08/04/2026

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | APR 8, 2026

31

RESULTS & STANDINGS

Iran awaiting response on WC venue switch

SHORTS

Maguire signs one-year contract extension

LA LIGA: Girona 1 (Navarro 45+1-og) Villarreal 0.

P

W

D 1 3 4

L 4 5 8

F

A

Pts 76 69

TOP 3

Barcelona

30 25

80 29 64 28 54 35

HARRY MAGUIRE has signed a new contract with Manchester United to keep him at Old Trafford for another year. The 33-year-old’s deal includes the option of a further season so he could remain at the club until 2028, taking him to nine years as a United player. Maguire, who cost United £80m (RM424m) when he joined from Leicester in 2019, said it was“the ultimate honour” to play for them while director of football Jason Wilcox praised him for his determination and resilience. Maguire said: “Representing Manchester United is the ulti mate honour. It is a responsibil ity that makes myself and my family proud every single day. I am delighted to extend my jour ney at this incredible club to at least eight seasons and con tinue to play in front of our spe cial supporters to create more amazing moments together. “You can feel the ambition and potential of this exciting squad. The determination throughout the whole club to fight for major trophies is clear for everyone to see and I am confident that our best moments together remain ahead of us.” Wilcox added: “Harry is the ultimate professional who brings invaluable experience and leadership to our young, ambitious squad. “He iscompletely deter mined to help Manchester United to achieve regular and sustained success.” Lincoln earn promotion to Championship LINCOLN CITY have sealed pro motion to the Championship with a dramatic stoppage time win over Reading, marking a first return to the English second tier in 65 years. The Imps needed just a point to confirm their passage into the Championship for the 2026/27 campaign and were on course to get just that, even after Reading midfielder Lewis Wing had cancelled out Ryan One’s early opener for Lincoln two minutes into second-half stoppage time. But Jack Moylan scored a 96th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 win at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, putting the exclama tion point on the visitors’ pro motion. The result means Michael Skubala’s side now have an unassailable 19-point lead atop League One over third-placed Bradford City, with second-place Cardiff City sit 12 points adrift of Lincoln’s tally of 90. They return to the second tier for the first time since 1961, with only Crewe Alexandra – who haven’t played at that level in 102 years – experiencing a longer hiatus.

IRAN’S government will only decide on the national team’s participation in the World Cup once they receive a response from Fifa over the reloca tion of their matches, the country’s Minister of Sport Ahmad Donyamali said. Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) has been push ing to move the team’s three World Cup group stage matches from the United States to Mexico, citing American military involvement alongside Israel in strikes that sparked an ongoing war in the region. FFIRI said last month they were in discussions with Fifa about a venue switch, while Iran’s sports ministry has banned national and club sports teams from travelling to countries it considers hos tile until further notice. Fifa president Gianni Infantino said last week, however, that Iran would play their matches as scheduled. “Our request to Fifa to relocate Iran’s games from the US to Mexico is still valid, but we have not yet received a response,” Donyamali told Turkish state news agency Anadolu in an interview published at the weekend. “If accepted, Iran’s participation in the World Cup will be certain. However, Fifa has not yet responded.

“As the Minister of Sports, together with the Iranian football federation, we will keep the football team ready for the World Cup. However, the final decision will be made by our government.” Iran are scheduled to play all of their Group G matches on American soil – against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles before their final fix ture against Egypt in Seattle. US President Donald Trump said last month that while Iran’s national team were welcome to play in the US, it might not be appropriate for their “life and safety”. He later made it clear that any threat to players would not come from the United States. “According to Fifa’s relevant regulations, secu rity must be provided in the country concerned,” Donyamali added. “However, the World Cup is tak ing place soon, and providing guarantees during this period is questionable. “Under these circumstances, the possibility of Iran participating in the World Cup matches in the US is very low. But, if the relevant security guaran tees are provided, our government will make the decision on Iran’s participation in the World Cup.” The World Cup takes place in the US, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. – Reuters

Real Madrid 30 22

Villarreal 58 SERIE A: Juventus 2 (Bremer 4, McKennie 17) Genoa 0, Lecce 0 Atalanta 3 (Scalvini 29, Krstovic 59, Raspadori 73) , Napoli 1 (Politano 79) AC Milan 0, Udinese 0 Como 0. 30 18

TOP 3

P

W

D 3 5 9

L 5 6 4

F

A

Pts 72 65

Inter Milan

31 23 31 20 31 18

71 26 47 30 46 24

Napoli

AC Milan 63 ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP: Blackburn 0 West Brom 0, Bristol City 1 Sheffield United 0, Derby 2 Stoke 0, Hull 0 Coventry 0, Ipswich 2 Birmingham 1, Millwall 1 Norwich 2, Preston 1 Queens Park Rangers 1, Portsmouth 2 Oxford 2, Sheffield Wednesday 1 Leicester 1, Swansea 2 Middles brough 2, Watford 1 Charlton 1.

P

W

D 9

L 7 7 9

F

A

Pts 84 72 72

TOP 3

Coventry Ipswich

41 25

84 42 69 40 62 41

39 20 12 41 20 12

Boro

Mohamad Ridzuan celebrates with the Jalur Gemilang after clinching gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. – BERNAMAFILEPIC

351/26

07/04/2026

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RM6,989,229.95

Get Dek Wan

4253 + 2292 1551 + 2292 2292 + 1551

4253 + 1551 1551 + 4253 2292 + 4253

PCM wants Mohamad Ridzuan to boost sport ecosystem T HE Paralympic Council Malaysia (PCM) plans to get the country’s first Paralympic gold medallist – Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi, or better known as Dek Wan – who announced his retirement last week, on board the national governing body in a bid to strengthen the para sport ecosystem. rience and expertise in the sport’s ecosystem, with the hope that one day, para athletes will fill important positions in the country’s sports administration, such as the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb).

RM252,326.91

“This is their sport. We only provide the framework, but the ones who truly understand the sacrifice involved are the athletes themselves. So, we want to give them the opportunity to con tinue contributing,” he said. National Sports Council (NSC) director-gen eral Jefri Ngadirin previously confirmed that Dek Wan had, earlier this month, decided to step away from para athletics. Meanwhile, commenting on the workshop, Shahriman said the “zero classification” system, first used at the 2024 Sarawak Para Sukma, would be implemented at the Selangor edition this year. The primary aim is to ensure no athlete is turned away at the venue due to misclassifica tion or failure to meet classification require ments, and that all athletes must get the classifi cation done in their respective states in accor dance with all the procedures set by the classifi cation head of each state. Shahriman said that the experience gained in Sarawak had allowed PCM to improve their pro cedures and strengthen understanding among coaches and officials. “This is the second time we will be imple menting zero classification. We expect a smoother and more systematic implementation this time,” he said. – Bernama

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PCM president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin said the proposal would be discussed at their meeting next month, with the possibility of Dek Wan being appointed as an ambassador or given a significant role in the organisation. He added that the 38-year-old, who is highly experienced, is an elite athlete capable of provid ing added value to the development of para sports, particularly in understanding the actual needs of para athletes. “Dek Wan is one of the athletes I highly respect. He has contributed immensely to the country and is an icon and an inspiration to our younger generation of para athletes,” he told reporters after the 2026 Selangor Para Malaysia Games (Para Sukma) workshop classification in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. He described Mohamad Ridzuan’s gold medal feat in the men’s 100m T36 (cerebral palsy) category at the 2016 Rio Paralympics as the cata lyst that paved the way for Malaysian para ath letes’ success on the world stage. Shahriman stressed that efforts to bring for mer athletes into the administration are part of the PCM’s initiatives to ensure continuity of expe

7 14

RM11,475,806.04

RM254,028.48

5 3 5 1 9 2 53519

35192

5351

5192

535

192

53

92

51

02

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