JEDDAH: Al-Nassr coach Stefano Pioli declared his side injury-free ahead of Wednesday’s Asian Champions League Elite semifinal against Kawasaki Frontale in Jeddah as the Saudi Pro League side look to reach the final for the first time in almost 30 years.
The Riyadh-based outfit last made the decider in 1995, but a brace from Jhon Duran and strikes by Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo sealed a 4-1 win over Yokohama F Marinos on Saturday to move the Saudi side to the cusp of a first title.
“We are ready for the match, but in training we will decide which group is going to play,” Pioli said. “The team is ready to play the game with great spirit, high performance.”
Al-Nassr are one of three Saudi Pro League sides in the semifinals, the first time a single nation has dominated the latter stages of the competition to such an extent.
The huge injection of cash into the country’s leading clubs by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in 2023 which prompted the signing of numerous high-profile players from around the world is having a major impact on this year’s competition.
Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli have also advanced to the last four and will meet on Tuesday.
Japan’s Kawasaki are the only team from their half of the confederation left in the competition after their win over Qatar’s Al-Sadd, and the J-League side have been further disadvantaged by having one day less to recover than Al-Nassr.
Frontale needed extra-time to defeat Felix Sanchez’s side and coach Shigetoshi Hasebe admitted he was concerned about his players’ lack of freshness ahead of the Al-Nassr clash.
“All the players are tired because they played for 120 minutes, which is very difficult for us,” he said. “But we’ll be playing in a different stadium, so we can have a new feeling and I can imagine the players will play very well tomorrow night.”
Kawasaki midfielder Kento Tachibanada stressed it was important not to obsess over the reputations of their opponents.
“The key point is not to be afraid of the famous players and their big names,” he said. “Many people think the teams from Saudi will win, but I want to break that type of image tomorrow night.”
Coach Stefano Pioli confident as Al-Nassr prepare for AFC Champions League Elite semi showdown
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Coach Stefano Pioli confident as Al-Nassr prepare for AFC Champions League Elite semi showdown
- Riyadh giant Al-Nassr are one of three Saudi Pro League sides in the semifinals
- Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli have also advanced to the last four and will meet on Tuesday
Green Falcons finalize preparations for Bahrain World Cup qualifier
- The squad is scheduled to hold its final training session on Wednesday at Bahrain National Stadium
DHAHRAN: The Saudi Arabian national football team concluded a key training session on Tuesday evening as preparations intensify for their upcoming AFC World Cup qualifier against Bahrain.
Their crucial qualifier will kick off this Thursday as part of the ninth round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers.
Under the guidance of head coach Herve Renard, the Green Falcons trained at Ettifaq Club Stadium in Dammam, with the session featuring warm-ups, passing drills, tactical exercises, and a full-pitch training match between two squads.
The team left for Bahrain after the session.
On the injury front, players Muhannad Al-Saad and Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti continued their respective rehabilitation programs under the supervision of the national team’s medical staff.
The squad is scheduled to hold its final training session on Wednesday at Bahrain National Stadium, with the first 15 minutes open to media coverage.
Swiatek puts away Svitolina to make last four
- Swiatek will next play world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a mouth-watering semifinal
PARIS: Four-time champion Iga Swiatek of Poland swept aside Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-1 7-5 on a windy day at the French Open on Tuesday to earn a semifinal spot and stay in the hunt for a record-breaking victory in Paris
The 24-year-old, who accepted a one-month doping ban late last year, is looking to become the first woman in the professional era since 1968 to win four consecutive titles in Paris.
Although she failed to win a title going into the French Open this season, she looks to have rediscovered her remarkable claycourt form in Paris.
She will next play world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a mouth-watering semifinal after the Belarusian beat China’s Zheng Qinwen in straight sets.
“I should have had better intensity in the beginning of the second set,” Swiatek said in a post-match interview. “When I saw my intensity go low I got it high again. I am happy I did it at the end of the set.
“Against Aryna it is always a challenge. She has a game for every surface. I have to do the work, be brave with my shots and go for it. She is having a great season.”
“I will not lie. It will be a tough match but am happy for the challenge,” she said.
The Pole is now on a 26-match winning streak at the French Open, following her title three-peat between 2022-24 to add to her 2020 crown.
Swiatek, playing in an initially sparsely filled Philipp Chatrier stadium, broke the Ukrainian, in her fifth quarterfinal appearance in Paris, early and kept her on the back foot with her heavy top-spin forehand and rapid changes in pace and direction.
Svitolina desperately tried to hang on but she could not match her opponent’s power in rallies, sending a forehand into the net to hand her another break as Swiatek bagged the set on her serve in the next game.
With her husband, French tennis player Gael Monfils, watching from the stands, Svitolina ignited hope among the crowd when she moved 5-4 up in the second set.
Three unforced forehand errors in the next game, however, proved too many and Swiatek raced through the next three games to seal victory, firing three aces in the final game including one on match point.
Virat Kohli fulfils IPL dream as Bengaluru beat Punjab for first title
AHMEDABAD: Batting legend Virat Kohli top-scored for Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they beat Punjab Kings by six runs on Tuesday to win their first Indian Premier League T20 title.
Kohli’s 43 from 35 balls at the top of the order set up Bengaluru for an imposing total of 190-9 which was one big blow too many for a Punjab side that battled until the end, finishing on 184-7.
More than 91,000 fans packed into the 132,000-capacity stadium in Ahmedabad, a sea of Bengaluru’s red and Kohli’s jersey number 18 dominating the stands as chants of “Kohli, Kohli” rang out.
They celebrated noisily when Kohli and RCB clinched victory for the first time in the 18 years of the IPL, their three previous finals having all ended in defeat.
The 36-year-old Kohli, one of India’s all-time greats in all formats of the game, collapsed on the ground after the win and then got up to be hugged by his teammates as the crowd celebrated their hero.
Punjab faltered in their chase after left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya took 2-17 from his four overs.
Shashank Singh hit a valiant 61 not out and finished with three sixes and a four off Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood who defended 29 runs in the final over.
Hazlewood, who took 3-21 against Punjab in last week’s qualifier win after recovering from a shoulder injury, struck first to send back left-handed Priyansh Arya for 24 with Phil Salt taking a stunning catch at the ropes.
Impact substitute Prabhsimran Singh was the next to go off Pandya but the Bengaluru crowd went wild when Romario Shepherd had skipper Shreyas Iyer caught behind for one.
Pandya stuck again to cut short Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis’ stay on 39 and Bengaluru seized momentum and Shashank’s late blitz was not enough.
Bengaluru had the perfect start as ‘King Kohli’ dug in. Far from his fluent best, he only struck three fours during his innings but in the end it turned out to be key.
He lost opening partner Salt for 16 when New Zealand quick Kyle Jamieson struck in his first over to have the England batter caught in the deep off Iyer.
Kohli anchored the innings, sharing important partnerships with Mayank Agarwal, who made 24, and then skipper Rajat Patidar, who hit 26.
But Punjab kept chipping away with wickets as leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal got Agarwal and Jamieson trapped the captain lbw.
Kohli’s vigil ended when he mistimed a rising delivery from Afghanistan pace bowler Azmatullah Omarzai for a caught and bowled, the disappointment etched across his face mirrored by his fans.
Jamieson took his third wicket to cut short Liam Livingstone’s rampant 25 off 15 balls.
Wickets kept tumbling as wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma fell for a 10-ball 24 and Romario Shepherd for 17 off nine balls.
Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh took three wickets including Shepherd in the 20th over and gave away just three runs.
Bengaluru had defeated Punjab in the first playoff to book their fourth final.
The 18th edition of the world’s richest cricket league ended nine days late due to a pause because of the military conflict between India and Pakistan.
Coach Inzaghi to leave Inter Milan: club
- “The club and Simone Inzaghi are parting ways. This is the decision taken by mutual agreement,” Inter said
- According to renowned Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Inzaghi’s next job could be with Saudi club Al-Hilal
ROME: Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi is leaving after four years by “mutual agreement,” the club announced on Tuesday, as Italian media reported he was moving to Saudi Arabia.
“The club and Simone Inzaghi are parting ways. This is the decision taken by mutual agreement,” Inter said in a statement.
Both Inter and Inzaghi said the decision had been made at a meeting involving the coach and club President Giuseppe Marotta on Tuesday afternoon.
The parting came just days after Saturday’s 5-0 thumping by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
According to renowned Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Inzaghi’s next job could be with Saudi club Al-Hilal, as he suggested a deal was in place for the next three years.
Meanwhile AFP report added that talks had already been swirling about his exit, and last month Inzaghi played down rumors about a two-year deal with Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal worth 50 million euros.
Italian media said Tuesday this reported had been confirmed.
According to Romano, Inzaghi could earn up to €26 million ($29.5 million) per season in the Saudi Pro League as new Al-Hilal head coach, adding in a post on X that any contract would be “initially valid until June 2027.”
Inzaghi took over Inter in 2021 and had a contract until 2026.
The 49-year-old guided the club to one Serie A title — Inter’s 20th — and two Italian Cups. He led
the team to two Champions League finals in the past three seasons but lost both.
On track to repeat the treble heroics of 2010 just a few weeks ago, Inter ended the season trophyless after falling away in each competition.
In its statement, the club said Inzaghi’s management was “characterised by great passion, accompanied by professionalism and dedication.”
His trophies had “brought the club back to the top of Italian and European football,” it said.
Marotta thanked him “for the work done, for the passion shown and also for the sincerity in today’s discussion, which led to the common decision to separate our paths.”
“Only when we have fought together to achieve success day by day, can we have a frank dialogue like the one that happened today,” he said.
In a separate statement, Inzaghi thanked the players, managers and staff, but most of all the fans, adding: “I will never forget you.”
* With AFP
Uzbekistan, Jordan eye World Cup berths as South Korea close on finals
- Uzbekistan side take on the UAE knowing a draw will earn the Central Asians a berth among the 48 nations in North America
- Jordan could also advance with a win over hosts Oman
HONG KONG: Uzbekistan and Jordan will look to secure debut appearances at the World Cup as the pair on Thursday attempt to confirm their progress to next year’s finals while South Korea are also closing in on qualification.
Timur Kapadze’s Uzbekistan side take on the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi knowing a draw will earn the Central Asians a berth among the 48 nations in North America, while Jordan could also advance with a win over hosts Oman.
The Koreans, one of Asia’s World Cup regulars, will confirm their participation at an 11th consecutive finals with a draw against Iraq in Basra.
Japan and Iran have already taken two of the confederation’s increased allocation of eight guaranteed spots in the United States, Canada and Mexico as the top two finishers in each of Asia’s three preliminary groups advance automatically.
The nations finishing in third and fourth will progress to a further round of preliminaries for the pair of remaining slots while those in fifth and sixth will be eliminated.
Uzbekistan sit second in Group A three points behind Iran, who play Qatar in Doha, and lead the third-placed United Arab Emirates by four points ahead of the final two matches in the third phase of qualifiers.
South Korea, meanwhile, are in pole position in Group B on 16 points and a draw with Iraq in Graham Arnold’s first game as head coach of the Gulf nation will take Hong Myung-bo and his team into yet another World Cup draw.
The Iraqis, currently third in the table, need a point to keep their hopes of automatic qualification alive as second-placed Jordan would progress with a win over Oman should Arnold’s side lose to the Koreans.
Oman sit in fourth place on 10 points, and victory over the Jordanians will keep Rashid Jaber’s outfit in contention for a first World Cup ticket.
Australia take on Japan in Perth knowing a win against Hajjime Moriyasu’s already-qualified Group C winners might not be enough to confirm their progress on Thursday.
Tony Popovic’s Socceroos lead Saudi Arabia by three points with two matches left, meaning a win for Herve Renard’s side away to Bahrain would see the remaining Group C berth decided when Australia face the Saudis next Tuesday.
However, a win for the Australians against a Japan side featuring a host of uncapped players and defeat for the Saudis in Riffa would confirm the Socceroos’ passage to a sixth consecutive World Cup.
