International Sports

Roma sign ‘Iranian Messi’ Sardar Azmoun on season-long loan

Published

2 years ago

August 26, 2023

Iranian player Sardar Azmoun has arrived at Roma from Bayer Leverkusen on loan with an option to buy, Roma announced Saturday on X, formerly Twitter.

“The club is delighted to confirm the signing of the Iranian forward!” read the post. According to Roma, Azmoun will don the number 17 shirt.

If Azmoun meets Jose Mourinho’s requirements, Roma can make his move permanent for around €12 million ($12.9 million) next summer. The acquisition of the so-called ‘Iranian Messi’ has been the Italians’ last-gasp attempt to plug the hole left by Tammy Abraham’s long-term injury.

Mourinho has been in the market for a new center-forward since the beginning of the summer. However, his quests to sign Alvaro Morata and Gianluca Scamacca fell flat, with the former committing his future to Atletico Madrid and the latter swapping West Ham for Atalanta.

Left with only a handful of options in the market, Roma has turned to Azmoun. After going from strength to strength in the Russian Premier League for almost a decade, he joined Leverkusen in January 2022. However, his experience in the Bundesliga wasn’t nearly as prolific.

However, Roma has offered him a chance to reignite his career in Serie A.

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International Sports

Dubai Capitals secure ILT20 play-off spot with win over Sharjah Warriorz

Published

7 hours ago

December 25, 2025

Ariana News

England batter Jordan Cox struck an unbeaten 61 as defending champions Dubai Capitals secured a six-wicket victory over Sharjah Warriorz to book their place in the International League T20 play-offs.

Cox’s 50-ball knock included six boundaries and a six, helping Capitals chase down a target of 135 with five deliveries remaining. Opener Shayan Jahangir also played a key role, scoring 51 from 39 balls.

Jahangir and Mohammad Nabi were both removed by Sikandar Raza, while Leus du Plooy departed cheaply, leaving Capitals at 114-4 in the 18th over. Cox then took charge to guide his team to victory.

Earlier, Sharjah Warriorz posted 134-8 from their allotted 20 overs, with West Indies batter Johnson Charles top-scoring with 43.

The Warriorz remain in contention for the final play-off spot alongside Gulf Giants and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders. Meanwhile, Dubai Capitals can still finish second in the standings, giving them two opportunities to qualify for the final on 4 January.

Cricket fans across Afghanistan can watch the next ILT20 match between Sharjah Warriorz and Desert Vipers on Ariana Television tomorrow, Friday, December 26, from 7pm.

International Sports

Ariana News to broadcast key AFC Champions League Two clash

The match will be played in Riyadh, where Al-Nassr will aim to make home advantage count following their strong performances earlier in the campaign.

Published

2 days ago

December 23, 2025

Ariana News

Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr will take on Iraq’s Al-Zawraa in a crucial AFC Champions League Two group-stage encounter tomorrow, Wednesday December 24, as both sides look to strengthen their positions in the competition.

The match will be played in Riyadh, where Al-Nassr will aim to make home advantage count following their strong performances earlier in the campaign.

With a squad packed with international stars and attacking depth, the Saudi club will be targeting another positive result to move closer to qualification for the knockout stages.

Al-Zawraa, one of Iraq’s most successful clubs, arrive determined to bounce back and keep their continental hopes alive.

Known for their discipline and resilience, the Baghdad-based side will be looking to frustrate the hosts and capitalize on any opportunities on the counterattack.

The encounter is expected to draw significant attention from football fans across the region, as the AFC Champions League Two continues to showcase competitive clashes between leading clubs.

The match will be broadcast across Afghanistan live and exclusively on Ariana News from 8:30pm.

International Sports

Dubai Capitals and MI Emirates register key wins in ILT20

Published

3 days ago

December 22, 2025

Ariana News

The Dubai Capitals secured a crucial six-wicket victory over the Gulf Giants at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday, climbing to second place in the ILT20 standings and handing the Giants a fourth straight defeat.

Mustafizur Rahman starred with the ball, taking three wickets in a decisive over to help restrict the Giants to 156 all out, despite solid knocks from Azmatullah Omarzai (43) and James Vince (36).

In reply, Shayan Jahangir’s steady 48 and an unbeaten 47 from Rovman Powell guided the Capitals to victory with four balls to spare. Mohammad Nabi added a quick 25 not out to seal the chase.

In Dubai, MI Emirates continued their strong form with a composed four-wicket win over table-toppers Desert Vipers, registering their third consecutive victory of the season.

Shakib Al Hasan delivered an outstanding all-round performance, claiming 2 for 14 to limit the Vipers to 124 before anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 17. Kieron Pollard’s brisk 26 swung the momentum decisively as MI Emirates reached the target with 15 balls remaining.

Cricket fans across Afghanistan can watch the next ILT20 match between Sharjah Warriorz and MI Emirates on Ariana Television today, Monday, December 22, from 2pm.