MADRID: Vinícius Júnior missed a penalty and Real Madrid conceded an injury-time goal in a stunning 2-1 home loss to Valencia on Saturday as the defending champion stumbled in the La Liga title race.
Hugo Duro came off Valencia’s bench and headed home the winner that silenced Santiago Bernabeu Stadium deep in stoppage time.
Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili saved Vinícius’ early penalty and moments later Mouctar Diakhaby headed the visitors in front in the 17th minute.
Vinícius scored from close range to equalize in the 50th, but Mamardashvili and the defense held on until Duro struck and gave Valencia their first away win of the season.
Barcelona, leading Madrid by three points, could capitalize on their closest rival’s stumble when they host Real Betis later Saturday.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti had to play third-string goalkeeper Fran González, who made his first-team debut for Madrid at age 19, because Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin were injured.
Vinícius misses penalty as Real Madrid lose at home to Valencia
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Vinícius misses penalty as Real Madrid lose at home to Valencia
- Hugo Duro came off Valencia’s bench and headed home the winner
- Vinícius scored from close range to equalize in the 50th, but Mamardashvili
SPL title race blown wide open as Al-Ittihad lose and Al-Hilal win
- Al-Ittihad’s lead at the top of the table has been cut to just four points with six games to play
- They lost 2-0 at relegation battlers Al-Fateh, while closest rivals Al-Hilal defeated Al-Khaleej 3-0
JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad lost 2-0 at Al-Fateh on a dramatic day of Saudi Pro League action, while closest rivals Al-Hilal defeated Al-Khaleej 3-0 to blow the title race wide open with just six games left to play.
Al-Ittihad’s lead at the top of the table has been cut to just four points, and given that Al-Hilal’s goal difference is far superior, there is a lot to play for.
Al-Hilal were the first of the top two to play and made the most of the opportunity to put the league leaders under pressure. Salem Al-Dawsari opened the scoring after 26 minutes. Kaio Cesar twisted and turned in the area and the Brazilian’s pass to the left-hand corner of the six-yard area was swiftly converted by the 2022 Asian Player of the Year.
With six minutes of the game remaining, the Saudi international struck again to seal the win. Aleksandar Mitrovic found Al-Dawsari on the edge of the area, who took a touch and then slotted home. There was still enough time for Mitrovic to remove all doubt about the result.
The victory meant Al-Ittihad had to win to restore their advantage at the top of the league. However it was Amine Sbai who opened the scoring for Al-Fateh after just 10 minutes, shooting high into the net from just inside the area.
Ten minutes before the break Mourad Batna missed a chance to put his team further ahead from the spot. The Moroccan must have felt a bit better about his miss nine minutes later when Al-Ittihad midfielder Fabinho saw his penalty, after a handball in the area, saved by Nawaf Al-Aqidi.
And so the score remained 1-0 (though Karim Benzema had a goal ruled out for offside just after the hour mark) until the 69th minute, when Matias Vargas ran onto to a long ball over the top from deep and slotted past Al-Ittihad goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Mahasneh. That was the end of the scoring and the victory moved Al-Fateh into 13th place in the league, four points clear of the relegation places.
Third-place Al-Nassr have a chance to pile more pressure onto Al-Ittihad on Saturday, as a win at Al-Qadsiah would move them within five points of the leaders.
Man United stun Lyon in nine-goal Europa League classic to reach semis
MANCHESTER: Manchester United came from 4-2 down in extra-time to beat Lyon 5-4 in a remarkable Europa League quarter-final to progress 7-6 on aggregate on Thursday.
United’s season looked over when Lyon came from 2-0 down to lead by two goals with just six minutes remaining at Old Trafford despite having captain Corentin Tolisso sent-off.
However, a Bruno Fernandes’ penalty, Kobbie Mainoo’s strike and Harry Maguire’s header capped a stunning finale to set up a semifinal meeting with Athletic Bilbao.
The Red Devils sit 14th in the English top flight and defeat would have almost certainly meant missing out on European football entirely next season.
Instead they are just three games away from a European trophy and the lifeline of direct access to the riches of the Champions League next season.
First-half goals from Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot had put United in a commanding position.
But the defensive deficiencies and mental fragility of Ruben Amorim’s side were exposed in a collapse that threatened to cap a miserable campaign.
Two goals in seven minutes from Corentin Tolisso and Nicolas Tagliafico brought Lyon level.
Tolisso was then sent-off for two yellow cards in the 89th minute.
The 10 men still looked set to prevail in the extra 30 minutes thanks to a brilliant strike from Rayan Cherki and Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty.
United’s history is build on dramatic late fightbacks but few have been more remarkable than this to leave Lyon shellshocked.
The home side got off to a flying start thanks to a fine team goal as Fernandes released Alejandro Garnacho down the right and his cross picked out Ugarte to slot in just his second goal since joining the English giants form Paris Saint-Germain.
Amorim’s decision to restore Andre Onana in goal was under scrutiny.
The Cameroonian had been dropped for Sunday’s 4-1 thrashing at Newcastle after two costly errors that led to both Lyon’s goals in last week’s 2-2 first leg draw.
Those mistakes came after a war of words with former United midfielder Nemanja Matic, who labelled him “one of the worst goalkeepers in United’s history.”
The 29-year-old rewarded his manager’s faith with a couple of important stops to prevent Lyon levelling through Paul Akouokou and Cherki.
At the other end, a United side that have often looked labored and lacking in ideas all season, suddenly clicked into gear in the first 45 minutes.
United doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time when Maguire’s long ball was expertly controlled by Dalot, who then fired in off the inside of the post.
Garnacho should have killed the tie off within minutes of the restart for the second half when he shot straight at Lucas Perri with Fernandes begging for a pass for a tap in.
That was to prove a turning point as United crumbled in stunning fashion.
Lyon boss Paulo Fonseca was able to prowl the touchline unlike in Ligue 1 where he is serving a nine-month touchline ban.
The Portuguese introduced captain Lacazette off the bench in a bid to turn the tide.
And the former Arsenal striker played a central role in the fightback.
Lacazette flicked on Moussa Niakhate’s header and Tolisso swooped to head in and give the visitors a lifeline.
Tagliafico then prodded in at the back post despite Onana’s attempt to scoop it off the line.
Just as Lyon were in the ascendency Tolisso gave them a mountain to climb again with a soft second yellow for a trip on Casemiro.
Yet, it did not initially matter as Cherki confirmed his status as one of Europe’s rising stars with a powerful drive that left Onana motionless.
Lyon’s other prized asset Malick Fofana was then chopped down by Luke Shaw inside the area and Lacazette confidently dispatched the resulting spot-kick.
Another penalty at the other end, though, kickstarted the fightback as Fernandes fired home.
Substitute Mainoo showed why he had been thrust in an unfamiliar forward role with a composed finish to level on 120 minutes.
Barely 60 seconds later Maguire completed the comeback with a towering header at the back post.
Jacks helps Mumbai beat Hyderabad in IPL
- England all-rounder Will Jacks shone with both bat and ball, picking up two wickets to help restrict Hyderabad to 162 for five
- Suryakumar Yadav hit 26 and the final touches were added by Pandya and Tilak Varma, who hit an unbeaten 21, as Mumbai won with 11 balls to spare
MUMBAI: The Mumbai Indians batters and bowlers starred in a comfortable four-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League on Thursday.
England all-rounder Will Jacks shone with both bat and ball, picking up two wickets to help restrict Hyderabad to 162 for five and then hitting a 26-ball 36 to help bolster his team’s chase.
Five-time champions Mumbai won the toss and bowled on a sluggish pitch at Wankhede Stadium.
Decent knocks from openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickleton helped set up the chase, while skipper Hardik Pandya smacked a quick 21 runs off nine balls toward the end to seal the game.
The match helps restore a bit of Mumbai’s mojo, pushing them into a crowded mid table. They have three victories in seven matches.
Pandya said the way his team bowled was “very smart and spot on.”
“We stuck to simple, basic plans,” the Mumbai skipper said, adding that once the pressure to get boundaries eased in the second innings, they “pushed the pedal at the end.”
Hyderabad openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head kicked off the first innings with a 59-run partnership before Sharma, who hit 40 runs off 28 balls, departed in the eighth over.
The team then struggled for momentum with Kishan (2) and Head (28) falling to leave Hyderabad at 83-3 at the end of the 12th over.
Disciplined bowling from Jasprit Bumrah and Jacks continued to restrict Hyderabad’s batsmen but a valiant late-innings knock from Heinrich Klaasen (37) infused a glimmer of hope.
Young Aniket Verma then smacked a quick 18 runs off eight balls.
In reply, Mumbai’s openers made a solid start as Sharma hit 26 and Rickleton 31. They were 70-2 at the end of the 10th over.
Jacks helped anchor the chase with his 26-ball 36 before departing in the 15th over. Suryakumar Yadav hit 26 and the final touches were added by Pandya and Tilak Varma, who hit an unbeaten 21, as Mumbai won with 11 balls to spare.
Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins admitted that it was not the “easiest” wicket.
“Got to play well away from home to make the finals, unfortunately not clicked yet.”
Young Saudi artist designs Fernando Alonso’s helmet for Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- Alonso “loved the design’s Saudi Arabian desert landscapes, which reminded him of his time competing in the Dakar Rally”
JEDDAH: Spanish driver Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin’s two-time Formula 1 world champion, will wear a special Saudi-inspired helmet for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit this weekend.
The design was created by Sarah Turkestani, a young Saudi artist, whose work was selected by Alonso through a nationwide competition organized as part of Aramco’s Generation 3 initiative.
The Saudi company is the main sponsor of the Aston Martin F1 team.
According to the team, Alonso “loved the design’s Saudi Arabian desert landscapes, which reminded him of his time competing in the Dakar Rally.”
Turkestani said the competition gave her the opportunity to channel her passion for art and design, while celebrating Saudi Arabia’s rich cultural heritage.
“The desert theme represents resilience and history, combined with a modern style to represent F1,” she said. “I am grateful for the chance to share my design, and I am so proud to see it on Fernando Alonso’s helmet. It’s such an honor to know he will wear it for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.”
As part of the competition, Aramco invited Saudi designers, artists, and motorsport fans to create a unique helmet design inspired by Saudi culture and national identity.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, now a key fixture on the F1 calendar, takes place on the streets of Jeddah’s Corniche Circuit, one of the fastest and longest tracks in the championship. First held in 2021, the race has quickly become a standout event for drivers and fans alike.
Verstappen ‘very relaxed’ about his F1 future
- “I don’t know,” Verstappen said when asked by an Italian reporter ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix why Ferrari were not being mentioned as a possible destination
- “I mean, honestly, a lot of people are talking about it, except me”
JEDDAH: Max Verstappen played it cool as speculation swirled around his Formula One future on Thursday, with Red Bull’s four-times world champion saying it was not on his mind and he was ‘very relaxed’.
Red Bull’s motorsport consultant Helmut Marko said after last Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix that the team were concerned the Dutch driver might leave at the end of the season.
Verstappen finished only sixth, a week after he won in Japan, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri winning from pole with fastest lap.
“I don’t know,” Verstappen said when asked by an Italian reporter ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix why Ferrari were not being mentioned as a possible destination as well as Mercedes and Aston Martin.
“I mean, honestly, a lot of people are talking about it, except me.
“I just want to focus on my car, work with the people in the team. That’s the only thing that I’m thinking about in Formula One at the moment. I’m very relaxed.”
Verstappen, who has a contract to 2028 with exit clauses, had led the championship for more than two years, since May 2022, until McLaren’s Lando Norris won the season-opener in Australia.
The Red Bull driver is still only eight points adrift of Norris, and third overall in the standings, but McLaren have won three of four races.
“I just keep working, keep trying to improve the car. Naturally, Bahrain wasn’t a great weekend for us. I think we were all pretty disappointed with that,” said Verstappen.
“We just keep on trying to improve the car, come up with new ideas to try on the car. The competition is tough. That’s how I go about my weeks, just trying to improve the situation.”
The Dutch driver was also asked about his manager Raymond Vermeulen reportedly shouting at Marko after the Sakhir race.
“They were having just a conversation about everything, which I think is allowed,” said the champion.
“People can always see it in their own way, how people are discussing things. But I think we were all left frustrated with the result and, of course, the things that went wrong in the race.
“I think that’s where my manager Raymond and Helmut spoke about it, and even (team boss) Christian (Horner) came along as well. So they all had a conversation. I think that should be allowed. We all care at the end of the day.
“We care about the team, we care about the people, we care about results. I think that’s quite normal.”
