Riyadh is blue: 5 talking points after Al-Hilal beat Al-Nassr to reach 2021 AFC Champions League final

Al-Hilal's players celebrate reaching the 2021 AFC Champions League final after beating Riyadh rivals Al-Nassr. (Basheer Saleh)
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Updated 20 October 2021
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Riyadh is blue: 5 talking points after Al-Hilal beat Al-Nassr to reach 2021 AFC Champions League final

  • A dramatic 2-1 win over 10-man Al-Nassr leaves reigning Saudi champions 90 minutes away from a record fourth title

Saudi Arabia’s most decorated club are once again marching toward history.

Al-Hilal defeated Al-Nassr 2-1 on Tuesday in the biggest Riyadh derby in years to book a place in the final of the 2021 AFC Champions League. 

Moussa Marega drew first blood in the first half of this titanic semi, and when Ali Lajami was sent off on the stroke of half-time to reduce Al-Nassr to 10 men, the game looked done and dusted. Early in the second half, however, Talisca equalized, but a goal from Salem Al-Dawsari settled the contest.

It was quite a night for both victors and losers. Below are five things we learned.

1. Rash red card was costly

The game was drifting toward half-time. Al-Nassr had looked nervous for much of the first half with Al-Hilal the first to settle, but as the break approached, the Yellows were on top even if they were 1-0 down. There was enough to encourage the team for the second half.

Then Lajami lunged at Marega, going in dangerously high on the Malian’s ankle with his studs up. It was not only a bad challenge —  Marega did not reappear for the second half — it was a completely unnecessary one in a non-dangerous area of the pitch. 

As the disconsolate 25-year-old finally trudged off, the blue-shirted fans in the stands celebrated as if another goal had been scored.

It didn’t quite turn out to be the easy second half they had predicted, but in the end, Al-Hilal’s fans were celebrating again while those on the other side of the stadium were left wondering what they could have achieved with 11 men.

2. Al-Hilal’s winning mentality shines through

This was a tense game that could have gone either way. Al-Hilal overcame their nerves first and when Bafetimbi Gomis and Marega combined nicely on the counter for the opening goal, it looked ominous for Al-Nassr, especially when they were reduced to 10 before the break.

In the early stages of the second half, however, Al-Hilal were struggling as Al-Nassr equalized and then looked likelier to score the second. Yet Al-Hilal have that winning mentality, were a little more streetwise than their opponents and kept their cool better. Slowly, they regrouped and started to keep the ball better too. 

The experience and composure of Salman Al-Faraj and Al-Dawsari, consistently excellent, slowly started to push Al-Nassr back, and they were rewarded with what turned out to be the winning goal.

When you play against Al-Hilal in the big games, you are playing against their history as well as their stars. 

3. Al-Nassr can be proud

There has been much written about Abderrazak Hamdallah in recent weeks, and when the Moroccan shot straight at the goalkeeper early in the second half from a good position, it seemed as if a golden chance for Al-Nassr had gone. 

From the resultant corner, Talisca scored. The Brazilian always looked the most dangerous of all the men in yellow and has shown his class going forward on numerous occasions this season. He had a couple of fierce shots in the first half and is always a handful for defenders. 

Whatever coach Pedro Emanuel said at half-time, it worked as Al-Nassr had come out and attacked as if they were the team with a man advantage. They were rewarded with a goal and, a man short, they could have been forgiven for settling for the draw and taking the game to penalties. They did not and were always looking to score. They should have done so with virtually the last kick of the game as Abdullah Madu shot just wide.

There isn’t much consolation in losing a second successive semi-final, but Al-Nassr have confirmed their status as a power in Asian football. 

4. It was a great advert for Saudi football

The game itself was engaging from start to very finish when Al-Nassr came within centimeters of getting an equalizer and forcing extra time. There were plenty of talking points, chances and pieces of individual skill.

In the stands of Mrsool Park, this was a spectacular night. With half of the stadium yellow and the other half blue, it took this writer back to past FA Cup finals at Wembley Stadium. Fans of both clubs may have preferred a bigger venue simply because more of them could have squeezed in, but the intimacy of this ground added something special to the atmosphere.

Supporters on both sides got behind their teams, singing and chanting. The noise was non-stop. There were plenty of big games in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday but in terms of atmosphere, intensity and the desperation of the fans to win — and equally not to lose to their rivals — Riyadh was the place to be, and it was a great advert for Saudi football.

5. Al-Hilal are in touching distance of history

Al-Hilal thrive on the big stage and are accustomed to winning. The biggest of stages will be Riyadh next month as the three-time Asian champions have a chance to do what no other club has ever done: achieve number four. 

Playing on home soil in a one-legged final is a huge advantage, and Al-Hilal are going to be favorites against whichever South Korean team, Ulsan Horang-i or Pohang Steelers, make the long trip west. Ulsan are defending champions, Pohang have three titles of their own and Korean teams can never be underestimated in Asia, but with Al-Hilal in such form and with their fans behind them, there will never be a better time to make history.


Al-Hilal book spot in knockout stage of AFC Champions League Elite

Updated 48 min 10 sec ago
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Al-Hilal book spot in knockout stage of AFC Champions League Elite

  • The 3 Saudi teams maintain stranglehold on 12-team Group B after matchday 5 of 8, with Al-Ahli top on 15 points, followed by Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr on 13
  • Riyadh side open scoring in 10th minute but Al-Sadd remain a threat throughout highly competitive encounter and the pressure pays off with an equalizer after 71 minutes

DOHA: A 1-1 draw with Al-Sadd in Qatar on Tuesday was enough for Al-Hilal to book their place in the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League Elite with three group games to spare.
The three Saudi teams in the competition maintain their stranglehold on the 12-team Group B after the fifth round of games, with Al-Ahli topping the group on a maximum 15 points, two ahead of Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. All three have already qualified for the last 16.
During a highly competitive encounter in Qatar, the result of which might have gone either way, Al-Sadd asked some tough questions of the visitors early on, perhaps aware of how Al-Khaleej came back from two goals down to defeat Al-Hilal 3-2 in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday.
However, it was the men from Riyadh who opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Mohammed Kanno rose high at the near post to meet a Salem Al-Dawsari corner and flick it on to defender Ali Al-Bulaihi, who was waiting to slide the ball home from close range with the kind of goal-scoring instincts teammate Aleksandar Mitrovic would surely have been proud of.
Five minutes later, the Serbian striker himself had a great chance but headed over with the goal at his mercy. Marcos Leonardo came closer just before the break with a low shot from outside the box that goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham did well to get a hand to.
It was not all one-way traffic, however. Al-Sadd, winners of the Champions League in 2011, had a couple of good efforts in the first half, with Youcef Atal and Mohammed Camara asking the questions.
Early in the second half, Akram Afif — recently crowned the successor to Al-Dawsari as AFC Player of the Year — shot just wide from outside the box as he tried to get more into the game.
The tie was almost put beyond the home side on the hour mark but Mitrovic shot just wide from close range after Nasser Al-Dawsari whipped in a fierce cross from the left.
Al-Sadd, however, started to pile on the pressure and were rewarded with the equalizer in the 71st minute. Afif curled a low cross around the defense from the left and Paulo Otavio got to the ball just ahead of goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Al-Sadd continued to press forward and looked the likelier of the two teams to score, with Tarek Salman heading against the crossbar with Bounou beaten.
There was still time, though for the video assistant referee to consider, and reject, three Al-Hilal shouts for penalties, the last of which came in the 15th minute of added time. Ultimately, though, the spoils were shared and that was enough for Al-Hilal on the night.


AC Milan and Atletico Madrid each win to near automatic qualifying spots in Champions League

Updated 26 November 2024
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AC Milan and Atletico Madrid each win to near automatic qualifying spots in Champions League

  • Christian Pulisic put the seven-time champion ahead midway through the first half by finishing off a counterattack
  • Alvaraz and Griezmann lead Atletico to 6-0 rout

ROME: AC Milan followed up their win at Real Madrid with a 3-2 victory at last-place Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Christian Pulisic put the seven-time champion ahead midway through the first half by finishing off a counterattack. Then Rafael Leao restored the Rossoneri’s advantage after Tigran Barseghyan had equalized for Bratislava and Tammy Abraham quickly added another.
Nino Marcelli scored with a long-range strike in the 88th for Bratislava, which ended with 10 men.
Milan moved up to 10th place in the new single-league format and within sight of the automatic qualifying spots. Bratislava have lost all five of their matches.
Milan won 3-1 at Madrid in their previous match.
Alvaraz and Griezmann lead Atletico to 6-0 rout
Argentina World Cup winner Julian Alvaraz scored twice, and Atletico Madrid routed Sparta Prague 6-0 to move up to ninth.
Alvaraz scored with a free kick 15 minutes in and Marcos Llorente added a long-range strike before the break. Alvaraz finished off a counterattack early in the second half after being set up by substitute Antoine Griezmann, who then marked his 100th Champions League game by getting on the scoresheet himself.
Angel Correa added a late brace for Atletico.
Atletico beat Paris Saint-Germain in the previous round and extended their winning streak across all competitions to six matches.
Sparta remained in the elimination places with four points.
The top eight finishers in the standings advance directly to the round of 16 in March. Teams ranked ninth to 24th go into a knockout playoffs round in February, while the bottom 12 teams are eliminated.


Saudi Arabia overcome Thailand hurdle to set up thrilling qualification finale

Updated 26 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia overcome Thailand hurdle to set up thrilling qualification finale

  • Saudi Arabia chased a target of 134 runs in 18.4 overs to end Thailand’s qualification hopes
  • Thailand was restricted to 133-7 in 20 overs after exceptional bowling from the player of the match, Zain Ul Abidin

Saudi Arabia registered their third win in a row in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier as they beat Thailand by five wickets in Qatar on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia chased a target of 134 runs in 18.4 overs to end Thailand’s qualification hopes. The Kingdom had a rough start to the tournament with consecutive losses in the first two matches. With this win, Saudi Arabia now have a chance to finish in the top two and qualify for the regional finals.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia invited Thailand to bat first at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha. Thailand was restricted to 133-7 in 20 overs after exceptional bowling from the player of the match, Zain Ul Abidin.

The left-arm spinner gave away just 19 runs in his four-over spell with the wickets of Nitish Salekar and Udsak Saranonnakkun, both in the sixth over of the innings. His double wicket meant Thailand slumped to 46-3 in the powerplay.

Opener Akshyakumar Yadav fought a lone battle at the top of the batting order, scoring 60 runs. He hit seven fours and a six in his 51-ball innings. He received little support from skipper Austin Lazarus toward the end. Lazarus hit five fours and a six in his 25-ball 35.

Ul Abidin was supported by two wickets from Abdul Wahid and one each from Ishtiaq Ahmad and Waji Ul Hassan.

In reply, Saudi Arabia lost Wahid in the second over after he was caught behind for just six runs. A centurion in the previous match, Faisal Khan continued his hitting prowess with five fours and a six in his 34-run innings. Siddharth Sankar kept the runs flowing with a run-a-ball 37, which included three boundaries.

Saudi Arabia lost wickets at regular intervals, but Manan Ali and Ul Abidin saw them home. Both were unbeaten on identical 13 runs off 10 balls each. Nopphon Senamontree and Sarawit Maliwan took two wickets each while Salekar grabbed a wicket for Thailand.

The other match on the day saw Qatar concede a 29-run defeat against UAE, which means the Saudi Arabia vs. Qatar match could be a winner-takes-all match on the final day. The UAE, on the other hand, have booked their place in the regional finals with five wins out of five. They have an unassailable 10-point lead at the top and will face Bahrain on the final day.

Bahrain themselves are on six points and will need to beat the UAE to have any chance of qualification. The final round of fixtures will be played on Thursday with qualification hopefuls Qatar and Saudi Arabia facing each other. Qatar has eight points and Saudi Arabia has six, meaning a UAE win and their win in the final match will be enough as Saudi Arabia already has a superior run rate to Qatar.

Opener Khan was ecstatic with the result and was focused on the next match. “We got the result today and we are happy. Now our focus is on the next match. Like today, the match against Qatar is a final for us and inshallah, we will qualify for the next round,” he said.

The top two teams from this tournament will join the final round of regional qualifiers. Malaysia and Kuwait have already booked their spot from the Asia Group A qualifier, while Samoa and Japan are representing the East Asia-Pacific region. Nepal, Oman, and Papua New Guinea will also compete in the regional finals as they have qualified for the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup held in the US and West Indies. The regional qualifier will be played in Malaysia in August 2025.


TATA IPL mega auction is a significant milestone, says Indian ambassador

Updated 26 November 2024
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TATA IPL mega auction is a significant milestone, says Indian ambassador

  • Saudi government, SACF and people of Jeddah deserve much praise for their warm hospitality and support, says envoy
  • Event is a historic sporting achievement in Jeddah — SACF

RIYADH: The Indian Premier League mega auction held at Jeddah’s Abadi Al-Johar Arena highlights the enduring friendship between India and Saudi Arabia, the Indian ambassador has said.

Suhel Ajaz Khan hailed the event, from Nov. 24-25, as a significant milestone in the growing influence of cricket across the region.

“Cricket, as we all know, is more than just a sport,” he told Arab News. “It is a powerful connector, bringing people together across borders, cultures and languages. Today, the IPL has become a global spectacle — a platform where talent, ambition and passion for the game converge. But beyond the game itself, it is events like these that reflect the deepening relationship between India and Saudi Arabia, two nations whose partnership continues to strengthen on every front, from economic cooperation to cultural exchange.”

The envoy praised the Kingdom, Cricket Saudi and Jeddahwis for their tremendous support.

“The Saudi government and the people of Jeddah deserve a lot of praise and applause for their warm hospitality and support in hosting this remarkable event,” he said. “A lot of credit is also due to the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation, who made this event possible.

“It was also heartening to see how the Saudi community, with its growing enthusiasm for cricket, had wholeheartedly embraced this event.”

The SACF described the TATA IPL mega auction as “a historic sporting achievement in Jeddah.”

“Over the past two days Jeddah has witnessed an unprecedented sporting event by hosting the IPL mega auction at Abadi Al Johar Arena, as part of the Jeddah Calendar, becoming the first international cricket event to be held in the Kingdom,” it said in a statement.

The auction was attended by officials and sports fans. A total of 1,574 players went under the hammer, with 1,165 Indian players and 409 overseas players competing for a place in the world’s premier T20 league. Total spending amounted to around $76.7 million, said the SACF.

The mega auction concluded on Monday evening in the presence of Saudi Deputy Minister of Sport Bader bin Abdulrahman Al-Kadi, SACF Chairman Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud, and Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and chairman-elect of the International Cricket Council Jay Shah. Also present were international figures in the world of cricket, while a drone show lit up the Jeddah sky with slogans symbolizing the partnership between the Kingdom and India.


Ayub century helps Pakistan crush Zimbabwe, level series

Updated 26 November 2024
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Ayub century helps Pakistan crush Zimbabwe, level series

  • Ayub struck unbeaten 113 as Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets to level one-day international series with one match to come
  • Zimbabwe were all out for 145 at Queens Sports Club as they sought a second victory over the tourists

ZIMBABWE: Saim Ayub struck an unbeaten 113 as Pakistan crushed Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in Bulawayo on Tuesday to level a one-day international series with one match to come.

Zimbabwe were all out for 145 at Queens Sports Club as they sought a second victory over the tourists in three days having won by 80 runs in a rain-shortened tour opener.

Pakistan then atoned for a poor batting show on Sunday with Ayub and fellow opener Abdullah Shafique (32 not out) unstoppable as they reached their target in 18.2 overs.

Ayub struck 17 runs and three sixes off 62 balls in a 75-minute stand while Shafique claimed four fours in the southern city.

Ayub reached his century off 53 balls — the second fastest in an ODI international by a Pakistani after Shahid Afridi.

Zimbabwe, seeking a first ODI series win over Pakistan, utilized five bowlers, but none made an impression with Brandon Mavuta, who conceded 47 runs in four overs, particularly expensive.

After winning the toss, Zimbabwe were quickly in trouble with openers Joylord Gumbie (five) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (four) back in the pavilion with less than four overs bowled.

Only Dion Myers, who struck six fours in his 33, and veteran Sean Williams, who posted 31 before being trapped leg before by Ayub, impressed for the home team.

Pakistan-born all-rounder Sikandar Raza, often the batting savior for Zimbabwe, made just 17 before becoming one of three victims of Salman Ali Agha.

Abrar Ahmed took four wickets and Ali Agha three for Pakistan, who arrived in southern Africa after a 3-0 ODI series loss in Australia.

The Zimbabwe ODI series decider is set for Thursday, followed by three Twenty20 internationals from Sunday, also in Bulawayo. Pakistan then visit South Africa for an all-format tour.