Sports
Lewandowski Scores First World Cup Goal As Poland Beat Saudi Arabia
Robert Lewandowski scored the first World Cup goal of his prolific career on Saturday when he netted in Poland’s 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia, bursting their bubble following the team’s giant-killing act against Argentina.
Barcelona forward Lewandowski made sure Poland took a big step towards the last 16 in Qatar when he rolled home in the 82nd minute after being gifted the ball by Abdulelah Al-Malki.
However, it was a battle for Czeslaw Michniewicz’s side, who were leading at that point thanks to Piotr Zielinski’s roofed finish and an incredible double save from Wojciech Szczesny after Salem Al-Dawsari’s penalty late in the first half.
Poland leapfrogged the Saudis into first place in Group C, with Lionel Messi’s Argentina facing Mexico later on Saturday.
Egged on by a vocal crowd, Herve Renard’s Saudi team came out with the bit between their teeth and the Poles frequently struggled to handle their aggressive press.
Poland were shown three early yellow cards.
Mohamed Kanno had the game’s first decent effort on goal, tipped over by Szczesny in the 13th minute.
Lewandowski initially found it hard to get into the game as he was immediately surrounded by a gang of defenders led by Ali Al-Bulayhi, who at one point looked to be heading out of the game after being accidentally studded by the Barca star.
Super Szczesny
Lewandowski played a key role in Poland’s opener against the run of play in the 39th minute, pulling back for Zielinski to finish after nearly clipping home his first World Cup goal.
Szczesny then stepped up to save his team minutes later after referee Wilton Sampaio awarded a soft penalty when Saleh Al-Shehri went down heavily under pressure from Krystian Bielik.
The Juventus goalkeeper did well to bat away Dawsari’s nervy spot-kick but the ball fell to Mohammed Al-Burayk, who was denied on the rebound by a sensational stop.
Szczesny was again Poland’s saviour nine minutes after the break when he charged off his line to keep out Dawsari following a chaotic passage of play that ended with the ball being ballooned over the bar.
Poland were again close to buckling under intense Saudi pressure but should have been further ahead midway in through the second half when Arkadiusz Milik and Lewandowski both struck the woodwork in the space of three minutes.
Malki then scuffed wide from the edge of the box and it was his mistake that allowed Lewandowski to seal the points.
Nothing looked on when Malki received a pass on the edge of his own area but he let the ball slip past him and right into Lewandowski’s feet, allowing him to roll in a simple finish and end his hoodoo.
(AFP)
The Euro 2024 last-16 clash between Germany and Denmark was temporarily suspended on Saturday evening after a violent storm hit Dortmund.
The match was halted in the 35th minute by English referee Michael Oliver, who directed the players off the pitch amid torrential rain, hailstones, high winds, thunder, and lightning.
The score was tied at 0-0 when play was stopped at approximately 9:35 pm local time (1935 GMT).
Stadium announcements informed spectators of the suspension, stating, “Due to adverse weather conditions, the game has been suspended. More information to follow.”
Fans in exposed seats, part of the 60,000-strong crowd, scrambled for cover as water poured from the stadium roof.
Dark rain clouds loomed over the BVB Stadion, adding to the dramatic scene.
Local police confirmed that fan zones in Dortmund were also closed due to the inclement weather.
A screen later announced that the match would resume following the weather-related delay.
Tobi Amusan, the world record holder in the 100m hurdles, has been given clearance to compete in the Paris Olympics following a decision by the sport’s top court to dismiss appeals against her cleared doping offense.
Amusan, 27, faced allegations of missing three anti-doping tests within a year, but was exonerated by World Athletics’ Disciplinary Tribunal.
World Athletics and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) contested this decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
CAS announced that its panel “unanimously acknowledged that the Athlete committed two filing failures but did not confirm the existence of a missed test alleged by WA and WADA, which would have constituted the third Whereabouts Failure within a 12-month period.”
Amusan set the world record of 12.12 seconds at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July 2022, where she also secured the title.
Tobi Amusan, who finished sixth in the world championships in Budapest last year, remains eligible for competition despite the scrutiny of World Athletics’ anti-doping rules.
These regulations stipulate that any athlete failing to report their whereabouts for a doping test three times within a year faces a two-year ineligibility period.
Kylian Mbappe is back in the France starting line-up for Tuesday’s Euro 2024 clash with Poland, his first appearance since suffering a broken nose against Austria just over a week ago.
Mbappe injured himself late on in the 1-0 victory over the Austrians on June 17 and did not play any part in last Friday’s 0-0 draw with the Netherlands in Leipzig as a result.
The new Real Madrid signing, who must wear a protective face mask, captains a France side who have already qualified for the last 16 before the Group D finale in Dortmund.
He returns in one of two changes made by coach Didier Deschamps to his line-up, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola getting a first international start as Antoine Griezmann and Marcus Thuram drop out.
Where France finish in the section depends both on their result and the outcome of the simultaneous encounter between the Netherlands and Austria.
Poland are already eliminated but their captain and record goal-scorer Robert Lewandowski makes his first start of the competition after injury.
From AFP
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