Al-Nassr fans to receive 3,000 tickets for AFC Champions League clash against Qatar’s Al-Duhail

Al-Nassr take on Al-Duhail in Doha on Tuesday. (Twitter: @AlNassrFC_EN)
Short Url
Updated 04 November 2023
Follow

Al-Nassr fans to receive 3,000 tickets for AFC Champions League clash against Qatar’s Al-Duhail

  • Riyadh club lead Group E with nine points ahead of Tuesday’s clash in Doha

Al-Duhail have allocated 3,000 tickets to Al-Nassr supporters expected to make the trip to Qatar for the Riyadh club’s AFC Champions League clash at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on Tuesday night.

It is a significant proportion of the total capacity as the stadium can accommodate 9,000 fans.

Al-Nassr defeated Al-Duhail 4-3 in Riyadh in their last Champions League fixture and currently lead Group E with a maximum of nine points from three matches.

Persepolis of Iran are second with six points while Al-Duhail are third with only one point, ahead of Istiklol of Tajikistan on goal difference.

Al-Nassr take on Al-Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday night before heading to Doha on Monday.


Fluminense beat Al Hilal 2-1 to reach Club World Cup semis

Updated 8 min 48 sec ago
Follow

Fluminense beat Al Hilal 2-1 to reach Club World Cup semis

ORLANDO: Substitute Hercules struck a 70th-minute winner as Brazil’s Fluminense defeated Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal 2-1 on Friday to reach the semifinals of the Club World Cup.
A fine left-foot finish from Matheus Martinelli had put the Rio club ahead in the 40th minute but Al Hilal’s Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo levelled six minutes into the second half before Hercules stole the show to the delight of the vast majority of the 43,091 crowd.
Fluminense could yet face an all-Brazilian semifinal if their rivals from Sao Paulo, Palmeiras, are able to overcome Premier League outfit Chelsea in Friday’s other quarter-final.
Al Hilal had pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament, beating Manchester City 4-3, to reach the last eight and Simone Inzaghi’s side fought hard until the end to keep their adventure alive.
They bow out of the tournament having been unbeaten through the group stage, including holding Real Madrid to a draw, and having truly made their mark on the world stage.
There was a moment’s silence before the kick-off in memory of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva, who died in the early hours of Thursday after their car veered off a motorway in Spain and burst into flames.
Al Hilal’s line-up featured two of Jota’s Portugal team-mates in Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo.
The first half was a tight and tactical affair with few chances until Martinelli opened the scoring when he picked the ball up from Gabriel Fuentes inside the box and span out to give himself space for a left-foot shot that rocketed past Yassine Bounou.
Al Hilal went close to a quick response when Kalidou Koulibaly’s header forced Fluminense’s 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio into a fine save.
The Saudi side were awarded a penalty when Samuel Xavier was ruled to have brought down Marcos Leonardo in the box but Dutch referee Danny Makkelie was eventually sent to the monitor where he overturned his own decision after seeing there had been no contact between the two players.
After going in at the break trailing by a goal, Al Hilal came out strongly for the second half and drew level when Koulibaly headed a Neves corner down to Marcos Leonardo who poked home.
Al Hilal’s Brazilian full back Renan Lodi had a let off when his poor backpass fell straight at the feet of German Cano but the Fluminense striker’s attempt to round Bounou was denied by the smart work of the Moroccan keeper.
But the outcome was settled with 20 minutes remaining when half-time sub Hercules saw a shot from distance blocked but from the loose ball Samuel headed the ball back to the forward who raced into the box and fired past Bounou to make it 2-1.
Al Hilal produced a flurry of corners and some intense pressure in the final minutes as they desperately sought a way to keep their dream alive but the Brazilians were good value for their victory.
“We didn’t have many chances but we made the most of them, the entire group worked and were committed,” said Fluminense coach Renato Gaucho.
“Our fans here in the USA and those in Brazil, they can be proud and I ask them to wear a jersey, in the mall, street, beach, wherever, wear that shirt — they should all be proud to wear that jersey,” he said.
The Fluminense coach was full of praise for the performance of his 40-year-old central defender Thiago Silva who ensured the Brazilians were able to withstand the second half pressure from Al Hilal.
“Thiago Silva is huge for us, I worked with him 15 years ago, he is a coach on the pitch, very helpful and conveys calm and experience to the others. He is our captain and a leader and in hard matches like these against big clubs, its important to have people like him. He is key and fundamental,” he said.
Al Hilal coach Inzaghi said his side had been unfortunate to end on the losing side.
“It has been a good World Cup for us but clearly we leave with a little bit of a bitter taste in our mouth because after what happened in that second half, we deserved much more,” he said.
“It was a tight match, decided by episodes, as happens in football. Fluminense are very well organized team that are having an excellent tournament,” he added.


Russian foreign minister praises Al-Hilal’s ‘well-deserved’ win over Man City

Updated 04 July 2025
Follow

Russian foreign minister praises Al-Hilal’s ‘well-deserved’ win over Man City

  • Sergey Lavrov hails victory in meeting with Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan
  • SPL team will play Fluminense in quarterfinal of Club World Cup on Friday

BEIRUT: Russia’s foreign minister on Friday congratulated Saudi Arabia and Al-Hilal following the team’s defeat of Manchester City in their FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 match earlier in the week.

“It was a remarkable and dramatic match and well-deserved victory,” Sergey Lavrov said during a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Moscow.

“I would like to conclude with congratulations to your football team Al-Hilal on a 4-3 win against Manchester City at the Club World Cup,” he said.

The meeting was part of the prince’s official visit aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries.

Lavrov’s comments caused a buzz on social media. One Russian user said on X: “Saudi Al-Hilal shines even in the corridors of power in Moscow!”

Several major news outlets also reported on Lavrov’s comments.

Sports editor Essa Aljokm wrote on X: “Al-Hilal on the political table … A team that translated the support of the leadership and the state, may God protect them, into the giant Saudi sports project. This time, it’s Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister.”

Al-Hilal made history on Monday night when they beat the English Premier League giants in Orlando. The Saudi Pro League team will now play Fluminense in the quarterfinal of the Club World Cup on Friday.

The Brazilian side beat Inter Milan 2-0 earlier on Monday.


Al-Hilal stars hitting new heights at FIFA Club World Cup

Updated 04 July 2025
Follow

Al-Hilal stars hitting new heights at FIFA Club World Cup

  • In three of the Riyadh club’s four matches in the US, different Al-Hilal players have received the Man of the Match award

DUBAI: Whenever called upon, collectively and individually, Al-Hilal’s players have stepped up at just the right moments at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Not many teams concede three goals against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and live to tell the tale. But that is exactly what Al-Hilal did on June 30 with their incredible 4-3 win in the Round of 16.

In just a few short weeks, new coach Simone Inzaghi looks to have transformed the team tactically and mentally after a disappointing season that saw them relinquish the much-craved Saudi Pro League title.

Fans and analysts have praised the intricate passing style that Inzaghi’s team has displayed in their four matches, which have delivered two draws — including one against Real Madrid in Miami — and a win in the group stages, before the famous victory over the former Premier League champions.

What has been striking as well is the standout performance of several individuals, with different Al-Hilal players being awarded the Man of the Match in three of the four encounters.

Even in the one match they did not receive the award, the 1-1 draw against Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid on June 18, it could be argued that the outstanding player of the match was Salem Al-Dawsari, who gave debutant Trent Alexander-Arnold a difficult first half from the left wing. Instead, the vote went to Gonzalo Garcia.

The 0-0 draw with Red Bull Salzburg at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. on June 22 saw Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou follow up his penalty-saving heroics in the opener with another outstanding performance, ensuring the Saudi team secured a point and went into the last matchday with all to play for.

 

 

Against Pachuca CF of Mexico on June 26 in Nashville, it was the turn of inspirational captain Al-Dawsari to be acclaimed with the Man of the Match award after scoring the opening goal in a 2-0 win that saw Al-Hilal progress to the knockout stages of the tournament.

 

 

Meanwhile, the epic win over Manchester City in Orlando was marked by a two-goal performance from Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo, who accepted the Man of the Match award in emotional circumstances.

Al-Hilal will now face Fluminense of Brazil on Friday evening in Orlando for a place in the semifinals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup against either Palmeiras or Chelsea.

Who will be the next star to step up for the Blues?


‘Difficult day’ for Al-Hilal’s Portugal pair — Inzaghi

Updated 04 July 2025
Follow

‘Difficult day’ for Al-Hilal’s Portugal pair — Inzaghi

ORLANDO, US: Al-Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi said the death of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota had impacted his team ahead of their Club World Cup quarter-final against Fluminense on Friday.
The Saudi club’s full-back Joao Cancelo is a Portugal international and midfielder Ruben Neves was a team-mate of Jota with both the Portugal national team and at Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 28-year-old Jota died alongside his younger brother Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames on Thursday.
“We all know it’s a sad day because of what happened to Diogo and Andre, unfortunately, these are things that shouldn’t happen, which happened,” said the Italian.
“As we are all aware, we have two Portuguese players, Ruben Neves and Cancelo, who were very close to the guys. Clearly today was a difficult day for everyone. We tried to work but clearly, the atmosphere today was not the same as other days. It was a tragedy,” he added.
Al-Hilal left-back Moteb Al-Alharbi said the team had tried to be supportive to the Portuguese pair.
“From the moment we woke up today we were shocked by the news. They are team-mates of his and we all felt the sadness but we were all around them. I also believe they will be ready although they have this shocking news,” he said.
“They were not at their best emotionally but I believe they will be focused for the game,” added Saudi winger Khalid Alghannam.


Can Inzaghi and Al-Hilal go all the way?

Updated 03 July 2025
Follow

Can Inzaghi and Al-Hilal go all the way?

  • Arab News looks at possible ways that Al-Hilal can upset the odds to reach and possibly win the FIFA Club World Cup final

RIYADH: Al-Hilal are the talk of the football world after their sensational 4-3 win over Manchester City in the round of 16 at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Ahead of their quarterfinal against Brazil’s Fluminense on Friday, Arab News asked three experts on Saudi Arabia football how Al-Hilal can continue to upset the odds and potentially reach and win the final.

  • Roel Coumans - Former Saudi Arabia national team assistant, head coach of Abha, Al-Hazm, Al-Adalah

“If Al-Hilal are in any European competition then they would be in the top four and there is no doubt that when Fluminense look at the Hilal team, they will not be underestimating them.

“In football everything is possible and Hilal can go all the way. I always tell my players to dream big, this is what football is all about.

“But it is important that Hilal don’t look forward too much, the next match is always the important one. There is a chance that after City the players may underestimate Fluminense and that is not possible at this level.

“They should involve the Brazilian players who can tell them about Fluminense.

“The game will be totally different to the City game. In that, they were the underdog and you have to defend much more than against Fluminense.

“When I look at Inzaghi’s tactics, he is always trying to play in a compact 4-5-1 formation and he will ensure that the system is not too different.

“There is a danger in that South America football is more physical and that may be something that the players are not used to.

“But now there is a good vibe around Al-Hilal. If Al-Dawsari can return that will be great as he adds creativity.”

  • Paul Williams - Founder and host of The Asian Game podcast, football journalist

“Al-Hilal’s path to the Club World Cup final has certainly opened up after their stunning upset win over Manchester City. It was a landmark moment, not just for the club but for Saudi football.

“While the challenge on paper might look easier against Fluminense, it’s likely to be anything but.

“One has to consider the context and circumstances of the victory against Manchester City, which was achieved without three of their starting XI, who will all be absent again against Fluminense.

“Not to mention the physical and emotional toll that the 120 minutes in Orlando would have taken. But having slayed the Premier League giant, they’ll attack that game with a renewed sense of vigor.

“Should they get through, then a likely semifinal against Chelsea awaits, although one can never discount Palmeiras. But having beaten one Premier League giant already this tournament, facing Chelsea would hold no fears for them.

“And then it would likely be Real Madrid or PSG in the final, and having already gone toe-to-toe with Real Madrid in the opening game, and even shading that game for large parts, that is another that would hold no fear for Al-Hilal.

“Of course, as fun as it is to speculate, it’s all still hypothetical and Al-Hilal cannot allow itself to think any further than Fluminense this week. Having dispensed of Inter Milan, they have shown they also should not be taken lightly.

“But after defeating the might of Manchester City, Al-Hilal will now believe anything is possible.”

  • John Duerden - Asia and Middle East football writer and analyst

“While it is premature to talk of the draw opening up for Al-Hilal, there is no doubt that the road to the final looks rockier on the other side.

“The biggest challenge may be coming back down to Earth after the win against Manchester City.

“Coach Inzaghi talked of how his team climbed Everest without oxygen against the European powerhouse, and while those words were perfect, the message has to now change.

“The summit is within sight but is still some distance away.

“Hilal are the talk of the football world, and that is a unique position for an Asian club to be in. Maybe now the pressure is off, the tournament will always be remembered as a success, whatever happens.

“Or maybe it will be hard, both physically (after 120 grueling minutes in the heat) and mentally, to recover from the last game.

“And, Fluminense will now be very wary, if they weren’t before. Inzaghi was happy to let City have most of the ball and City were happy to have it. Hilal were hugely impressive on the counter, but Fluminense are not likely to make the same mistakes that City did defensively.

“Korea’s Ulsan gave the Brazilian(s) many problems but couldn’t kill the game when they were ahead and eventually paid the price. Taking chances will be key.

“If Salem Al-Dawsari plays, then he could be the difference, though Hilal would love to have the physical presence of Aleksandar Mitrovic.

“A win means the last four and there is nobody to fear. If it is Chelsea in the semifinal then the London team are awkward opponents and able to pull off results when needed but they are a level below the elite of Europe.

“And that is Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern. Surely one of those will make the final.

“Hilal have impressed but would, rightly, be clear underdogs. Hilal are not expected to win but they have shown that they are capable of doing so.

“First though, that cliche has to be repeated all around the training ground over the next day or two ‘one game at a time.’”