DOHA, Qatar: Joao Cancelo scored his first goal for Al-Hilal as the Saudi Arabian club beat Qatari club Al-Rayyan 3-1 in the Asian Champions League Elite tournament on Tuesday.
The Portuguese international, signed from Manchester City, scored just before halftime. Earlier, Serbia international Sergej Milinkovic-Savic opened the scoring for the four-time Asian champion. Cancelo then assisted Marcos Leonardo for the third before the break.
Early in the second half Roger Guedes scored for Al-Rayyan but it was the Saudi Arabians who came closest to scoring again as Aleksandar Mitrovic missed a penalty.
Al-Hilal’s Riyadh rival Al-Nassr drew 1-1 with Al-Shorta of Iraq on Monday when Cristiano Ronaldo stayed in Saudi Arabia after being diagnosed with a viral infection.
In this revamped tournament, the 24 teams have been divided into two groups of 12, divided into east and west geographic zones, and each plays eight games. The top eight from each group progresses to the round of 16.
There were goals galore in the east. South Korean debutant Gwangju FC won 7-3 against Yokohama F.Marinos, the Japanese team that lost in May’s final.
Chinese teams enjoyed a good start. Shandong Taishan defeated Central Coast Mariners of Australia 3-1 while Shanghai Port won 4-1 against Pohang Steelers, three-time winners, of South Korea.
Elsewhere, Japan’s Vissel Kobe and Buriram United of Thailand drew 0-0.
Joao Cancelo scores for Al-Hilal in win over Al-Rayyan in Asian Champions League
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Joao Cancelo scores for Al-Hilal in win over Al-Rayyan in Asian Champions League
UAE’s HM Alchahine triumphs in Rome
- Victory claimed in fifth leg of UAE President’s Cup Series for Purebred Arabian Horses
ABU DHABI: The UAE’s HM Alchahine delivered a standout performance to capture the title in the fifth leg of the prestigious UAE President’s Cup Series for Purebred Arabian Horses, which was held at the historic Capannelle Racecourse in Rome on Sunday. The race formed part of the 32nd edition of the globally recognized series.
The UAE President’s Cup continues to make its mark across major European racing circuits, further strengthening its presence and impact in the international Arabian racing landscape.
The series is held under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, vice president, deputy prime minister, and chairman of the Presidential Court.
The series aligns with long-term goals to support breeders, owners, and the Arabian horse industry worldwide.
HM Alchahine, which is owned by Hilal Al-Alawi and trained by Elisabeth Bernard, was ridden to victory by Cristian Demuro. The colt surged into the lead at the final turn and then accelerated powerfully to secure a decisive win, his eighth victory out of nine career starts.
The Group 2 turf race was contested over 2,000 meters and drew a field of 16 of the finest Arabians from across Italy and Europe. The total prize purse was almost $338,000.
Second was Afjan, representing Al-Shaqab Racing, which was trained by Jean de Mieulle and ridden by Olivier D’Andigne, while third place went to Extra Time.
The race was attended by Abdulla Ali Al-Saboosi, UAE’s ambassador to the Italian Republic, and Faisal Al-Rahmani, secretary-general of the Higher Organizing Committee of the UAE President’s Cup Series. Also present was Mattia Cadrobbi, president of the Italian Arabian Horse Association, along with distinguished diplomatic representatives from various nations.
Al-Rahmani said: “We are proud of the success of the Italy leg (of the series), which continues to embody the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
“We extend our deepest gratitude for his generous support and pioneering role in advancing the Arabian horse legacy.
“Italy has become a key destination for champions and a gateway to elite European and Gulf races. Congratulations to Hilal Al-Alawi for this distinguished UAE victory with HM Alchahine, which reflects the outstanding capabilities of Emirati stables on the global stage.”
ESL Saudi Challenge 2025 offers Saudi teams shot at Esports World Cup glory
- Top Overwatch 2 squads compete for $20k prize and place in the global circuit
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning esports scene takes another significant step forward as the ESL Saudi Challenge 2025 kicks off, spotlighting the Kingdom’s top Overwatch 2 talent and offering a direct path to the Esports World Cup.
Organized by ESL FACEIT Group, a Savvy Games Group company, the tournament features eight elite Saudi teams battling for a share of the $20,000 prize pool. But more than just the money is on the line — the winning team will earn a coveted spot in the Overwatch Champions Series, a premier international circuit that feeds into the EWC.
“The ESL Saudi Challenge is more than just a local tournament; it’s a strategic platform that offers players a genuine opportunity to reach the global stage,” said Franck Guignery, senior vice president of Middle East and North Africa at ESL FACEIT Group. “As an official operating partner of the EWC, ESL FACEIT Group is committed to building professional pathways and empowering local talent to represent Saudi Arabia in the international esports scene.”
The initiative is closely aligned with Saudi Arabia’s national strategy to develop a sustainable esports ecosystem and position the Kingdom as a global hub for competitive gaming.
This year’s tournament will culminate with the grand final on May 30 at VOV Gaming in Riyadh, where the top three teams from the May 13–16 playoffs will compete live in front of a home crowd.
With high stakes and international exposure on offer, the ESL Saudi Challenge has become a proving ground for players looking to make the leap from national heroes to global contenders.
Dubai Basketball face deciding game in ABA League quarterfinals
- Third game against Cedevita Olimpija will be at Coca-Cola Arena on Tuesday
DUBAI, UAE: Dubai Basketball lost to Cedevita Olimpija (94-89) in Game 2 of the ABA League quarterfinals, resulting in a final deciding game, to take place on Tuesday, May 20 at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
Dubai entered Game 2 in Ljubljana with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, following a one-point home win. Victory in Slovenia would have secured immediate qualification to the semifinals. However, Dubai Basketball were facing one of the league’s most physical contenders at Stozice Arena.
Cedevita Olimpija wasted no time asserting their home-court advantage, taking the lead early in the first quarter. But as witnessed last week at Coca-Cola Arena, the game quickly turned into a fierce back-and-forth. Dubai’s Danilo Andusic and Italian fan favourite Awudu Abass stepped up under pressure, narrowing the gap with swift offensive responses.
Despite Dubai Basketball fighting back and briefly gaining an advantage in the second quarter, the traveling team were unable to cement a long-lasting lead over the Dragons at their home court. A momentary six-point difference in the second quarter offered a glimpse of victory, but Cedevita’s offense came back strong, closing the advantage and overtaking the visitors.
Aleksej Nikolic of Cedevita delivered a standout performance, finishing as the top scorer of the night with 30 points. Second highest scorer of the night was Dubai Basketball’s Andusic with 23 points.
The decisive clash on Tuesday is more than just a pivotal game in the ABA League — it represents a historic opportunity for Dubai Basketball to cement its place among the best in the league. As the only team representing the Middle East, Dubai has already made a powerful statement in its debut season, with top-tier performances and a winning mentality that has captured international attention.
With every team in the league beaten at least once, a 14-game unbeaten streak, and a record-breaking performance for the most points scored in a single quarter, the team has already made history. Now, they stand on the edge of another milestone, qualification for the semifinals.
Europa League golden ticket offers Man United, Spurs salvation
- A potential £100 million ($133 million) honey pot for reaching Europe’s top competition is on the line at the San Mames stadium between two sides languishing near the bottom of the English top flight
- Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils are 16th and with 18 league defeats are enduring their worst top flight campaign in half a century, since their 1974 relegation
BILBAO: Manchester United and Tottenham will slug it out in the Europa League final on Wednesday in Bilbao, with both sides desperately seeking salvation from dismal Premier League campaigns through silverware and a golden ticket into next season’s Champions League.
A potential £100 million ($133 million) honey pot for reaching Europe’s top competition is on the line at the San Mames stadium between two sides languishing near the bottom of the English top flight.
Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils are 16th and with 18 league defeats are enduring their worst top flight campaign in half a century, since their 1974 relegation.
One place lower lie Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs, beaten a club-record 21 times in the league, and on course for their worst season since returning to the top tier in 1978.
With both teams fixated on Europe, their plunge toward the table’s lower echelons has only accelerated in recent weeks.
United are winless in eight league games, their worst such run in Premier League history, falling at Chelsea on Friday in their last outing ahead of the final.
Tottenham also slumped to defeat at Aston Villa for their fifth loss in six league matches.
Spurs are twice winners of this competition, but their victory in 1984 was the club’s last European trophy and they have not won any silverware for 17 years.
They reached a maiden Champions League final in 2019 but came up short in another all-English battle in Spain, losing against Liverpool in a drab contest.
“When you look at the historical backdrop of this club for the past 20-odd years, I feel (this final) could be a turning point,” said Postecoglou last week.
Despite United’s gradual decline since legendary former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, they did win the FA Cup and League Cup in the past two seasons under Amorim’s predecessor Erik ten Hag.
The Portuguese has endured a torrid time since taking charge in November, winning just six of his 26 Premier League games.
But the Europa League has been a different story as United thrashed Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao, either side of a famous fightback from 6-4 down to beat Lyon 7-6 on aggregate in the quarter-finals that sparked memories of the club’s dramatic Champions League final victory in 1999.
Amorim, though, is aware of the scale of the task he faces to turn around the 20-time English champions.
“I’m not concerned about the final, it’s by far the smallest problem in our club,” said the former Sporting Lisbon boss.
“We need to change something that is deeper than this.”
Tottenham were once seen as not much trouble for an all-conquering United.
Former United great Roy Keane revealed once Ferguson’s team talk was limited to a dismissive “lads, it’s Spurs.”
This season the London side have won all three meetings, twice in the Premier League as well as in the League Cup, with Postecoglou unbeaten in five matches at the helm against United.
“If you think about the odds it’s hard for the club to lose four times in a row,” said Amorim.
With players like Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, United have both experience and quality at their disposal.
“They know how to win trophies, Tottenham don’t,” said former United midfielder Paul Scholes, who played alongside Keane.
Despite the team’s diabolical domestic form the Portuguese coach is expected to stay, bolstered by the thrilling unbeaten surge to the Europa League final.
The same cannot be said for Postecoglou. The Australian is almost certain to depart if he fails to deliver on his promise to win a trophy in his second season in charge.
Spurs’ bad luck with injuries this season continues with midfielders James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski all missing for the final, but captain Son Heung-min is back fit.
They survived an Arctic trip in the semifinals at Bodo/Glimt, but Postecoglou may still be frozen out even if his team triumphs.
“(If we win) it’s going to upset a lot of people isn’t it?” said the Australian.
“Who cares if we’re struggling in the league ... I’m looking forward to it and it should be a great game.”
More misery for Messi and Miami with Florida derby defeat
Fort Lauderdale, United States: Lionel Messi’s growing frustration and Inter Miami’s miserable run of form continued with a 3-0 loss at home to Orlando City in Major League Soccer on Sunday.
The Florida derby defeat leaves Miami with just one win from their last seven games in all competitions and they slip to sixth in the Eastern Conference with Orlando leapfrogging them.
Messi had just two shots on target in the entire game and even scuffed a free-kick from his favorite spot as his own form slumped with that of his team.
“Now we’ll truly see if we’re a team in difficult times, because when everything’s going well it’s very easy,” Messi told Apple TV following the defeat.
“When difficult times come, that’s when we have to be more united than ever, be a true team, and pull ourselves together,” he added.
Messi also questioned the refereeing but in truth the loss had little to do with officiating and much to do with shambolic defending, a disjointed midfield and punchless attack led by the rapidly fading Luis Suarez.
Orlando grabbed the lead in the 43rd minute with a goal of absurd simplicity — goalkeeper Pedro Gallese launched the ball down the middle of the field and Luis Muriel ran clear and slotted past Oscar Ustari.
The visitors were getting plenty of joy from going direct against a Miami back-line which was all at sea and Argentine Martin Ojeda should have done better when he found himself clear on goal but blasted over the bar.
Miami’s veteran keeper Ustari then made a fine double save to deny Alexander Freeman and an Ojeda follow up shot but then the 38-year-old found himself to blame for Orlando’s second goal.
The ball fell to Marco Pasalic on the edge of the box and his low shot went through the hands and legs of Ustari.
Miami coach Javier Mascherano then threw on attacking players in a bid to retrieve something from the game but it was largely in vain.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time Duncan McGuire broke down the left and his low cross was slotted home by Icelandic forward Dagur Thorhallsson to wrap-up an impressive performance from the visitors.
Miami have conceded 20 goals and scored 11 in their last seven games with their only victory coming against the New York Red Bulls on May 3.
Mascherano said his team had started as planned before the goal changed the tone of the game.
“I’d say for 25 or 30 minutes we had it completely under control playing in the opponent’s half, but this is how it is, clearly. I’m not going to deny what the result is,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we can’t afford the mistakes we make; that’s clear, but it’s pointless for me to come here and tell this story, because it keeps happening. So, clearly, we as a coaching staff are failing in many of these ways, and we have to try to find a way around them so we don’t continue failing and so the team starts getting results,” he added.
Miami’s MLS campaign was going well until their exit to the CONCACAF Champions Cup at the hands of the Vancouver Whitecaps and Mascherano admitted the team’s morale had been hit.
“Clearly, something has happened where the team has lost a lot of confidence. We have had a drop in level individually and collectively and it’s clear one way or another we have tried with different schemes, different names, and still today we are hurting. We will keep trying to find a way.”
