19/06/2026

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SPORTS FRIDAY | JUNE 19, 2026

2026 WORLD CUP

Sivasangari checks in PSA Tour semifinals MALAYSIA’S squash queen S. Sivasangari contin ued her impressive run at the 2025/26 PSA Tour Finals in Paris by storming into the semifinals with a commanding straight-games victory over Japan’s Satomi Watanabe. Playing at Centquatre-Paris in France, the 27 year-old needed just 35 minutes to dispatch Watanabe 11-9, 11-6, 11-9 and secure her place in the last four of the season-ending tournament. Sivasangari, currently enjoying one of the best seasons of her career, looked sharp throughout the encounter, controlling the rallies and handling the pressure moments well to complete the win in three games. The victory underlined her growing consistency against the world’s elite players and kept alive hopes of a breakthrough title at one of the sport’s most prestigious events. The Malaysian now faces a stern challenge in the semifinals, where she will meet top seed Amina Orfi of Egypt in a match scheduled for early Friday morning Malaysian time. Amina booked her place in the last four after overcoming Belgium’s Tinne Gilis 11-1, 11-8, 6-11, 11-5 in 57 minutes. While Amina enters as the tournament favourite and one of the world’s highest-ranked players, Sivasangari has shown she is more than capable of upsetting the Egyptian. Earlier this year, the Malaysian stunned Amina in the semifinals of the Grasshopper Cup in Zurich, ral lying from a game down to claim a memorable five-game victory. A victory over Amina would see Sivasangari reach the final of the PSA Tour Finals for the first time and move one step closer to ending the sea son with the biggest title of her career. – Bernama/Agencies The association stated that further develop ments regarding the national team manage ment will be announced from time to time. – Bernama IT is the end of an era for Peter Cklamovski and Nafuzi Zain as head coaches of the senior and U-23 (U-23) national teams, respectively after they officially announced their departures yes terday. Cklamovski, who led the Harimau Malaya squad, expressed his gratitude through the Malaysia NT official page stating that the time has come for him to pursue new challenges. “I would like to sincerely thank all involved for the support and now for understanding my deci sion that the time has come for me to take on a new challenge,” he said. Reflecting on his journey, he praised the dedi cation shown by his team and players, noting that their shared goal was always to bring hon our to the country. “My deepest appreciation goes to the players and staff who gave every thing throughout this journey. Every training session, every match and every moment together was driven by the same objective to make Malaysia proud,” Cklamovski said. Meanwhile, the national football fraternity was further hit by the departure of national U-23 head coach, Nafuzi who said it was a difficult decision to bid farewell to a squad he holds in high regard. “Thank you to everyone involved in my career journey. Especially to the manage ment, support staff, players and supporters who are always behind me and give me unwavering support and enthusiasm,” he said. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) had earlier confirmed the contract of national team chief executive officer (CEO), Robert Douglas Friend, better known as Rob Friend, was terminated through mutual agreement effective June 1. The contracts of Peter Cklamovski, Matthew Smith, Seiya Imazaki, Nafuzi Zain, and Mohd Yazid Mohd Yassin were terminated by mutual agreement between June 15 and 16. Cklamovski, Nafuzi exit Harimau Malaya

MATCHSCHEDULE RESULTS STANDINGS

GROUP A June 12 3am Mexico vs South Africa 10am S. Korea vs Czech Rep 19 12am Czech Rep vs South Africa 9am Mexico vs South Korea 25 9am Czech Rep vs Mexico 9am South Africa vs South Korea

GROUP B June

GROUP C June 14 6am Brazil vs Morocco 9am Haiti vs Scotland 20 6am Scotland vs Morocco 8.30am Brazil vs Haiti 25 6am Morocco vs Haiti 6am Scotland vs Brazil

2 0 2 1

1 1 1 1

1 1 0 1

13 3am Canada vs Bosnia 14 3am Qatar vs Switzerland 19 3am Switzerland vs Bosnia 6am Canada vs Qatar 25 3am Bosnia vs Qatar 3am Switzerland vs Canada

P W D L F A Pts

Scotland

1 1 1 1

1 0 0 0

0 1 1 0

0 0 0 1

1 1 1 0

0 1 1 1

3 1 1 0

Mexico

1 1 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1

2 2 1 0

0 1 2 2

3 3 0 0

Bosnia Canada

1 1 1 1

0 0 0 0

1 1 1 1

0 0 0 0

1 1 1 1

Brazil

South Korea 1

Czech Rep

Qatar

Morocco

South Africa 1

Switzerland

Haiti

GROUP D June 13 9am United States vs Paraguay 14 12pm Australia vs Turkiye 20 3am United States vs Australia 11am Turkiye vs Paraguay 26 10am Paraguay vs Australia 10am Turkiye vs United States

GROUP E June 15 1am Germany vs Curacao 7am Ivory Coast vs Ecuador 21 4am Germany vs Ivory Coast 8am Ecuador vs Curacao 26 4am Curacao vs Ivory Coast 4am Ecuador vs Germany

GROUP F June 15 4am Netherlands vs Japan 10am Sweden vs Tunisia 21 1am Netherlands vs Sweden 12pm Tunisia vs Japan 26 7am Japan vs Sweden 7am Tunisia vs Netherlands

4 1 2 0

7 1 1 0

2 2 5 1

P W D L F A Pts

Germany

1 1 1 1

1 1 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1

7 1 0 1

1 0 1 7

3 3 0 0

Sweden

1 1

1 0 0 0

0 1 1 0

0 0 0 1

5 2 2 1

1 2 2 5

3 1 1 0

USA

1 1 1 1

1 1 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1

4 2 0 1

1 0 2 4

3 3 0 0

Ivory Coast

Japan

Australia

Turkiye

Ecuador Curacao

Netherlands 1

Paraguay

Tunisia

GROUP G June 16 3am Belgium vs Egypt 9am Iran vs New Zealand 22 3am Belgium vs Iran 9am New Zealand vs Egypt 27 11am Egypt vs Iran 11am New Zealand vs Belgium

GROUP H June 16 12am Spain vs Cape Verde

GROUP I June 17 3am France vs Senegal 6am Iraq vs Norway 23 5am France vs Iraq 8am Norway vs Senegal 27 3am Norway vs France 3am Senegal vs Iraq

1 1 2 2

0 0 1 1

3 1 1 4

6am Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay 22 12am Spain vs Saudi Arabia 6am Uruguay vs Cape Verde 27 8am Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia 8am Uruguay vs Spain

P W D L F A Pts

Uruguay

0 0 0 0

1 1 1 1

0 0 0 0

1 1 0 0

1 1 1 1

Norway France Senagal

1 1 1 1

1 1 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1

4 3 1 1

1 1 3 4

3 3 0 0

New Zealand 1

0 0 0 0

1 1 1 1

0 0 0 0

2 2 1 1

1 1 1 1

Saudi Arabia 1

Iran

1 1 1

Belgium

Cape Verde

1 1

Egypt

Spain

Iraq

GROUP J June 17 9am Argentina vs Algeria 12pm Austria vs Jordan 23 1am Argentina vs Austria 11am Jordan vs Algeria 28 10am Algeria vs Austria 10am Jordan vs Argentina

GROUP K June 18 1am Portugal vs DR Congo 10am Uzbekistan vs Colombia 24 1am Portugal vs Uzbekistan 10am Colombia vs DR Congo 28 7.30am Colombia vs Portugal 7.30am DR Congo vs Uzbekistan

GROUP L June 18 4am England vs Croatia 7am Ghana vs Panama 24 4am England vs Ghana 7am Panama vs Croatia 28 5am Croatia vs Ghana 5am Panama vs England

3 0 3 1

1 1 1 3

4 2 1 0

P W D L F A Pts

Colombia

1 1 1 1

1 0 0 0

0 1 1 0

0 0 0 0

3 1 1 1

1 1 1 3

3 1 1 0

England

1 1 1 1

1 1 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1

4 1 0 2

2 0 1 4

3 3 0 0

Argentina

1 1 1 1

1 1 0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0 1 1

3 3 1 0

0 1 3 3

3 3 0 0

Congo

Ghana

Austria Jordan Algeria

Portugal

Panama Croatia

Uzbekistan

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