It remains to be seen how seriously hurt those two attackers are, although Doue was the real star of the show here and Luis Enrique&amp;amp;#39;s team are well set to comfortably reach the knockout phase at this rate.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;This was the 14th meeting of the teams in the Champions League in the last 13 years, and for Barcelona it was probably not their biggest game of the week -- beat Real Madrid at home this coming Sunday and they go nine points ahead of their great rivals in La Liga.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;That helps explain why Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d&amp;amp;#39;Or winner, was left on the bench at kick-off, although Raphinha was back in the starting line-up after a recent spell out.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Fresh from winning 4-2 at Manchester City last week, PSG almost scored inside 90 seconds as Kvaratskhelia hit the post, but they were dealt a blow as Dembele came off after just 20 minutes after pulling up with a hamstring injury.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Ferran Torres replaced him, coming on to face the club he left in the summer, who themselves then lost Dani Olmo to injury as the action was interrupted.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;However, Paris opened the scoring in the 38th minute following an error by Yamal -- he gave away possession in his own half, and the ball came to Doue who showed superb footwork before firing low into the bottom corner from just outside the area.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The home side were worthy of their lead at the interval, yet Barcelona drew level soon after half-time as Fermin Lopez released Espart who drove into the box and fired in his second senior goal.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rodri soon entered the fray for Barca but the game became increasingly unbridled and Torres hit the post for the hosts just before Hernandez headed them back in front from a corner.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The defender was called into the side to mark Yamal in the absence of usual starting left-back Nuno Mendes. The goal was just his third for PSG in over 100 appearances, and a first since February 2024.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;That crowned a fine performance for Hernandez, but he was substituted moments later by coach Luis Enrique, and replacement Warren Zaire-Emery was at fault for Barcelona&amp;amp;#39;s second equaliser.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;He got caught underneath a high ball, allowing Yamal to run away and stab in his 10th goal of the campaign.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;PSG had the last laugh, though, as they reminded their opponents that they remain the team to beat in Europe this season with Vitinha making it 3-2 before Ruiz sealed the win from close range.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/21/10/2026/psg-strike-late-to-get-better-of-yamal-and-barcelona-in-champions-league]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:25:16 +0300]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[Minhas strikes maiden half-century as Pakistan crush England in tri-series]]>
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                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/minhas-strikes-maiden-half-century-as-pakistan-crush-england-in-tri-series]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[Cricket]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Allrounder Arafat Minhas struck a maiden half-century and grabbed a career-best six wickets to anchor Pakistan&amp;amp;#39;s convincing 87-run win over England in the tri-series in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Minhas hit 59 off 58 balls and was ably assisted by Hasan Nawaz, whose 74-ball 79 lifted Pakistan to a solid 302-9 at Pindi Stadium.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The versatile Minhas then took 6-40 with his beguiling left-arm spin as England were reduced to 215 all out in 38.4 overs. He also ran out the last England batter to cap a superb showing.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;England lost their last nine wickets for 95 runs after being well set at 120-1, with Tom Banton (57) and Ben Duckett (45) giving them a confident start.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Minhas grabbed three crucial wickets, getting Banton caught off a miscued pull, bowling Harry Brook for five with a sharp turner, and then trapping Jordan Cox for 18.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Minhas completed his second five-wicket haul when he dismissed Will Jacks for 19 and then had Jamie Overton for one.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Banton smashed five boundaries and two sixes in his 53-ball knock.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Naseem Shah snared the prized wicket of Joe Root for 33, and Haris Rauf removed a dangerous Sam Curran for 27 as England&amp;amp;#39;s run chase faltered.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Nawaz and Minhas earlier lifted Pakistan from a precarious 133-5.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Nawaz, who hit four sixes and five boundaries, added 78 for the sixth wicket with Minhas as England struggled to break their stand, dropping three catches.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Minhas then added an invaluable 72 for the seventh wicket with Faheem Ashraf (39) as Pakistan added 91 runs in the last 10 overs.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Minhas hit nine fours, while Ashraf&amp;amp;#39;s knock included a six and five boundaries.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;England&amp;amp;#39;s Gus Atkinson jolted Pakistan with the very first ball of the match to dismiss Fakhar Zaman, caught by Root at short mid-wicket.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sonny Baker made it 2-31 with the wicket of Saim Ayub for eight before Babar Azam (34) and Saad Baig (35) steadied the innings.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;England&amp;amp;#39;s Baker took 3-65, while Atkinson finished with 2-35.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;England meet Sri Lanka in the third match on Thursday, also in Rawalpindi.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/minhas-strikes-maiden-half-century-as-pakistan-crush-england-in-tri-series]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 19:54:48 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Doha Fully Primed to Host FIP World Cup Qatar 2026]]>
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                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/doha-fully-primed-to-host-fip-world-cup-qatar-2026]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar Sport]]>
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                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha: Doha has been fully primed to host an incredible edition of the FIP World Cup Qatar 2026, scheduled for Nov. 2-7 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, the Qatar Padel Federation has revealed.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The contest will feature 32 national teams, bringing together some of the world&amp;amp;#39;s phenomenal male and female players, with 16 teams contesting the men&amp;amp;#39;s event and another 16 competing in the women&amp;amp;#39;s event.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;This third iteration follows the 2021 and 2024 iterations, further promoting international confidence in Qatar&amp;amp;#39;s organizational capabilities and solidifying Doha&amp;amp;#39;s stature as a global sporting hub. The event builds on Qatar&amp;amp;#39;s successful track record of hosting major international sporting events over the past several years.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Secretary-General of the Qatar Tennis, Squash and Badminton Federation (QTSBF) and director of the tournament, Tariq Darwish Zainal, asserted that preparations for the tournament had been completed, indicating that Doha was poised to deliver another phenomenal edition, combining high organizational standards with an outstanding experience for spectators and padel enthusiasts.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;All organizing committees and operational teams had finalized their logistical and coaching preparations, bending every effort toward ensuring a seamless tournament for players and fans alike, Zainal assured.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Zainal underscored Qatar&amp;amp;#39;s growing expertise in staging wide-ranging international sporting competitions, including the 2021 and 2024 editions of the FIP World Cup. He noted that Qatari personnel had accumulated substantial experience, positioning them to deliver a top-flight championship.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Zainal continued by highlighting Qatar&amp;amp;#39;s sustained efforts to promote the sport throughout the region and across Asia, citing its annual hosting of a major Premier Padel event, which attracts the world&amp;amp;#39;s top-rung male and female players and further strengthens the nation&amp;amp;#39;s position on the international padel calendar.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Turning to Qatar&amp;amp;#39;s campaign, Zainal said the national team ranked among the world&amp;amp;#39;s top 10 and would enter the competition eyeing a chance to build on its recent success. This follows the team&amp;amp;#39;s gold-medal triumph at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan, where padel made its Asian Games debut. Qatar will aim to mount a strong challenge, represent the country with distinction and secure a high finish, Zainal recalled.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;He added that the World Cup would assemble the world&amp;amp;#39;s top-ranked national teams, many of which bring profound experience and established records in international padel competition, setting the stage for a highly competitive championship.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Executive Director of QTSBF Saad Al Mohannadi asserted that the courts hosting the tournament had been fully customized and tickets had been made available online through official platforms to facilitate access for domestic and international fans and create a distinctive festive atmosphere in the stands.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Mohannadi highlighted the powerful confidence FIP has placed in Qatar by awarding it the rights to host the 2026 and 2028 editions back-to-back, describing the move as international recognition of the substantial organizational expertise Qatari personnel have accumulated, along with the global high-end infrastructure and sporting facilities the country provides.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Qatar&amp;amp;#39;s successful hosting record, reinforced by the remarkable feats of the 2021 and 2024 editions, further strengthens Doha&amp;amp;#39;s standing as a global sporting hub. The award of two consecutive World Cup editions reflects the international confidence in the nation&amp;amp;#39;s organizational capabilities of staging a top-flight championship.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;So far, 15 national teams in each of the men&amp;amp;#39;s and women&amp;amp;#39;s categories have qualified for the FIP World Cup Qatar 2026, setting the stage for a highly competitive tournament featuring some of the sport&amp;amp;#39;s leading international sides.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In the men&amp;amp;#39;s competition, the qualified teams are hosts Qatar, reigning world champions Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, France, Chile, Sweden, the United States, Mexico, Paraguay, the Netherlands and Germany.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In the women&amp;amp;#39;s competition, the qualified teams are hosts Qatar, Spain, Argentina, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Brazil, Belgium, the United States, Paraguay, Chile, Germany and Great Britain.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The official draw and group allocations will take place once the joint African and Asian qualifiers conclude in Kuwait, scheduled for Oct. 26-30. National teams from the two continents will compete for the final 16th place in each category, with the successful sides securing their places in the Doha finals.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The remaining qualification places will complete the field for a championship expected to bring together elite national teams and showcase the substantial depth of international padel.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 14:15:58 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[PSG face Barcelona test as injury-hit Catalans target 12th straight victory]]>
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                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/psg-face-barcelona-test-as-injury-hit-catalans-target-12th-straight-victory]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
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                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, two of the early pace-setters in the UEFA Champions League, meet in a mouth-watering league-phase clash in Paris today, with both sides looking to maintain their perfect starts.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The reigning European champions have won their opening two matches, including an impressive 4-2 victory away to Manchester City last week, to lead the standings. Barcelona are also on six points after victories over Feyenoord and Galatasaray, setting up a contest between two of the leading contenders for the title.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;PSG, who are targeting a third straight Champions League crown, will be wary of a Barcelona side in ominous form under Hansi Flick. The Catalans have won all 11 of their matches this season, scoring 48 goals and conceding 11, after Saturday&amp;amp;rsquo;s 5-2 victory over Real Betis extended their winning run.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;However, Barcelona will travel to the Parc des Princes without defenders Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde, who picked up injuries against Betis. Their absence is a setback for Flick ahead of a demanding test against the defending champions.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;PSG coach Luis Enrique, who played for and managed Barcelona, acknowledged the quality of his former club while making clear his determination to win.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;I&amp;amp;rsquo;m focusing on their quality. I&amp;amp;rsquo;ve played for and managed Bar&amp;amp;ccedil;a, and I have a very close relationship with Catalonia. I&amp;amp;rsquo;m very attached to Bar&amp;amp;ccedil;a, but I&amp;amp;rsquo;m PSG&amp;amp;rsquo;s manager,&amp;amp;rdquo; he said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;It&amp;amp;rsquo;s a huge source of motivation for me to face the club that has mattered the most to me in my career.&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Enrique expects an engaging contest between two sides with similar footballing philosophies.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;If we look at what these two teams represent, they&amp;amp;rsquo;re two great clubs with a fantastic playing style, so we&amp;amp;rsquo;ll make the most of this match,&amp;amp;rdquo; he said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Spanish coach also offered a clear indication of how PSG intend to deal with Barcelona&amp;amp;rsquo;s teenage star Lamine Yamal, whose ability to influence games makes him one of the visitors&amp;amp;rsquo; key threats.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;The best way to defend against Lamine Yamal is to have the ball. That&amp;amp;rsquo;s our ideal scenario, but we know it won&amp;amp;rsquo;t be like that because of how difficult it is to play against Bar&amp;amp;ccedil;a,&amp;amp;rdquo; Enrique said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;We&amp;amp;rsquo;re staying focused and alert, though, as we&amp;amp;rsquo;ll need to overcome that as a team.&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;PSG will look to build on their performance against Manchester City, although Enrique insisted he was more impressed by his players&amp;amp;rsquo; approach than the result.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;I&amp;amp;rsquo;m proud of what I saw, not of the result. I&amp;amp;rsquo;m proud to see my players enjoying their football, be it away or at home. What I find pleasing is the team&amp;amp;rsquo;s identity and personality in general. That&amp;amp;rsquo;s great for me as the manager,&amp;amp;rdquo; he said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Despite the significance of the meeting, Enrique rejected the suggestion that it would be an early final, pointing out that several teams remain capable of winning the competition.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Both sides will be eager to take another step towards securing a strong position in the league phase, but Barcelona&amp;amp;rsquo;s defensive absences add an extra challenge against a PSG attack that showed its quality at the Etihad Stadium.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:13:59 +0300]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[Fornaroli set for Mexico and Brazil FP1 outings after latest F1 test with McLaren]]>
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                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/fornaroli-set-for-mexico-and-brazil-fp1-outings-after-latest-f1-test-with-mclaren]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Motosports]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Leonardo Fornaroli (pictured) will return to the wheel of McLaren&amp;amp;rsquo;s MCL40 over the coming weeks, with his next practice outings being planned for the Mexico City and S&amp;amp;atilde;o Paulo Grands Prix.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;McLaren reserve driver Fornaroli made his first two FP1 appearances at the Barcelona-Catalunya and Hungary events earlier this season, meaning the young Italian will mark the team&amp;amp;rsquo;s final two mandatory rookie sessions for 2026.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In preparation for those run-outs, Fornaroli &amp;amp;ndash; the 2024 F3 and 2025 F2 champion &amp;amp;ndash; joined McLaren&amp;amp;rsquo;s Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) team at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France last weekend, where he completed almost 350 kilometres on the Grand Prix layout.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;His sixth F1 test with the team, Fornaroli focused on longer runs (simulating FP1 sessions) and tried various set-ups aboard McLaren&amp;amp;rsquo;s 2025 double championship-winning MCL39.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;British racer Jake Hughes, who serves as a test and development driver for McLaren, also got some time in the MCL39 at Paul Ricard, continuing to provide him with a reference point for his simulator development work.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;I&amp;amp;rsquo;m really excited to return to the MCL40 and do two more official Free Practice 1 sessions with the team,&amp;amp;rdquo; said Fornaroli, who joined McLaren&amp;amp;rsquo;s Driver Development Programme just under a year ago.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;The Mexico City and S&amp;amp;atilde;o Paulo Grands Prix are two great events, which will challenge me as a driver. Interlagos is a historic circuit with lots of mixed technical corners, and the altitude in Mexico City will definitely be a new physical challenge for me. It&amp;amp;rsquo;s a great opportunity for my own development, and to also help the team over their weekend.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;This test at Circuit Paul Ricard was really beneficial. It&amp;amp;rsquo;s been a few months since I was in an F1 car, so it was good to get back into it ahead of Mexico. This track is also really fun to drive, and of course driving the MCL39 for the first time made it even better. To drive a double championship-winning car was really cool.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;Thank you to the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team for giving me these opportunities, and to everyone in the McLaren Driver Development Programme for their guidance and continued support. I look forward to being back with the team in Mexico.&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;McLaren have also announced that Fornaroli will race for their new Hypercar team in the World Endurance Championship (including the 24 Hours of Le Mans) in 2027, while continuing in his F1 reserve driver role. Formula 1&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/fornaroli-set-for-mexico-and-brazil-fp1-outings-after-latest-f1-test-with-mclaren]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:04:37 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                        <item>
                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Haas reveal Godzilla-themed livery for USGP in Austin]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/haas-reveal-godzilla-themed-livery-for-usgp-in-austin]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Motosports]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Haas have presented a striking Godzilla-themed livery that will adorn the VF-26 cars of Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon at this weekend&amp;amp;rsquo;s United States Grand Prix.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;At the start of the year, Haas entered into a season-long collaboration with TOHO CO., LTD., the Japanese entertainment studio and home of fictional giant monster Godzilla.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Following on from an initial Godzilla livery at the Japanese Grand Prix, Haas have now put together a &amp;amp;lsquo;Godzilla Minus Zero&amp;amp;rsquo; design for the Austin weekend &amp;amp;ndash; one of three home races on the calendar for the team alongside Miami and Las Vegas.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;While the previous Godzilla livery stuck to Haas&amp;amp;rsquo; core colour scheme of white, black and red, the latest creation &amp;amp;ndash; which celebrates the upcoming film release &amp;amp;ndash; brings in splashes of light blue and bold patterns.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Bearman and Ocon &amp;amp;ndash; the latter to be replaced at Haas by F2 title contender and Ferrari junior Rafael Camara in 2027 &amp;amp;ndash; will both race with the special edition livery at the Circuit of The Americas, around other team activations. Formula 1&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/haas-reveal-godzilla-themed-livery-for-usgp-in-austin]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:03:35 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                        <item>
                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[MotoGP title race heats up ahead of crucial Australian GP]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/motogp-title-race-heats-up-ahead-of-crucial-australian-gp]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Motosports]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: With just two points separating the title rivals, the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island could prove crucial in the battle for the 2026 MotoGP World Championship as the season enters its decisive phase.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Phillip Island has hosted the Australian GP since 1997, following its debut on the calendar in 1989. This year&amp;amp;rsquo;s race will be among the circuit&amp;amp;rsquo;s final editions before the event moves to Adelaide in 2027. With five Grands Prix scheduled over the next six weeks, the title contenders face a crucial run of races before the champion is crowned.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Marc Marquez heads into the Australian Grand Prix still trailing Jorge Martin by two points in the MotoGP title race after both riders maintained their positions following the Indonesian GP at Mandalika.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;An Aprilia 1-2-3-4 finish in Sunday&amp;amp;rsquo;s race, with Martin taking third, helped the Spaniard retain his championship lead. Although Aprilia showed strong pace at Phillip Island last year, Martin will be racing the RS-GP at the circuit for the first time.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The title rivals will be hoping to recreate their thrilling 2024 Australian GP battle, which Marquez won. Martin has claimed just one victory this season but has finished on the Grand Prix podium in each of the last three races. Marquez, meanwhile, has six Sunday podium finishes in 2026, all of them victories.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Marco Bezzecchi has revived his MotoGP title hopes with a return to winning form at the Indonesian Grand Prix, putting himself firmly in contention with five rounds remaining in the season.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Italian has joined Jorge Martin in finishing on the podium in the last three Grands Prix and has secured five podiums in the last six races. He also won the Sprint at Phillip Island last year, adding to his confidence ahead of this weekend&amp;amp;rsquo;s Australian GP.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Bezzecchi sits 46 points behind championship leader Martin but holds a 50-point advantage over Ai Ogura of SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team, strengthening the prospect of a three-way title fight.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Bezzecchi found another level at this stage of last season, carrying that form into the early part of 2026. He will be aiming to reproduce that surge as the championship battle enters its final five rounds.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Ai Ogura sits fourth in the championship standings, just one point ahead of Austrian GP winner Pedro Acosta, as the battle for the position intensifies ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Acosta endured difficult outings in Japan and Indonesia, allowing Fabio Di Giannantonio and Raul Fernandez to close in. Fernandez reignited his challenge with a second-place finish at Mandalika, while Di Giannantonio will be aiming to repeat his runner-up finish at Phillip Island last year.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Fernandez claimed his maiden MotoGP victory at the Australian GP in 2025, making him one to watch this weekend as the fight for fourth continues.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Alex Marquez, his Gresini teammate Fermin Aldeguer and two-time world champion Francesco Bagnaia complete the top 10 in the standings. However, Aldeguer remains sidelined by a hand injury sustained in Lombok, with Iker Lecuona stepping in as his replacement.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Enea Bastianini is just two points behind Fermin Aldeguer in the battle for a place in the championship top 10, while Luca Marini is a further 14 points adrift as the riders head to Phillip Island.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Marini will aim to maintain his record of scoring points in every Grand Prix this season, while Brad Binder, just four points behind the Honda rider, will be looking to build on his strong record at the Australian circuit. The South African has finished in the top eight in each of the last three Australian Grands Prix.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Meanwhile, Yamaha&amp;amp;rsquo;s leading rider Fabio Quartararo has scored points in the last two Grands Prix and Sprints, and will be keen to continue that run in Australia.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:02:32 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar goalball team takes part at Aichi-Nagoya 2026]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/qatar-goalball-team-takes-part-at-aichi-nagoya-2026]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar Sport]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Qatar goalball team players in action at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan yesterday. The goalball team lost both their matches against Iran and Thailand.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Qatar has sent a 12-member delegation of male and female para-athletes competing in three sports: goalball, athletics and swimming.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/qatar-goalball-team-takes-part-at-aichi-nagoya-2026]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:01:28 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

                        </item>
                                        <item>
                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Doha 2030 Asian Games Flag Tour reaches schools and universities]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/doha-2030-asian-games-flag-tour-reaches-schools-and-universities]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar Sport]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: The Doha 2030 Asian Games Organising Committee has launched the Doha 2030 Flag Tour, bringing the Asian Games Flag to schools, universities and institutions across Qatar following the country&amp;amp;rsquo;s formal receipt of the Flag at the closing ceremony of the Aichi&amp;amp;ndash;Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Since the tour began on October 11, the Flag has visited Academyati School at Qatar Foundation, Qatar Academy, the University of Doha for Science and Technology and Qatar University. Students had the opportunity to see the Flag first-hand and meet athletes from across a range of sports, including champions and medallists who are helping to inspire the next generation.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Over the coming weeks, the Flag will continue to visit communities and institutions across the country, creating opportunities for young people, athletes, families and wider stakeholders to connect with Qatar&amp;amp;rsquo;s journey towards hosting the Asian Games Doha 2030.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Dr Ahmad Abdulla Al-Buenain, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha 2030 Asian Games Organising Committee, said: &amp;amp;quot;The arrival of the Asian Games Flag in Qatar marks an important milestone on the road to Doha 2030. Through this tour, we want the Flag to meet the people and communities who will shape the journey ahead, particularly the young generation who will grow up with, participate in and experience the Games. From schools and universities to wider institutions across Qatar, the Flag Tour will create opportunities to share the values of sport, ambition and connection as we prepare to welcome Asia in 2030.&amp;amp;quot;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Flag Tour will bring together Qatari athletes, students, educators and wider institutions through conversations and shared Flag moments focused on the journey towards Doha 2030.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It will create opportunities for participants to reflect on sport, ambition and the role they hope to play in Qatar&amp;amp;rsquo;s future, while linking the legacy of Doha 2006 with the generation that will grow up with and experience Doha 2030.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The initiative forms part of the wider Doha 2030 journey and reflects the spirit of The Games We Live For, bringing athletes, young people and communities together through sport.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/doha-2030-asian-games-flag-tour-reaches-schools-and-universities]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:00:04 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                        <item>
                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Del Potro among 2027 nominees for International Tennis Hall of Fame]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/del-potro-among-2027-nominees-for-international-tennis-hall-of-fame]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Tennis]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Juan Martin del Potro, former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings, is among the International Tennis Hall of Fame&amp;amp;rsquo;s Class of 2027 nominees, which were announced yesterday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Argentine is joined by WTA stars Ash Barty and Svetlana Kuznetsova in the ballot&amp;amp;rsquo;s Player Category, which recognises ATP and WTA players who have achieved a distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest international level.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Del Potro amassed 22 tour-level titles throughout his standout career, including his 2009 US Open triumph during which he downed Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the semi-finals and final, respectively.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Against Federer, Del Potro recovered from two sets to one down, eventually stunning the five-time defending champion. Del Potro finished that 2009 season as the youngest player in the Top 10.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In 2016, Del Potro led Argentina to its first Davis Cup title and also earned a silver medal in singles at the Rio Olympics.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                <guid isPermaLink="true">
                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/del-potro-among-2027-nominees-for-international-tennis-hall-of-fame]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:59:23 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                        <item>
                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Al Rayyan hold firm as Al Sadd hit a slump]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/20/10/2026/al-rayyan-hold-firm-as-al-sadd-hit-a-slump]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Al Rayyan remain at the top of the Qatar Stars League but the pressure is building behind them after a sixth round that saw Al Sadd suffer another setback, Al Duhail strengthen their challenge and Al Arabi make a statement with a six-goal rout.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A goalless draw against Al Gharafa kept Al Rayyan on 14 points, two clear of three teams locked on 12. The leaders had chances to extend their advantage, with Roger Guedes hitting the crossbar, but Al Gharafa goalkeeper Khalifa Ababacar stood firm to deny them a winning goal.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;We created opportunities but just couldn&amp;amp;rsquo;t convert; their goalkeeper, Khalifa, was in great form. We really wanted to win for our fans, both those in the stadium and those watching from home, but it wasn&amp;amp;rsquo;t meant to be. Hopefully, we&amp;amp;rsquo;ll bounce back in the next match,&amp;amp;rdquo; Al Rayyan&amp;amp;rsquo;s Ahmed Alaa said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Alaa stressed that the team were concentrating on each match rather than the standings. They will look to protect their lead when they visit bottom side Al Sailiya on Friday, with the hosts coming off their first point of the season after Joselu&amp;amp;rsquo;s stoppage-time equaliser against Qatar SC.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Sadd, meanwhile, are searching for answers after a dramatic reversal in fortunes. Having won their first four league matches, the defending champions have now lost to Al Arabi and Al Duhail, with Sunday&amp;amp;rsquo;s 3-2 defeat following their AFC Champions League Elite loss to Al Hilal last week.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Sadd recovered from two goals down to level before half-time against Al Duhail, but substitute Tahseen Mohammed Jamshid struck in stoppage time to seal the victory. The defeat left Al Sadd with three successive losses across competitions.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;read-also&amp;quot;&amp;gt;
&amp;lt;h5 class=&amp;quot;title boldti&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Read Also&amp;lt;/h5&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;
	&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;/article/19/10/2026/fifa-u-17-world-cup-qatar-2026-tickets-presale-opens-for-visa-cardholders&amp;quot;&amp;gt;FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 tickets presale opens for Visa cardholders&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;
	&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;/article/19/10/2026/2026-2027-armed-forces-futsal-championship-comes-to-a-close&amp;quot;&amp;gt;2026-2027 Armed Forces Futsal Championship comes to a close&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;
	&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;/article/19/10/2026/davidovich-fokina-beats-rising-star-jodar-to-win-shanghai-masters&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Davidovich Fokina beats rising star Jodar to win Shanghai Masters&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;
&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;The match was decided by small details. Unfortunately, we made a few defensive errors that proved costly,&amp;amp;rdquo; goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;This is a difficult phase for us. None of us, the players, management, coaching staff or fans, can accept three successive losses. We must get back on the right track, and hopefully the next match will be the turning point.&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Sadd have little time to dwell on the setback, with a meeting against Al Shahania on Thursday offering an opportunity to respond. Their opponents, however, will be looking to recover from a 6-0 defeat to Al Arabi, who are level with Al Sadd and&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;
Al Duhail on 12 points.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Duhail&amp;amp;rsquo;s improvement has been another feature of the campaign. Their win over Al Sadd, secured by Tahseen&amp;amp;rsquo;s late strike, reinforced their position among the leading contenders. Bassam Al Rawi said his side were taking the season one step at a time after overcoming a tough opponent.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Arabi&amp;amp;rsquo;s emphatic victory, meanwhile, strengthened their challenge and set up an important test against Al Wakrah on Saturday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Duhail will host Lusail, who continued their promising debut season by holding Al Shamal to a goalless draw. The result left Lusail ninth on six points, while Al Shamal remained fifth with nine.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Wakrah are sixth on eight points, followed by Al Ahli and Al Shahania on seven. Al Gharafa sit 10th with five points, Qatar SC have three, and Al Sailiya remain bottom with one.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The upcoming matches will test both ends of the table as Al Rayyan will aim to maintain their cushion, while Al Sadd need a response to stop their slide and keep pace with the teams directly around them.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:32:48 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                        <item>
                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Pakistan, Sri Lanka receive fines for tri-series slow over-rates]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/pakistan-sri-lanka-receive-fines-for-tri-series-slow-over-rates]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Cricket]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rawalpindi, Pakistan: Both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for slow over-rates during the opening match of the tri-series in Rawalpindi, the sport&amp;amp;#39;s governing body announced on Monday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The ICC said match referee Jeff Crowe fined Pakistan 10 percent of their fee from Sunday&amp;amp;#39;s opening match, while Sri Lanka were docked five percent.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pakistan were ruled to be two overs short and Sri Lanka one short during the time allotted.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;quot;Under the ICC code of conduct for players, the players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time,&amp;amp;quot; an ICC release said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs and now meet England on Tuesday, also in Rawalpindi.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The teams will play each other twice before the final in Lahore on October 31.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The series is being played as a build-up for next year&amp;amp;#39;s 50-over World Cup to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/pakistan-sri-lanka-receive-fines-for-tri-series-slow-over-rates]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Mon, 19 Oct 2026 19:28:56 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 tickets presale opens for Visa cardholders]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/fifa-u-17-world-cup-qatar-2026-tickets-presale-opens-for-visa-cardholders]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar Sport]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: With one month to go until the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026, ticket sales are now live at &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://www.roadtoqatar.qa&amp;quot; target=&amp;quot;_blank&amp;quot;&amp;gt;www.roadtoqatar.qa&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, beginning with an exclusive presale period for Visa cardholders. General public sales will open on October 26, 2026.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The tournament, taking place at the state-of-the-art Competition Complex at Aspire Zone from November 19 to December 13, with the Final at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, will feature as many as eight matches a day for a total of 104 matches across 48 teams.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;All tickets are digital and are available as a Day Pass, which will enable fans to attend multiple matches a day, as well as cultural and entertainment activities at the Fan Zone, in what will be an electrifying football festival-like atmosphere. Day Passes are priced at QAR 20 per matchday for the group stage, Round of 32, Round of 16 and Quarter-Finals. &amp;amp;nbsp;A maximum of six Day Pass tickets per person can be purchased per matchday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Fans can also purchase a Prime Pass, which will enable them to reserve seats for high demand matches. Tickets are priced at QAR 35 for the group stage, Round of 32 and Round of 16, the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals, and QAR 20 for the Third-place Play-off, with availability limited in line with each pitch&amp;amp;#39;s seating capacity. A maximum of four Prime Passes per person can be purchased for each main pitch, per matchday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Final will be held at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on December 13, with match tickets available in Category 1 at QAR 30 and Category 2 at QAR 15. A maximum of six tickets per person can be purchased for the Final.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Tickets also include accessible seating options for disabled fans. Accessibility tickets are priced at QAR 20 for group stage through to third-place play-off, and QAR 15 for the Final, and include one complimentary companion ticket. Disabled fans can request accessible seats by sending an e-mail to: &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;mailto:accessibility.tickets@sc.qa&amp;quot;&amp;gt;accessibility.tickets@sc.qa&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. A limited number of accessible parking spaces is available, with passes distributed closer to match days on a first-come, first-served basis.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026 is the second of five consecutive editions that Qatar will host through 2029, continuing its successful 48-team format introduced in Doha last year. Hosts Qatar have been drawn into Group A alongside Egypt, Greece and Panama, and will play their opening match against Panama on November 19, 6:30pm.&amp;amp;nbsp;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;As FIFA&amp;amp;rsquo;s Official Payment Services Partner, Visa is the preferred payment method for fans purchasing tickets for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Mon, 19 Oct 2026 17:36:39 +0300]]>
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                        </item>
                                        <item>
                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[2026-2027 Armed Forces Futsal Championship comes to a close]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/2026-2027-armed-forces-futsal-championship-comes-to-a-close]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar Sport]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha: The 2026-2027 Armed Forces Futsal Championship, organized by the Military Sports Federation with the participation of 12 teams representing various Armed Forces units, has wrapped up with the Federation&amp;amp;#39;s President, Maj. Gen. Dr. Yousef Desmal Al Kuwari, in attendance.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The tournament featured intense competition among the participating teams, with each vying for the title. It culminated in a final showdown between the Qatar Amiri Naval Forces and Joint Special Forces teams, with Joint Special Forces taking a victory lap and clinching the championship title.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;At the conclusion of the tournament, Dr. Al Kuwari honored the winning teams and presented medals to those who finished in the top positions in recognition of their incredible technical performance throughout the competition.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The event was held as part of the Federation&amp;amp;#39;s sporting events to promote sports participation among military personnel and advance a spirit of competitiveness and collaboration among the various units.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Mon, 19 Oct 2026 14:49:27 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Fundora knocks out Hadribeaj to retain WBC superwelter crown]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/fundora-knocks-out-hadribeaj-to-retain-wbc-superwelter-crown]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Boxing]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Las Vegas: Sebastian Fundora defeated Ermal Hadribeaj with a final-round knockout to retain his World Boxing Council super welterweight crown in Las Vegas on Saturday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The towering 6ft 6in (1.98m) Fundora used his height and reach advantages to dominate his Albanian opponent in an attritional 12-round contest. Fundora sealed victory just before the bell rang at the end of the 12th round, flooring Hadribeaj with a brutal left hand that sent his opponent sprawling.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Earlier, Hadribeaj had made a bright start, connecting with a series of stiff jabs in the opening round to rock Fundora. But Fundora asserted his dominance in the second round, wobbling Hardibeaj with a left hand and forcing the Albanian onto the defensive.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Fundora continued to score regularly and a frustrated Hadribeaj had a point deducted in the third round for excessive holding. A flurry of Fundora uppercuts in the fifth round left the 28-year-old from California in control and he remained comfortably ahead on points over the closing rounds.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Another Hadribeaj point deduction for holding in the 11th round left the challenger needing a stoppage to have any chance of snatching victory. But Hadribeaj&amp;amp;rsquo;s aggressive approach to the 12th round left him open, and Fundora duly pounced to floor his opponent after 2 minutes and 59 seconds of the 12th round.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Fundora improved to 25-1-1 (17 knockouts) while Hadribeaj fell to 23-1-1.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/fundora-knocks-out-hadribeaj-to-retain-wbc-superwelter-crown]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:51:55 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Davidovich Fokina beats rising star Jodar to win Shanghai Masters]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/davidovich-fokina-beats-rising-star-jodar-to-win-shanghai-masters]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Tennis]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Shanghai: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina fought back to beat rising star Rafael Jodar in the final of the Shanghai Masters yesterday to claim the biggest title of his career.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The gutsy world number 26 from Spain outlasted his tiring compatriot 1-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;I don&amp;amp;rsquo;t know what to say, I don&amp;amp;rsquo;t know what I feel. Just like a huge relief,&amp;amp;rdquo; Davidovich Fokina said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It is a first title at the prestigious 1000 level for the 27-year-old, who extended his winning streak in China to 10 matches after claiming victory in Chengdu.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The 20-year-old Jodar, ranked 13 and rising fast, was the youngest man to reach the final in Shanghai.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Despite that he called it &amp;amp;ldquo;another tennis match&amp;amp;rdquo;.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;I just tried to enjoy the moment,&amp;amp;rdquo; he said. &amp;amp;ldquo;I gave everything but it wasn&amp;amp;rsquo;t meant to be today.&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Jodar was ruthless to start with. He reached over his shoulder to save a point before winning it with an overhead smash as he broke for a swift 2-0 lead.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Davidovich Fokina put pressure on his backhand, but Jodar kept calm as his opponent succumbed to a series of errors.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Jodar broke again for 5-1 before closing out the first set after just 27 minutes with an ace. Davidovich Fokina dropped serve to hand Jodar a 3-2 lead in the second set, but finally came up with some answers in the next game, falling on his back to save a point at the net and level at 3-3.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Both men battled to hold serve in a run of intense rallies, with the duo needing to restart a point during the ninth game when a ball rolled onto the court.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Davidovich Fokina was shouting in frustration but saved two break points to go up 6-5 when Jodar returned into the net.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;But the younger Spaniard would not crumble, sending down a dangerous backhand to force a tie-break.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Davidovich Fokina held his nerve in the tie-break to force a decider.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;He was suddenly in control, breaking Jodar&amp;amp;rsquo;s serve in the first game.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Jodar grabbed back a break but the older man led 3-2 when Jodar fired long.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Jodar needed a medical timeout for his right thigh at 4-3 down.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;He buckled in pain during a must-win ninth game, keeping the match alive for a bit longer but needing a trainer for his left thigh when trailing 5-4.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Davidovich Fokina sensed victory and claimed the title on his second championship point.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;This is going to be a memory for the rest of my life,&amp;amp;rdquo; the victor said during the trophy ceremony.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;He also commended his opponent.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;You are 20-years-old but man, you have a future. And you&amp;amp;rsquo;re gonna be here many times.&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:48:01 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Sheikh Joaan attends CANOC General Assembly in Curacao]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/sheikh-joaan-attends-canoc-general-assembly-in-curacao]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Olympics]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) President H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday attended the General Assembly of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC), held in Curacao with the participation of representatives of National Olympic Committees from across the Caribbean.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;H E Sheikh Joaan&amp;amp;rsquo;s participation comes as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen cooperation between the Olympic Council of Asia and CANOC and expand opportunities for partnership between the two organisations, supporting the development of the Olympic Movement in both regions.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The OCA President&amp;amp;#39;s participation also reflects a shared commitment to exchanging expertise and strengthening solidarity among National Olympic Committees in Asia and the Caribbean.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:46:14 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[QOC Secretary General meets Team Qatar delegation at Asian Para Games]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/qoc-secretary-general-meets-team-qatar-delegation-at-asian-para-games]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar Sport]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Secretary General Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain visited Team Qatar&amp;amp;rsquo;s para-athlete delegation at their accommodation during the 5th Asian Para Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which opened in Japan yesterday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Games, which will run until 24 October, feature athletes from 45 countries competing across 18 sports.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;During the visit, the QOC Secretary General met with the athletes, coaches and administrative staff, and was briefed on their preparations for the Games.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                    <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/qoc-secretary-general-meets-team-qatar-delegation-at-asian-para-games]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:44:23 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Doha gears up to host first Youth Games]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/doha-gears-up-to-host-first-youth-games]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar Sport]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Young athletes will compete at the inaugural 2026 Youth Games in Doha from November 18 to 22, as Qatar steps up efforts to identify and develop emerging talent ahead of the 2030 Asian Games. The event will feature participants aged 12 to 17, with competitions in shooting, archery and padel.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Set to be held under the theme &amp;amp;ldquo;Towards a Sporting Generation and a Promising Future&amp;amp;rdquo;, the five-day Games will give participants valuable competitive experience while helping identify athletes who could progress to higher levels.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Director of the 2026 Youth Games Hind Al Ibrahim told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the event would allow young athletes to showcase their abilities in a competitive environment while opening pathways for their sporting development.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;She said outstanding performers would be monitored in coordination with relevant authorities to assess their potential and explore opportunities to integrate them into training programmes and future development plans.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The organising committee is working closely with sports federations and specialised technical committees to evaluate athletes&amp;amp;rsquo; performances, technical abilities and suitability for further development in the three disciplines.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The initiative reflects the Qatar Olympic Committee&amp;amp;rsquo;s commitment to building a sustainable sporting foundation by encouraging youth participation, identifying promising talent and providing opportunities to improve technical and competitive standards.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Ibrahim said Doha&amp;amp;rsquo;s hosting of the 2030 Asian Games added further significance to these efforts, with the aim of preparing a new generation capable of competing at major sporting events.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:43:32 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Al Duhail edge Al Sadd 3-2 in QSL thriller as Al Rayyan extend lead with Al Gharafa draw]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/19/10/2026/al-duhail-edge-al-sadd-3-2-in-qsl-thriller-as-al-rayyan-extend-lead-with-al-gharafa-draw]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Substitute Tahseen Mohammed Jamshid struck in the fourth minute of stoppage time as Al Duhail snatched a dramatic 3-2 victory over arch-rivals Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The defeat left defending champions Al Sadd with a second successive QSL loss after opening their campaign with four straight wins, while Al Rayyan extended their lead at the top to 14 points after being held to a goalless draw by Al Gharafa at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Razvan Lucescu&amp;amp;rsquo;s Al Sadd remained on 12 points from six games, level with Al Arabi and Al Duhail, while Al Shamal were fifth with nine points.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Jean-Charles Castelletto and Sultan Al Brake put Al Duhail two goals ahead inside the opening half-hour, but Al Sadd fought back through Giovani and Yusuf Abdurrisag to level before the break.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Tahseen then settled the contest late, capping a thrilling finish.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Duhail started brightly, with Al Sadd goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham denying Marco Verratti and Almoez Ali early on. Castelletto opened the scoring in the ninth minute, rising highest to meet Bassem Al Rawi&amp;amp;rsquo;s precise corner from close range.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Barsham continued to keep Al Duhail at bay, saving Almoez&amp;amp;rsquo;s effort towards the bottom-left corner, while Krzysztof Piatek fired narrowly wide.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Boubakary Soumare, Assim Madibo and Castelletto kept up the pressure before Al Duhail doubled their lead in the 28th minute. Piatek collected a through ball on the left and cut it back for Al Brake, whose touch was enough to beat Barsham.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Sadd responded, with Salah Zakaria saving Abdurrisag&amp;amp;rsquo;s attempt before Giovani pulled one back in the 32nd minute. The Brazilian finished Roberto Firmino&amp;amp;rsquo;s cutback as the Al Duhail goalkeeper moved to deal with the assist.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;read-also&amp;quot;&amp;gt;
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&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Sadd seized the initiative and drew level in first-half stoppage time, with Abdurrisag firing home from outside the box after another assist from Firmino.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The sides resumed with an open exchange, with Al Duhail creating much of the early pressure.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Tahseen, who came on for Almoez in the 51st minute, tested Barsham from distance before VAR ruled out Castelletto&amp;amp;rsquo;s goal for handball in the 75th minute.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Zakaria then denied Akram Afif as the contest headed towards a dramatic finish.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Duhail piled on the pressure in stoppage time. Barsham saved Castelletto&amp;amp;rsquo;s attempt before Piatek&amp;amp;rsquo;s effort from the rebound took a defender&amp;amp;rsquo;s deflection and struck the left post. Tahseen reacted quickest to the loose ball, slotting home the winner despite a deflection off Boualem Khoukhi.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;We put in a great effort against a tough opponent,&amp;amp;rdquo; Al Duhail&amp;amp;rsquo;s Al Rawi said after the win.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;This was a very important victory for our journey ahead, and now we need to focus on the upcoming matches.&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;img src=&amp;quot;/get/maximage/20261019_1792391868-954.jpeg?1792391868&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width: 100%;&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&amp;lt;span style=&amp;quot;font-size:12px;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;Al Gharafa&amp;amp;#39;s Adam Mohamed Ounas (left) vies for the ball possession with Al Rayyan&amp;amp;#39;s Julien De Sart.&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Meanwhile, Al Rayyan had to settle for a point against Al Gharafa despite creating several chances in their goalless draw.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Roger Guedes struck the crossbar as Al Rayyan looked to take the lead, while Al Gharafa responded with Frank Magri being denied by goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Gregore, Guedes and Julien De Sart made further attempts to put Al Rayyan ahead, but the stalemate persisted at half-time. Al Gharafa goalkeeper Khalifa Ababacar was kept busy after the restart, saving attempts from Diogo Amaro and Ahmed Alaa as Al Rayyan piled on the pressure.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Further efforts from Otavio and Aleksandar Mitrovic were also parried as Al Gharafa held on to rescue a point.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Gharafa moved to five points in 10th place, two clear of Qatar SC and four ahead of bottom side Al Sailiya.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:36:06 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Madueke strikes late as below-par Arsenal sink Forest]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/madueke-strikes-late-as-below-par-arsenal-sink-forest]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Nottingham: Noni Madueke&amp;amp;#39;s late goal sealed Arsenal&amp;amp;#39;s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday as the champions survived a scrappy display to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Mikel Arteta&amp;amp;#39;s side were well below their best at the City Ground and did not register a shot on target until Madueke bagged their winner 10 minutes from full-time.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;While the Gunners earned few style points in the east midlands, they will not be overly concerned after moving with three points of table-toppers City, who beat Ipswich 3-2 on Saturday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;After a shock 3-0 loss at Brighton on September 19, second-placed Arsenal have bounced back with three successive victories.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;They beat Leeds in the Premier League and Lille in the Champions League before their hard-fought success by the banks of the River Trent.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The north Londoners have not been able to recapture the relentless consistency that took them to a first title in 22 years last season.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;But they retain the priceless ability to grind out wins and this was their sixth in seven league matches.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Arsenal head to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday before hosting Everton in the top flight next weekend.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Third-from-bottom Forest have won just twice at home in their last 17 League games, while boss Oliver Glasner has managed only one victory in seven top-flight matches since taking charge in the close season.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Bukayo Saka&amp;amp;#39;s cross forced Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels to claw the ball from under his crossbar, but Arsenal struggled to establish any rhythm in a scrappy opening.&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;
Forest&amp;amp;#39;s Dan Ndoye tested Arsenal keeper David Raya after drifting in at the far post.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In a rare threat from Arteta&amp;amp;#39;s men, Kai Havertz fired into the side-netting from an acute angle after Martin Odegaard&amp;amp;#39;s pass opened up the Forest defence.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Arteta looked increasingly frustrated on the touchline as a turgid half petered out.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Eberechi Eze paid the price for Arsenal&amp;amp;#39;s lethargy as the England forward was replaced by Madueke at the interval.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;There was no immediate improvement from Arsenal despite that change and Forest striker Liam Delap drilled just wide after a rampaging run.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Arsenal were too slow in possession and lacked penetration when they went forward, so Arteta introduced Mikel Merino, Viktor Gyokeres and Jurrien Timber in a bid to spark them into life.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Bruno Guimaraes was one of the Arsenal players sacrified after another underwhelming display from the Brazil midfielder in only his second league start since his summer move from Newcastle.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Gabriel Magalhaes headed over from a Declan Rice corner, while Delap could not muster the accuracy to beat Raya from Xaver Schlager&amp;amp;#39;s pass.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Odegaard picked out Timber&amp;amp;#39;s run and the defender teed up Declan Rice inside the Forest area, but his wasteful shot ballooned over, encapsulating the visitors&amp;amp;#39; impotence.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It was the first time since 2023 that Arsenal had failed to have a shot on target in the first 70 minutes of a Premier League match.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;But they finally made the breakthrough in the 80th minute as Madueke cut in from the left flank and unleashed a powerful drive that took a hefty deflection off Forest&amp;amp;#39;s Jair Cunha as it flashed past Sels.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Murillo was inches away from snatching a late leveller for Forest as the defender&amp;amp;#39;s rocket whistled over.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 21:15:52 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Martinez starts for Man Utd after outburst]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/martinez-starts-for-man-utd-after-outburst]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Leeds, United Kingdom: Lisandro Martinez was named in Manchester United&amp;amp;#39;s starting line-up to face Leeds on Sunday despite his controversial remarks about the struggling club&amp;amp;#39;s hierarchy.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Argentina defender Martinez took aim at United&amp;amp;#39;s powerbrokers following their 2-0 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Martinez claimed United boss Michael Carrick had been left with an under-strength squad.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The centre-back criticised technical director Jason Wilcox, saying he had &amp;amp;quot;100 percent&amp;amp;quot; expected more investment during the summer transfer window after United finished third in the Premier League last season.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It is understood Martinez, who issued an apology on Thursday, has been fined for his outburst.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Carrick confirmed during a pre-match press conference on Friday that Martinez would be in his squad for their Premier League match at bitter rivals Leeds.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;And he was true to his word as Martinez was selected in a United team looking to win for just the third time in 10 games this term.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;United have gone five matches without a victory in all competitions and are languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;A defeat at Leeds would heap more pressure on Carrick ahead of Wednesday&amp;amp;#39;s Champions League trip to Como.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 15:43:24 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Rain delays start of 2nd Test between South Africa and Australia]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/rain-delays-start-of-2nd-test-between-south-africa-and-australia]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Cricket]]>
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                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Gqeberha: Rain delayed the start of play after Australia won the toss and decided to bowl in the second Test against South Africa at St George&amp;amp;#39;s Park on Sunday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Play eventually got under way at noon, two hours after the scheduled start, with 75 overs due to be bowled in the day. South Africa reached 11-0 off 5.3 overs before the rain returned and lunch was taken.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;With overcast conditions and a green-tinged pitch likely to help seam bowling, Australia named an all-pace attack. Scott Boland replaced off-spinner Nathan Lyon in the only change from the team that won the first Test in Durban by 214 runs.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;South Africa made three changes, with fast bowler Kagiso Rabada returning after recovering from a hamstring injury. He replaced left-arm spin bowler Keshav Maharaj.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Batsmen Marques Ackerman and Matthew Breetzke replaced Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne with Ryan Rickelton taking over from Verreynne as wicketkeeper.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The left-handed Ackerman opened the batting with Aiden Markram on his international debut, with Rickelton moving from opener to the middle order.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rain is predicted to be a factor during the first two days but the weather is expected to clear later in the match.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Teams:&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wkt), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), Nic Maddinson, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matt Renshaw, Alex Carey (wkt), Beau Webster, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 14:18:51 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Chelsea keeper Martinez &amp;#039;back in a few weeks&amp;#039; after jaw fracture]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/chelsea-keeper-martinez-back-in-a-few-weeks-after-jaw-fracture]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
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                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;London: Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said he would be fit to return &amp;amp;quot;in a few weeks&amp;amp;quot; following surgery on a fractured jaw sustained during his team&amp;amp;#39;s 2-0 Premier League win at Everton.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Argentina international was taken to hospital after colliding with Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite during the second half of Saturday&amp;amp;#39;s game at Hill Dickinson Stadium.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Martinez, 34, required eight minutes of treatment on the pitch before he was carried off on a stretcher. Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso later said he had suffered a concussion.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;quot;Thanks to everyone for the messages. The operation went well,&amp;amp;quot; Martinez wrote on social media on Sunday alongside a photo of himself in a hospital bed.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;quot;The most important thing is that we won, and kept a clean sheet. We&amp;amp;#39;ll be back in a few weeks.&amp;amp;quot;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Mike Penders is set to deputise in Martinez&amp;amp;#39;s absence. The 21-year-old made his Premier League debut as a substitute against Everton.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;He joined from Belgian club Genk in August 2024 and has spent the past two seasons out on loan, including a spell at Strasbourg last term.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
]]>
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 13:39:12 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Messi brace lifts Inter Miami to 3-1 win in Atlanta]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/messi-brace-lifts-inter-miami-to-3-1-win-in-atlanta]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
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                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Los Angeles, United States: Lionel Messi scored twice in the space of four minutes to lift Inter Miami to a 3-1 victory at Atlanta United on Saturday as the Herons&amp;amp;#39; MLS title defense continued to gain steam with the playoffs approaching.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The 39-year-old superstar tops the Major League Soccer scoring chart with 25 goals, six ahead of Croatian striker Petar Musa of FC Dallas and Philadelphia&amp;amp;#39;s Milan Iloski.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;At the same Atlanta stadium where Messi helped Argentina beat England in the World Cup semi-finals in July, Messi delivered two scintillating goals to secure Miami&amp;amp;#39;s third straight victory.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;German Berterame, who put Miami up 1-0 in the 45th minute, turned provider, finding Messi who weaved through the Atlanta defense to unleash a left footed shot from the center of the box and make it 2-0 in the 56th minute.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Four minutes later Messi struck again, breaking away on a pass from Luis Suarez and getting the better of hapless Junior Alonso to fire past Atlanta keeper Lucas Hoyos.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Messi had helped put Miami on top shortly before halftime, heading the ball to Suarez who shook off his defender in the box and lofted a pass that Berterame nodded home to make it 1-0.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Messi was credited with an assist, that saw him pull level with LAFC&amp;amp;#39;s Son Heung-min atop the assists table. Messi is the first player in MLS history to record at least 15 assists in three straight seasons.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Messi now has four goals in three matches since his emotional Argentina send-off. Miami, who clinched a playoff berth on Wednesday, won their third straight game under Cristian &amp;amp;quot;Kily&amp;amp;quot; Gonzalez, who took over as coach last month.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Fafa Picault converted a penalty in the 89th minute to pull a goal back for Atlanta, but at second-from-bottom in the Eastern Conference Gerardo Martino&amp;amp;#39;s team are running out of time to turn things around in time to reach the playoffs.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;St. Louis streak ends&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Elsewhere, St. Louis City&amp;amp;#39;s MLS record-tying 19-match unbeaten streak ended with a 3-2 loss at Minnesota as Philadelphia&amp;amp;#39;s undefeated run reached 15 matches with a 2-2 draw with Charlotte.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Canadian Marcus Caldeira scored the game winner for Minnesota in the 86th minute after United fell behind early on St. Louis goals by Brazilian forward Rafael Navarro and South Korean winger Jeong Sang-bin.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Aziel Jackson answered for Minnesota in the 49th minute and Kelvin Yeboah netted the equalizer in the 68th.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;St. Louis City, already headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2023, missed the chance to break the MLS unbeaten streak mark it now shares with Columbus, Dallas and Inter Miami.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;City also saw their MLS-record 21-match unbeaten streak across all competitions snapped.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;City had not lost an MLS match since falling 2-0 at Austin on May 3, with 13 victories and six drawn in the run.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Philadelphia had won eight MLS matches in a row before the fightback home draw with Charlotte.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Philadelphia lost 6-4 at Miami on May 24 but since then the Union have won 12 times and drawn three, taking 39 of a possible 45 points since Ryan Richter took over as interim head coach during the league&amp;amp;#39;s World Cup break.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 10:47:10 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar qualify for Tent Pegging World Cup after play-off win]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/qatar-qualify-for-tent-pegging-world-cup-after-play-off-win]]>
                                </link>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
                                </category>
                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Qatar Sport]]>
                                </category>
                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Qatar have qualified for the 2026 Tent Pegging World Cup in Jordan after finishing first in the qualifying play-off tournament hosted by Oman over three days.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Qatar topped the standings with 414.50 points, finishing 1.50 points ahead of runners-up Iraq, while Kuwait placed third.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Nasser Al Hajri won individual gold on the final day, with compatriot Ibrahim Al Hammadi claiming silver.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The World Cup will be held in Jordan from November 11 to 14.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Qatar Equestrian Federation and Modern Pentathlon (QEFMP) President Badr bin Mohammed Al Darwish described the qualification as a historic achievement, reflecting the growth of Qatari equestrian sports and their rising regional and international standing.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;The riders showed great technical ability and high morale, overcoming strong opposition and challenging conditions to finish on top. Their performance reflects the continued development of our sport and the support of the country&amp;amp;rsquo;s leadership and the Qatar Olympic Committee,&amp;amp;rdquo; Al Darwish told QNA.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;He said preparations would intensify ahead of the World Cup, with the team determined to represent Qatar strongly on the international stage.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;QEFMP Secretary-General Sheikh Ahmed bin Noah Al-Thani said the qualification was the result of sustained technical work and careful planning.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;Finishing first in the play-off was no coincidence. It reflects the riders&amp;amp;rsquo; tactical discipline, mental focus and the benefits of intensive training camps and high-level competition,&amp;amp;rdquo; he said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Sheikh Ahmed noted that Qatar&amp;amp;rsquo;s third-place finish in the preceding qualifying stage had secured their place in the play-off.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;He added that preparations would focus on maintaining the fitness and mental readiness of riders and horses, with Qatar aiming to contend for top honours in Jordan.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 10:18:02 +0300]]>
                                </pubDate>

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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[U17 Gulf Cup: Egypt trounce Saudi Arabia]]>
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                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/u17-gulf-cup-egypt-trounce-saudi-arabia]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Egypt opened their campaign in the U17 Gulf Cup Qatar 2026 with a 5-0 victory over Saudi Arabia at Hamad Al Kabeer Stadium yesterday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;After a goalless first half, Mohamed Gamal broke the deadlock in the 54th minute before substitute Ziad Saudi doubled Egypt&amp;amp;rsquo;s lead in the 80th minute.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Ahmed Safwat added a third in the 85th minute, while Khaled Mahmoud scored in the 96th minute and Ahmed Bashir completed the rout in the 98th minute.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Later at Saoud bin Abdulrahman Stadium, Yemen blanked Iraq 2-0.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In the second round of Group B matches on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia will face Yemen at Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium, while Egypt take on Kuwait at Saud Bin Abdulrahman Stadium.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Organised by Qatar&amp;amp;rsquo;s Local Organising Committee in coordination with the Gulf Football Federation, the tournament runs from October 16 to November 4, featuring 10 teams and 23 matches.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 10:16:59 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Haaland stars as City win; Liverpool beat Brentford]]>
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                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/haaland-stars-as-city-win-liverpool-beat-brentford]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;London: Erling Haaland starred with a double as Premier League leaders Manchester City beat Ipswich 3-2, while Liverpool came from behind to seal a 2-1 win at Brentford yesterday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;City are in turmoil off the pitch after being found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League financial rules.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;On the grass they have made a perfect start, with seven successive league victories marking their best opening to a Premier League season.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;City, who are appealing against the guilty verdict after branding it a &amp;amp;ldquo;Premier League conspiracy&amp;amp;rdquo;, sit six points clear of champions Arsenal.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Second-placed Arsenal can close the gap with a win at Nottingham Forest today.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Phil Foden put Maresca&amp;amp;rsquo;s men ahead in the 19th minute with a sharp turn and finish after Jeremy Doku&amp;amp;rsquo;s incisive run prised open the Ipswich defence.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Foden&amp;amp;rsquo;s first goal this season was followed by an Ipswich equaliser in the 21st minute when Daizen Maeda evaded Marc Guehi to fire home.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Haaland restored City&amp;amp;rsquo;s lead in the 34th minute with a pin-point header from Mateo Kovacic&amp;amp;rsquo;s cross.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Haaland killed off Ipswich in the 69th minute, sprinting onto Iliman Ndiaye&amp;amp;rsquo;s pass and steering his shot past Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Zian Flemming&amp;amp;rsquo;s 90th-minute penalty, awarded for a foul by Guehi, set up a tense finale but City held on.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Liverpool revival&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In west London, Liverpool were stunned when Brentford defender Keane Lewis-Potter looped a header past Alisson Becker from Igor Thiago&amp;amp;rsquo;s cross in the 44th minute.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;But the Bees were reduced to 10 men in first half stoppage-time after Yehor Yarmolyuk&amp;amp;rsquo;s head made contact with Jeremy Jacquet&amp;amp;rsquo;s face while they waited for a corner.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Liverpool lost Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong to injuries, but still made their numerical advantage count in the 62nd minute.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Victor Munoz cut inside and slotted a composed equaliser past Brentford&amp;amp;rsquo;s former Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Alexander Isak blasted Liverpool&amp;amp;rsquo;s winner in the 70th minute after Barcola teed up the Sweden striker for his fifth goal this term.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pedro Neto&amp;amp;rsquo;s double condemned Everton to a first defeat of the season as fourth-placed Chelsea won 2-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium despite the loss of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to a head injury.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:45:05 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[Al Shamal held by Lusail on Mahrez&amp;rsquo;s debut; Joselu earns Al Sailiya first point]]>
                                </title>
                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/al-shamal-held-by-lusail-on-mahrezs-debut-joselu-earns-al-sailiya-first-point]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Football]]>
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                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Doha, Qatar: Lusail continued their promising debut season in the Qatar Stars League with a goalless draw against Al Shamal at Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday, while Joselu scored a stoppage-time equaliser to earn Al Sailiya their first point of the season in a thrilling 2-2 draw against Qatar SC.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Shamal&amp;amp;rsquo;s new signing Riyad Mahrez was presented to the fans before the match, with the Algerian star starting on the bench before coming on in the 64th minute.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Shamal started brightly, with Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan forcing an early save in the second minute before Muwafaq Awad shot wide in the 19th. Lusail responded through Hamed Reda, whose effort from Rodrigo Moreno&amp;amp;rsquo;s pass was brilliantly saved by Al Shamal goalkeeper Babacar Seck.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Awad tested Lusail&amp;amp;rsquo;s goalkeeper again after the break, while Mahrez set up Wesley Saeed for an opportunity that Fahad Waad failed to convert in the 72nd minute.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Shamal moved to nine points in fifth place, with Lusail on six points in ninth.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Earlier, at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, Qatar SC looked set for victory after Niall Mason headed home Said Mohamed Brahmi&amp;amp;rsquo;s free-kick in the 34th minute before Joao Pedro doubled the lead with a superb set-piece strike from 10 yards outside the box.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Younes Belhanda pulled one back for Al Sailiya with a free-kick in the 82nd minute before Joselu, who joined from&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;
Al Gharafa last week, struck from close range in the fifth minute of stoppage time after Qatar SC goalkeeper Ali Nader failed to deal with a free-kick from the left.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The draw gave bottom-placed Al Sailiya their first point after five successive defeats. Qatar SC moved to three points in 11th place, one behind&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;
Al Gharafa.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Al Sadd, Al Rayyan in race for top spot&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Sadd and Al Rayyan face crucial tests today as the race for the summit intensifies, with the defending champions taking on Al Duhail in one of the league&amp;amp;rsquo;s most anticipated fixtures and leaders Al Rayyan visiting Al Gharafa.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Rayyan lead the standings with 13 points, one ahead of&amp;amp;nbsp;Al Sadd, who slipped to second after their 3-2 defeat to Al Arabi ended their winning streak.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Sadd will aim to return to winning ways and reclaim top spot, while Al Rayyan look to consolidate their lead with another victory.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Sadd&amp;amp;rsquo;s clash with Al Duhail at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium promises to be a fiercely contested clash.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;It will be a very tough game between two good teams, and I expect an exciting and entertaining match,&amp;amp;rdquo; Al Sadd coach Razvan Lucescu said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;We must give everything to win and return to winning ways. Full concentration, fighting for every ball and being clinical in front of goal will be crucial.&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Duhail, third with nine points, head into the match after a 4-0 win over Al Shamal and will look to close the gap on the leaders.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi said his team&amp;amp;rsquo;s recent results had restored confidence but stressed the need to remain focused against a strong opponent.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;The match against Al Sadd is a derby that is always intense and highly competitive,&amp;amp;rdquo; he said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;Our recent positive results have boosted the players&amp;amp;rsquo; confidence, but we must maintain our focus against a strong side like Al Sadd.&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Rayyan, meanwhile, face an important challenge against Al Gharafa, who sit 10th with four points and are desperate to revive their campaign.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;Tomorrow&amp;amp;rsquo;s match will be very difficult. We know Al Gharafa are a very good team, but we want to win again,&amp;amp;rdquo;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Rayyan coach Vicente Moreno said ahead of the match at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins acknowledged Al Rayyan&amp;amp;rsquo;s strength but backed his players to respond.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;Al Rayyan have started the season very well and have a balanced squad. These matches are often decided by small details, so we must avoid mistakes and make the most of our strengths,&amp;amp;rdquo; he said.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:39:22 +0300]]>
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                                <title>
                                        <![CDATA[England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka build up for World Cup with tri-series]]>
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                                <link>
                                <![CDATA[https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/18/10/2026/england-pakistan-and-sri-lanka-build-up-for-world-cup-with-tri-series]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Sports]]>
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                                <category>
                                        <![CDATA[Cricket]]>
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                                <content:encoded>
                                        <![CDATA[&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rawalpindi: England, Sri Lanka and hosts Pakistan meet in a one-day international tri-series starting in Rawalpindi from today as they build up to next year&amp;amp;rsquo;s 50-over World Cup.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;With the global tournament -- co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia -- a little under a year away, Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi described the series as vital.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;amp;ldquo;It will be important we do well as the focus will be on the World Cup and we need to get good preparations,&amp;amp;rdquo; Shaheen said ahead of his team&amp;amp;rsquo;s opener, against Sri Lanka on Sunday. While all three sides are former World Cup champions, their recent results are less encouraging. Pakistan, champions in 1992, have not qualified for the ODI World Cup semi-finals since 2011 and finished fifth at the last World Cup in India three years ago.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;England won the title at home in 2019 but fared miserably in 2023, coming seventh.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The 1996 champions Sri Lanka were no better. Pakistan will see the return of ace batsman Babar Azam after he was not selected for the Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka which finished last week with Pakistan winning 2-1.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;England skipper Harry Brook said: &amp;amp;ldquo;It&amp;amp;rsquo;s a great opportunity against two very strong sides and will hold us in good stead, and if we play the final it will show us where we stand,&amp;amp;rdquo; said Brook, whose team meet Pakistan on Tuesday.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;All teams play each other twice before the top two clash in the October 31 final in Lahore. England are without star batter Jos Buttler (injured) and fast bowler Jofra Archer (rested). But they are on the back of three successive ODI series wins -- two against Sri Lanka and one over India&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;
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                                <pubDate>
                                    <![CDATA[Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:37:37 +0300]]>
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