Sport
Ronaldo breaks record as Portugal up and running with Ghana win
Cristiano Ronaldo drew a line under a tumultuous tournament build-up as he wrote his name in the record books to become the first man to score in five World Cups in a 3-2 victory for Portugal over Ghana on Thursday, Reuters reported.
Ronaldo drilled home a penalty in the 65th minute of the Group H encounter to set his side on their way and while Andre Ayew equalised for Ghana, Portugal turned on the afterburners with two quick-fire goals to effectively seal the deal at Stadium 974.
According to Reuters Joao Felix produced a delicate finish to give them the lead and Rafael Leao added a third to hand Portugal their first win in the opening match of the World Cup since 2006, even if Osman Bukari pulled another one back for Ghana late on.
The win was not the most convincing for Portugal, and will come as some relief for Fernando Santos’s side, who top the group with three points and next face Uruguay on Monday, when Ghana play South Korea.
For all Portugal’s enterprising attacking play and the goalscoring performances of Felix and Leao, it was Ronaldo who once again showed his unparalleled ability to draw the limelight.
“I think Cristiano is a phenomenon, a legend… in 50 years’ time, we will still be talking about him,” Santos said.
The bitter end to Ronaldo’s second spell at Manchester United had dominated the build-up to the match in much the same way the forward seems to dominate the way Portugal play, read the report.
Against Ghana, Ronaldo seemed to exert a planetary gravitational pull on the ball, with team mates seeking him out at every opportunity.
For vast swathes of the match, everything revolved around Ronaldo, who lurked threateningly on the edge of the Ghana box, with almost all his side’s attacking moves ending up at his feet.
He had two early chances, a one-on-one when a heavy touch let him down, and a header where he typically hovered in the air before glancing his effort wide.
He then smacked the ball in the back of the net after 31 minutes only to realise the referee had already blown his whistle for a foul.
For Ghana, the youngest squad at the World Cup, their early ambitions rarely stretched beyond the halfway line as the lowest-ranked side in the tournament set about keeping almost everyone behind the ball at all times in the first half, Reuters reported.
Most of the action was condensed into a relatively short period after the 60th minute with Portugal taking the lead when awarded a soft penalty after Ronaldo went down following minimal shoulder-to-shoulder contact with Mohammed Salisu.
Ronaldo closed his eyes as he waited to begin his run up, stuttered and smashed the ball into the net to the keeper’s right.
The entire Portugal team raced down the touchline to pile on top of the 37-year-old, who surpassed Pele, Uwe Seeler and Miroslav Klose as the only player to find the net in five separate men’s World Cups.
It is the 10th consecutive major tournament in which Ronaldo has found the net although Ghana coach Otto Addo was not in the mood to be charitable.
“It was the wrong decision… It was actually a foul against us,” he said of the penalty award.
“If somebody scores a goal, congratulations. But this was a gift. A special gift from the referee.”
As it was, his Ghana side fired back quickly when Mohammed Kudus’s cross bobbled its way through a defender’s legs to Ayew who tapped home.
Portugal, however, then revved into gear with Felix latching onto a Bruno Fernandes throughball and lifting his finish nonchalantly over the keeper, read the report.
Fernandes was the architect of their third goal too, playing another superb throughball for substitute Leao to slide his finish across the keeper and into the bottom corner.
There was tension at the end, however, as Ghana pulled another goal back with Osman Bukari, appearing unmarked in the box, heading in a cross from the left in the 89th minute, giving a sliver of hope to Ghana’s fans behind that goal.
There was to be no fairytale ending for the Ghanaians though and the night belonged to Ronaldo.
Iran claimed the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 title after defeating host nation Indonesia 5–4 on penalties in a thrilling final that ended 5–5 after extra time.
The victory marks Iran’s 14th Asian futsal crown.
Indonesia opened the scoring in the third minute through Rio Pangestu, but Iran quickly equalized via Hossesin Tayebibidgoli. The hosts then surged ahead with goals from Reza Gunawan and Israr Megantara, who scored twice, putting Indonesia 4–1 up.
Iran fought back, with Mahdi Karimi scoring in the 18th minute and again in the 38th to force extra time. Ahmad Abbasi also scored, while Samuel Eko added two more goals for Indonesia.
In extra time, Megantara gave Indonesia the lead again, but Iran responded immediately through Abbasi, sending the match to penalties.
In the shootout, Indonesia’s goalkeeper Muhammad Nizar saved Iran’s first kick, but Iran recovered as Mahdi Rostami denied Indonesia’s fourth attempt. Hossein Sabzi converted the decisive penalty to secure the title.
All matches of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 were broadcast exclusively and legally across Afghanistan by Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN).
Indonesia produced a stunning performance to defeat four-time champions Japan 5–3 after extra time on Thursday, securing their first-ever place in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 final. The hosts will face Iran in Saturday’s title clash.
Indonesia led 3–2 late in the match before Japan forced extra time with a last-minute penalty, but the home side regained control in the additional period to complete a famous victory.
Both teams made a fast start. Japan’s Shoto Yamanaka and Ryoto Kai threatened early, while Indonesia responded through Yogi Saputra and Samuel Eko. Chances continued at both ends, with Kokoro Harada hitting the post and Indonesia testing Japan from distance.
The breakthrough came in the 11th minute when Samuel Eko reacted quickest to a loose ball, spinning and firing into the bottom corner. Japan pushed back strongly, striking the woodwork again and forcing several saves from keeper Ahmad Habiebie.
Indonesia nearly doubled their lead before halftime through Eko, but Tabuchi kept Japan in the game.
Early in the second half, Indonesia captain Mochammad Iqbal was denied at close range before an own goal by Takehiro Motoishi made it 2–0 in the 23rd minute. Japan responded by intensifying their attacks, hitting the post once more.
Motoishi pulled one back in the 31st minute after Ahmad failed to hold his low shot. Japan equalized in the 35th minute through Kazuya Shimizu’s powerful strike. Firman Adriansyah appeared to win it for Indonesia late on, but Japan forced extra time with a penalty converted by Shimizu after a handball.
Indonesia showed their resilience in extra time. Reza Gunawan punished a misplaced pass to restore the lead just before the break, and Rizki Amanda capitalized on another Japanese error to finalize the 5–3 victory.
The historic win sends Indonesia into the continental final for the first time, igniting celebrations across the host nation.
Fans can watch the final live on Ariana Television.
The 2026 Winter Olympics are underway in Italy, running from February 6 to 22, with events staged across Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo and surrounding alpine venues.
It is the first time the Winter Games are being hosted jointly by two cities, with Milan hosting ice events and mountain competitions spread across Cortina and nearby valleys.
The Winter Olympics were first held in 1924 in Chamonix, complementing the Summer Games revived in 1896. Traditionally dominated by European and North American nations, Norway remains the most successful country in Winter Olympic history.
Italy last hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956 (Cortina d’Ampezzo).
The 2026 Games will feature 16 sports and 116 medal events, including the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering.
Key Dates
Opening Ceremony: 7 February
Games conclude: 22 February
From high-speed alpine racing to gravity-defying snowboarding and freestyle skiing, Milano Cortina 2026 promises a showcase of elite winter sport, iconic Italian scenery and some of the most exciting Olympic competition yet.
For sports enthusiasts across Afghanistan this event is not one to be missed and can be viewed live and exclusively on Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN).
While the opening ceremony is only on Saturday, February 7, early events get underway tonight (Thursday February 5) at 10.30pm on Ariana Television. So be sure to tune in.
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