Why were there no fireworks at the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games?; 'English football phenomenon' sees skyrocketing price.

Why were there no fireworks at the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games?

On the evening of December 9th, the opening ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games took place at the Rajamangala Stadium in Thailand. This event marked the return of Southeast Asia's biggest sporting event to the Land of Smiles after 18 years.

The opening ceremony consisted of five main parts, each with its own unique highlight. The program began with a spectacular opening, transporting the audience back in time to the origins of the SEA Games and igniting a passion for sports. A key cultural highlight showcased the rich diversity of the region and how these elements blend together. Another segment focused on the strength and fighting spirit of the athletes, expressed through powerful choreography combined with modern performance technology.

One of the other notable highlights of the 33rd SEA Games opening ceremony was the celebration of friendship and "shared victory" across Southeast Asia. The aim was to instill in viewers a deep sense of pride in the talent, creativity, technology, performance, music, and sports of the Thai people. Audiences also had the opportunity to experience immersive visuals, lighting, multimedia sound, and special technological effects on a large scale, along with the friendship and solidarity among the 11 participating nations.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua delivered opening remarks at the 33rd SEA Games, emphasizing the noble spirit, positive competition, and dedication in sports. The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of the sports delegations from the participating countries at the 33rd SEA Games.

On the Vietnamese side, athletes Le Minh Thuan (taekwondo) and Le Thanh Thuy (volleyball) had the honor of carrying the Vietnamese flag at the opening ceremony. Minh Thuan and Thanh Thuy are two of the 841 Vietnamese athletes who will compete in 47 out of 50 sports.

The target for the Vietnamese sports delegation at the 33rd SEA Games is to win between 90 and 110 gold medals, ranking among the top 3 leading sports delegations. It's worth remembering that at the 32nd SEA Games, the Vietnamese sports delegation performed exceptionally well, winning 136 gold medals and finishing first overall. This was the third time in the history of the SEA Games that the Vietnamese sports delegation ranked number 1 in the region.

At the end of the program, many fans expressed regret that the opening ceremony lacked fireworks. However, according to the organizers, the event will be themed 'Road to Net Zero,' emphasizing environmental sustainability in all aspects and will not feature fireworks. The flame will be placed at Sanam Luang throughout the Games for locals, fans, and tourists to visit and take photos. The closing ceremony on December 20th will take place at the Rajamangala National Stadium.

Lennart Karl set a record to save Bayern from defeat in the Champions League.

Teenage star Lennart Karl continued his brilliant form, helping Bayern Munich come from behind to beat Sporting Lisbon 3-1 at the Allianz Arena and set another unprecedented Champions League record.

Bayern Munich seemed to have broken the deadlock just minutes into the match. Karl controlled the ball and took a close-range shot inside the penalty area, but the goal was disallowed because Serge Gnabry was offside.

The home side continued to have more chances in the first 45 minutes but couldn't get past goalkeeper Rui Silva. Harry Kane was denied by the post, while Karl came even closer to scoring when his shot just before the end of the first half was saved by Silva.

Bayern Munich paid the price for squandering opportunities. At the start of the second half, Sporting Lisbon launched a lightning-fast counter-attack. Joao Simoes beat Jonathan Tah and crossed the ball, forcing captain Joshua Kimmich to rush back but inadvertently score an own goal. The entire Allianz Arena fell silent.

Fortunately for Bayern Munich, Sporting Lisbon couldn't hold onto their advantage for long, and the Bavarians equalized just 10 minutes later. The visitors' defense was practically asleep, allowing Gnabry to comfortably tap the ball in after Michael Olise's corner kick, leveling the score at 1-1. Four minutes later, the Allianz Arena erupted. Karl made a clever run into the penalty area, controlled the ball neatly, and unleashed a diagonal shot that left Silva with no chance. A classy finish from the 17-year-old.

Sporting Lisbon's resistance was broken, and Bayern Munich sealed the victory with a goal from Tah. Kimmich partially redeemed himself for an earlier own goal by passing the ball deep into the penalty area to Olise, who headed it back into the danger zone. The Frenchman's header found Tah unmarked, giving him enough time to finish and score Bayern's third goal, securing the win.

Karl continues to fuel the debate about his talent. Not only did he create a turning point in the match, but he also became the youngest player in Champions League history to score in three consecutive games at just 17 years and 290 days old. A record that will likely remain unbroken for a long time and shows that Bayern Munich possesses a precious gem.

Rashford helps Barca come from behind.

In the early hours of December 10th, Marcus Rashford came off the bench and provided an assist to help Barca come from behind to beat Frankfurt 2-1 in the European Cup qualifying round.
Within three days, Barcelona treated their fans to two impressive comebacks. After a 5-3 victory against Betis, the reigning La Liga champions defeated Frankfurt, despite being 1-0 down at halftime thanks to a goal from Ansgar Knauff.

At the start of the second half, manager Hansi Flick brought Rashford on to replace Fermin. Just four minutes later, the former Man Utd star made his mark with a precise cross from the left wing for Jules Kounde to head in, equalizing the score at 1-1 for Barcelona.

Continuing their momentum, Barca exploited Frankfurt's right flank and scored their second goal. Koune once again shone with a precise header from close range. This time, the assist came from Lamine Yamal.

For the remainder of the match, Barca maintained pressure on the opponent's half and created a few more chances but failed to score. Nevertheless, the narrow victory keeps the Catalan team's hopes alive of breaking into the top eight teams that qualify directly for the knockout round.

After 6 matches, Barca have 10 points, just 1 point behind 8th place. Yamal and his teammates' remaining two opponents are not considered strong (Slavia Prague and Copenhagen). If they win all 6 points, the "Blaugrana's" chances of finishing in the top 8 are quite high.

'English football phenomenon' sees price skyrocket.'

Wrexham's value skyrocketed after Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney sold a portion of their stake in the club.

Since acquiring the club in 2021, the Hollywood star duo have helped Wrexham become a phenomenon, securing promotion to the Championship from the National League. Off the pitch, their influence is also immense. The documentary Welcome to Wrexham helped the club gain global attention.

Notably, Wrexham's value has now reached £350 million, three times its £100 million valuation at the beginning of this year. This increase in value comes after the Allyn family from New York acquired a 15% stake, reducing Reynolds and McElhenney's holdings to 85%.

The £350 million figure makes Wrexham one of the most expensive clubs in the Championship. For comparison, Sheffield United, who recently missed out on promotion to the Premier League, were bought for around £111 million.

Unsurprisingly, Reynolds and McElhenney decided to sell an undisclosed portion of their stake, believed to be under 10%, to Apollo Sports Capital, a company valued at $900 billion (£677.35 billion). Apollo plans to make a significant investment in Wrexham, including a redevelopment of the Racecourse Ground and hosting a match at the 2035 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Reynolds and McElhenney shared: "Our dream has always been to bring the club to the Premier League while upholding the city's values. Such development requires world-class partners, and Apollo truly shares our vision and ambition."

In April 2025, the club based at Racecourse Ground will be promoted for the third time in three consecutive seasons, from the National League, League Two, and League One to the Championship. Currently, Wrexham are performing relatively well in the Championship, sitting 12th out of 24 teams. Last month, Wrexham defeated league leaders Frank Lampard's Coventry 3-2.