Dein erstes Forum » ace on another near-miss for his team, and credit

Under the bright lights of a local soccer field in Kuwait City in June, buzzing spectators and onlookers witnessed a sporting event rarely seen in the country of Kuwait: a womens soccer tournament.The event, called Footb(ball) for All, was hosted by 80 Percent, a social enterprise founded by Najat AlSayegh. Over eight days, the tournament showcased 130 female Kuwaiti footballers, who filled out 12 teams competing to become the leagues champions.For a country in which women regained the right to vote just 11 years ago, an all-female soccer tournament viewed by approximately 850 people is a step forward as Kuwait continues to inch toward gender equality.Opportunity for women to play sports in Kuwait, though slowly improving, has been unequal to the resources available to men. Football is considered the top sport in Kuwait, but traditionally that popularity has been restricted to men, despite a large interest from women.When it comes football in Kuwait, we have a lot of good women players,?AlSayegh said. But they didnt find any support previously from the government or private sector.Women often struggle to find a platform to practice the sports they enjoy. Two-time Olympic swimmer Faye Sultan, Kuwaits lone female representative at this summers Rio Olympics, told Al-Jazeera in August that she had a difficult time finding an Olympic swimming pool to train in and had to settle for early-morning training prior to mens practices.In Kuwait, we have beautiful facilities, Sultan said. Its just that for a girl, they are so much harder to access.AlSayegh, 29, experienced much of the same inequality growing up in Kuwait City, so she has dedicated herself to both fighting for and empowering women through sport.After receiving a degree in political science from Kuwait University, AlSayegh worked in various political roles, including the 2009 parliamentary campaign of Aseel al-Awadhi, one of the first four women elected to Kuwaiti Parliament. AlSayegh spent three years working with the Kuwaiti ministry of youth affairs, focusing on youth leadership and development. She now works for the Kuwaiti public authority of youth and is the head of the international relations department.Although AlSayegh understands that womens equality in Kuwait must come in the form of governmental support and legislative change, her main vehicle for empowering women, on an interpersonal level, has been sport.AlSayegh has worked to strike a balance between politics and sport, as well as between the public and private sectors, to create change in her country. So far, shes been successful. Her soccer tournament was not only sponsored by the Kuwaiti government, but the championship game was attended by Kuwaits minister of youth and sports. That made it the first womens tournament he has attended, AlSayegh said.Sports is a language that everyone can speak -- young, old, from different backgrounds, different religions as well, AlSayegh said.?AlSayeghs advocacy is also geared toward making an impact on Kuwaits public health crisis. The country has one of the highest obesity rates in the world.These high rates will affect women in many ways, AlSayegh said. If you have obese women, they are going to have obese kids, and the snowball effect is going to happen. Its a real issue and a problem that needs to be cured.In 2015, AlSayegh traveled to the United States as one of 16 participants in the Global Sports Mentoring Program, which matches emerging female change-makers in sports from around the world with American female sport executives. AlSayegh was paired with Laura Dixon, who serves as the executive director of community responsibility for Spurs Sports & Entertainment.She was in a very hard position as a woman leading in a space -- not just in a space thats a part of the industry but a part of the world where woman have not had many advocates, Dixon said. She is making change.As part of the mentorship, AlSayegh spent a week with Dixon in San Antonio, Texas.?AlSayegh said that when it comes to the empowerment of women in sports or beyond, it isnt about a comparison between Kuwait and the U.S. or anywhere else -- more needs to be done for women universally.While in Texas, AlSayegh met influential sports figures, such as the director of womens athletics at the University of Texas, Chris Plonksy, and the general manager of the San Antonio Spurs, R.C. Buford.For AlSayegh, the most inspirational person she met while in San Antonio was Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon, the first full-time female assistant coach in the NBA. Before meeting Hammon, AlSayegh watched her coach the Spurs from a meeting room in awe. Hammon was someone AlSayegh could relate to as a woman working in a male-dominated field.AlSayegh asked Hammon what it was like to coach men in the NBA, and Hammon told her she had to work hard to gain respect and be seen as an equal in the league.This was a really inspiring moment for me, AlSayegh said. As a woman, you have to keep working and never give up, even if you feel this is not your place to be.AlSayegh has no intention of slowing down, and her organization is working on constructing a womens soccer league in November. AlSayegh also has her sights set on expansion to include all Arab women athletes. She wants to expand her soccer tournament to include other women from the Gulf Cooperation Council, a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries.?Were trying to make it bigger, AlSayegh said. I really hope that I create an impact, no matter what position I am in. It doesnt matter where Im at, as long as Im seeing results.Sean Hurd is a Digital Media Associate for ESPN. Follow him @seanahurd. Eli Manning Giants Jersey . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Doug Kotar Jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Darius-Slayton-Jersey/ . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Doug Kotar Womens Jersey . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Phil McConkey Womens Jersey . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. England 293 and 240 (Stokes 85, Bairstow 47, Shakib 5-85) beat Bangladesh 248 and 263 (Sabbir 64*) by 22 runs Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBen Stokes capped a supreme allround performance with two wickets in three balls - his fifth and sixth of the match, to go alongside his total of 103 runs - as Bangladeshs hearts were broken on the fifth and final morning of an epic Test match at Chittagong.Resuming on 253 for 8, with 33 runs still required, Bangladesh had visions of securing only their eighth Test victory in 94 attempts, and their first against England in nine. However, a brace of lbws in the fourth over of the morning - the first reviewed in optimism by England, the second in desperation by the last man, Shafiul Islam - left their hero of the second innings, Sabbir Rahman, high and dry on 64 not out.Facing a dilemma when play resumed, Alastair Cook showed his hand from the outset, handing Stuart Broad the first over of the morning, following on from his marathon nine-over spell on the fourth evening, and partnering him with Stokes, the man whose mastery of reverse swing had proven so illegible to Bangladeshs tail in the first innings.But Bangladesh began their mornings work with confidence. Sabbir opened his account with a push through the covers for two, before Taijul - once again trusted to hold his own with the bat - flashed a Stokes short ball over the keepers head for four.The new ball was available after two overs but Cook opted to persevere with the old, with the long-sleeved Joe Root once again charged to preserve its precious shine. But the hooping reverse of the first innings remained elusive as Bangladesh chiselled out their singles, with every run greeted with ecstasy by a small contingent of Bangladesh fans who made an otherwise echoing stadium sound packed to the rafters.However, Stokes determination could not be denied, and after coming round the wicket to Taijul Islam, he persuaded Cook to gamble one of Englands two reviews - which had been topped up at the 80-over mark - as Taijul stepped too far across his stumpps and was pinned in front of middle and leg.dddddddddddd.The verdict was greeted with a huge roar from the huddle of England players watching the big screen, and there was an extra sense of expectation as Shafiul shuffled out to face the pumped-up Stokes. Five years ago, on this very ground, he had been Bangladeshs hero with a brilliant 24 not out in Bangladeshs two-wicket World Cup win over England. This time, however, he was trapped on the crease second-ball and, though he was struck outside the line of off stump, Kumar Dharmasena felt that he had not quite been playing a shot as he raised his finger for the final time in the game. And this time, it stayed raised, as victory was confirmed via a record 26th DRS decision of the match.Afterwards, Cook was relieved but happy to have overseen such a tense finale to the contest. It was a really good Test match, he said during the post-match presentations. It was such a tight game, so credit to both sides. Im glad we held our nerve, with the quality we have in our attack, we got it reversing.Cook admitted that the option of turning to the new ball with his spinners would have been a gamble, which was not a ringing endorsement of the trio at his disposal. But ultimately he was grateful to have a competitor of Stokes quality in his ranks.Not just with ball in hand but the way he batted, he balances the side, he said. Those cricketers dont come around very often and hes got an enormous heart as well. Hes a seriously good cricketer.Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladeshs captain, put a brave face on another near-miss for his team, and credited his players for a hugely spirited performance in their first Test match since August 2015.Probably it was not in our favour, 33 runs and two wickets, but the boys put in so much effort over the last five days, after 15 months, Im really proud. Our boys fought it out which is really impressive and hopefully well do the same in the next matchace on another near-miss for his team, and credit ' ' '