RIYADH: Al-Hilal defeated Al-Raed 3-2 on Saturday despite being a goal down with 88 minutes on the clock.
The late, late show in Riyadh means that Jorge Jesus and his men are just two points behind leaders Al-Ittihad as the Saudi Pro League takes a month’s break.
If thoughts had strayed to Real Madrid after the draw for the FIFA Club World Cup on Thursday, the visitors ensured that Al-Hilal endured a frustrating evening at home, in a game that they dominated but were unable to make that superiority count — until the 114th minute.
The champions and their fans were shocked in the seventh minute as Karim El Berkaoui put the visitors ahead. It was a well-worked goal.
Mohammed Al-Dossari fired a low cross in from the right, and there was the Moroccan to get in front of Hassan Tambakti to steer the ball past Yassine Bounou. It was to be their last attempt on target for the next 70 minutes.
The hosts pushed for the equalizer but had to wait until just before the break to get back on level terms. It was a goal worth waiting for, however. Malcom looked up just outside the area and chipped over a perfect cross towards the far post for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. There was still work for the Serbian midfielder to do but his looping header was perfect, flying over the goalkeeper into the opposite top corner of the Al-Raed goal.
Al-Hilal continued to lay siege to the goal but just couldn’t find a way through and then, incredibly, Al-Raed restored their lead with 12 minutes remaining. Yahya Sunbul burst into the right side of the area and then shot across the diving Bounou to find the target and stun the home crowd once more.
Al-Hilal drew level once more with two minutes of normal time remaining thanks to Marcos Leonardo, who headed a Joao Cancelo cross emphatically home.
Still the hosts came forward and the winning goal came in the 114th minute, with defender Ali Al-Bulaihi sending the fans wild as he headed home a corner.
Earlier in the day, Gini Wijnaldum relieved the pressure on Steven Gerrard as the former Liverpool midfielder scored the decisive goal in Ettifaq’s 2-1 win, a first in 10 league games.
Al-Ahli beat Al-Taawoun 4-2 to move into fifth.
Al-Hilal leave it late in spectacular win
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Al-Hilal leave it late in spectacular win
- The visitors ensured that Al-Hilal endured a frustrating evening at home
- The champions and their fans were shocked in the seventh minute as Karim El Berkaoui put the visitors ahead
Alexander-Arnold ‘deserves’ his part in Liverpool title party: Slot
- Arne Slot said Trent Alexander-Arnold “deserves” to be part of Liverpool’s title celebrations despite revealing he was unhappy with the defender’s performances in training at the start of the season
LIVERPOOL: Arne Slot said Trent Alexander-Arnold “deserves” to be part of Liverpool’s title celebrations despite revealing he was unhappy with the defender’s performances in training at the start of the season.
The England international announced his decision to quit his boyhood club earlier this month and is widely expected to join Real Madrid.
He was booed by Liverpool fans when he came on as a second-half substitute in last week’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield and did not play in the 3-2 defeat at Brighton on Monday.
Liverpool, who wrapped up the Premier League title last month with four games to spare, will be presented with the trophy after Sunday’s game against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.
Slot was asked by reporters on Friday whether he had concerns that the celebrations would be overshadowed by an negative reaction to Alexander-Arnold.
He said he had yet to make a decision on the extent of the right-back’s involvement.
“I haven’t decided on that one yet but I think this should be a day that everybody is going to enjoy,” Slot said.
“It’s been 35 years everybody is waiting for this moment.”
Liverpool lifted the 2020 Premier League trophy behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions.
Slot, in his first season at Anfield, said celebrations after Liverpool sealed the title against Tottenham were special.
“I’m hoping that we can add a moment like this to it and I think everybody that’s in this stadium deserves to be there, the fans, the staff, but also the players,” he said.
“One of my players is Trent so he definitely deserves to be there as well because he’s been part of an incredibly successful season and an incredibly successful (few) years at this club.”
While Slot hopes Alexander-Arnold gets a fond farewell from fans, the Dutchman was critical about the right-back’s efforts in training during his early weeks as Liverpool manager.
“He’s going to leave either way so maybe it’s already a first gift I can give Xabi (Alonso, expected to be the new Real Madrid manager),” he said.
“But I wasn’t completely happy with every single minute how he was on the training ground. So, in my opinion, in certain moments he could do a bit more, to say it mildly.
“I said to him ‘You are a much better defender than everybody tells you, but unfortunately you don’t show it all the time’.”
Slot said he told Alexander-Arnold, 26, that if he was focused there were not many players that could go past him because he is “fast, he’s agile, he has a great mentality.”
“It’s about showing it every single game, because in this world we are judged not only on the 34 games we do well, we are mainly judged on the four games that we don’t do so well,” he said.
Al-Ain set to host fourth UAE National MMA Championship
- The event will take place on May 24-25 at ADNEC Centre Al-Ain
ABU DHABI: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation will host the fourth UAE National MMA Championship at ADNEC Centre Al-Ain on May 24 and 25.
The event is expected to draw around 300 male and female athletes from across the UAE, representing various age categories and clubs.
The federation’s decision to organize the event in Al-Ain Region is part of an initiative to popularize mixed martial arts across the UAE. It also seeks to expand the sport’s grassroots base and provide a professional setting for young athletes to improve their technical and physical talents.
The championship features multiple divisions, including Youth D (ages 10–11), Youth C (ages 12–13), Youth B (ages 14–15), Youth A (ages 16–17), and the adult category (ages 18 and above), offering athletes a platform to compete, improve, and progress toward elite-level representation.
Mohammed Jassim Al-Hosani, a member of the federation’s Mixed Martial Arts Committee, said: “The UAE National MMA Championship, which has five rounds throughout the year, is vital to our championship calendar. Its growth in participation and geographic variety highlights the success of our nationwide development initiatives.
“Hosting this round in Al-Ain shows our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity for athletes nationwide. With the inclusion of the adults division, the championship’s intensity is increased, and athletes are exposed to a variety of competitive methods and skill sets.”
France’s Caroline Garcia says will retire from tennis
- Caroline Garcia is an 11-time title winner on the WTA tour and former French Open women’s doubles champion
PARIS: France’s former world number four Caroline Garcia said on Friday she will retire from tennis, with the French Open starting this weekend her last time at Roland Garros.
An 11-time title winner on the WTA tour and former French Open women’s doubles champion, Garcia wrote on social media that she has “a few tournaments left” and will then call it quits.
“Dear tennis, it’s time to say goodbye,” the 31-year-old said.
“After 15 years competing at the highest level, and more than 25 years putting pretty much every second of my life into it, I feel ready to start a new chapter.”
Garcia has earned nearly $19 million in prize money and won the season-ending 2022 World Tour Finals, seen as the next rung down from Grand Slams.
That same year she won the French Open doubles title for the second time with compatriot Kristina Mladenovic.
Her best run in singles at a major was the semifinals of the US Open, also in 2022.
She reached a career-high four in the world but is now ranked 145th.
“My tennis journey hasn’t always been easy. Since my early days, tennis has been much more than just winning or losing. It’s been love or hate. Happiness or anger,” she wrote.
“But now it’s time for something else. My body and my personal goals need it.
“Still, this is not over — not just yet. I have a few tournaments left,” she said.
The first will be at Roland Garros when the tournament starts on Sunday.
UEFA apologizes after running out of medals during Europa League final ceremony
- Spurs captain Son Heung-min and two other players, the last to line up for individual medals, were left empty-handed
- Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the club’s fourth European title on Wednesday
UEFA has apologized for running out of winners medals during the Europa League final trophy ceremony on Wednesday after more Tottenham Hotspur players than expected lined up to receive their individual prizes.
Spurs captain Son Heung-min and two other players, the last to line up for individual medals, were left empty-handed after their team beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the club’s fourth European title on Wednesday.
Son lifted the trophy without a medal around his neck.
“To our great displeasure, we did not have enough medals available on stage during the trophy ceremony presentation due to an unexpected discrepancy in the player count ...” British media quoted European soccer’s governing body as saying on Thursday.
“More team members – including injured players – participated in the ceremony than initially anticipated.
“The missing medals were promptly delivered to the winning team in the dressing room, along with our sincerest apologies for the oversight.”
Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder to 2-0 lead over Minnesota
- Gilgeous-Alexander was presented with his MVP award on court before the game but any suggestions that the celebrations would distract from the task at hand quickly evaporated
- OKC head to Minnesota on the back of their 60th win by double figures this season and in buoyant mood
WASHINGTON: Newly crowned NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Oklahoma City Thunder to an imposing 118-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves to open up a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals on Thursday.
Gilgeous-Alexander was presented with his MVP award on court before the game but any suggestions that the celebrations would distract from the task at hand quickly evaporated.
Roared on by a loud and passionate home crowd, the Canadian top-scored for the Thunder with 38 points and added eight assists and three rebounds.
OKC head to Minnesota on the back of their 60th win by double figures this season and in buoyant mood.
The Timberwolves will take some encouragement from a strong showing from Anthony Edwards, who after disappointing in Game 1, posted 32 points with six assists and nine rebounds.
But if they are to fight their way back into this series they will need to tighten up their defense, improve on 41.4 percent field-goal shooting and get more out of Julius Randle who was restricted to six points.
After a tight first half, the game was won by a blistering third quarter from the Thunder, who outscored Minnesota by 14 points.
A Chet Holmgren alley-oop dunk with 2:54 left in the quarter opened up a 17-point 82-65 lead.
Although the Timberwolves were able to reduce the deficit to 10 points in the fourth, the outcome was never in real doubt.
Jalen Williams had 26 points and 10 rebounds and Holmgren added 22 points for the Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander said the team’s ability to go on strong runs had its roots in their strong defense.
“It feels good. It starts with getting stops though, it always does. We get stops, we’re able to play fast, play to our strengths, play in the open court, be special,” he said.
