Search form

You are here

  • Home
  • Al-Hilal back in the AFC Champions League and their biggest obstacle is COVID-19


Al-Hilal back in the AFC Champions League and their biggest obstacle is COVID-19

Al-Hilal are looking good for the AFC Champions League, with the coronavirus being their biggest hurdle to jump. (File/AFP)
Short Url

https://arab.news/2dq2e

Updated 14 September 2020
John Duerden
Follow

Al-Hilal back in the AFC Champions League and their biggest obstacle is COVID-19

  • The Jeddah club face back-to-back games against bottom club Al-Shorta of Iraq and have a chance to take control of the group
  • With tournament rules limiting each team to four foreign players, Al-Hilal will also be without Syrian striker Omar Kharbin
Updated 14 September 2020
John Duerden

LONDON: After a gap of seven months, Al-Hilal resume their defence of the AFC Champions League on Monday looking good for a place in the knockout stage with coronavirus possibly the biggest obstacle to the title-holders’ chances of getting out of the group.

The champions take on Uzbekistan giants Pakhtakor in the West Asian hub of Qatar, knowing that victory will almost certainly seal a place in the last 16 though it won’t be easy with six players set to be absent due to an outbreak of the virus that in February caused the tournament to be postponed after just two games of the group stage.

The Riyadh giants have won both games in Group B so far against Al-Ahli of United Arab Emirates and Iran’s Shahr Khodro and after clinching the Saudi Pro League title in August are full of confidence if short on players.

On Saturday, the club announced that Salman Al-Faraj, Muhammad Al-Breik, Mohammad Al-Waked, Saleh Al-Shehri and Hamad Al-Abdan would be required to self-isolate with playmaker Nawaf Al-Abed added to the list on Sunday.

The news comes as a blow to head coach Razvan Lucescu who is aiming to become the first manager in history to win back-to-back Asian Champions League titles.

“We are happy to return to this tournament, one that we won last season,”  Lucescu said in Doha. “Of course, we face a difficult challenge but Al-Hilal are a team that are always ready to compete no matter what the circumstances are. We are looking forward to the challenge.”

The Romanian boss is under no illusions as to the size of the task with a number of stars not available but Al-Hilal have never lost in six previous meetings with Pakhtakor.

“We do have players absent but we should not focus on this too much. Of course, the matter must be dealt with wisely and calmly but these absences will not change our plans as we still have a wonderful group of players that can be relied upon. We will trust in our ability in the match and trust in each other.”

Lucescu is not going to use the outbreak as an excuse.

 "We have come to Doha in order to defend our Asian title and we are a club that always wants to win.”

With tournament rules limiting each team to four foreign players, Al-Hilal will also be without Syrian striker Omar Kharbin and Peruvian midfielder Andre Carillo.

Coronavirus has already had an impact on other Saudi Arabian teams. An outbreak in the United Arab Emirates meant that Al-Wahda have not travelled to Qatar and will not play any further part in the competition. Rules state that the Abu Dhabi team will forfeit their matches in Group A meaning that Al-Ahli, are now clear at the top

The Jeddah club face back-to-back games against bottom club Al-Shorta of Iraq and have a chance to take control of the group.

After Al-Hilal, Al-Nasr look to be Saudi Arabia’s best bet for the continental title. The 2019 domestic champions finished this season in second and are looking to Abderrazak Hamdallah to replicate his domestic goalscoring prowess in Asia.

The Moroccan marksman scored 29 goals at home and has already netted twice in Asia this season. He is ready to continue that form against Iranian team Sepahan.

“We know that playing in Asia is tough but we are now fully focused on doing as much as we can,” Hamdellah said. “We have a good team and there is no reason why we can’t keep progressing in the tournament.”

Al-Nasr are in second in Group D, level on four points with Al Sadd of Qatar. Victory over Sepahan will put the Riyadh team four points clear of third place with three games to go.

The team’s chances have been boosted by the $18 million signing of 2018 South American Player of the Year Pity Martinez. The Argentine star, signed from MLS team Atlanta United, arrived in Qatar on a private plane and is set to make his debut on Tuesday.

Al-Taawoun are in only their second Champions League campaign but are looking very good indeed with two wins out of two so far. Should the team take six points from Persepolis of Iran in their back-to-back meetings this week then they will progress to the last 16 with two games of the group stage remaining.

There is a good chance for all four Saudi teams to do the same but at the moment, the biggest threat to their chances is the coronavirus.

Topics: SPL Al-Hilal AFC Champions League football sport

Related

Update
Sport
Saudi football federation officially launches bid to host 2027 AFC Asian Cup
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Entrepreneurship World Cup contenders fight for $1m prize

Australian tennis star Purcell provisionally suspended for doping

Updated 51 min 19 sec ago
AFP
Follow

Australian tennis star Purcell provisionally suspended for doping

  • Tennis Australia stressed that the breach related to a prohibited method, rather than a prohibited substance
Updated 51 min 19 sec ago
AFP

SYDNEY: Two-time Grand Slam doubles champion Max Purcell has taken a voluntary suspension for breaking anti-doping rules, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said Monday.
The Australian, who is ranked 12th in the world for doubles, admitted to a breach of the regulations relating to the use of a “prohibited method” and had “requested to enter into a provisional suspension on December 10.”
No other details were divulged.
“Time served under provisional suspension will be credited against any future sanction,” the ITIA said, with the ban coming into effect on December 12.
Under the suspension, the 26-year-old is prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorized by any of the sport’s governing bodies or national associations.
It means he will currently not be able to play in the Australian Open at Melbourne Park in January.
Purcell won the 2022 Wimbledon doubles title alongside fellow Australian Matt Ebden and the US Open crown this year, partnered by Jordan Thompson.
Tennis Australia stressed that the breach related to a prohibited method, rather than a prohibited substance.
“The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed the breach relates to the use of a prohibited method, rather than the presence of a prohibited substance,” it said in a statement carried by Australian media.
“As the matter is currently under investigation, it is inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
The ITIA is the same organization that charged top-ranked Jannik Sinner and world number two Iga Swiatek over breaches of its anti-doping program.
Italy’s Sinner was exonerated after twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March.
He is currently awaiting the outcome of a World Anti-Doping Agency appeal against the decision.
Swiatek tested positive for a banned heart medication in August.
But the ITIA accepted that the violation was not intentional and the Polish star escaped with a one-month sanction.
Both are expected to play at the Australian Open, which starts on January 12.

Salah happy wherever career ends after inspiring Liverpool rout

Updated 23 December 2024
AFP
Follow

Salah happy wherever career ends after inspiring Liverpool rout

Updated 23 December 2024
AFP
LONDON: Mohamed Salah dropped another hint that his future could lie away from Liverpool as the Egypt star said he would be happy “wherever I am going to end my career” after starring in Sunday’s 6-3 demolition of Tottenham.
Salah scored twice and provided two assists in the goal-spree in north London as Liverpool moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
The 32-year-old is the first Premier League player to bag at least 10 goals and 10 assists before Christmas, while his brace also took him into fourth place on Liverpool’s all-time list of scorers with 229 in all competitions.
Salah’s immense value to Arne Slot’s team is clear, but Liverpool have been unable to persuade the forward to sign a new contract as speculation mounts about his future.
With Salah’s current deal expiring at the end of this season, he will be free to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club from January.
Having already made several comments earlier this season about this potentially being his last campaign with Liverpool, Salah once again made a cryptic reference to his future.
“It’s great to achieve that at such a big club, but the most important thing is that we won the game. Wherever I am going to end my career I am happy about it,” Salah told Sky Sports.
Salah added that there was “no update” on his contract situation, but Slot will surely be desperate to extend his talisman’s seven-year stay on Merseyside after he took his goal tally to 18 in all competitions this term.
With Salah to the fore, Liverpool have won 21 of their 25 games in all competitions since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp as manager.
“I didn’t think about it before the game but I’m glad I have done it, something that makes me proud, I’ll keep working hard,” Salah said of reaching double figures in goals and assists this season.
Salah was less happy with Liverpool’s defending against Tottenham, adding: “We were quite good in front but I think we need to improve defensively as a team.
“Conceding three goals is quite hard. It’s quite good the result and hopefully we just keep going.”

Dortmund holds on with 10 men for 1st away win in Bundesliga

Updated 23 December 2024
AP
Follow

Dortmund holds on with 10 men for 1st away win in Bundesliga

  • Dortmund climbed to sixth ahead of the league’s winter break, but it’s not where the club aspires to be after a shaky start to the league
Updated 23 December 2024
AP

BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund held on after Pascal Groß’ sending off to beat Wolfsburg 3-1 for its first Bundesliga away win of the season on Sunday.
Donyell Malen got the visitors off the mark with a volley to a corner in the 25th, three minutes before Julian Brandt played in Maximilian Beier to score Dortmund’s second goal. Beier, who scored with the outside of his boot in off the left post, celebrated with a throwing-dart gesture.
Beier returned the favor for Brandt to score Dortmund’s third two minutes after that.
Despite the commanding lead, the visitors were second-best for long periods thereafter as Wolfsburg improved dramatically.
Coach Ralph Hasenhüttl made two changes at the break, including sending on Lukas Nmecha to face his brother Felix Nmecha, who was playing for Dortmund.
Denis Vavro pulled one back in the 58th, four minutes before Groß was sent off for a foul on Lukas Nmecha when the Wolfsburg forward was through on goal.
The home team pushed hard but Dortmund managed to hold on to ease the pressure on coach Nuri Sahin.
“A 3-0 lead should mean you can get through the game with confidence,” said Brandt, who complained about his team’s drop in performance. “We’re to blame for that. It’s not good, we need to play more confidently, we need to grow up.”
Dortmund climbed to sixth ahead of the league’s winter break, but it’s not where the club aspires to be after a shaky start to the league.
“We’ll try a reset and to play better in the new year,” Beier said. “It can’t be our goal to be sixth.”
Bochum celebrates
Bottom club Bochum defeated relegation rival Heidenheim 2-0 for its first win of the season.
“When we play like we did today it means there are lots of possibilities for the next 19 games,” said Bochum coach Dieter Hecking. “From that point of view I’m also glad we won because I couldn’t have handled many more games without a win.”
It was the visitors’ seventh straight Bundesliga defeat, the culmination of a busy schedule after clinching European qualification from its league debut last season and the offseason loss of star players like Jan-Niklas Beste, Tim Kleindienst and Eren Dinkci.
“We’re at the end of another ‘English week’ (with midweek games) again,” Heidenheim coach Frank Schmidt said. “Everyone did their best, but we have to be honest – it wasn’t enough.”

Topics: Bundesliga Borussia Dortmund Wolfsburg

Related

Sport
Leipzig lose ground on Bayern, Dortmund and Leverkusen win
Sport
Musiala saves Bayern from Klassiker defeat in draw at Dortmund in Bundesliga

Run machine Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa

Updated 23 December 2024
AFP
Follow

Run machine Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa

Updated 23 December 2024
AFP

JOHANNESBURG: Rising star Saim Ayub hit his second century of the series — and his third in five innings — as Pakistan completed a series cleansweep over South Africa in the third one-day international at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.
Left-handed opening batsman Ayub made a sparkling 101 off 94 balls in a Pakistan total of 308 for nine.
Heinrich Klaasen thrashed 81 off 43 balls for South Africa — but the hosts were beaten by 36 runs chasing an adjusted target of 308. The match was reduced to 47 overs a side because of rain.
Ayub, 22, hit 113 not out in the second one-day game against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo last month and 109 in the series opener against South Africa in Paarl last week.
In between his one-day appearances he made an unbeaten 98 in the second Twenty20 international against South Africa in Centurion.
In contrast to Ayub’s form, his opening partner Abdullah Shafique was out for his third successive duck after Pakistan were sent in to bat.
But Ayub was seldom troubled as he played shots all around the wicket in partnerships of 114 with Babar Azam (52) and 93 with captain Mohammad Rizwan (53).
Ayub fell to debutant Corbin Bosch, caught behind attempting an audacious flick to leg, after hitting 13 fours and two sixes.
Bosch, the son of the late Test and one-day international player Tertius Bosch, received a call-up after injuries hit South Africa’s fast bowling resources.
For the third successive match, Klaasen was the only South African to make a half-century. He kept South Africa ahead of the required run rate until he was sixth man out, caught on the square leg boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi with the total on 194 in the 29th over.
Ayub followed up his century by taking one for 34 in 10 overs with his mixture of off-spin and carrom balls, claiming the key wicket of David Miller and producing the most economical figures by any bowler in the match.

Brief scores:
Pakistan 308-9 in 47 overs (Saim Ayub 101, Mohammad Rizwan 53, Babar Azam 52, Salman Agha 48; K. Rabada 3-56) v South Africa 271 in 42 overs (H. Klaasen 81, C. Bosch 40 not out)
Result: Pakistan won by 36 runs (DLS method)
Series: Pakistan won the three-match series 3-0
Toss: South Africa

Topics: Pakistan South Africa Saim Ayub

Related

Sport
Ayub century helps Pakistan crush Zimbabwe, level series
Update photos
Sport
Ayub hits 82 as Pakistan crush Australia in 2nd ODI

Mbappe back from ‘bottom’ as Real Madrid down Sevilla

Updated 23 December 2024
AFP
Follow

Mbappe back from ‘bottom’ as Real Madrid down Sevilla

  • Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup
Updated 23 December 2024
AFP

MADRID: Kylian Mbappe said he had bounced back from hitting rock bottom after helping Real Madrid thrash Sevilla 4-2 on Saturday to move second in La Liga above stuttering rivals Barcelona.
After Atletico Madrid beat Barca on Saturday to claim top spot at Christmas, Carlo Ancelotti’s side also took advantage with a comfortable home win which leaves them a point behind the leaders.
Madrid coach Ancelotti said ahead of Sevilla’s visit that Mbappe’s adaptation period had ended following his summer switch from Paris Saint-Germain and the French forward proved the coach right with a strong performance and his 14th goal of the season across all competitions.
Fede Valverde also netted a brilliant effort from range, with Rodrygo Goes and Brahim Diaz on the scoresheet for the hosts too, the latter assisted by a clever Mbappe pass.
Isaac Romero and Dodi Lukebakio scored for Sevilla, although they were thoroughly outplayed on veteran defender Jesus Navas’ final game for the club.
“I think that we know each other better, my arrival changed a lot of things, and now, as the coach said, the adaptation is over and I feel very good in the team,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
“We can see on the pitch that I click better with my team-mates and now we’re all playing better.”
Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup.
It was welcome relief for the forward after missing two penalties in recent weeks against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, as well as suffering criticism for his form.
“I know I’ve got much more in my legs than I’m showing, but in the last games I’ve played better,” Mbappe added.
“The Bilbao game was good for me, I hit the bottom, I missed a penalty and it was a moment to realize that I have to give everything for this shirt and show my personality.”
With Vinicius Junior suspended, Mbappe took the reins and broke the deadlock in the 10th minute as Madrid brought the ball out from the back and worked it to Rodrygo on the left flank.
The Brazilian squared to Mbappe on the edge of the area, who took one touch to control, another to set himself and with his third, smashed a fierce effort past the helpless Alvaro Fernandez.
“I think (Mbappe) has been self-critical, he’s come out of a situation that could have been complicated for him,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“Yesterday I said his adaptation period was over, today he showed it, sometimes I’m not wrong.”
The coach said Madrid had found their footing after struggling at times in the first half of the season.
“We’re running a bit more, playing with more intensity, we’re doing things well again, as we have to do — they’ve been complicated months,” Ancelotti added.
Madrid’s second, 10 minutes later, was even better, with Valverde firing a screamer into the top corner from over 30 yards out after a short corner.
Ancelotti’s side were in full flow and the third followed in the 34th minute when Lucas Vazquez crossed for Rodrygo.
Sevilla hit back within a minute, with Romero nodding home from Juanlu Sanchez’s cross.
Madrid stretched their lead after the break with Mbappe dinking a superb pass through for Diaz to finish clinically.
Sevilla brought on Navas after the hour mark and he was applauded by the Santiago Bernabeu, with this his 705th and final appearance for the club, far more than any other player.
Madrid and Sevilla players together gave the retiring Spanish great — a World Cup winner in 2010 and two-time Euros champion — a guard of honor at the start of the game.
Navas, 39, won four Europa Leagues and two Copa del Rey trophies with Sevilla, but his final appearance ended in disappointment for the Andalusians.
Lukebakio pulled one back late on for Sevilla as Madrid were able to finish an impressive year, in which they became Spanish and European champions, with positive vibes.
“Today was a spectacle, I haven’t seen anything like that in my life at an away ground, it was crazy,” an emotional Navas told reporters.
“I was thinking of all the moments that I’ve lived through, the joys I’ve given to my Sevilla and my national team.”

Topics: La Liga Kylian Mbappe real madrid Sevilla

Related

Sport
Atletico snatch late win at Barca to top La Liga
Sport
Bellingham and Mbappe strike as Real Madrid beat Girona

Latest updates

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza kill at least 20 people, Palestinian medics say
Ancient winter festival in Pakistan’s Chitral concludes with rituals, traditional dance
South Sudan overwhelmed by refugee influx: MSF
Jordan foreign minister to hold talks with Syria’s new leader
Saudi Arabia embassy resumes diplomatic activities in Afghanistan

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2024 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.