TOKYO: Japan scored after just 90 seconds and held out North Korea to win 1-0 on Thursday and maintain their perfect start in the second round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Ao Tanaka’s strike at the National Stadium gave the host three wins from three Group B games.
The midfielder fired home from inside a crowded penalty area after a Ritsu Doan pullback.
North Korea, cheered on by a small pocket of red-shirted fans, lacked attacking power to get back in the game. With just three points from the first three group games, North Korea need a result on Tuesday against the same opponent in Pyongyang.
“We wanted to give our fans a good result and we are sorry we could not but it was a good game,” North Korea coach Sin Yong Nam said.
South Korea were held by Thailand to 1-1 in Seoul in their first game since Jurgen Klinsmann was fired as the coach in February.
Son Heung-min put South Korea ahead after 42 minutes with a shot from close range. Just after an hour, Suphanat Mueanta leveled.
Despite dropping two points, South Korea remained on top of Group C.
In Jordan’s first action since losing the Asian Cup final to Qatar in February, they beat Pakistan 3-0.
The top two teams from each of the nine groups will advance to the final round. Asia’s automatic allocation at the World Cup has increased from four to eight.
Japan quick strike beat North Korea; South Korea held by Thailand in Asia qualifying
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Japan quick strike beat North Korea; South Korea held by Thailand in Asia qualifying
- Ao Tanaka’s strike at the National Stadium gave the host three wins from three Group B games
- The midfielder fired home from inside a crowded penalty area after a Ritsu Doan pullback
Yokohama’s Kewell and Al-Ain’s Crespo meet again for a continental title. This time it’s in Asia
- Victory in Asia could send the Sydney-born coach back into Europe
- Crespo, who won league titles in England and Italy as a player with Chelsea and Inter Milan, has already had success as a coach
TOKYO: Harry Kewell and Hernan Crespo will shake hands as head coaches with the Asian title on the line on Saturday, almost two decades after facing each other when Liverpool met AC Milan in the famous 2005 UEFA Champions League final.
Kewell is now in charge of Yokohama F. Marinos, the Japanese club hosting Al-Ain of the UAE on Saturday in the first leg of the Asian Champions League final series.
He was the victor in ‘05 when Liverpool recovered from a 3-0 deficit to triumph in a penalty shootout. Crespo scored two goals for Milan in Istanbul that day but ended as a losing finalist. He’s hoping to lift the Asian trophy at Al-Ain after the second leg on May 25.
Unlike Al-Ain, continental title winner in 2003 and finalist in ‘05 and ‘16, Yokohama has never before reached this stage of the continental club championship.
Kewell has led the five-time J.League winner through the knockout stages, including a comeback victory over Ulsan HD of South Korea in the semifinals.
After a 1-0 first leg loss in the semifinals, the 45-year-old Kewell — the third successive Australian to take charge of Yokohama following Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat — invoked the spirit of Liverpool’s historic comeback 19 years ago.
“I was part of a special team that night that was able to come back from a scenario where a lot of people thought it was dead and buried,” Kewell said. “It just goes to show that a game is never finished, especially when you’ve got a hunger and a desire in a team.
“And I see that hunger and desire in this team to go out there and do something magical.”
Kewell’s coaching career is yet to reach the heights of his time as a player who starred for Leeds United and Liverpool in the English Premier League and represented Australia at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. A stint with Crawley Town in England’s fourth division in 2017 was the first of his three short-term jobs head coaching before he arrived at Barnet, where he was fired after just seven games in 2021.
Invited by Postecoglou to join the coaching staff at Scottish giant Celtic in 2022, Kewell worked as an assistant there until he took over at Yokohama last December.
Victory in Asia could send the Sydney-born coach back into Europe.
Crespo, who won league titles in England and Italy as a player with Chelsea and Inter Milan, has already had success as a coach .
After winning trophies in South America, he led Al-Duhail to the 2023 Qatar league title. The season was blighted by a heavy 7-0 loss to Al-Hilal in the semifinals of last season’s Asian Champions League.
With Al-Ain, the 48 year-old Crespo got the better of the Saudi club at the same stage last month, winning 5-4 on aggregate in the semifinals.
Al-Ain went into that semifinal series on the back of a victory over another Saudi club — Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.
“We talk so much about the two teams we eliminated because we were underdogs in the quarterfinals and semifinals, and we went through,” Crespo said. “We always need to say thankyou to the players, congratulations to the players. They believe, they work hard, they fight, and they deserve to go through … I’m very happy to be part of it.”
Leverkusen beat Roma to make Europa League final and extend unbeaten run
- Bundesliga champions will meet Atalanta in the final
LEVERKUSEN: Bayer Leverkusen are through to the Europa League final 4-2 on aggregate after a stoppage-time goal from Josip Stanisic snatched a 2-2 draw at home on Thursday, extending their unbeaten run to a record 49 games.
In a rematch of last season’s Europa League semifinal, Roma came to Leverkusen 2-0 down after the first leg but levelled the tie up despite having little possession thanks to penalties in each half from Leandro Paredes.
With the tie heading for extra time, Alex Grimaldo curled in a corner which goalie Mile Svilar failed to catch, the ball going into the net after bouncing off Roma defender Gianluca Mancini.
Stanisic then kept Leverkusen’s stunning record of late goals alive by scoring on the counter in the seventh minute of added time, breaking Benfica’s European unbeaten record dating back to 1965.
“We had chances to score goals early and didn’t — but hey we will in Dublin,” Leverkusen boss Alonso told RTL.
“It was a special evening. There were tense moments but it showed the personality and the mentality of the team.”
“We didn’t know ourselves how we were 2-0 behind,” Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka said.
“To come back against a team like this is unbelievable — our desire is incredible. We’re in the final, we’re on our way to making our dream a reality and will do everything to bring the trophy back to Leverkusen.”
Bundesliga champions Leverkusen will meet Atalanta, who beat Marseille 3-0 (4-1 on aggregate), in the final in Dublin on May 22 with hopes of a remarkable treble still alive.
Alonso again mixed things up tactically and made six changes including surprisingly leaving star attackers Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface and former Roma striker Patrik Schick on the bench, instead leading the line with Adam Hlozek.
The changes did not impact Leverkusen’s rhythm as the hosts exploded onto the pitch, carving Roma up with creative, fluid movement.
Roma by contrast brought the fight and tried to unsettle the Bundesliga champions, picking up four yellow cards inside the opening 30 minutes.
Exequiel Palacios was the target for much of Roma’s roughhousery but the Argentinian World Cup winner almost had revenge after 29 minutes when his low shot hit the inside of the post and came close to bouncing in off goalkeeper Svilar’s back.
Svilar produced a spectacular double save to keep out shots from Amine Adli and Hlozek on the 38-minute mark.
Roma sent a long ball up the other end and within moments the referee pointed to the spot, after Roma’s Bayer Leverkusen-loanee Sardar Azmoun went down in a tussle with Jonathan Tah.
Palacios’ Argentinian teammate Paredes sent the ball down the middle and Roma were 1-0 up and back into the tie just before half-time.
The second half began like the first, with Leverkusen unable to make their dominance count on the scoreboard — before Roma won another spot-kick, this time via VAR for a handball against Hlozek.
Paredes scored again, sending the ball left to take a two-goal lead in the match and level the tie.
Roma held on for dear life and went to ground frequently to hold onto the lead, reminiscent of their performance at the same venue in last year’s semifinal which netted a 0-0 draw and a spot in the final.
Roma coach Daniele De Rossi was proud of his side and said: “We played a heroic game — they’re strong. We tried but had few shots. The lads played an incredible game.”
But with nine minutes remaining, Leverkusen won another corner which Grimaldo swung through the hands of goalie Svilar, who clattered into Chris Smalling, the ball then bouncing in off the face of Mancini.
Roma pushed forward hoping to send things to extra time but Bayern loanee Stanisic hit the Italians on the counter, sending his team-mates sprinting from the bench and keeping his side’s season-long unbeaten run alive.
Riyadh’s recyclable football fan zone a ‘world-first for sustainability’
- Each recycled plastic pallet used in the fan zone’s construction has been repurposed to create a seating layout that promotes interaction among football fans
Riyadh: A football fan zone in Riyadh constructed entirely from recycled plastic pallets is a “world-first for sustainability,” its backers have said.
Spearheaded by Saudi Arabian Logistics, the eco-friendly project in the capital’s Laysen Valley will provide football fans with a dynamic environment to watch Roshn Saudi League matches.
With a seating capacity of more than 250, the fan zone will deliver action-packed viewing of the final five matches of the league amid anticipation for the crowning of the champion.
Each recycled plastic pallet used in the fan zone’s construction has been repurposed to create a seating layout that promotes interaction among football fans.
SAL designed the project with an eye on Saudi Arabia’s ambitious sustainability goals, including combating plastic pollution and promoting a circular economy.
SAL Managing Director and CEO Faisal Albedah, told Arab News about the inspiration behind the fan zone.
“Our dedication at SAL to sustainability and creativity served as the impetus for constructing the first-ever fan zone made entirely of plastic pallets, which are used on a daily basis in our 18 stations around the Kingdom in partnership with the Oil Sustainability Program,” he said.
The company wanted to play a role in tackling environmental concerns and curbing deforestation by demonstrating the utility of repurposed materials, he added. As the logistical sponsor of the Saudi Pro League, SAL has also pledged to unite communities through a shared enjoyment of football.
Mohammed Al-Tayyar, program director at the OSP, highlighted the significance of plastic pallets in environmental sustainability and economic efficiency. “From an environmental perspective, the material is recyclable, and time and resource efficient, as they are both durable and eliminate the need to cut trees to manufacture wooden pallets,” he told Arab News.
Plastic pallets outlast their alternatives and can be reused more than 250 times, leading to a reduction in CO2 emissions, he added.
The launch of the fan zone marks a major milestone in Riyadh’s sporting landscape and signals a shift toward sustainable approaches in fan engagement. As spectators gather in Laysen Valley to witness the climax of the Roshn Saudi League, they will not only partake in the thrill of competitive football, but also champion the cause of environmental sustainability.
Since the fan zone opened, the response from spectators has been “overwhelmingly positive,” added Al-Bedah.
“The attendees for our first event exceeded 200 fans cheering for both teams, Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli. This encouraging response validates the efficacy of our strategy and motivates us to expand and follow the path of bringing more cutting-edge initiatives to the ground.”
Al-Tayyar said that the Oil Sustainability Program has plans to replicate the success of the fan zone in other industries. “We aim to find, replicate and alter sustainable solutions for transportation, materials and utilities to meet global needs,” he added.
As the final matches of the Roshn Saudi League kick off, spectators at the fan zone are hoping that history can be made not only on the pitch, but also in the realm of sustainable sports infrastructure.
Spanish judge confirms Rubiales will stand trial for kiss on player after Women’s World Cup final
- The judge in January found sufficient evidence to also believe Rubiales also unsuccessfully pressured Hermoso to appear in a video he produced and published while public outroar grew against him
- A trial date has not been set
MADRID: Former Spanish soccer federation president Luis Rubiales will stand trial on charges of sexual assault and coercion for kissing forward Jenni Hermoso without her consent after last year’s Women’s World Cup final, a Spanish judge confirmed Wednesday.
Judge Francisco de Jorge had ruled in January that Rubiales’ kiss was “unconsented and carried out unilaterally and in a surprising fashion.” Spanish news agency EFE reported that he has confirmed the charges.
Prosecutors seek a prison sentence of two and a half years for Rubiales for the alleged sexual assault and for allegedly trying to coerce Hermoso to publicly support him amid the public backlash following the World Cup decider in Sydney.
The judge also ruled that former Spain coach Jorge Vilda, the sports director of Spain’s men’s team, Albert Luque, and the federation’s former head of marketing, Ruben Rivera, will also stand trial for trying to pressure Hermoso, EFE said.
The judge in January found sufficient evidence to also believe Rubiales also unsuccessfully pressured Hermoso to appear in a video he produced and published while public outroar grew against him.
A trial date has not been set.
FIFA banned Rubiales for three years until after the men’s 2026 World Cup. His ban will expire before the next women’s tournament in 2027. Spain’s sports authority also ruled him unfit to hold a post in sports management for three years.
Joselu inspires Real Madrid comeback with ‘heart’ to beat Bayern, reach Champions League final
- Record 14-time winners Madrid produced a sensational comeback with Joselu netting in the 88th and 91st minutes
- Spanish champions Real Madrid face another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in the Wembley final on June 1
MADRID: Real Madrid produced a spectacular comeback with “heart” against Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League final on Wednesday with Joselu striking twice in the dying minutes, earning them a 2-1 win to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Alphonso Davies smashed the visiting German giants ahead in the second half but record 14-time winners Madrid produced a sensational comeback with Joselu netting in the 88th and 91st minutes.
Spanish champions Real Madrid face another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in the Wembley final on June 1, after they stunned the team they call their “black beast.”
“It’s something magical, there’s no explanation,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, revelling in another electric night in the Spanish capital.
Journeyman striker and back-up option Joselu, on as a late substitute, wrote his name in Madrid’s history books with his last-gasp brace, giving Europe’s comeback kings another night to remember.
“(The comeback) was with feeling and with heart, as the coach told us — you have to win games with heart,” said Joselu.
Madrid had enjoyed the better of the match but it seemed Davies’ superb strike had set up a repeat of the 2013 all-German final in London.
Instead Joselu consigned Bayern to a first trophyless season since 2012, his first goal coming after a handling error from Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who had superbly kept Madrid at bay until that point.
“(Before that) there were world class saves after world class saves, but that can happen, it’s football,” said Bayern defender Matthijs de Ligt.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel made three changes from the first leg, benching veteran Thomas Mueller and Leon Goretzka but the hosts dominated the opening stages.
Neuer produced a superb double save to stop Madrid nosing in front, tipping the electric Vinicius Junior’s effort on to the post and then saving Rodrygo’s follow-up.
Bayern’s Serge Gnabry limped off injured with Davies replacing him before England captain Harry Kane’s first flash of danger, but Andriy Lunin pushed his vicious volley around the post.
Neuer palmed away a Vinicius free-kick as the teams ended a high-intensity, relentlessly frantic first half level.
The second period was just as fraught, with Davies’ cross deflecting onto the roof of Lunin’s goal.
Vinicius was unplayable down Madrid’s left and Rodrygo prodded his low cross agonizingly wide of the far post.
The 38-year-old Neuer made superb saves to deny both Brazilian forward again before the hour mark as Madrid ratcheted up the pressure.
However just as in Munich, when Los Blancos were at their strongest, Bayern pounced.
Canada international Davies cut inside from the left and smashed a shot beyond Lunin into the far top corner after 68 minutes.
Madrid thought they had levelled moments later through Nacho but after a VAR review the strike was ruled out as the defender had grabbed Joshua Kimmich’s face before shooting.
Tuchel took off Kane, still chasing the first trophy of his career, in the final stages to try and hold on to victory but it slipped through his fingers as Madrid produced more indelible European memories.
Ancelotti, sacked by Bayern in 2017, has kept Madrid’s squad players engaged and committed to the cause all season and it paid dividends at a crucial time.
Neuer, who had been sublime to this point, fumbled what appeared a simple Vinicius strike and substitute Joselu gratefully bundled home from close range.
“We had one foot in London, we saw ourselves going through to the final,” lamented the goalkeeper.
With Bayern reeling Madrid struck again, decisively. It was Joselu once more, the striker on loan from second-division side Espanyol, turning home after Antonio Rudiger cut the ball back to him.
The goal was ruled offside but officials overturned the decision after review, and after nearly 15 minutes of stoppage time, Madrid earned the chance to go for their 15th Champions League trophy.
“There have been a lot of times we have looked dead and buried, but we have that mentality of never say die,” said Real midfielder Jude Bellingham.
Bayern were left raging at full time after De Ligt netted but play had been stopped beforehand for an offside flag against Noussair Mazraoui.
“I don’t want to say that it’s always the referee’s mistake with Real Madrid, but that made the difference today,” grumbled De Ligt, saying play should have been allowed to continue.
“It’s bitter, completely bitter,” said Tuchel.
