PSG down Aston Villa to retain UEFA Super Cup

Salzburg, Austria: Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain rubber-stamped their status as Europe's top team as they beat Aston Villa 2-1 in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue netted either side of a debut goal for Villa teenager Brian Madjo in Salzburg as PSG defended the title they first won 12 months ago against another Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur.

The Super Cup, which pits the winners of Europe's top club competition against the victorious side from the second-tier Europa League, was officiated by Somalian referee Omar Artan. likesport.biz

The 34-year-old referee unwittingly found himself in the media spotlight in June after being turned away on arrival at Miami International Airport, despite being part of the panel of referees selected by FIFA for the World Cup.

Ahead of the start of their respective domestic seasons, both sides named relatively strong sides.

PSG's starting XI featured nine players that lifted the Champions League trophy against Arsenal in May, including Vitinha, Joao Neves and captain Marquinhos.

French left-back Lucas Digne, who on Sunday signed for the Parisians, was on the bench against his old side.

Villa rested World Cup campaigners Ezri Konsa, Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins, but Unai Emery handed debuts to midfielder Joao Gomes and striker Madjo.

Midfielder Boubacar Kamara also started for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury in January.

Abdallah El-Said is considering retirement after asking Zamalek to terminate his contract due to poor treatment from the board.

The midfielder’s agent Abdelhadi Mohamed confirmed that the 41-year-old wants to leave the Cairo giants despite having another season remaining on his contract.

Mohamed said El-Said feels Zamalek have failed to appreciate his contribution and have presented a misleading account of the dispute to supporters.

The agent added that the midfielder could end his playing career rather than join another club. “Abdallah El-Said is currently seriously considering ending his football career through Zamalek,” Mohamed said in a statement.

A subsequent report claimed to reveal details of El-Said’s meeting with a senior Zamalek official. The club reportedly told the player that they wanted him to remain and would resolve his outstanding payments before the new season.

However, El-Said insisted that money was not the primary reason behind his request. He said he had rejected more lucrative offers before joining Zamalek because he wanted to finish his career with the White Knights.

The midfielder instead alleged a “coordinated campaign from within the club” to attack him and influence supporters against him.

“I have never been humiliated like this. My children are grown,” El-Said reportedly told the official.

Zamalek then informed him that he would need to waive last season’s outstanding payments before the club agreed to release him, which El-Said rejected.

His unpaid dues are approximately EGP8 million, according to reports. He has not joined Zamalek’s pre-season camp, and the board is divided over how to proceed while the dispute remains unresolved.

Some members reportedly support allowing El-Said to waive his salary for the coming season in exchange for terminating the contract and scheduling last season’s arrears.

However, others want the player to return to training and face disciplinary action for missing pre-season, particularly while Zamalek remain unable to register new signings.

El-Said’s departure was initially understood to have been agreed after his agent said the board had welcomed the termination request and the proposed payment schedule.

However, a Zamalek source subsequently denied that the two parties had reached a final agreement, saying that the board was still considering every available option before deciding the player’s future.

Last summer, Abdallah El-Said signed a two-year extension, keeping him at Zamalek until June 2027. He had joined from Pyramids in January 2024 in a deal reportedly valued at an initial EGP21 million.

El-Said has since made 93 appearances across all competitions, scoring 16 goals and providing 10 assists. His spell included the 2024 CAF Super Cup, the 2025 Egypt Cup and Zamalek’s 2025/26 Egyptian Premier League title.

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Doha, Qatar: Fakhira (Al Mamun Monlau), a four-year-old Purebred Arabian filly, recorded another major success by winning the Gr.1 (PA) Liwa International Stakes – Wathba Stallions over 2000m at La Teste, France, yesterday.

The race was reserved for fillies and mares aged four and older and attracted a field of five runners.

Trained by Thomas Fourcy, ridden by Alexandre Gavilan and carrying the colours of Khalifa bin Sheail Al Kuwari, the four-year-old filly, Fakhira confirmed her position among the leading fillies and mares of her generation with another impressive performance.

Fakhira came into the race after winning the Gr.1 (PA) Criterium des Pouliches – Yas Racing over the same course last month.

This latest success gave Fakhira her second Gr.1 (PA) victory and took her career record to four wins from only five starts.

Fakhira broke well and was quickly positioned on the outside, racing just behind Labwa Al Cham (Al Mourtajez), who led that part of the field while staying away from the inside rail.

El Bnoud (Azadi), meanwhile, headed the group racing closer to the rail, with Shagaf (Al Mourtajez) just behind her.

The connections of Fakhira celebrate after the Khalifa bin Sheail Al Kuwari-owned filly won the Gr.1 Liwa International Stakes.

The positions remained much the same approaching the final turn, with Labwa Al Cham still leading Fakhira on the outside.

As they entered the turn, the runners on the outside moved across towards the horses racing near the rail, bringing the field together.

Fakhira was still travelling very comfortably at this stage while most of her rivals were already being asked for an effort. Inside the final 300m, the race quickly developed into a battle between Fakhira and El Bnoud. But approaching the final 200m, Fakhira clearly had more to offer. She changed gear again and pulled away strongly from her rival to score by four lengths.

El Bnoud finished second while Labwa Al Cham held on for third place.

Bred by Sheail bin Khalifa Al Kuwari, Fakhira is by Al Mamun Monlau out of Falsafah (AF Albahar), a winner over 1200m in Qatar at the age of four.

Doha, Qatar: Team Qatar are holding a training camp in Turkiye as they prepare for the second phase of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 Asian qualifiers and the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

Led by Turkish coach Hakan Demir, the squad are focusing on improving their technical and physical readiness ahead of a challenging schedule.

Qatar finished second in Group D in the first qualifying phase with 10 points, behind Lebanon on 11. In the second phase, Qatar are grouped with Lebanon, Japan, Republic of Korea, China and Saudi Arabia.

Qatar will open against China in Doha on August 27 before facing Japan away on August 30. The remaining fixtures are against Republic of Korea on November 26, Japan on November 29, China on February 26, 2027, and Republic of Korea on March 1, 2027.

At the Asian Games, Qatar are in Group B with Iran, Jordan and Chinese Taipei. They will face Iran on September 10, Jordan on September 12 and Chinese Taipei on September 13.

توج نادي باريس سان جيرمان بطلاً لكأس السوبر الأوروبي بعد فوزه، أمس، على أستون فيلا بهدفين مقابل هدف في المباراة التي اقيمت على ملعب بول أرينا بمدينة سالسبورغ النمساوية. سجل للباريسي اللاعبين كفاراستخيليا «د 20،و دوي في «د 62 فيما سجل هدف أستون فيلا 1 مادجو في «د 45. وبهذا الفوز نجح الباريسي في الحفاظ على لقبه وحصد كأس السوبر الأوروبي للمرة الثانية على التوالي والثانية في تاريخه بعد ان كان حقق اللقب الأول 2025 أمام نادي توتنهام في مباراة مثيرة حُسمت بركلات الترجيح. أدار المباراة بامتياز الحكم الصومالي عمر أرتان الذي حُرم من تأشيرة دخول للولايات المتحدة للمشاركة في إدارة مباريات كأس العالم 2026.