Connect with us

Sports

Egypt survives draw against Iran, advances to knockout stage at World Cup

Published

on

SEATTLE — An Iranian fan rushed the field in celebration, necessitating seven security guards to successfully bring him down.

Shoja Khalilzadeh ripped his jersey off before being mobbed by the entire Iran team after he fired a shot past Egypt goalie Mostafa Shobeir in the 93rd minute to seemingly give his side a 2-1 lead on Friday night.

For a few joyous moments, Iran was convinced it had advanced to the knockout round at the World Cup for the first time in the expanded 48-team pool at this year’s tournament.

The potential late winning goal was called back due to an offside, though, and Egypt advanced past the group stage.

Advertisement

Iran, meanwhile, will have to wait one day to find out its fate after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw. Egypt will play Australia in the round of 32.

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei lamented what was the third goal by his side waved off by video review in the tournament.

“Technology is justice,” Ghalenoei said in Farsi, “But I’m upset about our bad luck.”

At the conclusion of what was promoted as a “Pride Match” in Seattle, one which neither Iran nor Egypt wanted any part in, the Pharaohs finished in second place in Group G. Belgium, which played to a 1-1 draw against Egypt on June 15, beat New Zealand 5-1 in Vancouver, B.C., to win the group outright.

Advertisement

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan was grateful his team didn’t slide to third in the group, which would have been the case had Khalilzadeh’s goal held up.

“We knew we had qualified already; we were sitting at the top of the group,” Hossan said. “I thank God for everything. After this goal was ruled offside, I was very happy.”

Iran, meanwhile, could still advance to the knockout round for the first time in the expanded 48-team pool at this year’s tournament. But it no longer controls its own destiny after Friday’s game.

“We’re here to make our history, too,” said midfielder Rouzbeh Cheshmi. “(Saturday), if our dream comes true, thank God. If not, we are proud of our game and our players because of how we did the game. The last three games, we held up, so let’s see what happens.”

Advertisement

Egypt took an early lead on a goal by Mahmoud Saber in the fifth minute. Former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah provided some strong play in the box before Saber fired a shot between the legs of Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.

Iran was denied an equalizer in the 11th minute when Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir saved a penalty kick, but tied the game in the 14th minute on a goal by Ramin Rezaeian.

After Iran came up just short, its players aired their grievances about numerous complications off the field. The team has endured travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in light of the war in Iran.

In March, Iran sought to move its group-stage matches to Mexico, with which it has diplomatic ties. Its request to move its base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana was granted two weeks before the team’s arrival.

Advertisement

Ghalenoei said members of the team have been limited to their hotels and training facilities and have not explored Tijuana in any capacity. Several team officials and members of the support staff have been barred from travelling into the U.S. with the team.

“We don’t have recovery, we don’t have any logistic people here to help us. We always complain about these things, but no one helps us – no one,” said Roozbeh Cheshmi. “As you know, recovery is an important thing. Small details affect the football.”

For the first two matches, near Los Angeles, the team was not permitted to travel until the day before and had to return to Mexico immediately after each game. The U.S. then eased its restrictions, allowing the squad to travel to Seattle two days before Friday’s match.

Ghalenoei said the team again had to immediately fly back to Tijuana after Friday’s game.

Advertisement

“We were treated very, very badly,” Ghalenoei said. “I hope the world becomes aware of these issues.”

If only for a short stint of time, though, Iran’s disdain was tabled in the aftermath of Khalilzadeh’s near-goal. Iran did not finish Friday’s game with a storybook ending, but it is still alive in the tournament — at least for another 24 hours.

“What these young Iranian national team players have done should be recorded in history,” Ghalenoei said. “Why? Because the host treated us in the worst possible way.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

CWG 2026: Priya Ghanghas defeats Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh to win Women’s 60kg Boxing Gold | Commonwealth Games News

Published

on

CWG 2026: Priya Ghanghas defeats Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh to win Women's 60kg Boxing Gold

India’s Priya Ghanghas added another gold to the country’s remarkable boxing campaign, defeating Canada’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh by a 4-1 split decision in the women’s 60kg final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Saturday. The victory marked India’s fourth boxing gold medal of the day, continuing the nation’s dominance inside the ring at Glasgow 2026.

Al-Ahmadieh edges the opening round

Priya entered the bout with a clear height and reach advantage, while Al-Ahmadieh looked to close the distance with aggressive attacks. The Indian boxer landed several clean punches with greater efficiency, but the Canadian finished the round strongly. The judges narrowly favoured Al-Ahmadieh, awarding her the opening round by a 3-2 split decision.The second round saw Priya struggle to find her rhythm initially as Al-Ahmadieh continued to press forward. Despite appearing fatigued at times, the Indian relied on well-timed counter punches and produced a strong finish to the round. Her late surge impressed the judges, who scored it 4-1 in her favour, setting up a winner-takes-all final round.

Split decision seals another gold for India

With the title on the line, both boxers came out aggressively in the final round. Priya started brightly before Al-Ahmadieh responded with several solid combinations in a fiercely contested exchange. The Indian continued to throw powerful punches despite showing signs of exhaustion, while the crowd created a vibrant atmosphere throughout the closing moments.The judges’ scorecards reflected the intensity of the bout. Three judges awarded the contest to Priya by margins of 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27, while one judge scored it 29-28 in favour of the Canadian. The split verdict ultimately went India’s way, sealing another boxing gold for the country in Glasgow.She joined Sakshi, Jaismine and Preeti, who won gold medals earlier in the day, to continue India’s superb run in the Commonwealth Games 2026.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

CWG 2026: Five and counting! Priya, Sakshi power India’s boxing gold hunt | Other Sports News

Published

on


Team India continued its extraordinary boxing campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow as Priya Ghanghas and Sakshi Chaudhary added two more gold medals to the country’s tally, taking India’s boxing gold count to four after a sensational day in the ring.

 


Earlier in the day, Preeti Pawar and Jaismine Lamboria had clinched gold medals in the women’s 54kg and 57kg categories respectively, while Jadumani Singh settled for silver in the men’s 55kg final.

 

Advertisement


For the first time in Commonwealth Games history, all 10 Indian boxers who had assured themselves medals progressed to the gold medal bouts, highlighting India’s dominance in Glasgow.

 


Full list of India’s medal winners in boxing at the Commonwealth Games 2026:


Weight category

Boxer

Medal

Result

Women’s 54kg

Preeti Pawar

Gold medal

Won final by 5-0

Women’s 57kg

Jaismine Lamboria

Gold medal

Won final by 5-0

Women’s 60kg

Sakshi Chaudhary

Gold medal

Won final by 5-0

Women’s 65kg

Arundhati Choudhary

Gold/Silver

TBD

Women’s 70kg

Priya Ghanghas

Gold medal

Won final by 4-1

Women’s 75kg

Lovlina Borgohain

Gold/Silver

TBD

Men’s 50kg

Hitesh

Gold/Silver

TBD

Men’s 65kg

Abhinash Jamwal

Gold/Silver

TBD

Men’s 55kg

Jadumani Singh

Silver Medal

Lost final by 5-0

Men’s 90kg

Narender

Gold/Silver

TBD
 


India surpass Birmingham’s golden haul

Advertisement

 


Indian boxing has already improved on its performance from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

 


Four years ago, India returned with seven medals, including three golds, one silver and three bronze from a 12-member contingent. Glasgow has already witnessed India surpass that gold tally with four titles, while several finals still remain.

Advertisement

 


The country’s medal conversion rate has also improved significantly, underlining the remarkable progress of Indian boxing on the international stage.

 


How India’s golden day unfolded 

Advertisement


Preeti Pawar outclasses Scarlett Delgado

 


Preeti Pawar gave India the perfect start by defeating Canada’s Scarlett Delgado via unanimous decision to win the women’s 54kg gold medal.

 

Advertisement


The World No. 3 controlled proceedings from the opening bell with sharp footwork and crisp combinations before forcing Delgado into a standing count in the second round. She comfortably closed out the contest as all five judges awarded her the bout.

 


Jaismine Lamboria lives up to world champion billing

 

Advertisement


Reigning world champion Jaismine Lamboria followed it up by defeating Northern Ireland’s Michaela Walsh in the women’s 57kg final.

 


After edging a closely-fought opening round, Jaismine completely dominated the second with precise punching and intelligent movement before comfortably seeing out the contest to secure India’s second gold of the day by unanimous decision.

 

Advertisement


Jadumani Singh settles for silver

 


India’s winning run briefly paused in the men’s 55kg final as Jadumani Singh went down to Australia’s Jye Dixon.

 

Advertisement


Jadumani made a bright start and edged the opening round before Dixon responded strongly in the second with accurate counter-punching. Despite a spirited finish from the Indian, the Australian claimed the gold through a unanimous decision, leaving Jadumani with a well-deserved silver medal.

 


Priya Ghanghas delivers India’s third gold

 

Advertisement


India returned to the top step of the podium thanks to Priya Ghanghas, who edged Canada’s Marie-Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh in a fiercely contested women’s 60kg final.

 


The bout remained evenly poised heading into the final round, with both boxers exchanging heavy punches in front of a vocal crowd. Despite showing visible signs of fatigue, Priya continued to attack until the final bell.

 

Advertisement


The judges eventually awarded the Indian a 4-1 split-decision victory, sparking loud celebrations among the Indian supporters as she secured India’s third boxing gold of the day.

 


Sakshi Chaudhary makes it four

 

Advertisement


Sakshi Chaudhary ensured India’s golden run continued by defeating England’s Ruby White in the women’s 51kg final.

 


The Indian remained in complete control throughout the contest, successfully neutralising White’s attacks with solid defensive work before landing sharp right-hand counters. Even as the English boxer attempted to mount a late comeback, Sakshi stayed composed and dictated the pace.

 

Advertisement


When the final bell rang, the judges unanimously declared Sakshi the winner, handing India its fourth boxing gold medal of the Games. The two boxers embraced after the bout in a show of mutual respect, bringing an end to another commanding performance from the Indian.

 


More golds still up for grabs

 

Advertisement


India’s remarkable boxing campaign is far from over.

 


With Lovlina Borgohain, Arundhati Choudhary, Sachin Siwach, Ankush Panghal and Narender Berwal still scheduled to contest their respective finals, India has an opportunity to finish with its greatest-ever boxing medal haul at the Commonwealth Games.

 

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Samuel Ogazi Wins 400m Gold for Nigeria at Commonwealth Games

Published

on

Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi has won the men’s 400 metres gold medal at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games after producing a strong performance in the final.

Ogazi crossed the finish line in 44.25 seconds to claim the Commonwealth title and add another gold medal to Team Nigeria’s growing medal tally.

The Nigerian took control of the race on the final bend before pulling away from his rivals in the home straight to win comfortably.

  • Udinese goalkeeper, Maduka Emilio Okoye, has earned a spot in Serie A's Team of the Week following an outstanding performance in their recent match against Atalanta.Udinese goalkeeper, Maduka Emilio Okoye, has earned a spot in Serie A's Team of the Week following an outstanding performance in their recent match against Atalanta.

Advertisement

Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards finished second in 44.82 seconds to take silver, while South Africa’s Zakithi Nene won bronze after clocking 45.21 seconds.

Ogazi’s victory adds another major athletics medal to Nigeria’s impressive campaign in Glasgow and further highlights the country’s strength in sprint events.

Fellow Nigerian Edidiong Okon Udo also featured in the final but finished eighth in 45.81 seconds.

Advertisement

The gold medal is another major achievement in Ogazi’s developing career and further establishes him as one of the leading 400m runners in the Commonwealth.

His impressive performance was one of the highlights of the athletics programme, as Nigeria continued to combine strong results in athletics and weightlifting at the Games.

For Ogazi, the Commonwealth title is a major step forward and another sign of Nigeria’s continued success on the international athletics stage.

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Those making the team did not see him

Published

on

Former wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta remarked that Kuldeep Yadav has to be in the playing XI for the upcoming Tests against Sri Lanka at all costs, as opposed to his recent track record in terms of selection. The left-arm spinner missed out on the T20I squads for the England and Ireland tour as well as the Asian Games 2026. While he was named in the ODI squad, he did not get a chance during the 1-2 series loss against Harry Brook and co.

Kuldeep Yadav was not even considered for selection when both Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar were ruled out of the series finale against England. On that occasion, the team management went with a four-pronged seam attack, but ended up losing the contest after conceding 387 in the first innings.

Since then, Kuldeep Yadav has been on a solid run for Yorkshire in the Royal One-Day Cup. The spinner picked up eight wickets in four matches, gathering some serious momentum ahead of the Test series in Sri Lanka.

Deep Dasgupta stated that the team management did not agree with the fans and pundits’ opinion of Kuldeep Yadav, and backs him to be in the playing XI in Sri Lanka.

“Kuldeep Yadav has to be in the playing XI, has to be. I was expecting him to be in the playing XI for that third ODI against England at Lord’s. Not only me, but a lot of the others were expecting him to be seen. Unfortunately, those making the team did not see him, that is a different issue,” Dasgupta said on his YouTube channel.

Kuldeep Yadav has featured in one Test in Sri Lanka in his career, where he picked up five wickets. It was also his first overseas appearance after a strong debut during the 2016-17 Border-Gavaskar series against Australia.

“Opportunity to play with even four spinners” – Deep Dasgupta backs bold bowling combination for SL vs IND 2026 Tests

The former India cricketer believes that the team management may have to think about fielding as many as four spinners in the squad, since the conditions might demand so.

Advertisement

“I think it is a good squad, based on the conditions there are more spinners than seamers. So, there is an opportunity to play with even four spinners, because it has happened it in the past as well, where both Sri Lanka and their opposition have walked out with four spinners. So, I think it was important to have that extra spin bowling option in the squad,” Dasgupta said.

“I think the squad was along expected lines, to be fair. Ideally, Washington Sundar would have been the first-choice off-spinner, but he is not there because of injury. I can’t think of any name that should have been in the squad, but is not there,” he concluded.

Team India handed off-spinner Saransh Jain his maiden national call-up after the injury to Sundar during the ODI series in England. The visitors also have other options like Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Manav Suthar in the squad.