Diaz rues Al-Hilal luck after defeat

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Al-Hilal’s Nawaf Al-Abed looks delighted after the final whistle in Saitama as Urawa Reds players celebrate victory. (AP)
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Updated 26 November 2017
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Diaz rues Al-Hilal luck after defeat

TOKYO: Ramon Diaz was left to bemoan Al-Hilal’s luck as the Riyadh giants lost the AFC Champions League final second leg 1-0 to Urawa Reds to go down 2-1 on aggregate.
Diaz’s side were on top for much of the 180 minutes against the J-League powerhouse but a 1-1 draw in Riyadh and the defeat at the Saitama Stadium gave Urawa Reds a second continental title ten years after the first.
”We had no luck,” a downbeat Diaz said.
“I think that overall in the tournament, we were the best team but in the final and especially in this game, circumstances were against us.”
It was always going to be tough to break down a resolute Urawa defense even before the loss of star Brazilian Carlos Eduardo due to injury early in the first leg. To make matters worse, tournament top scorer Omar Khribin hobbled off in the second half in Japan and was followed soon after by the red-carded Salem Al-Dawsari.
 ”This is football,” added the Argentine, linked earlier in the week to the vacant Saudi Arabia national team job.
“We did our best but were not able to get the win. I congratulate Urawa and I also congratulate my players who gave everything, not only in this game but in the tournament overall.”
 A late strike from Rafael Silva, the scorer of Urawa’s goal a week ago, gave the Reds the win and Al-Hilal a first defeat in the competition this year. Not that the champions cared but the game was far from a classic. For the neutral, the game needed an early Al-Hilal breakthrough to cancel out the away goal from the first leg. But the Japanese, lining up in their usual 4-1-4-1 formation, worked hard to ensure it did not happen. 
The Reds were happy to let the visitors have most of the ball for the second successive Saturday though this time, similar percentages of possession did not convert into similar clear chances. In the opening 45 minutes, there were more yellow cards than goalmouth action.
Al-Dawsari was the danger man in the first half, even if he damaged his own team in the second. A smart piece of skill gave the winger time to shoot from just outside the area before the half-hour but the ball just cleared the crossbar. Not long after he was shooting wide before Nicolas Milesci missed the best chance of the half with an weak shot when in space in the box.
Only the 60,000 all-singing and all-dancing fans in red reminded that this game was being played in Japan, such was the visitors’ aggression. After the break, Al-Hilal continued to dominate possession, spending longer and longer in the
Urawa half but finding less and less space. The Saudis were becoming increasingly desperate, introducing 36-year-old striker Yasser Al-Qahtani midway through the second half just as the Japanese were introducing defenders.
Inevitably, that pressure gave Urawa space to counter-attack and with 16 minutes remaining, the hosts had their best chance as Shinzo Koroki Silva headed towards the bottom corner, only for Abdullah Al-Mayoof to somehow get down and to make a stupendous save.
Frustration was understandable for Al-Hilal but harder to know was why Dawsari, already booked, went in late, high and with studs showing against Wataru Endo. He was rightly dismissed. “I am not going to single out any player,” said Diaz. “We played well as a team.”
That dismissal lifted Urawa and with two minutes remaining, Silva broke free to fire a rocket that gave Al-Mayoof no chance.
“We worked hard for the win and we had to because Al-Hilal are a very good team,” said Urawa boss Takafumi Hori. “I am delighted with my players who came through a great test to become champions of Asia.”
It was a bitter repeat of history for the Saudi Arabian outfit. Just like in the 2014 final against Western Sydney Wanderers, Al-Hilal had been expected to win and, just like in 2014, deserved to. 
Yet it is Urawa who take the trophy and go on to the FIFA Club World Cup and a possible tie with Real Madrid.  The Al-Hilal players make the long journey home with nothing to show after a year of impressive Asian performances. 


Riyadh retains Chestertons polo title in Dubai

Updated 11 sec ago
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Riyadh retains Chestertons polo title in Dubai

  • Saudi team secures 6-5 victory over Egyptian opponents in final match

DUBAI: The Riyadh polo team have successfully defended their title as Chestertons MENA Polo in the Park champions for a second year after defeating their Cairo rivals in Dubai on Saturday.
The Saudi team secured a 6-5 victory over their Egyptian opponents in the final match, which was held at Dubai’s Desert Palm Polo Club.
Amr Zidan, chairman of the Saudi Polo Federation, awarded the championship trophy to Khalid Al-Omran, the Riyadh team captain.
Representing Riyadh alongside Al-Omran were Rayan Al-Ajaji, and professional players Santos Iriarte (Argentina) and Guillermo Li (Peru).
The tournament featured four teams: Riyadh, Cairo, London, and Dubai.
It was the second Chestersons Polo in the Park event to be held in the Middle East after having been held in London for over a decade.


Andy Murray to coach Novak Djokovic

Updated 43 min 51 sec ago
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Andy Murray to coach Novak Djokovic

  • “I’m thrilled to have one of my biggest rivals on the same side of the net with me, this time as my coach,” Djokovic said
  • Murray said: “I am very excited about this and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change”

BELGRADE: Novak Djokovic announced on Saturday that his retired long-time rival Andy Murray is joining the 24-time Grand Slam-winning player’s coaching team, starting at the Australian Open in January.
“I’m thrilled to have one of my biggest rivals on the same side of the net with me, this time as my coach. I look forward to starting the season with Andy and having him by my side in Melbourne, where we’ve shared many exceptional moments throughout our careers,” Djokovic said in a statement.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion who retired from competitive tennis in August, said: “I am very excited about this and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change.
“I’m also grateful for the opportunity to help him achieve his goals for the upcoming year.”

Djokovic posted a video on X of him and Murray during the Scotsman’s playing career, jokingly titled: “He never liked retirement anyway.”
The 37-year-old Serb has won the Australian Open a record 10 times, defeating Murray in four finals.
Djokovic failed to win a Grand Slam in 2024 and has slipped to seventh in the world, although he did land the Olympic singles title in Paris.


Leipzig lose ground on Bayern, Dortmund and Leverkusen win

Updated 23 November 2024
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Leipzig lose ground on Bayern, Dortmund and Leverkusen win

  • Hoffenheim came from a goal down to equalize three times and hit the lead with four minutes remaining on a wild debut for new manager Christian Ilzer
  • In Dortmund, the home side won 4-0 over Freiburg thanks to goals from Maximilian Beier, Felix Nmecha, Julian Brandt and Jamie Gittens

DORTMUND: RB Leipzig continued to lose ground on Bundesliga league leaders Bayern Munich with a 4-3 defeat at lowly Hoffenheim on Saturday, while Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen registered big wins.
Hoffenheim came from a goal down to equalize three times and hit the lead with four minutes remaining on a wild debut for new manager Christian Ilzer.
Hoffenheim’s Adam Hlozek collected a brace while Tom Bischof scored a clever free kick and Jakob Bruun Larsen was responsible for the winner in the 86th minute.
Leipzig’s efforts came through Willi Orban, Antonio Nusa and an own goal from Hoffenheim’s Stanley Nsoki.
Equal on points with Bayern just three matchdays ago, Leipzig have lost two and drawn one and now sit eight behind the league leaders.
Leipzig had only conceded five goals in the league season before Saturday’s outing.
Eintracht Frankfurt can leapfrog Leipzig into second place and close the gap on Bayern to six points when they host Werder Bremen later on Saturday.
In Dortmund, the home side won 4-0 over Freiburg thanks to goals from Maximilian Beier, Felix Nmecha, Julian Brandt and Jamie Gittens, while the visitors finished with nine men.
Under fire and sitting outside the European placings coming into the match, Dortmund’s one saving grace this league campaign has been their home form, with five wins from five.
The hosts got on track early, when Beier, who scored a double for Germany’s under-21s against France this week, opening the scoring seven minutes in.
Midfielder Nmecha, who scored for Germany’s senior side in their 1-1 draw in Hungary midweek, added a second with a superb long-range effort on the 40th-minute mark.
Freiburg’s hopes of a comeback were snuffed out after 63 minutes when Patrick Osterhage picked up a second yellow card for a rough tussle with Marcel Sabitzer.
From the ensuing free kick, Dortmund’s Brandt curled the ball home and England winger Gittens curled in a fourth to seal the match with 13 minutes remaining.
Freiburg’s Junior Adamu saw straight red for striking Dortmund’s Waldemar Anton in stoppage time, reducing his side to nine men.
Dortmund have now won their past six against Freiburg, scoring 24 and conceding five.
Defending champions Leverkusen came from two goals down to win 5-2 at home against Heidenheim thanks to a hat-trick from Patrick Schick.
Heidenheim, who host Chelsea in the Conference League on Thursday, were two goals up within 21 minutes, with Niklas Dorsch and Mathias Honsak taking advantage of some sleepy defense.
World Cup winner Exequiel Palacios pulled one back on the half-hour mark before Schick, in for the injured Victor Boniface, scored three unanswered goals to wrestle back control of the match before Granit Xhaka added a fifth with eight minutes remaining.
Last season’s runners-up Stuttgart scored two second-half goals through Chris Fuehrich and Justin Diehl to win 2-0 at home over last-placed Bochum, who have just one point from 11 games this season.
Elsewhere, Wolfsburg’s Ridle Baku scored the only goal as his side defeated Union Berlin 1-0 at home.


Abdullah Al-Qahtani hopes for Saudi fans’ support in his PFL journey

Updated 23 November 2024
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Abdullah Al-Qahtani hopes for Saudi fans’ support in his PFL journey

  • Al-Qahtani gets shot at featherweight title after Egyptian fighter Islam Reda’s injury
  • To win belt, he must overcome the man who beat him in September’s semifinal

RIYADH:  With just days to go before his PFL MENA Featherweight Championship bout on Nov. 29, Saudi mixed martial arts fighter Abdullah Al-Qahtani is hoping his fans’ support will spur him on to victory in Riyadh.

Al-Qahtani said: “Fighting on home soil with the Saudi crowd behind me will be a strong support as I aim to secure the belt. We’ve set the right plans for the final.”

Al-Qahtani will face Jordan’s Abdullah ‘The Cobra’ Alhyasat, the man who defeated him in September’s semifinal. An injury to the other semifinal winner — Egypt’s Islam Reda — gave Al-Qahtani another shot at beating Alhyasat.

The 27-year-old Saudi, whose record currently stands at nine wins and two losses, said he is not disheartened by that semifinal failure.

“Abdelrahman has five victories in his professional career and won the semifinal by unanimous decision. This hasn’t put pressure on me or affected my morale,” Al-Qahtani said. “Since replacing Islam Reda, I’ve been training intensively to prepare … to give my best, avenge the semifinal loss, and claim the title. Together with my coaching team, I’ve analyzed the mistakes I made in the semifinal and focused on the positive aspects of my performance. God willing, (I) will be the one to crack Alhyasat’s code, win, and bring joy to the Saudi audience.”

Alhyasat insisted he is unfazed by the prospect of a partisan crowd supporting Al-Qahtani.

“I would have preferred to face a different fighter in the final, but I’m comfortable with this matchup; it will be as easy as the semifinal,” he said. “Fighting on his home turf won’t be a source of stress for me. I will repeat my victory over Al-Qahtani.

“I expect Al-Qahtani to change his fighting style for the final. That’s why, during my training camp in Thailand, we studied all possibilities (so I can) adapt to the flow of the fight,” he continued.

The showdown is just one bout on a night that also includes the PFL World Championships, which are being held outside of the US for the first time, at King Saud University in Riyadh.

Headlining is the unbeaten Russian fighter, Timur “Imam” Khizriev, who takes on the UK’s Brendan Loughnane for the World Featherweight Championship.

In the Women’s Flyweight Championship co-main event, Dakota Ditcheva will put her 13-0 record on the line when the English-Bulgarian MMA and former Muay Thai fighter goes head-to-head with Brazil’s Taila Santos.

In addition to the championship fights, the undefeated Saudi Arabian PFL star Hattan Alsaif – who made history when she became the first Saudi female to sign a contract with a major MMA promoter — takes on Algeria’s Lilia Osmani.


Ancelotti says ‘ugly’ to speculate about Mbappe mental health

Updated 23 November 2024
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Ancelotti says ‘ugly’ to speculate about Mbappe mental health

  • Mbappe has scored just one goal in his last seven Madrid games across all competitions
  • “What a question — I don’t have the impression that he has any mental health problems,” Ancelotti said

MALAGA: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Saturday it was “ugly” to speculate about the mental health of superstar striker Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe has scored just one goal in his last seven Madrid games across all competitions and is also involved in a multi-million euro pay dispute with former club Paris Saint-Germain.
Ancelotti was asked at his weekly press conference if the striker was struggling with pressure.
“What a question — I don’t have the impression that he has any mental health problems,” Ancelotti said.
“I see him as happy to be here, if he is, he doesn’t show it, but I think speculating about problems of this type is a bit ugly.”
The forward was left out of France’s squad for recent Nations League matches for the second time in two months, and was linked to a rape investigation in Sweden, which Mbappe has denied.
France coach Didier Deschamps did not select the 25-year-old for matches against Israel and Italy, saying “it was better that way.”
Ancelotti said he was confident Mbappe, who joined Madrid this summer at the end of his PSG deal, would find the net at the weekend away at minnows Leganes.
“There are always bad moments, all the great strikers have been through them, but he’s motivated and happy, and that’s all I can see,” continued Ancelotti.
“I’m convinced that he’s going to play a great match tomorrow and that all this will come to an end.
“He has extraordinary qualities, it’s just a matter of time.”