Football

Monterrey, Mexico: Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman cast doubt on his future on Monday after a penalty shootout loss to Morocco eliminated his team from the World Cup. Koeman said he was still coming to grips with the result at Monterrey Stadium, which marked the Netherlands' earliest exit at the World Cup finals since its round of 16 elimination in Germany 20 years ago. "I haven't resigned. I'm going to reflect on my future," he said. "Right now, the disappointment from the match is still very fresh. I'll gather my thoughts and maybe I'll come to a conclusion by tomorrow morning." Cody Gakpo had given the Netherlands the lead in the round-of-32 clash with a 72nd-minute strike before Issa Diop forced the match into extra time with a 91st-minute equalizer. Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville all missed their attempts for the Dutch in the shootout. "It was a difficult draw from the moment we saw Morocco in our group, but that's football," Koeman said. "We put a lot of energy into this match and it went back and forth. Maybe Morocco created the better chances. We took the lead and I didn't think they had a real solution, then they scored a fortunate goal." "It's even more painful when it comes in stoppage time. We were also unlucky in the penalty shootout." Koeman defended his decision to switch to a five-man defense and denied his tactics had been too defensive. "We conceded far less than we did against Sweden and Tunisia [in the group stage]," Koeman said. "If the equalizer hadn't been scored, people would probably praise the decision." "I felt the change was necessary. Too often in previous matches we gave opponents too much space, and if that had happened tonight we probably wouldn't even have reached extra time. People see the game from the sidelines, but I'm with the team every day. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't change anything." He admitted his team's shortcomings in attack had been telling. "I thought we could have been more dangerous on the left with Micky [van de Ven] and Cody," he said. "We could have moved the ball quicker. We got into good positions on the right a few times, but the final pass wasn't good enough. You can ask whether playing with five defenders affected our attacking play."

Qatar Sport

DOHA: Qatar suffered an 86-80 defeat to Saudi Arabia in the rescheduled second-window qualifier yesterday at Al Gharafa Sports Hall despite producing a spirited display in the Asian qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027. The game was marked by intensity and momentum shifts across all four quarters. Saudi Arabia started strongly, taking control of the first quarter 29–20, capitalising on offensive efficiency, quick transitions, and defensive lapses from Qatar. In the second quarter, Saudi Arabia maintained its edge, edging Qatar 17–15 to enter halftime with an overall lead. Qatar responded in the third quarter with renewed energy, improving both offensively and defensively to claim the period 24–22, narrowing the gap and regaining rhythm. The fourth quarter saw Qatar continue its resurgence, winning 21–18 with a strong finish, but the early deficit from the first half ultimately secured Saudi Arabia’s six‑point victory. With this result, Saudi Arabia raised its tally to 7 points, while Qatar reached 6 points in Group D, which also includes Lebanon and India, leaving qualification scenarios wide open. Qatar had previously opened its campaign with a narrow 75–74 loss to Lebanon in Doha, followed by a crucial 86–83 away win over Lebanon, and a commanding 99–73 victory over India, reflecting steady progress despite mixed outcomes. The Qatari squad now prepares to continue its qualifying journey, traveling to Ahmedabad to face India on July 2, 2026, before meeting Saudi Arabia again in Jeddah on July 5, 2026, in two decisive third‑window fixtures.

Qatar Sport

DOHA: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) launched the Team Qatar Summer 2026 Programme, reaffirming its commitment to inspiring the next generation through sport, education and community engagement. Organised by the Sports Events Department from June 28 to July 9, the initiative is designed for the children of QOC employees and is delivered in collaboration with the Qatar Stars League Foundation, the Qatar Bowling Federation, Perf - Up Centre and several national sports federations. The programme scaters to children aged 8–12, while a dedicated volunteer pathway for participants aged 16–18 focuses on cultivating leadership, responsibility and teamwork through practical experiences. Designed to foster healthy lifestyles and holistic development, the program promotes physical and mental well-being, strengthens behavioral and life skills, reinforces positive values, and provides opportunities to identify and develop promising young sporting talents in an engaging learning environment. The opening day welcomed 30 boys to the Qatar Bowling Federation, where they explored the fundamentals and culture of bowling, while the girls’ activities will commence on July 5 with a similar visit. Over the course of the program, participants will visit the Qatar Police Sports Federation, Lusail Shooting Range, Perf Up Centre, the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum 3-2-1, the Qatar Stars League Foundation and the Qatar Gymnastics Federation, gaining valuable exposure to a wide range of sports, health, education and Olympic experiences. Speaking at the launch, Maryam Al-Mujaba, program Director, described the opening as a remarkable success, highlighting the strong turnout as evidence of growing public appreciation of sport’s role in youth development and the importance of making productive use of the summer break. She noted that the program is designed to develop participants’ skills while promoting Olympic values, discipline and teamwork in a safe, professionally supervised environment, adding that the initiative reflects the Qatar Olympic Committee’s vision of building a healthier society and preparing a new generation that embraces sport as a lifelong way of life.