4/09/2025

SPORTS THURSDAY | SEPT 4, 2025

30

Manchester City’s woes might be mental, say Doku MANCHESTER CITY need to show more mental ortitude after losing their last two Premier League matches, the club’s winger Jeremy Doku sug gested yesterday at the start of preparations for Belgium’s two World Cup qualifiers this week.

The Belgian winger was dropped from the starting line up after play ing against Wolves on Aug 16. “Personally, I haven’t started the season very well.

their opening match, they were beaten by Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion in their next two fixtures. “After the first match, everyone felt good, but after that, things got more diffi cult. I think we’re letting our heads drop a bit too much when we concede a goal. Mentally, we need to be stronger,” Doku told reporters. It could be that Manchester City did not have a decent break, having competed at the Club World Cup in the United States in June. “I only started training again on July 28. We barely had any pre-season. “The last time I had six weeks of pre-sea son was at Anderlecht. That was five years ago. “But we’re not the only ones in this situa tion; it applies to many other clubs.”

“I’m not in my best form yet. “You haven’t seen Jeremy at his best yet, but he’ll come soon. “That’s why it’s impor tant to be here with the Red Devils and gain some confidence,” he

“Things aren’t going very well,” the Belgian international admitted when asked about City’s fortunes at a press conference ahead of Belgium’s game at Liechtenstein tomorrow (2.45am Malaysian time). Manchester City have three points from their opening three games of the new Premier League campaign. After defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers in

Jeremy Doku . – AFPPIC

said of the World Cup assignments, which also include a home game against Kazakhstan on Monday (2.45am). – Reuters

03/09/2025 (WED)

6016/2025

De la Fuente. – AFPPIC

Race to N. America European heavyweights belatedly begin WC qualifying

8661 3934 0105

'UDZ 'DWH :HG

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

7524 3356 7173 1704 0919

4320 0595 8634 3879 7646

6115 5060 6184 5226 1469

1285 3580 4522 0184 5449

3,480,201.48

8661 3934 8661

0105 0105 3934

0105 0105 3934

8661 8661 3934

W ITH the next World Cup kick ing off in just over nine months, European champi ons Spain and some of the continent’s other heavyweights finally begin their qualifying campaigns this week. France, Germany and Portugal are also only just embarking on the journey which they expect will take them to the tournament in North America. The state of play in Europe is in stark contrast to elsewhere. World Cup holders Argentina, Brazil and Ecuador have already qualified from South America, where the campaign is almost complete. Meanwhile, six spots have been secured in Asian qualifying. Europe has 16 qualifying berths, a third of the total for the first-ever 48-team World Cup. All 12 group winners will go through, with four more spots available in play-offs. Spain, second only to Argentina in the world rankings, are coming off the back of losing June’s Nations League final on penalties to Portugal. La Roja start their qualifying bid with a trip to Bulgaria before a tough fixture in Turkey. A team led by Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams, and with Manchester City’s Rodri back after a serious knee injury, is being touted as one of the favourites to win the World Cup. But coach Luis de la Fuente – whose team also face Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s Georgia in Group E – is being prudent. “This is a qualifying campaign and it is very difficult,” De la Fuente insisted. “Italy have missed two World Cups recently. “There are a lot of steps to take before getting near the final. “Let’s focus on getting there and get the job done.” France have reached the last two World Cup finals, winning the trophy in 2018 before losing on penalties in 2022. All the talk is of Les Bleu s seeking to finish on a high before coach Didier Deschamps walks away to end a 14-year reign. Deschamps was part of the France

team that failed to qualify for the last World Cup in the USA, in 1994, but the current generation should have more than enough to top a group featuring Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan. “Qualifying for the World Cup has never been a formality. “It can be ruthless and unforgiving at the highest level,” said Deschamps, who has handed a first call-up to new Liverpool signing Hugo Ekitike. Portugal should have been on a high after winning the Nations League but a double-header away to Armenia and Hungary will be their first games since the tragic death of Diogo Jota in July. “We want to honour his memory every day,” said coach Roberto Martinez. At 40, Cristiano Ronaldo appears to have every intention of spearheading the team all the way in their quest to win a first World Cup. Germany have failed to make a major tournament semifinal since Euro 2016. Julian Nagelsmann’s team are only ranked ninth in the world, but a squad featuring new Premier League stars Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade is still formidable. They begin away to Slovakia and at home to Northern Ireland, with Luxembourg their other Group A rivals. Italy, meanwhile, continue a campaign which started in the worst possible fashion, a 3-0 defeat in Norway in June that cost coach Luciano Spalletti his job. The Azzurri , who failed to qualify for the last two World Cups then beat Moldova, but are nine points behind Erling Haaland’s Norwegians in Group I – albeit with two games in hand. There is no margin for error as Gennaro Gattuso’s reign begins against Estonia and Israel. “One thing is certain, I’m not afraid” said Gattuso. England have been uninspiring under Thomas Tuchel but appear to be cruising to qualification. They have three wins from three in Group K, all with clean sheets, and host Andorra at Villa Park and travel to Serbia for what should be their toughest fixture of the campaign. – AFP

131,041.57

50

8661 3934 0105 GOAT

50

50

2;

6 9 6 2 4 9 6 2 4 6 2 4 2 4

50

7,*(5

7 1 4 4 9 8 5 7 3 1

50

021.(<

7 3 8 6 1 3 3 8 6 1 3 8 6 1 3 6 1 3

7 3 8 6 1 7 3 8 6 7 3 8 7 3

1 3

19 23 24 30 39 44

11,605,233.07

3 14 20 23 39 43

50

4,989,646.26

5 16 26 29 34 47 7

9,228,055.18 100,000.00

'0& &DUQLYDO &RQWHVW 63(&,$/ 5281' 3OD\ WR ZLQ D 689

Toto 4D Jackpot 2

RM111,555

RM26,530 won on 31/08/2025 ! Toto 4D Jackpot 2 (i-System)