DUBAI: Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League Elite game with Esteghlal of Tehran on Tuesday will be as closely watched in India as it is in Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said in a statement released last Tuesday that Esteghlal had to move its home fixture with Al-Nassr to the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai due to the security situation in Iran.
The decision was greeted by surprise in India as, on Oct. 7, the AFC ruled that Mohun Bagan Super Giants of Kolkata had been “considered to have withdrawn” from the second tier AFC Champions League Two for refusing to travel to Iran to play its Oct. 2 fixture against Tractor SC in the northwestern city of Tabriz.
It is not only Al-Nassr’s game that has been relocated. Tractor’s home game against Ravshan of Tajikistan, scheduled for Wednesday, has been switched to become an away tie. Iran’s national team also had to move its Oct. 15 World Cup qualifier against Qatar to Dubai.
“...(Mohun Bagan) notes that the AFC has indeed recognized the volatility of the situation in Iran and as such, has rescheduled or shifted venues for several games,” a spokesperson for Mohun Bagan told Associated Press, adding that the confederation had taken the same geopolitical instability into account that the club had. “Failing to apply the same standard to Mohun Bagan would result in unequal treatment by the AFC.”
According to the spokesperson, Mohun Bagan had made a request to the AFC that the game’s date or venue be changed before it decided not to travel.
“We consistently communicated concerns about the volatile and unsafe conditions in and around Iran, particularly regarding the safety of players and staff,” the official added.
The Indian Super League club said that it had appealed the decision to the relevant AFC committee and hoped to be reinstated into the tournament.
The AFC did not reply to an invitation to comment.
Al-Nassr has four points from the first two games and can take a big step toward the second round with a win. The revamped tournament now consists of two groups of 12 — divided into west and east geographic zones — with the top eight from each advancing to the Round of 16.
Nassr is going well in the Saudi Pro League with a 97th minute penalty from Ronaldo giving the team a 2-1 win over Al-Shabab on Friday to stay in third place.
“There are a lot of games at the moment and it is not easy,” said Stefano Pioli, Al-Nassr’s coach. “We will do our best to maintain our performances in the Asian Champions League.”
Saudi Arabia has three of the four top teams in Group A. Al-Hilal is first and the four-time winner meets defending champion Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates and could welcome Neymar back to action after a year out through injury. Jeddah club Al-Ahli also has maximum points and travels to Qatar to face Al-Rayyan.
Front runners meet in Eastern Zone
In the eastern zone the top two meet. Gwangju FC of South Korea is making its first ever appearance in Asian competition and is the only team with two wins from two. It takes on Johor Darul Ta’zim of Malaysia.
Australia’s Central Coast Mariners has lost both games so far and head to China to take on Shanghai Port, coached by former Australian international Kevin Muscat, also seeking a first win.
Last season’s defeated finalist Yokohama F. Marinos also travels to China and meets Shandong Tiashan while three-time winner Pohang Steelers of South Korea faces Thailand’s Buriram United.
Ronaldo and Al-Nassr’s ACL game moved amid Iran security fears
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Ronaldo and Al-Nassr’s ACL game moved amid Iran security fears
- The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said in a statement that Esteghlal had to move its home fixture with Al-Nassr to Dubai due to security reasons
Mbappe back from ‘bottom’ as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup
MADRID: Kylian Mbappe said he had bounced back from hitting rock bottom after helping Real Madrid thrash Sevilla 4-2 on Saturday to move second in La Liga above stuttering rivals Barcelona.
After Atletico Madrid beat Barca on Saturday to claim top spot at Christmas, Carlo Ancelotti’s side also took advantage with a comfortable home win which leaves them a point behind the leaders.
Madrid coach Ancelotti said ahead of Sevilla’s visit that Mbappe’s adaptation period had ended following his summer switch from Paris Saint-Germain and the French forward proved the coach right with a strong performance and his 14th goal of the season across all competitions.
Fede Valverde also netted a brilliant effort from range, with Rodrygo Goes and Brahim Diaz on the scoresheet for the hosts too, the latter assisted by a clever Mbappe pass.
Isaac Romero and Dodi Lukebakio scored for Sevilla, although they were thoroughly outplayed on veteran defender Jesus Navas’ final game for the club.
“I think that we know each other better, my arrival changed a lot of things, and now, as the coach said, the adaptation is over and I feel very good in the team,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
“We can see on the pitch that I click better with my team-mates and now we’re all playing better.”
Mbappe, back after a brief absence with a thigh injury, scored for Madrid in midweek as they won the Intercontinental Cup.
It was welcome relief for the forward after missing two penalties in recent weeks against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao, as well as suffering criticism for his form.
“I know I’ve got much more in my legs than I’m showing, but in the last games I’ve played better,” Mbappe added.
“The Bilbao game was good for me, I hit the bottom, I missed a penalty and it was a moment to realize that I have to give everything for this shirt and show my personality.”
With Vinicius Junior suspended, Mbappe took the reins and broke the deadlock in the 10th minute as Madrid brought the ball out from the back and worked it to Rodrygo on the left flank.
The Brazilian squared to Mbappe on the edge of the area, who took one touch to control, another to set himself and with his third, smashed a fierce effort past the helpless Alvaro Fernandez.
“I think (Mbappe) has been self-critical, he’s come out of a situation that could have been complicated for him,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“Yesterday I said his adaptation period was over, today he showed it, sometimes I’m not wrong.”
The coach said Madrid had found their footing after struggling at times in the first half of the season.
“We’re running a bit more, playing with more intensity, we’re doing things well again, as we have to do — they’ve been complicated months,” Ancelotti added.
Madrid’s second, 10 minutes later, was even better, with Valverde firing a screamer into the top corner from over 30 yards out after a short corner.
Ancelotti’s side were in full flow and the third followed in the 34th minute when Lucas Vazquez crossed for Rodrygo.
Sevilla hit back within a minute, with Romero nodding home from Juanlu Sanchez’s cross.
Madrid stretched their lead after the break with Mbappe dinking a superb pass through for Diaz to finish clinically.
Sevilla brought on Navas after the hour mark and he was applauded by the Santiago Bernabeu, with this his 705th and final appearance for the club, far more than any other player.
Madrid and Sevilla players together gave the retiring Spanish great — a World Cup winner in 2010 and two-time Euros champion — a guard of honor at the start of the game.
Navas, 39, won four Europa Leagues and two Copa del Rey trophies with Sevilla, but his final appearance ended in disappointment for the Andalusians.
Lukebakio pulled one back late on for Sevilla as Madrid were able to finish an impressive year, in which they became Spanish and European champions, with positive vibes.
“Today was a spectacle, I haven’t seen anything like that in my life at an away ground, it was crazy,” an emotional Navas told reporters.
“I was thinking of all the moments that I’ve lived through, the joys I’ve given to my Sevilla and my national team.”
Joao Fonseca follows Sinner as landmark NextGen champion in Jeddah
- Brazil’s Fonseca, 18, came through 2-4, 4-3 (10/8), 4-0, 4-2 to see off his left-handed American opponent
JEDDAH: Joao Fonseca became the second youngest champion of the NextGen ATP tournament on Sunday when he defied his lowly ranking of 145 to defeat Learner Tien in the final.
Brazil’s Fonseca, 18, came through 2-4, 4-3 (10/8), 4-0, 4-2 to see off his left-handed American opponent.
He is the youngest champion at the event since current world number one Jannik Sinner claimed the title also at the age of 18 five years ago.
“I was really nervous before the match. I knew it was going to be so difficult,” Fonseca said before lifting the trophy with tennis legend Rafael Nadal watching on from the stands.
“I played a final against Learner in juniors at the 2023 US Open and I know the way he can play. He is such a nice guy and a great player, so I knew it was going to be difficult, mentally and physically. But I got through.”
Fonseca, the lowest-ranked player in the eight-man field, won all five matches he played this week at the Red Sea venue.
He began the year ranked at 730 in the world and having made a maiden ATP quarter-final in Rio this year, he will be aiming to make significant progress in 2025.
“I need to believe when I go before a tournament that I can win,” Fonseca said.
“But now I have won it I am thinking, ‘Wow, I made it’. I am very proud of myself.”
Green Falcons fall to defeat against Bahrain in opening Gulf Cup match
KUWAIT CITY: Saudi Arabia lost 3-2 to Bahrain 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 in 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 semi-final.
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 in Kuwait City with a well-worked corner.
Mahdi Al-Humaidan swung over a cross from the right and there was Mahdi Abduljabbar to met the ball at the near post and send a powerful header into the opposite top corner.
Seven minutes before the break and Bahrain extended their lead. 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 of the area.
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, in need of improvement, a lift and — most importantly — a win.
Troubled Manchester United humiliated by Bournemouth
- Second successive flop for Amorim’s side following 4-3 League Cup quarterfinal exit at Tottenham
- Bournemouth win came a year after securing first ever victory at Old Trafford
MANCHESTER: Manchester United crashed to a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth on Sunday as Ruben Amorim lost for the fourth time in his nine games in charge of the troubled Old Trafford club.
It was a second successive flop for Amorim’s side following their 4-3 League Cup quarter-final exit at Tottenham on Thursday.
Bournemouth took a first-half lead through Dean Huijsen before Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo netted after the interval to complete a dismal afternoon for Amorim, who replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag in November.
A year after securing their first ever victory at Old Trafford, Andoni Iraola’s Cherries triumphed by the same scoreline as they inflicted the biggest blow of Amorim’s short reign.
Huijsen became the latest player to capitalize on United’s woeful set-piece defending, before a Kluivert penalty and a Semenyo strike sealed a stunning win that brought boos from the home fans at full-time.
The result leaves United marooned in 13th over Christmas and marked an alarming fall from grace after last Sunday’s 2-1 derby win at Manchester City.
Amorim had always warned there would be bumps in the road but this fourth defeat in his ninth match in charge further underlined the issues at hand.
Marcus Rashford’s absence from a third consecutive matchday squad had dominated the pre-match discussion as Amorim made six changes.
United offered little attacking threat without Rashford and their glaring deficiences at the back were ruthlessly exploited by a Bournemouth side who are now up to fifth place.
Tyrell Malacia was furious to be adjudged to have fouled Adam Smith and Huijsen easily beat Joshua Zirkee to head home the resulting free-kick from Ryan Christie in the 29th minute.
Amorim brought on Leny Yoro for Malacia at half-time and soon made two further changes, with Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho replacing Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte.
The changes made no difference and Noussair Mazraoui conceded a careless penalty when he brought down Kluivert in the 61st minute.
The Netherlands international stepped up to send Andre Onana the wrong way as he stroked home from the spot.
United’s capitulation was complete two minutes later.
Kobbie Mainoo’s pass was cut out and Bournemouth broke as Evanilson slipped in Dango Ouattara, whose cutback was driven home by Semenyo.
Jubilant Bournemouth fans chanted “Man United, it’s happened again” in reference to last year’s victory, while the dejected home supporters flooded toward the exits.
Stokes out of England’s squad for Champions Trophy in Pakistan
- The 33-year-old star all-rounder was not considered after damaging a hamstring during England’s defeat by New Zealand this month
- Key batsman Joe Root, who preceded Stokes as Test captain, returns to the ODI side for the first time since the World Cup in India
LONDON: England Test captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out of next year’s Champions Trophy one-day international tournament in Pakistan and the preceding white-ball tour of India, team management announced Sunday.
The 33-year-old star all-rounder was not considered after damaging a hamstring during England’s defeat by New Zealand in the third Test at Hamilton earlier this month.
“Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes was not considered for selection as he continues to be assessed following a left hamstring injury sustained,” said an England and Wales Cricket Board statement.
Stokes did not bat in the second innings of that match as England slumped to a 423-run defeat — a result that meant his side still won a three-match series 2-1.
He previously missed this year’s home series against Sri Lanka and the first Test in Pakistan due to hamstring issues.
With England facing a five-match Test series at home to India starting in June before their pinnacle 2025/26 Ashes tour of Australia, team management have decided against risking inspirational red-ball skipper Stokes.
Key batsman Joe Root, who preceded Stokes as Test captain, returns to the ODI side for the first time since the 2023 World Cup in India.
Fast bowler Mark Wood, who missed the recent Test tours of both Pakistan and New Zealand, with a bone-stress injury to his right elbow, is in both squads.
The India series and Champions Trophy will mark England’s first limited-overs tour and tournament under coach Brendon McCullum, previously just in charge of the Test side.
Jos Buttler, who missed the recent ODI series against the West Indies with a calf injury, remains captain of the two white-ball teams despite England surrendering both their 50-over and T20 world titles since November 2023.
But it is possible the dashing batsman, replaced as skipper in the Caribbean by all-rounder Liam Livingstone, may not keep wicket, as he has for much of his limited-overs career.
Both the ODI squad for the India tour and the Champions Trophy, as well as the squad for five T20s in India in January, feature two other wicketkeepers in Test gloveman Jamie Smith, who missed the New Zealand series to attend the birth of his first child, and Phil Salt.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old rising star Jacob Bethell, who marked his debut Test series with three fifties in New Zealand, is included in both squads.
Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed joins the T20 squad, while Root is selected only for the ODIs.
The tour party leaves for India on January 17, with the first match of a five-game series against T20 world champions India in Kolkata on January 22.
India and England will then play a three-match ODI series, in preparation for the Champions Trophy, starting in Nagpur on February 6.
Match dates for the Champions Trophy, which also features Pakistan as well as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, have yet to be announced, with the tournament due to run from February 19 to March 9.
England ODI squad for India tour and 2025 Champions Trophy:
Jos Buttler (capt/wkt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith (wkt), Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt (wkt), Mark Wood
