Roma near Champions League return with derby triumph

Rome: Roma took a huge step towards returning to the Champions League by beating local rivals Lazio 2-0 on Sunday in a feisty derby which finished with both teams down to 10 men, while Napoli won 3-0 at Pisa to secure a top-four spot. forestarrow.rest

Roma's players pose ahead the Italian Serie A football match between Roma and Lazio at Olympic stadium in Rome on May 17, 2026. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO / AFP)

Gianluca Mancini smashed home two headers from corners, one in each half, at the Stadio Olimpico to move Roma up to fourth thanks also to Juventus' shock 2-0 home defeat to Fiorentina.

Roma haven't played in the Champions League since being knocked out in the last 16 by Porto in 2019, an absence which has left the capital club lagging behind their rivals.

But a win next weekend at relegated Verona will guarantee Roma a spot in Europe's elite club competition thanks to a two-point gap separating them from both fifth-placed Como, 1-0 winners against Parma, and Juve who are now sixth.

"We should be happy because now it depends on us, we no longer have to rely on other teams' results," Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini told reporters.

"Today can be happy for winning the derby and then we'll get to preparing for the next match, which is huge."

Roma's head coach Gian Piero Gasperini after winning the Italian Serie A football match between Roma and Lazio at Olympic stadium in Rome on May 17, 2026. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO / AFP)

The derby and all four other fixtures were pushed forward by half an hour to avoid a clash with the men's final at the Italian Open tennis tournament, which will take place a stone's throw from the Olimpico later this afternoon.

A massive security presence was on show all around the stadium but the atmosphere in the ground was one-sided with the Lazio fans continuing their months-long boycott of matches in protest against owner Claudio Lotito.

Roma's Italian forward #92 Stephan El Shaarawy celebrates after winning the Italian Serie A football match between Roma and Lazio at Olympic stadium in Rome on May 17, 2026. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO / AFP)

Roma's Argentine forward #21 Paulo Dybala runs with the ball during the Italian Serie A football match between Roma and Lazio at Olympic stadium in Rome on May 17, 2026. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO / AFP)

Roma's loud home support belted out song after song after a potentially massive win which on Sunday meant much more than just local pride.

The volatile nature of the derby was highlighted by Nicolo Rovella and Wesley both being sent off in a scrap shortly after Mancini bulleted home the decisive second goal from Paulo Dybala's corner in the 66th minute.

Dhoa Qatar: Abderrahman Samba and Bassem Hemeida claimed another Qatar one-two in the men’s 400m hurdles as the hosts enjoyed another day of strong performances to strengthen their grip on top spot at the 4th GCC Games Doha 2026 yesterday.

With more medals coming in athletics, shooting, table tennis and snooker, the home contingent raised their tally to 96, including 36 gold, 32 silver and 28 bronze medals.

Saudi Arabia remained second with 21 gold, 16 silver and as many bronze medals, while Bahrain followed in third with 18 gold, 17 silver and 10 bronze.

At Qatar Sports Club, Samba and Hemeida, who have delivered several Qatari one-two finishes, including at the 2023 Asian Games and last year’s Asian Athletics Championships, once again dominated the track.

Samba clinched gold in 48.85 seconds, while Hemeida followed in 49.28.

Abderrahman Samba storms to victory in the men’s 400m hurdles final.

UAE’s Muath Abdalla took bronze in 58.04.

Qatar’s Sara Ali added another gold in the women’s 400m hurdles, clocking 1:01.94, ahead of UAE’s Mahra Enqelya and Bahrain’s Oluwakemi Adekoya, who claimed silver and bronze respectively.

Qatar also earned two athletics silvers yesterday, with Samar Mansouri finishing runner-up in the women’s triple jump behind Kuwait’s Aisha Alkhedher.

The hosts also finished second in the mixed 4x400m relay in 3:23.37, with Bahrain taking gold in 3:21.44.

Bassem Hemeida secured the silver medal in the men's 400 metres hurdles.

The Al Annabi athletics team has now collected 10 gold, nine silver and six bronze medals at the Games so far.

Shooters continue dominant form

Meanwhile, Qatari shooters maintained their fine form, adding more medals at Lusail Shooting Range yesterday.

Star shooters Rashid Saleh Al Athba and Reem Al Sharshani teamed up to win the mixed skeet team event, with Kuwait’s Saud Al Kandari and Afrah Al

Mohammad taking bronze, and Bahrain’s Tamer Al Watae and Maryam Al Aasam taking bronze.

الأخبارسانتا باربارا تُجهز العنابي للسويسرييختتم العنابي اليوم تدريباته بمدينة سانتا باربارا الأمريكية، وذلك قبل المغادرة غداً إلى مدينة سان فرانسيسكو استعداداً لخوض المواجهة المرتقبة أمام منتخب سويسرا، في افتتاح مشواره ...فتح →

Abdullah Al Sunaidi and Al Maha Al Ali won the mixed 10m air rifle event with a score of 495.4 after edging Oman’s Salem Al Nabi and Al Anoud Al Khalili, who took silver with 494.7.

UAE’s Fatima Al Suwaidi and Salem Al Yamahi earned bronze medal.

Yesterday’s success takes Qatar’s shooting team’s medal tally to 11, including five gold, one silver and five bronze medals.

Gold and bronze in table tennis

At Aspire Dome, Qatar’s table tennis players secured one gold and a bronze medal in the mixed doubles category.

The pair of Mohammed Abdulwahab and Aya Mohammed clinched the gold medal after defeating UAE’s Ali Al Hawai and Noura Al Mazmi 3-0 in the final.

Mohammed Abdulwahab and Aya Mohammed clinched the gold medal after
defeating their UAE counterparts in the final.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Abdullah Abdulwahab and Mariam Ali took the bronze medal after beating Bahrain’s Rashid Khalid Sanad and Rayan Emad 3-0 in the third-place playoff.

The table tennis competition continues with the third-place matches in the men’s and women’s singles, as well as the men’s doubles category, followed by an all-Saudi men’s singles final.

The women’s singles final will feature Qatar’s Aya Mohammed against Mariam Ali, while the men’s doubles final will see Qatar’s Mohammed Abdulwahab and Abdullah Abdulwahab take on Saudi Arabia’s Ali Al Khudrawi and Abdulaziz Boushalibi.

Al-Obaidli claims snooker silver

Ali Al Obaidli secured the silver medal in the men’s 6-red snooker singles at the billiards and snooker competitions of the 4th GCC Games Doha 2026, after a narrow 3-4 defeat in final against Kuwait’s Ammar Taqi at the Qatar Billiards & Snooker Federation Hall.

Qatar's Ali Al Obaidli in action during the men’s 6-red snooker singles.

The billiards and snooker programme features 10 events - five in billiards and five in snooker - with Qatar represented by Ali Al Obaidli, Muhanna Al Obaidli, Mansour Al Obaidli, Ahmed Saif, Bashar Hussein, Mishal Turki Al Ali, and Abdul Latif Al Fawal.

Victory in volleyball opener

Meanwhile, Qatar volleyball team opened its campaign blanking the UAE 3-0 at Aspire Women’s Sports Hall.

Qatar dominated the match winning the first set 25-17 before wrapping up the match with 25-13, and 25-13 wins.

In the other match, Bahrain defeated Oman 3-0. Qatar will take on Oman at 6:30 PM today.

At Aspire Dome, Qatar men’s padel team also started their campaign on a winning note defeating Saudi Arabia 3-0.

Rashed Nawaf and Mishari Nawaf opened proceedings with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 win, while Khalid Saadoun and Issa Shanan followed up with a 7-6, 6-4 victory in the doubles match. Mohammed Saadoun and Hassan Wali completed the sweep with a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win in the third rubber.

Qatar will face Kuwait in its second match today.

Qatar top handball table

Qatar moved to the top of the handball standings after a dominant 34-19 win over Kuwait, controlling the match from start to finish and leading 19-8 at half-time.

Qatar clinched a dominant 34-19 win over Kuwait in men's handball.

It was Qatar’s second straight victory, following an opening 28-20 win over the UAE, taking their tally to four points.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia sit on two points each, while Kuwait and the UAE are still without points. Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia beat the UAE 34-21.

The six teams have a rest day today before action resumes tomorrow, with Kuwait facing the UAE and Bahrain meeting Saudi Arabia.

Tuesday will see Saudi Arabia play Kuwait, followed by Qatar’s highly anticipated clash with Bahrain.

أشاد سعادة السيد جاسم بن راشد البوعينينالأمين العام للجنة الأولمبية القطرية بما تشهده دورة الألعاب الخليجية الرابعة والتي تستضيفها الدوحة حاليا من مستويات تنافسية قوية في مختلف الألعاب بين الدول الأشقاء في مجلس التعاون الخليجي .
وقال البوعينين في تصريح خاص لوكالة الأنباء القطرية /قنا/ مساء اليوم، إن دورة الألعاب الخليجية الرابعة تقدم مستويات قوية للغاية مما يحقق الهدف الأسمى لهذا التجمع الخليجي الكبير معربا عن شكره لحضور هذا العدد الكبير من الرياضيين والرياضيات من دول الخليج للمشاركة والتنافس على اعتلاء منصات التتويج .
وتابع : نشكر جميع الأشقاء بدول مجلس التعاون على حضورهم ومشاركتهم في هذه التظاهرة الرياضية المهمة التي تجسد الوحدة والتلاحم بين شعوب منطقة الخليج : مضيفا : أن الحضور والمشاركة الكبيرة من الأشقاء تعد هي المكسب الرئيسي لنا في قطر ونشكرهم جميعا على ذلك .
وأضاف نائب رئيس اللجنة المنظمةلدورة الألعاب الخليجية الرابعة : نفخر أيضا بمشاركة هذا العدد الكبير من الرياضيين والرياضيات وكانت الرسالة واضحة في حفل الافتتاح من خلال التواجد الخليجي في قطر ونتطلع كلجنة منظمة الى الوصول بمستويات الرياضيين إلى الأفضل خلال البطولات الآسيوية والعالمية واعتقد أن دورات الخليج تعد نواة مهمة لتخريج المواهب والاستعداد بشكل كبير للاستحقاقات الآسيوية والدولية.
وأعرب البوعينين في ختام تصريحه عن أمنيات اللجنة المنظمة لجميع المنتخبات المشاركة في الدورة بالتوفيق وتقديم أفضل مستويات فنية واعتلاء منصات التتويج.