ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JUNE 11-12, 2021 SPORTS 14

English clubs fined US ‘overwhelm’ Costa Rica to UEFA ‘pauses’ disciplinary Super League rebels case GENEVA, June 10, (AP): UEFA put finish 4-game, 11-day stretch a hold Wednesday on its disciplinary case against Super League rebel clubs Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid, while the six Premier League clubs that tried to join the breakaway accepted a collective fine of 22 mil- lion pounds ($31 million). The three clubs who refused to renounce the Super League project are facing a possible ban from the Champions League, although that now looks unlikely before next sea- son. Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid won a ruling from a Spanish court in April that they could not be punished by Switzerland-based UEFA and FIFA. Their case was also In this Feb 15, 2021 file photo, Chelsea’s Timo Werner (left) vies referred by the judge in Madrid to the for the ball with Newcastle’s Isaac European Court of Justice in Hayden during the English Premier Luxembourg which could weigh in if League match at the Stamford UEFA is breaching competition laws. Bridge, London, England. (AP) “The UEFA Appeals Body has decided to stay the proceedings until 30 points and fined 25 million pounds further notice,” the European soccer ($35 million) if they try to join any body said in a statement, acknowl- similar sort of largely closed competi- edging it was notified by Swiss tion in the future that isn’t part of the authorities last week of the Madrid established structures. court order. It’s a second round of sanctions for the six English clubs. They agreed a SOCCER settlement deal with UEFA last month joined by the other Italian and Spanish teams among the Super League “UEFA understands why the disci- founders: AC Milan, Inter Milan and plinary proceedings needed to be sus- Atlético Madrid. pended for the time being, but remains The nine agreed to UEFA’s terms to confident in and will continue to forfeit 5% of their prize money from defend its position in all the relevant European competitions in the 2022-23 jurisdictions.” season and pay a combined 15 million It was unclear if next steps will see euros ($18.3 million) also as a “gesture United States’ Reggie Cannon (20) and Costa Rica’s Ronald Matarrita (22) vie for the ball during the second half during an international friendly soccer UEFA challenge the injunction in of goodwill” to benefit children, youth match, on June 9, in Sandy, Utah. (AP) Madrid or seek to persuade judges in and grassroots football. Luxembourg, where the timeline for For top clubs, a successful season rulings could take at least several in the Champions League currently Dike, Cannon score 1st international goals months unless fast-tracked. earns around 100 million euros ($122 All three holdout clubs qualified million) in UEFA prize money. for next season’s Champions League The agreement also saw the nine SANDY, Utah, June 10, though none won their domestic consent to be fined 100 million euros league title. Their national federations ($122 million) if they seek again to (AP): The United States submitted entries for all three with play in an unauthorized competition finished a grueling stretch Ronaldo scores as Portugal blank Israel UEFA and the group-stage draw is or 50 million euros ($61 million) if of four games in 11 days scheduled for Aug. 26. they breach any other commitments LISBON, Portugal, June 10, (AP): The plan to split from the existing to UEFA as part of the settlement. Cristiano Ronaldo scored to lead over 5,400 miles that result- Champions League run by UEFA col- After UEFA formally opened the ed in three wins, including Portugal to a 4-0 win over Israel in its disciplinary case two weeks ago, final warm-up match before defending lapsed within 48 hours in April after the CONCACAF Nations the English clubs - Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona, Juventus and Madrid said its European Championship title. in a joint statement they would not League trophy. Twenty- Ronaldo scored in the 44th minute to Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester clubs United and City - pulled out accept “any form of coercion or intol- four players saw action, take his international tally to 104 goals. erable pressure.” He will enter Euro 2020 five goals amid a backlash from their own fans and eight scored. and the government. The statutes of UEFA and FIFA away from tying the all-time scoring prohibit clubs taking disputes to local Prep time for the Europe-based record for a men’s national team. The The Premier League on Wednesday players is over. Next up is the start record is held by former Iran striker Ali said its fines amount to around 3.6 courts outside soccer’s judicial bodies of World Cup qualifying in Daei, the only other male soccer player million pounds ($5.1 million) per whose decisions can be appealed to September. to surpass the 100-goal milestone. club, with the cash being invested in the Court of Arbitration for Sport in support for fans, grassroots leagues Switzerland. and community programs. The league Barcelona, Juventus and Madrid SOCCER SOCCER called the clubs’ acceptance of the have claimed they are trying to fines a “gesture of goodwill.” change the traditional structure of “They have wholeheartedly apolo- European soccer, after teams and “The depth of this team will really Bruno Fernandes and João Cancelo gized to their fans, fellow clubs, the leagues were badly hit financially by come in handy,” Brenden Aaronson said also scored for Portugal, which was Premier League and the FA (Football the COVID-19 pandemic. after scoring in the eighth minute to start coming off a 0-0 draw at Spain in its Association),” the league said in a “Either we reform football or we a 4-0 exhibition rout of Costa Rica. “I Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo shoots the ball during the international first warm-up match last week. statement. will have to watch its inevitable think it’s it’s going really well so far. friendly soccer match between Portugal and Israel at the Alvalade stadium Ronaldo missed a few good chances They have accepted being deducted downfall,” they said last month. And I think we showed that today.” in Lisbon, on June 9. (AP) before finally finding the net with a left- Daryl Dike and Reggie Cannon footed shot from inside the area at the added their first international goals This schedule was designed to Honduras in the Nations League semi- José Alvalade Stadium. His goal came Salmiya, Kuwait clubs ready for and Gio Reyna converted a penalty mimic pandemic-delated World Cup final. Pulisic, McKennie, Jordan two minutes after Fernandes had opened kick in the 77th, three minutes after qualifying, where the U.S. opens with Siebatcheu and Sebastian Lletget also the scoring with a low shot from near the entering. three matches from Sept. 2-8, a win- scored. penalty spot after a pass by Cancelo, who added to the lead with a nice low 23rd ACL Handball Champ’ship U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter changed dow FIFA designed for two. “I think there’s guys that will be nine starters from the lineup he used to strike into the corner in the 86th. KUWAIT CITY, June 10, (KUNA): Al-Shimmari said. He added that the “What I realized is that it’s going to able to go three games and 90 minutes, Fernandes scored his second goal by beat Mexico 3-2 in extra time on Kuwait and Salmiya sport clubs said team signed contracts with four profes- Sunday to win the first CONCACAF take a group to get this done. It’s not but it’s not going to be many, espe- hitting the top corner with a shot from Nations League. going to take 11 starters,” Berhalter cially given the way we want to play outside the area in stoppage time. they were ready to compete in the 23rd sional players for the tournament. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie said. “We think we have a young, tal- and the way we want to press,” Portugal coach Fernando Santos Asian Club League Handball and Josh Sargent didn’t play at all. ented group. And to gain that Berhalter said. started with Fernandes, Bernardo Silva Championship from June 12 to 21 in Defender Mark McKenzie, the tar- CONCACAF experience was massive. Europe-based players will go on and Diogo Jota playing alongside Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. HANDBALL get of racial abuse on the Internet after And when we turn around and we go brief vacations and then skip next Ronaldo, who was substituted in the In separate statements to KUNA on a poor first half Sunday, was the only into World Cup qualifying, we’ll have month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup to 72nd. João Félix was not included in Thursday, the clubs’ officials noted player to start for the fourth straight a good idea of what that’s going to be report for preseason ahead of 2021-22 the match squad. Pepe and Rúben Dias that their teams aim to represent On his part, member of the board of game and had a stronger effort. like and what the three-game rhythm’s club seasons. led the defense. Kuwait in the final stages of the com- Salmiya club Dr Hussein Al-Khodhari “I came of out of the Mexico game going to be like.” The 20th-ranked U.S. improved Portugal will play Euro 2020 in a petition and develop the performance noted that the team prepared for the being extremely proud of Mark and Reyna was the only multiple goal 11-1-1 in its last 13 matches and won difficult Group F that also includes of Kuwaiti handball. tournament in a training camp in the the way he handled himself,” Berhalter scorer over the four games, which its 10th consecutive game against a Germany, France and Hungary. It will Kuwait club’s team played five Qatari capital, Doha. said. “He didn’t need to play another began with a 2-1 friendly loss at regional opponent since a 2019 open against Hungary on Tuesday in friendly matches in the training camp in Clubs from Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain, minute today and I still would have Switzerland on May 30 and was fol- Nations League loss to Canada, match- Budapest. It then faces Germany on Serbia, winning four matches, the Uzbekistan, Iran and Yemen will also been proud of him.” lowed by last Thursday’s 1-0 win over ing the American high set in 2013. June 19 and France on June 23. club’s handball media coordinator Saad take part in the competition.