Senegal faced Qatar in a World Cup match at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. Senegal won 1-3 despite their efforts. As a result, Qatar dropped out of the biggest competition.
Goals either side of half-time from Boulaye Dia and Famara Diedhiou gave Senegal the lead before Qatari substitute Mohamed Muntari responding with a dramatic 78th-minute finish. Senegal substitute Bamba Dieng scored six minutes later to put the result beyond doubt and lift the African champions, who opened with a 2-0 loss to the Netherlands, right back into contention in Group A.
The defeat left bottom side Qatar sweating on results elsewhere if they are to avoid following South Africa in 2010 as only the second World Cup hosts to bow out after the first round. Their elimination would be confirmed if Ecuador fail to beat the Netherlands later in the day, and would make Qatar the first World Cup hosts to go out after two games. Qatar started the tournament on a nervous note with a 2-0 loss to Ecuador and again looked shaky against Senegal.
The Asian champions left their goalkeeper Saad Al-Sheeb on the bench after a shaky performance in the opener. His replacement, Meshaal Barsham, did not inspire much confidence from the start and shot from around the corner when Senegal looked to take the lead.
Ismaila Sarr and Nampalys Mendy missed Senegal’s chances at this point, while Idrissa Gana Gueye and Youssouf Sabali lost more during the first half.
Qatar spent much of the first 45 minutes on the back foot, but a rare run forward pissed off Akram Afif, who did not earn a penalty after being tackled by Sarr.
Senegal seemed ready to go into the first half without breaking Qatar’s resistance only after the hosts conceded a goal in the 41st minute. Qatari defender Boualem Koukhi allowed Dia to go past Barsham after stepping on a loose ball. Senegal doubled their lead shortly after the break when Diedhiou headed from a corner at the near post.
Qatar became more ambitious from two goals down and Afif was involved in it all. Almoez Ali forced a fingertip save out of Senegal goalkeeper Eduoard Mendy and the Chelsea player once again saved the African team from Isamil Mohamad. Mendy was tied to his lane as Muntari brought the hosts back into play with a powerful cross .
The goal spurred the crowd on and Qatar looked for another goal, but Dieng scored Senegal’s third goal in the 84th minute.
Abdelkarim Hassan fired a free kick from the post, Qatar tried to score, but Senegal sealed the win.
Richarlison scored a bicycle kick goal against Serbia.
Brazil lived up to supporters’ expectations. Tite’s team were considered favourites for the World Cup title by many people and they proved it in their debut in Qatar. Against a Serbia side that defended well throughout the match, Richarlison’s goals were enough to give the ‘Selecao’ all three points.
Brazil means Jogo Bonito. Tite’s side proved to have one of the best attacks of the World Cup, as despite facing a Serbia side that defended incredibly well, the ‘Selecao’ managed to take all three points in a game that could have ended in a goal fest. Despite Casemiro hitting the post twice, Richarlison made the most of his two chances to sink Serbia’s hopes and score one of the best goals of the World Cup so far.
Iran has arrested many of its citizens for taking part in the protests sweeping the country. One woman who has been arrested twice by Iranian forces for taking part in the protests says, police detained several protesters in basement of homes due to full jail cells.
woman (left image) detained twice in Iran for taking part in the protests sweeping the nation (file photo, right)
Speaking to Sky News through voice notes sent via an encrypted messaging app, she talked about her experience and why she is prepared to risk her life to make a difference in Iran.
Image:Mina, not her real name, spoke to Sky News shortly after leaving solitary confinement after being detained taking part in the protests
Mina, a scholar in her early 30s was focused on her PhD studies in the Kurdish region of Iran, before the death of Mahsa Amini in mid-September.
Now, she says, the daily lives of Iranians and Iranian Kurds have changed due to the ongoing protests sparked by the death of a young woman.
Mina usually studies in the library and hangs out with her friends. Instead, a few days ago, she was arrested by the regime’s intelligence office and placed in solitary confinement.
“This is a place where detainees are not transferred into the justice system. They undergo beatings and torture,” she elaborated.
The torture sometimes is physical, psychological or a combination of the two. Mina is too afraid to delineate what happened to her in her voice messages.
Two of her friends were recently released from a juvenile detention center in Sanandaj, the capital of the Kurdish region.
Mina describes their experiences: “When women’s rights activists are detained, they [the police] don’t attack you physically.
“Instead [the police] threaten, intimidate and try to frighten them. They insult people’s beliefs. It is an intense psychological violence.
“That woman’s future is then also targeted. They can make the woman lose her job and make her life difficult. This creates crippling fear.”
Mina after being held in a cell, was transferred to a building she describes as a house. She was held there once again in solitary confinement until her recent release.
Mina believes the authorities have arrested so many people that they have run out of cells to hold them.
She knows of two other student protesters who were also held in a basement of a home.
“They were held for a week in a huge basement full of protesters. They told me that they were beaten by cables and iron sticks.
“The jails are full of prisoners so now they use houses and basements to detain protesters.”
Image:A man is kicked by Iranian plain clothes security forces, one of whom is holding a gun
According to Iranian human rights activist News Agency, 244 protesters were killed, including 32 children. “When we speak about fear for life, every person in this movement fears for their own lives and the lives of their fellow protesters,” she says, reflecting on the events of the current and past protests.
“We see guns firing in front of us. We have woken in the night shocked out of sleep at the sound of bullets, sirens and the smell of gunpowder and burning on the streets. We see how many people are being killed so the fear of losing one’s life still exists.”
Mina on protesters who survive: “Many of us are concerned about what is going to happen and about the heavy price we have paid inside the country because of the protests and strikes.
“We are also afraid of the hope we have pinned on change. Our fear and concern is that this hope will be lost or crushed.”
Tensions are rising in Iran’s Kurdish regions of which Mina and Amini call home. A recent investigation follows an intensification of Iranian security forces’ crackdown on Iranian Kurds.
Confirmed online video shows police on motorcycles riding through the streets, shooting at civilians. Plainclothes policemen hide among them in the crowds. A video released by the human rights group Amnesty International shows tear gas and bullet shells lying on the floor.
Video from Sanandaj shows security forces patrolling and firing at a residential area. Some of the men were heavily armed and nearly all had their faces covered as they appeared to be shooting at local shops and people’s homes.
Mina fears that police brutality may have weakened the morale of some protesters.
“I think these protests will continue but maybe not with the intensity of the first days and weeks, partly because the crackdown has intensified. But, I think some people will continue despite that.”
Iranian Kurds have been protesting since Amini’s death, with an image showing huge crowds at her funeral on 17 September.
Mina recalls the worry she and those around her felt for the 22-year-old, who died after being detained by police who claimed she wore her hijab (head covering) “improperly”.
“Yes, the current protest started with the death of Jina but this is about institutional violence against all the people and all the individuals living in this society,” she explained.
Image:Mahsa Amini, pictured here in this portrait, was 22-years-old when she died
Mina hopes and desires for a ‘’fundamental change”.
She acknowledges that change may or may not occur, but the fact that the protests continue in the presence of militaristic police shows that the seeds of anger that arose after Amini’s death are taking root and perpetuating in today’s Iranian society.
“I and many other people have concluded that maybe it is true that change will not happen right now but in the coming months or years, it will achieve the result people want. So hopefulness is greater than hopelessness. We will continue.”
Prescription folic acid may help reduce the risk of suicide attempts. (Photo: Unique images)
A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that taking prescribed folic acid significantly reduced the risk of suicide attempts. Experts say it could potentially be a “major breakthrough” in suicide prevention.
A large study that looked at 867,000 American adults over a two-year period found a beneficial link between prescribed folic acid (a B-vitamin that helps the body grow healthy new cells) and a 44% reduction in suicide attempts and intentional self-mutilation. The study also showed a 5% reduction in suicide rates for each additional month of folic acid treatment.
Cleveland Clinic psychiatrist, Dr. Tatiana Falcone told the Unique Observer that the results were very interesting. She noted that while the researchers ruled out factors that could confound the results, they still found that folic acid regimens mattered.
The researchers also compared the two groups. One is taking prescribed folic acid and the other is taking cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) as a control group. It was found that there were fewer suicide attempts in the folic acid group.
However, if additional research confirms that inexpensive and widely available folic acid is a suicide prevention tool, it would be “important for patients with low folic acid levels associated with depression or suicidal thoughts,” Falcone said.
Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist and director of Comprehend Mind, who was not involved in the study, called the results “impressive”.
However, she agrees with Falcone that more research is needed. Hafeez also said it’s important to note that the folic acid used for the purposes of this study is a prescription drug and not an over-the-counter supplement.
“This will be a breakthrough not only in the treatment of depression, but also in the treatment of drug-resistant depression,” Hafeez added.
Several studies have found a link between low levels of folic acid (the natural form of the B vitamin) and depression. This may be because folic acid plays a role in the formation of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood. Drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) help treat depression and other mood disorders by increasing levels of serotonin in the brain.
Falcone adds that it’s important not to wait for depression to be treated. “If depressive symptoms persist for a long time, prolonged suicidal thoughts increase the likelihood that the patient’s condition will continue to worsen. It’s best to combine medication and treatment.”she said.
Liverpool have won 9-1-2 against Arsenal since August 2016 and have a chance to continue this success on Sunday. They meet at 15:30 for the first game of the season. At the Emirates Stadium. The Reds won two matches against Arsenal last season (4-0 and 2-0) and are looking forward to the same result.
Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday ended up a point each after a 3-3 draw.
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur usually have all the answers at home, but Arsenal proved too much of a challenge on Saturday. Arsenal won 3-1. There was a 1-1 draw at half-time, but the team was better in the second half.
After the draw, Liverpool is aiming for three points in this match.
Liverpool have won 9 out of their last 12 matches against Arsenal.
Odds: Arsenal +150; Draw +260; Liverpool +160 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Graham Potter believes Chelsea have made progress since his appointment ahead of hosting Wolves and could offer former Blues hero Diego Costa a start at Stamford Bridge.
Potter’s team beat Crystal Palace with a dramatic goal last Saturday and followed that result by beating AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion manager remains vigilant against threats from out-of-control Wolves after Bruno Lage was sacked on Sunday.
“I think we’ve made a little bit of progress from the first day to now, as you’d expect. There is a long way to go. We have to focus on the next match,’’ said Potter.
Potter added that wolves ‘’have a lot of talented players and you can’t control the opposition’s situation. They have been in games they have narrowly lost and we are expecting a tough game.”
LAKER TO OBSERVE
Diego Costa
Costa when at Chelsea averaged one goal or assist every 95 minutes in a league game.
FACTS
Chelsea have defeated in their last 4 Premier League matches against Wolverhampton, with their last 3 matches ending in draws.
Chelsea more than any other team lost eight points in 2018, since Wolves returned to the Premier League.
This will be Graham Potter’s first Premier League home game as Chelsea manager. None of the last 14 managers who have managed the Blues in this competition lost their first home match since Graham Rix and Ray Wilkins lost in September 2000 against Leicester.
Joao Moutinho
Joao Moutinho could make his 151st Premier League appearance for Wolverhampton, which would put him on par with Conor Coady in the club’s most competitive appearances. Ruben Neves also made 150 appearances for Wolves in the competition but is suspended for today’s game.
Ronaldo has started in just one of United’s seven Premier League matches this season, and his last appearance on the bench was Sunday’s derby against Manchester City. Eric Ten Hag chose not to bring on the 37-year-old despite a 6-3 defeat at the Etihad Stadium, and Keane took issue with the way he was treated after his summer transfer request was denied.
Keane, the Red Devils legend told Sky Sports after the Manchester City defeat: “I think Man United are just showing disrespect to Ronaldo. I think he should have been let go before the transfer window. I think the manager is holding on to him. Okay, you say you need options, but you don’t hold on to Ronaldo to sit on the bench. He’s one of the greatest players ever.
“He had options. This idea that he had no options is rubbish; he did have options, four or five very good options. It’s just going to get uglier as the season goes on.”
Ronaldo has been linked with various clubs in the latest transfer window including Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid and Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.
The Portuguese captain may push for another transfer in January, at the moment, he can sign preliminary agreements with potential applicants.
For now, the five-time Ballon d’Or winners could return to Ten Hag’s starting XI when Manchester United resume their Europa League season in Omonia, Nicosia on Thursday.
Merseyside Police has launched an investigation after officers attended a house on Kingsheath Avenue, Knotty Ash, at 10pm on Monday following reports an unknown male had fired a gun inside the property which according to the police resulted to the death of a nine- year-old girl in Liverpool.
The 9-year-old girl was taken to the hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest, but later died.
Police added that one man was shot in the body and one woman was shot in the arm during the incident inside the house, and have both been taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries.
The Liverpool Echo spoke to a man whose son is known to have played with the victim.
“We’re still in shock, don’t think it’s settled in,” he said.
“She was just a nice little girl, she would ride up: and down on her bike. We want to move now.”
One local resident who identified himself as David told Sky News the perpetrator “needs locking up for the rest of their lives”
“This has shocked me and it’s shocked the community what is happening here today,” he added
Father John Ealey, the present overseer of Kingsheath Avenue Congregation, said the church was “stunned.”.
“It is a very poor area,” he said. “There is lots of relative poverty.
“Lots of drug dealing going on and people being injured as they are caught in the crossfires,”
He said such incidents were common, and encouraged people to pray for their families and communities.
Deputy Mayor Harry Doyle said he was the same age as Rhys Jones, who was gunned down in Croxteth 15 years ago.
He said: “I remember the atmosphere in the city, and not just the city actually, nationwide, around the shooting of Rhys Jones was just absolutely awful.
“I remember my family being equally – look at families this morning on the doorsteps-as worried and concerned and devastated
“My mum wouldn’t let me walk to school around that time. It is unthinkable and it’s unbelievable that this has happened again 15 years on
“We thought we’d rid ourselves of this violence and this week we’ve seen it return.”
Commenting on the issue, assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: “This is a truly shocking incident in which tragically a young and innocent girl has been shot and sadly died.
“Our thoughts and condolences go to her family and friends at this very difficult time. No parent should ever have to suffer the loss of a child in these dreadful circumstances.
“This crime is abhorrent and our communities must come forward and tell us who is responsible.
Stormzy impel the media not to disturb Cristiano Ronaldo after the striker was benched for Manchester United’s impressive victory over Liverpool.
Stormsey expressed his excitement in an interview with Sky Sports after Manchester United beat Liverpool 2-1. He went on to say we need to “let the man (Ronaldo) be great’, despite rumours linking the Portuguese legend with a move away from Old Trafford. Stormzy added: “As much as there’s been a bit of a fuss, that’s a GOAT. You’ve got to let the GOATS be the GOATS’.
Erik ten Hag won his first Premier League title as manager of Manchester United by beating Liverpool at Old Trafford. The Dutch made some important choices and left captains Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench, the latter appearing for five minutes as a substitute.
Ronaldo insisted on a transfer all summer, but never found the groom he wanted.
Been told Hakim Ziyech met again with Ajax director Huntelaar today. Direct discussions taking place, but now waiting to clarify Antony’s future. Chelsea and Tuchel are prepared to let Ziyech leave since May. First call of the deal, @Hamstelaar last week. #Ajax
Unique observer 24 