AL-AIN, UAE: Hernan Crespo’s Al Ain steamrollered 10-man Yokohama F-Marinos 5-1 in the Asian Champions League final return leg to lift the trophy for the second time in their history on Saturday.
The hosts trailed 2-1 from the away fixture but two goals from Soufiane Rahimi, a Kaku penalty and Kodjo Laba’s late double ensured a 6-3 aggregate victory after Yokohama goalkeeper William Popp saw red just before half-time.
Al Ain, the United Arab Emirates’ most successful club, won the inaugural Champions League final in 2003 and were runners-up in 2005 and 2016.
Harry Kewell’s Yokohama were attempting to become the fourth Japanese winners after Gamba Osaka, Kashima Antlers and three-time winners Urawa Red Diamonds.
The win will be all the sweeter for Crespo after the 2005 European Champions League final, when the ex-Argentina international scored twice for AC Milan before Kewell’s Liverpool came back to win on penalties.
Crespo had promised “hell” for Yokohama and thousands of fans in white robes and headdresses let off flares and chanted outside before packing out Hazza bin Zayed Stadium.
With temperatures still hovering above 30 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) at the 8:00 p.m. kick-off, Al Ain were ahead after just nine minutes.
Yahia Nader’s sweet backheel wrong-footed the defense and tournament top-scorer Rahimi rifled a low shot into the net for his 12th of the competition.
Ken Matsubara had a fizzing shot tipped wide but Al Ain doubled their advantage in the 34th minute after Shinnosuke Hatanaka brought down Rahimi in the box.
After a VAR review, Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev pointed to the spot and Paraguay international Kaku smashed it into the bottom right, sparking delirium in the stands.
Al Ain’s joy was doused as Yokohama’s Yan Matheus stole a bouncing ball from Kouame Kouadio, then turned the defender inside-out and finished left-footed to make it 2-1 and 3-3 on aggregate.
But the half — which stretched to an extraordinary 62 minutes — finished badly for Yokohama when goalkeeper William Popp felled the on-rushing Rahimi and was sent off deep into injury time.
After the restart, a depleted Yokohama lived dangerously when Hatanaka, under pressure from Rahimi, parried a deep cross onto his own crossbar.
The visitors were creaking and on 67 minutes, Rahimi picked up a rebound, rounded a defender and lashed it past substitute ‘keeper Fuma Shirasaka at his near post.
The goal knocked the stuffing out of Yokohama, who also had Hatanaka stretchered off, and Togolese substitute Laba pierced their porous defense twice in another long spell of injury time.
Al Ain had already won bragging rights over neighboring Saudi Arabia, whose teams spent more than a billion dollars on players including Cristiano Ronaldo last year, with their Asian campaign.
Crespo’s side ousted Ronaldo’s Al Nassr in the quarter-finals before halting Al Hilal’s top-flight-record streak of 34 consecutive wins when they met in the semis.
With their victory, Al Ain also reach the new-look, 32-team Club World Cup, whose inaugural staging is scheduled for June and July next year in the United States.
Crespo’s Al Ain beat Yokohama 5-1 to win Asian Champions League
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Crespo’s Al Ain beat Yokohama 5-1 to win Asian Champions League
- Al Ain won the inaugural Champions League final in 2003 and were runners-up in 2005 and 2016
- Crespo had promised “hell” for Yokohama and thousands of fans in white robes and headdresses let off flares and chanted outside before packing out Hazza bin Zayed Stadium
Iraq boots Casas citing unpermitted exit as World Cup hopes hang by a thread
- “We officially informed FIFA with that decision,” the IFA said
- Casas, 51, had been in charge since 2022 and led Iraq to lift the 2023 Gulf Cup
BAGHDAD: Iraq has sacked national team coach Jesus Casas Garcia after the Spanish manager left the country without permission, the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) said on Tuesday.
“The association announces the termination of the contract of Spanish coach Jesus Casas Garcia and his technical staff due to their serious breach of contractual obligations, including leaving the country without official permission and failing to comply with invitations and warnings issued to them by the association. We officially informed FIFA with that decision,” the IFA said in a statement on its Facebook page.
Casas, 51, had been in charge since 2022 and led Iraq to lift the 2023 Gulf Cup on home soil.
The dismissal comes after Iraq’s World Cup qualifying campaign hit turbulence with a 2-2 draw against Kuwait and a 2-1 defeat to Palestine last month.
Currently sitting third in Group B of the Asian qualifiers with 12 points, Iraq face a must-win scenario in their final two matches against South Korea and Jordan in June to have any chance of securing automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
McTominay and Lukaku power title-chasing Napoli to 3-0 win over Empoli
- McTominay nets twice to lead hosts to victory
- Lukaku sets up both goals and scores himself
NAPLES, Italy: Napoli cruised to a 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Empoli on Monday with Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku leading the charge as the hosts kept pace with Serie A leaders Inter Milan.
Second-placed Napoli were feeling the pressure after Inter’s 3-1 home win against Cagliari on Saturday but, with six rounds remaining, they trail the Milan side by three points with 68.
The Napoli duo were unstoppable at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona against Empoli, who are second from bottom and two points off the safety zone. The home side created chance after chance and wreaked havoc on the Empoli defense.
“Romelu is a great teammate. He demands a lot from all the team and me to score more goals and create more opportunities for him to score as well,” McTominay told DAZN.
“He’s obviously a great player. He’s had a great career, and we’re so happy to have him.”
It took 18 minutes for Napoli to open the scoring as Lukaku battled free in midfield and passed to the onrushing McTominay, whose low long-range shot bounced over Empoli goalkeeper Devis Vasquez’s outstretched hand and into the corner of the net.
Belgium striker Lukaku added his name to the scoresheet in the 56th minute, latching onto a perfect through ball inside the box and easily finding the net to double the advantage.
McTominay completed his brace in the 61st, again assisted by Lukaku who whipped a cross in from the right for the unmarked Scotsman to power home a header off the underside of the bar.
The two players linked up again shortly after as Lukaku played in McTominay for a counter-attack but the hat-trick opportunity was thwarted by the inside of the post.
Napoli’s comfortable evening took a hit in front of a noisy home crowd minutes later when Napoli defender Juan Jesus had to go off because of what looked like a hamstring injury.
Lukaku had one more chance just before being substituted but could not quite control David Neres’s cross and sent it wide.
In the dying minutes, McTominay had an opportunity to put the ball in the net again from close range but Vazquez produced a stunning save and the flag was in any case up for offside.
With the season moving toward a thrilling finale, McTominay said the focus must be on themselves despite Inter’s advantage.
“We must have fun and think about ourselves. We’re a strong team and must continue with this playing style and attitude. We must think about ourselves and then we’ll see what Inter will do.”
Napoli have a relatively easy run-in on paper with all of their last six opponents currently 10th or lower in the table. They next travel to bottom club Monza on Saturday.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe recovering from pneumonia
- 47-year-old sat out Sunday’s 4-1 Premier League win at home to Manchester United as he was kept in hospital
NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is recovering in hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia and will miss this week’s matches, the Premier League club said on Monday.
The 47-year-old sat out Sunday’s 4-1 Premier League win at home to Manchester United as he was kept in hospital after feeling unwell for several days.
He missed Newcastle securing their first league double over the Old Trafford side since the 1930-31 season.
“A huge thank you to everyone connected with Newcastle United and the wider football community for your messages and warm wishes. They have meant a lot to me and my family,” Howe said in a statement from the club.
Howe has become a hero in Newcastle after arriving at the club in 2021 after coaching Bournemouth and Burnley.
He led the club to a League Cup final triumph over Liverpool in March, becoming the first home-grown coach to win one of England’s top domestic honors since 2008 and securing the club’s first domestic trophy in 70 years.
He was celebrated by 150,000 Newcastle fans in the streets of the city and honored with a massive banner unfurled outside St. James’ Park.
Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones will take charge of the team for the matches against visitors Crystal Palace on Wednesday and away to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Newcastle are fourth in the table with 56 points.
Messi and Miami fire blanks in front of record Chicago Fire crowd
- Chicago, coached by former USA boss Gregg Berhalter, limited Messi and his former Barcelona strike partner Luis Suarez to just a handful of opportunities
- The Fire should have grabbed all three points in the 88th minute when Bamba’s shot was parried out by Ustari but Maren Haile-Selassie put the follow-up shot wide
WASHINGTON: Inter Miami failed to score for the first time this season in Major League Soccer as they were held to a goalless draw by the Chicago Fire on Sunday.
A club-record crowd of 62,358 packed into Soldier Field for the visit of Lionel Messi and his Inter team to witness a gutsy display from the home side.
Chicago, coached by former USA boss Gregg Berhalter, limited Messi and his former Barcelona strike partner Luis Suarez to just a handful of opportunities.
The best effort from Messi, who played the full game, came in the third minute when he unleashed a snap shot from outside the box which was denied by a fine, diving save from Fire keeper Chris Brady.
There was no sense of Chicago being overawed by the big crowd at the stadium they share with the NFL’s Bears and they went close twice in the opening half with Mauricio Pineda forcing Oscar Ustari into a full stretch save and then Philip Zinckernagel striking the outside of the post from a narrow angle.
Suarez had a great chance to put Miami ahead just before the break when Noah Allen floated a ball in but the Uruguayan puts his shot over the bar.
After the break, Chicago enjoyed plenty of pressure with much of the creativity coming from former Lille winger Jonathan Bamba.
The Fire should have grabbed all three points in the 88th minute when Bamba’s shot was parried out by Ustari but Maren Haile-Selassie put the follow-up shot wide.
Bamba was denied again by Ustari moments later but in a frantic finale, Miami also could have stolen a win but, from a promising position, Tadeo Allende dragged his shot wide.
Miami had looked tired after their midweek exertions in their CONCACAF Champions Cup win over Los Angeles FC on Wednesday and coach Javier Mascherano appeared relieved they had picked up a point.
“We came with a very, very big load not only physically, but also mentally. So not losing is always important, too,” he said.
“I’ll take the positives, which is that we didn’t concede a goal. We’d been conceding goals for three games, and today we kept a clean sheet. ... Now, luckily, we have a long week of work, which is a bit of a break for us, after the start of the season we’ve had,” he said.
Former Miami coach Phil Neville saw his improving Portland Timbers team enjoy a 4-2 win at Sporting Kansas City with Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy scoring twice.
Portland are unbeaten in five games and move up to fourth in the Western Conference.
The Columbus Crew fought back from a goal down to enjoy a 2-1 win at St. Louis City.
Brazilian Joao Klauss opened the scoring for the home side before Crew defender Steven Moreira levelled with a side-footed volley.
Uruguayan Diego Rossi secured the win with a low drive from outside the box in the 55th minute.
Harvey Barnes brace routs Manchester United as Newcastle rise to fourth place
- Sandro Tonali put Newcastle ahead before Alejandro Garnacho equalized late in the first half
- Barnes provided a welcome tonic for Howe as his second-half brace at St. James’ Park
NEWCASTLE: Harvey Barnes struck twice as Newcastle thrashed troubled Manchester United 4-1 to climb into fourth place in the Premier League on Sunday.
Newcastle were without manager Eddie Howe, who was admitted to hospital on Friday after feeling unwell for several days.
But Barnes provided a welcome tonic for Howe as his second-half brace at St. James’ Park boosted Newcastle’s bid to qualify for the Champions League.
With Howe’s assistants Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones in charge of the League Cup winners, Sandro Tonali put Newcastle ahead before Alejandro Garnacho equalized late in the first half.
Barnes stole the spotlight after the interval, becoming the first Newcastle player to score twice in one league game against United since Alan Shearer in 2000.
Bruno Guimaraes punished a blunder from United keeper Altay Bayindir, who started in place of the dropped Andre Onana, to seal Newcastle’s first four-goal haul against United since 2001.
In the race to reach the Champions League via a top five finish, Newcastle are just one point behind third-placed Nottingham Forest.
They have a game in hand on Forest, as well as fifth-placed Manchester City and sixth-placed Chelsea, who are two points adrift of the Magpies.
United have now gone four games without a win in all competitions, leaving them languishing in 14th place with just six games left to avoid their lowest finish since 1973-74, when they came 21st and were relegated.
They are already certain to suffer their worst points total in the Premier League era, with the previous low 58 in 2021-22.
Ruben Amorim made five changes with an eye on Lyon’s visit to Old Trafford for the Europa League quarter-final, second leg next Thursday, but United were blown away with embarrassing ease.
Bayindir had replaced Onana after the Cameroon keeper’s latest error-strewn display in United’s 2-2 draw at Lyon last Thursday.
But the 26-year-old, signed from Fenerbahce in 2023, endured a woeful first Premier League start.
Newcastle’s opening goal arrived at the climax of a flowing move after United midfielder Manuel Ugarte gave the ball way in the 24th minute.
Kieran Trippier surged forward and found Alexander Isak, who astutely lifted his pass over the defense for Tonali to drive a clinical finish into the far corner from an acute angle 10 yards out.
It was the 19th time United had conceded the opening goal in a league game this season — their joint-most in a single campaign in the competition.
With United out of sync once again, Tonali almost doubled the lead as the Italy midfielder curled just wide from distance.
Bayindir looked nervous when he punched Tino Livramento’s cross straight to Isak, but he redeemed himself with a good save from the Swede’s volley.
United equalized completely against the run of play in the 37th minute.
Diogo Dalot was the catalyst with a buccaneering burst that carried him to the edge of the Newcastle area, where he slipped a precise pass to Garnacho and the Argentine winger fired past Nick Pope.
Having scored for just the second time in 2025, Garnacho went close to another when Pope palmed away his blast on the stroke of half-time.
But Newcastle regained the lead four minutes after half-time as United’s leaky defense was breached again.
Livramento’s low cross was alertly kept in by Murphy beyond the far post and his pass into the six-yard box found Barnes unmarked for a clinical finish.
Zirkzee limped off to add to United’s woes after crumpling to the turf with an apparent hamstring injury.
United were in disarray and Barnes delivered the knockout blow in the 64th minute, dispossessing Noussair Mazraoui and racing clear to drill a fierce strike past Bayindir.
In the 77th minute, Bayindir’s wayward pass went straight to Joelinton, who nodded the ball onto Guimaraes for a composed finish that rubbed salt into United’s gaping wounds.
