Gulf Times Sport
Qatar eye win over Canada to boost knockout hopes
Qatar face a stern test against co-hosts Canada in their Group B World Cup clash in Vancouver on Thursday (Friday 1am Qatar time), but the twotime Asian champions are well prepared and determined to build on their opening result. Both teams opened...
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Draw against Switzerland has fuelled Qatar’s belief: Almoez
Qatar’s all-time leading scorer Almoez Ali believes the dramatic draw against Switzerland has given the Asian champions renewed belief that they can compete with the world’s best as they prepare for a crucial World Cup clash against co-hosts Canada in...
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We never stopped believing: Khoukhi after historic point
For 93 minutes, Qatar’s World Cup campaign seemed destined for another painful ending. Then Boualem Khoukhi rose above the Switzerland defence and changed history. The veteran defender may not have been credited with the goal, but his towering leap...
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We have the right to dream: Lopetegui after crucial draw
From the brink of defeat to a moment that could redefine their World Cup journey, Qatar refused to let their dream die. A dramatic stoppage-time equaliser on Saturday in Santa Clara secured a historic 1-1 draw against Switzerland, earning the Asian...
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Khoukhi’s header helps Qatar grab first World Cup point
Qatar celebrated their first World Cup point in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland as captain Boualem Khoukhi headed in a stoppage-time equaliser to send the Gulf nation into jubilation yesterday. Khoukhi rose highest to thump in Homam Ahmed’s cross on 94...
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Mexico get World Cup party started with emphatic win
Mexico got the World Cup party started as the co-hosts swept away South Africa 2-0 yesterday in an encounter with three red cards as the quadrennial football extravaganza got underway at the Azteca stadium. Julian Quinones’s early strike set the tone...
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Give Brazil the respect we deserve: Guimaraes
Brazil midfielder Bruno Guimaraes insisted his team should get “the respect they deserve” as they get ready to kick off their bid to win a record-extending sixth World Cup. The Selecao won the last of their five titles in 2002 and have gone out in the...
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Pressure builds on Lopetegui as Qatar face daunting task
Coach Julen Lopetegui was left with plenty to reflect on after Qatar were held to a goalless draw by El Salvador in their final friendly before facing Switzerland in their World Cup opener on Saturday, June 13 in San Francisco. Qatar, ranked 57th in...
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Qatar face challenging but balanced test at World Cup
Four years ago, Qatar entered the FIFA World Cup carrying the weight of a nation and the expectations that accompanied more than a decade of investment in football. Instead of a fairy-tale home tournament, they endured a harsh reality check, becoming...
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Veteran al-Haydos embraces leadership role with Qatar
It is far from certain that Hassan al-Haydos will start for Qatar at the FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11. At 35, the veteran forward is more likely to be called upon from the bench, introduced in the closing stages to provide experience and...
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Lopetegui urges Qatar to turn dream into something special
When Julen Lopetegui speaks of “a dream that has become a reality”, the Qatar coach is referring not only to his players but also to himself. The 59-year-old arrived in Qatar with an impressive managerial pedigree, having coached Spain, Real Madrid,...
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Qatar unveil final World Cup squad, begin training in US
Qatar yesterday unveiled their final 26-player squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as coach Julen Lopetegui confirmed the players entrusted with carrying the nation’s ambitions onto football’s grandest stage in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The...
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PSG celebrate Champions League triumph in Paris
The French capital laid on a hero’s welcome yesterday for Paris Saint-Germain players to mark their second straight Champions League title, amid bitter recriminations after hundreds of people were arrested and dozens of police hurt in a night of unrest...
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PSG forge modern dynasty with shootout triumph
Paris St Germain held their nerve in a cagey Champions League final to retain the title by beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties as yesterday’s nail-biting showdown ended 1-1 after extra time, cementing the French side’s status among Europe’s modern...
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Arsenal one win from history as PSG stand in their way
Arsenal’s long road back to Europe’s top table reaches its defining night tomorrow as they face Paris St Germain in the Champions League final, chasing a first crown that would seal the renaissance engineered by Mikel Arteta. The London club held off...
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Miserly Arsenal face PSG firepower in style clash
Arsenal’s immovable object meets the unstoppable force of Paris SaintGermain in Saturday’s Champions League final offering a pronounced clash of styles. Holders PSG’s flowing attack is arguably the continent’s most exhilarating, while Mikel Arteta’s...
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Lopetegui trims Qatar squad to 28 for Ireland friendly
Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui has named a 28-player squad for Al Annabi’s upcoming friendly against Ireland on May 28 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, as preparations intensify for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The squad, announced yesterday, has been trimmed...
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Pedro says ‘experienced’ Qatar eye knockout spot
Experienced defender Pedro Miguel yesterday said Qatar will aim to reach the second round when they arrive in the US for their opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Two-time Asian champions, Qatar will land in the United States after playing an...
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Qatar archers hit gold as hosts extend medal tally
Qatar’s archers delivered an outstanding performance on the penultimate day of the 4th GCC Games – Doha 2026, claiming three gold medals while the karatekas added another gold as the hosts picked up a further 11 medals yesterday strengthening the host...
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Al-Obaidli wins gold medal in 15-red snooker singles
Team Qatar player Ali alObaidli won the gold medal in the 15-red snooker singles competition at the 4th GCC Games Doha 2026. Al-Obaidli secured the gold medal after defeating Saudi Arabia’s Ziyad al-Qabbani 3-0 in the final. Earlier, he defeated...
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Qatar excels in athletics with 34-medal finish
Team Qatar athletics concluded their participation at the 4th GCC Games Doha 2026 with an impressive medal haul that strengthened their lead in the overall standings, after raising their tally to 34 medals, including 12 gold, 13 silver, and 9 bronze...
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Qatar continues dominance as medal tally reaches 96
Qatar shooting continued its impressive performances and maintained complete dominance at the GCC Games competitions, as Team Qatar’s male and female shooters captured more gold medals to further strengthen the nation’s tally at the Games. The Team...
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Qatar secure 10 more golds to continue medal surge
Qatar’s gold rush continued at full throttle as the hosts collected 10 more gold medals yesterday, powered by three from swimming and five from the athletics contingent, keeping them comfortably on top of the standings at the GCC Games Doha...
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Hosts Qatar sweep swimming golds
Qatar’s swimmers continued their dominant run at the 4th GCC Games Doha 2026, winning five gold medals and adding another silver and bronze at the Hamad Aquatics Centre yesterday. Saadeddin led another strong outing for the hosts after claiming gold in...
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Qatar swimmers make splash with three golds at GCC Games
Qatar’s swimmers delivered an impressive performance on the opening day of the 4th GCC Games Doha 2026, winning three gold medals and two silvers at the Hamad Aquatic Centre yesterday. Hosts won 10 medals, including four silver and three bronze, on the...
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GCC Games Doha open with focus on Gulf unity and youth
The 4th GCC Games Doha 2026 opened in spectacular fashion at Al Shaqab Indoor Arena yesterday, with a vibrant ceremony celebrating Gulf unity and highlighting the multievent’s role as a platform for the region’s young athletes to showcase their...
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Doha ready to stage 4th GCC Games as curtain rises today
The 4th GCC Games Doha 2026 will officially open today at Al Shaqab Arena, marking the start of one of the region’s biggest multi-sport events, which will run until May 22. The opening ceremony is expected to bring together presidents of National...
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Al Gharafa beat Al Sadd, defend Amir Cup title
Captain Yacine Brahimi produced a performance of a lifetime yesterday as defending champions Al Gharafa beat Al Sadd 4-1 to win the Amir Cup. Algerian winger Brahimi scored a hattrick (27, 63 and 90 +1) as Al Gharafa delivered a commanding show to win...
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GCC Games set for grand start as schedule declared
The Organising Committee of the 4th GCC Games – Doha 2026 has officially approved the competition schedule for the regional multi-sport event, which will begin on May 11 with the participation of national teams from all six Gulf Cooperation Council...
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Holders PSG edge Bayern to set final date with Arsenal
Holders Paris Saint-Germain set up a Champions League final against Arsenal after a 1-1 second-leg draw at Bayern Munich secured a 6-5 aggregate victory yesterday. PSG exploded on the counter less than three minutes in and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane...
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Sadd cruise past Duhail to set up final against Gharafa
Al Sadd stormed into the Amir Cup final with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Al Duhail in a high-intensity semi-final clash at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium last night. Goals from Akram Afif and Rafa Mujica handed Al Sadd a comfortable two-goal lead at the break,...
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Holders Gharafa target final as Sadd face Duhail in titans clash
Al Gharafa are determined to retain the Amir Cup, with their immediate focus on securing a place in the final, head coach Pedro Martins said yesterday. The defending champions, who finished fourth in the recently concluded Qatar Stars League (QSL),...
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Mascot ‘Washeq’ unveiled as GCC Games near kickoff
Qatar has unveiled the official mascot, “Washeq”, as it confirmed full readiness to host the 4th GCC Games – Doha 2026, with all preparations completed ahead of the event scheduled from May 11 to 22. The announcement was made yesterday during a press...
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Arsenal breeze past Fulham to open 6-point gap over City
Arsenal threw down the gauntlet to Manchester City in the Premier League title race with a 3-0 home cruise against Fulham yesterday putting them six points clear at the top. Viktor Gyokeres scored twice in the first half at The Emirates to put his...
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Heavyweights gear up for quarter-final showdowns
Defending champions Al Gharafa will begin their Amir Cup title defence today with a quarter-final clash against the recently-relegated Qatar Stars League (QSL) side Umm Salal at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium at 8pm. Despite a promising start to the...
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Qatar ends campaign with two gold and one silver
Qatari teams wrapped up their campaign at the Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026 in style, finishing with an impressive haul of two gold medals in 3x3 basketball and beach volleyball, along with a silver in beach handball, further cementing their status as...
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Holders PSG edge Bayern in 9-goal semi-final epic
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele scored twice each as Paris Saint-Germain beat Bayern Munich 5-4 in an epic first leg of their Champions League semi-final yesterday, an extraordinary encounter becoming the highest-scoring match ever at this...
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AL SADD RETAIN QSL TITLE
Defending champions Al Sadd beat a dogged Al Shamal 3-2 yesterday to retain the Qatar Stars League (QSL) crown. Playing in front of a partisan crowd of 12,324 fans, captain Akram Afif and his powerful side dominated proceedings in both halves to clinch...
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Qatar handball team in semi, Younousse-Tijan advance
Qatar’s beach handball team has qualified for the semi-finals of the 2026 Asian Beach Games in Sanya after defeating Thailand 2-0 (26-20, 22-20) yesterday. The win secured Qatar top spot in Group B with 12 points, following a close contest between the...
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All-Qatari beach volleyball clash seals quarters spot
After impressive group-stage performances, the country’s two men’s teams will meet in an allQatari round of 16 clash in the beach volleyball competition at the Asian Beach Games - Sanya 2026 today. The first team of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan...
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Qatar handball team extend winning streak in Sanya
Qatar’s beach handball team continued its strong run at the Asian Beach Games - Sanya 2026, securing two convincing victories yesterday against Bangladesh and Mongolia, both with identical 2-0 scorelines in the group stage. The team delivered dominant...
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Qatar handball team begin title defence with double win
Qatar’s beach handball team began their campaign at the 6th Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026 with two well-deserved victories over Pakistan and Oman in the opening matches of the men’s competition, which got underway yesterday. President of the Olympic...
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Ahli will be ready to face Ronaldo’s Nassr, says Draxler
Julian Draxler is relishing the prospect of facing Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr Club after helping Qatari side Al Ahli defeat Al Hussein 3-1 on Sunday to reach the AFC Champions League Two West Zone semifinal. The playmaker created the opening goal for...
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Advantage Man City after crucial win over Arsenal
Manchester City beat stumbling Arsenal 2-1 to take charge of the Premier League title race as Liverpool strengthened their push for a Champions League place. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have been in pole position for months but are wobbling at the worst...
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Brighton’s Rutter denies Tottenham crucial victory
Tottenham remain in the Premier League relegation zone after Georginio Rutter’s stoppage-time equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Brighton, while Leeds beat Wolves 3-0 to pull clear of the bottom three. Spurs were headed for their first win in 15 league...
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Arteta tells spluttering Arsenal to embrace title pressure
Mikel Arteta has urged spluttering Arsenal to embrace the “huge privilege” of facing Manchester City in a potentially decisive showdown in the Premier League title race. Arteta’s side are six points clear of second-placed City ahead of their...
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Vissel Kobe edge Sadd in thriller to enter semis
Vissel Kobe booked their place in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite Finals with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out win over Qatar’s Al Sadd after a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. Substitute Jean...
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Bayern late show sinks Real Madrid
Late goals from Luis Diaz and Michael Olise earned Bayern Munich a 4-3 win over Real Madrid last night, securing a 6-4 aggregate victory and sending them through to face holders Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. The tie was level at the break...
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Dembele double at Liverpool fires PSG into semi-finals
Ousmane Dembele’s double guided Paris Saint-Germain into the Champions League semi-finals as a 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield last night completed a 4-0 aggregate win for the holders. To compound the English champions’ woes, Hugo Ekitike suffered a...
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Sadd edge Hilal to enter quarters
Qatar’s Al Sadd advanced to the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite with a 4-2 win on penalties after their Round of 16 tie against Al Hilal ended 3-3 after extra-time last night. Al Sadd amazingly came from behind three times at Prince...
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City rout Chelsea to close gap on leaders Arsenal
Tottenham’s Premier League plight deepened with a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland yesterday in Roberto De Zerbi’s first match in charge as Manchester City smashed Chelsea to pile the pressure on leaders Arsenal. Spurs brought in the former Brighton and...
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Arsenal suffer huge title blow as Liverpool earn vital win
Arsenal’s shock 2-1 defeat by Bournemouth yesterday blew the Premier League title race wide open as Liverpool beat Fulham to boost their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League. The Gunners could have opened up a 12-point lead at the...
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Slot admits Liverpool in ‘survival mode’
Liverpool coach Arne Slot admitted his team were well beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg as he defended his decision to play with three central defenders and insisted the Reds still had hope going into...
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Dominant PSG beat Liverpool to seize advantage
Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored the goals to give a dominant Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 win over Liverpool in their Champions League quarter-final first leg last night, as the holders seized a clear advantage to take to Anfield for next...
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Havertz’s late strike against Sporting gives Arsenal win
Kai Havertz snatched a last-gasp winner as Arsenal bounced back from their domestic distress to steal a 1-0 victory at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-final first leg yesterday. Mikel Arteta’s side arrived at the Jose Alvalade Stadium...
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Mbappe ready for Real’s clash against Bayern: Arbeloa
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Kylian Mbappe joined the club to star in key matches like today’s Champions League clash against German giants Bayern Munich. Arbeloa said Mbappe was a vital part of the team, although questions remain over whether...
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Vanderveen claims CSI5* Grand Prix of QEF Cup
Kristen Vanderveen made it a memorable first in Doha for herself and her horses yesterday as she topped the CSI5* Grand Prix - Jump-Off - 1.60m concluding class of the Qatar Equestrian Federation Cup as the Doha Equestrian Tour 2026 came to a...
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Shamal close gap on Sadd after leaders held by Rayyan
Al Shamal boosted their chances of winning the Qatar Stars League title for the first time in their history with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Umm Salal at Al Bayt Stadium yesterday, while leaders Al Sadd were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Rayyan in the...
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Sadd seek response against Rayyan as title race intensifies
Defending champions Al Sadd will look to tighten their grip on the summit and respond to recent setbacks when they take on Al Rayyan in the standout fixture of Week 20 of the Qatar Stars League this weekend. Al Sadd, who lead the standings with 38...
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Iraq plot ‘shock’ as famous win seals World Cup return
Coach Graham Arnold challenged his players to “shock the world” after Iraq became the 48th and final team to qualify for the World Cup with a nerve-shredding 2-1 win over Bolivia in an intercontinental playoff in Mexico on Tuesday. Iraq, whose...
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Italy miss out on World Cup as Bosnia qualify
Bosnia and Hercegovina stunned Italy in a penalty shoot-out last night to qualify for the 2026 World Cup at the expense of the fourtime champions, who have not been back to the tournament since 2014. Bosnia won 4-1 on penalties after their play-off...
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Gattuso backs Italy against Bosnia in play-off
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso dismissed concerns over pitch conditions and the atmosphere his side would face in Bosnia for their World Cup play-off final, saying he had never conceded a goal to a fan. Gattuso carries the weight of Italian football on...
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Cherif flies to 5-star Grand Prix win, secures Al Shaqab Cup
Qatar-based French rider Cyrine Cherif claimed victory in the prestigious CSI5* Grand Prix Two Rounds with Jump Off 1.60m event, clinching the Al Shaqab Cup yesterday. Riding the 10-year-old bay gelding Triple T Calamando Blue at Longines Outdoor...
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Vanderveen claims CSI3* 1.50m title at Al Shaqab Cup
America’s Kristen Vanderveen continued her fine run in Doha, claiming the CSI3* 1.50m Faults & Time title on the penultimate day of the Al Shaqab Cup yesterday. Riding Bull Run’s Mary, she completed the course in 63.31 seconds for an emphatic victory....
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