Lead:
Zamalek reached the Round of 16 of Egypt's Cup competition after defeating Misr Insurance 3-2 on Friday at Cairo International Stadium. Mohamed Shehata, Ahmed Sherif from the penalty spot, and Palestinian Adam Kaied scored for Zamalek, while Dauda Kamara and Hisham Fathy replied for the visitors.
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Al-Ittihad Club ownership sale postponed to 2027 — a source close to the club's administration confirmed to Okaz that the acquisition process remains under financial assessment and operational review, with completion now expected by the end of 2027 depending on investor evaluation results and financial compliance checks.Spain threatens World Cup 2026 withdrawal over final venue — opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo raised controversy regarding Spain's participation in hosting the tournament if FIFA awards the final match to Morocco. The tournament is scheduled across Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay each hosting an opening match.Juventus defeats AEK Limassol 2-1 in Europa League — coach Luciano Spaletti openly rebuked defender Juan Cuadrado during Thursday's match for defensive lapses that nearly cost the Italian club points, with Spaletti caught on camera threatening the player as Juventus advanced.Ollie Watkins scores eight goals in 11 matches for Al-Hilal — the English forward has produced 13 goal contributions (eight goals, five assists) since joining the Saudi club, surpassing his best Premier League output and establishing himself as a prolific scorer in the Asian competition.Saudi Arabia's Bilal Al-Rahmoni wins gold in 400m freestyle at Youth Olympics — the swimmer claimed the kingdom's first-ever gold medal in Olympic swimming history by winning the 400-meter event at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games with a time of 3 minutes 47.86 seconds.Sadio Mane granted leave from Senegal camp to be with family — coach Patrick Vieira confirmed that the Al-Nassr forward requested exemption from the second national team gathering as he awaits the birth of his child, marking his second consecutive absence.What to Watch:
Saudi Pro League Round 11 continues Friday and Saturday with six matches, including Al-Adala versus Al-Orouba (5:35 PM) and Al-Zulfi hosting Jeddah (5:55 PM).
The Saudi national football team cancels its December preparatory camp in Al-Khobar following the Asian Football Confederation's rescheduling of the AFC Cup 2027 tournament dates, with friendly matches against Qatar and Jordan also cancelled.