18/06/2025

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | JUNE 18, 2025

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T HE expanded Club World Cup has kicked off with healthy crowds, “Messi mania” and a festival atmos phere in Miami, giving an early vin dication to world football body Fifa after fears of empty stands and global disinterest. Fifa controversially awarded Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami a backdoor route into the tournament, ensuring the sport’s biggest name would be there after he propelled football to new heights in a country often ambivalent to the world’s most popular game. Some 61,000 fans packed the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday to watch the Argentine and teammates play Egyptian giants Al-Ahly in a goalless draw. Another strong crowd turned out on Sunday for the clash between Paris St Germain and Atletico Madrid, which ended in a one-sided 4-0 win for the Champions League winners. However, Bayern Munich’s 10-0 demolition of semi-professional Auckland City underscored the worrying gulf in quality between some of the competing clubs. But the opening weekend largely delivered what Fifa had hoped for: vibrant crowds and global representation. South American supporters made their

Messi mania lifts Club World Cup Healthy crowds bring relief to organiser Fifa

Spaun rises to No. 8 US OPEN winner JJ Spaun jumped to No. 8 in the Official World Golf Rankings released yesterday, a meteoric rise from 109th to begin the season. Spaun began last week ranked 28th in the OWGR before he scored a two-stroke victory over Robert MacIntyre of Scotland with consecutive birdies in his final round at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday to win the US Open. Spaun, 34, has five career victories and held the 54-hole lead at the Sony Open and Players Championship earlier this year. He found the water on the island hole, No. 17, at TPC Sawgrass and lost a three-hole playoff to Rory McIlroy at The Players. The US Open was Spaun’s first win since the 2022 Valero Open and put him ahead of the six players ahead of him in the OWGR in earnings this season (US$9.6m/ RM41m). Only No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (US$15.1m/RM64m) and No. 2 McIlroy (US$14.2m/RM60m) have taken home more this season. Americans Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Russell Henley occupy the No. 3-6 spots and Sepp Straka is seventh. McIlroy lands Europe’s first spot for Ryder Cup RORY MCILROY’S tie for 19th place at the just-completed US Open was enough to land him an automatic spot on Europe’s Ryder Cup team for this year’s competition at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, NY. McIlroy, who earned his spot through the European points list in a qualification period that began in August, will make his eighth consecutive appearance on Europe’s team. He has helped lead the side to five victories in his seven chances. Europe captain Luke Donald will preside over what will be a 12 man team when the Ryder Cup takes place Sept 26-28. McIlroy is the first of Europe’s six automatic qualifiers, with Donald set to make six captain’s picks. “It’s always a huge honor to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup, so it means a great deal to have qualified for my eighth in a row and to be part of Luke’s team again at Bethpage,” McIlroy said in a release. OSCAR SANTIS netted a first half goal and Guatemala squeezed past Jamaica 1-0 yesterday in the Group C opener for both squads in the Gold Cup. The decider came in the 32nd minute. A back-to-the-goal Darwin Lom collected a deflection after a long feed, then backheeled the back towards the goal as Santis found space from 15 feet away and buried the chance past diving goalie Andre Blake. Jamaica will face Guadeloupe next. PIN HOLE SIDENETTING Panama trash Guadeloupe ISMAEL DIAZ tallied twice as Panama beat Guadeloupe 5-2 yesterday at the Concacaf Gold Cup in Carson, Calif. Panama took its opening game of Group C play by sprinting out to a 4-0 lead in the first 22 minutes and by controlling possession for 63% of the match. Christian Martinez got the scoring going with a goal in the sixth minute. Diaz took a pass from Michael Murillo and connected in the 13th minute. Then he made it 3-0 in the 17th minute when he scored unassisted charging into the box to convert a deflected corner. Eduardo Guerrero converted a penalty shot in the 22nd minute to push the advantage to 4-0. Guadeloupe ended the shutout bid on Jordan Leborgne’s goal at the 29-minute mark of the first half, then got the margin down to 4-2 in the second half when Florian David connected on his own penalty at 71 minutes. Tomas Rodriguez notched the final goal in extra time. … as Guatemala edge Jamaica in Gold Cup

elevated Inter Miami’s profile and guaranteed global glamour for the tournament. Messi, who received a standing ovation before kickoff, was unable to find the net against Al-Ahly but provided flashes of brilliance in a tightly contested, physical match. Fifa is banking not only on Messi’s star power but also on a radical new broadcast strategy. The tournament is being streamed for free worldwide by DAZN in a US$1 billion (RM4.2b) deal. That agreement followed Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports Investment, a subsidiary of the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), acquiring a minority stake in DAZN for a reported US$1b – another marker of the kingdom’s growing investment footprint in sport. The partnership, one of the largest broadcast packages in football history, is central to Fifa’s push to maximize digital engagement and position the Club World Cup as a global spectacle ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America. The US$1b prize money, which ensures a hefty US$125 million (RM530m) for the

presence especially felt. More than 1,000 Boca Juniors fans in blue and gold turned Miami Beach into a party strip on Sunday ahead of their opening match, singing club anthems and waving flags in scenes reminiscent of a World Cup carnival. “Wherever you go, Boca is here,” Gaston San Paul, a fan who flew in from Entre Rios in Argentina, told Reuters . “Wherever we are we do this,” he added, referring to the “Banderazo” (flag party), a fan gathering destined to mark territory ahead of a game. Boca and Real Madrid games were among the top early ticket sellers, according to Fifa, which said that top markets after the US were Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. Talk of empty stands was at least provisionally dismissed as well as heightened anxiety in the immigrant-heavy Miami area following recent federal immigration raids.

to earn a lot of money at a tournament, you should take the chance,” former Bayern legend Karl Heinz Rummenigge said in the run up. DAZN has yet to provide viewership data. While the crowds gave Fifa reason to be cheerful, the Bayern Munich vs Auckland City match raised awkward questions about the tournament’s balance as the German champions obliterated their opponents 10-0. Despite the lopsided contest in Cincinnati, the overall mood among organizers was one of optimism, calling the opening weekend a resounding success. Many Floridians, however, did not know a global soccer event was taking place in their state. “There is a World Cup? Hockey?,” said one person working in a restaurant in Miami Beach. “This tournament is new, and it is different. It is the very first time clubs and players from all over the world have had the chance to face each other in competitive matches on a global stage,” Fifa said, referring to the 32-club format after the previous editions featured seven. With group matches continuing through the week, Fifa will be hoping to build on the early momentum – and avoid more one-sided encounters like the one in Cincinnati as European teams appear to be a level above those from other continents.’ – Reuters

At the heart of the opening weekend buzz was Messi, whose presence has

winners, was an o b v i o u s incentive for the European clubs. “There’s a lot

of money at stake. If you have the chance

Fans show support for Inter Miami Lionel Messi inside the stadium before the match. – REUTERSPIC

Russell driving better than ever but title a long shot

GEORGE RUSSELL said he was driving better than ever and ready to fight for a Formula One championship with Mercedes after taking the team’s first win of the season in Canada, but this year still looks a long shot. The Briton, out of contract at the end of 2025 but confident of staying, recognised any title chance this season would probably require the McLaren drivers to make mistakes and drop points. McLaren’s Lando Norris and championship leading teammate Oscar Piastri collided in Montreal, with the former retiring from the race while the Australian moved 22 points clear after 10 of 24 rounds. Russell is fourth overall but still a mighty 62 points behind Piastri, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is third. “I don’t really know how Max and I are so close

got more in the tank,” said the Briton. “I feel ready to fight for a world championship.” Russell said he was not talking with anyone other than Mercedes, there was no rush and he planned to stay. “There haven’t been any hard feelings with any of the talks that have been going around, especially around Max,” he added. “If every driver had no contract for next year, Max would be number one for every single team. And that’s understandable. But ultimately, there are two seats for every race team. “I know if I continue to perform as I’m doing, my position would not be under threat whatsoever. So, I feel in a good place.” Russell said he and 18-year-old Italian rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli, third on Sunday, were doing the job and“why would you want to change something that’s working?” – Reuters

to those two (McLaren drivers) because they clearly have the most dominant car,” said Russell. “I think the two of us have been very consistent and getting the maximum result from our packages week in, week out. But I can’t imagine them to continue throwing away points in the manner they’re doing. “Of course, we hope that continues to be the case, but I don’t foresee us getting in the championship fight through pure pace as Lando did last year. We’ll only be there if results like today continue or things like today continue to happen.” Russell was sure Sunday’s result would help the negotiations for a new deal, although he had no concerns despite continuing chatter about a possible move for four-time champion Verstappen. “I know I’m going to be on the grid next year. I feel that I’m driving better than ever. I still feel I’ve