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Pereira the last-gasp hero for Al-Ittihad

Pereira the last-gasp hero for Al-Ittihad
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Danilo Pereira was the hero, grabbing two goals in injury time, as Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Shabab 3-2 in a thrilling King鈥檚 Cup semi-final on Tuesday. (@ittihad_en)
Pereira the last-gasp hero for Al-Ittihad
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After defeating Al-Shabab, 3-2, in a thrilling King鈥檚 Cup semi-final on Tuesday, Al-Ittihad awaits the winner of the other semi-final match between Al-Qadsiah and Al-Raed. (SPA)
Pereira the last-gasp hero for Al-Ittihad
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After defeating Al-Shabab, 3-2, in a thrilling King鈥檚 Cup semi-final on Tuesday, Al-Ittihad awaits the winner of the other semi-final match between Al-Qadsiah and Al-Raed. (SPA)
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Updated 02 April 2025

Pereira the last-gasp hero for Al-Ittihad

Pereira the last-gasp hero for Al-Ittihad
  • He grabs 2 goals in injury time to secure a 3-2 victory over Al-Shabab and clinch a place in the King鈥檚 Cup final for the first time in 6 years

Danilo Pereira was the hero, grabbing two goals in injury time, as Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Shabab 3-2 in a thrilling King鈥檚 Cup semi-final on Tuesday. They will face either Al-Qadsiah or Al-Raed, who play on Wednesday, in the final next month.

It was a thrilling tie. A penalty converted by Fabinho early in the first half seemed to put Al-Ittihad on course for a place in the final of 黑料社区鈥檚 premier domestic cup competition for the 19th time, and the chance to lift the trophy for the 10th time. But Al-Shabab had other ideas, scoring twice in the space of three minutes after the break to turn the tie on its head.

There was still time for a dramatic late twist, however, that means the prospect of the league and cup double remains very much alive for the Jeddah giants.

There were only 14 minutes on the clock when the Tigers took the lead. Al-Shabab defender Robert Renan brought down Abdulrahman Al-Oboud in the area, former Liverpool star Fabinho stepped up to take the spot kick and kept his cool to put his team ahead.




After defeating Al-Shabab, 3-2, in a thrilling King鈥檚 Cup semi-final on Tuesday, Al-Ittihad awaits the winner of聽 the other聽semi-final match between聽 Al-Qadsiah and Al-Raed. (SPA)

The only other highlight of the first half was another of the famous 鈥渢ifo鈥 visual displays from Al-Ittihad鈥檚 fans. It featured an image of star striker Karim Benzema wielding a hammer, inviting him to smash the opposition.

Things did not quite work out that way, however, as Al-Shabab fought back. In the 64th minute, Cristian Guanca picked up possession 30 yards from goal and unleashed a spectacular shot into the top corner. Three minutes later, Yannick Carrasco floated over a cross to the far post and Guanca struck again, this time heading home.

Al-Shabab seemed headed for a famous win and things were still looking good for them when the 90-minute mark ticked by.

But then, as the prospect of a fourth successive semi-final defeat loomed for Al-Ittihad, Pereira intervened. His first goal came in the 92nd minute. Benzema had a big part to play in it, greeting a corner kick with a header directed toward the top corner of the net. The attempt was saved but Pereira was well placed to head home the rebound.

Six minutes later and the comeback was complete. It began with another corner, which this time bounced off a defender in the crowded area but Pereira was there again, waiting to pounce and fire in the winner from close range, breaking Al-Shabab hearts and sending Al-Ittihad into the final for the first time in six years.


黑料社区 to host WrestleMania as event held outside North America for first time

黑料社区 to host WrestleMania as event held outside North America for first time
Updated 14 sec ago

黑料社区 to host WrestleMania as event held outside North America for first time

黑料社区 to host WrestleMania as event held outside North America for first time

RIYADH: 黑料社区 will host WWE鈥檚 flagship event WrestleMania next year as the week-long wrestling festival leaves North American shores for the first time in its history.

WrestleMania 43 will be held in the Saudi capital as part of Riyadh Season in 2027, organizers announced on Friday.

Turki Alalshikh, the head of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, said: 鈥淲restleMania is already the biggest date on the wrestling calendar and this announcement marks a significant moment in our partnership with WWE.鈥

鈥淲e deeply respect the legacy of WrestleMania and the global prestige it holds among wrestling fans around the world. As part of Riyadh Season in 2027, our vision is to elevate this iconic event to unprecedented heights and deliver a WrestleMania unlike anything the world has ever seen.鈥

The announcement of the event coming to Riyadh next year 鈥渉ighlights the groundbreaking partnership between WWE and the Kingdom of 黑料社区,鈥 an official statement said.

WrestleMania was born in 1985 and has been exclusively held in North American cities since then.

Paul 鈥淭riple H鈥 Levesque, WWE Chief Content Officer, said: 鈥淗E Turki Alalshikh and GEA have made a massive impact on the world of sports and entertainment. They have been phenomenal partners to WWE and we look forward to working with them to bring WrestleMania 43 to new heights.鈥 

The Kingdom has already held a number of WWE events, including Crown Jewel, Elimination Chamber, and King & Queen of the Ring.

The 39th Royal Rumble is set to be held in Riyadh this January.

WrestleMania 42 returns to Las Vegas in April, following the success of this year鈥檚 event in 鈥淪in City,鈥 which became the highest grossing in WWE history.

Wrestling has been big in the Kingdom since the 80s and fans, with immense passion and deep knowledge of the shows and wrestlers, have now flocked to events ever since the GEA brought WWE to the Kingdom in 2018.

The events often sell out quickly even though they are held at some of the Kingdom鈥檚 largest sporting venues.


Pakistan begin Asia Cup with 93-run win over Oman

Pakistan begin Asia Cup with 93-run win over Oman
Updated 12 September 2025

Pakistan begin Asia Cup with 93-run win over Oman

Pakistan begin Asia Cup with 93-run win over Oman
  • Pakistan scored 160-7 after opting to bat and Oman were bundled out for 67 in 16.4 overs
  • Haris struck seven fours and three sixes on his way to 50 off 32 balls

DUBAI: Pakistan thumped Oman by 93 runs to begin their Asia Cup campaign thanks to Mohammad Haris鈥 66 off 43 balls at Dubai International Stadium on Friday.
Pakistan scored 160-7 after opting to bat and Oman were bundled out for 67 in 16.4 overs.
Haris struck seven fours and three sixes on his way to 50 off 32 balls.
Pakistan take on India in the Twenty20 tournament鈥檚 most high profile clash on Sunday at the same venue.
Haris crossed the 20-run mark in T20s for the first time in 12 innings. His best in 11 innings prior was 15 against Afghanistan in the preceding tri-series. He was 107 not out in June against Bangladesh at Lahore.
Opener Shahibzada Farhan (29) and Haris put on 85 off 64 balls to drive the innings.
Saim Ayub was out for a golden duck, as was skipper Salman Agha, both falling to left-arm spinner Aamir Kaleem.
Kaleem also bowled Haris in the 13th over and finished with 3-31 in four overs 鈥 his career best against a full ICC member.
Fakhar Zaman hit 23 not out off 16 balls and Mohammad Nawaz scored 19 off 10 balls to help Pakistan pass 150. They lost their last five wickets for 56 runs in seven overs.
In a chase that never got going, Hammad Mirza top-scored for Oman with 27 off 23 balls.
Oman collapsed from 41-2 to 51-9, losing seven wickets for 10 runs across 34 deliveries. The innings ended in the 17th over, with the last pair adding 16 runs.
Spinners Saim Ayub and Suyiyan Muqeem, and medium pacer Faheem Ashraf shared six wickets across seven overs in the rout.


Max Verstappen set to race at iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife

Max Verstappen set to race at iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife
Updated 12 September 2025

Max Verstappen set to race at iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife

Max Verstappen set to race at iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife
  • Red Bull cleared the four-time world champion to make his debut in the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie
  • Verstappen, 27, will be joined by Chris Lulham, a 22-year-old British driver

NURBURG, Germany: Max Verstappen is set to race at the iconic Nurburgring Nordschleife after acquiring the required license on Friday.
With the Formula 1 circuit off this weekend, Red Bull cleared the four-time world champion to make his debut in the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS). Arguably the world鈥檚 top race car driver, Verstappen still had to undergo a course and take a theory exam to drive in the seventh round of the 10-race NLS.
After completing both, Verstappen is scheduled to compete in a four-hour race on Saturday, driving a Porsche GT4 Cayman in the Verstappen.com Racing x Red Bull livery.
Verstappen, 27, will be joined by Chris Lulham, a 22-year-old British driver who is competing in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance for Verstappen.com Racing.
Verstappen set an unofficial lap record during a test run in a Ferrari 296 GT3 for the Swiss Emil Frey Racing team on the Nordschleife track in May. However, he does not yet have the required special racing license called the DMSB (Deutscher Motor Sport Bund) Permit Nordschleife to officially compete in the GT3 class on the track.
To obtain a 鈥淧ermit A,鈥 Verstappen needs to collect two classified race results by completing 14 laps and completing at least 20 percent of a race. Both results can come in a single race, which is why he could spend time in multiple cars this weekend.
The system was implemented in 2015 with the goal of requiring drivers of all levels to experience the Nordschleife, referred to as 鈥淕reen Hell,鈥 in slower cars before moving up.
Verstappen said he is pursuing his Permit A in order to compete in the GT3 class in the future. He has previously stated his desire to compete in Nurburgring鈥檚 annual 24-hour race among other endurance races at iconic circuits around the world.
鈥淩acing is not just my profession, but also my hobby,鈥 Verstappen said on his official website. 鈥淭his weekend I am at the Nordschleife with the goal to qualify for the mandatory race permit needed to race here in a GT3 car, which I would love.
鈥淭he Nordschleife is at the top of my list of tracks I want to race on, as it鈥檚 extremely challenging and demanding, with its enormous length and tight historic layout. I can鈥檛 wait!鈥


Italian boxer speaks out over online abuse since Olympic bout against Khelif

Italian boxer speaks out over online abuse since Olympic bout against Khelif
Updated 12 September 2025

Italian boxer speaks out over online abuse since Olympic bout against Khelif

Italian boxer speaks out over online abuse since Olympic bout against Khelif
  • Carini published a video on Instagram with screenshots of messages she has received on social media 鈥 some begging her not to go to the Olympics again, others calling her 鈥渁 coward鈥
  • 鈥淗ave you ever wondered how hard it was for me to face these words?鈥

NAPLES, Italy: Italian boxer Angela Carini says the online abuse she鈥檚 received since her Olympic fight against Imane Khelif last year has 鈥渄estroyed her career.鈥
Carini tearfully quit her opening bout with Khelif of Algeria at the Paris Olympics after just 46 seconds, going on to explain afterward that she took the extremely unusual decision because of the pain from her opponent鈥檚 opening punches.
On Friday, Carini published a video on Instagram with screenshots of messages she has received on social media 鈥 some begging her not to go to the Olympics again, others calling her 鈥渁 coward鈥 and 鈥渢he shame of the Italy team鈥 鈥 and a voiceover of the 26-year-old explaining how she felt.
鈥淗ave you ever wondered how hard it was for me to face these words? What I had to endure and endure day after day? What I had to face in my silence, while preserving my health from a stupid social network, from people who speak and say words without thinking twice?鈥 Carini said.
鈥淏ecause for them it鈥檚 just a sentence, it鈥檚 just a word, it鈥檚 just fun, it鈥檚 just wanting to follow the crowd.鈥
Khelif won the Olympic gold amid international scrutiny on her and Taiwan鈥檚 Lin Yu-ting, another gold medal winner.
Both fighters were allowed to compete by the IOC after being disqualified from the 2023 world championships by the Russian-dominated International Boxing Association. The IBA claimed the women failed unspecified eligibility tests.
However, the IOC applied sex eligibility rules used in previous Olympics and said Khelif and Lin passed.
鈥楢n infected wound鈥
Carini鈥檚 actions fueled a discussion far beyond Paris about whether Khelif should have been allowed to compete, with (then former) US President Donald Trump and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni speaking out.
鈥淔or many it is easy to forget the past, but for me it wasn鈥檛,鈥 Carini continued. 鈥淭hat past that marked my life. That past that left wounds inside me that I try to heal day after day, but like an infected wound, it bleeds and hurts.
鈥淭hat past that changed and destroyed my career, built year after year with sacrifices, dedication, tenacity and a lot of passion 鈥 That career that is underestimated and belittled by those who preferred to have a laugh for a few moments, preferred to throw the stone.鈥
Carini won silver medals at the world and European championships in 2019. She lost her opening fight at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
After Paris, Carini said she closed herself 鈥渋n silence鈥 with her family and 鈥渢ried to rebuild (herself) in small pieces.鈥
Carini returned to the ring in December, winning her eighth Italian title and gold at the World Boxing Cup in Poland.
鈥淧utting all the disappointment aside, I got back into that ring, reconfirming myself as Italian champion and bringing home medals from important international tournaments,鈥 Carini said. 鈥淕etting back into that ring was a tough challenge.
鈥淭hese words of mine will not change the world, I will not make people become kinder. But at least I invite everyone to reflect 鈥 A word, a gesture, a command can hurt and destroy a person.鈥


Beckenbauer statue unveiled outside Bayern鈥檚 Allianz Arena

Beckenbauer statue unveiled outside Bayern鈥檚 Allianz Arena
Updated 12 September 2025

Beckenbauer statue unveiled outside Bayern鈥檚 Allianz Arena

Beckenbauer statue unveiled outside Bayern鈥檚 Allianz Arena
  • The statue depicts Beckenbauer looking ahead with his right foot on the ball
  • It is a characteristic pose in his typical 鈥楲ibero鈥 position behind the defense which the Munich-born footballer is widely credited with reinventing during the 1970s.

MUNICH: A bronze statue of Germany football legend Franz Beckenbauer was unveiled outside Bayern Munich鈥檚 Allianz Arena on Friday, a day after what would have been his 80th birthday.
Known as the 鈥楰aiser鈥, the German word for emperor, for his elegant and commanding playing style, the statue is the latest in a series of honors for Beckenbauer, who died in January 2024 aged 78.
The statue depicts Beckenbauer looking ahead with his right foot on the ball.
It is a characteristic pose in his typical 鈥楲ibero鈥 position behind the defense which the Munich-born footballer is widely credited with reinventing during the 1970s.


Beckenbauer won the Bundesliga and the World Cup as both a player and a manager, along with lifting the European Cup, the precursor to today鈥檚 Champions League, three times from 1974-1976.
鈥淪tanding here today, unveiling the statue and seeing how many people have come along is a moving moment,鈥 Bayern president Herbert Hainer said.
鈥淚 had become very good friends with Franz Beckenbauer over the past few years. We all miss him 鈥 not just as a footballer, but above all as a person.鈥
Beckenbauer鈥檚 red Bayern no. 5 jersey has also been painted into the Allianz Arena rafters, while the street leading up to the stadium has been renamed Franz Beckenbauer Place.
The German Super Cup, a pre-season match featuring the league and cup winners, was renamed the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup ahead of this campaign.
Opening in 2005, the Allianz Arena was planned and built under the leadership of Beckenbauer along with long-time Bayern powerbrokers Uli Hoeness and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, both of whom were present on Friday.
The statue is the second to be erected on the esplanade outside the 75,000-seat stadium, after former Bayern and Germany striker Gerd Mueller.
Munich mayor Dieter Reiter said the statue was 鈥渢he highest honor the city can bestow on someone posthumously.鈥
Beckenbauer won the Ballon d鈥橭r twice, in 1972 and 1976, making him the only defender in history to win the award on two or more occasions.