Sports


Oman all set for final test before Gulf Cup
MUSCAT — The Oman national team is all set for the final test ahead of the 19th Gulf Cup, to be hosted in Muscat, when
they take on China in the inaugural match of the four-nation football tournament at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex today. The Oman-China match is scheduled to kick off at 6.00 pm and the other two participating teams, Iran and Ecuador,...

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Nabhani siblings in clash of titans
MUSCAT — A large weekend crowd is expected to converge on the tennis courts of SQSC in Bausher to witness the grand final of the 2008 Peugeot Oman Open Tennis Tournament organised by Oman Tennis Association (OTA) tomorrow evening. The final will be played under the auspices of Ahmed bin Hassan al Dheeb, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce...

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AFC chief presses Fifa to lift Kuwait ban
KUALA LUMPUR — Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Mohamed Bin Hammam has sent a letter to soccer's
world governing body Fifa urging the temporary lifting of its international ban on Kuwait Football Association for political
interference. Bin Hammam told the AFC's website he wanted the ban lifted to 'protect the game and footballers in Kuwait'
...

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United boss Ferguson puts world title first
YOKOHAMA — Alex Ferguson called on his Manchester United players yesterday to leave a lasting legacy by becoming
the first British side to win the Club World Cup. The United manager said the potential rewards for travelling to the Far East
outweigh the damage it could do his team's chances of retaining their Premier League title.

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Slams renewed interest in ‘Game 39’
TOKYO — Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has dismissed renewed interest in a 39th English Premier League game
to be played in Asia as folly. The plan, still-born after first being floated in February, received cautious backing from Asia last week but United's fiery manager insisted there was no room in the calendar.

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Subaru joins Suzuki in pulling out of WRC
TOKYO — Former champions Subaru withdrew from the world rally championship yesterday due to the global economic crisis. Owners Fuji Heavy Industries made the announcement a day after fellow Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corp said they were pulling out. The teams' exit leaves just champions Citroen, owned by PSA Peugeot Citroen, and cash-strapped Ford Motor...

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