La Liga president slams Real Madrid for complaints about referees

LONDON: Asian Champions Al-Ahli claimed the Saudi Super Cup with a penalty shootout win over Al-Nassr in Hong Kong on Saturday after Cristiano Ronaldo made history by scoring his 100th goal for the Riyadh club.

The two teams drew 2-2 after 90 minutes of action, before Al-Ahli emerged victorious 5-3 on penalties.

The 40-year-old Ronaldo reached his century of goals for Al-Nassr, for whom he signed in December 2022. In doing so, he became the first player ever to reach three figures for four separate clubs after netting 450 times for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United and 101 for Juventus. Ronaldo is also the all-time leading international goalscorer with 138 — and counting — for Portugal.

Al-Nassr had the better of the first half but were unable to make their superiority count until they got a helping hand after 40 minutes. Ali Majrashi stopped a cross from Ayman Yahya with his hand and Ronaldo stepped up to fire the spot kick straight down the middle.

Al-Ahli were back on level terms inside added time of the first half. It was a fine strike. Enzo Millot found Franck Kessie in space on the edge of the area and the Ivorian curled a shot into the far corner for his third goal of the Super Cup.

Al-Ahli kept the momentum going for the second half and should have gone ahead with 20 minutes remaining but, somehow, Firas Al-Buraikan fired an Ivan Toney cross against the post from inside the six-yard box.

With seven minutes remaining, however, Marcelo Brozovic restored Al-Nassr’s lead with a rare goal. The Croatian dispossessed Kessie inside the area and then calmly finished into the bottom corner.

But with only a minute left on the clock, Brazilian defender Ibanez headed home a corner to take the game into a penalty shootout.

Ronaldo scored, but once his teammate Abdullah Al-Khaibari missed, it was all over as Al-Ahli ran out 5-3 winners to lift the trophy for the first time sine 2016.

Attention now turns to the Saudi Pro League season which kicks off on Thursday as Al-Nassr take on Al-Taawoun while Al-Ahli host the newly-promoted, and ambitious, Neom SC.

MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s troubles from last season were exposed once more in a humbling 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Saturday that raised questions over their quest to regain the Premier League title.

Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha struck for the Europa League winners just before half-time as Spurs went top of the table, making it a perfect start for Thomas Frank after two league games in charge.

“Extremely proud of the players, exceptionally good performance,” said Frank.

“The mentality is the key thing. We need this mentality to win games like this.”

City’s run of four consecutive titles came to a spectacular end last season as they finished a distant third behind Liverpool and Arsenal.

A 4-0 thrashing of Wolves on the opening weekend of the campaign showed glimpses of a new-look City back to their best.

However, a series of defensive issues remain unresolved, while manager Pep Guardiola must decide on who will be his number one goalkeeper going forward after a day to forget for James Trafford.

“We missed the simple things,” lamented Guardiola.

“Of course we have to improve, but I said the same after Wolves.”

Trafford retained his place in goal despite the return to fitness of Ederson.

The Brazilian is reportedly on the verge of joining Turkish giants Galatasaray, which would free up City to make a move for out-of-favor Paris Saint-Germain ‘keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City’s failure to get those deals done before the final week of the transfer window came back to haunt them in a familiar tale for Guardiola’s men against Tottenham.

In the last 13 Premier League meetings between the sides, City have won just four despite several changes of management at Spurs in that time.

Frank is the latest man in the Tottenham dug out and has made a highly impressive start.

Spurs were minutes away from beating PSG in the UEFA Super Cup, before losing on penalties, and have taken maximum points from their opening two Premier League games without conceding.

City’s high line was easily exposed in an embarrassing early exit from the Club World Cup to Saudi side Al-Hilal last month and is an issue Guardiola still has to resolve.

Tottenham took the lead on 35 minutes when Mohammed Kudus fed Richarlison and he squared for Johnson to power past Trafford.

An offside flag briefly halted Spurs’ joy until a VAR review showed the slipping Ruben Dias had played Richarlison onside.

City then completely lost their composure for the period before half-time.

Trafford was fortunate to avoid being punished after rushing outside his box to block from Kudus with his arm.

But the 22-year-old then endured a moment which might cost him the chance to be Guardiola’s number one this season.

Trafford’s attempted pass to Nico Gonzalez inside his own box was intercepted by Pape Mate Sarr and even though the goalkeeper recovered to deny Richarlison, Palhinha smashed home the rebound.

Erling Haaland had the chance to reduce City’s arrears in first-half stoppage time, but headed over to sum up a tough afternoon for the Norwegian.

Spurs let a two-goal lead slip late on against PSG in Frank’s first game in charge, but rarely looked in danger of suffering a similar fate.

Haaland wasted City’s other big opportunity to gain a foothold when he overhit a pass to Rayan Cherki with just Guglielmo Vicario to beat.

But City fell to defeat with a whimper and could have been further punished on the counter-attack when Trafford made good saves to deny Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert in stoppage time.