Al-Hilal seeking history in FIFA Club World Cup final against mighty Real Madrid

This is the first time in the tournament’s history that the Al-Hilal have reached the final. (Twitter: @Alhilal_EN)
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Updated 11 February 2023
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Al-Hilal seeking history in FIFA Club World Cup final against mighty Real Madrid

  • A win in Morocco for the Asian and Saudi champions would be their greatest achievement yet

Al-Hilal have plenty of history and have won everything there is to win in club football except for what is on offer on Saturday.

Playing Real Madrid in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup? It just does not get any bigger or better. To go back to Riyadh and then take on Al-Feiha on Wednesday as world champions would be quite something.

For all that there is a huge prize on offer. There is also nothing to lose for the Saudi Arabian champions. Just getting to the final is success. This is the first time in the tournament’s history that Al-Hilal have reached the final and this is the first Asian team to do so on foreign soil (Kashima Antlers in 2016 and Al-Ain two years later both made the final and both lost to Real Madrid, but were only there as representatives of the host nations). It means that, whatever happens, the reputation of Al-Hilal and Saudi Arabian football is now at an all-time high.

There are other reasons not to be overawed by the occasion and the opposition. Al-Hilal have already been in the lion’s den. There they were last Saturday taking on the African champions Wydad AC on their home soil of Morocco in front of 50,000 loud — very loud — and passionate fans. Just as it looked as if the Blues were heading home, they dug deep, stayed in the game and held their nerve in the penalty shootout.

The reward was an even tougher test, against the South American champions Flamengo in the semifinal. It ended 3-2 to Al-Hilal but there was more to it than that. They took the lead, had the early goal canceled out and then everything changed on the stroke of half-time as a penalty was given that Salem Al-Dawsari converted and the Brazilians were reduced to 10 men. The impressive Luciano Vietto added a third and while Pedro reduced the arrears, Al-Hilal were ultimately comfortable winners.

While the man advantage helped, Al-Hilal deserved the victory and it did not come from desperate back to the walls defending but was the result of a mature, composed and intelligent performance. Ultimately, the 18-time Saudi Arabia champions managed the game and the Brazilian powerhouse in an impressive fashion.

“Flamengo were surprised by our quality and by how prepared we were, mentally and strategically,” Al-Hilal coach Ramon Diaz said. “Flamengo didn’t expect that we would change our formation from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-1-1, with Luciano Vietto as an attacking midfielder.

“Vietto ghosted behind their holding midfielders, who we identified were not good on challenges. And he was brilliant, earning both penalties and scoring a great goal for us.”

Real Madrid are obviously at a different level. The 14-time European champions have also won this competition a record four times. If Al-Hilal are a winning machine then Los Blancos are a phenomenon. They met Egyptian powerhouse and 10-time African champions Al-Ahly in the semifinal and ended up winning 4-1 on North African soil. When you consider that the Red Giants thrashed Al-Hilal 4-0 last year (though the Saudi Arabians were reduced to nine men before there were 30 minutes on the clock) then the task on Saturday looks daunting.

Yet on Wednesday, while the scoreline was convincing, there are some positives for Al-Hilal to take. Two of the Real Madrid goals came in the final minutes of the game and for the most part, Al-Ahly were more than competitive and had excellent chances to score. They were caught out by defensive mistakes.

At the other end, there was plenty of space to work with and with the striking talent that Al-Hilal have, there are goals to be had, especially if the forward line can get into gear. Odion Ighalo has yet to score and the same is true for Moussa Marega and Michael. If such talent can find their scoring boots then the four-time Asian champions will carry a serious goal threat especially when there are the likes of Al-Dawsari, Andre Carrillo and Vietto coming from a little deeper.

“I have studied Real Madrid’s strengths and weaknesses,” said Diaz. “The key for us is not to make mistakes.”

The Argentine boss wants his team to have confidence.

“In life, if you set your mind to something, you can achieve it. Whatever. It’s 11 against 11. We have a unique opportunity in our first world final,” he added.

There are absences but with Yasser Al-Shahrani, Mohammed Al-Breik, Salman Al-Faraj and Abdullelah Al-Malki not even making the trip from Riyadh, the team are learning to manage without them. Midfielder Mohamed Kanno will also be available, and rested, after missing the semifinal through suspension.

Real Madrid are not at full-strength either and while it would be fascinating to see how the likes of Jang Hyun-soo and Ali Al-Bulaihi get on against Karim Benzema, the French striker may not be fit and Eder Militao is also struggling.

“They haven’t completely recovered. Karim is doing quite well and there are more doubts about Militao. They will train on Friday and then we will see,” said coach Carlo Ancelotti. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard are also out.

“We respect Al-Hilal,” added the Italian. “They played well against Flamengo, have some very good players and we know that we have to be at our best.”

Al-Hilal beating Real Madrid would certainly be no bigger a shock than Saudi Arabia beating Argentina at the World Cup. The Riyadh giants have a chance of being world champions on Saturday evening. It will not be easy against the biggest club on the planet but that is why the potential glory is so great.


Sporting beat Benfica in cup final to complete double

Updated 25 May 2025
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Sporting beat Benfica in cup final to complete double

  • Sporting Lisbon defeated rivals Benfica 3-1 to claim the Portuguese Cup on Sunday

LISBON: Sporting Lisbon defeated rivals Benfica 3-1 to claim the Portuguese Cup on Sunday and complete an impressive double after edging out the same opponent on the final day of the league season.
Rui Borges’ side forced extra-time with in-form striker Viktor Gyokeres’ penalty in the 11th minute of stoppage time after Orkun Kokcu sent Benfica ahead in the 47th minute.
Conrad Harder fired Sporting in front after 99 minutes and Francisco Trincao wrapped up the win at the death against their Lisbon rivals.
Sporting’s season was almost derailed when coach Ruben Amorim left to join Manchester United in November and his successor Joao Pereira struggled to get the team firing.
Little over a month later Borges came in and steadied the ship, taking the team to a second successive Portuguese crown before making it a double.
“We almost lost but in the last minute (we saved it), only a great team can do this,” Sporting midfielder Morten Hjulmand told Sport TV.
“It’s an honor to be part of this team, I really enjoy it.”
In the 2024 final, Sporting were beaten by Porto and Hjulmand was happy to rectify that this time around.
“We weren’t completely satisfied last year, we were left with a bit of an empty feeling but now the cup is ours and we want to celebrate,” he said.
It may be the last game Gyokeres plays for the club, with the 26-year-old striker in-demand among Europe’s top clubs after an excellent season, in which he scored 54 goals across all competitions.
“You have to ask him (about his future), he has a contract — if it were up to me he would stay,” added Hjulmand.


Newcastle secure Champions League spot on final day

Updated 25 May 2025
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Newcastle secure Champions League spot on final day

  • Magpies end up in fifth place, edging out Villa on goal difference

NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United squeezed into the Champions League places despite losing 1-0 to Everton at home in their final game of the Premier League season on Sunday, thanks to Manchester United’s 2-0 home win over Aston Villa.

The Magpies, who ended a 70-year domestic trophy drought by beating Liverpool to win the League Cup earlier in the season, ended up in fifth place on 66 points, edging out Villa on goal difference.

Newcastle dominated throughout but were undone by poor finishing and sloppy passing and they were punished for giving away the ball in the center of the pitch in the 65th minute, with Vitaliy Mykoloenko crossing for Carlos Alcaraz to score with a brilliant header.

The home side poured forward late in the second half as they sought to salvage some pride with an equalizer but Everton were in no mood to accommodate them and defended doggedly to the bitter end, finishing their season in 13th place on 48 points.

Meanwhile, Chelsea booked their place in the Champions League as Levi Colwill sealed a 1-0 win that shattered Nottingham Forest’s bid for a top-five finish.

Colwill struck early in the second half at the City Ground to ensure Enzo Maresca’s side returned to Europe’s elite club competition after a two-year absence.

The Blues finished fourth in the Premier League, four points above seventh-placed Forest, who were consigned to the UEFA Conference League after failing in their attempt to play in the Champions League for the first time since 1980-81.

Chelsea won five of their last six league games to earn their Champions League berth despite criticism of Maresca’s conversative tactics from frustrated fans.

With their Champions League fate successfully resolved, Chelsea can focus on winning their first trophy since the Club World Cup in 2022 when they face Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday.

Leading Chelsea to Champions League qualification and silverware would be a fitting riposte to Maresca’s doubters after a turbulent debut season in charge for the Italian.

Chelsea had won only seven of their previous 18 away league games, in contrast to their impressive record of 12 wins from 19 at Stamford Bridge.

But they rose to Maresca’s challenge after he urged them to prove they could cope with the pressure of a must-win match on the road.

Forest, who were third for several weeks, paid the price for failing to win any of their last four home games.

Despite missing out on the Champions League, Forest’s highest finish since coming third in 1994-95 was an impressive achievement for a club that battled to avoid relegation on the final day of last season.

Forest’s players were greeted by hundreds of fans waving red flares and balloons when they stepped off the team bus, setting the tone for a raucous atmosphere that peaked when Taiwo Awoniyi came onto the pitch just before kick-off.

Awoniyi sustained a serious abdominal injury after colliding with a post against Leicester and has been recovering after being placed in an induced coma following surgery.

Nuno Espirito Santo had urged Forest to use the Nigerian striker’s recovery from his horrific injury as their inspiration.

There was no lack of endeavour from Nuno’s team as they worked tirelessly to rattle Chelsea, but chances were at a premium in a tense clash.

It took Chelsea half an hour to create a chance of note when Pedro Neto shot wastefully over from five yards after Cole Palmer’s cross picked out the winger.

Forest striker Chris Wood squandered a similar opportunity just before half-time as he met Ola Aina’s cross with a volley that flashed over from close range.

With an average age of 24 years and 36 days, Chelsea’s starting line-up was the youngest over the course of an entire season in the Premier League era.

Chelsea’s lack of experience has been an issue at times in a rocky season, but they got the job done in the 50th minute.

Neco Williams’ weak attempt to head clear was seized on by Neto and his low cross reached Colwill for a tap-in at the far post.


PSG beat Reims to win French Cup ahead of Champions League final

Updated 25 May 2025
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PSG beat Reims to win French Cup ahead of Champions League final

  • PSG have now won the French Cup a record 16 times, including eight times in the last decade

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain warmed up for their Champions League final showdown with Inter Milan by winning the French Cup on Saturday as Bradley Barcola scored twice in a comfortable 3-0 win against Reims.
Barcola netted two goals in the space of four minutes early on to quickly extinguish whatever hopes Reims had of causing an upset at the Stade de France, and Achraf Hakimi added another goal before half-time.
It was exactly the kind of smooth preparation coach Luis Enrique would have been hoping for ahead of the season-defining game against Inter in Munich next weekend, when PSG will be hoping to win the Champions League for the first time.
“It was a really great evening. We got the job done quickly and we are pleased with the victory,” Barcola told broadcaster France 2.
“We knew we had to do the job in order to prepare in the best way possible for the (Champions League) final, we did it, and now we can go into the next match full of confidence.”
However, one minor issue to come out of the evening was the late withdrawal from the team of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The Georgian winger was replaced in the starting line-up by Desire Doue and returned home early due to a headache, according to a source close to the team.
PSG’s victory, watched by a crowd of over 77,000 at the national stadium, allowed them to complete a clean sweep of the domestic honors for the second time in as many seasons since Luis Enrique became coach in 2023.
They added the French Cup to the Ligue 1 title as well as the Champions Trophy, France’s equivalent of a Super Cup.
PSG have now won the French Cup a record 16 times, including eight times in the last decade. The next most successful club in the history of the competition are Marseille, who won the last of their 10 titles in 1989.

Reims were appearing in their first French Cup final since 1977 and were looking to win the trophy for the third time, with their last success coming during their glory days in the 1950s.
They held PSG to draws twice during the league campaign but any prospect of them winning this time probably ended a week ago.
That was when they slumped into the relegation play-off place on the final night of the Ligue 1 campaign, forcing them into a two-legged tie against second-tier Metz which they must win to remain in the top flight next season.
The first leg of that tie ended in a 1-1 draw on Wednesday, and Reims must now prepare for the decisive return match at home next Thursday.
PSG wasted little time in putting their struggling opponents to the sword as Barcola’s quickfire brace effectively decided the final before the midway point in the first half.
Doue’s through-ball sent Barcola in behind to open the scoring in the 16th minute, and Doue then latched onto a Marquinhos pass before squaring for Barcola to tap in and make it 2-0 on 19 minutes.
The double took Barcola to 21 goals for the season in all competitions, a tally bettered only in the PSG squad by Ousmane Dembele with 33.
They had chances to score again in this one-sided contest before Hakimi made it 3-0 two minutes prior to the interval, arriving at the back post to cushion in a Barcola cross, finishing off a great move.
That was the end of the scoring as Luis Enrique — who gave Matfey Safonov a start in goal ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma — took the chance to ring the changes after the break.
However, Barcola was only a denied a hat-trick by a good save from Reims goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf, who also turned a Dembele cross-cum-shot onto the post.


Ruthless Stuttgart beat Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in German Cup final

Updated 24 May 2025
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Ruthless Stuttgart beat Arminia Bielefeld 4-2 in German Cup final

  • Enzo Millot scored twice and Germany forward Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav got the others
  • Bielefeld, the third-division champion, were playing in the final for the first time

BERLIN: Stuttgart ruthlessly capitalized on errors in Arminia Bielefeld’s defense to win the German Cup with a 4-2 victory in the final on Saturday.

Enzo Millot scored twice and Germany forward Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav got the others as Stuttgart claimed their fourth German Cup win and the first since 1997.

Bielefeld, the third-division champion, were playing in the final for the first time as only the fourth representative from that division to ever reach German soccer’s end-of-season showpiece.

But there was no fairytale ending for the team’s American captain, Mael Corboz, after he helped the team knock out defending champion Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinals and a host of Bundesliga clubs en route to the final.

Substitute Julian Kania scored a late consolation goal, a minute before Josha Vagnoman’s own goal, to get the Bielefeld fans singing again before the end.

Both sets of supporters displayed huge choreographies before the match in front of 74,000 spectators at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, where they repeatedly ignored appeals to stop setting off pyrotechnics.


Arsenal stun Barca to win Champions League with late Blackstenius goal

Updated 24 May 2025
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Arsenal stun Barca to win Champions League with late Blackstenius goal

  • Arsenal withstood a flurry of Barca chances before Blackstenius broke the deadlock in the 75th minute
  • The Arsenal players stood arm-in-arm in front of their red-clad fans after the final whistle singing along to Queen’s “We are the Champions“

LISBON, : Arsenal forward Stina Blackstenius struck a late winner as the London team shocked holders Barcelona 1-0 on Saturday to claim their second Women’s Champions League title and first in 18 years to the delight of their 5,000 traveling fans.

Arsenal withstood a flurry of Barca chances before Blackstenius broke the deadlock in the 75th minute.

The Sweden international latched onto fellow substitute Beth Mead’s reverse pass in a crowded area and fired a low diagonal shot past goalkeeper Catalina Coll at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.


Renee Slegers’ Gunners, making their second appearance in the final having won Europe’s top club competition in 2007, held on to win against a Barca side going for a third straight Champions League title.

“Amazing,” Arsenal forward Alessia Russo told TNT Sports through tears. “We had to suffer a lot.

“They’re a top side. We knew coming into this game that we’d have to suffer and there would be moments when we wouldn’t have the ball and we would have to be content and happy with not having the ball knowing our moment would come.

“Our squad just wanted it so badly.”

The Arsenal players stood arm-in-arm in front of their red-clad fans after the final whistle singing along to Queen’s “We are the Champions.”

The win comes against a mighty Barcelona team considered on paper to be the best in the world.

Barca midfielder Aitana Bonmati called the loss “absolutely devastating.”

“I don’t believe it,” the 2023 and ‘24 women’s Ballon d’Or winner told Catalan TV. “I just want to start the game again and do it differently. Personally, this hurts me a lot.”

Barcelona were playing in their sixth final in seven years and had hoisted the trophy in three of the past four campaigns. Saturday’s reverse was just their fourth loss of the season across all competitions.


HUGE UNDERDOGS

Arsenal might have arrived as huge underdogs but had proved in their comeback win over Lyon in the semifinals — they lost 2-1 at home before roaring back with a 4-1 away victory in the second leg — that they were not afraid of that tag.

They almost went ahead in the first half when Frida Maanum sprang free on the right wing and Barca defender Irene Paredes slid to divert her low cross into the net for an apparent own goal. However, a VAR check showed Maanum was offside.

Arsenal’s defense stood strong as Barcelona had 20 attempts to the Gunners’ eight, including two long-range Ona Batlle shots that sailed just over the bar, as well as 12 corners to two.

“We knew it was going to be a game of momentum shifts because we respect Barcelona, we know how good they are on the ball but we also know how good we are,” Slegers told TNT, through a voice hoarse from celebrating.

“So we knew that momentum was going to shift. Maybe other people were thinking something else, but that’s what we believed. In all the phases that happened in the game, the mentality we showed, the resilience we showed, the effectiveness in all our actions, our belief, it was incredible.”

Blackstenius almost struck a couple of minutes before her goal but Coll stuck out a leg to stop her shot from 12 meters.

Leah Williamson, who was outstanding in defense, was a mascot at Arsenal’s 2007 victory over Sweden’s Umea.

“A lot of this team have been together for a long time and to be able to do it on the biggest day, some people had the game of their lives,” she said. “I’m so happy. I’m trying not to swear or cry.”