Football

Doha: Qatar suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Russia at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Sunday in their final international friendly before next month’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian play-offs. The result will be a concern for head coach Julen Lopetegui, who experimented with line-ups and combinations in the absence of several senior players including Almoez Ali, Hassan Al Haydos, and Ismael Mohammed – all sidelined due to injury. The loss follows last week’s 2-2 draw against Bahrain, completing a disappointing pair of warm-up matches. Despite the experimental approach, Lopetegui would have expected stronger performances with critical games against Oman (October 8) and the UAE (October 14) looming. Qatar must top the group to seal their spot in the next year’s World Cup. Qatari defender Tarek Salman acknowledged the need for improvement, admitting that the team must take lessons from their recent performances. “The coach is discovering new players and trying to find the right combination. Of course, there are mistakes,” said Salman after the match. “There are many factors. But, God willing, what happened came in a friendly match in September. Hopefully, it won’t happen again in October, during the most important event. "We certainly have to learn from our mistakes. The fans might be tired of hearing the same things, but this is the reality. We have to take the positives and learn from what happened.” Playing in front of a supportive home crowd with free entry offered by the Qatar Football Association, the Asian champions struggled to match Russia’s intensity and precision throughout the match. Russia started brightly and dictated early proceedings, with Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham called into action within minutes, denying Aleksei Miranchuk’s attempt. Aleksandr Silyanov also tested Barsham around the 15th minute as the visitors continued to dominate possession. In the 23rd minute, Aleksey Batrakov’s header from a precise cross rattled the crossbar, grazing Barsham’s fingertips. Qatar’s first real opportunity came five minutes later when Akram Afif earned a corner, but the Russian defense dealt with the danger comfortably. Russia's midfielder #18 Matvey Kislyak celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the international friendly football match betweenQatarand Russia at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on September 7, 2025 (Photo by Karim Jaafar/ AFP) Russia made their breakthrough soon after, striking twice in rapid succession. Aleksandr Golovin opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, finishing off a cross from Batrakov. Just two minutes later, a lofted delivery from Danil Krugovoy found an unmarked Matvey Kislyak, who headed in Russia’s second. Ivan Sergeyev capped off a dominant first-half display, pouncing on a rebound in the 45th minute after Barsham had initially denied Batrakov, giving Russia a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime. Qatar returned with more energy after the break and created chances early in the second half. Afif came close to connecting from close range, while Igor Diveev’s header for Russia sailed over the bar. Batrakov also had a goal ruled out for offside. Afif eventually pulled one back for Qatar in the 62nd minute, exchanging passes with Mohamed Manai before slotting in the center of the box – a rare bright moment for the hosts. But Miranchuk responded swiftly for Russia, scoring the fourth goal in the 69th minute to restore the three-goal cushion and seal a comprehensive win. The Qatari squad will now return to club duty before regrouping for the crucial World Cup qualifying campaign next month.

Formula One

Monza, Italy: Max Verstappen won the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, the reigning world champion slowing McLaren's dominance of Formula One with a phenomenal display from pole in Monza. Red Bull's Verstappen held off Lando Norris and championship leader Oscar Piastri after setting the fastest lap in F1 history when taking top spot on the grid on Saturday. The Dutchman has little chance of securing a fifth straight drivers' title as he still trails Piastri by 94 points with the Australian finishing third. Piastri leads the drivers standings by 31 points from Norris who finished second, as the top five positions ended up staying as they were on the starting grid of a rapid race. Read Also Salah-inspired Egypt can seal World Cup slot by beating Burkina Faso Qatar move closer to finals with victory over India in U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers Sabalenka defeats Anisimova to retain US Open crown Sunday's win was just Verstappen's third of a season dominated by a McLaren car which has blown way the competition by winning all but four GPs. But a second win in Italy this year, after triumphing in the last Emilia Romagna GP back in May, caps a historic weekend for the blunt 27-year-old. Charles Leclerc couldn't take a podium spot for the massed ranks of Ferrari fans in the stands, the Monegasque finishing fourth. Leclerc's teammate Lewis Hamilton gave it his best shot after a five-place grid penalty had him bumped back to 10th at the start, charging up to sixth thanks to some spectacular driving early in the race. But the seven-time F1 champion couldn't push past his former Mercedes teammate George Russel and was left with another underwhelming result in his first Monza GP with Ferrari.

Tennis

New York: World number one Aryna Sabalenka overpowered Amanda Anisimova to defend her US Open crown on Saturday, defeating her American rival in straight sets to clinch the fourth Grand Slam title of her career. Sabalenka ruthlessly attacked Anisimova's shaky service game to complete a 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) victory on the Arthur Ashe Stadium which cements her status at the pinnacle of women'sTennis. The 27-year-old from Belarus had gone into Saturday's final knowing it was her last chance to grab a Grand Slam crown in 2025 after agonising losses in the Australian and French Open finals. Sabalenka duly atoned for those defeats to end Anisimova's hopes of a remarkable redemption just two months after her traumatic 6-0, 6-0 thrashing by Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final. "It's crazy, all those tough lessons were worth it for this one," said Sabalenka after becoming the first woman to successfully defend the US Open since Serena Williams in 2014. "I'm speechless right now." Anisimova had won six of nine previous encounters against Sabalenka, a run which included a victory in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. But a determined Sabalenka, playing in the seventh Grand Slam title game of her career, brought all her experience to bear as she slammed the door on Anisimova's dream of a maiden Grand Slam title. "Losing in two finals in a row is great but it's also super hard," Anisimova said. "I think I didn't fight hard enough for my dreams today," revealing that the lighting under the arena's closed roof had made it difficult to serve. "There was no way of adjusting, because I could not see the ball when I was serving, and that was a huge shock to my system," she said. Tiebreak streak Sabalenka clinched victory after once again demonstrating her incredible prowess in tiebreaks -- winning her 19th consecutive breaker 7/3 to clinch in one hour and 34 minutes. Anisimova meanwhile was left ruing her inability to make the most of break points at key moments, in sharp contrast to Sabalenka who converted five of her six break point chances. That imbalance was on display early in the first set, when Anisimova failed to convert three break points openings as Sabalenka took a 2-0 lead. Yet Anisimova hit back in the third game, lasering a backhand winner into the corner to earn break point before unfurling a rasping forehand winner to break back before holding for 2-2. With the momentum behind her and her groundstrokes forcing Sabalenka around the court, Anisimova then broke again for a 3-2 lead. But that was the catalyst for Sabalenka to raise her game and she broke to love before holding to edge back in front. Anisimova's faltering serve again betrayed her in the eighth game, the eighth seed double-faulting twice in quick succession to hand Sabalenka two break points at 15-40. Sabalenka needed no further encouragement and she duly converted before holding to take the first set. Sabalenka punished another wayward service game from Anisimova early in the second set and looked in complete control at 3-1. Yet Anisimova wasn't quite finished, and she held confidently before breaking back to love to level it at 3-3. The fightback was shortlived however, and when Anisimova thumped a wide open forehand long to gift Sabalenka a 15-40 lead, the Belarusian once again seized her chance for a break. Sabalenka held for 5-3 and was soon serving for the match at 5-4. Yet she allowed Anisimova off the hook after ploughing a wide open smash into the net. Instead of giving her match point, Anisimova had break point which she took to give her a lifeline. But in the tiebreak Sabalenka reasserted her control and she sprinted into a 6-1 lead before closing out victory.