RIYADH: Al Ain reached the Asian Champions League final for the first time since 2016 with a 5-4 aggregate victory over four-time winners Al Hilal, despite a 2-1 second-leg defeat in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Trailing 4-2 after their record 34-match winning run was ended in last week’s first leg, Al Hilal quickly cut the deficit through Ruben Neves’ fourth-minute penalty.
Brazilian Erik drew Al Ain level on the night, though, to leave runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al Hilal with a mountain to climb in the second half.
But Salem Al Dawsari scored a rebound less than six minutes after the restart to give the hosts renewed hope.
Brazilian Michael and former Lazio star Sergei Milinkovic-Savic both went close as Al Hilal piled on the pressure, the latter seeing his effort cleared off the line.
Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Eisa enjoyed a fine evening, making six saves, including from Michael and Mohamed Kanno late on.
The Emirati visitors clung on desperately through nine minutes of added time, with Eisa keeping out a Michael header in the 98th minute.
Hernan Crespo’s Al Ain will face either Yokohama F-Marinos or Koreans Ulsan Hyundai in the final in May as they bid for a second triumph in the competition and first since 2003.
Japanese club Yokohama trail 1-0 on aggregate heading into their semifinal second leg on Wednesday.
Al Ain knock out Al Hilal to reach Asian Champions League final
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Al Ain knock out Al Hilal to reach Asian Champions League final
- Hernan Crespo’s Al Ain will face either Yokohama F-Marinos or Koreans Ulsan Hyundai in the final in May
Saudi Arabia leave it late to down Yemen in Gulf Cup
- After losing to Bahrain in the opening match of Group B, the Green Falcons needed the victory and got it — but only just
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia came back in dramatic fashion to defeat Yemen 3-2 on Wednesday to keep their hopes of advancing to the semifinals of the 26th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup very much alive.
After losing to Bahrain in the opening match of Group B, the Green Falcons needed the victory and got it — but only just.
Amazingly, Yemen, ranked 99 places below their neighbors at 158 in the world, were two goals ahead by the half hour at the Sulaibikhat Stadium in Kuwait. The first came in the eighth minute. Abdulwasea Al-Matari was given plenty of space to cross from the left for Harwan Al-Zubaidi to arrive at the middle of the six yard box just before Ali Al-Bulaihi to send a header into the net. It was Yemen’s first goal against Saudi Arabia in eight Gulf Cup games.
If that stunned the six-time World Cup participants, then worse was to come after 27 minutes. Al-Bulaihi had not seen the run from Abdul Sabarah when he headed a long pass back towards Mohammed Al-Owais but the Sanaa-based star nipped in to slip the ball past the goalkeeper with a first time shot from the edge of the area.
While it was starting to look very bleak for the Green Falcons, on the half hour, they were back in the game. Musab Al-Juwayr floated over a free-kick into the area and there was Mohamed Kanno to head home powerfully.
Three minutes before the hour and the three-time Gulf Cup winners were back on level terms. Radhawan Al-Hubaishi handled in the area and Al-Juwayr stepped up to score from the spot, the midfielder’s second goal in successive games.
Then, deep into injury time, Abdullah Al-Hamdan scored the winning goal to mean that Saudi Arabia are still in contention for a last four place. The Al-Hilal forward swept home from close range as Al-Bulaihi’s header was saved by the goalkeeper.
It was a big goal and a decisive moment but improvements must be made against Iraq on Saturday.
Saudi striker Saleh Al-Shehri out of remainder of Gulf Cup after injury in first match
- Loss of the player, a standout performer recently, after picking up a muscle injury in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat by Bahrain is a significant blow
KUWAIT CITY: Saudi national team striker Saleh Al-Shehri has been ruled out of the remainder of the 26th Gulf Cup after sustaining a muscle injury during the Green Falcons’ opening match against Bahrain on Sunday.
Head coach Herve Renard made the decision to send Al-Shehri home from the team’s training camp after medical reports confirmed the injury will require treatment and rehabilitation.
Saudi Arabia suffered a 3-2 defeat in the match against Bahrain. The loss of Al-Shehri, a key player and standout performer for the team in recent months, will be a significant blow for the squad as they attempt to get their Gulf Cup campaign back on track against Yemen at Jaber Stadium in Kuwait on Wednesday.
During a training session on Monday evening, Renard divided the squad into two groups, with the players who started on Sunday focusing on recovery exercises in the gym while the remainder of the squad trained on the pitch at Al-Nassr Club Stadium.
Green Falcons fall to Bahrain in opening Gulf Cup match
- Uphill battle to make the semifinals after 3-2 loss
- Saudi Arabia have not won the trophy for 20 years
KUWAIT CITY: Saudi Arabia lost 3-2 to Bahrain here on Sunday to get their challenge for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup off to the worst possible start.
The defeat at the hands of their rivals for 2026 World Cup qualification leaves Herve Renard’s men with it all to do if they are to finish in the top two places in Group B and progress to the semifinal.
It also means that the Green Falcons have won just one of their last eight competitive matches.
Bahrain, who drew with Saudi Arabia in October in the final match of Roberto Mancini’s troubled tenure, took the lead in the 19th minute with a well-worked corner.
Mahdi Al-Humaidan swung over a cross from the right and there was Mahdi Abduljabbar to meet the ball at the near post and send a powerful header into the opposite top corner.
Bahrain extended their lead seven minutes before the break. Mohamed Marhoon’s low cross from the right took a slight touch from Ali Lajami to help the ball on its way to Humaidan who shot past Nawaf Al-Aqidi from close range.
Saudi Arabia have not won the trophy for 20 years and Renard had selected a strong team to start this campaign and they got back into the game with 17 minutes remaining.
Bahrain failed to deal with a ball into the area and there was Musab Al-Juwayr to side-foot the ball beautifully home from the right side.
Suddenly the Saudi Arabian fans in the Jaber International Stadium were on their feet, but not for long as three minutes later Marhoon restored Bahrain’s two-goal cushion in exquisite fashion.
Mohamed Al-Romaih’s volleyed pass from midway in the Saudi Arabian half floated over the heads of the green backline for Marhoon to gently lift the ball over Al-Aqidi.
To Saudi Arabia’s credit, they kept coming back and were given a penalty with four minutes remaining as Amine Benaddi handled in the area.
It looked as if Salem Al-Dawsari was going to take the kick but the star of the team, who missed from the spot against Indonesia and Bahrain in recent World Cup qualifiers, handed the ball to Salem Al-Shehri who made no mistake.
The 2004 champions were unable to get the third goal that would have earned a point and now face Yemen, who earlier lost 1-0 to Iraq.
The Green Falcons need improvement, a lift and — most importantly — a win.
Renard confident Green Falcons ready for Gulf Cup challenge
- Frenchman emphasized that his team was aiming for significant results rather than merely gaining experience
KUWAIT CITY: Herve Renard, the Saudi national football team’s head coach, expressed confidence on Saturday in his team’s readiness to compete at the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup, which gets underway on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference, the Frenchman emphasized that his team was aiming for significant results rather than merely gaining experience.
“We are here to participate effectively and win,” Renard said. “This tournament provides a great platform to work with the players and prepare them for future competitions.”
Renard also said the tournament was a good way to enhance the technical and physical capabilities of his players.
He provided updates on key players, confirming that defender Hassan Tambakti was fully ready for action. However, he said Salem Al-Dawsari was still working to regain full fitness.
Renard praised Al-Dawsari’s dedication to his recovery process, saying it demonstrated his commitment to the team.
Meanwhile, striker Firas Al-Brikan is dealing with an injury, and his participation will depend on further medical evaluations.
Acknowledging the challenges of the competition, Renard said: “I accepted this challenge because I believe in the players’ capabilities. We must work with team spirit and focus on improvement in the coming period.”
The Saudi team get their campaign up and running against Bahrain on Sunday, and Renard stressed the importance of delivering a strong performance to set the tone for the tournament.
Green Falcons arrive in Kuwait for 26th Arabian Gulf Cup
RIYADH: The Saudi national football team arrived in Kuwait on Friday ahead of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup to take place from Dec. 21 until Jan. 3 next year.
Upon arrival at Kuwait International Airport, the team was welcomed by Deputy Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait Yahya Al-Qahtani and several other officials, state news agency SPA reported.
The Green Falcons are scheduled to conduct an evening training session on Saturday at the Yarmouk Club Stadium, with the first 15 minutes opened for members of the media.
