Sports world

Ivory Coast and Cameroon achieve comeback victories at the Africa Cup.Sudan progresses despite suffering a defeat and facing conflict at home. Bazoumana Touré netted a goal during stoppage time, enabling the defending champions Ivory Coast to overcome a two-goal deficit and secure a 3-2 victory against Gabon on Wednesday in the Africa Cup of Nations, which is now advancing to the knockout phase. Christopher Opéri delivered a cross that allowed Touré to head in the decisive goal, as Les Éléphants executed a remarkable comeback to finish at the top of Group F, narrowly ahead of Cameroon due to a superior goal tally compared to the Indomitable Lions. Opéri was also instrumental in setting up Evann Guessand for the equalizing goal in the 84th minute. Both late goals were scored by substitutes, as coach Emerse Faé was compelled to make adjustments in response to Gabon’s initial dominance. The Panthers took an early lead with goals from Guélor Kanga and Denis Bouanga, before Jean-Philippe Kr...

The Serie A title competition begins the New Year with five teams contending. The New Year begins with a mere four points distinguishing the top five teams in the Serie A standings, where Inter Milan, AC Milan, Napoli, AS Roma, and Juventus all possess a legitimate chance at claiming the title. Inter currently occupies the top position following a successful four-match winning streak, and on Sunday, they will host Bologna, who recently thwarted their aspirations for the Italian Super Cup with a semi-final victory on penalties. Bologna has experienced a downturn in league performance, failing to secure a win in their last four matches, which has caused them to drop to seventh place, now ten points behind Inter, who are still missing the injured Denzel Dumfries, Francesco Acerbi, and Ange-Yoan Bonny. Inter leads the league in scoring, having netted 35 goals in 16 games, and this season's top scorer in Serie A, Lautaro Martinez, with nine goals, will spearhead the attack at the San Si...

Morocco and South Africa, as hosts, advance to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup, while Salah takes a break. The host nation, Morocco, along with South Africa, progressed to the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, coinciding with Egypt's star player, Mohamed Salah, receiving a rest as his team had already secured advancement. Morocco confirmed its position in the last 16 by decisively defeating Zambia with a score of 3-0. The hosts emerged as the leaders of Group A, maintaining their trajectory to ensure that all their knockout matches will be held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, which has a capacity of nearly 70,000 and will also host the final on January 18. Celebrations ensued for other teams as well. The outcomes in Group A, where Comoros finished in third place with two points, and Group B, where Angola similarly placed, triggered festivities elsewhere. This is due to the fact that teams accumulating more than two points and already guaran...

Moroccan supporters express their discontent as empty seats are observed in sold-out stadiums during the Africa Cup. Empty seats in sold-out stadiums. Prices on the black market are exorbitant. Moroccan soccer enthusiasts, particularly, are expressing their frustration during the Africa Cup of Nations as many are unable to secure tickets for their own team's matches. Morocco and its neighboring country, Algeria, were the only teams whose group-stage tickets completely sold out. However, once again on Friday, there were vacant seats during the host nation's match against Mali at the nearly 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. "I attempted to access the (ticketing) website early, but regrettably, many individuals logged in simultaneously, and I was unable to secure a spot. It was entirely booked," stated Morocco supporter Amin Mazraoui, who was waiting outside the stadium prior to kickoff. Another fan, Hicham, encountered a similar situation, trying ...

England will field in the fourth Ashes test, while Australia has selected Richardson. England won the toss and chose to field first in the fourth Ashes test against Australia in Melbourne on Friday. Australia currently leads the five-test series 3-0 following victories in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. * Australia has included fast bowler Jhye Richardson in the XI for his first test appearance since the 2021/22 Ashes. He joins Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, and Michael Neser in a pace-heavy attack. * All-rounder Cameron Green has been moved down to number seven in the batting order, while wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has been left out of the XI. * Steve Smith will captain Australia upon his return after experiencing vertigo symptoms. Regular captain Pat Cummins has been ruled out for the remainder of the series to safeguard his recovering lower back. * Jacob Bethell is set to make his Ashes debut at number three for England, taking the place of the dropped Ollie Pope.

Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff spearhead the United States' defense of the United Cup. Third-ranked Coco Gauff and sixth-ranked Taylor Fritz will join forces once more as the United States seeks to defend its title at the United Cup next week in Australia. The only event combining ATP and WTA teams will commence the 2026 tennis season, starting on January 2 in Perth and Sydney. This tournament will provide several of the world's leading players with preparatory matches ahead of the year's first major, the Australian Open, which is set to begin on January 18 in Melbourne. Eighteen teams, each consisting of one ATP player and one WTA player, will vie for the championship. The teams are organized into six pools of three, competing in a round-robin format. The top team from each pool, along with the best runner-up, will progress to the quarterfinals. The semifinals and finals are scheduled to occur in Sydney on January 10 and 11. All matches will be played on hard courts. Each mat...

Archer injury blow as England omit Pope for Boxing Day Test A side strain has concluded England fast bowler Jofra Archer's Ashes campaign on Wednesday, while the struggling tourists have dropped batter Ollie Pope for the fourth test against Australia. Surrey seamer Gus Atkinson will take Archer's place in an England team that is currently down 3-0 in the five-test series, aiming to salvage some pride in Melbourne and Sydney. "Warwickshire’s Jacob Bethell joins the squad and will bat at number three," the touring side announced in a statement prior to the Boxing Day test. Archer has arguably been England's standout player on this tour, claiming nine wickets, including a five-wicket haul in Adelaide, and contributing valuable lower-order runs, including a maiden fifty in the same match. This injury raises concerns about Archer's availability for the Twenty20 World Cup scheduled for February-March. "The effort he has put in over these three games has been ex...

Chelsea handed timely boost with Delap and Estêvão back for Villa test. Chelsea will receive a timely boost ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with high-flying Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, with Liam Delap and Estêvão both set to return. Delap had been sidelined with a shoulder injury sustained in the Dec. 6 draw against Bournemouth, with initial concerns suggesting a longer absence for the striker. However, he is now back in contention. Estêvão also strengthens Enzo Maresca’s options after missing recent matches, having last featured as a late substitute in the Dec. 13 victory over Everton. “Estêvão is available for Saturday and also Liam Delap,” Maresca said on Wednesday. “We didn’t know exactly how long Liam needed to be out, so we’re very happy to have both back.” Chelsea currently sit fourth in the table, seven points behind third-placed Villa. Unai Emery’s side arrive in strong form after a 2-1 win over Manchester United on Sunday, extending their winning run to 10 ma...

England is at 59-3 at lunch during the third Ashes test, while Australia has scored 371. England found themselves at 59 for three at lunch on the second day of the third Ashes test at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, responding to Australia's first innings total of 371. The team experienced a batting collapse, losing three wickets for just five runs after openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had established a partnership of 37 runs during a morning characterized by intense heat. Joe Root remained not out on 11, while Harry Brook contributed six runs. In his second over, Australia captain Pat Cummins made the initial breakthrough, having Crawley caught behind for nine as the fast bowler returned from a back injury. Recalled spinner Nathan Lyon then dismissed Ollie Pope for three, with the number three batsman flicking a delivery off his pads to Josh Inglis at mid-wicket. Lyon subsequently bowled Duckett for 29, successfully beating the opener's outside edge with a delivery that gripp...

Cherki showcases Haaland's celebrations following a spectacular goal in Manchester City's victory in the English League Cup. Rayan Cherki emulated teammate Erling Haaland’s goal celebrations after executing a stunning shot into the top corner during Manchester City’s 2-0 victory over Brentford in the English League Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday. The French playmaker showcased some robotic dance moves and subsequently sat down in a cross-legged yoga position after giving a significantly altered City team a lead in the 32nd minute. With his impressive tricks, skills, and remarkable technique, Cherki is quickly becoming a fan favorite in his inaugural season in Manchester following his transfer from Lyon. In a recent match against Sunderland, he delivered a ‘rabona’ cross that was converted by Phil Foden, prompting City manager Pep Guardiola to encourage Cherki to adopt a more straightforward style of play akin to that of Lionel Messi. The goal scored against Brentford was one th...

Mbappé makes a scoring comeback following his injury as Madrid triumphs over Alaves, providing a boost for Alonso. Kylian Mbappé made a successful return from injury on Sunday, scoring and helping Real Madrid secure a 2-1 victory against Alaves in the Spanish league, thereby alleviating some of the pressure on coach Xabi Alonso. Rodrygo also found the net as Madrid closed the gap to four points behind league leaders Barcelona, who triumphed over Osasuna 2-0 on Saturday. Having won only two of their last eight matches across all competitions, Madrid was coming off a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League, which had led to discontent among fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. “We are united in this, and we continue to fight through both good and challenging times,” Alonso stated. “The team performed admirably today. We started strong and secured the three points. It is essential to remain united, as it is the only way to maintain strength and improve c...

Legendary John Cena Retires from Professional Wrestling A chapter in the world of wrestling has come to a close. Yesterday, the renowned wrestler John Cena participated in the final match of his career. Unfortunately, he was unable to conclude his farewell with a victory. Nevertheless, it is not the outcome of the farewell match that matters, but rather the legacy of Cena, a legend in wrestling history, who has firmly established himself in the hearts of fans. His farewell match was titled 'The Last Time is Now'. His opponent in this final bout was the former world heavyweight champion, Gunther. Following the match, Cena was overwhelmed by the affection of the audience as he exited the arena. The 48-year-old wrestler became emotional while leaving the ring. After spending some time in the ring, he blew kisses to the fans who attended the event at the Capital One Arena in the United States and acknowledged them with a bow and salute. Before departing, he left his shoes and a bra...

Mohamed Salah returns as Liverpool defeat Brighton, while Arsenal rely on two own goals to overcome Wolves. The initial phase of Mohamed Salah's recovery at Liverpool has concluded, as the Egyptian forward rejoined the team for their 2-0 victory against Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday. The pressing question now, as Salah departs for the Africa Cup of Nations, is whether he has a future at Anfield upon his return. Salah, who expressed his frustrations regarding his current situation at Liverpool last weekend, came on as a substitute in the 26th minute to a warm reception and assisted in the second goal scored by Hugo Ekitike, helping the defending champions rise to sixth place and extend their unbeaten streak to five matches across all competitions. "For me, there is no issue to resolve," stated Liverpool manager Arne Slot regarding the current circumstances of his star player at the club. Arsenal is striving to claim Liverpool's title and has established a ...