RIYADH: The Saudi Al-Hilal team has officially requested to postpone its scheduled match on Sunday against its Iranian counterpart Shahr Khodro at Al-Janoub Stadium in the Qatari capital, Doha, in the fifth round of group stage of the AFC Champions League football competition.
The club published a statement on its official Twitter account saying it had contacted the AFC to request to postpone its match against the Iranian team after 10 players contracted COVID-19.
The club said it had “caused a major crisis in the team, after the number of players infected with the virus has now reached 15,” according to the statement.
Al-Hilal was looking to qualify for the next round, as they lead the group with 10 points from four matches, compared to seven points for Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor Tashkent and six for the UAE’s Shabab Al-Ahli Club club. Shahr Khodro are still without points.
Al-Hilal, who has suffered absences from many players due to coronavirus, needs to obtain only one point in order to qualify for the Round 16, pending the AFC’s response to the Saudi team’s request.
Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal says 10 players infected with COVID-19, requests match postponement
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Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal says 10 players infected with COVID-19, requests match postponement
- Al-Hilal contacted AFC to request postponing Sunday's match against Shahr Khodro
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
- 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
Brentford have a chance of playing in Europe but manager sounds caution
- Brentford host Manchester United next and then complete their campaign with away trips to Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers, with a home clash against Fulham sandwiched between
NOTTINGHAM: Brentford’s surprise away win over Nottingham Forest on Thursday kept alive its hopes of a place in European club competition next season but manager Thomas Frank has sounded a cautious note about the team’s chances.
The 2-0 victory left Brentford in 11th place in the Premier League but only two points off eight placed Fulham. There is a chance that as many as 10 English clubs could qualify to play in Europe next season, but Frank warned Brentford’s destiny was not all in their own hands with four fixtures left in their league campaign.
“There is a few things that need to happen; the teams ahead of us need to get less points and we need Manchester City to win the FA Cup,” Frank told reporters after their win at the City Ground with goals from Kevin Schade and Yoane Wissa.
“There’s a few things that we cannot control ourselves,” he added.
“In our last 12 games we have been extremely consistent and performed well. There’s another big game on Sunday which we will do our best to win.”
Brentford host Manchester United next and then complete their campaign with away trips to Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers, with a home clash against Fulham sandwiched between.
Asked whether he felt Brentford were ready to compete in Europe, Frank said: “Ask me in three games’ time, then I’ll answer the question.
“We’re growing as a club and the team is growing. We would be more competitive if we didn’t have as many injuries last year.
“We consistently performed at a good level. This season we had one bad game whereas the other season we have had three or four.”
Brentford have never competed in European club competition and Frank told Sky Sports it could prove “tricky” for the club.
“Do you want to be a European club, but what is a European club?” he asked.
“Is that every year? If it is, then it depends on the size of the club, where the budget would need to be fairly linked to it. Money talks.
“The good thing for us is culture, strategy, hard work, clear principles and style of play. All those things we do quite well. It can raise your level and it has raised our level,” Frank said.
China and Japan cruise into Sudirman cup semifinals
- Japan took three hours to defeat Taiwan 3-0. Hiroki Midorikawa and Arisa Igarashi breezed past Ye Hong Wei and Hu Ling Fang 21-18 21-18 in mixed doubles
XIAMEN: Hosts and defending champions China booked their place in badminton’s Sudirman Cup semifinals with a 3-0 win over Malaysia on Friday, while Japan also advanced after beating Taiwan in the quarter-finals by the same score.
The biennial mixed team championship saw a rematch between world number four mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei from Malaysia and China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping. While the Malaysian pair won at the Paris Games, they couldn’t repeat the feat as they went down 21-17 21-17 in the opener.
Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao, facing world number one Shi Yu Qi for the first time, was outclassed 21-6 21-14 in the men’s singles. Compatriot Karupathevan Letshanaa later suffered a 21-8 21-7 loss to Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei in the women’s singles.
With the result sealed in just under two hours, the men’s and women’s doubles were not contested. Malaysia, who claimed bronze in the last two editions, have now lost all of their five Sudirman Cup meetings to date against 13-times champions China.
Japan took three hours to defeat Taiwan 3-0. Hiroki Midorikawa and Arisa Igarashi breezed past Ye Hong Wei and Hu Ling Fang 21-18 21-18 in mixed doubles.
World number 16 Koki Watanabe overcame seventh-ranked Chou Tien Chen 21-13 20-22 21-14 in the men’s singles, and world number four Akane Yamaguchi beat Wei Chi Hsu 21-9 17-21 21-18 in the women’s singles to seal Japan’s sixth straight semifinal appearance.
Coco Gauff routs Iga Swiatek to reach Madrid final against No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka
- It was Gauff’s first win over Swiatek on clay
- In the men’s quarterfinals, Casper Ruud advanced by defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-5 to become the first player born in 1990 or later to reach 30 tour-level semifinals on clay
MADRID: Coco Gauff overpowered defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 to reach the Madrid Open singles final for the first time Thursday.
Gauff broke Swiatek’s serve three times in the first set and twice in the second to cruise to a 64-minute semifinal victory over the second-ranked Swiatek at the clay-court tournament.
Gauff will face top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-5 to reach the Madrid final for the fourth time in her career.
It was Gauff’s first win over Swiatek on clay.
“The mentality that I had in the whole match was aggressive,” the fourth-ranked Gauff said. “Maybe it wasn’t her best level today, but I think I forced her into some awkward positions.”
Swiatek had recovered from losing the first set 0-6 to Madison Keys on Wednesday.
“I couldn’t really get my level up,” the four-time French Open champion said. “Coco played good, but I think it’s on me that I didn’t really move well, I wasn’t ready to play back the shots with heaviness, and with that kind of game. It was pretty bad.”
The last time Swiatek won only two or fewer games in a match — on any surface — was a 6-0, 6-2 loss to Jelena Ostapenko in Birmingham in 2019.
“For me,” Gauff added, “it was just making sure my level stayed the same. In the second, I raised it.”
Sabalenka reaches 3rd straight final
Sabalenka returned to the final after ending Svitolina’s unbeaten run on clay this year — she was 9-0 on the surface in 2025, without losing a set.
Sabalenka won the title in Madrid in 2021 and 2023, and was runner-up to Swiatek last year.
Gauff is 5-4 against Sabalenka and won their only prior meeting on clay, in Rome in 2021. The American also won their most recent meeting, at the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh.
By beating Svitolina, Sabalenka became the first player to obtain 30 main-draw wins at WTA events in 2025.
Men’s quarterfinals
In the men’s quarterfinals, Casper Ruud advanced by defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-5 to become the first player born in 1990 or later to reach 30 tour-level semifinals on clay.
The 15th-ranked Norwegian had been 0-3 against Medvedev in his career.
“I looked at our stats last night and saw he beat me on grass, outdoor hard and indoor hard. The last surface was clay so I thought, ‘please don’t make it 4-0,’” Ruud said. “I tried to use the surface to my advantage. I thought the level was pretty good from both players, I was impressed with Daniil’s ability to produce power here on clay.”
Ruud will next face Francisco Cerundolo, who rallied to defeat teenager Jakub Mensik 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2.
Cerundolo had beaten top-seeded Alexander Zverev in the previous round.
In another quarterfinal, fifth-ranked Jack Draper defeated Matteo Arnaldi 6-0, 6-4. Arnaldi had beaten Novak Djokovic in the second round. Draper will enter the top 5 in the rankings for the first time thanks to his run in Madrid. He will face 10th-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, who beat Gabriel Diallo 6-4, 6-3.
