Al-Ahli down Buriram to set up all-Saudi Asian Champions League semi

Al-Ahli down Buriram to set up all-Saudi Asian Champions League semi
Al-Ahli handed Thailand's Buriram United a 3-0 defeat in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite in Jeddah on Saturday, with victory setting up an all-Saudi Pro League semi-final against Al-Hilal next Tuesday. (X/@ALAHLI_FCEN)
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Updated 26 April 2025

Al-Ahli down Buriram to set up all-Saudi Asian Champions League semi

Al-Ahli down Buriram to set up all-Saudi Asian Champions League semi
  • Strikes from Riyad Mahrez and Galeno gave Al-Ahli a two-goal lead by the sixth minute
  • “It was the perfect match,” said delighted Al-Ahli coach Matthias Jaissle

JEDDAH: Al-Ahli handed Thailand’s Buriram United a 3-0 defeat in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League Elite in Jeddah on Saturday, with victory setting up an all-Saudi Pro League semifinal against Al-Hilal next Tuesday.
Strikes from Riyad Mahrez and Galeno gave Al-Ahli a two-goal lead by the sixth minute and Roberto Firmino added the third 15 minutes before the interval to complete a comfortable win at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
“It was the perfect match,” said delighted Al-Ahli coach Matthias Jaissle. “We started with the incredible energy the fans were bringing in the stadium, it carried onto the pitch so we could score and score and score. That was something important to dominate the game.”

Al-Ahli, runners up in 1986 and 2012, will continue their quest for their first continental title against compatriots and four-times champions Al-Hilal, who handed South Korea’s Gwangju a 7-0 thrashing on Friday to progress to the last four.
Former Manchester City winger Mahrez put the home side in front after four minutes, showing composure to slide the ball into the bottom corner of Neil Etheridge’s goal after being found unmarked on the right by Firmino.
Two minutes later Al-Ahli doubled their advantage when Galeno drove into the penalty area from the left to meet Roger Ibanez’s defense-splitting pass from deep and push a clinical finish through the legs of the Buriram United goalkeeper.
In a frantic start, Buriram thought they had been given a lifeline when referee Ahmed Al-Kaf pointed to the spot as Merih Demiral brought Martin Boakye down. The penalty decision was overturned when the Omani consulted the pitchside monitor.
Despite that disappointment, Buriram appeared to have weathered the worst of the Al-Ahli pressure, only to concede a third in the 30th minute.
Mahrez’s corner was met by Demiral as he leapt virtually unchallenged on the edge of the six-yard box and Firmino pounced at the far post to push the Turkish defender’s header over the line from close range.
Al-Ahli goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was called upon to make a rare save in first-half injury time when he gathered Seksan Ratree’s header and, with a comfortable lead, the home side moved into cruise control after the break.
is hosting the latter stages of the Asian Champions League Elite with the quarter-finals, semis and final being played in Jeddah.
In the remaining last-eight ties, Saudi side Al-Nassr face Yokohama F Marinos from Japan on Saturday and Al-Sadd of Qatar meet J-League outfit Kawasaki Frontale on Sunday.
The semifinals will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday with the final on May 3.


Abu Dhabi set for second round of President’s Cup for Jiu-Jitsu

Abu Dhabi set for second round of President’s Cup for Jiu-Jitsu
Updated 13 sec ago

Abu Dhabi set for second round of President’s Cup for Jiu-Jitsu

Abu Dhabi set for second round of President’s Cup for Jiu-Jitsu
  • The competition for athletes in the 18+ category will take place at the Mubadala Arena

ABU DHABI: The second round of the President’s Cup for Jiu-Jitsu begins this Friday at Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, with representatives from the UAE’s top clubs and academies competing in the 18+ category.

Mohammed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said the championship was a key event: “This tournament crowns the combined efforts of the federation and the clubs in preparing a generation of exceptional athletes capable of representing the UAE on the world stage.”

Al-Wahda Club leads the standings heading into the second round, with Baniyas and Al-Ain looking to reduce the gap.

Mahmoud El-Sayed, director of the Jiu-Jitsu Academy at Al-Wahda Club, said: “Our goal is to maintain our lead in the President’s Cup, and we are going into the competition with a winning mentality. We are certain that tactical discipline and fighting spirit will keep us at the top.”


Mbappe scores 2 as Real Madrid win on opening night of Champions League; Arsenal subs deliver

Mbappe scores 2 as Real Madrid win on opening night of Champions League; Arsenal subs deliver
Updated 17 September 2025

Mbappe scores 2 as Real Madrid win on opening night of Champions League; Arsenal subs deliver

Mbappe scores 2 as Real Madrid win on opening night of Champions League; Arsenal subs deliver
  • The victory meant that 15-time champion Madrid became the first team in competition history — since the rebranding in the early 1990s — to reach 200 wins
  • An early own goal from goalkeeper Luiz Junior gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over visiting Villarreal
  • Borussia Dortmund and Juventus drew 4-4 in Turin

LONDON: Kylian Mbappe converted two penalties and 10-man Real Madrid came back to beat visiting Marseille 2-1 on Tuesday on the opening night of the Champions League.

The victory meant that 15-time champion Madrid became the first team in competition history — since the rebranding in the early 1990s — to reach 200 wins.

And it gave former Madrid playing standout Xabi Alonso a victory in his Champions League debut as the club’s coach.

Timothy Weah put visiting Marseille ahead early on but Mbappe struck back from the penalty spot in the 29th and 81st.

The first penalty came after a foul on Rodrygo and the second for a handball by a defender.

Mbappe now has 50 goals in 64 matches with Madrid.

“We are happy that he keeps scoring goals and has been feeling more and more comfortable,” Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde said of the France star. “Our job is to make sure the ball gets to him and that he can have even more scoring opportunities than he is having now.”

Madrid captain Dani Carvajal was sent off in the 72nd for headbutting Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

Weah — a US international and the son of former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah — was set up by Mason Greenwood, who stripped Madrid’s Arda Guler near midfield.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Champions League debut for Madrid lasted only five minutes. The England defender was replaced by Carvajal because of an apparent muscle injury.

Spanish police clashed with Marseille fans before the match but the situation was controlled quickly.

An early own goal from goalkeeper Luiz Junior gave Tottenham a 1-0 win over visiting Villarreal.

Borussia Dortmund and Juventus drew 4-4 in Turin. Juventus substitute Dusan Vlahovic scored one goal in stoppage time and then set up the equalizer for English defender Lloyd Kelly.

Qarabag came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Benfica.

In the second season of the new league-phase format, the top eight teams advance to the round of 16. The next 16 teams enter a two-leg playoff, with eight advancing.

Arsenal subs decisive

Viktor Gyokeres was off target in his Champions League debut for Arsenal.

The London club’s substitutes were decisive, though, in a 2-0 win for the Gunners at Athletic Bilbao.

Gabriel Martinelli scored less than a minute after he came on and Leandro Trossard — who had replaced Gyokeres — doubled the lead 15 minutes later.

Gyokeres — Arsenal’s prized signing who scored six Champions League goals for Sporting Lisbon last season — missed a golden chance shortly after the break. The Sweden international evaded his marker with ease and rose to meet a well-placed free kick from Declan Rice but his header went well wide of the target.

Martinelli and Trossard also provided the assists on each other’s goals.

Union’s memorable debut

Competition newcomer Union Saint-Gilloise made a memorable debut, as the Belgian club won 3-1 across the border at PSV Eindhoven.

The first goal of this season’s competition was a penalty kick converted by Canada international Promise David.

The penalty was awarded when United States international Ricardo Pepi harshly landed his boot into the leg of Union’s English center back Christian Burgess.

Goalkeeper Matej Kovar then went the wrong way on the spot kick in the ninth minute.

Another error by Pepi led to Union’s second before the break, a dribbling exhibition and expert finish by Anouar Ait El Hadj.

Union, which qualified by winning the Belgian league for the first time in 90 years, is one of four clubs making their competition debuts this season. The others are Bodø/Glimt (from Norway), Kairat (Kazakhstan) and Pafos (Cyprus).

Argentine defender Kevin Mac Allister, who is named for Macaulay Culkin’s character in “Home Alone,” made it 3-0 from close range in the 81st.

Ruben van Bommel — the son of former Netherlands standout Mark van Bommel — scored for PSV in the 90th.

PSV had gone unbeaten in its previous 11 group or league matches in UEFA competition.


Hernandez strike sees Al-Hilal complete comeback win over Al-Duhail

Hernandez strike sees Al-Hilal complete comeback win over Al-Duhail
Updated 17 September 2025

Hernandez strike sees Al-Hilal complete comeback win over Al-Duhail

Hernandez strike sees Al-Hilal complete comeback win over Al-Duhail
  • Goals from summer signings earn victory

Al-Hilal came from behind to defeat Qatar’s Al-Duhail 2-1 in their opening match of the AFC Champions League Elite group stage on Tuesday. Second-half strikes from summer signings Darwin Nunez and Theo Hernandez won the clash for the Riyadh club.

The match burst into life 10 minutes before the break as Sergej Milinkovic-Savic let fly from outside the area for Al-Duhail’s Salah Zakaria to tip around the post.

However, from the resultant corner, Senegalese defender Youssouf Sabaly won the ball before lifting a long ball over the home defence for Adil Boulbina to outpace the backline, run into the area past goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, and slide home to complete a devastating counterattack.

It spurred the hosts into action and they thought they were back on level terms on the stroke of half-time. The Qatari team failed to clear their lines and the ball fell to Yusuf Akcicek just outside the area. The Turkish teenager fired a low shot into the bottom corner but the strike was ruled out by VAR after a Marcos Leonardo handball was spotted in the build-up.

After the break Al-Hilal continued to push forward but the ball would just not fall for the Blues in the area. However, just before the hour, a well-worked attack saw the four-times continental champions move the ball quickly in the final third. Milinkovic-Savic found Hamad Al-Yami on the right who pulled his pass back for fellow substitute Nunez to sidefoot home from just outside the six-yard box.

The n side were far from satisfied and went in search of a second, albeit by leaving gaps at the back.

But the ploy paid off when Hernandez’s shot from outside the area took a deflection to give Zakaria no chance and the home team the start they wanted in the competition.


Bangladesh stays alive in Asia Cup with thrilling win over Afghanistan

Bangladesh stays alive in Asia Cup with thrilling win over Afghanistan
Updated 16 September 2025

Bangladesh stays alive in Asia Cup with thrilling win over Afghanistan

Bangladesh stays alive in Asia Cup with thrilling win over Afghanistan
  • Afghanistan now needs to beat Group B leader Sri Lanka in its last group game as three teams are still in contention to get the final two spots for the next round
  • Bangladesh’s ploy to field Nasum in place of Mahedi Hasan worked out perfectly

ABU DHABI: Bangladesh notched a thrilling eight-run victory over Afghanistan in a must-win game and stayed alive for the Super 4 stage of Asia Cup on Tuesday.
Afghanistan now needs to beat Group B leader Sri Lanka in its last group game as three teams are still in contention to get the final two spots for the next round.
Bangladesh spinners Nasum Ahmed (2-11) and Rishad Hossain (2-18) stifled Afghanistan’s top-order batters before left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman (3-28) knocked out the tailenders in the death overs to bowl out the opposition for 146 off the final ball.
Earlier, Afghanistan slow bowlers also squeezed Bangladesh in the middle-overs with Noor Ahmad and captain Rashid Khan sharing four wickets for 49 runs and restricted them to 154-5.
Bangladesh brilliant with the ball
Bangladesh’s ploy to field Nasum in place of Mahedi Hasan worked out perfectly as the left-arm spinner trapped Sediqullah Atal leg before wicket off the very first ball with the new ball and went on to bowl a wicket maiden over.
Nasum’s three overs in the powerplay pinned down Afghanistan to 27-2 as he also accounted for the wicket of Ibrahim Zadran, who struggled for 12 deliveries and could score only 5.
Top-scorer Rahmanullah Gurbaz (35) held one end up, but Rishad’s two quick wickets saw Afghanistan slipping to 62-4 by the halfway stage as Gurbaz swept straight to backward square where Jaker Ali took a well-judged catch.
Afghanistan had lost half of its side for 77 runs in 13 overs when Mohammad Nabi (15) played Mustafizur back onto his stumps. With the run-rate climbing to over 11-an-over Azmatullah Omarzai took 20 run in one over of off-spinner Saif Hasan (0-39).
Azmatullah holed out to Saif after scoring a rapid 30 off 15 balls and Rashid briefly challenged Bangladesh with a quickfire 20 off 11 balls before Mustafizur had him caught at short third in the penultimate over.
With 22 needed off the final over, Noor smashed two straight sixes to Taskin Ahmed (2-34) but holed out at mid-off of the final ball.
Tanzid stars with half-century
Tanzid Hasan’s brisk 52 off 31 balls formed the cornerstone of Bangladesh innings.
Saif and Tanzid gave Bangladesh a strong start of 63 runs off 40 balls. Bangladesh was set for a strong finish when it reached 87-1 in 10 overs, but the middle overs of Noor and Ahmad pulled them back.
Saif fell soon after the powerplay when he missed a sweep against Rashid and was clean bowled while Tanzid holed out to Ibrahim at long-off in the 13th over as Afghanistan went on to concede only 30 runs in the death overs.


FIFA to distribute record $355 million to clubs for 2026 World Cup

FIFA to distribute record $355 million to clubs for 2026 World Cup
Updated 16 September 2025

FIFA to distribute record $355 million to clubs for 2026 World Cup

FIFA to distribute record $355 million to clubs for 2026 World Cup
  • The initiative marks an increase of close to 70 percent from the $209 million paid out after the 2022 tournament in Qatar

MANCHESTER, England: FIFA is set to distribute a record $355 million to clubs around the world as part of an expanded Club Benefits Program tied to the 2026 World Cup, football’s world governing body announced on Tuesday.

The initiative marks an increase of close to 70 percent from the $209 million paid out after the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

For the first time, clubs that release players for World Cup qualifiers — not just the finals —  will be compensated.

The initiative is part of a renewed memorandum of understanding between FIFA and the European Club Association signed in March 2023, aimed at creating a more inclusive and equitable system for global club football.

“The enhanced edition of the FIFA Club Benefits Program for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is going a step further by recognizing financially the huge contribution that so many clubs and their players around the world make to the staging of both the qualifiers and the final tournament,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

The CBP was first introduced for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. In 2022, 440 clubs from 51 FIFA member associations received payments under the program.

With the 2026 edition set to include compensation for qualifiers, the number of benefiting clubs is expected to rise significantly.

ECA Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi called the program “innovative.”

“Clubs play a pivotal role in the success of national team football,” he said. “This initiative recognizes every element of it, from early development through to release for the most important games.”

The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 in the US, Mexico and Canada.