30/09/2026

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | SEPT 30, 2026

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DR Congo win qualifier as Wissa spoils Zimbabwe homecoming YOANE WISSA scored the first goal and created the second as the DR Congo spoilt a Zimbabwe homecoming by winning a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier 2-1 in Harare yesterday. The 30-year-old Newcastle United striker struck on 30 min utes by poking a loose ball into the net after goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze allowed a cross to slip from his grasp. DR Congo, last-32 losers to England at the 2026 World Cup, went further ahead in first half added time when a Wissa pass sent Samuel Moutoussamy through to score from inside the box. Wissa could have finished with a hattrick. His first half shot beat Chipezeze only to trickle narrowly wide and he struck the woodwork just past the hour mark. After being outplayed in the opening half by a team 89 places higher in the world rankings, Zimbabwe improved after halftime and Marshall Munetsi scored a 93rd-minute consolation goal. It was the third goal by Munetsi from English second-tier club Wolverhampton Wanderers after a brace in a dramatic 3-2 away win over Sierra Leone last week. DR Congo, whose second of two Afcon titles came 52 years ago, top Group E with a maximum six points after launching their campaign with a 2-0 home vic tory over Equatorial Guinea. Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea, who meet twice in November, have three points each and Sierra Leone are point less. Equatorial Guinea are among the 11 of the 48 qualifiers for the Afcon group stage who must host matches at neutral venues as they lack an international-standard stadium. Central African Republic are another “homeless” nation. They fell 1-0 to Burkina Faso in Group F in Moroccan commercial hub Casablanca. – AFP

NOVAK DJOKOVIC said he was encouraged by the way his body was responding ahead of the China Open as the 24-times Grand Slam champion looks to regain momentum at a happy hunting ground after recent fitness concerns. Djokovic will return to action for the first time since his shock opening round defeat by Mariano Navone at the US Open late last month, when the 39-year-old struggled with shoulder and back problems and vomited mid way through the match. The world No. 11 will look to put those problems behind him when he takes on Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the first round in Beijing this week. “Yeah, feeling good so far,” six-times China Open champion Djokovic told reporters yesterday. “Let’s see. Obviously it’s completely different when you’re playing an offi cial match compared to practice sets or practice sessions. “But so far so good. I was looking forward to coming to China, as I always have. My record speaks for itself on Chinese soil. “Knowing that, it also brings this dimension of confidence that I really need. Overall, it’s been really good so far with the body, the way I’m feeling and playing.” The former world No. 1 is a massive draw in Beijing, where he won the title in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and holds a 29-0 win-loss record at the ATP 500 tournament. The pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title remains one of the few major targets left for Djokovic, who has become increasingly selective about his tournament schedule in recent years. “At this stage of my career it’s really also about the tournaments where I enjoy to play, where I’ve had the suc cess in the past, where I feel like I’m also welcomed by the fans in a positive light, in a positive way,” Djokovic added. “The history of my results on Chinese soil has been incredible. I haven’t played here 11 years. I was trying to make it work in the past years with the schedule, but it worked in such way where I played only Shanghai. “This year Beijing was on the priority list.” – Reuters SHORTS Djokovic says body feeling good

Infantino opens Fifa’s coffers … after Uefa, Concacaf seek increased funding

F IFA PRESIDENT Gianni Infantino has ordered an assessment of proposals to distribute more money to national associations, following calls from Uefa and Concacaf for a US$2.1 billion (RM8.5b) payout from the governing body’s reserves, but stopped short of committing to an amount. In a letter to the six continental confederation presi dents seen by Reuters yesterday, Infantino said the assess ment would go before the Fifa Council on Oct 15, with any additional funding subject to financial checks and formal approval. “Until the assessment and necessary approvals are complete, no preliminary figure can be treated as an approved commitment to the Member Associations,” he wrote. Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani proposed this month that each of Fifa’s 211 member associations receive at least US$10 million (RM41m) during the 2027-30 cycle, in addition to existing development funding. They also sought an independent review of Fifa’s reserves. Their Sept 18 letter questioned whether Fifa’s aban doned private-investment proposal had been needed to increase funding, given reserves they projected at about US$6 billion (RM24b) at the end of 2026. They argued their proposed distribution would leave reserves above US$1.5 billion (RM6b) throughout the following cycle. Infantino defended the rationale for the withdrawn commercial plan, saying it would have generated funding beyond what Fifa could distribute from existing resources. “The recent commercial proposal, now with drawn, was intended to enable Fifa to invest more in football – not to replace support that could responsibly be provided from exist ing resources,” he wrote. “So, it would actually have been on top of it.” The Fifa Forward Enterprise project was aban doned in July following opposi

Fifa’s administration had already been examining how to provide further development and solidarity funding before receiving the confederations’ submissions. He asked the confederation chiefs to send their finan cial models, assumptions and supporting information to the secretary general, with relevant Fifa committees involved in verifying the assumptions. The Council should determine the amount and timing of additional payments, the reserves needed to protect Fifa’s obligations and financial independence, and the eli gibility, reporting and audit requirements attached to any distribution, he said. The assessment would also consider support for con federations facing demonstrable structural costs. Where sufficient evidence was available, the Council should receive a recommendation on Oct 15. Otherwise, it should approve “the shortest reasonable timetable” for completing the work. “I will not prejudge the amount. I will support the greatest level of additional funding that can responsibly be delivered through Fifa’s proper governance process, applied fairly and supported by transparent and auditable arrangements,” Infantino wrote. He also reiterated his invitation for proposals to strengthen Fifa’s decision-making, while urging the confederation presi dents to respect decisions reached through its institu tional processes.

“Trust is not the absence of disagree ment,” he wrote. “It is demonstrated when we engage directly, test proposals against the facts and respect decisions properly reached through Fifa’s democratic and institu tional processes – even when the outcome dif fers from the one we preferred.” – Reuters

tion from confederations, including Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, over a lack of consul tation. The dispute has fuelled demands for changes to Fifa’s governance. Infantino s a i d

Fifa president Gianni Infantino. – REUTERSPIC

measurements of the court are the same. It’s not the first time I’ve played in conditions like this, and they’re good conditions.” Buttler ruled out JOS BUTTLER will miss England’s one-day inter national Tri-series in Pakistan next month after suffering a hamstring injury against Sri Lanka last week, limited-overs coach Brendon McCullum said on Monday. The former England captain pulled up while batting during England’s 16-run defeat at Headingley last week. He initially retired hurt before returning to the crease later in the innings. The 36-year-old was replaced by Jordan Cox for Sunday’s third ODI at The Oval, where Cox scored 76 in England’s 223-run win. “Jos won’t be in Pakistan,” McCullum told reporters. “We know he’s an incredible athlete, supremely fit and an ultra-professional, so he’ll do everything he can to get back as soon as possible. But it’s hard to judge how long that will be.” England travel to Pakistan for a Tri-series

involving the hosts and Sri Lanka beginning on Oct 18. The side will head to Australia in November for three ODIs and five Twenty20 inter nationals. McCullum said Buttler’s absence offered an opportunity to test England’s depth ahead of next year’s 50-over World Cup. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh advance RAIN continued to disrupt the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games yesterday, with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh advancing to the men’s cricket semifinals after their quarterfinal matches were abandoned with out a ball being bowled. Sri Lanka had been scheduled to face Nepal, while Bangladesh were set to take on Malaysia. However, a second consecutive day of no play at the Korogi Sports Park, on the southern out skirts of Nagoya, meant the higher-ranked teams progressed automatically to the last four. Sri Lanka will now take on defending champi ons India, while Bangladesh face Pakistan in the semifinals on Thursday.

Despite the washouts, Shearer remained opti mistic the weather would clear in time for the top tier cricket. AG organisers say sorry ORGANISERS of the Aichi-Nagoya Games apolo gised for a travel mix-up on Monday, which saw Pakistan reaching a wrong venue ahead of their volleyball match against Uzbekistan, which even tually had to be delayed to salvage the situation. A Games spokesperson said the South Korean men’s team also missed their practice session after reaching a wrong venue. “Both teams boarded buses bound for the wrong destinations. We would like to offer our sin cere apologies to both teams for the inconven ience this caused,” the spokesperson told report ers yesterday. “While delaying the start time was undoubt edly a major inconvenience to the team, by adjusting the competition schedule, we were able to ensure that the match itself was conducted properly.”

Eala wins indoors FILIPINO tennis star Alex Eala kicked off her Asian Games gold bid in style, but out of sight of her growing fanbase as bad weather wreaked havoc with Monday’s programme in the continental showpiece event. There was a palpable buzz at the sold-out opener on the 3,500-capacity outdoor centre court at Higashiyama Park Tennis Center to watch Eala, the first Filipino to win a WTA title. Rain forced the match to be played indoors, however, and only a few dozen spectators includ ing media, team officials and green-shirted volun teers witnessed the 21-year-old thumping Thailand’s Patcharin Cheapchandej 6-1, 6-0 to breeze into the quarterfinals. World No. 18 Eala, who next faces Taiwan num ber one Joanna Garland, said she took to court with an open mind. “I think ‘ready for anything’ was the mindset,” she told reporters. “At the end of the day, the