14/12/2025

SUNDAY | DEC 14, 2025

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Zakiah claims bronze in kumite

Federation (WKF) champion ships. “Although I have not fully recovered yet, all the sacrifices and my coach’s advice have finally paid off,” she said when met after the bout. So far, the national karate camp has collected a total of two gold medals, one silver and four bronzes. – Bernama

fering defeat, but was given another opportunity to compete through the repechage round to determine the bronze medal. Zakiah made full use of the chance, staging a comeback to defeat Myanmar’s Ei Ei Moe 9-6 to secure the bronze. “I am indeed satisfied because throughout this year I have often had to deal with inju ries from the start of the season until the World Karate

NATIONAL women’s karate exponent Zakiah Adnan won the bronze medal in the women’s kumite Under-68 kilogramme (kg) category at the SEA Games Thailand 2025 at the Chaeng Watthana Government Complex here yesterday. The 22-year-old initially advanced to the quarterfinals before suf

Malaysian karate athlete Zakiah Adnan (left) claimed bronze in the women’s 68kg tatami, beating Myanmar’s Ei Ei Moe at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand, yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

Afcon exodus Premier League clubs grapple with player departures

PLAYERS heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations should depart with the blessing of their respective clubs according to Everton manager David Moyes, but his viewpoint might not be shared by rivals who face weeks without some of their top names. The majority of Premier League clubs will be impacted in some way by the 24 nation tournament that kicks off in Morocco on Dec 21 and concludes on Jan 18. With no mid-season break in the Premier League, six rounds of fixtures are scheduled during Afcon as well as the FA Cup third round and League Cup quarter finals. Promoted Sunderland, who have defied expectations to stay in the top half of the Premier League table, could be the worst affected with six players going to the tournament, while the likes of Fulham, Manchester United, Burnley and Crystal Palace will also have to make do

can – it’s not our decision,” manager Regis Le Bris said ahead of the eagerly-awaited Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle United this weekend. While leaders Arsenal have no such concerns with none of their squad depart ing for Morocco, the same cannot be said of the clubs scrapping down the bottom. Bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers have Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast) and Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe) involved, second-from-bot tom Burnley will say goodbye to Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa) and Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia) while 18th-placed West Ham United will have to make do without full back Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo) and El Hadji Malick Diouf (Senegal). One inadvertent consequence of the Afcon could be to quieten the storm around Liverpool’s talisman Mohamed Salah who will head off for national duty with Egypt. – Reuters

ideas about when they want the players. “I expect today or maybe tomorrow to have a decision but we are waiting until the last moment to choose the best team.” More than 40 England-based players are set to be at the Africa Cup of Nations, including Fulham’s influential Nigerian trio Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze. “We knew it was going to happen. We will not panic about its impact. We are talking about three starting players,” Fulham manager Marco Silva said. Sunderland’s squad depth will be fully tested as they will lose Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), Arthur Masuaku and Noah Sadiki (DR Congo), Reinildo (Mozambique) and Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco). Senegal’s Habib Diarra could also go despite having not played since September because of injury. “The decision is with the national team – if they want to select the player, they

without some key personnel. Moyes will lose Senegal duo Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye as they head off after their clash at Chelsea on Saturday. “This is their last week, as is the case with many other football clubs, and we have to completely respect the tourna ment,” Moyes told reporters. “The players have to go and play for their countries, and rightly so. It is a great thing that they have been selected for their countries. We wish them well.” Manchester United are still sweating on the availability of Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo and Ivory Coast duo Noussair Mazraoui and Amad Diallo for Monday’s Premier League game at home to Bournemouth as that is the day players are supposed to report for international duty. “I don’t know if it’s going to be the same situation (when each player goes to Afcon),” manager Ruben Amorim said on Friday. “Every national team has their

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