23/09/2025

SPORTS TUESDAY | SEPT 23, 2025

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SPANISH LA LIGA: Rayo Vallecano 1 (De Frutos 65) Celta Vigo 1 (Iglesias 49), Mallorca 1 (Muriqi 85) Atletico Madrid 1 (Gallagher 79), Elche 1 (Silva 9) Oviedo 0, Barcelona 3 (Torres 15, 34, Olmo 63) Getafe 0. TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Real Madrid 5 5 0 0 10 2 15 Barcelona 5 4 1 0 16 3 13 Villarreal 5 3 1 1 10 4 10 Espanyol 5 3 1 1 8 7 10 Elche 5 2 3 0 7 4 9 Real Betis 6 2 3 1 9 7 9 ITALIAN SERIE A: Cremonese 0 Parma 0, Fiorentina 1 (Mandragora 6) Como 2 (Kempf 65, Addai 90+4), Inter Milan 2 (Dimarco 14, Carlos Augusto 81) Sassuolo 1 (Cheddira 84), Lazio 0 Roma 1 (Pellegrini

38) , Torino 0 Atalanta 3 (Krstovic 30, 38, Sulemana 35). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Juventus 4 3 1 0 8 4 10 AC Milan 4 3 0 1 7 2 9 Napoli 3 3 0 0 6 1 9 Roma 4 3 0 1 3 1 9 Atalanta 4 2 2 0 9 3 8 Cremonese 4 2 2 0 5 3 8 GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: Borussia Dortmund 1 (Adeyemi 20) Wolfsburg 0, Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Tillman 70) Borus sia Moenchengladbach 1 (Tabakovic 90+2), Eintracht Frankfurt 3 (Brown 45+3, Uzun 80, Burkardt 87-pen) Union Berlin 4 (Ansah 9, Burke 32, 53, 56) . TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Bayern 4 4 0 0 18 3 12

B. Dortmund RB Leipzig

4 3 1 0 9 3 4 3 0 1 6 7 4 2 1 1 9 7 4 2 1 1 7 6 4 2 0 2 11 9

10

Leeds

5 2 1 2 4 7 5 1 3 1 3 3 5 1 2 2 6 8 5 1 2 2 5 9 5 1 1 3 5 8 5 1 1 3 6 10 5 0 3 2 1 5 5 1 0 4 5 13 5 0 0 5 3 12

7 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 0

RESULTS & STANDINGS

9 7 7

Newcastle Brighton Nott. Forest Brentford Aston Villa West Ham

Cologne St Pauli

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Bourne mouth 0 Newcastle 0, Sunderland 1 (Isidor 75) Aston Villa 1 (Cash 67), Arsenal 1 (Martinelli 90+3) Manchester City 1 (Haaland 9). P W D L F A Pts Liverpool 5 5 0 0 11 5 15 Arsenal 5 3 1 1 10 2 10 Tottenham 5 3 1 1 10 3 10 Bournemouth 5 3 1 1 6 5 10 Crystal Palace 5 2 3 0 6 2 9 Chelsea 5 2 2 1 10 5 8 Sunderland 5 2 2 1 6 4 8 Fulham 5 2 2 1 6 5 8 Man City 5 2 1 2 9 5 7 Everton 5 2 1 2 6 5 7 Man Utd 5 2 1 2 6 8 7 Malaysia set realistic targets MALAYSIA’S national road cycling squad will carry a two-pronged mission at the prestigious Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) 2025. National head coach Mohd Yusof Abdul Nasir said the team is being realistic in setting its targets, with the main focus on achieving the best results in the Asian rankings while also aiming to place riders among the leading group in selected stages. He said past achievements by Malaysian riders such as Anuar Manan and Harrif Salleh proved that stage victories are possible, and this time the spotlight is on young rider Kee Zhe Yie, seen as having the potential to shine on the Fraser’s Hill climb. “Every time we join LTdL, we must be realistic. For me, the Asian level is a target within reach. Anything can happen in cycling. Before this, Anuar and Harrif both won stages, so it’s not impossible for Kee to deliver something special at Fraser’s Hill. “We will give our best to achieve this. All the teams in LTdL are strong, so strategy, experience and the riders’ instincts in climbing and sprint finishes are crucial,” he told reporters at the National Sports Council (MSN) in Bukit Jalil yesterday. Mohd Yusof said several Malaysian riders have been identified to take on different challenges across flat, climbing and demanding stages. He pointed out that apart from Stage Five from Temerloh to Fraser’s Hill (123.1km), Stage Three from Gerik to Pasir Puteh (198.2km) and the final stage from Tangkak to Kuala Lumpur (180.2km) will be key. “Normally, foreign riders recover from jet lag by the fourth or fifth stage, but we will try to give our best from the start until the finish. “We are not the biggest team, so our focus will be on specific stages. The Gerik and Fraser’s Hill stages are crucial to secure the Asian team position, while the final stage is also very tough. In all three, we must ensure our riders are up front,” he said. – Bernama NATIONAL road cyclist Mohd Shahrul Mat Amin is set to return to the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) this year after last competing in 2018, marking a significant comeback for him in the prestigious race. To make it even more special, Mohd Shahrul, who will be making his eighth appearance at the LTdL, has also been appointed as team captain and will lead a squad of six cyclists, combining the experience of senior riders with the drive of young cyclists. The two-time national champion describes his extensive experience as the main asset for leading the team through the eight-stage, Burnley Wolves

E. Frankfurt 6 FRENCH LIGUE 1: Paris FC 2 (Dicko 81, Gory 90+4) Strasbourg 3 (Paez 27, Doue 78, Emegha 87) , Monaco 5 (Biereth 29, Fati 46, 83, Kouao 86-og , Ilenikhena 90+3) Metz 2 (Diallo 13, Hein 67-pen) , Auxerre 1 (Namaso 45+2) Toulouse 0, Le Havre 1 (Soumare 47) Lorient 1 (Tosin 21). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Paris SG 4 4 0 0 10 3 12 Monaco 5 4 0 1 13 7 12 Lyon 5 4 0 1 7 3 12 Strasbourg 5 4 0 1 8 5 12 Lille 5 3 1 1 13 8 10 Lens 5 3 0 2 8 5 9

ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP: Bristol City 1 Oxford United 3. TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Mid’boro 6 5 1 0 11 4 16 Stoke City 6 4 0 2 9 4 12 Bristol City 6 3 2 1 13 7 11 Leicester 6 3 2 1 8 5 11 Preston 6 3 2 1 7 5 11 Coventry 6 2 4 0 15 7 10

JDT duo bag hattrick J OAO FIGUEIREDO and Bergson Da Silva helped themselves to a hattrick each to inspire Johor Darul Southern Tigers hit eight past

Sabah, De Marigny calls for swift reset

one defeat. Sabah head coach Jean-Paul de Marigny has called for a swift reset. “It was always going to be a big challenge coming here. JDT has an incredible squad with qualities all over the

Ta’zim (JDT) to an 8-0 win over Sabah FC in their Super League match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Sunday. The Southern Tigers, coached by Xisco Munoz, were irrepressible at the home ground as Oscar Aribas and Raul Parra chipped in with a goal apiece as they tore Sabah to pieces. Munoz praised his team’s “amazing performance” after their Super League fixture. The Spaniard credited his players’ relentless intensity and discipline for the victory, calling it a performance for the fans while reiterating the club’s long-term ambitions. “From the first to the last minute, all the players on the pitch gave 100 percent. They focused on every single moment, kept a good rhythm, played forward and created many chances. “This is enjoyable for the fans who came to watch the game. Today we won and performed well. We need to stick to the JDT idea of giving our maximum every day. “There’s only one way: focus, progress, move on, and always give our best,” he told a post-match press conference at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Sunday. Munoz said JDT’s control of the game stemmed from the midfield’s strong performance, noting that the unit executed its roles effectively throughout the match. Looking ahead, Munoz emphasised the need to carefully manage the squad as JDT prepare for two more home games before resuming their Asian Champions

field. In the first half, we were outnumbered in central midfield,” he told a post-match press conference at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Sunday. “We need to reset, refocus and analyse where we can hurt opponents and how to neutralise their strengths. The process of preparing remains the same,

but when you lose by a big margin, it becomes more difficult,” he explained. “There are many lessons for us tonight. We need to make sure that we structure the team in a proper way. “It’s about being clear in our playing style and

JDT’s Gustavo Silveira Da Silva (left) in action with Sabah goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat during their Malaysia Super League match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. – BERNAMAPIC

League campaign. The win sees JDT sit atop the 13 team Super League standings with 18 points from six matches, while Sabah remain in 10th position with three points from three draws and

principles with the ball, without the ball, and in transition. We got exposed in those areas, but we’ll regroup and aim for a better performance in the next game,” he emphasised. – Bernama

Mohd Shahrul’s significant return to national squad

port of sponsors, including providing me with the best bicycle. So, I contacted the coach and expressed my desire to join the team, not for the name but by going through the process from the beginning,” he said. He also uses his 13 years of experience with TSG as a guide to maintain his fitness and com pete on the main stage again. Besides Mohd Shahrul, the five other riders strengthening the national road cycling squad are Muhammad Elmi Jumari, Muhammad Ameer Ahmad Kamal, Kee Zhe Yie, Muhammad Iqmal Mohd Zarawi, and Muhammad Yusri Shaari. – Bernama

Commenting on his return to the LTdL stage, the 36-year-old former Terengganu Cycling Team (TSG) rider admitted that his passion for cycling never faded, despite not being selected since 2019 and facing challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. “The cycling career is deeply ingrained in me. After 2018, many other riders competed, and I was not selected. Then came the Covid-19 sea son which made things even more difficult. From there, I set my mind on returning to ride at LTdL. “After leaving TSG, I continued cycling. This time, I am more prepared, with the added sup

1,244.2km race, scheduled from Sept 28 to Oct 5. “For me, in a tour race, we will first see how the first stage goes before understanding the overall rhythm. From there, we will know the capabilities of other teams and our chances of trying to win the third or fifth stage (the team’s focus). “Most importantly, your position when you attack or start climbing requires experience. I see our young riders have potential this time; God willing, we can do our best,” he said at the National Squad announcement for LTdL 2025 at the National Sports Council (MSN), Bukit Jalil, yesterday.