Sports

AMMAN — The CFI Jordan Professional Football League’s breaks until March 26 as the national team goes on duty for  Round 3/Group B qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

Clubs ended week 16 with Hussein maintaining their lead, defeating Ma’an 4-1 as they confidently march towards retaining their title with an unbeaten record so far, while Faisali beatWihdat 1-0 in the most anticipated match of the week.

Wihdat’s loss sparked outrage among fans and club members who called for an assessment to put back things in order. In addition to losing the Jordan Super Cup title to Hussein and the Shield title to Salt, now they are trailing 8 points behind in the fight for the league title which seems to be slipping away. In addition, they also lost on the regional level, exiting the Asian Football Confederation and Asian Champions League Two in the Round of 16.

During the past week, some teams improved their record boosting their eventual standings like Aqaba who upset Salt 2-1 and consolidated their spot away from the relegation zone,while Faisali, who last week beat Ahli, appeased their fans with their second win as they try to make up for a season of fluctuating performances.

In other league results, Shabab Urdun beat Ahli 2-0, Ramtha beat Sarih 2-1, Jazira beat Mughayer Sarhan  1-0.

Wihdat’s Mohannad Simreen is still the top scorer so far with 11 goals trailed by Sarih’s Mohammad Akash with 9.

LOS ANGELES, United States — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander outdueled MVP rival Nikola Jokic with a 40-point performance as the Oklahoma City Thunder produced a late barrage to defeat the Denver Nuggets 127-103 on Sunday.

A pulsating battle between the NBA Western Conference heavyweights was settled by a fourth quarter offensive onslaught from Oklahoma City, who outscored Denver 41-20 in the final frame to romp to victory.

Gilgeous-Alexander -- widely seen as the front-runner to succeed Jokic as the league's Most Valuable Player -- was instrumental in the Thunder's strong finish.

The gifted Canadian point guard once again came up big when it mattered, slamming the door on Denver after the Nuggets had got to within one point of OKC at the start of the fourth quarter after clawing their way back from an 11-point deficit in the third quarter.

Gilgeous-Alexander added nine points in the fourth quarter to complete his 11th 40-point of the season, putting the Thunder within touching distance of clinching their place in the postseason. The Thunder are now 53-11 at the top of the Western Conference after their seventh straight victory, 12 games clear of the second-placed Los Angeles Lakers.

"We were able to get stops down the stretch and then just execute," Gilgeous-Alexander said of the Thunder's fourth-quarter bombardment.

"That's what it's going to come down to when teams are so good. It's never going to be pretty all the time but if you get stops and execute you'll give yourself a chance no matter who you play."

Remarkably, Gilgeous-Alexander's 40-point game came despite him making just two of 11 three-point attempts.

But the 26-year-old shrugged off his struggles from long range by attacking the rim to keep the points flowing for OKC.

"That's where it all starts -- easy baskets," Gilgeous-Alexander told ESPN.

"That's my comfort zone. I didn't make as many shots as I wanted to, but we got a dub [win] so I don't care."

Gilgeous-Alexander meanwhile shrugged off the hype surrounding his head-to-head with reigning MVP Jokic, the Serbian star who came into the game fresh from a historic triple double of 31 points, 21 rebounds and 22 assists in Friday's win over the Phoenix Suns.

"I love MVPs, I love All-Stars, I love all the things that come with it but none of it matters if you don't win," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "That's where I hang my hat."

Gilgeous-Alexander received scoring support from Jalen Williams with 26 points, while Chet Holmgren added 14.

Jokic finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, with Michael Porter Jr. also adding 24 points.

Cavs win-streak at 14 

In other games on Sunday, Eastern Conference leaders Cleveland romped to a 14th straight win in an assured 112-100 on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks.

All five Cavaliers starters finished in double figures, with Max Strus leading the scoring with 17 points.

Cleveland, who became the first team to clinch a playoff spot last week, lead the East by eight games ahead of the second-placed Boston Celtics, impressive victors over the Lakers on Saturday.

"We haven't done anything yet, we've just got to make sure when it comes to April we handle our business," Cavaliers ace Donovan Mitchell said as Cleveland look to the postseason.

In Dallas, Devin Booker scored 24 points and Kevin Durant 21 as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Dallas Mavericks 125-116 in a crucial game that boosts their chances of reaching the play-in tournament.

The Mavericks occupy the 10th and final place for play-in qualification with a 32-33 record; the Suns sit just outside in 11th place at 30-34.

The Minnesota Timberwolves improved to 37-29 with a 141-124 rout of the San Antonio Spurs to stay hard on the heels of the Golden State Warriors in the race for Western Conference playoff berths. The Timberwolves are seventh, just behind the sixth-placed Warriors (36-26).

In New Orleans, Ja Morant and Desmond Bane combined for 62 points in a nailbiting 107-104 Memphis Grizzlies win over the Pelicans, who led by 14 in the first second quarter before being reeled in by the visitors in the second half.

AMMAN — The national football team regrouped Sunday evening as they prepare to restart Round 3/Group B qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, with fans hoping Jordan will make it to the finals for the first time.

Moroccan coach Jamal Sellami announced the lineup on the weekend, as Jordan is set to play North Korea on March 14 before restarting the qualifiers against Palestine on March 20 and South Korea on March 25 before facing Oman and Iraq in the last group qualifiers in June. 

Most notable recalls were Hussein Irbid’s Adham Qureishi, and Wisam Riyalat, Salt’s Mohammad Amwasi as well as Mohammad Assaf and Mohammad Nasser who joined the team’slast training camp in Qatar in January. Absentees in the latest lineup are Noor Banu Atiya, Saad Rousan, Rajai Ayed, Rizeq Bani Hani and U23 team star goalie Antwan Awad who joined the squad in latest friendlies which included holding Russia’s Zenith Club 1-1 and losing 1-0, before tying Uzbekistan 0-0.

While many questioned the need for the Qatar camp when most pros could not join the lineup, Sellami told Bein sports the training camp“was an ideal opportunity to test the readiness of players recalled,” adding“the Asian Cup demonstrated that a younger lineup was needed and there are manycompetent players who can boost the national team’s lineup”.

While some observers noted the injuries during the camp took their toll adversely affecting the clubs, others had a wider overview underling the squad should be ready in its entirety for any competition.

In the last qualifiers in November, Jordan held Iraq 0-0 and Kuwait 1-1 to drop to third in the group, after Palestine drew 1-1 with South Korea and Iraq beat Oman 1-0. Earlier, Jordan held Kuwait 1-1, beat Palestine 3-1, lost 2-0 to South Korea and beat Oman 4-0.

The coach’s  defensive tactics and choice of replacements were under scrutiny, comingunder fire from analysts after the last two qualifiers. Observers critiqued the team’s performance, noting that individual efforts guided the squad while pointing out that reserve players should be given more playing time as they could not convert to goals when replaced too late in the matches.

Recalling players to test out readiness and expand the base of the national team was seen as crucial after the injury list lately included star strikers Mousa Ta’mari, Yazan Nu’eimat, Ali Alwan, Noor Rawabdeh and  Yazeed Abu Laila.

AMMAN — In a thrilling Jordanian Pro League CFI showdown at Amman International Stadium, Faisaliedged past Wihdat with a 1-0 victory in Round 16. 

The first half was closely contested, with both teams exchanging attacks but struggling to break through. However, in the 36th minute, Hadi Hourani capitalisedon a well-executed set-piece, securing what would be the game’s only goal. 

Later on, Wihdat dominated possession in the second half, desperately pushing for an equaliser, but Faisali’scompact defence held firm. The Blue Eagles effectively closed down spaces and disrupted Wihdat’sattacking flow, frustrating their opponents.
 
Wihdat remain in second place with 32 points, but their title hopes have taken a hit as they now trail league leaders Hussein Irbid by a significant margin. 

Faisali move up to third place with 27 points, narrowing the gap in the race for the top spots. 

This result serves as a major confidence boost for Faisali, while Wihdat must quickly address their attacking inefficiencies if they hope to stay in contention for the second place.

In recent years, the increasing competitiveness of the Jordanian Pro League CFI has made the matches between the top four teams—Hussein Irbid, Wihdat, Faisali and Ramtha—feel like derbies, as every encounter carries immense significance in the title race. 

LOS ANGELES, United States — LeBron James may never be able to settle the eternal debate over whether he deserves to be recognised as the greatest basketball player in history ahead of Michael Jordan.

But after reaching another milestone in his age-defying career, there is a strong case to be made that the 40-year-old NBA icon is at least winning his improbable duel with Father Time.

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Lakers star became the first NBA player in history to score 50,000 career points, an astonishing scoring record that many believe will never be beaten.

Hours earlier, James had set another record, becoming the oldest man ever to win a player of the month award following a dazzling February in which he averaged 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game.

James finished Tuesday's 136-115 Lakers victory over the New Orleans Pelicans with 34 points, eight rebounds and six assists, demonstrating once again the kind of routine excellence and consistency that have been the hallmarks of a career now deep into its 22nd season.

'A love for the sport'

Speaking to reporters huddled around his locker on Tuesday, James said his enduring passion for the sport had propelled him through the 50,000 points barrier.

"I mean, that's a lot of points," James reflected. "Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind is where I'm from. Picking up the game when I was a little kid and having a love for the sport, and hoping that someday I'd be able to play at the highest level.

"I've been able to do that and really enjoy my career. So it's definitely an honour. It's pretty cool to see that."

James admitted though that the relentless grind of the NBA's gruelling 82-game regular season has become more challenging as the years have rolled by.

"Continuing to fall in love with the process -- that's the hardest thing, every single year," James said.

"You know it's going to be a long season. It's 82 games, 41 of them are on the road. It's a lot of travel. And as you get older, it affects you differently.

"If you have a family, it affects you even differently. So the process, trying not to fall out of love with the process is the hardest thing."

So far this season, there has been little sign that James' passion is on the wane.

Last month, he became the only player in NBA history to record multiple 40-point games at the age of 40 or older after scoring 40 points in a 110-102 road win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Defying normality

Incredibly, that performance came after James scored 26 points in a home defeat to the Charlotte Hornets the previous night. James and the Lakers only arrived in Portland at 3am on the day of the game.

"He really just defies anything that's normal," Lakers coach JJ Redick said after the win in Portland.

"And not just the physical feats and the plays. It's the mentality. I believe I saw the other day, he's a billionaire.

"And he's playing on the second night of a back-to-back at 40 after 22 years with every fricking record and every accolade. He's one of the greatest competitors.

"He's amazing to coach. He brings it every single day. He sets the standard for how you're supposed to approach this craft. And that's to me, the most incredible thing.

"It's just a mindset to do it, get up the next day, do it, get up the next day, do it, over and over and over again."

The question now is whether James's remarkable form can carry the Lakers to a record-equalling 18th NBA championship.

That possibility has looked less fanciful over the past month, with James forming a potent partnership alongside Luka Doncic following the Slovenian star's stunning trade from the Dallas Mavericks on February 1. The Lakers are now second in the Western Conference following a seven-game winning streak.

Doncic, who was only four when James entered the NBA in 2003, has relished the chance to play alongside one of his idols, and spoke admiringly of his veteran teammate following Tuesday night's milestone.

"It's amazing, watching him do this stuff at this age," said Doncic. "It's just unbelievable, that 50,000 points. I can't even explain how insane that is. He might get to 70K. You never know."

AMMAN – The Kingdom’s U-23 football squad is gearing up for the  upcoming 6th edition of the U-23 West Asia Championship slated for Oman March 19-25.

The 8 competing teams will play in four groups: Kuwait vs Jordan, UAE vs Bahrain, Saudi Arabia vs Oman, Syria, vs Lebanon. The winners will move to the semis with the rest playing for  rest of final positions. 

Iran won the inaugural U-23 West Asia Championship title in 2015, Jordan in 2021, Saudi in 2022, Iraq in 2023 and South Korea 2024.

It will be Jordan’s fifth time at the competition where they exited Round 1 in 2015, won the title in 2021, (did not play in 2022), exited the semis in 2023, and finished 5th in 2024.

The event will be a good chance for assessment and fine tuning ahead of the U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers slated for Sept 1-9. 

In their 6th time at the U-23 Asian Cup (previously the Asian Championship), Jordan  exited the 6th AFC U-23 Asian Cup in 2024 in Round 1 of the competition which was a qualifier to the Olympic Games. 

In previous editions, Jordan had their best performance finishing 3rd in 2014, reached the quarters  in 2016, exited Round 1 in 2018;  reached the quarters in 2020 and exited Round 1 in 2022.

This year, the U-20 squad exited Round 1 of the Asian Cup (previously the AFC Youth Championship and AFC U-19 Championship) which is a qualifying tournament to the U20 World Cup.  Similarly, Jordan exited the qualifiers of the U-17 Asian Cup in 2024 and 2022.  

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands — Arsenal's talented teenage duo Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri combined on Tuesday to help the Gunners to an imperious 7-1 Champions League last-16 first leg advantage over a shambolic PSV Eindhoven.

The Premier League side were on a different level to the struggling Dutch champions, who were condemned to their worst-ever defeat in European football.

"The standard was way too high for us tonight," admitted PSV's French defender Olivier Boscagli. "They were way better in every situation... every time they got into our box, they scored."

Arsenal dominated from the outset. Declan Rice's powerful shot into the PSV net on 11 minutes was chalked off for a narrow offside, but it was a taste of what was to come.

Against the run of play, PSV should have taken the lead after a quarter of an hour but Ismael Saibari somehow contrived to hit the bar from close range with goalkeeper David Raya already beaten.

Arsenal made the hosts pay for their profligacy two minutes later. Rice was afforded far too much space in the PSV box, allowing him to chip a cross to the far post, gratefully headed home by Arsenal's own flying Dutchman, Jurrien Timber.

The visitors doubled their lead shortly afterwards following more generous Dutch defending.

Lewis-Skelly, the 18-year-old English defender, found himself in acres of space in a dangerous area, squaring to fellow teenager Nwaneri, who smashed the cross into the top corner.

PSV's shambolic defending turned to embarrassment as Arsenal made it three after just over half an hour played.

The defence squandered four chances to make an easy clearance, the ball eventually falling to makeshift striker Mikel Merino, who rolled past Walter Benitez.

The shellshocked fans in the Philips Stadion received a glimmer of hope however just before half-time, PSV winning a penalty after Thomas Partey needlessly wrapped his arms around striker Luuk de Jong's head.

Netherlands international winger Noa Lang made no mistake from the spot, smashing the ball into the top corner, giving Raya no chance.

It was a lifeline for the Dutch champions, who went into half-time 3-1 down after a breathless first 45 minutes.

Lewis-Skelly meanwhile had been substituted, arguably fortunate to escape a second yellow card after a clumsy challenge on Richard Ledezma.

Record defeat 

But any hope for the home fans was quickly snuffed out, as Arsenal scored twice in the first three minutes of the second half.

Nwaneri broke impressively down the right, squaring a cross that Benitez could only palm into the path of Martin Odegaard.

By now, it was all too easy for Arsenal. With 49 minutes gone, Riccardo Calafiori eased past the left side of the PSV defence, finding Belgium forward Leandro Trossard, who lifted his shot effortlessly home.

Odegaard grabbed a second as PSV capitulated, the Norwegian running unchallenged at the defence before firing a shot that Benitez parried lamely into his own net.

Calafiori compounded the misery with a seventh on 85 minutes, beating the previous record for PSV goals conceded in Europe -- they lost 6-0 to Saint-Etienne in the 1980 UEFA Cup.

It was a sad evening for the 1988 European Cup champions, whose fans streamed out of the stadium well before the final whistle.

Arsenal in contrast have the luxury of a comfortable lead, with the winner of the tie between Real and Atletico Madrid the next challenge.

AMMAN — Nayef Abu Tayeh, a 21-year-old motorsport athlete from Jordan, has made history as the first Arab to qualify for the 2025 BMW 318Ti Cup, a European championship that attracts some of the best drivers from across the continent.

“The fact that I can compete with these professionals is a dream come true,” he said.

For Abu Tayeh, qualifying for the BMW 318Ti Cup is more than just a racing achievement; It’s a chance to put Jordan on the map in the motorsport world. The road to qualification was far from easy.

But his persistence and the guidance of his coach, Rudolf Reine, helped him overcome these obstacles. “As long as you keep pushing through, you’re going to make it to the other side,” he said. After a year- and –a- half of training, Abu Tayeh secured his place in the championship.

Abu Tayeh’s passion for motorsport dates back to his childhood, although his entry into professional racing only came in the past few years. Like many young enthusiasts, he began with karting.

“I’ve always loved cars in general,” he says, recalling his childhood fascination with films like ‘Fast and Furious’. “But it wasn’t until recently that I truly got into the field of motorsport and started working on cars.”

At 17, he bought his first car, a 1992 Mitsubishi Evo, and began customising and working on it by hand. He then started doing speed tests with the Jordan Motorsports Federation and signed up for his first race at the Royal Automobile Club. His debut race in the Mitsubishi Evo 6 was a resounding success, with Abu Tayeh finishing in first place for novice racers.

“It was my first time ever, and I did amazingly well,” he says. “That was truly an inspiration to me.”

One of the most memorable moments of Abu Tayeh’s career came during his second training experience in Hockenheim, Germany, where he raced on a European track for the first time.

“It was scary, the close encounters on corners,” he admits. “But it truly put me in the perspective of real genuine racing, which was amazing.” That experience, coupled with his first-ever race with the Jordan Motorsport Federation, gave him the confidence and momentum to pursue a career in international motorsport.

Abu Tayeh’s journey is about more than just personal success; it’s about representing Jordan on the global stage. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my country, for the Motorsport Federation, and for all the supporters,” he says.

“It’s a dream come true to be able to present my country at such a high-stakes event.” He’s determined to prove that Jordan, despite its limited resources compared to European nations, can compete with the best. “I want to show that we can do what they can do,” he added.

As the 2025 season unfolds, Abu Tayeh’s goals are ambitious. “I’m expecting to get podium finishes and make my country proud,” he said.