24/03/2025

SPORTS 30 SURPRISE package Sudan survived a battering from star-stacked Senegal to force a 0-0 draw yesterday, and remain top of African Group B in 2026 World Cup qualifying. Forced to stage home matches in Libyan city Benghazi because of the Sudanese civil war that has raged since April 2023, Sudan have 11 points halfway through the 10-round competition. Democratic Republic of Congo lie second with 10 points, Senegal have nine, Togo four, and Mauritania and South Sudan two each. The nine group winners in Africa qualify automatically for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. There could be a 10th qualifier if the winners of an African mini-tournament involving the four best-ranked runners-up finish among the top two MONDAY | MAR 24, 2025

Sudan hold Senegal to stay top

from the Saudi Pro League. Elsewhere, Togo and Mauritania remained winless in the same group after drawing 2-2 in Lome, where the home team led and trailed before Kevin Denkey equalised on 69 minutes. Thibault Klidje got the Togolese off to a great start by scoring after just four minutes. Aboubakary Koita levelled on 52 minutes and Abdallahi Mahmoud put Mauritania ahead soon after. Togo remain fourth, seven points behind Sudan, while Mauritania rose one place to fifth, ahead of South Sudan on goal difference. Emmanuel Adebayor-inspired Togo were shock qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where they lost all three group games. Since then they have not come close to repeating that feat. It was the first competitive match in charge of Mauritania for Spanish coach Aritz Lopez Garai, who was 33 years old when he made his La Liga debut. He replaced Marseille-born Amir Abdou, who was sacked last November after the country failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. – AFP

in inter-continental playoffs. Senegal, seeking a third straight appearance at the global showpiece, dominated possession and had 19 goal attempts, but just four on target. There was no respite for the Sudanese, who also had to defend 11 corners as Senegal sought maximum points and first place. On the rare occasions Sudan broke into the Senegal half, they proved more accurate, getting

three of seven goal attempts on target, including two near misses. Captain Ramadan Agab was among three Sudanese yellow-carded in three minutes during the second half, while star Senegal forward Sadio Mane was booked later. The Sudanese were the happier side at fulltime having taken a point off a team that started with eight players from top European leagues and three

Delight for Haaland

23/03/2025 (SUN)

5943/2025

3168 1143 0281

'UDZ 'DWH 6XQ

'UDZ 1R 9HQXH :,60$ *(17,1* ./

3658 5247 1394 7917 3263

8098 7913 4115 4762 3325

1615 5957 7227 9073 0826

2869 9826 4871 7354 0074

Moldova’s Virgiliu Postolachi (left) in action with Norway’s Sander Berge. – REUTERSPIC

9,926,975.83

3168 1143 3168

0281 0281 1143

0281 0281 1143

3168 3168 1143

Man City striker scores as Norway start World Cup qualifying with 5-0 rout E RLING HAALAND helped Norway make a positive start to its World Cup qualifying campaign by scoring in a 5-0 rout at Moldova yesterday.

460,223.61

50

completed by the loser of the Nations League quarterfinal tie between Italy and Germany. In the other game in the group yesterday, Israel beat Estonia 2-1 in Hungary. In a hotly-contested encounter in Debrecen, Hungary, Estonia took the lead in just the 10th minute when Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz failed to hold on to a 15-yard strike from Maksim Paskotsi. Israel quickly leveled the scores when a curling left-footed effort from Dan Biton struck the post and ricocheted off the back of Estonia goalkeeper Karl Jakob Hein and into the net. Both sides pushed for a winner after the break and Israel captain Eliezer Dasa secured the three points with a brilliant effort 15 minutes from time. Markus Soomets was sent off in the dying minutes for receiving his second yellow card. Israel next host in-form Norway, while Estonia travel to Moldova. Also yesterday, the Czech Republic edged out the Faroe Islands 2-1 at home in Group L with Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick getting both of their goals. In a match they were expected to dominate, the home side took an early lead through Schick with a powerful climbing header. Gunnar Vatnhamar then levelled the scores with a header of his own seven minutes from time, registering the first goal that the Faroe Islands had ever scored against the Czechs. But Schick broke Faroe Islands hearts with a dramatic winner after the minnows looked to have secured a historic draw. Montenegro meanwhile came from behind to beat Gibraltar 3-1 in the same section, which will be completed by whoever loses the Nations League tie between France and Croatia. – AFP/Agencies

3168 1143 0281 DOG

50

Norway’s third and last World Cup appearance was back in 1998, two years before Haaland was born. Now, Haaland leads a team featuring Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard that bears high expectations of reaching the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The Scandinavian side is favoured to win Group I, which also includes Estonia and Israel. Haaland scored Norway’s second goal against the outmatched Moldova. That took his exceptional career haul to 39 goals in 40 appearances for his country since his 2019 debut. Dortmund defender Julian Ryerson opened the scoring for Norway five minutes after kickoff in Chisinau. Haaland doubled the lead in the 23rd. Thelo Aasgaard, who assisted Ryerson for the opener, made it three before Odegaard set up Alexander Soørloth before halftime. Substitute Aron Donnum got on the scoreboard in the second half. Haaland already knows what it is to win the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup with Manchester City, but he has yet to take his country to a major tournament. Injury ruled Haaland out of several matches during Norway’s unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup. The talented Norway team likewise failed to qualify for the 2024 European Championship when it disappointed with a third-place group finish behind Spain and Scotland. Bigger tests lie ahead for Norway with only the group winners qualifying directly for next year’s finals and the section to be

50

7,*(5

50

9 5 1 0 4 5 1 0 4 1 0 4 0 4

'2*

50

1 9 3 4 9 8 0 6 7 1

'5$*21

9 4 1 3 1 7 4 1 3 1 7 1 3 1 7 3 1 7

9 4 1 3 1 9 4 1 3 9 4 1 9 4

1 7

19 32 35 38 48 57

28,019,141.02

50

15 20 21 30 35 43

10,434,086.03

4 23 25 30 35 36 29

' -DFNSRW 50 ZRQ RQ

4,493,762.98 100,944.95

RM399,391 Toto 4D Jackpot 1 (i-System) won on 22/03/2025 !