Tag: World

Indonesia ‘closer to dream’ of Fifa World Cup after beating PH

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Indonesia’s players sing their national anthem before start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification football match between Indonesia and Philippines at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on June 11, 2024. (Photo by Bay ISMOYO / AFP)

Indonesian fans and leaders hailed their football team after they booked a place in the third round of the Fifa World Cup qualifiers for the first time after beating the Philippines on Tuesday.

The Indonesian team has only been represented once at a World Cup, in 1938, when it was still under colonial rule and known as the Dutch East Indies.

“Whan an incredible win! With this feat, we are getting closer to our dream to play at the World Cup,” President Joko Widodo wrote on social media platform Instagram after the 2-0 win in capital Jakarta, where he was in attendance.

READ: Philippines crashes out of Fifa World Cup Qualifiers

“Keep fighting Garuda National Team!”

Indonesia joined Iraq in advancing out of Group F, with Thom Haye and Rizky Ridho the goal-scoring heroes in front of a raucous crowd of 64,000.

It means Indonesia is the only Southeast Asian nation with a chance of World Cup qualification.

“It was a very important match. We knew what we had to do. I’m very happy I could contribute to that,” said Haye, a 29-year-old midfielder who plays in the Dutch top flight for Heerenveen, after scoring his first international goal.

“I think we deserved the win today. It’s a really special night.”

 ‘Struggle not over’

Indonesia Fifa World Cup qualifiers Philippines

Indonesian fans cheer during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification football match between Indonesia and Philippines at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on June 11, 2024. (Photo by Bay ISMOYO / AFP)

Indonesian coach Shin Tae-yong has called on a policy of using naturalised players — footballers with Indonesian heritage like Haye who was born in the Netherlands — to boost the team’s success.

It has seen the Red and White’s FIFA ranking rise eight places to 134th in the world, the biggest jump in the global body’s last update in April.

“Because of the players’ hard work on the field, we managed to create a new history and we finally got through to the third round of the World Cup qualification,” Shin told reporters.

Fans took to social media to celebrate the win but also to express hope for a berth in the tournament that will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“Thank God, we are still carrying on with our dream of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, the struggle is not over, keep the spirit of Garuda!” wrote one X user, referring to Indonesia’s national symbol.

The third round will see 18 teams — including top Asian seeds Japan, South Korea and Iran — vie for six automatic World Cup spots across three groups, while two more spots will be up for grabs in the fourth round.

The win means Indonesia also booked its place in the AFC Asian Cup finals, to be hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2027.

“I think it’s really important that we believe we can achieve these results, and everything starts with the belief first. In the next round, we want to show who we are,” said Haye.

“It doesn’t stop here.”

Duplantis misses on 3 pole vault world record attempts at Euros

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Armand Duplantis, of Sweden, makes an attempt in the men’s pole vault final at the European Athletics Championships in Rome, Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Riccardo de Luca)

ROME— Armand Duplantis still has some work to do before extending his pole vault world record again.

The American-born Swede, known as “Mondo,” missed three attempts at clearing 6.25 meters at the European Championships on Wednesday.

But the Olympic and two-time world champion still claimed a third European title and extended his championship record to 6.10. And he has the Paris Olympics in less than 50 days to look forward to.

Duplantis has set the world record eight times, the last coming when he cleared 6.24 at the season-opening Diamond League meet in China in April.

READ: The difference between EJ Obiena and Mondo Duplantis

The Stadio Olimpico crowd tried to get “Mondo” going by singing “Volare” — and Duplantis came closest to another world record on his first attempt, hitting the bar with his chest on the way down.

On his second attempt, he hit his shins on the bar. Then his third attempt was the worst of the three.

With the competition ending near midnight, Duplantis acknowledged afterward that he was tired.

“I did not really think I was attempting the world record today,” Duplantis said. “It was not part of the plan. After the 6.10 meters, there was just too much energy there. I looked at my parents and we both had the same idea, we were like, ‘It is just fun, so why not?’ I cannot complain.”

READ: Mondo Duplantis breaks own pole vault world record

So it was an anticlimactic finish to the six-day championships.

But earlier, several other Olympic champions also claimed golds.

Jakob Ingebritsen, whose father was recently accused of abusing one of his other children, dominated the 1,500 in 3:31.95. The Norwegian shaved nearly a second off his own championship record set two years ago to complete the 1,500-5,000 double at Euros for the third time.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen European Athletics

Silver medalist Jochem Vermeulen, of Belgium, gold medalist Jakob Ingebrigtsen, of Norway, and bronze medalist Pietro Arese, of Italy, from left, pose on the podium of the men’s 1500 meters final at the European Athletics Championships in Rome, Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Riccardo de Luca)

Marcell Jacobs led host Italy to victory in the 4×100 relay in 37.82 as the Azzurri warm up to defend their unexpected gold from the Tokyo Games.

Defending European champion Britain didn’t qualify for the final after a poor handover from Richard Kilty to Romell Glave resulted in a last-place finish in their heat.

It was Italy’s 11th gold and 24th medal overall to lead both categories by a large margin.

Malaika Mihambo of Germany leaped 7.22 into a headwind to take the long jump title with her biggest jump since 2019 — when she reached 7.30.

“This is madness, I have goose bumps,” Mihambo said. “The 7.22 meters was close to a perfect jump. I hit the board well. But the headwind was disturbing, so the result could have been even better.”

Femke Bol anchored the Netherlands to victory in the 4×400 for her third medal of the championship, having also won the 400 hurdles and helped the Dutch win the 4×400 mixed relay.

Keely Hodgkinson of Britain defended her 800 title in 1:58.65 and Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic won the javelin competition with a throw of 88.65.

Hodgkinson and Vadlejch are Olympic silver medalists.

PH concludes Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign with loss

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Philippines’ players sing their national anthem before start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification football match between Indonesia and Philippines at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on June 11, 2024. (Photo by Bay ISMOYO / AFP)

The Philippine men’s football team wrapped up its Fifa World Cup Qualifiers campaign with a 2-0 loss to Indonesia Tuesday at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

Goals scored courtesy of Thom Haye and Rizky Ramadhani from each half allowed the Indonesians to progress into the final round of the qualifiers while the team formerly known as the Azkals ended with just one point on one draw in six matches.

About 65,000 fans watched the match which was a non-bearing or coach Tom Sainfiet’s side after its elimination was confirmed last week with a heartbreaking 3-2 away loss to Vietnam in Hanoi.

READ: Indonesia ‘closer to dream’ of Fifa World Cup after beating PH

Next up for the Philippines is the third round of the qualifiers for the 2027 Asian Cup which it will try to secure as one of the six group winners.

Haye scored for Indonesia in the 32nd minute after the Philippines kept things scoreless behind a few saves from goalkeeper Kevin Ray Mendoza, who was placed in the starting lineup.

The Philippine side tried to equalize in the second half, but Indonesia eventually doubled its lead near the hour mark on Ramadhani’s header.

Late in the match, the Philippines saw one of its new players go down with an injury when Adrian Ugelvik got elbowed by Indonesia keeper Ernando Sutaryadi during stoppage time.

The team said Ugelvik, in only his second cap, underwent observation at a hospital in the Indonesian capital.

Johann Chua reaches semis of World Pool Championship

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Johann Chua. Photo from Matchroom Pool

Johann Chua posted twin victories Friday to march into the semifinals and close in on becoming the latest Filipino winner of the World Pool Championship in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Chua defeated Syria’s Mohammad Soufi, 11-8, and China’s Dang Jin Hu, 11-3, at Green Halls to become the country’s lone hope of capturing the prestigious nine-ball competition.

The 2021 Vietnam Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and 2023 World Cup of Pool co-winner will take Albania’s Eklent Kaci in Saturday’s semifinal.

READ: Filipino bets advance in World Pool Championship

If Chua wins, he’ll face either Poland’s Wojciech Szewczyk or 2019 champion Fedor Gorst, the Russian-born pool player who now represents the United States, for the title later in the day.

A top purse of $250,000 is at stake in the tournament.

Jeffrey Ignacio and Anton Raga won their round-of-16 matches, but were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

READ: Johann Chua, James Aranas lead PH to record fourth World Cup of Pool title

Ignacio beat Spain’s David Alcaide, 11-4, but bowed to Kaci, 11-7, in the quarters, while Raga downed 2018 winner Joshua Filler of Germany, 11-7, only to be shown the door by Gorst in his next match, 11-4.

The two Filipino cue artists will take home $27,000 each for making it to the last eight.

Filipino bets advance in World Pool Championship

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Filipino cue artist during the World Pool Championship

Filipino cue artist during the World Pool Championship. –HANDOUIT PHOTO

Three Filipino cue artists are still in the title hunt after reaching the round-of-16 of the World Pool Championship with victories Thursday in Saudi Arabia.

Johann Chua, Jeffrey Ignacio and Anton Raga won two matches each to progress further in the knockout stages that began at Green Halls in Jeddah.

Chua defeated Chinese-Taipei’s Ko Ping Han, 11-5, before edging out Austria’s Max Lechner, 11-10, while Ignacio ousted Spain’s Jonas Souto Comino, 11-10, and fellow Filipino Patric Gonzales, 11-7.

READ: Carlo Biado adds World 10-Ball Championship to collection

Raga kept his dreams of winning the best title of his pool career by prevailing over Chinese-Taipei’s Liu Ri Teng, 11-3, and Austria’s Mario He, 11-10.

The round-of-16 is set late Friday with Chua facing Syria’s Mohammad Soufi, Ignacio playing Spain’s David Alcaide and Raga battling Germany’s Joshua Filler, who was champion in 2018.

The quarterfinals will be held on the same day.

All three are aiming to become the first Filipino winner of the prestigious nine-ball event since Carlo Biado ruled the 2017 event in Doha.

Efren “Bata” Reyes (1999), Ronnie Alcano (2006) and Francisco “Django” Bustamante (2010) are the other Filipinos who have won the tournament. Alex Pagulayan was also victorious in 2004 while representing Canada.