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AMSTERDAM — Germany conceded their earliest goal in 50 years but fought back to lead at half-time before drawing 2-2 away at The Netherlands in the Nations League on Tuesday.

Germany was stung early, Tijjani Reijnders giving the hosts the lead after 99 seconds.

The shellshocked visitors gave up several chances in the opening half an hour but eventually fought back to lead, thanks to two goals in seven minutes from Deniz Undav and new captain Joshua Kimmich before the break.

Denzel Dumfries, who missed a golden chance early, levelled things up just after half-time and despite both sides spurning chances — including a poor Kai Havertz miss from close range — the score remained level at full-time.

Germany forward Jamal Musiala told RTL his side were still adjusting to the loss of veterans Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, Ilkay Gundogan and Thomas Mueller, who all retired from international football in the summer.

“It wasn’t our day, but we need to learn from that. We need to be more secure with the ball but we can take some positives out of the game,” he said

“We’ve lost four legends from the team but it’s a process, the atmosphere is still really good.”

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said “it was a bit over the place for both teams”, but added “we were strong offensively and we took risks”.

“The team believes in itself and that’s the key. We gave everything and that’s what we, and the fans, want to see,” the coach said.

Goal after 99 seconds 

Both sides came into the match with big wins over their Nations League group rivals, Germany thrashing Hungary 5-0 and The Netherlands beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 5-2.

Despite the gameday withdrawal of striker Niclas Fuellkrug, Nagelsmann elected not to return Kai Havertz to centre-forward, where he started each game of Euro 2024.

Instead, he named Stuttgart’s Undav up front, the former Brighton forward’s first start in Germany colours.

The Dutch cut the visitors open early, Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch finding Reijnders in space behind Germany’s high line.

The AC Milan midfielder advanced on goal and knocked a calm finish past Marc-Andre ter Stegen, giving the Netherlands the lead less than two minutes in.

The goal, the earliest Germany had conceded in 50 years, stunned the visitors and the home side almost scored a second after 15 minutes, Dumfries heading over with an open goal at his mercy.

The visitors eventually regained their structure and it was Undav who equalised on the 38-minute mark, smashing in a rebound from a Florian Wirtz shot.

With Germany again on the attack, Netherlands’ Manchester City defender Nathan Ake went down in the box after a sprint with an apparent muscle injury and was visibly emotional as he was stretchered from the pitch.

Dutch coach Ronald Koeman said further tests were needed to diagnose the injury.

“It looks like a muscle injury for Nathan, though I am not certain.”

Germany then turned the game around just before half-time, Kimmich tapping in an Undav pass in the third minute of stoppage time.

The visitors’ relief was short-lived however, with The Netherlands levelling things up on 51 minutes, Dumfries tapping in after Jamal Musiala was robbed of the ball inside his own box.

One minute later, Wirtz created a clear chance to retake the lead, finding Havertz in front of an open goal but the Arsenal forward hit the ball over the bar.

The group rivals finish the international break level on points, with Germany ahead on goal difference.


LONDON — Formula One design guru Adrian Newey said his aim is to turn Aston Martin into world champions after he was unveiled at the team's Silverstone headquarters on Tuesday. 

Newey, widely considered the greatest technical mastermind of his generation, has committed his long-term future to the British outfit after it was announced earlier this year that he would be leaving Red Bull.

Newey, who will start his new job in March 2025, joins as managing technical partner and will also become a shareholder.

"I am thrilled to be joining Aston Martin," said the 65-year-old.

"I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that (team owner) Lawrence [Stroll] brings to everything he is involved with.

"Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team. He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport."

Newey will work with the team's drivers, Stroll's 25-year-old son, Lance, and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 43.

"This is huge news," said Lawrence Stroll. "Adrian is the best in the world at what he does — he is at the top of his game — and I am incredibly proud that he is joining Aston Martin.



"It's the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport and another demonstration of our ambition to build a Formula One team capable of fighting for world championships."

Red Bull announced in early May that Newey would be leaving the world champions and would step back from design duties to focus on final development and delivery of the RB17 hypercar.

Aston Martin are currently fifth in the constructors championship heading into the final stretch of the season.

Newey, who will reportedly earn up to £30 million ($39 million) a year, has built a reputation as the greatest F1 designer in history after winning 12 drivers' championships and 13 constructors' titles in a career that spans the Williams, McLaren and Red Bull teams.

He helped transform Red Bull from an energy drinks company into an F1 giant, with Sebastian Vettel landing four consecutive titles between 2010 and 2013.

Mercedes then emerged as the dominant force but Red Bull fought back to reclaim their spot at motor racing's summit, with Max Verstappen taking the 2021 title before storming to the next two championships.

The Dutch driver had looked on course to romp to a fourth consecutive title this season but his lead has been reduced to 62 points with eight races remaining.

Red Bull chief Christian Horner recently denied that Newey's departure has contributed to his team recent slump, which leaves Verstappen heading to this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku without a win in his past six races.



It was reported earlier this year that Newey became unsettled after Horner was accused of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour by a female employee.



The team principal was cleared in February of wrongdoing by an internal investigation carried out by Red Bull's parent company before the employee was then suspended. An appeal was dismissed last month.

AMMAN — Jordan finished fourth at theFIBA U18 Asia Cup which ended in Amman on Monday after losing the 3rd place match 84-63 to China as Australia beat New Zealand 96-33 in the title match.

The top four teams advanced to the 2025 U19 World Cup slated for Switzerland with Spain the defending champs among the elite basketball teams of the world. It will be Jordan’s second time at the U-19 World Cup after first qualifying in 1995 finishing 16th. 

The FIBA U-18 Asia Cup was Jordan’s fifth time at the event after previously finishing 3rd in 1995, 9th in 1996, 10th in 2008 and 2014.

The young Jordanian squad had an impressive championship which saw them lose 71-62 to New Zealand before they beat the Philippines 62-56, Indonesia  82-59 and Qatar 91-85. In the quarterfinals, they upstaged title holders South Korea 73-69 to move to the semis where they lost to Australia 94-42.

So far, basketball has been the only Jordanian team to reach a World Cup in a team sport. The senior team so far played at the FIBA World Cup three times– 2010, 2019 and 2023. In 2010, Jordan finished 23rd among 24 countries after losing all 5 matches; In 2019, Jordan managed a win over Senegal  to finish 28th among 32 nations, and in 2023 finished last at 32nd.

AMMAN — The 2024 Olympic edition wrapped up in Paris with the Paralympic Games as Jordan’s team returned home with three medals afterjoiningover 4000 athletesfrom around the world,competing in 22 sports.

In its 10th time at the Games, Jordan’s powerlifter Abdul Karim Khattab repeated his Tokyo Games gold and seta new world and paralympic record; teammate Omar Qaradhi won the second gold medal- his fourth overall paralympic medal over the years, and Ahmad Hindi added  a bronze in athletics (shot put) after he won gold in Tokyo.

The delegation also included powerlifters, record four-time medalist Jamil Shibli, who had won medals at every Games since 2004; Rio silver medalist Tharwat Hajjaj, Beijing bronze medalist Mu'taz Juneidi, Asma Issa and Mohammad Shneiti.

Table tennis, which secured Jordan’s first ever gold in 2000 and has always been a leading sport for the disabled was missing from competition.

Since participating as of 1984, Jordan has now won a total of 22 medals at the Paralympics (7 gold, 7 silver and 8 bronze).  The total count includes a  silver and two bronze won at the Stoke Mandeville Games, which preceded the Paralympic Games.

The Tokyo edition was the most successful for Jordan with a historic four gold medals in powerlifting and athletics and a bronze in table tennis. The four gold medals were the first after 20 years since the lateMaha Barghouti's first gold (wheelchair table tennis) at the 2000 Sydney Games. 

A look back at past Paralympic participations demonstrates how sports for the disabled has gained recognition for Jordan through impressive performances on the international scene. Jordan's medals tally started in 1984, when the late Aida Shishani won bronze in athletics, 100 and 200m and the Barghouti silver in shot put at the Stoke Mandeville Games. 

At the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics,  Imad Gharbawi won a silver medal in the discus followed by Barghouti’s gold in Sydney 2000. Two medals were added in Athens 2004 when Jamil Shibli won silver in the shot put while the women’s table tennis team (Khitam Abu Awad and Fatima Azzam) won bronze. 

In 2008, Jordan won two silvers and two bronze. Omar Qaradhi took silver in power lifting; Shibli added a second silver with a new Paralympic world record in the shot put, Mu’taz Juneidi won a bronze in power-lifting and the women's wheelchair table tennis team won bronze when  Fatima Azzam and Khitam Abu Awad repeated their bronze medal win in Athens 2004.

The 2012 Paralympics was the most disappointing participation after the impressive women in table tennis failed to advance past the round of 16 while power lifters, some of whom continued to be on the team to date, were embroiled in controversy amid sexual assault complaints and were returned home before later facing legal proceedings in the UK.

In Rio 2016, Jordan won three medals in power lifting - two silvers by Tharwat Hajjaj (86 kg) and Omar Qaradhi (49 kg), while 2004 and 2008 silver medalist Jamil Shibli won bronze (+107 kg). 

In Tokyo 2020, Ahmad Hindi set a new world record and won a gold in athletics (shot put); three golds were secured in  power lifting by Omar Qaradhi(49 kg),  Abdul Karim Khattab (88 kg),  and Jamil Shibli (+107 kg) and a bronze was secured by veteran table tennis star Khitam Abu Awad in wheelchair table tennis.

Paralympic athletes are grouped in classes defined by the degree of function presented by the disability. Traditionally there are athletes who belong to six different disability groups in the Paralympics Movement: Amputee, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, spinal cord injuries, intellectual disability and a group which includes all those who are not within the afore mentioned groups.

Athletes with disabilities have usually made up for the failure to achieve better results on the Olympic scene, where even qualifying to the world’s premier sports gathering has been a daunting task, and since first participating in 1980, the Kingdom earned its first Olympic medal in 2016 and so farhas four in total (1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)

Since the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Jordan first won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics by Ahmad Abu Ghaush (taekwondo -68 kg). At the Tokyo Games, Saleh Sharabati grabbed  a silver (taekwondo - 80kg),  and Abdul Rahman Masatfeh (Karate -67 kg) won a bronze. At the 2024 Paris Games a silver medal was added by Zaid Mustafa(taekwondo - 68kg).

NEW YORK — Aryna Sabalenka won the US Open and her third Grand Slam crown with a thrilling victory over a gallant Jessica Pegula in a rollercoaster final on Saturday.

World No.2 Sabalenka triumphed 7-5, 7-5 to add the New York title to her back-to-back Australian Open victories.

Pegula went down fighting, however, recovering from 0-3 and break point down to lead 5-3 in the second set before Sabalenka came through.

The 26-year-old from Belarus clubbed 40 winners to become the first woman since Angelique Kerber in 2016 to capture both hardcourt majors in the same season.

“I’m speechless. So many times I was close to the US Open title and finally I got it,” said Sabalenka, the runner-up last year and semifinalist in 2022 and 2023.

“Never give up on your dream. Work hard. I’m super proud of myself.”

Pegula had arrived in New York with a title in Toronto and runner-up spot to Sabalenka in Cincinnati.

She had won 15 out of 16 matches on the North American summer hard court swing.

“I wish she would have at least let me get one set. We had a tough match in Cincinnati a few weeks ago and she’s one of the best in the world,” said the American.

“She’s super powerful and isn’t going to give you anything. She can take the racquet out of your hand.

“I’m just glad I was able to stay in there and keep taking opportunities.”

Sabalenka lost the 2023 US Open final to Pegula’s compatriot Coco Gauff and she struggled to settle in during the early stages on Saturday as a flurry of errors handed the home favourite a break for 2-1.

But the powerful Sabalenka levelled immediately and broke again for 4-2.

A capacity crowd of 23,000 included sporting royalty such as Olympic 100m gold medallist Noah Lyles, NBA star Steph Curry and former Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton watched on.

Most were behind Pegula but the 30-year-old was defenceless against the remorseless hitting of the world number two, whose screams echoed beneath the closed roof of the cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Pegula, who had knocked out world number one Iga Swiatek and then battled from a set and break down to see off Karolina Muchova in the semifinal, clung on.

From 2-5 down, she hit back for 5-5, breaking Sabalenka as the Australian Open champion served for the set.

In a marathon 12th game, however, Pegula saved four set points but not the fifth.

Sabalenka had unleashed 25 winners and committed 23 unforced errors to Pegula’s nine and 11, illustrating a dramatic contrast of styles in the 60-minute opener.

For the second match in succession, Pegula was soon a set and break down again, a double fault allowing Sabalenka to move ahead 3-0.

Incredibly, the 30-year-old stormed back to lead 5-3 before Sabalenka broke in the 10th game as her opponent attempted to level the final.

Sabalenka held her nerve to claim victory when Pegula went long with a weary drive.

AMMAN - In a dramatic finish, Kuwait managed to equalise from the spot kick in the injury time and snatch 1-1 draw at Amman International Stadium. Yussef |Nasser kept his cool and scored from the spot in dying minutes of the game. 

Jordan started well the first game in AFC qualification Round 3, when Musa Al Taamari scored in 14th minute of the first half for Nashama.

Jordan faces Palestine on Tuesday in Malaysia in the second round of the Group B alongside South Korea, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait and Palestine. The top team from the group will qualify directly to the 2026 World Cup while the third- and forth-placed teams from three qualifying groups will form the 4th Round of qualifiers. 

Jordan began the match offensively, trying to score quickly as Abdella Nasib's header almost finished behind the Kuwaiti goalie Sulaiman Abdulghafoor.

The host did not wait long to open the scoring sheet as in 14th minute Noor Al Din Rawabdeh passed the ball to Montpelier striker Taamari, who made no mistake from the edge of the box, sending a precise shot in the bottom corner.

After the initial goal, Jordan continued to press Kuwaiti defence and Mahmoud Marty had the chance to double the lead in 21st minute, but his overhead kick went directly into Abdulghafoor.

Jordan missed a golden opportunity in the second half when Marty blasted the ball over the crossbar from 9 metres.

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti team had sporadic moments of threat when Faisal Harbi's freekick from 22 metressailed the ball over the bar.

In a dramatic twist, Jordan was given a penalty in the finish of the match but after the VAR review the decision was overturned.  Moments later, the penalty was awarded to Kuwait when Yazan Al Arab brought down Moath Al Enazi.

Nasser confidently converted the penalty, denying Jordan the first victory in the Round 3.

NEW YORK — Jannik Sinner closed in on his second Grand Slam title of 2024 on Wednesday when he reached his maiden US Open semifinal as Jessica Pegula stunned Iga Swiatek to complete a rollercoaster Grand Slam year for the World No.1.

Top seed Sinner defeated 2021 US Open champion and two-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.

He will take on 25th-ranked Jack Draper for a place in the final after the British player made his first semifinal at the Slams with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 win over Australia’s Alex de Minaur

Sinner, 23, is the only top-10 man to make the semifinals with number 12 Taylor Fritz due to face US compatriot Frances Tiafoe, ranked 20, in Friday’s other last-four duel.

Sixth-ranked Pegula booked a place in the last-four of a Grand Slam for the first time by sweeping past Swiatek 6-2, 6-4.

On Thursday, she will tackle Karolina Muchova who saw off Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 6-1, 6-4.

Emma Navarro of the US tackles world number two and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka in the other women’s semifinal.

“It was very tough, I knew it would be very physical,” said Sinner, who had also beaten Medvedev to capture the Australian Open.

“It was strange in the first two sets, whoever got the break started to roll.”

Medvedev had to save 10 of 15 break points while his dream of making a 10th Slam semifinal was undermined by 57 unforced errors.

Draper pulled off the victory over 10th-ranked De Minaur despite taking a medical timeout early in the second set to have his right thigh bandaged.

“It’s amazing. My first time on Arthur Ashe Stadium, it means the world to me,” said Draper, who had lost three times in three meetings with De Minaur before Wednesday.

“I played a solid match and I feel the best, fitness-wise, that I have felt in a long time.”

Draper is the first British man to make the last four since Andy Murray won the title 12 years ago.

He has made the semifinals without dropping a set as he continued an impressive summer run which saw him capture his first ATP title in Stuttgart and then defeat Carlos Alcaraz at Queen’s Club.

Draper sent down 11 aces among his 40 winners while forcing De Minaur to fend off 14 of 20 break points.

The British player enjoys a 1-0 lead over Sinner in the pair’s head-to-head record although that win at Queen’s came three years ago.

Pegula has now won 14 times in 15 matches on US hard courts this summer.

“Finally I can say I’m a semi-finalist. I lost so many of these damn things,” said the American after her fourth career win against Swiatek.

Before Wednesday, she had lost six times at the quarter-final stage at the majors.

“Thanks to the crowd. I sent over a 65mph second serve [on a third match point] because I was so tight.”

Swiatek was undone by 41 unforced errors and was left to ponder an uneven season at the Grand Slams.

There was the high of a fourth French Open triumph but that was sandwiched by third-round exits at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

At the Paris Olympics, played on her favourite Roland Garros courts, she had to settle for the bronze medal.

“It’s hard to have low expectations when everybody is expecting something from you,” said Swiatek.

Muchova’s win over Haddad Maia came despite having to sprint to the bathroom early in the second set, a dash which caught everyone on the hop.

“I had a problem that I wouldn’t like to comment on,” said the 28-year-old. “I really didn’t have any other choice.”

After losing to eventual champion Coco Gauff in the 2023 semifinals, Muchova suffered a serious wrist injury which sidelined her until June this year.

A former world number eight, now ranked at 52, Muchova has yet to drop a set, knocking out two-time champion Naomi Osaka and this year’s French Open and Wimbledon runner-up Jasmine Paolini.

AMMAN - Jordan plays Kuwait on Thursday evening in the first Group B/Round 3 match of 2026 World Cup qualifiers kicking off at Amman International Stadium.

It will be the first official match under incoming Moroccan coach Jamal Sellamy who replaced compatriot Hussein Ammouta earlier this summer.

Sellamy underlined that the squad was ready and had its eyes set on the goal of qualifying to the World Cup. “All the positive indications are there. Players are ready, confident, and we have a sold out match. Fan support is a major motivator on home ground,” Sellamy added.

“We are on the right track but not in an ideal situation,” the coach said  at Wednesday's press conference. “Taking all our challenges into account we didn’t have an ideal time to prepare as we would have liked,” Sellamy said, underlining that the training camp in Turkey had helped decide player readiness. “There are slight changes in tactics and  things are moving in the right direction.”

Team star striker Mousa Ta’mari who plays for France’s Montpellier together with Yazan Al Arab, who just joined the Korean league were the last to join the squad. Team captain Ehsan Haddad, was on the injured list has returned. Striker Yazan Nue’imat who just joined Qatar’s Arabi, as well as Nour Rawabdeh and Ali Alwan, playing in the Malaysian league joined the team earlier this week.

The team regrouped last weekend as coach Sellamy named the lineup that was finalised after playing North Korea in two friendlies  drawing 0-0 before winning 2-1 in the second encounter.

Currently 68th in FIFA rankings, Jordan has played 110 ranked Korea  in 6 previous official and friendly matches winning two, losing 3 and drawing once.

Round 3 includes 18 teams playing in three groups in home and away format from September 5, 2024 to June 10, 2025 with the top two from each group advancing directly to the World Cup while the rest will play Round 4 in two groups with group leaders advancing and a possible ninth team advancing through intercontinental play-offs.

Jordan will head to Malaysia on Friday to play Palestine on September 10. Their group also includes Oman, Iraq and South Korea. Group A includes Iran, Qatar, Uzbekistan, UAE, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea, while Group C includes Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and Indonesia.

Sellamy told the media monitoring the league matches over the past three weeks has helped to zoom in on the players most ready to represent the national team. “This is the start of the critical stage of qualifying and the players chosen are the best at this stage. Any player who proves they are better for the squad will be recalled at any stage.” Sellamy added.