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Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament

Special Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament
Al-Taawoun drew 2-2 with Al-Wakrah of Qatar in AFC Champions League Two. (X/@AltaawounFC)
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Updated 13 February 2025

Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament

Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament
  • Martinez burst into the penalty area and fired a low shot past the goalkeeper to put Al-Taawoun 2-1 ahead
  • Al-Wakrah were not beaten and with 20 minutes remaining were back on level terms, thanks to a well-taken goal from Gelson Dala

Al-Taawoun drew 2-2 with Al-Wakrah of Qatar on Wednesday in the first leg of their round of 16 clash in AFC Champions League Two.

After taking the lead twice, to come away with a draw may have been a little disappointing, but the result puts the 黑料社区n team within sight of advancing in the continental competition toward a major piece of silverware.

With fine results from Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr in the Champions League Elite 鈥 with all three teams already booking a place in the knockout stage of Asia鈥檚 premier tournament 鈥 their Saudi Pro League counterparts are now in a good position to go deeper in the continent鈥檚 second-tier competition.

The return match takes place in Buraidah next week and Al-Taawoun, who finished top of Group B in the first round, are the favorites to progress against their Qatari opponents, but there is still some work to do.

The visitors from 黑料社区 were ahead after just 12 minutes at Khalifa International Stadium. Roger Martinez was brought down in the area and after the referee pointed to the spot, up stepped Aschraf El-Mahdioui to fire home the resultant penalty.

Al-Taawoun had chances in the first half to extend their lead but were left to regret those missed opportunities 10 minutes after the restart as the team from Qatar equalized, Ayoub Assal scoring at the far post after connecting with Farid Boulaya鈥檚 cross.

The 黑料社区ns were back in front just after the hour after Martinez burst into the penalty area and fired a low shot past the goalkeeper.

However, Al-Wakrah were not beaten and with 20 minutes remaining were back on level terms, thanks to a well-taken goal from Gelson Dala who shot home from just outside the six-yard box after good work from Boulaya on the left.聽

The second leg takes place at the home of Al-Taawoun next Wednesday.


Ryder Cup has been getting out of control for years. New York took to it a new level

Ryder Cup has been getting out of control for years. New York took to it a new level
Updated 59 min 31 sec ago

Ryder Cup has been getting out of control for years. New York took to it a new level

Ryder Cup has been getting out of control for years. New York took to it a new level
  • The Ryder Cup crowd has been getting out of control going back to Brookline in 鈥99, when Colin Montgomerie took so much personal abuse that his father walked off the golf course
  • Along with being the leading points-earner for Europe at Bethpage Black, Tommy Fleetwood won the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award, which honors the player who best embodies the true spirit of the Ryder Cup

FARMINGDALE, N.Y.: Rory McIlroy got so fed up with one American at the Ryder Cup that he asked security to throw out the spectator. The noise was so loud and relentless that McIlroy talked about taking medicine for a headache.

This was 2016 at Hazeltine.

The behavior at Bethpage Black took the atmosphere to a new level, which surprised no one who has seen championship golf on the Long Island public course even without an 鈥渦s versus them鈥 competition involving flags like the Ryder Cup.

The tone was set Friday morning when a fan screamed out, 鈥淔ore, right!鈥 as Jon Rahm was over his tee shot. A small section started an expletive chant at McIlroy, which was repeated Saturday morning by Heather McMahan, hired as a master of ceremonies by the PGA of America.

The Ryder Cup crowd has been getting out of control going back to Brookline in 鈥99, when Colin Montgomerie took so much personal abuse that his father walked off the golf course. The crowd began turning on the home team for losing in a year when money was at the forefront. And then on Sunday, it flipped hard the other direction with the US comeback to win.

There was curiosity going into the week if the New York fans 鈥 no stranger to teams underperforming 鈥 would turn on the Americans or double down on their vitriol toward the Europeans. It turned out to be the latter.

鈥淭hings got out of hand 鈥 that was disappointing. We knew the crowds would be like that,鈥 former PGA of America president Ted Bishop told golfchannel.com. 鈥淚f you鈥檝e attended any New York sporting event, Yankees, Mets, that鈥檚 what you鈥檙e going to get in New York.鈥

Bishop was PGA president when the Ryder Cup was awarded to Bethpage Black. He also was the president who appointed Tom Watson captain of the 鈥14 matches at age 65, which led to a task force to give players more control.

What makes it worse now is a culture in which fans think it鈥檚 acceptable to do this. Think back to The Players Championship in a practice round when a University of Texas player took video of heckling McIlroy after a tee shot into the water. McIlroy walked over and took his phone.

There is loud, and there is lewd. Bethpage was the latter. That prompted McIlroy to say golf should be held to a higher standard. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we should ever accept that in golf. I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week.鈥

Then again, McIlroy and Shane Lowry retaliated with F-bombs of their own.

Equally troubling, however, is another trend on both sides of the Atlantic. When the visiting team missed a putt or missed the fairway, there used to be a lag time of a few seconds before the home crowd clapped or cheered. Now it鈥檚 immediate.

There鈥檚 little chance of that going back to the way it was.

Back to work

The extreme highs and lows of the Ryder Cup are over, and now it鈥檚 time to get to work for 10 players directly involved at Bethpage Black.

Rasmus Hojgaard went from his Ryder Cup debut to trying to keep his full PGA Tour status. The Dane is No. 87 in the FedEx Cup standings and playing in the Sanderson Farms Championship this week in Mississippi.

The top 100 in the FedEx Cup keep their PGA Tour cards. Also in Mississippi are vice captains Brandt Snedeker and Francesco Molinari.

Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Robert MacIntire have flown to Scotland for the Dunhill Links Championship, where Hatton is the defending champion.

And then there was this reminder from Tabitha Furyk, the wife of Jim Furyk who does most of the heavy lifting for the Constellation Furyk & Friends event on the PGA Tour Champions this week in Jacksonville, Florida. She told of Thomas Bjorn approaching her at Bethpage Black and asking about his pro-am time.

Bjorn and fellow vice captain Jose Maria Olazabal were on a flight Monday from New York to Jacksonville. Furyk, meanwhile, goes from being a vice captain to his first time playing since hip replacement surgery in April.

Fleetwood Honor

Along with being the leading points-earner for Europe at Bethpage Black, Tommy Fleetwood won the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award, which honors the player who best embodies the true spirit of the Ryder Cup. It鈥檚 named after Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin, part of Ryder Cup lore for allowing the 1969 matches to end in a draw.

Fleetwood went 4-1-0, raising his record in four Ryder Cups to 11-4-2.

He also kept a cool head during the one tense moment inside the ropes, when Justin Rose barked at Bryson DeChambeau鈥檚 caddie for walking in his space as Rose was studying his putt during fourballs.

鈥淪portsmanship is important to our game and the Ryder Cup is the most intense environment we experience, and things can always happen that test you,鈥 Fleetwood said. 鈥淏ut Luke Donald has instilled in this team an amazing attitude that we should always play with the right spirit. That has really helped us get over the line and win the Ryder Cup once again.鈥

Moving on

Wake Forest alum Michael Brennan is among 10 players from the PGA Tour Americas who are moving up. Brennan won three times to secure Korn Ferry Tour membership, and he picked up a $25,000 bonus for leading the Fortinet Cup in Canada.

Brennan also secured a spot in the RBC Canadian Open next year.

The others from the top 10 who move on to the Korn Ferry Tour are Jay Card III, Davis Lamb, David Perkins, Brett White, Derek Hitchner, John Marshall Butler, Drew Nesbitt, Theo Humphrey and Carson Bacha.

Nesbitt also gets into the Canadian Open as the top Canadian on the points list.

Divots

Tyrrell Hatton now has gone eight consecutive Ryder Cup matches without losing, dating to his singles loss to Justin Thomas in 2021 at Whistling Straits. ... The Netherlands can count on local presence when it hosts the Solheim Cup next year. Anne van Dam has been appointed a vice captain for Anna Nordqvist. ... Nicolas Colsaerts is making his 500th career start on the European tour this week in the Dunhill Links Championship. Colsaerts is retiring from full-time golf after this year. ... The Travelers Championship generated more than $4 million for 245 charities, the most in its tournament history. ... The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill and the Memorial again will provide one spot into the British Open for the leading player not already exempt. The Canadian Open will have three spots.

Stat of the week

Starting with the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone, Scottie Scheffler has won 38 percent of the tournaments he has played and 22 percent of his Ryder Cup matches.

Final word

鈥淚t鈥檚 the best. It鈥檚 more fun than any event we play. There鈥檚 nothing else you can be a part of where you can just get your face kicked in like we did the first two days and have that much fun.鈥 鈥 Justin Thomas on the Ryder Cup.


Osimhen scores from the spot as Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0

Osimhen scores from the spot as Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0
Updated 01 October 2025

Osimhen scores from the spot as Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0

Osimhen scores from the spot as Galatasaray beat Liverpool 1-0
  • The win was a first in seven years at home in the Champions League for the Turkish side and a notable one against opponents unbeaten in all competitions until last weekend
  • Liverpool鈥檚 Brazilian keeper ruled out of Chelsea game

ISTANBUL: Victor Osimhen scored from the spot as Galatasaray dealt Liverpool a stinging second successive defeat on a tough Champions League night in Istanbul on Tuesday.

To add injury to the 1-0 result, Liverpool lost goalkeeper Alisson and French striker Hugo Ekitike with manager Arne Slot ruling the Brazilian out of Liverpool鈥檚 next Premier League game at Chelsea.

鈥淚t鈥檚 never positive if you go off like this. You can be sure he鈥檚 not playing on Saturday and let鈥檚 wait how long it鈥檚 going to take,鈥 he said of Alisson, who made key saves but could not keep out Osimhen鈥檚 16th-minute penalty.

The masked Nigerian striker stepped up after Baris Alper Yilmaz went down on being swiped in the face by Dominik Szoboszlai.

Salah started on the bench

Liverpool made three changes to the lineup that suffered a first league defeat of the season by Crystal Palace at the weekend, with Mohamed Salah on the bench along with record signing Alexander Isak.

Both came on in the 62nd minute when Liverpool made a triple substitution, with Salah replacing starter Jeremie Frimpong on the right wing, after Alisson had gone off injured and was replaced by Giorgi Mamardashvili in the 56th.

Ekitike, in the starting lineup on his return from a domestic suspension, went off in the 68th on a bruising night for the visitors who had their chances but looked alarmingly vulnerable in defense.

The win was a first in seven years at home in the Champions League for the Turkish side and a notable one against opponents unbeaten in all competitions until last weekend and now dealt two losses in a row.

Galatasaray could have been in front already in the second minute when Yilmaz caught the defense napping and went one on one with Alisson, who stood firm and shut out the danger.

Liverpool then missed a golden chance of their own in the 13th when Ekitike miscued the ball after getting into a scoring position and Cody Gakpo had a shot cleared off the line on the rebound.

From almost taking the lead, Liverpool found themselves behind seconds later.

鈥淲e are sometimes a bit outsmarted in situations like this, and I cannot blame Dom for that situation. They make from a 20 percent penalty, maybe a 100 percent penalty. And that is something that is very smart of them,鈥 said Slot.

The visitors had the chance to equalize in the 32nd, with another Ekitike shot blocked and Ibrahima Konate missing from close range, but continued to look vulnerable and gave away a free kick on the edge of the area on the stroke of halftime.

The second half brought a raft of substitutions but no change on the pitch and Liverpool still looking nervous in defense, with loose passing as Galatasaray worked constantly to keep up the pressure.

Alisson limped off after saving from Osimhen and Ekitike then pulled up after stretching for the ball.

Liverpool sniffed an equalizer in the 88th when referee Clement Turpin pointed to the spot but was overruled by a VAR review correctly deciding that Wilfried Singo had played the ball.

鈥淔or me this was a different performance on the ball and off the ball than it was last Saturday,鈥 said Slot.

鈥淔irst half I think we played quite well, we had a big chance to go one-nil up and then the counter-attack. I don鈥檛 think he touched him with his leg, it was the hand that made it a penalty.鈥

Fans displayed banners protesting the war in Gaza at both ends of the pitch, with a tribute to the late Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva before the kickoff.


Griezmann scores 200th Atletico goal in 5-1 win over Frankfurt

Griezmann scores 200th Atletico goal in 5-1 win over Frankfurt
Updated 01 October 2025

Griezmann scores 200th Atletico goal in 5-1 win over Frankfurt

Griezmann scores 200th Atletico goal in 5-1 win over Frankfurt
  • Griezmann eventually reached his milestone with a strike from close range in first-half stoppage time, celebrating with an Atletico shirt bearing 鈥200鈥 on the back as the club鈥檚 record goalscorer

MADRID: Antoine Griezmann scored his 200th goal for Atletico Madrid as they secured their first Champions League win of the season with a 5-1 home victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday after Julian Alvarez also netted twice.
Playing without suspended manager Diego Simeone after his red card in their 3-2 opening defeat at Liverpool, Atletico took charge from the start, buoyed by a fervent home crowd still celebrating Saturday鈥檚 5-2 derby thrashing of Real Madrid.
Atletico opened the scoring after four minutes through Giacomo Raspadori, who capitalized on a loose ball in the box after the defense failed to clear an Alvarez effort from a Giuliano Simeone cross, leaving the former Napoli striker unmarked at the edge of the six-yard box.
Griezmann missed a gilt-edged chance midway through the first half, slicing a volley from close range and immediately falling to his knees in disbelief.
But Robin Le Normand extended Atletico鈥檚 lead in the 32nd minute, firing home the rebound after Griezmann鈥檚 back-heeled effort from a corner was saved.
Griezmann eventually reached his milestone with a strike from close range in first-half stoppage time, celebrating with an Atletico shirt bearing 鈥200鈥 on the back as the club鈥檚 record goalscorer.
Alvarez provided the assist with a brilliant run past two defenders before serving the ball on a plate for the French forward to score.
Frankfurt threatened a comeback when Jonathan Burkhardt鈥檚 deflected effort wrongfooted keeper Jan Oblak in the 57th minute but Giuliano Simeone restored a three-goal cushion with a clever near-post header from a corner two minutes after Griezmann had a second goal ruled out for handball in the build-up.
Alvarez completed the rout in the 82nd minute, chipping home a penalty after VAR spotted a handball by Robin Koch that the referee initially missed, sealing a comprehensive victory that sets up a mouth-watering clash at Arsenal in three weeks鈥 time.
鈥淚 have enjoyed a lot this evening, it鈥檚 a great feeling. I鈥檓 very proud to have reached the 200-goal mark,鈥 Griezmann told Movistar Plus. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been tough but together we鈥檝e managed to achieve it.
鈥淭he team is in good form. The comeback against Rayo (Vallecano in a 3-2 LaLiga win last Wednesday) did us good. We鈥檙e on a roll and we have to keep it up. We鈥檙e pressing hard, being aggressive and setting a fast pace for the game.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 our strength, our style of football, and we have to keep it up. We want to score goals and not concede. We always want more.鈥


Kane shines again as Bayern cruise past Pafos in Champions League

Kane shines again as Bayern cruise past Pafos in Champions League
Updated 01 October 2025

Kane shines again as Bayern cruise past Pafos in Champions League

Kane shines again as Bayern cruise past Pafos in Champions League
  • The result made it two wins from two in the league phase for Bayern following their 3-1 win at home to Premier League side Chelsea on matchday one, in which Kane netted twice

PAPHOS, Cyprus: Harry Kane continued his rich goalscoring form with a brace and Nicolas Jackson scored his first Bayern Munich goal in a 5-1 win at Pafos in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The result made it two wins from two in the league phase for Bayern following their 3-1 win at home to Premier League side Chelsea on matchday one, in which Kane netted twice.
鈥淲e struggled away from home in the league phase last season,鈥 Kane told German TV, calling the match 鈥渁 good away win.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 going into games with confidence, knowing I鈥檒l get my chances. Scored a couple more goals today, I鈥檓 happy with that,鈥 he added.
Having set the record for the fastest man to 100 goals in a top-five league on Friday, doing so from 104 games, Kane was quick to get on the scoresheet, sliding the ball in with 14 minutes played.
Raphael Guerreiro got in on the action six minutes later, before Jackson added a third for the visitors on the 31st-minute mark.
The goal was Jackson鈥檚 first since joining on a season-long loan from Chelsea in the summer.
Not known for his dribbling, Kane took the ball past the Pafos defense down the left flank and hammered in with 34 minutes played. The goal was Kane鈥檚 17th in nine games in all competitions for Bayern this season.
Pafos needed a stunner to pull one back just before half-time when Mislav Orsic unleashed a dipping rocket from outside the box, the club鈥檚 first-ever Champions League goal.
With 21 minutes remaining, Bayern鈥檚 Michael Olize rewarded himself with a goal, knocking in from a tight angle after Jackson shot straight at the goalkeeper.
The score was a fortunate reflection of the night for the Cypriot side, with Bayern hitting the woodwork three times.
The defending German champions have now won nine from nine to start the season, their best start in 13 years.


Mourinho鈥檚 Benfica beaten on Chelsea return in Champions League

Mourinho鈥檚 Benfica beaten on Chelsea return in Champions League
Updated 01 October 2025

Mourinho鈥檚 Benfica beaten on Chelsea return in Champions League

Mourinho鈥檚 Benfica beaten on Chelsea return in Champions League
  • Rios鈥 costly blunder in the first half at Stamford Bridge ruined Mourinho鈥檚 hopes of a win over the club he is most closely associated with

LONDON: Benfica boss Jose Mourinho was beaten on his return to Chelsea as Richard Rios鈥 own-goal condemned the former Blues manager to a 1-0 defeat in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Rios鈥 costly blunder in the first half at Stamford Bridge ruined Mourinho鈥檚 hopes of a win over the club he is most closely associated with.
Mourinho and then-owner Roman Abramovich transformed Chelsea into a superpower after his appointment in 2004, winning three Premier League titles among seven major trophies across his two spells in charge.
The 62-year-old鈥檚 managerial star may be on the wane following a decade without a league title, but his west London home-coming was still a box office occasion.
Mourinho had started the season in charge of Fenerbahce, who sacked him in August before he returned to his former club Benfica this month.
While Stamford Bridge is the scene of Mourinho鈥檚 former glories, it has not been a happy hunting ground for him since.
He has failed to win any of his seven visits with Manchester United, Tottenham and now Benfica since leaving Chelsea for the second time in 2015, while his lone success in the away dugout came with Inter Milan in 2010.
Despite the loss, Mourinho took heart from Benfica鈥檚 battling display.
鈥淎 defeat is always a defeat but this one can be a start for us. It was a stable performance,鈥 Mourinho said.
鈥淲hen a team changes coach mid-season it鈥檚 because things are not good. So we鈥檝e had some difficulties. But we could have come away from here with a draw.鈥
Having claimed he was 鈥渁lways a Blue鈥 and still the 鈥渂iggest鈥 manager in the club鈥檚 history on Monday, Mourinho, who retains a house near Stamford Bridge, had insisted Chelsea鈥檚 fans would give him a warm welcome on his latest return.
The prediction proved spot-on as Mourinho鈥檚 name was loudly chanted several times throughout the match by Chelsea fans who rose in unison to applaud him.
The Mourinho love-in inspired a strong start from Benfica, with Vangelis Pavlidis forcing Robert Sanchez to save at the climax of a flowing move.
Sanchez made another important stop when Dodi Lukebakio鈥檚 drive was pushed onto the near post by the Chelsea goalkeeper.

- Mourinho frustration -

But Chelsea rode their luck to take an 18th-minute lead thanks to Rios鈥 error.
Pedro Neto found Alejandro Garnacho inside the Benfica area and the Argentinian鈥檚 cross triggered a panicked clearance from Rios, who diverted the ball high into his own net from close range.
Mourinho鈥檚 luck was out, but he was still willing to play peacemaker when Benfica fans threw missiles at Chelsea captain Enzo Fernandez 鈥 who had a brief spell at the Portuguese club 鈥 marching down the touchline and gesturing to the supporters to stop the barrage.
Mourinho got his wish but Chelsea weren鈥檛 so compliant and Tyrique George should have doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when the young forward shot wide from a good position.
Benfica played with purpose after the interval but lacked the cutting edge required to carve out an equalizer.
Even a red card for Chelsea forward Joao Pedro for a high boot on Leandro Barreiro in the final seconds couldn鈥檛 spare Mourinho from a frustrating defeat.
While Mourinho was left to bemoan the first loss of his Benfica reign, it was a welcome success for Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea had lost three of their previous four games against Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Brighton, raising questions about Maresca鈥檚 ability to take the club to the next level.
Maresca has led Chelsea to UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup glory since taking charge last year, but Mourinho waspishly diminished both those achievements this week.
The Blues鈥 fourth win in nine games in all competitions this season was a timely response from Maresca.
鈥淭he effort was very good,鈥 he said. 鈥淚n the last games we have conceded too many goals. We need to be better defensively, so a clean-sheet is nice.鈥