Champions Al-Hilal set to take on Al-Ahli in Saudi Super Cup opener

SPL champions Al-Hilal kick off the new domestic season against Al-Ahli in the Saudi Super Cup. (Supplied/SPL)
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Updated 14 August 2024
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Champions Al-Hilal set to take on Al-Ahli in Saudi Super Cup opener

  • Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr will face last season’s surprise package, Al-Taawoun, in second semi-final the following day

LONDON: After a busy summer of international sport, football fans in Saudi Arabia will once again turn their attention to domestic matters starting on Tuesday.

So will the players, some of whom played in the European Championships but on Monday were making their final preparations for the Saudi Super Cup, a competition that not only serves as a curtain-raiser to the new league campaign but gives last season’s top-four teams an early chance to claim some silverware.

Pro League Champions and Super Cup holders Al-Hilal face Al-Ahli on Tuesday, while Al-Nassr will take on Al-Taawoun the following day. The winners will meet in Saturday’s final, just five days before the league season kicks off.

In 2023, Al-Hilal got their hands on the trophy with a 4-1 defeat of Al-Ittihad in the final, a victory that foreshadowed a dominant league season. There have not been that many changes in the blue corner of Riyadh since then; last year they were active late into the transfer window but this year it might be a case of “if it is not broken, do not fix it.”

So far this summer, most of the movement has involved players leaving, with Saudi internationals such as Salman Al-Faraj, Saleh Al-Shehri and Abdulellah Al-Malki moving on. Preseason games in Austria went well, with wins over Al-Arabi of Qatar and Italian clubs Udinese and Como.

As is often the case in Saudi Arabia and Asia, Al-Hilal are once again the team to beat, and manager Jorge Jesus and his men will be looking in particular to Salem Al-Dawsari and Aleksandar Mitrovic for inspiration in the coming months.

The Super Cup comes a little soon for Neymar to appear in the line-up for Al-Hilal, as the Brazilian superstar is still recovering from the cruciate ligament injury he picked up in October. There are hopes he might return next month, and encouraging news elsewhere on the injury front as well; his compatriot, winger Malcom, who shone in his debut season and was one of the league’s standouts, looks to be fit.

There were rumors that two other Brazilians, left-back Renan Lodi, who has yet to impress since arriving from Marseille in January, and forward Michael, could be on their way out but they might get a chance in the Super Cup to show the coach they still have a part to play in the coming campaign.

Opponents Al-Ahli are in a similar position. As yet they have not made any big signings, and Allen Saint-Maximin departed on loan to Fenerbahce in Turkey. Coach Matthias Jaissle had a successful first season in charge, with the German leading the Jeddah giants, who had just returned to the top flight from the second division, to a very respectable third-place finish.

Fans will be hoping that can be a platform from which to mount a genuine title challenge this season and Tuesday will offer an early indicator of that. Roberto Firmino could prove crucial; the Brazilian was inconsistent last time around, after signing from Liverpool, but has impressed during the preseason. Should “Bobby” get back to his best, he could seem like a new signing for the famous green army of fans to get behind.

In the other semi-final there will, as always, be plenty of attention on Cristiano Ronaldo. The 39-year-old returns from the Euros and is desperate to claim a first domestic trophy in Saudi Arabia since signing for Al-Nassr in December 2022. The Super Cup is not the priority for the player, or the team that finished second in the league last season, but it would take a little pressure off early in the campaign.

Coach Luis Castro has come in for criticism from pundits and fans on social media. The preseason has been poor and the Portuguese boss acknowledged this, pointing out that a number of new players arrived late.

“I promise the fans that we will continue to work hard to get the team moving in the right direction,” he said.

The Super Cup could prove crucial for Al-Nassr. A continuation of the summer’s bad results will only heighten the pressure, while lifting some silverware early on would help to ease it.

Brazilian international goalkeeper Bento has been the side’s major signing so far. Meanwhile there has been plenty of interest from other countries in members of Al-Nassr’s star-studded squad.

Aymeric Laporte, the center-back who played a major part in Spain being crowned European champions during the summer, was linked with a move to Real Madrid as the Spanish side looked to replace Nacho, who joined Al-Qadsiah. Attackers Sadio Mane and Anderson Talisca, whose injury during the second half of last season was a big blow to the Yellows, have also been on the shopping lists of European clubs. For the moment, at least, they continue to prepare for the new season in Saudi Arabia.

As for Al-Taawoun, they deserved their fourth-place finish in the league last season, above Al-Ittihad, and cannot be counted out. Under Pericles Chamusca, the team from Buraidah might not quite have the consistency required to challenge for the top spot over the course of a league season but they are capable of beating anyone on their day.

The Super Cup will not define the season for any of these clubs but all four will nonetheless be desperate to start off in positive fashion with a trophy.

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On Monday, Al-Hilal head coach Jorge Jesus said he had confidence in his team to get the job done.

“We clinched the title last season, and we aspire to achieve this title to kick off a new season, gain confidence, and to strive to continue winning throughout this season,” he said. 

“The absence of Brazilian Malcolm Felipe will not affect our team, we also have absences in terms of Kalidou Koulibaly and Ali Al-Bulayhi, but we have 20 available players. I have confidence in my players,” he added.

His Al-Ahli rival, Matthias Jaissle, said during a pre-match press conference that it was up to the directors to sign new players amid concerns about a lack of new talent coming into the club.

“We have no excuse for not meeting my desires to sign new players, I have informed the management of all the team's needs, and the matter is up to them,” he said.

The German confirmed the current side had a positive training camp in Austria ahead of the Super Cup showdown.

“We hope to start the season by winning this title, as we face a big team that won championships last season, and we seek to make a notable appearance,” he said.

“Our fans support us everywhere, and I bet on their significant presence in front of Al-Hilal, despite not signing new players, I am confident in the support of our fans.”


Max Verstappen delighted at birth of his first child with partner Kelly Piquet

Updated 11 sec ago
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Max Verstappen delighted at birth of his first child with partner Kelly Piquet

  • Verstappen had skipped Thursday activities at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix to be with his partner

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida: Four-time defending Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen and partner Kelly Piquet have announced the arrival of their first child.
“Welcome to the world, sweet Lily,” Verstappen and Piquet wrote Friday on Instagram. “Our hearts are fuller than ever — you are our greatest gift. We love you so much.”
Verstappen had skipped Thursday activities at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix to be with his partner.
The announcement gave no further details about the birth.
Verstappen and Piquet, the daughter of three-time F1 champion Nelson Piquet, went public with their relationship in 2021. She has a daughter, Penelope, with driver Daniil Kvyat that Verstappen is very close with but this was the first child for Verstappen.
Verstappen, who has 64 career victories, has won the last four F1 titles. He’s won just once this season as McLaren has shown an early edge over Red Bull headed into Sunday’s race, the sixth of the season. He is third in the series standings.
Verstappen won the first two Miami Grand Prix races, while Lando Norris of McLaren scored the first F1 victory of his career at this race last year.


Maguire revels in ‘Harrydinho’ tag after United’s Europa League win

Updated 3 min 10 sec ago
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Maguire revels in ‘Harrydinho’ tag after United’s Europa League win

Maguire set up Casemiro’s header with some brilliant dribbling skills and a pinpoint cross
The night had fans calling Maguire “Harrydinho” on social media

MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s Harry Maguire received rave reviews for his masterful performance as a makeshift forward in their Europa League victory on Thursday with many comparing the team’s oft-maligned center-back to Brazil great Ronaldinho.
Maguire set up Casemiro’s header with some brilliant dribbling skills and a pinpoint cross that opened scoring in United’s 3-0 victory at Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their semifinal tie.
The night had fans calling Maguire “Harrydinho” on social media, while Maguire’s assist was the top post on Reddit Soccer on Friday. The top comment read: “Yer a winger, Harry!“
Teammate Amad Diallo posted a hilariously-morphed photo of Maguire’s face with Argentine great Maradona’s flowing hair on his Instagram.
“What a winger! I don’t think he even knew he had that in his locker,” said United captain Bruno Fernandes, who scored twice.
“Harry is a much more confident man now. When he is playing, his position is becoming more strong, he is a very good leader and we hope he keeps improving.”
Maguire channelled his inner Ronaldinho when he twice stopped and changed direction before blazing past Mikel Jauregizar to deliver the cross.
“The shimmy, the chops, I had to look twice,” former Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend told the BBC.
United boss Ruben Amorim also heaped praise on the 32-year-old defender.
“Sometimes there are moments in our life and Harry has had difficult moments,” the Portuguese said. “Everything he does is good for the team, so we have to enjoy.”
Maguire downplayed the accolades, although admitted he enjoyed his moment of brilliance.
“I found myself attacking the back post, I think (Alejandro Garnacho) Garna passed me the ball, it was nice to do a bit of dribbling and put in a great cross,” he said.
“We had a lot of bodies in the box and they must have trusted me to put in the cross. It was a nice feeling and it was a great header in the end.”
Amorim’s men, who are having a miserable season domestically but are the only unbeaten team in any European competition this season, host the second leg next Thursday at Old Trafford.
The winners will face Tottenham Hotspur or Bodo/Glimt in the final, with Spurs leading 3-1 from their home leg.

Saudi Arabia concludes West Asian Laser-Run Cup with 12 medals

Updated 02 May 2025
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Saudi Arabia concludes West Asian Laser-Run Cup with 12 medals

Kuwait: The Saudi Arabian Modern Pentathlon National Team delivered a strong performance at the West Asian Laser-Run Cup, securing a total of 12 medals.

In all, the team took two golds, four silvers, and six bronzes at the championship, which was hosted by Kuwait with the participation of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Bahrain, Syria, and Lebanon.

The president of the West Asian Modern Pentathlon Federation, Hussein Al-Abdulwahab, awarded the winners and praised the high level of competition at what marks the inaugural edition of the West Asian Laser-Run series.

The Saudi team was represented by 15 male and female athletes across various age categories.

Abdulrahman Al-Enazi claimed gold in the under-19 category. Thamer Masoud won gold in the under-17 category, with teammate Wissam Bakri earning bronze.

In the under-15 girls’ section, Lamar Al-Sharari took silver, and Fatimah Al-Saiari secured bronze.

Bayan Al-Saiari won silver in the under-17 category, and Rimas Al-Zubaidi earned bronze.

Hadeel Al-Qousi, meanwhile, claimed bronze in the women’s open category, while Mohammed Bahetham took bronze in the men’s.

In the team competitions, Saudi Arabia added bronze in the under-15 boys’ team contest, silver in the men’s open team category, and silver in the women’s open team category.

Al-Abdulwahab congratulated all medalists and praised the remarkable efforts of the athletes and teams. He expressed optimism for the future of the sport in the region, stating that this event sets a strong foundation for the continued development of Laser-Run and modern pentathlon in West Asia.


How Kawasaki Frontale banished continental woes to face Al-Ahli in AFC Champions League Elite final

Updated 02 May 2025
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How Kawasaki Frontale banished continental woes to face Al-Ahli in AFC Champions League Elite final

  • Saudi Arabia’s last team standing will welcome rejuvenated Japanese opponents on Saturday night in Jeddah

AUSTRALIA: Football works in mysterious ways at times and that is certainly the case for Kawasaki Frontale and their exploits on the continent.

For five seasons between 2017 and 2021 under the guidance of Toru Oniki they almost completely dominated the J. League, winning four league titles and finishing fourth in the only year they missed out.

When you include their third-place finish in 2016, for a six-year stretch they never finished outside the top four. They were Japan’s premier domestic football club by some distance.

But when it came to Asia, they floundered. Think of the internet meme comparing a dog built like a bodybuilder and a small pup, and that encapsulates the exploits of Kawasaki in Japan as opposed to Asia.

In six continental campaigns from 2017 to 2023, their best finish was a quarterfinal in 2017 when they squandered a 3-1 lead from the first leg to lose 4-1 in the second leg to fellow J. League side Urawa Reds, who subsequently went on to win the title.

It was a loss that exposed a soft underbelly, something that had been a criticism of the team for the decade prior, having come so close but never managing to get over the line for a maiden J. League title.

They finished runners-up in 2006, 2008 and 2009, and third in 2013 and 2016.

That loss in the quarterfinal of 2017 came just months before they clinched their first J. League title, which seemed to flick a switch in their mentality, at least in Japan, anyway.

On the continent they continued to struggle.

In 2018 and 2019 they failed to get out of the group stage, winning just two of 12 games in the process. Another group stage exit followed in 2022, bookended by Round of 16 appearances in 2021 and 2023.

But it fell well short of expectations for a side so dominant in arguably Asia’s best league. And which had overseas and national-team stars like Kaoru Mitoma, Kengo Nakamura, Shogo Taniguchi, Hidemasa Morita, Ao Tanaka, Miki Yamane, and Reo Hatate.

It was a squad stacked with talent, but having lost so many to European football Kawasaki have returned to the pack in recent years, struggling to maintain their excellence, with back-to-back eighth-place finishes.

At the end of last season, Oniki moved to Kashima Antlers (who are currently top of the table in Japan) and was replaced with Shigetoshi Hasebe, a more pragmatic-minded coach from Avispa Fukuoka.

So football being as it is, of course it is this season of change and transition that has Kawasaki on the precipice of achieving what they never could during their dominant reign — being crowned Kings of Asia.

After finishing second in the League Stage of the East Zone, they found their way past Chinese heavyweights Shanghai Shenhua in the Round of 16 but arrived in Jeddah with very little expectation upon them.

They needed extra time to sneak their way past perennial Qatari champions, Al-Sadd. A semifinal clash against Al-Nassr’s bevy of international stars was expected to be their end point, but would still have been considered a success given their current status as a club.

Hasebe and his troops had other ideas, however.

Perhaps able to play without the burden of expectation, which seemed to weigh heavily on the shoulders of Al-Nassr, it was Frontale who were able to take control and look the most at ease.

Tatsuya Ito’s sensational volley opened the scoring, and after Sadio Mane equalized, it was the pressing of Ito that created the opportunity for their second. Yuto Ozeki, part of a new generation of stars beginning to emerge, finished off, for a surprise lead going into half-time.

When the ageless Akihiro Ienaga scored to make it 3-1, very few could believe what they were seeing. With a starting XI having just one foreign player and an attack featuring players of 19 and 20, with another 20-year-old in the heart of defense, this should not have been possible.

“Our two young players stepped up,” Hasebe said after the game of Ozeki and Soma Kanda, who are both so inexperienced that neither even has a Wikipedia page.

“They may still be developing but they’ve gained experience at the under-20 level. Their main job was to contain (Al-Nassr midfielder Marcelo) Brozovic but they also contributed well going forward.

“Discipline and attitude were key tonight. I’ve spoken with the players regularly to instill this mindset and they responded well. Everyone showed great commitment. This is the football we’ve been working towards.”

Also speaking after the game, goalscorer Ito said this was as much a victory for Japanese football as it was for Kawasaki.

“This isn’t just important for our club, it means a lot for the J. League as well. It shows the level of Japanese football. Before the game, the manager told us we came here to change things and make history. I hope we can complete that mission in the next match.”

Having made it this far against the odds, there would be few willing to say they now cannot go all the way and create that history, and in the process become the seventh Japanese club to lift continental silverware.

It is the type of unpredictability that makes football the game we all love. Sometimes it does not make sense, but that is also what makes it so beautiful.


Heavy hitters book places in 2025 PFL World Tournament semis

Updated 02 May 2025
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Heavy hitters book places in 2025 PFL World Tournament semis

  • Heavyweights Rodrigo Nascimento, Oleg Popov, Alexandr Romanov and Valentin Moldavsky advance from first round in Orlando
  • The PFL welterweight and featherweight semifinals begin on Thursday, June 12

FLORIDA: The first round of the 2025 PFL World Tournament concluded on Thursday night at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, with four fighters in the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions punching their tickets to June’s semifinals.

In the heavyweight semifinals, Brazil’s Rodrigo Nascimento (12-3) will take on Russia’s Oleg Popov (20-2), while Moldova’s Alexandr Romanov (19-3) is set to face former interim Bellator champion, Valentin Moldavsky (14-4).

In the light heavyweight semifinals, former Bellator champion Phil Davis (25-7, 1 NC) will face Arizona’s Sullivan Cauley (7-1), while former PFL Europe standout Simeon Powell (11-1) will go head-to-head with 2021 PFL light heavyweight champion Antonio Carlos Jr. (17-6, 2 NC).

Thursday’s main event featured a clash between Davis and 2022 PFL light heavyweight champion Rob Wilkinson (19-4, 1 NC). After a slow start, Davis, an NCAA wrestling champion, came out firing in the second round, overwhelming his Australian opponent with a barrage of strikes that forced the referee to step in. With the emphatic stoppage, Davis secured his spot in the semifinals.

The co-main event featured a showdown between two Russian heavyweights with nearly identical records, former interim Bellator champion Valentin Moldavsky and Sergey Bilostenniy (13-4). It is rare to see heavyweights maintain such a relentless pace, but the former training partners emptied their tanks over three grueling rounds. While Bilostenniy landed more volume, Moldavsky controlled the grappling exchanges and delivered the more impactful strikes, earning a well-deserved decision victory.

Former Bellator light heavyweight No.1 contender Karl Moore (12-4) squared off against 2021 PFL light heavyweight champion Antonio “Shoeface” Carlos Jr. Using his elite jiu-jitsu pedigree, Carlos J. was able to neutralize the power of his Irish opponent for most of the bout. Despite a late flurry from Moore in the final round, Carlos Jr. stayed in control and earned the split decision victory, his eighth win in his past nine fights.

Kicking off the main card was a clash between two European light heavyweights: Karl Albrektsson (14-7) and Simeon Powell. Albrektsson found success early, landing a steady stream of kicks that scored points and wore down the 2023 PFL Europe light heavyweight runner-up. However, momentum shifted in the second round when Powell unleashed a flurry of vicious elbows that staggered the Swede and dropped him to the canvas, prompting the referee to step in. With the win, “Smooth” Powell secured his spot in the semifinals in June.

The 2025 PFL World Tournament continues on Thursday, June 12, with the welterweight and featherweight semifinals.

2025 PFL World Tournament 4: First round main card

Phil Davis (25-7, 1 NC) def. Rob Wilkinson (19-4,1 NC) via KO (strikes) at 00:51 of round two

Valentin Moldavsky (14-4) def. Sergey Bilostenniy (13-4) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Antonio Carlos Jr (17-6, 2 NC) def. Karl Moore (12-4) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Simeon Powell (11-1) def. Karl Albrektsson (14-7) via TKO (strikes) at 2:05 of round two

2025 PFL World Tournament 4: First round early card

Alexandr Romanov (19-3) def. Tim Johnson (18-12) via submission (standing guillotine) at 1:53 of round one

Oleg Popov (20-2) def. Karl Williams (10-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Sullivan Cauley (7-1) def. Alex Polizzi (11-5) via TKO (strikes) at 1:36 of round one

Rodrigo Nascimento (12-3) def. Abraham Bably (5-2) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

2025 PFL World Tournament schedule

2025 PFL World Tournament 5: Semifinals, June 12, Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville

2025 PFL World Tournament 6: Semifinals, June 20, INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita

2025 PFL World Tournament 7: Semifinals, June 27, Wintrust Arena, Chicago

2025 PFL World Tournament 8: Finals, Aug. 1, Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ

2025 PFL World Tournament 9: Finals, Aug. 15, Bojangles Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina

2025 PFL World Tournament 10: Finals, Aug. 21, Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Hollywood, Florida